south of a few borders

Greetings from tico-land aka costa rica. It's the land where buses drive with open doors, rain comes to you sideways, and distances are greater than they seem.
Today I went to the volcano closest to me, a mere 20 miles away, voclan poas. Once I got to the park, and hiked up to the viewpoint, I was met with a white wall of clouds. It was like staring at the side of a house-nothing could be seen. But it was there, still, under it all. I guess the park is known for its cloud cover. Then to the lagoon, which also was clouded over, so I got another, albeit ethereal, view of the eternal whiteness.
I'm staying in the second biggest city in Costa Rica, called Alajuela, was feels more like a small town. Walking around town I saw a couple of people my age playing chess in the park. I joined them, beat them, and made some new friends. This also happened in the capital city, San Jose. Everyone seems really friendly.
I'm moving to a new hostel in the downtown area for the weekend, and by then I should have a better idea about what my stay here in central america will look like.
That said, I'm very happy with my spanish level, given I've been here for 4 days, and I see its strengths and weaknesses. But it keeps getting better and better.
I can't wait to be laying out on the coast
Pura Vida!

Electric President

Out Again

I've been back from Korea for almost 2 months now, and the traveling has been nonstop. 3 major trips elapsed, with intermittent rests in Sacramento. The first, and most necessary, was to the Bay area, where I stayed on couches at friend's houses (how blessed am I to be surrounded by good people), and seeing all my siblings. It reminded me that everyone's lives are constantly in motion, but friends are always there for me.

The next adventure led me to Baja California on a bus named Gus, who ran on vegetable oil. The 15 tripgoers all emanated youth and happiness, and we all clicked right away. The dynamic felt so natural planned, even though we were all strangers before. We stopped in Ensenada for food and to have a look around, before embarking on the trek. Hours down a 2 lane highway, and then the turnoff to the dirt road, which went on and on for another 4 hours. We camped out by a pond, with very few and distant neighbors.
We crossed the border through Tecate, said our goodbyes, and I stayed in the LA area for a week and a half. First with a friend from the trip, and then a friend from childhood. I got to see all sorts of friends from old, and friends from college in LA, which evoked unforeseen emotions. Mostly good ones, I'd say.

And now I'm out again, typing away from the McGill campus library in Montreal. I flew out to Boston a few days ago, stayed in a hostel, and without many housing options decided to go straight to Montreal, where I'm visiting my best friend from Berkeley. Walking down a cute avenue I stumbled into a chess cafe and joined in the games. The competition was stiff, but I held my own winning more than losing. One guy remarked that the best players in all of canada come here, and I wouldn't be surprised based on the level I encountered.

Next? Looks like a triangulation to Toronto and back stateside to New York.
I'm feeling like where's waldo.
danthenomad

Sigur Ros Playlist

안영하세요!

안영하세요
한국어로 설명한 감정 아직 어려는데도 내 입장하고 마음에 느낌 해 볼거야.
지금 출발한날까지 16흘 남다. 이고 때문에 많은 감정 가지 느끼다. 일반으로 미래를 생각할때 행복한 곳만 봘 수 있아. 이제는 미래 말고 지금에 집중해 봐다가 있는 이시간 항상이니까. 특히 미원이랑 보낸시간 이렇게 느끼다. 그녀가 나를 행복하게 하다.
하루에 7시간 일하는데도 낸 시간 하교박에를 위해서 감사다. 보통 이 시간 마음대로나 집에서 게으른이나 읽은책이나 그림을 그리나 보내다.
다음시간까지
단어

visitors, cleansing, mud

The past two months I've been bless with visitors from home, who are so dear to me. First Vijay came in the middle of May. It was a relieved shock to see him again, with his smiling face and cool demeanor. Immediately I felt his presence and embraced him. The reunion was emotional for me, since it meant a lot to me that he came. We unpakced and set up the room in a confortable way. During the week we hung out in my city, and spent each day introducing my friends and showing him all the fun things to do. He came at exactly the right time in my trip and in my life because I needed to have that deep connection with someone who knew me. We spent the first weekend in Seoul and partied all night in Hongdae (the cool university area). There was a band in the park with awesome break dancers, so we watched the performance for a while. Then we went to a bar with my korean friend, B.A., who is a night owl. We ended up going to sleep at 10am at a jimjilbang (a public bathhouse). In the early afternoon we awoke and went to another round of Osho Aum meditation (which I explain on my blog dmoglen.blogspot.com). I was able to achieve a lot of personal insight during those 3 hours...
Another weekend we went to Chuncheon for the international Mime Festival. We met this really thought provoking older guy from South Africa who invited us to stay the night at his house. The next morning we saw the opening parade with clowns, mimes, and performance. One that struck me was this couple who tied a bungee cord to the top of a building and danced on the side of the building, like they where defying gravity. There were water fights and tug of war with hundreds of people (our side won).
Vijay was supposed to leave soon so we had a going away dinner with me, Vijay, and 6 of my korean friends who had met Vijay. The next day he was running late, and missed the last bus to the airport. I rushed downtown and a coworker helped him get a cab. Two hours later he still missed his flight but it all turned out okay. He actually left clothes in my room so I was able to return them, and he was able to change his flight with no extra charge. Plus he was able to see my next guest, who was arriving the following day.
Clarissa showed up, anxious and a little scared. I stood at the gate exit for hours in a busy crowd scanning everyone who exited. Finally she beelined in the opposite direction and I ran over to greet her. She melted in my arms, and I felt her shaking. We held each other and eventually found enough composure to achieve our next task, to get back to Cheonan. I was so happy to see her, and knew that we would have a wonderful trip together.
We went to Seoul to meet up with Vijay who was staying with a friend. We saw my friend's art exhibit (he had made a 7' buddhasaurus), and went to a baseball game.
Vijay left. Clair and I had a wonderful time together, traveling experiencing the life and culture here, relaxing.
After all my guests left I had the room all to myself, and I decide to focus on me. I cleansed for 4 days, drinking only a concoction of cayenne, maple syrup, and lemon water. The main highlights of it was that I slept for 12-13 hours each night and had wonderfully vivid dreams, I maintained a cleanse journal, I meditated day and night, and I painted like crazy. The downside was that I was constantly fatigued, and when teaching kids who can and do run circles around you, I felt like I needed my energy. But it was a good cleanse overall.
Since the cleanse I've been back to busy as a bee. I partook in the annual mudfest in Daechon beach, which is unlike any festival I've ever been to. Leave the valuables (everything) in the room because nothing's coming out clean. With mud painting, wrestling, obstacle courses, slides, I was covered, dripping head to toe.
And now, as I count down the working days remain at 9. And counting. See you soon California...

한글에서 여행대해 쓴 곳

요즘은 내가 진짜 빠븐데 여름방학이 지난수요일부터 시작해서 여행해결정했다. 처음 생각은 을릉도에 시간을 보내지만 예약한 배대해 전화할때 배표를 나맜다 을릉도 말고 서울에서 특펼한친구랑 방학을 보냈다
물론 많은 곳이 했는데 그래서 제일 촣은 곳 쓸거야 수요일에 난 미원이랑 서울까지 도작하고 저녁식사 제식부페식당에 먹읐다 정말 맛있었어 다음날동안 인사동길 혼자 구경했다 저기 미술권하고 에쁜 가게를 많아 그다음에 서점 갔고 옛날한국음식 먹었다
금요일아침에 DMZ 투어때문에 가려고 아주 일찍 이러나야했다. 일반으로 재미있지만 너무 짧았아 아직 한국역사 배워서 행복한 느낐어
마침내 미원생일파티 웠다 빈집에서 가까운 이대원 있었다 우리가 대국거리를 준비돼면서 손님을 기다렸어 여섯시쯤에 친구가 오고시작했다 사람부터 음식까지 다 마음에드렀어.
삼주일후에 고향에 도라갈거야 본가족하고친구 행복하게 할거지만 동시 그립은 내 생활 한국에서 알알거야 한국사람친구에게 감사합니다

Osho Aum Meditation

Osho Aum Meditiaton 4/26/2008 Bundang, South Korea

The body is a bottle of emotions. When these emotions cannot escape, inner pressure builds. Emotions need to be both controlled and released. Dealing with emotions is a learning process. In April, I attended a specialized meditation practice that targeted expressing emotions.

Osho Aum Meditation just about breaks all preconceptions of what meditation is thought to be. And by doing so, it creates a strong lasting effect on the mind and body. Instead of sitting quietly, focusing on breath, and not moving (the traditional idea of meditation), Osho Aum meditation is active and group oriented. In this sense Osho Aum meditation is the chili paste in the rice dishes of meditation.

A range of emotions is expressed in 12-15 minute stages. The instructions are to embrace the emotion, feel it and express it totally. Interact with the group, and use the people has mirrors to reflect your inner being. This is no easy task.

The stages are varied, expressing contrasting emotions, from negativity to love, sadness to laughing, craziness to sensuality, all without breaks, and with corresponding music. The first few minutes of each stage are the most awkward, since the body was engulfed in emotional sphere of the previous stage. Entering a new mental state requires and adjustment of the body and mind. The initial phase is forced. For example in the crying stage, whimper, curl up, and feign sadness. Combine that with recalling deeply saddening experiences. And finally add the power of the group, and the tears flow like open floodgates. Then get deeper and deeper into the emotion, get lost in it, and embrace it in all its power. The energy builds and each 15-minute period is an eternity.

As well as overcoming expressing emotions, Osho Aum meditation also shows yourself how you express your emotions in a safe space. We all have the capacity to express all the emotions, but sometimes we are uncertain how to yell, how to love, how to dance freely, etc. Your emotions are a distinct characteristic to your essence.

Now, even more I can feel the legitimacy and necessity of this kind of meditation. I see how practical it is in everyday life. This is what makes Osho Aum meditation so special. Expressing emotions has a purpose. Emotions reflect your inner being. They not only help you cope with any given situation, but also shows people around you what you’re experiencing. It’s a type of communication in that way. On top of that, it let’s that experience out, like air out of a balloon. After expressing emotions, one feels satisfied and liberated (compare it to not letting out your emotions).

As a result of the meditation I feel even more stable and strong in my emotions. I realize I choose when I want to express anger, love, or any other emotion. My emotions do not control me, nor do others control my emotions. Only I control my emotions.

“Only when you can express your madness can you stay sane” –Vareesh

Namaste

DanTheNomad

Art, Meditation, Tea

Dear friends and family,
I've hit the 8-month mark in Korea, and to briefly sum it up- I absolutely love it here. Let me share some (and I mean just a fraction) of my many adventures here.
In January, I met Miae, an amazing Korean artist. She went to Art school in Georgia for 5 years, and now runs an art and English school in my city. We became really good friends, and we hang out a lot. She propositioned that I teach at her art school, to her little ones, and I obliged. Her students are so cute, and each week I came up with a simple art lesson. Then I let the kids go crazy with it, taking the idea to other planets of imagination. I no longer teach those classes, though.
In February she started giving me art lessons. She's taught me so much, and now, after lots of practice, I can draw still life objects quite precisely. Many nights before bed I have so much energy that I draw for hours.
My Korean continues to improve. I have a fairly strong foundation now regarding grammar and vocabulary, and I'm able to have a basic conversation. I study everyday by myself, and I meet with my exchange partner twice a week. Best of all I can practice anywhere I go, by reading signs and talking to people. By the time I leave, my Korean will be rocking. Besides work, these two activities, art and Korean, are constant in my life here.
Teaching has become quite easy in a lot of ways. I know what to expect from the students, and I've bonded with most of them. The material is so easy that there is no prep work necessary, and the few minutes I have before class I can envision exactly how the 50 minute class will go. That's the native speaker advantage-my Korean coteachers on the other hand, even though they speak English fluently have to come early to prepare. Still, some classes are hard, but I'd say that most are enjoyable. My hardest class used to be this beginner middle school class where 4 out of the 7 students were troublemakers. Their English was minimal, and the behavior was horrible, talking, not paying attention, etc. I dreaded that class every time, and prayed that it would get easier. Amazingly, over the course of a month, the worst kids dropped out (probably since we were so hard on them), and the class size reduced to 2 students. The last time I had the class, only one student showed up, and I felt so happy that the hardest class was now the easiest.
And now for some anecdotes:
In February, a friend and I held an art exhibit at a café in my city. It was a combination of my photography and his art. The opening night a ton of people came, and the manager told me that was the busiest the café had ever been. The show lasted over a month.
A few weeks ago I attended an osho aum meditation program in Bundang. Osho is an active, group oriented meditation, where a range of emotions is expressed over the course of a 3 hour period. There are 12 stages, each one 15 minutes long, and each one a different emotion. The emotions ranged from negative to positive, from sad, to laughing, and everything in between. I learned how to express my emotions totally, as well as how to control them. It was a very intense experience.
A group of friends and I put together a zine called whole zine. We released our first issue in April, and I contributed an article. It looks really cool in the DIY style, and it's fun to pass around something we created to friends and strangers. We're working on the second issue (I'm going to write an article about my experience with osho meditation).
This past weekend I went to a tea bowl festival in Munkyeong, 2 hours south of seoul. We sampled a few different kinds of teas, met the most famous potter in Korea, and even got to make a tea bowl. When we returned to seoul, we went to the big parade for buddha's birthday. Seoul is an awesome city, with so much to offer. Because of that, I find myself there almost every weekend.
In less than 2 weeks Vijay is coming to visit me. I'm so excited to have a piece of home here, and to show him my life. I'm getting my place ready for him, and I'm starting to think about all the fun stuff we have to do. He'll be here for 3 weeks or so.
So, that's a glimpse of what's going on. Happy Spring!
Love
Daniel

Veg-Heads Potluck

VegHeads Unite 1/20/08

This vegan interest group spawned from the seed of need. While some geese are known to migrate if their situation proves unfavorable, others take a different route. These geese, the optimists, are known to ban together and find the flower in the weeds. The veggie community is no different. Scattered about, sand on the beach, we’re just a wave away from being sucked under. Banning together we create a mountain and stand strong.

On the surface, Korea’s face looks disappointedly into the eyes of Vegheads. The benevolent “he” provides minimal dining options, occasional odd glances, and lots of questions and shocked expressions. But peel back the top layer, do some networking, and the Vegheads always come afloat (and not like dying fish, we swim proudly).

January 2008 saw the Veghead’s first potluck, and calling it a success would be an understatement.

“It’s so much more than just good whole foods. It’s the support and the community aspect that draws me to this group, and this lifestyle,” reported Thenomad, who founded this group in a cold December studio, while simmering enough beans for two.

It’s true. There is a clear correlation between Vegheads and forward thinking. They look healthy, they care about the environment and animal rights, and they are, after all, optimists.

“I guess it just goes along with the whole persona,” Purple Feather digested. “You see, I can simultaneously chew on this carrot and think about how each crunch is another step to a greener world.”

Sure, some would say that regardless of crunches and steps, that’s a giant logical leap to make. But, the Vegheads do have some interesting ideas. And maybe not all of them are as hard to grasp as that last cherry in the tree.

Eat meat. Eat meat. Eat meat. It’s almost like a mantra for the ones not in the know. I, the linguist that I am, will be the first to point out that the word “eat” is encapsulated in the word “meat.” But that is not enough to draw any sort of etymological association.

It’s important to distinguish ourselves from the carnivores, and not only using exclusionary terminology. We do not define ourselves by what we don’t do, but rather what we do. As a result our mantra isn’t “Don’t eat meat.” Instead, it’s more along the lines of “Ram Ram Sita Ram.” It’s the same as defining a Jewish person as similar to a Christian, but doesn’t believe in Jesus. It’s both comical and completely wrong. For the same reason, defining a Veghead as similar to a carnivore, but doesn’t eat meat just doesn’t fit the bill.

And with that, may your year, you head, your stomach all be overflowing with love and greens.

Art Exhibit - Cafe Mentor

Greetings,
I am pleased to announce an event that we've been working on for over a month (and truthfully, much much longer than that). January 27th, at 8:30pm, Cafe Mentor in downtown Cheonan has its first ever art exhibit.
The featured artist is Andrew Ostapenko (www.spreadlove.ca).
The show will also have photography from me! and other members of the community.
Spread the word, because this opening will be special. Come for coffee, art, and good vibes. And an art lesson!