Through Argentinian Eyes

Farewell Through Argentinian Eyes

2010-06-13T04:00:00.000+07:00

Yup, this is the end of this blog.

Since I'm currently IN Argentina, the whole title wouldn't make much sense now, would it? :)

I've started a new one just in case anyone is still interested :)

Thanks for reading and commenting on this one for four years.

White Buddha and bugs

2010-01-01T12:54:00.000+07:00

Went out with some friends to climb a gazillion steps to reach this Buddha image, close to where we live.

The view from the top.

Peacocks free to roam around the temple compound.

"Bugs" Around My House

(these have nothing to do with the previous images, but they were in the same folder, and I kind of like them, so why not?)

Los latinoamericanos AIUanos de paseo en Kanchanaburi

2010-01-01T12:02:00.000+07:00

(en realidad, cronologicamente este post ocurrio antes que el anterior de Phuket, pero bueno, salio asi.... :) )
Tiger Temple, Kanchanaburi

Walking with the tigers...you're instructed on where to pet it, where to stand, what to do and what not to do...

Photo session with the tigers (my memory stick ran out, so I only got two or three in...good enough)

Lindo gatito...(via la camara de John. Gracias!)

Bridge over the River Kwai

Train going through.

Tow, tow, tow your...restaurant! Floating restaurants on the Kwai river.

Las chicas

Elephant Village

My elephant is the 2nd one, struggling through the water.

Traveling in style...(it was extremely hot...pulled out my umbrella, just like any other Asian girl would!)

Sacando cuentas...jeje

El grupete latino, de izq. a der.: Sendy Monarrez (Mexico), Yaniris Cordova (Mexico), Paola Bueno (Colombia), John Bueno(Colombia), Rosi Ortiz (Mexico), Daniel Bernhardt (Argentina), Marlise Bernhardt (Argentina), Erika Ixtepan (Mexico), yo.

Mini-vacation

2010-01-01T11:21:00.000+07:00

Mini-vacation weekend in Phuket. Courtesy of Ron & Shawna (Thanks again!).

Aqua-chatting... took these pics with my cellphone, so the quality isn't that great, but the moments are!

The classic auto-picture, intended to prove that I was there, at this very nice beach, at this very nice resort, with those very nice friends :)

Watermelon & papaya art

The anti-topless activists.... by some random turn of events, we ended up at a beach where some European ladies had decided to go topless, so we decided to stage an anti-topless demonstration...hehe

The incredibly graceful duo, of reknown ballet fame...haha (via Daniel's camera. Gracias!)

ESL Vespers: Parables for student life

2009-11-07T18:47:00.000+07:00

ESL Troupe

ESL Vespers: Parables for student life

2009-11-07T18:43:00.000+07:00

The parable of the talents...modern version

ESL Vespers: Parables for student life

2009-11-07T18:12:00.000+07:00

The wise man built his house upon the rocks...

ESL Vespers: Parables for student life

2009-11-07T18:09:00.000+07:00

The Good Samaritan...modern version

ESL Vespers: Parables for student life

2009-11-07T18:07:00.000+07:00

The Good Samaritan...modern version

ESL Vespers: Parables for student life

2009-11-07T18:01:00.000+07:00

Mucha cultura :)

2009-10-17T16:26:00.001+07:00

Recently, we've done quite a few things on the culture front here at Asia-Pacific International University (we've been forbidden to say AIU :) )...

Culture Show, 1st Semester 2009-2010

There were lots of beautiful items, of course, but here are only a few.

The Mexican girls studying here this semester put on an item, an all the rest of the Latin Americans pitched in...

Vietnamese students, with their beautiful Ao Dai costumes.

Indonesian students, Irian Jaya region dance.

Chinese male students and their tai chi, the girls and their ethnic tribal (can't remember the name) dance.

Iraqi and Iranian students (plus honorary ones)... I got dragged up on this one, but fortunately nobody took pictures of me...(or did they...hmm, possible blackmail material ;) )

Several of the groups asked (or rather dragged) people from the audience to join them on stage. Here's Daniel (of renowned tango fame), and Paola and John Bueno, doing their best Bhangra dance with the Indian and Nepalese girls... Ok, so I got carried away with the editing...thought the little "supernovas" would cover all the general strange flailing of hands rather nicely.

Ancient "Culture"

Well, okay, maybe this isn't exactly culture with a capital C...but...
Some very gracious friends usually have me over on friday evenings. After supper, their girls often prepare Bible charades (previously featured here ), inviting the adults to join in. Well, I think this one wins the "best improvised costume" award (note the royal asparagus)...don't you?

Cultural Sabbath

The Latin American girls got together again, this time to present a special music item at Asia-Pacific International University Church: "Padre de Amor"

I'm grateful

2009-09-19T18:01:00.004+07:00

I'm grateful for quite Sabbaths with blessings of answered prayers...
I'm grateful for friends who stop to bow their heads and send a prayer heavenward on a moment's notice...
I'm grateful for friends who check up on me, feed me, and support me...
I'm grateful to a God who inclines his head to hear, and stretches out his hand to heal...

My many birthdays.... :)

2009-09-18T21:32:00.002+07:00

Thanks to all my friends and colleagues who contributed to making my birthday/s a happy occasion! Friends also provided photos here and here.

Darn! It's hard to blend in with an Audi!

2009-08-08T14:16:00.001+07:00

... one of the strange bugs from around here trying hard to get his camouflage to blend in with a neighbor's car...I'd say, "Stick to tree bark..."

Just in case you had any doubts...

2009-07-04T17:17:00.003+07:00

I do not have perfect pitch...hehe (my neighbors could have told you that!)...but it was still fun to take this test and make my small contribution to science :).

If you think you do (or to get rid of the people who keep bugging you to sing with them), try out the

University of California Absolute Pitch Study
http://perfectpitch.ucsf.edu/

2009-06-20T19:08:00.001+07:00

Babysitting mushrooms...

2009-06-10T21:33:00.000+07:00

A friend who went away on vacation left me her mushroom packs...with instructions to put them in a dark and humid place, they now grace the edge of my bathtub. After a couple of days, they sprouted beautiful edible mushrooms that were promptly stir-fried and gobbled up... Mom, just so you know, I'm eating the mushrooms from my bathroom! :)

Hotel in Hanoi

2009-05-22T22:41:00.001+07:00

Hanoi 4

2009-05-22T22:37:00.001+07:00

While in Hanoi, I met up with fellow Argentinians for pizza (and tried to convince the restaurant manager that Argentinian mozzarella is better than the one they were serving!). Thanks, Oscar & Stella, for a wonderful time!

Hanoi 3

2009-05-22T22:28:00.001+07:00

Hanoi is a city of a million motorbikes and no visible traffic rules...traffic lights seem to be mainly decorative. The never ending stream of bikes, honking cars and motorbikes mysteriously parts as you set foot on the street without looking to the left or right...an experience in faith...faith that the local person you are following will guide you safely across, faith that the cars and motorbikes will actually swerve to avoid you...faith that the sidewalk on the other side is attainable. At one point, I found myself letting out a shriek as I stood petrified in the middle of the street, with a car mere centimeters away from my belly, another one almost touching my behind, and a horde of motorbikes about to engulf me...not for the faint-hearted pedestrians like me.

The city also has quite a few quaint little lakes around which people gather to exercise, gossip, walk, take their wedding pictures, and watch the world go by.

Hanoi 2

2009-05-22T22:05:00.002+07:00

While strolling through Vietnam's oldest university grounds, I noticed a large group of elementary school students on a field trip. One of them broke away and skipped through the ancient rooms...kids will be kids...What else would you do? :)

Hanoi 1

2009-05-22T21:57:00.001+07:00

I just got back from a short little trip to Hanoi, Vietnam. I was there for work, but snuck in a little bit extra. These pictures show Vietnam's oldest university, dating back to almost a thousand years ago, based on a Confucian style of teaching. Quite pleasant, really...mostly a nice little park with plenty of mango trees, ponds, walkways and a Chinese looking temple-like structure. The slabs of stone on the turtle statues are engraved with the names and achievements of oustanding students ("doctors") who graduated with high honors.

The first of the ...

2009-05-03T22:26:00.000+07:00

(click on photo to view large size: clockwise from top left: walnut and chocolate cake (all cakes from Secret Recipe), Julie and friends, chocolate something or other cake, Greek salad (yay feta!!) and hummus fatah (not pictured: falafel, fatouche salad, pita bread, fried couliflower, garlic butter, pickles, from our favorite Lebanese restaurant, Beirut)

...last things with Julie. Last trip with Julie to Bangkok. You'll never guess the theme of the trip :) .

Believe it or not, we also did some useful things:
1. bought gifts for people back home (Laura & Julie)
2. visited the Bangkok Art and Culture Center (Deanna & Doris). If you want a quiet place to relax and just lounge around, check out the strangely eclectic little library (with internet and comfy sofas!), in the basement of the Center. It even has a kids' corner with cute little toys.

A day in the life of me in which I wish I were a millionaire and a wise old lady

2009-05-01T21:47:00.006+07:00

Progression of scenes:

A knock on the office door.

Me wading through papers

and people to open it.

A wordless student.

Two moist, brimming eyes.

"Good-bye, teacher".

Questions unanswered.

Me searching for the right thing to say.

"Don't give up your dream... Continue your education

wherever you are... I enjoyed teaching you..."

Words that never quite fit in the jigzaw.

My outstretched handshake

grasped and pressed to a forehead for a

silent eternity of seconds.

Me babbling again.

Finally wordlessness mercifully sets in ,

For really, what is there to say

in the face of dashed dreams?

Noah Doll?

2009-05-01T21:32:00.001+07:00

Last Friday night a gracious friend (and great cook!) invited a group of us over for a lovely meal. Her girls' tradition for family worship on Friday nights features Bible charades. Guests are warmly invited (eagerly dragged, really :)) to take part. One of the guests staged this grand production of Noah's Ark with the girls. The Oscar-deserving moment was when he reached behind his neck and pressed the button on a talking Noah doll and pantomimed accordingly...seriously...talking Noah dolls? What is the world coming to? :)

Exciting Times in Bangkok (and not because of the red shirts!)

2009-04-17T19:57:00.001+07:00

I was in Bangkok on Wednesday (April 15, 2009)

to witness my friends' little baby making her grand

entrance, after much suspense...

They're going to make great parents! (and watch

out for Grandma Nebres! She plays a mean

game of Settlers!)

Thanks D & M for letting me be part of this

amazing experience!

Le Petite Waterfalls Expedition

2009-04-17T19:45:00.001+07:00

Last Saturday afternoon, I went with a group of frieds to some small "waterfalls".
Though I wasn't brave enough to wade in, I enjoyed sitting and people-watching.

...they even had this cool swing thing...

Ballet on the rocks

Julie said the water was quite cool.

Procrastination, Piazzolla and Plenty of Good Food!

2009-04-03T22:42:00.003+07:00

(click on picture to see full size and Spanish comments)

After a particularly busy week/weekend, some friends took me out to a very nice restaurant on the way to Khao Yai ( with a rather unfortunate name). Good food and good times were had by all. I convinced (more like dragged, hehe :) ) Marlise to play the piano off to the side of the bar and she graciously acquiesced (Gracias, Marlise!) with Verano Porteño (gotta love Piazzolla), The Prayer...We were also serenaded by a Filipino guitarist with quite the repertoire (for the middle of nowhere Thailand anyways...he even sang in quite respectable Spanish). I liked the Italian food and romantic ambiance. Though I was the "odd one" out :) (as in I didn't have a partner), I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to relish a moment of the "finer things in life"...good food, nice music, good company. The moral of this story is that sometimes making the decision to procrastinate slightly (I still finished preparing what I needed to do a day later!) can brighten up the soul...that's my story and I'm sticking to it!! :)

Grocery shopping finds

2009-03-20T20:15:00.002+07:00

Isn't it pretty? It had orange-red spots and this gold fleck below its head...kind of like a gold leaf smudge.
Found this beetle as I was walking down the steps in front of "Happy Mart"...I handed my bags to someone and rummaged through my purse to find my camera...(the steps happen to be quite uneven and high...and I was wearing a shortish skirt, bending over and trying to get a good shot and not fall in the process...I can just imagine the people around me thinking "There's that weird farang again...with her little pink camera...hasn't she ever seen a bug before? Hrrmph..." :)

A day of showers

2009-03-09T21:16:00.001+07:00

...literally, of many showers...my own 3, (because it was sooo hot), rain showers (vive le humidity!), and the nicest one, for a friend's baby.

Through Hail and Back

2009-03-06T21:01:00.001+07:00

Well, this is a collage of what I've been up to lately...well, me and the weather...Last Saturday it hailed in MC, Thailand. I didn't think you could get hail here...goes to show how much I know! Early the following morning my whole Department went on a camp...95 students and 8 teachers...let's just say we've had better ideas :) But we survived. The place was nice, Khao Lem Ya, Rayong. You can see a small photo of the bungalow we stayed at (I'm not a big fan of camps or tents!).

Santa Rita

2009-01-30T22:32:00.003+07:00

Estamos comenzando la estacion seca...todo se torna marron, menos las santa ritas que tapizan el campus.

De's Wedding

2009-01-16T21:59:00.001+07:00

Friend's Wedding...

The car the bride arrived in...kinda cool, huh?

De's Wedding 1

2009-01-16T21:54:00.001+07:00

The radiant bride...

La Nan...sister of the bride

Potpourri

2009-01-06T04:31:00.003+07:00

View from the front yard at sunset...

Excited about being at the beach? Or chilled by the cold ocean water and trying to warm up?

Edit: there were pictures here...suddenly they disappeared...don´t know why... Can you see them now?

Yumm...

2009-01-06T01:03:00.001+07:00

New Year's Dessert..."Masas Finas"...yummy tiny pastries

Main Dish: Vegetarian Paella (although normally not a rice fan, I must admit this was good!)

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from the beaches of Uruguay!

2008-12-26T20:33:00.005+07:00

I'm currently on vacation with my family in Uruguay...on a deserted beach far, far away from anything modern like telephones or internet...so, from a cybercafe in the city of Castles (literal translation...it's like 40 km from the beach), I would like to wish everybody the most blessed Christmas (belated, hey...I said I was far away from the net!) and a great New Year! Hope you have a good time without me, hehe...

Family

2008-12-14T01:08:00.002+07:00

We are obviously of Italian descent...can't speak without animated hand gestures :)

My Mom & I

My brother & sister-in-law

Sabbath Lunch with Family

2008-12-14T01:01:00.003+07:00

The chefs (my uncle & aunt)....Los cocineros (zapallitos rellenos y agnolloti!!! viva la pasta!)

Vivan las ensaladas!

Denise y la "tia" Doris

Dubai moments

2008-12-14T00:54:00.001+07:00

Mini oasis @ Dubai airport

Can you guess what this is?

Saraburi Sunflowers

2008-12-05T23:07:00.002+07:00

"Flowers have an expression of countenance as much as men or animals. Some seem to smile; some have a sad expression; some are pensive and diffident; others again are plain, honest and upright, like the broad-faced sunflower and the hollyhock. " ~Henry Ward Beecher, Star Papers: A Discourse of Flowers

Apparently, we're not the only visitors...

A Muak Lek must....sunflower fields & cameras

2008-12-05T22:53:00.002+07:00

The shutterbugs...

Girasoles...vienen toneladas de turistas a sacarse fotos en los girasolares (?) vecinos...colectivos...autos...elefantes...maquinas de foto...todo un show...

Primo Posto del Kao Yai revisited

2008-12-05T22:45:00.001+07:00

Love the light and lines...

Striking a pose....nothing else to do but take pictures after a great gelatto and chocolate cake...

There, now you know where to turn...can't miss it....

Primo Posto del Kao Yai revisited

2008-12-05T22:38:00.003+07:00

The ladies breaking out into diva poses and operatic renditions (I'm not quite sure what Julie was doing :) )

The photographer photographed...

Primo Posto del Kao Yai revisited

2008-12-05T22:31:00.001+07:00

Love the "weather station"!

Merry Christmas!

Stylish wheels...

"Born of a Woman—Atonement and the Incarnation"

2008-11-22T09:43:00.004+07:00

That's the title of this week's Bible study guide ...

I liked how Wordle summed it up. ("Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text.")

What is prominent in the text of your life?

Artsy word compilation of my latest blog entries

2008-11-22T09:25:00.002+07:00

Thanks to Wordle

Stroll through the Chateau de Khao Yai grounds

2008-11-16T15:27:00.001+07:00

Infinity pool (with very nice soccer field below)

Tranquillity...

Chateau de Khao Yai

2008-11-16T15:21:00.001+07:00

In the middle of nowhere Pak Chong, Thailand, lies this "little" Chateau... rooms in the Chateau itself go for 30,000 baht a night...dream on...

Saturday afternoon stroll..er...drive through the countryside

2008-11-16T15:15:00.001+07:00

Places we didn't know existed...Toscana Valley...somewhere in Pak Chong, Thailand

What we were NOT driving...hehe...nevertheless, we the normally-carless were very grateful for the loaned car that made this drive possible :)

Silliness brought on by a sugar high...

2008-11-14T21:05:00.002+07:00

This is what happens after eating sinful chocolate desserts... :) oh bliss...

Primo Posto...must go again soon!

2008-11-14T20:57:00.001+07:00

Primo Posto...Pseudo-italian vineyard & restaurant

2008-11-14T20:45:00.001+07:00

What was left of our glorious cakes and tea....amaaaazzzingly mouth watering, marvelous desserts...a sinful chocolate cake...and wonderful carrot cake...

Entrance to the restaurant, ice cream and coffee shop...

Dining al fresco...

2008-11-14T20:37:00.001+07:00

Primo Posto Restaurant, on the way to Kao Yai....

Loy Kratong: Talent Show

2008-11-09T22:59:00.001+07:00

Some people are very talented with straws...

Loy Kratong

2008-11-09T22:55:00.002+07:00

Floating our kratongs on a peaceful Thai evening

The Miss Noppamart Contestants

Our ESL representative

The judges...

So, what is Loy Kratong?
Well, acccording to http://www.thailand.com/travel/festival/festivals_loykratong.htm

"Date: On the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month (usually in November)
Venue: Nationwide

Loy Kratong Highlight

On the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month, the tide in the rivers is highest and the moon at its brightest, creating a romantic setting ideal for lovers. The Thai people choose this day to hold the 'Loy Kratong' festival, or the 'festival of light.' Loy Kratong is one of the two most recognized festivals in the country.

Loy Kratong is probably the most picturesque and beautiful of all Thai celebrations. 'Loy' literally means 'to float,' while 'kratong' refers to the lotus-shaped receptacle which can float on the water. Originally, the kratong was made of banana leaves or the layers of the trunk of a banana tree or a spider lily plant. A kratong contains food, betel nuts, flowers, joss sticks, candle and coins. The making of a kratong is much more creative these days as many more materials are available.

The Loy Kratong ritual is a simple one. One needs only to light the candles and the joss sticks, make one's wishes and let it float away with the current of a river or a canal.

On that day, thousands of people will gather beside the canals and rivers. With kratong in hands, they light the candle, put some coins in the kratong and silently make a wish, and carefully place their kratongs in the water and release them to the current.

They watch intently as the float drifts silently downstream, hoping that the candle will not go out. Its flame is said to signify longevity, fulfillment of wishes and release from sins. Altogether it is considered a romantic night for couples or lovers. Couples who make a wish together on Loy Kratong are thought to stay together in the future."

Tadaaah....

2008-11-09T22:50:00.001+07:00

...the place where I live.

Pretty, isn't it?

Banana-boat Moments

2008-10-26T22:12:00.001+07:00

Now you see them....

Now you don't....

The interesting thing is that people pay to have this sort of thing done to them...go figure... :)

AY Camp at Rayong

2008-10-26T22:05:00.001+07:00

Thai buses have very peculiar paintjobs sometimes....teensy bit colorful, don't you think?

Some people have interesting banana-boat techniques...maybe Daniel will let us in on the secret of the one-legged position... :)

AY Camp @ Rayong

2008-10-26T22:00:00.001+07:00

We just finished "Midterm Break" (euphemism for a long weekend)...went to Rayong (Bang Sang Resort? Or something like that).

On Saturday, we went to the Rayong Aquarium (which looked like it had seen better days). There were some cute fish. I liked this "metallic/robot fish" (that's what I'm calling it anyway... :) ) He moved in a way that made him seem like he was always shaking his head in a disapproving-"no, no"-frowning way...poor soul.

The latest in resort night wear...

Lo que hacemos por un cacho de cultura...

2008-10-04T15:25:00.004+07:00

...o lo que pasa cuando las alpargatas no agarran traccion en suelo alfombrado...

"Amazing Cultures" Show @ MC

2008-09-28T00:35:00.001+07:00

(click on photo to view large size)
Snapshots from "around the world"...at our cultural show...L-R Back row: Marlise & yours truly with our Japanese students, Daniel, Maria (from Spain), Marlise and Cynthia (from Honduras), me with two Thai students. L-R Front row: Me with Soo, a very sweet Korean student, graceful Chinese group, Argentinean tango troupe.

Tangueros y Chinita Trucha :)

2008-09-28T00:29:00.001+07:00

(click on photo to view large size)
MC organized an "Amazing Cultures" show. Yours truly and two other Argentineans improvised an item.
Nuestro colegio organizo una "noche cultural"...jeje... Marlise & Daniel hicieron de tangueros, luego de que yo entrara al son de "El Humahuaqueno", fuera rechazada por el "dandy Daniel", y me cayera de traste (las alpargatas de yute y el piso alfombrado no son una buea combinacion)...en fin, lo que hacemos por un cacho de cultura, por favor...tambien pusimos un powerpoint con preguntas para la audiencia (sobre Argentinos famosos y etc), y a los que acertaron, les regalamos empanadas "dorimarliseanas"...a que no adivinan con que las rellenamos!? :)

Field Tripping :)

2008-09-26T21:31:00.001+07:00

On Wednesday (Sept. 24) we took the whole ESL Dept. on a field trip to Bang Pa In Palace and Bang Sai Arts and Crafts Center. The sweet little old lady had a huge pile of hats for sale (100 baht each), all woven by her gnarly hands. I think you can see patience firmly etched in the myriad of wrinkles that grace her smiling face.

Pasados por agua...Rainy season at MC...

2008-09-13T17:26:00.001+07:00

There used to be a small "peninsula" in one of our campus ponds (backgroud, center of picture, where the tufts of grass poke out of the water)...manyrainy moons later, it is no more...It's been raining daily (duh...'tis the season) and heavily...wish it would stop...especially because I keep forgetting to take my umbrella at the appropriate times!

3 years old!

2008-08-30T07:10:00.001+07:00

Gracias a los buenos amigos, el dia de "ponerse viejo" es mas divertido. Este cumple fue especial en lo culinario tambien, ya que Laura, la señora de rojo que esta parada en la segunda fila, me hizo una torta de chocolate con almendras y dulce de leche! (importado especialmente por avion por Marlise & Daniel S.R.L...jeje...gracias!)

"Getting old" day is not so bad if you have good friends to celebrate it with. This one was extra special because Chef Laura (2nd row, red t-shirt) baked me a heavenly chocolate cake with almonds and dulce de leche (argentinean thing, google it! This item was flown in specially for my b-day by Marlise & Daniel -pink shirt & white shirt with tie in this picture...thanks to all 3). Thank you Julie for organizing! Thanks Dot & Marvin! It was a great evening!

Catching a ride...catterpillar-backing?

2008-07-19T18:38:00.003+07:00

...well, if this is a caterpillar...(anybody know?)...another bug out and about on one of the trails I tread daily...if you click on the image you might be able to see an ant catching a ride...must be the rising gas prices :)

ESL Games

2008-07-11T21:23:00.002+07:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My ESL students having fun...
Mis alumnos de ingles como segunda lengua, divirtiendose...

Bicho Missioncollegegiense

2008-06-14T10:08:00.001+07:00

Uno de los tantos bichos de por aqui...a la ultima moda en pintura bichesca. Como no tengo mucho tiempo para andar en la naturaleza, la Sra Natura me manda estos bichos al tercer piso del edificio donde trabajo.
One of the many bugs around here...latest bug bodypaint trend...Since I don't have time to get out and enjoy nature that much, nature sends these little visitors to my office building...

Mission College Graduation 2008

2008-06-14T09:37:00.000+07:00

Mission College Graduation 05/11/08
Click.

Meet Maina..

2008-05-18T01:22:00.002+07:00

Maina is the cutie that belongs to my friends Hoang & George.

An ESL teacher's look at pro-tibetan demonstrators in Argentina

2008-04-12T08:47:00.004+07:00

Well, it seems that with the olympic torch passing through Buenos Aires, nobody had time to do some spell checking.....

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/americas/features/article_1399528.php/In_photos_Argentina_Olympic_Torch?page=4

Ultima moda en patas rotas

2008-04-11T21:23:00.001+07:00

El viernes pasado me resbale (estupidamente, sobre pavimento mojado), torci el pie, y me fracture el 5to metatarso (o algo asi) de mi pie derecho. Me cai a las 4 de la tarde, pero no me di cuenta que me lo habia quebrado hasta las 8 de la noche (re dura.... :( ) cuando el dolor se hizo evidente. Me llevaron al hospital donde me entablillaron y enderezaron sin calmantes... y asi pase la primera noche...demas esta decir que tres calmantes y un diazepam mas tarde, aun no lograba conciliar el sueño...

Hoy (dos medicos ineptos mediante...larga historia...) vi a un tercer ortopedista (o como se llame :) ) que me puso un yeso plastico color rosado fluor...digamos que no me dejo elegir el color...asi que, aca andamos...saltando en una pata...y en el mes maaaaasss caluroso de la historia...durante las vacaciones de Songkran (año nuevo tailandes en abril)...que habia pensado tomarme en Malasia (perdi el pasaje y todo....buaaaahhh)...pero no habia manera de ir a hacer snorkelling con este adefecio... se imaginan el susto que se llevarian los pescados? :)

Nong Nooch Garden Revisited

2008-03-08T18:02:00.001+07:00

Elephants "fighting" at the Thai cultural show ...felt sorry for the elephants, the music was really loud (I had to cover my ears!)

Nong Nooch has a beautiful cactus garden. Found this fragile yellow beauty there.

The picture below was taken from this traditional Thai structure (sala). It was quite a hot climb.

Glowing flowers

2008-02-22T18:53:00.003+07:00

Take 1: I was walking home with a friend after a looooong day at the office....passed by this tree and couldn't resist taking a picture of the flowers all nicely lit up by a street lamp. As I was commenting to my friend, you know you have no life when you go around "smelling the flowers" at night... :)

Take 2: with flash...sometimes less is more....

Confusing...?

2008-02-02T17:24:00.000+07:00

"A blind beggar had a brother who died. What relation was
the blind beggar to the brother who died?"

"Brother" is not the answer. Check it out at this link from the Sharp Brains Blog contributor Caroline.

Want a great list of brain teasers?
http://www.sharpbrains.com/teasers/

Si hubiera sido en castellano, no habria habido ningun problema! "English is confused", as my ESL students would say.

For all the women out there...

2008-02-02T17:16:00.000+07:00

Multitasking is the name of the game!
Check this link out (from Mindfit)...how well did you do?

What's your Traveler IQ?

2008-02-02T15:47:00.001+07:00

http://www.travelpod.com/traveler-iq?fc54=bee5
Where in the world...? Try this link and tell me how it went (this was my score on my second attempt...guess my geography skills are not as good as I thought!)

Fotitos del viaje a la India, 2006

2008-01-26T16:59:00.000+07:00

Algunas fotitos que estaban en mi blog anterior (por las dudas que desaparezca!)

Comida que pela y pescaditos en el baño...

2008-01-26T16:18:00.001+07:00

...es lo que se puede encontrar en el restaurante "Saipan".... El jueves pasado fuimos a un restaurante famoso por...los pececitos que tienen en los baños! En dichos retretes ultramodernos, el inodoro esta en una isla de cemento rodeada por unos canales de agua por donde transitan alegremente los peces ya mencionados (obviamente el agua no es la misma que la de los inodoros!). Las piletas donde uno se lava las manos tienen un planchon hecho de una piedra porosa (que servira de filtro digo yo?) y estan tambien rodeadas por los canalcitos.
La comida...que pela en todos los sentidos! Con aji picante (chilli) y unas bolitas verdes "del infierno" (digo yo, porque no se como se llaman), mas unas velas (debajo de las soperas) que produjeron unas llamas espectaculares (el restaurante es al aire libre y habia bastante viento), terminamos con los paladares "pasados por fuego" en todo sentido!

Menu:
Arroz pegajoso blanco
Curry de verduras y naranja (sensacion termica en el paladar 8.5, en una escala de chilli del 1-10)
Sopa (Tom yam) de hongos (sensacion termica en el paladar 4.5-que es lo maximo que tolero yo!, en una escala de chilli del 1-10)
Redondeles de tofu en salsa picante (que novedad, no?) con chillies y "bolitas verdes del infierno" (obviamente, yo escarbe para sacar el tofu y obviar la salsa!)
Verduras hervidas con salsa dulce (nada picante!)

Los mozos/as que nos atendieron se divirtieron viendonos cambiar de color (rojo vivo), toser y moquear mientras tratabamos de ingerir tanta picantez. (Los caras palidas proporcionamos el entretenimiento de la noche, con nuestra baja tolerancia al chilli). Salimos con la cola entre las patas y fuimos de apuro a comprarnos un helado! Ahhhhh....que alivio....

Chris & Charly Tailandando

2008-01-18T22:35:00.000+07:00

Chris & Charly Tailandando 1/13/08

Hacer click en la foto/link.

Dot & Marvin's Wedding

2008-01-13T19:22:00.000+07:00

Dot & Marvin's Wedding, Dec. 2007
Click on the picture/link

Reception @ Arunvit Resort

2008-01-09T23:54:00.001+07:00

Dorothy & Marvin's wedding

2008-01-09T23:52:00.001+07:00

Casamiento de una amiga, diciembre del 2007

Bridesmaids

2008-01-09T23:47:00.001+07:00

Froggy Quotes

2007-12-07T23:37:00.000+07:00

"We think too small, like the frog at the bottom of the well. He thinks the sky is only as big as the top of the well. If he surfaced, he would have an entirely different view. "
Mao Tse-Tung

“Truth, which is important to a scholar, has got to be concrete. And there is nothing more concrete than dealing with babies, burps and bottles, frogs and mud.” Jeane J. Kirkpatrick

“Frogs have it easy, they can eat what bugs them”

Destressing Techniques

2007-12-07T23:15:00.000+07:00

After a tough week, flower arranging is my "cable a tierra"... in my feeble ikebana-wannabe style (my short-lived ikebana course teacher once commented on one of my (I had hoped!) "ikebana" arrangements: "It ok, but it western. Come, everybody. I show you western way. It very easy!"...and so, culture creeps into everything...even when I was consciously trying to be ikebanaish...sigh...

Trip to Cambodia (October 2006)...just had time to upload now!

2007-10-06T18:24:00.000+07:00

Tree embracing ancient stone wall remains...

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

2007-10-06T18:22:00.000+07:00

Reaching for the sky...

Me again...breathing in humidity and antiquity...

Tree sitting pretty...

Some of the fearless floodwater-waders!

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

2007-10-06T18:21:00.000+07:00

Smiling through the incense...

Fooling around with effects on Picasa....

Time added color...

It was explained to us that these trees cannot be taken away or the structures will tumble...another take on a real tree house!

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

2007-10-06T18:19:00.000+07:00

A Naga, staring silently into oblivion for centuries....

Timeless dancing....

It's quite a steep climb!! (Yours truly didn't attempt it...hey, it was HOT and humid, and I only had 10 minutes left to finish looking around...I wasn't about to spend them walking up and down some steps! :)

I was here (and got a picture to prove it!)

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

2007-10-06T18:18:00.000+07:00

Trip to Cambodia, Bayon

2007-10-06T18:16:00.000+07:00

Smiled upon...

Storm clouds add a spooky backdrop...

Peek-a-boo!

Buddhist nun

Trip to Cambodia

2007-10-06T18:14:00.000+07:00

Sunset on flooded rice paddies...the flood continued onto the roads...we ended up riding on a cart behind "rice tractors", wading through the waters (in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere), and riding on one pickup truck with 20 other people...(and don't get me started on the scam artist who made all this possible!)

The old way meets the new way...

Endless stare...

Trip to Cambodia (October 2006)...just had time to upload now!

2007-10-06T18:08:00.000+07:00

Riding on water, thanks to unexpected (by us...duh! it was rainy season!) floods.

Multipurpose flood waters, wash your motorbike and your child (mud flecks come from the "rice tractor" driving by).

Hidden smiles

Wai Kru/Dia del Maestro en Tailandia

2007-09-28T22:57:00.000+07:00

El Dia del Maestro en Tailandia es bastante espectacular... Los alumnos preparan unos arreglos florales especiales que luego son entregados a los docentes con mas antiguedad (y administradores) por parejas de alumnos "caminando" sobre sus rodillas. Luego "cantan" un himno dedicado a los maestros (a capella, al estilo thai), y entregan a cada docente un brazalete de jazmines y rosas (de nuevo, los alumnos estan acuclillados frente a los docentes, realizan una reverencia, agradecen al docente, y le entregan el brazalete)...ahh....uno de los pocos paises donde el ser maestro es algo honroso y respetado...

According to http://repository0.tripod.com/mj_cheatsheet_23.html

C.2 The tradition of paying respect to one's teacher
Humility is one of the virtues heavily emphasised along with 'patience' and 'self-discipline' in the ceremony of respect for one's teacher practised in the Buddhist tradition by schools and educational institutions annually throughout Thailand. At this ceremony called 'Wai Kru', there are three symbolic gifts which have been used traditionally in the ceremony to pay respect to the teacher -- aubergine flowers, coarse grass and popped rice:

The aubergine flower is a symbol of humility because each flower that will give rise to a fruit must bow its head towards the ground. Flowers which hold their head high will give no fruit and in the end will wither. In the same way, humility is quality of every student who will receive a teacher's knowledge to the full. Just as water must flow down to a lower level, the student who is humble will receive the most knowledge the most quickly.

Coarse grass of patience. This sort of grass can endure being parched during the dry season. It can endure treading and crushing by countless feet at the side of a footpath where other plants might have withered and died. In the same way, only the student with patience will endure the full duration of the course -- doing whatever is needed to succeed in their studies.

Popped rice is the symbol of self-discipline. When by exposure to heat upon the stove, only the rice which can stay in the cooking pot without jumping out before time will be sweet and tender: ready to eat. In the same way, the one who can stay within the discipline they have set themselves in studying will succeed in their studies. The one who cannot stand the discipline and has to give-up half way can be compared to rice which is charred but not popped and ready to eat.

Dónde más...?

2007-09-22T18:26:00.001+07:00

...se puede escuchar la lectura de 1ra de Corintios 9:22 leída por un iraquí en árabe mientras un búlgaro, un finlandes, una seychelliana, un alemán, un japonés, una china, una nepalí (no cristiana), una serbia, y un argentino esperan su turno?
Las sorpresas de un sábado de mañana en el lugar donde vivo.....

Flowers fit for dragons...

2007-09-14T22:07:00.000+07:00

The simple beauty of a dragon fruit flower...
(If you want to see what the fruit looks like, click here)

Caracoles!

2007-09-09T22:27:00.001+07:00

...las cosas que hacemos para que nuestros alumnos practiquen ingles...

El Argentinosauro que habita mi oficina

2007-09-09T22:13:00.000+07:00

Gracias a Marlise, ahora puedo lucir mi dinosaurio favorito en la puerta de mi oficina...a veces el argentinosaurio menea su cola a lo tigre, azotando el piso impacientemente frente a los avances de ciertos burocraciosauros, algunas veces se esconde debajo del escritorio para dormir una siesta, y otras veces echa su largo cuello para atras y da rienda suelta a unas colosales dinocarcajadas al leer algunas de las cosas que escriben los alumnos.