Puerto Rico & St. Croix

Old San Juan

I woke from a deep sleep yesterday morning and was quickly thrust back into the reality (or lack there-of) of my daily routine. The touch and smell of my sheets, pillows, and bed familiar, yet not one bit welcoming. It took a few moments, mostly stuck in denial, before I came to the realization: the previous moment has ended and I was back, back in the muck of my routine. Ugh. Don’t get me wrong, I love my life and everything about it but I experience the greatest freedom when I step outside my pre-defined box, when I intentionally drive down unfamiliar roads leading to strange and unfamiliar destinations. In my ten days of most recent travel, the unfamiliar had become familiar and I felt so alive in the moments of not knowing, and to some extent, not caring. Time seemingly stands still, you lose the name of the days, and it always feels like a dream when you return from it. For the majority of us, we live and feed into the capitalist machine; it’s survival depends on the vast majority of it's people prescribing to a certain way of life, a life mostly fed of false hopes and dreams, lies, and moments of fleeting happiness. My greatest moments of presence occur in the moments in between the routine, the moments outside the ones that have been prescribed. 

And this is exactly why I travel as much as possible: to remind myself of how insignificant my problems are, to feel connected, experience, and learn about this vast and beautiful planet and all the life sustained by it, to learn something greater and deeper about myself and in turn to learn more about the driving force behind me, God, and why I am here. The insights become crystal clear to me on the road, and it's a major reason why I always love to travel (for at least a portion of any trip) alone. 

A number of themes came up for me as I traveled through Puerto Rico and visited my friend Haley in St. Croix.

Old San Juan

Time is a Relative Illusion
Our experience of time is relative. What can seem like a minute to you can feel like an eternity to me. In Einstein's theory of relativity, the phenomena of time dilation occurs when time "ticks" or moves at different rates, driven by differences in gravity and relative velocity. In my day to day, I am a slave to the clock. It drives what time I wake, what time I eat, when I need to run to the next meeting, and how fast or hard I need to work in order to meet imposed deadlines. I travel and have daily practices (yoga, pranyama, meditation) to slow this train waaaaay down. When traveling, I'm never too busy to stop and share, which inevitably lead to richer, more colorful conversations and experiences. It's amazing how long ten days can feel and how much you can fit in when you take yourself out of the routine. The sensations and memories are more memorable; we've turned off the repeat button on the CD player and the soul responds accordingly to the new notes being played.

So while I may have the illusion that I may have all the time in the world, I have also come to realize that tomorrow doesn't exist; we only have the moment in front of us. This has helped me to create a greater sense of urgency to take care of the things that are important: taking that first step in developing a new skill, enjoying myself fully (which sometimes means acting a fool!), telling the people around me that I love them, and taking risks in life.

Water Cleanses My Soul

As a Taurus, I find great balance in rooting my feet and body into Mother Earth but the last few trips and especially this one, has furthered my desire to live near tropical waters. I've always loved board sports (skating, snowboarding, wakeboarding) but had only surfed one other time in Hawaii. The three days on a surf board in Rincón, Puerto Rico changed my life and I can now understand why surfing is religious for those that do it. There is incredible serenity in sitting and observing the wilderness of the ocean and for brief moments, riding her energy. These moments bring a great sense of connectedness and reverence to the power of Mother Earth. 

Surfing is also the most difficult physical activity and sport I've tried. The challenge to overcome something I am not good at gives me great determination to do so. Like most people, I typically practice what I am good at, but as I dive deeper into my yoga practice, what I've been confronted with in my asana practice are major roadblocks with the areas of my body that need more opening (shoulders, back, and heart). This leads me to spend more time working and confronting, not just the physical barriers, but also the mental and emotional ones. I'll add swimming and paddling into big waves to the list of things I need to work on.

Sunrise - Rincon, Puerto Rico

The Seat of the Teacher

I've been blessed to have so many wonderful teachers come into my life, from academia, yoga, and now in some of the extra curricular activities I have been pursuing. In all the great teachers I've encountered, there are these resemblance in character: a strong desire to share and inspire and a great deal of patience. Great teachers set ego aside, make the lesson and teaching completely about their student, are patient and know when to change methodology to fit different needs, and inspire with positivity and words of encouragement. Will, my scuba instructor on Koh Tao, and Jason, my surf instructor from Rincon, shared these great qualities and I was lucky to have each introduce me to these activities.

Teachers with students at Playa Jobos

As I step more into this seat as a yoga teacher, my travels and interactions with teachers in other disciplines have taught me much about how to become a better yoga teacher. The biggest key is patience, mainly with myself, and honoring the time it takes to hone a skill like teaching.

Grateful and blessed, I willingly return to the monotony of routine, waiting patiently (or maybe passing time quickly) until the next adventure...

Old San Juan

Sunset at Rainbow Beach

Integration

This entry is about 5 months too late... but as they say, better late than never.

"Now, we begin yoga"

The first sutra in Patanjali's yoga sutras is one of my favorites. It is my mantra - a constant reminder to remain present and in the moment. And always at my disposal, as I journey through this sometimes difficult and uneasy life, I know that I have the tools necessary to live healthier and happier. The first step is usually the most difficult one. Not just making the decision in my mind, but taking the necessary action(s). This is what yoga has taught me - that I am in full control of my life, my destiny, my happiness.

Demoing Prasarita Padottanasana C with the help of my teacher, Paul Dallaghan.

I stepped into my first yoga class in early 2008 at Still Yoga in Silverlake, California. While I enjoyed the class, it wasn't until late 2008, early 2009 where I began to develop a consistent practice. This was certainly the most difficult and dark period of my life. I was battling through addictions and an extremely difficult breakup; happy to loathe in self pity and play the victim in my "story". It was such a selfish place to be.

At the time, I started going to therapy and AA. While both of these were instrumental in helping me get back on track, it was the yoga that struck something very deep and profound in me. Not only was I detoxing my abused and neglected body, the yoga was opening my mind and soul. I remember my therapist telling me that she thought yoga was a great addition to therapy and AA; she was adamant however, that it couldn't stand alone in my road to recovery. I disagreed.

Fast forward four years. So much has changed in my life. I am no longer the victim but can sincerely say that I am living from a place of authenticity. I owe a lot of where I am today to my practice and all the amazing teachers that I've had an opportunity to learn from. You have all truly inspired me and for that I am so grateful. The yoga has created much clarity for me and allowed me to make better decisions in my life.

Sirsasana I (headstand) during last class led class at Yoga Thailand. I can't wait to go back.

While my trip to Asia and teacher training held many life lessons, the biggest lesson has been one of integration. How do I remain in the space of complete openness and vulnerability in my everyday life? This is certainly why it's called "practice". There is no silver bullet or panacea; just practice, discipline, and a lot of hard work.

Myself, Peter, Heather, and Elyse - friends from YTT.

Looking forward to my next adventure but til then I will continue to write about my journey with yoga in this blog. A place to reflect not only on my personal practice but my road to teaching and sharing this gift with others. A huge thanks to my friends, family, and the universe for supporting me through this transition.

 Namaste!

Eyes wide open

One of the heads guarding the gate into Angkor Thom, the last capital city of the Khmer empire.

"As I go through all kinds of feelings and experiences in my journey through life -- delight, surprise, chagrin, dismay -- I hold this question as a guiding light: "What do I really need right now to be happy?" What I come to over and over again is that only qualities as vast and deep as love, connection and kindness will really make me happy in any sort of enduring way." - Sharon Salzberg

Tomorrow I begin my teacher training program at Centered Yoga in Koh Samui. As such, I need to keep this update short. Additionally, this will likely be my last blog update until I finish the program. The coming weeks for me are about practice, study, and surrender. This is my first step in a life dedicated to the practice and study of yoga.

The last month has been a roller coaster and surely one of the most significant experiences in my life. I'm at a lost for words and finding it difficult to express how I feel. There are times when I find myself in awe of this life and it's beauty and smiling back at the universe. We are so blessed to be alive - it is a gift. There are also times when I find myself crying. While I've seen and experienced love, beauty, and kindness in all countries I've visited, I've also seen a lot suffering, hardship, and unfortunate circumstances. Everyday presents a new adventure and challenge.

Thank you for those who have been reading my blog, reaching out, and showing your support. I love and miss my family and friends so much.

-Hoang

Murals etched into the walls of the Bayon temple. The level of detail in all of these temples is mind blowing. I kept asking myself, "How did they accomplish all of this?" Apparently a lot of people and decades of hard work.

Bayon Temple @ Angkor Thom.

Angkor Thom.

Cambodian child. There are many of them at the temples with their families, begging for money.

Ta Prohm temple. Primary location for the movie Tomb Raider.

Primates chillin on our motorbike. These guys were super friendly and obviously very used to human interaction. They would come up and grab bananas from your hand.

Amok fish in curry. This is a Khmer favorite and more similar to Thai curry than Indian. Delicious.

Same same, but different. Fried and fresh spring rolls in the market in Siem Riep. Again, I found the best tasting and cheapest foods in the market place.

The lake is currently in high season and you see a lot of this - someone's home halfway submerged in water.

Enjoying a beer on Tonle Sap lake.

The floating village on Tonle Sap lake. Only way to get here is via boat. Interesting enough, the majority of the inhabitants of this village on the lake are Vietnamese, not Cambodian.

Me with the Director of the Vietnamese school on the floating village. 

Lunch time for the kids at the school.

Angkor Wat - simply amazing. Tough to describe the magnitude and beauty of the largest temple in the world. Was originally a Hindu temple but was converted to Buddhism I believe in the 14th century.

The moat surrounding Angkor Wat.

Lord Vishnu statue inside Angkor Wat.

Incredible. Angkor Wat is one of those places you visit and scratch your head. 37 years it took to complete.

One of the pools inside Angkor Wat. These were reserved for women only. 

Main tower of Angkor Wat.

One of the boys at ACODO orphanage performing in his Hanuman costume.

Cambodian boys from the street happily eating leftovers from my dinner.

Fish massage in Cambodia. These guys eat the dead skin from your feet. As strange as it is, it actually really works. The skin on my feet was much smoother after a 30 minute session. $1 USD for 30 minutes. They have these in Thailand too, but the cost is like $10 for 30 minutes. Koh Samui, Thailand has been 2-4x more expensive than Vietnam and Cambodia. There's also many more tourists, correlation?

Chaweng beach on Koh Samui, Thailand. This is the island I am on for the next 4 weeks. No complaints!

Peeling back the layers

Traveling alone can be scary, and at times, very lonely. You learn to quickly trust and listen to your intuition. With it also comes more time and serenity for deeper exploration and reflection.

The few additional days in Huế were perfect for that. After being on the go for the first 10 days, I slowed down a bit and explored the city, found my favorite spots, got to know some locals, and sampled a variety of the region specific dishes. I ate the most amazing meals from vendors in the local market and off the street. Unique, balanced, and subtle flavors in wide range of dishes, Huế's breadth of food choices is heavily influenced by the fact that it was once a city for emperors with finicky palates. My favorites from this region are bún bò Huế, bánh xèo, and bánh ướt. Traveling across Vietnam, eating at the most unsuspecting places, I really felt like Anthony Bordain at times. If you haven't already noticed, I love food, especially Vietnamese food and this trip has been incredible in that aspect.

City of lights. These lanterns adorn Hoi An at night, making for a very pretty city.

After 3 days in Huế, I jumped on a bus and headed towards Hội An, an old trading port about 120km SE of Huế. Hội An is also a UNESCO world heritage site. ~80 homes and buildings in Old Town are still in their original form and prohibited from major modernization or upgrades. Walking down the streets of Old Town, you feel transported back a few hundred years.

Hội An is known for it’s unique Chinese architecture, and more famously, for it’s tailors. About 500 tailors work in the city, and cater to the ever growing tourism industry - there is literally a fabric and tailor shop every other store. You can get anything made, custom fit, usually in about 24 hrs. I got two pairs of linen shorts made and they are already my favorite pairs I own. My friend Ben got a high quality custom fit suit made for $190 USD.

Although Hội An is only 100km from Huế, the change in dialect was distinct. I finally could understand what most were saying and they could at least make out that I was trying to speak Vietnamese. The women in the markets got a kick out of my response of "hết tiền" (out of money) when they would solicit me to buy their goods in English. I don't look like your typical Vietnamese male, so when I spoke Vietnamese (although poorly), it surprised people, and many times ended solicitation and prompted a real conversation. Cool trick.

Mỹ Sơn temples. This site was one of the few left in decent shape.

On Sunday, I rented a motorbike and made my way to the Mỹ Sơn relics, a cluster of Hindu temples built by the kings of Champa. This was their religious center, where they worshipped Shiva, or better known locally as "Bhadresvara". This is also a world cultural heritage site, though, most of it was decimated during the Vietnam War. Efforts are currently ongoing and underway to restore many of the sites. Mỹ Sơn has been compared to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, but that is hardly a fair comparison. These are much, much smaller and for the most part have been ruined and poorly cared for over the years.

After a second night in Hội An, I took a flight back to Saigon early Monday morning to close out my trip in Vietnam. Known officially as Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon was renamed after the North defeated America and the South - everyone but government officials still call it by Saigon, and I agree, it's a much prettier name for a city.

Saigon is my family's hometown and has changed considerably since they left in the early 1980s. It is quickly becoming a modern city, with new high rises shooting up left and right. The guide books are right, Saigon is Hanoi's deviant, chic, and cooler brother. The vibe is much different and feels a bit like New York city, everyone is on the go, and there is always something going on. It's also a melting pot, many Vietnamese from all over the country have relocated here over the years. I also met a number of non-Vietnamese living in Saigon.

On my last full day, I went on a 1 day tour of the Mekong river. We rafted down one of the river's many channel ways, watched coconut candy being made, ate lunch in a fishing village, listened to live traditional Vietnamese music, and for $15 USD, I took a high speed boat ride on the Mekong back to Saigon versus taking the bus. Amazing and worth every penny, this two hour ride was one of the highlights of my trip to Vietnam.

The sights of the Mekong were incredible and created an amazing space for reflection. Replaying all that I had seen, heard, and felt in the last 16 days, I was in complete awe. What an amazing country - the people, the food, the culture, the way of life are all so beautiful. So strange yet so familiar for me. I was in love and I did not want to leave.

Rafting down a channel way in one of the Mekong's fishing villages.

Growing up, all I ever wanted to be was anything BUT Vietnamese. I didn't understand why my family didn't do things like other American families. This is the struggle of second generation immigrants. We are caught between two worlds, never feeling as if we fully belong in one or the other. In school, no one could pronounce my name properly and I got called racial slurs as a young child. The only person that truly understood what I was going through was my brother, Billy. My cousins, who were all born in Vietnam and considered 1st generation immigrants (born in Vietnam), were also wonderful role models for my brother and I.

At home, I never understood why my grandma was so frugal. She insisted that we save and re-use everything and felt like a lot of things in America were a waste of money. She was and is right. As I've gotten older, I've come to understand and appreciate that view. This trip has certainly helped and is a significant step for me. It's certainly taught me much about myself and given me a deeper appreciation and understanding for my family and the struggles they've gone through. In the most non-egoic way, I am extremely proud to call myself Vietnamese.

Yesterday, I woke up in tears, contemplating if I should stay longer in Vietnam and just cancel the Cambodia leg altogether. The answer quickly came to me and was a definitive "no". As hard as it was to leave, there's a reason for me to go to Cambodia, though that reason isn't 100% clear just yet. One of the most important lessons of yoga is non-attachment. I had definitely become attached to Vietnam and it was time to let her go. New adventures, challenges, and lessons await.

It has been a life changing and affirming experience. Thank you Vietnam for reminding me who I am.

-Hoang

Cao Lau, a Hoi An specialty, and one of my favorite dishes discovered in Vietnam. Flat egg noodles served with thin slices of pork, and a variety of vegetables and sprouts. Add a unique sauce and voila, you have magic. I've never had it prior to this trip but hope I can find it back in the states. 

Beautiful red lanterns hang from the ceiling at the very chic Q Bar in Hoi An. 

Cool artwork at Q Bar.

Loz (Lauren) and Ben, a great couple from Australia. Jeff and I bumped into them in Cuc Phuong, then again in Hue. I ran into them again in Hoi An and Saigon and went out for dinner and drinks with them a few nights in both cities. This was taken at Morning Glory in Hoi An, one of our favorite meals of the trip. 

Financial center in Saigon and some new building going up right beside it.

Saigon's city hall, designed by the French.

What have we learned from our mistakes? From the War Remnants Museum.

Powerful images and quotes throughout the entire Museum. It's definitely biased but there are truths and facts we can't ignore.

Wall art in one of Saigon's pagodas.

This is Vu, my xe om (or motorbike) driver in Saigon. It was a great way to explore Saigon as I definitely wasn't ready to ride one by myself. The traffic is crazy and the city is a big one.

Anh Lung, our Mekong tour guide, showing us how honey is made at one of the fishing villages.

Snake and scorpion wine, no thanks :-D

Mekong channel in the fishing villages. The people living here utilize these to get around from village to village. Tourism to these villages provide a significant source of income.

Deep fried elephant ear fish, our lunch at the fishing village. Doesn't look so appetizing, but was delicious. The meat of the fish is served in fresh spring rolls with rice vermicelli, sprouts, and of course, fish sauce. 

Water buffalo taking a bath.

The mighty Mekong. A nasty storm came through at the end of our day.

Vietnamese folk music being performed. Vietnamese music, in my opinion, is pretty bad. That said, I do enjoy some of the folk music and instruments.