Dunkirk!

With news that I had a long weekend ahead I looked for events on couchsurfing. I quickly located a Carnivalle in the North of France. After finding a French speaking friend (YAY Bertold) we stuck out our thumbs and hitched down to France



Several cities later (including a ride in an ambulance) we ended up in a small city in the South of Belgium. One quick bus ride later and we met our host in Dunkirk and joined other couchsurfers in a local bar.






Now, in Dunkirk the festival lasts THREE MONTHS! Both in this small fisherman town and in other local cities. We went for this one to experience Band of Malo (more on that later).

This is a festival of reversal so be prepared for lots of men in women's dresses and women in costume (somne dressing as men, but most just wearing extreme colors and having fun!). At the bar they play traditional carnival songs and the surfers practiced linking arms and dancing.



This is us by Reuze Papa (he's a giant who the town people all love). He can be seen in the parades usually preceeded by a drum major dressed as an Imperial grenadier and the costumed carnavaleux, who carry coloured umbrellas and sing carnival songs.





After a busy night we rested up and the next day went site seeing around Dunkirk. You can see the stutue of Jean the pirate, the church and a big boat.

But onto more Carnivalle!










The "Bande de Malo" is one of the greatest moment of the Carnaval of Dunkerque, it begins around 3 pm.
All people who participate are called "carnavaleux" (see my French rocks it), they all walk together on the streets arm in arm singing random songs in French (or as I do not speak French ranodmly la-la-laing), and following the musicians with their yellow coats.
The most impressive moment is the "chahut": the fifes play, the first ligns of "carnavaleux" stop walking and basically its like a weird game of tug of war, you try to push forward and everyone else pushes back.

In the end there's a circle of death...(it starts at 1:26 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKHp2azHk0E). It looks really easy, and yet I almost died...my shoe was also trashed over the weekend.

Oh and right before the circle of death in the video they are throwing fish out the window at you....I didn't catch one this time, but maybe next year :)

Sinterklaas

So, what's going on? Carissa leaves the Netherlands and she becomes a perverted racist? Nooo, this is Sinterklaas! He is helped by his little helpers (Zvart Pete is allegedly black because he goes down the chimney...not sure why Sinterklaas doesn't turn black). Sinterklaas comes in on a boat and meets the mayor and all the kids realize how cool their town is! The zvart Pete's dance and run and throw candy and cookies around. This is all paid for by the local stores (like Santa is paid for by Macy's back home).

Not quite what we have in San Diego I can remember putting my shoe outside the door for Sinterklaas when I was younger. Christmas was always the bigger deal but Sinterklaas involved chocolate which made it good enough for me :)

Couchsurfing in the Netherlands has a tradition of throwing a rather large CS party in Rotterdam so Lauren and I found a host and headed off to make new friends.

The first event was a "speed dating event" now, couchsurfing is NOT a dating site, but speed dating is a rather effective way to meet a large number of people in a short amount of time. Since there are about 200 people it was a nice way to get some names. The way the game is played is everyone has a paper on their back; a bunch of cards with questions are passed around. You ask your question "If you really had to pee on a train but the next stop wasn't for 45 minutes what would you do?" and the person responds, "hold it, use a bottle, pee in between the train cars etc" you then write some form of their answer on the back for everyone to read, "He pees in bottles," then you swap questions cards with them and find a new victim



There were quite a few of us sleeping at Hamid's



But really really awesome people :)


The next day we went on a city tour of Rotterdam it was COLD so there was some impromptu dancing to stay warm :)





Some more walking around, and shopping and one yummy beer tasting! But in the end we all went back to Hamid's for dinner and then went onto the party!




All good things must come to an end

Rubix Cube Party

So...life is crazy. The stupid class (CELTA is a great course going well I am learning a lot, but it is SUPER time intensive!) takes up ALL my time.

But not this weekend! No! I headed to Koln to meet up with some surfers in Germany :)

This is my host:


This is the BEAUTIFUL Kölner Dom Really really pretty cathedral according to UNESCO it is an "exceptional work of human creative genius" and visited by over 20 thousand people in a day. It was started in 1248 and took until 1880 to finish (though there were some breaks) It was the was the tallest structure in the world (for four years)....but that was a while ago and that is not now, still awesome to look at though.









Then onto a bar for a quick drink before the party

Before the Camino...Salamanca

So I took a late night bus from Madrid to Salamanca and couchsurfed with a newbie surfer. This means she had JUST created the account and had virtually no infomration in it. Most people try to avoid staying with people like this...and that makes sense, but since I have been couchsurfing for such a long time and I am pretty good at getting out of weird situations I like to stay with people like this when I can to show them what couchsurfing is like, help them start their profile (with references) and explain things they may not understand. Plus, I think, it is easier for a girl who just starts out couchsurfing to have a girl with a fully filled profile stay the first time.

Anyways, Veronica was AWESOME! Met me at the train station took me to her apartment, her roomie was out of town so I got a bed and yummy dinner we stayed up talking and then I went to sleep. The next day I headed to this address where I was supposed to get my credencial. Turns out it was an outdated address. So then I headed to tourist information and got a new address. Headed to the seminary near the cathedral and paid my 50 centavos for my Credencial.

Your credencial is also caled the "Pilgrims Passport" and tells people that you are officially on the camino. Sometimes when you walk you stay at these hostels for a very reasonable rate (often just by donation usually no more than 6Euros) and you must show your credencial. It is also stamped along the way by churches you visit, Alburgues you stay in or Tourist Information Centers. At the end of the Camino you show your completed Credencial and you can get a Compestela (an official document issued by the Catholic church stating you´ve done the Camino).

I came back to Veronica´s place during siesta had lentil soup and fun conversations!!! Then armed with some suggestions of where I could get books headed back to the city center to find a guide for the pilgramage. Eventually I found an old but adequate guide and headed to the internet café to write in updated infomration (addresses, phone numbers etc.) I marked out the beginning of the route on the map set my alarm for 6am and went back to Veronica´s to get some sleep! Mañana Buen Camino!!!!

Mudfest

Remember that festival I wrote about back in...June?



:-)

VIDEO! Thanks Patrick I know I'd never get around to making it

Almost caught up: RoadTrip (June 30-31st)

Turns out the license process is really expensive in the Netherlands compared to Korea (and San Diego's even cheaper) but if they got them over here they could exchange them for Dutch licenses when they get back home. Soo...the 29th my good friend Jasper got his drivers license and we went...well on a road trip.

I was pretty confident...until we got in the car and he couldn't figure out how to put it in drive. And then he put on the windshield wipers instead of the headlights, and then he went the wrong way in the parking lot, and finally as we'r epulling out of the parking lot he couldn't roll the window down...

Oh dear!

But we manage to get on the freeway with (few) problems and all limbs in tact.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2137871&l=ffadd&id=24606699

I am too lazy to insert pictures right now so follow along later

Picture 1 Charlotte being afraid...or happy...not sure. and then we head to Picture 2! Our first toll booth! Then there' picture 3! A windmill. I had to take a picture I was in Korea on a roadtrip with two Dutch and I see a windmill...what are the odds.

Well Jasper is a typical male and seems to think any car in front of him is questioning his masculinity. So after convincing him passing every car was NOT neccassary things were ok.

We passed by picture #4 a truck that had a big stciker on the back reading "UFO+DNA=Human" LOVE IT!

Oh in addition to being smart enough to go driving with two people who have never driven alone before I was also smart enough to trust them to have a fully charged phone....erm...no

So, yeah their phone died and we had to pull over and get directions from ... someone... we bribed them with chocolate.

We met up with Aaron and had dinner with him (lots of pictures) and talked him into coming with us to Patricks that night.

Oh my LORD! They'd never driven at night. As Aaron put it, "There were no Atheists in the backseat of that car" we were scared for our lives! Because people who love me and worry too much already are readng this I'll leave out the specifics but let me say Aaron actually kissed the ground when we got to Patricks (oh the one picture of Aaron with a wine bottle outside the car was him trying to direct Jasper into reverse....yes we had a wine bottle with us, not for the drivers for me and Aaron it calmed our nerves!)

Next picture is Patrick making breakfast!!! I have stayed with Patrick...twice now? (both times with Aaron!) and he makes awesome brekkie! I helped!! I cut the sausages...YAY cooking!

From there we went to the caves really close to Patrick's house (once again we prayed a lot due to driving) and I got to wear the sexy yellow helmet Korea seems so insistent on putting on me (rafting, subs, caves etc) granted Patrick did hit his head a lot, so I suppose better safe than sorry. Lots of cool rocky cavey stuff (caves are over 500 million years old!) and the picture of Charlotte and I in our hats, we're near a sign that says watch your head...or something

And because it is just SOO easy here's a video I snagged from Patrick's page



Then we went to the beach...Charlotte and I tried to be good, we tried to just put our feet in...but...we ended up swimming!!! And I resuced a kiteboard that had floated astray YAY me! (and those are bathing suit bottoms...not just random undies)

From there we dropped Patrick off (he didn't want to hang with us anymore) and headed to the Unification Park. It had a sub that was from when North Korea tried to invade South Korea, but the sub got stuck, oh and bunnies.It had bunnies...check out the bunnies (rabbit in Korean is Toki by the way).

Then there's us in the sub, we went the wrong way since we found helmets at the end...ooops...oh well Aaron and I took an "oops" picture for the fun of it! And then there's my beautiful picture with the blow fish...I am trying to be blow fishy..

From there we dropped Aaron off I feel asleep inthe back, we stopped and got dinner and then dropped me off at my place! YAY for a fun filled weekend with good friends!

My profile

Normally I am uber top secret and my profile is private (only seen by couchsurfing members) but since I just made this big post I figured I'd be public for a bit in case anyone wanted to look at my profile and get a better idea of the site.

So...tadah! http://www.couchsurfing.com/people/carisita

Soo...what is couchsurfing? (annnd 25%)

As I have mentioned previously, couchsurfing is a website I used when I travel.

You know how the best part of traveling is talking to the old man selling the vegetables, or having the guy sitting next to you on the bus tell you about the small little soup place under the college campus that has AMAZING clam chowder. Its finding out about the places only the locals know about that really make visitng a city fantastic. Yes, Las Fallas was an AMAZING festival! But, was it my favorite? NO! My favorite was this small little fair festival in a small little town near Alicante in Spain, and I NEVER would have known about it if it weren't for couchsurfing.

Now that you know WHY I do couchsurfing, I am going to try to explain WHAT couchsurfing is. Its a website that connects travelers to one another. In addition to being able to message people personally and get itinerary help when you are heading to their city/state/province/country you have the option of trying to meet up with them for coffee, an event or even staying at their house and "surfing their couch." Now the couch can be anything from the floor, a couch, a futon, a pilates mat, an extra bed, an entire apartment or basically anywhere else a traveler can rest their head.

WHO uses couchsurfing? Well, me, Lisa, Lilia, Brandon (a little) and many of my other friends you know and love. Basically you have to be 18 to get an account and from there on the sky's the limit. I have surfed with people much older than me, with families, with freshman in college, with my peers, those slightly older than me and so forth. All have been AMAZING expereiences. I've stayed with people who were broke, people who were well off and people in between. But regardless of their situations most of my hosts/surfers have had one thing in common. They are travelers. Whether they traveled in the past, want to travel or are traveling currently we all have the heart of travelers. We love travel stores, we tend to be open minded and we love to have fun!

OK...so I go on the internet and stay with random people...really Carissa...REALLY? ARE YOU CRAZY? Well couchsurfing does have some safeguards in place. HOW is it a safe site? First off let me say I have been surfing for practically two years now(that's the WHEN I guess). The ONLY reason I started was because I was meeting my friend in Valencia. I asked her what hostel she was staying at only to be told she wasn't. She had found this guy on this website and was staying with him...but I could go as well if I wanted.

WHAT?


IS SHE CRAZY????

I agreed to go with her only because I figured it would be safer for her if she had backup but talked to a hostel who assured we could come there that night if needed.

That night I met Juanjo, and went to a fire festival. I believe I've told you all the story, if not...IT WAS AWESOME. My singualrly FAVORITE event I have EVER been to, and I never would have found this small little town without my host!

So, now, I was dying to ONLY travel using couchsurfing, but how did I know I'd get so lucky every time? Well couchsurfing is a prett safe site. Every member has references. So if I stay with someone and have a blast I can leave them a reference, "Lilia is AMAZING she knows the BEST coffee places, and can give you an amazing tour of Balboa park. Her couch is very comfy and while we did party one night (fun times!) she can definately just sit back and relax on the couch swapping stories." There's also vouching. Vouching is a VERY big deal. Its the biggest trust symbol you can give someone. You can only vouch for someone if you have been vouched for three times, so we're the uber special ones.

And finally, WHERE , well couchsurfers are found everywhere, we have a few in Antartica, though they admit it is a tough climate to host in, and not a very central location.

OK, I think that covers the 5W+H, but if you guys have any questions please let me know. I swear this isn't as silly as it looks and it truely is the best way to travel.

Oh, and today marks my third month of being in Korea. YAY for being here 25% of my contract and surviving!!!!!

Rafting

OK so I am late I know but this weekend has been HECTIC!!!

We went rafting last weekend here's a video my friend Patrick made:


It was really fun! When they talk about the wonderful jumper, that was my friend I got to jump off the rocks with me! I was really happy. No peer pressure I just jumped first and egg beatered in the water until she jumped in and then helped her swim to shore! YAY lifeguarding (kinda) and taking water polo wayyy back when I was younger

Later that night we headed to Aaron's house. His landlord used to have a restaurant so we all sat outside in the backyard where it used to be. We got him to come out and turn the lights on. Turns out its a norebang (karaoke bar)! So a disco ball dropped down and we all started singing!

Kyoo and Craig

Patrick and Me


Craig and Me

Aaron and Me

The next day we took a short hike which was nice walked around town and headed back to our respective cities. When I arrived in Suwon I did a quick load of laundry and then went to sleep on Monday I headed to Yongin where I would have my week long orientation :-)

But more on that later, its almost midnight on Sunday andI have school tomorrow, so I hope everyone is doing well!!!

Hiking, Festivals and More

This weekend was INTENSE!

I have about 5 minutes and then I need to leave for work so this is the cliffsnotes version.

First photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/CarissaPeck/Festival

OK, so Friday was a holiday (Memorial Day!) so Thursday night I went over to Ansan (about an hour away) to visit my friend (yep another couchsurfer, I know that post is coming too). I got a little lost, wondered around the streets for a while found a random B-Boy competition (umm...dancing) a bonfire at a school, and some other fun stuff. Finally hopped in a cab met up with her at an Indian food place (Taj Mahal...they're always called Taj mahal)

We took the subway into Seoul together stopped at a coffee bar, did silly things on the internet and then met up with my friend for the WORST Long Island Ice Tea's I've ever had! Cheryl and I walked Vincent home and then headed to OI (a really cool cave bar) while heading there Cheryl points to a guy and says, "That's my wallet" he hands it over. It had money and everything, she had NO idea she lost it, weird eh?

OK, so we stay out a bit more and finally around 5:00am we get noodles!!! Take the subway to the bus station and I get the 7:30 bus to Donghae-si (it means East Sea-City). Sleep on the bus and arrive at Patrick's(Canada) at like Noon. Have brekkie and then take a bus on an AMAZING hike! Met up with his monk friend (Buddhist monk f 15 years thinks I am charming...probably one of the best compliments I've ever had)

Head back to Patrick's where out friend Aaron meets up with us. Have noodley breakfast play cards and then sleep! The next morning Richard and Anne(England/Australia) come over and we all head to the bus station together.

This weekend there's a festival and the tourism board gave native teachers a discounted price so we went and saw fun things! (More about the history and mystical stuff when i have time). Walked to the beach later that night and then came home and slept.

Sunday we went on another GORGEOUS hike! Had great Italian pasta and I got to meet Patrick's co-teachers!! Which is honestly the BEST part! I love locals! So with them we painted masks, got my hair washed in iris water and saw some cool miming, swinging and dancing.

Then I took a night bus to Seoul arrived just as the subways were closing, but made it to my friend Vincent's house. Slept there midnight to 5 woke up and 5 and took the subway to Suwon. Took a bus to my house, washed my face, called Anessa and Brandon to wish them happy birthday, brushed my teeth and ended up at school 5 minutes early.

EXHAUSTING!

Camping...kinda

So I planned a weekend get-away for me and my fellow couchsurfers. For those of you who don't know I am part of a website called couchsurfing. I'll do another "what's couchsurfing?" post later.

But we went to a hostel in the country...soooo pretty, and we ended up with like 34 people showing up. We went on a hike, a nature walk, a boat ride, had a campfire, overall lots of fun :-)

That's the hostel


That's the backyard


I have more pictures posted to my facebook album: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2131026&l=a33f3&id=24606699

:-)