In My Humble Opinion...

these...

should not be built with these...

...but right now, unfortunately, they are.

It's durian season, and everywhere I went today, I saw pyramids of durian on the sides of the streets for sale. That means the streets reek of durian. I'm not sure how to describe the scent of durian, but it's awful. Like I held my breath every time I walked by one of those elaborate triangular structures today and hoped that by the time I exhaled and inhaled again, I wouldn't be able to smell it anymore. That worked...most of the time.

At one point in the angkot today, I smelled the following combination of smells: car exhaust, durian, rotten fruit peels that had been out in the tropical sun all day, and cigarette smoke. Good thing I'm not sick to my stomach today! lol. Hope you enjoyed a little glimpse of the smells of the tropics of Asia :)

A Window into Driving

This is not my blog or my country, but this post is hilariously true, so I thought I'd share a window into driving in SE Asia. Enjoy :) Oh, and I'm about to start learning how to drive a moto, so look forward to more blogs of my own about driving experiences!


http://lifeinthai.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/driving-in-thailand/

Another Day, Another Look

Today, the first person I saw outside of my own house looked at me like this:

(Ignore the words written over the photo...yes I "borrowed" this from google images.) Seriously, though, a guy drove by me in his car and literally stared at me with his jaw dropped and a shocked look on his face. I wanted to say, "Yes, sir, we do exist. It's not just some fabricated myth that Hollywood made up. There are in fact white people in this world!" But of course, I only said that to myself...and laughed out loud to myself as I kept walking, wondering what he was saying to the person on the other end of the cell phone he was talking on while staring at me while driving. Chances are, if both of your hands are needed for something, your brain should be in on it too, just sayin.

Oh, and today, I tried tofu pudding. Interesting.

Haven't Posted in Awhile

So here are some random thoughts and pictures.

We killed (and when I say "we", I mean my roommate!) the largest cockroach we've seen--on her bed. Gross!

MSG...I hate it. Every time I eat it, I get increasingly sicker :\ Unfortunately, there's virtually no way to avoid it, it seems.

Got some fun packages for my birthday...here's one of the things we've really enjoyed :)

We had some students over a couple weekends ago for a cookie decorating, popcorn eating, movie extravaganza! Believe it or not, 8 girls polished off 50 cookies without my roomie and my help!

We stumbled upon a new coffee shop on our way to one of my student's weddings :) So, we were a little dressed up...who cares?! And, you can all be proud--this drink had coffee in it, and I actually liked it! I mean, it was cold and wet, and I live on the equator, and that outfit I'm wearing...pretty much the hottest most uncomfortable thing I've ever owned! lol. At least I only have to wear it for a couple hours at a time!

Today I bought jeruk bali and veggies that resemble brussel sprouts, so I'm very excited :) Here's a picture of a jeruk bali. It's pretty much a gigantic (think size of junior basketball) grapefruit but way juicier and way sweeter! So yummy :)

Welp, hope you enjoyed my random splatterings of the last few weeks!

Musings of a Girl who Lives in SE Asia

• Today I got asked if I was from China or Holland. Like those were the only 2 options given. Do I look either Chinese or Dutch?!
• Today I once again got asked if I wanted to marry someone (this time, a guy in the public transportation vehicle)
• Today I told a friend a story of how not eco-friendly we are here (aka how much plastic is used). She told me to blog about it, so here goes: The other day I bought face wash at the store. Now apparently face wash is a valuable item here because it's practically locked up like cigarettes and alcohol are in the states. So, you tell the lady standing by the face wash that you want it, she takes it, writes a receipt (note use of paper) and gives the receipt to you which you then take up to the cashier and pay with the rest of your groceries. You then take the stamped receipt to the information desk where they have already placed your face wash in cellophane, which perfectly fits the container of face wash. You had them the receipt, and they place the cellophaned face wash in yet another plastic bag, also the same size as the face wash. You then place this doubly-plasticked face wash in your larger plastic grocery bag that you already have full of groceries, resulting in triple protection--cuz you never know what could happen to face wash!
• Today I spent 2 hours at the travel agent buying plane tickets because the 10 people that called while I was arranging my tickets got their tickets booked first while I waited to continue being helped.
• Today I enjoyed boba...oh how I love it!
• Today I got to hang out with some junior high kids and help them with English :)
• Today my roommate told me that a cockroach was sitting in her retainer case. Can we say DISGUSTING?!
• Today I found a gecko in a dirty mixing bowl in the sink. It looked dead and didn't move when I moved the bowl, but when I came back later, it was gone. The mystery of the missing cicak.
• Today I walked with an umbrella in the sun cuz I'm told that's what you do here. Why was I the only one doing that?
• Today I mused about the fact that every time I feel a tickle on my skin, I automatically assume it's an ant, not a piece of hair or anything else, an ant. Maybe cuz that's this happens oh 20x a day. My roommate and I wondered the other day how long it'll take us when we move back to the states to NOT think that that tickle is an ant.
• Today I'm grateful to be here and be able to laugh at all the above things :)

Sometimes I Forget....

...that I look different than everyone else around me.

I had a moment like that today in the mall. I suddenly noticed EVERYONE around me staring at me and my two other white friends. At first, I was like, "Why is everyone staring at us?!" And then I remembered, "Oh ya, I'm in SE Asia and look different from everyone else!" We're kind of a novelty here because not many foreigners come through our city. Most days I'm VERY aware of that fact, but today, I just forgot. Maybe that's another sign that this is home now--I see those around me as no different from myself so I expect them to see me the same way. Or maybe it's because I was a sick hermit in my room all day yesterday so I forgot I was in another country. I choose to think the former is true :)

Trip to the Waterfall

The clouds have become one of my favorite things about living here

This is a durian tree--no comment necessary

Keeping ourselves occupied while the others were "lost"

Green and mountain! Same mountain we hiked before where I made some friends with leeches

Lynette and me

Crazy friends :)

Waterfall!!!

Reminded me of the waterfall in Honduras--shout out to my Honduras team :)

Isn't that amazing?!

Cave to the left of the waterfall--dad I thought of you and all the mine shafts we've found together

Tika and Valerie being crazy!

Today was amazing, enjoying nature with friends. Seeing Him all around me like that was so refreshing, just like being at home 4wheeling or hiking in the mountains--some of the best places I enjoy time with Him. I'm excited to be able to come here alone another day (when I can drive a motorcycle) and just be. Good day :)