tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36731322011-04-22T10:26:42.843+09:00Carissa's Exploits and Fabulous Adventures<br>
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<br>Japan Round TwoCarissanoreply@blogger.comBlogger3811100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-88158721464659702982007-10-16T03:22:00.000+09:002007-10-16T03:31:21.772+09:00One tends to forget the repetition of history. Today I was reminded that it all just happens over and over again....Historical Version:"So, how did the trend for pointed-toe shoes start?Manolo who? Long before they ever made an appearance on the TV show "Sex and the City," pointed shoes were favored by Polish nobles, who introduced the fashion to England on a diplomatic visit in the 1300s. The Carissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-34039314696149540702007-05-31T02:09:00.000+09:002007-05-31T02:18:10.941+09:00The Chairman of the Committee I was watching today suddenly asked "What happened to the crack and all the other drugs? Are all the crack users just out there flim-flamming around?"Although the quote caused laughter, he was asking a serious question. Meth has become the focal point and popular drug to be against this year. Everyone is involved in preventing meth use and helping people who are Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-29522509064391674782007-05-31T02:07:00.000+09:002007-05-31T02:09:20.764+09:00I wish I was there with you, drinking beer in a quiet piazza watching the dust settle and the people pass. I can almost feel the sun on my face and hear the click of shoes on the cobblestones if I try really hard. (sigh) Instead I am in Carson City hoping that the legislators will finish soon so I can leave as well.Two weeks passage of time will find me drinking apple wine in Europe once again,Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-68294304918003837642007-04-25T08:40:00.000+09:002007-04-25T09:40:30.408+09:00Lipstick on a PigDeadlines in the Legislature last week and this week. Lots of bills are dieing and lots of hearts are being broken. Don't you love the government.We have been lucky thus far, although I would like to think that luck had nothing to do with it and it was just hard work. (Most of the hard work done by other people). Several bills that we didn't like have died, and several bills Carissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1176497591519699882007-04-14T05:52:00.000+09:002007-04-14T05:53:11.536+09:00Unintended Consequences. This blog is going to have to change drastically. No longer am I being blown around the world by the trade winds. My wanderings have slowed for now. I seem to have taken root and am attempting to grow (which can be a challenge anywhere, but especially in the desert). What should this blog become though? Do I have a concsious choice or will it evolve in its own way, Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1176498291462840722007-04-08T05:56:00.000+09:002007-04-14T06:04:51.466+09:00I've registered for the MS Walk at Lake Tahoe on Saturday May 19 because I want to do something for the people who have been diagnosed - and because I want to do everything to prevent more people from learning what it means to live with this disease. Today, there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, and with a diagnosis occurring most frequently between the ages of 20 and 50, many individuals face Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1176497709127477322007-02-05T05:54:00.000+09:002007-04-14T05:55:09.130+09:00My new job!Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168847927130166002007-01-15T16:57:00.000+09:002007-01-15T16:58:47.130+09:00I finally (finally) got around to updating this blog. It took awhile I know. I added a lot of pictures but some of them won't appear on this page. You have to go into the archives to see them. Most of the pictures are August 2006- October 2006 so just select those archives on the right (I have faith that you are all smart enough to figure that out).Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168831265443825062007-01-09T12:20:00.000+09:002007-01-15T16:57:13.603+09:00I turned in the forms for the fiancé visa today. It was so complicated (35 pages of complicated). I’m glad that I am finished though, now I just have to wait (5-9 months of waiting, I’m going to be an expert soon).My mother bought me a book called “Immigration Made Easy.” I think it must be a joke, because there is nothing easy about the immigration process. I’m worried that I made a mistake Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168831165181995832006-12-17T12:19:00.000+09:002007-01-15T16:44:35.336+09:00Last night Ruan took me out to dinner at a beautiful restaurant called Cynthia’s. After dinner we got in the car and started driving, but he wouldn’t tell me where we were going! Finally we pulled off the road onto a small dirt road and bumped along for a few minutes before pulling into a place called the Sundowner’s Lodge. We went into our room which was beautiful (the Big Five Room because Carissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168832942230518072006-12-10T12:44:00.000+09:002007-01-15T12:49:02.246+09:00Ruan and I went camping and had a run-in with an ostrich. I'm not sure what his problem was, but the ostrich would chase me around the tent and was stalking us all night. I had to chase him off with a kitchen towel (fairly effective for ostrich removal).Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168831116347331022006-12-07T12:12:00.000+09:002007-01-15T12:18:36.350+09:00Ruan and I spent the last 3 days at Manyane Resort near the Pilanesburg National Reserve. It is a pretty resort with thatched bungalows, 2 swimming pools, a restaurant and a semi-tame ostrich that wanders around. There are some wild baboons that like to cause mischief; we heard them a few times. The amazing thing about Manyane is how close it is to the park gates (maybe 2 minute drive). We Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168830698818219862006-11-30T12:11:00.000+09:002007-01-15T12:11:38.820+09:00I am in Pretoria visiting Ruan. I love it down here. Everything is so relaxed and easy going. The flight down here was 33 hours (evilness) but it is worth it. We have spent most of our time swimming in the pool, talking, reading books and soaking up the sun. After the election I was so stressed that I really needed this de-tox time.Ruan has taken me around Pretoria a bit to show me where he Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168830262685367412006-10-03T12:03:00.000+09:002007-01-15T16:50:25.636+09:00When I got to Customs in Chicago the agent asked about my traveling. After I told him he simply said, “Welcome Home.” It’s hard to believe after so long. I’m home.To summarize this trip is no small task. Was it amazing? Of course. Was it life-changing. Maybe not, but the words enlightening, inspiring, educational, and exciting spring to mind. So what have I learned?- That I know very Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168830195310765712006-09-26T12:02:00.000+09:002007-01-15T12:03:15.310+09:00In London met up with Richard (a friend of Ruan’s from Japan). We went to have drinks at the Queen Mary, a boat on the Thames, just down from the Savoy and next to the Waterloo Bridge. It was a gloriously beautiful day, I could see Big Ben down the river, watch the red buses cross the bridge, I was having great conversation and tasty beer. It was hard to believe I was actually in London!Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168830155655964742006-09-19T12:00:00.000+09:002007-01-15T12:02:35.656+09:00Munich, GermanyTook a posh overnight train to Munich and met Ruan at the station. Such a happy reunion! The first day at Oktoberfest we drank at the Lowenbrau tent. We started at 11am and by 4pm (3 beers and a lot of pretzels later) I was being led back to the hostel. The second day Ruan and I went by ourselves and didn’t start drinking until 4pm. We managed to hold out until 8pm. It was a Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1159526626992505802006-09-15T19:32:00.000+09:002006-09-29T19:43:47.030+09:00ROMANIASighisoara, the birthplace of Vlad Tepes "Dracula." Last night we ate dinner in a restaurant that is in the house where he was born. It was rather spooky because as we walked home there was a man dressed all in black standing under a tree staring off into nowhere, but that was the closest we got to seeing any vampires. Today we explored the old citadel on top of a hill in the middle of Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168830029401673522006-09-15T12:00:00.000+09:002007-01-15T12:00:29.403+09:00PragueThe highlight was definitely the Ossuary in Kutna Hara. I thought it would be spooky, so many things made of bones, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t spiritual either though. Perhaps just a bit overwhelming—so many people’s lives represented by those bones. We also explored Prague, went on a ghost tour, and drank beer (although I would like to argue that the beer is not cheaper than water if Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168829994252767602006-09-13T11:59:00.000+09:002007-01-15T11:59:54.253+09:00Dragging around Budapest at 6 in the morning. We hardly slept on the train because we didn’t have a sleeper car and were scared of being mugged. We don’t know what the exchange rate is or how much money we need. Tired estimations (probably wrong since they are pre-coffee). We go to the hostel but can’t get beds because it is too early. We go across the river to the Gellert Baths Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1158080658963032802006-09-13T02:01:00.000+09:002006-09-13T02:04:18.976+09:00Carissa's Version of Our Hiking Trip: We started out on our day of hiking with spectacularly beautiful weather. We took a train from Brasov to Sinaia then took the cable car to the top of the mountain (2000 meters up). Unfortunately we entered a cloud on top of the mountain and would have been utterly lost, due to the lack of a map, if not for my astounding navigational skills. Although the Carissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1159525867528245422006-09-02T19:26:00.000+09:002006-09-29T19:31:07.530+09:00Exploring Churches, Monasteries and Catacombs in Kiev, Ukraine(we have to wear the scarves, it's not just a misdirected fashion statement)Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168829943214938172006-08-28T11:58:00.000+09:002007-01-15T11:59:03.216+09:00We went to the train station in the morning to buy our tickets to Moscow (by going back through Moscow we bypass Belarus and the evil visa). We took the Metro to the Peter and Paul Fortress. The rain beat down on us (and beat us down) and overall I was disappointed by the fortress. The prison (and torture chamber) was closed, there were no English brochures (plenty of French though so I Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168829881017247322006-08-26T11:57:00.000+09:002007-01-15T11:58:01.020+09:00I think the traveling to starting to wear me down a bit. I was pretty cranky and slow this morning (a filthy shower didn’t improve my mood). We went to VDNK which Ruan had described as “some old communist buildings” but ended up being absolutely amazing. During the Soviet Era the government had built beautiful, huge monuments to various groups and countries in the Union. Now the whole area isCarissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1159525587195391102006-08-25T19:23:00.000+09:002006-09-29T19:26:27.196+09:00St. Basil's Cathedral in MoscowCarissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168829829925176482006-08-24T11:56:00.000+09:002007-01-15T11:57:09.926+09:00Some general complaints about Russian tourism and sightseeing places:1.The entry fees are so high! It’s like Japan, which is ridiculous because it’s Russia!2.Charging to enter a working church? What ever happened to being able to worship freely? HA! Not if you are a tourist in Russia. (I will grant that I am not Russian Orthodox, so I am not going to worship. Christina on the other hand is Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168829759101945832006-08-23T11:54:00.000+09:002007-01-15T11:55:59.103+09:00We went to breakfast at McDonald’s (evil I know, but I ate Blinis which are Russian pancakes). The McD’s is very popular, there is even a walk-up window outside since people don’t have cars. Lots of lines, so we felt very Russian. Until the handed us the English menus.We went to Red Square and waiting an hour and a half in the freezing rain to see Lenin’s Mausoleum. It was a very complicated Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168829627533630482006-08-22T11:52:00.000+09:002007-01-15T11:53:47.533+09:00Spent the morning reading Gulliver’s Travels, staring out the window and playing scrabble with Ruan. We arrived in Moscow at 6pm. There were so many people it was a bit overwhelming.The difference between Irkutsk and Moscow is night and day. Irkutsk is a back-water country town where exiles were sent. That can still be felt. Moscow is a huge, bustling, “cool” city (although it is a bit scaryCarissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168828818209976962006-08-20T11:34:00.000+09:002007-01-15T16:24:39.373+09:00On the train from Irkutsk to YekaterinbergWoke up in time to walk around the platform of Ishim. Sleepy little town, but it was only 7am local time. I have spent much of the time on the train catching up on my journal and planning what to do in Yekaterinberg, Moscow and St. P. I haven’t planned the trip at all past St. P. I’m a bit worried because I like to have a plan (or at least an idea of Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1159525060465489652006-08-14T19:14:00.000+09:002007-01-15T16:39:49.196+09:00After a 3 train ride we hiked an hour to the cabin. It is right on the edge of Lake Baikal. The day was perfect. We sat by the water and hiked over to a nearby tunnel for the Circum-Baikal Railroad.After lunch we went rock climbing. Ruan did really well. I was a bit nervous but ended up loving it. I was so focused on getting to the top that I forgot to be nervous or scared. Once I reached Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1156342827616498342006-08-06T23:14:00.000+09:002007-01-15T16:17:01.940+09:00As we pass field after field of wild flowers, gloriously grand open spaces I see a lone horseman on the ridge of the hill. His red vest is vivid against the clear sky. The tail of his horse blows in the wind and he gallops on. Soon we pass him and other mountains and fields come into view. Scattered Gers drift into sight and then are gone. Herds of cows, sheep, horses, and even a few camels Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1168846160886173052006-08-05T16:27:00.000+09:002007-01-15T16:29:20.886+09:00Still on the train....Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1156392999830632112006-08-03T13:14:00.000+09:002007-01-15T16:30:20.400+09:00 They eat what in China?Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1156342415104634512006-08-02T23:09:00.000+09:002007-01-15T16:20:41.696+09:00BeijingWe walked to Tiannammen Square. It is incredible to stand there and look at how much China has changed in the last 17 years. The people are all stylishly dressed, everyone is carrying digital cameras and madly snapping pictures. The police we saw all looked like they were having a laugh-- they were the least serious group of police I have ever seen. They were joking around, smiling, Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1156342114141812322006-07-31T22:59:00.000+09:002006-08-23T23:08:34.143+09:00Xi'anRain Rain Rain. We went to change money and got so wet that we decided to hide in the hostel for the rest of the day. As we were walking up the stairs of the underpass I saw a little girl about 8 years old. She was skinny and filthy and dressed in rags. There was a baby under 2 years old with her. the girl had a bun in her hand and was shoving pieces in her mouth and the baby starting Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1156341538313811842006-07-29T22:54:00.000+09:002006-08-23T22:58:58.323+09:00We stopped in Burger King to cool off and have a cheap soda today. Ironically there is a sign on the wall (in English) that says, "You have the right to stand up and fight for what you believe in." I'm not sure what the Chinese translation next to it said. But even to write it in English is funny from a country that doesn't allow freedom of speech of freedom of expression. In Shanghai it is Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1156337714367480182006-07-27T21:49:00.000+09:002006-08-23T21:55:14.370+09:00The sea has turned a brown muddy color as move up the river. We tiptoe along crowded by boats and ships on all sides. The Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower appear in the distance. An hour later after weaving our way through all of China's shipping/export industry (or what seems like it) the towers loom above us. We disembarked and made our way through customs-- a remarkably easy procedure. I Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1156337386259420002006-07-25T21:47:00.000+09:002006-08-23T21:49:46.276+09:00Small mist covered islands floating in a sea of glass. Small fishing boats bob past as we weave our way through the scattered islands. My last sight of Japan.We start the beginning of our journey on a Chinese ferry. The boat seems like a perfect way to acclimitize ourselves to Chinese culture and to let go of Japan. It is also nice to relax after the weeks of stress and hectic activity Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1152661896692863192006-07-12T08:48:00.000+09:002006-07-12T08:51:36.703+09:00So I entered an FJET sponsored photo contest a few weeks. I didn't win, but it was my first photo contest so I wasn't really expecting to. Anyone who wants to check out my fabulous photo (and the amazing pics I was competing against) can go to:Photo Contest. Mine is at the bottom second from the right.Less than 2 weeks until I leave now...Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1149639822289281612006-06-07T09:21:00.000+09:002006-06-07T09:23:42.300+09:00Save the frogs!!!Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1151308084191246812006-05-26T16:44:00.000+09:002006-06-26T16:48:04.203+09:00I had my first last visit. The first of many final visits to my schools. Some schools aren't going to be hard to say good-bye to. Today's school was probably the most difficult of all. It is a small country school and I have become very close to the students, the teachers and the principal in the last 10 months. I don't know if it is because the school is in the countryside or because the Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1146447316696143092006-05-01T10:20:00.000+09:002006-05-30T09:09:22.510+09:00OkinawaDay 1Off to Okinawa using the JAL Birthday rate (making the flight a third of the normal price). We arrive in Naha the capital of Okinawa and take a bus to our resort in Onna Village. The ocean is incredibly beautiful. It looks like a piece of blown glass—various shades of bright blue blending slowly together transparent and smooth. It is raining when we arrive and continues all day. Carissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1145944213864490882006-04-25T14:34:00.000+09:002006-05-30T09:11:56.673+09:00I am a traveling fiend. What was a hobby has seemingly turned into an addictive obsession. Perhaps that is a bit too strong, but compared to the mere 2 trips I was able to take while working at Amity (in 18 months), my current job provides ample time and resources to pursue my... infatuation. Lake Mikata, Hokkaido, Hiroshima, Kyushu and...Tomorrow I am off to Okinawa for 5 days. It is the Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1143677394315280552006-03-30T08:53:00.000+09:002006-04-03T13:46:33.690+09:00Stories from Spring ShenanigansDay 1: Fukui to MiyajimaOh, too early in the morning! Why do grand adventures always have to begin at the crack of dawn when everyone is too muddled to fully appreciate the sweet taste of anticipation and excitement? All I can taste is the cup of coffee that hasn't kicked in yet. If epic journeys started at noon there would be fewer yawns and more enthusiasm. Carissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1141473700488584142006-03-04T20:27:00.000+09:002006-03-04T21:01:41.366+09:00Graduation FrenzySo all of the schools are getting hectic and crazy leading up to the graduations. The Japanese school year runs from April to March (none of those crazy 3 month summer vacations here). A lot of the schools that I teach at have been canceling my school visits because of the pre-graduation frenzy. One school was nice enough to invite my co-worker Matt and I to take part in some Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1140077870288627182006-02-12T17:17:00.000+09:002006-03-31T11:06:35.270+09:00Hokkaido Day 1: The FerryIt's funny how you can't escape the cheesy 70's movies. You're swimming in the ocean and suddenly recall a scene from Jaws. There goes your peaceful tropical bliss. No matter what, the thoughts lurk on the edge of your consciousness. They can't be fought with logic, reasoning or advanced cinemagraphic techniques. Today as my ferry is tossed from wave to wave in the Carissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1139207952912915222006-02-06T15:15:00.000+09:002006-02-06T16:54:20.500+09:00I am going to Hokkaido's Yuki Matsuri (Snow Festival) in a few days and I am incredibly excited! Whoo-hoo! The last link didn't work so here is another one- Friday was a holiday called Setsubun, which meaning changing of the seasons. There are lots of crazy activities on Setsubun such as deciding what your personal demons are, dressing your parents up as a demon to throw beans at and drive outCarissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1137658114854070772006-01-19T16:58:00.000+09:002006-01-19T17:08:34.866+09:00I know, I know, it's been awhile....Recent adventures:-Viewing Nagoya's new Centrair Airport up close and personal for 23 hours-Surprising my mother (to the point of tears)-Touring California in a Ford Focus (a short boycott on Japanese cars)-Braving flooded Reno in search of party hats, confetti and a balloon drop. No water is going to spoil my New Year's Eve-Braving San Francisco to get back Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1134714955323804462005-12-16T15:24:00.000+09:002005-12-16T15:35:55.333+09:00Lightning, Thunder and Snow- Oh My!It starts out like a typical December snow storm. Big wet flakes float out of the sky. They melt on impact but are beautiful enough to have you singing "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" under your breath as you walk to work. Somebody upstairs goes on holiday to the Bahamas and forgets to hit bthe "Off" switch before they leave the house. The snow doesn't Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1134714232106281432005-11-18T15:23:00.000+09:002005-12-16T15:23:52.113+09:00The Story of the Evil Shopkeep and his Assistant Once upon a time (today) in a Vodafone shop not so far away (Jonobashi-Dori Street) there worked an Evil Shopkeep. This man had too much time on his hands and too few customers to torture. Those that eventually found their way into the store were at the mercy of his long-contemplated nefarious plans. One important thing to note about this man isCarissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1134714191839050102005-11-17T15:22:00.000+09:002005-12-16T15:23:11.840+09:00No really, where are you when I need you Sean Connery?The weather has turned cold. I have lost feeling in my toes (don’t worry too much about that though, I should regain most of the feeling around March). Even in my apartment I have to dress like a 5-year old going out on a winter day. So many layers it is difficult to bend my limbs. Last night I watched The Avengers. Sean Connery was Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1134714146012037892005-11-12T15:21:00.000+09:002005-12-16T15:22:26.023+09:00Defeated, I embrace technology When I moved into my apartment I had this beautiful picture in my head of me spurning technology. I don’t need cable TV! I won’t watch any TV! I don’t need the internet. I am fully capable of entertaining myself. Think of the creativity that will flow when I am not being distracted. The time I will have to read and write and paint and knit and… do other creative Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1130458409449336502005-10-28T08:46:00.000+09:002005-10-28T09:13:29.460+09:00Expanding closetsWhen I am out shopping and see something I want (but don't need) I can usually convince myself that I don't have closet space for it. No where to put it. That excuse went out the window with my new apartment. Now I have a dearth of closets; I am the Bill Gates of storage space. This being the case I have had to come up with new excuses not to buy things. Here are a few of Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1130138093356077882005-10-23T16:14:00.000+09:002005-10-28T09:24:51.986+09:00Shopping MindsetAfter over 2 years of sleeping on futons on the floor, I snapped. It was fun the first 2 times when I was an exchange student. I was experiencing the culture first-hand, being truly Japanese (while my host family slept in Western beds, something I didn't question at the time). It was even all right for maybe the first 6 months I was teaching in Fukui. After that the adventure Carissanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1130138046551876642005-10-12T16:13:00.000+09:002005-10-28T09:25:30.246+09:00Shake it like you mean it For some time now I have been vaguely aware of a crazy trend called "Taiso" in Japan. It is only a trend in the way that jeans are a trend though: permanently fashionable in one form or another. It involves vague stretches, rolling your head around, jumping and flapping your arms. Exercise without breaking a sweat. There's a vague possibility your blood might start Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1129186505905053312005-10-07T15:54:00.000+09:002005-10-28T09:17:12.920+09:00TreesWeeping willows always seem sad, and yet they make me think of my grandparents. In their front yard are weeping willow trees. As a child I could never climb them because there were no low branches. Perhaps I always envied those trees because they were unattainable. They also make me think of happy evenings rolling around on the grass at parties, staring at the fairy lights and growing Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1129186471702577912005-10-02T15:54:00.000+09:002005-10-28T09:18:06.780+09:00The day I liked the rain Rain is an irritant in my life. A constant irritant now. Light rain, heavy rain, post-rain, typhoon rain, cold rain, hot rain, slushy rain, freezing rain, side-ways rain. I hate rain. Today I sat in a room, on a cushion, on a tatami mat. I looked out past the papered sliding doors into the garden. The mini-water wheel turned at an ever constant pace. The rain Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1129186439702383712005-10-01T15:53:00.000+09:002005-10-28T09:21:08.570+09:00Climbing Mountains for no reason Why do I always have a stereotype of the Japanese people as such passionless people? Not that they don't have emotions. It is just so much of what they do is subdued, quiet and reflective. Reverent even. What isn't influenced by the West in their culture is so unobtrusive and can be easily missed- ikebana, nihonbuya, ukioe, koto, the tea ceremony. Or that is Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1127203910734734962005-09-20T16:06:00.000+09:002005-10-28T09:22:25.260+09:00I realize it has been awhile since I updated this blog. Things got a little crazy toward the end of the voyage and I got very wrapped up in that (Speech Contests, Peace Week, Graduation Ceremony and my parents coming on the ship for a week). Getting off the boat was really hard. There were so many changes I had to adapt to on land (not being surrounded by people all the time, eating meals Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1130137987809696412005-08-29T16:12:00.000+09:002005-10-28T09:26:06.603+09:00And we have come full circle. Around the world in 103 days. The beginning of this voyage felt like a dream. Completely unreal. I couldn't believe I was about to embark on such an amazing journey. Somewhere in the middle it began to feel real. More than just real though. It felt normal, like everyday life. But normal people don't do this everyday and I did. But now as it comes to a close Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1129186335652334232005-08-19T21:52:00.000+09:002005-10-28T09:26:44.223+09:00The Final DepartureToo muchLike the starsStretching to infinityToo much for my headTo comprehendI can't take it all in:JoySadnessLaughterRegretsGood-byesPlansReunionsMy mind is reelingA giant fish has grabbed the baitAnd is running away with the lineI am left holding a poleWondering what to do Next?Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1129186291969937182005-08-19T15:51:00.000+09:002005-10-13T15:51:31.970+09:00AlaskaSwimming in clouds of aspen leavesThe trees line the road in rowsShowering me Like crowds they have gatheredParting as I approachCarissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1129186258402722912005-08-07T15:50:00.000+09:002005-10-28T09:28:11.413+09:00A completely unserious and non-peace related blog. Gomenasai.One of the teachers I work with has been taking a small blue stuffed rabbit around the world with him. If he were 5 years old this would be understandable, but he missed that age by about 30 years. It might be understandable if he didn't bring it into every port. If he didn't take pictures of it in front of all the famous things we Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1129186204810126332005-07-30T15:49:00.000+09:002005-10-13T15:50:04.813+09:00COSTA RICAConstantly changing cloudsFloat aboveWindy mountain roadsGreens blend into greensToday was an interesting and yet difficult day for me. We went to a volcano and then had lunch. After lunch we were on our way to the canopies to swing through the trees like little monkeys. We were so carefree. We were playing games and singing songs in the back of the taxi. The traffic slowed and we Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1129186000657181932005-07-28T15:46:00.000+09:002005-10-13T15:46:40.656+09:00Panama CanalIn the jungle, raindrops tickle my bellyI float between oceansKissed by bubbles and buoyed in musicDrifting past is the work of menThousands died for our easy passageWars were foughtLand was stolenYet today we passUnfetteredSwimming in water siphoned from the AtlanticI make my way slowly into the PacificLaying weightless in the middle of the earthIn the middle of nowhereIn the jungleCarissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1129185936982698772005-07-27T15:45:00.000+09:002005-10-13T15:45:36.983+09:00PanamaHow quickly we rebelWhen told we can’t do somethingRestrictions choke usHeartily we complainAbout our captivityWe yearn for more freedomNo leashesOpen gatesWe want it all.Do we once pause and thinkDare to compareOur minor inconvienceTo those of the world?We anger that our adventure is stoppedYet how many quietly acceptRoadblocks in their livesBlocking education, healthcare, Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1122490870942100052005-07-21T04:01:00.000+09:002005-07-28T04:01:10.943+09:00New York was not a new place for me, one of the 2 ports on this trip I have already been to. But it was interesting as New York is prone to be. I was able to attend the opening ceremony of GPPAC at the United Nations (I got to sit in the UN General Assembly room, how cool!). I also worked at a GPPAC Reception we held on the boat. It was amazing meeting so many different people from around theCarissanoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1122490847603171362005-07-16T04:00:00.000+09:002005-07-28T04:00:47.606+09:00(Notes from a lecture by Erick Lever) There are so many people who are profiting economically from the war in Iraq. Obviously, the weapons manufacturers, the military contractors and the corporations reconstructing Iraq benefit. However there are others who surprised me, such as citizens who hold stock in the companies involved in the war and all of the US citizens and citizens around the Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1122490821384201642005-07-12T03:59:00.000+09:002005-07-28T04:00:21.390+09:00When we had Iraqi guests on the ship I was able to learn about the situation in Iraq from a personal point of view. I heard about families being destroyed, people dieing, looting, violence, grief. It was heartrending. Now we have a guest on the boat from an anti-war NGO in Washington, DC and I am learning more about the politics and the economics of the war. It is interesting to be able to Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1122490748005130322005-07-11T03:58:00.000+09:002005-07-28T03:59:08.006+09:00So often I feel that even though there are things I want to do, the problems are too large, the world is too big and I am only one person. Even when I feel inspired there are so many obstacles in the way that it is easy to become frustrated and give up. However today I finally did something to combat that feeling, in myself and in others. Although small, I created an avenue for action. Maybe Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1122490687194459412005-07-10T03:57:00.000+09:002005-07-28T03:58:07.196+09:00Some of my ancestors came from Ireland. As we pulled out of the Dublin port today I realized that my ancestors had probably pulled out of the same port on their way to New York by ship. And now I am tracing that same route 150 years later (approximately, I’m a little fuzzy on the dates). It is interesting to think of the way things and people and opportunities have changed since then. They Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1129185839290245002005-07-07T15:43:00.000+09:002005-10-13T15:43:59.293+09:00A shepard and a weaver fell in love. Madly in love, so much so that they forgot all about their work. The Shepard stopped sheparding and the weaver stopped her weaving. The gods became angry and banished them to opposite sides of the sky, as stars. But then the gods felt bad and decided they could meet once a year in the sky. The gods were feeling generous and decided to grant all humans oneCarissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1129185779788432742005-07-06T15:42:00.000+09:002005-10-13T15:42:59.790+09:00Cutting between islands coated in green, capped in snowClouds creep in covering the hillsWrapping them for warmth against the frigid whipping wind.We glide, float; adrift through green watersSeagulls hover midair, unaware of the coldSmall houses hide in crevicesSnuggled close against the mountainsWhite waters fall into freezing wavesBright forests fill the spacesFriendship shared in steaming mugsCarissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1122490654406077362005-07-05T03:56:00.000+09:002005-07-28T03:57:34.413+09:00Norway. We arrived on one of the 3 sunny days they have each year (slight exaggeration, but only just). The town of Bergen is about as picturesque as towns come. And the amazing thing is that unlike most picturesque towns it wasn’t a façade. The whole town and the outlying areas had the same serene beauty. We rented bicycles and started to explore. We found a place near some apartment Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1120936317852655062005-07-04T04:11:00.000+09:002005-07-10T04:11:57.853+09:00It is 1:30 in the morning. I just watched the sunset on deck. I finished dancing in the Sports Bar at 1am and went outside before bed and was shocked to see the sun just going down. The wind from the east was blowing strong, but the west side of the boat was protected and calm. It was incredibly beautiful, if not a little bizarre. Also strange is that the sun is going to rise at 5am; in 4 Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1120310543710681592005-07-02T22:16:00.000+09:002005-07-02T22:22:23.710+09:00Paris. What can I write about Paris that hasn't already been written? Everyone was right when they told me it is dirty, crowded with tourists, the waiters are rude and everything is over-priced and yet I still love it. I wouldn't want to live here and I don't know if I will come back anytime soon, but it is a wonderful place regardless of that.How strange to decipher between perceptions and Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1120936290072811812005-07-01T04:10:00.000+09:002005-07-10T04:11:30.076+09:00Somehow I almost enjoy travel in Asia more. I am able to drop the pretense of being a local, a native. I accept myself as a tourist. I soak in, swim in, drown myself in my truth. With camera ever ready, I enjoy every aspect of traveling because I am not playing a role. Yet, in Western coutries I find myself trying to fit in. Attempting to fool those who can see straight through my weak farceCarissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1120310181517370722005-06-30T22:15:00.000+09:002005-07-02T22:16:21.520+09:00Today we had an all-English informal chat session with the Palestinian and Israeli students who are on the ship from Jordan to New York. None of us expected it to fall apart as much as the discussion with Dr. W and Fadi from Iraq because the Palestinian and Israeli students are much younger and have become our friends in the last few weeks. They also probably haven’t been through as much as Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1120310124900327422005-06-28T22:15:00.000+09:002005-07-02T22:15:24.900+09:00Tonight I did Yoga under the stars on the back deck of the boat. The night was salty and humid. The stars were shining bright in the Mediterranean. As we did our cool down the moon rose out of the ocean, giant and red. It looked like it had been dropped into dye. The reflection shone off the waves in a giant line that led straight up to our ship. It was stunning.Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1120309922549954342005-06-26T22:11:00.000+09:002005-07-02T22:15:48.446+09:00Barcelona, SpainEverywhere I go, music follows me. As I walk down La Rambla, take the Metro, sit in Gaudi’s underground forest I am always accompanied. All day I feel as though I have stepped into a movie. A beautiful foreign city as my setting, sunny and bursting with art. A perpetual soundtrack in the background. People break into dance in the middle of plazas, in front of cathedrals and Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1129185628243563542005-06-24T15:39:00.000+09:002005-10-13T15:40:28.250+09:00My thoughts on a lectureAs a tourist you only take from a country and its people. We were able to spend time with the people in these countries and it became a two-way street.“In each one of these children’s faces what you might be able to see is the future.”-- PetraCarissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1119805436865959772005-06-23T02:03:00.000+09:002005-06-27T02:03:56.866+09:00Catania, SicilyDespite the fact that my great-grandfather came from Sicily to America, I don’t feel a strong connection to this place at all. I enjoy it, I want to come back, but I don’t feel inspired the way I did in Vietnam or Jordan or even Egypt (despite not liking Egypt very much, I certainly had strong opinions). Maybe it is too similar to home because it is a western country. Or maybe Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1119805326064293162005-06-21T02:01:00.000+09:002005-06-27T02:02:06.070+09:00Athens, GreeceA wind is blowing the robes that Aphrodite wears. They flutter in the wind. I am amazed that marble can move in such a way. Thousands of years ago men put their emotions, lives and souls into rock. Here I stand in modern times able to appreciate this piece of antiquity. The sun peeks through the clouds, the wind cools me off and I look up at the blue and white flag fluttering Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1119198422829891492005-06-20T01:17:00.000+09:002005-06-27T02:02:57.613+09:00Port Said, EgyptAt eery street we cross there is a road block with a police officer holding up traffic. Naively I ask if that is for our little caravan of buses. Everyone laughs at my conceit, yet the guide assures us it is for us. After a few buses of tourists have been bombed the Egyptians are taking no chances with their main source of income. We have armed police escort all the way from Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1119197818414543032005-06-16T01:16:00.000+09:002005-06-20T01:16:58.416+09:00Standing outside in the cold desert air with a towel wrapped around me for warmth I waited for the day to being. Talking as I waited, I made a new friend. Finally, the sky changed from Indigo to pale as purples and pinks snuck around. And at last the lazy sun spread its rays, abandoned the horizon and rose. A sunrise in Jordan. Mysteriously stunning.The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth—Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1119197791199516182005-06-15T02:16:00.000+09:002005-06-20T01:16:31.200+09:00Aqaba, JordonOnce a stop on the spice routes. Boxes of apartments huddled low, crouching together. The atmosphere is thin and I can see far into the distance. The sharp desert mountains lying against each other present a study of browns and beiges. Although this is my first time here, part of me feels as though I am coming home to the desert. Completely different and yet it reminds me of Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1119197744566357212005-06-15T01:15:00.000+09:002005-06-20T01:15:44.566+09:00Hattin CampHuge, warm toffee eyes stare upThey crinkle in the cornersAs a smile beams belowA small hand shoots outTaking my cameraThe new toy is hours of entertainmentA hand takes mineChallenging me to a warOf thumbsKisses fall onto my cheeksMy hands clap a rhythm That will keep beating in my heartLong after the music endsI entered fearful and uncertainI leave smiling and determinedBetween the Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1119197705073566992005-06-14T01:14:00.000+09:002005-06-20T01:15:05.073+09:00If I could look into the distance, peer just beyond the horizon Saudi Arabia would appear. I can smell the mystery in the air. If I crossed my ship and gazed to the other shore out of my sight Egypt’s pyramids would loom over me and it’s sands stretch before me. I am blindly caught between two exotic shores and am left with only my imagination to supply the images. I am so close, I can feel Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1119197680267387032005-06-13T01:14:00.000+09:002005-06-20T01:14:40.270+09:00Today we had a small, informal, all-English chat with the Iraqi guests. It was an odd experience. Dr. W is obviously in such pain from what her country is going through and what she has been through personally. Fadi, perhaps because he is a man or younger or his personality is different, doesn’t seem to let the emotions come through as much. We all started the talk by asking questions about Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1119197658340834002005-06-11T01:14:00.000+09:002005-06-20T01:14:18.340+09:00Everyday is an emotional rollercoaster for me. I teach classes in the morning—I’m happy and energetic. I attend a lecture on Palestine (or agent orange in Vietnam or the state of Iraqi hospitals, or something equally difficult) and I leave in tears. Then I go to a poetry workshop (or art class) which makes me nostalgic and creative. I lay in the pool—relaxed. I hold a debate workshop and am Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1119197633715842152005-06-07T01:13:00.000+09:002005-06-20T01:13:53.720+09:00With purple incenseWrapped tight around my bodyI adopt Sri LankaCarissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1118061734737940932005-06-06T21:31:00.000+09:002005-06-06T21:42:14.743+09:00My classes started and they are amazing! My students are really motivated and have great English. I'm a bit surprised but I like the older class (all retirees) better than the class that is full of girls my age. The older students are less shy. They give it 100%. They also have more life experience, so when I ask them to talk about themselves they keep going and going. They know lots more Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1117623973927743962005-06-01T19:48:00.000+09:002005-06-01T20:06:13.933+09:00We are hopefully over the insanity that I was just adjusting to. The last little bit has been crazily hectic and insane. We were interviewing students, picking their class levels, trying to sort them based on personality and then holding additional events in which to evaluate them. We did this for 180 students in less than 5 days. Incredible. I'm really happy with the students I have in my Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1117342850972575322005-05-29T13:52:00.000+09:002005-05-29T14:00:50.973+09:00Vietnam is incredible. We arrived in Danang yesterday and drove to Hoi An for some shopping and an incredible Vietnamese lunch (I'm in love with Vietnamese food). The architecture is really great, lots of French influence. After lunch (and more shopping) we went to a school opening. The 43rd voyage of Peaceboat raised a lot of money and was able to help this school build new classes (the old Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1117342314972812742005-05-28T13:51:00.000+09:002005-05-29T13:51:54.973+09:00Wandering around ports has been a little odd for me. On the boat I am getting use to saying hello to every person I pass, smiling, sitting with strangers at meals and striking up conversations. People communicating in a variety of languages, and even mixtures of various languages. In ports people aren’t as friendly; many of those things aren’t an option. I miss that while in port. The Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1117342285089252402005-05-27T13:47:00.000+09:002005-05-29T13:51:25.093+09:00Blogging from a boatI’m sitting in a little room that is even with the water in a giant ship that is a representation of the world. Or perhaps the world the way we would like it to be: friendly, cooperative, motivated, excited and happy. This ship is definitely full of optimists, people who truly believe the world’s problems can be fixed. I didn’t realize how cynical I had become about the Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1117071453263512702005-05-26T10:16:00.000+09:002005-05-26T10:37:33.270+09:00WOW WOW WOW! Amazingness in a boat!The last few days (week? I'm not sure how long I've been on the boat now) has been incredible. hectic and busy because we are planning a lot of programs, organizing the english program, designing lesson plans, interviewing students, learning, holding events... utter craziness. But utterly satisfying because the people I am working with actually get things Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1116852900877492882005-05-23T21:53:00.000+09:002005-05-23T21:55:00.883+09:00How do you fit a hundred million events, people, thoughts and emotions into a short blog? I want to somehow express what I am feeling and experiencing, but I don’t have the ability to put it into words. I am feeling overwhelmed, happy, creative, excited, sad, adventurous, involved… and so many other things. Days fly by so quickly I don’t think I blinked, but a hundred things happened.May 21 was Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1116590850781811362005-05-20T20:47:00.000+09:002005-05-20T21:34:25.476+09:00I don't even officially start my job until tomorrow (4 more hours without insurance) and my boss already thinks I lied. Apparently during the interview they asked me if I get sea sickness. Of course I don't. I am strong and have great sea legs and would never succumb to something as silly and embarrassing as sea sickness. I'm sure that during the interview I confidently assured my future Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1116312288867287012005-05-17T15:36:00.000+09:002005-05-17T15:44:48.873+09:00I'm back, but for such a short time. Thailand was great, but after 2 weeks I was ready to come back to Japan. After a few lovely, lovely days in Fukui I came to Tokyo for some orientating. I'm so excited about the Peace Boat now. After spending 2 days with the other English teachers and translators and coordinators I was bouncing around with anticipation. Everyone I'm going to be working Carissanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3673132.post-1115609914984996892005-05-09T12:28:00.000+09:002005-05-09T12:38:35.113+09:00Carissa vs. The Centipede(a story that I only wish was a work of fiction)Something crawling toward me. I hear screams and profanities. I realize they are coming out of my mouth. I am standing in the middle of the room jumping up and down. Still screaming. Must stop. The centipede has slithered under my crumpled blanket. I am shaking. I am bigger than this insect. I can conquer! Where Carissanoreply@blogger.com0