Running Wild

Today is gonna be all about running, so bear with me.

When I was a wee one (cue Timon and Pumba) I ran a bit.

And by a bit I mean when I wasn't eating bad food and drinking my soul away.

I've been in and out of it (but mostly out of it) for a long time, and have only ever ran 10KM runs before (49 minutes, when I was 18), but I decided shortly after getting here that I was going to run a marathon...

That's 42 kilometers. 42 long, long kilometers. And then I found out that there was a half marathon in Amakusa, which is an island chain famous for its scenery, it's five picturesque bridges, it's delicious mikans (nectarines) and fish, and more dubiously, for having the fastest depleting population in Japan...

(Demographically Japan is migrating out of rural areas and into cities, and being a remote island, despite all it's perks and wonders).

Ignore the finger. I blame it for taking pictures while running. Coincidentally, a good way to get weird looks from real athletes judging young tourists.

We (My friends Alys, Krista and I) registered and stayed with my wonderful friend Lauren, who lives five minutes away.

So when you register for Japanese races, you may get Japanese size T-Shirts, even if the label does say XL.

 Long story short, after ten weeks of training, on Sunday I found myself bouncing at the start line of 1100 runners on an alarmingly beautiful and warm November day in Japan.

Alys, I'd like to apologize in advance. Or kind of in advance. Or not at all really.

And I never imagined how good it would feel. I've heard of the legendary runner's high, but heeeeellllooo endorphins. 

There were old ladies and little children littering the sidewalk, cheering and clapping and “ganbadde!”-ing (Try your best!) I think they cheered harder for me A) because I'm Western, and a novelty (there's a lot of that here) but also because by the 14KM mark the sorest muscles in my body were all in my cheeks, because I couldn't stop smiling... At about that point a had to tell myself to look serious, because otherwise I'm pretty sure I would've face-cramped. And I don't even know if that's a thing, but if it is it'd be hella embarassing as a reason not to finish.

I ran it in 2:11:50, which is about 20 minutes faster than I expected... This is mostly because it was my first race and I didn't realize how much it being actual race-day would up my speed.

Afterwards, and with aching legs, I drove the normally 2.5-hour-drive home in five hours... There's only one road out of Amakusa, and almost all 2500 race participants were taking it, so it made for some pretty intense gridlock.

This is a lovely pair of Japanese citizens, who rode in the car in front of us for a long stretch of the way. Think 50 meters/minute. Anyways, I was dancing in the car and the girl started giggling. I hate being the center of attention (obviously... ;) ) so I started dancing more for her. She kept tapping and yelling at her brother beside her to look, and whenever he'd turn around I'd stop and pretend nothing was happening. This probably went on for 10 minutes, with her getting more and more frantic (and probably with their Mom watching the whole thing in rear view mirror, and probably either cursing me and all foreigners or chuckling under her breath). In the end Alys and I let the boy see too, and we ended up making faces and playing Rock, Paper, Scissors until someone rudely pulled in between us and precipitated our friendship's inevitable break-up.

Then afterwards Alys and I went to an onsen, or Japanese baths, where an older man told me my legs were the biggest things he'd ever seen ("thanks, and if I wasn't naked, I'd probably have a witty retort handy"). That being said, onsens are A) Amazing and relaxing, and B) Where I get talked to by the most strangers. 

Then, it was on to ReefBurger, an amazing little restaurants that may owe 50% of its business to foreign English teachers...

Now I'm resting up, but soon I'll start powering up again to continue my training towards my full-marathon, which is February 17^th!

Wish me luck!

And on a side note, this is me with one of my favourite babies. Ridia barely ever cries, and when I sing her German lullabies she falls asleep in my arms. Cute factor x 1 000 000

Korea and More

So it's been far too long, but here's an update on my last big adventure, when I crossed the big blue to Busan, Korea. This was actually written during said trip, but here it is anyways!

October 10th, 2012:

I'm currently sitting on a ferry on the way home from Korea. A quick blitz of Busan, which is just a 3 hour ferry from nearby Fukuoka City. Here are the highlights:

1) My darling and the love of all my fellow travelers lives, Cindy Tran. Cindy's my Explore/French Camp 2009 friend, and one of those gems you don't see often, but turn into giggling schoolgirls upon each new meeting. She's teaching elsewhere in Korea, but had been in Busan 4 days, and was the best tour guide we could ask for! 

2) DISCO! The first of Cindy's Wonders, not to be confused with other lesser wonders like the Taj Mahal or the Pyramids. South Korea loves amusement parks, and Disco is part musical experience and part ride. You sit on a round seat and hold on as a DJ spins beats and tries to throw you off your seat while lambasting you in Korean and the occasional,  "ENGLISH MAN, ENGLISH MAN!" At the end I danced Gangnam Style with a mentally disabled man who was obviously a regular.

3) The Food. Spicy Goodness for basically nothing. I couldn't get over how cheap Korea was. Asia is a mega cheap place, but Japan is definitely the exception, and is completely comparable to the North America. So going somewhere where you can stuff your face for $4 CAD was a definite plus.

Possibly not the best example, but it seems I didn't take any pictures of food.
This gem from a fish market will have to do.

4) The crowd. My friend Jess invited me to come with a group of teachers out of Nagasaki. 3 Americans, 2 New Zealanders, a Scot et moi.

Now, normally, there is nothing that turns me into a raging cesspool of madness, hormones and bile than travelling in a large group (ie, more than 4). What I didn't count on was that the people would be so amazing. It speaks for itself that I never once plotted murder. I'm calling that a rousing success.

5) Getting lost on a Korean mountainside while searching for a temple. 

6) finally finding the temple....

In other Korea news, here's this one...

Because when you spend $16/night on a hotel room you miss out on amenities. Like fire escapes.

I had an ultimate frisbee tournament the other weekend, which was fun. I'm not half as aggressive as I look (lie #1).

And now a quick blurb about me and my life here. I'm settled into a routine which is nice, though working 9-5 is something I feel like I'm going to need more time to get into. I'm super tired at school a lot, though I'm sleeping quite a bit. It probably has to do with me running 40+ KM a week... I'm training for my first half-marathon on November 18th, and then my first full marathon in February! Boy be lookin' toned...

A week ago I hiked the tallest mountain in Kyushu with my friends Marie, Andrew and Sean. My legs are like diamonds. Or titanium. Or titanium plated diamonds. Or something.

Unposed. srsly.

And finally, this Saturday I put on my sourest face and went to a Halloween party as grapes. Don't judge me. I was low budget and more importantly, low initiative. As far as Halloween goes, Japan doesn't really do it, unless you're under five or foreign... Luckily I've got deep connections in both of these viable and valuable market niches...

We made my Adult conversation class bob for onions. Partly because apples are expensive here.

But mostly because you get the gems that are faces like this.

This is Shion. He is three. He is my neighbour. He is also the best Donald Duck at his Halloweeen  parade
And I am totally unbiased. And there was only one Donald Duck.

This blogpost is one of a couple (maybe a few) daily life posts! I figured that's the most important, so you can see how I really roll in this far-off land!

Monday:

6:15AM: Go for a run. This crazy beast has decided to run a half-marathon in November, and a full-marathon in February. Why? Because I'm a sucker for punishment. Also, 17-year-old Colin once wrote a letter to 27-year-old Colin that he would do it someday. And if I cross one thing off that list, I'll feel at least slightly validated. Also I'm tired at night, and you'd wake up early too if your other option was running in 35C heat.

7:30AM: Shower with the shower it took me a week to figure out. And before you judge me.

Turn middle knob right to activate shower. Missing step: Forget you're standing fully clothed in the shower taking pictures and are now soaking wet.

8:30AM: School starts. I bask for 10 minutes in the teacher's room until I stop sweating like a pig after the 5 minute bike ride to school. There's nothing like constant 30C in the morning to keep you on your game.

8:45AM-12:30PM: Class and prep. Listen to people compliment me on my eight words of Japanese. Realize I've become known as "That Guy Who Sweats a Lot." Really, I'm the only anglo 6'1" white boy with size 13 feet and my tag-line is "He Sweats a Lot"? Thanks guys, thanks.

12:45PM-1:45PM: Eat lunch. Relax. Smile and nod when person #49 oohs and aahs at my chopstick skills. Silently curse when my co-teacher's giggle at my inability to pick up that last god-forsaken piece of corn.

2-4PM: More class. More sweat. 

4:30PM: Home-time! Consider putting in an IV for hydration. Decide washing day is every day instead.

I spend a half-day at the School Board Office, and 3 days a month I spend the mornings in Kindergarten, and the afternoons in Elementary school. Also, Every Wednesday night I have a two hour Adult English Class. It's a great variety: I've got really cool adults, which are a nice change from the kiddies, I get five-year-old's who never, ever get tired of jumping all over me, and don't feel shy about poking me in every part of my body I can imagine, and I get elementary school kids, who are super excited to see me and a load of fun!

Anyways, there's a bit of me for you!

Goodbye and goodnight!

Alright Japan, we've got a problem.
And this was a problem I was willing to ignore until it recently became two problems...

Problem 1: Pigeons on my front balcony. I tried to keep them out, but failed, so I figured I'd just let them have this balcony, as long as I had my bedroom-balcony....

Problem 2: I went out on my other balcony and found these little nightmares... I know, they're cute, adorable fledglings, but that won't make me love them... 

So new plan. Wait for these jerkadons to flee the nest, and then take back the night. Gonna bird proof the crap outta this place.


Aaaannnd in other news. A delightful adventure with my favourite Kiwi, Jessica Clarke, English teacher extraordinaire, fantastic company, and partner in crime.

There's nothing like a fuzzy navel

I am immediately drawn to anything comically small. This being Japan, it happens often. More on life as a 6'1" man in a 5'7" world soon. I may be growing a unicorn horn on the top of my head that I hit on at least 1/3 of the doorways.

It's either that or I'm going to come back to Canada with a stoop and a hunch-b

 Adventure Part 2: Colin and Jess go for a "Grape Hunt" and are slightly disappointed when they find out there are no guns involved.

They peel their grapes. Because Japan

"THAT IS NOT WHAT I MEANT WHEN I SAID I THOUGHT WE SHOULD DOWNSIZE!"

We each came out of it with a bag of grapes, a stomach full of grape ice-cream, grape candy, frozen grapes, and enough regular grapes to start a winery, as well as having been serenaded by two farm workers on Japanese guitar

Difficult to word/A Japanese beginning/Expresses itself

Let's talk Japan.
Let's talk about it being wilder than I ever imagined.

Let's talk about being made to feel welcome.

  More welcome than I've ever felt in a stranger's home.

 Let's talk about "squee"s of excitement overflowing, and feeling less alone.

.

Let's talk about parties, with food and sparklers and hospitality

Let's talk about food again.. Let's talk about food that always looks good, about food that is fresh, and about food that you feel good about.

Japan, let's talk about awe. Because I'm there.

So just a heads up. This shizzam was written on June 25th, 2012. I am only publishing it now because I am a disgrace of a human being. With priorities.

I'm writing this from under a roof. I am freshly showered. My hair smells like coconut. I am newly 23 years old. I have a job, a good one. I ate a marvelous dinner tonight and didn't cook it. I feel loved and happy.

And most importantly, I am so excited for the future. Sometimes it sneaks up behind me smacks me like I deserved it. (And ask Mom, I have, on more occasions than I'd care to admit both deserved it and felt the sting). Sometimes it scares the daylights out of me.

I don't know where I'm going, at least not in any real sense. I can tell you where I'll be in 6 weeks, but I can't tell you what that means or where that is.
I can tell you where I'd like to be in one year and six weeks, but I don't know what that means either. Words are dust, and plans are words, so all I really know is that I have no idea where I'm headed except onwards.

None of these things are anything I'd normally think twice about, but novelty changes so much for me. A shower is so simple, and I'm telling you right now, when I got on Alaska Marine Highway Ferries' HSV Columbia 8 days ago I spent 45 minutes (I'd apologize to my eco-conscious brethren, but it was too worth it to do so) under the hot water...

So anyways, to tuck all that sappy stuff away for a minute, I'll get y'all up to date.


1) Worked my last shift in Dawson City on the 15th, and headed to Skagway, AK via Whitehorse.

Side note on 'Murricans. They take their
bug-killing seriously.

Possibly not the best picture of my boat. But just so
y'all know, it was one large beast of burden.

2) Took the ferry for 4 nights and 3 days down to Vancouver via Bellingham, WA, about 1 hour south of VanCity. It was a beautiful trip, full of humpbacks, a single orca, sea otters, and two schools of Pacific White Sided Dolphins, which are cuter than normal if you believe me, because they're (the ones we saw) were about 2 feet long. It was a happy moment for me.

Said business socks unseen, but certainly present.

3)Ended up in Vancouver, and wearing my business socks for the first time, went to JET in Japan training. Met some really cool people and learned lots, lots more than I expected actually. Among the coolest things, was asking someone about his Quidditch pin... Turns out I had actually met him and his girlfriend briefly at World Cup last fall! What are the odds. Anyways, John and I bonded. It was beautiful.

I'm staying with the loveliest people, my friend Rebecca's parents, Diana and Hugh. I stayed here when I was here the first time last October, and they graciously re-accepted me into their home. To be fed and warm is a gift I much appreciate, among the many things they have done for me!

So cheers to all, and to all a good night.

Dawson Cont'd! Finally

Mmmmkkay.

So it's been a while. Updates galore and excusable excuses excusing me for communicating excruciatingly poorly. That last post makes this place seem a lot less awesome than it is. I had a few down days, but since getting a job and friends (honest) things have been incredible! I'm doing swimmingly, and am excited to move on though!

Access to internet comes in 1 hour doses, most of which is spent trying to organize my life and my way out of here and to Japan. Hence the lack of blog posts. Anyways, a few things for you.

This is my personal limo. Completely free, her name is George Black and I think the Yukon stole her from Vancouver in the '60s because they never took the big Vancouver label off the side of her. She (and she is a she. Either she's short for Georgina, or she's basking in androgyny, but I get a distinctly feminine vibe) is completely free, and crosses the Yukon River. This is important because on one side lies Dawson City and work, and on the other my internetless, electricityless, running-waterless “Hostel”. Or really, if I'm going to be honest, my glorified campground run by a tyrannical German whose comparison to a certain dictator I'm trying really hard to avoid. Whatever, I am not and will never be a sion of self-control.

Anyways, the other thing you'll notice is that the lighting rarely changes.

The land of the Midnight Sun is a doozy. It took some getting used to and a lot of checking of watches to remind myself that yes, it actually is midnight, even if it feels like 4PM, but I'm pretty used to it. I'm going to majorly non-plussed when it actually gets dark again.

Other things. I work in the Dawson City General Store stocking shelves, and at Cheechako's, a bakery. Bakery is awesome, the General I just get through my day and look forward to new horizons... It's kinda just a time filler and a way to pay my way back home. Which brings us to the next important thing in my life.

JAPAN! I got an email the other day offering me a position at Kikuyo, (MAP). The only thing I know about it is that it is population 29 000 and is famous for its carrots... So I'm super excited. My escape plan right now is as follows:

1. Finish work on June 15^th
2. Hitchhike to Skagway Alaska
3. June 18^th: Inside Passage Ferry from Skagway to Bellingham, Washington to Vancouver. It's a 4 day trip, but I'ma see some whales! I have to go to Bellingham first only because there's nothing directly to Van
4. June 23^rd and 24^th: JET Japan teaching training in Vancouver. I worked it out so that I can split my dates between Vancouver and Ottawa because of my current location.
5. Then I'm gonna head to Lake Louise to see the lovely Ashley Hoag and Paul Yacobucci
6. Then to Calgary to see the Stampede for a day or two.
7. Then to Toronto.
8. Then to Ottawa for July 10^th. I'll be there until the 23^rd of July for JET training and BluesFest Volunteering. Hangouts a must!
9. July 23rd-August 2^nd, home! Enjoy the pleasures of Minden for a bit, get a tan, hug my parents, etc, etc.
10. August 4^th. FLIGHT! Ottawa-Toronto-Tokyo baby! So excited!

Also, someday there'll be more pictures. The ones you see took so long to load it hurt my soul

Step 2: Panic

So ups and downs. Ups and downs. That's what this is going to be about. I'm in Dawson City (yay?) my all-along, right-now goal. I got a ride here from a friendly Swiss named Christoff.

Christoff and I shared a hotel room. I'm not supposed to need a hotel room, because I'm going to be camping, but that will come, I swear.

Anyways, my first step here was to look for a job. Down-low on Dawson: 1200 residents en hiver, thousands, thousands more during the tourist summer. For many tourists, many minions are needed to provide hot towels, strawberry daiquiris, sausage rolls, and foot massages.

Or if you're me, you get hired in a general store stocking shelves. Which is aight, honestly. Plus it's a general store. Which is kinda exotic in a home-country kinda way right? Right? Anyways that's where I'm at, looking at some other stuff too, but I'm up in the air.

What reaaally is getting to me is the reason I need to stay in a hotel room. I shall explain.  Also, rule #1 of my life is that there will be segues and literary walks into nothingness. I swear it all ties in somehow
1) There are two ways to get to Dawson, three if you count the plane, which I'm not because anyone with a wallet anything like mine never counts the plane.

Route #1 goes through Alaska. Route #2 goes straight north, and is shorter. Christoff and I, who met in a hostel in Whitehorse, were leaning towards #1 because it would be longer, but prettier and then I could say I'd been to Alaska. Anyways that was our plan, until we realized something that (luckily) made us change our minds, but (unluckily) has me in a hotel room right now.










I know this makes no sense, but bare with me. Dawson owes its life, its love, its history and its future to this lucky lady, Kuigpak, Lewes, and most recently anointed heroine, the Yukon River. Wonderful, especially if you happened to be a down-on-your-luck 1898 gold miner, but more importantly, kinda a barrier.

Anyways, lacking a bridge Dawson relies on its ferry to shuttle people across, completing route #1 and also providing a handy way to get to some cool attractions.

Among those attractions? My camp site! Now I know all of you are burning up wondering where I'm going with this, so I'm going to draw your attention to this:

This is my town. At midnight. In other words, we are north. Very north.

And this is why it matters. The ice broke on the river just last week (and it snowed this morning) and the ferry isn't running yet. Soooo here I am. Paying good money when I carried my (heavy, absurdly heavy) life on my back.

Anyways, that's one thing.
The other might be bigger in the end. I'm sorta remembering all the things I don't like about small towns. I appreciate the wonder of everyone knowing everything, but that's a double-edged sword, and I'm not in the habit of grabbing those (insert inappropriate sexual comment here. Except don't. My mother reads this. Sicko)

Also I don't really have any friends here yet. I met some Germans in a Safeway parking lot in Thunder Bay who ended up following my advice and I re-met them again in Dawson. So we hung out, as did Christoff and I, but I'm pretty lonely. I've thought about packing up, and may yet do so, but for now I'm sticking it out. Today I cooked a sausage in a coffee machine because I got tired of eating vegetables and the General Stores complement of no-cook-necessary food. (read: bread and vegetables). I really want to get across, and I want to taste the amazing that was promised me.
Kisses, hugs and my ablutions

Colin