Christmas in the tropics

On the day before Christmas, I was unusually late for work; this was the reason why I decided to hop on a cab.

As we got closer to my destination, Siam Paragon, the cab driver started hinting at the fact that I would actually have to pay three times the amount displayed on the meter. I got upset and told him that I wasn't up for it. To my astonishment, I realised that he drove through my place of employment without stopping and that he turned off the meter pretty much at the same time that he hit the accelerator.

It took me two seconds to try and grab my mobile phone, which was then buried in my handbag. As soon as he realised what I was trying to do, he started shouting and pulled over in a deserted area. I'm not sure if we opened the cab's doors at the same time but I know that my survival instinct made me start running in the direction of the crowds.

Fortunately, I was wearing flat shoes but, unfortunately, I was born with wobbly feet meaning that it didn't take long for me to be laying on the floor screaming in pain. The inglorious bastard reached me just before I managed to, once again, get hold of my mobile phone; and as he went for what looked like a knife, I woke up.

On the day before Christmas, I went to work and spent the evening with Leon and Ash. On Christmas Day, I worked again and had chicken soup for dinner - this was my attempt to fight off a sore throat. On Boxing Day, I had an appointment at 9 a.m. at the Immigration Department; and so as not to wake up earlier than 6.30 a.m., I decided to... hop on a cab.

Going places

This time last year, I was getting ready for a great adventure - everything seemed possible and it was really!

"Will they hate me for all the choices I've made?"

One year down the line, I can assure you that everything is still possible but if 365 days ago I was ready to take off, right now I'm ready to settle down.

"I can't stop now I know who I am"

Three months after landing in Bangkok and following a path, which has been a lot rockier than you might think, I can honestly say that I'm ready to stay a while, take it all in before the time comes to let it all go - and I'm sure that this will be as exciting and unpredictable as flying away.

"Now I'm all yours, I'm not afraid"

I think it's pretty unbelievable to finish this year's journey in the place where I started it - Bangkok - but then again, how could it be any different? After all, I'm quite good at building bridges between beginnings and endings.

"And all my life starts now..."

The imperfect fit

It was an evening like many others - I finished my day's work at school, headed towards the BTS station and hopped on the skytrain.

Shortly after having taken an available seat, which was quite a treat at that time of the day, I realised, quite randomly, that some of the women surrounding me were wearing shoes, which were way too small for their feet; so much so, that some toes were practically touching the ground - seriously!

How could I not ask myself the reasons why these women decided to buy such small shoes? I mean, aren't there enough shoes in the world?

My search for meaning took me back to Singapore - a place I've always been very fond of. It felt good to be back in a country where everybody speaks English, there's law and order and everything looks nice, neat and, ultimately, safe. But then again, does the fact that everybody speaks English mean that there's no space for misunderstandings? Does the fact that there's law and order mean that there's justice? And don't the highly impressive manifestations of cleanliness walk hand in hand with some kind of rampant eagerness to judge, condemn and, ultimately, repress?

I'm far and away from saying that I didn't enjoy having a couple of drinks overlooking a golf course, a lake and then a river, splurging on different kinds of foods, walking around in the Gardens by the Bay, sharing a pool with a couple of loud but polite kids; I'm just saying that I haven't yet found the right shoes for me. And there's really no need to settle for the wrong ones...

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

You would think that, after making a solid investment in teaching English as a foreign language (which includes traveling half around the world twice!), I would now be riding the wave, living the dream, but I'm not.

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that life in Bangkok is not paradise on earth - it's just life - and the same applies to my working life - it's just working life.

In practice, this means that I wake up every morning knowing that my daily fix of positive energy will come from whatever happens outside school; that I'll get to the end of the day physically tired but still craving for a challenge; all in all, I feel like I will listen to a song but won't have to dance to it.

I met Mark after work yesterday and, in our search for a cool and inexpensive place to have a drink, it started raining. In order to avoid getting soaked, we took shelter next to a building, where we ended up sitting for a couple of minutes.

Mark doesn't believe in the "calling" and, to be fair, lately I've also started thinking that there's little more to life than finding a job, getting bored to death doing it and, if you're lucky, spending most of the time in between with the people who really matter.

But the truth is that I don't really know - maybe we all have a special talent (and it's just a matter of time until we find it), maybe we don't; what I do know is that, regardless of what it is out there that fulfills us all, I haven't found it yet. But I plan to. The search is (back) on.

The tastiest margarita ever

One fine day I checked my Facebook and noticed that Amelia, an old friend of mine, had posted a photo taken in Koh Lipe. A couple of fine days later, she was giving me a call - and we arranged to meet in Bangkok. 

It was great to be in her company when paying a visit to Wat Arun - probably the city's most beautiful spot; it was awesome to have the chance to walk through a kind of second-hand market - markets being one of the most genuine attractions in Thailand. Probably.

It was amazing to have some refreshing drinks while watching the sunset from the Amorosa Bar - probably one of the nicest places to watch the sunset in town; it was unforgettable to have dinner and a margarita at the River Vibe Restaurant & Bar - one of the nicest terraces I've ever been to. Probably.

Most of all, it was incredible to get lost in Chinatown's confusing sois while having great conversations about life and love. If there's something I take out of this whole experience is that some of life's greatest moments happen when you least expect them. And they are gone in the blink of an eye.

The bottom line

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that life seems to thrive around here and you can't even imagine the extent to which this is true. I often see rats and cockroaches whenever I walk around Sukhumvit; hell, the other day I had finished having dinner when, soon after a cockroach went up one of my friends' leg, we saw two rats running around. As one of the girls put it, "welcome to a third world country".

To be fair, most of the time this statement is a bit of an exaggeration but it's impossible to go around the fact that:

- the air pollution in this place is such a problem that I'll soon have to start sniffing eucalyptus;
- it's not uncommon to listen to racist remarks, which would make a red traffic light blush;
- if in your free time you read more than eight sentences per year, you read more than the average Thai.

But nothing is perfect and that's why we should just focus on the bright side of life.

After a few days trying to put the pieces of a puzzle together, the time came to... get some perspective. On Saturday evening, I went for dinner with Mai and Boom and had a really nice time. At the end of our suki meal, I also discovered that each of us had ingested 542.3 kcal worth of energy, 40.2 gm worth of protein, 34.2 gm worth of carbohydrates, 25.7 gm worth of fat, 1.1 gm worth of dietary fiber, 1.1 gm worth of sodium, 114 mg worth of calcium and 4.7 mg worth of iron - very... precise, isn't it?

On Sunday, I went out for drinks with Ben and Leon and had lots and lots of fun. It was hard to have to go to work only two hours after falling asleep but still - it was totally worth it.

The other day I watched "Skyfall" with Liana - this was the very first time I went to the cinema in Thailand and was surprised by the fact that we all had to get up in order to pay respect to the king just before the movie started.

Somewhere along these experiences, I managed to complete he puzzle - wherever you go, whatever you do, it will be the people around you giving meaning to your life. And that, my friends, is the bottom line.

And then the clouds came...

Speaking Thai

Will I attend a Thai course? I'm not sure yet. You would think that, working as a languages' teacher in Thailand, I would be rushing to learn the language of the country but somehow that's not the case. I am, of course, interested in it, which is the reason why I attended a Thai lesson the other day.

It was fascinating to realise that, similarly to Mandarin Chinese, whatever you say in Thai depends greatly on how you say it; so much so that a slight change in tone will change the meaning of words entirely. And as far as numbers are concerned, the logic behind both languages is also pretty much the same.

It felt great to be able to spot these features so it was definitely a good thing to have self-studied Mandarin Chinese over the summer. If I'll keep on learning Thai is another question altogether.

Like I said, I think that it's interesting but the fact that I'm on language-learning mode all the time makes me want to switch to something different when I have some time for myself. Maybe I can pick up some words and expressions along the way. Focus on "maybe"...

Only yesterday

One of my Japanese students mentioned that the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre is well worth a visit so, as soon as I had a break, I decided to stop by. When I arrived, I had the feeling that I wasn't going to enjoy the exhibition but it didn't disappoint me because I thought that it would be nice to walk around in a complex, which reminded me of the Guggenheim Museum.

But then I really got into the works of art and realised that their triggers - including the need to define Thai identity - are ultimately interesting. If you think about it, when a country decides to open up this much to the outside world, it's legitimate for the population, in general, and artists, in particular, to start asking questions such as "Who am I?" 

What I found even more fascinating was to look at expressions of Thai individuality, which I still don't know what to make of; I mean, what does individuality stand for? And in a country where social relationships, in general, and family relationships, in particular, are so important, is it really possible for anyone to be and act as... one?

I was thinking about this when I bumped into the Erawan Shrine later in the day (the Erawan Shrine is a place where people go to make wishes). A couple of hours before, I had seen some paintings inspired by Buddhism; and then realised that, as different as they are, all religions have found a way to inspire art all over the world.

But however fascinating Thai painting, sculpture and architecture might be, my favourite form of Asian art is still Japanese animation and I don't see the end of this preference any time soon. The other day, I watched an amazing animated movie entitled "Only yesterday" and am still lost for words whenever I try to describe the quality of the drawings - so detailed and colourful - and the depth of the story, which turned out to be surprisingly touching. Yep, animated movies are not just for children; but if you're lucky, they'll bring out the child in you...

The B factor

It occurred to me the other day that I moved from a capital city starting with the letter B to another capital city starting with the letter B; and the common features don't seem to stop here:

a) both cities have a great geographical location and can well be the main gateway to the rest of the continent;

b) both are really international, which ends up working well for an expat;

c) both have sidewalks in extremely poor conditions - it doesn't take much to trip and/or splash water (or worse!) all over the place.

I'm also very happy with the fact that some of my Brussels and/or Belgian friends have been nice enough to put me in contact with friends of theirs, who are either living here or coming over for a visit - this has definitely taken my social life one step further!

I met Ed through Charlotte and we had a great time at local markets, including the Chatuchak Weekend Market, where we spent an evening drinking SangSom at Buckingham, and the night market in On Nut, where we had the opportunity to taste various Thai dishes. Liebrecht gave me Boom's and Mai's contact details; I met Boom for dinner the other evening and should be meeting Mai pretty soon. In the future, and thanks to Gilles and Carolina, I should also be meeting Guillaume and Ellen.

It's nice to be on the other side of the world and keep a connection with the best thing in Brussels - the people I met there. And, hopefully, it won't take long for me to see most of them in Bangkok...

Driven

"I'm feeling rough, I'm feeling raw, I'm in the prime of my life"

Sometimes I think that Bangkok is just one big road; the road I take to work every day and passes through all sorts of buildings - some bigger than others but all somehow reaching for the sky.

The road to the house of the student I teach French to on Saturday mornings - he lives in a really great place on the outskirts of Bangkok; I particularly enjoy being driven through the lake nearby while staring at the beautiful lotus flowers.

The road to the Thai immigration service, which I took twice this week. The second visit was a successful one, which definitely made me feel relieved on the way back to the city centre.

The road to the Portuguese Embassy, which was very supportive when I requested extra documentation to submit to the Thai authorities.

The road to the airport, which I took in order to change the date of my flight back to Europe. On the way back I met Pete, a cool Australian dude who turned out to be the only person I know who actually hates New York City. He told me that he will try and have an orange suit tailor made - not too shabby, is it? Shortly after we got to Phaya Thai, he took off in a taxi; and I hit the road again...

"This is our decision, to live fast and die young

We've got the vision, now let's have some fun"

Teaching French, teaching kids and teaching kids French

Was it surprising to be asked to teach French? Yes, it was; but I didn't say no. The perspective of teaching the language didn't scare me at all. And when the moment came to actually do it, I felt quite comfortable. I also felt extremely homesick - as funny as it might sound, nothing has yet made me miss home as much as teaching French...

Was I wary when confronted with the possibility of having to teach kids? Definitely; but the feeling of discomfort is usually the first step towards learning so I just allowed myself to go with the flow. Also, I got pretty useful hints on how to deal with the little buggers so it shouldn't take long for me to hit the kids classroom.

I don't feel prepared though; I feel a mixture of curiosity and fear - let's face it, children have high levels of energy and tend to feel bored very quickly so it won't be easy to try and make them learn something...

Am I looking forward to the opportunity of teaching kids French? Not really; but if it comes to it, I'm sure I won't say no. In the end, it's all about learning, isn't it?

Out and about

Because the weather was so nice these last few days, I managed to explore my surroundings without worrying about the rain.

Yesterday, for example, I spent a great day walking around in my neighbourhood. I also bumped into another teacher from school and ended up in a terrace chatting and enjoying the effects of the natural light on the buildings, the streets, the people...

I've definitely started going out more. Just the other day I paid a visit to an astonishing bar on the 64th floor of a building, which (not very surprisingly!) offers breathtaking views over the city.

It seems that some scenes from "The Hangover - Part II" were shot there, which is the reason why they came up with a special cocktail - the Hangovertini. I didn't have it then; maybe one day I will.

In the meantime, I've also discovered a great place to have mango with sticky rice and coconut milk; and it happens to be pretty close to where I live! There are a lot of nice places in my neighbourhood actually - and I've barely scratched the surface...

Quiet corners

When you live in a city with 10 million inhabitants, finding a place outside your house where you can be alone for just a few minutes can be quite hard; but it's not impossible.

My favourite spot is my condo's laundry room - I sometimes get there before my clothes are ready and end up spending a couple of minutes looking at raindrops sliding down the windows and listening to the wind brushing through the trees.

Also, the other day I paid a visit to a spa (I treat myself kindly when I'm not working) and loved the garden just in front of it - apart from being very well taken care of, it had a cozy covered area where you could sit in a comfortable sofa. I had the opportunity to spend a few minutes there while waiting for the rain to stop. And it felt good to let the mind wander.

While walking around in Lumphini Park, I also discovered that it's possible to have a moment of peace in the Chinese Pavilion - a beautiful structure where I stood staring at a lake and listening to the crows.

As different as these locations are, they all have one thing in common - the fact that, for a split of a second, they allowed me to stop listening to all the noise, stop thinking about how to get somewhere, how to get something; for a split of a second, it was just me and all the beauty in the world.

Chances aren't good

When I was a teenager, I often watched TV series in which the characters asked the Magic 8 Ball questions. The answers they obtained were always very short and always ranged from clear to ambiguous.

It was funny to see just how enthusiastic they got every time the answers corresponded to reality somehow; and it was amusing to realise just how erratic they became whenever they were nothing but complete and utter nonsense.

I like to think that we all have a Magic 8 Ball somewhere in our heads and that we often "shake it" in order to find paths and solutions. And if sometimes we get excited because the answers are exactly what we wanted, other times we come up with something which is not quite it and end up going off track for a while.

The other day I asked myself if I would be going back to Brussels next year and the answer was "chances aren't good". Life is known to twist and turn in the most unexpected ways, of course, but right now everything seems to indicate that I will have another year to make a difference.

Do I ask myself if I'll be in Bangkok throughout 2013? Yes, I do; and the answer is often "can't predict now". As I said, life is known to twist and turn in the most unexpected ways. And sometimes it twists and turns so quickly that you hardly have the time to ask the Magic 8 Ball a question...

Ups and downs

Is life in Thailand similar to paradise on earth? No, it's just... life. There are some great things about it; and then there are unbelievably annoying things about it, such as

- slow walkers on the sidewalks: I've always considered myself a slow walker but have recently changed my mind. Bangkok is the capital city of slow walking and even though it usually doesn't bother me, when I'm in a hurry or trying to get out of the pouring rain... it does;

- old Western men hanging out with young Thai women: as much as I try to tell myself that that's how it is, I don't think I will ever accept it. And that's also how it is;

- pricks who overcharge you and act as if they're doing you a favour: I kind of came to terms with the fact that I'll be overcharged whenever I buy stuff (having a Western look does that to you around here) but I will never get used to men (that's right, I never had this problem with women) overcharging you and behaving as if you should be thankful for it. In Asia, in general, and Thailand, in particular, there's something called "loosing face"; clearly, this will never happen to these guys because in order to loose something, you need to have it in the first place.

However, the truth of the matter is that

- it's always hot: you don't need to put on endless layers of clothes, your nose will never freeze as soon as you step out of the house - the temperature is always high. Regardless of whether it rains or not;

- people smile all the time: it's quite amazing but it's true. Also, they will go out of their way to serve you well and that's nice;

- life seems to thrive around here: there's an inspiring energy in the air and that energy reflects on everything and everyone; there are always flowers blooming, the fruits are always ripe and the people are always pleased with what the next day might bring...

Tailor made

When I was a little girl, I used to have my clothes made by a tailor. I still remember entering a sewing room with the predominant colour white, being surrounded by all sorts of fabrics... most of all, I remember seeing the expression on the tailor's face during the fittings.

Last week I went back to a tailor shop in order to have two dresses made. There is definitely something special about this way of buying clothes. If you think about it, even if someone else comes immediately after me, chooses the exact same model and the exact same fabric, the measures won't be the same, which means that the final product will be different.

I try to bear this in mind whenever I'm teaching, i. e. that each student has individual measures, expectations and needs. And I try to make sure that they get exactly what they want and precisely what they need. This hasn't been easy considering the number of lessons I've been teaching per day but I'm willing to keep on trying.

And who knows? Maybe in a couple of years' time, students will look back and remember entering a classroom with the predominant colour white, being surrounded by all sorts of materials and, most of all, seeing the expression on my face every time they get it... 

Life on a fast track

It seems that it was only yesterday that I was enjoying my day off at MBK (I had to do some shopping and decided to treat myself to a foot massage along the way) and yet almost a week has passed since then.

Life as a teacher has been pretty intense - I've been teaching six to ten lessons a day and end up spending most of the time in between preparing classes and doing chores around the house.

The week's one and only social occasion took place on Saturday evening. One of the other teachers was nice enough to organise a welcome dinner for the newcomers, which meant that, as soon as the working day was over, we made a move to a place not far from Thong Lo.

It was good to have the opportunity to spend some quality time with my new colleagues; and this is the reason why it was a pity to have to leave so early - after all, most of us would have to work on Sunday! 

But the truth of the matter is that life goes that way sometimes; and, in any case, there will always be time to go out for dinner and drinks. Right now, what is important is to teach. And that is why, when I was asked if I could work on one of my days off, I said yes...

Wednesday's the new Saturday

And Thursday's the new Sunday. That's right, my life has a new dynamics now and I find it quite cool. And convenient - I will be able to deal with all my administrative issues (which couldn't be more abundant!) without juggling my working schedule around.

Also, the truth is that this city is so unbelievably vibrant that there's not really a difference between weekdays and weekends. Everything's always open, the streets are always crowded and you can do whatever at doesn't matter what time. Expressions such as "the kitchen is closed", for example, don't make much sense around here and I find it quite refreshing.

What I also find refreshing is doing something as gratifying as teaching. Everything is going well, I'm really happy. This is not to say that I will always feel like this, that I won't get tired of certain aspects of it, but right now... I'm walking on sunshine!

Being there for students who want to make something out of what they are learning is awesome; telling people that I'm a teacher and realising that they get it without me having to provide endless explanations about it is awesome; and being surrounded by other teachers who mention that Thursday's a great day to have off because Wednesday, as it turns out, is Ladies Night... is really awesome! Like I said, my life has a new dynamics now. And I find it quite cool.

Uptown girl

Could I have imagined that one day I would be living in one of Bangkok's nicest areas? No, but the truth is that I am. My fancy condo is located on Sukhumvit 40 and it takes me less than 10 minutes to walk from there to the skytrain station, my fast connection to the rest of the city.

I loved the place as soon as I laid my eyes on it. By lunchtime on Saturday, I had already agreed to meet the landlord on Sunday morning and pay him one month's rent plus deposit. In exchange, he would give me a one-year contract plus keys. When I found out on Saturday afternoon that I was not able to withdraw the money I needed, I was not happy. And this was the reason why I ended up spending a couple of hours wondering if I would be able to secure the place, if I would be able to stay in the hotel if needed and, most importantly, if I would be able to use the card again (by then, I thought that there was something wrong with it and that I would need to get another one; I wasn't aware of the fact that there's a limited amount of money you can withdraw per 5 days. Live and learn).

When I met the landlord on Sunday morning I was feeling pretty anxious. Fortunately, he was very understanding and agreed to let me move in the next day under the condition that all would be solved by the end of the week.

So on Monday - my first teaching day - I checked out of the hotel and hopped on a taxi with the intention of dropping my luggage at the new place just before heading towards the school. As Julia Roberts put it in "Pretty Woman", big mistake, big. Huge! Let me just say this, if you haven't been stuck in traffic in Bangkok, you have never been stuck in traffic; I mean, at some point the cars were just not moving. At all. For 20 minutes. Can you imagine how frustrating it felt? On my first day at work no less? Eventually, I got to the condo, dropped my stuff, changed clothes and made it to the school just in time for my first class.

And this morning I was finally able to withdraw the money I needed so I'll be sorting everything out with the landlord very soon. It definitely feels good not having to worry about finding a place to stay anymore; and it feels great not having to worry about safety, etc. - after all, I'm living in a white bread world...

"And when she's walking
She's looking so fine
And when she's talking
She'll say that she's mine..."

One week and counting

Today's the last day of training and my impressions of the whole thing are very positive. The school is great and everyone around seems very professional, friendly and helpful. It was good to go through this smooth introduction, which includes meeting Ben, a teacher from the UK who I found extremely easy to talk to. What I'm now looking forward to is teaching for real.

Before that, however, I'll need to sort out my accommodation arrangements. For the last couple of days, I've been living at a hotel not far from the train station. Its location turned out to be even better than expected because I was able to get to the training centres very easily. And the place itself couldn't be more comfortable; I mean, I wake up every morning to a nice view, a nice breakfast and, by the time I get back from school, I get to read the newspaper and watch TV in a clean and tidy room.

I'm sure I'm going to miss all this but let's not forget that it comes at a price I no longer wish to pay. This is the reason why I'm keen on finding something more affordable tomorrow. I'll also need to consider buying new clothes because everyone around seems to dress extremely smart and I brought so little smart clothes with me that I'm sure I'll be sick of wearing them next Tuesday already...

Back to the future

When I left Bangkok in April, it didn't occur to me that I would come back just a couple of months afterwards but the truth is that I did. So after yet another Lufthansa long-haul flight without individual touch screens, here I am again.

The purpose of my stay is to teach English as a foreign language so I'm expecting the experience to be somewhat different - to say the least. I'm not sure how long I'll stay - the Royal Thai Consulate in Porto had provided me with a visa, which would last me until November 25th; the Thai immigration services "shortened" my stay to October 30th, which is also the date of my outbound flight; and the school I will be teaching in tells me that they will try to get me a one-year working visa but, in the middle of all this, what will truly determine the lenght of my experience is how I will feel from Monday onwards.

So far, I can tell you that it's strange to be going to the places I have been to a couple of months ago and not feel as a tourist. The stakes are definitely higher now - I'm thinking of accommodation costs on a monthly basis, the location of the school is my point of reference in the city - not the Royal Palace! - and I've started judging services much more severly.

But what's even stranger is to look at the clothes hanging in the closet (a pair of black trousers, a blazer, a blouse I forgot I had) and realise that very soon I will be wearing them at a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius...

A trip to the centre of the earth II

In S. Miguel we were told that all the islands in the archipelago of the Azores are different. We started to believe in it as soon as we got to Faial. This time our plan was to stay in Horta and use it as a base to explore the surroundings.

Our first day on the island was spent walking. In the morning, we went up to Monte da Guia - a lovely place, which provided us with magnificient views over Porto Pim - and in the afternoon, after what felt like the most unsuccessful shorcut in the history of walking, we reached Praia do Almoxarife and made our way to the ocean through unbelievably black sand.

Throughout all this time Mount Pico stood there as if inviting us to pay a visit to its peak. And so we did. The next day we took the boat to Madalena and then hopped on a taxi to Casa da Montanha located at 1250m above sea level. The landscape on the way up was more than beautiful and it continued that way throughout our entire trekking adventure.

The path was a bit too tricky for me from the beginning but I must say that I started feeling more insecure above 1500m, which was when it became increasingly steep. Somewhere between 1700m and 1800m we came to terms with the fact that that would be the highest point of our journey and decided to start heading down.

Shortly after we got back to Casa da Montanha, we were picked up by the taxi driver who had driven us up. He convinced us to go on a tour of the island just before heading back to Faial. The opportunity to check out the rest of this precious gift of nature was great; having to listen to the prick going on and on about the people who left the mainland and are now living there; having to endure his lack of professionalism and end up involved in a car crash was not. But, hey, at least we got a good laugh out of it; and some great snapshots of Mount Pico.

We woke up the following day with muscle pain all over the body. It was so bad that it was actually difficult for me to lye on the beach. In an attempt to make the day count anyway, we decided to try and watch whales. Unfortunately, they were nowhere to be seen, which was the reason why we ended up driving to the Capelinhos Volcano, an unforgettable natural site, and then walking circa 2kms down the western coast of the island.

On our last day, we decided to try and see if we could spot whales. We started having fun as soon as we got on the boat; plus the views over S. Jorge and Graciosa were so beautiful, that it actually occured to me that it wouldn´t be so bad not to spot any. But then I heard that they had been seen 2 miles ahead and that we were heading that way.

The first couple of times we saw them, they didn´t look like much. So much so that when the dolphins showed up, we were completely taken by their friendliness. But then I saw a 7m to 8m long sperm whale dive and realised just how exquisite those animals are. We were really happy when we got back to Horta. And farewell dinner plus gin tonics at Peter´s might have tasted better because of the whole experience - it was definitely a good way to finish a holiday in paradise.

It was sad to start the following day leaving those beautiful islands behind and saying goodbye to Sara shortly afterwards but the truth is that for one trip to begin, another one has to finish. And you can´t even begin to imagine just how much this is true...

A trip to the centre of the earth

It was exciting to land in S. Miguel, the biggest island in the archipelago of the Azores. Our plan was to stay in Ponta Delgada, the administrative capital of this autonomous region, and use it as a base to explore the rest of the island.

We spent the first day checking out the city, which turned out to be quite small. My highlights would have to be the amazing views from what seemed to be an abandoned church up on a hill, a beautiful peaceful corner in the Garden José do Canto and having coffee in the main square, which allowed us to have a glimpse at a bride being driven to the entrance of the church in a Jeep.

The next day we paid a visit to Furnas, a civil parish located in the easternmost of three active volcanoes. It took me a while to cope with the fact that the earth under my feet was pretty much alive and that the wrong steps in the wrong place at the wrong time could cost me dearly; but it didn´t take me any effort whatsoever to make the best out of the positive side of it all, which includes thermal baths, a very tasty dish cooked using the earth´s heat and a wide variety of mineral waters, some of which with healing properties.

We were unable to make plans for the day after this because a tropical storm by the name of "Gordon" was making its way to the island. As it turned out, it wasn´t as destructive as anticipated and we ended-up having coffee by the sea, spending a couple of hours in the swimming pool and, in the evening, eating dinner in the fancy marina.

On our last day on the island, we arranged to go to Lagoa das 7 Cidades and what a nice idea it was for it felt great to stand up in the mountains and stare at all those precious gifts of nature around us. A couple of hours after that, the time had come to move on to another island.

To be continued...

Run Marcia Run

Just when I thought that life was settling into a quiet routine, something happened that turned my world upside down.

All of a sudden, it was no longer possible to spend afternoons in terraces reading "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" by Milan Kundera, watch old movies on VHS and listen to 90s´ music; all of a sudden, there was only time to make plans and act.

It was in the middle of all the hustle and bustle that Sara arrived to Porto. She was nice enough to understand my situation but I felt pretty bad for not giving her the city tour I had intended. What made me feel better was realising that she still had a great time.

Also, we both agreed that it was a good thing for me to deal with as many issues as possible before we made our way to the middle of the Atlantic...

DJ Basic Experience

This morning I got a taste of what life is like as a DJ. So. Cool.

My impression is that, behind all the profession´s glamour, there´s a technique you cannot go around if you want to make a career out of it. Not to mention the importance of the taste in music, the ear for the beat and the feeling for the rhythm, which can surely make the difference between touching the starts and touching nothing at all.

I´m happy to have participated in such a workshop and I´ll definitely start looking at a DJ´s workstation differently from now on. And just in case you´re wondering, yes, there´s a point to each and every button on it - they´re not there to make people look trendy - and no, DJs won´t necessarily go deaf; there are measures they can take in the work place, which can prevent it.

- Heard by accident [commented on purpose]

- Porto is awesome!

[Couldn’t agree more.]

- Everything’s increasing: temperatures, prices, taxes... only salaries stay the same.

[It’s tragic to witness the decrease of a population’s purchasing power but it’s it equally tragic to realise that a population isn´t able to make the best out of what’s available?]

- Today’s a good day for pickpocketing.

[This is totally not what I had in mind with making the best out of what’s available.]

- In my experience, men find it difficult to understand why sisters stop talking to each other. Why is that?

[Asks a woman to another woman. Wouldn’t it be smarter to address this question to a man who doesn’t understand it? But then again the priority here is not to obtain answers...]

- If you mind your own business, you’ll already be doing enough!

[Spot on! The thing is that it´s not as much fun.]

- Those women have no shame! It would seem that any man is good enough for them!

[Says a woman to a man. Spoken like an arrogant frigid but, hey, why judge, right?]

Green ideas

1) Take your iPod for a stroll in the gardens of “Fundação Serralves” – but don’t leave the house without making sure that there are a couple of songs by the Beta Band on it. Stick around and listen to some jazz music afterwards; if there are no concerts taking place that day, you can always stay for a drink.

2) Pay a visit to the Botanical Garden. Boys, this is a lovely place to ask a girl to be your girlfriend – it has plenty of charming romantic corners and you won’t have to pay 500 EUR for the privilege of walking around (I’ve read in a magazine the other day that a twenty-year-old boy spent that amount of money to rent a restaurant’s covered terrace; and he did it in order to ask a girl to be his girlfriend); girls, look for a seat under the shade and read a few love letters of great men and women.

3) Take a picnic to the City Park and spend the afternoon reading Cosey´s comic strips under a tree. If you feel energetic enough, go for a bike ride and marvel at the surrounding nature - only the ocean´s the limit...

Map for a sunny day

Get up early and head towards the beach in Miramar (Vila Nova de Gaia). As soon as you get there, start walking until you reach Gaia’s riverfront. Make sure to stop for one or two drinks along the way – you’re looking at a 7 to 8 km long journey.

Once you get to the riverfront, treat yourself to a well-deserved lunch. Remember that, if you don’t feel like having Portuguese food, there’s always the possibility to go for Indian or Japanese cuisine.

As soon as you feel re-energised, take the cable car uphill and enjoy awesome views over Porto. Cross the D. Luis bridge and keep on walking until you reach the S. Bento train station. This is your chance to contemplate its magnificent panels of tiles – in case you haven’t done so yet.

Hop on the public bus to “Mercado da Foz” and ring the bell as soon as you spot “Castelo do Queijo”. Pay a visit to “Sea Life” – Porto’s Aquarium – and spend a couple of hours learning about marine life, as well as Portuguese shores.

Just before getting back to the city centre, take a short afternoon walk by the sea until you reach the street “Nossa Senhora da Luz” (which you have passed when on the bus to the Aquarium). Have a coffee and pastries at “Tavi” and start preparing for the evening...

Opening up to an old new world

There´s no point in denying it: I´m a morning person. This is the reason why I chose this time of the day to learn Mandarin Chinese.

Sometime ago, I bought "Talk Mandarin Chinese", a course for beginners covering the basic everyday language, and have now decided to use it at home.

Just in case you´re wondering, I´m not learning any Chinese characters; the manual presents the language using pinyin - the official system of using roman script to represent Chinese sounds.

The truth is that knowing how to read and write Chinese characters isn´t my priority - I´m more concerned about being able to talk to people in everyday situations.

When I first started listening to those truly daunting tones, I thought that I was wasting my time - I would never be able to understand them nor repeat them. A couple of days later, I realised that I was making progress - I was starting to recognise and use very basic constructions!

The learning process is now very enjoyable. The question is - will I have the opportunity to practice these skills in real-time?

Found in translation

Over the last few weeks, I´ve been dedicating a lot of my time to the translation of a Portuguese text into English.

Most of you might know that I don´t really like translation - serving as the middleman or middlewoman between two speakers/writers of different languages has never really been my thing - but it´s hard work and for that I´ve always respected Maria José, João, Carolina and Astrid for dedicating their (professional) life to it.

Lately I had the opportunity to realise that translating is somewhat compatible with my nature because the truth is that I treasure intercultural communication and accuracy greatly. It stops being compatible, however, when the bigger picture is lost due to the fact that a lot of time and efforts need to be devoted to details.

Be that as it may, I´ve been enjoying my task immensely - a lot more than I anticipated. Time will tell if this will develop into something more serious. One thing is for sure though - I like to keep my options open and my horizons, wide...

Trilogies

After I finished reading "Eat Pray Love", I thought that I had just read the world´s greatest trilogy. I really enjoyed getting into Gilbert´s mindset and witnessing how she went around its handicaps by traveling to three different countries (Italy, India and Indonesia) in order to focus on three different energies (physical, spiritual and emotional). This woman´s search for peace and enlightenment, which eventually led her to find love, has truly inspired me.

But then I discovered Paul Auster´s "The New York Trilogy" and realised that labelling "Eat Pray Love" the world´s greatest trilogy was an exaggeration. Auster´s writing has definitely made a very positive impression on me. Not a day goes by without me wondering what ever happened to Quinn, Blue and Fanshawe. Luc Sante wrote in the introduction that they have stumbled into New York City´s "force field charged by synchronicity and overlap". I like to think that they all had the privilege to step into the Twilight Zone and came back to tell David Lynch about it.

Be that as it may, I won´t label Auster´s Trilogy the greatest one in the world - life has taught me that there´s no such thing as "greatest" - but I will label it greater than Gilbert´s trilogy. What now remains to be seen is if "Trilogia", a bar in Porto´s downtown area, is greater than both these books. I suppose I will need a couple of drinks before making any kind of decision...

Oh Happy Day!

A lot of people know that Porto’s São João Night is a true city party – throughout the whole night, thousands of people invade the streets and either stay in one particular spot drinking and dancing or walk around until the sun rises. One way or the other there’s banging on strangers’ heads with colourful plastic hammers and hoping for the best when balloons are spotted flying through the air. What a lot of people don’t know is that this is originally a Midsummer celebration and that the festivities can start way before the sun sets...

My São João started in the morning with a visit to "Palácio do Freixo", a building, which reminds us of the city’s industrial past. Afterwards, we made a move to "Quinta de Villar d’Allen", a magnificent manor house from the XIX century.

We made our way through the lush gardens while being introduced to numerous plant species, which were unknown in Portugal two centuries ago. And as the predominant green unfolded into fountains, streams and colourful flowers, I couldn’t help but thinking that this was my chance to be a part of the Romantic era – even if only for a short while.

After being served white port wine and appetisers, we stepped inside the house for the main course and dessert, the later accompanied by an exquisite red port wine produced by the Allens. It should be noted that the house still shows the original decor, including furniture purchased in the first international exhibitions.

Shortly after a coffee by the gardens and a quick visit to the wine cellar, it was time to go back home and have the day’s only acceptable dinner – roasted sardines. After this, the night’s wandering began – we crossed one of the city’s most emblematic bridges, "Ponte D. Luis", on foot and made our way to the best possible place to watch the fireworks.

Since we got there early, we had the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful view of Porto by night, as well as to contemplate a huge amount of balloons painting the sky orange. Soon enough the fireworks began – and we couldn’t help but understand the reasons why they are considered one of the best in the world. After walking some more and joining in the street celebrations in "Miragaia", we decided to call it a night; and a day. And what a night it was; and what a day...

An unusual tour

For a very long time, the scariest thing I had ever done on a Friday night was staying at home cleaning. It all changed last Friday...

I met my very good friend José at 8 p.m. and we agreed to go and have dinner in "Campo Alegre", a restaurant not far from our old university. Our meal was as tasty as you could wish for – that Angolan main course was so good that it took us a while to stop raving about it! – and the wine, a disconcerting red with "CA 416" on its label, a pleasant surprise. Not long after swallowing dessert, we were on our way to the... cemetery.

When we got to "Cemitério de Agramonte", the second biggest cemetery in Porto, we realised that circa 80 people had decided to take part in its guided tour, which started with a brief presentation of its history. At first, I thought that all this was going to be pretty morbid but the truth is that it was far from it. And by the end of the day – literally! – I had learned a lot about

-the history of the city and how the exhibitionism of its inhabitants, who wanted to be as noticed in death as they had been in life, is at the basis of the monumentality, which inspired the architecture of other cemeteries in the North of Portugal;
-art and symbols in Portuguese romanticist cemeteries, including features which set them apart from European ones (apparently, a flower named «saudade» can only be found in Portuguese cemeteries).

It was a truly enriching experience and it will surely make me start thinking about cemeteries in a different way. Be that as it may, my all-time favourite ones will always be those where trees and grass are so abundant that they are better called graveyards. And this because I’m convinced that nature is the world’s biggest provider of beauty; there’s really no need to build it from scratch...

The most beautiful girl in the world

Why don´t you tickle my nose?

Cute piggy

The most amazing barbecue I have ever tasted is Corean barbecue and I´m convinced that this impression is mostly due to the greatness of the people I shared it with.

Dean and I met for a coffee on campus and then went to pick up Anne-Marie - our plan was to go bowling at one of the city´s few (if not the only) 10 pin bowling centre. The place was pretty ghetto but there was such a "Big Lebowski" kind of ambiance that we couldn´t help but enjoy ourselves. I must say that at first my game was pretty lousy but nothing a Kokanee couldn´t solve.

At the end of the second game we decided to have Corean barbecue at a restaurant we had spotted the other day. As soon as we got in, we realised just how life-threatening the air conditioning was but this didn´t put us off the place - after all, the owner was a far out dude and the walls were covered in cool handwriting.

Shortly after we sat down, we treated ourselves to a delicious barbecue, which included exquisite kimchi, and a bottle of soju, a.k.a. wet fire tasting alcohol. At the end of the meal, we started chatting with the owner, who told us that the place (which used to be Iranian) was called "Cute piggy flower restaurant" - which he funnily pronounced "Cutie piggy".

The next day was time to move on. A couple of hours after having a last meal with Dean, I was flying over Toronto and watching the CN Tower display its captivating red lights. The truth of the matter was that I would have preferred looking at chili pepper lights...

Victoria, hey!

Vancouver Island is definitely one of the most beautiful islands I have ever seen; I'm happy to have spent a day there.

I woke up bright and early - as anyone who goes on a day trip to Victoria (just so that you know, total travel time from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria is approximately three hours and this doesn't include wait times for the ferry).

The ferry ride was very pleasant and the scenery, drop dead gorgeous. It was a pity not to have spotted orcas - usually they can be found on these waters around this time of the year - but still.

Our first stop on the island was the Butchart Gardens - in bloom for 100 years. I found the Sunken Garden particularly stunning - and this is a far as I go in commending a 100% handmade nature spot (personally, I prefer it when the human touch is reduced to a bare minimum).

After a scenic marine drive through the peninsula, which allowed us to see seals and otters at Oak Bay, we made it to downtown Victoria.

I wondered if three hours would be enough to see the city; as it turned out, it was more than enough. If your intention is to visit museums and get into the city's cultural scene, then you should stay a couple of days but if not, a couple of hours is perfectly fine. Let's face it, what you need to see is located between Chinatown and the Victoria Parliament Buildings and one walks from one place to the other in way less than an hour.

Just before we hopped on the ferry back to Vancouver, Jeff, native name Chuck-Us-Hoot (Standing Up Proud), provided us with an overview of Canada's first nations, focus on British Columbia. I was surprised to find out that also in Canada the natives' contact with the Europeans was very destructive for them - and that the oppression lasted for a very long time.

As I stood on the ferry with an incredible view over Mount Baker just in front of me (even more incredible than the one I had from the Vancouver Lookout), I asked myself this - if leading a balanced and peaceful life doesn't protect you from harm, what will?

Always the light

Don't you just love it when the sun comes out after a long period of rain? Yesterday was sunny at last and I couldn't be happier. It definitely made the attractions in the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park more enjoyable!

Everyone seemed to be getting a kick out of crossing the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which is 137m long, 70m high and... extremely wobbly. I actually preferred the guided tour of the forest, which provided me with some useful insights on the temperate West Coast rainforest ecosystem. By the way, if ever you get slug slime on your hands, do not use water to get rid of it; wait for it to dry then rub it off. Really!

It was also cool to cross seven footbridges suspended between old-growth Douglas Fir trees; but what I enjoyed the most came after this small adventure in North Vancouver...

Shortly before going back home, I went for a walk in Stanley Park. As I took in the surrounding trees and flowers, I couldn't help but think that nature also seemed delighted to see the sun again - everywhere I looked, the colours were bright and inviting, everyone was cheerful and energetic... it was truly an inspiring moment.

The day ended with karaoke and honey lagers at the Filipino house. Interestingly enough, I scored the highest when I sang "Edelweiss"...

Chili pepper lights

The weather hasn't been great lately - and that's putting it mildly! In practice, this means that I've been waiting for a while now to do some outdoor activities. I'm trying to make the best out of this situation - the other day I went to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen's Classical Chinese Garden in Chinatown and learned a lot during the guided tour - but it can be so frustrating sometimes. Luckily enough, there are moments that make it all worthwhile.

In the last couple of days, I've met Dean downtown and we went to local language schools to drop off his resume and cover letter. Along the way, there was time for coffee and, as soon as Anne-Marie was done with work, she would come and join us for dinner.

Yesterday, we had a very special lunch - Japadog or the Japanese/improved version of the hot dog - and in the evening, we shared a respectable amount of wings at the Famous Warehouse, home to these awesome chili pepper lights. Since it was only $0.25 per wing, this could have been a cheap night out but it wasn't because I also drank a respectable amount of tequila shots and honey lager.

Be that as it may, it was really great fun. And that's hanging out with Dean and Anne-Marie for you - always enjoyable, always enriching and always a pity to have to say goodbye at the end of the evening. So much so that I'm sometimes thankful that the weather sucks and I can't go and climb mountains or hop on a ferry to Victoria...

Not nonsense

You shout it loud, but I can't hear a word you say
I'm talking loud, not saying much
I'm criticized, but all your bullets ricochet
You shoot me down, but I get up

Granville. Library. Starbucks. Language schools. All food $4.95. Nelson. Tree. Trees. Blenz. Corean restaurant. Trees. Elegant skyscrapers. And zombies.

I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down, but I won't fall
I am titanium

Art. Matisse. Beat. K.A.S.P "On A Roll". Repetitions. Emily Carr. Blenz. Boo! And second hand bookstores.

Cut me down, but it's you who have further to fall
Ghost town and haunted love
Raise your voice, sticks and stones may break my bones
I'm talking loud, not saying much

Skytrain. Mobilicity. 16 Arbutus. West Broadway. Tim Hortons. Tobias corner. 9 Boundary. Living in a living room. Filipino independence day. Clinton Park. Commercial Drive. Buttercups. 1 cake! Grandma from hell. And the sound of perseverance.

I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down, but I won't fall
I am titanium
You shoot me down, but I won't fall
I am titanium

The perfect circle

After getting off the bus at Granville and Robson, I decided to walk down Robson.

It didn't take long for me to bump into a building, which looked like an accomplished Coliseum. As it turned out, the building was, in fact, Vancouver's Public Library downtown. And as soon as I stepped inside, I couldn't help but marvel at the accumulated knowledge and wisdom - all at everyone's reach for little to no effort.

From there, I kept on walking down - direction Yaletown. Eventually, I found myself on Davie heading towards English Bay. Once there, I had a go at the seawall but was far and away from walking the 8.8-kilometre paved route.

After taking the bus through Denman, I arrived at Robson again - but this time at it's Western tip. Shortly after walk passing the city's Art Gallery, I decided to go back to the Library - because if it's nice to start out with the greatest things in life, it's even better to finish with them...

A world of science

Yesterday I've learned that

- a meal with meat products is produced with more water than a meal without meat products;

- "[a] series of failures may culminate in the best possible result" (Gisela Richter - Art Historian, Curator of Greek Art, Metropolitan Museum, 1929-1952);

- I weigh more than an aardvark but less than a komodo dragon;

- Life in India and life in a hive have at least one thing in common: castes [all honeybees fall into one of three castes: workers (female bees who build the honeycomb, gather the nectar from flowers, defend the hive and look after the queen and her eggs), drones (male bees whose job is to mate with a queen from another hive) and queens (bees who lay eggs that will hatch into more bees)];

- Stan, a 65 million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex, is the second most complete T. rex skeleton found so far;

- Napoleon displayed the Mona Lisa in his bedroom and also in his bathroom, causing water damage to the varnish near the eye and chin;

- Those who worry about aging should consider themselves lucky because humans are one of a few animals that don't die soon after they stop reproducing.

Washing away the splinters

On Saturday, I went to the Vancouver Lookout on Harbour Centre and got to admire the city from a hight of 181 meters above sea level. Afterwards, I explored the downtown area and saw Gastown's awesome Steam Clock, as well as the vibrant Granville Entertainment District. In the evening, my friends and I went to the Richmond Night Market and I was provided with a valuable life lesson - bubble tea sucks.

On Sunday, it was time to visit Granville Island - I liked checking out the local shops and galleries; I really enjoyed having lunch on the ferry dock with unparalleled views of the city just in front of me; and I had lots of fun on Railspur Park's swings. Dinner in North Vancouver would consist of homemade sushi and meaningful conversations about freedom and the like but, before that, we went to the beach.

As I stared into the Pacific, all sorts of thoughts came to mind - I wondered if I would ever manage to go around my limitations and find myself where I want to be; I wondered if my past will be my future; and I wondered if happiness is really possible.

Kaia then started building a tunnel in the sand and my contribution to this enterprise was seriously hindered by the splinters I got for digging with wood covered in bark. At some point, Kaia mentioned that I could remove them by washing my hands in the ocean. And so it was - after just a few waves, all the splinters were gone; and I felt... better.

A main afternoon

You would think that, after four weeks in hell, I would be happy to see the end of it all and yet I was mostly... disoriented.

We left school with a letter in our hands and without really understanding what it meant not having to come back the next Monday. We headed towards Main Street and there we wandered the whole afternoon. Jonathan left after lunch and Kirsty and Martin resumed their lives shortly after that. Dean, Scott and I ended up in Kafka's Cafe talking about... everything.

I will always remember just how sweet that Spanish Latte tasted when Scott mentioned that we could take away life's meaning just as easily as we could give it; I will never forget how insightful Dean was when he said that, sometimes, it's not about finding the job of your dreams, it's about finding the job, which will allow you to fullfil your dreams afterwards; I will always remember how beautifully it was getting dark outside when we made some comments on the exposed pictures of Malay alleys; most of all, I will never forget the moment we parted.

I hope life gives us all what we are looking for; I hope we manage to get together several times in the process; I hope...

Coffee and postcards

Last week was a very hard one. So much so that the most enjoyable part of it was getting a cup of coffee every single morning just before classes.

At some point I was also happy to get two postcards - especially one weary of wisdom, like a bee that has gathered too much honey. So much so that I was delighted to plan a class on the skill of writing a postcard. Frustratingly enough, it was my most unsuccessful class so far...

At the end of the day, I drowned my sorrows with my friends. We had a great time. And then I found myself standing in a crossroad; I hoped for the best but at the end of a 1000 sunsets, there's nothing. Or thus spoke Zarathustra...

Along came belugas

It felt great to wake up on Saturday morning. Behind me was an evening of drinks with friends and ahead of me, a day of unadulterated rest.

Azu and I left the house at around 11 a.m. It was my first time downtown and first impressions were very positive. I was particularly pleased by the fact that the streets were wide and not that crowded. It also felt nice walking around sipping coffee and taking in all the colours made bright by the shining sun.

After a quick lunch of delicious Chinese-Japanese noodles, we started making our way to the Vancouver Aquarium located inside the beautiful Stanley Park. Shortly after getting in, we decided to watch a short documentary in 4D – and I only found out what 4D truly means when a wave broke and I felt a splash of cold water on my face.

We then moved on to see the dolphins’ show, the tropic zone and the Amazon forest. As we were walking out of the clownfish cove, I heard asking if we were interested in checking out the belugas’ show. For a moment, I couldn’t believe that I was going to see white whales for the very first time; but, shortly afterwards, there I was sitting next to three of them and admiring their gracious moves.

The rest of the afternoon unfolded smoothly and the evening was one of the cosiest ones I have ever experienced – we ate homemade burgers, had a great conversation and played really fun games. On our way back, we crossed the Lions Gate Bridge and had a breathtaking view over the downtown area. When we got home, it felt great to go to bed.

Just like dandylions

Last Thursday was a bad day. The lesson I taught was not as engaging as I thought it would be and, not long after getting home, I was told that Joanna (my Filipino hostess) had given birth. I was happy for the family, of course, but I also felt nervous about having to do so much work in a house with a newborn baby in it...

Last Friday was a really bad day. I found out that I would have to prepare two assignments over the weekend - not just one. I was also not able to stop thinking that my next lesson would be as bad as the previous one.

The weekend started with a lot of anxiety but my will to improve led me to work hard and, more often than not, through the baby girl's crying. By Sunday evening, I was already feeling positive again.

This week has been going well! The lesson I taught on Monday went better than last time; yesterday I was fortunate enough to see the beautiful colours of the twilight; and today the quality of my teaching improved ever so slightly.

All in all, this whole experience has been truly enriching. It's not nice to feel that having a meal or a shower is too time consuming; and it's definitely not great to have so little time off that walking to and from the bus stop feels like a mini-vacation! But I'm trying not to focus too much on this aspect. In the end, this is all just like the dandylions I see on the gardens I walk passed every morning - one day the wind will blow and all the spores will be gone...

No noodles in the sink

Ever since I got to Canada, I have been living with a Filipino family and Azu, a Japanese student. We get along quite well, which is great considering the circumstances. On Sunday, we all went to the Queen Elizabeth Park and I can honestly say that it is one of the most beautiful parks I have ever been to. The Quarry Gardens are nothing short of spectacular. I was particularly pleased by the flower beds boasting wonderfully coloured tulips. Being surrounded by all that beauty, all those fragrances, made me realise that I had come to a good place.

The next day it was time to go back to school and, as you can imagine, I was pretty anxious. As soon as I stepped out of the house, I wanted to make sure that I would get on the right bus and would get off at the right stop. As soon as I got into the building, I wondered how my colleagues, my teachers and my students would be like; most of all, I wondered if I would be able to manage the workload, which I had been told was huge.

A couple of days down the line, I can tell you that everyone is nice, friendly and professional. As far as the workload is concerned, I've been managing to keep my head above water - even if I was asked to teach already on the first day...

I now spend my days running around like a headless chicken, attending classes, preparing classes, submitting assignments and, in what's left in between, making sure that I sleep and eat in order to keep on going all that. The other day I wondered if I would be able to cope with all this pressure. And then I remembered the sign I found stuck in the mirror of the ladies' toilet: "No noodles in the sink". That's right, we are all humans in the end and sometimes we drop noodles in the sink. What's important, however, is not to have dropped them; it's to pick them up afterwards...

Vancouver!

It was a long journey from Lisbon to Vancouver. And transiting in London was not as smooth as it usually is - instead of changing terminals, I left the boarding area altogether. In all fairness, it was not a big deal (I managed to find my way back pretty quickly!) and it might be the reason why I was provided with one of those moments, which are thought only to happen in movies - as I walked through a corridor, I found myself completely alone. Through the glass windows, I could see people moving and talking on the floor below but couldn't feel that energy, couldn't listen to all that sound.

Shortly after boarding on the plane to Calgary, we were told by a friendly voice welcoming us on board that that was the captain's very last commercial flight - he would be retiring at the end of it. And as we approached our destination, he told us that flying had been his childhood dream and that he was very happy for having fulfilled it; he mentioned how, by summing up all the hours he spent flying, he realised that he had been up in the air for more than three years - slightly over one hour per each day of his life; finally, he thanked us, passengers, for having allowed him to live the way he did. He really sounded magnanimous, which was why, when I walk passed him on the way out, he looked rather short...

Anyway, this wouldn't be the last time I would see him. He joined me on the plane from Calgary to Vancouver - this time as a passenger. I wondered if he realised that, from that moment onwards, he would be spending most of his time on the ground? And that it might come a time in which he will have to say to people that he spent ten minutes per each day of his life flying?

Soon enough it was time to land in cloudy Vancouver...

Message in a bottle

Have you ever thought about sending a message in a bottle? Have you ever wondered to whom you would address it and what you would write? Have you ever considered the advantages and disadvantages of throwing it from one spot or another?

I stopped wondering about all this the moment I sent my very own message in a bottle. What I can tell you is that it was addressed to someone in particular and that it was heartfelt; I can also tell you that the pretty bottle, which happens to be pretty robust as well, was thrown to the Atlantic on a cloudy afternoon; and that, after a couple of minutes watching it drift with the tide, it was time to start wondering if the bottle will ever reach the person it was addressed to - will it ever reach someone at all? Or something?

Regardless of what happens next, if something happens next, it was pleasant to walk to the lighthouse while listening to the sound of waves breaking all around; it was nice to smell the sea and realise just how salty it is; but, most of all, it was great to do something and hope for the best. Because hope is definitely a good thing...

A shoppingless view of Porto

In the last couple of years, several shopping malls have opened in Porto. Regardless of whether that is a good or a bad thing, if ever you are thinking about coming over for a visit, note that it is not only possible but also recommended to go around them.

You should know that the city is very nice and, since it provides the possibility to take a trip up the river Douro, it allows combining urban with what I can only describe as rural tourism.

Its historic centre can´t be missed. I would suggest going for a walk downtown ("Baixa") and have a coffee in "Café Majestic"; afterwards you can go to "Ribeira" – in both sides of the river – and then go up the "Torre dos Clérigos", not far from another nice area, "Cedofeita".

Outside the historic centre, there's "Boavista" – the Music House is just by the roundabout and, in my opinion, its guided tour is really worth it – and also "Foz do Douro", where you can walk by the sea or, if visiting in the summer months, go to the beach.

When I´m in Porto I always make sure to have a look at the city from the street "General Torres" – Porto never looks as beautiful from any other place; I always make sure to go and have a look at the books at "Lello" – a bookshop further up "Torre dos Clérigos"; and I always make sure to go for a coffee in one of the many pleasant places, which you will be able to spot downtown. But that's just me.

In any case, bear in mind that you can take the metro from the airport to the city centre; that you should be cautious at night; and, finally, that not everybody speaks English but everyone will try to help you in any way they can.

Lemon cake

The day I baked a lemon cake for the first time

- it was sunny and the light casted over everything and everyone brought out fairytale-worthy colours;
- my very good friend Maria José gave me a call and we had a really nice chat;
- I paid a visit to the magnificent Bolsa Palace and was fascinated by the exquisiteness of its Arabian Room;
- I joined my old friend António for coffee in "Guarany", a lovely tea room not far from the town hall;
- and, weighing 2,7 kg, my niece Sofia was born.

Incredible India

The last book I bought in Thailand was "The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana". While reading the introduction by John W. Spellman, I realised that, in India, the goals of human life have long been defined and can be listed as follows:

- dharma (right conduct, in accordance with what is the natural order of things);
- artha (the pursuit of wealth and material security);
- kama (desire, affection, love, sensual pleasure);
- and, if the previous three are done sucessfully, moksa (the ultimate liberation of the soul from the cycle of rebirths).

It was interesting to read that a lot of importance is attached to the accumulation of material goods; as it was refreshing to find out that sexual pleasures are perceived as one of the most delightful joys of which man partakes – so much so that to neglect them is the same as to deny what we are.

From what I know, most religions focus too much on virtue and repress human sexuality to unhealthy levels. As a matter of fact, if it would depend on the first Catholics and Buddhists human societies would be made out of angels and monks and sensual pleasures would be cataloged as one of the biggest obstacles to the achievement of purity and enlightment. This is the reason why I was so happy to realise that Hinduism is different.

It is true that it is possible to spot serious problems in contemporary Indian society. My admiration, however, goes to ancient Indian civilization and one of the products of this civilization is the above-mentioned book – a literary classic, which has survived for over a millennium. It is in this book that we can read inumerous insightful passages, including the one below:

"Of all the lovers of a girl, he only is her true husband who possesses the qualities that are liked by her, and such a husband enjoys real superiority over her only because he is the husband of love."

And I don't know about you but I never found anything quite like it in the Bible...

Easter by the sea

When I left Portugal a couple of months ago, I didn’t know when I would be coming back. As it turns out, I ended up in Porto spending yet another Catholic holiday with the family.

Easter Sunday was one of those beautiful spring days, which make you want to be outside all the time. This was the reason why, shortly after lunch, three of us went for coffee by the sea.

The sun was shining in such a way that we decided to go for a walk by the beach. But we realised soon enough that the wind was blowing too strongly. Be that as it may, we still managed to take in the pale yet defined colours of the landscape – with the Atlantic as mighty as ever in the background.

At the end of the day, just before I stepped inside the house, I looked towards where the sun had just set and the red colours made me think that the next day would be another sunny one. And it was. It was also the day I found out where I will be going next.

The end of a chapter

When I first arrived in Thailand, I wanted to enjoy a two-week holiday with Ene and Kairit and then... start getting serious! It didn't take long for me to realise that I was not quite there yet; what I wanted, what I needed, was to spend some time relaxing and exploring such a fascinating corner of the world.

Interestingly enough, this realisation came around the time I was confronted with reduced mobility issues - almost as if life was trying to tell me to slow down... But even if the timing of said issues was nothing but coincidence, the truth is that I conscientiously decided to indulge and haven't regretted it for a second.

Throughout the last couple of months, I had more than a fantastic time; and everything I saw, everything I experienced, doesn't even compare to the greatness of all the people I met along the way - and who will always have a special place in my heart.

If there are things, which I will definitely not miss (including being ripped off all the time!), there are others, which I will miss, namely never feeling cold, the tastiness of the fruits and, most of all, the colourfulness and liveliness of it all.

I have surely learned a lot from this whole experience but might only realise exactly what I'm taking with me further down the line - much as I realised during the last couple of months that my way of dealing with a number of situations was the result of what I experienced in the past.

But even though there are things I will miss, even though this was one of the most enriching experiences ever, I'm not sorry I'm leaving because what I now want, what I now need, is to... start getting serious! The time has definitely come to move on and start heading towards the life of purpose I wished all along - even if I am not yet 100% sure how that life will look like...

Living in a Green House

A couple of days ago, I was in my "Prison Break" inspired guesthouse when it dawned on me that I was in dire need of a change. This was the reason why I moved to the Green House.

When I checked in, I realised that this place was slightly more expensive than the previous one. As such, I was convinced that my room would be cleaner - but it wasn't. I was also convinced that it would be less noisier - but it wasn't. It did, however, have something, which made it completely worthwhile - a window.

It was only after having lived in a room without a view that I understood why it is so much more pleasant to live in a room with one. And I can tell you that it surely is great to know if it is daytime or nighttime without having to look at the watch; it is fantastic to be able to air out the room without having to repeatedly open and close the door; and it is inspiring to have a peak outside every now and then and realise just how much life there is around.

There are two other things, which I really enjoy about this guesthouse. I enjoy the fact that there is a restaurant and a bar downstairs, which makes it very inviting and social. I also enjoy the fact that there are trees all around. And I am convinced that being surrounded by the colour green has allowed me recover some of the hope I had lost...

This year's first volunteering experience

A couple of weeks ago, I initiated contact with the British Embassy in Bangkok with the purpose of organising a visit to a British detainee in Thailand. Last week, I stopped by in order to be talked through the procedure and we agreed on a date - April 29th. So this morning, shortly after breakfast, I went to the Bang Kwang Central Prison, a men's prison located on the outskirts of Bangkok.

When I got there, I did not manage to register to visit a British prisoner but I met Heather (a Canadian social justice activist who visits foreign male prisoners at Bang Kwang Prison on a daily basis) and, thanks to her precious help, managed to register to visit a Chinese detainee instead.

While waiting to have a conversation with Arote (that's the inmate's name), I bought him some food and made sure that my belongings were stored in a safe place. Soon enough, the authorisation for my visit came through and, after a security check, I got into the maximum security prison. Heather made sure to let me know who Arote was and, shortly afterwards, I picked up a phone, made sure it worked and sat down to talk to him.

I don't know why Arote is in prison; what I know is that he has been there for ten years and needs to stay for five more. He told me - in a very good English! - that his mother and sister never came for a visit (Heather later told me that this was due to his family's extreme poverty). He also told me that he spends his days exercising, talking to other inmates and watching movies on a very small screen TV - an activity he is particularly fond of. I mentioned that, if he likes movies so much, one of the first things he could do on the outside would be to go to the cinema! But he was too reluctant to talk about life after prison, which is totally understandable.

He did mention, however, that once on the outside he might need to get in touch with me in order to ask for a job. What I told him was that, if things continue like this, I might be the one in need to do that because, let's face it, China is a true economic miracle - there are lots of jobs to be found in the country - and, in view of the fact that he speaks fluent Chinese and English, he can easily find a job as a translator. I swear I saw hints of hope and pride in his eyes.

Shortly after this, one of the guards indicated to Arote that time was up and we said goodbye - in both English and Chinese. I took the food I had brought to another security point and waited for authorisation to leave the premises. Just before getting on the boat, which would bring us back to town, Heather and I decided to continue talking about the morning's experience over a drink (which turned into lunch!). And I was amazed by this woman's determination to make the lives of foreign prisoners in Thailand better. I wish her nothing but the best in the future. I also wish that Arote's burden is a little bit lighter today. Truly.

The taste of it all

One of the reasons why so many people visit Thailand is to be able to enjoy local Thai food. And this is one of the reasons why so many of those people end up taking a Thai cooking class. Yesterday, I was one of those people and the opportunity to cook my very own Thai meal couldn’t have come at a better time.

The first thing we, aspiring chefs, did was to go to the market and get fresh ingredients for – and this cannot be said enough! – the quality of any meal is totally dependent on the quality of its components. It was at the market that we learned how important chili, basil, lemon grass and ginger are in Thai cuisine; so much so that they are actually known as “key ingredients” – the ones without which you shouldn’t bother cooking. We also learned that vegetables such as broccoli and carrots are known as “fillers” because they have no distinctive features – it is almost as if they fill the body but not the soul.

After the market, we moved on to the kitchen to prepare hot and sour prawn soup (tom yum goong, creamy style), fried noodles Thai style (pad thai sai kai), northern chicken salad (laab gai), green curry with chicken (kang khiao wan gai) and rubies in coconut milk (tub tim grob). Throughout the whole time, I was amazed by the vivid colours of the ingredients we started by washing and then handling; I was hypnotized by the fact that all the ingredients were constantly being displayed in an orderly fashion; I was enjoying not having to spend a lot of time by the stove; I was pleased by the fact that, even though all the ingredients were meticulously chopped and sliced, it was still possible to recognise each and every one of them when the cooking was done.

At the end of the day, it occurred to me that this experience was a true insight into Thai tradition and culture. If all the ingredients had such vivid colours, it is surely because, regardless of where you are in the country, you will always feel a kick of life – and the locals will help you feel alive and happy by always smiling; if all the ingredients were constantly displayed in an orderly fashion, it is due to the country’s historic relationship with the military; if not a lot of time was spent by the stove, it is because it is always so hot that you need to make sure you are as efficient as possible otherwise the heat might just become unbearable; if it was possible to recognise all the ingredients when the cooking was done, it is because, in Thailand, what you see is what you get. Thai people are simple and straightforward; they do not hide behind endless layers, which make it difficult for outsiders to understand what they have to offer. They give you what they show you – and it is up to you to take it or leave it.

All in all, I am definitely very grateful for having had the chance to taste it all. In just one day...

Floating in the market

Sometimes having an inquisitive mind is a blessing - especially when you're discussing philosophy; others, it makes you sink like a rock. Sometimes your appetite runs rampant and you can't stop worrying about your weight; others, you have to force yourself to drink a glass of water. Sometimes you're out with friends wishing that your body allows you to stay out just one more hour; others, you pray for it to shut down and let you sleep.

Yesterday I have arranged to go to a Floating Market. As we drove to our destination, I couldn't help but notice that the landscapes parading before my eyes seemed... blue and that all the trees around - usually so dominant and powerful - were actually bowing to it; as if there was no hope to be had for anything or anyone.

When we got to the market, we were given a couple of free hours to explore it. As I walked around, flooded as I was with colourful merchandise and happy smiles, I felt a total disconnection between myself and my surroundings. I felt as if my body was walking but my mind was drowning.

Soon enough it was time to get on a speed boat, which would take us through the local village. As I floated pass the narrow canals, it ocurred to me that some things in life cannot stay afloat. If there are words, which can and should remain unwritten, unsent, unread and unanswered, there are others, which need to be engraved in stone. Otherwise the water might just not flow.

So when I got back to Bangkok, I sent a one worded email. And I can tell you that if sometimes time passes unbelievably fast, others it drags slower than a snail.

Out of reach

I've recently started reading Elizabeth Gilbert's "Committed". I really liked "Eat, Pray, Love" so I was curious to have a go at the sequel. A couple of chapters down the line, I can tell you that the book contains many interesting insights on marriage, as well as enriching descriptions of the author's experiences while travelling in Southeast Asia. I can also tell you that, so far, what I have enjoyed most was reading about the teenage Laotian monk, who received a love e-mail from Carla.

Gilbert was at an Internet cafe when a young monk sat down right beside her. Their closeness allowed her to glance at his computer screen and realise that he was reading a love letter from a girl named Carla. She immediately asked herself several questions about their relationship and, at some point, expressed excitement for what was happening to him.

While reading through it, what I couldn't stop thinking about was Carla and how brave she had been for sending that e-mail. I wondered how she must have felt just after clicking send; I wondered if she went through a rollercoaster of emotions while waiting for a reply; I wondered if she ever got one and if it mattered; I wondered if she had read Gilbert's book and realised that, sometimes, a lack of answer does not mean lack of affection - sometimes a monk just has to go and join other monks.

There was a time in which I would have risked sending an e-mail but not anymore. At this point in my life, there are words, which will remain unwritten. Unsent. Unread. Unanswered. And, as Gabrielle put it best, "I know I will be ok" for

"in my reach
I can see
there's a life out there for me."

Happy birthday to me

This year, I celebrated my birthday in Bangkok. But now that I think about it, it occurs to me that celebrating birthdays is actually a very weird concept since time stopped the second I turned thirty. And I haven't grown old one single day since...

Anyway, this year's March 20th was a day similar to many others I had in Bangkok - I went for breakfast at my usual place in Rambuttri and then spent several hours e-mailing and writing with one break in between for a quick Pad Thai lunch; what really made the difference was the evening.

I had arranged to meet Nikki at 7 p.m. The plan was to go to the Patpong Night Market, one of the city's 'must' night shopping destinations. When we got there, we went for a walk, had dinner and then moved on for drinks. I quite liked the area - it was definitely a nice change to the natural habitat that Khao San Road has become for me - but was a bit put off by the fact that it is packed with ping pong shows' bars.

While enjoying a nightcap, I opened Nikki's thoughtful present - iron-on patches of a strawberry, a dialogue balloon with "Bon voyage" writen on it and a bowl of noodle soup (which Nikki knows I grew extremely fond of!). Shortly afterwards, tiredness kicked-in and we decided to call it a night. I suppose that the fatigue accumulated in Singapore finally catched up with both of us. After all - and as far as I am concerned! - butterflies and alcohol can only get you so far...

The power of music

Not having been born yesterday and all, I am very much aware of the fact that it's easy to listen to a song and immediately assume that it's about us. Having said this, I was amazed by the timing of the songs I was hearing throughout Singapore for their lyrics and/or melodies were an unbelievably appropriate reflection of what I was going through.

If you are curious to know how my experience in Singapore translates into a playlist, just have a look below:

- On Friday morning, after our incredible night out, Charlotte played this song: Give Me Everything (Tonight), Pitbull
- On Friday evening, I went to the Zoo with Charlotte and Cyril and this was one of the songs I heard in the car: Love Today, Mika
- This was the best song I've heard on St. Patrick's Day (Saturday): Champagne Supernova, Oasis
- One of the songs I've heard in the club we've been to on St. Patrick's Day: Sleep, Conjure One
- On Sunday afternoon, I joined Charlotte and Omar for lunch and this was one of the songs playing while we sat in Hooters: Everything's Gonna Be Alright, Bob Marley
- On Sunday evening, I bumped into Margarida, who I hadn't seen for three years; we had dinner together and, as soon as I got back to the Hangout, I checked my e-mails while listening to the Just Married Theme Song by Christopher Beck
- On Monday afternoon, I was at the airport waiting for the plane back to Bangkok and heard this song: It Must Have Been Love, Roxette

Never before had I felt so... watched and, at times, even taken care of. So do not believe for a second that there is no magic in the world because there is. And it's looking straight at you. Even if you do not see it.

St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl

After experiencing Singapore's incredible night safari and exciting hop-on hop-off bus, I was lucky enough to be able to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in a very original way - pub crawling!

We were supposed to get together at 6 p.m. but I got to the meeting point slightly later than that. Fortunately, no harm was done - there was still plenty of time to catch-up with the group and hop on a double-decker bus, which would take us to three bars and one club while allowing us to enjoy an amazing view over the city by night.

I am far and away from remembering the names of all the places we have been to but I do remember what I experienced in each of them. On the first bar, I remember drinking the creamiest Guinness ever; on the second bar, I remember playing with white, orange and green balloons; on the third bar, I remember being totally charmed by a live performance of "Champagne Supernova"; on the club, I remember dancing with superb views all around.

Throughout the evening, I met very nice people - including a couple of Belgians living in Singapore - and had the 'bestest' time. I also had to deal with ugly human emotions, namely jealousy, anger and frustration. I suppose that their intensity had something to do with the fact that I was exhausted and drunk but still - an ugly human emotion is an ugly human emotion. I take responsibility for it.

All in all, this was by far the best St. Patrick's celebration I ever had. And the fact that I didn't hear "goodbye" from the only person I wanted to hear it from, doesn't change it one bit. Probably because I take my share of responsibility for it as well.

Singapore Sling

When I got to Singapore, it occured to me that the city was super clean and really trendy. Throughout my stay, I had the chance to confirm that my first impressions were true. I also got to experience something very special.

Shortly after the first of many meals in a food court - the cheapest places to eat in Singapore - Charlotte and I went for a walk. We started by looking for a place for me to stay - which turned out to be the Hangout @ Mt Emily - and then moved on to Little India; this turned out to be one of my favourite places in town - mainly because it had a lot of character.

Just before the sun set, we made our way to the Long Bar - home of the famous Singapore Sling and probably the only place in Singapore where you will not be arrested for littering. A lot of people say that there is too much fuss around the cocktail. I say that there is something about having an original Singapore Sling in Singapore. And there's definitely something about enjoying such a fruity drink in such a hot and humid place.

After dinner, we made our way to the Riverfront. And I truly felt greater than life. As we walked through the lively streets, we realised that the drinks were extremely expensive. So when the time came to decide what to do next - stay and have a drink or buy a bottle of wine and drink it back at the hotel - it took us a while to agree to stay and have a glass of wine.

As we tried to make our way to a cheap place, a random guy offered us a few coupons allowing us to have free drinks in a bar as soon as it opened. And while we waited for it to open, we were offered a couple of drinks by the river. As soon as the bar opened and we got in, we claimed our free drinks. At some point, we thought that we would have to start buying them but there was always someone around to give us more coupons. This actually frustrated me a bit because I really wanted to buy Charlotte a drink but was not managing to!

I can tell you that not having to buy drinks throughout an entire night is already great in normal time but in Singapore - especially after all the effort it took us to agree to stay - it's a real gift. Also because the night turned out to be one of the best nights of my life! Charlotte, Pooky and I had lots of fun - as a matter of fact, we were finding it difficult to stop laughing; the music was so good that we danced and danced; and I met Morgan.