Mt. Si - I actually made it to the top, well kind of.

With the winter being so crappy and the spring almost nonexistent in the Midwest I knew I wanted to do something outdoorsy when I got to Seattle, and that Vince would be the perfect buddy with him loving it and also having Friday off.  Little did he know I was not the perfect buddy especially since I had not done anything physical in such a long time, unless Zumba and short walks count.  He got a glimpse of this the night before when we bouldered at the local climbing gym and also my nervous questions about where we going to hike.  We decided on a Mt. Si trail, a popular 4 mile hike that climbs 3,500 feet, just 45 minutes out Seattle.

 

The first mile was definitely the worse.  Only a pathetic half mile in I was huffing and puffing, silently scolding myself about the situation I had put myself in.  Vince seeing my distress was quite the coach, telling me to take three steps, breathe in, take three steps, breath out, as it would help my body regulate what I needed. He also had me make small goals, like to to the tree only a few feet a head, or just get past this bend, instead of thinking about the top.  Little did he know, well he probably did, but at that point I had given up at reaching the top, my new goal was just half way.  Finally my breath finally stated to feel okay, and my lungs didn't seem to be doing so much work.  Also my pride started to kick in as people of shapes and sizes, to put it nicely, came down the mountain. If they could do it I better as hell be able to do it.  All of sudden we were at mile marker 1.3, and my confidence in the original goal increased.  Vince also assured me at mile 2 we would take a break and refuel.  I didn't think I needed to refuel, as I couldn't imagine myself feeling better after one power bar, but boy was I wrong and Vince right, which I actually admitted to him.
As we set off again I knew I had to make it to the top.  Vince told me stories to kept my head occupied as possible, and also let me take as many breaks as possible.  He also told me how he basically ran a up the trail the last time he did it which included a few of snow where the trees hadn't blocked the snow from reaching the ground.  I don't if it was to make me feel better or worse but it worked, we were at mile marker 3.  We walked some more and then you could see a bit of blue sky and then a bit more.  Vince told me the top was not to far only 4 switch backs, if he remembered correctly.  I pushed on through and finally 3 hours later, if I am recalling it correctly, we made it to the top.

We scrambled up some rocks for a beautiful view of Mount Rainer to the south west, Seattle to the east and tiger mountain around there too.  We sat down to enjoy our sandwiches and beers, as it part of Vince's tradition to drink one at the top, because as he told me it is a celebration and also a great way to give your body what it needed, alcohol to numb a little of the pain if you had it, which of course I did, and some nutrients to recharge your batteries. When we had picked up beers earlier that morning we had decided on one of my favorite beers, Maui Brewing Company CoCoNut PorTeR, but after being in my bag all day they were not as good as I remembered.

     

After relaxing for 45 minutes, Vince tried to convince me to go to the highest point of the mountain with him, by climbing the summit block known as Haystack.  It is a class 3 exposed scramble, which means basically crab walking up a lot of rocks.  The going up didn't look to bad but the coming down did, so I said no thank you, I'll just chill with the view I have already.  Vince was up in down in just 45 minutes.  He said the view way a lot better because you had a 360 degree view but I was just fine with my 270 degree view.

Then we made our way down, where we passed tons of people coming up, some were seasoned hikers like Vince, but quite a few were like me.  I could feel their pain, but of course they could not see it since on the way down I was all smiles as it is so much easier.  I tried to give them words of encouragement, some seemed happy, but most gave you that sarcastic smile, that I think probably meant screw you as it had I when I was in their position. 

We kept going down singing silly songs, talking in funny accents, and Vince repeatedly asking me if I needed a break as he was so use to it from the way up, so I had to keep reminding him down was way way easier for me.  We did take one more break at the half way mark to eat some more snacks and drink our final beer but that was it. And before you knew it were at the bottom.


It was a great hike, but I was glad to be done, and I´m sure Vince was even more glad that is regular hiking buddying, Thea, is a lot better then I am.  

Seattle, Always a Good Place To Start

After three years I am heading back to Asia which has been harder and easier then the last time. It comes after a couple of weird years where I am still trying to find the place that works for me, and instead of finding it exactly, I am finding what does and doesn't fit. Because I was going West I figured I make my first stop Seattle once again, but since the last visit two big things had changed; my past trip hosts, Tracy and Chris and their son Harrison, had in increased their little family by adding a beautiful daughter, Nora and very furry dog, Hendrix, to the mix so I couldn't stay at their place again, but thankful two friends I had made while in Japan, Thea and Vince were now married and living in Seattle with a comfy couch. 

I arrived at 5:45pm to a crisp blue sky, the feel of summer, and Vince only 5 minutes away.  When he arrived I jumped in his car and we were once again chatting like no time had passed since the last time we had saw each other, when we were both facing new adventures his leaving New Orleans and my arrival.  It only reconfirmed that he he will one of those people in my life no matter how much time passes or the circumstances of how meet back up that we will pick back up where we left, always hopefully sooner than later but then life happens.  With a quick stop at the gas station and Vince making sure I got a proper hug before we were of once again, this time to his him and his now, wife, Thea.  I had also meet her in Japan but due to the lack of our time overlapping in Ofunato had not been able to get to know her as well as I had Vince.  We decided burgers and beer for Vince and I and a BLT and butterscotch shake for Thea at Uneeda Burger would be a great place to catch up.  They told me the ups and downs of being newly married, about both being away but in the middle from their families in Japan and South Carolina, and their hopes for the future.

The next day Thea had to work so Vince and I had to fend on our own after a leisurely start.  We headed over to West Seattle to check out the beach and tried to rent a kayak but to our dismay found they were only open at that location on weekends, so instead we walked so I could soak in the amazing scenery which makes Seattle such the beautiful city that it is.  If it was as warm as San Diego and without the gray, that I seem to miss every time I  visit,  everyone would be living there.  We also saw one huge kid, closer to seven foot than six, who we hoped played basketball as it look like he was youth enough to probably still be growing.   We then headed over to Fremont Brewery where we agreed Ports and Stouts our are mutually favorite and that more craft brewery's need to make them their signature instead of Indian Pale Ales or worse yet double IPAs.  It probably won't be the case anytime soon for Seattle though since most of the Unites States hops are grown about an hour away.  Vince was then kind enough to take me back to his place so I could take my daily "unemployment routine" nap before Thea got home and we all headed over to Rock Garden in Ballard.  There we purposefully put on shoes tight enough that they curl your toes so you can better grip the rocks.  As I was "bouldering"  on 0, 1, and 2 level courses I realized, not for the first time in my life, that I have no upper body strength and how out shape I really am.  I also learned you should really cut your toe nails before you climb, woo eeee.  We closed the night with some fish and chips at The Sloop Tavern bar across the street, which reminded me of a bar back home, but a lot more expensive.

What’s in a name?

Wetterberguese, was not something I came up with, it was made up by three of most of amazing ladies, Lin, Jillie, and S, who know me sometimes, especially in this case, since I don’t listen to myself talk, better than I know myself.  They tell me I speak my own language, and that language is Wetterberguese, and my second language is English.   After telling this to other people that know me well they also totally agree, and say that this makes so much more sense to them.  They also let me know that I write in Wetterberguese and not English, and that it is easier to understand when read out loud then in your head, because I supposedly write exactly as I talk. 

In case you are wondering, yes, you can become fluent in Wetterberguese, just as you can become fluent in Elvish, Klingon, and Dothraki. And, just like those, it will not help you in job search.  

Finding my happy place(s).

Over the past few months people have slowly learned that I am quitting a job (yes, another one) to go on another trip and to eventually end up back in San Diego (well that’s the plan as of now).  Surprisingly, most of the reactions are, I wish I had the courage to do that.  Depending on how close I am to the person reacting, I either smile awkwardly or let them know how scared I really am and that it is my bigger of fear of regret and being unhappy, and my family and friends with louder voices then the ones in my head that makes me push through.  

Basically it is an emotional roller-coaster the last year and more so over the last few days.  Something I am use too and something I have been trying to balance out – especially if I want to reach my main goal of being comfortable with my unique me (not the one I THINK outside forces want me to be) and being truly present.   

So yes, I go again searching; something I am afraid I will be doing my whole life, but my psychologist tells me not to because from what she hears the search is becoming smaller and more focused (how come hearing it from an almost stranger, makes it easier to hear then yourself or loved one?).  So, I go with this mantra – Terri, You got this!  and we will see where I end up.  

Date the Girl That Travels from Lifes a Butterfly

She spends her weekends jetting around Europe, her holidays trekking through Uganda in search of gorillas, volunteering in a school in Ghana or lying on a beach in Sri Lanka. She spends her evenings reading travel books, watching travel movies or following travel bloggers on Twitter. She might appear to be independent and solitarily happy but, in reality, she would really like that perfect companion to be able to enjoy all of these things with.

She is inquisitive, curious, and intelligent; after all travel is the best form of education. She can talk for hours about her travel tales and with her passion and enthusiasm, you will never get bored. She is open minded, flexible and adaptable; if she can pee in a squat toilet in Vietnam or stay in a hostel with dozens of unwashed backpackers in New Zealand, tolerating your untidy bedroom is a piece of cake.

She has watched the sunrise over Angkor Wat, watched elephants in the wild in Kenya and dipped her feet into the top of Niagara Falls. A girl that travels knows how to appreciate the beauty in this world. She never loses site of the good things in life. She will be ever appreciative of those little notes you leave her when you go to work or the ‘I’m thinking of you’ texts you send her with nothing but a kiss.

A girl that travels never gets bored, in fact quite the opposite-there are not enough hours in the day! She recognises every opportunity for fun, excitement and adventure! Keen to experience new and unusual things, whether home or abroad, she wants to take you along with her. From skydives, to mountain trekking to volunteering to build houses in Ethiopia, her sense of adventure is limitless and you will never get bored with her!

She doesn’t want expensive gifts. She doesn’t want three wardrobes and dozens of pairs of shoes. She is not materialistic. There is no need to spend lots of money on a girl that travels, rather buy her some incense sticks to remind her of the smells of Bali or some Milo hot chocolate to bring back the tastes of Australia. Or better still, take a nice picture of you and her travelling and frame it, she will appreciate that so much more than a new necklace.

She can look good, beautiful even, and on occasion she will dress up for you. But she is most comfortable in her vest top and shorts, hair tied back and freckles prominently sitting across her nose. Her hair is bleached from the sun and skin tanned and freckly. She sports numerous tatty looking bracelets around her ankles and wrists that she has collected from across the world. She is a traveller and she is beautiful.

She is happy and enthusiastic, loving and giving. She may be away a lot, but she will never forget you. You might not hear from her in days, but she writes about how she misses you in her diary, she tells the backpackers in her room all about how wonderful you are, she thinks of you before she goes to sleep. She will try her best to get to a place with wifi, so that she can send you that whatsapp message or call you on Skype. She misses you.

She won’t mind if you’re running late for a date, because she realises that sometimes the journey is more important than the destination. Heck, after travelling in India, she knows that ‘tomorrow’ is a perfectly fine time to get things done. Life is no rush, it’s often the slower, simpler pace of life that is more enjoyable, she won’t rush you, so don’t rush her.

So is she worth it? She most definitely is! She might seem a challenge to pin down, or to arrange a date with, but if she likes you, she will pull out all the stops to make sure it happens. A girl that travels has seen so many places and met so many people, so if she likes you, you should grab the opportunity with both hands! She has dated the romantic Parisian, the fun-loving Australian and the sensual Brazilian, so if she has chosen you, there must be something special there! Don’t let your insecurities or jealousies get in the way, if she likes you, she will always come home to you and, for once, she might even look forward to coming home too.

Travelling is a journey of self discovery; often learning as much about yourself as you do about the destinations you are visiting. She loves to travel, but if you play your cards right, she just might love you that little bit more. And perhaps that next romantic Goan sunset can be admired by you both… Date a girl that travels and your life will never be the same again.

http://lifeasabutterfly.com/date-a-girl-that-travels/

A different but another amazing post about the same topic: http://stephabroad.com/date-girl-travels/

New Adventures with All Hands

I have been working with All Hands Volunteers since the last week of January, when I met my awesome coworkers; my amazing yet quirky boss Andrew, my groovy development soul sister Kat, the tech genius who does not use any social media site J. Hatter, beer loving guru of disaster recovery J. Horan, communications extraordinaire and wizard of life Aaron, finical master with a huge heart Dominique, and the man who brought us all together with his will to make the world better David. 

I arrived in New Orleans, proudly wearing my Project Tohoku t-shirt not knowing what to expect.  As I sat in the backseat chatting with my new co-workers I was quickly put at ease when they called me out after in the middle of sentence, pausing then saying shoot instead of shit.  They laughed, and said did you really just pause and not curse.  You know working at All Hands is just like being on project, we are a bit rough around the edges, can handle communal living, and working hard if it means empowering volunteers to help communities following a natural disaster.  From that moment on I knew my job would be like none other I ever neither had nor could imagine ever having.   

Three months flew by and I received the word I would going to Cagayan de Oro, Philippines the "City of Golden Friendship" for my first international project. I was excited and nervous, I would be now be on the staff side and not the volunteer side, plus I would be meeting coworkers I had only emailed for the first time. 

When I walked out of the tiny airport I was flagged with requests to be my taxi driver, I nodded to one and was relieved he knew exactly where my home for the next three weeks was and sat back in the comfort of air condition which I would now only feel when I went to into town.   I had arrived at 5am so the house we still quiet, I put my things down and curled up on the couch until people started stirring.  The first hello was from Mike, as he walked from his room to the bathroom in his boxers, next was Loc a familiar face from Japan, a few new people, and then I felt something land in my lap it was Toby-san my frienemy from Japan as well. 

It was familiar yet completely new, bunk beds but only 15 of them instead of 40, bucket showers but this time cold instead of hot, breakfast, lunch and dinner but no dishes, a free box and a laundry box since we paid someone to do our washing.  It felt good to be adult summer camp again. 

My first day in the field, was a half day and so was my second, and boy was body thankful for it.  90 degree heat and not much shade you are dripping in sweat in a matter of moments even before you start working.  I felt inspired and amazed at the fact that my job was helping volunteers to donate their time, blood, sweat, labor to help people who lost so much.  I joined their sides painting and framing the lid for a septic tank.  Little did I know that my first full day in the field would be “helping” to dig one?  They are about 6 feet tall and about 6 feet wide, and I probably dug and cleared only about ½ a foot of dirt, because I had to do more watching then acting since I felt like I was going to die.  People were to kind and kept saying I would do better because it was my first full day, I was and still am not to certain because I have yet to work another full day. I am going to try to do at least one and do half days for the rest of this whole week, so I can say I did more than make friends and work on my computer all day even though that is what my job description requires me to do. 

I will let you know how it goes and other interesting things about my trip soon.  

Back in the States and Employed!!!

Kon'nichiwa, Namaste, Tashi Delek, Sawadee-kah, Khmai, Apa Khabar, and finally a big hello since I’m back in the States!

Yes, I am back in the states sooner than planned, and wanted to say hello in all the new languages I learned (I only learned hello and thank you J).  I also wanted to take this this opportunity to inform you of positive changes in my life now that I am back “home”.  As of January 28, 2012, I embarked on the next phase of my “helping the world” career as a development associate for All Hands Volunteers.  All Hands is the amazing organization I did tsunami relief with in Ofunato, Japan. It was one of the most inspirational and amazing times of my life.  I loved it so much that extended my time there until the end of project; I probably would still be there if winter and lack funding did not push us out.  I dug ditches in the blistering sun, gutted houses in pouring rain, hand cleaned photos in freezing water in a freezing room, and had the best time ever because I was alongside 100 of people, like me, who just wanted to help where they could. 

So, now I am working for them because of what they do best, giving anyone and I mean anyone …grandmas, drop-outs, Peter-pans… a place to go when they want to help.  Plus, they pay for volunteers room, 60 bunks beds in one room, board, an old electronics shop, and food, Bento boxes, so they can focus on working as hard as possible, 6 days of week regardless of weather, when they are on project

All Hands also allows those that cannot be on project, because of other life commitments, babies, new houses, 50 hour work weeks, away to help.  These people make donations, have fundraisers, spread the word from the comfort of home and hot water. 

A volunteer funded by donors creates one of the most passionate workforces, the world has ever seen.

It is my duty as a volunteer and even more so now as employee to continue thought.  So, I donated $100 in addition to all the sweat equity I put in, and am now asking you to donate what you deem significant.  This maybe a dollar maybe $1,000 it does not matter, what matter is that you believe in me and empowering volunteers to work their asses off.

I thank you for all the time and attention you have provided me over the past year and during this long post.  I look forward to updating you on my new job and how much money I have raised.