Yukon Jay - 小祥

Free Internet

Last week my coworker, Nick, gave me a copy of his Knoppix cd, which allows you to surf the internet without any connection and for free! Normally Nick and Mindy bring their laptop and just hook it up to the internet service on my boss's computer. But because I dont have a laptop, I'm usually bored (although I usually do my hw). So here I am at work, surfing the net on my boss's password protected computer. It's so good to have this or else I would be bored out of my mind.

Apparently there are people posting messages on here regarding my trip. It took me by surprise. I stress this is not a travel site! Not sure how this one guy found out about my blog. The first person, Tamara, found this after reading one of my posts in Lonely Planet's message board for backpackers. She asked me if there was a cheap hotel in Seoul for an overnight stay before flying to Bangkok the next day. I dont know Tamara, buy me a ticket to Seoul and I will find out for you after I visit the Korean DMZ!

Anyways, I will stop here since I can't type Chinese.

Semester update 学期报告

So far I’m really enjoying my courses right now, with the exception of biogeography. I am just horrible with biology and sciences. Cannot grasp the concepts whatsoever. Other than that, it’s all good. I’m loving the GIS course. I had my first lab assignment last week and despite the poor instructions (which my prof & TA did apologize for later) I’m still sitting there cool headed and trying to figure things out. If you know me, you know I hate computers and programs, have no patience for it! So me enjoying GIS softwares is quite a surprise. My sustainable development course in the resource & environmental management (REM) department is a bit of a disaster. The professor is just really ill prepared and none of the students have been able to find the readings that are suppose to be in the library. The course material is quite good though… so it’s all good.

I’ve got my birthday coming up on October 7th. I wasn't sure what to do so Mindy told me I can do anything I want. So our Plan A is to go Kenya to see the lions and the animals in the safari. Plan B is to go to Palki’s (Indian restaurant) for dinner, then Krispy Kreme (still haven't gone yet), and lastly catch a late night movie. Indian food… mmm… I can already taste the delicious masalas.

Next week will be a bit busy. I have to write 2 papers and 3 cover letters for some co-op jobs. Also got the usual reading load for each week.

我这星期都没有写，是因为有点忙。 我上的课现在满喜欢。 有一门课是生物地理，感觉有点难。 我对生物系和科学是学的不好，太难。 教授在教的时候，我都听不董。 还有一门课是用电脑画地图。 这也是地理系学要学的课。 我平常对电脑是没有耐心， 可是这门课我在电脑上做功课的时候，感觉很有意思，很喜欢的。 如果我不懂的话，我还有耐心要在学。 太奇怪。 其它的课都还不错。

我的生日也快到了，是十月七号。 今天我跟朋友谈说生日到要做什么，她说我想做什么就可以。 我说“真的吗？是这样的话，我要去肯尼亚看动物”。 我出国碰到的英国人 都说我应该去肯尼亚看他们的狮子还有别的动物。 如果没有去的话，我和朋友就去个印度餐馆吃晚饭，然后再去看个电影。 我妈也邀请我出去吃饭， 号不知道要去那里。
我下星期会很忙的。 学要写两个报告，然后也要写三个信给三个工作公司看，如果写得好的话，就要去面谈。

Education for the Rich

This is unbelievable... I finally get a chance to study and work in Asia and it turns out that I'm too poor to do it. My Cuba internship plan fell apart for reasons I won't get into... so then I was back to square one as far as finding jobs for my self-directed co-op.

I've been meeting with a few professors lately and the new prof specializing in Asia in our geography department recommended to me that I look into the School for International Training: Studying Abroad Program in Vermont for a possible internship. So I checked it out and the opportunities offered by this school is just AMAZING... it is what students dream of! So I get all pumped about it and I even printed out the application form for the Mekong Delta: Natural and Cultural Ecology assignment, ready to write out the 2 essays about my intercultural experience and academic and personal reasons why I want this. Personally I feel I'm most qualified because I was on the Mekong for 2 days in Laos, travelled in Vietnam & Cambodia, aware of the touchy sensitive issues and been studying environmental issues at school... On top of that the GPA requirement for this is a joke...how can I not be qualified (not to sound too cocky)?

It wasn't until after I printed the application did I find out that it would cost me $14,000 to spend 4 months studying. No way I can afford that...that's probably in US dollars too...

This has been extremely frustrating.... its definately been a lot harder than I thought. I have a few other ideas... and will be seeing more professors this coming week.

Homesick 想家

Wow, can't believe its been 2 years already since I been back to Texas & Oklahoma. Lately been homesick and wanting to go down for a visit. Reason for this is because Jon called me at work few weeks ago and then last night I talked to Benson from Plano for about an hour. Hopefully I'll get a chance to go down soon... gotta stop going to Asia first.

Finally going to go watch Hero tonight... hopefully it will be good. Got a lot of high expectations.

我这几个星期都一直想家。我想家的意思是要回去美国看我的朋友和他的家人。 在这上面的人都当成自己的家，已经认识了很受。 我从小学五年级的时候就认识他们了，总共已经十年多了。 最近很想回去看他们是应为我有跟他们在电话上讲话。 我昨天晚上也有跟别个美国朋友打电话，所以一讲的时候就想回美国看他们。 现在已经有两年没有回去了。 我刚搬到加拿大的时候都有每年会去，现在都很少了。

今天晚上我跟弟弟要出去看个电影叫英雄。 不知道是从台湾或者中国来的。 在北美这电影满有名的。 很多人都有去看！

The Fist Ministers' Meeting

Okay I need to vent because I'm getting really frustrated waiting for my surgery and healthcare has been in the news nonstop.

Recalling my blog from a few months ago about the Canadian election, it turns out that the Liberals were re-elected. In the campaign the Liberals promised more money to improve our free ailing healthcare system. Now that they are re-elected, this is the week the federal government meet with all 10 premieres from the provinces to discuss this. The federal government have proposed to contribute $12 billion in the next 6 years and additional $4 billion to reduce the wait list.

The federal and provincial government really need to come up with plan to reduce surgery wait list, increase more beds, but overall improve on the efficiency of our system while at the same time make all these essential services free. From my experience in Cambodia, I think I have certainly taken the Canadian healthcare system for granted. I can't remember the last time I had to pay when I went and saw a doctory. Wait.... of course I can! It was when I lived in Texas...

Today I was with my TA to discuss my possible internship with him in Cuba... he just happens to be doing his PhD there on the geography of health in developing countries. He explained that healthcare has essentially become a business. It's all about money i.e. how much are medical supplies, who has insurance & who can pay. Healthcare, however, should be a human right available for every global citizen, no matter where they are in the the social spectrum. This is why this week the federal and provincial governments must come to an agreement so we can overcome this deadlock.

Right now I'm still waiting for my surgeon to call me....

Can't Sleep 睡不好

Having a tough time sleeping lately. The problem has been getting up early on days that I can sleep in. Most week nights I sleep from 1:30-2 to 7:30. But on days I can catch up on sleep I wake up early, and feel exhausted. I can't fall back asleep either. Seems like I'm always having trouble getting enough sleep.

Classes have been going well... still haven't gone to the last class cuz its on a Monday and last Monday was holidays. This week I have to meet with my TA from the summer class to discuss a possible internship. Been working lots to try to save money for this internship becuase its non-paid so I need to support myself for 4 months... this is if there's even a job available.

这几天睡觉睡得不好。 问题是我早上可以多睡的时候，我很早就起床得。 要上课的时候我都是一点办到两点睡觉，然后上午七点起来，坐公车去上九点半的课。 这我习惯了，没有问题。 可是我可以多睡的时候，我还是很早就起来了。 起来的时候就感觉很累，想回去睡觉， 又睡好。 上星期和下星期我上完课都要在去上班， 要上班的时候都感觉很累的样子。 那星期天可以睡的时候也睡不好，很麻烦。 我妈说我很奇怪，说得很对。

现在已经上完了第一个星期的课，我感觉还不错，我的课都满喜欢的。 下星期我需要跟个老师谈说我去古巴工作的事情。 如果是有这机会的话，应该是从明年二月到六月工作。 我是要跟他去， 这样我可拿点经验。 我这四年读完毕业的时候我还想要在回大学读书，这时候大学就需要你有些外国工作经验了。

First Day of Class 开学第一天

My first day of class went pretty well. I had one of my Asia-Canada class... the professor, Dr. Kawasaki, is really cool. He's actually a political science professor but teaches some courses in the Asia-Canada department.... Definitely looking forward to the politics aspect of the course… especially on Japan and China. The only thing not cool is the first week we have to read 200 pages and write a paper. The nice thing is there's no research paper at all since we have a small paper due every week. As long as there’s no research then I’m happy! Overall, I have a feeling I will really like this class.

Because it’s the first day, they were handing out free pizza and I also go a free can of Chunky soup! Met up with Dave & Leah and got a chance to visit the new residence buildings since Leah’s friend lives there. Without getting into the details that was my story of the first day.

I got my sustainable development class tomorrow. Not looking forward to the geography related courses at all this semester.

今天是我第一天的课。 今天的课时亚洲克，看起来我会满喜欢的。 我的日本教授也很有意思，人很好。因为是开学第一天，学校有给学生免费中饭，不是说很多的。 我今天之有上一天课，老师都已经要我们读我们的事，要读200张，然后写个报告。

我明天要上我的地理课，有些朋友也在那课里，满高兴的。

阿姨你们那么好，要说要去舅舅家就可以去。 我们在这边什么家人都没有呢！ 小龙现在一定长得很快，我如果明年回台湾的话，他一定就会说很多话了。

听妈妈说大阿姨的儿子要结婚，对吗？ 妈妈说是的话，他要回台湾看结婚。 我也想要! 都没有参加过在台湾的婚礼！

Why travel?

I just finished watching The Girl Next Door and it reminded me of my short visit to Cambodia when the high school kids were bringing Samnang from Cambodia to study. So I go to Tales of Asia to do some reading and found the answer what I've been looking for so long....

My friends have often gave me this strange look when I tell them I want to go to North Korea (which by the way the UN has reported they have some very serious environmental problems.... I'm getting my education in environmental studies, so why not send me there?), Afghanistan, and Pakistan. They look at me like I have a death wish or just being irresponsible and stupid. After that they keep asking "why N. Korea (or some other place)?" I never quite knew how to answer them, and if I did, they still don't understand. I JUST WANT TO GO, IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK? Well this American has helped me solve that problem after I read about his trip to Afghanistan.

So why do I travel..... 1) well why not? 2) because it's there 3) to have a look (because it's there!!!) and lastly, this is my own response, 4) to satisfy my curiosity!

I start classes tomorrow... not quite sure what to expect with some of the courses so it should be interesting.

Disasters in Japan 日本台风

It looks like Japan is going through some rough times (although nothing compared to Russian town of Beslan)... and I think my cousin from Taiwan, Cindy, is there right now. She's going back to her university in Shanghai and because her plane transits through Okinawa, Japan, she had planned on staying in Japn for a few days with her bf to enjoy the beaches there. This morning I read the BBC news and found out there's a typhoon and 2 earthquakes.

I don't remember her exact itinerary, but just hope she is in Shanghai already or that she is in Taipei waiting for the typhoon to pass. Still waiting to hear from her.

今天早上我看新闻的时候，听说日本的南部有个台风还有两个地震。 如果我记得对的话，我在台北的表姐家家现在因该在日本的南部，冲绳岛。 她是为了要回去上海读书，她的飞机要进过冲绳岛所以他想说在那边多玩几天。 我不肯定知道她是要那一天在日本， 可是我今天一听到这消息的时候，就马上想到他。

最好是他已经从日本到上海了，或者她还没有去。 这样的话就没有事。 我现在还在等她通知我。

Halong Bay 下龍灣

LOL, a day after my last post I get an email from my professor with the outline for the whole semester and that we can get started on the readings and assignments if we wanted to. Looks like there's tons of readings and lab work for this biogeography class... seems like tons of biology too.... did I mention I hate biology and suck at it?

So below are pictures from my visit to Halong Bay, just a few hours northeast of Hanoi. To quote the Lonely Planet... Magnificent Halong Bay, with its 3000-plus islands (actually there's only 1969 islands) is one of the natural marvels of Vietnam. In 1994 it was designated Vietnam's second World Heritage site. Visitors have compared the area's magical landscape of limestone islets to Guilin in China and Krabi in Thailand (that's where I almost drowned while snorkling last year because I was stupid, but that's another story. In my opinion Krabi is nothing like Halong Bay).

Ha long translates as 'where the dragon descends into the sea'. Legend has it that the islands of Halong Bay were created by a great dragon that lived in the mountains. As it ran towards the coast, its flailing tail gouged out valleys and crevasses; as it plunged into the sea, the areas dug up by the tail became filled with water, leaving only the high land visible. The dragon may be legend, but sailors in the Halong Bay region have often reported sightings of a mysterious marine creature of gargantuan proportions known as the Tarasque. The more paranoid elements of the military suspect it's an imperialist spy submarine, while eccentric travellers believe they have discovered Vietnam's version of the Loch Ness monster.

好好笑，我上次写的日记有说我想回去读书， 结果第二天我的教授email给我和别的学生我们的第一和第二的功课。 他说我们可以先开始。

阿姨，我这次的照片有写中文解释给你看。

下龍灣隸屬於廣寧省，位於河內東部約100公里的海防市外的大片海灣。共有1969個島嶼，面積廣達1553平方公里。這些島嶼是由於石灰岩地形嚴重被侵蝕而顯的壯麗，也就是所謂的喀斯特侵蝕。 Ha 是 下降 的意思， long 是 龍 ，
傳說在此地受到外敵侵略時，龍王之子降臨，將海上升起很多奇岩怪石，以防禦外敵。1994年12月17日被聯合國教科文組織列為世界自然遺產。

下龍灣最近之所以會特別有名還是拜電影之賜 。 您記的在電影 印度支那 中，下龍灣的島嶼洞穴是男女主角的愛情庇護所嗎。 007電影 明日帝國 中 ，下龍灣的石林是媒體大亨隱形船藏身之地呢！

Here is one of the few floating villages you will find in Halong Bay. Supposedly there's a school here too... What you see is what you get, this is how these people live here.

这是越南人住的房子。 听说这边还有个学校， 都在水上。 我在下龙湾有看到写这种房子，看他们的生活满简单得。

Here's the large numbers of tourists I was talking about. This is outside one of the limestone caves. The government really needs to do something about the number of tourists that come to visit Halong Bay.

这是在洞的外面。 莱下龙湾的人是真得太多， 对环境是很不好的。 我感觉越南政府是要说只能让多少人来看，要不然过几年这地方就会有很大的问题了。 我在船上的时候，就可以看到水上有一些垃圾。

阿姨，您可不可以帮我问舅舅和舅妈好？

Waiting for school... 我要回去读书。。。

这是我的大学，叫西门菲沙大学

All I gotta say is I cannot wait till I start school again！ I was there 2 days ago to get my books and man it felt good to be on campus again (except for the part when I have to pay for the books which was $300). I think it also had to do with the fact that there are some great views of the mountain and water up there.

But yeah, just 6 more days and back to school!!! My 2 Asian studies course looks good. One is a first year course which emphasizes on little bit of history, but mainly modern politics and international relations of East Asia.

I will probably regret saying this after a month but hey, I feel like I have a purpose when I'm on campus (how corny does that sound?) and beats working at a deadend job.

这两天放假不用上班觉得好无聊。 现在很想要回去读书。 这星期一我有去大学买书，感觉好高兴哦。我的大学的风景也很漂亮！ 看得就心情好。 如果有钱的话，我很想搬到大学宿舍住的。

现在只有剩下六天然后就开学了。 我的两个亚洲学习都看起来满不错，很有意思。 有一个教授是个日本人教的。 除了这两门课，我还有三个地理课。 两个地理课时根环境有关的。第三个是要用电脑画地图，看起来惠满难得。

在过一个月我就会说我很不喜欢上课。 没办法，去读书和读书的压力还是比去上班还好。