Beijing Randoms.

Random things about China so far:

• The pollution is really bad. Like really, really bad.  I saw the sky last night (haven't seen it during the day) and got so excited that I grabbed the other foreign teacher I've been exploring with and began pointing. Even though it is bad, and I am developing a nice smoker's hack, it doesn't really take away from the beauty of the city. I am still completely enamored with everything Beijing. 

• Street food is bomb. This morning Max (foreign teacher) and I went out to find some breakfast and we walked by this little stall that a bunch of locals were stopping at. We didn't know what they were selling, but we did know it was roughly $1 USD for whatever it was. What we bought was seriously one of the best things I've ever tasted. Still don't know the name, probably going to eat one tomorrow for breakfast too, already excited to eat it again. The pancake was full of potatoe-y carrot-y goodness. 

WHATEVER YOU ARE, YOU ARE LIKE POTATO HEAVEN.

• Went on my first shopping trip last night after we ate at KFC. By the way, KFC's mashed potato portions in China are really depressing, in case you were curious. I came across some rather inventive flavors of potato chips. These flavors include: Italian Red Meat, Fermented Soy Bean Prawn, Fun Wasabi Shrimp, Cucumber, Sweetie BBQ Pork, Mexican Tomato Chicken, annnnnnd Spicy Green Peppercorn Fish. Naturally, I bought the Cucumber because I was curious. My taste buds were confused, yet pleasantly surprised. 

I'm not even going to ask questions.

Chinese Wal-Mart is overwhelming.

• I don't exactly feel like posting a photo, but last night I got about eight Prostitute trading cards slid under my door. I still laugh whenever I get any of these no matter what country I'm in. 

• Annnnnnnnd this guy: 

Ifugao 2014

July was incredible. 

I know I say that every time I go on some adventure, but this July was truly something special. Ifugao Archaeological Field project's 2014 field season was one for the books. 

Highlights include:

-Turning 25 in the middle of the season. My birthday also coincided with a typhoon that came through so we didn't have to work, but we definitely partied. I was also gifted a gorgeous tribal necklace from some of the guys who work with Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement. One of my absolute favorite gifts ever. Looking at the photos still make me grin. 

-Crossing two landslides in two days. The first landslide crossing was probably the most terrifying experience of my life. Our group had just finished with our community presentation and we were scheduled to visit waterfalls (maybe? it was a secret field trip). Anyway, about 35 minutes into the drive we realized there was a HUGE storm coming through and turned back. Except we turned back a little bit too late. We continued back to camp hoping to beat the storm.... that didn't work out. At one point, while the rain is coming down on us in an absolutely horrifying torrential down pour one of the boys who was in my Jeepney just started saying, "no, no no no no no no" over and over again. The road in front of us had started to slide out! Albeit, it wasn't too close to our Jeepney, but close enough to scare the hell out of me. Then, we proceeded to cross the landslide on foot. Even scarier. As we were going rocks started to come down from the slide..... and the other side was a straight drop probably 50-60ft down. It was a moment I will never forget.

Landslide Walk of Shame

-Having to excavated from my stomach in trench Sisyphus. We named him that.  Yes, the trench that was continual mud and water and a (potentially) collapsed rice terrace. 

-I fell off a rice terrace after spending the most wonderful day playing in hot springs and swimming in a river. In case Doc tries to make anyone think otherwise, I was completely sober. 

-Becoming the group of most unlikely friends. Room two- judgement free! <3. I love these four so much! They made the month so incredible.

From Left to Right: Me, Jen, Yi-Ting and Alex. Beautiful women. 

-Watching a beautiful Harvest ritual and Mumbaki (the local shamans of Ifugao) being ordained. Being able to see rituals like these remind me why I majored in Anthropology.

This barely scratches the surface of my month, but it is a good start. I had internet only on my phone in Ifugao, so I wasn't able to post like I wish I could have. Now, on to Beijing!

I Hit The Wall Of Absolute Sadness. Dated: June 06, 2013

I was reading back through more of my journal entries from last Summer. I honestly got really teary reading a few of the final entries. The ones I wrote to Tucker on my last few days in the Philippines. I wrote about how the place changed my life. The Philippines changed me fundamentally, as a human, for the better. I can only hope that one day everyone can have an adventure that changes the way they see the world, just like I did and I plan to keep doing.

Our world is a beautiful place and it would be a damn shame to not see every inch of it as possible.

06-06-2013
Late Night (Like 11:15 PM)

Hey Baby,

Sorry I keep telling you I'll get to talk to you late at night. Life gets too busy and it is actually impossible to get back to SITMO. SO i can just write to you instead. 

I hit the wall of absolute sadness today. Part of me is not wanting to FaceTime you any more because it makes me so sad. I've never missed you so much. The best part of thinking about coming home is knowing that on my birthday, that very next day, I get to wake up in bed in your arms.

Success

I didn't exactly grow up living like Paris Hilton, which I am beyond ok with. My family provided more than enough to get by, with set backs of course. When I was 8 or 9 (I can't honestly give you an exact age because I I tried to block it out) much of our house was destroyed by a horrible flood. I know we lost a lot, but I was mainly concerned that my sand box had been washed away in the destruction. Granted we probably had three feet of water rushing through our living at one point, but I was pissed because my favorite plastic shark got washed away.

This huge life event was easily the catalyst in my urge to become some person who was wealthy and powerful. Probably because I felt so small and helpless at the time. All I wanted was to live in a big house. I wanted that damn Bentley. The prestige. All of those things. Graduating high school I was so determined to get out and become some high power lawyer who raked in millions. That's all I wanted. I didn't care about anything else, just that cash money or how I could grab as many material things as I could lay my hands on....

Now, here I am, nearly 25 (when the hell did that happen??) and working in a school district as a Teacher's Assistant. Not exactly what I imagined, but I'll take it all the same. My job is actually pretty great, tiny complaints aside. The shape of what I deemed as success has definitely (and thankfully) changed and is ever-evolving as I get older. As I get to experience the world in different ways I realize what I gauge as "success" is hardly a shell of what I started out with:

No longer is my "success" measured by how big a house I will have or how nice of car I will buy, but by how many stamps I can get into my passport? How many lives can I touch? How many lives can touch mine? How many adventures can these two legs take me on? What kinds of foods can I experience? What kind of cultural mishaps can I finagle my way out of? I may not have been able to buy a car by 25, nor will I probably be able to buy a house by 30, but I have got to dig up beads in the Philippines that were still just as bright and beautiful as the day they were buried. I almost died in Argentina during a freak rain storm that led us to traversing a mountainside and walking through knee-deep mud for nearly 5 (or more, who knows) hours. I've protested in Washington D.C. I got a stamp from Ireland in my passport dated March 17th. I got to watch a ritual pig slaughter. I've climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I rambled around the catacombs of the Smithsonian and accidently wandered into classrooms during lessons. I almost died on a flight out of Santiago, Chile. I've explored ruins of the Great Wall of China with my best friend. I've gotten lost in Nice, France far too late at night. I've gawked a Sun Fish in the Milan, Italy Aquarium. I've swam in waters beneath mile long waterfalls that simultaneously touched 2 countries at once (Argentina and Brasil). I've walked across the Golden Gate Bridge. I've thrown a surprise party for my best friend's birthday on a hostel rooftop in Montevideo, Uruguay. I've taken shots of tequila in Mexico. I've met some of the most incredible people on this great Earth.

My memories are as priceless as they are endless and I wouldn't trade or change them for the any amount of money (well, maybe some more plane tickets) or material wealth.  Success is such a fickle, fleeting thing. Right now my six month image of success involves climbing up and down rice terraces, digging in the dirt and impacting the history of South East Asia. And that image of success makes my heart beat just a little bit faster and my smile just a little bit wider.

We live in such a beautiful world and it would be a damn shame and waste to miss out on any of it because of some outdated indoctrination that I need a two story house with two kids, a Labrador and a white picket fence. I can work for all of those things when I am ready and willing. For now though, I am going to have fun experiencing this planet we call home.

Parents visit and I regret drinking, per usual

My beautiful family

Tried to get dad to take a photo, he opted for a selfie.

My family is in town for the weekend! Yay! Considering I haven't visited them since November seeing them has been wonderful. Even more exciting: my mom had gastric bypass surgery recently and she looks AMAZING!!

Mom and I

Last night Tucker and I splurged and took them to a San Jose Shark's Hockey game, needless to say, they were enthralled. Even more, they had a blast. I will let the photos speak for themselves at the end of my post. I also had far TOO MUCH fun and I am paying for it dearly today. Every time I drink I am happily reminded that this body is not built like a 20 year old any more. Every. Damn. Time

Mom and Pop being all cutesy on the way to the game. 

There are so many big things happening in my life this year!! This summer is about to be one of the craziest adventures yet and I can hardly wait! I will be leaving (hopefully) June 11th and returning in the middle of August. I am hoping Tucker can make a trip out East to meet up with me in August. We really want to visit Japan together and I am PRAYING it is going to happen! Fingers crossed!

Stay tuned for other BIG announcements about my next year. I am so excited for all the new things!!!!

At least he puts up with me :)