Taiwan

I love bananas. So much so that I spent several months trying to invent the ultimate banana case. The existing plastic ones are too bulky and impractical. I wanted to create a case that could cater to each individual banana’s length, width, and degree of curvature. It would defend the fruit from any bag-mates  that might bruise this wonderful snack. And, the case would collapse for easy-storage after each use.

I spoke with Harvard professors of engineering about potential materials, and brainstormed with Katherine Groesbeck, an artist and design guru, outside of Theo’s chocolate in Seattle. The momentum fizzled after a great comedy sketch about banana cases by David Letterman, but maybe I’ll return to this venture later. In the meantime, I kicked off my travels in Taiwan, a small island nation off the southeast coast of China. 

Looking at the myriad of hostel options, I wasn’t sure how to decide. Hostelworld, a great site for booking hostels, had a plethora of information to consider: location, price, ratings, number of ratings, etc. Then I found it: the Banana Hostel. Its description read, “if you’re a bananaholic, this is the place for you.”

That settled it. I booked a room for 4 nights and it was one of the best hostels I have ever stayed in. There were complementary bananas 24/7, banana bread on the weekends, wonderful staff, an extremely convenient location and curtains around the dorm beds that provide privacy when you need it. I highly recommend this place for any Taipei bound travelers. Here's some photos:

Tai chi in 2/28 Memorial Park

Dumplings from the world famous Din Tai Fung

All gone!

Awesome buns being cooked on the side of barrel ovens at Shilin Night Market

Watching this night market game was one of the funniest moments of my trip. Contestants are given a sledgehammer to try and smash water balloons as they come flying out of a slide. It is difficult to time and the whole crowd would be like “oh! too early! too late!” every time someone missed. As I laughed with the collective , I was thinking, “who invented this??”

Hike up Yangmingshan

Please note all facials in this photo

Noodle soup artist

A word of caution from the ATM, “Attention the gangster may use the English operation interface to cheat you.” 

Sweet potatoes baking in a barrel oven = yummy!! 

Lunch with hostel friends. I had done all my laundry that day except for my pajama pants so they kindly lent me a jacket and scarf. 

This one's for you, Tracy Han: Pooh Bear on the 1819 Express bus from the airport

The immaculately clean MRT/subway system in Taipei. Note tape to organize waiting/exit areas.

Can you get more serious than this about the ABC’s? Yao for the win.

Malt milk

Magic at Middlebury

Middlebury is one of the first colleges to establish a center for social entrepreneurship (CSE). The CSE supports the Middlebury family through programs, grants, fellowships, and most importantly, a community for those who are creating, or aspire to create, sustainable social impact through the application of business acumen. Since its founding 3 years ago, the CSE has put on a Symposium every January to celebrate two leading social entrepreneurs with the Vision Awards, and to provide a forum that will educate and engage people as contributing members of their communities. 

I was thrilled when Professor Jon Isham, the Faculty Director of the CSE invited me to participate in this special week at Middlebury. And that is why I found myself on my first visit to Vermont, arriving in -30 degree weather that made my 3 layers of pants feel insufficient. Not to worry though because any hesitations about Middlebury from the weather were quickly quelled when I came across a store called "Ben Franklin"!!! Upon this sighting, I knew I was going to like this town.

*For those of you who don't know, Benjamin Franklin is my favorite founding father (monsta shout-out). To me, he is a quintessential social entrepreneur who invented the first library, fire company, insurance company and non-religious college! I took a whole class with Dr. Joyce Chaplin on Ben Franklin and quote the man frequently.

Anyways... :). I spoke in Jon's seminar class on Social Entrepreneurship in the Liberal Arts, and over the course of the week, I got to spend quality time with almost all of the 13 students. I was so impressed by what this group of student have done, and what they plan to accomplish. There was Rabeya, who had taught deaf women how to sew as a means of economic empowerment; Gaby, who used dance as an empowerment tool for inner-city youth in Chicago; Debanjan, who did spoken word and hiphop with teens in NY, and I could go on for hours about these incredible students. I got to watch their dance and musical performances, attended the events they organized, and scoped out their dining halls (nom nom). 

In addition to sharing my story with SE, I worked with the class to organize Hangouts On Air (HOA's) with Ashoka Fellows, leading social entrepreneurs, who work in education. Huge props to Jon and Erin Krampetz, a superstar from the Ashoka U team, who brought the Ashoka Fellows on board. These HOA's embodied education innovation because the students were able to connect live with leaders that they researched. These social entrepreneurs very kindly tuned in from places like Uganda and South Africa, and it would have been difficult for them to visit Middlebury's campus in person.The whole class watched the Hangouts On Air, and asked questions live. Check out this awesome session with James Whelton, founder of Coder Dojo. Above is Rabeya and Gaby in live conversation with the founder and director of Educate Girls Globally.

I really commend Jon Isham for running with this idea of using technology to infuse his classroom. He is a rockstar, an amazing educator, and doing an incredible job with the Middlebury CSE. 

The Symposium launched with a talk from 2014 Vision Award recipient, Shabana Basij-Rasikh. She is the co-founder and president of SOLA - the School of Leadership Afghanistan, and a Middlebury graduate. Shabana and I sat next to each other at dinner prior to the talk, and she emanates a wonderful energy and dedication to providing a world-class education for girls in Afghanistan at SOLA. This work is close to my heart because I have seen and studied the impact that educating girls can have on pulling communities out of poverty, public health, and the economic status of a country. If you want to learn more, check out this Hangout On Air I organized with Camfed and the Brookings Institution. 

Shabana's work is no small feat given the economic and security challenges that come with running a school where supplies are ridiculously expensive and the political climate is such that supporting girls' education can endanger your life. SOLA pays $2,000 for internet access and much more for guards and security. Despite it all, Shabana's message emphasized the hope that comes with the young girls that study at SOLA. 

Shabana noted that people are quick to comment on the dangerous aspects of her work, and she encouraged people to also pay attention to the positive relationships and opportunities that SOLA fosters. We, as consumers and propagators of media, influence the stories that are popularized and encouraged. Taking care not to let sensationalized reports of fear and negativity skew our views and ambitions will make a difference in what media produces in the future, and what we are able to accomplish as citizens. "Believe you can and you're half way there," right? (Thanks, T. Roosevelt). Shabana is clearly aware of the safety issues that come with her work, but she chooses not to let that stop her which is why SOLA continues to grow, thrive, and affect the lives of girls and communities in Afghanistan. 

One of the students from SOLA gave an adorable speech. Shy and giggling at the podium, she introduced herself, saying "My name is X (omitted for privacy), I go to SOLA, and I love... (here, she looks away with a mischievous giggle and mile-wide smile before taking a deep breath to say...) I love YOGA! Hahahaha it was so cute. I wasn't expecting that at all, and I laughed really hard. The student later told me that that yoga is kind of bada*s in her community, hence her hesitation. 

The next day, we heard from the fabulous Laura White, who manages the Changemaker Schools Network at Ashoka. She is helping children and schools develop roots of empathy and and it was a treat to be in the presence of her contagious enthusiasm and positive energy again. 

Next, we hosted a Hangout with leading social entrepreneurs including 5 Ashoka fellows and organizations. We projected the conversation for the whole audience to see and welcomed their questions and participation. This was magical:

After incredible workshops, the Symposium closed with a talk from the other Vision Award recipient, David Bornstein!!! This man's work - and I don't say this lightly or frequently - changed my life. He is the author of How to Change the World, founder of Dowser.org, co-founder of the Solutions Journalism Network, and co-author of the FIXES column in The New York Times. It was David's book that started me on a long and adventurous path in social entrepreneurship that continues today. We have since crossed paths many times, and I could not think of a more fitting and deserving person for this year's Vision Award. Congrats, David and Shabana!

One point that hit home from David's talk was the need to encourage constructive thinking instead of mere critical thinking in the liberal arts. I know from personal experience that there is a destructive nature to comments made simply to object or condemn an idea in the name of "critical thinking." This closes minds and conversations to further debate, and we need to reframe how we teach  and value critical thinking in the context of real-world conversations.

I hope to see many more schools develop centers for social innovation and social entrepreneurship because it is a game-changer to have a space and community dedicated to this field. It provides a forum for people to share their ideas, and feel supported in walking off the beaten path. It galvanizes change, and thoughtful action, which was demonstrated over and over again through the stories of those who "hangout" at the CSE. For anyone who is wondering how to build a movement for social entrepreneurship on their campus, please know that this particular center was inspired by the senior thesis of David Hopkins, made possible by a generous grant from the Hassenfeld Family Foundation, and brought to life by an extraordinary staff and advisory board. Jon, Liz, Heather, Marianne, and Evan - keep up the GREAT work! 

Food Lifeline

I have known my neighbor's grandchildren for their entire lives. They are wonderful people, and one of them, Maggie, just turned 20. For her birthday, we went to volunteer at Food Lifeline, an incredibly innovative organization dedicated to ending hunger. Food Lifeline "rescues" unused food from restaurants, stores, and parties to help those in need of something to eat. Getting this system in place is a huge accomplishment because of rules and barriers that come with re-distributing food. They get apples in tons, and we helped to repackage them into manageable 40 lb boxes for distribution. The staff was warm and funny, and they play music so you can groove while you sort. They can always use more help so if you're looking for something fun to do with friends, I recommend checking this place out.

We took apples from these huge crates,

  

repackaged them in these banana boxes,

and then gave them this lady to deliver!

Misery

I am walking! After two months of injuries and stupid choices, this is awesome.

I don't even know where to begin. Last December, I bought a cheap pair of boots, which led to an ankle injury at the end of January. Right then, I should have postponed my trip to DC, but I was too excited to taste independence on my semester off. So despite my mother's advice, off I went to intern at Ashoka.

Once there, I thought my leg felt good enough to explore the NE neighborhood of DC. That wasn't a good idea. To make matters worst, I decided to trek out the following day as well because a snowstorm was on the way, and I wanted to get out while I could. I saw Georgetown, which was cute and complete with froyo and salad shops, yum! Still, bad idea for the ankle.

It doesn't normally snow much in DC, so naturally there was a snowpocalypse shortly after I arrived. About five FEET of snow in a week. I was trapped inside with nothing but a cane for my deteriorating ankle, and wasn't able to get crutches for over a week because of the snow.

When they finally came, I crutched way too long in icy conditions to go grocery shopping and to get a library account. This resulted in me spraining my other ankle! So there I was, unable to walk in the midst of horrible weather. I was bedridden for a week before a wheelchair arrived (hallelujah!) and I was finally able to move without crawling. It was a terrible few days - I had to crawl to the bathroom. It gets worse.

My dad's friend very kindly helped me to move to my new sublet for March. Since the place was very close to work, I thought it would be alright to go in once a week (with the help of my amazing new roommate) as I had mostly been working from home. (Sidenote, my boss was the most amazing and understanding person through all of this craziness!) That was false because I threw both of my wrists out while wheeling around.

So let's recap: I had hurt both of my ankles and both of my wrists. I consider myself to be a pretty positive person, but this SUCKED!!!!!! A LOT! There were a couple of days when I was just really down because of the egregious situation I was it. Enter my saving grace: mom.

Thank goodness my mom had decided to come visit because I literally do not know what I would have done without her. She came and and acted as my hands and feet and brought me back to life. It was in those moments of pain that I recognized how amazing family is, and how lucky I am to have the parents that I do.

And for the friends who called to check in and helped to get me through the days of boredom and recovery. When you're injured, it's so easy to go paranoid and freak out at small things. I was so unhappy. In these instances, it was so helpful for me to occupy myself with work or talking to other people, so now I want to be like that too - someone who takes the time to visit peeps in the hospital. It really means a lot.

When I was scheduled to come home, my original ride had an emergency come up, and I had no idea how we were going to get to the airport. Thankfully, one of my best friend's mom's husband's first wife stepped up to the plate, and drove us two hours to the airport. Wow, the awesomeness of humanity continues to astound me.

Now I am home in Seattle, slowly recovering from this escapade. Learned the hard way that health must always be number one. I was so angry at myself for being so stupid, but then I watched the Bachelor, and they were talking about forgiving yourself for mistakes, and I was like, "yeah!" So, I forgive myself. Yes, I subjected myself to a treacherous couple of months, but it's time to move on because I don't believe in kicking myself for too long. Onward!

Except now my wrists kind of hurt, so I'm gonna take a break, and then hopefully write about all the good amazing things that have happened thus far.

Home

I'm currently in DC, house-sitting for a week. Got here on Sunday, after my original flight was canceled and they re-booked me via NY on American Airlines.

The last couple days of Buenos Aires were a blur and I have returned with a huge appreciation for chocolate, language fluency, and about 5 million other things.

Last Thursday, Emily - who lived in my dorm freshmen year, and is studying abroad in Buenos Aires for the semester, and I met up with Elliot at Cumoná, a well-known restaurant in this area. I got an empanada de Lomo and this stew called Locro. The empanada was amazing and filled with legit steak, but the locro stew was kind of weird. It was like beans with huge chunks of kind of pink meat. I didn’t eat very much of that, but apparently it’s a popular thing here.

Then, Lauren, Emily and I went to Puerto Madero. This is the up and coming wealthy neighborhood right on the water. There’s tons of construction going on, but there is also an ecological reserve there. It’s huge and is the home of many different kinds of birds, and also a lot of sausage stands. We passed one called the “Churimovil.” Haha. On the map, there were a lot of lakes, but there were dried out when we got there, although there was a great view of the water. There was also a child calling for his/her mother and we could not figure out where on earth the kid was. Until we were heading and realized that he was stuck in a tree.

That night, we went to Bar Milión, a gorgeous 3-story bar built in an old mansion. My pina colada wasn’t very good, but the ambiance was. Agustin and Lucas came to say goodbye! My favorite bar so far was Casa Bar. Delicious Daquiri de anana with Malibu.

Friday, James, Laura, Emily and I had lunch at Parilla 22 for James' last meal in BA. I also finally tried churros con chocolate, which turned out to be one of those things that I craved until I ate it. Then I met up with Darren, went home, and packed to leave on Saturday! Saturday I had one last lunch at Cumaná, with noquis, and then went to the airport with Marieke.

Wowee, what a summer.

The Rodeo, Jardins, Evita

I forgot to document a couple of cool things that I did last week.

Monday was JFlo's last day so met up and dined in Chinatown, and the noodles here are rather odd, thick and kind of crunchy. Then, I walked around Belgrano, which used to be the capital.

The Rodeo:
Every year, there is a two week exhibition at La Rural in Palermo. They ship in tons of cows, sheep and horses to be auctioned off or for competitions. Being a horse-lover, I went and it was the strangest combination of things. There were huge gasoline-eating tractors on show outside and tons of animals inside. I went on the last day and it stank something horrible. I had to run in, take a picture and then run out! There was also a huge mall with cars for sale and some food stands.

Jardin Japones:
In the middle of the city, there are a couple of huge parks and gardens with clay paths and lots of trees. The Japonese Gardens are a fenced off little area filled with pretty ponds, and a small museum of Japanese Culture. There's huge goldfish and a sushi bar too. It cost $5 pesos to get in, but I noticed that one of the exit doors is always open and unguarded so people could probably just enter through there. It is a very aesthetically pleasing, though small area that the Japanese community in BA created for the city some years ago.

Evita Museum:
Even though the majority of wealthy Porteños, including my host family, do not like Peron, I went to the museum to check out how she is presented by people who do like her. It was a cool house-museum filled with movies and historical antedotes. There's a 50% student discount off the $12 peso entrance fee, fyi.

A Walking Tour: Architectural Bombness

I woke up, grabbed the guidebook and started walking. Not far along, I ran into these awesome recycling things in the street. They were the first I've seen in Buenos Aires. Most of the recycling is done through an inefficient system with Cartoneros.

Then, I went to this cool-looking Victorian House, and normally people can go in for free to look at 18th century bathrooms and stuff, but it’s been closed down due to Gripe A (Swine Flu). So, I took some pictures of the lovely architecture and continued on my way down Avenida Cordoba toTeatro Colon, another old building where opera shows are held. At least, I think its opera shows.
Next up on my tour of architectural wonders, I stopped in at McDonalds. I had heard that Mickey D’s tasted better in Argentina because of the high quality meat that the country’s known for, and somehow I hadn’t tried it yet, so I got a McFiesta from the $4.5 peso menu (equivalent of the dollar menu). It seemed like a regular burger to me...

McDonald’s also made me realize a huge cultural difference: in the US, the two main flavors of frozen yogurt in McDonalds are vanilla and chocolate. In BA, the flavors are dulce de leche and vainilla! Dulce de leche is the chocolate of Buenos Aires! I was wondering my chocolate was so expensive and why I didn’t see it that often because I thought everyone loved it, and now I know! The ad for fro-yo was Hace tu vide mas DULCE – make your life more sweet. : )

Then I walked down 9 de Julio, the widest street in the world with 16 lanes!! Crossing the street was kind of like a game because the cars don’t really stop for people or pay attention to the stop lights so when you get an opening, you have to run as fast as you can to the other side. And when there are 16 lanes, it’s def a challenge. When I safely reached the other side, I snapped a close-up picture of the obelisk, which was raised to celebrate Ar’s Independence day (Though I’m never a hundred percent sure here).

I had been hearing a lot about Calle Florida, a street in downtown Buenos Aires that is filled with shops so I followed my map there, and entered a street bulging with theaters and tons of clothing stores. The air was filled with yucky smoke smells and pollution. There was one section with a bunch of people selling jewelry and goods on top of blankets. One guy tried to sell me a head-scratcher via demonstration, and even though he ruined my hair, I’ll admit that it felt pretty good! That guy could prob use a lesson in marketing. When I finally emerged from that New Yorkish street, I sat down on a fountain and low and behold, I saw a Starbucks! That made me miss home a little.