Life of a Traveler

Last night I got home from my friend's birthday celebration and remembered that I was flying out to Taipei tomorrow, right after school. So at 10:30 I started to pack. At 11:00pm I realized that I had no clue where my passport was.  I knew it was in the country because I got back into the Philippines on Sunday night, but where was the real question. I tore apart my place looking for it. Some how in my 2:45am arrival from Hong Kong this past weekend it ended up in my bathroom cupboard. How, I don't know, but at 11:30ish I found it. I'm partially blaming my maid, because I can.

Anyways I leave in an hour and a half, now that I'm packed with passport in hand for Taipei.

Also I realized today that as of today in the month of January this will be my 7th plane ride.

Hong Kong

This past weekend I was in Hong Kong with two of the teacher I work with for a conference for international teachers. I love Hong Kong, the public transit is amazing, there's a huge art scene, the city is bustling and efficient. People are just the right amount of rude that you don't feel like your in some creepy loving twilight zone but its not like you are unwelcome. Green space in incorporated into to the city so a hiking trail and the woods are never too far off. As a young white woman I'm not special at all, not one stars at you or tries to take pictures with you, I'm just one of many different young foreigners. The food is great, things are cheap and anything you could ever want is there. So, I went shopping, ate a lot of great food, wandered the city and saw a bunch of art. Here are some of the pictures from that trip.

During Chinese New Year, flower markets pop up in Hong Kong all around the city in various parks. These markets allow for people to gather the perfect blooms and orange trees to decorate their homes. This one was across from our hotel and boasted flowers, games, food and displays. We wondered through the night before the big unveiling during set up.

Here some students are setting up a large paper mache horse, after all it is the year of the horse. 

Ladies Market. Here I dropped some money on a couple new bags for myself, if you want knock off fashion items here's where you go.

Paper cut out art. Theres pop-up cards are made incredibly elaborate and all done with paper. 

On the last day after the conference I went for a walk along the Harbour, then to the Hong Kong Museum of Art. 

This woman's job is to scrap the gum off the cobbles that the people spit on the ground. 

At the end of the weekend my feet were soar and I was tired, the 2:45am arrival back to Subic didn't help. But I had a great time.

Up next Taipei for Chinese New Year!

Sunday by the Water

Notes from Vacation

Christmas in Canada, it was beautiful, but it was cold. 

Then I went to Pangloa, Philippines for my friend Sam's wedding. 

And unfortunately it was pouring rain the entire weekend. 

Oasis resort where I stayed

There was a brief hope that the weather was turning nice, 

so we went for a walk along the beach, 

unfortunately it began to rain, so we took shelter at a restaurant for lunch. 

The wedding

Subic girls.

Up next:

-Hong Kong next weekend

-Taiwan the following weekend for Chinese New Year. 

-Dubai at the end of February. 

-Inspire students to create masterpieces

At some point in all of this I need to find a job for next year... 

After a long flight from Canada and attending my friends wedding in Pangloa I'm back in Subic. Currently there's a measles out break going on, thank god my parents aren't hippies and got me vaccinated, more and more students are being sent home everyday. My one class is down to 3 students...

One a happier note here's a picture of the moon last night. I'll write more as I get over the jet leg and figure out what I'm teaching this semester.