1. Learn Mandarin. This language ain't no joke.
2. Come back and be able to speak it (reading can wait).
It is amazing how different something can be.
I have been to many large cities in various parts of the world. Nothing prepared me for Taichung. Nothing even came close.
The family was super sweet, cool, and intense.
The experience was like nothing I have ever had before.
The Mandarin they speak in Singapore is different than the Mandarin they speak in Taiwan. Subtly different but still different.
I think in Chinese culture, more things go unsaid than said. I am still working over a few of the exchanges I had with Kin Sun. She always speaks many many things at once.
There are ways to do everything. There are cultural cues in many things. Unraveling enough details to feel like you are understanding more than a very small amount could take a lifetime.
My first real taste of Chinese, and I am now 1000 times more curious than I was before.
Its like you put on a lens, or there is a data transformation system between you and a familiar, but complex set of images. You see vague shapes that move in familiar ways but nothing is concrete, and when you expect something there it is not. There is a city, and people, but they really are very different. I don't know how to describe how completely different things can be.
Amazingly, delightfully different. That is how different things can be.
Chris
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Taichung Motha F#cka!
Went out with the next mayor of the city.
Remember how I spoke about police in from of the building?
Actually on second thought, if you want to know the details, lets talk in person.
Some times, you feel very successful. In my situation, the things you have worked very hard to get good at are recognized publicly.
Other times, you realize just how small the world is that you live in.
Tonight, I was in a different society who knew nothing about my world. They were amazing hosts, but you could tell that I was one of the sparkles on a very large, bright diamond. I didn't mind this, mind you, because everyone who was less of a sparkle wanted a piece of a larger sparkle. The women here are spectacular, btw. They don't need sparkles or diamonds to catch my eye, but a few don't hurt either ;).
I don't know how to put things when you are a very little fish. I didn't understand what was going on, but the man who was taking me out was the king of a city containing several million people. I don't understand how that happened, and I probably don't want to know, but when he spoke I tried very hard to understand and to respond in ways that he would understand.
I said (through an interpreter) that I really didn't understand Chinese culture. The developers who worked for me didn't do what I expected them to.
He response, with much disgust, was that if I was really serious I should date a Chinese girl. Clearly, anything less in his eyes was utter bullshit, so I dropped the subject. He is probably right, you know. Put your money (or what have you) where your mouth is (or would like to be)...
He then said that he had much use for a software expert. I don't know what to make of this, I said that perhaps we should meet the week after next. He said that much later would probably work better. What he doesn't know is that a certain very important person from a certain mammoth company just might be scheduling a visit. I offended him a little by not being able to meet next week.
On one hand, you have Chinese women, a life of god knows what, and Taichung for the forseable future.
On the other hand, you have my life now in Boulder (think Code Monk. Celebate. Single purpose...)
On the gripping hand, I got shizzle I already committed to that is going pretty well. Don't leave fun for fun.
Did I mention that Chinese women have amazing bodies? There was a stripper tonight and the interpreter asked if I wanted to meet her. I declined because I really, at some point, want something for real. But this girl could dance and I really was impressed by her amazing ass. I thought only Latin women had asses. Not so, round eye (or rather, in Taiwan, pointy nose), not so.
I am now watching Chinese television, writing to all my crazy readers, and taking care of the man of the house and his wife, Grandpa and Grandma Chang.
The dog jumped on grandma as she lied on the couch watching TV. I grabbed the dog and walked it upstairs to the kitchen.
The body guard grabbed a foam roller and smacked the poodle on the head, eliciting a surprised "Bark!". I relayed the situation to the man and woman of the house. They laughed. Pooch disciplined appropriately!
Chris
Remember how I spoke about police in from of the building?
Actually on second thought, if you want to know the details, lets talk in person.
Some times, you feel very successful. In my situation, the things you have worked very hard to get good at are recognized publicly.
Other times, you realize just how small the world is that you live in.
Tonight, I was in a different society who knew nothing about my world. They were amazing hosts, but you could tell that I was one of the sparkles on a very large, bright diamond. I didn't mind this, mind you, because everyone who was less of a sparkle wanted a piece of a larger sparkle. The women here are spectacular, btw. They don't need sparkles or diamonds to catch my eye, but a few don't hurt either ;).
I don't know how to put things when you are a very little fish. I didn't understand what was going on, but the man who was taking me out was the king of a city containing several million people. I don't understand how that happened, and I probably don't want to know, but when he spoke I tried very hard to understand and to respond in ways that he would understand.
I said (through an interpreter) that I really didn't understand Chinese culture. The developers who worked for me didn't do what I expected them to.
He response, with much disgust, was that if I was really serious I should date a Chinese girl. Clearly, anything less in his eyes was utter bullshit, so I dropped the subject. He is probably right, you know. Put your money (or what have you) where your mouth is (or would like to be)...
He then said that he had much use for a software expert. I don't know what to make of this, I said that perhaps we should meet the week after next. He said that much later would probably work better. What he doesn't know is that a certain very important person from a certain mammoth company just might be scheduling a visit. I offended him a little by not being able to meet next week.
On one hand, you have Chinese women, a life of god knows what, and Taichung for the forseable future.
On the other hand, you have my life now in Boulder (think Code Monk. Celebate. Single purpose...)
On the gripping hand, I got shizzle I already committed to that is going pretty well. Don't leave fun for fun.
Did I mention that Chinese women have amazing bodies? There was a stripper tonight and the interpreter asked if I wanted to meet her. I declined because I really, at some point, want something for real. But this girl could dance and I really was impressed by her amazing ass. I thought only Latin women had asses. Not so, round eye (or rather, in Taiwan, pointy nose), not so.
I am now watching Chinese television, writing to all my crazy readers, and taking care of the man of the house and his wife, Grandpa and Grandma Chang.
The dog jumped on grandma as she lied on the couch watching TV. I grabbed the dog and walked it upstairs to the kitchen.
The body guard grabbed a foam roller and smacked the poodle on the head, eliciting a surprised "Bark!". I relayed the situation to the man and woman of the house. They laughed. Pooch disciplined appropriately!
Chris
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Taiwanese craziness
Spent today wandering around Taiwan. My concerns last night about there being some anti-chris sentiment did not come to pass; this family is super chill and could really care less.
They are also very wealthy and well known. I went out with Kin Sun, Grandma Chang, and Kikko (Kin Sun's sister in law). We have our own driver, and there are at least two police stationed outside the main building at any given time. I don't really know what to make of this, and I am not going to ask too many questions.
Anyway, we went to a 10 floor shopping center with each floor packed as hell. This is Chinese new year, so everyone and their brother is off work right now and out shopping. We tried to find some real chinese clothes for me, but there was only one tiny place with a very small selection. It was very expensive and I didn't love anything, so they dropped me off at an open market and went home for a while.
I found a couple things at the open market, and then they picked me up and we went to dinner.
A real french dinner high above the city. 7 courses, pretty good but it was more for the location and the quality of food. I don't know how much it cost but it wasn't cheap. Think Flagstaff range and you wouldn't be very far off.
Nothing in Taiwan is cheap. It isn't like Singapore or China where you can find certain things for very cheap. Everything here costs a hell of a lot.
It is also a completely different world. In Europe you can figure out the letters and such. They don't even use letters here. Looking at a menu, you have **zero** idea what you are looking at. I have wonderful hosts, but if it weren't for that I would be very lost. If you want to vacation here, I recommend studying Mandarin for about 1 month damn hard. You need something to hang onto, this is very very different.
Meanwhile I read email about all the super difficult things we have to get working and when and how going on at work. Shizzle just doesn't get much easier.
Some day I might just walk away and do something else.
The women here look amazing, btw. Chinese women have beautiful figures and at least the ones I see are very cute.
They are also very wealthy and well known. I went out with Kin Sun, Grandma Chang, and Kikko (Kin Sun's sister in law). We have our own driver, and there are at least two police stationed outside the main building at any given time. I don't really know what to make of this, and I am not going to ask too many questions.
Anyway, we went to a 10 floor shopping center with each floor packed as hell. This is Chinese new year, so everyone and their brother is off work right now and out shopping. We tried to find some real chinese clothes for me, but there was only one tiny place with a very small selection. It was very expensive and I didn't love anything, so they dropped me off at an open market and went home for a while.
I found a couple things at the open market, and then they picked me up and we went to dinner.
A real french dinner high above the city. 7 courses, pretty good but it was more for the location and the quality of food. I don't know how much it cost but it wasn't cheap. Think Flagstaff range and you wouldn't be very far off.
Nothing in Taiwan is cheap. It isn't like Singapore or China where you can find certain things for very cheap. Everything here costs a hell of a lot.
It is also a completely different world. In Europe you can figure out the letters and such. They don't even use letters here. Looking at a menu, you have **zero** idea what you are looking at. I have wonderful hosts, but if it weren't for that I would be very lost. If you want to vacation here, I recommend studying Mandarin for about 1 month damn hard. You need something to hang onto, this is very very different.
Meanwhile I read email about all the super difficult things we have to get working and when and how going on at work. Shizzle just doesn't get much easier.
Some day I might just walk away and do something else.
The women here look amazing, btw. Chinese women have beautiful figures and at least the ones I see are very cute.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Taichung or bust
I really good friend of the family, Kin Sun Wood invited me out to her hometown, Taichung. So here I am.
This is not Asia Minor. People speak Taiwanese here, or Mandarin, but for the most part, not English. So I am desperately trying to learn enough Mandarin such that I can be polite, and it isn't so bad. You learn to listen for both tone and syllables, and you get used to not remembering anything anyone says to you.
I can pick out thank you, hello, mister, miss' and a few other things. The numbers really mess me up, however.
For a good time, find someone who speaks Mandarin. Tell them to say this phrase:
"4 is 4. 10 is 10. 14 is 14".
Then try to pick out what is going on. All of those words sound the same (sort of like shzuu), they just have different tones. So it is incredibly entertaining to hear someone say these.
I tried to say "Hello, Mister Chang". It is pronouned like this: "Chang Shzie-en tsung, nee how", with the how dropping in pitch. He kind of laughed and said hello (actually the whole table kind of chuckled, he was playing some game with a few other people). Who knows what I really said, perhaps I can get some points for trying.
I am a little worried about these things though.
One time, when I was younger, I spent some time with a Vietnamese friend of mine. His parents were first generation, and they didn't like white people to put it mildly. One thanksgiving I had nothing to do, and he invited me home (we were and are to this day really close). Later he told me that his parents told him not to bring white people to the house again.
Anyway, I am hoping that isn't the case here, but if it is then such is life. The man of the house is very successful and I doubt at all threatened by me but who knows. Different cultures respond to things differently.
This is not Asia Minor. People speak Taiwanese here, or Mandarin, but for the most part, not English. So I am desperately trying to learn enough Mandarin such that I can be polite, and it isn't so bad. You learn to listen for both tone and syllables, and you get used to not remembering anything anyone says to you.
I can pick out thank you, hello, mister, miss' and a few other things. The numbers really mess me up, however.
For a good time, find someone who speaks Mandarin. Tell them to say this phrase:
"4 is 4. 10 is 10. 14 is 14".
Then try to pick out what is going on. All of those words sound the same (sort of like shzuu), they just have different tones. So it is incredibly entertaining to hear someone say these.
I tried to say "Hello, Mister Chang". It is pronouned like this: "Chang Shzie-en tsung, nee how", with the how dropping in pitch. He kind of laughed and said hello (actually the whole table kind of chuckled, he was playing some game with a few other people). Who knows what I really said, perhaps I can get some points for trying.
I am a little worried about these things though.
One time, when I was younger, I spent some time with a Vietnamese friend of mine. His parents were first generation, and they didn't like white people to put it mildly. One thanksgiving I had nothing to do, and he invited me home (we were and are to this day really close). Later he told me that his parents told him not to bring white people to the house again.
Anyway, I am hoping that isn't the case here, but if it is then such is life. The man of the house is very successful and I doubt at all threatened by me but who knows. Different cultures respond to things differently.
Xin Nain Kuai Le!
I had two new years this year. The second one was infinitely cooler than the first.
I woke up, and Justin and I were just sitting around. He was reading in the pool and kind of just chillin. I wanted to get into the pool but I was too cold. So I convinced Justin to go for a run instead.
And what a run it was...
We ran for 1.5 hours in the Singapore afternoon sun. We took a cab to Bukit Tima park, and ran around in the jungle for 1 hour. It was straight up and down. It was too steep for a path in a lot of parts, and the stairs were varying heights, some over 1 foot high. It was really badass, super hot, difficult training. We saw a lot of monkeys, and several 2 foot plus monitor lizards.
Then we ran back. By the time we got to the apartment I was sunburnt on my shoulders, my legs hurt, and my chest had a permanent winded feeling. I can't believe Justin went from not running a few years ago to giving me a seriously hard run for the money. He is an amazing athlete.
Then, we went to an Italian restaurant. The food was OK. Trattoria on Pearl would totally blow this place out of the water, especially with the pizzas. The pizza's at Trattoria are really good (honestly the rest of the dishes are hit or miss), and they cost 1/3 the pizzas at this place. But really, even mediocre Italian food is pretty damn good.
Then, we both napped a while. A long while because we were almost at the point where speech was impossibly hard.
Finally, that night, we went to the best Indian restaurant I have ever been too, save perhaps the Golden Peacock. I wouldn't want to compare the hometown favorite directly, however, as it just might not come out on top...
Two massive gigantic meals and a superb run. What more can you ask for on a new year?
Chris
I woke up, and Justin and I were just sitting around. He was reading in the pool and kind of just chillin. I wanted to get into the pool but I was too cold. So I convinced Justin to go for a run instead.
And what a run it was...
We ran for 1.5 hours in the Singapore afternoon sun. We took a cab to Bukit Tima park, and ran around in the jungle for 1 hour. It was straight up and down. It was too steep for a path in a lot of parts, and the stairs were varying heights, some over 1 foot high. It was really badass, super hot, difficult training. We saw a lot of monkeys, and several 2 foot plus monitor lizards.
Then we ran back. By the time we got to the apartment I was sunburnt on my shoulders, my legs hurt, and my chest had a permanent winded feeling. I can't believe Justin went from not running a few years ago to giving me a seriously hard run for the money. He is an amazing athlete.
Then, we went to an Italian restaurant. The food was OK. Trattoria on Pearl would totally blow this place out of the water, especially with the pizzas. The pizza's at Trattoria are really good (honestly the rest of the dishes are hit or miss), and they cost 1/3 the pizzas at this place. But really, even mediocre Italian food is pretty damn good.
Then, we both napped a while. A long while because we were almost at the point where speech was impossibly hard.
Finally, that night, we went to the best Indian restaurant I have ever been too, save perhaps the Golden Peacock. I wouldn't want to compare the hometown favorite directly, however, as it just might not come out on top...
Two massive gigantic meals and a superb run. What more can you ask for on a new year?
Chris
Monday, February 4, 2008
What would you do?
Lets say you would be changing jobs soon into a new environment. You know you will be part of one of the most successful companies of our time.
You have never worked at a large company, and the thought of it makes you slightly sick to your stomach. It also makes you wonder if you are 'good' enough to really hang with the best of the best.
You don't know really where you will fit in there, or what you are going to do there.
These are the conclusions I have come to about this question.
First off, I love to architect software and really understand why some designs work and other designs do not. I figure that being involved in a company like this I should have access to developers and software like never before.
So professionally, I would look to get my hands on one large project other than my own probably every month. This will also give me common ground to work with and speak to amazing developers so that when it comes time to lead an interesting project I don't have a problem finding good talent.
Another thing is that I would probably be ready to study yet another culture that you didn't come from and you don't really understand.
It seems I have really made a life out of working with and being with people of different cultures. I think just as I like to study software architecture, I like to study social architecture and really understand how the different cultures handle various different things. One thing I know is that different cultures have different strengths, but there is a equal weakness to any strength. There are no real dominant forces unless there are extenuating circumstances or something like that. So when someone from a different culture does something that really bothers you most likely you don't understand what is going on.
Anyway, I think that is all you can do. You are part of a system that is much larger than you and the best thing you can do is really try to understand each new world that you become a part of so that you can carry the strengths of the last world with you.
Chris
You have never worked at a large company, and the thought of it makes you slightly sick to your stomach. It also makes you wonder if you are 'good' enough to really hang with the best of the best.
You don't know really where you will fit in there, or what you are going to do there.
These are the conclusions I have come to about this question.
First off, I love to architect software and really understand why some designs work and other designs do not. I figure that being involved in a company like this I should have access to developers and software like never before.
So professionally, I would look to get my hands on one large project other than my own probably every month. This will also give me common ground to work with and speak to amazing developers so that when it comes time to lead an interesting project I don't have a problem finding good talent.
Another thing is that I would probably be ready to study yet another culture that you didn't come from and you don't really understand.
It seems I have really made a life out of working with and being with people of different cultures. I think just as I like to study software architecture, I like to study social architecture and really understand how the different cultures handle various different things. One thing I know is that different cultures have different strengths, but there is a equal weakness to any strength. There are no real dominant forces unless there are extenuating circumstances or something like that. So when someone from a different culture does something that really bothers you most likely you don't understand what is going on.
Anyway, I think that is all you can do. You are part of a system that is much larger than you and the best thing you can do is really try to understand each new world that you become a part of so that you can carry the strengths of the last world with you.
Chris
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Little India
I woke up today feeling like complete shit. Tired, dehydrated, bad sinus headache from some smoky rooms last night, etc. But today, I had a mission. I wanted to go downtown and check out "Little India", the Indian neighborhood of Singapore.
My stomach (and the rest of my GI tract) are completely wasted. This is probably the prime reason I don't drink that much any more; my body just reacts very violently to the liquor. I ate a very small amount this morning and drank a lot of water but overall I feel like I should just sleep the entire day. I am not gifted with the ability to sleep like that, however. No matter what I did, or what I put my body through, I get up because I absolutely cannot sleep any more. I just feel really really bad.
Anyway, I do what I must in the morning (call mom on her birthday, book a trip to Taipei) and catch a cab down there. It is raining all day today, which is fine with me. I wear pants and it is warm enough that the rain feels really good; it doesn't really bother me. I get down there around perhaps 2 (I told you I feel like shit; I can't move quickly).
Oh man. I was dying to find some soul in Singapore and I found it. This place was packed, just shop after shop after shop and about a *lot* of Indian (I am assuming) people milling around.
The street signs are either in straight Hindi or both Hindi and English. Lots of shops selling all manner of things; most very eclectic. Lots of jewelery shops; I have never seen so much gold (I think it was gold) in one place. There must have been 20 jewelery shops alone. And this is just along the main drag.
I work a square wave path; working along one side of down the main street. The side streets I found to be really neat; I spend a bit of time on them just checking things out.
At this point I am getting seriously hungry; the hangover mixed with hunger just makes me feel weak and little dizzy. So I find a small shop on a side street that has probably never served a white person before (or it is like an annual thing). They speak more English than I speak Hindi (or whatever they speak. 400+ languages, in India alone, is a lot to choose from).
I order the usual thing, mutton (which tastes like what we would call vindaloo) with curry rice (I think it is called bismati rice).
I get ready to eat, and notice I don't have a fork or a spoon. Then I notice something else.
Everyone in the restaurant is eating with their hands. No kidding. Nobody is using any utensils. I am gearing myself up to try to eat with my fingers but thankfully the host provides me with probably the only fork and spoon they have at the place. I would have eaten with my fingers if it came to that without complaint but I really appreciated that gesture.
This time it is for real. This isn't white boy friendly crap they serve at the Indian restaurants in the US. This is spicy as hell and it tastes amazing. Vindaloo tends to be spicy anyway, but even their curry rice is hot as you can get it.
The host offers to put some sauce on it but I am weary of sauces. They can make the entire meal taste to uniform, and they can be **super** hot. So I try a little on part of the meal. It has flavor; these guys are real artists, but it is hot enough that I don't feel comfortable eating it on an already upset stomach.
I went up to pay the bill, and they charged me 6 dollars. I figure this is twice what a local would pay and I am glad to pay it. Say what you will, I am like fucking Donald Trump to these guys and they deserve to get paid for that amazing meal. I am standing next to another guy in line, and he doesn't realize it. Then he looks over and I get a true, wide eyed, "holy shit" expression on his face. He didn't expect to see a pale one in that restaurant, that is for sure.
Overall, I feel the meal is a risk that I am willing to take. I doubt the food is as clean as my body is used to, but this is the way the world lives and I can adapt. I might get some issues later due to either the meat or the intense spice, but it was worth it. Hell, it was worth it for the look alone.
Anyway, I wonder down and through a bunch of shops for a while. It is wall-to-wall people; just tons of them (and most surprised to see me).
I check out an open area where people are drinking some beers and watching bollywood flicks on one TV and WWF Smackdown on another. This is getting way cooler. I watch some WWF; and I notice how goddamn big those dudes are. The people watching this are all very dark-skinned with slight frames. Those guys must really look alien to them; it was kind of an ah moment. Bringing me perhaps a millimeter closer to understanding perhaps in the smallest way a tiny bit of their perception of me and the US culture.
I find a long line of people waiting for something that I can't fathom. I wander around the building, and I find this guy just sitting there in a yoga pose chillin' with a couple empty bottles of beer next to him. His pose seems so natural and comfortable; I ask him if it is alright if I take his picture. He says sure so I do.
He understands English (and speaks it amazingly well) so I sit down next to him and talk. He tells me about the places in the US he has been, and explains the line (lottery. They guys are throwing away their extremely hard earned money for lotto). We talk a little bit, about the theory of life and such. We concur that you need to really ride the unexpected things and not worry about controlling too much. I use a river analogy; he uses the wind. Intellectually we stand united. I shake his hand and I am off.
I wander through the red-light district. There are all manner of hookers even at 3 on a Sunday. I try not to make eye contact. It helped that I wasn't attracted to any of the women that I saw. It doesn't bother me at all to tell a vendor I don't care but for some reason to look into a woman's eyes and tell her you aren't interested really messes me up. This goes for hookers or for anything where I know where there is some of her in the question. I actually get pissed at myself when I don't dance with a woman at Salsa because I don't want to, especially if I see disappointment in their eyes.
I make it quickly through, walking in the street and in the rain in some places because having them ask me if I want to them makes me so uncomfortable. I get through and then look back, catching the eye of one of them. Her face is not smiling and her eyes are large, dark, and unreadable. Then my mind starts to really go.
This woman has probably given up on most of her dreams and lives with constant danger and derision. I doubt she has much self respect; but I do not doubt that she desperately wants a better life. I could take her to America where she could start a far different life.
I just really wonder what I represent in her eyes; I would imagine that sex is the furthest thing from her mind. Most of us think about different choices we could make at least a little every day. I have a few regrets and I believe I saw a few more in her eyes.
I finally come to a large place called the Mushara center or something like that. It is probably 4 stories high, as Indian as you can get, and would remind you of Target, Safeway, and Sears all on different floors.
This place is large, tight, and packed with people. I can't imagine what would happen in a fire. The aisles are narrow and very high. I literally got lost and couldn't find an exit for quite a while. I don't get claustrophobic easily (thanks to Jiu-Jitsu. Nothing will make you panic like someone who weighs 130%-150% your own weight actively trying to crush you), but this is a place I might get it. Anyway, I spend perhaps 5-10 minutes just checking things out; then I get the hell out.
I walk for a long time now. I am out of little India (or rather on the edge where it is more Chindia). I wanted to go down to Arab St. and buy some silks for my mom and my sister, but I got turned around and a bit lost. Then I stumbled onto an open market with a sports even in an adjacent field.
I have many pictures of the event so I am not going to describe it very much. The people did something very touching. When they saw my interest in the event, the opened up a spot for me right up on the front line. These guys were pushing and crowding each other just to watch the event; yet but they were gracious enough to let the tall (to them, I am not that tall) white guy go right to the front and take lots of pictures of the action.
These guys were real athletes. It was raining, muddy, and dangerous. They played bare feet and really hit each other hard when they hit. I saw a guy take a serious hit that looked like it damaged his hamstring. The doctors and a nurse by the side of the field came out and took care of him but he could not return to the game. I have nothing but respect for the players of this type of event; clearly they did if for the love of the game.
I couldn't stop thinking about how he was going to provide for his family if he really got injured; but I think too much. He wasn't worried at all and I bet they have a significant social network built up to deal with loss of work and injury.
I would like to say this is the highlight, but I think everything was so amazing that I don't really know. I do have some final thoughts about this.
I need more of this. I need to check out the third world. I enjoyed Batam and this more than anything else this trip; so that pretty much settles it.
Every experience you have in places like this brings out really big questions that you can't answer. I really would like to understand the world's perception of the US and I would like to develop a perception of a lot of the world. I am part of the top 1% in terms of wealth and a few other things. It is time to learn to relate to the rest of the world.
These people don't live or think like I do; but I find so much soul and pure life when I am around them that I just really find it touching (although I am a sensitive weenie anyway). I never take the main road anywhere, always an alley. Perhaps it is coming time to look for bigger and more realistic alleys than the ones around 16nth and Pearl St. in Boulder.
I am sure there are more thoughts, but there are two other posts I wish to make today, so I leave you with that. Traveling is beginning to really kindle a wonderment in my eyes that I don't know I have ever felt before.
Chris
My stomach (and the rest of my GI tract) are completely wasted. This is probably the prime reason I don't drink that much any more; my body just reacts very violently to the liquor. I ate a very small amount this morning and drank a lot of water but overall I feel like I should just sleep the entire day. I am not gifted with the ability to sleep like that, however. No matter what I did, or what I put my body through, I get up because I absolutely cannot sleep any more. I just feel really really bad.
Anyway, I do what I must in the morning (call mom on her birthday, book a trip to Taipei) and catch a cab down there. It is raining all day today, which is fine with me. I wear pants and it is warm enough that the rain feels really good; it doesn't really bother me. I get down there around perhaps 2 (I told you I feel like shit; I can't move quickly).
Oh man. I was dying to find some soul in Singapore and I found it. This place was packed, just shop after shop after shop and about a *lot* of Indian (I am assuming) people milling around.
The street signs are either in straight Hindi or both Hindi and English. Lots of shops selling all manner of things; most very eclectic. Lots of jewelery shops; I have never seen so much gold (I think it was gold) in one place. There must have been 20 jewelery shops alone. And this is just along the main drag.
I work a square wave path; working along one side of down the main street. The side streets I found to be really neat; I spend a bit of time on them just checking things out.
At this point I am getting seriously hungry; the hangover mixed with hunger just makes me feel weak and little dizzy. So I find a small shop on a side street that has probably never served a white person before (or it is like an annual thing). They speak more English than I speak Hindi (or whatever they speak. 400+ languages, in India alone, is a lot to choose from).
I order the usual thing, mutton (which tastes like what we would call vindaloo) with curry rice (I think it is called bismati rice).
I get ready to eat, and notice I don't have a fork or a spoon. Then I notice something else.
Everyone in the restaurant is eating with their hands. No kidding. Nobody is using any utensils. I am gearing myself up to try to eat with my fingers but thankfully the host provides me with probably the only fork and spoon they have at the place. I would have eaten with my fingers if it came to that without complaint but I really appreciated that gesture.
This time it is for real. This isn't white boy friendly crap they serve at the Indian restaurants in the US. This is spicy as hell and it tastes amazing. Vindaloo tends to be spicy anyway, but even their curry rice is hot as you can get it.
The host offers to put some sauce on it but I am weary of sauces. They can make the entire meal taste to uniform, and they can be **super** hot. So I try a little on part of the meal. It has flavor; these guys are real artists, but it is hot enough that I don't feel comfortable eating it on an already upset stomach.
I went up to pay the bill, and they charged me 6 dollars. I figure this is twice what a local would pay and I am glad to pay it. Say what you will, I am like fucking Donald Trump to these guys and they deserve to get paid for that amazing meal. I am standing next to another guy in line, and he doesn't realize it. Then he looks over and I get a true, wide eyed, "holy shit" expression on his face. He didn't expect to see a pale one in that restaurant, that is for sure.
Overall, I feel the meal is a risk that I am willing to take. I doubt the food is as clean as my body is used to, but this is the way the world lives and I can adapt. I might get some issues later due to either the meat or the intense spice, but it was worth it. Hell, it was worth it for the look alone.
Anyway, I wonder down and through a bunch of shops for a while. It is wall-to-wall people; just tons of them (and most surprised to see me).
I check out an open area where people are drinking some beers and watching bollywood flicks on one TV and WWF Smackdown on another. This is getting way cooler. I watch some WWF; and I notice how goddamn big those dudes are. The people watching this are all very dark-skinned with slight frames. Those guys must really look alien to them; it was kind of an ah moment. Bringing me perhaps a millimeter closer to understanding perhaps in the smallest way a tiny bit of their perception of me and the US culture.
I find a long line of people waiting for something that I can't fathom. I wander around the building, and I find this guy just sitting there in a yoga pose chillin' with a couple empty bottles of beer next to him. His pose seems so natural and comfortable; I ask him if it is alright if I take his picture. He says sure so I do.
He understands English (and speaks it amazingly well) so I sit down next to him and talk. He tells me about the places in the US he has been, and explains the line (lottery. They guys are throwing away their extremely hard earned money for lotto). We talk a little bit, about the theory of life and such. We concur that you need to really ride the unexpected things and not worry about controlling too much. I use a river analogy; he uses the wind. Intellectually we stand united. I shake his hand and I am off.
I wander through the red-light district. There are all manner of hookers even at 3 on a Sunday. I try not to make eye contact. It helped that I wasn't attracted to any of the women that I saw. It doesn't bother me at all to tell a vendor I don't care but for some reason to look into a woman's eyes and tell her you aren't interested really messes me up. This goes for hookers or for anything where I know where there is some of her in the question. I actually get pissed at myself when I don't dance with a woman at Salsa because I don't want to, especially if I see disappointment in their eyes.
I make it quickly through, walking in the street and in the rain in some places because having them ask me if I want to them makes me so uncomfortable. I get through and then look back, catching the eye of one of them. Her face is not smiling and her eyes are large, dark, and unreadable. Then my mind starts to really go.
This woman has probably given up on most of her dreams and lives with constant danger and derision. I doubt she has much self respect; but I do not doubt that she desperately wants a better life. I could take her to America where she could start a far different life.
I just really wonder what I represent in her eyes; I would imagine that sex is the furthest thing from her mind. Most of us think about different choices we could make at least a little every day. I have a few regrets and I believe I saw a few more in her eyes.
I finally come to a large place called the Mushara center or something like that. It is probably 4 stories high, as Indian as you can get, and would remind you of Target, Safeway, and Sears all on different floors.
This place is large, tight, and packed with people. I can't imagine what would happen in a fire. The aisles are narrow and very high. I literally got lost and couldn't find an exit for quite a while. I don't get claustrophobic easily (thanks to Jiu-Jitsu. Nothing will make you panic like someone who weighs 130%-150% your own weight actively trying to crush you), but this is a place I might get it. Anyway, I spend perhaps 5-10 minutes just checking things out; then I get the hell out.
I walk for a long time now. I am out of little India (or rather on the edge where it is more Chindia). I wanted to go down to Arab St. and buy some silks for my mom and my sister, but I got turned around and a bit lost. Then I stumbled onto an open market with a sports even in an adjacent field.
I have many pictures of the event so I am not going to describe it very much. The people did something very touching. When they saw my interest in the event, the opened up a spot for me right up on the front line. These guys were pushing and crowding each other just to watch the event; yet but they were gracious enough to let the tall (to them, I am not that tall) white guy go right to the front and take lots of pictures of the action.
These guys were real athletes. It was raining, muddy, and dangerous. They played bare feet and really hit each other hard when they hit. I saw a guy take a serious hit that looked like it damaged his hamstring. The doctors and a nurse by the side of the field came out and took care of him but he could not return to the game. I have nothing but respect for the players of this type of event; clearly they did if for the love of the game.
I couldn't stop thinking about how he was going to provide for his family if he really got injured; but I think too much. He wasn't worried at all and I bet they have a significant social network built up to deal with loss of work and injury.
I would like to say this is the highlight, but I think everything was so amazing that I don't really know. I do have some final thoughts about this.
I need more of this. I need to check out the third world. I enjoyed Batam and this more than anything else this trip; so that pretty much settles it.
Every experience you have in places like this brings out really big questions that you can't answer. I really would like to understand the world's perception of the US and I would like to develop a perception of a lot of the world. I am part of the top 1% in terms of wealth and a few other things. It is time to learn to relate to the rest of the world.
These people don't live or think like I do; but I find so much soul and pure life when I am around them that I just really find it touching (although I am a sensitive weenie anyway). I never take the main road anywhere, always an alley. Perhaps it is coming time to look for bigger and more realistic alleys than the ones around 16nth and Pearl St. in Boulder.
I am sure there are more thoughts, but there are two other posts I wish to make today, so I leave you with that. Traveling is beginning to really kindle a wonderment in my eyes that I don't know I have ever felt before.
Chris
Singaporean Wedding Reception
Last night was the Singaporean wedding. Kevin, one of the guys on the team, is now married to a very smart, very beautiful young woman named Yeo Ming (I think, I only met her once). He looks chinese (and I think he can speak it) but he is from canada and his English is absolutely indistinguishable from mine. He worked for Microsoft in Seattle for a while which is where I believe he met her.
We only went to the reception, but I thought it was an incredibly sweet gesture on his part as I don't really know him and he invited me; it was a very nice banquet so it had to cost a lot of money to add someone.
The reception was interesting; literally a nine course meal. Things like octopus, jelly-fish, and suckling pig. Everything tasted great, and it actually reminded me of a western style reception. There were speeches, singing, but no dancing. The food was excellent, and the two wedding birds were amazing hosts.
Yeo came to our table and personally asked me if I would like some whiskey. They had Mclellen 12 year Scotch, which is upper middle range and it tasted amazing with the food. I couldn't believe it; I hope that should I get married I can be as gracious of a host either Kevin or Yeo.
I didn't find anything particularly Chinese about it other than the exquisite food and we yelled some two syllable phrase for a very long time. Long enough my throat got sore and I had to just sort of sing one note because yelling was making me cough.
Later we went out to MOS (Ministry of sound); a large, multi-room techno joint that I thought was very cool. I had no luck on the floor getting attention. I believe I need to be more aggressive, it is really difficult for me to go up to a girl and dance with her, but I noticed that a lot of guys did exactly that. But I had some fun times with various members of the wedding party and overall I drank a ton and an equal amount of fun. Which leads me to the next post.
We only went to the reception, but I thought it was an incredibly sweet gesture on his part as I don't really know him and he invited me; it was a very nice banquet so it had to cost a lot of money to add someone.
The reception was interesting; literally a nine course meal. Things like octopus, jelly-fish, and suckling pig. Everything tasted great, and it actually reminded me of a western style reception. There were speeches, singing, but no dancing. The food was excellent, and the two wedding birds were amazing hosts.
Yeo came to our table and personally asked me if I would like some whiskey. They had Mclellen 12 year Scotch, which is upper middle range and it tasted amazing with the food. I couldn't believe it; I hope that should I get married I can be as gracious of a host either Kevin or Yeo.
I didn't find anything particularly Chinese about it other than the exquisite food and we yelled some two syllable phrase for a very long time. Long enough my throat got sore and I had to just sort of sing one note because yelling was making me cough.
Later we went out to MOS (Ministry of sound); a large, multi-room techno joint that I thought was very cool. I had no luck on the floor getting attention. I believe I need to be more aggressive, it is really difficult for me to go up to a girl and dance with her, but I noticed that a lot of guys did exactly that. But I had some fun times with various members of the wedding party and overall I drank a ton and an equal amount of fun. Which leads me to the next post.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Friday night in paradise
Long day in the office.
Product team wanted a very invasive feature done, and we did it (thank you for unit tests!). You could watch the artists and see the difference it made to them; how much easier it was to use the application was just hardcore.
Man I need some sleep.
Met some brit expats. Finally heard someone with a British accent say Crickey. That was pretty much enough for me.
Chris
Product team wanted a very invasive feature done, and we did it (thank you for unit tests!). You could watch the artists and see the difference it made to them; how much easier it was to use the application was just hardcore.
Man I need some sleep.
Met some brit expats. Finally heard someone with a British accent say Crickey. That was pretty much enough for me.
Chris
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