My New Normal!!!

So here it is, another random update! Life is good, normal and so not usually worth writing about, yet at the same time, so very odd in its normality! I’m getting the food side of things sorted to a certain extent, though this has been the week of montezuma’s revenge, aka wicked sick, so I’ve not been that concerned about eating!

I should explain my new posse so that you don’t get lost in my randomness! Meh is my roomate, and the best thing in Calabar! She takes me everywhere, she knows everyone and she likes to go out, so every day we are out doing something somewhere! Her boyfriend G works for the Water Board, another expat from the UK, cause they all are, and he has been here for 7 years or so and loves everything about it! His son D is here visiting for 3 months, and is volunteering in my classroom, so I spend most of my time with him! That’s my main crew...there’s also the compound peeps who I work with and talk to on the bus ride, but they’re not super happy people, so I limit my time bitching with them! Then there are the people at school, the principal, the First Lady and her entourage, Mr. Cameroon (the consulate of Cameroon), the folks at the Water Board, Zea and her circle and then just other expats...all that said, they keep me busy and I get out a lot and I have it pretty good! I see a lot of people that come here and spend all of their time on the compound, never see anything or go anywhere or meet anyone, and I think I would lose my mind!

I can’t remember what I wrote about day to day life, so I’ll write more now! My house on the compound is quite nice - Meh and I each have our own bedrooms with king size beds and bathrooms, with a kitchen, living room, dining room and shared bathroom. We have a dog called Alex who apparently is great at catching rats (which luckily I have yet to see), but useless with lizards and cockroaches! Mostly he barks a lot, which wakes up the guards who are usually asleep! Meh spends almost every night at the water board house, which is also nice...nicer in that it has consistent power and television! At the compound we have a generator, but it’s turned off for parts of the day! So I spend a fair bit of time at the water board house as well, and stay over whenever anything is happening, like two weekends ago when there was an election so no one was allowed to leave home for 12 hours!

School is fine...I’m finally getting a grip on the behaviour issues in my classroom...at least I think that now, but Monday is always a whole new deal! I’m off on a four day weekend at the moment as it is a national holiday for the end of Ramadan. We were going to go camping, but we’ve been so sick that it’s not quite a good time! Today Meh and I are doing some cooking...so spending a lot of time driving to various places to buy everything we need...because we are having a party tonight at the water board house! That should entertain me most of the day, and of course somewhere in there we are stopping for a pedicure...which I haven’t done yet and am interested to see what comes of that!

As for crazy shit...well, last saturday I ventured to Tinapa, which is really the worst place ever! It’s a “mall” but no one here can afford to shop in it, so there are no stores! There is T-Mart, which is a sad version of Walmart, but everything in it is super expensive! After coming home from that, my neighbour, the consulate of Cameroon, aka Mr. Cameroon, came over to have Cameroonian beer, and invited me for dinner at the residence...turns out it was some sort of crazy swearing in ceremony and I was seated at the head table next to “His Excellency” and people kept taking my picture and bringing me odd food...that was perhaps the craziest thing that has happened yet! Every night, though, is a new adventure! Sundays we walk...which means G drives till he finds some random trail on the side of the road, and we get out and walk for as long as it takes...sometimes an hour, sometimes we get lost for 5 hours...you just never know!

I’m enjoying myself here far more than I expected, and feel safe and happy, so no need to worry! My life is nothing like it was at home, but I like it! And now, I’m off to see what happens next! Peace!

Another morning in Africa!

I struggle with what to write in this blog this time around...technology is not so easy to come by, which is my excuse for not writing more often, but so much happens that is just not understood that I find it difficult to explain!

Rainy season here is dragging on, but I have already seen the difference and this morning the sun is shining! It’s getting hotter every day, and soon, the rain will stop, and not start again until April. Right now, there is mould everywhere and everything goes bad fast, but soon, it’ll be bone dry! The heat is more than tolerable, but air conditioners are everywhere...the problem is that they mostly don’t work, and that we only have power for a few hours each day! We have a generator on the compound and one at school, so I don’t notice it much, but the generator broke this morning and so I can’t boil water for coffee...so today I’m noticing!

The other excitement...well, the power company went on strike for 2 and a half days, which meant no water and no power unless you live on a compound like mine and have a borehole and a generator! At school though, there was no running water! It all seems rather normal now!

Yesterday there was an election, and so a state-wide curfew was imposed and we couldn’t leave the house until 5pm! Between that, the rains and the fact that there’s not much to do here, I spend a lot of time laying in bed, dozing until 2pm!!! It’s a slower way of life, and though it may sound like we are lacking for a lot, I don’t miss much (except coffee!). I have a lot of friends, and I’m out every night. School is busy and the kids are wild! I’m getting to know the whose who of Calabar! I like it!

Today I am learning to use the washing machine! Because the power goes out so often, we have an old school washer that gets the job done, but is a lot of work on my part! The power is back on, so I can get a bit done and have a coffee. Then I’ll get some planning done for this week and we go to the pool on Sunday afternoons, so I’ll get my fix of swim and sun, maybe a hike before that...it’s all good!

If you are trying to reach me, facebook rarely works here, so email me....if you email me, I’ll email back! Peace!

Greetings from Africa!!!

Calabar, Nigeria....in case I didn't tell you before I left!

I know, I’m the worst blogger ever....but in my own defence, I only got internet connection yesterday!!!! I feel as though I should have written and saved all of this to post when I finally got it, but then you would be reading for days on end! Even now, I don’t know where to start!

The trip over was fine, quicker than expected, because, as all things here that run on “africa time”, the connecting flight that I couldn’t possibly make, was available! I’ve been here for a week and half and I feel like I know it all! The new Canadian teacher arrived today, and I took her out and showed her everything...I’m a pro already! I’m even getting used to the lack of water and power...

What to tell...well, there are far fewer guns than I expected...not saying that they are not a part of my daily life, but they are not as prominent as other places I’ve been. My securing guard has an AK-47, which is comforting, and I have a dog, which is even more comforting, cause guards tend to sleep, but my dog does not!!!! I feel completely safe being out in the daytime, and in my compound at night. My house is great, I share with the only other young expat and we have two bedrooms with king size beds, three bathrooms, a living and dinning room and kitchen...and a cleaner, who also does all of the ironing! I have literally not lifted a single thing since leaving Canada...my security guard even carried my market purchases the ten feet from the van to my house! My roomate has lived here for a few years and so knows the important people, and so now, so do I! Being one of the few white chicks makes me memorable!!!

School is ridiculous, my kids are awesome, and at the same time make me crazy! It’s a busy, and oftentimes incredibly frustrating day that usually drives me to drink, but that’s part of the life here! I’ll leave it at that!

At home, well, we have a generator, so I have power from 4pm till 1am, and again from 4am till 7am, with an extra 5 hours on weekends. We have a borehole, so I have running water every day, which is better than anywhere else (cause life is so much more tolerable after a shower and brushing your teeth!). The internet is not great, particularly in rainy season, which is now, so if I don’t answer you don’t be offended! Life here is slower...things that would drive me crazy at home, don’t seem to matter here...when the power goes out, I sit outside and talk to my guards, or the other expat teachers, or read, or veg...there are good days and bad (this is a bad day!) but it’s an adventure...we’ll see how it goes after two years!!!!

I’ll try to write more regularly to tell you of the stupid shit that happens here...I’m sure it’s far more entertaining for me than you, but I’ll post it anyway, cause what else do I have to do!!!!!!! My facebook is not great here, so email me if you actually expect me to respond to anything...and even then, if could take a few days! Will post again this weekend, and will be on skype on sunday, cause everyone here is in church all day, so the email not only works, but it works fast!!!! Get skype, call me, email me....entertain me in Nigeria!!!! Peace!

And as it began, so it ends!!!!

Here I am again, at the Hong Kong airport...this time, all alone!!!!  As the trip has gone on I have gradually dropped the traveling gang and now I'm doing the 35 hour trek by my lonesome!  

The last of Phuket was great, as you could only expect in a place like Phuket!!!!  We then flew back to Subang for the final dinner at D'Tandoor, which was amazing and home to pack and watch movies.  Up this morning and I went into school to see what the kids have been up to, out for a quick lunch and then off with Das to KLIA.  I enjoyed my final Malaysia bathroom experience (good riddance!) and off I went.  

Hong Kong is rather boring, and now all of the shops are closing as it is 11pm...and I get to stick around until 2:30am!  Going to go hunt for some candy now that I am no longer in a Muslim country and gelatine is once again an acceptable food product and try to get in one more Starbucks to get me back on Canada time!  If all goes well I'll stay awake through and be jet lag free, however, the carpet in the corner is oh so tempting, as Legs will attest!

Wish me luck - I'll be at Cora's for breakfast Saturday morning if you wanna come!  See you in Canada....Peace, one last time from Southeast Asia!!!!

Thailand and spas and elephants oh my!!!!!

Hello from Phuket! Have I mentionned before that I love the beach!?!?! Cause I love the beach!!! Phuket is pretty sweet, definitely an interesting place!
After another Monday morning cab ride with Das to airasia, Legs and I flew off to Phuket, our one and only venture into Thailand. It's definitely a great place for one last vacation! We are staying in a luxurious hotel complete with shower, sink and a toilet that flushes without pumping!!! There aren't even any lizards in the room....it's a bit much all this cleanliness!!!! And there's is an incredible spa attached, for only 1,000BHT ($30CAN) I had a 3 hour body scrub, Thai oil massage and the best facial of all time! Then more beach, and fabulous food....the best phat thai I've had in my life, for only 50BHT!
And the partying is like nothing I have ever seen!!!!! Banghla Street is insane! All over the road there are folks trying to convince you to see a Go-Go show, with a list of things that girls will stick inside....the big seller is the ping-pong ball, which I understand they then shoot back out....This is also the home of Rock City, a cool rock cover band bar, you haven't lived till you've seen a Thai boy/girl rockin' out! There is also a prominence of lady-men, I got to see some sweet fake boobs on a very hot man at the beach yesterday - the gals are gorgeous!!!!
What else....lots of stuff, selling, massaging, pedicures, beaches, drinking, whatever goes here!!!! So so many large white old guys with lovely Thai lady "friends", which has become an interesting people watching fascination for Legs and I as we sit on the beach, or at lunch, or at dinner, or drinking....
And then this morning, I got to ride an elephant!!!!!!!!!!! So friggin' cool!!!!!! I'm not sure how I feel about the elephant riding and trecking companies, I would much prefer to see wild elephants, but that's not the way in this part of the world. I did buy my elephant a big bunch of bananas and feed her after, so I hope that made up for the ride a bit.
Anyway, this is my last beach day! Tomorrow I fly back to Subang for one last D-Tandoor dinner with the peeps, and then to visit at school Friday before hoping on a plane for my solo journey back to Canada! I'm trying to think of all of the things which I am looking forward to, like clean fresh air, knowing what I'm eating, seeing my family and friends....all will be good! I am very scared of the cold weather - anything cooler than 30 seems insane right now!
So Canada, I'll see you this weekend - I land in Ottawa at 9:10am on Saturday morning and will be going to Cora's for breakie if anyone's interested!
See you on the other side of the world, back in time!!!! Peace!

One more time!

This is it...leaving on the last vacation today!!!! In 2 short hours I'm off to the airport to go on one last trip, for a big ol' party in Phuket!!!! I'm only a little excited!
What's been up since my last post, well, I spent the weekend on the tiniest island, that I would like to rename Fish Island...yeah. After getting back late Thursday night from Langkawi, I met the gals at school and we hopped a cab to KL center to get the bus. They then informed me that the bus line we were using was the most reliable and had the lowest accident record...great! After a 3 hour ride that took 5 hours we made it to Lumut and ran over to the last Ferry of the night to Pangkor. We then took one of the oh so lovely pink cab vans to our new home, the Omback, which we shared with a family of ants and a giant lizard....you wouldn't believe the places we stay in Malaysia!!!! The weekend was good, but the island is only 8 square kms, so as you can imagine, in a day, I was done! We did the beach, scootered the island twice and beached again...I've never in my life seen so much dried fish, or smelled so much dried fish...I'm a little turned off the fish now! We did see some cool stuff while scootering, including a psychadelic temple with mushrooms and donald duck and a purple turtle, and a temple with a kitchy mini great wall of China....fun times! I'll do the pics for the last trips when I get back to the airport to come home I think....no time here!
And now, I'm going to shower in what I have come to appreciate as the best shower in all of Malaysia and then hop on a plane to Phuket...4 more days of vaca fun, and Friday I start the journey back to Canada.
I've come to discover that while I find Malaysia rather heavy and not a great place to backpack, and the what may be the worst bathrooms in the world, I love living in developing areas...my favorite places in the world are those that are somewhat underdeveloped...anyway, that's my realization for today, enough of that!
Off to get clean and fly away again! See everyone soon...Peace!

The only way to do it!!!

I love the scooter! I saw so much of Langkawi that I never would have otherwise, all on my very own scooter....rented, but my own driving!!!! A little scary when the water buffalo charged across the road, but all in all, so cool! We left after the rain yesterday, or so we thought until we got caught in a crazy rainstorm!!!! After getting gas, we went up to the cable cars, which were closed due to clouds. I'm not afraid of heights, but I'm kinda ok with them being closed, cause those suckers were high!!!!! We then went to Seven Wells and hiked up about 800 stairs through the jungle to the top of a very cool waterfall to chill at the Seven Wells, then back down to see the bottom of the waterfall and a few monkeys along the way! After making our way back down the last 300 stairs or so we took off to a masoleum. There is a legend in Langkawi that we were told by our cab driver in KL, and then the bartender here, about a woman who bled white blood a put a curse on the island....so the dealio, this woman was born under all sorts of auspicious signs and was beautiful and people wrote poetry about her and all sorts of stuff. She ended up marrying someone of some importance in Langkawi who went off to battle. In order to take her down, a rumour was started that she was unfaithful, and was to be put to death. She was tied to a tree and despite all of their efforts, the villagers couldn't kill her. In the end, they had to kill her with her own sword and she died tied to a tree. Before she died she put a curse on the island that if she was not guilty, there would be no development on the island for 7 generations. They cut her and she bled white blood, and for 7 generations, no development. They are now at generation 9 and things are starting to pick up tourist wise, and there's a cement plant...believe it!?!?!
That was about the end of that day, we biked back, went to the fancy hotel swim up bar for happy hour and made a few new friends and then out for a very western dinner of pizza and cheeseburger and fries, and to the moldy room for a sleep.
This morning, after waiting out the rain, we biked way up north, cause I'm super fast now, and went to the black sand beach, a crazy cool craft place, hot springs and the sweet beach and then biked right on back here to try to book flights for next week. Only seven more sleeps till the trek home....
Off to the reggae bar on the beach now (notice a trend...) and then back to Subang. Just now decided I would go to Pangkor with some of the gals from school tomorrow, so back home long enough to clean up and off again! Going to bus out there tomorrow afternoon and grab a ferry...and then Monday-Thursday in Phuket I think....but if you look back over the blog you'll notice that the plans never remain the same!!!!!
That's enough internet time for me my friends, I have to go have one more beer on the beach before flying away....to another beach!!!!!!!!! Ciao....Peace!!!!!!!