Who are the geeks here?

I stayed up until 2 am last night talking on SKYPE with Nozomo in Osaka. What were we talking about? Life (as usual), blogging, iPOD, podcasting, and Mac (our common new boyfriend, who's smart, fast, not to mention he's gorgeous and so smooth/hairless:). Yet, I cannot believe I gave up two hours of my beauty sleep for talking about geeky stuff. What really surprised me was that I actaully enjoyed it and I felt GREAT. So really, who is the geek here? Hate to admit but I think I feel proud of being a GEEK(although I am probably not qualified for such a title). Anyhow, I seriously think it is the coolest group to be in right now--the GEEKS.

So Nozomo is going to start her blog. I cannot wait to read it. She'd better post some good stories on her blog, and photos, of course.

***Progress on My (Darn) Student Visa***

I phoned up the school this morning and they told me not to worry about the visa application since it should take the govn't max. 6 weeks (based on their past experiences) to process it. I felt more relaxed yet still a bit concerned. But "there's nothing I can do about it" (as what the embassy told me on day 1)!

I just opened my ticket today. Can you believe that the cancellation of the ticket is CAD 700 non-refundable and the ticket is not changeable? (sharou grumbles)? Well, I suppose this is the trade off of booking a one-way ticket.

Yeh, One-way ticket! Not sure when I will be back. But I know it leads to good things and I am ready to be lead.

Where did my travel bug come from?

Lately, I have been thinking of this question. I wonder why I love travelling so much. I wonder why I just cannot stay in one city and get settled. I wonder where the bugs came from, when I started having the craving for travel.

Looking back what I have done, I think I gradutally see the root of it. Here is my travel chronology, which commenced when I was ten.

summer, 1989: Japan (Okinawa, Fukouka, Osaka, Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya)
summer, 1991: West Coast of USA (Hawaii, LA, San Fran, Reno, Las Vegas, San Diego)
summer, 1992: Singapore/Malaysia (one month)
summer, 1994: 15th World Jamboree (Netherlands, Belgium, France, London)
summer, 1999: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
summer, 2000: Vietnam, China (Beijin), LA (24 hours)
May-Dec, 2001: Toronto (Montreal, Ottawa, Niagara etc)
May, 2001: Zurich (the Eagles), Lichtenstein
Oct, 2001: Las Vegas (biz)
Dec, 2001: Chicago (almost couldn't make it back for Christmas)
summer, 2002: San Fran, Thailand (phuket, bankok)
Oct, 2002: Las Vegas (biz)
summer, 2003: Italy (all over Italy for a month)
summer, 2003: Mexico (roadtrip from Guadalajar to Cancun)
September, 2003: Germany (koln), UK (Nottingham)-biz
October, 2003: Las Vegas (biz)
December, 2003: central Vietnam
January, 2004: Taiwan (biz)
summer, 2004: Thailand (backcountry)
November, 2004: Japan (osaka, kyoto, kobe etc)
February, 2005: Cambodia (siem reap), Lao (backcountry)

summer: BARCELONA??

(updated June 15, 2007)
October, 2005: London
December, 2005: Tenerife
January, 2006: Jura, Geneva
April, 2006: Morroco (Marrakash, Dades Valley, High Altas, Sahara)
May, 2006: Paris
summer, 2006: Bonn, Nurumberg, Baltic Seas (all over Deutscheland), Salzberg, Zell am See), Belgium, Amesterdam
September, 2006: China (Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, HK), Vietnam, Thailand
December, 2006: Andalucia (Granada, Servilla)
April, 2007: Ecuador (Quito, Otavalo, la costa), Columbia
July, 2007: Tulum (Xpu Hua, Mexico), Guatemala, Nicaragua

September,2007-indefinitely: Shanghai

From Asia to North America to Asia then to Europe again, the list will go on......(I am sure of it)

The World Jamboree (scout event) definitely had a huge impact in my life. It had changed the way I looked at the world and culture. It was such a liberating feeling when being one of the 30,000 people from all over the world singing "Future Starts Today" at the arena--we all came from different backgounds yet believed in the same thing (as scouts). Watching the firework going off for an hour in the crowd, I was touched deeply. I believe that this was the time I decided that I wanted to be a global citizen and embraced the world. I must have picked up some "dutch" (or other countries) travel bags during the 10-day camping there :)

It is rather crazy recounting all the cities and countries I have been. However, there are so many places I haven't been just Canada alone. Perhaps, it is time for me to learn this country better, the maritime, the prairies, the yukon and territories. I know a lot of places yet never stayed in a place long enough to know the place well. Is there anything wrong with this pattern? I do not know. Perhaps it is just me, SHAROU, the travel bug, globetrotter, who just cannot stop moving.

Darn! Police Clearance Report & Cross Rates

I am prepping for all the document for the student visa application to go to Spain. I almost got everything, except for the police clearance report from the Vietnamese authority. They require all the police clearance reports from all the local authorities where I have resided in the past five years. One of the annoything drawback as a globaltroter--my records are everywhere and I constantly need to request records overseas.

Let's do the math of retreiving this darn piece of paper:
POA from Notary Public = 75CAD + tax
legal and tranlation fee to VN embassy = 81 CAD
courier to Ottawa = 10 CAD
courier to Vietnam = 50 CAD (by fedex)

It is going to cost me over 200 CAD just for this piece of paper.

I went to HSBC this morning to get an idea of wire transfer. Apparently, I am going to have a loss of 500-600USD on currency exchange. Since they cannot do a cross rate (only apply for transfer >30,000 CAD), they will convert my USD saving to Canadian dollars and buy EURO off Canadian dollars. I am losing on the both ends with weaker USD against CAD and stronger EURO against CAD. So frustrating. (Side comment: I don't think the HSBC tellers are very bright when it comes to calculating cross rates.)

Since I have lost my cell phone (couldn't even recall how I lost it), I have been using SKYPE calling long distance. The quality is alright calling within Canada but the reception is VERY BAD calling Vietnam. I am quite frustrated about having to get up 6:00am every morning to make phone calls.

Perhaps I shall reconsider my visit with a palm reader!
Okay, enough with my ranting. Better get on with it.

This is how it begins!

Since I got the notification of my admission to ESADE on Monday, I have been struggling in making up my mind. What I have been praying for a long time has come-having the options, the option of an internship in the film industry/develop film projects and the option of doing my MBA in ESADE/pursue a career in international business.

For me, it is more like a life decision, than a career decision because the paths lead to extreme lifestyles and outcomes. However, I feel good about both of them.

"There's nothing heavier than the burden of potentials"

Out of sudden, I am having cold feet on my wish coming true. This is what I have always dreamt of, living in a spanish-speaking country, doing my MBA, and meeting lots and lots of people. What can be more exciting than travelling?

I started to apply for the visa. The whole process of applying for the student visa is rather frustrating. So many items/documents need to be prepared for the application--medical record, police clearance, proof of finance, ticket booking etc. Not to mention it is going to take them 5 weeks to 2 months to process it. DARN! I suppose sooner or later I will need to get used to "the Spanish time", might as well start with the whole visa process, sigh :)

So I suppose in a way, I have already made up my mind ( just need to figure out what is holding me back). Thus, I created a new blog today to dedicate to my adventure for the next 18 months (at least)!!

Here you have it--Terra Nova, Sharou's blog as a globe trotter!