1.man.among.13,607,069.fists

fotos are up from last friday's trip to westport, washington.  here are some samples:

view the full album at:  westport.trip

don't forget to post your comments here!  enjoy.

I am so ashamed

Phnom Penh Post, Issue 14/13, July 1 - 14, 2005

I am a Korean woman and I have been a tourist in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Lao, and Burma for the past seven weeks. I have traveled much and seen many beautiful and wonderful things, but one thing I have seen that is not beautiful and wonderful is the Ugly Korean. This makes me so ashamed!

The international school hostage crisis in Siem Reap was the result of a Korean man who was being an Ugly Korean and beat his Cambodian staffmember. The staffmember then killed a small boy because of this beating. I know that the Korean man did not kill the boy, but the Korean man started the events that ended up in his horrible death.

To all my fellow Koreans in Southeast Asia, I have been watching you and I do not like what I see. We are rough and unskilled in being with other people. We are loud and rude. We beat our local staff when we are angry. We get drunk and scream, then vomit in public. I have returned to my hotel five times and cried myself to sleep because of my shame during my travels - we appear as savages in such a kind and gentle land.

To the father and mother of Maxim Michalik, I offer my condolences. On behalf of the Korean man at Arirang Restaurant in Cambodia, I deeply and sincerely apologize. To all people of Cambodia, and other nations in Southeast Asia, please forgive Ugly Koreans.

Kim Mi Sook, Tourist

with 4 weeks remaining before my departure, i have begun compiling my to do list.  please feel free to add and suggest activities for my consideration.  periodically check on this entry as more will be added by the hours and days to come!

• visit my family's home village of kompong berl
  
• take an elephant ride in the countryside
• watch a sunset of angkor on top of phnom bakheng
• kiss as many apsaras and indradevi statues as possible
• visit the beaches of kompong som
• volunteer at a local orphanage
• attend the cambodian film festival
• visit royal university of fine arts and attend as many lakhoun niyeay and bassac performances as possible
• interview talented young khmer artists
• attend a matching of pradal serey
• visit tuol sleng prison
• eat as many tropical fruits as possible
• your suggestion here

today's challenge:  climb mount si. 

here are the vital statistics to mount si.  the trail is roughly 8 miles long roundtrip, the height of 6 space needles; a total elevation of 4128 feet!  the trail begins at 500 ft.

the trip to north bend, washington hit a couple snags before our hike began.  first, a couple people ran late, which isnt a shock considering how early we started that morning.  and secondly, we were a little lost finding the headtrail until we made a quick stop at gas station for directions

so 9 brave and determined souls began the journey to the summit.  6 guys, 3 girls.  leading the pack was huy, a hiking guru.

our journey began innocently enough, with smiles and laughter as the group marched upward.  as a team, we stopped numerous times to compromise with the pace of others.  i on the other hand, in the competitive nature that i be, began to break off from the pact.  after a mile in, we split into two teams -- 4 on one, 5 on the other, where the former took the lead.  2 girls in my team of 4 showed signs of weakness and pain, so naturally, they slowed the group down.  i decided one mile into the trail to go solo.

little by little, i began to feel the pain in my legs.  the aching sensation slowed me down tremendously, and i began to worry that i wouldnt make it to the top.  besides, i lost all track of where i was along the trail.  i made a phone call asking where the midpoint was.  i was told that there would be a boardwalk with signs and benches.  goodness, have i not reach that point yet?!

however, more and more people going down the trail gave me hope that i wasnt far from the peak, but that was a false illusion.  i eventually made it to boardwalk; physically out of air!  i was told by those that made it to the top already that that the real challenge begins.  ohh, they weren't kidding!

the terrain was horrendous!  for most of the trail leading to the boardwalk, the surface was pretty level with scattered points of inclination.  but from here onward, the degrees began to increase and increase and that didnt help my legs!  nevertheless, i was still very far ahead of the two teams behind me, though i felt they were inching closer to me.  every 5 minutes or so, my legs gave up on me and i had to take a breather or guzzle some water.  i never though, had my foot planted still when i rest but at least try to move; even if it were the steps of ants.

my optimism to reaching the top didnt help as a couple hikers that passed me earlier began to descend without reaching the peak.  did i have enough strength to make it?  i questioned myself.

i had too though.  like the straight line etched in my palm represents (among other things), i was determined to conquer mount si.  i wasnt going to give up.  

so i continued.  and higher and higher i reached, i could almost smell the sweet taste of victory (and the sweat drenching my body and clothes).  at the 3/4 mark, i ran into the director for the company im working for now.  "you're only a half a mile to three-quarters left, you can make it!"

finally, finally .... at 1:06 PM, i made it to the summit!  chey yo! chey yo!  i called the crew.  i called my folks.  i text hella friends sharing them all my first thoughts.

the air up there was so fresh & clean!  the view overlooking snoquamie valley was breathtaking.  i could see the town of north bend.  i could see the nearby freeway and cars moving in the speed of snails.  i laid in the sun feeling "new" again--my mind, body and soul.

an hour or so after reaching the summit, one member of the crew arrived.  i finallly had some companionship after being alone there, even though there were about 20 or so other groups enjoying the view.  i was told that 4 members from our crew "gave up" half way!  would the three others make it?

i came to climb the highest peak of mount si and i wasnt satisfied yet at this point.  bc back in the distance, another peak itched me to the challenge.  it was called the haystack,  an all rock surface at least 500 feet in height.  the level of difficulty was high; as its slope was at least 60-65 in degrees!

after a cold (actually, it was a bit warm at this time) victory beer, i was able to encourage one of the guys to join me for the challenge.  when we reached at the point of the start, we realized that this was tougher than initially thought.  people around us were moving sooo slow, being extra cautious not to step on loose rocks and finding their perfect grip.  honestly, i was a bit discourage but yet, i had to do it! 

we made it to the highest peak in 18 minutes!!!  going back down was the toughest -- we had to walk like lobsters!  i felt completely satisfied!

this hiking trip and conquering mount si reaffirmed my character; one of determination and will power.  i persisted despite my physical and mental conditions and came on top (literally). 

another day, another new challenge awaits me....

thoughts, reactions, comments are highly encouraged.

rise and sunshine!  we're heading out on an all day work trip to westport, washington, 3 hours southwest of seattle by the pacific coast. 

it was sprinking that morning.  one of the youth called at 6ish.  "so, is the trip cancelled?" this was his first and only sentence.  "just because its raining here, does that mean the weather is the same 150 miles away from us?"  i replied.  silent, he was.  haha, i'm always a smart alec to my kids at work. 

despite these morning drizzles, the gang of 13 departed on time.  we arrive at this sleepy, fishing community of 2,000 at around 1030 am.  the weather was somewhat gloomy, though no sprinkles.

first thing we did was to scope out for a bbq site near the ocean.  after we found our spot, we could set up our supplies and proceed with some of our scheduled activities.  a couple of them built a nice sand replica of angkor wat.  a couple dared to play in the ocean.  but the majority of our time on the beach was reserved for full contact football.  after a full bbq meal (man, i was soooo stuffed), all of us continued with the friendly match.  after two staff had minor dislocation in their legs, several bruises over their bodies, and so much sand all ourselves, the game came to an end at a sudden death play.  on fourth and goal, my team scored the winning touchdown!

after lunch and football, we went into town to do some sight-seeing.  one of the kids caught a crab.  i took pictures off the observation tower overlooking the monstrous pacific ocean.  several others just got their feet wet on the beach. 

what seems to be the kids most enjoyable time was our go-kart racing.  this was my first time as for most of them and boy, we all had a blast!  now i can feel what it must be like behind stock car racing (well, minus the high speeds).

after a quick stop for some ice cream and slurpees, we finally departed westport back to seattle at 430.

summertime is all about fun in the sun!  so... has anyone visited the place or nearby ocean shores before?  though im not much for water activities bc i cant swim (or float for that matter), i still enjoy being near the water.  has anyone visited the beach or done any fun water activities this summer yet?  if not, what are you waiting for?  the sun and much of summer is dwindling down ....

pictures from the trip taken by yours truly will be printed and scan soon.

i got It bad, real bad -- insomnia fools!  whatcha thinkin, kiddo?

in our efforts to bring closer solidarity, friendship, and a stronger line of communication between khmer student leaders, a friend and i are ambitiously compiling a master list of khmer student organizations in the us.  as it stands today, we have the first figure of 65 different groups found in 63 different universities, colleges and high schools across east and west.  below are the list of schools with omitted information such as e-mail address, webpage, and other relevant facts.  if you don't see your school and/or aware of any other group not mentioned below, please help contribute to this project.  send all submissions to:  phatry.pan@gmail.com

the suggested format is as follows:

OFFICIAL NAME: Rajana Society (RS)
SCHOOL/UNIVERSITY: University of Washington
LOCATION: Seattle, Washington
E-MAIL: rajana@u.washington.edu
HOMEPAGE: http://www.rajana.org
MISSION/PURPOSE: * "To advance Khmer arts & entertainment."
*Optional

Without further dues, here are the current list of schools with records of a Khmer student organization, as arranged alphabetically by states:

Arizona State University
UC Berkeley                                                                        
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UC Los Angeles
UC Riverside
UC San Diego
UC Santa Barbara
UC Santa Cruz
CSU Fresno
CSU Fullerton
CSU Long Beach
CSU Polytechnic University
CSU Sacramento
San Diego State University
San Jose State University
California Polytechnic State University
De Anza College
University of the Pacific
Stanford University
Fresno College
Long Beach City College
University of Colorado
University of Connecticut
Yale University
University of Florida
Georgia Institute of Technology
University of Hawaii, Manoa
UMD Baltimore County
UMD College Park
Montgomery Blair HS
UMass Amherst
UMass Boston
UMass Lowell
Masscuchsetts Institute of Technology
Northeastern University
UMN Twin Cities           
Mankato State University
Ohio University
Ohio State University
Oregon State University
Portland State University
University of Pennsylvania
Penn State University
Drexel University
Temple University
University of Rhode Island
Brown University
University of Virginia
College of William & Mary
George Mason University
University of Washington
Western Washington University
Washington State University
Seattle University
Evergreen College
Highline Community College
Pierce Community College
Shoreline Community College
South Seattle Community College
Tacoma Community College
University of Wisconsin

for work or play, commuting in this southside seattle neighborhood have seen a sharp rise of waving middle fingers, honking cars and screaming motorists.  i am guilty as all. and all this because of a mass urban redevelopment project called othello station.

when fully completed, this newest seattle neighborhood will include new retail and office space, mix housing for low-income families, first time buyers that encourages minorities, several new parks, pedestrian friendly trails, and the grand daddy of them all, a light rail stop dubbed othello station.

and although my residency left in seattle is dwindling, these last 1.5 yrs of commuting in and around the area has been increasingly frustrating.  we already rank second or third weekly in worst traffic cities in the nation (we duke out with dc).  for example, today as i left to a cafe via i-5, the new redesigned stoplight on othello st. and mlk, which marks the hub of development, simply act a fool!  motorists from about 10 diferent angles moved in the speed of ants.  a usual 15 min drive to my destination ended up 15 more than usual.

don't get me wrong, i do support this project (along with the seemlingly extinct $11 billion monorail expansion project) and give high accolades to the city planners.  side note:  my brother's property went up almost 40%!  however, its just ridiculous how life behind the wheel these days continue to rise!  urggh, i can't wait to relocate. 

monday. 11th.  work resumed fresh at 9 o'clock.  three members of the parks crew came in on their off day for an appointment to discuss ways to make extra money this summer.  being only 15, it can be tough knowing about some of the resources available, but the four of us brainstormed ideas together.  for a couple hours, we worked compiling a 'master list' -- school background, job experience, volunteer experience, awards and recognition, computer skills, etc.  the three promise to return friday again on their off day to use information in composing a resume and cover letter.  they seem excited; who wouldn't?  i wish i had this kind of private mentorship at that tender age.

sent out a package to my cheese head. :p

tuesday.  12th.   parks crew reconvened at lakewood park (aka hick's lake) to faced our toughest challenge yet -- removing the stubborn 35-yr-old tree stump on top of the entrance hill.  when the team conferenced, we were optimistic to succeed with our goal of its removal by first shift which concludes at lunchtime of noon.  however, the stump resisted. 

at the start of the second and final work shift, we barely scratched the stump.  we needed a new strategy--uproot the foundation by attacking its base.  after a total of four hours plus, breaking one handle to a shovel, many battle scars on our arms, and dozens of micheal jackson type screams of frustration, we were victorious!  chey yo, chey yo! ;)  we rolled this bad boy down the hill, snap some poses in front of the stump and proceed in calling it a day.  what?  the crew filled with exultation.

wednesday.  13th.  the euphoria from the previous work day still had us on cloud nine.  but however, we knew a bigger challenge awaited us.  today we began at a new site, the area around the local pool facility.  the space is much larger than the entrance hill, with tons of overgrown thorn bushes, a monstrous rectangular border of flower beds that needed to be mulched, and a parking lot as big as half of a typical sports stadium (okay, a bit of exageration here, but go along with me).  we're gonna be here for at least a week and a half!

i caught up with three friends for happy hour at greenlake bar & grill.  this get-together is part of our weekly adventure to fulfill our project in creating the first "Unofficial Asian Guide to Happy Hour Dining in Seattle."  If you care to view our current list and read our reviews of various dining  establishments from three self-proclaim happy hour critics, e-mail me.  i'll give you the Truth.  but anyways, let me hear everyone's thoughts about restaurant tipping, a conversation that drew a split between the four of us that night.

question:  what is your criterium for tipping?  is it earned or should one stiff the waitor if s/he stiffs you with bad service?  would you not tip a person period?  speak your piece.

thursday.  14th.    since 530 pm after a long days worth of work, i've been home glued to the computer monitor.  i wasnt in the mood to do much of anything this evening, but to relax and catch up on some writings.  scanned some old drawings of my adorable little princesses.  if you like, you can view a couple in my growing photo album.  check them out, you won't be disappointed.

i pinky sweared i'd go bed by 1 am, so i must wrap this entry now :p

i know i kept yall waiting a bit longer than usual with my latest blog, but i promise something will be up to recapitulate my last couple days of activities.  promise. 

some cheese head told me the classic fortune cookie comment, "patience is a virtue."  so ponder that for a minute and next time you visit this page, expect some new material.