Tag: Life

Will I ever stay?

The answer is a very simple no. I’ve asked myself countless times. Traveling and moving always come first. I can see myself settling down but I just can’t get around to actually doing it. I hate leaving things behind I do, but once I’m in a new place all those things don’t seem to matter as much. I have my health, my memories, and my experiences with me…what more do I need? I really don’t care about a lot of stuff, not that they aren’t important, I just, well, don’t care.

Someone once asked me: Will you ever stay…for love? The simple answer would be again, no. Nevertheless, people tend to follow these yes or no questions with…why? Well, simply because my desire to travel is stronger than any other feelings I might have. ‘Pero el amor es el sentimiento mas fuerte que los demás’. Sure, I agree with that, and I’ve come very close to compromising but somehow, the thought of traveling and seeing the rest of the world comes out on top. I would give it a shot, I have been giving it a shot, but it’s just not happening. ‘All you need is love’, not me. ‘Love can withstand anything’, perhaps. If that’s true then love can wait (I am kind of in love).

I’m generalizing though…there are so many circumstances and I’m about to contradict myself by quoting Spider-Man: ‘Sometimes, to do what’s right, we have to be steady and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams.’ Truth be told this quote is definitely one of my favs. If my family needs me to stay, then yeah, I’m willing to give up my dreams, but if they “want” me to stay, then maybe. Now I’m gonna quote House: ‘You can’t always get what you want’, and now I’m gonna quote Into the Wild: ‘When you want something in life, you just gotta reach out and grab it’. On the surface, these seem like contradictions, but really, they go hand in hand. Think about it…no really, think about it! I’m not about to explain. Hmm, my wifey was just on tv with her music video”Suerte”.

All in all, take what has meaning, and leave the rest behind.

Hurray for a sunny Saturday!

It was a beautiful morning. It’s still very sunny right now, which is very fortunate because it’s been raining non-stop for the past 2 weeks. The breeze under the Costa Rican sun reminds me of summer in Hawai’i and California. Summer is coming! What is it about a sunny day that takes all the worries and stresses away?

Christmas is right around the corner. This Christmas is going to be my first Christmas away from home. It’s going to be FUN! All the plans are still up in the air but I’m definitely not staying in San Jose. The atmosphere is different here. For the past month or so Christmas decorations were already put up by Ticos, which made sense since most of the population here are Catholic. Cristo de Sabanilla is right up the street from the house. It’s going to be interesting going to mass here (even though I’m not really Catholic nor Christian nor do I associate myself with a certain religion), it’s always good to experience a different kind of, let’s just say, religion. It expands our worldview. It’s important to have knowledge about everything, even things that are not interesting to us. Damn, that sounds cheesy. Ah well. Just felt like putting something on.

Jeff Corwin is awesome.

Check out this article which gives a slight glimpse of memory recall.

Why do all good things come to an end…?

Flames to dust, lovers to friends, why do all good things come to an end? –> Great song by Nelly Furtado.

My good friend Andrew is leaving to go back to Atlanta in the next 8 hours or so. We had a great farewell party for him and also mixed with a birthday party for Julia and I. Bidding goodbye is the hardest thing to do. Time doesn’t really have much to do with how good a friendship is. It’s all in the moment. I’ve made great friends from knowing them for only a weekend, a month, a semester, to friends I’ve known since I was little. It’s all about connections, common grounds, and always a little bit of fate. When we think about how small this world really is, it’s destined, in a way, that certain people cross paths. Two people from different corners of the world with completely different backgrounds end up doing the same thing in the same place at the same time.

This world of ours is definitely a wonder. I mean, I never thought I would be here in Costa Rica teaching English. How did I end up here? What if things were different? What if I never moved to the US? I always try to imagine what it would be like. Maybe in another parallel universe, there’s another me that never left Hong Kong. Speaking of the universe, check this article out.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is I’ve bid a lot of goodbyes. I’ve been to 2 different elementary schools, 2 different middle schools, and three different universities. Some of the friends I completely lost contact with, others are scattered all over the world. It’s probable but unlikely that I’ll see many of them again. With the new age of the internet and social networks, keeping in touch is very easy, but different. Sure, we know how our friends are doing, what they’re up to, etc. but it’s different when we actually hang out with them, go out, have fun, and whatnot.

It’s sad to say goodbye, but we have to keep moving on. Just remember all the good times and bad, all the tears and joy, ups and downs. Treasure the memories and experiences that define you. Use it as strength to continue on with life. That’s how I always feel. Feels like I’ve been here forever, but it’s only been a month. Next thing you know, it’s time to leave. At first, it’s sad, then you feel glad to have made all these friends, and after you’re optimistic about encountering them again, and in the blink of an eye, you’re taking deep breaths and looking ahead, looking out the plane window or bus or whatever kind of transportation remembering all the incidents and such. Then smiling, then eyes get watery, then the guy/girl sitting next to you starts to eye you like you’re loco. That’s how it always is, for me anyway.

With that, this entry has come to an end. I’m heading to bed…it’s 6 in the damn morning…damn.

A trip down memory lane

I came across some cartoon theme songs that I remember listening to and watching growing up.

Link here

It’s in Chinese, Cantonese to be exact. These aren’t just some random cartoon songs, each one of them has meanings that guided our generation basically. It related to us and still does. Back in elementary school, I remember getting out of school, going home, and watching these cartoons. I dare say most of us watched and know all of these. Every day, cartoons first, then homework (maybe), for us boys we go down to the park after to play soccer and whatnot. That’s where you learn your swear words and such. Back then in Hong Kong, there were many neighborhoods, and most of them were, and still are, “estates” or “courts”. Each of them has a park, a market, and a mall. These neighborhoods are equivalent to barrios (en español). We were defined by the town or the area in which the neighborhood is (much like East Coast vs West Coast, or even area codes). Anyway, listening to these songs brings back many sentimientos and images en mi mente. 

My time frame of my childhood is basically stuck in the 90s because in 99 I left for the US. It’s interesting because I remember many times at home with mi amigos and the TV would be on a Chinese channel. I understood everything, but mi amigos, nada. This Chinese culture side that I have I rarely use or share, it only pops up occasionally in conversations, and most of the time I end up having to explain a lot. 

It’s weird cause I only have a few really good Chinese friends in Hawaii and a few in Hong Kong. That’s pretty much it. At one point in my life (high school I think), I avoided anything and everything relating to Chinese culture. I was resisting it and didn’t want to have anything to do with it. It didn’t make sense to me at the time, but now, of course, it does. Like every kid with a new toy, I despised the old ones because they’re old and they ain’t cool. Not until college did I appreciate how old and deep this culture is.

On another note, it’s Halloween tomorrow. One day where we can dress up as anything and no one would care; one day where we can pretend to be someone else; one day where we don’t have to be ourselves (Unless you’re an actor or actress). Time goes by fast around this time, Halloween then Thanksgiving, and before you know it it’s Christmas and New Year’s. Actually, this year will be the first time I’m spending Christmas and New Year away from home. Gotta plan something.

So, go trick or treating, watch some horror movies, eat some pumpkin pie, and carve some pumpkins on this All Hallows Eve.

When it is darkest, men see the stars

Ralph Waldo Emerson might have been right 200 years ago…

This past weekend we went to Cahuita and Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. The beaches were definitely the best part. Saturday night we went out onto the beach, brought our guitars, and played some great music. I looked up at the sky and recognized a few easy-to-spot constellations: Orion the Hunter to the East (which everyone knows – Orion’s belt), Rigel and Betelgeuse, Andromeda and Pegasus almost directly above, Cassiopeia to the North, and Cygnus to the Northwest. This is looking up from Costa Rica (and neighboring countries of course). It was interesting because even though the sky was clear as glass, it was still hard to spot some of these stars. It’s sad really. The main reason for this is mostly light pollution. When we think about pollution things like air and water pollution pop into the head. Light pollution? Most people don’t even know what it is.

The point is that human activities and development have had a profound effect on the environment. Modern society depends too much on these natural resources. We keep taking but not giving back, and soon, resources are going to run out. The environment can survive without us, but we can’t survive without it. Astronomy has had a long history going back to the Greek and Roman Empire, Egypt, and China. Imagine the night sky back then…no lights, not much pollution, and a view of the stars clear as night. How awesome is (well, was) that?

Many religions associate stars with gods and heaven. Most people would admit that stargazing on the beach with a loved one is perhaps one of the most romantic things to do. Well, soon there won’t be any stars to see because our atmosphere will be so polluted.

See for yourself

Hace mucho tiempo, cuando no había nada, eso es el tiempo que pueda ver claramente el mundo y el universo. Querría volver a eso tiempo.

So, look up to the sky, ponder about meanings, and enjoy the view while we still can.

Mind over matter

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy – commonly known as ‘broken heart syndrome’ is a weakening of the heart muscle due to severe emotional stress. Our mind controls everything and our brain gives off magnitudes of electromagnetic waves triggered by the constant firing of neurons. All these signals are received and interpreted by the brain and the appropriate response occurs, from blinking our eyes to breathing to playing sports. I’m sure everyone knows this. What intrigues me is not the physical aspect of our body but the mental aspect. The physical can be seen, has been proven and there are certain natural laws and rules to it. The mental or emotional, however, does not follow any kind of rules.

True, there are studies and statistics but these only apply to that set of subjects and should not be used to generalize and make the same assumptions on others. Two patients have the same sickness, one has a reason to live, and the other does not. Both are given the same treatment, but more than likely, the one who doesn’t want to live will die. We’ve seen and heard about these instances from news to TV shows to our friends. Ultimately, it comes down to a person’s will to live, to survive, to persevere. Hence, ‘Mind over matter’.

Science is based on theories proven by evidence over and over. Whether we choose to believe it or not, everything is made out of atoms, The Moon rotates around the Earth, the Earth rotates around the Sun, and everything that we feel or think are chemical reactions within our cells tissues, and veins. Many people would beg to differ. Many people want to believe that there is something more, something more than just plain old scientific facts. Einstein said it best: “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”

I read this book a few years ago titled The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired into our Genes by Dean H. Hamer. It was very interesting because Hamer hypothesized that religion and faith have a genetic component to it which we human beings inherit from our predecessors. Faith is a tricky concept that has different meanings to different people. Some put their faith in the government (insert sarcasm here), some in science, some in themselves, but others put their faith in ‘God’. I put that in quotation marks because I don’t believe there’s some sort of supreme being out there guiding us (no offense), but what I do believe is that this ‘God’ is more of an abstract concept that’s universal even though it’s interpreted differently in every religion (Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, etc). It represents an idea; it gives people hope; it lends us an invisible shoulder to lean on if you may, and believe me, many of us need that comfort.

So, after all that, what’s the point? I mean, there’s probably an answer out there but it will most likely be something that’s beyond our capacity of understanding. In the end, the only thing we do know is to believe in whatever we choose to believe and stick with it. Despite the myriad amount of clichés, there are of what I’m about to say, I’m still gonna say it: Just be yourself and everything will fall into place.

Good day.

I like Jello damnit!

McCain and his wittiness are funny I have to admit, I wonder how he comes up with them on the spot. I laughed out loud when he said: “nailing down Senator Obama’s various tax proposals is like nailing Jello to the wall.” Then Obama attacked back at McCain on tax policy saying: “the ‘Straight Talk Express’ lost a wheel on that one” (Referring to the Social Security problem). And, after all the back and forth, my favorite moment is when McCain shot back, pointing at Obama, and said “You know who voted for it? You might never know. That one” (Referring to the Energy Bill vote). Btw, I ain’t “your friend” McCain!

Full Transcript here

(FYI, I supported Obama from the start of the campaign) I agree with him that health care is a “right” for everyone. I agree with him that alternative energy is essential in reducing our energy consumption. I agree with him that we need to seek diplomatic solutions first working with our allies in dealing with foreign threats like Iran and North Korea. Most importantly, I agree with him in providing 95% of the middle-class tax cuts because they suffer the most and they are crucial to our economy.

The only thing I agree with McCain is his policy of providing “moral support” for Georgia and other post-Soviet Union countries.

Update: That One 08

Any-who, enough politics, I don’t really care that much. I was in downtown San Jose today again (and will be for days to come due to the necessary commute to Santa Ana), and when I was walking, I heard many conversations in Cantonese, which was very interesting because I only heard it once at a store down my street. This is why I LOVE languages, I can understand so many people without them knowing. There’s an inner urge to connect with people who speak the language we speak in a foreign country. I see this a lot, and it happens everywhere, even right here at the Casa, both of my French housemates hang out with French friends (haha…sounded like French Fries) studying or working here (If you’re reading this Cecile or Anne-Laure, just want you to know I love it). This occurs mostly by meeting friends through friends but it is true. For me, on the other hand, I only really “connected” with a few of my Cantonese friends. Most of the time when I meet someone and learn that they speak Cantonese or Mandarin I still use English, unless they ask me specifically. Just like when I’m asked where I’m from, I just say California and leave it as that. And when they ask me specifically my origin, then I would say Hong Kong. I do that to avoid all the stereotypical questions that (some) people ask, not that I care or am offended by it, it just annoys me. Well, that’s that.

On another note, commuting to Santa Ana SUCKS, it takes 2 hours to get there without traffic and 3 hours with. The seats on the buses are damn tiny and it gets hot as hell when it’s raining and all the windows are closed. The only good thing about commuting is the walk down Avenida Central (sometimes Avenida 1 depending on my mood at the time), and occasionally a pretty Tica sits next to me on the bus to and from Santa Ana (Yes I’m shallow, deal with it). After next week though I won’t need to go to Santa Ana since the new location of my school will be opened in Barrio California.

Oh, and uh, listen to Brett Dennen, he’s great.

Cheers!

Necesito ir a la playa


Summertime!

Originally uploaded by muha…

Just testing the flickr photo blogging feature…pero, en serio, tengo que descansar a la playa en una hamaca. Creo que voy a escribir algunos artículos en español. Mi mente necesita pensar en español. La verdad es que es difícil aprender el español mientras enseñando el ingles. Además, hay dos chicas francesas que viven conmigo y muchas veces les hablo en francés. Es bueno que puedo practicar mi francés también pero es muy confuso. Siempre mezclo los dos lenguajes. Bueno, en resumidas cuentas…Pura Vida!