I hate waiting on hold...

So right now I'm sitting on my bed, waiting on hold, and listening to my music play over the loop of advertisements spewing from my call to HP on my headset. There apparently is a defect in certain models of their pavilion models where the left hinge on their notebooks comes lose, cracks and pops, and cracks the screen open. Of course all three are happening to my laptop as well. But no worries. I just got off the phone after 40 minutes and everything should be taken care of soon enough.

It truly is amazing how fast life passes you by. I feel like just yesterday i was preparing to leave to come here and now i feel like its almost time to get up and go again. It's enough to make one emotional. I've really enjoyed my experience here and I've learned so much about not only myself but the world that i live in, and it is absolutely amazing. If you haven't seen it yet, i encourage you to before you never get the chance to do it again.

All the things we see in life and every turn life takes never steals from the experience, it only makes it that much more unique, never taking; only adding.

"Seize the moment of excited curiosity on any subject to solve your doubts; for if you let it pass, the desire may never return, and you may remain in ignorance." -William Wirt

home so soon.. see you guys then!

Paris

There is no pleasure more simple than walking down a street, content and full of life. Paris has revived me. This city... is phenomenal. I love the city of love.

America...

...this thought will be complete come election results..

Each of us has an original way of being human

"There is a certain way of being human that is my way. I am called upon to live my life in this way, and not in imitation of anyone else's life. But this notion gives new importance to being true to myself. If I am not, i miss the point of my life; I miss what being human is for me."

- Charles Taylor

The Politics of Recognition.

That is one small quote from this amazing class that I'm taking called, "Citizenship and Identity." Its taught by Tariq Ramadan, a professor based out of Oxford University in England. It is the most amazing course and course material i have ever taken and read. Truly inspirational.

Food..

Since I'm living on my own now, i think its time i start cooking. I've had an interest in food now for a while, so if any one could email me simple(r) recipes or some of their favorites that would be awesome! I really want to start learning how to cook. Keep in mind that i don't have an oven, but one of my neighbors does, its not a huge oven either, so yeah. Just email me at jhansen5@gonzaga.edu with any recipes! I'm hungry!! I'll be sure to post about my experience with the dish if you send me a recipe. Catch you later.

And the world spins madly on...

Life flies by you in the blink of an eye, and if you don't treasure the present, all you have left is the memories of the past.

It was hardly yesterday when i was a worried about going to College and moving into the dorms. The day before that i was worried about leaving high school and going into Running Start, but now look at me. I'm living all the way across the world in, on my own, in an apartment with a man from Nepal.

Tonight is a cool and rainy night; the first since I arrived here. It allows for a mellow atmosphere to settle over the all too busy city life around, and permits you to indulge in your thoughts. So i did just that. I made myself a nice hot cup of coffee and walked out onto my wet balcony barefoot. I think we live in comfort too much. We become disconnected in a way to our environment and how powerful it is because we protect ourselves from it, we dominate our environment. I stood outside feeling the cold stone under my feet and it reminded me that i was alive.

Memories flooded into my mind of all the rainy nights I've shared with others in the past; with friends over a cup of tea, walks, puddle jumping, long drives, and sweet lovers under covers keeping each other warm laying arm in arm... by all figurative means.

Quite plainly here, i outline my intent for writing. Twas to say thank you, to all of those who have helped shape me into who i was, and who I'm becoming in the days and years to come. Thank you for the endless hours you worked, so i can be where i am today. Thank you for staying, and not giving up. Thank you for listening, when i needed to talk. Thank you for caring when i needed support. Thank you for getting to know me, for who i really am. Thank you, Thank you for being a part of me, and most of all, Thank you all for staying close to me. I really do cherish and love you guys dearly. I wish i could do more, to show all my gratitude. But I'm a man of limited means, so this will have to do (for now).

Linkin Park- Numb

Why is that the song that the ice cream truck plays when it drives by?

Kinderdijk

This is the Kinderdijk! My second visit to a World Heritage Site! These windmills are fascinating, and they are centuries old! They use to be the way they drained the water from the land. It’s done so by moving the water up-hill and dumping it into the river which takes it back to the ocean. They have more modern equipment that does it now but this is how it use to work. The Dutch are really innovative thinkers. The University arranged this excursion which was really nice. We went on the Pancake boat (Panenkoekenboot) and had an amazing dinner of pancakes! Their pancakes here are really different, they had the option of 3 different types, apple, bacon, or plain. What you do is you have this thin pancake about the thickness of a tortilla with fruit cooked into it, or bacon, and you go through what appears to be a salad bar but it’s a pancake bar. There are different meats, cheeses, butters, spreads, chocolate, sprinkles, fruits, and about anything else you could put on a pancake! They eat them sort of like omelets, folding one side over and then cutting them into pieces. They are amazing! Never had such good pancakes. It’s funny because the Dutch are so happy and friendly and as one of my friends said, "You can tell they are so happy because the put sprinkles on everything!" Which is absolutely true! They have toast, but it’s really just bread and you can put this chocolate hazelnut spread over it and then chocolate sprinkles and honey, or you could stick with peanut butter and then chocolate and ect.. The options are limitless... It’s so much fun.

This is Rotterdam's skyline at night. It's such an amazing city! I love it here, its feels almost like the city was made for me!

Generosity

The Dutch really know how to make you feel at home.

They have one of the best customs ever! I know in the states its common to ask someone if they would like something to drink but here, its obligatory! If you run into a mate in the hall or see someone on the balcony immediately you're invited for something to drink, and they give you a selection while they are at it! "Would you like kofee, tea, juice, or maybe water?" I love it! But the thing that is different here is they want you to have something to drink, you feel awkward if you don't take it! It is really cool because it allows for conversation and being social too. I think its a very friendly and nice way to make friends too. But this isn't only on a personal level in society. Businesses and companies, even the University offices give you coffee or tea if you're waiting. Just today i went to a bank to try and set up an account, and while i was waiting for a representative they told us to have a seat in the Koffee corner and help ourselves to cappuccinos or whatever we would like. Well in the Koffee corner they a coffee machine for you and cups. You can make yourself and espresso, latte, cappuccino, mocha, macciato, whatever! And the machine does it all for you, warms the milk, pours the shots, you only have to push a button!! I feel quite spoiled, hehe.

The Dutch hospitality doesn't end there however. I don't have an oven in my apartment so i cant bake anything. Well i mentioned it to my neighbor and they invited me over to cook in their oven, and in fact they'll buy and provide the food if only i cook it!!! What a deal! So tomorrow I'm going to the market and buying some salmon. I found a really nice recipe for this lemon garlic salmon and well actually my neighbor is going to buy all the food, but I'm going to cook it! I'm really liking this whole set a more than i thought i would! Anyways i gotta do some homework, ill post later.

A Modest Proposal

So i've beeen thinking lately about how we live our lives. Its easier for me to examine the ways in which people run around in their daily lives because i am capable of comparing people from not noly different walks of life, but different cultures, different countries, and quite litterally a world away from our lives in America. Traveling is awesome, because it allows you to see the faults in yourself, the cultural biases that you personally have build up living in one place for too long. Your thoughts, beliefes, views and opinions need to be challenged and the most radical way to do so, is through personal experience and first hand accounts of other people and cultures. You cant meet a Mexican in the states and assume that they are all the same and act the same in Mexico, no its completely different. There is something about geograhy that really affects the views and actions of people, and i think it mainly comes down to cultures.

When looking at the world, I too often hear about everyones problems. May of these problems we feel just come with the busy pace of life we live in America, others think they need to do extra things to achieve a certain measure of grace, acceptance, or credibility in their lives, yet the thing is most of our "problems" i feel are created by the society we live in.

If we look at education for instance, the purpose of education is to educate people to be able to be cometent and competitive in this world, while preparing them for their own sustainability and future. I feel like everyone should have a right to be educated and that education is the means to freedom. However, so sadly in America i dont feel like the education system works, and i feel like we all agree to some sense with that statement. First off, i feel that there are clear inequalities within the way to achieve education. In order to go to college, you first have to get accepted and that would show that the univeristy thinks youre capable and competent to be in that Univeristy and you can succeed. However, the costs for college these days are rediculous. If youre not fortunate enough to have parents who have a disposible income to pay for your college expenses you need to apply for Finacial Aid and scholarships. While this might not be true for most people i have found when i go through scholarship listings there are many that have specific ethnic requirements or income requirements that a normal white middle class male simply cannot meet. There is a move in the Univeristy to produce diveristy and equal oppurtunity but this isnt the case, especially for me because when i look at scholarships i find maybe on that could atucally apply to me. So then i turn to finacial aid right. Well if your parents make a certain amount of income they are then "able" to give you the money you need to go to school. Thats not true however, i doubt most Americans could drop $18,000 on tuition for a single school year. So then you have to turn to the student loans to get help. You need to take out $24,000 to make ends meet with college expenses while you still are going to need to get a job to simply survive while in school.

So now youre in debt up to your ears and youre freashly graduated from the University. what to do now right? You need to either start paying off those loans if you havent already started while in school and get a good paying job, or you need to continue your education so that your loans can be further delayed until you can obtain a degree that will get you a high paying job.

Well i say that this way of doing "education" is not preparing individuals for their future or success. Its preparing young adults to be in debt to large companies for the rest of their lives and start consuming and living in the US while you pay those debts off because its an obligation you have when you take them out, you know, you need to pay them off. This is a problem. Americans are now in debt, the economy is doing bad, and as you can see with the housing market mad investments and risky loans get people, and countries, into trouble.

In Europe, their education system is set up differently. I met a girl from Germany who only needs to pay 97 Euro a year for school! I met two French people who are paying only 2,000 euros for the tuition here at Erasmus university. Not only are the tuition costs low, the government actually gives you a stipend here in Holland of about 800 Euros a semester to help with the costs of living so that students don't need to get jobs while working and they can study and focus on that. What i novel idea! Keep tuition costs low and give the students money while in school so that they are capable of living an easier life, debt free, and not have to work while in school so they can achieve higher marks and get educated. I personally know the effects of working while in school and not working while in school. My GPA dropped because my focus was split between school and work. They say over here that the government is investing in its own future by preparing its citizens the opportunity to educate themselves. It's such a logical way of doing things. Giving a young adult the freedom and ability to educate themselves without giving them debt that's going to negatively effect their future. They say if you work hard enough you can do anything in the States, but that's not true. People work incredibly hard and try to achieve so much and once they graduate they are hit with the debt and student loans so they need to get a job, they are placed back down into the working class society. Here, people are FREE to do what they want after school, they can take the time to look for a job that they will want, travel maybe and see the world. I find people to have much more of a degree of freedom over here than in the states.

I'm shocked to see that in our country where every man is born equal and freedom is one of the essential foundations of society, that only a tiny degree of people actually can achieve such freedom and "equality". Social classes divide the country and prevent the equality to truly show. There is an ideological issue within the States i feel that prevents people for truly caring for one another, and treating each other humanely and with dignity. Everyone is trying to achieve their own means to happiness and simply live, so why prevent anyone from doing that? Its not the intent with high costs to prevent and hinder the country but it is doing just that.

Its evident in our health care system too. You re only able to get the help and assistance you need if you are capable of paying for it, someone once told me. However, injuries and sickness are a fact of life. People age, they get sick, and they die. But only in a society where money has replaced the importance of caring for one another, can someone say that "I'm sorry you re sick and need to see a doctor, but you cant because you're not covered." The health care and insurance agencies in the States are absolutely ridiculous. I don't understand it. Why don't we take all the money we pay monthly for insurance and make that payment directly into our savings account and not touch it. Then when we needed to see the doctor we could pay for things that come up. Like things that normally come up such as wisdom teeth needing to be removed, pregnancies and vaccines. Here there is a compulsory and universal system where if you need any assistance what so ever, you can get it. Regardless of if you can pay or not. Ive been told time and time again by people over here that if i get sick that i should have a right to go to the doctor and get treatment. There is more of a communal care for your neighbor mentality over here and its remarkable.

People ask how are they capable of doing this? They say that they must have really high taxes over here, and yes on average their taxes are higher, but look at what they receive in return for it! Almost free education through the University, low cost, almost free health care. But here is this thing in the states that is different from over here. The rich get taxed more. Theoretically that works out great! The rich who can afford to get taxed, are taxed a little more than those who are poor and depend on every cent they make. They feel like its a moral obligation to give back to society because society has allowed them to get so well off. Look at it this way. You earn and spend your money from society and in society respectively. Your job is provided to you because there is some service that society needs, but you need services too. So you spend the money you make from your job and you give it back to society. You cannot have your wealth without society, therefore you have an obligation to provide for your society and ensure that its not going to fail, via taxes and if you want charity organizations, non-profits, and community service. You cannot remove yourself even a little from society, or else society won't work.

Can someone tell me the difference between a woman working 2 jobs trying to make ends meet while in school, or a family where both parent have to work full time in order to ensure their children will be able to grow up and live a comfortable lives, or a cashier at Wal-Mart working full time? Someone told me that a person working at Wal-Mart shouldn't get help because they aren't working as hard as they could, because they worked at Wal-Mart! Someone who works for minimum wage doesn't deserve help. The lower income people, those who don't have money to make ends meet, don't deserve to get help from someone? Why is that? They need the most help!

How can we as a society look at an individual and say that they don't have the same rights that we do because the color of their skin or the language they speak? How elitist are Americans to make people who are unfortunate second class citizens? There is no equality to the degree Americans think they have it. There is not equal opportunity within society, there are attempts at it, and noble are they, but there are still many barriers for every day citizens. If you're black, Latino, white, elderly, young, upper, middle, or lower class, gay, straight, male, female, religious, non-religious, Republican, Democrat, or Idependent, we're all citizens with the same rights. Lets recognize this.

Lost in thought...

i cant even formulate a blog...

Ive always thought this has some value

So i figured i would post it. Its an interesting persepctive on things..

The Evolution of Religion and the Loss of Oneness
Friday, February 03, 2006 → by Danieru

In our semantically governed, symbolic understanding of reality we often maintain that true-identity is possible, that the whirling sensations called 'you' somehow cease at the surface of your skin, all else being distinct. Of course the Buddhist conception of reality has superseded this idea for millennia:

"According to the theory of emptiness, any belief in an objective reality grounded in the assumption of intrinsic, independent existence is untenable. All things and events, whether material, mental or even abstract concepts like time, are devoid of objective, independent existence. To possess such independent, intrinsic existence would imply that things and events are somehow complete unto themselves and are therefore entirely self-contained. This would mean that nothing has the capacity to interact with and exert influence on other phenomena.... In a universe of self-contained, inherently existing things, ...events would never occur." - The Dalai Lama, quoted from New Scientist

I am often struck by how quick Western science is to absolve humans of their natural status. In matters of religion, or more specifically, the evolution of religion, science tends to send me into a quiet rage. Yet the tides are beginning to turn:

"When we see a complex structure, we see it as the product of beliefs and goals and desires. Our social mode of understanding leaves it difficult for us to make sense of it any other way. Our gut feeling is that design requires a designer - a fact that is understandably exploited by those who argue against Darwin......Religious teachings certainly shape many of the specific beliefs we hold; nobody is born with the idea that the birthplace of humanity was the Garden of Eden, or that the soul enters the body at the moment of conception, or that martyrs will be rewarded with sexual access to scores of virgins. These ideas are learned. But the universal themes of religion are not learned. They emerge as accidental by-products of our mental systems. They are part of human nature." - Paul Bloom, "Is God an Accident?"

Paul Bloom is a proponent of 'the byproduct explanation' of religious evolution, which in simple terms claims:

"...religion is... an accidental byproduct of stuff that is part of human nature." Religion, in this account, didn't arise because it served any purpose, but because the human brain is amenable to certain supernatural ideas. - link

[see also 'Religion Explained' by Pascal Boyer]

Could it be said that from this perspective religion is just the model which human evolution built to understand an underlying, naturally occurring component of reality? For instance; in his study of neurological damage in his own patients V.S. Ramachandran often makes beautiful leaps of logic to assess his findings. His book Phantoms in the Brain is one of the most engrossing analyses of the human condition I have come across, and yet when religion rears its ugly head Ramachandran resorts to the glorification of it as a unique aspect of human evolution.

"Religion is a uniquely human trait..." - link

It is just my opinion, but this same error can be seen time and time again in the works of eminent scientists and philosophers of mind. But if one extends 'the byproduct explanation' of religion to its broadest horizons the seedling of nature can once again be seen protruding from the human mind. No one would argue that religion is not a response by the human brain to grasp a oneness with the universe, as the quote from The Dalai Lama above would suggest. Yet in matters of a scientific conception of religion the loose ends of logic continue to flap in the wind for me. Surely animals, with undoubtedly a lesser degree of mental capacity than us, have greater access to the universe in indefinable instinctive terms. Their minds do not need to rationalise desires, emotions, feelings of identity. Indeed for many creatures I would suggest these abilities would be a disadvantage to their survival (for more on this see my recent MetaTalk question here).I have no doubt that the various models ascribed to religious doctrine or spiritual union with creation are uniquely human traits - no animal has an evolutionary reason to have acquired such subjective nonsense. But I find it difficult to believe that the sense of oneness it takes Buddhist monks decades to attain; the rapturous glory the Christian gains from their union with Jesus; the mental infinity arising from the brain of the epilepsy sufferer are uniquely human. That oneness, rapture, seizure, hallucination - whatever you want to call it - is something that animal kind has full access to AT ALL TIMES! In rationalising the universe humanity had to lose its natural propensity with the cosmos. Evolution forged us a rational brain to perceive objective truths, and as a consequence we lost the ability to just be 'at one' with our surroundings. Religion then, and all other irrational systems of acquiring models of existence, are evolutions' mediocre attempts to cope with the infinite peace we lost.The universe is vast, incredible and awe inspiring for all the same reasons it ever was. It's just that with this brain, this perceptive reflexive consciousness, humanity is somehow unable to just accept that glory instinctively anymore.

When I was a few years younger I mourned this loss. In the religious, spiritual and social concepts I had come across in all my life nothing managed to build for me an understanding of reality I was happy with accepting. These days though I smile gleefully to myself. In the realms of physics, biology and philosophy broad vistas of objective glory stretch ahead of me. To each side of my remaining instinctive vision I catch glimpses of a reality so beautiful in its depth, its intricate infinities, that it took 13 billion years of gradual acquisition for anything to remotely come into focus.

The loss of that oneness is a small price to pay for the knowledge that the concept of God is nothing more than an echo of laughter rebounding in the depths of reflexive consciousness. Religion and the spiritual mind are for me mere evolutionary idiosyncrasies that nature has not yet had time to fully be rid off. Never fear that your existence is meaningless, for in this infinite universe you are the evolutionary pinnacle of a glory yet to be fully realised...

Sit back for the ride

Well I’m really enjoying myself today. I woke up around 7:30 this morning which actually was late. I was supposed to wake up around 7 and pick up my friend from Austria, named Andria, so that we could go to the market. Well I set my alarm but I forgot to turn it on! So I woke up late and took a quick shower. We were able to get out of the apartments around 8.
The city was absolutely dead on a Saturday morning which I found to be interesting. For being one of the largest ports in the world it was absolutely dead! We were headed to the huge market that’s suppose to be open at 8 in the morning on Saturdays and Tuesdays but from the looks of it everything was going to be closed for a while. The market is called Blaak market, it’s on Blaak straat (street). We walked around for a little bit and found some bikes that were there for around 65 Euros and up. That’s a little more expensive that what I want to pay for a bike but still on the cheap end over here.
We decided we were going to go grab a café before heading down to the Spido yacht tours of the harbors that the university set up for international students. The coffee was pretty good and surprisingly the only thing open!
We finally got down to the water around 9:45 and everyone from the university was there which was nice to see friendly faces again. The yacht had indoor seating around tables and I was one of the first people on so I claimed the table at the front with the view all around. The ride was from 10-2 with lunch and drinks for free! It was amazing. Sitting back and watching the harbor and all the massive boats in town for the World Harbor Days festival while sipping on a glass of wine is simply wonderful. Its interesting how the university over here not only is accepting of drinking alcohol but they actually provide it! I guess it’s a cultural thing, but boy is it really pleasant. The ride around the harbor was really nice and I found out that the lowest point under sea level is 23.5 meters which is about what, 70.5 ft under sea level?! That was just probably about 5 mile from my apartment too. It’s quite impressive that the Dutch were able to dominate the sea and have pump systems that allow them to build at such depths below the sea level right on the coast. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for no big storms or floods!

I wore really warm clothes on the boat because I figured that we would be outside and cold going through the harbor because it’s been cloudy and raining for the past 6 days. Well I was wrong, the sky cleared up and it’s just simply a beautiful day out right now. Has to be around 80 right now and there are a few clouds in the sky. I dropped back by the market and picked up some fruit for really cheap! Now I’m just sitting on my bed sun tanning. My apartment is perfectly situated for the sun to flow right into my huge 6 ft windows that line one side of my room. I opened the blinds and just started tanning in my underwear lying on my bed. It’s so nice and warm. I’m letting the breeze come in through the open windows while the soundtrack of Amelie is playing in the background! This is the life, I love simple pleasures!

Apartment life

I think I liked the silence better...

My neighbors I assume got home a little over an hour ago and they have not stopped blasting or singing rap for the last hour! Rap none the less, and bad, bad rap at that, it’s like the low grade R&B and Timberland that you'd expect find in a 1980's store or something. I even hear them singing to it, god! They're singing!

Yes!! A little relief, the cd is skipping now... ah silence...

Think again, Buddhi, my roommate, just started blasting what sounds like 1980's "I dream of Jennie" Nepali theme music... so much for solitude

Now Buddhi is playing with his new phone figuring out ringtones... great.

Underneath it all...

Rotterdam oh Rotterdam,

It really nice over here, there is the city, the parks, the university, and the pubs. I really love it. But there is something missing. When all slows down at the end of the day, and the stillness of the world settles in on the plaster white walls of an empty apartment, and silence engulfs the surroundings, there is still something missing.

The vast distances that span the world and separate loved ones are unbearable at times. They create times of trial; they challenge our integrity, and bring a certain solitude and loneliness into our lives which are otherwise often over burdened with others. This new found loneliness is malevolent, stealing from the joy of simple living and creating a vast abyss of isolation that one could easily fall into. In the wilderness of a jungle city like Rotterdam, when all falls silent and all you hear is your typing away at the keyboard in a white wall apartment, the feeling of impermanence rises as I continue to type away my feelings onto a screen. This impermanence represents not only the amount of time I’ll be staying here, or the fact that when I get back home things will inevitably be different. This impermanence represents my emotions too; a minor wave of feeling in a sea full of white caps and vessels floating about. As surly the tide comes in and out, so my despair of falling into the abyss.

Typing this all out reminds me of a Buddhist principle of impermanence and especially their doctrine of dealing with emotions. Don’t quote me, but Buddhist follow a middle path, that between the extreme of emotion and the emotionlessness of not caring. The middle path between Hedonism and Asceticism leads for an examined life, and one that you're capable of controlling. Emotions are healthy if only examined for the reasons why you have them. My loneliness is that of absence and withdrawal, not of self pity or self deprivation. I’m in a privileged position studying in such an amazing place and having the support that I do. So I guess I want to just simply thank you. I look forward to coming home.

Its a small world after all....

I arrived in Rotterdam on the overcast and cool morning of August 29th. I started my journey the previous day early in the morning too and after you calculate all the traveling time it’s a good 22 hrs with all the time changes. I had a hard time at first with everything, I was informed that I won’t need to learn Dutch because everyone here speaks English, yeah right. Everyone does speak some English but everything is written and spoken in Dutch primarily, so, I got lost in the air port in Amsterdam twice and missed my first train to Rotterdam because I was on the wrong platform. I eventually figured it all out and arrived in Rotterdam, which is about an hour south of Amsterdam, around 7:50am.

The first day wasn’t too bad; I was really in a daze most of the day because of the sleep deprivation one seems to get when flying to Europe with unlimited free movies to watch and video games to play on their flight.

I got lost again in Rotterdam; I couldn’t find the hostel I was trying to stay at. It was the cheapest I could find, only 10 Euro. It turned out to be down this small side street that looked more like a dead end and parking lot than a road to a hostel. The name of the place is called "Mafkees" which is run by a local non-profit organization called "Use-It". The hostel is closed from 11:30-5pm everyday but is open any other time; there is no curfew which is nice. The Use-It organization is such a cool little operation, the staff is incredibly friendly and provides massive amounts of (FREE) information, maps, and local events and parties that are going on around town. They have their own outings around town and they give a free guided pub tour of the city every Friday night which is really cool.

I joined them on Friday and went for the tour; I decided that I would be social and met people while I stayed at the hostel. It was really a great experience. I met these two British fellows who are just a kick in the pants, and I met their friend Ishmail who is from Iraq. I met a really and nice girl named Emily from France, I met a girl from Spain and another girl from Moscow, Russia. And the most peculiar thing ever is I met a guy from Vancouver, WA. Small world no? I must say I absolutely love Europeans, they are the funniest crowd I’ve hung around with and not to mention they are very happen and open to talking about American politics and I can’t tell you how many times I was told to vote for Obama and Eff Bush, he Effed up the country. It was just classic.

On Saturday I went to this little piano shop where there are at least 100 pianos or so, and you can go in a play for a while. So the Russian girl, who I met the night before, and I went out to this piano shop and played piano together. It was one of the most amazing things ever. First you have hundreds of Grand pianos, and then you have me playing the Comptine D'Un Autre: L'Apres Midi from Amelie. Well this Russian girl let me tell you a little about her. She has obtained her masters in performing arts for piano or something grand like that, and now she is going to attend Cordarts which is a huge performing arts academy. Well I’m playing the Comptine and she starts playing it as well but improvising. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard! She started doing long chord progressions while I played the basic melody and then we started a round with the fast and slow parts of the song. It was so good customers in the store walked over and watched us playing. It was like a scene from a movie I kid you not, the morning light was pouring in the big room litting it up with warmth while an American and a Russian played French music and got to understand each other a little better. It was really a priceless experience. It sounds like she practices mad hours like, 6 hours a day. I know I could never be that dedicated to piano but good for her, I’m sure she'll become famous in Europe or something.

The weather here has just been amazing, about 80-90 ever day. The city is just full of people and things to do. It reminds me of Seattle being a port city, but it’s the biggest port in the whole of Europe! They have parks and canals, shopping areas like none I’ve ever seen, local bakeries and sandwich shops. Now I must say that one thing we don’t have enough of, local shops that are good. In Spokane you have 3rd street down town where there is one fast food corporation after another but here; you have a local pub, a sandwich shop, a coffee shop, a cafe, a dessert shop and several other of each of those. It’s just an amazing spectacle that you don’t see much in Spokane.

My friend Martha from Gonzaga arrived yesterday in Rotterdam, she was traveling France and Germany with her mom for 2 weeks before school started. It was so relieving to be able to talk to someone for a change. There is a very lonely feeling that I get when I’m somewhere and I don’t speak the native tongue and I cant make sense of simple advertisements or signs. Everyone turns to you and speaks Dutch and you have to ask them, "Spreekt u Engels?" "Do you speak English?" This can get lonely fast especially when you’re traveling alone and not at school yet in a social environment, so it was nice to have a friend over here to hang out with.

We pretty much walked around all day, which is nice because then you really get a feel for the city. It’s not too big of a place; you can easily be entertained for a day or two around the center. They have some of the most amazing parks here and I love all the canals that flow through the city. I walked to where my apartment is yesterday just to scout it out and make sure I knew where I’d be going today and there are the most beautiful canals all around where my place is. It’s insane, my place is located just north of the Centraal Station and the neighborhood is so quiet! Everything is very hustle and bustle south of the station in the center but it’s amazing just across the tracks and its quiet. There is a local pizza, hamburger and coffee shop right by the canals and a least a million bikes. Everyone bikes here, everyone! They even have their own riding lane bikers do. It’s so biker friendly and there are so many bike racks around I really think I’m going to invest in a bike while I’m here.

Last night I must saw was probably the most fun night so far. My British friends, Jon and Lee, and their Kurdish friend Ishmail invited Martha and I out for a goodbye drink. But before we went out Martha and I met a guy from WA! His name is Steven and he is Anthropology major at Western. It was so interesting talking with yet another American and it must be a traveler’s mindset or something but most everyone over here has the same ideas and is very open, the Americans included. Its definitely a small world after all. There are 4 people from Washington State staying in the same hostel in Rotterdam, Netherlands of all places and all on the same nights... very interesting.

Anyways, the night was pretty interesting. We met a group of Greeks at one of the pubs we went to and they were fun interesting people too. Of course ever person you meet from a new country tells you that you have to go to their country before you leave but Greece definitely sounds pretty amazing. I her they have some of the best night life in Europe! I've decided that it’s going to be my job to meet at least one person from every member state of the EU while I’m here. So far I’ve meet the English, Dutch, French, Austrians, Chez Republic, Spain, and Greeks, which is only 7 out of 27 countries, so I have a while still but that only my first 3 days. I have met people from Russia and Iraq too which aren’t in the EU but still are interesting in themselves.

I must say though, Iraqis are crazy... not like mentally, just crazy funny. Ishmail can’t hold his alcohol I don’t think and he ran down the canal mooning everyone only after maybe 2 drinks if that! It was hilarious! I would never have expected that from a Kurd. He is the funniest character ever, If you've seen Borat, you've seen Ishmail!

Well today is the first day of classes I believe and it’s when everything starts picking up schooling wise. I’m excited to start my classes and there are several that I’m really interested in taking like Middle Eastern Conflict and Politics class. The professor is actually one that Gonzaga professors cite and use his work so it’s incredible that we actually get to be taught by him directly. Its 7:36 am right now and I’ve been up since 5. My sleeping pattern has been off my whole time here, I slept from 5pm-1am the other day. Well that’s all for now I think I’m going t garb some breakfast. Ill post later!

PS. The Euro just went down .002, Yay! I’m gaining money!

Viva la Vida

I've made it to Rotterdam safely and i thought id post and let you all know that. Im staying in a hostel currently and i dont have an outlet converter for my computer so im running on low battery life right now, but ill post as soon as i get more access to the internet and hopefully on monday ill have my apartment! All is well, im loving it here, everything is going good. Ill post later. One last thing, sorry about any spelling errors, the spell checker is set for dutch so everything is wrong.. Dag- bye

Out to the lake i went..

and i got pulled over by a cop. It was a wonderful undercover SUV cop and well he had no reason to pull me over, i wasn't speeding, and i had my seat belt on. Nothing happened, no ticket or anything and all he wanted to see was my license.. hmm well at least he probably held us on the side of the road long enough for another car to drive in front of us and then get stuck in the dirt road out to the cliffs we were going to. Better them than us. But yeah, only 10 days left and then I'm gone! Here i come Europe!

Just out of the Jungle...

and ready to come home. I leave on Thursday at 7. See you all soon, ill post later

Its just a ride its just a ride, no need to run no need to cry...

Endless blue skies, can you say paradise?

I'm on vacation from blogging until i return to the states. Ive been at the coast since wed and after this I'm headed into the jungle! I'm working on my tan, ill post later.

Yea, Though I Raft Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I Will Fear No Evil...

On Monday, the 7th, we stumbled out of our deep slumbers early, not eager to leave the comforts of our beds, yet still filled with excitement for what lay ahead. We decided we wanted to change hostels because we found this nice one, Casa Real, closer to the hot springs on the other side of town that offered a balcony with a hammock. We were told that we had to be at the location where we arranged for our rafting trip at 10 to 9 am. So, we had to hike all out things over to the other hostel before then and grab breakfast while we were at it. We dropped our stuff off at Casa Real at 8:09 ish and we decided we had enough time to go to Casa Hood for breakfast, you know its not like 40 minutes isn't enough time to grab a pancake and run.

We arrived at Casa Hood and the place was relatively empty except for a few people and an older gentleman who was seated behind the table Becky and I choose to sit at. We placed our orders rather quickly, but like most places in Latin America, service is... quite slow. So we sit and wait. One of the street vendors who sells little paintings came into the restaurant trying to sell his stuff. The funny thing about South and Central America is that these people have a tendency of shoving the things in your face and slightly begging you to buy their things. I swear they always approach the gringos because they think we have all the money. It gets annoying though, oh after the thousandth time it happens, or maybe the third time in one meal. Anyways, the older man who was sitting behind us was naive enough to attempt and buy one of the pieces.

"Whats it cost?" growled what sounded like a grumpy old man now.
"20 dollars," replied the younger street vendor."What!" contested the old man, "I´m not paying twenty Da*n dollars for that! You´re ridiculous!"

I nearly coughed up my morning cup of coffee hearing him reply in such a manner. One it was unexpected and two, the tone of his voice was awfully rude. The look on Becky´s face was priceless too; like a look of shock mixed with non-belief of what just happened. This whole time i thought wow, that's a really grumpy old man and a rude one too, no wonder why everyone hates Americans. It was now 8:36 and still no sign of our pancakes! I was beginning to worry because i didn't want to miss our trip, and since we had already paid for half of it to hold our spots, i didn't want to lose that money either. Finally our pancakes came out around 8:44 and wow did we inhale them. I received mine before Becky did and so i got up to pay the bill while she was still eating. We literally finished eating in like 3 minutes. We jumped up and used the bathrooms and ran out of there.

Out on the street i asked Becky what was up with the guy who sat behind us. She explained how the guy bought the box the vendor was selling for $20. I then realized that the look on her face was dis-belief that the guy actually paid that much. In honesty, the box was only worth like $5 maximum. That guy got ripped off, kind of deserves it i guess. He kept saying that 20 dollars was too much and in the end he bought it for that much.

We walked over to the building where we booked our trip and the lady there lead us all the way back across town, nearly to our new hostel, to where all the equipment and their main office was. There were two other people there when we got there, a younger black man and his girlfriend who was white. She was from Denmark and he was living there, but not from there. Two other people arrived, a tall, older black man in his late 40´s i would have guessed, and his girlfriend too. He was loud and obnoxious and of course, American. From Miami to be exact, but his girlfriend was from Colombia i think, and they both are living there currently. Another guy showed up who looked a lot younger than the rest, maybe 20-23. He looked like he was of European descent or Europe for that matter. Its funny because when traveling you run into and meet the most diverse people ever, and half the time it doesn't cross your mind that if someone is white, they might not be from the States. He was French, name Florence and turned out to be 27! Becky and I couldn't believe it. Two other girls arrived who were from Britain named Torah and Emily. It was one worldly group i´d say.

We waited around till about 9:50 and finally piled into the Chiva, a big truck with no sides to it and about 6 rows of benches in the wood cabin thing that was put on the back. We started driving out the same road we went on with José the previous day, you know, the one that went along the edge of the mountains and looked like it could give way at any time. Yeah, that one. Talk about fun.

We arrived at the site called San Francisco, were we were going to launch the rafts. We all got suited up with our gear, life vests, helmets, wetsuits, and all. We were then given a 20 minute presentation on safety and all the command that we were going to hear while rafting. Ive been through it before and so it was slightly boring, but its always good to have a refresher. We started carrying the rafts down to the river bank, an old rusty cable suspension bridge that looked like it was abandoned stretched over head giving a eerie, "you´re in the wild away from civilization" feel to it all. From here the river looked massive, the water racing over the rocks and forcing its way, every which way around any obstacle that would come before it. I was really excited because the river looked like it was fun, and I also wanted Becky to enjoy it too.

We pushed the blue raft along the rocky beach and into the river, each one of us hopping in while William, our guide, held onto the end. Williams leg dug deep into the sand near the rivers edge as he pushed off from shore; all of us leaving the safety of solid ground behind while the raft began to drift with the current. We paddled our way over to the north bank where a waterfall was cascading down the rocky cliff above. William told us to hope on out and we all did. The raft was beached on some rocks in front of the waterfall, so that it wouldn't go anywhere and we walked over the rocks, each one slipping and falling over the little hidden depths between the rocks under the water. We were able to stand underneath and feel the full power of water pounding down on our bodies. Leaning my back against the black rock wall from which the icy cold water fell, and feeling the water push the rocks and sand out from under my feet. Sinking slowly and feeling the cold emotionless forces of nature and their brute strength force me down was actually, diminishing, showing me my weakness and human condition. It was a simple reminder that I'm not in control of the many forces around me..

We hopped back into the raft after a minute or so and continued down the river. Over a few rapids here, around a big rock there. It was all pretty exciting. Then... the real rapids came. I guess i should have assumed it would have been an insane ride when we were back in the office and decided to do the Bigger and Faster part of the river, which would be more fun but take less time, however, i don't think i could have been prepared for what was to come. William pulled the rafts over to the south bank of the river and got out to make sure that the rapids down the river weren't too big and dangerous because it had been raining the previous days. While he was gone i was taking in the beautiful environment around us. Rafting in between these towering peaks of green, through the forests of South America along the edge of the Amazon, there is nothing better. It started to lightly rain as i mentioned that it was kind of nerve racking that William had to check to make sure the rapids were safe. He returned to the raft and explained how he needed our help with these rapids and how our raft could basically be pulled underneath them in a heartbeat if we get stuck in one of the holes. You can imagine the feeling i had as we pushed off the bank and back into the river...

"Forward my friends," yelled William, "Forward faster, Faster, FASTER!!"

Our raft was thrown over the rapids like the floaty toy it was compared to the river. Rising 5 feet into the air over a "big wave," water splashing my face and eyes, i paddled as fast as i could, paddle barely touching the water due to the front of the raft being raised high into the air. CRASH, water flowed into the front of the raft as the front as the front went underneath a rapid, the strength of the water pulling it under. Another wave flowed over the side of the raft that Becky was on! "FASTER," yelled William over the drowning sound of the raging rapids around us. It was exhilarating and fun, and then, it got worse. The raft was turned perpendicular, more or less, with the rapids and i felt my side fall from under me. The raft nearly turned on its side going over a rapid, it literally felt like the raft folded in half, both Becky and the other guy fell onto the left side of the raft and I was in the water holding onto the raft with only my left foot underneath the strap on the floor. The water flowing over my head and whipping everything around, the force of the raft resurfacing pulled me back into my seat, but i feared the worst. I thought that our guide was gone, i could sense that someone was missing out of the raft. I whirled my head around to see the Danish girl gone, in the river behind us about 30 feet. Thinking about rescuing her instead of paddling i stopped and turned to watch her, I'm sure everyone was doing the same. "Keep Going!" William yelled, "Forward please, forward!" I turned and paddled forward while he threw out the safety rope and pulled her back to the raft. She got back in but it wasn't over yet. Over rapids, around holes, and dodging rocks we went for about 15 more minutes before we had a break.

We paddled to the south side of the bank where a tributary joined our river. We were able to get out and wade in the water up the tributary. There was a bridge that we all jumped off of underneath and then a little further up a large rock and some other little rapids where the whole group went and stood in the middle and took a photo. We each floated down the tributary from that rock and then started to return to the rafts when, a problem came up. Something was wrong with the van, where all of our stuff was. Only the guides went up the it at first and theories on what happened started from the British girls that maybe someone stole all of our stuff while we were playing in the river, because there were a few people and cars on and around the bridge at that time. It thankfully wasn't that, they only locked the keys in the Chiva! We sat around for about 30 minutes trying to break into the car and no one was able to do it. The whole time the guy from Miami is talking his mouth off and mis-translating what the guides are saying. Basically, he was annoying as explosive diarrhea ready to run down your legs and up your back unexpectedly, however, given the choice, id choose the diarrhea over another rafting trip with him. A part of me didn't want to return to the rafts, in honesty, i was tired and scared of the next leg. Seriously, this river was INSANE and there were constant rapids meaning you were almost always working. The next leg of the river was by far, i think, the most aggressive and with the largest rapids i have ever seen. We were almost paddling the entire time and when William yelled out to paddle faster my strenght only gave out on me. These rapids though, i kid you not, were at least 10 feet tall. The raft went over the crest of one wave, peaking and then hurtling down to the trough of another. Before me was a wall of water that appeared like it was going to engulf the raft. It didn't however and we were thrown into the air and over the waves again. These were seriously class 4.5 rapids.

After all those rapids we paddled up to another river that fed into ours and we were able to put our raft into a little pocket where the water was still in between the two rivers and just sit. We could see up one river and up the other and the forests around. There is supposedly over 150 different types of orchids in those forests. We finished our trip a little more down the river by climbing up a little waterfall and pulling the raft up with us. About half way up there was a pool of water and it was a perfect lagoon to take a little rest in. The water was nice an there was sand not rocks, however there were little rocks that got stuck in my Keens. We carried the rafts on our heads, through the forest up this hill and i slipped and then breathed in a bug or something. It sucked.

Once at the top we waited for the Chiva and the annoying Miami guy just had to open his mouth. "Those rapids were nothing, maybe a class 3, Ive done bigger..." By now i think that everyone was getting annoyed of him. We all hopped into the Chiva when it came and it started to pour down rain, it was pretty cool because it was like a rain forest rain, not like a Mexican rain storm. We arrived back at a restaurant we stopped at to get the rafts on our way out for some lunch. The funny thing was the french guy, and two Brits, sat with Becky and I at one end of this long table, and the annoying Miami guy was at the other far end. He even mentioned during lunch about the distance and sarcastically asked if we didn't like him... there was an awkward silence after that, we all just kind of looked at him and then continued eating... He also made one other comment that was just... really out there. He raised his voice and said, "All we´re missing is Jesus." That one caused a little confusion...

Anyways, over all it was a great day and very interesting. I really enjoyed it and Becky liked it too, even though when the rafted folded in half and we lost that other girl, Becky fell onto the other girl´s paddle and bruised up her leg. We took it easy the rest of the day, and the next day, and the rest of the week for that matter. We came back to Quito on Wed and stayed until Sat. We went to Otavalo on Saturday and ill post about that later. That's all for now folks.

Sleep, don´t weep, my sweet love...

Did you hear?


comments = Love


Becky is the only reader that loves me.

I'm going to go jump off a bridge now... ;)

P.S. (the anonymous option is available now.. leave your name please :)

Time is contagious, and everybody is getting old...

There is nothing better that typing out a blog while listening to some good old music. Its slightly nostalgic for me and some what feels like I'm taken out of my life for a second, and seeing it from the outside while listening to the soundtrack play in the background. Anyways, where did I leave off? Sunday right after jumping off a bridge. My memory card finally filled up after 2 months and 525 pictures or so, and therefore i couldn't take video of our jumps, but there are photos.

We drove for about 10 or 15 minutes along the rocky mountain side road that looked barely strong enough to hold a bull and here we are putting along in José´s car. The surroundings were beautiful. The giant mountains of green popping out of the ground below creating a sort of canyon with the river flowing rapidly below down the center. The lush tall grasses sway in the afternoon breeze as though there is no cares in the world, and the clouds glide down the slopes blanketing the forests is mist and light rain. This is Ecuador, this is nature, my home, where real life is. We arrived to a dirt parking lot next to la Palión del Diablo, which i still had no clue what it was. From the explanation José had given me it sounded like a deadly rapid or something. We had to walk down this dirt trail through the forest. We passed several beggars along the way and a hut that had a Boa constrictor in it. I hate snakes, and José had to go and touch it. I could just imagine it launching its diamond shaped head, fangs all glinting in the sunlight ready to claim its victims life. But it didn't, and we walked along. There were these amazing views of cliffs and rocks that just stole your breath away for a minute. We reached the bottom where this hut building was and it cost a dollar to go and see el Palión del Diablo. I cant exactly remember how i finally figure out what the Palión del Diablo was but i think it was the signs with pictures that gave it way.

We payed a dollar to get into the up close viewing area and it was totally worth every cent. As we were climbing through the jungle once again i noticed that everyone that was walking by was completely wet, dripping with water as though they jumped in the river or something. Well i found out soon it was because of the massive raging waterfall. That's what the Palión del Diablo was, a waterfall. No wonder someone would die trying to raft down it, the sheer size of the waterfall, volume of water, and speed at which it feel was enough to make the surrounding rock walls and caves rumble, as if the water were proving its might. I have imagined waterfalls so grand and impressive but never had i thought that i would actually be standing at the base of such an amazing piece of natural wonder. The entire river flows through el Palión del Diablo it appears and there were little paths that lead even higher towards the top of the waterfall. But there is a little catch, you have to crawl in a crevasse/cave path that is literally 2 feet high and goes along the side of the cliff next to the waterfall. Talk about a combination of fears, first i have to worry about what if the hundreds of thousands of tons of earth and rock above me fell and trapped me or killed me instantly, which could have happened i guess since Baños does lay at the foot of an active volcano, which we watched erupt from the car on our drive in the night before. I don't know much about geology or stuff like that, but i think i understand that active volcano means earthquakes, and if that rock wanted to shift even the slightest, i would surely die.. If, if, and more if´s. I tell you, i could not live my life by "if´s" So that's why i climbed into that crevasse, and crawled on my hands and knees through the wet and muddy rock to see such a once in a life time view. I really don't like small spaces for the record, but it was totally worth it. We emerged to be maybe 10 feet away from the waterfall, you could feel the strength of the falling water run through you, and not to mention hit you in the face here and there. There was a side walk way that lead up behind the waterfall that you could go behind but, you´d get wet. There is the reason why everyone was soaking wet coming back, how could you not go behind a waterfall? Becky and I handed our stuff to José and ran up behind it. All you saw was a wall of water, flowing as though it knew its part to play and preformed wonderfully at it. It was amazing... and wet! It was really cold after standing in the mist of the waterfall and getting wet from behind it, so we turned back. There was this little girl who kept getting in the way though, she cut me off on the way up there and now she was standing in the way of getting down and she wouldn't move, she just stared at us at though we were foreigners, i mean could you imagine!? Just kidding, José told her to move and she did, but she was definitely liked cutting people off and running in front of them. We walked back through the jungle and saw some really cool plants and flowers of all different sorts. We finally piled back into the car and drove back to Baños about 30 min away, more or less. We we arrived we bid fare well to José who had to go back to Quito because of classes and Becky and I ventured off and booked a white water rafting trip for the next day. hehe. it was fun, ill post later about that.

Now thats what im calling "Good Family Bonding"

We awoke early, well, not really. It was about 9 when we all finally managed to get out of the Hostel and to La Casa Hood for breakfast. Casa Hood is this chill little restaurant that has a very indie-hippie feel to it. Brightly colored with vibrant reds, and deep blues, sunshine yellows, and hand painted art on all the walls this place has a definite home like feeling too. Its cozy and friendly. Becky and I both ordered whole wheat pancakes, the size of our heads, that came with banana, grapes, yogurt, and your choice between maple and strawberry syrup. They were delicious!

We decided that we would go for a drive with José and look at all the waterfalls that are outside of Baños. We all hopped into the car and started driving through the mountains. Oh did I forget to mention that Baños literally on the base of an active volcano? We saw it erupting on the way in last night! The mountains here are so amazing. If you can imagine it, think about Jurassic Park, but better. The mountains rise out of now where and are massive green mounds of majestic beauty. They surely have been carved and decayed slowly over the centuries given the river that flows through them. I have thought so many times these past two days, and i am quite serious about this, but I'm sorry... you have not lived your life until you have visited the Andes here in Ecuador. They are truly inspiring and motivational.

Inspiring and motivational enough to JUMP OFF TWO BRIDGES!! And that is exactly what i did. Hehe. So we´re driving along and José says, "here is where they jump from bridges, lets go look." So we park up the road a little, across the street from a broken water pipe that was spilling water everywhere, and we walked down to the two bridges to watch the other people jump. We arrived amongst the crowd starring at this little Asian woman standing on top of the ledge of the higher bridge. She looked horrified. She finally had to climb onto the other side of the stone railing and jump backwards. The whole crowd gasps as she falls, flipping upside down and swinging underneath the bridge. A cheer breaks out and she becomes famous for the next 5 mins until everyone gets on the tour bus and leaves. I turned to Becky and said, "We have to do this!" José yelled for the guy whose in charge and two seconds later he pops up with a harness for me, and before i know it I'm strapped into those 5 words i said to Becky moments before.

The little bridge lay before me first. It looked a lot easier because off the bigger one you had to literally dive into the depths below. So i climb over, thinking that: "i have nothing to fear but fear itself. These people depend on this business, they cant let me die, besides, I've seen two other people jump before me, its safe... right? It has to be safe, I'm already over the railing and leaning over the edge, i cant turn back now. 1, here it goes. 2, don't touch the rope, you gotta do it Hawaiian style arms out! 3, JUMP!" I swear i was in the air it felt like for 2 seconds before i touched that rope and dropped below out of site of the crowd on the bridge behind me. The video shows different... It looks as though i immediately jump and then throw my arms out and grab the rope and then drop, but whatever, does it really matter? I jumped off a Fuçkºñ¿ bridge! Bungee jumped that is...

I swung back and forth over the river below, leaning back and taking in the victory of the fall and with my heart racing, i was ready for more, and it was coming. The bigger bridge was about 15-20 higher than the other and it was positioned about 20 feet from the lower bridge so there is a nice view of the faces of everyone that jumps off the big one!

I ran up the steps under the bridge and ran around to the bigger bridge, all the while panting, and when i was walking up to the position there was a group, or maybe a family, and was standing there cheering me on. "You can do it" said the Dad, "Good luck" his daughter said to me. "Is your heart racing after that other bridge?"

"Of course," i replied.

The guide showed me how to jump/dive off the higher bridge and then he lead me up the stone railing onto the ledge. "Ready my friend?" He yelled at me while i was focus on focusing on nothing. I replied yes unwillingly. "OK, ready..." "NO, Wait!" I jumped down from the ledge asking where do i put my hands, he never mentioned the hands! It apparently doesn't matter where the hands go.. Ok fine. So i get back up. "The further out the better," is what they told me, and i took that to heart. One, sh¡+. Two, you can do it i thought to myself. Three....... I leaped with all my force forward, bending at the knees and lunging off the ledge of the bridge. The other bridge dropped out of view as my body fell, head first, towards the river below. All i remember seeing is a swirl of green and tropical plants, a rough tug on the legs and shoulders and then the view of the rapids flowing below me upside down as i swung with the force of the fall out of sight behind the other side of the bridge.

What an amazing rush! It didn't hurt at all! Almost every single person who jumped before me looked as though they didn't do a complete flip so when the rope pulled tight it whipped them like a rag doll through the air, throwing them underneath the bridge and into the air on the other side. I made sure that wasn't going to happen and i launched like a said before. Swinging back and forth underneath the bridge i yelled out from below, "Otra Vez!" It would have been totally worth it! I have now officially bungee jumped and jumped off a bridge, wait, two bridges!

This experience is one of those that you can not think about, and you just have to do it. How often are you in South America, one? And two, how many times do you find such cheap bungee jumping!? It only cost 25$ for the two jumps! That's insane!

Becky was next... And she explains well, her thought process in her blog.. here is a link.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog&friendID=79476795

José´s jump is covered in Becky´s blog too.

A little later Becky, José, and I went and visited "El Pailon del Diablo." Its this massive waterfall, most massive i have ever seen in my life, and ill post later about it because i have to run now. I'm in an Internet cafe with Becky and I don't have money on me to pay for the bill so it´s her time I'm on. Ill post later!

So i was sitting, wiating, wishing...

Today, I rolled over in my bed pulled the curtains back away from the window to reveal the first cloudless, clear, blue sunny sky since i have been here. Don't get me wrong, the weather has been rather nice, there are just always clouds and at least one rain shower a day somewhere in Quito. Luckily for me, the rain has stayed away. Becky and I however started to pack because we are headed out to Baños around 1 with José.

We never managed to make it to the Teleferiqo, which is this big Gondola type thing that goes up the side of the mountain Pichincha which lies just outside our window. It would have been the perfect morning to do it too, but we packed instead to go to the hot springs. I think its a fair trade.

So currently, in the mean time, Becky and I are sitting in the lounge of the Hostel having a pleasant chat with the cheerful older women named, Olguita (Olga). She the owner of the hostel and was absolutely fascinated with my iPhone, she kept repeating herself, "Oh my god, i can not believe this. Never would i have imagined such a technology. Oh my god...." I showed her the maps application and found her hostel on it and she was just astonished. It was really cool showing her it and seeing her reaction, I'm sure i just gave her bragging rights tomorrow night at tea with her friends. And then, in the middle of the laughter and excitement, SCREECH... CRASH!!

Immediately, Olguita jumps up and says i wonder what happened, i want to see, then followed by Becky, "me too," and then me, "me too!" We all ran outside into the sunny warm heat while Becky and I both hope that it wasn't José coming to pick us up, since he is "on his way." We get outside and there is a cop car in front of the hostel; he must have been there before the accident though. Becky told me that Ecuadorians don't like getting the cops involved with accidents so that is some bad luck having an accident right in front of a cop i´d say. It looked as though the smaller white car was rear-ended by the other guy. A younger guy emerges from his poor little car holding his neck; you know he got whip lash with that kind of impact. The two men walk up to each other and greet formally shaking each others hands and it looks like they wanted to be cool about the whole situation because of the cop. I however couldn't help but to grab my iPhone and snap a couple shots, while the entire time i feel a tourist and like the accident is some big tourist attraction. Becky so kindly commented about that too. We came back inside rather quick but there was a nice crowd that had formed outside by then, and now, Becky and I are sitting, and waiting for José. That's all.

Oh I almost forgot... Happy Independence Day!!

The clouds slowly roll over the peaks of the slopes, floating down to the city below. A light northeastern breeze flutters the table cloths on the deck of Pim´s restaurant as the sunlight gracefully slips, and twilight settles in. The restaurant, so dimly light, ready for the candle lit dinner of it´s guests while sweet love songs play on the sound system in the background like My heart will go on from Titanic, and many others.

Across from the tables there are windows, big clear windows that peer over the view of Quito below, and the silent noises of the city. The atmosphere calming. The mood music soothing. The perfect place and time that creates an ideal proposal. The city stretched out below like a spilled jewelry box of all sorts of little gems and treasures. Each one with its own light and sparkle. You know, the kind that puts a twinkle in your eye. Hundreds and thousands of little crystals. Red, blue, purple and Gold. It would almost be quite appropriate to say the city appeared like the stars in the sky, like the arms of the Milky way, condensed yet long, spanning unfathomable distances across space and time.


The clouds are move now, across the city scape, covering the view of the lights; moving deathly slow claiming each twinkle for its own. On the grassy hill next to the restaurant the breeze picks up into a light wind. The clouds move more steadily now as the wisps can been seen passing just over head in the street lamps from behind. A Virgin emerges out of the fog just enough to be seen, and then vanishes again, leaving a faint impression of a memory behind. The chill in the wind is priceless. It calls memories forth of autumn, and spring time, old friends and memories. The reminiscent feeling never leaves, its there every night; clinging to the chill and caressing the mind.

Oh how i love it. All the moments that pour into my head. A night ride on a sailboat, as the full moon rises over the outlined pine mountains of the lake with the water reflecting what it can of the scene above. The soft whisper of the water rolling onto the shore, as we stare into the night sky, pondering our existence. Or the memory of a fire-lit massage, under the stars, so they can bear witness.

The countless memories, and the many more to come...

Now listen up here´s a story, about a little man that lives in a Blue world..

So yesterday Becky and I woke up early so that we could go to "La Mitad del Mundo," the Equator. José told us the day before that we could go easily by route of the "green" bus. So we don't think much of it. We left the hostel, and emerged into the Ecuadorian heat, which mainly feels like a nice warm spring day with the nip of a breeze to it, and we walked down one of the main streets to where José told us to grab the bus. Becky and I sat at one of the stops for a good 20 minutes, and about every 2 minutes a nice big blue bus would pass us by. Becky finally decided that maybe we weren't on the right street and she started texting and calling José to no avail, while i pulled out my iPhone and started googeling things.

What we came up with was that we were one street off (apparently) and that we had to go up to Américas ave. which was just one street further up. By this time both Becky and I are thinking great now we have missed the bus because it might only come by once every 15-30 min. So we sit, and sit and sit... what do we see... blue bus, blue bus, and oh look another blue bus just passed. In the mean time with my handy little iPhone i manage to find out that its not a green bus that we are looking for, its actually a Pink and White one. Hmm, after being there for around 1 hr now and not having even seen such a bus we start doubting there is a bus around there for the Equator. We waited just a little longer, and then gave up our conquest for the middle of the world and headed, with our heads down, back to the room but wait, whats that... MOVIES!

Hehe one thing that is great about Latin America (L.A.) is the massive amounts of cheap, decent quality movies one can encounter here. If the store is bigger too, you´re in for luck! The other day I found the 4th season of Lost, my favorite t.v. show, and since ABC does not let viewers outside the US watch the series online in HD, i had to buy it. Today though, i was on a quest to find Becky some of my favorite movies (The Fountain & Atonement) which we could not find in the little store by our place, and after passing over the shelves for the 50th time, The Fountain jumped out at me! I was excited , but we have yet to watch it. We got back to the room and popped in a movie called Over Her Dead Body, which is about this girl who dies on her wedding day and comes back and Haunts her ex fiance. It was pretty funny. I also bought the Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. I actually just watched it and i liked it.

Yesterday after watching Over Her Dead Body, we had José take us to the Equator. Its only about a 20 min north of Quito. I got to balance an egg on a nail and i technically was in both hemispheres at the same time! It was cool and i took lots of pics that I'm trying to upload now. We went to this really cool crater called, Pululahua, which is inhabited. Its the highest inhabited volcano in the world apparently. It was really cool because as we were driving up the mountains the clouds were rolling down and it got dark all of the sudden and cold. We also stood on this ledge and looked down as the clouds and winds tore up the towering sides of this huge crater. I swear i almost got pneumonia standing out there it was so cold.

We got back to the room and i took a little nap and then we went out for Pinchos, which to me is basically meat and potatoes, but it is one of the local types of foods. I had a BBQ chicken breast pincho which was amazing! I love the little bowl of spices that they always have on the tables here, its so tasty! And Aji, don't let me get started on that salsa. Its really good! Anyways, we saw a commercial for these chocolate covered ice cream bars that i had to have one. I don't know why, but that commerical made me desire one! It was either the exotic girl draped in flowy blue fabrics, or the way she bit into the chocolate, idk.. probably the blue dress. So, therefore we forced José to walk with us around to every convenience store to find one, the first 2 didn't have them, and then we finally found them in something of a department store. Becky and i needed the chocolate for our night of watching Atonement. It was great, we plopped down, ate chocolate and loved it! Anyways, Becky and i have been really lazy and haven't left our room today, so we are going to go grab some grub. Ill post later.

Sorry i take it back..

i actually like Papaya.. (sry Cass...)

In Mexico the Papaya was this interesting pinkish color that had this weird chemically taste to it. I didn't like it at all but it was served for breakfast every morning, so i lived with it until the watermelon, mango, and cantaloupe arrived. But here is Ecuador the papaya looks like a mango. Its yellow like a mango and taste mistakenly familiar. Today at breakfast i thought i was eating mango and Becky contested and said that it was papaya, i really couldn't believe her but she is the expert here I'm not. Anyways, the yellow papaya is the good one, its more sweet and doesn't taste "unique." The mangos here though apparently are more pink and they actually are the ones that i was told in Mexico dont taste as good as the yellow ones, however the skin on the outside looks a lot cooler because its a greenish-red color at times. So, words of advice, eat the fruit that is more of a yellow color, its better.

Its interesting, very interesting, well actually not too surprising at all really. I'm at this café in a part of Quito that Becky calls "Gringo-landia" because of the high percentage of white people who reside here. Anyways, while i was on the phone every other person who walked by was of a white complexion and every Ecuadorian girl who walked by stared like someone was having sex in the booth. The phone booth i was in had one walk that faced the sidewalk and it was a full widow. Secondly, when i got off the phone they started playing Apologize by One Republic, and then Bejörk ¿sp? Its just funny to me.

Last night Becky and I planned out our month and it looks really exciting, i cant wait to take some photos of these places and explain them. Its going to be great! I also found the 4th season of Lost on DVD here and i had to buy it. The complete season only coasted me $9 hehe. I missed the season finale and in México my host sister would watch the episodes with me, so therefore i had to buy it. The season finale was.. well yeah.. its Lost if anyone knows what that means.. pretty much you're lost.

I got an email and apparently my brother watched a bank robbery in Seattle and filmed it with his phone and then was interviewed by King County 5 News. But here is the link to that, http://www.king5.com/video/featured-index.html?nvid=259602 It wont work here so i havent seen it but i think it sounds interesting from what i hear. Its interesting knowing whats going on at home while I'm abroad, its nice because i wont be too out of it when i come back but it also feels kind of weird because I'm so far away.

Anyways, Becky and I are headed out for su-shi with José in a minute (I've been craving su-shi ever since i made some in México with my friends) and then we are going to go to the Artisans market after. I hear its really good and worth it. Ill post later.

P.S. Becky is reading my blog right now on another computer and its funny watching her reactions. I didn't know that you could tell the bus driver to stop when your friend isn't on the bus with you, like Scott in Tepozlan. Who would have thought. It was actually really funny watching the whole scene play out with my sitting across the isle watching as Courtney waves her arms through the air at the closed window and knocks on it trying and grab Scott's attention who is like 50 ft away. Their reactions were priceless. That's all for now.

I´d swim across lake Michigan...

My Bad guys... i changed the settings on my blog so now you can post comments without having an account. So feel free.

I'm just getting over some sickness that i had yesterday. Jose thinks that it was a stomach infection from contact with some of the local water, i really don't know what it was. I just hurt and felt like i was burning up all the while i was shivering. I'm also adjusting to the high altitude here so i have a mild case of altitude sickness. I'm however feeling much better now, water and sleep and advil makes miracles.

Yesterday, Becky, Jose, and I went up to the Virgin of Quito, which is this huge statue of the virgin who is standing on top of a snake. It was on top of this hill that is in the center of Quito i think, and you can just see the new parts of Quito stretch into the distance one way, and the rest stretch out the other way. Quito is not too wide but its quite long, apparently at least 40 km. The view was beautiful at the top and there are these mountains that lay just to the east of the statue that are gorgeous. I took lots of photos and a video too.

Just so everyone knows in the family, i have officially meet Jose. He´s a really cool guy and jokes around a lot. I think he is nice, and I'm happy for Becky :) We just roughly planned out our month together and it looks like its going to be a Blast! I cant wait. We´re starving though so were headed out to grab a bite to eat now. Gotta go.

Quito

Im here and i made it safe!

First off, it has been brought to my attention that i have some grammatical errors and i apologize hehe. After studying spanish and talking it for the majority of a month and a half sentences get stringy and jumpy and i sometimes cant figure words out, so please forgive those little mistakes ;) I also want to say that i know its dificult to post on my blog if you do not have an account so i understand. I know that there are people out there reading it, so no worries there. Moving on..

The flights and everything worked out as the were suppose to. My connection in Panama City was only 45 min long and the plane landed at like 5:55 and i couldnt get off of it till 6:15, but there is the funny thing, my other plane was boarding at 6:06! Great luck thought because when i got to the gate i was able to start boarding right away. Flying into Panama City was really nice, i changed my seat because a mom was traveling with her two young kids for the first time and they wanted seats all together so i gave up my window seat for a middle seat. Panama City looks like it would be a lot of fun, there are litterally skyscrappers that go right up to the beach of the sound that comes into the port. It reminded me of New York in a way, eventhough i have never been there. I definately think i need to go visit Panama sometime in the future.

Flying into Quito was preety sweet. I was getting in around 8:40 and the city was all lit up with lights. I took a video of it. I has to probably be one of the most beautiful cities i have flown into ever. I had to go through customs which always take a while and i met this really cool American who was going into the cloud forest to teach to kids for a month.

After cutoms i went to look for my bag and i was a little worried that it wasnt going to be there because back in D.F. they told me that my bag was on a direct flight to Quito, while i was on a connecting flight through Panama, but nonetheless my bag will be there. It was there and it came out of the little belt right as i walked up. Traveling yesterday was really easy and im glad that there werent any conflicts because it was my birthday. Being away for my birthday is not a really big deal for me. Its kind of lonely but the fact that im in D.F. then Panama, and then Quito definately makes up for it.

When i came out of customs i walked into a crowd of thousands of people holding signs and yelling names out like Sebastian. I finally found Becky towards the door and i met Jose! But i have to run now, Becky and i just dropped by an internet cafe (which are so much nicer than the ones in Mexico) and now were going to one of the malls. Ill post later.

¡Estoy consado y no puedo con el corozon, que tanto!

So to start where i left off or think i left off. At the top of Tepotzlan the view was beautiful. The mountains came straight out of the ground and up, like towering cliffs. Everything was so green and it was awesome. The gang and i spent about 30 min at the top, Court and i had a little meditation session on the top of the pyramid just like we had in Teotihuacan. It was really nice. Self reflection is always a good thing.
As i mentioned in my last post, that they only have bathrooms at the bottom of the mountain. So therefore on my way back down, I'm going along just fine and then boom. I really have to go to the bathroom. I didn't want to run ahead of the group and leave them behind but it i were to have waited any longer my bladder would have exploded! So i left. I started running down the rocky uneven path, flying past parents and their young children and weaving in between new borns who had the comfort of being able to go to the bathrooms in their pants. I however, absolutely could not afford to do the same! My legs shaking from the climb up and descent back down I felt like i was running Bloomsday, but up and down a mountain. I finally reach the bottom of the mountain but the bathrooms are further down the path past the tents and side tables that are full of trinkets and foods. I finally get to the bathroom and it costs 5 pesos, which is stupid but its a way to make a profit, i don't mind paying 50 cents and its helping that family out too, because it was in their house. Enough about my bathroom needs.
Moving on, i waited for Court, Scott, and Alexandra at the bottom and they were actually just behind me. We walked down the path through the tents and food stands and found a nice big table to sit at and have a bite to eat. We ordered i think 13 quesadillas in all. I ordered four, one with mushrooms, one with potatoes, one of chicken, and the other of just cheese. They were absolutely amazing. I swear there is nothing better in the world than tacos or Mexican food after doing some form of activity, whether its 5:30 in the morning after the clubs, or 2 in the afternoon after climbing a mountain, always great food. Cheap too! It only coasted me 5$ and that included the tip and a Coca. Ah Mexico, you and your cheap prices and tax free services, oh how will i miss you.
After we had a bite to eat we went to the market and shopped a little, i bought a few interesting things that i liked. We then went to an Ice Cream shop because it is said that the ice cream in Tepoztlan is some of the best. I love all the exotic flavors like cactus, and rose petal, its interesting. I think i had one that was cherry rose petal called "Reina de la Noche" It wasnt bad, pretty good actually. Courtney had a mint one and I'm still jealous, its sooooo gooood! Sitting in the brightly painted ice cream parlor and staring out into the cobblestone street i see a dog pass, and old women dress in traditional clothing pass and i think, how great it is just to be here. Chatter of the Euro Cup goes on between Alex and Scott and it sounds like Holland won the last game. Soon enough we leave and start headed for the bus station, its a little over a mile away and when we finally arrive we get our tickets and hop on, but wait. What? Scott went to the bathroom and that's the bus driver closing the door. We started pulling out of the station and we can see Scott, looking as confused as ever turning left and right looking for where the bus went. Courtney frantically bounces up and down in her seat waving at Scott who is looking the other way all while I'm just laughing at how sucky the situation is. Scott made it on the bus in the end, he ran through the station and stopped the bus in the street, but boy was it funny. The ride home was peaceful... bump, what was that a cat? Bump again.. not. The ride was horrible going back, way too bumpy. I literally was lifted out of my seat at least a foot on some of the bumps and pot holes they have here.
We finally got back to the house and what do you know, there is a Fiesta going on in honor of Jorge coming home for the week. There is at least 25 people eating drinking and laughing, living it up in the true Mexican manner. The food was so good, you could tell that Tere (my host mom) had brought out the good food for the party. It was some kind of salted steak strip or something and this really good salsa. Jorge invited his friends over and soon enough there was another 15 people, all crammed into the kitchen with whiskey and rum, and other mixed drinks of sorts. I stayed around for a while and i was the life of the party, everyone was enjoying how young i was and making jokes. I meet this girl named Diana who just happen to have came back from Holland. She had studied there for the past year and she decided to give me the contact information for her (ex) boyfriend whom she had to leave to come back to Mexico. She was a lot of fun and everyone here always thinks that I'm a lot older that i really am. I get 22 or 23 on a regular bases. Its nice.. now only if i look younger when I'm older, then ill have it made.

That whole week went by kind of fast and its been a while so i don't remember everything that happened. I do know that it was a hard week at school and that i was in the computer lab late one night and when i was walking home there was incredible lightning in the distance that i recorded video of. The lightning here is so cool, it goes off every 2 seconds and lights up the dark black sky to reveal hidden thunder heads and complex cloud forms. If you're looking to the east you can see the storm system passing over a different part of the city, but more towards the west you have the moon, brightly shinning high above the cloud cover. It was awesome. All week there was two newcomers staying in the house, Elma and Erma i think. They are the sisters of Tere and much older than she is. The food all week long was the best ever! All traditional and delicious. Chile Relleno, steak, tamales, mole, hot chocolate, sweet bread, everything! It was great! I love traditional Mexican food.

That Saturday, the 21st, my friends Taylor and Kaitlinn wanted to go to "El Rollo" which is a water park in Jojutlha about an hour south of Cuernavaca. On my way out of the house I'm walking through the jardin (garden) and Chocolate, the neighbors dog, runs over to me and jumps up on me. He is a cute little energetic bugger that always freaks out when he sees me. Hes a lot of fun.
I finally get to the meting place which is at the Cathedral en el Centro. I took a taxi because i thought i was going to be late, normally i would have walked, but when i got there everyone else still hadn't made it there yet. So, i went to the bank, took out a little money and got a coffee from the Italian Coffee Company. Its interesting to see the corporate battles down here. The two main competitors for coffee products is the Italian Coffee Company (cheaper than Starbucks but like 50 cents) and Starbucks. I got an "Moka Frioreo" which is an iced mocha which chocolate and Oreo chunks blended in. Really good!
We finally meet up around 12 and walk to the bus station down the street from the Cathedral. We get there at 12:05 and find out that the combined package for entrance fee to el Rollo and the bus ticket stops being sold after 12. Great, oh well, not a big deal.
Once in the park we start playing in the water right away. There was this surfing machine that looked awesome but wasn't open, however it was still running because the huge waves that it made flowed into the river to the left of it. They turn on the pumps and make the waves huge, sweeping every person standing on the edge fall over and be pulled under by the strong current! IT was the most fun thing ever besides for the fact that i went under for like 20 seconds could hardly get to the top for air and kept being pulled back under by the current and had people falling on top of me. I thought finally when i was about 45 feet from where i was standing 20 seconds before, that this would never have been allowed in the states, ever! Its too dangerous and Way Too FUN! Taylor told me that her bathing suit had happend to come off her during the whole ordeal and that probably could explain the huge crowd of Mexicans that were standing on the bridge looking down at all the people get swept by.
We decided to go on this ride called the pendulum next which literally looked like a huge half pipe but 5 times taller. What they do is put you in a three person tube, and push you off one of the towering 60 foot sides and watch you while laughing as you plunge down and up the other side. Kaitlinn was sitting behind me and screaming the whole time. I admit with was pretty scary the first drop because it was literally almost vertical. We tried a few other sides right next to it which weren't as much fun and then we decided that we were going to go buy some grub. We found a Domino's pizza and bought a half and half pepperoni and Hawaiian. The pizza here is amazing! So much better than in the states, but they don't put sauce on it is the only thing. They give you little packets of castup to put on it! Its actually really good! We sun tanned for about a hour after that and then we realized that the park closed at 6 not 8. So we ran to the other side of the park and found these really cool fake cliffs that you can jump off of. One was like 15 ft and the other was like 25. It was awesome, i went like five times. Then we raced over to these slides called the racers which are like those huge carnival slides but with water and a little taller. It was insane and so fast! I caught air right before there is this vertical drop and you get going so fast!

I'm trying to not be so detailed in my writing, i know its best if i am but it takes so long and the computer lab looks like its closing now. But oh i have so much more to type and say. Its been a long week and not to mention a very long day. I could go on explaining what happened to me today, but ill save it for the next post, I'm the only one left in the whole lab and the worker is running around shutting the windows and turning off all the computers around me. Just my luck, another blog unfinished. Its my last day here in Cuernavaca, i should go out and enjoy it, not sit here and type all day. My next post will be from Ecuador and when I'm 19! Woo Whooo. I'm going to go enjoy my birthday, i deserve too.