Friday December 4th,2008 Day 103
Just finished reading Catfish and Mandala, a great book about a Vietnamese-American immigrant who returns to tour Vietnam by bicycle, on a meager budget. I think Vietnam has changed a lot, because I didn’t experience a fraction of the hassling he received for basically being seen as a traitor. He took this trip about 10 years ago, I think. Then again, I wasn’t out on the open road by myself and vulnerable in the same way he was. It was written by Andrew Pham.
We are nearing the end. The last day of finals is tomorrow, and then it’s Costa Rica the next day. Like always, I don’t have any plans. We only have three days. My only goals are to make it home with some cash, eat a lot of Costa Rican food, and go zip-lining through the rainforest. Maybe some rafting.
I recorded an entire song and spent probably 20 hours mixing it, but I think I have to re-record the entire thing. The guitar is just a little out of tune, and it affects everything. The foundation is cracked. I wouldn’t be able to stand listening to it.
Work study duties have pretty much subsided, so I’m free to enjoy shipboard life during the day. Sat out in the sun and read all day today, relaxing. I’ll study tonight.
For one of my classes, Teaching Science Education, our final exam is accompanied by a project, demonstrating how a certain creative activity can teach kids. My groups project is, “Making Musical Instruments”. As an example, I made a motorized whirly-chime-thing. It’s awesome.
Thursday December 11th, 2008 Day 110
Costa Rica
Day 1: Anchored in the port of Caldera. Take the tender to shore with Autumn and Erin, Erin hails a trailer-less truck and we hitchhike to Puntarenas. We catch a bus to Jaco, it’s about 2 hours away. We get to Jaco and Erin gets Quiznos. We find a Hostel and meet Edit and Chaba, the Hungarian owners. Extremely nice and awesome young couple. We walk out to the beach, there’s a reggae concert. It starts raining. Dinner at Jaco’s Tacos, first Mexican food in a while. Chimichanga. Real Avocados, or “aguacate” in Spanish apparently. Back to the hostel roof, play catch phrase all night with two Quebeckers and Michael, cool Australian dude. Another Jaco’s tacos trip, late-night.
Day 2: Breakfast, head out to the beach again. Erin and I go Zip-lining. It’s exhilarating, you strap into a harness and they take you up up up on a tractor. Clip onto the line, one heavily gloved hand straight back on the line and the other on your harness, and you glide. We go upside down a few times. So much fun. Beach for sunset, run into Cynthia. Hang out at the hostel, Katey Eleanor Kedren Danika Brittany are all staying there now. Venture into the Mega Super to buy some snacks, Sushi for dinner. SAS kids have mobbed Tsunami Sushi, they run out of sushi rice for the first time ever. SAS-fest at adjacent bar, stop by for a while, head to bed.
Day 3: Breakfast at a “soda” (local costa Rican restaurant) and order the pinto gallo, typical costa Rican breakfast. Ask for fried plantains. Definitely among my favorite foods. More beach time, catch the bus back to the ship in Puntarenas, walk around with Autumn a bit, last day in port, feels like The End. Exhausted.
Friday December 12 Day 111
We went through the Panama Canal yesterday. It was amazing, also astounding how many people died constructing it, something like 28,000 people. Had my first poetry reading, 3 of my poems from my final portfolio in poetry class. Busted my head open diving into the pool. Had my first public performance singing with a piano, sang my first song I’ve written on piano. It was great, I really loved it.
Only a couple days left. People are exchanging pictures, signing each other’s maps, etc. I finished another song, one I will perform during convocation.
Just finished reading Catfish and Mandala, a great book about a Vietnamese-American immigrant who returns to tour Vietnam by bicycle, on a meager budget. I think Vietnam has changed a lot, because I didn’t experience a fraction of the hassling he received for basically being seen as a traitor. He took this trip about 10 years ago, I think. Then again, I wasn’t out on the open road by myself and vulnerable in the same way he was. It was written by Andrew Pham.
We are nearing the end. The last day of finals is tomorrow, and then it’s Costa Rica the next day. Like always, I don’t have any plans. We only have three days. My only goals are to make it home with some cash, eat a lot of Costa Rican food, and go zip-lining through the rainforest. Maybe some rafting.
I recorded an entire song and spent probably 20 hours mixing it, but I think I have to re-record the entire thing. The guitar is just a little out of tune, and it affects everything. The foundation is cracked. I wouldn’t be able to stand listening to it.
Work study duties have pretty much subsided, so I’m free to enjoy shipboard life during the day. Sat out in the sun and read all day today, relaxing. I’ll study tonight.
For one of my classes, Teaching Science Education, our final exam is accompanied by a project, demonstrating how a certain creative activity can teach kids. My groups project is, “Making Musical Instruments”. As an example, I made a motorized whirly-chime-thing. It’s awesome.
Thursday December 11th, 2008 Day 110
Costa Rica
Day 1: Anchored in the port of Caldera. Take the tender to shore with Autumn and Erin, Erin hails a trailer-less truck and we hitchhike to Puntarenas. We catch a bus to Jaco, it’s about 2 hours away. We get to Jaco and Erin gets Quiznos. We find a Hostel and meet Edit and Chaba, the Hungarian owners. Extremely nice and awesome young couple. We walk out to the beach, there’s a reggae concert. It starts raining. Dinner at Jaco’s Tacos, first Mexican food in a while. Chimichanga. Real Avocados, or “aguacate” in Spanish apparently. Back to the hostel roof, play catch phrase all night with two Quebeckers and Michael, cool Australian dude. Another Jaco’s tacos trip, late-night.
Day 2: Breakfast, head out to the beach again. Erin and I go Zip-lining. It’s exhilarating, you strap into a harness and they take you up up up on a tractor. Clip onto the line, one heavily gloved hand straight back on the line and the other on your harness, and you glide. We go upside down a few times. So much fun. Beach for sunset, run into Cynthia. Hang out at the hostel, Katey Eleanor Kedren Danika Brittany are all staying there now. Venture into the Mega Super to buy some snacks, Sushi for dinner. SAS kids have mobbed Tsunami Sushi, they run out of sushi rice for the first time ever. SAS-fest at adjacent bar, stop by for a while, head to bed.
Day 3: Breakfast at a “soda” (local costa Rican restaurant) and order the pinto gallo, typical costa Rican breakfast. Ask for fried plantains. Definitely among my favorite foods. More beach time, catch the bus back to the ship in Puntarenas, walk around with Autumn a bit, last day in port, feels like The End. Exhausted.
Friday December 12 Day 111
We went through the Panama Canal yesterday. It was amazing, also astounding how many people died constructing it, something like 28,000 people. Had my first poetry reading, 3 of my poems from my final portfolio in poetry class. Busted my head open diving into the pool. Had my first public performance singing with a piano, sang my first song I’ve written on piano. It was great, I really loved it.
Only a couple days left. People are exchanging pictures, signing each other’s maps, etc. I finished another song, one I will perform during convocation.
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