A STUPAndeous Arch

So, the title is supposed to be punny...

Here's the Stupa-

Here is the Arch-

Both are in my area, so I went and visited last weekend. Here is the view from the very top window of the arch-

So I'm not one to take pictures of myself, and I've never gone anywhere alone where I would want pictures. So, trying to take pictures of myself somewhere cool is kind of a challenge. Here are my attempts-

 I finally asked someone to take a picture for me, it felt awkward...

I invested in ear plugs today, here's to hoping that it will keep the dog fights, cat yowls, and Buddhist chants from waking me throughout the night. 

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. 

Robert Frost

It is a poem referred to time and time again. I had to memorize it in middle school, and again in high school. But  tonight was one of those times where it rang with such clarity. Oh that first stanza! How I wish I could be in two places at once! To stand at the edge of decisiveness straining to catch a glimpse of what lies ahead. But there is no real knowledge, only hope that it will be a good trail that leads to a great destination. And unlike choose your own adventure books where I would try to place a bookmark at every turning point, and then go back to it after that trail ended to start down another path, we can never really go back to where we were exactly before. The path was grassy and wanted wear, so I took it.

Laos via Bangkok via Seoul

So I made it from one capitol to the next. DC to Vientiane. It took some doing. I have to say, I'm impressed with Korea Air, and very grateful for the toothbrush and paste they provided. I had expected that I would be getting my checked bags in Bangkok with my overnight and airline switch there-but they pushed them through for me. Which was convenient except I had checked ALL of my toiletries to make security easier. The little slippers they also included made me laugh, but people really used them!

My sense of time during that flight was totally off. All I know is we took off after lunch one day woke for two meals, neither of which was breakfast-y, slept most of the time, watched movies the rest of the time, and got to Seoul at dinner time the next day. I had a very short time in the airport there but learned some interesting things. First being the Etiquette Bell present in the women's restrooms. It looks like this:

                                           

I wanted to push it. I chickened out, but knew I would be Google-ing it later. It's pretty much what I thought it would be-it makes a flushing sound to mask any unpleasant sounds coming from your stall. Seriously, doesn't this tell you so much about there culture right there!

I also learned that neighbors who peek at your boarding pass can prove incredibly helpful. I knew I would be a little rushed to get to my next flight at the Seoul airport, but didn't expect to have to go through additional security! My neighbors pushed me to the front, cutting in front of a bunch of people (none of whom protested thankfully), and I made it just in time.

My overnight in Bangkok proved interesting. I knew the hotel had a shuttle, but to find it I walked around with my print-out from the travel agency who had claimed to book the place for me showing it to the masses of hotels and people searching for arrivals (this airport was packed!). Once I found the right man, I wasn't on the list, but he put me on since I had my print-out. The hotel didn't have me on there either -travel agency fail- Luckily, they had an open room for me after waiting while phone calls were made to make sure they hadn't received payment from the agency-which they hadn't. I did find a surprise in the Thai restrooms as well.

Luckily I found some toilet paper, but this is also the set up here in Laos, and I wasn't as lucky while out exploring today...somehow that wasn't mentioned in anything I read before leaving...ANYway, there was some funky food on the plane. Mostly meat and rice, but also a tub of tofu with some soy-based sauce, yeah, couldn't muster much of that. I had been seriously hoping it was a type of custard or pudding. I was so, so wrong. There was also this rice/gelatin based, bright blue with brown frosting topped with some stringy orange stuff dessert that looked like cake...but really wasn't. It was a fearful sight, and I could only get down a couple bites.

My apartment is really great. This is the view from my window.

And from my rooftop garden:

And my wandering today took me to these other cool temples.

There are two tiny Buddhas  in each of the little alcoves. I hope this satisfies you all for a bit. I'll try to keep this updated more!

Swing Away

I really just need to avoid swing dances at all costs. This time it was a church function, so I thought I would be safe. I just can't get over the awkwardness of it. I'm holding hands with some guy I've never met before. If I want to try and talk to him I either have to get real close to his ear and have no eye contact, or I try to make eye contact at kissing range. I can never hold a gaze for more than 5 seconds.

So, this time I danced a couple then graciously backed out of the room. I then proceeded to grab a cup of water and head to a loft area that overlooked the dance floor. I talked and sipped, and talked and sipped, and then talked some more. At this point I forget that there is still more water left in my cup that I've half crumpled in my hand (Yep, it's that obvious what is about to happen). So, as I'm leaning over the balcony, I let me hand drop, and that water drops down right onto some poor girls head. She got a good look at me and was able send one very nasty glare my way as I panicked and shouted 'OH MY GOSH, I'M SO SORRY!!! HOLY SOMETHING!!!' I then dived to the ground for cover. It took awhile for the witnesses to recover from the spasms of laughter that overtook them. So, yeah, I'm that girl who dumps water onto unsuspecting girl's heads. Her poor hair-do.

A Few Good Things

I got some furniture!!!
My new awesome roommate gave me a desk she was going to get rid of, and is letting me use her bed, which is now currently stacked on top of the old, gross bed, since I haven't figured out how to get rid of it yet. I also splurged on an Ikea office chair so that I can actually sit at my desk.

There is something so fulfilling about creating something myself (*pat myself on the back*).

Functions as vanity and desk.

I feel like the Princess and the Pea! 

Except it would more likely be a dead fly, we've had this horrible infestation...we're starting to keep a kill tally.

I also have some really great news. I got a paid internship!!! Yay!!! A friend of mine hooked me up, and I will be the new Communications Intern for Development Gateway. They are all about better information tools, data, and transparency in the development world. I'm really excited about this opportunity. While a part of me has a hard time that I've seemingly taken a step back into becoming an intern, it is also a step forward into the international development arena that I really want to become involved in. I will start in a week, so I'm going to try and enjoy this last week of no job but as much as I can!

Hello, Meet My Soul

So, I know I already talked about A Blog About Love and how awesome they are. But I couldn't help but share the same Ted Talk by Brene Brown they posted earlier this month, because after watching it today I realized that my fear of vulnerability is the Beast that I have to conquer in order to be Me to the fullest extent. To be able to love the way I want to, the way Christ loves. So first, you should watch it if you haven't yet.

When we truly represent ourselves, there will be those who reject us, which can be oh so painful, but those who receive us in our true and imperfect form, will truly love us. Not who I wish I was, but who I really am.

So, now I have to figure out when I'm not being true to myself. Are the times I'm being quiet really a part of who I am, as a people watcher, or am I just being guarded? Where is that line between being too open- where people start to squirm (TMI!), and being refreshingly bold? How do I continue to set goals for myself without becoming critical of who I am? What should I want as opposed to what I think I should want out of life?

Can I have yo' number?

So, I did it. I took the step into utter darkness and moved across the country without a job to depend on. Just myself, two checked bags, a carry-on and a personal item bursting to the seams. I also wore a ridiculous amount of clothing. My neighborhood is full of rows and rows of homes that look like this:

I love it. It's beautiful.

My roommates have been super nice and helpful. So nice, in fact, that one of them took me swing dancing with her Saturday night! There was a live band that was really great, and played a lot of classic songs that if I was more cultured I would recognize. My dancing was pretty horrible. Probably should have taken that intro to social dance class instead of the beginning tap dance class that I did take (I knew I wouldn't have to hold any sweaty hands in that one at least). Several of my dance partners laughed at me as I twirled when I wasn't supposed to, and stood still when I was supposed to. Although there was one that was quite taken with me. However, I was not quite as taken with him. When he asked for my number I was unprepared and forgot how to say no. So I started saying my number, and then changed the last number so that he would end up calling someone else...cowardly I know.

I did not expect him to call me right then. While I was dancing with him. So that I would kindly have his number too.

I knew I would have seconds before someone else picked up or the answering machine for some dude started playing. And I would be right there, "Yeah, I totally just lied to you and gave you a wrong number...should we finish this dance?" I didn't like the sound of that, so in my panic I come up with, " Oh! You know, I actually just changed my number, totally forgot, it's actually..."

The fact that it was only a digit different didn't through him off at all. So now I have to figure out how to respond if he actually calls. Suggestions?