Feb 3 2013 And I’m off! No wait… it’s still only 6:30am. Why am I awake? I went to bed like 4 hours ago. Sleep graces me again until my alarm goes off. The hostel I staid at apparently had a breakfast included but for the price of $7 a night, and I only paid $5. I was like oh okay, no problem. I can get a sweet Banh My Pate on the street for like 75 cents. But the receptionist working was so kind and gave me a meal ticket anyways! = it seems stupid but just this simple act made me smile and I really appreciated it. A long bus ride later, I arrive groggy in some unknown location in Phnom Penh (PP). I promptly stopped by an internet café; followed by a brief ... read more

Our next stop is Phuket, Thailand! And also this is where I made a slight booboo in our itinerary… I accidently forgot to book our hostel for the night we arrive! WHOOPS. We had to walk the streets of Patong Beach, Phuket with all of our shit through the throngs of party and beach goers, not to mention all the Thai people advertising ping pong shows. After we found a place to through our backpacks I headed straight for the beach even though it was already dark outside. What surprised me most about Patong is the fact that many parents find it acceptable to bring their kids out on Bangla road. That is THE main party street filled with half naked girls, ping pong shows and crowds of drunk people. The night life here puts Hanoi ... read more

The weather is changing, and fast. My contorted idea of what my life in Vietnam was gonna be like definitely did NOT include jackets, scarves and being able to see my breath. I thought I moved to Southeast Asia! Well, I guess I didn't do my research...northern Vietnam gets mighty cold in the winter. At this point I am unsure if it's because I am already acclimatized to the heat and stifling humidity, or if it's genuinely brisk outside. The easiest way to tell is head into the Old Quarter and watch the tourists. If they are still is sandals, shorts and t-shirts, either I've gone bonkers or they are from a cold place! Life here in Hanoi has taken a certain amount of normalcy to it. I work, I visit with friends and I use ... read more

On the eve of my departure, I got the worse call of my life. Pat Cullen, a great friend and even better person had just passed away in a motor bike accident in the streets of Hanoi. At the tender age of 19, Pat was due home in a week's time. This was not only a huge blow to our group of friends, but a larger than life reminder of our own mortality and the world we live in. I was devastated. Being able to pay your respects in some way is crucial after a loved one passes away... and I couldn't. There was no road side marker to take flowers to and no home or family to console. I was just left with a gaping hole in my heart and friends by my side. It ... read more

4 weeks into the school year and I'm already counting the days til Christmas break. One obvious reason, I thought I would never be back in school, even if I am the teacher. The second and more important reason is that my mom will be visiting me over Christmas break! I feel so fortunate to be able to help my mom come visit and show her a little bit of the world, and of course the Holidays won’t be so bad away from home! Hoping and planning our near 3 week trek over SE Asia. General itinerary will be to Fly down to Singapore. From there travel our way back to Hanoi, stopping in Malaysia for Christmas, Thailand for New Years and possibly Cambodia before we make it back to the south of Vietnam. Some major ... read more