Friday, June 1, 2012
Hello again!
It's been a year and half since my last post. Amazing. What is also amazing is my last post was a few days after I tore my ACL. And SO many things have happened since then. Let's see if I can sum them up:
Taiwan. Family. Homesick. Torn ACL! Shock. Fear. Depression. Support. Life goes on. Living. Moving. California. Oakland. Berkeley. Emeryville. Nutrition. Stimulation. Learning. Cooking. Inspiration. Openness. Surgery. Recovery. Friends. Love. Playing Capoeira! Teaching. Nutrition. Capoeira. Self doubt. Working. Biking. Falling. Vistas. Seeds. Beginnings. Continuation. Striving. Balance. Happy. That's it. The last 18 months in a few words.
I have been inspired by my dear friend Celia to write again. To share my experiences. I’ve moved to the Bay area with the intent to build community. To live in a place and be supported by those I encounter in my day to day. As I move ahead with nutrition and with teaching Capoeira, I often am my own worst enemy. The self doubt that sometimes plagues my mind. Who am I to guide people? But I feel the draw, the pull of work that is greater than myself. Of something that is about connecting people, and creating a force that is positive and sustaining for all who are involved.
Then there is the call to “market” myself. To brand myself. It doesn’t feel genuine, and perhaps that won’t allow me to be successful, or to make a living wage out of what I choose to do. Hm…. we’ll see.
But hello again, to those of you out there. Looking forward to sharing more, and to hearing from you too.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
When an Injury Takes You Out
I've been excited for months now, the prospect of coming to New York City and reconnecting with my closest friends, and training, training, training. For the first week and a half I was here, it was GREAT. I loved seeing my friends, I loved training...most of all I just felt at home.
Then a few days ago, I got injured. Which is something that is inevitable in Capoeira, and for all intensive purposes, it's not that bad. I'm not using crutches, I (fingers crossed) won't need surgery. But it does take me out of the game. And in a place like New York, where you walk everywhere, it takes me out of the experience which is simply; hanging out in New York City. And I've been looking forward to so much. Sad. I had fantasized about this trip, about the places I would eat, the people I would see, the teachers I would train with. It was really all of that expectation that made it hard to accept my reality. I really can't walk very well.
So instead, I decided to come to Jersey, where my cousins are home for the holidays, and relish in car culture for once. I also took advantage of those motorized carts today at Costco AND Target. Who knew they were so necessary? Anyway, it's unfortunate that the city is such a hard place to heal. Although it is super stimulating for my brain socially, it's better that I hide away for a while and focus my thoughts on this here knee.
I'm the typical person, who when they have to pay out of pocket to go see the doctor, I put it off. I've been pouring over the medical advice websites, searching for "treatment knee sprain," or "healing stretched ligaments." The swelling is going down, but my knee is weak on the inside and buckles sometimes.... yikes. It's only the first week though, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will heal. Recently I've heard of community acupuncture places, where they treat multiple people at the same time, and usually have a sliding scale, anywhere from $20-50. Just google community acupuncture and the city you are in and you'll find if there's one near you.
Being injured also gives me a little time to reflect on another injury and the place of Capoeira in my life. I was a little hesitant to tell my mother that I had injured myself yet again. Her advice to me was of course, stop playing Capoeira. But I can't stop. I've been doing it too long to stop. I'm finally to the point where I don't have to think so hard to do it to stop. And it's one of the things that makes me so blissfully happy. I really can't stop.
It has, though, become a smaller part of me life. It has become a healthier part of my life. When I was younger, I probably would have become a lot more depressed, but this time, when it happened, I wasn't SO upset. I was bummed that I couldn't hang out with my friends, and that I had come to New York specifically to train. But....life could be much much worse. And it's given me an opportunity to hang out with my cousins that I haven't seen in a while, and be partially smothered by my very Taiwanese aunt. I was actually touched that she wanted to lecture me on my life path, because actually, it's kind of nice to know that she cares.
So, a few weeks out of my life isn't all that bad, and it reminds me to be versatile in my activities and life choices. Of course I can't wait till I can play Capoeira again, but I also look forward to when I can walk normally, go hiking, run, dance, and swim. I just have to remember to stay strong in mind and in body and hopefully when the next injury comes it won't be so bad.
Then a few days ago, I got injured. Which is something that is inevitable in Capoeira, and for all intensive purposes, it's not that bad. I'm not using crutches, I (fingers crossed) won't need surgery. But it does take me out of the game. And in a place like New York, where you walk everywhere, it takes me out of the experience which is simply; hanging out in New York City. And I've been looking forward to so much. Sad. I had fantasized about this trip, about the places I would eat, the people I would see, the teachers I would train with. It was really all of that expectation that made it hard to accept my reality. I really can't walk very well.
So instead, I decided to come to Jersey, where my cousins are home for the holidays, and relish in car culture for once. I also took advantage of those motorized carts today at Costco AND Target. Who knew they were so necessary? Anyway, it's unfortunate that the city is such a hard place to heal. Although it is super stimulating for my brain socially, it's better that I hide away for a while and focus my thoughts on this here knee.
I'm the typical person, who when they have to pay out of pocket to go see the doctor, I put it off. I've been pouring over the medical advice websites, searching for "treatment knee sprain," or "healing stretched ligaments." The swelling is going down, but my knee is weak on the inside and buckles sometimes.... yikes. It's only the first week though, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will heal. Recently I've heard of community acupuncture places, where they treat multiple people at the same time, and usually have a sliding scale, anywhere from $20-50. Just google community acupuncture and the city you are in and you'll find if there's one near you.
Being injured also gives me a little time to reflect on another injury and the place of Capoeira in my life. I was a little hesitant to tell my mother that I had injured myself yet again. Her advice to me was of course, stop playing Capoeira. But I can't stop. I've been doing it too long to stop. I'm finally to the point where I don't have to think so hard to do it to stop. And it's one of the things that makes me so blissfully happy. I really can't stop.
It has, though, become a smaller part of me life. It has become a healthier part of my life. When I was younger, I probably would have become a lot more depressed, but this time, when it happened, I wasn't SO upset. I was bummed that I couldn't hang out with my friends, and that I had come to New York specifically to train. But....life could be much much worse. And it's given me an opportunity to hang out with my cousins that I haven't seen in a while, and be partially smothered by my very Taiwanese aunt. I was actually touched that she wanted to lecture me on my life path, because actually, it's kind of nice to know that she cares.
So, a few weeks out of my life isn't all that bad, and it reminds me to be versatile in my activities and life choices. Of course I can't wait till I can play Capoeira again, but I also look forward to when I can walk normally, go hiking, run, dance, and swim. I just have to remember to stay strong in mind and in body and hopefully when the next injury comes it won't be so bad.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
How to Quit Your Job and Travel the World
A question that I'm ALWAYS asked, is "Where do you have the money to travel so much, like did you win the lottery? Are you a trust fund baby?" The answer to both of these questions is NO. After I posted about travel tips, a friend of mine asked me about how to finance taking a year off, so I thought I would share some of my thoughts and experiences. Everyone has a different comfort level in terms of how much money we need to feel secure, but maybe what I have to say can help some of you make some plans. I do have to admit, however, one I don't have student loans, and two that I know my parents are in a position to help me if I get into a jam, so knowing that in the background gives me a level of security. However, you can make it work! You probably should just make a little fund that you absolutely do not touch! Only in case of an emergency.
First of all, you have to be ready to quit your job. This freaks a lot of people out. And for those of you who have loans, I can understand that. And unfortunately, I don't have a really great answer for that, except you just have to save more money. However, you can either think about living for the present, or living for the maybe one day distant future where you may not have enough money to pay for your kid's college education. I guess my answer to this is, well, I have the rest of my life to save. With this time off, it's true that I'm spending my savings, but it didn't take me that long to earn them in the first place, and really, you only live life once. It makes sense that it's especially hard to think about doing this in this economy, where people are having a hard time re-entering the work force. For some reason though, and maybe I'm being extremely naive, I'm not too worried about it. I'm not afraid to work in a coffee shop, or to cut back on my spending, or to even hide out on a farm for another year. But I'm at peace with my decision to be jobless because I have faith that things will work out in the end. I guess you can check back with me in few years to see where this philosophy goes!
Once you are comfortable with the idea of being jobless, you have to decide what kind of traveler you are. This is going to determine the amount of money that you need to save in order to travel. I am NOT the kind of traveler who sleeps in hotels, instead, I think of friends that I can stay with in different places around the world. If you are a capoeirista, it's EASY. Just find a group that you want to train with, get in touch with them and go. Chances are, someone will adopt you as a new member of the family and show you the ropes. If you don't play capoeira, then simply think of friends that you can stay with, and offer to pay a bit of rent. That will still be a cheaper option then staying in a hostel or hotel for any length of time. Also, craigslist exists in most cities of the world nowadays, and it's possible to find a reasonable apartment to rent for a few months. In Argentina, I found a studio in the middle of Palermo for $540 a month, which wasn't the cheapest option for Latin America, but kind of amazing to have my own cute little space for a bit and be in the heart of the city. Of course my friend wanted me to stay with her and her family for the entire time, bless her heart. (You are amazing Silvina!) I feel that this attitude is super common of Latin American families; to offer up their homes for long periods of time. Anyway, having a place to stay is key, because most of the money that you spend traveling is to cover housing. Once that is out of the way, your only expenses are food, transportation, and taking your hosts out to dinner!
So, quitting your job and traveling really does take some forethought and some time to SAVE SOME MONEY. I am going to say here, that I am not a huge consumer in normal life. I don't drink, and I spend most of my money on rent, food, capoeira, and my car. It took two years, living in North Carolina (where my rent was about $450 a month) to save enough money to feel comfortable in taking at least a year off, which currently is now about 15 months. The first time I took a year to travel, from fall 2006-spring 2007, it took me about 3 years to save about $10,000. (If you live in a big city it's possible! I was living in New York at the time, and making not that much as a teacher) It didn't quite last me an entire year, and foreign exchange rates were more favorable at that time, so I would suggest saving at least $15,000.
Basically what I'm saying is that you do have to consciously save. Try to cook more at home, cut down on your shopping (although thrift stores are a great way to save money AND be green.... no extra energy expended on making new clothes!), take the public transportation instead of taking a cab, or make your coffee at home with a reusable mug instead of going to Starbucks. If you saved an extra $300 a month, that's $3600 a year, and in 3 years you could have $10,200....that's good at least for 9 months.
The cost of essentials...
1) Health Insurance: This is probably the number one thing that people worry about when you are unemployed. But to make yourself feel better, and what I have, is a high deductible insurance plan. I pay about $70 a month for a $5000 yearly deductible. I really don't want to be out $5000, but if anything major happened, I wouldn't be in huge debt. You can also buy international travel insurance, which about 5 years ago I paid about $130 for 3 months. I would highly recommend this, I have a friend who fell off a balcony recently in Mexico, which included an airlift, who if it weren't for travel insurance would have had to pay out a huge sum of money.
You can also find sliding scale health clinics in the US, although you usually have to wait the whole day! If you are a woman, then check out Planned Parenthood.... they are amazing and usually offer free woman visits for people that have no income!
*Another note about High Deductible Health Insurance plans, make sure to get one where you get open an HSA, and Health Savings Plan. The IRS allows you to put in a little more than $3000 a year tax deductible to pay for medical expenses. It will come in handy at some point.
2) Jump on a friend or family's phone plan. Instead of paying $50-$60 a month for my own phone bill, my father added my line onto his plan, and I only have to pay about $15 a month. Plus, I didn't have to change my number.
3) Phones abroad. I have Verizon Wireless, so I don't have a CIM card. But if you do have another carrier, you can apparently get a new CIM card in whatever country you are in and use your phone there.... I have never done this, and I think there is some type of unlocking that has to happen. Ask someone else! What I have done though, is ask around if anyone has an old cellphone, and then buy a new CIM card, which is usually like $10, and then I have a cell phone to use while I'm there. Super helpful when making plans.
Ways to stretch your money
1) Work on a farm! When you work on farm, you usually don't get paid a lot, if anything at all, but room and board are free and the food is of course, the best you can get. There are a lot of ways to do this, one is through WWOOFING, which stands for Willing Workers on Organic Farms. Choose which country you want to go to, you pay about $25 dollars to access a list of farms, and then you just contact the farms and set up visits on your own. I have never actually done this, but I have friends who have and have had great experiences.
I found a farm in California through the ATTRA website: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/internships/
2) Do language exchanges when you are abroad. Instead of paying for language lessons, put ads on craigslist that you are interested in doing a language exchange. You can usually find some new friends this way, and you don't have to pay for language lessons.
For me, my travels are soon to end, and I will have to get a job! But throughout the year, something that I had to keep reminding myself was that money comes and goes. I usually tried to be as economical as possible without being cheap! It's hard sometimes not to get caught up in the feeling that you are spending a lot of money, while not making that money back. But it's just part of traveling. Experiences cost money. If you want to eat that amazing meal, or stay in a comfortable place, or go to that capoeira event, there is a cost to that. Either you are willing to pay that expense or you are not, but it's better just to accept it and let that feeling go. It's especially important when it comes to treating friends who have helped you out along the way. It is all extremely worth it in the end.
Happy Travels!
First of all, you have to be ready to quit your job. This freaks a lot of people out. And for those of you who have loans, I can understand that. And unfortunately, I don't have a really great answer for that, except you just have to save more money. However, you can either think about living for the present, or living for the maybe one day distant future where you may not have enough money to pay for your kid's college education. I guess my answer to this is, well, I have the rest of my life to save. With this time off, it's true that I'm spending my savings, but it didn't take me that long to earn them in the first place, and really, you only live life once. It makes sense that it's especially hard to think about doing this in this economy, where people are having a hard time re-entering the work force. For some reason though, and maybe I'm being extremely naive, I'm not too worried about it. I'm not afraid to work in a coffee shop, or to cut back on my spending, or to even hide out on a farm for another year. But I'm at peace with my decision to be jobless because I have faith that things will work out in the end. I guess you can check back with me in few years to see where this philosophy goes!
Once you are comfortable with the idea of being jobless, you have to decide what kind of traveler you are. This is going to determine the amount of money that you need to save in order to travel. I am NOT the kind of traveler who sleeps in hotels, instead, I think of friends that I can stay with in different places around the world. If you are a capoeirista, it's EASY. Just find a group that you want to train with, get in touch with them and go. Chances are, someone will adopt you as a new member of the family and show you the ropes. If you don't play capoeira, then simply think of friends that you can stay with, and offer to pay a bit of rent. That will still be a cheaper option then staying in a hostel or hotel for any length of time. Also, craigslist exists in most cities of the world nowadays, and it's possible to find a reasonable apartment to rent for a few months. In Argentina, I found a studio in the middle of Palermo for $540 a month, which wasn't the cheapest option for Latin America, but kind of amazing to have my own cute little space for a bit and be in the heart of the city. Of course my friend wanted me to stay with her and her family for the entire time, bless her heart. (You are amazing Silvina!) I feel that this attitude is super common of Latin American families; to offer up their homes for long periods of time. Anyway, having a place to stay is key, because most of the money that you spend traveling is to cover housing. Once that is out of the way, your only expenses are food, transportation, and taking your hosts out to dinner!
So, quitting your job and traveling really does take some forethought and some time to SAVE SOME MONEY. I am going to say here, that I am not a huge consumer in normal life. I don't drink, and I spend most of my money on rent, food, capoeira, and my car. It took two years, living in North Carolina (where my rent was about $450 a month) to save enough money to feel comfortable in taking at least a year off, which currently is now about 15 months. The first time I took a year to travel, from fall 2006-spring 2007, it took me about 3 years to save about $10,000. (If you live in a big city it's possible! I was living in New York at the time, and making not that much as a teacher) It didn't quite last me an entire year, and foreign exchange rates were more favorable at that time, so I would suggest saving at least $15,000.
Basically what I'm saying is that you do have to consciously save. Try to cook more at home, cut down on your shopping (although thrift stores are a great way to save money AND be green.... no extra energy expended on making new clothes!), take the public transportation instead of taking a cab, or make your coffee at home with a reusable mug instead of going to Starbucks. If you saved an extra $300 a month, that's $3600 a year, and in 3 years you could have $10,200....that's good at least for 9 months.
The cost of essentials...
1) Health Insurance: This is probably the number one thing that people worry about when you are unemployed. But to make yourself feel better, and what I have, is a high deductible insurance plan. I pay about $70 a month for a $5000 yearly deductible. I really don't want to be out $5000, but if anything major happened, I wouldn't be in huge debt. You can also buy international travel insurance, which about 5 years ago I paid about $130 for 3 months. I would highly recommend this, I have a friend who fell off a balcony recently in Mexico, which included an airlift, who if it weren't for travel insurance would have had to pay out a huge sum of money.
You can also find sliding scale health clinics in the US, although you usually have to wait the whole day! If you are a woman, then check out Planned Parenthood.... they are amazing and usually offer free woman visits for people that have no income!
*Another note about High Deductible Health Insurance plans, make sure to get one where you get open an HSA, and Health Savings Plan. The IRS allows you to put in a little more than $3000 a year tax deductible to pay for medical expenses. It will come in handy at some point.
2) Jump on a friend or family's phone plan. Instead of paying $50-$60 a month for my own phone bill, my father added my line onto his plan, and I only have to pay about $15 a month. Plus, I didn't have to change my number.
3) Phones abroad. I have Verizon Wireless, so I don't have a CIM card. But if you do have another carrier, you can apparently get a new CIM card in whatever country you are in and use your phone there.... I have never done this, and I think there is some type of unlocking that has to happen. Ask someone else! What I have done though, is ask around if anyone has an old cellphone, and then buy a new CIM card, which is usually like $10, and then I have a cell phone to use while I'm there. Super helpful when making plans.
Ways to stretch your money
1) Work on a farm! When you work on farm, you usually don't get paid a lot, if anything at all, but room and board are free and the food is of course, the best you can get. There are a lot of ways to do this, one is through WWOOFING, which stands for Willing Workers on Organic Farms. Choose which country you want to go to, you pay about $25 dollars to access a list of farms, and then you just contact the farms and set up visits on your own. I have never actually done this, but I have friends who have and have had great experiences.
I found a farm in California through the ATTRA website: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/internships/
2) Do language exchanges when you are abroad. Instead of paying for language lessons, put ads on craigslist that you are interested in doing a language exchange. You can usually find some new friends this way, and you don't have to pay for language lessons.
For me, my travels are soon to end, and I will have to get a job! But throughout the year, something that I had to keep reminding myself was that money comes and goes. I usually tried to be as economical as possible without being cheap! It's hard sometimes not to get caught up in the feeling that you are spending a lot of money, while not making that money back. But it's just part of traveling. Experiences cost money. If you want to eat that amazing meal, or stay in a comfortable place, or go to that capoeira event, there is a cost to that. Either you are willing to pay that expense or you are not, but it's better just to accept it and let that feeling go. It's especially important when it comes to treating friends who have helped you out along the way. It is all extremely worth it in the end.
Happy Travels!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Papa Chang's Brief History of Taiwan
Read and inform yourself about the History of Taiwan, in my father's words (although a few of them are mine!)
Taiwan has been ruled by foreign powers for much of its existence; from Spain to the Dutch, to China, to Japan (50 years), and then now to the Kuomintang Chinese (55 years and counting). When the Chinese started to immigrate to Taiwan over 500 years ago, it was all single young males. They intermarried with native women. Therefore, Taiwanese, (not including the 2 million Chinese who came with Chiang in 1949) have a very high percentage of local aboriginal blood.
In 1895, China lost in the Sino-Japan war. As a result, China gave Korea and Taiwan to Japan as colonies. Taiwan spent 50 years as a colony of Japan, who while a strict ruler, allowed Taiwanese elite to be educated and assimilate into Japanese culture. During this period, the Japanese implemented much of the infrastructure that exists in Taiwan today, including railways and city sewage systems. In 1945 following Japan's loss in World War II, people in Taiwan were glad to return to the “Mother Land." However, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) and Chiang Kai-Shek were extremely corrupt, and they ruled Taiwan with the same brutality that they had ruled China. In 1947, on February 28, the infamous “2-28 Incident” began. Here the native Taiwanese rebelled against the KMT. It is said the KMT massacred approximately 20,000 Taiwanese in several months time, mostly educated and political elite. It was the Taiwanese against the Chinese. The 2-28 Incident had a profound effect on Taiwan and it continues to influence the relationship between Chinese mainlanders (who came to the island with the KMT) and Taiwanese natives to this day, similar to the the sentiments that the Chinese had against the Japanese regarding the Nanking massacre. (A great book about this is called The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang)
In 1949, the KMT were driven out of China by the communists and they fled to Taiwan. KMT then declared a martial law which lasted 38 years finally ending in 1987 (it was the longest period of martial law in any history). The KMT ruled by force and secret police, who were as ruthless as the Nazis. In 1950 the Korean War broke out and Truman decided to protect Taiwan from the Chinese communists. This saved the corrupted KMT government in Taiwan. However, the native Taiwanese were treated as 2nd class citizens and even today this mentality still exists in Taiwan.
The Chang family realizes that our history and blood line are different from the Chinese. Most of us now consider ourselves as Taiwanese. It might sound strange, but when I (my father) grew up, it was considered taboo to intermarry between Taiwanese and Chinese.
Today, Taiwan is a separate, democratic country. Whatever democracy we enjoy in Taiwan today was fought for long and hard by people who considered themselves none other than Taiwanese. Due to China's influence, we are NOT recognized as a country, do not have a seat in the United Nations, or membership in the WHO, the World Health Organization. Today, we just want the freedom to say who we are, and be proud of our own separate country and the freedom to say that we are a separate people.
Taiwan has been ruled by foreign powers for much of its existence; from Spain to the Dutch, to China, to Japan (50 years), and then now to the Kuomintang Chinese (55 years and counting). When the Chinese started to immigrate to Taiwan over 500 years ago, it was all single young males. They intermarried with native women. Therefore, Taiwanese, (not including the 2 million Chinese who came with Chiang in 1949) have a very high percentage of local aboriginal blood.
In 1895, China lost in the Sino-Japan war. As a result, China gave Korea and Taiwan to Japan as colonies. Taiwan spent 50 years as a colony of Japan, who while a strict ruler, allowed Taiwanese elite to be educated and assimilate into Japanese culture. During this period, the Japanese implemented much of the infrastructure that exists in Taiwan today, including railways and city sewage systems. In 1945 following Japan's loss in World War II, people in Taiwan were glad to return to the “Mother Land." However, the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) and Chiang Kai-Shek were extremely corrupt, and they ruled Taiwan with the same brutality that they had ruled China. In 1947, on February 28, the infamous “2-28 Incident” began. Here the native Taiwanese rebelled against the KMT. It is said the KMT massacred approximately 20,000 Taiwanese in several months time, mostly educated and political elite. It was the Taiwanese against the Chinese. The 2-28 Incident had a profound effect on Taiwan and it continues to influence the relationship between Chinese mainlanders (who came to the island with the KMT) and Taiwanese natives to this day, similar to the the sentiments that the Chinese had against the Japanese regarding the Nanking massacre. (A great book about this is called The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang)
In 1949, the KMT were driven out of China by the communists and they fled to Taiwan. KMT then declared a martial law which lasted 38 years finally ending in 1987 (it was the longest period of martial law in any history). The KMT ruled by force and secret police, who were as ruthless as the Nazis. In 1950 the Korean War broke out and Truman decided to protect Taiwan from the Chinese communists. This saved the corrupted KMT government in Taiwan. However, the native Taiwanese were treated as 2nd class citizens and even today this mentality still exists in Taiwan.
The Chang family realizes that our history and blood line are different from the Chinese. Most of us now consider ourselves as Taiwanese. It might sound strange, but when I (my father) grew up, it was considered taboo to intermarry between Taiwanese and Chinese.
Today, Taiwan is a separate, democratic country. Whatever democracy we enjoy in Taiwan today was fought for long and hard by people who considered themselves none other than Taiwanese. Due to China's influence, we are NOT recognized as a country, do not have a seat in the United Nations, or membership in the WHO, the World Health Organization. Today, we just want the freedom to say who we are, and be proud of our own separate country and the freedom to say that we are a separate people.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Recipes from a Farm Kitchen
Recipes From a Farm Kitchen
Ok, so, I’ve been on this farm, since the middle of April….so that makes it about 3 months since I’ve come to the farm, and I finally had my first visitors. Alia and Scott, Alia whom I’ve known since elementary school, and Scott, her really cool, down to earth husband. It was great to have them here because I love the farm, but its novelty has definitely worn off, At times I find myself not wanting to stay on the farm for the weekend, and instead I’ll drive to some city like San Francisco, or LA, to play capoeira and to socialize. Thus, it has taken visitors to make me realize HOW COOL THIS PLACE IS again. Because, it is really, truly amazing.
Everything we do at the farm is all aimed at one goal, at least for me, and that’s EATING. For the most part, we work in the garden, or in the orchard, or with the animals, all of which eventually make their way to the table. It becomes extremely apparent how high the quality of food is on the farm when I go off to city centers. I’m surrounded by a lot of people that number one, don’t really enjoy eating at the level that I enjoy it, and number two, aren’t as conscious about the kind of food that they eat, or how it’s prepared. For me, and in my life recently, the only goal of every day is to think about that; to watch something grow and ripen, to think about what I want to make for a meal, to harvest around the farm all of the ingredients, and to work preparing a meal, and last of all, eating and sharing it with gusto. It is such a truly satisfying endeavor. I’m scared to think about eating and cooking when the time comes to leave this place.
So, I thought I would share a few recipes of things that we’ve been creating on the farm and have become staples in the meals I often make. A lot of these I’ve gathered from other people on the farm, so thanks Ron, Jenn, Kevin, Liz, Kyle and Linnea for helping with these ideas!
1) Carrot Salad: Shred carrots up in a food processor (or arduously grate carrots) Add: raisins, nuts (pecans and walnuts are good choices), feta or goat cheese, some green herb is nice, dill, green onions, parsley….whatever. Add dressing: yogurt or buttermilk, honey, olive oil, lemon, salt. Mix it all together and done!
2) Beet/Mint salad: Cook beets beforehand, you can steam them in an oven safe dish with a lid. Put the beets in, add about an inch of water, cover them and put them in the oven for about 45-50 minutes or until you can push a fork through them. Or you can boil them, or roast them, however you want, but this water method is a little quicker, and kind of foil proof. Chill them in the fridge if you have time, but if not that’s ok. Dice them up and toss them with: feta cheese, mint leaves, olive oil, lemon juice, and a little salt.
3) Make your own granola! It’s super simple, but it’s also labor intensive because you have to be around. Setting a timer will help remind you when to turn it. Burned granola is the worst….
Here’s the recipe that we use on the farm…It’s from the “Horn of the Moon” restaurant cookbook.
Heat oven to 300 degrees F
4 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1/3 cup oil (I like using coconut oil)
Then your choice: add nuts, coconut flakes, anything. I like almonds and coconut flakes.
Raisins are better put in before eating because they tend to burn in the oven. This makes about one cookie sheet worth, I usually double or triple the recipe and spread it out on 2 cookie sheets.
Once you put them in the oven, you have to turn the granola about every 12 minutes or so….it’s done once it’s turned a nice golden brown. Just taste it to see if it’s the right crunchiness for you!
4) Whole Wheat pancakes
This recipe is from The Farmhouse Cookbook.
2 cups whole wheat
1 t baking soda
½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
2 T sugar (I often leave this out)
3 T oil (I like coconut!)
2 1/3 cup buttermilk or YOGURT ( I highly suggest yogurt)
The yogurt makes these pancakes fluffy and delicious every time.And as for toppings, I love making a yogurt and maple syrup dipping sauce. YUM.
5) Cornbread with yogurt!
So…we’ve been making a lot of yogurt on the farm…and we’ve been putting it in EVERYTHING. Here’s a great cornbread recipe from the Stonyfield Farm cookbook.
Heat oven to 400 F
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup cornmeal
2 t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
¼ cup butter (or coconut oil)
Again, the yogurt here is MAGIC. And I’ve put coconut flakes into the batter as well.
Mix dry ingredients first, add wet ones, grease pan, bake for about 15-20 minutes…. I’ve also tried this recipe with rice flour instead of wheat…and I would probably bake it for less time, but it still came out pretty good. But I would only do this if you have a gluten allergy, because the wheat makes it much more moist.
5) Cilantro pesto
I had doubts about using cilantro to make pesto because I thought the flavor would be super strong, but it wasn’t. It had a really pleasant herb flavor and tasted amazing. You can basically follow any pesto recipe, I kind of just added things in until I liked the taste.
2 cups cilantro
1 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Nuts (pine, macadamia, walnuts….these are optional)
This you can also freeze in ice cube trays and save. When serving, then add cheese
of your choice.
Ok, so, I’ve been on this farm, since the middle of April….so that makes it about 3 months since I’ve come to the farm, and I finally had my first visitors. Alia and Scott, Alia whom I’ve known since elementary school, and Scott, her really cool, down to earth husband. It was great to have them here because I love the farm, but its novelty has definitely worn off, At times I find myself not wanting to stay on the farm for the weekend, and instead I’ll drive to some city like San Francisco, or LA, to play capoeira and to socialize. Thus, it has taken visitors to make me realize HOW COOL THIS PLACE IS again. Because, it is really, truly amazing.
Everything we do at the farm is all aimed at one goal, at least for me, and that’s EATING. For the most part, we work in the garden, or in the orchard, or with the animals, all of which eventually make their way to the table. It becomes extremely apparent how high the quality of food is on the farm when I go off to city centers. I’m surrounded by a lot of people that number one, don’t really enjoy eating at the level that I enjoy it, and number two, aren’t as conscious about the kind of food that they eat, or how it’s prepared. For me, and in my life recently, the only goal of every day is to think about that; to watch something grow and ripen, to think about what I want to make for a meal, to harvest around the farm all of the ingredients, and to work preparing a meal, and last of all, eating and sharing it with gusto. It is such a truly satisfying endeavor. I’m scared to think about eating and cooking when the time comes to leave this place.
So, I thought I would share a few recipes of things that we’ve been creating on the farm and have become staples in the meals I often make. A lot of these I’ve gathered from other people on the farm, so thanks Ron, Jenn, Kevin, Liz, Kyle and Linnea for helping with these ideas!
1) Carrot Salad: Shred carrots up in a food processor (or arduously grate carrots) Add: raisins, nuts (pecans and walnuts are good choices), feta or goat cheese, some green herb is nice, dill, green onions, parsley….whatever. Add dressing: yogurt or buttermilk, honey, olive oil, lemon, salt. Mix it all together and done!
2) Beet/Mint salad: Cook beets beforehand, you can steam them in an oven safe dish with a lid. Put the beets in, add about an inch of water, cover them and put them in the oven for about 45-50 minutes or until you can push a fork through them. Or you can boil them, or roast them, however you want, but this water method is a little quicker, and kind of foil proof. Chill them in the fridge if you have time, but if not that’s ok. Dice them up and toss them with: feta cheese, mint leaves, olive oil, lemon juice, and a little salt.
3) Make your own granola! It’s super simple, but it’s also labor intensive because you have to be around. Setting a timer will help remind you when to turn it. Burned granola is the worst….
Here’s the recipe that we use on the farm…It’s from the “Horn of the Moon” restaurant cookbook.
Heat oven to 300 degrees F
4 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1/3 cup oil (I like using coconut oil)
Then your choice: add nuts, coconut flakes, anything. I like almonds and coconut flakes.
Raisins are better put in before eating because they tend to burn in the oven. This makes about one cookie sheet worth, I usually double or triple the recipe and spread it out on 2 cookie sheets.
Once you put them in the oven, you have to turn the granola about every 12 minutes or so….it’s done once it’s turned a nice golden brown. Just taste it to see if it’s the right crunchiness for you!
4) Whole Wheat pancakes
This recipe is from The Farmhouse Cookbook.
2 cups whole wheat
1 t baking soda
½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
2 T sugar (I often leave this out)
3 T oil (I like coconut!)
2 1/3 cup buttermilk or YOGURT ( I highly suggest yogurt)
The yogurt makes these pancakes fluffy and delicious every time.And as for toppings, I love making a yogurt and maple syrup dipping sauce. YUM.
5) Cornbread with yogurt!
So…we’ve been making a lot of yogurt on the farm…and we’ve been putting it in EVERYTHING. Here’s a great cornbread recipe from the Stonyfield Farm cookbook.
Heat oven to 400 F
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup cornmeal
2 t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
¼ cup butter (or coconut oil)
Again, the yogurt here is MAGIC. And I’ve put coconut flakes into the batter as well.
Mix dry ingredients first, add wet ones, grease pan, bake for about 15-20 minutes…. I’ve also tried this recipe with rice flour instead of wheat…and I would probably bake it for less time, but it still came out pretty good. But I would only do this if you have a gluten allergy, because the wheat makes it much more moist.
5) Cilantro pesto
I had doubts about using cilantro to make pesto because I thought the flavor would be super strong, but it wasn’t. It had a really pleasant herb flavor and tasted amazing. You can basically follow any pesto recipe, I kind of just added things in until I liked the taste.
2 cups cilantro
1 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Nuts (pine, macadamia, walnuts….these are optional)
This you can also freeze in ice cube trays and save. When serving, then add cheese
of your choice.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Capoeira...how do I define thee?
So, I've attempted more than once to write about capoeira, and each time I find it extremely difficult. It's an art that makes me feel so many things simultaneously, I often find it hard to cipher out my thoughts into one streamlined vein. I also usually try to write about it after an amazing event, when my endorphins are peaking, and I find my mind is a jumble of capoeira thoughts.
Why don't I start with just talking about capoeira, and why I love it, and we'll see what comes out.
First the energy. When you get capoeiristas into one room, one space, all with the purpose of supporting two people play a game, you have a focus that is unparalleled. What do I mean by a capoeirista? Someone who is trained, in the music, in the traditions of the roda, in the techniques of the movement.... someone who knows how to keep the energy of the roda flowing and is hungry to play themselves. So these capoeiristas, are all giving their full energy, ideally, to the spirit of the roda. You have people playing instruments, singing, clapping hands, keeping the formation of the circle tight. They are also reacting to the games, wiping their brow after a close call, shouting when the game gets heated and technical, or cheering on beautiful acrobatics. I can't think of another art form that is so intensely physical, while being so intensely intimate at the same time.
The movements. The movements feel good. The ginga feels good. It's a way of letting your body go, but within the context of a specific movement. Structure, but with freedom. Which also translates to any movement in capoeira. Structure with freedom. You learn a set vocabulary, but it is up to you when to use it, to flourish it, to bring your own expression into it. You can see similarities among lineages, among groups, but every single person plays in a unique way, and you can find something different to admire in everybody.
Music. If you have ever harmonized with someone, there is a vibration that you can actually hear, when the right notes are hit. Something changes. You can feel the difference that those notes are making in how you feel, in what you do. In capoeira, the music, the vibrations are so intensely important; there is nothing better than hearing the instruments play and letting the chorus of voices lift you up. Then imagine playing capoeira to that music, your body lets go, you are able to get lost in the game and let something completely new and uninhibited come out. We can't forget the importance of the music.
Playing the game. There are so many different types of games out there. Playful, acrobatic, technical, rough, violent, disconnected. I have found myself at one time or another playing, intentionally or not, one of these games. The capoeira game is tricky. Pages upon pages could be written about the game alone. It can also mean something very different to each capoeirista. For me, the kind of game I love, is the one where both players aren't trying to top each other, but they just want to play a fun, technical game. So they are both relaxed, but they aren't afraid of attacking, and they just allow their bodies to react to the movements. You don't think, you just do. These are the moments when I'm amazed at what happens to my own body, and you share something truly special and unique with the other person.
Reflection. In other sports, you don't often get a chance to reflect on the KIND of player you are. You either beat the other person or you don't, or catch the ball or not. In capoeira, you have to think about who you are within the larger context of the community and the KIND of capoeirista that you want to be. You have to think about your game in the relation to another person. How do you react when someone kicks you, when someone tries to humiliate you, when someone wants to play a light and fun game with you? So many times I've remembered my actions and said, "oh...man, I shouldn't of done that," or "why didn't I answer by doing this?" I am still extremely young in capoeira, and even in life. Thus, I'm still trying to figure out the kind of person I want to be, and play according to those definitions.
Of course, there is more I could write about, but I'm satiated for now. Capoeira is an enormous force in my life, and has given me a million things; friends, physical and musical outlets, discipline, ideas to ponder. Capoeira is a platform in which you can continually work to be better, because it shows you how many ways in which you aren't, and at the same time, it shows you that you are a vital part of a community. A community in which all people have the freedom to be who they want, and share a truly genuine experience.
Why don't I start with just talking about capoeira, and why I love it, and we'll see what comes out.
First the energy. When you get capoeiristas into one room, one space, all with the purpose of supporting two people play a game, you have a focus that is unparalleled. What do I mean by a capoeirista? Someone who is trained, in the music, in the traditions of the roda, in the techniques of the movement.... someone who knows how to keep the energy of the roda flowing and is hungry to play themselves. So these capoeiristas, are all giving their full energy, ideally, to the spirit of the roda. You have people playing instruments, singing, clapping hands, keeping the formation of the circle tight. They are also reacting to the games, wiping their brow after a close call, shouting when the game gets heated and technical, or cheering on beautiful acrobatics. I can't think of another art form that is so intensely physical, while being so intensely intimate at the same time.
The movements. The movements feel good. The ginga feels good. It's a way of letting your body go, but within the context of a specific movement. Structure, but with freedom. Which also translates to any movement in capoeira. Structure with freedom. You learn a set vocabulary, but it is up to you when to use it, to flourish it, to bring your own expression into it. You can see similarities among lineages, among groups, but every single person plays in a unique way, and you can find something different to admire in everybody.
Music. If you have ever harmonized with someone, there is a vibration that you can actually hear, when the right notes are hit. Something changes. You can feel the difference that those notes are making in how you feel, in what you do. In capoeira, the music, the vibrations are so intensely important; there is nothing better than hearing the instruments play and letting the chorus of voices lift you up. Then imagine playing capoeira to that music, your body lets go, you are able to get lost in the game and let something completely new and uninhibited come out. We can't forget the importance of the music.
Playing the game. There are so many different types of games out there. Playful, acrobatic, technical, rough, violent, disconnected. I have found myself at one time or another playing, intentionally or not, one of these games. The capoeira game is tricky. Pages upon pages could be written about the game alone. It can also mean something very different to each capoeirista. For me, the kind of game I love, is the one where both players aren't trying to top each other, but they just want to play a fun, technical game. So they are both relaxed, but they aren't afraid of attacking, and they just allow their bodies to react to the movements. You don't think, you just do. These are the moments when I'm amazed at what happens to my own body, and you share something truly special and unique with the other person.
Reflection. In other sports, you don't often get a chance to reflect on the KIND of player you are. You either beat the other person or you don't, or catch the ball or not. In capoeira, you have to think about who you are within the larger context of the community and the KIND of capoeirista that you want to be. You have to think about your game in the relation to another person. How do you react when someone kicks you, when someone tries to humiliate you, when someone wants to play a light and fun game with you? So many times I've remembered my actions and said, "oh...man, I shouldn't of done that," or "why didn't I answer by doing this?" I am still extremely young in capoeira, and even in life. Thus, I'm still trying to figure out the kind of person I want to be, and play according to those definitions.
Of course, there is more I could write about, but I'm satiated for now. Capoeira is an enormous force in my life, and has given me a million things; friends, physical and musical outlets, discipline, ideas to ponder. Capoeira is a platform in which you can continually work to be better, because it shows you how many ways in which you aren't, and at the same time, it shows you that you are a vital part of a community. A community in which all people have the freedom to be who they want, and share a truly genuine experience.
Monday, May 10, 2010
going nowhere
The other day, I had a dream. Usually, my anxiety dreams always involve packing for trips, which considering my nomadic nature, is pretty on point. (When I was teacher, I always dreamed I was late for school.)
I needed to get to the airport, but of course I was late. I also happened to be in this gigantic shopping mall, and of course couldn’t remember where I parked my car. So I was dragging this large green duffel bag all over the place, moving all slow like you do in your dreams, and trying to calm down my mother who kept popping in and out reminding me of the time. To top things off, I was also running in the 400 meter relay in the Olympics! Miraculously, I had somehow won the Olympic trials. But…all I could think of was “Oh no! It’s a relay, so I’m going to be letting other people down when I’m not there!” Then…
I woke up with a start…and sigh. I realized I didn’t have to go ANYWHERE. Whew. It was such a relief. I didn’t have to pack my bags again, or pick up my clothes, or fold up my bed and stack it neatly in the corner of the room. I could go into the kitchen and find the exact thing that I wanted to eat for breakfast. I didn’t have to feel awkward being in someone else’s space, using someone else’s shampoo, or breaking somebody else's glass. These are MY things, and I’m here for a while.
As much as I pride myself on being a flexible and relaxed traveler, there is something so necessary and comforting about having a physical space that is yours. You have the control to let other people in, and you have the power over where you put your things. You know where everything is, because you put it there, and no one else moved it when they were feeling cluttered. It may be messy, but it’s mine.
I’m just glad that I’m staying in one place for a while. And even though I know this isn’t permanent, and will be over by the fall, I am totally savoring every minute, happy that I'm going nowhere.
I needed to get to the airport, but of course I was late. I also happened to be in this gigantic shopping mall, and of course couldn’t remember where I parked my car. So I was dragging this large green duffel bag all over the place, moving all slow like you do in your dreams, and trying to calm down my mother who kept popping in and out reminding me of the time. To top things off, I was also running in the 400 meter relay in the Olympics! Miraculously, I had somehow won the Olympic trials. But…all I could think of was “Oh no! It’s a relay, so I’m going to be letting other people down when I’m not there!” Then…
I woke up with a start…and sigh. I realized I didn’t have to go ANYWHERE. Whew. It was such a relief. I didn’t have to pack my bags again, or pick up my clothes, or fold up my bed and stack it neatly in the corner of the room. I could go into the kitchen and find the exact thing that I wanted to eat for breakfast. I didn’t have to feel awkward being in someone else’s space, using someone else’s shampoo, or breaking somebody else's glass. These are MY things, and I’m here for a while.
As much as I pride myself on being a flexible and relaxed traveler, there is something so necessary and comforting about having a physical space that is yours. You have the control to let other people in, and you have the power over where you put your things. You know where everything is, because you put it there, and no one else moved it when they were feeling cluttered. It may be messy, but it’s mine.
I’m just glad that I’m staying in one place for a while. And even though I know this isn’t permanent, and will be over by the fall, I am totally savoring every minute, happy that I'm going nowhere.
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