Upgrades and Downgrades: Seim Reap Edition

Spent the weekend in Seim Reap visiting the nearby temples at Angkor Wat. The temples are incredible, the only thing I could think to compare them to are the Mayan temples in South America. Just many massive, 1000 year old stone buildings covering something like 30 square miles. (Not just one temple, they are spaced out). Walking through things that are three times as old as our country was pretty humbling, and I was thoroughly enjoying imagining I was an 11^th century Siamese King. In honor of PGN, some upgrades and downgrades from the trip:

Downgrades

Loss of impressiveness – Look, the temples are amazing, there is no doubting that. That being said, walking through temple after temple when it’s 95 deg out and I’m feeling a little under the weather, I will admit that they started to look the same after a while. I know it’s a very American thing to say, but I wasn’t the only one saying it in our group, and I wasn’t the only American saying it. (It was kind of similar to the cathedrals we say in Europe senior year of high school. Beautiful, but over and over and over, they lose a bit of their luster.)

Tour guides - it would also have been more interesting to be able to wander on our own as opposed to following one around. Though it was entertaining to hear our tiny Cambodian tour guide with the sense of humor of a 9 year old boy crack joke after joke about the female anatomy in the carvings on the temples. It wasn’t so much that his jokes were entertaining as it was funny to see this little Asian man giggling to himself the entire afternoon. Just imagine the following in Asian accented English, followed by high pitched laughing and you have some idea of what we were dealing with all day: “I come from Phnom Penh. Actually I come from my mom. Hehehe"

Bus ride - took 6 hours each way and could have been done in 2 on an American highway. Our top speed was about 40mph, our average speed was probably 30mph and it was so bumpy that I could barely read. I have a Scrabble app on my iPod and when you shake the iPod, it shuffles the letters in your rack. Well, it was such a bumpy trip that I couldn’t even play because my letters kept shuffling because my hand was shaking so much.

Security guards - I climbed over a ‘no access’ gate and was scaling some stone steps on the highest tower of Angkor but was yelled down by security before I had a chance to pull out my camera. Since the sign was in English and said ‘DO NOT ENTER,’ I just kept repeating ‘sum toe,’ the Khmer for ‘I’m sorry,’ so hopefully they just thought I was Eastern European or something. Regardless, I got away with only a bunch of stern looks and gesturing to get on with my tour.

Forgetting my Indy hat in Phnom Penh – probably the biggest disappointment of the trip

Upgrades

Sneaking away from the tour - At the last temple, Angkor Wat (the big one) I did manage to sneak away from the tour and do some exploring on my own. Some little Japanese ladies had a good laugh at me trying to set up timer pictures of myself with the temples in the background, but I was enjoying myself. Also where I got caught by security and where I had my first bargaining experience (I’ll post about it later, but let’s just say I’m a natural.)

Angelina - One of the temples is nicknamed “Tomb Raider” because Angelina came and shot like one scene in front of some tree there for the movie. Well, I guess she has given a bunch of money to help with the upkeep and is pretty big in the area. But it was great walking through that temple hearing all the tours in different languages, ‘babababababa Angelina Jolie bababababaa.’

Free breakfast - Eggs, bread and fruit. Hey, free food is always a highlight.

A/C – no in my guesthouse in Phnom Penh, yes in our hotel.

Pretending I was Indy – sans hat, I did still have some fun. We stopped at Beng Melea Temple on the way home on Sunday and it could have been straight out of the first scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Also we didn’t have a tour guide there, and the temple hadn’t been kept up nearly as well, so we got to wander off on our own climbing huge piles of stone and avoiding ants the size of lightning bugs. Let’s just say my friends were rather impressed when I kept reminding them to avoid the J, there were no J’s in Latin, (they used I’s) and to watch out for poison darts.

Overall the trip was a lot of fun. I did have a sore throat most of sat and a runny nose all day Sunday, but I also slept for 12 hours sat night, so I can’t really complain. And I feel great today, so I’ll blame it on traveling. Hope everyone is doing well back home, I’m trying to mentally send some of this hot weather your way! Take care everyone.

TPWWLT : "1^st Time" - Bad Ronald

Siem Reap

Man, I had a huge post typed up, saved it to a memory stick, ran across the street to throw it on here before my class....and of course I saved it in docx and the computer at the internet cafe only has the old version of word so I cant open it. I'll post it tonight, just didnt want you to think I forgot about you all. Though most of you are asleep and will not be awake by the time I make my next post. So this post is in and of itself, worthless. I'm going to class.

TPWWLT - Moto's driving down my street.

Nailed It

Salad, turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, cranberry, roll, green beans (of which I ate every one) and topped it off with pumpkin pie and ice cream, all for $10.

We found a bar called the Lone Star, and it was pretty much picked up straight out of Texas and dropped in Southeast Asia. They had Espn on TV, stuffed jackalopes framing the bar, pictures of ZZ top adorning the walls, a huge confederate flag hanging over our table, and a bunch of skeevy white men at the bar with Cambodian women half their age. Ok, so maybe that last part wasn't like back home, but for the 4 other Americans I went with, it was a nice slice of home. One guy was 30 and was in the Marines for 9 years and even he was saying that its nice to do stuff like that when you are gone on holidays, helps you remember where you came from.

All the meals here are usually some combination of rice and meat, and like most things with a lot of rice, they fill you up for a bit, but then you are hungry in a little while. So after downing this feast last night, and all of us feeling uncomfortably full, you can imagine our surprise when we all realized that we actually felt good about being that full. As my friend Julia put it, it was a 'comforting discomfort.' Certainly not for every day and every meal, but when you haven't been really full for a week, it was kind of funny to realize that it felt good to eat until you couldn't eat anymore. It felt kinda like being home. Also, it made us feel more like Americans. :) Hope everyone had a great holiday, I'll be in Ankgor Wat all weekend, so take care of yourselves!

TPWWLT: American Pie - Don Mclean (it was on my shuffle, I swear!)

PS: Test in an hour, gotta go study. Some things never change.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I've seen the future, its about 85 and sunny today, so everyone have a great day. Had a burger, fries and coke for lunch, still working on trying to find some turkey for tonight. I'll let you know! Be safe everyone.

Da Bears

Class today went well. Got a lot of comments on my Chicago accent, how I miss my mahhhhm, how I played sahhhccer instead of football, and how I scratch my baaaack. Our teacher was talking about how our students will sound like us after we are through teaching so I can’t wait to have a room full of small Asian children sounding like Bill Swarksy and the Superfans. Maybe I’ll put a picture of Ditka in the classroom. (The name of the hurricane is Hurricane Ditka…)

After class was over, we walked downtown trying to find the central market, which ended up being closed for the night. But we did find a small fruit and vegetable market which was pretty cool. Also stopped at a street cart for some sort of meat on a stick, which while unidentifiable, was delicious. They also keep telling us we are supposed to haggle if we buy stuff like that, but first of all, I am so ingrained to just pay whatever that I usually forget, second, we can barely communicate as it is, so it’s almost easier to just pay what they ask, and third, I know I am white and you are charging me what you think is an incredible rate, small Cambodian lady, but it comes out to like $.38, so I kinda feel like an idiot trying to bargain you down to a quarter.

We stopped at a resTAUrant for dinner on the way home and I had my first meal here that did not consist of a combination of rice-vegetables-meat. I had a cheeseburger and a strawberry milkshake, and while it was a homeless man’s version of the Red Robin I had before I left, it was nice to have beef. And cheese. And ketchup. A I guess some sort of milk product too. (Ah the things we take for granted.) Off to class, have a great day everyone!

TPWWLT: Flight of the Conchords (‘You’re so beautiful, you could be a part time model…but you’d probably still have to keep your normal job.’)

PS. Kept my eyes open for some sort of turkey for Thursday, it’s not looking good.

First Day of Class

Had my first day of yesterday. Pretty simple stuff, there are 15 people in it, we have class from 9:30 to 5:30 everyday with a 1.5 hour break for lunch. We have class for two weeks here in Phnom Penh and then 3 of us are going to Thailand for the last two weeks of our training. One of the girls who is going with me is actually from Evanston, (went to EHS though, not New Trier) and just graduated from Wisconsin. Small world. Class was boring, but I can survive it for 4 weeks, and these aren't the sort of classes you can sleep through. One thing to report, we had to do the name game at the beginning, go around and name everyone who came before you sorta thing. BUT then we had to do it again and say something that people could associate with our name so they could remember it. (Felix became Felix the cat, Andrew became Handy Andy) So since my name is Mike, short for Michael, and I'm from Chicago, I told everyone in class to call my Michael Jordan. So now everyone in my class, inc my teacher, refers to me as Michael Jordan. :) K, gotta run to class, took a bunch of pictures this morning so I'll try and get them up asap. Take care everyone.

His Airness

TPWWLT: Carry on my Wayward Son - Kansas

The Worst is Behind Me

Hello hello.

Ok, sorry for the delay in posting, just trying to get here and get settled. A quick update of the last few days: Traveling went well, had a slight delay at Ohare, but managed to make my connecting flight in Seoul, so it was all good. Actually made three new friends in the Seoul airport, 3 small Korean children came up to me and started chatting at the gate, no doubt because I was the only non Asian on the flight from Seoul to Cambodia. Made it through customs and passed the multitudes of non smiling army guards holding machine guns in the Phnom Penh airport without incident. Met my contact outside the airport and got my first experience in a 'tuk tuk', or an open air carriage type thing pulled by a motorbike. I'll post a picture later so you can all see, but needless to say that showing up with a year's worth of luggage going on 45 min of sleep and 22 hours of flight in the last 30 hours, I was convinced someone was playing a big joke on me.

But a half an hour ride later and my driver pulled up at my guesthouse. Now when I signed up, they told me I would be placed in the Language Corps Villa, so when my driver stopped at this shady looking hostel in the dark, threw me and my humongus suitcase off and drove away, I could feel the tears welling up. The guy at the desk looked at me, didn't say a word, just grabbed a room key and walked away. I hurried after him, trying to cart my luggage after him, and having to make two trips for each flight going up to my room on the third floor. I was shown into my 7' by 9' room, with my shower located directly above the toilet and my, um, spray faucet, instead of a roll of toilet paper.

Despite not having slept in over a day, it still took me quite a while to fall asleep. Here I am, laying in a bed, I have no internet in my room, so I can't even let anyone know I'm alive. I'm all alone in a country were I know not a single person, cant even speak to anyone and am most likely going to get murdered in my sleep or mugged if I even step outside. Well, amidst the cursing myself and trying to figure out why I ever thought it was a good idea to leave everything I know and everyone I have ever cared for, I fell asleep. I was still feeling pretty melancholy in the morning when I woke up. We had a tour of the city arraigned for us, but not until 12:30, so I had quite a few hours to kill, which I spent trying not to cry in my room. Time came, I took a deep breath and headed down to the front gate to find the tuk tuk of the tour.

Well, like most stories like this, things turned around rather quickly. I found the tour and quickly made friends with the girls in it, including 3 who were living in the guesthouse with me instead of the villa. We proceeded to the temple for which the city is named after, and took a tour of the royal palace. My new friends had been there a few days longer than I had, and we chatted as we walked home. Had a welcome dinner that night and we all went out for ice cream on the way home. Nothing to make me feel better like a vanilla ice cream cone with chocolate on it. :) The four of us in the guesthouse (3 girls and myself: two 27 year olds who were friends in Dubai who decided to quit their jobs and do this, one originally from South Africa and one from Scotland, and the 3rd girl, a 25 year old from Ontario) played some Uno before we went to bed at a reasonable hour to prepare for our first day of classes.

So whats the moral of the story? Pretty simple, hang in there and things get better. I had thought a lot about coming here and knew I was going to have some tough moments, so I had tried to mentally prepare myself for something like this, and I think that helped a lot. And as I sit here in a cafe with my two brand new friends from South Africa and Scotland and making plans to visit them in Sri Lanka in 6 months, I am reminded why I ever had this crazy idea in the first place. And life is good. :)

Hope everyone at home is doing well. Walked around in basketball shorts and a t-shirt today and felt great. I'll try and keep my updates shorter and more frequent from now on, and I'll stop being lazy and post some pictures soon, of the city, tuk tuks, my new friends, my room, etc. New update coming soon about classes, etc. Take care of yourselves.

TPWWLT: Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson

Hello Asia

Ok i'm on the ground in Cambodia! Traveling went well, making friends already. Have to run, but I'll have lots of updates later, take care of yourselves and enjoy the cold weather.

Mike

T Minus 24 Hours

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

WOO!

Finally paid off the balance of my program fee to LanguageCorps! Ok now its official, I'm really going. I paid that off, I have a plane ticket, and really thats all I need. I'll figure the rest out when I get over there. :) SO excited, 4 days. Now if I could just get out of bed and pack...

TPWWLT: Leaving on a Jet Plane - Chantal Kreviazuk version.

Don't Worry, I'll Start Packing Tomorrow

Is 8pm too early to go to bed? Running on three hours a sleep after a fun night last night with Suchy and the always fun KD's from SLU. Got to see my goddaughter today too, gave her her bday present (a Cubs backpack) and she showed me her new skateboard in the parking lot after lunch. :) Got a big hug goodbye and was told she wouldn't visit me because of 'they don't have cheeseburgers in China.' Smart girl. :)

I had left my backpack at school, so I sent it home with Anna's parents and picked it up from them tonight. It had pretty much everything important in my life in it (passport, birth certificate, phone charger, camera, $500 cash, glasses, Indiana Jones hat), so nice to finally have that back. But with its return, and with the house to myself all day tomorrow, no more putting off packing, it starts in earnest in the morning. Plus, mom got me two brand new suitcases, a huge one, and a hanging one I can attach to it. Really excited to see if I can fit something in every single one of the 439 zippers they have between them. Also have to resist the temptation to fill both suitcases entirely with books, though if you have any suggestions to grab for my 22 hours of travel on fri/sat, I would love to hear them. (Just finished 'Girl with a Dragon Tattoo,' loved it, waiting for the sequel to come out in paperback, or till I will the lotto and can buy the international Kindle. Also just bought "Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius' today on two very trustworthy recommendations, so hopefully that lasts me till I cross the Atlantic.) Ok, off to bed, good luck with Monday mornings tomorrow for everyone.

This post written while listening to: 'Orange Sky' - Alexi Murdoch (shout out to JP for introducing him to me about 12 years ago.)

T Minus 7 Days

Well, I'm finally out of Champaign. Its been 1239 days since I decided it was better for me to be down there than at home, but I've finally left 61820. My times in Boardwalk, 109, 310, and even the SK were some of the best in my life, but its time to move on. And I'm ready for it.

People at school liked to tease me for being old, and they had a good reason. Already being there for 5 years, and staying 6 months beyond that, to them I must have been ancient. But it's all about perspective. I'm gone, I've left the college town, and suddenly I'm young. I'm just entering the workforce right? Whats the next step after you finish college? You work for 40 years, you get on with your life. Well, I may have been old news at college, but I'm really just a freshman at life. I'm just getting started working, at the ripe young age of 23.

Granted my first job is a little different than most people's. But I wouldn't have it any other way. In 7 days I board a flight headed for Phnom Phen, Cambodia, by way of Seoul. I'll be there for two weeks getting certified in TEFOL and taking a weekend trip up to Angkor Wat. Then I get on a bus for the trip to Pattaya, Thailand, where I have 2 weeks of language training. During those two weeks, I find school to teach at, a place to live, and sign a contract. I don't have any idea where I'll end up, other than then that it will be in Thailand somewhere.

So this week I'm home, just packing, getting ready to go and trying to see everyone I need to see before I leave. Had a great last few days in Champaign, thanks to everyone who took some time out of their busy days to see me off, and if I missed anyone I should have seen, I apologize. I know I haven't left yet, but since I'm officially in the 'very excited to leave' stage of moving, I couldn't help myself. Feel free to leave comments or you can always shoot me an email, michael.p.keefer@gmail.com. Also add me on skype me at mkeefer2 because I would love to see all of your smiling faces when I'm gone. I'll try and update pretty frequently both to let everyone back home know how I'm doing and also as kind of an online journal. This week might be kind of boring but I'll probably be too excited to refrain from posting every little minutiae about my preparation, so I apologize in advance. Take it easy and take care of yourselves, hope to hear from you all soon.