16 September

Whew, ok, so let me catch my breath before I begin what will undoubtedly be several long entries about my trip to Thailand. Maybe you want to go grab a snack or hit the bathroom? You're going to be here a while....

The excitement of this trip hit me as soon as I stepped foot in Sydney Airport's international terminal yesterday. Waiting for my flight to board, I sat at the gate thinking I can hardly imagine a place more exciting and filled with more potential than an international terminal at a major airport. People from all over world coming and going... rushing to get home or to work, to visit family 10,000 miles away, or start an exotic vacation in the other hemisphere. There was an undeniable energy and curiosity about the crowd in the airport and, as I thought about not only my next two weeks but all of the travels I have to look forward to, I couldn't stop smiling.

Relative to my flight from New York, the trip across Australia's Northern Territory and into Asia was quick. The flight attendants were dressed in purple gowns and sashes, bowed to many of the passengers as we boarded, and (this was probably my favorite part) probably did not stop feeding me from the time we took off to when we landed. Fearing what the food on a Thai airline might taste like, I made the mistake of ordering kosher meals. I don't know about the other food, but it couldn't have been worse than what I ate and I made a mental note to cancel them before I fly out of here. I wondered if much of the flight attendants' dress and behavior was simply a performance designed to make Thais feel at home or give foreigners a more authentic experience. I've been thinking about that as I explore this section of Bangkok and I'm still not sure.

I've been in Bangkok less than 24 hours and I've already noticed striking similarities and differences to a few other cities I've been in. Thailand itself seems like a country that can't make up its mind about which year or which part of the world it wishes to associate itself with. The first thing I watched on my flight up here was an E! True Hollywood Story on Angelina Jolie. That was followed by the Da Vinci code in both English and Thai and then several specials on Thai culture and history. I've seen monks collecting change on the street in front of malls that could rival any I've been to in New Jersey. Wearing Calvin Klein jeans and holding cups of Starbucks coffee, Thais buy curried chicken and fried noodles from any one of the numerous vendors on the crowded city streets. There's an obvious contrast between older styles of Thai dress and those who choose to follow Western styles. I read in one of my travel guides that public displays of affection are becoming less taboo but social bonds are proudly displayed for everyone to see. This means that women in close, platonic relationships are probably likelier to hold hands with one another than a married couple might be.

Bangkok is very cheap, very hot, and very dirty. I enjoyed my own small pizza pie and a soda for lunch for about $3 US. Almost anything you could want (and I do mean anything) is available for purchase right outside your hotel door and cheaper than you can imagine. I'm going to have to work on my bargaining skills if I want to ride a tuk-tuk (the Thai equivalent of a taxi, it looks like a motorized cart) or not get ripped off buying souvenirs. Most large cafes, malls, and hotels are air-conditioned (I'm sitting inside a quite comfortable book store right now... and yes there's a Starbucks) although I have a feeling that won't be the case after I leave Bangkok tomorrow. The city feels more densely populated than New York but that could very well be because I'm a foreigner here. I feel like a target for vendors but it hasn't been a huge problem. It's easy to get good deals on things in Thailand and a few dollars go a very long way.

There also seems to be a sizable wealth gap in Thailand. Streets are packed with expensive cars weaving through traffic with tuk-tuks, songthaews (small busses), and people riding mopeds and bicycles. Poverty makes people do sad and unusual things. If you're ever in Thailand, be careful when using public transport! Drivers have agreements with local businesses so if you don't watch out, you might ask to be taken to your hotel and find yourself at a clothing store or a massage parlor, instead. There are few, if any, stoplights on the roads and I've had to be extremely careful crossing streets. Instead of crosswalks at intersections though, there are platforms above the traffic that people use to get across.

Most of the English speakers I've encountered are Australian although I'm sure there are Americans around here somewhere. Most Thais speak broken English it sounds like they learned from watching too many of our movies. I was fortunate enough earlier today to run into an Australian couple in an electronics market I met at Sydney airport before I left. I might be thousands of miles from home but it still feels like a small world to me...

I think I'm going to head back to the hotel and grab a nap before I have to meet my group for the first time in a couple of hours. I'm nervous about meeting the people I'm going to spend the next two weeks trekking across Thailand with but I know everything's going to be great. The American in me misses hearing English already anyway.

Posted by Jason at 07:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

Ok, so very short entry since I need to leave soon. I just wanted to say a few things about the Crocodile Hunter, since a lot of people have been asking me. The outpouring of grief and support for his family has been, to make an understatement, enormous. The government offered him a state funeral (which it almost never does) and Steve’s father politely declined. Saying he was just a “regular bloke,” the Irwin family decided it wasn’t what Steve would have wanted. There have also been talks of naming a national park after him. The Crocodile Hunter put Australia on the map and people here love him for it. There have been a few dissenters who argued that the fatal stingray attack was “revenge by the animal world.” However, you won’t find many who agree with that since Steve Irwin has single handedly made conservation popular and taught millions to appreciate nature.

There’s a memorial service for Steve this week and it’s going to be big. Thousands camped out for tickets and I think it’s supposed to be televised on a couple of channels. Steve Irwin’s death was an enormous tragedy not only for Australians, but for the animal world and being here when it happened will be one of the most unforgettable events of my semester abroad.

Posted by Jason at 03:32 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

You know, I think it finally hit me yesterday that I’m going to Thailand, a developing country, tomorrow. I took out the Frommer’s guide and the language book I bought and I started to think about how, as much as I want this, I’m not prepared for a trip like this at all. Not only do I know next to nothing about the country, the bug repellant I searched the supermarket for doesn’t have DEET in it. The label said “tropical strength” on it though so hopefully I won’t come back looking like a giant zit.

I’m jealous of spontaneous travelers, people who are able to jump from country to country at the drop of a hat. Me? I’m sitting here on my bank’s security website trying to figure out how to ensure I’ll be able to use my Visa card in Asia. Actually, I booked this trip through a travel agent so it’s been relatively painless. Still, there are always things to do before going anywhere.

I probably won’t have much internet access while I’m riding my elephant through the hills of Northern Thailand so expect some seriously long entries when I get back. As far as expectations go, I’m expecting to be completely, well, surprised. I understand Bangkok is fairly westernized but that’s about it. Thailand is one of the more popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia and the country even has a special police for its non-Thai speaking visitors. As much as I’ve loved being in Australia these past (almost) two months, these next two weeks will be a different kind of adventure. I just hope I can find my way out of Don Muang airport tomorrow...

A little bit about today though... I had a great day today riding the ferry across Sydney Harbour with one of my housemates to the Taronga Zoo. Built on a hill across the water from the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, we rode a sky tram to the zoo’s entrance. Topped off later by two trips to the supermarket and a delicious Mexican dinner at my friends’ apartment, my last day in Australia for the month could not have been better. I spent the ten minute or so trip across the Harbour just looking out across the city. The weather was perfect, the water a beautiful blue, and, for the first time probably since I’ve been here, the past year or so hit me like a ton of bricks.

With crisp Australian air in my lungs and a fantastic trip coming up soon, it got me thinking about how lucky I really am. Then, I started to reconsider that. Am I really lucky? Fortunate? Definitely. It goes without say that my parents have worked hard to give me the life I live and I’ve worked too. I’ve saved money, worked hard in school, and planned meticulously so I could ride across Sydney Harbour today and fly off to Bangkok tomorrow. Maybe I’m naïve, but I’m a huge believer in priorities. I knew what I wanted and I’m making it happen. I couldn’t help but feel satisfied today, watching the giraffes at Taronga with the incredible Sydney skyline in the background.

In my interview with Brett Mason (which you’ll see in Episode 3!), this 21 year old news anchor told me he cringes when people say how lucky he is to be so young and successful. I understand that now. I think luck implies chance was a greater factor in getting to this particular point in my life than it actually was and understates how much effort I put into, well, everything. I’m fortunate in that circumstances have smiled on me: I have parents, family, and friends who support me and encourage me to take advantage of every opportunity. I don’t know. Maybe I’m wrong but I see real difference between those two terms. To attribute all of my good fortune to luck just doesn’t feel right and I see everything I’m doing now more as the culmination of motivation, not luck. What do you think?

Anyway, I want to sign off just by thanking all of the people who have been e-mailing me and posting comments on my blog. Michelle Brito, your idea was delicious. Oporto’s is everywhere here. (Chances are, if you’re looking at a 7-11 and a Hungry Jacks on a Sydney street, there can’t be an Oporto’s far away.) There’s one right down the road from here at the Mac Centre and I will absolutely take up your suggestion when I get back. For everyone who’s written, I’ll do the best I can to respond but if I miss yours, please know that I appreciate your input and I hope you’ll keep it coming!

Dee-o pop gun mai! (a.k.a. See you later!)

Jason

P.S.
Seppo: septic tank, rhyming slang for yank, an american person
would of been a good palace if it wasn't full of seppo wankers

Vegemite: Delicious Australian spread, made from used brewer's yeast. Non-Australians tend to give descriptions of it similar to 'tastes like a mixture of salt and battery acid'. This is because they are wimps, and need to drink more beer, eat more pies, and of course, eat more Vegemite. (These aren’t my definitions, I swear.)

Posted by Jason at 12:55 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The news in Australia recently has an added an interesting dimension to my trip lately. Not only is today the fifth anniversary of the September 11th attacks not far from home in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C., but Steve Irwin was also killed last week in Queensland. Watching the massive responses to these events on Australian television has, at the same time, reminded me I'm a foreigner here and that Australians don't react to tragedy very different than we do in the U.S. We are all human, after all.

A newspaper headline about Steve Irwin's children, dated 6 September, 2006

Speaking of being foreign, I thought of something over the weekend that I thought I should share. I've been lucky enough over these past six weeks to meet people from all over the world. Whether it's sitting around comparing accents, languages, or favorite movies, I've been fascinated by pretty much every aspect of these interactions. Since I go to a university at home with an enormous international student body, it's occurred to me that I could probably meet people from many of these same countries at Rutgers. This got me to wondering what's been different about meeting so many internationals in Australia, as opposed to in the U.S. and I finally figured it out.

We're on the same level here. Despite coming from places as diverse as the U.S., Zimbabwe, Germany, and Singapore, I can relate to the huge international community here in a way that is impossible in the States. Details aside, I am just as foreign here as that guy from Pakistan or the girl from Canada. This is something I am definitely not accustomed to and is, I think, the best part about being abroad.

I'm leaving for Thailand on Friday and, since I'm still working on accepting I'm in Australia, I have no idea when it will hit me that I'm traveling to THAILAND! Probably not until long after I get back... I'm still working on uploading more photos from here and internet connection in Thailand will be hard to come by. In the meantime, I've been enjoying the JYA site as it is and I think it looks fantastic. I'm prouder and more excited than ever to be a part of it.

Cheers guys,

Jason

Posted by Jason at 06:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Ok, so wow, this has been a hectic day. I shot Episode 4 (Episode 4 will be released on October 11, 2006. Come back and check it out.) on campus today and I hope it comes out as well as I think it will. I just want to thank my professors for their support, since I could not have done this without them. Today was also my first time filming without a “crew” (read: my friends helping me). Back to my earlier question, I began to talk about this in the episode today but it was difficult to express myself with the camera’s red light staring at me. I think what I want to know is how personal these entries should be. I’m not referring to how JYA-appropriate they are or should be, since NBC can tell me that. What I mean is that I’m a fairly sensitive guy and, being that these entries are an opportunity to express myself in writing I’ve never had before, I’m afraid of veering into territory that perhaps is better left unexplored.

The way I see it, having too much creative freedom is like having a department store full of options. I shop better when I have three pairs of pants to choose from, not thirty-seven. While I intend to share my experiences abroad openly, to write what I choose to write, I also want to write about what you want to read. While I don’t need anyone to pick out my pants for me, I could use some help in figuring out what matches. Does that make sense?

Ok... time to move off of that. Tonight’s “International Mac Student Free Pasta Night” at my buddy Dave’s place and it’s going to be great. Seriously, his cooking is a highlight of my week. What do you know; I think I’ve run out of things to talk about. (It’s rare, but it happens.)

Dave, the Prince of Pasta

Cheers!

Jason

Posted by Jason at 06:15 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Not a whole lot to report this time, which works out well since I need to stop writing the equivalent of Crime and Punishment for every entry. I’m off again to Melbourne this week and then it’s time to start getting ready for Thailand. I swear I’m going to shoot an episode on campus soon. In fact, I’ll send an email to my conveners and tutor right now about that.

This weekend has been interesting, so far, since I did a few things that probably would never occur to most people. You guessed it, I saw Snakes on a Plane. I loved it too, but that’s not what I wanted to talk about. I went to synagogue Friday night, something I haven’t done in a long time. After finding this particular synagogue on the internet, a friend of mine recommended the rabbi so I decided to check it out. Security was tight, the tightest I’d ever seen at a synagogue, and to be honest it made me feel safer and uncomfortable at the same time. Even though the rabbi and his family are Americans, there were a few things that were different about the service and I spent a good portion of it trying to decide whether I wanted to come back again. Then, something happened afterward that made the decision for me. The rabbi approached me and asked me to join his family for dinner. I was surprised and confused by his invitation, since I also met some kids my age who invited me to go to a music festival in Sydney with them. They suggested I instead take the rabbi up on his offer, and so that’s what I did.

Any feelings of nervousness I might have had about dinner in a house full of strangers vanished instantly. The rabbi, his family, and their guests were simply too friendly to be strangers. A group of people, for no other reason other than to be friendly, opened their house and kitchen to me. It was the best meal I’ve had since I came here. We exchanged phone numbers and they were even kind enough to not subject me to the long bus ride back to campus. Of course, I promised they would see me again soon.

Friday evening was what studying abroad is supposed to be about: new friends, new surroundings, and new situations. In fact, a “thank you” postcard with some koalas wearing sunglasses on it is on its way to them right now.

Have a great week,

Jason

Posted by Jason at 06:12 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

A blinking cursor is a scary thing, isn’t it? Whether it’s at the beginning of an unwritten essay or a new blog entry, it’s quite intimidating. There are probably people reading this right now with the opposite perspective, maybe they see a fresh page rather than an empty one. If I’ve learned anything so far in Australia, it’s that each new day is fresh, not empty. It would be inappropriate to take the latter view because I have twenty years worth of pages behind me. Of course, these pages affect those that haven’t been written yet but they don’t dictate what’s to come. I’m not sure what sparked me to write this but it feels right. The 15 minutes I spend browsing my iTunes, Facebook, and JDate every time I sit down at the computer instills me with the energy and the creativity to tackle that blinking cursor, to hopefully find the words that best express my experiences here in Sydney.

It occurred to me that I should probably start filming on campus. I don’t want to create the impression that study abroad is an endless excuse to travel and party. Believe or not, I’m enjoying my classes so far and it might be beneficial to show you a regular day in the life of an international student. If I were filming tomorrow, for example, you’d see me standing at a pay phone speaking with the mobile phone people because I’m out of credits. Most of us here purchase pre-paid minutes and recharge them at the end of the plan. The trick for me right now is that I don’t have any minutes to call Customer Care and buy more. I’d do it online but the phone company screwed up my last purchase so they credited my account with thirty dollars worth of minutes and I don’t know how to access them. The list of stupid errands continues... I should probably go food shopping again, too.

I spent this past weekend in Canberra, Australia’s capital, with Macquarie’s Global Leadership Program. It was interesting in that in a group of sixty people, most of us applied solo and bonded really quickly. The trip was designed to promote global awareness, so the advisers divided us into groups and we had to present our solutions to different international problems. Fair trade and cultural awareness were major themes of the weekend and I learned a lot. It was my first trip out of Sydney (although certainly not my last) and I met a ton of Australians I wouldn’t have otherwise met on campus. We attended a Parliament session on Friday and I listened to the prime minister deliver a speech about the anniversary of Battle of Long Tan in Vietnam. I don’t know why C-Span in the States is so boring because these sessions are FUN. Watching politicians point fingers and mock each other over issues no one wants responsibility for brought to mind a saying that goes something like “Politics is Hollywood for ugly people.” I was also interested by the fact that I’ve been in Australia for less than a month and I’ve seen Prime Minister Howard in the flesh. In twenty years as an American, I’ve never been inside the White House, much less seen the president. Australia is truly a small country.

Speaking of politics, I present you with my gripe of the week. I’ve written before about how much Australians love their politics. Especially in a city as diverse as Sydney, current events are extremely popular topics of conversation. Those of you that know me probably know where this is going... Now, as the son of an Israeli immigrant and the grandson of Holocaust survivors, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I’m proud of my background. I have a mini-culture shock every time I meet someone who’s never tasted a bagel or visited relatives in Brooklyn. However, given the small Jewish community in my suburb here, the constant revolving door of violence in the Middle East, and my appearance, I’m finding myself more and more often having a very particular conversation.

I should probably explain what my appearance has to do with anything. As a fair-skinned redhead studying in a predominantly Anglo-Saxon country, I’ve been asked on more than one occasion if I’m Irish. It’s not possible to answer this and move on, of course, since my family’s specific history is typically the most expected and natural answer to this question. Then, I’ll hear, “Oh wow, you don’t look Jewish,” which always sounds like it’s supposed to be a compliment. I’m not angry about this, just amazed how uninformed most of us still are even in this day and age. I try to appreciate the chance this person is giving to explain my culture and maybe defuse a stereotype or two. The majorities of people I’ve met are interested in Judaism and are genuinely curious. They’ve seen the sizable Orthodox and South African Jewish communities in Australia and yet it seems the general perception of Jewish people is, well, inaccurate. Being in Australia has forced me to confront what it means to be a minority, even if I’d get by simply by keeping my mouth shut. Eh, I’m sure I’ll get over it soon enough and on the brighter side, I’ve gained a valuable perspective on one of the many things I take for granted in my suburban New Jersey bubble.

On a lighter note, I have a feeling my weekend in Canberra was indicative of what the rest of this semester is going to be like. From practicing my Australian accent (which, for an American, I think is pretty good) to packing in the sites, it was just what I needed to top off my first month Down Under. The program’s adviser was kind enough to arrange for me an interview with a news anchor not much older than I am. We filmed on the set of a late night call in show in Canberra and I’m really proud of it. The finished episode is going to look great and, I think, captures the essence of what JYA is all about. Episode 2 was not nearly as good as it could have been and my Canberra footage will hopefully make up for that.

The fact that I’m browsing away messages means it’s time to say good night. The blinking cursor is just as noticeable at a conclusion as an introduction, isn’t it? Perhaps it’s even more so. I should get some work done and then, hopefully, I won’t have to look at a blinking cursor on the page of one of my essays much longer.

Thanks for reading.

Jason

Posted by Jason at 06:11 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Ok, at this point I probably have a little more information to share with you about life and cultcha’ here. First off, I have been doing an excellent job of keeping myself busy. Being American in a foreign country has been a blast and I am taking full advantage of every situation that comes my way. From the supermarket checkout girls to bartenders to professors (which are called conveners here, by the way), I’ve been striking up conversations with everyone. It doesn’t take long for them to figure out I’m not from around here, but that’s OK. They are fascinated by almost every aspect of American life. Personally, I don’t entirely understand their fascination since most of our music and ideas for reality television shows seem to find their way here but hey, I guess I should’ve expected that. As far as Australian culture goes, my main questions for the Aussies mainly pertain to the popularity of Paul Hogan movies and The Wiggles. I’ve yet to hear a satisfying answer.

Relating to the Aussies (and the multitudes of students from all over the world) has definitely been one of the most valuable and exciting aspects of being here. I’ve found that our similarities are more striking than our differences and that these so-called differences mainly stem from cultural misunderstandings and the Australian tendency to stick a U in “color”. (Don’t confuse labour with “Labor” or link Conservatives with Republicans. These are easy mistakes to make.) Most of what we Americans know from others comes from stereotypes, while most of what they know about us stems from the massive amounts of hours spent watching our music videos and McDonald’s commercials. Our notions of this country gained from advertising are equally inaccurate: No self-respecting Aussie would be caught dead in an Outback Steakhouse or drinking Foster’s, no matter what the commercials tell you. I’ve made enormous efforts to talk to as many Australians, Germans, Japanese, Mexicans, and anyone else who speaks English well enough to speak with me about life in their countries.

This blog presents me with a great opportunity to speak about something else that has been on my mind since I landed here. All of the barriers that separate us, whether cultural, linguistic, religious, political, or stereotypical, have a much more tangible quality than I ever realized. Obviously, I’m taking the American perspective again (since it’s the only one I have) but after observing the overwhelming number of Americans interacting with and adjusting to life here, I have to say I’m somewhat embarrassed for my country. While I don’t believe anyone should ever be ashamed of where they come from, I wish my Australian accent were convincing enough so that I don’t have to constantly tell people I’m from the States. Of course, this doesn’t only pertain to Americans but, overall, I’ve found the Americans here to be not as willing as I am to play against type. Not to say that people aren’t friendly, but the general level of open-mindedness amongst us has been disappointing.

I have a feeling these past two weeks in Sydney have probably been everything they are supposed to be. I’ve covered a ton of bases and met some great people. I told you in my blog last week all of the amazing things I’m doing and I’m definitely aware of how lucky I am to be here. Unfortunately, there are some negative aspects of being abroad that I think should be included in the shiny information packets universities use to hype their programs. Depression, loneliness, homesickness, and probably (for me in Thailand) upset stomach are all things few international students don’t experience. The important thing to keep in mind (this is me trying to convince myself, by the way) is that all of this is normal. If I had let these bumps in the road stop me from making the decision to come here, I’d be back in the States sweating with the rest of the East Coast. Instead, I’m in Sydney and I couldn’t be happier to be here.

Cheers from Australia,
Jason

Posted by Jason at 06:10 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)