Monthly Archive for February, 2010

Blame Canada

This is the true story… of 20 Korean students… picked to travel to Canada for 2 weeks…study together and journal their experiences… to find out what happens… when students stop being polite… and write what they really think about Canada… this is… Dae Dong Taxation High School.

These are my favorite passages, completely unedited, from reviewing their journals.  My students are awesome:

“Initially when I entered the Laser tag bar, I think it was gangster’s agitation point. It looks like dumping ground. So, It was scared.”

“Tomorrow I’ll go to Capilano Suspension Bridge. My heart goes pit-a-pat.”

“The ice was bumpy so skating on the ice was hard, I fell with a thud. My knee hurted very much.”

“Also, before come to Canada, I lived like the frog in the well and beat the person.”

“Today’s lunch was noodle but is was just ramen with source. The ramen source!”

“Ah in TV advertising we can see some funny things. most advertising is about health tools and cooker. In the advertising they start the from ridiculous price. A dumbbell is $1000!! like this. And they cut off the price lower and lower. At last the price is become to reasonable price. It looks stupid. Who fished by that advertising?”

“We lated for school for about ten minues. But, I was okay because I’m so cool. It’s kidding.”

“Mother was a very friendly. When we comes outside would lost home she write her phone numbers even though fun to play then she ride us.”

“I couldn’t believe the Canadian foods were not rich comparing with their fat body.”

“Gachllan teach while the moring class. She is very fun, highly humorous and a little fat.”

“And came home, for the first time, I touched Max who was cat. But Broudy was still wary me. But I was happy because I played Max.”

“However, changed teacher was some strange. Because she was like a pig that was ugly. She also really likde boys and showed it.”

“By the way, there was strange thing in the entrance. Someone was taking care of a baby. It is how she controlled that matters. She grab a string linked to the baby, like dog. It was very strange for me. I thought It was children abuse.”

God help me if I ever see what they write about me.

Island Time

Mmm, island time.  A phrase I heard at least 5 times a day on Palawan.  Very similar to my favorite Spanish word ‘tranquilo,’ in fact.  Everything moves at a languid pace on Palawan, and the concept of rushing is something completely alien to the locals.  Me likey.

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My time in the Philippines was fantastic, and just the break I needed from the manic pace of Seoul.  Palawan is as quiet and relaxing as Boracay is nutso and drunken.  There weren’t a ton of travelers there, but that’s what I was wanting.  Palawan is also known as a haven for adventurous and outdoorsy types, and it didn’t disappoint.

4321309892 f10f28ba43 m Island Time My days consisted of swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, scuba diving, hiking, and gorging myself on fresh pineapple and cashews.  Pure bliss.  The highlight for me was El Nido, a sleepy beachfront town in the north of the island, known for its perfect water and limestone karsts rivaling places like Vietnam’s Halong Bay.

I spent the majority of my time on the island there, and with good reason.  I stayed at a place called The Alternative, and I can’t recommend it enough.  The staff were all imported from a resort that shut down, so the food is fantastic and the people friendly.  The 2nd floor is also open to the air, with two lookouts perched directly above the water.  I ended every day laid out in one of ‘em, beer in one hand and a book in the other.

My buddy Don, the guy who mentioned ‘island time’ the most, was my tour guide and source of local info for the town.  He took me out on tours of the islands where I got my best photos.  El Nido’s Big and Small lagoons are 4321316732 4db47b8d6f m Island Timethe best sites, and perfect for swimming or snorkeling.  Throw in freshly caught Yellow Fin for lunch, and you’ve got me hooked.  I also rented a kayak to play out my own Robinson Crusoe fantasy, finding my own island to spend the day on.  Who knew rum-soaked pineapple goes so well with your own private beach?

 

I also found the time to get some dives in, and it was a really great feeling to get back in the water after such a long break.  Apparently the Philippines also have the cheapest PADI courses in Southeast Asia, so I’ll be heading back to get some more certs at some point.

This was my first taste of travel in Asia (besides a quick jaunt to Tokyo two years ago), and you can color me excited!  I’ve only just whet my appetite, and trip planning will begin in earnest for this summer soon!

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If you’d like to see more of my trip photos, feel free to check out my Flickr page.