Michele the Explorer

I had the pleasure of meeting Michele Martin while volunteering with Cambodian Children's Painting Project in July. She had such a positive and exciting experience while volunteering with CCPP that she decided she had to find a way to continue her work with the beautiful children of Cambodia. After a few months of planning & raising funds back home in Pennsylvania, she returned to Cambodia earlier this month. Sihanoukville is the first of many stops to come; Michele is planning to spend the next few months painting murals at orphanages & various childcare centers throughout Southeast Asia. If you want to learn more about Miss Martin's fantastic and inspiring adventure, you can visit her site at : http://www.teachingmitchell.org/

Michele recently posted this fantastic video, documenting the walk from the CCPP Gallery in Sihanoukville down the “main road” to Serendipity Beach. This exact path was one that I took at least once per day. Judging by the sunshine dancing on the water, I'd say she filmed this in the late afternoon, which was my absolute favorite time to head down to the shore. Along the way, you’ll see Cambodian construction workers, stray animals, big random piles of rocks/dirt, a motorbike taxi and even THE famous JJ’s Playground Beach Bar. As someone who fell head over heels for Cambodia, I had such a strong reaction to this video- think Michele has perfectly captured the essence and vibe of Sinville in this short clip. She also included a pretty sweet soundtrack (for some reason, sound doesn't kick in until :35) and though the footage is a bit wobbly, I think it adds to the charm. Not sure if this is a “you had to be there” situation, but this video gave me goose bumps and the desire to look up flights to fly back to Cambodia as soon as possible…. enjoy!

Watch the video by clicking on this link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJZ_gS_DCZA

Its. My. Life.

I am a huge believer in listening to & trusting your instinct; whenever I (rarely) ignore my gut, I end up somewhere I shouldn't be and don't want to be. At this point, I'm sort of waiting for the "green light from within" on when to head home. I haven't the slightest idea when that will be, which is why "when do you plan on coming home?" stumps me every time.


That being said, November 18th was a really scary day for me. For a full 24 hours, it looked like I was finally headed home. No funds + no employment = no way to keep on keeping on. Don't get me wrong; home is not a bad place by any means. When I do eventually return home, it'll be oh-so-sweet. However, I just *know* its not homeward bound time for me yet. Thankfully, I landed the job at Mac's BrewBar and more recently, a three-month position with the government. Phew. Funds replenished and mission extended.

Along with the aforementioned low points, there have certainly been some pretty sweet highs. In fact, you might have noticed that every time I've let myself hit rock bottom with finances or opportunity, something amazing usually happens. This time, my sweet reward came in the form of 4th row seats and backstage passes at the Bon Jovi concert in Wellington. Let's start at the beginning...

While working at Mac's on Friday afternoon, these two guys came up to me and asked me if it was a holiday in NZ or something. Basically- why is everyone dressed in costume? I explained that in Wellington, people dress up for no good reason. Any gathering that involves adults and alcohol will include at least a handful of costumes. Its weird, but I've become used to it. From there, they asked me where I'm from and it turned out we were all Americans: they're from Vermont and Minnesota. After a brief intermission so I could pour a few more pitchers and pints, I found them at the end of the bar and we discussed what brought each of us to Wellington and turns out... they're sound techs for Bon Jovi, who had a massive concert here the next night. Without much effort on my part, they offered backstage passes and tickets to the show. For free. Since Liora was vacationing in the wine country for the weekend (tough life), I invited my friend Kyle. I met him at JJ's Playground -THE bar in Sihanoukville- back in July and after talking, we figured out that we were both from California AND that we'd both be living in Wellington at the end of 2010.

Me & Takumi

Fast forward to Saturday, which just so happened to be the most beautiful day I've had in Welly, so far. After sharing a bottle of Chardonnay in the sunshine down on the waterfront, Kyle and I walked over to the WestPac Stadium, where Takumi met us at Will Call and handed us our official Guest Passes. Score. He escorted us around backstage, where we saw Jon & Richie's dressing rooms, met the rest of the sound techs, checked out the guitar selection, and were gifted something like fifty guitar picks from Takumi's collection. AC/DC, Kid Rock, Bon Jovi, etc. I don't play guitar, but I suppose they could be valuable at some point?

Above: Backstage with Richie's favorite guitar
Below: Richie onstage with his favorite guitar

We were invited to eat dinner at craft service with the media & crew and then met Takumi backstage to get our tickets. Turns out, he had scored some 4th row seats for us and managed to grab two extra copies of the show's set list for us to follow along. What a guy. The concert was fantastic and at times, felt like one big 30,000 person sing-along.

Jon Bon

JBJ definitely still has it going on, and he knows it- he was bouncing around all over the stage and even though he hasn't updated his moves since Bon Jovi's glory days, he looked pretty good up there. Personally, I found Richie to be far more talented than Jon Bon; better guitar skills, more powerful voice and less of a "look at me, I was huge in the 80's" factor. Although I was really only familiar with about 7 out of the 23 songs, I really loved the show- how can you not enjoy a live show when you're 4th row out of 30,000 seats? For free. The highlights for me were Bad Medicine, Lay Your Hands on Me, Runaway and Livin' on a Prayer (see clip attached).

Sweet, sweet view from our seats

The moral of this story has two sides. For starters, good things happen to friendly people. Had I not chatted up Takumi and Andy the same way that I chat up anyone who seems harmless and interesting, we wouldn't have even gotten to the whole "Bon Jovi" topic. I'm not bragging, I'm recommending.

On stage before the doors opened

Secondly, its ok to hit rock bottom. As the saying goes, "once you hit rock bottom, the only way is up". If you can manage to go with the flow, even it seems like you're drowning, hang in there - before you know it, you'll end up exactly where you're supposed to be. Take my hand, we'll make it, I swear. Oh, livin' on a prayer.

Family matters

From India to Germany to Cambodia to Australia, I have essentially been chasing Summer since I left home. No matter the country, my favorite thing to do each day is sit in the sunshine. Recently, I spent the afternoon walking up (and I mean UP- Wellington has some SF-style hills!) to the Botanical Gardens in town. Armed with a banana, a water bottle and my book, I found a bench among the flowers and sat there for a good hour, enjoying the peace and quiet. But this was not just any bench. I always need the seat with sun; direct sunlight. While out to lunch or drinks with friends, everyone knows that I'll gladly take the chair that has no access to shade. I can easily spend a full eight hours on a towel in the sand on a beach and be perfectly happy, even on a hot and humid day. If I'm in a city with good weather, I'll happily (and automatically) plan my day around any outdoor activities I can find. If there isn't one to choose from, I'll probably find a way to convince myself that drinking a pint at an outdoor cafe is a good use of time.

"I get it from my Mama." And well, she gets it from her father. My grampie was the classic "sun worshipper". I can't remember ever seeing him without a dark tan; he happily created outdoor projects around the house for himself, which conveniently allowed/required more time in the sun. If he wasn't working on something at home, he was probably helping out with a project for a neighbor or down at the church. But usually in the sun. Even in his final weeks, Grampie always insisted on being taken outside for our visits together. Luckily, Palo Alto is blessed with warm weather on what seems like 360 days a year, and Grampie took full advantage. My last visit with Grampie involved being outdoors, in direct sunlight, with a big grin on his face. Every time someone has jokingly (but seriously) called me a "sun worshipper" on this trip, I think of Grampie and instantly grin.

left: me & grampie, 1983
right: mooloolaba beach, australia in november

To most people, butterflies are beautiful and enchanting creatures. To me, they are a sign of guidance and assurance. You don't have to understand it, but for me- seeing a butterfly is my grandma's way of saying "I'm right here and you're doing great." When I was little, my dad's mom told me a story about how two butterflies had been lingering near the garden of a mother who had just lost her two sons in a tragic car accident back in Pembroke, Mass. I was pretty young at the time, but the story stuck with me as I got older and had to learn to deal with deaths of loved ones.

Although my dad's dad sadly passed away when I was a toddler, losing my grandma in 2002 was really my first time dealing with a death in the family. From her big laugh, to her bright white tennis shoes, and her "oh VOW!"s, she was one hell of a lady. The tattoo of a butterfly on my hip is my way of keeping grandma here with me at all times. But if I had a dollar for every time I've had a random butterfly land on me, linger near me, or come directly within my path, I could probably afford another eight months of travel. Maybe to you, they're just pretty moths. As cheesy and silly as it may sound, seeing a butterfly at random is the highlight of my day and I choose to think of it as my grandma's way of giving me a thumbs up sign.

left: me & grandma, 1983
right: kissing a butterfly on island of mainau, germany in may

On a lighter note, Happy Thanksgiving to everyone at home! Figured I'd put up a "heavy" post to go with the "heavy" meal you'll be eating today. Wink face. If you're surrounded by family and food and wine today, make sure to appreciate every minute of it. Cheers!

New chapter in New Zealand!

I've been here in Wellington for a full week now. The kicker? I'm planning to stay for at least three months. It was strange to unpack my bags, knowing that I won't be packing them up again for a while. Liora Saad (another Paly '01 grade) and her awesome boyfriend, Matt, picked me up from the airport at 1 a.m. on Saturday night and brought me to OUR apartment. Yes, I have housing that doesn't involve bunk beds, cigarette smokers, binge drinking on random Wednesday nights or waiting to use the communal computer. Liora first came to NZ on a year long work visa (same situation for me) over three years ago, and has now established Kiwi residency. She absolutely loves life in Wellington and has acclimated to New Zealand life quite well! While she misses the GAP, Jamba Juice & Aveda products, she has adjusted somewhat seemlessly to NZ's relaxed and easy paced lifestyle- "island living".

Without wasting any time, I jumped right into job hunting on Monday morning- not because I was anxious to set an alarm & be liable for showing up at a certain place at a given time, but because Australia was expensive and I could barely afford to buy milk this week. Per Liora's advice, I had already booked an appointment in town with a temp agency she had used in the past. It felt strange to put on a skirt and cardigan, walk across town with an armful of documents, and then sit in front of a computer (typing/spelling/data entry tests) for a few hours. It felt familiar, but wrong; I'm not ready for desk work yet. Besides, there's plenty of that waiting for me when I get home. The next few days, I focused my search more on the retail and hospitality end of things. Ya know- the type of job that puts more emphasis on chit-chatting with locals and would be possible to accomplish with a hangover. Before you judge my rationalization for getting an "easy" job, let me just remind you that New Zealand produces some of the world's best Sauvignon Blancs and that just so happens to be my favorite white wine. I'm only thinking ahead and being realistic.

Water sculpture on Cuba Street

Beginning Tuesday, I'll join the waitstaff of Mac's Brewpub: http://www.thebrewerybar.co.nz/
Ironically, Liora took me to Mac's for lunch on my first day here in Wellington; its that kind of place- where locals bring their friends from out of town. Good beer, gourmet pub food in a laid-back but inviting waterfront atmosphere. Should be good. Unfortunately, NZ as a country doesn't typically tip their waitstaff, but this also results in lower service expectations. Overall, there's just a lot less "How is everything? Can I get you anything else? How is the food tasting?". Not mad about that.

I've also been thrilled to find out about FOUR potential visitors to NZ while I'm here! One of my oldest friends in the world, Virginia Levanas, is heading to NZ with her fantastic boyfriend Joe. I've hung out with the two of them a few times before, and somehow drinks are always involved. Drinks and lots of laughter. I'm really hoping it works out to see them while they're here! Also, my old boss from OMM (+ her new husband) in February, Victoria (CCPP) in December and possibly another- yes, another Paly graduate who I haven't seen in about a decade.

Window display in Welly

Life is good, Wellington is sweet, and this blog was totally overdue for an update. So there you have it! For the first time in eight months, I feel completely settled. A new job, a new cell phone, a new bank account, a new IRD number (NZ's version of SSN), and a new apartment. A whole new life.

The city of Wellington deserves its own blog post, so stay tuned for that. With the vibe of Berkeley plus the food scene of San Francisco, a splash of Venice Beach's street performing and a sprinkling of Seattle's outdoor lifestyle, its really no wonder that just a week ago, Lonely Planet proclaimed this city as the 4th Best City in the World to Visit (see link below). Either I have incredibly good timing, or good luck. Either way, its all good here in Welly!

http://www.3news.co.nz/Lonely-Planet-names-Wellington-4th-best-city/tabid/420/articleID/184146/Default.aspx

Thankful

It hasn't been the easiest week here in Sydney. A combination of factors- my funds have hit a painful new low (ouch) and I'm pretty sad (er- devastated) to realize that the "hard" part of my trip is basically over. I know; you're like, wait did I read that correctly? She's upset that the difficult part is over? Yes. I am. Being in Australia is so easy. Couldn't be any easier. I don't feel like I'm putting my mind and body to the test, like some of the other places I've been. The weather is comfortable, everyone speaks English, the food looks like it does at home and all of the TV channels feature familiar shows. Bo-ring. Aside from the possibility of meeting Seana Norvell in February for some more "hard" travel, it's been bothering me lately that the next five months (Australia & New Zealand) should be smooth sailing.

Junior year of college, I was enrolled in "Counseling 101", where we often took turns sitting in the middle of the classroom and allowed the nineteen other classmates to act as our communal Counselor. When it was my turn to sit in the chair, I talked about why I love to travel so much; how I love having the "sh_t scared out of me". I really do! But only when it comes to travel and exploration. Bungee jumping? No way jose. Riding Drop Zone? Nope, I'm good. But plunking myself down in a foreign land with only a map, a Lonely Planet and a camera? While most people would find that terrifying, I can't think of anything more thrilling and exhilarating.

I figured that this trip would sort of get the travel bug out of my system. Thats what I was hoping for, anyway. While I am looking forward to being back in the Bay, buying a Prius (hah!) and staying put for a minute, I'm not sure that this bug will ever leave my system. I mean, I'm still "traveling" here in Sydney, but I feel like I want more. Oops. Instead of extinguishing the travel bug, I think I created a monster.

While I've been interviewing for jobs and hanging out in Sydney this week, I've tried to deflect any feelings of "poor me" with thoughts of how MUCH I have to be thankful for, since there's plenty of that to go around. These past seven months have been absolutely incredible and among the people and places I am thankful for, here are just a few things that have helped make each day the best day I've ever had.

SKYPE

Without it, I wouldn't be able to see my parents happily sitting side by side as we exchange updates every few weeks. I wouldn't be able to see that funny eyebrow thing Mikhael does when he looks surprised or confused. I wouldn't have been able to take part in last Saturday's "Girl's Night" with four of my best friends from home. Skype is the best thing that ever happened to people who are away from home from long periods of time. And it's free! Double thank you.

ENGLISH

In any hostel, at any given time, English is being spoken. I can't even express to you how lucky we are to have our mother tongue as the default language between cultures. While on a snorkeling trip in Lovina, I was in a car with two groups of Germans, some Dutch and a two Spaniards. Without any hesitation, the conversation was in English. While I wish I was able to speak more than one language fluently (remind me to work on my Spanish when I get home) so that I could let other people be the ones using their native language, I am so thankful that English seems to be the universal language of travelers.

WORDS WITH FRIENDS

Constant entertainment, chat capabilities, and intellectual stimulation. By far the best App on my iPod & I am so thankful to have a fun and interactive way to stay competitive- I mean "connected" with my friends.

KATE

My sister is amazing. She responds to every email with lightening speed AND a genuine interest in everything I have to say. She keeps me up-to-date on everything from hilarious family antics to general Palo Alto gossip. She's always anxious for another Skype date, which makes me feel incredibly loved. She's shown unwavering support for me and my crazy trip, even though it means she's sans her best friend for 365 days. Our two week trip through Thailand together was more than enough to be thankful for, but I am so *grateful* for Kate Elizabeth. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine". =)

How To Speak Australian

Sure, we speak the same language as the Aussies. But its hard to understand these people, at times! Below is a little guide for some of the catchphrases and slang I've picked up on while I've been here.

"Macca's" - McDonald's. The focus on the Aussie chains of McDonald's is more on fresh & less on fast. Higher prices but much better food.

"Cuppa" - Cup of Tea. Ex: "Would you like a cuppa?"

"Brekkie" - Nickname for breakfast and often spotted on menus (including Macca's).

"How ya going?" - How are you doing? In fact, saying "how are you doing?" is a dead giveaway that you're not a local.

"Good on ya" - Nice job. Well done. Congrats.

"Is that all you're after?" - Will that be it for you? Often heard at the cashier stand of a store or the end of a meal.

"Skull" - finish or "pound" a drink. Often used when referring to beer. Speaking of beer...

"Tinny" - can of beer

"Stubby" - bottle of beer

"Goon" - box of wine

"Hash" - the pound sign or the letter "H".

"Gorgeous" - Delicious. Funny how we use the same adjectives but mix them all up so they have different meanings.

Oh and newsflash: despite the convincing advertising campaign (see YouTube link below to refresh your memory), Australians do not actually drink Foster's beer. Most of them have never even heard of the brand! Heartbreaking. In other news, they really DO say "barbie" (barbecue), which always makes me laugh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOOWbMIrYMo&feature=related

Surviving Sydney

Its been an interesting first week here in Australia. Within minutes of arriving at Sydney Airport, I was pulled aside at the Immigration Office and taken into a small room, where a very friendly but stern lady interrogated me about my plans in Australia. She "noticed" that this was the first English speaking country I've been to for a few months and asked how my funds were holding up. They are incredibly thorough with their immigration checks here! I assured her that my money situation was completely fine (total lie) and that I had absolutely no intention of working during my visit (even bigger lie).

Sydney is a gorgeous city and although I've spent my days trying to avoid spending money (aka, mostly eating off the McDonald's Dollar Menu), perusing Gumtree (Australia's version of Craigslist) and dropping off resumes all over the place, I have really enjoyed my visit so far. Australia reminds me of home in so many ways- its nice to be able to eavesdrop on stranger's conversations on the street; I enjoy blending in, since I could be a local just as easily as I could be a tourist- that hasn't happened since Germany; its nice to get directions somewhere and work with street names like Market Street and Elizabeth Avenue! Also, hearing actual (as opposed to extremely outdated) Top 40 songs in restaurants, bars and shops makes me feel a little bit closer to home. Teach me how to Dougie.

Coogee Beach

At the moment, I'm staying in a 10 person dorm at WakeUp! Hostel in the center of Sydney. I've had a really great time getting to know each of my dorm mates & love being able to say "Oh I was just there!", when they mention where they're from: Germany, Denmark, England, Finland and New York are all represented in Dorm Room 205. Most backpackers seem to have plans to stay in Australia for least six months and most of them (present company excluded) have work visas. I have no idea how the New Yorker got his work visa, since I was told over and over again that its essentially impossible for an American to obtain a work visa. In a nutshell, what I've learned this week is that Australia is shockingly expensive, my funds are dropping to an unhealthy low amount, and finding a cash job has proven to be a much more difficult task than I was envisioning.

Boxed wine = "goon"

But don't feel too bad for me; I have been having a pretty great time here, so far! My friend Ashley from Montreal (who I met while I was in Phuket, Thailand), has been living in Sydney with her awesome boyfriend Joe since July. They both work at an adorable little breakfast/lunch cafe in Randwick, which leaves their evenings available for exploring with me! They have been showing me a great time, including a minor run-in with the Australian police in Coogee Beach. Apparently its illegal to drink beer on the beach after sunset. Good to know! Saturday night, we met up in Darling Harbor for some fish & chips and then drank a box of cheap wine while watching the fireworks show over the harbor.

Fireworks over Darling Harbor

Despite far too many false alarms with employment, I am happy to report that I will be working Friday through Sunday at a Baby Expo at the Sydney Convention Center. Random? Yes. Hourly cash wage? Absolutely! On Monday, I'll head out of Sydney an into either a farm or coffee plantation or yoga retreat. Yesterday, I became a member of WWOOF: Willing Workers on Organic Farms. I was scanning through the listings of available locations and some of them sound so great! If you aren't familiar with WWOOFing, I'll let this article do the explaining:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/good-living/woofing-a-howling-success/2010/01/25/1264267963953.html

My friend Melissa recently WWOOFed her way through Europe with her husband- check out the hilarious and informative blog about their experience! http://nortonsvault.blogspot.com/

I think WOOFing will be a great way for me to experience Australia, without struggling to afford expensive cities like Sydney ($30 per night for a 10 person dorm room? Psh, I'll pass), and I might even learn a thing or two about organic farming! Who knows, I could arrive home and be able to make homemade soap or clean a cattle barn or plow a field! And here I was, thinking I'd have a hard time finding employment in SF. So many perks to traveling, I tell ya!

More later. Its about 90 degrees outside and I have a date with Bondi Beach today. Cheers, mate!

Maura the Explorer Down Under