Welcome back Teacher

Meet George...George is a guy who I met last semester and taught him to say Homie. George is my homie. He is a great guy and full of humor. One of my favorite students at Sias.

But...the Spring Semester has officially begun. After nine weeks of having absolutely no responsibility it felt good to actually have something to do. Don't get me wrong, I love to sleep in but usually there isn't much today when ya wake up. But I had three classes today that went pretty well. I have one class that I have a hard time trying to get them to speak. But, hopefully I will be able to get them to do it soon..that way it helps their grade. This week our topic is "Back from the holiday" so I will basically spend nine classes talking about my vacation and listening to their holiday stories. But I am doing two truths and a lie, and they have to be about the vacation. So far they seem to enjoy it and hopefully the students will continue to enjoy it. But...just wanted to share with you guys about the semester...I have high expectations this semester...but I have some tough decisions to make very soon...hopefully the Father will show me what doors to walk through concerning next year...Do I come back to China? Do I go to another country? Do I find a job in America?

I have set a few goals for this semester and I will share:
1. Get more involved with Purpose (Bee eye bee L E studies and what not)
2. Build better relationships with other teachers and workers in Peter Hall
3. Build more relationships with my students (It opens opportunities and good friendships)
4. Drop some pounds...started running and soon will get a gym membership here..got a couple workout buddies so it helps..

Anyways...I love you guys...I miss you...and will see ya sometime in June...

Part Three of Three: Malaysia and back to Sias

So...welcome to part three of my vacation series...ok that sounds really lame...but I don't really care. Malaysia to me was the best part of the vacation but unfortunantly I only got to spend a week here. This country is just filled with beauty: mountains, waterfalls, oceans, islands and no telling what else. But, malay food was not very good to me...ah well...at least I tried it. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the blog.

I left off on my last blog somewhere around Hat Yi (Southern Thailand). We (Steve, Racheal, Joel, Amanda and Myself) took a night train from Surathani, Thailand to Hat Yi, Thailand. Got to the train station in Hat Yi and found a bus from Hat Yi to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We (Joel, Amanda and myself) left Thailand on 9:30 am to take a nine or ten hour bus ride to the capital city of Malaysia. We arrived at the border around 10:30 or 11 am that day to get our passport stamped, I got my stamp to leave Thailand..then Amanda gets stamped..then Joel gets up there and the guy from Thailand is in a really bad mood and says to Joel "USA no good". Oh well...I guess he is entitled to his own opinion. Anyways..we get through and get stamped to enter Malaysia...we stop for a couple meals and for a couple restrooms stops and arrive in Kuala Lumpur around 7 or 8 pm. The ride to this city was awesome...in fact..if I get a chance to do that again I would do it in a heartbeat...Malaysia is so gorgeous.

We get off the bus...and we head to look for a hostel...we search but everything is too expensive or full...so we just end up staying in a nice hotel for a night. We decided to do a nice hotel and a cheap hostel the rest of the week. So we sleep...wake up check out a find a rice cheap hostel for 30 Ringit a night (little less that 10 US Dollars a night) then we go get lunch at Subway (oh sooooo good) then to AirAsia to get Joel and Amandas flight worked out. We finish that and then go on this free park with all sorts of stuff...all kinds of plants, geese, (they had a bird and butterfly park but they cost money). For dinner this night we had Pizza Hut...this was probably the worst Pizza Hut I have been to in Asia (only been to like three..but still)...this place had roaches crawling on the wall and floor but the food still was pretty good. But later on we went to sleep that night and woke up early to get in line to get tickets to go up the Petronas Twin Towers. Definatly a must if you go to Kuala Lumpur. We got tickets to go up at 10 am so we went to get some breakfast and chill at Burger King. Then up the Towers we went...it was really cool...got some cool pictures on facebook and myspace up here if you want to check em out. You get 10 minutes on the Skybridge which is plenty of time if you ask me. Then back down. Then the towers had a little exhibition play center were we played for a while...just like kids...its fun to be a kid right? I think so...then off to lunch and CHILIS....oh man I miss Chilis..it was so good. I had the Honey Chipotle Chicken Crispers with bottomless chips and salsa for an appetizer...it was Hao Chur (thats how you say delicious or good food in Chinese). Then we went outside for a while to chill. Then there was an Aquarium next to the towers that we went too. I think it might be the largest aquarium in the world...but I am not one hundret percent on that. But that was cool, I got to pet a shark and hold a starfish and see huge shark and rays. Then for dinner tonight we went to eat some local Malay/Indian food....I tried Malay food and I just wasnt a big fan of it. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing...oh well...Then we were gonna try and get a massage but massage place was closed. So we went back to the hostel chilled/read then went to sleep. Wednesday morning we woke up and then went to the bus station. We were gonna try and get a bus to Port Dickson cause there was a beach there but all the trips were later in the day. We wanted to go early and stay the day then come back that night...but we decided not too. Instead we got a bus ticket to The Cameron Highlands for the next day instead. So...we were gonna try and go to these caves in Kuala Lumpur that afternoon from Central Market...but we ended up spending a lot of time in this Market. I got things for family members here and got a Malaysian flag. We then got a some good cheesecake and milkshakes a Secret Recipe and it was really good. We then went back to the hostel to take a shower...this shower at this hostel was amazing...just so ya know...then got ready to go to dinner. For dinner we went to Papa Johns....man I L-O-V-E Papa Johns Pizza...got full here then we looked at a couple stores before finding a Borders Bookstore with a Starbucks...man it was awesome...I love going to book stores...Not much of a reader but for some reason I love bookstores...odd? Anyways...we were here until it closed then went to the hostel to get ready for out small trip to Cameron Highlands. After getting things ready Joel and I went downstairs to watch the Presidential Inauguration. We woke up early to catch our bus to Cameron Highlands which took four hours to get too...bought a ticket to go back to Kuala Lumpur then found a room for the night. Then something extremely random happened...we met a couple who taught at Sias three years ago. They were really cool and we had lunch with them. They told us some cool places to do in a short time. Then we left the couple to go on a hike. Cameron Highlands is full of hiking trails and they are beautiful. We went down one to see a waterfall...it was really close so we kept walking. Then we left that trail and went to a trail with a big waterfall. This waterfall is really big...I really enjoyed seeing these trails with waterfalls...at the top of this waterfall there was a dry spot to kind of look and get close to the rushing water...it was really cool. But it was getting late so we went back to the guest house to get dinner then to kill a couple hours then sleep. We woke up the next morning kind of early cause we did a tour...got some breakfast then went on our tour. On this tour we went to a Rose Farm, Strawberry Farm, Tea Plantation (the best part), Butterfly/Insect Farm, Bee Farm, a small market (got to get some small oranges for free..only a few), then to a Chinese Buddhist Temple. I had no way to charge my camera in Malaysia so while I was taking pictures of roses my camera died on me...I was a little sad...cause I really wanted pictures of the Tea Plantation. We finish the tour around 2pm so we get a bite to eat back in town then get on a bus at 4:30 to go back to Kuala Lumpur...this trip took forever...this time took about 5 1/2 to 6 hours...oh well...we get back and eat some McDonalds for dinner...chilled for a while then slept. Woke up late Saturday morning..ate Subway then went to get my flight worked out. I had tried to book my flight online but my card kept being rejected so I thought that if i went to the AirAsia place I would be able to get my card to go through...NEGATIVE...I like flying AirAsia but its a pain booking flights. So I call home to try and get mom to get online but the internet at home was down...then Joel calls his mom to help me out but we werent able to get through...I tried having money drawn off my card but kept getting rejected. So finally..Joel and Amanda said they would pay for it with their card and I could pay for it when we first get paid...I agreed cause I was getting low on money. SOO we got that settle...that took up most of the day...we planned to go to the Bird Park...but it was took late and was about to close...instead we took a Monorail ride to The Twin Towers to hang out at the mall....we were metting Andy and Lacy for dinner at Chilis...we killed time by checking out different sports stores and things that were in the mall here...then dinner time came around and I told the guys we wanted to a table for five..Andy and Lacy got there and right behind them was Ole and Kat...so I changed the table seven. It was good to see all these good people...talked about the trip thus far...did I mention how I miss Chilis...cause I do...but after dinner we all went to see Bedtime Stories...new Adam Sandler Movie. It was a really good family movie. Adam Sandler is extremly funny and the place was laughing like crazy...then afterwards we all walked around and found a McDonalds get a latenight snack...said by the friends...then went back to the Hostel to pack things up cause we were flying out the next day...went to sleep...woke up...then checked out of the hostel...went to Subway for one last time...then off to get to the airport...We saved half of our subway sandwiches to eat before we boarded the plane...it was so good...we left Kuala Lumpur at 4:50 pm to fly back to China...

We land in Shenzhen, China about four hours later in hopes of finding a flight that night to go back to Zhengzhou (next big city to Sias). We met a girl, Serena, on the flight who is a teacher in Shenzhen and told us if we were unable to get a flight then we could stay at her Apartment. Soooo...we were unable to get a flight that night...Joel and Amanda call Serena to see if we can stay the night...she says yes...so we take a taxi to her place and stay the night. This night happended to be the night Chinese New Year started and while we were all talking in the living room....fireworks just starting blowing up everywhere....Shin Nian Kuai La (Happy New Year in Chinese)....it was pretty cool to be in China for this event...but I know Serena letting us stay at her place was a blessing but to this day I think that is one of my weirdest experiences...sleeping at a complete strangers place...oh well...it was pretty cool...and her futon was comfy...we then look online for flights but they are too expensive...we then look online for flight from Guangzhou (hour train ride from Shenzhen) and they have a flight for 590 Yuan...little less than a hundred bucks...so we take Serena to lunch thanking her for letting us stay...then to get a train ride to Guangzhou....the train at one time went 200 km/hour...which is fast...we arrive at the Guangzhou train station....and real closeby is a China Southern Airlines office...we go in to see if they have any cheap flights....and lucky us they still had the flight for 590 Yuan...we were excited cause we were gonna be sleeping the night in our own beds at Sias...so we pay for the flight...here I have no problem with my card...it accepts my card...then we took a bus ride to the airport...we eat at McDonalds on last time on our vacation. While eating we called Echo (front desk worker at Sias to get a taxi ride)....we wait for a little while...board the plane...and head to Zhengzhou. About two hours later we arrive in Zhengzhou....we get our bags...find our taxi and head back to Sias. Forty-five minutes later we are walking into our dorm at Sias...finally...we can sleep it...

I have now been back at Sias for about two weeks and I still have a little less that two weeks until classes start back up again...im looking forward to this semester. I am hoping this semester is much better than my last.

This vacation was a great experience to have....I may not get a chance to do something like this for a long time...so we made the most of it.

Bad thing about being back at Sias during the vacation is they only serve two meals a day. Brunch is at 10 am and dinner is at 5 pm. So I have to wake up every day to eat...or ill just be really hungry until dinner...but now restaurants are slowly opening back up...Chinese new year is about to be over in a couple of days so things should be back to normal real soon...

I hoped you enjoyed reading about my vacation adventures...

Part Two of Three: Thailand

So...now, if you are reading this, you can read a little about my journey in Thailand. I was in Thailand for three weeks and really enjoyed it. The first picture is at Kanchaniburi (Where the Bridge Over The River Kwai is at) and the second picture is on Koh Tao (an island on the east side of Thailand). And the third one is in Bangkok. I put the last one up just for kicks...cause I get a kick out of it when I see it. Anyways...now onto the adventure...enjoy.

So..December 27, 2008 I hopped on a flight at 1:30 am (China Time...which is 11:30 pm Texas Time) and headed for Bangkok...roughly two hours later our flight landed in Bangkok...so we had a hostel booked but it was a pretty good trip from the airport...so we took at taxi...I think its weird that taxis (and fake taxis) are out into the wee hours of the morning. Oh well...it was good for us...The first hostel we stayed at was really really nice...I can not remember the name of it but I really enjoyed it. But we only had one night booked and after that night it was booked...piss...sooooo we headed to Khaosan Road cause there are plenty of places to stay in that area. Khaosan Road is a busy street in Bangkok...its kind of like a flea market...cause you can buy all sorts of junk...and by junk...I mean junk. I did get some Havaianas Flip Flops for 150 Baht (Roughly 5 bucks...34 baht is about 1 dollar) cause I really needed some flip flops...especially since we were gonna be on a Island later in the trip. We stayed in Bangkok for two nights before heading down into Kanchaniburi. Kanchaniburi was a nice little trip, even though there was a lady who was really annoying and complained the whole time...we were on vacation so there was no need in that junk. Anyways...back to the trip...Kanchaniburi is the home to the Bridge On The River Kwai. If you have never heard of this, I encourage you to read the history behind this bridge (or watch the movie). It has some crazy history behind it from World War II. Also, this town is home to Hellfire Pass, another thing from World War II that has crazy history behind it that I encourage you to read about. I had the priviledge of seeing both of these sights and it was really cool. Hellfire pass was cooler to me cause it had some of the original stuff. The bridge though...wasn't the original since it was blown up in WWII. Still..read the history kids. Also...on our trip in Kanchaniburi..I got to ride a bamboo raft (a little lame to me), see a few waterfalls, pet the cutest monkey ever (his name was Todo), and ride and feed an elephant. The after this tour we headed back to Bangkok for a couple more days. Here we just chilled this time...but...it was late one afternoon and I was looking for a good book to read cause I had just finished Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper (good book) and I went down a dark alley thinking it was shorter to the hostel...nope...but...what happens is a lady is yelling at me but I keep walking...she finally catches up with me about 5 minutes later. Here is a little bit of our conversation:
Lady: Hello
Me: Hi
Lady: Want to have sex with me?
Me: Nah, im good
Lady: Ill make ya happy.
Me: Thats ok
Lady: Why you no have sex with me?
Me: Im saving it for my wife
Lady: Whatever, people like sex for fun.
Me: I know, but I am waiting for my wife
Lady: Ok, well I charge 3000 for all night and 1500 short time


Ok thats enough...it got awkward after that point but I did ask why does does what she does and stuff...just small talk trying to lead to a men as tree opportunity...but it died and she went looking for another man....but it was my first time to get solicited for sex...yay go me...anyways...So new years eve we got on a bus around 9:30 pm to go towards Koh Tao....around 11:59 pm..the bus stops for a few seconds to give us a little time to celebrate new year...Soooo...if you are wondering how I brought 2009 in....I was on a bus going to an island..then i went back to sleep at 12:01 new years day....Woke up around 5ish to get off the bus cause we were on the coast. We then waited a couple hours to take a speed boat to Koh Tao....speed boat was a bad idea...I got motion sickness and it wasnt pretty....But...when we got to Koh Tao it was raining. We got a bite to eat first then I went with Joel and Amanda to find a room...we walked around for over an hour in the rain looking for a freakin room...finally found one for 200 baht a night...thankfully...

I was on Koh Tao (which means Turtle Island) for about 2 weeks before going back to mainland Thailand. Our second day, more friends (Steve and Rachael Collins) joined us for the F-U-N. One day I got bored and walked around the island trying to find where my friends (The Collins an d The Porters) were staying...I ended up taking the wrong road so I ended up having to rock climb at the end...and I messed my shoes up pretty bad to so I need to get some new shoes real soon. Sooo...i stayed in the 200 baht rooms for three nights then went across the island to be with the Collins and the Porters. The place they stayed was quite and really pretty. We had some really good snorkeling on this part of the island too. Some some beautiful fish and some cool coral. One day for lunch, Steve and I snorkeled to the next beach over to eat lunch..then snorkeled back...it was a little tiring coming back cause of the waves. But, we stayed at this place four or five nights the went to another place...here The Collins were gonna get their divers certificate which The Porters and myself just chilled...it was a good chill time. Snorkel a few times here but never saw anything good. We rented Kayaks one day to hopefully enjoy some good snorkeling but it was a bust...but we did see some really cool things at the end...kind of hard to explain while typing. I suffered a really bad cut on my left foot one afternoon. Steve and I were snorkeling and we just got back on the beach...the water was high so we werent able to see much of the beach...there was a stump under the water and I stepped on it...it cut me kinda deep...and I had to walk on my toes for a few days...it was painful...but its better now...still not completely healed but better. So...we left the island after two weeks of being on it to head back to the mainland. We too a short speed boat to Koh Samui then a ferry boat to Surathani. Chilled in Surathani for the afternoon until around 1:00 am and took a sleeper train to Hat Yi...the train was awful...not much room to put luggage so I had my bag on my really tiny bed with me...not comfortable and the train was old and the ride was really bumpy...i slept maybe an hour. But we arrived in Hat Yi around 6 or so that morning and then found a bus ride from Hat Yi to Kuala Lumpur...the capital city of Malaysia....which is the last part of my vacation...

Thailand overall was a great trip...some of the most beautiful creation is in Thailand. Also, Thai food is really really good. I had never had it before and in love with it from the first bite. I read 4 books in Thailand...which is really odd for me cause I hate to read...but 4 books in 3 weeks...I think thats really good....anyways...right now its 2:42 am (12:42 pm Texas Time)...and I just got tired...I took at long nap today...but...I hope you enjoyed reading about Thailand...