DC

Most of you know that I am living in Washington, DC next semester. Syracuse University has a program there where the students live in DC and take political classes at night so they can get an internship during the day. I just accepted a job offer to work for my top choice, US Campaign for Burma! I am so excited to get an internship with an organization I really want to work for - it's a great fit for my research and career interests, and I am finally pumped about living in DC next semester, now that I have an internship I really want :)

Burma!

Last week I went to Burma, the country I've wanted to visit since I was a little kid. It was AMAZING. I went alone so I hired a guide, who was great - he spoke English really well and took me to a lot of places off the beaten tourist path, as well as some of the major attractions. I went to three cities, Yangon (biggest), Mandalay (second biggest), and Bagan (amazing archaelogical ruins). I went to factories and markets and villages, rode a boat down the Irrawaddy River and took an overnight local bus (and had to go through government security checkpoints). A lot of people were worried about me going there alone, but I never felt unsafe and I would recommend the country to anyone as an amazing destination. It has almost no tourists compared to the rest of SE Asia because of the military government, but it is relatively easy to stay in private hotels and use private travel companies and restaurants, so you can really limit the amount of money that goes to the junta. The people are amazing, and they seemed to really appreciate the fact that I came to visit - I think they like tourists because it shows that the West hasn't forgotten about them, despite the pointless sanctions that the US has put on the country. Frankly, the government is in power because of trade with China, so sanctions from the US do nothing to weaken the government and simply lessen the influence that the US has in the country. If our government didnt simply turn its back, maybe we would be able to negotiate with the military and help to get the country on the road to democracy. Anyway, that is my viewpoint - better to be moderate and make some slow progress than to be totally idealistic and just ignore one of the worst human rights violators in the world and hide under the premise of "sanctions," which are just lazy.

The country is gorgeous, the people are wonderful, and there are some truly amazing things you will never see in any other country. I took over a thousand pictures - enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027110&id=1325940161&l=50117d6704
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027123&id=1325940161&l=33702e46f9
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027127&id=1325940161&l=49c89017fc
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027160&id=1325940161&l=758bd3a3f0
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027166&id=1325940161&l=85c6dca7eb

I come home in a little over a week! So excited, although I will be sad to leave my new home, Asia.

Cambodia

Last week I traveled to Cambodia with my mom. We went to Phnom Penh, the capitol city, where we visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, the Royal Palace, and the Choeung Ek Killing Fields. This city was amazing, particularly all the bloody history from the Khmer Rouge era. I don't think there are many countries in recent history that have suffered as much as Cambodia has in the past 35 years. Then we went to Siem Reap, a town close to Angkor Wat and the hundreds of other temples in the area. We spent three days exploring the temples to the point of exhaustion, shopping at night markets, chilling by the pool, horseback riding through the countryside, being swindled by the boat people living on the Tonle Sap lake, and falling in love with Cambodia.

Pics here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2026414&id=1325940161&l=de0ca8b69a
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2026422&id=1325940161&l=0d0af51d4f
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2026487&id=1325940161&l=7ea7b4a5bb
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2026504&id=1325940161&l=d576d51e61 (not done)

Early tomorrow morning I am flying to Burma and am traveling through the country for a week. Talk to you all when I get back! :)

Vietnam

I got back from Vietnam yesterday - what an amazing country! We went to Ho Chi Minh City where I saw the Cao Daism Holy See, the Cu Chi Tunnels from the war, went to the War Museum, saw the Reunification Palace, went to a huge indoor market, ate pho and goat meat, and shot an AK47 :) Then we went to the capital city of Hanoi and visited the prison where POWs were held in the War (including John McCain), saw some Chinese temples and Catholic Cathedrals, saw a water puppet show, ate gelato and shopped for warm clothes (it's cold in the north!) The next day we went on a boat trip in Ha Long Bay, where we kayaked and swam and slept overnight on the boat - it was cold and cloudy but the bay is beautiful and so strange looking. Pictures are here!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2025562&id=1325940161&l=e9824e0983
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2025579&id=1325940161&l=8424cf5dde
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2025627&id=1325940161&l=2ee4508466
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2025628&id=1325940161&l=4b9271ebf9

I have a little cold now (it was bound to happen) so I am trying to get over it by the time Mom comes out tomorrow. We have a few days in Hong Kong before going to Cambodia - I am so excited to continue exploring Southeast Asia! I never want to leave this place

Classes are Over!

This week was finals week, and yesterday was my last day of classes for the semester! Now I have six weeks off to write a paper and relax and travel and enjoy living in Asia :) I am flying to Vietnam tonight and will be there for a week - going to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Ha Long Bay. Then when I get back I have two days before Mom comes out and we go to Cambodia :)

Waterfall Hike

Hi!

This weekend I went hiking in the New Territories, which is the northern section of Hong Kong. The hike was quite challenging, about 6 hours, and we went to five different waterfalls. It was so nice to be back in the woods after spending so much time living and traveling in cities - I hadn't noticed how used to city life I got until I was back in nature! I'm pretty sore even a couple days after, but I love the fact that these amazing hiking trails through the mountains are only a 40 minute train ride outside of the city :)

Pics here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024019&id=1325940161&l=915b740ebd
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024184&id=1325940161&l=4f50340815

In less than two weeks from now I'll be flying to Vietnam!

Macau

This weekend I went to Macau with some of my guy friends. They went to go see a tennis match, but I went off on my own to explore the city. I went to the ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral and the Old Portuguese Fort, the town square and park and the Old Protestant Cemetary. Then I met up with my friends at the casinos for a night of gambling - I ended up winning $75 playing Texas Hold'em :) Pictures are here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2023536&id=1325940161&l=70b72154ed
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2023560&id=1325940161&l=fb6448702c