Veni, Vidi, Vici

I was in high school when I first read "Veni, Vidi, Vici" on what I recall as a pack of cigarettes (no doubt, someone else's). I soon after learned its origin and meaning. I don't know why I thought of this distant memory when I opened up the computer to type out my thoughts on my recent trip to KL, but it came up nonetheless. So, for the purposes of this little recap, I shall change the meaning of this expression from, "I came, I saw, I conquered" to a more (in)appropriate, "I came, I saw, I sat on the toilet."

Man, I wish I had good things to say about my trip to KL, but I just don't. Not after this past weekend, and certainly not after having visited a city like Bangkok less than a month before. Flying into the airport, I was excited. I was excited about another stamp in the passport, excited about a little solo trip in a serviced apartment with a kick ass bed, and most importantly, excited about getting up to the top of the iconic Petronas Towers. But soon, that excitement would turn to misery, boredom and frankly, just plain old depression.

So, let's start from the top. I got in on Thursday afternoon and was immediately greeted by Richard the cab driver. He hussled me in the doorway of the airport, and when I brushed him off, he persisted by telling me that he was a "real cab driver" with a "working meter." Anxious to get going, I finally accepted his offer and was delighted to see that we wouldn't be riding in one of the shabby red 80's Toyota Corollas (or similar, but in every way just as shitty as the shittiest type of cabs I've ever been in), but rather, a sweet blue van, complete with shiny blue plastic floormats and three, count them, THREE DVD screens. I jumped into the back bench seat, kicked that sucker all the way back, and luxuriated into my new surroundings with "Superman: Man of Steel" playing in the background. For the one hour ride in, things were going great. Never mind that a mini monsoon moved in on us and at one point I thought we might hydroplane to our deaths (and did we bother to put on our seat belts? Of course not because we're both Buddhists...well, one of us is and the other just pretends to be). Anyway, we made it through, and as we traveled the countryside with friendly Richard giving me the 411 on everything Malaysia, I thought that this was going to be one kick-ass trip.

I got to the hotel and went to check in. There was virtually no lobby, just two ladies at a desk. They were busy with others but saw me and told me to take a seat. I sat down, and immediately after, a Muslim family tried to make their move. They KNEW I was there before them, but they tried to sidle up to the counter and move in. As I sat there glaring at them, I told myself that if the lady helped them next, she'd be getting it from me (which, on a side note, is a funny part of my new identity here...I used to yell and scream and throw tantrums regularly in my 20s for all sorts of ridiculous things, but hadn't really done this anymore until moving to India...and I realize how I've missed it so much!). Being the conscientious professional she was, she told them I was next and put off their repeated insistence of being helped next. I gave all three of them (mom, dad, grown up daughter) some more glares, a serious head shaking, and finally a smug look of "Ha ha, I'm going first" superiority (like you might give someone if you were, say, bumped to first class because you have 110,000 miles on United credit cards because you charge everything under the sun). See ya, suckers!

At the desk, I quickly reinforced her professionalism with a sincere compliment, and then proceeded to ask for an upgrade. To my delight, she obliged. I was to be staying on the 16th floor (instead of the lowly 10th floor, which, in the end, was not even remotely close to the 30th floor I was hoping for), and I was pretty damned pleased. I got up into the room, spread out my shit, tested out the bed, and then poured myself an afternoon Jameson for the quick trip up to the (disappointing) infinity pool and really nice gym (that I had convinced myself I was going to use...so much so that I even brought workout gear). I came back down, summoned the bellhop to bring me a giant BOWL full of ice, and poured myself another drink. Suddenly, I realized that I hadn't adjusted the time on my phone, and after doing so, I realized it was time to start getting ready for my first night out. I plugged my phone into the docking station, blasted some hip hop, did some embarrassing "I think I'm-kind-of-drunk-already dance moves," took a shower, and headed out.

My first stop had been planned WELL in advance. It would be a trip to "The Whiskey Bar," which was conveniently connected to "The Steak House" (clearly some marketing genius there). I posted up at the bar, ordered myself a fine whiskey flight, and then a Guinness (or maybe it was two?) and after, headed into the restaurant for dinner. I must confess, it was at this point that things start getting fuzzy. Good thing I had pictures of my dinner that I could look at later the next day to help me recall what I had undoubtedly devoured. From there, I went back to the whiskey side of the establishment, had another drink, and then went home for my early morning walking tour.

I woke up and quickly realized I had overslept, but I didn't care. I poured myself some "hair of the dog" and made some Thanksgiving phone calls. Several of them, in fact. Maybe had another couple of drinks while I was at it (I was really feeling the Thanksgiving spirit, and I figured I had lots to be thankful for, and since I had no family or friends around, my old pal John and I celebrated the day). After my series of drunk dials, I went out on the town for lunch and perhaps a couple of Guinnesses and an Irish coffee to try to regain some semblance of composure, but instead went back to the hotel room and passed out. I woke up just in time to start getting ready for dinner out on the town where this time, I'd be hitting up a "Mexican restaurant." I was in prime form, trying to speak Spanish with the poor waitresses, buying laser pointers from the guy on the street (TWO of them, mind you), and just being a real fun person. After dinner (which consisted of chicken nachos and duck chimichangas...but back to that later), I stopped in next door to the hookah bar, where I proceeded to take up prime real estate while having another couple of Guinnesses and a hookah all to myself. Game over. This is where things spiral down, down, down...

I wake up again, and I feel like DEATH. I check my phone only to realize that I had, in my nice-guy condition from the night before, rescheduled my walking tour to Saturday morning. Not wanting to stiff them on the $50, and because at this point I thought I was just wickedly hungover, I decided that the best punishment was to force myself out into the world where I could atone for my bad decision-making and overzealousness from the past 36 hours. I take the cab ride there, thinking the entire time that this is just another really bad choice, and get to the place. Totally lost, I call them and the lady comes down to get me. Once inside, I take a look at all the other annoying, overly excited tourists, and immediately regret my decision. However, I paid for my reservation and took a seat on the chair in the waiting room in absolute silence. I didn't look at anybody, didn't smile at anybody, I basically just hated all of them because they weren't hungover, and therefore, couldn't understand me.  9:00 finally came, and our guide, this dorky, pudgy Malaysian guy named Sean, came to get us. I disliked him immediately. He started talking our faces off, and that combined with an intense wave of nausea and lightheadedness, made me wonder how I'd EVER make it through the next four hours. But I had to keep pressing on.

Much to my dismay, our first "stop" happened to be immediately downstairs at some local restaurant that wasn't serving ANYTHING I liked. I sat there and pretended to enjoy my food, and at one point had a burst of positive energy, asking such things of my table mates as, "So, what brings you to Malaysia?" "Where are you guys from?" "How long are you here?" and all of that annoying bullshit. We quickly found out that my living situation was far more fascinating, so I became the center of attention, and I immediately regretted ever even opening my mouth. As we finished up what seemed like the longest meal ever, we got up and finally started moving. Keeping moving was what was going to get me through my day, so I was excited to get going. And then, DUMB ASS SEAN, stops about 50 feet later and goes on the most long-winded, bullshit story about God-knows-what that I've ever heard. I pretended like I cared for about five minutes, but when it became apparent that we weren't going anywhere, I not-so-subtly started wandering away from the group. 10 feet at first to check out some artwork in a stall. Nothing. About 25 feet further to check out the farthest stall. Still oblivious. Finally, probably 100 feet away and straight into a full on market for 10 MINUTES. Came back and he was STILL talking. And the worst part? People were actually looking interested, which caused him to talk even more! After what seemed like an eternity, we finally got going again, with me somehow leading the group partly because I was trying to move aggressively in the hopes that he'd pick up the pace but also party because I just hated everyone so much at this point. I mean, I really hated everyone, but especially Sean. Didn't he understand that this was a "walking tour" and not a "Sean talks the ENTIRE time tour?!"

So we're walking and he tells us that we're first going to visit KL's oldest Buddhist temple. Cool. Excellent. Can't wait. Then we turn the corner and we're there. And then Sean, in typical Sean fashion, proceeds to open his fool mouth for his next lecture. At this point, I started realizing I needed to make a break for it, but I wasn't quite sure how. Then I started telling myself, "Ben, you're a grown ass man (at least biologically). You do NOT have to stay here like a prisoner. Just leave!" But then I felt bad, like it would cause Sean or others to realize just how shitty of a guide he truly was. And then I didn't care, so I started doing my little "sneak away & then return technique," which clearly did not take off. I tried wandering away about three times, each time for longer and farther, and finally, after about 20 minutes, I just did it. I just walked away and didn't turn back. I started to feel bad, but then I started justifying it that it wasn't MY shitty attitude, but rather Sean's total and complete incompetence. I threw out an email to the company saying I wasn't feeling good (which was true) and that I needed to leave.

From there, I flagged down the shittiest looking cab ever and asked the dude, "Do you know Fraser Place?" Of course he didn't. Slammed shut that door. Next shitty cab, asked the same question. This guy, after me pulling up the map and repeatedly telling him the street name, finally tells me he can get me there. We start on our way, and with each passing minute (and each grumble of the stomach), I'm realizing that this is more than a hangover. FAR more. I'm feeling absolutely AWFUL at this point and I cannot WAIT to get back to the hotel to lie down. Finally, after about 15 minutes, I realize that we're driving in circles. CIRCLES. I say, "Dude, do you know where you're going?!" He says he does, but after seriously the third circle past the same restaurant and a horribly inappropriate u-turn, I'm done. I'm pissed, and I'm sicker than hell. He finally gets sick of my bitching, pulls over, and tells me to get out (which I not-so-happily do). I start walking and come to find out I'm now nearly two kilometers from the God damned hotel. WAY too far to walk. I ask a few more cabbies, each of whom acts like I'm speaking a foreign language when I ask about Fraser Place (wait...). But seriously, now I'm pissed at myself (and Fraser Place) for it not having a more well-known name. Why in the HELL didn't I stay at the Mandarin Oriental?! Eventually, I find a cab who's more than willing to rip me off and take me to Fraser Place for an astronomical sum. But I didn't care, I just wanted home.

I get back up to the room (and at this point I'm glad that I didn't have to go any higher than the 16th floor), and throw myself onto the bed in a pitiful heap. Now I was completely miserable, and the blues started setting in. Why in the hell did I have to go all the way to Malaysia when I could've stuck around with friends and gone someplace local? I missed my old friends, I missed my new friends, and especially just past Thanksgiving, I missed my family. It all just sucked.

Then, after about an hour of self-loathing, the diarrhea sets in and I realize I need to do something about this situation before bad things happen to my mattress and sheets. Furthermore, I had no water in the hotel room, so something was going to have to give. So I got out of bed and trudged down to the KLCC Mall (SUPER fancy, located in the bottom of the Petronas Towers). There, I grabbed my tickets for that night's tour, found a pharmacy, and pathetically described my medical woes to the woman behind the counter. She gave me Immodium and charcoal tablets. Charcoal tablets. I didn't give a shit at that point, so I threw them all down the gullet. As I walked back out of the mall, I made a split-second decision to NOT go back to the hotel, but rather, go to Chinatown and see if some knockoff designer clothing/sunglasses/watches (as if I need another watch) would make me feel better. It did not. I didn't even stick around long enough to see what they had. Deciding that I needed to get something into my stomach, something that had some sort of health/sanitation standards, I opted for the "safe bet..." McDonalds. I scarfed down a McChicken and small fries, and realizing that this might have just made a bad situation even worse, jumped into another rip-off-mobile and headed to what I believe is the universe's largest mall. It was 10 stories tall (literally), had a freaking ROLLER COASTER in it (which I never did actually see, just heard the screams from), and was just all-around madness. After wandering around pitifully (having to sit down occasionally to keep from passing out), I got into another shitty Malaysian cab (this one took second place, and the guy was even nice enough to warn me beforehand that he was going to gently violate me for the cab fare because there was "lots of traffic") and we were off to the hotel again.

This time, I slept for about an hour before waking up to make the walk to the towers. At this point, I was feeling the worst I had all day, but I felt like I had no choice in the matter. THIS moment was why I had come...I couldn't let it pass me by. I walked the 15 minutes to the towers and, even though I was the first one there, just couldn't bring myself to start the line. Nope. I chose the comfy seat on the stairs. I watched them as disgust as they lined up, and telling myself that I didn't care if I was the last person on EARTH to get into that line, I sat there until the bitter end. When I finally did get into line, I was annoyed just as I suspected I'd be, but now feeling even worse (which I didn't think was even imaginable). I didn't know how I'd make it through the next hour. As we entered into the TSA-style annoyingly over-secure security checkpoint, this dude probably in his 20's tried to make a crack at how ridiculous the process was, and where a jovial Ben would've jumped into this bitch session gladly, I just ignored him completely. So rude, and I just didn't give a damn. I felt kind of bad, but then again, I had bigger issues. Such as: where is the closest bathroom "in case of emergency?"

Then, we get to the elevator, and in front of us, there's this hologram-thingy made from a smoke machine and lasers. It featured a lady giving safety briefings much like you'd find on a plane, but this was WAY more annoying because this asshole, overly energetic teenager and his fool dad thought it was SO funny to blow on the smoke and have her image get distorted. And then the dad did basically the most annoying thing I've ever seen, which was to walk though it and then laugh at how clever he thought he was. I just wanted to kick them both in the balls. And then, when I think people can't possibly be any more annoying, we pack ourselves into the elevator like some damned sardines, and as it goes up, fake lighting and cityscape appear on the sides (because it's night time). Out of nowhere, this old Chinese lady starts doing the stupidest fake commentary, "Welcome to KL. On the left, you'll see downtown KL." You would've thought she was doing the "sweaty balls/underwear" Louis CK routine people were laughing so hard. Everybody, that is, except for me. I was not amused one bit.

We stopped at the skybridge (thank God because I was ready to put the Chinese lady in a headlock), and there, I spent the next 15 minutes looking for a crack/opening where I could throw my body out of the 170 meter height. They must have seen me coming, because it was totally secure. From there, back into the elevator, where annoying lady continued her laugh-fest all the way up to the 87th floor, where we got out and I basically just found a seat, buried my face in my hands. and prayed for death.

"It was there at my highest height that I was at my lowest low"- Ben Knight, Petronas Towers, 11/30/2013 (I made that up the other day...isn't it creative?)

I got home and went straight to sleep, and the next morning, feeling a solid 50%, I got back in Richard's rip off mobile, headed to the airport, and flew home.

And that, ladies and gents, is the tale of "Veni, Vidi, Vici" AKA "I came, I saw, I sat on the toilet."

By the way- It was the duck chimichangas...of this I'm sure.

Ben

My Accidental Newsletter

Dear Students & Parents,

With our Holiday Break coming up so soon, things have gotten a little crazy around here! As such, I’d like to take this opportunity to give you a little “heads up” about some upcoming dates and events that are notable for you and your children. I’ll apologize in advance for the lengthiness of this email, but you can, of course, write me with any additional questions and I’ll respond quickly. I’ll also break these important dates down into core subject areas, and then describe some of the non-academic events below:

Academic Events

Reading- We’re continuing our work on expository (informational) writing, and analyzing narrative non-fiction text. Students should be reading/researching their selected explorer from a variety of sources, including, but not limited to: books, magazine articles, encyclopedia entries, websites, etc. As they read, they should be taking careful notes for the final, published research report described below.

Writing- As previously stated, students are working on their research reports, that will, for the first time, be set with a given length requirement (two pages, 1.5 line spacing, 12-point, Arial font). These reports are primarily be worked on during class time, but we’d also expect that many students will need to put in some time out of the classroom to ensure a paper of the highest quality. The published pieces will be due Wednesday, December 11th.

Math- We’re continuing our work on the conceptual understanding of fraction concepts. Watching your students develop mathematical stamina, and really learning what’s behind fraction concepts has been extremely rewarding for me as a teacher to be a part of. I think it’s safe to say that they’ve all had their share of struggles, and have also learned to work through them to show a deeper understanding. We’ve been relying heavily on hands-on manipulatives, drawings, diagrams, and explanations rather than the aged method of worksheets and drills for speed. Their progress has been amazing. That said, I have told them that there is a possibility of some sort of math assessment, but at the same time, I don’t want to rush. I’d say that at this point, there is a 20-30% chance of some sort of assessment happening prior to break, with this being a number diminishing with each passing day. I feel safe saying that it is “unlikely” at this point, but not impossible. I’ll keep you updated. In the meantime, I’d love it if you asked them to occasionally perform any task that we’re currently working on and explain to you their thinking. The way we’re doing math these days is very different from what you or I might remember, and it’s also a great way to reinforce their own understandings.

Social Studies- Our work on “Exploration” continues, with students finishing up the last teaching point having to do with positive/negative effects of “European Expansion.” They are using much of the information gained here to supplement their research reports in Writing class.

Additionally, students will be assigned their final summative assessment (project-based) wherein they will be selecting a method to present what they’ve learned about their explorers that specifically relates to the teaching points covered so far this trimester. More information will be coming home with them by the end of this week. Those projects are tentatively scheduled for the morning of Friday, December 13th.

Science- We are finishing up our unit on “The Physics of Sound.” Today, the kids did mini presentations to review essential understanding from the unit. From there, they will be taking their final assessment on Tuesday, December 10th. Students may want to continue reviewing key concepts that can be found in their science magazines, which are full of articles. The assessment itself will feature a combination of multiple choice, short answer, and performance-based (mini experiments) questions.

Finally, with regard to Science, the students were given the option of completing a sound experiment. They have a list of ideas from which they can choose, or they can create their own. As mentioned, this is an option, so if they are feeling overwhelmed with what they’ve already got coming up, they may choose not to do this. However, I explained that this would be a great way to show an “EX” level of understanding as it relates to sound. Please ask them their plans for this, and provide support where necessary (many require supplies). If they do choose to complete it, it will be presented at some point on Thursday, December 12th.

As you can see, these kids are going to be BUSY these last couple of weeks!!!

Non-Academic Events

AISC Soccer Tournament- Recently, the class voted on, and decided, to “adopt” a team from AES. We’d like to attempt to go out and watch one of their games, and if we do so, we’d really like to not only cheer for them, but to also bring them something delicious/nutritious to eat! As soon as the game time is confirmed, I will let parents know. I’d (and they’d) VERY much appreciate this gesture, so I hope you’ll be willing to help out! :)

Upper Elementary Final Music Concert- I’ll admit that I don’t know much about this (being a new teacher here), but I wanted to let you know about it on this newsletter. As I’ve seen in the past, there have been many parents in attendance, so I feel fairly safe telling you that this is an event that you may want to attend. If you have further questions, please let me know and I’ll find out the answer to your query. This is scheduled for Thursday, December 12th from 2:00-3:00 PM.

5B Holiday Party- And finally, what CRAZY kind of week would be complete without a class party?! Being that we’re out at 12:30 on Friday, December 13th, I’d like to have our class party from 11-12:00. The kids will then go to lunch from 12:05-12:20 and be released 10 minutes later. I think you’ll agree that after such a long and possibly stressful week, they will be deserving of a really fun party with lots of treats! I hope that the parents (as they’ve done every time before) will be happy to put on this party. I’ll again admit that I know few details of how this is organized, but I’m hoping that you’ll all be so kind to create some sort of sign-up sheet or call-list that can be used to coordinate the logistics of this event.

THANK YOU ALL, again, for your continued support. Have I ever told you how lucky I am to get to work with all of you and your AMAZING kids?? They are just so much fun. I am also happy that one of my best friends, Laura, will be flying over from San Francisco, California to spend the next (almost) three weeks with me as we tour India, from south to north. I know that one of the highlights of her trip will be getting to spend the day with all of us here at AISC. Good thing she’ll just be coming for all of the celebrations and not just the tests! ;)

Thanks again, sorry again for the wordiness, and PLEASE let me know if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

Fondly,

“Mr. Ben”

A really awesome email exchange

I'd like to share an email exchange I recently had with a woman named Donna, who is here at AISC as our aquatics director. Although a bit rigid, we have really begun to enjoy working together in the after school swim program. I could get into what precipitated these emails, but I think it's fairly clear. More than anything, I just want to share what kind of people I work with. This school, and more so, the people in it, are just amazing.

Hey Donna,

What fun today. As I was sitting in my car on the way to the old PH, I was thinking to myself and wanted to share something with you. It's not that I wouldn't rather just tell you in person, but it seems we're always surrounded by kids. It's also not one of those, "Hey, can we talk for a second?" types of conversations either, so I don't feel bad just emailing you. 

I just wanted you to know a little about my background. I started working with kids as a lifeguard when I was in high school, but then in college, I worked in a program that contracted out summer camp services for the US Military overseas. During this time, I got a lot of the experience that ultimately lead me to decide to pursue a career in teaching. So, after college, I returned to my former elementary school where the population had transformed into a Title 1/High Poverty demographic. The school was failing miserably, and I quickly realized that this was no summer camp. Being the young/"cool" teacher on campus, I had a fairly sizable presence, and before long, I became the school's primary disciplinarian while we worked to turn things around. 

For the next few years, I kind of relished this title. I'd holler at kids, suspend them, and basically run around like a tyrant. That wasn't to say that I didn't have fun with my kids (I certainly did), but for wayward students growing up without fathers/positive male role models, I became kind of a "go to" for discipline. And, considering that I was such a handful during my preteen/teenage years, I knew how to discipline well. Really well.

Long story short, for the past five years (after coming back from Medellin, Colombia) I was the school's goon. I went back and got my Masters/Admin Credential, and became the guy that kids did NOT want to have to deal with. I worked every Friday (or anytime anyone needed me and wanted to come cover my class) suspending/intimidating/counseling/lecturing kids. I did this in three schools, from K-12. At first, I loved the power, but after a while, it got old. So old, in fact, that I realized that admin just wasn't for me. But, because I had earned this reputation, and because the school needed someone like me, I remained the scary guy. 

After 12 years of being "that guy," I just got tired of it. I got tired of kids being scared of me. I got tired of yelling at them. I got tired of it all and almost completely lost my love for teaching. I knew that if something drastic didn't happen, I was about to permanently burn out (in fact, I almost quit midyear to take an inside sales job in the electronics industry...with zero experience!). So, last fall, I made the decision to leave behind everything I knew, and go back overseas. 

So now, here I am. I'm working in my dream job and my love of teaching is stronger than it's ever been. I'm actually teaching, I absolutely adore the kids, and best of all, I'm having fun every day and truly look forward to coming to work. Working with you and the kids in ASA is just the icing on the proverbial cake. 

The reason that I want to share this with you is that I want you to know that, although sometimes it may appear that the kids are getting over on me (and maybe sometimes they are), it is by choice that I don't discipline too hard. It's fun to goof around with them, although admittedly, sometimes I let them get away with too much. I've had a couple of one-on-ones (in fact, with the twins recently...who both ended up crying because they were blown away by my serious demeanor) where I talked to them about their interactions with adults and their peers. However, they're still young, have some impulse-control issues and just want to play, and I get that. In my mind, ASA should be structured (of course), but also a time to kind of "let your hair down" and have fun. 

It's been a long time since I've been so happy teaching, and part of my coming here was that I wanted a complete 180 from the life I was living back in CA. With my own class, I'm the most relaxed and laid-back I've ever been, but at the same time, I never have to do more than raise my voice about a decibel to let them know I'm serious. And that, to me, is just amazing. I'd scream and yell and threaten and punish all day at my old school, and although it eventually worked, it never felt ok. The realization I had today that I haven't even felt close to mad at a single kid at this school, the entire year, is amazing to me. What a change. 

So, what I guess I'm trying to say (although admittedly in the most wordy way possible) is that I'm thoroughly enjoying not only AISC, but also working with you and the kids at the pool. I fully realize that sometimes I let them get a little crazy, but it's just such a nice change of pace to not be feared. With that said, I know sometimes I need to tighten the reigns, and that's something I'll need to work on (wow, what a crazy thing for me to hear myself saying in my head). I hope it's not ever too disruptive, and if it is, please feel free to step in and tell us all to knock it off (seriously, but hopefully we stop short of that). I am truly a big kid inside, and I'm absolutely embracing that right now because frankly, it just feels good. 

Anyway, I've undoubtedly strained your eyes (that's not an age joke) with my long-winded email, but again, I wanted you to have a better understanding of where I'm coming from. 

Thanks again for having me on board, and I look forward to many more fun new memories!

See you Friday. :)

Ben

Dear Ben,

YOU are an incredibly wonderful human being!  I just adore this wonderful story of "You". I never would have guessed you were a goon! That you are so aware of who you were, who you want to be and who you are, is refreshing.   I so appreciate the opportunity to get to know you better and feel special that you entrusted me with your story.  And don't apologize about getting "wordy", that is my favorite part! You should see me when I really get going! I LOVE working with you and as I watched you with the kids yesterday, I was thinking how easy you made it look to have FUN with the kids and wish I were better at letting go....but that is another long story!

I love teaching and one of my main foci is on helping kids to be young, polite, engaged and focused little people. I have so little time with them and want it all to be used to lead them to success. Bu, also, I realize that I need to let loose sometimes and you are a great role model. You bring great enthusiasm to the program and I am so happy to have you involved. I must admit that when Raphael hauled off and hit you yesterday, my hair about stood on end, but I quickly remembered that you are a seasoned teacher (not knowing you were a former goon!) who knows how to deal with kids and backed off.  That said, I am all about mutual respect and appropriate behavior and will always expect students under my leadership to practice both.  I want to provide a structure where they can practice this AND have fun. I think we are well on our way to creating that environment at the pool.

I am not sure if you are aware, but I have been charged with creating a WINNING SAISA swim team one day.  The only way that I know to reach that goal is to build from the ground up, thus my focus on teaching kids how to swim correctly from the beginning. I know this takes time and I want kids having fun learning while they develop the discipline to realize that they are the "masters of their own bodies".  I loved that you connected thought and awareness with physical practice the other day. That is EXACTLY the kind of thing that I feel is important in learning swimming. The kids here do not have the basis that I am used to building on. We are spending a lot more time building on basic skills than I have had to in the past, but I have seen so much progress, already. I am having fun building the program and I hope that you will stick with me next year so we can guide the swimmers together.  

I feel that whoever hired you last fall....Andrew, Kevin, Anne....was on their game when they offered you a contract.  I know that the kids adore you and I do too. You are a gift that I appreciate dearly.

Thanks, again, for being exactly who you are and being here.

Hugs,

Donna

10 Days Until Malaysia!

Here goes another guilt-induced blog, brought to you by none other than Kelly...

Let me begin by saying that I am STOKED to go to Malaysia. I don't have many hobbies, but I can say that I'm fascinated by modern architecture. I remember seeing the iconic Petronas Towers many years ago and was just astonished by their beauty. They are the tallest twin towers in the world, and very much the centerpiece of KL. I have already booked (after EXTENSIVE research) my aparthotel (I think that's a word), which gets rave reviews, but one of the coolest aspects is that it has a rooftop infinity pool that looks out onto them. I guess the rooms themselves don't have much of a view, but hell, when you are giant towers, I guess you can be seen from pretty much anywhere (well, besides my hotel room window of course).

I fly in on Thursday afternoon and from there, will go straight to the hotel. After that, I don't have much planned besides hitting an Argentine steakhouse which my co-worker promises will be an amazing piece of meat. Although I have had some beef since getting to India, none of it has been particularly good. And in fact, one of the most memorable steaks I've ever had was during my NYE trip to Buenos Aires back in 2007. After getting to my hotel, I remember being told that people didn't eat until REALLY late, so, I took a nap until 9:00 PM (thinking that was late enough). I was shocked to see pretty much nobody in the restaurant. Thinking it must just be an "off" night, I proceeded to eat my porterhouse and chase it with a nice bottle of malbec. Lonely dinner? Yes. Amazing steak? Also yes. So, we'll see how the two stack up against each other.

From there, I'll probably just wander around the downtown area a bit. The next morning, the tentative plan is to book some sort of walking tour, because if there's one thing I know about myself, it's that I'll find a way to get lost and pretty much completely waste the day. That evening, I have a 7:00 reservation to go up to the towers on a tour, which will hopefully be just a bit past dusk. From there, I hope to get some amazing city views and more "point and click masterpieces" from my trusty iPhone.

The same co-worker who gave me the restaurant suggestion also happened to live there for a number of years (and coincidentally also worked at the Columbus School prior to me) working at the International School. Because of that, she has some old contacts there that she's going to email to see if they are interested in meeting up with me after. I told her that I'd be waiting at "The Whisky Bar." That way if they show up, great, and if not, well, at least I still have an extensive array of whiskeys from around the world to keep me company (and if I drink just the right amount, maybe I can have a conversation with my glass).

From there, not much planned. KL is supposedly truly an international location, with people and cultures (and food) from all around the world. Dining is supposed to be first-class, with everything from street food to fine dining. And what's even better, they're supposed to also have crazy shopping options and over-the-top malls. Hopefully I can keep some semblance of self-control when it comes to this department. After all, I only have one carry-on to bring it all back with me!

So, the really neat part about this all is that if you begin from the end of October and go forward two months, I will have visited four countries during that time, and that just blows my mind. India is enough, but to get to see some of Thailand and Malaysia, and then be able to top it all off with NYE in Dubai with one of my best friends? That's just amazing!

In other news...I've petitioned my principal to consider moving me to first grade next year. Yes, I know that sounds insane, and yes, most would immediately remind me that you need tremendous amounts of patience, but here's the thing: there's a teacher in first who'd like to try out intermediate, and the first grade team is amazing. The ladies working in it (including the head of school's wife) are all rock solid and totally experienced. Also, the two ladies I'd be working with more closely are incredible and super supportive. Add to this the fact that I'd have a full-time TA and the regular 15 kids, and I think you can see why this could be a good move. So why first? Well, it'd truly be jumping in with both feet, and professionally, it'd do wonders for my CV. Even though I'm not quite even halfway through my school year, it's never too early to start thinking about the future, and with that said, I'm already looking at some specific countries where I'd like to work next time around.

Some of my friends here have already said things like, "You know, you really should stay three years. It looks better." To that I say, "I'm a guy who teaches elementary school." Enough said. I figure that if I pull off first grade without losing my mind completely (and hopefully even enjoying it enough that I'd consider doing it again," this really opens up my options for the next hiring season. Speaking of which, hiring season is fully underway at this point, with our school's positions officially becoming confirmed by December 1st. Schools like mine are already aggressively seeking candidates, holding Skype interviews and paper screening. It's crazy to think that by this time next year, I'll be hunting for my new job. But who knows, maybe something will happen that will make me want to stick around. I can't rule it out completely, but seriously, this is a hard place to live. The traffic, the people, the noise and garbage (not to mention the 58% tax on alcohol which makes cocktails in the $12-$15 range)...it all just adds up and gets to you sometimes. So, we'll see in the next couple of weeks whether this first grade thing materializes. I'll keep everyone posted!

Alright, sorry for the size of this one, but I've gotta run. The PH is calling, and after eating an entire Domino's pizza (hey, it was only a medium) the other night, I've gotta answer this one.

Ben

Seven Knights in Thailand...well, just one really

Well looky here...another prep period that I don't really need because I already have today and tomorrow planned. Isn't that nice? That gives me time to talk a little about Thailand!

What can I say about Thailand? More specifically, what can I say about Bangkok? Even more specifically, what can I say about Sukhumvit, the area where we spent nearly all of our time while in Thailand? Well, I can say that they have some really nice hotels, that's for sure, and I can also say that they have great food stands set up all around them. Oh, I can also say they have some kick ass restaurants. And finally, I have to tell you that my time there was paradoxical..it was awesomely terrible. But more about that later...

It would take me far too long to describe in detail my time there, however, due to the miracles of my "traveler's SIM card" and Facebook, I think I documented it fairly well. The only thing missing perhaps was a bit more commentary. So, what I'll do during this blog is give kind of an overview of my favorite events and my general impressions of what is indeed, a totally alive and kick-ass city.

To begin with, let me say that it was refreshing to see all of the modernity that a city like this provides. It was a completely different change of pace from life in Chennai. The streets were clean, there were beautiful towers everywhere, the public transportation was reliable and efficient, and perhaps one of the easiest things to overlook...there was NO HONKING (you literally could not believe all of the honking here in India). All of this made for a very enjoyable experience as there was little in the way of frustrations. In fact, the only frustrations were about how I felt on certain days, and towards the end, every day. But again, more on that later.

I went with my buddy Ethan, who I think I mentioned works in third grade. He lived there for a year about 8-9 years ago when he had just graduated from college. He and I are similar in that we're both used to solo travel, but in the end, we traveled really well together. He's really mellow and easy-going, and that's the best kind of personality to travel with. We got in on Saturday morning at about 6:30, so by the time we got into the city, it was still waking up. The hotel was nowhere near ready for us, so we set out on the city. And that's when the adventure began. Almost immediately, I had my mind blown repeatedly. The sights, the sounds, the people..it was all just crazy. And I fell in love immediately.

For the next seven days, we ate and drank our way through Bangkok. One of the things worth mentioning is that the food there is absolutely at the core of everything. It's just what people do. There are food stands EVERYWHERE. The food is undeniably delicious, and even better, CHEAP! Seriously, I just couldn't get enough. I found myself eating after already eating. I ate when I was already full. It was ridiculous and totally irresistible. I was a slave to those food stands the entire time I was there. However, it wasn't all just cheap food for us. No no. In fact, based on the advice of my good friends Justin and Deb Kjeldsen, we went to a restaurant called Bo Lan. Now, this wasn't a cheap restaurant, but it was divine. And what made it really special was that it was my treat. Well, it was really on my late Uncle John, who I'm not sure whether would've been pissed or proud that I was spending his money on such an extravagant meal. However, we enjoyed a 12-course tasting menu with drink pairings and copious amounts of delectable cocktails. And you should've seen us. We were like kids in the candy store. Wide eyes and saliva dripping every time a new plate was brought out. The tastes were so new and so amazing. We just couldn't believe what we were tasting. It was an amazing meal, and easily one of the best I've ever had.

Another day that was really memorable was "Boat ride/watch/cat shirt Day." I'm sure you saw the pictures. What an epic adventure that was. We jumped on this longboat that had this gnarly monster diesel outboard engine that just ROARED. We toured the river, but what was even more amazing (and unexpected) was when we entered the locks and toured the canals. The word I used to describe this part of the tour was "blissful." I was just overcome with joy, spending the day cruising around the waterways of Bangkok, looking at people's houses along the way, and the temples, and just all of the scenery. It was truly something special, and what made it better was being with three of my closest friends here. From there, great things kept happening. We went into this shopping area where I found a watch stand selling incredibly realistic what I think are replica watches. Now, I've bought some fake watches in my time, but these things are so realistic that you just wouldn't believe it. I was in heaven. All told, I bought four watches: two Breitlings (by Bentley) one Rolex Pearl and one Tag. They are awesome, and I couldn't be more proud to have them. They sit with my other two watches in my nightstand...nearly one for every day of the week. And I love it. Throughout the walking tour of the massive market, I drank beer along the way and blew through cash. It was a shopper's delight. When it came time for us all to meet up, I had quite the buzz. We met up at an Irish brewpub, where I proceeded to knock back a few Guinnesses and a couple of shots of Jameson. Oh, and I almost forgot the best part! I was wearing a cat shirt that Holly had bought me as a present! So, when she said, "Hey, there's someone wearing a cat shirt!" I jumped up and chased her out the door and said, "Hey!! YOU'RE WEARING A CAT SHIRT! I'M WEARING A CAT SHIRT TOO!! LET'S TAKE A PICTURE!" Now, even being as drunk as I was, I realized that this wasn't the time to put my arm around her. Looking back, her family was likely horrified at the grown-ass-man asking their teenage daughter to pose with him. Fortunately (because that's a damned good picture), she obliged, and now I have a hilarious picture that I will always cherish. After driving back to the hotel, Ethan and I apparently went next door to the 7-11 and grabbed a bottle of Thai whiskey and headed back to the Sofitel where Diane joined us. I guess I put on a little dance show, which I entitled "The Cat Shirt Shuffle" and then proceeded to pass out on the bed snoring loudly. They later told me that they tried to snuff me out with a pillow, which was obviously unsuccessful because I'm still here today. We were all supposed to leave to an island the next morning, but when I awoke, I felt like death. Fortunately, Ethan was totally OK with not going, so I remained in bed until the early part of the day. And because of that move, we spent the rest of the time right there in Bangkok.

Looking back, I don't regret that day out on the boat, but I do regret our decision to not go to the island. The rest of the time in Bangkok was fun, but I think we could've hit the pause button and like the girls, we could've come back on Halloween. However, I would also like to mention that for the next few days, everyone in the group got sick except for me. Somehow, through all of the eating and drinking, I stayed immune to the vomiting, flu-like symptoms and diarrhea. Amazing, huh? But the problem (and this goes back to what I said at the beginning of the blog) was that I felt like shit all week. I was totally bloated and felt disgusting all over. I knew that I wasn't really 225 pounds again, but it sure felt like it. And I felt bad. I knew that I could come back and get rid of it pretty easily, and I also knew that if I really wanted, I could hit the hotel gym, but in the end, what I ended up doing was just giving in to it. I continued to eat and drink myself silly, telling myself that I was on vacation and that it was OK.

When I got back, I immediately fruit fasted and got to work exercising in my living room. I vowed to start back up with Crossfit style workouts and to eat well (as much as possible) all the way up to our Thanksgiving Break. Today will be day four of this type of living, and today, I even got a compliment on how my belly is disappearing. I think that I'm probably close to undoing the damage caused during my week there, and I feel completely back to normal. Good thing I have things like watches, iPhone cases, designer belt buckles and amazing cat photos to remind me of all the fun I had when I was there. 

Wow, a month already?!

Last night, I was talking to my sister. Towards the end of the conversation, she asked if I was EVER going to blog again. I thought about it for a minute, and then finally came to the conclusion that I wasn't sure that anyone was even reading. Not that I'd blame them (it has been a really long time since I last did), but I think when you know you're writing to a limited audience, it's just not as motivating. However, my co-teacher isn't here at school today, so I don't have to meet with her on my prep time. Today's blog will harken back to my days in Colombia where I'd spend HOURS a week on my blog during my various prep periods. I don't plan on making this a new habit, but for now, it works.

It's crazy to me that it's been almost a month exactly since my last blog. When I got here, time seemed to stand still certain days, but this last month has flown by. It's funny because I knew once the calendar hit October that it would do that. It's the simple yin and yang; the first two months were at times brutally slow, so it just made sense that during October, things would pick up. This month, in a lot of ways, has been a blur. From the sheer amount of parties I've been to, to the countless (OK, just three) buffets, and the rapid-fire days spent with kids and meetings, things have just been really moving. And that's a good thing, just in case you're wondering. Things needed to pick up. Sometimes, you feel like the kid at science camp (hopefully most people get this reference) who has a blast during the day, but then falls apart at night when he/she returns to the bunk and has some quiet time to reflect. Now, I don't go into a panic and start slobbering all over the place like the kid tends to do, but there are some times where, if you let it, your mind will start to race a bit and you'll eventually begin the series of questions in your mind about whether this was the right move, the future, the relationships at home that are on pause, etc. Fortunately, I've never had a serious moment...just fleeting thoughts about such things as whether what I've chosen to do here is rational, if everyone's forgotten about me, and of course, where to go from here (yes, I do spend time thinking about my next job and where that will be).

I think I mentioned in a previous blog that it's normal for people to go through various, but distinct, stages of homesickness. I think if I did mention that, I probably also mentioned that I seem to be relatively immune to these stages. I still haven't had any breakdowns or episodes. As sad as it sounds, I think my best friend here is my iPhone. With it, I can keep in touch with people via texts (other iMessage works here) and FB, I can check the news (MSNBC and of course, KCRA), and overall, just feel totally connected. I've had a few nice chats with people back home (not as many as I'd like because the timing is all screwed up), and have even been able to do some FaceTiming (rad). Because of all this, I know that everyone is just a push of a button away, and that, for me, is like knowing that you have Xanax on hand in case you do freak out but never having to take it because you know you have it. The mind is a strange thing.

So, "What's new?" is the question on everyone's mind, and the answer to that is fairly simple..."Nothing and everything." I've settled into a fairly regular schedule (read: boring) during the week. The difference between here and last year is that last year, in order, I'd probably say that my favorite place to be would be 1) Home (preferably drinking red wine) 2) Work (but just on a good/administration free day) and 3) The gym. Here, things are different...resoundingly different. My favorite place, by far, is school. Although I have settled into some old routines (as far as teaching goes), the relationships I have with my colleagues and more so the kids, are what keep me going. I've also started helping with the school's swimming program on M/W/F (Fridays are lessons=hilarious), so that's been a ton of fun. Second to school is easily life at the PH (I've managed, despite the sometimes extremely gluttonous weekends) to keep my weight down at post-Paleo lows, and finally, the place I enjoy the least, my apartment (no booze, no snacks, and no television...and these are my own rules). My place is not fun, rather, it's somewhere to lay my head and store my clothes. The PH comes in really handy, because after I leave school at about 4:30 or so, it takes 30 minutes to get there, I stay for anywhere from one to two hours, and then it's back home. By the time I get home, I eat dinner, watch a few streaming episodes (almost finished with Mad Men!) and then go to sleep. When I wake up, I'm excited to get out the door and on my way to school. And that's an amazing change in my life.

Other than school, it's all about the weekends. I've resigned myself to the fact that my weekends are going to be pretty low-key, but just in the sense that I'll usually be sticking around. There really aren't a whole lot of places within a reasonable amount of time on the road that are worth visiting. Usually, this just means house parties, or maybe someday, going out to clubs/hotels. You may be surprised to know that I haven't really done this yet because frankly, on Fridays, we're usually too wiped out to go big. That, and it's a common day for staff functions. I guess a big part of all of this is my age, and I'm OK with that. I've made friends with so many fun new people here that honestly, I think it's just as fun (if not more) to hang out at their places. I work with some really fun/funny people, so it's been a blast getting to know them. In fact, last weekend, I was at a co-worker's 40th birthday party when suddenly, in the middle of happy birthday, I looked around and realized I had about just as many new friends/acquaintances surrounding me. That was a really great feeling. Although social circles are generally pretty tight, they're not exclusive, and all it takes is a quick conversation, email or text to make something happen. This is an area in which I'm still working/figuring things out. But the other realization I have is that unlike eight years ago in Medellin, I'm much more OK with being by myself here. And not to beat a dead horse here, but after my last year in Stockton, it's tough for me to feel more uncomfortable/miserable than I sometimes did. Uncomfortable working conditions, extremely challenging kids, and living at home in my old bedroom were not quite the highlights of my existence!

Last night, Kelly correctly guessed that my time here would be spent counting down days until the next vacation until I ultimately end my contract here and move on. Am I that predictable? Is it the countdown app that gave me away?! But seriously, she's absolutely right. While school is amazing, I'm also one for the vacations, and it's only natural for this brain of mine to refer to everything on a time sequence. Yes, I have four days until Thailand. Then I'm back for six weeks before being off for three. Then I come back for 12 more weeks, followed by Spring Break for one, and then finally back for the last eight weeks until summer vacation. From there, it's one month back in CA and the next month doing a SE Asia tour (hope to extensively visit Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos). Back to school August first, one month later they'll be asking me if I plan on extending my contract (I'll say "no thanks") and within a month, I'll begin the process of looking for my next gig. It won't be because I am unhappy in any way here; it'll be entirely because Chennai is such a crappy city. Seriously, it's unbelievably uninspiring, and the fact that it's virtually impossible to simply grab a drink with friends around the corner or take the subway or metro to another cool place in town makes it positively depressing. There are just much cooler places in the world where I'd rather live, but in taking this position, I knew I wouldn't love Chennai, probably wouldn't assimilate into the culture at all, and knew I'd be here only for a very finite amount of time. And, in case you're wondering, my next country choices of Spain, Germany, Brazil, Panama, Argentina, Chile or Thailand would all be quite nice, thank you very much.

Now, let's talk Thailand! Less than 96 hours from now, I will be in my dream-of-all-dreams destination. I've been wanting to go there for YEARS, but I've never had the balls to do it on my own. Also, learning Spanish was a huge goal of mine, so for that reason, I kept going back for learning's sake. Going so far away, solo, with no language skills was just too daunting, however, there were many times I almost pulled the trigger. But in the end, I always chickened out. Now, those days are behind me, because at 12:25 AM Saturday morning, not only will I be going to Bangkok, but I'll also be going with someone who's actually lived there! My buddy Ethan, who spent four years in Warsaw, followed by a year off teaching English in Thailand and then farting around in Chile for four months, will be going with. I'm really excited to not only be going with a travel partner, but also someone who knows the area well. My plan is to ask him one billion questions as I learn to navigate the city's ins and outs so that I can visit again in the future. Everyone I've talked to has nothing but incredible things to share about what it's like there, so naturally, I can't wait to go. I feel like this trip is somewhat of a dream come true. I'll definitely be taking lots of pictures and enjoying my time there to the fullest, so you'll all just have to wait until then to hear the details!!

Alright, I'm outta here. Hopefully this blog does a decent job of summarizing life here. It's certainly not as if my days are full of outrageous sights and activities. Like anything, the newness wears off gradually. Although I love the luxury my lifestyle affords me these days, it continues to be my goal to do something a little more meaningful with my time here. Perhaps some social welfare or community outreach will come along at some point, but it's as my friend Diane says (when I complain that I'm living too much of the expat lifestyle, "Just enjoy it because you may never be able to do this again." So with that said, I'll enjoy my last 30 minutes of the day with the kids sipping my free school coffee, tolerate the ride to the PH, love/hate my afternoon exercise, tolerate the ride home, and then relax as my friends George and Kaye (50-something Kiwis) and I have dinner and drink our illegally obtained wine. Life is good. :)

In the meantime, please feel free to comment (to let me know someone's reading this) or drop me a message (either through Gmail, iMessage, or FB). I'd love to hear from you!


Ben

Park Hyatt

In case you haven't read the news, I'm addicted to the Park Hyatt. I basically lived there this weekend, and I have to say, it was amazing. Saturday was a big day there for me, and it concluded with a "Grand Masters of Food and Wine" event that knocked our respective socks off. It was so incredible. I came home from there and drunk dialed Kelly who was at a soccer match. During our five minute conversation, a message was relayed to me, and it went something like this: "Mom says you only ever write about school on your blog and she's getting tired of reading about that topic. Find something else to blog about." Not so subtle, huh? In my own defense, I've got to say that school is pretty much my life. It's been such an emotional roller coaster that it's basically constantly on my mind. In the beginning, I was super stressed out, but now, things have settled down to the point where I'm at more of a refining stage. And it IS the reason I came over here and it IS where I spend a majority of my time., so yeah, I talk about it a lot. But I agree, and I could see how people would like some variety, so tonight, I'm going to talk about my second love, the Park Hyatt.

So like I said, Saturday was quite the day at the old PH. I picked up Holly at around 1:30 (after a huge miscommunication with my non-English-speaking driver, Babu who was supposed to be at my house at noon). To try and teach him a lesson, I jumped into the car and drove myself about a mile down the street to a very Americanized coffee shop for a mocha. That plan backfired, because since my car wasn't there when he did eventually arrive, he took off again and I ended up having to wait even longer for him! Bad idea. Anyway, we picked her up and headed off. On the way, however, we decided to take a detour and go check out the Grand Chola hotel, which is India's largest hotel. It's also supposedly seven stars (which I didn't even know was possible), but after walking around in it, I could see how it might be. It was opulent to the extreme, and we got the grand tour because we told them that we were considering having our wedding reception there. Although the lady didn't question it, I have to be honest when I look back and realize that our plan was probably totally unbelievable. I'd say the biggest issue was that she was wearing a hippy dress, and I was wearing short and Nikes. I don't think big ballers EVER dress like that. The best part was after the tour concluded and she asked us if we wanted to go talk prices. I wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying at that point, but Holly handled it by telling her that she actually wasn't feeling well and that we were going to leave. She then asked if we had any business cards. Nope, all out of those too. Sorry lady. 

From there, we headed back over to the PH. Because neither one of us was feeling 100%, I decided to use my one free massage (got it with the membership, and boy are they geniuses for giving you that). This was only the fourth massage I'd ever had in my life. My first was a horribly awkward man massage when I was 21 and living in Italy. The second one was a sports massage that my dad treated me to post CIM Marathon back in 2006. The third was another awkward Ayurvedic man massage about a month ago (notice a pattern here?), and after that one, I swore I'd never get another. But when I found out that Asian women do the massages at the PH, I signed up with no hesitation. I chose the Swedish massage, which I had obviously heard of before, but had never had, and let me tell you something, it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It was an amazing experience, and I came to three realizations that day. I never knew that I enjoyed having my ass, the bottoms of my feet, and my head massaged so much. When it was over, I heard myself proclaiming that I'd be getting one every week from now on, but after seeing that they actually cost about $50, I quickly changed my mind. 

From there, I headed out to the pool to do some lounging. That was of course very nice, and Holly and I enjoyed some poolside dining. I hung out there for a while, and when it came time, I went in for some steam room/jacuzzi/rainfall shower action and then got ready for the big dinner. As I went to change back into my clothes (yeah, the same ones I wore for my fake wedding tour), I realized that I had completely ignored the fact that I was going to a dinner at the Park Hyatt. Shamefully, I came out of the locker room wearing my street clothes (at least I had a collared shirt) only to see Holly and our other friend Susannah (the one I said I was engaged to on my FB pic) all dressed up. It was too late to go home, so I had to go looking like a giant ass. Everyone was so nice about it, saying, "You look fine. Don't worry about it," but really, I felt super self-conscious about it the whole time. What a jerk. Anyway, I could go on and on about all of the amazing food (I will say that it featured chefs making Thai, Italian, French, and Indian specialties), but I'm already seeing that this blog is longer than I want it to be and I'm getting tired of typing, Plus, I put up all of the pictures on FB already, so you've probably already seen them…

I want to begin wrapping this up by going back to talk about the PH and a realization I made this weekend. So on Sunday (after sleeping in until 11:00), I got up and told myself, "Ben, go be adventurous. Go somewhere new instead of going right back to the PH. You came to India to explore, but these days, the only thing you explore is the bottom of the infinity pool and various items off of the menu at the restaurant." So, I decided to head on out and go for a big walking tour. And you know what? As I walked, I realized something…Chennai sucks. Seriously, the vast majority of this city is just an absolute dump. During my entire two hours of walking, I didm't see ANYTHING interesting or beautiful. Just crappy shops, freaking goats and cows eating trash, big, filthy buses blasting their air horns, one trillion mopeds and motorcycles and their symphony of beeps, and of course, lots of Indians. I was glad to get out and about, but I realized that I would've been much happier going to the PH. 

So that brings me to a troubling realization. I came to explore, to immerse myself in the culture, and you know what? I just don't see it happening. Aside from wanting to occasionally take pictures with me, none of the people I see around me really want to have anything to do with me. Walking around this town is a nightmare. It's hot, absolutely filthy, and just generally unpleasant. And that's a shame. I started to feel guilty about that, but those feelings were pretty short-lived because once I got to the hotel, I knew I was right where I belonged…poolside. 

Park Hyatt, I love you.