Finally in Japan!

After an insane summer dealing with medical problems (damn you Murphy!!), I finally reached Japan!! Osaka is urban, gritty, and yet has an entirely awesome landscape and cool vibe (it's hard to explain, but once you experience it, you'll know what I'm talking about).

The two schools I am teaching at are amazing (each in it's own way)! At Chou Senior High School I have students ranging from 18 to 70! My students at Nishi are extremely bright, friendly, and ready to learn. In a way, I wish my high school experience was a little different (more Japanese & less American).

My other favorite city, Kyoto, is only a 45 minute train ride from my place. Kyoto's beauty is in her temples and gardens. Someday, I would love to live in Kyoto! Today, I went on an electric bike tour through Kyoto & saw some fantastic temples. Unfortunately, nowadays Kyoto is being overrun with tourists, but there are some areas where you can find peace & tranquility.

I'll post some pictures soon!

Finally I'm happy....it's hard to explain through my blog, but if you ever want to hear why, I'll sit down with you & tell you over masala chai...

The Land of the Rising Sun!

I'm about to embark on a new and adventurous journey to Japan...Feelings at the moment: excited, thrilled, hunger, bittersweet, nervous, new, different, challenging, sadness (sniff sniff)...I can't wait to experience majestic Japan :), but I'm going to miss Colorado and my peeps, yaars, homies :(...Plus there's always the future to think about....I'll post up pictures as soon as I get to Japan! Who knows what to expect...All I know is that it's gonna be one hell of a ride!!!!!!!!!!! Let's go to the Land of the Rising Sun!!!

P.S. Please come & visit me! I would love to show you around! Plus I'm only 30 minutes from Kyoto which is truly Heaven on Earth! Kyoto has the best Zen gardens, temples, and scenery in the world!!! :) It will be worth your while!

Oh The Places You'll Go!

Dr. Seuss' greatest masterpiece that hopefully will define the rest of my life :)....

Oh The Places I'll Go!


Oh The Places You'll Go
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.
You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
And you may not find any
you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you'll head straight out of town.
It's opener there
in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.
OH!
THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!
You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.
You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don' t
Because, sometimes, you won't.
I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's true
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.
You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You'll be left in a Lurch.
You'll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you'll be in a Slump.
And when you're in a Slump,
you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.
You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.
A place you could sprain both you elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confused
that you'll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place...
...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.
NO!
That's not for you!
Somehow you'll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You'll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.
With banner flip-flapping,
once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you're that kind of a guy!
Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. there are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You'll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.
Except when they don't.
Because, sometimes, they won't.
I'm afraid that some times
you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.
All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you'll be quite a lot.
And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.
But on you will go
though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.
On and on you will hike
and I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.
You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)
KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!
---Dr. Seuss

Playa del Carmen!

Playa del Carmen is an amazing city...It is full of great cafes, street markets, and friendly people! Playa is about an hour away from Cancun and I would definitely recommend it to those hoping to escape the touristy American and bar filled Hotel Zone in Cancun....In Playa, we got caught in a rainstorm and ended up eating at a restaurant called Fusion...Turned out this restaurant had the best Guacamole ever and our server, Melissa was great! She and Sonia shared something in common...they are both journalists! I enjoyed the 90 degree tropical weather in Cancun...Although it rained often, we had nice sunny days too!

On the way from Denver to Cancun, I met the cutest little puppy in the world...His name is Tank...heh heh! I got to walk with him and his nice owner, Rachel all around DIA...:) :)

Let's Play!!

I didn't get a chance to update my blog too much while in Mexico....Cancun is a pricey city...Using the Internet at the hotel for 10 minutes costs $10! Therefore, I am going to continue my blog from Denver, CO!

Anyways....I got to enjoy some fun activities like snorkeling, parasailing, and swimming with the sharks (okay maybe not that, but I thought I would make my blog a little interesting...heh heh :) ) The jet ski ride to the boat that launched our parasail was thrilling y muy bueno!!! I'm going to post some pictures for you all to take a look!

Also went to great Thai, Chinese, and Mexican restaurants while we were in Cancun. Went on long walks on the beach every day and went swimming....Us land dwellers are so happy to actually see the ocean!

Hola por Cancun!!!!!!

Greetings! We finally made it to Cancun after a crazy flying experience! First our plane was delayed for two hours from Denver to Houston...Afterwards on our way to Houston, someone on board had a seizure! It was pretty wild! Luckily there was a firefighter from Arvada aboard our aircraft who helped the guy out! It was raining like crazy when my sister got to Cancun...We however didnt have to face a crazy rainstorm like the last time we came to Cancun!!! Cancun has the best beaches in the world! Tomorrow Im going to go to Playa del Carmen or snorkeling or both! Will post pics soon! Adios for now!

Time to Head Out Once More: This Summer 2007!!!

This summer I will be going on three trips which I am really excited about!! :) First stop will be Cancun, Mexico over the Memorial Day weekend...I plan to go snorkeling, chill on the beach with my pina coladas and margaritas, and check out Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, and Isla Mujures...Hoping to try out parasailing, if I'm lucky! :) Next, I'm heading out to SF over the July 4th weekend! I'm going to all the dhabas which have the best Indian food in town and the best naans in the world (even better than India & that's the truth...I was just there!)! I'm also going to try out New Delhi Restaurant which is one of the best Indian restaurants in the Bay Area. Hoping to catch up with a good friend who is coming into town as well & party it up at the Rickshaw Stop with nonstop bhangra...Let's just say I've been practicing a lot and am ready to bhangra all night long! Woo...Just thinking about it gives me chills! Last, but not least, I'm attending a wedding in Seattle in August. I'm actually going to be a bridesmaid which is a first for me...I'm excited and nervous at the same time! I'm going to go to Vancouver & Victoria which are both very beautiful! I'm hoping to buy some nice Indian jewelry when I'm down in Vancouver! This place is a Desi mecca and has one of the largest Indian populations outside of India...Looking forward to reconnecting with my roots!!! I miss India, but Vancouver is on my top ten list of places to see!!!

Get ready for Trips Galore 2007!!

I'll keep writing on my blog!!!

I'm Back!!!!

I reached Denver the day before yesterday after a loooonnnngggg flight with several delays, but we finally made it! I had a wonderful trip and enjoyed meeting family in India, going through the backwaters in Kerala, exploring the palaces in Spain, and eating croissants in France!!! I can't wait to share my pictures with you! Looking forward to seeing you all soon!

Ciao Ciao, Namaste, Salaam, Adios!!!!

Hola Mis Amigos....From Spain! Ole!!!

Hope everyone had a fantastic New Years! I heard about the crazy weather in Denver and hope you are all staying warm and dry! I´m enjoying Spain and I just traveled from Barcelona to Sevilla by train last night! Train travel is quite an adventure especially when you are sharing a room with your family and you have to get off the train within 5 minutes, but have 8 pieces of luggage to get off the train!! We all made it off the train in one piece!

When I think of Spain, I think of bullfighting....castles...siestas....tapas...sangria (me gusta sangria mucho!!!)...Gaudi...amazing architecture....flamenco...all wrapped up into one amazing package....I love the Spanish culture!!!! I saw some awesome sights in Barcelona including La Ramblas, The Gothic Quarter, Gaudi´s Casa Batllo, Gaudi´s Park Guell, the Diagonal Avenue, a boisterous flamenco performance, La Pedrera, Tibidabo (a view of all of Spain from the top), and the grand La Sagrada Familia (I even went to the top)...Today we reached Sevilla and I got a chance to see the palace, Alcanzar, and rome through the streets of Sevilla....I saw a fun and festive musical performance today in one of the many plazas located throughout Sevilla! Tomorrow, I´m planning on going to Granada, then Cordoba...Afterwards I head back to France and then back to Denver!!! One of the best trips I have ever been on in my 25 years (woohoo it´s my b-day in 2 days and I turn 25)!!!!! 2 entirely separate continents and the sights have been out of this world ranging from the temples of India to the churches and palaces of Europe! It´s been one hell of a ride!!!!

I hope you are all doing well and I can´t wait to see you all!

:) :) :)

Paris.....Bonjour

Right now Im in Paris enjoying the city of lights....heading to Spain tomorrow for the New Years! Wishing everyone a very happy & joyous new Years! best wishes to you all!

On to Paris!!!!

My India trip comes to an end today...I had a great time seeing all the amazing sights and meeting all the wonderful people! Kerala was beautiful and extremely hot in the middle of December! I heard that it snowed a couple of feet in CO! Now I am heading to France and then to Spain! I am planning on visiting Barcelona and Madrid...Yesterday I finished my trip off with the movie Kabul Express and I went to Great Punjab restaurant! Looking forward to seeing Spain! Will keep you posted....Happy Holidays to Everyone!

:) :) :)

In God's Own Country

I'm in this small mountain town in Munnar which is in South India using the Internet! Munnar has numerous tea plantations and is surrounded by beautiful mountains! Yesterday, I visited a national park and viewed mountain goats...Tomorrow I am heading off to Thekkady...I also took a boat tour around Cochin and went to this very cool area called "Jew Town" where all the Jewish people live (30-40 of them)...I got a chance to go inside the Jewish synagogue which was amazing...After Thekkady, I am heading off to Trivanderum, Kovalam, and Kanikumari!!! South India is "God's Own Country" as the locals call it!

Will keep you posted!

Coconut Water...It's Good for Your Daughter!!!

I thought this famous song by Harry Belefonte about Coconut Water related to me consuming lots of coconut water on Juhu Beach...It Got a Lot of Iron and Makes Her Strong Like a Lion!! This beach is pretty and there are plenty of coconut stalls to get your fill of coconut water! I also consumed numerous idlis and vadas at Woodlands Restaurant in Juhu Beach! This restaurant was fantastic and their mosambi (fresh orange juice) was out of this world!! I visited the beautiful Kanhari Caves located in Sanjeev Gandhi National Park...These caves are a piece of history and contain hundreds of Buddhist carvings and statues that were made by Buddhist monks thousands of years ago! I saw numerous bandhars (monkeys) hanging out and surveying the food scene!! I finished the day off by visiting In Orbit Mall in Malad, which is the new technological center in India. I saw several modern call centers, apartments, and tall buildings which reflect the new India!!! The rise of technology and call centers in India is definitely playing an integral role depicting how India is changing!

Choki Dani - Beautiful Village!

In Jaipur I went to this wonderful place called Choki Dani...This was a place that was designed after a small Rajastani town...When we first entered we were greeted with red tikka and we were showered with rose petals as well as with the phrase, "Ram Ram Sa"...which means Greetings & Goodbye in Rajastani...We saw amazing dances by girls holding pots on their heads, went on camel rides, went on bullock cart rides, ate traditional Rajastani food while seated on the floor, went shopping in the village marketplace, played archery games and darts, and I even dressed up in a traditional Rajastani outfit!!! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is visiting Jaipur...They are opening Choki Dani in Mumbai, Pune, Indore and other place throughout India as well! This was a definite must see and captured the true essence of Rajastan!!!! So to everybody...Ram Ram Sa!!!

Ajmer...Ranthambore....Jaipur...The Fun Continues!!!

I just came back from my North India yesterday night and it was an awesome trip!!! First, I went to Ajmer and Pushkar and enjoyed a true shopper's paradise!!! I bought bags, kurtis, jewelry, bandini chunnis!!!! Also, got to go to Ranthambore National Park on a Jeep safari....Although we didn't see any tigers, we saw lots of deer, monkeys, birds, crocodiles, and other animals!!! Ajmer has several ruins including a Dargha, Jain Temple, Dhai-din-ka jhompra...These sights were amazing....Jaipur, "The Pink City" is beautiful and I got a chance to see the Amber Palace which is truly one of the most amazing sights on Earth!!! I am heading to South India in the next few days once Sonia gets here!!! I am looking forward to touring the backwaters and seeing Cochin, Munnar, Trivendrum, Kerela....Today I saw Dhoom 2 in Mumbai and all I have to say is Dhoom Machale!!! It is a great movie and Hritik is extremely HOT!!! I would definitely recommend Dhoom 2 to everyone!!! I am definitely experiencing my culture and sanskriti in full force!!!

Janpath Rocks!!! Shopping Galore!

I reached New Delhi last Saturday and what a trip it has been so far!!! My relatives are stuffing my face full of good food....Mera peth bauth he baragaya yaa (My stomach is too full)!!! So far I have been to Akshar Dham temple, Connaught Place, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Bauji da Dhaba, Gurgaon Malls, Sai Baba temple, Shiva statue, Shopping on Janpath which was amazing...This is a famous street located in Delhi which has a diverse multitude of shops ranging from handicrafts, to bags, to kurtis and skirts...the list goes on & on...I saw the shop owners tear down all their shops on Janpath because the gov. officials came through and tried to shut them down (they had used up the sidewalk space, which they weren't supposed to do...plus the gov. officials want their paisa (money) for their own benefit)!! Here's a photo of the shopowners wrapping up!! As soon as the gov. officials left, they set up their shops again! I am heading to Ajmer on Friday and will go to Pushkar...Afterwards, I am going to Rathambore Forest for a safari and to Jaipur...Sonia is coming in 2 weeks and I can't wait to tour South India with her!

Idli and Sambar for Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! I'm still in Pune and celebrated Thanksgiving with Idli and Sambar and Bata Vadas...Yum Yum...Anyhow, headed out to Delhi tomorrow....Pune was awesome...Saw amazing temples...Went to Shiridi...Saw Forts...Went to the Osho Commune and lovely botanic gardens....Went to Agkhan Palace (where Gandhi and Kasturba were kept under house arrest for many years...Kasturba eventually passed away here), visited Shaniwar Wada...Went to Peshlawer Caves!! Will keep you posted in Delhi!!!

Mumbai Se Gayi Pune!!!!

I'm off to Pune, and on the way I'll stop at Lonalava and Khandala...hoping to see the Karla and Baja caves on the way!!!! I am looking forward to meeting family in New Delhi and seeing the palaces and forts in Jaipur, Ajmer, Pushkar, and hopefully Jaislmer!!!!Will keep you posted!

Pune has great shopping malls!!! Here's a picture of me with my favorite Bollywood stars!!! Dhoom it up!!! I bought the soundtrack and the songs are addictive!!

Mumbai...The City That Never Sleeps

Today I got a chance to explore and take in all the sights, smells, and sounds of Mumbai! I saw the beautiful Siddhi Vinayak Temple which was incredibly crowded....There were about 10,000 people shoving and pushing their way into a room designed for 100 people!!!! The Ganesh statue in the temple was amazing, along with Ganesh's transport...a small rat! I saw all my mom's high school friends which was a lot of fun...A trip down memory lane...Jehangir Art Gallery had some interesting art exhibits up...Mani Bhavan...Gandhiji's home was thought provoking....Saw the masses of humanity walking up and down Marine Drive....Went to McDonald's desi style khaana...Had a Maharaja Mac (chicken burger) and a McAloo Tiki Burger....Yum Yum....Drove past Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly known as VT...Victoria Terminus)...What a day, What a day!!! Finished it by going to this awesome restaurant in Bandra...Spice Tree....It was delicious...Had paneer makhni, garlic naan, the best raita ever (to cleanse the palate)....tandoori fish...I could go on and on, but I'll leave the rest for you to imagine!!! Looking forward to going to Film City tomorrow to check out Whistling Woods Institute (Subash Ghai's film school)...Will let you know if I meet any famous Bollywood stars!!!!

Adventures in the Mother Land

So whenever I come to India, crazy things happen to me....That is to be expected!!! I'm sure those of you who have gone to India, would say that everyday is an adventure! So let me list some ot the interesting, crazy things that have happened so far...

- Yesterday we were in an autorickshaw (these three wheeled small vehicles) and our driver was going extremely fast...Driving in India is like playing a video game (frogger)...You have all these people walking from all sides, animals crossing (cows, pigs, dogs, elephants, camels), and the rickshaws are trying to navigate through the narrow streets along with buses, trucks, large 4X4's and other vehicles...Our autorickshaw mowed this lady down...She appeared to be okay, but that was scary!!! These autorickshaws zip in and out of traffic and it seems like they are playing highway chess!!!

- When we arrived from the airport, we all stuffed ourselves along with all of our luggage, in a car designed for 4 people...So 5 people in a car...along with 7 pieces of luggage...Now I know what it feels like when I see 10 people stuffed in an autorickshaw or any car for that matter in Bharat...I've already experimented with the game, "How many people can you stuff in a Beetle?" What an adventure!!!

I'm sure other interesting, wild, crazy events will occur in the next few days...I'll keep you posted...More adventures in the mother land!!!

:)