tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91330172024-03-14T05:10:36.959-06:00SupercordsYou are a runner and I am my father's sonSupercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14516452165667442506noreply@blogger.comBlogger427125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-88775228730150563472016-05-06T21:44:00.001-06:002016-05-06T21:44:28.720-06:00Trails With a View<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm back in Utah and trail running again. Looking forward to this coming race season. </div>
Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-59108014141949366672015-09-30T01:57:00.000-06:002015-09-30T01:57:06.472-06:00And Just Like That, My First Semester Is In The Books!Seems like only a short time ago I was struggling to learn names and figure out how to teach 40+ students at the same time. I've since moved into my own classroom and feel very comfortable teaching them possessive pronouns and demonstratives.<br />
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Here's my empty classroom after first moving in</div>
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Ready for class</div>
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My four classes<br />
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We held a teacher training where I ran into Jung again. She was the counterpart of another PCV before I arrived. </div>
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Recognizing two retiring faculty for their service at our school's 77th anniversary celebration.</div>
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Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-63036712017645924212015-09-30T00:58:00.000-06:002015-09-30T00:58:46.695-06:00Angkor Wat Marathon 2015Traveled into Cambodia with other PCVs to Siem Reap to run the Angkor Wat Marathon. The overland journey getting there was rough. I don't recommend it. Easier to fly. Spent all day Saturday exploring the many temples through the Angkor Wat area with Pete. He gets credit for the photos below with me in them.<br />
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The marathon was on Sunday. Only part of it took place inside the park area, which would have been more scenic had I not seen everything the day before. Marathons are painful, so it's hard (for me at least) to appreciate what's around me. Also, I had to go #2 for half the race, and there weren't any port-a-johns on the course.<br />
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But, I made it to the end. Here I am with Alyssa completely exhausted. </div>
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All of us in front of the Angkor Wat temple with our medals.</div>
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<br />Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-6455400402316654542015-07-20T01:38:00.000-06:002015-07-20T01:38:13.503-06:00Life in Chanthaburi: Welcome to my house!I've had many requests to take pictures of my home to share, so this post is devoted to my happy place here in Thailand. Whether it's crazy students, pouring rain, angry dogs, or chaotic traffic--I always have the peace and quiet of my little house to escape to. I feel very fortunate to have found it.<br />
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I live at the end of a cul-de-sac which means there is very little noise from cars and mopeds. It's a split level house, meaning I share a wall with my neighbors. They have since moved out, but when they lived there, I never heard them. Not even once. Must be a thick wall.<br />
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I'm on the left in the picture. You'll notice that my house is well above street level. This is a huge plus living in the rainiest region of Thailand. I also like the built in bench on my front porch. Directly across the street is a garden area cared for by an elderly lady who lives a few doors down. It allows me to see storms rolling in, which I like. <br />
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My front room is pretty much empty except for my shoes and useless bike, which I mainly use as an indoor drying rack for my laundry. I walk everywhere, or catch a songtow if headed downtown. I added the curtains for privacy. <br />
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A long hallway extends to the back of the house. There are two bedrooms on off to the left. Like most of Asia, flooring is either tile or wood. Carpet is disgusting. America is slow to realize this. <br />
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First door on the left is my bedroom. This is where I spend most of my time. I set up a cardboard box for a desk and I use my bed as a chair. Another box is used as a fan stand. My dresser is made from plastic and my closet is a clothing rack. Furniture is expensive and difficult to get back home. I had the A/C unit installed after moving in. The Peace Corps doesn't have to mean suffering :)<br />
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It was important to me to have a real bed, not just a mattress on the floor. I don't like critters crawling atop of me while I sleep. <br />
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I turned the second bedroom into a pantry/storage room. Since I don't have a real kitchen, I put my fridge and other kitchen items in here. The top of my fridge makes a great shelf. <br />
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My kitchen nook is really just a sink with a small counter top. I recently extended it out with the folding table to keep my butane stove and pans on. If you hear music blasting from my house, it's likely because I'm in this area, cooking or doing laundry. <br />
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Around the corner, looking out from the bathroom.<br />
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My bathroom. Much roomier than my tiny Japanese bathroom. Complete with TWO towel racks, shelf, sink, and mounted mirror. <br />
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No hot water heater on the shower. The cold showers haven't been that bad--not enough to make me buy a water heater anyway. Water pressure is great, which goes a long way. I'm just thankful for not having to take bucket showers using standing water from a trough like many other volunteers.<br />
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So that's my house. I'm pretty happy with it. Stop by anytime. Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-269540382827148992015-06-14T04:38:00.000-06:002015-06-14T04:38:58.235-06:00School Begins!My life has gotten a lot crazier lately now that school is back in session. We are currently 3 weeks in and I can honestly say I'm enjoying it. My students are great, I'm getting along with my co-teacher Jeab, the school has been very supportive, and I'm finally getting the opportunity to test out all the new ideas I wanted to try out.<br />
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I teach two Matayom 1 classes and two Marayom 2 classes. It's like our Jr. High level. I see each class four times a week, which I really like. Other PCVs don't get to see their classes as often, which makes it much tougher for the students to actually retain anything.<br />
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Being introduced to the student body by our school director</div>
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I currently teach in what's called the ASEAN room. It's where all the important school meetings take place, so it's nicer than most of the classrooms. The classroom we will be teaching in is under construction and will be done soon. </div>
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This is my co-teacher Jeab. </div>
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I also teach the school faculty on Monday afternoons. I make sure to keep it light and fun, just like my student classes. I'm basically teaching them the same things as my kids. </div>
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Meanwhile, rainy season is doing its thing. I love this shot from fellow PCV Danica of her school after a big rain storm. The school continues with lunch as if a foot of muddy water was no big deal. </div>
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Brandon, a PCV friend of mine who went home early, visited Mary and I with his girlfriend. We had a fun dinner out. </div>
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The next day we traveled north to Brian's site where we hiked to a waterfall. </div>
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Last week was Wai Khru, a special school day where the students pay respect to their teachers. Here's a shot of our 700+ students.</div>
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I was up on stage with the other teachers</div>
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Some of my students presenting gifts. </div>
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Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-72832204469558835802015-05-14T02:04:00.000-06:002015-05-14T02:04:44.762-06:00Summer Break 2<div style="text-align: center;">
Songkran is the three day water fight festival throughout Thailand. This was the scene in front of my host family's house.</div>
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It was also during this holiday that I moved out on my own earlier than anticipated. It's a complicated story that those in my journal email ring are privy to. Sorry general public :)</div>
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First things first: set up the wifi</div>
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Brian, a nearby PCV, came into town and we hit the awesome weekend market downtown. Too many food options to choose from.</div>
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Rainy season came early. Thank goodness, because it's been a million degrees lately, and the rain cools things down a bit, despite the humidity. </div>
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Weekend trip to Rayong for a Peace Corps Consolidation test. It's what we do if there's a natural disaster or anarchy breaks out. We consolidate to a meeting point. In my case, it's at this sweet hotel with a pool. We made good use of it. </div>
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Shortly after that about 20 PCVs took a little vacation to Koh Mak, and island off the coast near where I live. It was a relaxing four days with this view.</div>
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School is starting this week and life will dramatically change. I'll try to get some pictures up of my rental house too. </div>
Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-39115183727023907892015-04-09T00:03:00.000-06:002015-04-09T00:03:05.495-06:00Summer BreakWe are currently on summer break until the new school year begins on May 18th. As such, I've had a lot of free time to explore the city of Chanthaburi with my host family, eat delicious food, and take a three day teacher retreat.<br />
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Chanthaburi is famous for having the largest Catholic cathedral in Thailand. It's an impressive looking building on the waterfront. </div>
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At the King Taksin Great Shrine and City Pillar Shrine with my host family. </div>
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Day trip to the National Maritime Museum </div>
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Dessert on Chanthaburi River </div>
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Vietnamese dinner at home. I could post dozens of amazing food pics here, but I'll let you visit my Facebook Timeline for those. </div>
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I was invited to join the end of school year teacher's retreat to Kanchanaburi, the other side of Thailand from where I live now. They chartered a party bus, and as you can see below, there was plenty of karaoke, drinking, and gambling the entire drive. </div>
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One of our first stops was to the famous River Kwai Bridge. </div>
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Srinagarind Dam</div>
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We visited several wats (temples), including this one at วัดบ้านถ้ำ<br />
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and this one at วัดถำ้มังกรทอง<br />
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But honestly, the highlight of the trip was this wonderful foot massage.<br />
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Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-64758736781356891112015-03-20T05:23:00.000-06:002015-03-20T05:23:56.769-06:00Joining the Ranks of the Peace CorpsSince arriving in Thailand on Jan. 11th, we have been wading through pre-service training, several months of technical and language instruction. All of that came to an end this week when 64 of us were finally sworn in as official Peace Corps Volunteers. We lost 7 along the way. We will likely lose more in the months to come. As we keep hearing, this is the toughest job you'll ever love.<br />
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Shared a tearful goodbye to my host family. They were so kind and generous to me since my arrival in Thailand. I am so grateful to them for making me feel like a member of the family. </div>
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We met our teaching counterparts for the first time. I will be working with Jeab for the next two years in the city of Chanthaburi. It's located on the Eastern Seaboard above the Gulf of Thailand. That's my school director on the right. </div>
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Later that afternoon I was introduced to my new host family who I will be living with for at least the next month. As you can see in the picture below, they are incredibly sweet and made me feel at home immediately. </div>
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I'm in love with my bedroom which features a/c and an on-suite bathroom. So much for roughing it in a jungle shack. :)</div>
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After a brief stint at an English camp today, Mary (another PCV from my group stationed in Chanthaburi) and I went with our co-teachers to the beach. School isn't in session until May, so we have a little time to rest and recover before things get crazy again. </div>
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DANGEROUS ZONE</div>
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DON'T STEPPED ON SLING</div>
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Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-602822239349937042015-03-07T22:43:00.000-07:002015-03-07T22:43:09.587-07:00The Rest of Pre Service Training (PST)Things got kind of crazy these past few weeks, so this post is a quick catch-up of what we've been up to. We had a mandatory cultural trip to a neighboring area. Most of us went to Lop Buri, a city overrun by monkeys. If the rage virus from 28 Days Later ever surfaces, this place will be ground zero. <br />
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David getting monkey attacked</div>
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I stumbled upon hundreds of ladies dancing in rhythm inside a temple. Pretty impressive. </div>
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We also took a trip to Bangkok to visit the Peace Corps office. </div>
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Visited the old train station and a cool temple near Chinatown.</div>
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We held a successful English camp for the some of the local kids. We will all be organizing these camps at our new sights. </div>
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A selfie from lunch out with my host brothers</div>
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And finally, this ASEAN poster. Bad English translation in the third line. </div>
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Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-17036649121139936102015-02-09T03:28:00.000-07:002015-02-09T03:29:08.523-07:00Out and About in Bang RachanWe are now halfway through our Peace Corps Training (PST), and the light at the end of the tunnel is nearly visible. Home life with my Thai family is great! While communication is basic--no deep thoughts are being exchanged--we still manage to be understood and enjoy each others company.<br />
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My little host brother busted up his arm playing soccer. I've taken over some of his dinnertime responsibilities, like setting the table and pouring water.</div>
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I have a lot of fun hanging out with our next door neighbor and her kids. </div>
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Our afternoon badminton games are pretty intense. We use a dirt lot, marking the boundaries with broken bricks. There's no net. This is Goon. She's awesome. </div>
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This is Chuck. He hosted a PCV 3 years ago and has befriended many of group 127. His English is amazing. </div>
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He's standing next to a jack fruit tree in his front yard. Those watermelon sized fruit with spikes on the outside. They look like a weapon. </div>
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This weekend he took me, Anna, and Rhianna on a tour of the surrounding area.Our first stop was at this cool little organic market where we loaded up on treats. Loved this old lady.</div>
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Eventually made it to a festival with tons of vendors. Could have used a few extra stomachs. But my first order of business was to buy a hat. The sun was brutal. </div>
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This trip was unexpected, unplanned, and I had no idea where we were going and when we'd be back. PCVs call this being Thaiknapped. Happy to have my first experience with it. </div>
Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-21235146048634343152015-01-30T23:10:00.000-07:002015-01-30T23:10:00.648-07:00Thai DayWe are approaching the halfway mark of our Pre Service Training (PST) here in hazy Bangrachan. I've yet to see a blue sky, which I believe is due to the ever present trash fires and burning of sugarcane fields. I dream of green jungle and clear skies in the North, where I hope to be assigned.<br />
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Our days are mostly filled with studying Thai or teacher training. It's a lot of sitting in hot classrooms trying to focus. Some days I feel like I've made a breakthrough, others I feel like I'm broken. I think we are all anxious to come out the other side of PST and get started.<br />
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Me with my first language group</div>
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This is how I feel by the time I bike home at the end of a long day in the classroom. (I shot this on the one day I got home early, only to find I was locked out of the house. Had to sit out front with our four dogs. I liked how he was using the pot as a pillow.) </div>
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This is from the little restaurant across the street from our training center. This plate costs 30 Baht. (almost $1)</div>
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On Saturday we celebrated Thai Day with performances from our teachers and American skits and dancing from the PCVs. This photo is of our teachers singing us a song about how glad they are to have us as students. There were a lot of tears shed. </div>
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We were served a big Thai feast at the end. I am very grateful to be serving in a country with such amazing food. </div>
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Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-7675906656976991252015-01-24T21:01:00.000-07:002015-01-24T21:01:31.263-07:00Bangrachan VillageOur transition out of the resort and into a host family in Bangrachan Village was a little unnerving for us. Nobody knew exactly what to expect. Would we be thrust into a situation where we can barely communicate with people who really want to communicate with us? Yes. Would we be taking cold bucket showers and squatting to poop for the next two months? Quite possibly. Would we be sleeping on a dirt floor and using stray dogs as blankets? Thankfully, no.<br />
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At last the wait was over. We met our new host families in a big room and were driven to our new homes for the next two months. Couldn't help but feel a sense of relief during the house tour when I saw I had my own room, a bed, and screens on the window. Things got better after spotting the heated shower, western toilet (sans seat), and washing machine. All in all, I have it pretty good. Wifi would have been frosting on the cake, but once I got data going on my phone, it wasn't a big deal.<br />
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Rice fields near my home </div>
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My host family's house</div>
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My bed area with my PC issued mosquito net</div>
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The first night was super awkward, as I was a stranger in a strange house with almost zero ability to speak in Thai. I wasn't sure what to do or when to do it. After talking to other volunteers, this seemed to be the norm. However, things got dramatically better over the next few days. Soon I was meeting neighbors and extended family, feeling independent on my bike, and becoming a member of the family rather than a guest. </div>
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A neighbor's pet squirrel</div>
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Language and technical training has been non stop since we arrived in Thailand. I feel like I'm back in high school and college--places I never wished to go back to. I'm not the greatest student, sleeping through a good portion of my classroom hours. It's even tougher for me to stay awake here with the heat, dressed in riap roy (business casual). I keep thinking--2 months, I can do this. </div>
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Group 127. There are 70 of us now after one went home. </div>
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Culture training</div>
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Community mapping bike ride with my language class</div>
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The silver lining to everything in Thailand is the food. It's been great!</div>
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Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-20074323338524661362015-01-15T04:17:00.000-07:002015-01-15T04:17:55.782-07:00Peace Corps Staging & PSTIt's been a whirlwind of activity since leaving Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport a week ago. What we all expected to be a three day staging in Seattle before leaving the country turned out to be just one afternoon.<br />
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We flew out the next morning for Bangkok, with a short stopover in Narita, Japan. Long enough for a tasty bowl of ramen. </div>
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Double-decker busses were waiting to transport us to our home for the next week--the Golden Dragon Resort in Singburi. The term resort is bandied about a bit more casually here than in the states. Rest assured, we aren't receiving spa treatments or swimming laps in the pool. (there's no pool) </div>
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We got a few hours rest that night and then it was straight to training. Information is being crammed into our heads at reckless speeds. We've received enough books and manuals to start a small library. </div>
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We enjoyed a special welcoming ceremony and a visit to meet the vice governor.</div>
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Today was bike day, where we received our new bikes and learned how to use them. Really nice to be out of the classroom for a change. </div>
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In two days we will be kicked out of our comfortable resort life existence and welcomed into the arms of our host families. From then on we will be biking to and from training ever day, rather than taking the elevator. More to come....<br />
Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-64994659654213717672015-01-08T20:14:00.000-07:002015-01-08T20:14:36.836-07:00Packed And Ready To Go!<div style="text-align: center;">
This is me for the next 27 months </div>
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How does one pack for a trip that lasts for 2+ years? It definitely takes a bit more planning than a weekend getaway. For me it starts with a detailed packing list. Thailand is hot year round, so all my warm weather clothing stays home. There's this thing called "riap roy", which I believe is their version of business casual, so I'm bringing what I consider to be an excessive number of polo shirts. (three)<br />
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Actually, I'm bringing very little clothing, as almost any apparel can be purchased there for dirt cheap. Thailand is notorious for their knockoffs. My focus has been on bringing items that I'm not certain will be available, or my favorite versions of them, like my plastic cutting boards and wooden mixing spoons. I've stashed two quality kitchen knives and a Magic Chef carrot peeler. I even squeezed in my salad spinner. I'd bring my blender, juicer, and food processor if I could. Obviously my priority is with kitchen tools.<br />
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I believe I am packing light, as I only have one large suitcase, a duffel, and my laptop bag. I could carry on my duffel and check another large suitcase, but it would be a huge pain to get around. A few other specialty items I made room for:<br />
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500 GB Hard Drive: Not only is it handy for backing up important files from my laptop, but I've caught wind of a flourishing black market hard drive exchange among peace corps volunteers. You never know when you might meet someone with decent taste in movies and music.<br />
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Trail Running Shoes: I limited myself to just two pair. I figure I can pick up some cheap road shoes there. Additionally I am bringing my hydration pack, about 5 pounds of GUs/electrolyte tabs/etc, and my Garmin watch. There are a lot of runners in the PC community. Looking forward to running some races with them.<br />
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Big Boggle: One of my favorite games. The letter cubes are also handy in the classroom.<br />
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Handheld GPS: I was so glad I brought my geocaching gear with me to Japan, so it was a no-brainer to bring it with me to Thailand. Hiking is more fun when there's a treasure hunt along the way.<br />
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Portable iPod speakers: I've lost track of how many trips and countries they have been with me. Perfect for listening to music around the house or on the beach.<br />
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Crossing my fingers that both bags make it to my final destination. I'm off to Seattle in the morning, and then Thailand on Saturday. <br />
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<br />Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-36238228787436570182014-12-29T21:22:00.000-07:002014-12-29T21:22:23.520-07:00Peace CorpsWith my increased use of Facebook, this blog has been woefully underused this past year. It's simply easier to post quick updates and photos on Facebook using my smart phone. Blogging began to feel obsolete. Well all that is about to change!<br />
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Yes, I know you've heard it all before. Promises to post on a regular basis followed by months of dormancy. But this time is different! For those out of the loop, I've spent the past year applying for (and being accepted by) the Peace Corps. I was invited to serve in Thailand; one of my top picks. I was there years before on a three week vacation and had a blast. This time around should be a little different.<br />
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Me, and about 70 other folks, make up Group 127 headed to Thailand on Jan 10th. We rendezvous in Seattle on the 9th. Time Stateside is running out. Peace Corps service is for 27 months--that's a lot to pack for. But, since I already did this before moving to Japan, it shouldn't be too complicated. I don't own a whole lot of stuff these days.<br />
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Check back here for regular updates on this new direction my life's taking. <br />
Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06697911994160595263noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-40875850582646993542014-05-24T18:11:00.000-06:002014-05-24T18:11:03.198-06:00Desert Running<div style="text-align: center;">
This is what my summer will look like</div>
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<br />Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14516452165667442506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-3832664354636751842014-01-23T18:27:00.000-07:002014-01-23T18:27:18.742-07:00San Tan Scramble 50K Race Report & PhotosHere is my race report from my journal, with photos. Enjoy.
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Up most of the night, and barely asleep when I wasn’t. Got maybe a couple hours. Up 5:45. Ate some oatmeal and drank a little chocolate almond milk. Jake and I got to the trailhead in the San Tan Mountain area by 6:30, and then proceeded to freeze our buns off until the start of the race at 7. I ate a section of banana and stripped down to shorts and a T with 5 minutes to go. We are both running the San Tan Scramble 50K, while Jen and Kimball are running the 9K at 8:30.<br />
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Feeling good, I started off fast, just as I stupidly do with every long distance race I’ve ever run. It’s a lesson I refuse to learn. Jake hung with me for several miles and then dropped back. I could still see him over my shoulder every time I looked back though. We were both in the top 10 during the first of three loops, which were about 10.7 miles each. There are 2 aid stations, not counting the one at the start/finish line. I didn’t bring any food or hydration with me at the start, so I lost a little time grabbing a drink or snack.<br />
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Jake and I feeling good on the first loop </div>
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The super steep, grueling climb wasn’t too bad the first go round. And then I flew down the mountain on the other side. Another terrible habit of mine. Arrived at the starting line just as Jenny and Kimball were heading out on their race. My first loop took 1:29:27. Jake was right behind me in 1:30:16. It was still cool out and I made a snap decision not to bring my fuel belt with me on the second loop. Headed right back out, this time in reverse, so I was passing by all the other runners coming in from their first lap. About 60 racers at this distance.<br />
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Kimball<br />
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Back up the mountain side and then back down the steep descent. Once again I tore down, passing several runners and moving into 3rd place. There was a moment around mile 13 where I thought I could finish in the top 3. Oh how foolish I was. By mile 15 my legs had seized up—complete pain from the waist down. Jake caught up to me at an aid station and smartly asked the lady for some pain medicine. Popped a couple pills and accidently slammed a cup of Mt. Dew for the second time—looks just like Gatorade.<br />
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Jen </div>
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The Caffeine from the soda and a Gu, combined with last night’s massive meal, and then 15 miles of jostling, wreaked havoc to my system. Things were moving and I was helpless to do anything about it. It’s 5+ miles from that aid station back to the starting line. I was hot, tired, in a lot of pain, and now I had to go #2 in a bad way. I fought it for 3 more miles, hoping I could make it to the port-a-potties at mile 21. A half mile later, I knew that would never be.
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[You may want to skip this section if you don’t like tales of poo]
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Dashed off course and squatted behind a shrub before unloading. Looked like something a steer would leave behind. Super gross. But not as gross as realizing there are literally zero good options around for wiping. Thorny shrub. No. Dirt? No. My socks? No. Not wiping? Maybe. In the end, I brushed the sand off a rock and gave that a go. I followed that with a second rock and called it good. Could have been worse—I could have crapped my pants.
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Shuffled into the starting line aid station, dead on my feet. Starving and thirsty. Spotted my mom and dad who drove out to see us. First I had to wolf down one bean burrito after another, plus a PB&J, potato with salt, and anything else I could cram in my mouth. I had been going on fumes for several miles. More pain med. Strapped on my hydration pack and put on my shade hat. Quick visit with my parents—so nice of them to come out today.
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Reversed and headed back the 5+ miles I had just come to the next aid station. I’m barely moving at this point, walking anything resembling an uphill, slow jogging on flat, and painfully letting my body fall forward on the downhill. It would be this way for the remaining 10+ miles. I was being passed on a regular basis, but I didn’t care. It was all about finishing at that point.
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The third time up the steep mountain was the worst. Hot and slow. 4 girls passed me. Gave it everything I had left on the descent and final mile into the finish line. I showed 32 miles on my Garmin. Finished in 6:02:08. Meanwhile, Jake killed it, finishing almost an hour faster in 5:04:47 in 8th place. I was 23rd. The first place guy set a course record in 3:57. Unreal. Talked with mom, dad, Jake, and Jen. Ate a couple burritos before driving back to Jen’s with my parents.<br />
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The Finish Line! </div>
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Group photo back at Jen's house </div>
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<br />Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14516452165667442506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-36043189211933194322013-10-04T03:16:00.000-06:002013-10-04T03:16:03.611-06:00Mt. Yakedake HikeKenji brought me to his favorite hiking area near Nagano to hike Mt. Yakedake. It was a beautiful day, which matched the equally beautiful scenery.<br />
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A bit chilly at the trailhead in Chubusangaku National Park. </div>
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Started with a nice walk along the crystal clear Azusegawa River.</div>
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Once we entered the forest trail, it was mostly uphill, with plenty of challenging sections, including several ladder climbs.</div>
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Incredible views on the way up.</div>
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The summit area is full of geothermic vents. This one was spewing sulfur continuously. </div>
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At the summit.</div>
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A couple from on the way down, as the clouds roll in. </div>
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Finished at Kappabashi Bridge</div>
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Thanks to Kenji and the other hikers who took some of these photos.</div>
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Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14516452165667442506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-14556347931057944542013-10-04T03:11:00.001-06:002013-10-04T03:11:21.191-06:00Hidamari English SchoolIf you find yourself living in Western Tokyo, you won't find a better place to teach English part time than at Hidamari, run by Kenji. Classes are small and fun, with students of all ages looking to improve their English. Kenji was my boss and friend. I became close to all my students. What more could you ask for?<br />
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Lunch at an Indian restaurant with Kenji and some of my students. </div>
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Kenji & Keiko</div>
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Kazuko & Kyoko</div>
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Presented with my first ever bouquet of flowers on my last day teaching.With Yuya, Yuka, & Yuto.</div>
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Eriko & Reisa</div>
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My farewell lunch was at a quaint family run tempura restaurant. I liked the hanging hornets nest in the entryway. </div>
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Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14516452165667442506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-68251439439700846972013-09-02T00:55:00.000-06:002013-09-02T00:55:39.466-06:00EFY Photos Part 2<div style="text-align: center;">
More photos from EFY. Some kids from my company hanging out.</div>
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It was really painful seeing plates like this in the morning for breakfast. </div>
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Some of the boys in my group were walking away with jugs of orange drink for later in the day, which resulted in this classic sign.</div>
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Cheers!</div>
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Dance Party!</div>
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This awkward moment was staged, but still funny.</div>
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EFY romance</div>
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EFY swag</div>
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My company, #23</div>
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Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14516452165667442506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-35022037918441539702013-08-28T00:26:00.000-06:002013-08-28T00:26:03.930-06:00EFY Photos Part 1I had the opportunity to be a company counselor at EFY Japan in Nagoya a few weeks back. It was a great experience for the youth, as well as myself. I selected some of my favorite photos to share here. I took most of them, but a few are from others.<br />
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Everyone</div>
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The English speaking counselors after our morning staff meeting</div>
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My company, #23, working on their cheer</div>
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Yoyo with our banner, after he finished defacing/enhancing it with his name. </div>
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Another company's banner I really liked</div>
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Morning Devotional with our company</div>
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Morning gospel study</div>
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"The 5 Guys" from our company performing at the variety show</div>
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Whatever the Samuel Game is, I don't want to play it, and I certainly don't want to be the dude in the middle.</div>
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Me and my co-counselors of Company 23</div>
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Some of our kids hanging out</div>
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Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14516452165667442506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-51526930167098348382013-08-06T01:20:00.000-06:002013-08-06T01:20:15.207-06:00Mt. Kumotori HikeDerek, Brent, and I tackled Tokyo's highest peak, Mt. Kumotori, on Saturday. It's just over 2,000 meters. Long trails in and out to reach it. Many people stay the night at a lodge below the summit. We had planned to do a loop, but the trail we wanted to take in had been closed for 3 years due to a massive landslide. It has been left in disrepair since then. They also posted that a man had died trying to cross the washed out section. So yeah, we forged ahead anyway.<br />
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The trailhead. I believe Derek is pointing to the sign saying the trail is closed. </div>
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Just a short ways down is a beautiful camp spot with a stream running through. We spent 20-30 minutes trying to figure out where the trail continued from here.</div>
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Derek crossing the stream</div>
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It was rough going after that point. Many miles of traversing a thin trail cut into the side of the mountain. There were a lot of these rotting wood ladders placed across portions of the trail that had been washed out. And then there were simply washed away sections that we had to find our own way across.</div>
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Eventually we reached the section that was clearly the reason for the trail closure. A good potion of the mountainside had suffered a landslide. We couldn't see to where the trail picked up again from where we were. It would be a lateral rock climb/scramble across a steep face that ended with a long vertical drop to the canyon below if we were to slip. Since it was a landslide, many of the rocks and gravel were loose, which made for treacherous hand and foot holds. </div>
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Derek and Brent had a much easier time of it than I did. I'm afraid of heights and made my way across very slowly. It was not a pleasant experience. Derek took this shot from the other side, after I was nearly finished.</div>
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And here's one Brent took after we are all across. It's a shame we didn't get a shot of the drop below, which is what made it way more scary than it looks.</div>
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These trees had recently fallen across the trail.</div>
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Brent making his way across another rundown ladder.</div>
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Eventually reached the summit</div>
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A very tame deer near the top</div>
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Evergreens</div>
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I love a good cairn</div>
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We hiked through a lot of clouds</div>
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and flowers</div>
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I love this shot of a birch forest Derek took</div>
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The trail we took off the mountain was gorgeous, as you can see from these photos.</div>
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This suspended bridge hangs at the confluence of several rivers with some amazing waterfalls. </div>
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Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14516452165667442506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-20269428078569979082013-08-02T04:16:00.000-06:002013-08-02T04:16:24.426-06:00Mt. BukkasanThis is a late post for Mt. Bukkasan, a hike Derek and I did over a month ago. This was the infamous "leech hike", where we both were overrun with forest leeches.<br />
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View on our way up </div>
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Derek </div>
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Atop the lookout towers at the summit </div>
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Also at the summit</div>
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Misty descent </div>
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These leeches had no problem slipping through the seems in our socks to drain our blood. We found many more inside our shoes. </div>
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Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14516452165667442506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-56384918020808445062013-07-16T01:44:00.001-06:002013-07-16T01:44:07.264-06:00Showa ParkI spent this Saturday exploring Showa Park in Tachikawa. It's a sprawling green space filled with sites and activities for all ages. The most impressive park I've seen in Japan so far.<br />
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View from Tachikawa Gate</div>
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This is something you don't see very often in Japan: a random speedo clad Japanese man tanning openly in a public park.</div>
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Spiral pathway as you enter the Children's Forest area.</div>
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I love bamboo forests</div>
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Rainbow Hammock</div>
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Bouncing Dome</div>
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Pyramid</div>
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Misty Forest</div>
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Dragon Dunes</div>
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They also have nature trails with gorgeous flowers blooming throughout the seasons.</div>
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The Japanese Garden area</div>
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These dragonflies were tougher to photograph than the tame ones inside the butterfly garden. I moved really slow to get close. </div>
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Open Field with a 100+ year old Zelkova Tree. Hard to find a bigger open space than this in the Tokyo area.</div>
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Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14516452165667442506noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133017.post-86586215114258193922013-07-12T01:01:00.001-06:002013-07-12T01:01:51.968-06:00Mt. Takahatayama & Mt. KuretakeyamaThis week's hiking adventure took Derek and I to Mt. Takahatayama & Mt. Kuretakeyama. We did a looped trail, although we began and ended at different train stations on the Chuo Line. Nice trail, with enough challenge to make it interesting, but not so much that it wasn't fun.<br />
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Even though we weren't wearing any bells, like Japanese hikers, we still didn't see any bears. </div>
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I was nearly bitten by this snake head shaped plant. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZGxrnxyeY31SkCB1ly9xAkIBoFchgdK78tUYxvTz5HLM_8mR2NDaVo-Rt7l-72x_I-2FR5i1StwSy-R9FJ9a4M0Is2IENQeK3-gUdg4c7R2DcQLCwiVYonXasOvPxYNqOLoA6g/s1600/02+snake+head+plant.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ZGxrnxyeY31SkCB1ly9xAkIBoFchgdK78tUYxvTz5HLM_8mR2NDaVo-Rt7l-72x_I-2FR5i1StwSy-R9FJ9a4M0Is2IENQeK3-gUdg4c7R2DcQLCwiVYonXasOvPxYNqOLoA6g/s1600/02+snake+head+plant.JPG" height="257" width="400" /></a></div>
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Below a dam</div>
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Derek on the other side of a railroad tie bridge </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWdl5YCtMTzbggbLSGcKacPzpGq1VIdTBtD1kqJxqVCXhJdrM2NDKZlRp3TOWbOlqgZCh1jEPSAJcp_fr-puV7CUpuueEnJnTkUVuZ8jt_M5Vawb-wOgbf7XDTRVbzmzraK9KyA/s1600/04+bridge.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWdl5YCtMTzbggbLSGcKacPzpGq1VIdTBtD1kqJxqVCXhJdrM2NDKZlRp3TOWbOlqgZCh1jEPSAJcp_fr-puV7CUpuueEnJnTkUVuZ8jt_M5Vawb-wOgbf7XDTRVbzmzraK9KyA/s1600/04+bridge.JPG" height="251" width="400" /></a></div>
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Cool caterpillar </div>
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At the summit of Takahatayama </div>
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A huge toad sitting in the middle of the trail that was completely nonplussed by our presence. He never flinched, even with my camera lens in his face. </div>
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Summit of Kuretakeyama</div>
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I nearly had an awesome shot of this green snake. He was really moving. </div>
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The bridge across had a pretty epic view itself. </div>
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<br />Supercordshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14516452165667442506noreply@blogger.com1