tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22672429137845388322024-03-12T19:19:06.956-07:00KTnabesMy adventures of travel!
Pictures on picasa: ktnabesKatiedidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07747859091318431451noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2267242913784538832.post-55976578768859286292010-06-30T02:45:00.000-07:002010-06-30T03:46:21.188-07:00Mango mango mangoI love MANGOS! I've been eating so many fresh, juicy mangos... I don't know what to do once I'm home. I need my daily dose of mango. <br /><br />I have certainly neglected my blog for the past couple of weeks, and am now on my last week in Nepal. So here's what has been going on since my last post...<br /><br /> Loo's farewell party... tribal dancing<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSIxgLk6w6LyFIQB-7TINJU1We3mahW3_YvSo1kGfT-pqfcXBxvJBn0d7RrxTuhnInn9h_QXG3Upf2uAYOJHuGKanSLsg6TWtRAb66xF_Rq61pY4eaKRGQ_j6Th5rxSL_GUymnmMI5fc/s1600/900187695_FvCNY-M.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSIxgLk6w6LyFIQB-7TINJU1We3mahW3_YvSo1kGfT-pqfcXBxvJBn0d7RrxTuhnInn9h_QXG3Upf2uAYOJHuGKanSLsg6TWtRAb66xF_Rq61pY4eaKRGQ_j6Th5rxSL_GUymnmMI5fc/s320/900187695_FvCNY-M.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488512160592064258" /></a><br /><br />Loo left to go back to Australia :( We had a farewell party with good food, music and Nepali style dancing. I hope to visit her in Australia, and for her to come to the US as well... someday! Since she left though, I've been quite busy with Reliance Boarding School. I taught grades 3-10, then lastly 1st and 2nd. I had most fun with 1st and 2nd. I made a poster with the words "Our Earth" for 1st, then "Our World" and "Our Planet" for the 2 sections of 2nd, and had them put hand prints all over the page. To make it more interesting for Grade 2, I had them also draw over top or next to their handprint. I went over phrases like, "Lend a helping hand" and "Every hand can make a difference" to relate it to working together to help the environment.<br /><br />Then after teaching all grades, we had the Environmental Art Show, hanging up all posters on clotheslines outside. The children were called by grade to look at everyone's work, and I presented each with a Certificate of Achievement for participating. Some of the kids had huge smiles when getting their certificate, making my time worth it! Also, during one lesson, a student came up and thanked me for coming and working on art with them.<br /><br /> Art Show! Handing out certificates.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuBZEdyAIViJvVsEXA7DqZKuOQ7T7qaixNEd1sLziJymRa7AGzdL8nU5mpZ1bAVKHNkSA0p3cNnj_WsLMTHaZqwrMddpHm6Eq52D28x5wmpKmpduM0UTMsm92ozxWlAIrtKVtpQTwCuI/s1600/DSC06096.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuBZEdyAIViJvVsEXA7DqZKuOQ7T7qaixNEd1sLziJymRa7AGzdL8nU5mpZ1bAVKHNkSA0p3cNnj_WsLMTHaZqwrMddpHm6Eq52D28x5wmpKmpduM0UTMsm92ozxWlAIrtKVtpQTwCuI/s320/DSC06096.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488512192518146626" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Besides Reliance, I have been watching the World Cup, continuing with diction lessons (mainly public speaking), doing some artwork, and getting to know more of the culture. Two of the boys I'm teaching took part in the Hindu Holy Thread ceremony. Every Hindu boy of a certain caste takes part in the ceremony, which prepares them for manhood. Once completing, they are able to marry and perform in other Hindu ceremonies. Firstly the boys shave their heads (except for a small tuft on the top), then follows Hindu readings, offerings, chanting, then gifts for the boys. The ceremony took place from 7am-12pm... but was an interesting part of the culture to see. <br /><br /> Holy Thread ceremony<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXt4M7xsp_1fthfi0Dk9Xo6dpwUVsPaL5G2zjFRpAA-J0f7_4BXacBrlS0pQz5RcOvWK4SunxxnSuZPaklNfA4buox9btcDhwOe-KVYIYPPAhiu0sA64lu2zlURRz5vBiNctU-AOYO3Bo/s1600/DSC05981.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXt4M7xsp_1fthfi0Dk9Xo6dpwUVsPaL5G2zjFRpAA-J0f7_4BXacBrlS0pQz5RcOvWK4SunxxnSuZPaklNfA4buox9btcDhwOe-KVYIYPPAhiu0sA64lu2zlURRz5vBiNctU-AOYO3Bo/s320/DSC05981.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488512171931096082" /></a><br /><br /><br />I was also invited to see a Hindu wedding ceremony by Dinesh. This consisted of dancing, music, food, putting on tika, washing of feet and me being put on the wedding video! What a great experience!<br /><br /> Bride and Groom<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtyMTrGCrIQWTh5vT5-Brl6hv4Zz7tcsFqebjr_KCXtjuZvtilYBU5agZZ9V-W7ncx2EGHOYiYwt4H_JnOUNaX_wpHLDD9e1CxZ8bfRCTlVQ4GyBhkVIajoU0SH7-K2gLvAiJiNS1aNU/s1600/DSC06044.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtyMTrGCrIQWTh5vT5-Brl6hv4Zz7tcsFqebjr_KCXtjuZvtilYBU5agZZ9V-W7ncx2EGHOYiYwt4H_JnOUNaX_wpHLDD9e1CxZ8bfRCTlVQ4GyBhkVIajoU0SH7-K2gLvAiJiNS1aNU/s320/DSC06044.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488512186099234098" /></a><br /><br />I have been spoiled here... tea made for me every morning, lots of mango eating, meals prepared, dishes washed, my own room and such amazing people to live with! I certainly hope to make it back again soon. But, here I come America!Katiedidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07747859091318431451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2267242913784538832.post-33232412613578347592010-06-14T00:15:00.001-07:002010-06-14T00:18:04.450-07:00DalbhatLast weekend we had guests over for dinner. Dinesh's cousin and his girlfriend, and a Swiss couple that just adopted a child from Nepal. We all sat down and ate our rice with silverware. It was so strange using forks and spoons again! Haha, who knew I'd get so used to eating with my hands!Katiedidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07747859091318431451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2267242913784538832.post-84556681951387331952010-06-09T22:41:00.000-07:002010-06-10T04:40:24.966-07:00Sights of KathmanduSaturday (5/29) was a crazy day. Friday night I got online and found out that one of my friends was in Kathmandu! She had been traveling around India and Nepal and happened to be in Kathmandu when I got a hold of her. She rented a taxi for Saturday and invited me and Loo to join! We visited places surrounding the Kathmandu valley: Kirtipur, Chobar and Pharping (no pharping at the dinner table please!). Kirtipur was an ancient town, supposedly what Kathmandu looked like at one point. There were few cars and seemed that we were the only tourists that day. We found a great rooftop cafe looking out over the city, then headed for more sights in Chobar. The places I visited were lovely and refreshing, both with the air and lack of traffic, but I can imagine the beauty it once contained before all the buildings, pollution and rubbish. There needs to be a change here, with educating more people about the environment and putting that knowledge into effect. The teenagers I'm working with now have that ability, because they are educated. I know if they put the effort in, the can make a difference in many ways.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_AH3e02HrTrLiOqK3R5kvWBDPuoOKDyIvFdowk_hNXx0mpBhFx1O8-gtdP4Og8vluukx-KtuhqpGWBUBgbVAK0KSwJ7vbhFUYWKvLYF4XmUGy6PJkvXezQmsWE72HPNSOWSyT4g93_o/s1600/DSC05603.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_AH3e02HrTrLiOqK3R5kvWBDPuoOKDyIvFdowk_hNXx0mpBhFx1O8-gtdP4Og8vluukx-KtuhqpGWBUBgbVAK0KSwJ7vbhFUYWKvLYF4XmUGy6PJkvXezQmsWE72HPNSOWSyT4g93_o/s320/DSC05603.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481103930502742434" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:85%;" > -Me and Anne in Chobar</span><br />Later, we went out for Anne's last night in Kathmandu. We met new people and shared stories. Some of the new people we met were a group of American volunteers who were building a school in Nepal. At that point they had finished the groundwork. I would have loved to help if the site wasn't 10 hours from Kathmandu!<br /><br />Monday, two of the volunteers, Loo and I went to the ancient city, Bhaktapur. I had been there on my first trip, but didn't mind going again to see all the shrines and temples. I thought I had seen the majority of the town, but realized how huge the city actually was. Similar to Kathmandu, except less crowded and more beauty. The best part was seeing pottery being made and glazed... my specialty! One person made the pottery, another shaved off the excess clay after he was finished, the pots were laid out to dry in the sun, then a third glazed the pots. It was worth going back again!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOgDEukXI9TPRMoknIHa_po6BAi4-GNQlGdRUU298EOaIWJzHw3ba8Hp_m89lYxGbph741ME95LmfIHbqry638DEsbhDMTv-qk5Ph7nABXWB-FhMv49ieXV0Lq8fCrlERLTJ9yjA3o-8/s1600/DSC05648.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOgDEukXI9TPRMoknIHa_po6BAi4-GNQlGdRUU298EOaIWJzHw3ba8Hp_m89lYxGbph741ME95LmfIHbqry638DEsbhDMTv-qk5Ph7nABXWB-FhMv49ieXV0Lq8fCrlERLTJ9yjA3o-8/s320/DSC05648.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481103946526687714" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:85%;" > -Me and Loo in Bhaktapur</span><br />It has been great meeting fellow travelers and learning about their experiences. You meet so many interesting people while traveling.<br />The past couple of weeks I've been working with the teens on their diction, public speaking, typing and having group discussions. They are improving and seeming to become more confident in their speech! Tonight they will do a speech on a country they'd like to visit, saying why they want to visit and some facts about the country. The countries they chose were Australia, USA, Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Swaziland and others. Besides this, I had an art lesson with Sungava, an organization with mentally challenged women in Kathmandu. It was pretty difficult to communicate, as I don't speak Nepalese, but my friend, Noora, helped to translate and get the girls involved. Also, I'm planning to have an art show with the students from Reliance boarding school. So far, I've met with the 3rd graders... I had them draw pictures of their environment and most drew depictions of nature, but there were also some who drew computers, airplanes and super heroes! Haha, so we'll see how it goes!<br /><br />I also did some swimming lessons!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQNupD9819b_93cNYW4UW0C4HdFPzgFCVWDg8Fy2nhC_JKj9rQpfRgwEXSbymdhrj5J5yNF3HMfXujE3YMiKAyOVOzGhiDE5UBfUlUFznRptv-aaauJEpgZagTe62PwH5OQSC0OM1Y8I/s1600/DSC05767.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQNupD9819b_93cNYW4UW0C4HdFPzgFCVWDg8Fy2nhC_JKj9rQpfRgwEXSbymdhrj5J5yNF3HMfXujE3YMiKAyOVOzGhiDE5UBfUlUFznRptv-aaauJEpgZagTe62PwH5OQSC0OM1Y8I/s320/DSC05767.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481103954149081938" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);font-size:85%;" > -Little Dikshant</span><br />Hope everyone is enjoying the start of summer! Enjoy bbq's, the beach, and fresh fruits & veggies for me!Katiedidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07747859091318431451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2267242913784538832.post-2531676934594640562010-05-27T22:22:00.000-07:002010-06-07T22:15:01.511-07:00Nepali nomadsLast Friday, Loo and I decided to make a gigantic spaghetti dinner for everyone. We added onions, mushrooms, eggplant, tomatoes, basil and other seasonings to the sauce and made loads of pasta. Delicious. The kids said they liked it but all ended up adding curry to their sauce! Haha. We decided to cook dinner for them every Friday.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJESjhZC9jBgO3Io7o9UmCcbJRMujeFoQ8n9-jhW1ZuNKZFTmhTum4S4sSDVoECzxdGcORejE2HjhxN4zGjIPzVdohOc33IJGC5WTTOtaEMI-p2gCo86WeXz00MlQrVdkGWmHuvdQmS0c/s1600/DSC05408.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJESjhZC9jBgO3Io7o9UmCcbJRMujeFoQ8n9-jhW1ZuNKZFTmhTum4S4sSDVoECzxdGcORejE2HjhxN4zGjIPzVdohOc33IJGC5WTTOtaEMI-p2gCo86WeXz00MlQrVdkGWmHuvdQmS0c/s320/DSC05408.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480257692780381298" border="0" /></a><div><br /></div><div>Since being here I have worked with the kids on correcting grammar and spelling in letters they wrote to their sponsors. I typed up a list of punctuation and grammar rules, as well as helping them with certain sounds in English they have trouble making. Last night we had a discussion on the environment. Loo and I started off the discussion asking the kids how they felt about their home in Kathmandu, health issues related to pollution and garbage. They all participated and knew that things needed to be changed. We worked on how they can take small steps to make a difference.</div><div>Saturday I was happily surprised when Dinesh (the house dad) and his wife, Hira, asked Loo and I if we wanted to see a guru. We took a scooter ride to an ashram right outside Kathmandu. The ashram was beautiful and well-maintained. We walked through a garden, or "small forest," as Dinesh's son had called it, and up to a room where the guru was sitting. Swami had a long, fluffy white beard, gray dreads and was shirtless, wearing bright orange pants... wish I had snapped a picture of him! He spoke English well and talked a lot about the development of your inner self. Many times we are told to look out to help others, but most important is first developing your self, then the rest will follow. Swami was also an artist and violinist, both skills he performed beautifully.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwpqZPrakhBJuzwGJpkYnJr3vBtSUlH-elKmJCi_V5bhTi9ORshtphyphenhyphenX_bHMhaBcnKOPWyx-Mjh3QlnubUOgfKW-Dyt8cOfMC4DdgKGYpv62Gvv3GTQd6uzGRgFhznNrhOorynvcY-Kgo/s1600/DSC05409.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwpqZPrakhBJuzwGJpkYnJr3vBtSUlH-elKmJCi_V5bhTi9ORshtphyphenhyphenX_bHMhaBcnKOPWyx-Mjh3QlnubUOgfKW-Dyt8cOfMC4DdgKGYpv62Gvv3GTQd6uzGRgFhznNrhOorynvcY-Kgo/s320/DSC05409.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480266299454720850" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">-Ashram</span><br /></div><div>Sunday was Founder's Day at Reliance Boarding School. It was great seeing the kids again and watching them perform on stage, either singing or dancing. Each grade performed separately. Two of the children came and sat on my lap, remembering me from my trip here in April. It was funny sitting there, being the only two white girls, and having a few of the kids take pictures of us. Not with us, but while they thought we weren't looking. Afterwards, Loo and I went out for nachos! Wow, was I missing my cheese!<br /><br /></div><div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuex6HH1fp5syZupTSX1rJN9dt6SSVVFXSxqI6dseEozYjDXCBuZfLXJDlaEbu74DxsD0CrcGFciTtlk0BMsaC0VoIPQ2cMlp2SgdaYOf2netA3WSHz0LMxfJ4D9VZwarom834615hjEM/s1600/DSC05471.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuex6HH1fp5syZupTSX1rJN9dt6SSVVFXSxqI6dseEozYjDXCBuZfLXJDlaEbu74DxsD0CrcGFciTtlk0BMsaC0VoIPQ2cMlp2SgdaYOf2netA3WSHz0LMxfJ4D9VZwarom834615hjEM/s320/DSC05471.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480266307627748498" border="0" /></a></div> </div><div>During the day the kids leave for their bridge courses and I'd like to find more opportunities to occupy my time. So Monday I was taken to Sungava, an NGO for women that are mentally handicapped. I'd like to do a couple art lessons with them, but realize it can be a huge challenge, as the girls do not speak any English. Also, I may do some art lessons with the kids at Reliance. After Sungava, I went to the orphanage that the children in Reliance were sponsored from. The building was once a palace. However, it was very difficult to walk through, seeing so many children orphaned. The first two rooms I visited were nurseries. Yet, those coming from the orphanage to Reliance have such incredible spirits. I am very happy to be spending time with them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday was a public holiday, Buddha's birthday! Loo, Craig and I celebrated by getting drinks and food and the Funky Buddha. It was a great way to enjoy Buddha's b-day, all the while forming myself a nice little Buddha belly.</div><div><br /></div>Katiedidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07747859091318431451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2267242913784538832.post-74430062710139487392010-05-21T00:11:00.000-07:002010-06-07T21:55:56.088-07:00NepalAfter many hours of transit purgatory, I made it to Kathmandu! It is so strange and great being here. My last trip here in April gave me a good idea what to expect coming back again. The strikes are over, which as I got here found out it was more like a block party. Music, people in the streets, gettin' jiggy wit it. However, this time I will be working with the high school levels kids teaching diction. Hopefully even just spending time with me will improve their diction.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBcW1GtHOXFtcMi96LznsqHkhO9gvfhPfN1qSznyPdgTCm8sk5HfDFx7g8AzBc5l-cL20bcA038mlPVhpX4dCoFUEcRufZVHfyXIjXUs7HzuYrxBjK_jb8zDmTcn9YToFCdUTshb_FtI/s1600/DSC05400.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvBcW1GtHOXFtcMi96LznsqHkhO9gvfhPfN1qSznyPdgTCm8sk5HfDFx7g8AzBc5l-cL20bcA038mlPVhpX4dCoFUEcRufZVHfyXIjXUs7HzuYrxBjK_jb8zDmTcn9YToFCdUTshb_FtI/s320/DSC05400.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480260755738229474" border="0" /></a> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">-My home in Kathmandu</span><br />There are 3 girls and 4 boys I am teaching in this beautiful home; Nari, Laxmi, Manmaya, Khil, Bhim, Rupesh and Dinesh. There is also a girl from Swaziland, Africa staying in the house. Louise is a med student and after doing an internship in Turkey, is now doing an internship in a hospital in Kathmandu. Growing up in Swaziland she has had quite an adventurous life. The kids call her kanchan, "clean heart," and me, muskan di- "big sister who always smiles."<br />Lou met a medical volunteer our age, Craig, working at the same hospital. He is also here for a few weeks and is traveling with his sister. Both Lou and Craig are so passionate about medicine and working with third world patients. Very courageous people. Yesterday Craig pointed out a bus that had been burnt down. The driver had accidentally hit and killed a child and therefore the bus was considered to have bad kharma. I'm in a completely different world here in Kathmandu.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2iQX9esk1J5OXuKLxEdPuOHWhEax2CFbqoRjtQ3M5LY842TNY0q2dCP8J5mHJrtcUa-kwzTERNzNpCVGP_NTAreM7xgzNLcI6j9ibIXTk0H0GxETYo8k6ndNpBcxSMh-NwL62h3TZIKA/s1600/854063234_C95JB-M.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2iQX9esk1J5OXuKLxEdPuOHWhEax2CFbqoRjtQ3M5LY842TNY0q2dCP8J5mHJrtcUa-kwzTERNzNpCVGP_NTAreM7xgzNLcI6j9ibIXTk0H0GxETYo8k6ndNpBcxSMh-NwL62h3TZIKA/s320/854063234_C95JB-M.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480261849058811122" border="0" /></a>Katiedidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07747859091318431451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2267242913784538832.post-16886624910665444082009-11-08T07:30:00.000-08:002009-11-08T07:39:33.913-08:00Italy!Hello all! <br />I am in an internet cafe and currently have 11 minutes and 30 seconds to write this! 23 seconds... you get the point. So after Halloween, Chris, Yoana and I took a train to Florence where we also met up with Chris's cousin. It was a bit rainy but we got a few walking tours around the city, went to the Academia (where the statue of David is located) and went to the top of a hill by a castle which overlooked the city. We spend two days there and the came to Roma! So far I have been in Rome for five days. I visited th Colosseum, Arch of Constantie, Palantine Hill, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Statue of Romulus and Remus, Trajans markets, Piazza Navona, the Vatican and various studios and galleries with my friend Amber (who is studying in Rome). Wow, I've been busy. It has been great so far, but am definitely missing home! Tomorrow I'm planning on visiting Naples for the day, then hopefully within the next couple of days getting a train to Provence to visit my friend Mandy. Mandy and I were roommates first semester of college. I have seen so many monuments, landscapes and buildings and hopefully will get to experience a bit of relaxation in Provence, having already been there two summers ago. I can't wait! I will try and fill all of you in more about my trip to Florence and Rome later.. but for now, I have to go! Hope you are doing well and miss you all so much!Katiedidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07747859091318431451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2267242913784538832.post-51255782960544496322009-10-31T02:05:00.000-07:002009-10-31T02:59:24.495-07:00Hanging with the locals<div>Trieste was a nice little town on the coast where we mainly walked around the streets and sat for some gelato (I have had so much gelato!). The next day, Tuesday 10-27, Peter drove us to Venice to pick up Chris's girlfriend, Yoana, from the airport. Yoana is from Bulgaria and I'm glad that she has been traveling with us, it's been great! After picking her up we headed to Padova, "The city of the saints," where Peter's friends live. Padova of course had beautiful streets and architecture. We walked around, saw their City Hall and the different city squares. You could definitely tell this was a college town... in one of the main squares, recent graduates were celebrating with friends. In the northeast of Italy, friends of the graduate plan the party, where they dress up the graduate and take them into the square. Also, they write about the life of the graduate on a huge poster, which they need to recite in the square. It was hilarious walking through the town and seeing numerous people dressed up, walking with their entourage. Later that night we visited Prato Della Valle, the largest square in Europe. In the square were statues of various Philosophers, fountains and lots of open space. </div><div><br /></div><div>We spent the night in Padova, then took the train to Venice the next morning. Venezia was beautiful, made up of canals, homes, shops and boats. Yoana had a list of things to see, which included San Marco Square, the Basilica of San Marco, prisoners bridge, and different churches. The Basilica of San Marco was incredible. All the ceiling was gold mosaic and even the floor had different mosaic-like patterns. We hung out in the square, found our way around the narrow streets and did a bit of shopping. We even got to take a gondola ride! ... even if it was 50 cents for 30 seconds across the canal. After an eventful day of trying to get in as much Venezia as possible, we took a ferry ride back to the train station and headed back to Padova. </div><div><br /></div><div>Peter had to get home for a couple days, so his friends generously offered up their home to us. After Venice, we went to a city square where all the college students (hundreds) just hang out at night. We met tons of people and had a great time. </div><div><br /></div><div>The next day we had planned to visit Austria, however, since Peter was at home we decided to visit Verona. Verona is known for being the setting of the play, Romeo and Juliet (well, the setting in the movie). Needless to say, we visited the houses of Romeo and Juliet. Verona was a lot easier to get around in than Venice, especially since we had a map. We also saw a Roman amphitheater, palazzo's, the Castle of S. Pietro, the Church of S. Anastasia and a Roman theater. We hurried a bit through Verona since we got there at 3:30 pm, but relaxed and took it all in once we got to the top of a hill overlooking the city.</div><div><br /></div><div>After visiting Verona, and not having plans for the next day, we decided to visit our wonderful Venezia again. This time we took our time wandering the streets and ended up again in San Marco Square. We went through the Basilica again then hung with pigeons. We had some crackers in our hands and let the pigeons sit on us and eat the crumbs. And in that square, pigeons are very well-fed. Took some good pictures!</div><div><br /></div><div>We have been so lucky with our experiences, both touristy and non-touristy. We have hung with the locals, having a better idea what life is like in Italy (northeastern). So far we have learned a few words in Italian and gotten many kisses on the cheeks. Tomorrow we head to Florence for two days, then to Rome. Chris's cousin is currently in Florence and she is showing us around the city. Also in Rome, my friend Amber is studying, and we will meet up with her</div><div> too! This has been perfect timing to visit Europe, having some of our friends to visit.</div><div><br /></div>Today is Halloween! Although, Europeans don't really celebrate Halloween like we do in the states. Sad to miss it! However, I will be dressed as a vagabond.Katiedidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07747859091318431451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2267242913784538832.post-28455763829918831802009-10-25T05:02:00.000-07:002009-10-26T04:17:32.513-07:00Czech it outThe Czech Republic weather was definitely refreshing! It was around 45 degrees... 50 degree difference from Cairo. We flew into Prague, and then took buses to Litvinov to meet up with Chris's friend Petra and her family. Surprisingly it seemed that less people in Prague spoke English than in Cairo. Later we found this was because English was a newer subject to learn in school, from Czech becoming part of the European Union. Petra's parents both knew Russian and a bit of German. However, after taking the underground back and forth, and walking around streets a couple times, we found our way to the bus stop. Chris and Petra worked together in Ocean City, MD last summer and she offered for him (us) to stay with her for a few days. Her town is in the countryside of Czech and it was nice to spend time outside of the major cities. This gave us a better idea of what life is like for a Czech family. Her parents didn't speak any English, however, were very accommodating. The next day Petra planned for us to see some of the beauty around her town. She just got her drivers license, however, wasn't so comfortable driving yet. We walked into town and visited the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (wow, this is long) in Most. The church had both Gothic style and Renaissance features, but was better known for having been moved 841 meters in 1975 because of coal mining. It is mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records as the heaviest building ever moved on wheels. Later we walked up a mountain to a castle which we couldn't go in... had lunch and walked around Most. <div><br /></div><div>It was quite exhausting walking all day and we went back to her home to rest. Petra wasn't feeling well and stayed in bed. Her mom told us to come down for food (I'm guessing because I don't know how to speak Czech) and served us goulash. Chris and I had never tried it before, and her parents laughed at us for eating it wrong.. then motioned how we were supposed to cut up the dumplings first. Afterwards we came to sit with her parents in the living room. Her parents were talking to us in Czech and we were talking to them in English.. thinking that eventually one of us would know what the other is talking about. Eventually we pointed to Indiana Jones and watched it in English with Czech subtitles and had some drinks. You don't get this kind of experience in a hostel!</div><div><br /></div><div>The next day we visited the Cistercian Monastery at Osek and Jezeri Castle. The Cistercian Monastery, with its Romanesque and Gothic styles had amazing sculptures and painted ceilings. The medieval castle, lived in first by the Lobkovic's, was incredible with 244 rooms including a theatre. They had famous people such as Beethoven and J.W. Goethe visit the castle. The tour guide took us to the basement, where they interestingly enough had a haunted house for kids. After a few pictures outside we went back for another home-cooked meal! Her dad also made a concoction of rum, red wine, and spices that you heat up in the microwave. Definitely a Christmas treat. That night we thanked Petra and her parents for their incredible hospitality. It's not very often you get a feel for how other people around the world live, and they were so generous in opening their home to us. I've gotten a small feel for what life in Czech is like, that dumplings and poppy are common foods, beer costs less than water, and learned some simple phrases. The next morning we set off by bus, tram, bus, then our 13 hour bus ride to Venice. Luckily it was an overnight bus ride, however, who can sleep well on a bus?! Eventually Chris and I dozed off around 1 am, and I was woken up when we were already unloading at a bus stop. Luckily I had woken up because Chris was still snoring next to me and I asked where we were... Udine... OUR STOP! We hopped off the bus at 4:10 in the morning and had Pietro/Peter pick us up. His mom woke up, made Chris coffee, then we all fell back asleep.</div><div><br /></div><div>Italy! Pietro is another one of Chris's friends whom he worked with in Ocean City, MD. Pietro lives with his sister and mom in Udine, a town about an hour from Venice. We took it easy the next morning and relaxed. His mom made us a pasta lunch then we set off to walk around town, which is a bit larger than West Chester. There are cobblestone streets, tons of shops and gelato! I'm glad we have had the opportunity to stay with families and really experience what life is like for them. There is a tons of energy and lots of food! I am definitely not going hungry! His mom and sister are hilarious, and have learned a few English words to communicate with us, and well as us learning some Italian words. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday we visited Pietro's brother, who lives in the mountains about half an hour away. The view was beautiful, even more so when we drove to the top. From there we could see the Alps in the distance as well as Pietro's town below. I ate so much that day. For breakfast there was jam pie, huge croissants with jam, and fruit. Lunch was lasagna, salad and bread, and for dinner we each had our own home-made medium-sized pizzas. I thought we would all share the pizza, but knew I had to prepare my stomach when my own pizza was set down in front of me. It had home-made tomato sauce, cheese, olives and artichokes. I could get used to this! Very different than when I was in Ireland and ate mostly potatoes and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Today we are planning to visit Trieste, a town on the coast. I can't wait to see more of Italy!</div>Katiedidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07747859091318431451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2267242913784538832.post-49915013718133155902009-10-19T11:29:00.000-07:002009-10-19T12:18:56.562-07:00Experiencing CairoThe rooftop party was full of other artists and felt very different than the touristy part of Cairo I had experienced just a few hours before. The party was actually held on a floor of artist studios, who were displaying their work for all to see and discuss. From the top we could see an energetic rooftop engagement party and the Citadel (Mosque of Mohamed Ali). Later a girl named Fatima belly danced to arabic music in her own belly dance apparel. It was fascinating to watch.<br /><br />The past couple of days I have visited the Ahmad Ibn Tulun Mosque, building began around 800 AD as well as the only paper-making place in Middle East to make paper out of rice straw. I'd like to help further their business because in Cairo, all the extra rice straw that isn't used gets burned and causes much pollution. Also, if they had other buyers, it would create more jobs. We went shopping again in the markets of Khan Khalili and ate street food (which was delicious and worth the 1 US dollar!). Today we visited Saqqara, where sits the Step Pyramid built by Imhotep, and is the oldest stone monument. We were even able to go inside the tombs of Niankhkhnum & Khnumhotep, and the mastaba of Irukaptah. The mastaba had painted depictions and the others had statues still intact as well as pictures of daily life. Earlier we had gone inside a pyramid in Dahshur. Can you believe I went inside a pyramid?! The entrance/exit was very low and narrow, but quite exciting. <br /><br />Life here is very different than home. Cairo is very polluted and depends a lot on tourist attractions. But I have had quite some entertaining taxi drivers! The majority have been very nice and try to speak English with us. Two nights ago we had a taxi driver who, after seeing Chris's tatoo of a cross, blessed us all with oils. Another taxi driver was helping us to better the few words we learned in arabic.<br /><br />Ginger has taken Chris and I around Cairo and spoiled us with food, attractions and sleep. We are so lucky to have her here! It has been around 98 degrees the past couple of days, and it will be refreshing to go back to the cool weather. Tomorrow we are making last minute plans to go to Prague instead of back to London. We are staying with friends in Prague, which will hopefully take it easier on my bank account instead of paying for hostels in London! <br /><br />Miss you all! Jump in some of those colorful fall leaves for me!Katiedidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07747859091318431451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2267242913784538832.post-56557386854338638802009-10-16T09:14:00.000-07:002009-10-16T09:58:30.767-07:00From Galway to EgyptGalway felt much more like we were in Ireland, with the brilliant green landscapes filled with sheep and cows. Galway is much smaller than Dublin, but just as lively. There I had my first hostel experience which consisted of 14-bed rooms, no privacy, quick showers and meeting new people. We have met people from Ontario, Vancouver, France, Brazil and Ireland. One night we went out with some of our friends to a REAL traditional Irish pub. I grabbed a "smiddicks" and sat down to listen to 8-10 people play Irish music with violins, woodwind instruments, and guitars. At one point the entire pub became quiet to hear a ballad sung by an old man, beautiful. Later that night I experienced more music as the Irish pub crawlers serenated me to sleep by belting "Oh What a Night." Chris and I took a bus tour to the Cliffs of Moher, which also consisted of lunch, stop to see a castle, a cave and grave stones. The cliffs were a wonderful end to our Galway trip.<br /><br />The next couple of days were spent on buses and planes. However, once back in Dublin we had time to visit Kilmainham Prison and the Irish Museum of Modern Art, then caught our flight to London and onto Cairo.<br /><br />We met our former Art History teacher, Ginger, at the Cairo Airport. It was crazy that just a few hours before we were in cold weather, then to the heat of Cairo, which had reached about 96 degrees today. We were eased into Cairo by visiting the Egyptian Museum. The entire time I couldn't believe I was there and within touching distances of some of the world's greatest treasures. After all the excitement, we visited the Islamic Cairo markets of Khan Khalili. We stopped at a restaurant that turned out to be a charming oasis, away from the sellers who would let us "look for free" at their products. <br /><br />Today was very successful. After bargaining prices, we arranged a deal to take a camel ride to the Pyramids of Giza! Breath-taking. I was a bit skeptical about the safety of the camels after hearing Ginger's story about falling off. She ended up upside down because of the saddle being too loose. However, she reluctantly decided to rides camels with us. And it was a great trip! Nice photo opportunities and noone fell off! My camel's name was California, Ginger's was Ali Baba and Chris's was Mr Lover. I also snagged a piece of the limestone that once sat upon one of the queen's pyramids. We didn't have much time at the Sphinx, just rode by it on our camels, where tourists snapped pictures of me on the camel... how strange. Also, an Egyptian woman asked me to take a picture with her, noticing my good looks. I'll just tell myself that. Tonight we are joining Ginger and her friends for a rooftop get-together. Hopefully we will have some more great stories to tell about Cairo!Katiedidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07747859091318431451noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2267242913784538832.post-18435736460170180762009-10-09T16:32:00.000-07:002009-10-09T16:54:18.594-07:00London, DublinHello all!<br />I am currently in Dublin! So I have had quite the strange sleep schedule. I took an overnight flight to London, didn't sleep, went around London that day, then slept 13 hours! Then went to the airport and "rested" was up all day then slept 12 hours... hopefully this will go back to normal soon. My first day in London was nice, however I didn't get to see much. I met up with Philippa who was wonderful in having me stay. We went out to dinner that night with her friends then I passed out. The next day I found my way around (with much info from Philippa) to Houses of Parliament & Big Ben, inside Westminster Abbey, Tate Modern, and the Tower of London. That night she made me dinner, but I have yet to try fish and chips! But I'll be back in London in about a week anyway. Also, I didn't realize that I would have trouble understanding the Londoners English accent... one girl was saying the word "gawky(sp?)" and I thought she said gorky!.. that was an interesting conversation.<br /><br />I took the train to the airport and stayed overnight, met a woman who is working for the author of Grosse Point Blank. I met up with Chris in the Dublin airport and found our way to the home of people we were staying with. We met them through Couch Surfing, and they are wonderful! It was a married couple and their friend. They gave us lots of brochures and maps to help us around. Again the first day there, we didn't see much, just wandered around the city. Today we went to Trinity College, the National Museum, Dublin Castle and met up with my friend from home, Ryan, and a girl Cassidy. I met Cassidy on the plane to Dublin, and she's from Vancouver. She is actually doing a Eurotrip by herself.. we will be in Italy around the same time and hope to meet up with her again! Also, I learned that Arthur Guinness's birthday is a National Holiday in Ireland.. figures! On a whim Chris and I decided to grab a bus to Galway for tomorrow! I can't wait to get to the countryside.. Dublin is surprisingly very city-like and new, sometimes I don't even feel like I'm in Ireland. Hopefully we'll be there for a couple days before coming back to Dublin to catch the plane to London, then onto Cairo!<br /><br />Will upload pictures as soon as I can! I've been so busy!<br /><br /><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>Katiedidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07747859091318431451noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2267242913784538832.post-41444984212225190872009-09-30T10:50:00.001-07:002009-09-30T11:10:20.276-07:00Here I goI leave in less than a week to Europe! Crazy. Although Chris (my friend who I'm traveling with) and I have planned out much of the trip, it will be quite spontaneous. I'm starting in London... by myself... then meeting Chris in Dublin, traveling back to London to grab a plane to Egypt, then heading to Venice after another couple days in London. That's just the first month, and we will be be flying like crazy, but luckily the tickets have been pretty cheap! Let's hope that doesn't reflect the planes I will be taking. <br /><br />I'm staying with a friend of a friend in London, which I'm so grateful for, probably doing a couple hostels in Dublin, then staying with my teacher, Ginger, in Egypt. Ginger is amazing in letting us stay with her, and I'm sure she'll be grateful to see people that she knows! Chris and I will be riding camels in Cairo.. no biggie. I'm so excited regardless of the smell and the spitting. I will avoid being spit on, although, maybe it will bring good luck?<br /><br />Once in Venice we are meeting up with Chris's friend Peter and his girlfriend, Yoana. Peter is from Italy and will be driving us up to Munich, to Prague then back down to Florence! After that, probably Turkey and Bulgaria. I'll have to see what funds I have left to decide whether I can keep traveling or need to come home...<br /><br />I can't believe that I am going to places like Ireland, Egypt and Italy, all so different and beautiful. I hope to find some volunteer work or jobs along the way, but I haven't been so lucky to find any yet. This trip is terrifying and exciting, and I will miss everyone while I'm gone. Wish me luck!Katiedidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07747859091318431451noreply@blogger.com0