Over 1,000!

  Today is a special day! My blog has over 1,000 views! 

How do I know this? Blogspot has a 'Stats' page where I can keep track of how many people view my posts on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. I can also see what sources they are getting my link from (mostly Facebook of course), the number of people from each country who are viewing, and from what operating system (Mac vs PC is about 50:50, Mac > PC). I check the stats often to see which posts are most popular and how many views I get each day. I was very surprised when I found out that my blog had so many views! I didn't expect it to become so popular so fast! Maybe part of the reasoning is that whenever you put a link to anything on Facebook it appears on all your friends' news feeds. Even if someone doesn't know you very well, they will follow the link if they're bored enough. Although I'm sure that my friends and family are viewing out of curiosity and not boredom. 

  Now comes the fun part. I'd like to try a little competition. I've been writing to all of you for a few months, so now it's your turn to write to me. The rules are simple: write an email or Facebook message to me and tell me what you think about my blog so far. Tell me what you like about it, what you think about the music, and any questions you may have to help me improve my blogging. What's the prize? I'll mail some goodies to you from Thailand! I can't send much because of mail restrictions, but I'll include a personal letter to you with some souvenirs! A few of you already have packages on their way to you...I'll let that be a surprise. The first three people who write to me will receive the prize! Thanks to all the viewers and I hope to hear from you soon! Hopefully this idea will work...eyes on the prize ya'll. 

Contact: rynisley@gmail.com or send me a Facebook inbox message

  Song of the Day:

This song was released last summer and has been picking up steam ever since. It's still a great summer anthem with a rebellious video to match. Click on the song title to receive a free download!

The Naked and Famous - 'Young Blood'

Farang Chang Gang

  Here beginneth the Farang's Tale of Koh Chang. Farang means "foreigner" in Thai. We've become accustomed to the title bestowed upon us by the natives and regularly make fun of ourselves and other foreigners. The word Chang means "elephant," referring either to the island, the animal or the famous Thai beer. For our gang it might as well be all three meanings. Any Farang would pronounce the name of the group as it looks, but I prefer the Thai-English accent with the short "A" sound as "Farahng Chahng Gahng." My trip to Koh Chang consisted of some time on the beach, a scooter adventure around the entire island and a snorkeling trip to four smaller islands. 
On the first day we checked into Paradise Cottage and explored the area close to our bungalows. As you can see from my pictures on Facebook we were very close to the beach. Although it wasn't ideal for swimming because of the rocks, the view was wonderful. The place was located at the edge of the jungle, a bit more secluded from the touristy parts of the island. To get to the main road from the bungalows there was a long driveway uphill through the jungle. We really had a great location because there were many restaurants lined up on both sides of the road. Our favorite place was a Mexican restaurant that we could easily walk to. The only thing more enjoyable than the relaxing atmosphere of the restaurant was the food. It was like having dinner in someone's back yard. If you know me, I'm not the biggest fan of Mexican food, however I must say that it was the best Mexican food I've ever had. Maybe my longing for a fresh cuisine change had something to do with it, but it was so good that all of us went back two more nights. Although it was rainy for most of the first day, that didn't stop us from catching some great waves in a rainstorm. 


  On day two everyone rented scooter bikes for a motorcade around the perimeter of the island.  Renting a bike was easy. The only requirements were a driver's license and 150B. Driving it was the tricky part; especially on narrow, slippery roads like a winding Hot Wheels track. This was my first time driving a scooter, so my anxiety rivaled my sense of excitement. Once everyone rented their bikes and gathered to hit the road, we officially became the Farang Chang (Biker) Gang. I wish I could've video taped my point of view while driving the scooter to capture the scenery I passed. I had to resist rubber-necking as I passed jungles, villages, shopping areas and breathtaking beaches. One of my favorite pit stops was at the pier where I took some photos. We found it by accident and road our bikes out to the end to check out the view. Underneath we took some group photos that resulted in a tunnel effect. We look like a pretty intimidating biker gang if you ask me. The other memorable stop occurred at the waterfall. We parked our bikes in front of someone's house and walked through the jungle to get to the waterfall stream. Upon reaching the stream I took off my shoes and gingerly slid across moss-covered boulders before climbing steep stairs carved into a stone wall. My slow, dainty ascent was totally worthwhile. The waterfall was an awesome sight and a lot of fun to swim in. Me and the other guys climbed up to the second pool and back down to the first, being careful not to slip. Thankfully it stopped raining briefly during our time at the waterfall. It seemed like a storm cloud was following us around the entire island because it rained so often. 
After the waterfall, made our way back to the bungalows through periodic downpours. Naturally, the roads became quite slick, so I knew better to slow my pace. The thing about slowing down is that you need to know which brake to grip. At one point I was slowing down to get behind a line of traffic when I grabbed the wrong brake - wipe out. I wasn't going too fast, but I quickly grabbed the front brake instead of the back, causing the front wheel to lock and the back to slide out. Down I went. My Oakleys shattered upon impact, which means a nice pair of Ray Bans are in order. I walked away with a few cuts and bruises, no big deal. Eventually we made it back to the bungalows, where we proceeded to eat Mexican food again. I required a large beer. 


  Day three started early around 8am as we boarded a boat for snorkeling at four small islands. At 500B, the trip was quite a deal. It took FOREVER to get to the first island - over an hour on choppy seas. Luckily, I didn't boot over the side like a few other farangs. When we got to the first island, which was basically a bunch of boulders and trees, we jumped in the water and swam around the small island. It was a great experience trying to swim while tropical fish are fluttering passed you. I could almost grab them. From the surface I could obviously see a lot of coral and urchins, but there were only a few fish in the coral. Snorkeling was pretty suspenseful! I was convinced that I would see some kind of predator lurking in the coral or rocks, but the reef was very peaceful. Maybe the school of flapping farangs scared them away. At the second island, which was similar to the first, we spent our time jumping off the side of the boat into the water. Some were doing all kinds of flips from thirty feet above the water! You can criticize me all you want for holding back, but I wanted to survive the trip without anymore physical ailments. I jumped a number of times and dove once. The third island had a beautiful beach, so I swam on land and walked around before snorkeling in shallow coral where the water was crystal clear. Not many critters, only a few sea cucumbers. The last island had a few buildings on it for tourists. We had time to hang out in the water, which was so warm that it truly felt like hot tub temperature until I waded farther out. I took some great photos of the beaches and really enjoyed the experience. I can't imagine how much that snorkeling would cost if Americans were running the show. Probably hundreds of dollars, meanwhile we payed less than $20 (500B ~ $20). Can't beat that!
Later that night the drinking commenced at Paradise Cottage before going on a drunken search for a full moon party. Every major island has a full moon party when the time comes, but on Koh Chang (nicknamed "Reggae Island") I'm sure most of the natives were too baked to throw a proper party. So, our search didn't yield any desirable results comparable to the Koh Samet party, however we found a bar on the beach where I reclined under a palm tree and sipped my drink as the ocean crashed in front of me. 


Song of the Day:
  I've been listening to this song quite frequently. It's a new tune from DOM, an up-and-coming Indie band with some promising material. In my mind it serves as a good montage song for fun in the sun. It's easy to see myself zipping around on my scooter, jumping off the boat and swimming through shoals of fish in my own music video. Well, I can't embed that video into the post, so I'll just encourage you to listen to it. Listen >>> Dom
  So, now I'm going to choose another song that I think could also fit as a fun montage music video. The people in the video rip off their clothes and run into the ocean - that's what I'm talkin' about. I'm all about the chorus: "Oh when I die / when I disappear / leave my bones behind". I love the energy of the song and the message about having fun while you can because time is fleeting. Gotta enjoy the good times while you can! 
Crocodiles - 'Hearts of Love'

Football Fanaticism

  Before I narrate my trip to Koh Chang, let me recap a pre-trip event. Last Thursday I traveled with the Thai teacher soccer players to a tournament at a Catholic school a few hours away. It's kind of funny how it worked out because I accidentally joined the team. A few weeks ago a few players from Chelsea FC came to St. Gabriel's for reasons unknown to me. Naturally, I got my hopes up and fantasized about what star football celebrities would possibly come to the school.  That morning I called my supervisor to ask her about helping with the program so I could interact with at least one of the famous players. After some investigation of the school grounds there were no famous footballers in sight, so that was quite a let-down. Only a few unfamiliar subs or B-team members showed up. Too good to be true. But so many unbelievable things have happened here already that I was caught up in the moment. Anyway, I have been playing pick-up games a few times a week after school (foreign teachers versus Thai teachers). So when I was talking to my supervisor I guess I phrased my question in a misleading way, so a miscommunication lead to signing me up to join the Thai teachers for a soccer tournament! Due to another schedule change, my Thursday became free of classes. I dragged myself onto the bus at 6:15am to go to St. Louis School, which is a few hours outside of Bangkok. The school is much bigger than St. Gabriel's and coed.

  Our first game was very exciting. Our faulty keeper let up two easy goals in the beginning, but we managed to score one before half time. In the second half we came back and scored two more to make the score 3-2. That didn't last long because the other team tied the game 3-3 on a lucky free kick right before the final whistle. We narrowly lost in penalty kicks, but it was a great game. I didn't play during the first game because it was so intense. I played most of our second game that we won 4-1. Running in the brutal heat when you're out of shape is just miserable, yet I was happy with how I played considering the circumstances. Our team placed third in the tournament and was awarded a baby trophy at a post-game dinner ceremony on the campus. We joked about cutting of the top of the cup to take shots from it. A few of the teams attended the dinner to feast on the plethora of Chinese/Thai dishes and to receive their trophy. The food seemed endless. The highlight of the meal was shark fin soup, which is an expensive delicacy in Thailand. It was great to try so many new foods and meet new Thai friends. We all had fun singing drunken Karaoke throughout the dinner. The drinking didn't stop there...the bus ride home involved road beers and learning more Thai phrases from the teachers. It was a long day that turned into a long night because I had plans to leave for the beach early Friday morning at 7am. I got back to St. Gabriel's around 11pm and immediately proceeded to pack my bag for my trip. Instead of leaving campus at 5am on Friday, I hopped in a cab with my friend around midnight on Thursday to stay the night at ABAC (Assumption University) with other Loyola friends. I was absolutely exhausted by the time we got to ABAC, so I passed out quickly. Waking up at 6am (again) on Friday was aggravating, but I did my best to sleep during the five hour van ride to the beach. By the way, we did not have school this passed Friday and Monday because of midterms and a holiday. 


  Song of the Day:
This song is a one-hit wonder like most great 90's songs. Somehow the song popped into my head the day before we left for the tournament and became one of my pre-game pump-up jams. I'm so glad my brain resurrected this forgotten treasure!
Wiseguys - 'Start the Commotion'

The Pre-Screen Era

  I grew up in the final years of the Pre-Screen Era; the blissful days of my innocent youth playing outside and living a carefree and (mostly) screen-free life. This term was recently introduced to me to describe my generation and its increasing dependence on technology: specifically, the computer screen. Today, this also includes the TV screen and phone screen for young kids. We demand instant gratification from our global devices, creating a malleable virtual world that surpasses real time, thus making the physical world and its standard of time feel slow and therefore obsolete. Impatience with the real world time is frustrating and ridiculous - waiting (for anything) becomes a waste of time. We may be virtually ahead of time and more socially connected, but our connections are more virtual than physical. I'm sure there are inconsistencies or mistakes in this post, but it's just a fun way for me to examine the situation at hand. 
  Now for a flashback...When I look back on my basic use of screens in the past, the first device that comes to mind is the television. I used to watch Disney movies like it was my job, but it was an essential part of my childhood, so I look back on that fondly. Anyone else my age can relate with the sense of nostalgia. The same can be said for the evolving video games we grew up with. Sega Genesis, Gameboy, Nintendo 64, Xbox, Wii. With each new console came an increase of time commitment and involvement, creating the sense that time is not being wasted, but spent playing your favorite game. We play because we want to master the game and be virtually rewarded for our accomplishments. 
  Thank goodness that cell phones were primitive tools when I was a pre-teen. I can remember a time when none of my friends had cell phones. Life was more relaxed and less distracting. I remember calling my friend Shane's house (something that even now is rare) and asking one of his parents if he was home and able to play. There were always two possible outcomes: if the answer was 'No,' I could always call another friend, or I could ask where to find him, then take the initiative to hop on some childhood vehicle (skateboard, bike, etc) and venture out on my own to find him. Even if I traveled all around town to search with no result, at least I was getting some exercise and fresh air. Plus there was always the possibility of making new plans along the way by stopping by other friends' houses. If the answer was 'Yes,' I remembered there always being some sense of excitement that I was lucky enough to catch them with free time. Looking back on either instance, maybe spending time with friends then meant more on a personal level. It's difficult to explain, but friendships were built and established through more personal interaction than screen-to-screen social media contact like Facebook and texting. That example may not seem much different than today. The key difference for me is the fact that at that age it was more difficult to follow my friends' whereabouts. House phone was the only way to go (in terms of technology) for a period of time. 
  I think the younger generations (including my own) are becoming content with a lack of personal contact with friends. If a friend can't be reached by a cell phone call, a text is the next best means of contact. No answer? Text or call a friend, try Facebook. No one is available? Then just stay at home and watch TV. It's excessive, but it's true in many cases.  When friends are not available, screens are always there. The initiative to locate friends is well, initiated more commonly through social media rather than social interaction. If you go out of the house to find your friends but return empty handed, it's considered a waste of time. Even after going out with friends, at the end of the night we go back to the computer and chat with them or others online - I'm certainly guilty of it. 
  Wait a minute, why did you go off on this tangent? Well, yesterday I watched a Youtube video on reforming public education to compensate for the rising technologically distracted generations. This video made me think about my own behavior while using various forms of technology (or screens); more specifically, how frequently I use them and the extent of my dependence on them. I try to use Facebook often so I can keep in touch with friends and family back home, but I'm letting it distract me from doing more in the present time. Hence, trying to be virtually social is making me less personally social. I don't watch TV at all here or use my phone as often as I do back home, so the computer is my main media source. 
  So what? I hope that after you read my little article that you will watch the entirety of the videos below and reflect on your media usage and dependence, among other topics discussed. I think these videos have the potential to be influential to many people, and I hope they make you think about thinking. Maybe I'll revisit this page and add to it, but until then I hope you find these videos as interesting as they are entertaining! The first video is a presentation on reforming public education. The second video is a presentation on how perspectives of time affect our work and health. Before we know it our perceptions of virtual and physical time will be so warped that workers will be payed with reality checks! 


RSA - Changing Educational Paradigms

RSA - The Secret Powers of Time

Dance Club vs Beat-Down Club

  I picked up a cold just in time for the weekend, which slowed me down, but didn't stop me from going out and having some fun. First, I'll start with my Thai dancing experience on Thursday. A small group of Loyola teachers performed a traditional Thai style dance in front of the entire school on Thursday morning. It's an annual event that occurs here. The American teachers are encouraged to participate in either a Thai or American style dance, meanwhile some Thai student dance groups also perform. We had been practicing our dance routine for a few weeks, so we were pretty comfortable with the moves by the time of the performance. It actually wasn't as complicated as one might think; we basically marched around and waved our hands in the air for a few minutes. But we all had fun learning the dance and performing, plus we got to wear costumes that made the guys look like Thai princes. Hopefully I'll find some pictures or a video to post. The American dance consisted of a complicated routine set to the song 'Whip My Hair' by Will Smith's annoying ten-year-old daughter. Obviously, I preferred Thai dancing. 


  On Friday night I went to the club Route 66 to celebrate a fellow Loyola teacher's birthday. We had a great time dancing to a mix of every new pop song out there, and celebrated with a few new Thai friends that we met that night. If you ever see a group of Thai friends partying at a bar or club, odds are they want to party with Westerners if they can. Plus, they're likely to give you free drinks! So, you're always in for a good time. When it came time to get a cab home, a street fight erupted directly in front of us, giving us a great view of the action. I saw a drunken Thai kid yelling at a cab driver from outside the car while repeatedly slamming the cab door with the driver inside. I had no idea what the problem was, but I assumed the kid was angry about getting ripped off, seeing as he was flipping out. This went on for about five minutes, meanwhile the cab driver directly behind them got out of his car and proceeded to get a weapon from the trunk of his cab. He removed a giant nightstick and attacked the drunk Thai kid, but it wasn't long before the kid put the cab driver in a headlock. That didn't seem to deter the driver from further violence, so the kid threw the man onto the street and beat the crap out of him with his own weapon. It all happened in a matter of minutes, with the kid limping away in victory and the driver writhing in pain on the ground. Somehow the man managed to get back into his cab after taking a serious beating. After checking the health of the driver we hopped in our own cab to get back to campus. 


Saturday was more relaxing, with a journey to Wat Po (temple of the reclining Buddha). There are many pictures and a video on Facebook, but it was a great day to walk around the city. The heat was tolerable for the most part, so I didn't tire out as quickly. It was as easy as walking to the bridge and taking a riverboat down to the correct dock closest to the temple. The pictures really say it all, but I found the pagodas to be particularly interesting. I had no idea that there was a difference in pagoda styles of Asian countries. Thai pagodas are the giant pointed structures throughout the temple grounds. They were usually built to enshrine Buddhist relics like ashes. As for the reclining Buddha itself, aside from being ridiculously huge, it was quite a sight to behold. It made me question how it was built: whether the Buddha or the temple was built first. I concluded that the statue was probably constructed after the temple, to avoid any damage to the golden shrine. We avoided getting a tour guide because it was more money than any of us felt like paying, and we couldn't get our teacher discount. I think we were all too sweaty and uncomfortable to pay attention anyway. But it was quite a sight to behold! 


Song of the Day:
 A sombre, yet contemplative song from Swedish singer Lykke Li. You may know her from her popular song, 'Get Some,' which has almost three million Youtube views! This song is more electronic than those on her album, featuring Andreas Kleerup, a Swedish electronic musician. 
Kleerup feat. Lykke Li - 'Until We Bleed'

America's Birthday Weekend

  Fourth of July weekend turned out to be a pretty interesting sequence of events, from Khao San Road on Friday, to our July 4th celebration on Saturday, and a walking adventure across the city on Sunday. I had a tough time making up my mind on Friday night, as I was torn between two options for going out. Option 1 involved going to the area of the city that included some great clubs like Bed Supper and QBar. Although they were expensive, I was anxious to see more of those clubs. Option 2 consisted of going with the entire group to a new club called "Culture One". It looked like a great place to go, but I was more inclined to travel with a few people rather than a large group. Since I was being so indecisive, I finally decided to join the big group and go to the dance club. I figured it would be a good time, but when we got lost multiple times along the way, I instantly became frustrated. Long story short, we didn't make it to the club, so we gave up and went to Khao San. The night wasn't a total mess because I met two friendly Thai guys at an outdoor bar and talked with them for an hour or so. The one who spoke English well introduced himself as "Beaver," which cracked me up. I guess he did have a rather round face and large front teeth...but the other barely spoke a word of English. Beaver was a nice guy who recently graduated as a chef from a culinary school in Bangkok. He told me that he is well versed in different cuisines, so I asked him to befriend me on Facebook and recommend some places to eat. We'll see what happens!


  We celebrated July 4 on July 2 because the US Embassy sponsored an Independence Day party at an international school nearby. Plus we didn't want to party hard on a school night. All of the Loyola teachers piled into a bus with broken A/C and the ride lasted over an hour. Just to give you an idea of how hot it was on the moving bus, we all sweat through our clothes and when we finally arrived and stepped off the bus, the outside temperature felt cold. Keep in mind that the weather is usually around 90 F every day. So I don't want to know the exact temperature of the bus. The extreme heat made everyone a little crazy. The celebration took place outside in the courtyard of the school. The place was lined with food stands and beer stands serving all kinds of American food. I ate a hamburger and hot dog and split a bottle of wine with a friend. I didn't eat as much as I planned because the food was pretty expensive. A storm eventually rolled through and soaked the place for a few hours. I watched from the sidelines during the muddy tug of war, but I eventually went out there to dance in the mud when the music started playing. We all had a great time eating, drinking and dancing outside in the rain. Since the celebration took up most of our day, we decided just to hang out in the dorm Saturday night and relax. I think everyone passed out relatively early. 


  On Sunday I teamed up with a small group to walk around the city to different temples. We didn't pay any guides to explain the sights to us, so we just wandered around taking pictures and admiring the ancient artwork. I found it interesting that even in such a loud and energetic city, the temples remain perfectly peaceful and silent inside. Sometimes you forget you're in the city when the temples block all the outside noise. My pictures from the day all seem to look the same, but I assure you I walked to three different temples. That day was one of the most exhausting days of walking so far. I think I walked constantly from 11am to around 3pm in the extreme heat with only a few mini pancakes in me from breakfast. Somehow we found it difficult to find a decent place to eat that whole time until we got back to campus. When I finally arrived at a familiar local restaurant nicknamed the "Green Stool Palace," I devoured some fried rice with pork. I find the nickname of this place hilarious simply because we can't pronounce the actual name of the restaurant, so the nickname helps us identify where the place is. The restaurant is so small that the kitchen is outside on the sidewalk, while the inside is packed with small tables accompanied by little green stools to sit on. Another favorite dining locale is nicknamed "MJ's." At first I thought this was the actual name of the restaurant because I'm a moron, but I soon learned that the place apparently got its nickname from the appearance of the male cook who used to wear enough makeup to look like Michael Jackson. Maybe the cook gave up his act when the real MJ died, because nowadays I don't see any traces of makeup. I heard last year he made a striking resemblance to the late King of Pop. I wonder if he can moonwalk... Anyway, after I ate at the Green Stool Palace I passed out in bed for a while, then relaxed with friends until the end of the day. All in all a good weekend. 


Song of the Day:
  A song that I first heard while working at WLOY this past year, which I didn't think anything of until I heard it on WTMD (Towson) while driving around Baltimore with friends. Then I realized how important the song was. Now it has over 5 million views on Youtube! Sometimes a song takes a while to sink in. But this one is very relaxed and carefree. It seems like a rather fitting song for summer and our antics at the July 4 party.
Foster the People - 'Pumped Up Kicks'

Childhood's End, Vie Hotel Fashion Show

  This week I found myself buried under piles of writing samples from each of the classes that I teach. The students are practicing their writing skills in order to prepare themselves for a Mother's Day letter that they will compose for their mothers. Currently they're working on introductory paragraphs about themselves: their family, activities they do with their friends, and their likes and dislikes. I thought the grading would never end. I had four piles of sixty paragraphs to correct. It was interesting to read the well crafted essays and learn about the students' aspirations and family life, but the task of grading so many papers was maddening. I shouldn't complain though because I barely had to teach at all this week. The M4 and M6 students had tests and military training, so I've been in the office all week. As I read the papers I took note of what ambitions the students described in their writing. Most students want to practice a profession similar to their parents, like becoming a doctor or an architect because they respect their parents' work. Yet there are still the independent students who want to be musicians regardless of what their parents want them to be when they grow up. This got me thinking about what my ambitions were when I was younger. I'm pretty sure I had no idea what I wanted to do when I was their age. I just wanted to graduate high school at that point. I guess I've been interested in the NSA for some time now, but that's more of an ongoing project than a definitive plan. But for now, I'll be 'teachah' until next May. Who knows what other job opportunities will appear in the near future!


  Last night Fresh invited me to a spa fashion show at the Vie Hotel. Pictures will be posted soon, but the venue was small compared to other places I've been. There was an area with a backdrop for photos with a wine and mixed drinks bar. Naturally, most of the people mingled in this room, taking pictures with their friends and socializing with everyone. I met many new friends and attempted to improve my networking abilities, if I have any. But it's all about meeting people, whether or not you're there for business. The other room of the venue was set up for the fashion show. There was a carpet runway, a stage and an attractive female dj playing some tunes. This show featured elegant models in dresses who were absolutely stunning. When the show ended there was a raffle for an assortment of prizes from various sponsors of the event. Name after name was picked for all kinds of prizes announced in Thai, so I was only listening for a mispronounced version of my name. My two friends and I waited for about twenty minutes while the event hosts drew names and finally my friend Walter won! We died laughing because we figured one of our names would be called sooner or later since it was taking so long to find winners. Walter won a six month free membership to the five star gym at the hotel, worth 15,000B. Lucky guy. Although I didn't luck out with any prizes, I definitely consider the night to be a success because I met so many people. Stay tuned for my recap of my July 4th celebration, sponsored by the US Embassy!


Song of the Day:
 As I was reminiscing earlier of years gone by, I stumbled upon a song by Baltimore native Noah Lennox of Animal Collective. I found his collaboration with Atlas Sound to be pleasantly nostalgic and relaxing. The video fits well with the song, utilizing vintage footage of a boy who dreams of being an astronaut one day. "What did you want to see? What did you want to be when you grew up?" 
Atlas Sound w. Noah Lennox - 'Walkabout'