tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53179535798853531042024-03-13T21:50:46.220+07:00Chronicles of the Next FloorJonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.comBlogger142125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-10473607477500344982012-06-02T13:16:00.000+07:002012-06-02T13:16:12.769+07:00The inclusion of informal waste workers in solid waste management planning
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Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-20487346326250295232011-09-12T07:32:00.000+07:002011-09-12T07:32:08.337+07:00Videoke
The Videoke Station
Two weeks before I left for the Philippines, I was at Le Drugstore, a lesbian bar in Montreal. It was Karaoke Night, an otherwise quiet Tuesday. About 5 people in our group, the slightly drunk blond host of the night turned to the Asian guy at our table (a Belgian, nonetheless) and said in French You guys, Asians, in your country karaoke is a front for prostitution! Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com1San Juan, Philippines16.663822084606348 120.3353115146484216.633547584606347 120.27404551464842 16.694096584606349 120.39657751464843tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-31606280982345412602011-07-02T05:51:00.001+07:002011-07-02T05:52:53.012+07:00VancouverI was just in Vancouver for my training. There's something about the colour of green and the beautiful Rocky mountains jutting out of the horizon that feels therapeutic.
Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com0Vancouver International Airport, Canada49.19477 -123.17805tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-10974423465508026582011-06-22T00:48:00.000+07:002011-06-22T00:48:07.174+07:00Jeepney, the new Xe Ôm
I can't go on with this blog without comparing my experiences in Vietnam with those in the Philippines. I know, I know - I am not even there yet. But part of my preparation is about researching what life is like there.
In doing some research, I came across the Jeepney. An odd jeep/truck contraption that serves as an informal mode of public transportation.
Whereas in Hanoi I would haveJonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com1Montreal, QC, Canada45.5088889 -73.554166745.374671400000004 -73.699077699999989 45.6431064 -73.4092557tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-66504809863613085492011-06-18T00:37:00.000+07:002011-06-18T00:37:07.519+07:00Next Floor: The PhilippinesNo. It's not the Philippines. But I had to put a picture to make this post a bit less boring
My original plan was to publish my last attempt at a blog post: a post where I confusingly went back and forth trying to decide whether or not I should apply for a masters.
Well... you don't have to suffer through that, as I must have accidentally deleted it! And neither do you have to suffer through Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com0Montreal, QC, Canada45.5088889 -73.554166745.374671400000004 -73.699077699999989 45.6431064 -73.4092557tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-4743785405824063032010-03-29T17:33:00.001+07:002010-03-29T17:33:42.598+07:00On Turning 25
I am writing this on a plane between Saigon and Hanoi. This weekend marked my 25th birthday. I am now a quarter of a century old. Despite the weeks leading up to my birthday being some of the busiest of my life, I've been able to think and realise a bit about what it means to be 25.
First off, it means birthdays are really not that important anymore. More exciting and more urgent things come Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-34844181925299025772010-03-05T14:13:00.000+07:002010-03-05T14:13:44.094+07:00Gratuitous Video Scene #8: Bus in Java, IndonesiaDuring our trip in Java, Smorg and I took a diverse array of transportation: motorbike, train, bus, bemo, minibus, ferry.
In what seems typical of public transportation, at every stop along the way a parade of people selling things come onboard. They then proceed to constantly try and sell you something while you are both trapped on this moving vehicle. They will actually throw the product in Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-34874391313287855002010-02-28T10:38:00.000+07:002010-02-28T10:38:11.116+07:00Java, Indonesia!If you were wondering why I hadn't updated my blog, it's because I went to Singapore and Indonesia for the Lunar New Year. The original plan was to head to Philippines, but prices quickly skyrocketed heading that way, and the cheaper option was Indonesia via Singapore. I had been to Bali before, but regretted not heading to Java during the 10+ days I was there. This was my second chance.
After Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-63157323641028082812010-02-07T16:18:00.000+07:002010-02-07T16:18:03.181+07:00Acupuncture
My wrist has been hurting me for quite few months now, and in the last week it has gotten pretty bad. So bad, that I could not type or even drive my electric scooter.
My co-worker suggested to me I try her acupuncture doctor. Cheaper than "Western Medecine," I thought, why not? I had never been acupuntured (hehe) before, but definitely would try it.
The acupuncture doctor practises from the Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-25690841313247616692010-02-02T11:18:00.001+07:002010-02-02T11:18:00.270+07:00Back to Vietnam by way of China... Part IIHere is my bit about my food experience in Beijing.
My first day started off with a rice congee, similar in name to the one here in Vietnam (called chao). It turns out the similarity stops there. The rice soup here, was yellow in colour, and was doused in a sesame sauce. It was a lot thicker and was a bit salty. I scarfed it down with a vegetable spring roll and some fried bread. I didn't eat Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-57610774891133668032010-01-31T11:16:00.000+07:002010-01-31T11:16:27.910+07:00Back to Vietnam by way of China... Part IFor my way back to Vietnam from Montreal, I found a cheap flight to Beijing. I decided to take a couple days in China, before using Aeroplan points to get to Hanoi. I got a 6-month multiple-entry visa, thinking that maybe I would want to take another trip to Guangzhou for another shopping spree someday.
Somehow I got a reputation at work now, where everyone thinks I love China. I don`t love ChinaJonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-15709282822413521682010-01-15T02:20:00.000+07:002010-01-15T02:20:00.131+07:00Back to Montreal - Aux Deux MariesAfter skating I brought the group of seven people all the way to Aux Deux Maries, a cafe on the corner of Marie-Anne and Saint-Denis. I have always loved going there, if only to watch my non-vegan dairy-drinking friends indulge in amazing-sounding coffee concoctions. I just had black coffee, as they didn't offer soya milk.
Now that I'm no longer vegan (and ironically, they now offer soymilkJonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-14126983820304190322010-01-13T02:20:00.000+07:002010-01-13T02:20:00.495+07:00Back to Montreal - SkatingFor 3 years I lived within a 10 minute walk to Parc Lafontaine, one of Montreal's largest urban parks. I was with someone for quite a while who lived on the other side of the park, and wouldn't miss the opportunity to pass through it on the way to his house. There are trees wide enough to make me believe they were in that very spot in 1642 when Montreal was founded.
Despite walking through the Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-56920925774432486872010-01-10T02:37:00.000+07:002010-01-10T02:37:00.379+07:00Back to Montreal - Harvey'sVeggie burgers in Hanoi lack a lot. I have yet to come across a veggie burger there that isn't some sort of sloppy mishmash of vegetables, batter and usually cheese (yuck!). Oh. And fried.
Even outside Vietnam, no veggie burger comes close to what you can get at Harvey's. Canada's answer to fast-food giants Burger King and McDonald's, Harvey's grills your burger on an open flame right in front Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-77582392486899925762010-01-08T02:36:00.000+07:002010-01-08T02:36:22.898+07:00Back to Montreal - Quartier des SpectaclesIf you heard me talk about Montreal while I was in Hanoi (and believe me, I know you did), I would have told you how there were a couple things I hated missing.
The first would be the launch of the Bixi system, the first large-scale bicycle sharing system in North America, and also the most successful bike-sharing system to date. Unfortunately, the bikes aren't there during the winter, so any Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-22065960611489758692009-12-13T09:21:00.000+07:002009-12-13T09:21:38.655+07:00One Year Perspective
Ok. It hasn't yet been one year since I left Montreal and came to Vietnam, but being in Japan again visiting Jeannette and soon making my way back home for the holidays has got me thinking.
Interestingly, I found an old document in my Google Documents titled "5-year goals". I hadn't even looked at it in a year and a half, from the day I had an inspirational chat with a friend and ran home to Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-70215579138668334332009-12-03T21:37:00.000+07:002009-12-03T21:37:56.503+07:00Lenin ParkLiterally across my new place is Lenin Park.
It's a small little triangular park dedicated to the Russian communist. Cat my new housemate and I have been enjoying the sights. We sit and stare at kids and teens break-dancing, robo-dancing, spinning on rollerblades and spinning soccor balls on their arms, head, and feet.
Oh and, babies driving around in mini cars.
(I apologise for the poor Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-72620250672506817722009-11-26T19:01:00.000+07:002009-11-26T19:06:33.900+07:00FoccaciaI am testing out mobile posting. At the moment i am sipping a mango smoothie at a street cafe. Just killing time before i teach. Here a photo of me eating half of a loaf of bread at work. Sent from jonathan's mobile phone Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-17212440509993615212009-11-25T21:56:00.000+07:002009-11-25T21:56:48.900+07:00Motorbike trip Hanoi - Chinese BorderA couple weeks ago I got a text from a new Vietnamese friend. He asked 'tomorow you want motorbike to china 2 nights. pls tell me soon'. And so unaware of Rebel's horrible return to Hanoi, I packed my bag and hopped on the back of the motorbike with no idea what I was getting into.
It turns out we joined a group of 22 other people - all Vietnamese. A group of young people who use an internet Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-18998281638429853572009-11-14T18:44:00.001+07:002009-11-15T00:36:10.612+07:00Love CaféSo what happens when you live in a society where opposite-sex intimacy is not acceptable in public? And what about if, in the same society, people live with their extended family?
You get Love Cafés!
Little cafés where you can sit in a booth that's hidden from view. Near work there was this cute love café down the hill from the main street. Little bamboo huts with bamboo blinds could be had Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-65336502225983811532009-10-18T14:54:00.000+07:002009-10-18T14:54:16.803+07:00My House and Neighbourhood in HanoiMy camera has been stolen, so until then you will have to put up with photos from my mobile phone.
I should mention that I am moving to a new house soon. I figure now would be a good time to post about my current neighbourhood and house.
I live in the middle of a giant block. Between the two streets is a densely packed neighbourhood that one can access only through the alleyways that sprawl Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-9491532610576846272009-10-04T10:22:00.002+07:002009-10-04T10:22:00.195+07:00Vegetarian Hanoi
I've been here for about 9 months now. On the first day I arrived, I headed straight to this vegetarian restaurant I found on the New Hanoian. It is still one of my favourite vegetarian restaurants, and I go there at least once a week, if not several times a week. However, I have discovered quite a few vegetarian places within a 15-20 minute radius of my house. I use places because most of Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-59769453085829175962009-10-01T22:25:00.001+07:002009-10-01T22:26:46.478+07:00Dairy Is Hot...
Thinking about pocketting that disk of La Vache Qui Rit or that brick of butter? Think again!Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-46374502480935988542009-09-20T09:52:00.004+07:002009-09-20T10:15:21.353+07:00Twitter Twit Twittering.... Tweet!So I've finally given into Twitter. Now anyone can track me down by either checking out the Twitter Gadget on the right side of this blog, or following me on Twitter.com (please add me!).
Now I can let the world know when I am stuck in a squatter toilet with no toilet paper:
delucajon OMG, that Vietnamese sandwich I ate at lunch wanted to get out fast, squatter- and no tp hehe LMAO-literally. Jonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5317953579885353104.post-7434405112012015722009-09-16T16:33:00.001+07:002009-09-16T16:35:09.010+07:00Cockroach EncountersPhoto: Definitely not the largest I've encountered. This was in a bathroom in Halong City.
The other day while cooking some pasta, a cockroach popped it's head out from my house mates cupboard just above the stovetop. I panicked. I grabbed a can of Raid (or more like Rade, considering the knock-offs they have here) and trembled as I tried to extinguish it's life.
I thought aboveJonathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10199773903749578402noreply@blogger.com3