Life with Chinese Characteristics, Chapter 16: Under the Sri Lankan sun

Enchantment is a word that often carries with it an allusion to fairy tales. Enchanted castles, enchanted forests, enchanting knights in shining armor. The word has taken on a new connotation for me throughout my travels. I have discovered a great deal of beauty as I have explored parts of South America and Asia; nestled in to rustic and quaint abodes, I have found many adventures and places of peace. Perhaps the first time that these two elements came together most deeply was when I landed in Cuzco and set out on the Inka trail with Liz. The lush green jungle in the cloud forest air that mingled with the history along those steps certainly did enchant me. The experience spoke to some part of my soul, filling me with awe and wonder. This past week I was enchanted by another land. 

I arrived very late to Villa de Zoysa, a yoga retreat two hours outside of Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo. When I awoke to take a closer look at my surroundings, I found immediately that the spirit of the villa and the space surrounding me awoke my spirit.

Morning sunlight filters into my room.

Stepping outside of my room, this was my first daylight view of the colonial home built in 1907.

The shala where we practiced yoga in the morning and early evening each day.

View of the pool and mansion from inside the shala. This was a beautifully serene place to practice yoga.

Kindred connections are those where some part of your soul awakens, and in standing in that land, or next to that person, you have a strong sense that you are just where you are supposed to be. And so it was with Sri Lanka.

I hope that you'll continue to read along with my words, both poetry and prose, to feel something of the charm of the 'The most beautiful island in the world.'

Above the white waves cresting

thin gossamer clouds form and float lazzily

under the Sri Lankan sun

Around the sun a large orb circles

Perhaps the sun's own kind of shadow --

-- not of darkness but of light

I lay my head back and breath in 

inhaling deeply the sweet sea air

The scene surrounding me is spotted by sunbathers,

friends running into the waves

as laughter rings out

and chimes in the breeze

a Sri Lankan woman wearing a baseball cap

to cover the top of her long braid

sells bright colored silk bed tapestries

while jet skiis play in the distance

and small boats rock gently in the water

as a lone snorkeler kicks by

Appearing rather sun-kissed here, those rays had their way with my
Northern Italian-German-Scandinavian
skin after an afternoon of sunbathing.

Sri Lankan scene -- roadside fruit market.

Sri Lankan scene -- stilt fishermen.

The sun sets in Sir Lanka

setting the sky on fire

reflecting onto the shore

After my day at the beach, I spent the following afternoon in Galle, a short tuk-tuk ride from the villa. 

An Unesco World Heritage Site, Galle is surrounded by an expansive wall as the city was founded by Portuguese colonialists in the 1500s. It is a town with a rich history. Walking its streets you will pass mosques, churches, museums, and Dutch colonial architecture. There are delightful cafes like Poonies where you may enjoy a light lunch surrounded by a lovely ambiance. 

Under the Sri Lankan sun I sit

atop the fort in Galle

Seagulls squak

lovers look into each others' eyes

Buddhist monks and European tourists traverse

the path along the ancient wall

Glass aquamarine waves keep rolling below me

creating hypnotic sounds of the sea

Villa de Zoysa is owned by a man named Devinda. He comes from a family with a rich and interesting history, and I hope some of you reading this post might some day get to sit and talk with Devinda about the stories of his past, and how his present came to be. He is an excellent host. One afternoon he took another guest, Lola who arrived from Paris, and me to a Buddhist temple that was off the beaten path. 

Sitting by the beach later this afternoon Devinda was telling me more about what he has learned from Buddhism. As large waves crashed into rocks that jutted out of the sea, Devinda spoke to me about the Middle Way. In Buddhist philosophy, the Middle Way is about balance. While the world is full of opposites, our work is to find the center of it all. I pondered this as I watched the rolling waves, mesmerized by their beauty. The pace of our modern approach to life often makes me feel that I am in the center of one of those waves, turning and rolling over, unable to find the surface, to catch my breath.

It was amidst all of the beauty that was my time in Sri Lanka that I found my center. Sri Lanka offers many opportunities to explore and discover, but I consciously chose to stay close to my abode for the week. Life in Shenzhen has been moving at a harried pace this year. What I was seeking on this trip was stillness. With a slower pace, both in yoga classes in the day's relaxing activities, my senses began to calm. 

She lives a dream

wholly awake.

Under the Sri Lankan sun

she opens her heart to the sea.

She is not a lady in waiting

She is not wishing

or wanting

She is already whole

in the world.

On my last night at Villa de Zoysa, Devinda took a group of us to another nearby temple. There we were blessed by a Buddhist monk as he tied a white string around our wrists. When we sat down to dinner after returning from the temple, I asked Devinda what the monk had said in his blessing. "I did not catch it all," he replied, but what I did hear was "May the wisdom, foresight and light guide you." And so it may be with all of us, this is my Easter prayer.

Chinese New Year 2018: #BacisInHawaii

After over 24 hours of travel back from Hawaii, I am curled up with Patacón in my Shenzhen living room, looking forlornly outside at our airpocalypse, already reminiscing about the blue skies in Maui and the sounds of my nieces laughing and playing in the pool. 

I do not know what I did in my past life, but it must have been a lot of good to be born into this Baci family. This past week was so full of fun ... and quotable moments from the chica littles. 

The week began in Honolulu with Cass and Tom. My youngest sister is the best self-appointed travel agent I have ever met. She does not know it yet, but I am about to begin using her for all of my Asia trips; the woman is a whiz at using Trip Advisor and bloggers to book the best restaurants and excursions. This winter she did the research for us and booked herself, Tom and I tickets to see Pearl Harbor. The past number of years I have read quite extensively about the history of other countries, but there is so much about my own country's history of which I am unaware. The 20 minute introductory film on what led up to Pearl Harbor as well as the events of December 7, 1941, and ferry out to the USS Arizona memorial was informative and moving. 

The memorial sits atop the submerged hull of the USS Arizona. The shape of the memorial is significant. Alfred Preis, the architect, said, "Wherein the structure sags in the center but stands strong and vigorous at the ends, expresses initial defeat and ultimate victory ... The overall effect is one of serenity. Overtones of sadness have been omitted to permit the individual to contemplate his own personal responses ... his innermost feelings."

The flag waved in a soft wind the day we visited. It was at half mast in memory of those recently lost in the Florida school shooting. Being an American, I have a passport that affords me great privilege. I am proud of my country in many ways, though this pride is not unwavering. I hope that we can do right by one another, and the children in our country as discussions of gun laws persist. My friend Lindsay's husband, J.P., recently wrote and published a piece in the MinnPost as part of the discussion.

After the 24 hour stopover in Honolulu, we flew to meet the rest of the crew in Maui. Living thousands of miles away with my furry princess, I miss out on many moments with my family. I was delighted to be present for so many precious moments on this trip. Especially for times when Gia Boo announces, with a blue mouth from her crushed ice, "A smurf came in my mouth last night." I'm. still. laughing. And happy to note that I have strong control of my bladder.

Engaging in conversations with the littles, or simply listening in to ones they were having with each other, was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Gia is a comedian without even knowing it, but she is also asking those questions of curiosity, like, "How are we on the world?" I cocked my head as I listened to Linds respond, wondering if I would take a spiritual or scientific approach to that one. 

Gia is also full of sage advice. I took her to the gym to workout with me the first morning that we were all together. She often works out with Linds and Jon at home. She brings the intensity, and diplomatically reminded me that next time we should get our water ahead of time so that we aren't left to be parched and panting in the middle of a HIIT workout. 

In addition to offering her auntie some wisdom, Gia also offered Natalie a tip as Nat was going back and forth with Payton. "She won't answer me back and it's so ruuuuude," Nat complained from the back of the vehicle. "Count to 60," Gia evenly replied. I like that I thought. Usually we give ourselves or someone else 10 seconds to get shit together, but you know, when you're irritated with your sister, it's gonna take more than 10 to stop being annoyed with her antics. I think this is a better rule to live by, in fact, inside the classroom, in line to cross the border back into China, or when Lil P is protesting in the middle of the night. Count to 60. 

While the girls were bickering a bit on this particular car ride (the kind of bickering that used to get Linds and Cass and I an "I'm going to pull over and leave you on the side of the road" response), most of the time they were doing a lot of "chilaxing" together, as Natalie put it. 

One of my most treasured roles in life is being an auntie. If ever the world has you feeling like chopped liver, get yourself a niece or four. It's one of my favorite things to hear them call out my name as we play in the pool, and to reach for my hand as we walk to dinner. They bring the joy. 

Are they mermaids or bugs? Perhaps a little bit of both, and certainly the cutest little humans. 

Uncle Tommy, papa in training.

Niece number 5 arrives in May! Classic photo of Cass (one of my favorites) ... and Payton with the photo bomb.

First borns with the Mama-Amma

They are the rays of sunshine.

#bacicrew #baciblood #natalieisabella #happyrunsinthefamily

Gia Boo watching the waves roll in and seeing if she can spot a whale in the distance. 

The whale watching that we did together with Hawaiian Ocean Rafting was a family favorite. February is a bit rainier in Hawaii, but the timing was perfect for spotting all kinds of whale-tail waves, breeches, and squealing as a whale came so close to our boat that it seemed we could almost reach out and touch it. 

This day was also gorgeous and warm. The sun and smiles were out.

Tres chicas bonitas.

Look that way!

That whale tail has the strongest muscle in the animal kingdom! 

Just swimming by to say hello ... a jaw dropping moment,

Can't help but smile back when I look at those faces.

The rest of the week was full of morning mimosas

Cheers to my Gram. XOXO

a scuba dive with Dad

Our last dives were in the Galapagos. Pretty darn lucky to dive such beautiful waters.

Diving through underwater lava formations.

Not featured: the frog fish, puffer fish and trumpet fish that we were excited to see.

and enjoying these views:

Gma and her little flock. 

The littles with their Amma. 

Watching those waves crash against the rocks below.

Editor of National Geographic's Adventure Classics Anthony Brandt said, "Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family." This is my truth. I do not feel like the same person who left Minnesota for a life abroad nearly five years ago, but I am still the same granddaughter, daughter, sister and friend. I cherish the time we all get to be together. It is time full of laughter and love. 

The Hawaiian sun set on this family vacation, and with it rose many memories. 

Our truest life is when we are in our dreams awake. ~Henry David Thoreau

                                               

What does poetry speak to you?

Some 10 years ago, NieNie shared a poem with me by Bohemian-Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke. The wisdom and beauty of it has stuck with me through the years, and it remains my favorite poem today. 

These past several years, my spirituality has taken on a more nebulous form than in my childhood, teenage years and into young adulthood. My faith has not been lost, but certainly more difficult to define and articulate. I find and feel God now less through church services, and more though nature, the light I see my students and loved ones project, the light I work to offer the world, and through things like poetry. 

Each time I read this poem, it is a spiritual experience. It has been so woven into my soul that yesterday I made one of the lines a permanent physical part of me -- I say with some levity and humor, this is the biggest commitment I've ever made in my life. 

Last night, NieNie came to me in my dream. She was still sick, but more real to me than since the day she passed last year. 

I hope that she is still watching over. I hope she comes to visit in my dreams again. 

I am grateful for the wisdom and words, especially this poem, that she shared with me throughout the time we spent together. I've shared it with all of you before, but it is worth reading a million times, breathing in the imagery and beauty over and over again.

God speaks to each of us as he makes us,
then walks with us silently out of the night.

These are the words we dimly hear:

You, sent out beyond your recall,
go to the limits of your longing.
Embody me.

Flare up like a flame
and make big shadows I can move in.

Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror.
Just keep going. No feeling is final.
Don’t let yourself lose me.

Nearby is the country they call life.
You will know it by its seriousness.

Give me your hand.

Book of Hours, I 59

Life with Chinese Characteristics, Chapter 15: An Ode to Nanshan Mountain

Running up the road to Nanshan mountain today

I noted my restless mind

flitting from here to there

like Pátacon in her bewitching hour

in the middle of the night

Reaching the 1st of 820 stairs

I felt my heavy breath

and fast-paced heart

After 

ascending,

 ascending,

 ascending,

to reach the small summit at the top

I paced inside the pagoda

that overlooks the city

Restless

I decided quickly to descend

But at once I sensed a force 

pulling me to stay

I turned around

and sat down

in the middle of the stone

Closing my eyes

I steadied my breath

reminding myself to come back to my senses

And then I heard the rhythmic beating of big machines

the endless construction of Shenzhen

I heard the guard just below chuckle at his phone

And I heard a soft wind blow

through the leaves of nearby trees

As it brushed against my skin

And in the presence of 

the symphony of my surroundings

I found a piece of peace

Life with Chinese Characteristics, Chapter 14: Week without walls: Juniors in the jungle

It has now been many moons since I signed my first two-year contract with Shekou International School. Still, I find myself proclaiming with some frequency, "No, I really didn't want to come to China. I was actively trying to avoid it, actually." But then the Universe took over and my intuition told me it was right. The conversations I had with Mike Livingston, my principal, and a number of other past and present employees, led me to feel that SIS would be a place that would foster a good deal of professional growth. It has. And more deeply than I had imagined. I also knew that I was being pulled to Asia for unforeseen reasons as well, that the move would present challenges and opportunities that I just could not predict, but that would prove remarkable for my personal growth.

This past week I had the opportunity to go on my second Week Without Walls trip. Along with two teacher friends and 27 juniors, I set off for the rainforest of Sabah, located on the Malaysian side of Borneo.

I have spent this week after returning from the trip reflecting on how rich it was in people and experience and real life learning. As I smile while looking at photographs, several big trip takeaways have surfaced.

1. The importance of indigenous knowledge systems

Our second day and night were spent at Utan Paradise. This beautifully rustic jungle camp is run by a sixty-something kind, kind man and his family. Inus is part of the head-hunter tribe, under the larger umbrella of the Murut. Men from Inus's tribe have historically proven their courage and strength to potential father-in-laws by bringing heads of the men from other tribes that they have conquered. Today, nothing remains of this practice. What does remain is a people working to preserve their language, rituals and culture. Before embarking on a waterfall hike, Inus gathered us around to watch a traditional hunting ceremony. Before going out to hunt wild boar or clouded leopard, men would put together an offering of rice and tobacco on palm leaves. This is a time for the men to ask for protection from the four elements -- wind, earth, fire, and water -- before entering the jungle. 

Inus, along with the Dragonfly staff, helped the students to learn to build a fire, and about how to make a hunting trap. 

And then there was the fishing expedition down by the pond ...

When I look at this photo, what keeps coming to mind is "Don't mess with Texas." We are nowhere near Texas here. I don't think any of these students have ever been to Texas. But, as you may note, these fishers mean business.
Here fishy fishy fishy fishy ...

They caught numerous fish and crawfish with those old school fishing rods. #sisfisherpeople

We were fortunate enough to hear more about Inus's childhood and history later in the evening. At twelve years old, when he first began going to school, he would arise at 3 am to begin the walk outside of the village to the nearest school. This was, for me, as for many of our students, a reminder of how privileged we are to have easy access to education. 

As Inus continued to detail and answer questions about his life, Joschua inquired, "How come you decided to make the jungle camp instead of going into the city?" Inus responded that he had indeed tried to live in the city for 10 years, working as a cook at a hotel, but his boss was always on his case, and he never found the peace that he felt in nature while in the city. So Inus has returned to the place he feels most connected to his culture. My fellow English teacher and friend, Faye, wondered aloud as she, our other friend and colleague Aaron, and I were talking later that evening, "What is lost for all of us when the history and knowledge of different peoples is lost to time or assimilation? What happens when stories stop being told?" 

So I wonder now What stories can we inquire about today, within or outside of our own family? What memories and stories might we share with our friends and family at the next dinner or get together? Who else's story might we seek to learn more about customs and traditions other than our own? 

2. Ignorance really isn't bliss

It has largely been in the last four years that I have begun to consider the larger impact many of my actions have on people that I have never met. While living in Ecuador, I began to learn more about fair-trade, especially in the vein of chocolate. A cross-continental shout-out to my friends Iain and Eva who work with We.org and worked with local cacao farmers in Ecuador to develop a new fair-trade bar to bite into soon! 

On this trip, it was Inus who began to enlighten me about a product called palm oil, a controversial ingredient found in lipstick, shampoo, biodiesel fuel, detergent and dozens of things we use on a daily basis. Inus spoke of the way that the palm oil plantations were destroying so much of the land and natural habitats for animals such as the orangutans and proboscis monkeys with little benefit to the people of Borneo.When I arrived back to Shenzhen, I dug more into the topic. After becoming more aware of the damage many of these plantations are doing, I am working on making more informed choices so that I can buy products that do not use palm oil, or at least use sustainably grown palm oil. 

The proboscis monkeys' hallmark feature is their large red nose. Here you see a female, whose nose is much smaller than her male counterparts. The bigger the nose, the sexier the monkey, said our river boat guide. Photo credit: Joschua Mueller

Perhaps it was more blissful for me before I knew of the unethical actions behind things like cacao trade and palm oil plantations, but it certainly is not blissful for those getting paid so little for their work, and it will not be a blissful future if we continue to plow down natural habitats and endanger more species. 

Ultimately, I am left to ask, What more can I do to align my actions with my ethics? and In what ways might I team up with others to support more ethical and sustainable practices? 

3. Hospitality makes a heart feel at home

One of our juniors, Jamie, articulated a sentiment that we all seemed to share when she wrote me, "The way the families at our homestay treated us made us feel at home. They welcomed us with open arms and really wanted to get to know us during the short period of time we had with them. Seeing how grateful they are for everything they have taught us to be grateful for even the smallest things in our lives." The warmth extended by each our of homestay hosts by and large seemed to have the largest impact on our students as two others, Sean and Joschua also reflected on this part of Week Without Walls. Sean noted that "This year's WWW was absolutely amazing ... what really stuck with me is the big smiles and hospitality the locals gave us throughout our visit. I truly admire the way the Malaysian people we met live in so much more happiness and harmony compared to some of the most privileged people in the world; I definitely appreciate my life more than I did before the trip." Joschua echoed much of this when he wrote, "I tried to do as much as possible to immerse myself in the local culture and some things that will stay with me are buying the fresh seafood at the market on the first day and staying with the homestay in Papar. Our host was great and we felt as if we were part of the family. We even got to hold the baby (!!!)." (I love ... love that he used three exclamation marks to denote his excitement at holding the baby. #sisstudentsrock)

Titta and NaYoon at breakfast with their hostess.

Alejandra, Minseo, Thea, Evelyn and I had so much delicious food this morning,
I do not know how I ended up eating such a squirmy ... well, that's next up ...

As we hugged our host family goodbye, I wondered Do guests in my house feel like family? What might I do to extend even more hospitality to those I host? 

4. Living outside your comfort zone has its rewards

I ate a worm. Not a skinny earthworm, but a fat, juicy sago worm. It started with a pact, between Aaron, Faye and I. Because we are IB teachers, and we must also model the learner profile, one of the qualities of which is "risk taker." 

So we sunk our teeth into that big worm above, which does turn into a rather large beetle over time. I was told it would taste something like coconut. I love coconut. Everything coconut. So I figured I could get over the texture, and the fact that it squirms in your mouth for a moment, and appreciate the coconut-ty goodness. Well, to my disdain, I tasted zero coconut flavor when I bit down into the creamy flesh of that worm. Faye's reaction on the other hand: priceless. And Aaron's, as cool as a cucumber. Meanwhile, I was flailing my hands about and scrunching my nose ...

I do not believe I will be compelled to eat another ... in my entire life, but as it stands, I did get the equivalent of egg protein from popping that wood-dwelling wiggler into my mouth. That was, can we say, the benefit. The reward was really the fact that we essentially started a sago worm eating revolution amongst the students. And those reactions were priceless, too.

As Joschua demonstrates, you cannot eat the head, but you must bite off the body, and, as I did,
quickly throw the head to the ground lest it wriggle in the palm of your hand as you chew its remains.
Photo credit: Joshua Ip

This experience really begs the question Why live life in a box when you can eat sago worms out of a bucket? 

I have found that my move to Asia has prompted me to ask many questions ... about the way I live, about the way others live, about and the impact we all have on one another. I have yet to come up with very clear answers to many of the questions that surface in my day to day life, and on these incredible trips. This reminds me of some words from the protagonist of the book I was reading while on the trip. In John Green's newest novel, Turtles all the Way Down, Aza reflects, "Life is a bunch of choices between wonders ... What I love about science [about life] is that as you learn, you don't really get answers. You just get better questions." 

Cheers to this year's trip, to inquisitive students, to our new friends in Sabah, and to funny and interesting colleagues who are also friends. And cheers to experiences that prompt us to ask better questions.

#weekwithoutwalls2017 #juniorsinthejungle #sisrocks

#fearlessteachers

...

and one last toast to that Malaysian sunset

Photo credit: Sean the Sun