So I come down to the Bay Area to participate in my buddies annual birthday weekend party that includes football, paintball, lots of eating and fellowship with the “dudes.”
Overall it was a good time, and I killed it in football, gaining some 5-6 TD’s, two of which were defensive runbacks and lots of running and catches. For a guy like me, who while being athletic, never plays much football, it was a good day.
Tahoe Trip 2011
Needless to say, the guys were still jonesin for some more football and the following week we got together to play and in the heat of competition, referee and all, I happened to roll my ankle on the turf field and lo and behold, CRACK!
I felt pain immediately sure, I shouted F&##! pretty loudly, I felt in my heart it was broken but didn’t want to believe it. Well, a couple of days later after X-rays, icing, elevation and resting, I found myself in a surgery room, and then waking up after being knocked out from some anesthesia, my fibula or more specifically lateral malleolus fixed with some plates and screws.
Type B happened to me
SO now I write to you in “recovery mode.” It’s gonna be some 4 weeks before the cast comes off and then after that it’ll need some further healing. Luckily, I am being well taken care of by family and friends in the Bay Area.
It’s a different lifestyle for me now to be resting as much now. I’ll be occupying most of this time through writing and making some music hopefully. Reading some books, spending time with my 100-year-old Grandma along with getting time to spend with family is all valuable.
Some of my family taking care of me 🙂
My family has always been pretty close, so needless to say, they are happy that I am around. I have been living the past 3 and a 1/2 years in Seattle and I’ve only spent a few weeks at the house every year so they are happy I’ll be around for a bit. At least till Christmas…
It’s been a trip, life is a trip, a journey not a destination, and currently this journey is taking me to a hotel lobby computer in Gainesville, Florida. Home of the Gators, mossy old everglade trees and more than a few retirees and college students.
But, pre judgements aside, let’s talk about some of the past experiences and terrains this boy has trekked to recently, because, well that what’s all you peeps wanna hear right?
Well…Since Tahoe Oregon and Seattle, I hopped on a plane on August `19th to Bourbonnais, Illinois. Bout’ an hour south of Chicago, I was there for work and the Step into Africa event. Overall pretty good, we had about 2500 people walk through and 250 children sponsored. That means 250 new relationships and more help to communities in Kenya who suffer from AIDS.
After this event I flew straight to Reno, Nevada. Why Shawn are you flying to Reno, Nevada Shawn? Well I’ll tell ya, I went to BURNING MAN. What is Burning Man Shawn? Burning man is filghasfuiggsogh safjkghauhg dghasuogha sg + 2424 %$%$%@# x 25 {2525} + ghsdh sdgdg hf ijl jlk dfaf.
Looking out on the Playa
I am not going to attempt to put what Burning man is in words, because to tell you the truth, one cannot define it fully and I don’t really want to anyways.
Aerial view of Burning Man 2011. 50,000 were in attendance, maybe a little more..
I’ll say this about it. I felt called beckoned summoned to go and everything worked perfectly to be there. It was sold out, but I did not worry, it was supposed to happen I knew, and a ticket from South Africa floated my way.
I had an amazing time.
It was a very free expressive environment and very communal and loving.
I saw and experienced things that no place on our planet can offer.
It was magical and as a people person I was vibing out the entire week. LOVED IT.
I met some wonderful people, saw my cousin and her art structure, made new friends, and learned a little tuli.
I experienced instant deep friendship with an amazing person.
Pirate ship docked. You could go fishing off this dock...
So yeah. Put aside your stereotypes of burning man if you have them. You can’t anticipate what will happen when you are there. I felt God throughout the whole week and had extremely clear signs and serendipitous moments that it is hard for me now not to believe that God was not there. In fact when I thought the thought, would Jesus be here? My eyes instantly focused on an individual dancing in a white robe with a beard and long hair. Guess he was there~!
After experiencing the burn, I came back to Reno jazzed and feeling like I had just traveled outside the country for the first time. I had to seriously plan my re-adjustment back so as not to fall victim to a reverse culture shock.
In some ways, I wish we could be as friendly and free as the burning man environment provided. Be yourself, express yourself and enjoy life and share with others. Well for one week that can happen, and if anyone wants to join next year, I am planning on going again. I thought this would be a once in a lifetime event, and I was proved wrong in thinking that. This is something I will likely go to for the next few years.
Post Burning man, Austin Texas. Great event again, 477 children sponsored (which means about $750,000 raised for Africa) and I got to meet a argentine DJ I like by the name of Federico Aubele. Chill guy.
Just got back from Sacramento from another stop. 185 children sponsored and over 2000 people through. Now onto Gainesville.
alright, I need to get something to eat.
CIAO
ps. The burning man theme was “Rites of Passage.” In ways, this was a rite of passage for me.
Friends at the camp. Miguel, Paolo, Sala & Muscarella!
ART @ BURNING MAN, Wanna see more?? Check this website (I think his photography captures in a way what the environment is like.)
Further reflections as I sit back in the morning weather of Northern California…Quiet, my dog is still sleeping, sun is shining on the leaves of trees…It’s Sunday, many are sleeping in..
Ah, back in California and the America. It is really organized out here. 🙂 We have good roads all over, signs, a sense of order. It is convienent and offers opportunities to get your tasks done quickly and make the most of your time. Compared to some of the places I just visited, it seems very relaxed.
When I come back from a trip, I try to apply the things I learned from the trip and not immediately forget what I just experienced and get back to daily life again in the US. I believe each trip abroad has it’s own learnings and purposes. Every trip I have ever been on has expanded my worldview, bestowed me with other ideas and creativity and grown me as a person.
Some things I’ve learned on this trip from each nation I went to..
*China is changing with it’s growing middle class and more expressive younger population. (Remember thirty years ago, everyone only wore green, blue and grey)
*Korea is an industrial powerhouse nation that considering how poor it was 60 years ago to today is impressive to say the least. Koreans work long hours.
*Cambodia is a country that in many ways is uneducated, but is growing. Women need more opportunities available to them so they don’t have to be exploited. Angkor Wat is beautiful. Laid back atmosphere.
*Thailand is the most touristy country I visited, Bangkok is big and funky. Chiang Mai is nice.
*Malaysia. Only went to Kuala Lumpur, and it was a clean city. Lots of Chinese influence.
*Indonesia. The most hospitable people on earth I have encountered.
PHOTOS
View from the room in BangkokBangkok RiversOn the way to Malaysia via trainFamily ridingAt the Savoy Homann Hotel, a ritzy hotel my family used to socialize at back in the 1920's In a Javanese restaurantAt the Botanical Gardens of BogorHindi Temple in BogorLoving the water on my headMy good friends in IndonesiaTime to go home
Thanks for all the reading and encouragment. Who knows where I may go next~
It is so good to be here. I write to you from Bandung, where my family used to live before WWII. Yes, for those of you who do not know, I have Asian descent, both genetically and culturally. For most of my life, I grew up eating Indonesian cuisine and learning about the history and many stories of Dutch colonial life in Indonesia.
Now while I am not for colonialism and occupation of countries, it was fascinating to learn of how my family used to live in Bandung, Java before the war and Japanese occupation. It was utopic to say the least.
Nice homes, nice cars, social gatherings, dances, equestrian shows all surrounded by a beautiful mountain range with hot springs, waterfalls and rainforest. Paradise really.
My Oma, who lived the first 40 years of her life here still vividly remembers the times she spent here and the pictures of this time 60-100 years ago attest to the good times. She still is alive today at 100 and was very happy I am here in Bandung.
Yesterday I went to Braga street, which is a main street here in Bandung. There I had a nice sausagebiscuit (typical dutch pastry) and sweet coffee. Yes! My great-grandfather used to come here everyday and here I am, sipping on the same recipes that he had a century ago.
I am stoked to be here, it feels like home really. And my couchsurfing friend Freddy hooked me up with all his buddies here, so I have like 7 personal tourguides and hosts! Thanks Freddy! For those of you not familiar with the community of couchsurfing, get familiar. It will change your world, and if you are one of those who cannot get the time to travel, going to a couchsurfing group meet will make you feel like you are in a coffeeshop or pub anywhere in the world because of the diverse mix of nationalities that attend.
I’m going to post photos in time, but I’m soaking in the Java lifestyle. Later today I am going to visit a tea house that our family owned before we immigrated to Holland. Can’t wait.
Welcome to Thailand my friends. A new country and a new post.
Lots has happened, days have been full and I’ve not posted as consistent as a result. Here is a post to make up for the days of recent travel.
Thai buddhist monks? Look twice.
I spent the last few days of my 30 day Cambodian Visa in Sihanoukville on the coast. It was lovely to be by the ocean and get refreshed before heading to a new country.
Kicking back enjoying the night come slowly
THAILAND.
A Country I have long-awaited to visit, and a country where more than one friend told me I would love. It was time to come here as I had arranged to meet a friend of mine in Bangkok, and because South East Asia has been a dream of mine to visit for some time now.
To be honest, I came to Bangkok and got overwhelmed. It was a much larger city that I anticipated it to be, lots of buildings spread around a wide radius, highways, transportation, city life going on. There wasn’t as much lights as one would see in an American city, but plenty of going ons. I wasn’t ready to do the city for the next week before I met my friend here. So I crashed at a hostel, left my suitcase in long term storage, packed a small pack and hopped on the first train out to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand the next morning.
It was the best decision I could have made.
Leaving beautiful Bangkok from the train stationOn the way up north....Rice fields abound..
CHIANG MAI.
I got into Chiang Mai with my small backpack around 8:30pm. I had no clue where I would end up staying that night and that’s okay, because in South East asian towns and cities, guesthouses are easily found and people are more than happy to assist you if you require direction. I sort of like trekking into areas with an intentional flexibility, you let the painting paint itself and it’s beautiful. I throughly enjoy the experience, but I do have some friends who cannot fathom ever doing such a thing with no plans. Hey, we’re all wired different right?
Anyways, I started walking and checked out some of the activity going on, people eating in restaurants, some music here, and I followed the direction where most cars were going. I stopped by an internet cafe to see if my friend Rachel, who lives in Chiang Mai, had recommended any guesthouses for me. She did. It was called Mountain guesthouse, and for about 7 dollars, you could have a nice AC room near the main part of the city. I noted it and found where it was on the map, identified my current location, and stored it as a backup plan as the night moved along.
I decided to check out the local Couchsurfing.org group for Chiang Mai and see if any events were happening. After all it was a Friday night. They had about 1,000 members active and it just happened so that some surfers were gathering outside of a 7-11 to listen to some music and hang out. Seemed interesting enough and the guy who posted the event looked really interesting, having recently served in Banda Aceh for five years after the tsunami and from Bandung, Indonesia where some of my family has roots in. The 7-11 was only a five-minute walk from the internet cafe, so hey, let the paint paint!
7-11's are all over Thailand.
I came to the group only expecting to see two or three people, and instead there were about fifteen sitting around in a circle in an open area, some playing guitar, some singing, some chit chatting, and most everyone having a beer or soda of choice. I noticed the Indonesian couchsurfer Freddy, and starting talking with him about Indonesia and we hit it off immediately. As the night progressed, I found that most of these surfers were all working for organizations that fight for Burmese human rights, or enviromental awareness or education. These were all good hearted individuals and it was a pleasure to share a drink with them and discuss life under the moonlight.
Freddy offered to host me at his apartment for the weekend and I accepted, there was a lot to talk about and Freddy was a really unique individual. 36 years old, he lives life to the full. To give you some background, he has over 2000 facebook friends, and over 140 good references on couchsurfing. I have 30 references and have been a member for 4 years. TO get 140 references takes a LOT of experiences. I was looking forward to the weekend.
Chiang Mai
As the weekend took place, I ate well, explored water falls, spent time with other couchsurfers like Evan from the US, Nicole from Germany, Pan from Burma, Marie from England, John from New York and Sonja who is half Swiss/Half Thai. We went to a K-POP show that was sponsored by MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) It was a free concert that raised awareness to human trafficking and how to not fall victim. Lots of trafficking happens in the Northern Thai and Burmese villages, so it was really good to spread the message to the 10+ thousand screaming teenagers in the audience. I tell you, the K-POP band, Super Junior is big stuff out here!
Super Junior M. N'Sync meets South Korea.
The weekend continued and Freddy played a great host taking me around town on his Moto bike and showing me the sites. Throughout the weekend we had some of the deepest and realist conversations I have had in a while. It was fully comfortable and refreshing to me to talk to Freddy and we found we had more in common than we thought. We shared stories of our lives by a river in a rainforest listening to the birds and insects. Some rain fell down, it was a lovely time and I was thankful.
Freddy and I enjoying an American breakfast, my treat. It's always nice to thank your hosts whether that be through a bottle of wine, a meal or flowers.
After 4 days, I had to leave and it was back to Bangkok.
I think this is enough for now, stay tuned for Shawn’s latest post properly titled “Bangkok’d!”
This post will be related to my work, non governmental organizations, and serving those in need. If you want to keep reading, please come sit and have some tea. 🙂
At the computer~
So I’ve been working for World Vision for the past couple of years and it has been an amazing journey. Working for one the largest relief and development organizations in the world has been extremely educational and taken my abilities to the next level. Throughout my career here, I have met some fascinating individuals and have embraced fully how World Vision approaches helping those in need.
In my experiences working in international development, I have learned that things can become very complicated. You have your massive corporations whose annual revenue surpasses more than most countries annual GDP’s. There’s a LOT of power and influence that comes to serve economic interests and growth. And at most times, this comes at the cost to those in the most need, the “poor.” Then there’s large NGO’s like Oxfam, Red Cross, World Vision, Mercy Corps, Save the Children. The mid level organizations and the “Mom and Pop” non profits, usually serving a small community. Let’s not forget the other organizations utilizing volunteers, missionaries, there are churches and there are governments too. Lots of players in the game so to speak.
Sometimes, the “people” who need to be assisted, get overwhelmed by the saturation of agencies and “help” that is brought in. Most NGO’s wants the same result. We want to see people in need get the assistance they require so that we can reduce child mortality, help people get better nutrition, proper medical care and availability and provide opportunities for growth through education, skills building and micro loans. It’s all good, but with all the various interests in the soup, are people really being helped?
What am I saying? I’m saying that, yes, there is a TON of need out there and people whose lives are meager. That’s not to say that people aren’t eating, (at least not in Cambodia), but no one is moving up. I’m saying that, “development” is complicated and isn’t the easiest process. As an anthropologist, traveler and NGO employee, I fully understand this and I know about the failures in the past, and this is what has partially inspired my journey to Asia, because, I HAVE to know that my organization, World Vision, is providing for the needs of the people. I know WV is helping immensely and has for many years. It’s my job to know about our many projects, initiatives and history. I have heard the testimonies of people who visited our work. And trust me, there are a good many success stories. But I need to know firsthand from the locals how World Vision has helped. I know in my heart people are being helped, but call me Thomas, I need to see it, I need to hear it from my brothers and sisters. My brothers and sisters in Cambodia. 🙂 For me, it would double my passion in my work for World Vision.
So I excitedly went to World Vision Cambodia today. One of our largest offices in the Southeast Asian region, our organization has been here since 1970. We assisted during the Khmer Rouge, the wars, helped in agriculture, malnutrition and primary health care and currently have 1,500 employees in the country. It was a good place to choose to explore because of our history here.
World Vision Cambodia National Office
As I entered the premises, I saw the many World Vision vehicles parked outside. 4×4’s and trucks, it was quickly realized, this isn’t a support office. 🙂
Care for a ride?
I was warmly welcomed to my appointment (more like a cool welcome since it’s already pretty warm outside ) 🙂 and was introduced to the offices visitor representative. We had a good conversation, dropping names to each other about who we both knew in the US office, talked about the work here in the nation and what my particular objectives were while in country. Then I was able to meet the National Director of World Vision Cambodia and had a very good chat with her. After my visit, I was given the opportunities to visit our projects in the “field.”
World Vision Cambodia has 38 field projects and also projects in the cities assisting those who are victims of trafficking or street children. After my visit to the office, I walked into the adjoining office of Vision Fund Cambodia, a micro finance institution birthed from World Vision. Vision fund Global currently serves over 650,000 individuals with small loans and the portfolio extends over $350,000,000. You ask what the interest rate is? Well, in Cambodia it’s 1.7-2.5 % depending on the loan. Not bad. Not bad at all.
At the Vision Fund Office. Maybe I'll get a loan for that mango farm I've been dreaming of starting...
I had a fruitful and informational talk with the banking manager and really learned that Vision Fund Cambodia is one huge success story. The mission of VF is to “provide financial services to help the poor liberate themselves from poverty.” Boy, do they do that. Some statistics to show you:
*The loan portfolio has grown from $3,445,767 in 2005 to $30,017,044 in 2010.
*The clients have grown from 25,347 in 2005 to 108,047 in 2010.
*88% are women borrowers
*Average loan size: $324
*Payback rate: %99.5
It’s working people.
I asked the banker, who’s in charge of the money in the family. He said, “the woman is.” Oh really? “Yes, if husband gets paycheck, he gives straight to wife.” The girls in the bank started to smile, I said “So is this really a good idea?” The room burst into laughter. Haha, good times.
But really, having the woman of the household is smart because, let’s face it guys, they can be just a bit more responsible at times. If a guy, who is a member of a patriarchal community, cannot provide for his family as much as he wants and has no chance to move up, because he has tried tirelessly and so did his Father, he may just resort to drinking some hard stuff and smoking tobacco. When really, the little money the family has should be saved and used for better purposes. I can’t blame the man, he’s poor, and wants an escape outside of his life. My point is, give the money to the woman, she’s more likely to utilize it better, so that her children are fed, possibly given an education (which is moving up) and combining this cash with her micro loan to make more money to provide for the family. In Cambodia, this is working VERY well.
So, after having yet another encouraging conversation, I hopped on the back of a motorcycle, which are the common form of taxi here to get back to my guesthouse. Picture me reading reports on the back while the moto is zig zagging in between cars and other bikes. No big deal, this is CAMBODIA mate!
World Vision Scooter anyone?
As I came back to my guesthouse, I was welcomed by some of the Tuk Tuk and moto drivers, who I’ve befriended the past few days. One of the drivers took me to World Vision just a few hours before. “So, did you have good time in World Vision?” Yes, yes it was good I told him. “World Vision VERY GOOD, Very Good!” As he was giving me a moving thumbs up and looking me in the eye, both serious and thankful in glance. “Yes, thank you” I said. “No, World Vision Very GOOD! They help Cambodian! I know! I have been here, World Vision Very GOOD!”
What a trip. What an experience. Rejuvenating, invigorating and healing.
Water. It’s amazing, isn’t it?
So, my friend and JD were told about these Jjimjilbangs or Korean bathhouses and to go visit one. Now, I’ve been to a couple of bathhouses in my day, some in the states, which are mostly spas at nice hotels, then there’s the mineral spas I’ve been to in Switzerland, the hot springs in the natural forests of Oregon and the Pacific coast, and I’ve been to a couple in China as well.
This isn’t your ordinary bathhouse, and you’re not here to just “soak.”
Bathing here in the Jjimjilbangs is communal and they have bathes for the men and for the women. So you’re gonna get naked with your fellow gender and after you’ve finished soaking, you put on the complimentary jjimjilbang shorts and t-shirt and proceed to a myriad of different options for everyone, of which I will shortly explain here.
First off, Let me say that Korea is a collectivist culture, and that sharing life in community is extremely important. All of us humans look at the world different, you know? And perspectives in the east are quite different from perspectives in the west. So, for instance, if I was to ask a Korean and an American to look at a fishtank with a fish swimming in it, the Korean may describe all the backgrounds about the tank and rocks and filters, while the American may describe the fish in detail and not mention one thing about the tank. My point is, people look at things differently and it’s all beautiful. So, this bathhouse, the Jjimjilbang, really makes Korea unique and wonderful in its own way because of what it is and how it’s experienced.
So JD and I go to a Jjimjilbang that comes recommended by a couple of locals. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of these bathhouses around the country and city. We proceeded to go to the Spa at Garden 5, and paid $10 a piece, to which we were given bracelets with an electronic key and clothes.
We get showered and get soaking in the warm tub, then the hot tub (109 F , 44 C) to the cold tub (70f) to the steam, to the sauna, to the cold shower, to the warm tub, to the sitdown shower, to the sauna, to the laydown tub with jets, to the warm tub, to the cold tub, to the sitdown shower, hmmmmmm, I think I want a massage…Charge my electronic key, 30 minutes later I feel I’ve had all my sins forgiven.
I was feeling great, and so was JD. We enjoyed conversation and all these Korean men were enjoying talking and sharing life with each other. There were also a few little boys, running around having a blast. I would have loved this as a kid! As I watched the kids jump from the cold tub to the warm tubs to be with their Dads, the thought dawned on me that probably most of these older men in this Jjimjilbangs had been doing the same thing with their Dads back when they were little ones as well.
We put on our provided beige shorts and shirt and proceeded to walk to the communal area of the bathhouse. This wasn’t a wet, tiled area, but an area that had more saunas, “resting huts,” movie rooms, restaurant, cafe, communal family floor areas, ice rooms, and yeah, there was salt rooms, yellow charcoal rooms, and the theme overall was Relaxxxxxxx. Relax, relax, and enjoy family and community.
We went to the movie room, watched some of a movie on nice Lazy-boy chairs, went up to look at these odd clay ovens that people were walking in and out of. It literally looked like an OVEN. There was no way I was not gonna go in there and experience it. I grabbed a mat and walked in…..
Welcome to the Oven
As I sat in this Pine tree sauna, sitting in a circle with 4-5 other participants, my body began to sweat almost immediately, and as I sweated I noticed my body had never sweat like I had seen before. Instead of the normal sweat that one would receive from working out, or laying on the beach for a long time, my skin started to sparkle and each little pore in my body let out the smallest mass of water. I was staring, fascinated, while smelling and feeling the heated pine, which was coming from these clusters of pine wood leaning against the circular sauna.
It didn’t take long to feel hot and good, so after 7-8 minutes, I split and proceeded to go to the “Ice Room.”
Picture a massive refrigerator, and move into the next room, you’re in the freezer. 🙂
Again, refreshing. My body is thanking me. Patting me on the back, saying, “You’re a good man, Shawn Saleme.”
I lay on some rock salt, understanding the healing properties of salt in general. I lay down on a floor, I drink some water. I watch as the families are enjoying fellowship together, couples laying holding each other, kids laughing and playing. It’s beautiful, it’s absolutely beautiful and I am thankful.
It’s really experiences like these, that make me want to continue to travel and live life beyond. It reminded me why I love to travel, to experience life of others in other countries. The cultures, the histories. We are a community of 7 billion on this planet and we have lots to learn from each other and lots to share with each other. Thank you Korea for sharing the Jjimjilbang with me. It truly was, one memory that will stay with me for quite some time.
Welcome, Come Sit and Have Some Tea. 