Hello, friends. I realized I said I would update my blog during my time in the U.S., but as you already know, I haven't. What I want to do know, though, is post a final blog as a way to help me deal with the reality of going home.
Recently, I have felt the inability to say goodbye to all of this. I don't know how to process the end of our epic adventure.
Starting out, Conan and I had no idea how this year would be: it started with us heading to China, only for that to fall through. Then a hasty decision was made to head to Cambodia since our house was rented for a year and our jobs filled.
Now looking back, what we experienced in Cambodia will take a lifetime to absorb. The experiences we had and the people we met and became friends with have forever changed our lives.
Cambodia is now part of our fabric. We have breathed its air, eaten its food, loved its people, spoken its language, understood (as much as one can as an outsider) its culture, and loved it for what it is: a country often forgotten because of it being wedged between Thailand and Vietnam.
And as we talk about our experiences in Cambodia here in the States, most say "I know about Cambodia because of the Vietnam War." But that's it. They don't know the food or the people or the joy. They don't know that when we would sit in traffic on our bicycles or motos, Cambodians would stare, penetrating us with with their stoic gaze. And they don't know that when we smiled at them, they would always (every single one) would return our smile with an even larger smile.
And people don't know how the kindness Cambodians showed to Sila touched us on a human level. How their love of him made us realize how much people love people, especially little ones.
And people can't imagine how much our friends Charlie, Minj, Mirka, Danika, Jason, Ellie, Hannah, Victoria, and Soriya (and so many more!) meant to us. And how much we miss them all and hope to see all of them again. And how when I hear Pupa Jim's "Amplifier," I cry because it makes me think of Charlie and his love of reggae and his never ending desire to go to the reggae bar.
All of these memories--and so many more--will stay with me forever. But I don't know how to digest them yet. I don't want to go home, but I know I have to.
This year has shown me a glimpse of what it means to live in a radically different way, to push aside the cars, phones, money, and jobs, and to live without all of that. It has shown me more than any job or degree or possession how incredibly amazing life can be.
So for that, thank you Cambodia. Thank you Cambodians. Thank you friends who I've met along the way. My love goes to you, and I look forward to a life remembering the wonderful time I've had.
Friday, July 11, 2014
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Santa Rosa, Avenue of the Giants, Portland, Seattle (land of the tulips!), and Moses
Hello, friends and family! Yes, it's been awhile, but yes, it's been an amazing and busy few weeks back.
Our time in LA ended (with no car from the auction; have Conan tell you that story sometime), so we headed to Santa Rosa to see Uncle Sean, Aunt Jen, and cousin Brayden (to Sila). This was a great time, and it's good to see cousins grow up together.
We then headed to the Redwoods. It was my first time in the Redwoods, and while I enjoyed it immensely (who doesn't enjoy tall and beautiful trees and raw, pure smells?), I have to say my heart is with the Sequoias. But in all fairness, I need to give the Redwoods another visit.
Our next destination was Portland, OR, and it turned out to be quite a gathering; Big Sila (for whom Sila is named) and Shannon--and their daughter Morgan, Bear and his wife (old friends from Santa Barbara), and Slick--an old friend who we haven't seen in years, and Kellie and her son TJ (again, an old friend from way back). This time reminded me about how much human connection is central to happiness and general feel-goodness. Amazing people make my life more amazing.
Unfortunately, we didn't stay in Portland as long as we liked, for we had to head to Seattle to see more friends (yea!!) and house/pet sit while they went on vacation. We only got to catch up the day before they left, but we'll have more time on the back end to have more of those amazing experiences I speak about the paragraph prior.
Anyway, our main goals here were/are to buy a car (renting is so expensive!), organize all our stuff from the past eight months, make a plan for the next few months, and have some good old-fashioned vacation fun. So far we've done the first and the last, which is great. Today was the zoo, and with the help of a stroller and lots of snacks, we were led to believe that our son maybe wasn't abducted by the crazy land of three-year-olds-who-make-you-want-to-scream-every-second. Today was also finding the car that would become the next Griffin road mobile.
Before I get to that, I do want to mention that Seattle has the most amount of tulips I've ever seen. They are my favorite flower, and they are everywhere. While I would love to have pictures to show you, I only found my camera today and the batteries are dead. So there is always tomorrow.
So Moses. That's the name of our new car. Why Moses? Well when we were at the car auction, there was a box of misc. junk, and a wooden carving of Moses sticking out of the box. Since we were at the auction to buy a car, we saw this carving of Moses to represent finding the car that would deliver us to the promise land (Florida). We didn't buy a car (or the statue) at the auction, but we did gain a theme. The theme was Moses, and we have found her (yes, her). She is a blue VW Passat Wagon, and she is Moses. She is beautiful.
Where to next? I don't know, but talk about Yellowstone is being thrown around. So to everyone out there, I hope life is good, and your face is becoming wrinkled from happiness.
Our time in LA ended (with no car from the auction; have Conan tell you that story sometime), so we headed to Santa Rosa to see Uncle Sean, Aunt Jen, and cousin Brayden (to Sila). This was a great time, and it's good to see cousins grow up together.
We then headed to the Redwoods. It was my first time in the Redwoods, and while I enjoyed it immensely (who doesn't enjoy tall and beautiful trees and raw, pure smells?), I have to say my heart is with the Sequoias. But in all fairness, I need to give the Redwoods another visit.
Our next destination was Portland, OR, and it turned out to be quite a gathering; Big Sila (for whom Sila is named) and Shannon--and their daughter Morgan, Bear and his wife (old friends from Santa Barbara), and Slick--an old friend who we haven't seen in years, and Kellie and her son TJ (again, an old friend from way back). This time reminded me about how much human connection is central to happiness and general feel-goodness. Amazing people make my life more amazing.
Unfortunately, we didn't stay in Portland as long as we liked, for we had to head to Seattle to see more friends (yea!!) and house/pet sit while they went on vacation. We only got to catch up the day before they left, but we'll have more time on the back end to have more of those amazing experiences I speak about the paragraph prior.
Anyway, our main goals here were/are to buy a car (renting is so expensive!), organize all our stuff from the past eight months, make a plan for the next few months, and have some good old-fashioned vacation fun. So far we've done the first and the last, which is great. Today was the zoo, and with the help of a stroller and lots of snacks, we were led to believe that our son maybe wasn't abducted by the crazy land of three-year-olds-who-make-you-want-to-scream-every-second. Today was also finding the car that would become the next Griffin road mobile.
Before I get to that, I do want to mention that Seattle has the most amount of tulips I've ever seen. They are my favorite flower, and they are everywhere. While I would love to have pictures to show you, I only found my camera today and the batteries are dead. So there is always tomorrow.
So Moses. That's the name of our new car. Why Moses? Well when we were at the car auction, there was a box of misc. junk, and a wooden carving of Moses sticking out of the box. Since we were at the auction to buy a car, we saw this carving of Moses to represent finding the car that would deliver us to the promise land (Florida). We didn't buy a car (or the statue) at the auction, but we did gain a theme. The theme was Moses, and we have found her (yes, her). She is a blue VW Passat Wagon, and she is Moses. She is beautiful.
Where to next? I don't know, but talk about Yellowstone is being thrown around. So to everyone out there, I hope life is good, and your face is becoming wrinkled from happiness.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Goodbye Cambodge, Hello USA, and Land of the Beautiful (and Famous) People
Hello, friends! I know, I know. You're wondering what the hell is going on with the Griffins. Let me recap:
Goodbye Cambodge
So, as planned, we started our trip. We headed down to an island off the coast of Cambodia and stayed a week. Here is how the week progressed:
Where are we now? See below.
Hello USA
After around 30/40 hours of travel, we arrived in Los Angeles, and boy does it feel great! There is NOTHING like being back in your home country. It's awesome. We are staying with our good friends in LA, so life has been good here: good beer, sunny/clear skies, beach, biking. What else could one ask for?
Sila, too, is having the time of his life. Our friends have two boys (ages 2 and 5), so Sila is playing nonstop. Additionally, I think he is enjoying have friends who speak English. While diversity is great, being 3 and not speaking someone's language is a bit difficult. I don't think Sila has stopped smiling and laughing since we landed, which is nice to see as a parent.
Land of the Beautiful (and Famous) People
I thought I might end my blog now that we're in America, but then I realized I have international friends and even domestic friends who may not have ever visited the places we plan on going over the next three months. So as we progress, I'm going to write about what I see and where we are, as well as include some pictures. For the latter, we are so unorganized at the moment, that pictures aren't happening today, but I will write about our experience.
Mostly, we've been hanging out with friends, but today we went out to breakfast, took a bike ride down to the beach, hung out at a beach club, and visited the pier. I might add that we are in the fancy part of LA, the part where you see famous people in.
So you might be wondering who I saw today. Here is the list (yup, all in one day): Toby Maguire (at breakfast--I had to say excuse me because he was in my way to get a spoon at the take-out counter!), Naomi Watts (at the beach club), and Ali Larter (also at the beach club, but I didn't really recognize her: she is the one who wears the whip cream bikini in Varsity Blues). Whew. What a day.
So the adventure continues, just in a different way! The good news is that if you live in the States, we'll probably be coming to see you soon! Much love and big hugs.
Goodbye Cambodge
So, as planned, we started our trip. We headed down to an island off the coast of Cambodia and stayed a week. Here is how the week progressed:
- Day 1/2: This place is awesome; it's a bummer we have to leave for Vietnam in three days
- Day 3: Ugh. We don't want to leave (especially to a new country) and trudge through a new culture, language, etc. What can we do?
- Day 4: I know, I know! Let's extend our visas and stay here on Rabbit Island for a month, then head home.
- Day 5/6: Screw that. Let's change our tickets to go home to the US of A. Celebration!!
- Day 7: Head back to PP to stay with friends our last few days in Cambodia.
Where are we now? See below.
Hello USA
After around 30/40 hours of travel, we arrived in Los Angeles, and boy does it feel great! There is NOTHING like being back in your home country. It's awesome. We are staying with our good friends in LA, so life has been good here: good beer, sunny/clear skies, beach, biking. What else could one ask for?
Sila, too, is having the time of his life. Our friends have two boys (ages 2 and 5), so Sila is playing nonstop. Additionally, I think he is enjoying have friends who speak English. While diversity is great, being 3 and not speaking someone's language is a bit difficult. I don't think Sila has stopped smiling and laughing since we landed, which is nice to see as a parent.
Land of the Beautiful (and Famous) People
I thought I might end my blog now that we're in America, but then I realized I have international friends and even domestic friends who may not have ever visited the places we plan on going over the next three months. So as we progress, I'm going to write about what I see and where we are, as well as include some pictures. For the latter, we are so unorganized at the moment, that pictures aren't happening today, but I will write about our experience.
Mostly, we've been hanging out with friends, but today we went out to breakfast, took a bike ride down to the beach, hung out at a beach club, and visited the pier. I might add that we are in the fancy part of LA, the part where you see famous people in.
So you might be wondering who I saw today. Here is the list (yup, all in one day): Toby Maguire (at breakfast--I had to say excuse me because he was in my way to get a spoon at the take-out counter!), Naomi Watts (at the beach club), and Ali Larter (also at the beach club, but I didn't really recognize her: she is the one who wears the whip cream bikini in Varsity Blues). Whew. What a day.
So the adventure continues, just in a different way! The good news is that if you live in the States, we'll probably be coming to see you soon! Much love and big hugs.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Oh boy, is it hot!
It's starting to get warm here in Cambodge.
It's sneaky: the mornings and evenings are cool, with a great breeze; then mid day happens. You walk or bike, and all of a sudden you're drenched. Sweat drips from your forehead, and your shirt sticks to your belly. All the while, locals are wearing their winter hats, long sleeved shirts (or even coats!), jeans, and maybe some gloves to boot. Am I exaggerating? No!!
The claustrophobia sets in.
Do the locals seem to sweat? Nope. Are they chilly? Who knows!
Is it hotter here now then it is in Florida in August or September? Nope. But do you want to know the difference? In Florida, there is this little invention called central air conditioning. So when the heat starts to creep into the house (late afternoon...you know, when it's so f-ing hot you can't stand it), you escape into your home and sigh a sweet sigh as the sweat evaporates.
But here? Nope. The windows and doors are open to get some sort of breeze, and the sun beats in the windows. The fan is on its highest setting, blowing directly at you, and you can't wait until bedtime, where you enjoy the luxury of an a/c unit blowing on you until it gets so cold, you have to turn it off. Then you go back to sweating.
The plus side? I'm detoxifying every day.
I'll leave you with a few pictures. While not the best, notice the few locals who are fully clothed; the only reason I have a long-sleeve shirt on is because it's the custom to cover one's shoulders. Underneath, I had a tank top that I was wearing around the house. I covered up to go get Sila.
I'll probably post one more time before we leave Cambodia, so look for that sometime next week. Big hugs to everyone!
It's sneaky: the mornings and evenings are cool, with a great breeze; then mid day happens. You walk or bike, and all of a sudden you're drenched. Sweat drips from your forehead, and your shirt sticks to your belly. All the while, locals are wearing their winter hats, long sleeved shirts (or even coats!), jeans, and maybe some gloves to boot. Am I exaggerating? No!!
The claustrophobia sets in.
Do the locals seem to sweat? Nope. Are they chilly? Who knows!
Is it hotter here now then it is in Florida in August or September? Nope. But do you want to know the difference? In Florida, there is this little invention called central air conditioning. So when the heat starts to creep into the house (late afternoon...you know, when it's so f-ing hot you can't stand it), you escape into your home and sigh a sweet sigh as the sweat evaporates.
But here? Nope. The windows and doors are open to get some sort of breeze, and the sun beats in the windows. The fan is on its highest setting, blowing directly at you, and you can't wait until bedtime, where you enjoy the luxury of an a/c unit blowing on you until it gets so cold, you have to turn it off. Then you go back to sweating.
The plus side? I'm detoxifying every day.
I'll leave you with a few pictures. While not the best, notice the few locals who are fully clothed; the only reason I have a long-sleeve shirt on is because it's the custom to cover one's shoulders. Underneath, I had a tank top that I was wearing around the house. I covered up to go get Sila.
I'll probably post one more time before we leave Cambodia, so look for that sometime next week. Big hugs to everyone!
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
What's Been Going On?
I was having a conversation recently (via FaceBook messaging) with a friend, and she said something interesting: (I'm paraphrasing) "I'm amazing on FaceBook but in real life I'm having a tough time." I love this because it's so true. I don't post status updates on FaceBook for this reason. Life is hard. There are ups and downs, and well, I'm in a down one now.
Before I begin, yes, life is amazing. I am able to manage taking a year off of work to travel, spend time with my family, and do/see some amazing stuff. Don't get me wrong.
But the other side of all of this? I've been sick--really sick--for the last three weeks. Darn Cambodian bacteria. And I've suffered from vertigo the last five days. And Conan has had a sore throat for the last three weeks and just can't get his energy up. And Sila has one never-ending cold. And we're all homesick. And we all want to go home.
But we are tackling each day as exactly that: a new day. We have goals, and we aim to complete them. We have a little over 2 weeks left here in Phnom Penh, and our new plan (if you don't know this already, well, Conan and I always have a plan, but it always changes) is to ditch the bikes (too much work) and just bus/train to amazing beaches and sites in Vietnam. We feel this is exactly what we need. Sunshine, crystal clear water, and new adventures.
So if you're stuck in a rut, maybe think about what you can do differently. How can you shift your perspective, while still being honest with yourself? Honesty is okay. It's okay to feel like crap and look like crap and eat crap (sometimes) because that's life. Life is good but oftentimes messy.
If I haven't depressed you, sorry. I didn't mean to.
One another note, take a look at some pictures I have below. The pictures of tents are when we had a massive funeral on our street, pretty much in front of our house. I thought it was a wedding (who knew karaoke was a part of both weddings and funerals?), but our neighbor said it was a funeral. Regardless, I'm glad it appeared because it will be one of the things I miss most about Cambodia. It's exciting. The street shuts down (have mercy!), there is music (which isn't really a part of Cambodian culture), and sleeplessness as people wail into a microphone (singing or praying) until all hours of the night. Ah, Cambodia. How I love you so.
Before I begin, yes, life is amazing. I am able to manage taking a year off of work to travel, spend time with my family, and do/see some amazing stuff. Don't get me wrong.
But the other side of all of this? I've been sick--really sick--for the last three weeks. Darn Cambodian bacteria. And I've suffered from vertigo the last five days. And Conan has had a sore throat for the last three weeks and just can't get his energy up. And Sila has one never-ending cold. And we're all homesick. And we all want to go home.
But we are tackling each day as exactly that: a new day. We have goals, and we aim to complete them. We have a little over 2 weeks left here in Phnom Penh, and our new plan (if you don't know this already, well, Conan and I always have a plan, but it always changes) is to ditch the bikes (too much work) and just bus/train to amazing beaches and sites in Vietnam. We feel this is exactly what we need. Sunshine, crystal clear water, and new adventures.
So if you're stuck in a rut, maybe think about what you can do differently. How can you shift your perspective, while still being honest with yourself? Honesty is okay. It's okay to feel like crap and look like crap and eat crap (sometimes) because that's life. Life is good but oftentimes messy.
If I haven't depressed you, sorry. I didn't mean to.
One another note, take a look at some pictures I have below. The pictures of tents are when we had a massive funeral on our street, pretty much in front of our house. I thought it was a wedding (who knew karaoke was a part of both weddings and funerals?), but our neighbor said it was a funeral. Regardless, I'm glad it appeared because it will be one of the things I miss most about Cambodia. It's exciting. The street shuts down (have mercy!), there is music (which isn't really a part of Cambodian culture), and sleeplessness as people wail into a microphone (singing or praying) until all hours of the night. Ah, Cambodia. How I love you so.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Ear Aches, My Birthday, and Book Reviews
I am now on day 8 of having ear issues. I got a cold/sore throat late last week, and all was fine until an ear ache popped up in one ear. I haven't had one of these since being a child, and I'll tell you what: it hurts. A lot.
After one day of an ear ache in my left ear, the illness switched to my other ear. Now, while pain is gone, I have a persistent ringing (is the ringing always there and I just can't hear it?) and constant blocking of my hearing. I'm trying everything to drain the liquid, but no luck yet.
The other exciting news (as if my ear aches are exciting) is that it was my birthday this past week. 34. Wow. 10 years ago I was married to someone different, had only completed my AA degree, and was about to experience a pretty difficult year ahead. Now a decade later, I'm married to someone new, have a child, hold a Master's degree (and am currently applying to pursue a second one), and am living in Cambodia. How times fly and change.
It was a bit hard to truly enjoy my birthday due to my ear issues, so I'm trying to make the best of it now and move forward positively in my 35 year of life. Next year, though, I'm going to blow it out of the water for my 35th.
Lastly, book reviews. I realize this might not be something you care too much about, but I'm doing it more for me than anyone else. I also read something about how long book reviews can discourage someone from reading a book, so I'm going to keep it short to avoid that. There is never any harm in reading a book, good or bad.
After one day of an ear ache in my left ear, the illness switched to my other ear. Now, while pain is gone, I have a persistent ringing (is the ringing always there and I just can't hear it?) and constant blocking of my hearing. I'm trying everything to drain the liquid, but no luck yet.
The other exciting news (as if my ear aches are exciting) is that it was my birthday this past week. 34. Wow. 10 years ago I was married to someone different, had only completed my AA degree, and was about to experience a pretty difficult year ahead. Now a decade later, I'm married to someone new, have a child, hold a Master's degree (and am currently applying to pursue a second one), and am living in Cambodia. How times fly and change.
It was a bit hard to truly enjoy my birthday due to my ear issues, so I'm trying to make the best of it now and move forward positively in my 35 year of life. Next year, though, I'm going to blow it out of the water for my 35th.
Lastly, book reviews. I realize this might not be something you care too much about, but I'm doing it more for me than anyone else. I also read something about how long book reviews can discourage someone from reading a book, so I'm going to keep it short to avoid that. There is never any harm in reading a book, good or bad.
- The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath: this was the first time I have read anything by her, and I have to say I enjoyed it. It was, however, a bit dark. Basically this book details the protagonist's struggle with the outside world, her sexuality, and her deep inner thoughts. A well-written and good read but don't expect the sun to shine too brightly within it.
- Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris. Honestly, I didn't really get this book. I picked up the sexual identity struggle, family dynamics, and life exploration aspects of it all, but I really couldn't make sense of it as a whole. To me, this book was a rambling narrative about life. I have, although, listened to a NPR segment with Sedaris since reading this book, and I am still intrigued enough to read another one of his books that is on my Kindle. I'll let you know what I think when I am in the mood to pick up another one of his books.
- Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. I was interested to read this after the last two because I miss being in (or at least reading about) nature. This satiated my nature-reading desire. I'm surprised it took me this long to read the book since it's pretty famous. My thoughts on it: so-so. I didn't particularly over enjoy it, but it wasn't bad. Just not life-shifting, if you know what I mean.
- Catching Fire and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. Yes, these are the last two in the Hunger Games Trilogy, and yes, they're meant for teens. Are they a light read? Yes. Full of suspense? Yes. Are they literary? No, but that's why I read them, especially after the above three.
I'll leave with a few pictures from my birthday weekend adventure. Many hugs to you all!
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Living in the Arena
So there is a person (Brene Brown), as well as a book (Daring Greatly), who has been pretty influential to my ever-shaping desire to be living a more authentic, purposeful life.
I've had much thought and discussions about this (the more "authentic, purposeful life"), and what it boils down to is that I just like this shit. It feels real. I don't know how the hell to get it, but I believe it's out there and is attainable.
You might be wondering what the heck I'm talking about, and it refers to what Brene Brown states as being either in or out of the arena. The ones who are living in the arena are the ones who are fighting for a good, authentic life. A life that has meaning and purpose to them. A life that is honest and not falling in line with the politics or sometimes the bad energy of others. These people are pursuing their passions and not feeding the bad in the world (the bad being the mean-ness, critical, vindictive tendencies a human sometimes fall prey to).
I watched a great YouTube clip with Brene Brown and it's on the power of being vulnerable. I loved it, and it speaks so much to the way in which one can live a pretty darn good life: through vulnerability. It's a long one, though, so beware.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd3DYvBGyFs
This clip also brought to mind a specific instance and person at work whom I recognize is afraid to be vulnerable and as a result desperately tries to look into the mirror of someone's (perceived) failure as justification for the actions s/he chooses. The only reason I mention this latter part is because understanding my role at work is a huge part of what I'm trying to figure out recently, and this video brings clarity to my own relationships and place at work and allows me to focus my intentions and actions in more refined ways, and for that, I am grateful.
I'm sure for my next post you might want something a bit more light, so I have one about food that will follow in the week to come. Oh and if you don't know, it's my birthday tomorrow (this should bring more clarity as to why I'm writing about living a more authentic life---nothing like a birthday to get the wheels turning)! Big hugs to you all.
Oh, there is also this cool website I just discovered: The Good Life Project http://www.goodlifeproject.com/
I've had much thought and discussions about this (the more "authentic, purposeful life"), and what it boils down to is that I just like this shit. It feels real. I don't know how the hell to get it, but I believe it's out there and is attainable.
You might be wondering what the heck I'm talking about, and it refers to what Brene Brown states as being either in or out of the arena. The ones who are living in the arena are the ones who are fighting for a good, authentic life. A life that has meaning and purpose to them. A life that is honest and not falling in line with the politics or sometimes the bad energy of others. These people are pursuing their passions and not feeding the bad in the world (the bad being the mean-ness, critical, vindictive tendencies a human sometimes fall prey to).
I watched a great YouTube clip with Brene Brown and it's on the power of being vulnerable. I loved it, and it speaks so much to the way in which one can live a pretty darn good life: through vulnerability. It's a long one, though, so beware.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd3DYvBGyFs
This clip also brought to mind a specific instance and person at work whom I recognize is afraid to be vulnerable and as a result desperately tries to look into the mirror of someone's (perceived) failure as justification for the actions s/he chooses. The only reason I mention this latter part is because understanding my role at work is a huge part of what I'm trying to figure out recently, and this video brings clarity to my own relationships and place at work and allows me to focus my intentions and actions in more refined ways, and for that, I am grateful.
I'm sure for my next post you might want something a bit more light, so I have one about food that will follow in the week to come. Oh and if you don't know, it's my birthday tomorrow (this should bring more clarity as to why I'm writing about living a more authentic life---nothing like a birthday to get the wheels turning)! Big hugs to you all.
Oh, there is also this cool website I just discovered: The Good Life Project http://www.goodlifeproject.com/
Sunday, February 2, 2014
4 Months to Go, Biking Vietnam, and Chicken Pox
So now that it's February 3, we have less than 4 months to go! Yippee. We have been in Cambodia for over 5 months, and we have been here longer than what we have left. Wow.
Our plan is to leave June 1st so that we can spend the summer in the States. Friends all over the U.S.: be prepared for a Griffin visit this coming summer! We won't be heading out, though, until after we've had an epic bicycle trip.
The plan (as of now and of course subject to change) is to leave PP in 6 weeks. How will we leave? By bicycle. Where will we go? To Vietnam. The anticipated route is PP to Ho Chi Minh. Then HCH to Halong Bay. Distance: 2100k. Crazy? Yes. And we're planning on doing it all on a bicycle with nothing more than two baskets, two saddlebags, and one small duffel.
So these next few weeks are busy cramming in our last few weeks of "me" time and getting ready for the trip and packing. Packing excites me most because bags packed here won't be unpacked until we reach good ole' USA!
The only other new thing for us is that Sila had the chicken pox last week. It was a pretty mild case, so he was in good spirits (and driving us crazy) and is back to school this week. Nothing else really going on here except I've been reading like crazy (see new books posted on the right of my blog) and been teaching a lot of yoga.
Big hugs to all who are reading this. Enjoy your winter because we're hot here!
Our plan is to leave June 1st so that we can spend the summer in the States. Friends all over the U.S.: be prepared for a Griffin visit this coming summer! We won't be heading out, though, until after we've had an epic bicycle trip.
The plan (as of now and of course subject to change) is to leave PP in 6 weeks. How will we leave? By bicycle. Where will we go? To Vietnam. The anticipated route is PP to Ho Chi Minh. Then HCH to Halong Bay. Distance: 2100k. Crazy? Yes. And we're planning on doing it all on a bicycle with nothing more than two baskets, two saddlebags, and one small duffel.
So these next few weeks are busy cramming in our last few weeks of "me" time and getting ready for the trip and packing. Packing excites me most because bags packed here won't be unpacked until we reach good ole' USA!
The only other new thing for us is that Sila had the chicken pox last week. It was a pretty mild case, so he was in good spirits (and driving us crazy) and is back to school this week. Nothing else really going on here except I've been reading like crazy (see new books posted on the right of my blog) and been teaching a lot of yoga.
Big hugs to all who are reading this. Enjoy your winter because we're hot here!
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Cambodia Fabulousness
So I'm missing the States--big time--so instead of wallowing in my desire to be somewhere other than where I'm at right now, I thought I would blog about some of the amazing things Cambodia has to offer:
Bomb-Diggity Fruit...and Cheap Cheese
As I write this, I'm munching on a big bowl of fresh fruit. In it consists of bananas, dragon fruit, and papaya. I chose not to put the mango or pineapple that is also in my refrigerator, but that was out of pure laziness more than anything else.
The best thing about all of this? It was SO cheap, it's so good for me, and I can get it easily every day from the local market that is two streets away. I will certainly miss this, and if you have no idea what dragon fruit is, I've attached a picture for your reference.
We also love cheese and bread and wine, and because all of this is a lot cheaper here than at home, we've been indulging in our most favorite meal ever. Here it costs under $10; in the States, we'd have to spend around $40-$50 to eat this. Yummy.
A Different Way of Life
I've been seeing a lot of posts about rear-facing car seats, which promise to keep your child safer longer. What's funny about most other non-Western countries, however, is that car seats are non existent, and children don't die from car accidents at a higher rate than they do in the West.
I know this will probably upset a few, but we've been in quite a few cars and had no car seat for Sila. Gasp! He's also been on more motos than I can count, and it's the complete norm here.
The point I'm trying to make is that I appreciate (and very much love) the perspective that Cambodia--and other non-first-world travel--offers.
Chickens and Ducks
Non meat eaters for animal rights reasons, stop reading now. About every few weeks or so a moto will zoom by with around 50 live chickens moaning and squawking hanging from the back of it. They're not the liveliest of chickens (it's probably been a long journey for them), but it's amazing to see.
On our way home the other day, we decided to take a tuk-tuk (a luxury for us now since we tend to bicycle everywhere), and as we were heading home, Conan started to hear what he thought was a cat meowing. As I tuned in, I said it was a chicken, and we both laughed and wondered where it was.
Turns out that our tuk-tuk driver had a chicken and a duck stuffed under our seat! They, too, were on their last legs and were probably bought at the market early that morning to inevitably become dinner way later that night. In the interim, they got to sit in the heat and darkness until that time arrived.
```
So you might be thinking that it's weird I titled this post "Cambodian Fabulousness," but that's what all of this stuff is. Will I miss seeing chickens hanging from motos? Probably not. Will I miss the simplicity that Cambodia offers? Absolutely. It's all fabulous and in many ways so much simpler than the States.
I know that many are thinking or have hear rumors that we're not coming back. We laugh to that. Yes, we LOVE travel and will continue to do it for the rest of our lives. But you know what we love more? America. Our lives. Our home. Our life. So if you're hoping we'll be back, we will. Until then, hugs.
Bomb-Diggity Fruit...and Cheap Cheese
As I write this, I'm munching on a big bowl of fresh fruit. In it consists of bananas, dragon fruit, and papaya. I chose not to put the mango or pineapple that is also in my refrigerator, but that was out of pure laziness more than anything else.
The best thing about all of this? It was SO cheap, it's so good for me, and I can get it easily every day from the local market that is two streets away. I will certainly miss this, and if you have no idea what dragon fruit is, I've attached a picture for your reference.
We also love cheese and bread and wine, and because all of this is a lot cheaper here than at home, we've been indulging in our most favorite meal ever. Here it costs under $10; in the States, we'd have to spend around $40-$50 to eat this. Yummy.
A Different Way of Life
I've been seeing a lot of posts about rear-facing car seats, which promise to keep your child safer longer. What's funny about most other non-Western countries, however, is that car seats are non existent, and children don't die from car accidents at a higher rate than they do in the West.
I know this will probably upset a few, but we've been in quite a few cars and had no car seat for Sila. Gasp! He's also been on more motos than I can count, and it's the complete norm here.
The point I'm trying to make is that I appreciate (and very much love) the perspective that Cambodia--and other non-first-world travel--offers.
Chickens and Ducks
Non meat eaters for animal rights reasons, stop reading now. About every few weeks or so a moto will zoom by with around 50 live chickens moaning and squawking hanging from the back of it. They're not the liveliest of chickens (it's probably been a long journey for them), but it's amazing to see.
On our way home the other day, we decided to take a tuk-tuk (a luxury for us now since we tend to bicycle everywhere), and as we were heading home, Conan started to hear what he thought was a cat meowing. As I tuned in, I said it was a chicken, and we both laughed and wondered where it was.
Turns out that our tuk-tuk driver had a chicken and a duck stuffed under our seat! They, too, were on their last legs and were probably bought at the market early that morning to inevitably become dinner way later that night. In the interim, they got to sit in the heat and darkness until that time arrived.
```
So you might be thinking that it's weird I titled this post "Cambodian Fabulousness," but that's what all of this stuff is. Will I miss seeing chickens hanging from motos? Probably not. Will I miss the simplicity that Cambodia offers? Absolutely. It's all fabulous and in many ways so much simpler than the States.
I know that many are thinking or have hear rumors that we're not coming back. We laugh to that. Yes, we LOVE travel and will continue to do it for the rest of our lives. But you know what we love more? America. Our lives. Our home. Our life. So if you're hoping we'll be back, we will. Until then, hugs.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
We're Famous!
This is a totally unrelated to Cambodia life, but Conan and I are famous! We had this filmed a few years back in Los Angeles, and it's through a show called "Don't Trust Andrew Mayne: Crash Test Husband".
Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQZf8oCWZ1w
How cool is that?? I'll post more later, but thought I would share this. Much love.
Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQZf8oCWZ1w
How cool is that?? I'll post more later, but thought I would share this. Much love.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Book Review: Books 1-4
I have always loved to read. I think I've been reading since the age of 4 (mom, you can correct me if I'm wrong), so with this more relaxed schedule I am now living, I have ramped back up my reading.
My reading comes in waves. Sometimes I read nothing--but it was probably the mental exhaustion after finishing my M.A. that thwarted my desire to read--and other times I read three or four books at the same time. Right now I'm doing the latter. I thought about going back and listing all the books I've read since I've left Florida but that would be exhausting and overwhelming to you as a reader. I'm probably close to thirty books or a little beyond.
So I've decided to start listing my books as of January. As a disclaimer, this isn't much I won't read. I love it all. The quick, poorly written stuff; the complex, mind-blowing fiction; the often difficult sociological explorations into human habits. I love it all. To me, heaven is a library.
The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho
My reading comes in waves. Sometimes I read nothing--but it was probably the mental exhaustion after finishing my M.A. that thwarted my desire to read--and other times I read three or four books at the same time. Right now I'm doing the latter. I thought about going back and listing all the books I've read since I've left Florida but that would be exhausting and overwhelming to you as a reader. I'm probably close to thirty books or a little beyond.
So I've decided to start listing my books as of January. As a disclaimer, this isn't much I won't read. I love it all. The quick, poorly written stuff; the complex, mind-blowing fiction; the often difficult sociological explorations into human habits. I love it all. To me, heaven is a library.
The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho
- You've surely read The Alchemist (or at least heard of it), and The Pilgrimage is written by the same author but the book is a lot different. Both bad and good. It's not as well written as Coelho's Alchemist, but in some ways it's a lot better. Maybe it's because I've read TP twice. Once in my usual speed racer pace (bad habit) and the second time really slowing down and absorbing it all. It chronicles Coelho's pilgrimage across northern Spain and guides the reader to find meaning in his or her life, even in the most mundane areas. For me, it was a nice read to meditate on how finding my purpose is useless until I know what I will do with it.
- This was a book I grabbed from a friend's shelf because I was craving a real book (I bought a Kindle for my travels, knowing that space is limited for reading). I wanted something quick and easy to read, and it was. This book essentially tells the story of how the author got into a bus accident in Laos and took many years to recover. I finished this book in less than 24 hours. It was clearly written and compelling. I wanted to keep reading about how the human spirit can override most physical setbacks. This was an inspiring read but not perspective shifting, if you know what I mean.
- This book was recommended to me about two years back, and frankly it sounded boring. I kept seeing it pop up (especially on FB and everyone's top 10 most influential books posts), so I decided to give it a try. It's about the HeLa cells that pretty much changed the world of science and medicine and cells, and they're from an African American woman. Some of it got a bit "science-y," but most of it was pretty fascinating to follow. Did you know that you don't have any say over cells that you leave behind? So when you give blood, and someone finds something pretty amazing in your cells (maybe an inability to die, much like HeLa), they can be used for science without your consent? Interesting stuff. It also touches upon a little history and the struggles African Americans went through, especially when it comes to science.
- I had no idea what this book was about, but it was one of the many books that popped into my Kindle by *eh-hem*a help of a friend and a USB. I just looked it up today because I finished it this morning (another 48 hour read), and it's...well...a NY Times bestseller. Sometimes that can be a great thing, and other times it's evident why most of America liked it. This was the latter. It was about car racing (so American), greedy grandparents who feel they're better at raising their grandkids then the parents (again, America), and a dog who means the world to one man (need I say more?). Did it make me cry at the end? Oh, yeah. Will I re-read it for deeper meaning and application to my life? Hell no.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Life Now in PP
So a few might be wondering what our life is like in PP now. As a review, here is how we spent the last few months: volunteering at an NGO teaching English, spending lots of time with good friends we've made during volunteering, drinking, enjoying life, teaching a month-long course (Conan), taking a month off (me).
Now, though, things have changed a bit. As for me, I am now teaching yoga quite a few times a week and enjoying these few months of working on myself physically and mentally. Also, I have initiated another month-long "one a day," and this month is meditation. I've been pretty successful at it (only missed two days: sick one and spaced the other), and I'm also working on another, more private, 100 day goal. This idea was inspired by a couple of websites I came across, and I thought "why the hell not?" If you're interested, here they are:
Advanced Life Skills
100 Projects
As for Conan, he is devoting the next few months to something he has always wanted to carve the time out to do--write. So far, he has been pretty successful, publishing an article (and another on the way), as well as working on his book. He's also been enjoying working out and cooking us all very good meals. If you haven't read it already and are interested, here is a link to his most recent article:
Conan's Article
Lastly, Sila. Well, life hasn't changed much for him. He is still going to school and will continue to do so until the end of March. One big thing that has changed is his room. We got rid of his bed and now he sleeps in a tent that Santa brought for him. Needless to say, he is stoked. I've included pictures for you to get a visual of the coolest room ever.
Now, though, things have changed a bit. As for me, I am now teaching yoga quite a few times a week and enjoying these few months of working on myself physically and mentally. Also, I have initiated another month-long "one a day," and this month is meditation. I've been pretty successful at it (only missed two days: sick one and spaced the other), and I'm also working on another, more private, 100 day goal. This idea was inspired by a couple of websites I came across, and I thought "why the hell not?" If you're interested, here they are:
Advanced Life Skills
100 Projects
As for Conan, he is devoting the next few months to something he has always wanted to carve the time out to do--write. So far, he has been pretty successful, publishing an article (and another on the way), as well as working on his book. He's also been enjoying working out and cooking us all very good meals. If you haven't read it already and are interested, here is a link to his most recent article:
Conan's Article
Lastly, Sila. Well, life hasn't changed much for him. He is still going to school and will continue to do so until the end of March. One big thing that has changed is his room. We got rid of his bed and now he sleeps in a tent that Santa brought for him. Needless to say, he is stoked. I've included pictures for you to get a visual of the coolest room ever.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Christmas, New Year's, and Weirdest Place Ever
Christmas has come and gone, and overall, it was a really good day. Santa came, as expected, so it was a good thing we left some cookies and carrots (for the reindeer), as well as some dinosaurs to keep guard.
Sila was excited to open his many gifts: a cool snake puzzle, dinosaurs, and t-shirts from MooMoo; a few DVDs, action figurines, and an excavator truck from Santa; and books and clothes from mom and dad.
For New Year's we decided to take a little reprieve from the city and go visit a rare place in Cambodia: wooded land. For more reading on deforestation in Cambodia, click here: http://www.wildlifealliance.org/page/view/71/forests
The place? Kirirom National Forest. So we hopped on a bus and took off.
A few short hours in, the driver indicated we were to get off. Sila decided to puke about five minutes before, so as Conan was scooping puke from the seat and putting it into Sila's blanket, I was grabbing all our stuff and frantically getting off the bus. Thankfully, once we got off, we had an audience of about ten Khmers, observing our every move. Stripping Sila and putting new clothes on him? Yup, they were there. Conan wrapping all clothes and puke into the blanket? Yup, Khmers.
Finally with a smile and a sigh, we were ready to hop on two motorbikes and head down a road to the Kirirom Hillside Resort, which boasted horseback riding, spa/sauna, fitness center, pool, dinosaur park, zoo, fishing, kayaking...all for a cool $50 a night.
When we got there...well...it was Cambodian fabulous, as we like to say.
First, let me diverge: "fabulous" to us means the epitome of a culture's most kitschy things. This term first came up as we were living in Tennessee came across many people who were, well, Tennessee fabulous.
Oh, there were dinosaurs and parks and pools and a spa/sauna (but you had to tell someone when you wanted to go in so they could turn it on), as well as a zoo and other the other "fabulous" items boasted on the website. Was it all in functional quality? Not really. Was there ANYONE else at the resort? Nope. Was it weird? Yup. Was it the weirdest place we have ever been? Yup.
Despite it being slightly creepy and everything being a bit defunct and Sila puking every other day and me puking and the other thing for six straight hours and being bedridden for over a day, we had a good time but decided to call it quits a bit early and head back to PP. Ah, PP. There is no place like home....except America.
So there you go. I'll leave you with a few more pictures (of Sila, of course). Hope all is well with everyone, and if you're still with me because this is the longest blog post ever, then much love to you!
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