Wishing and Hoping

Now, I've made it to the end of dead week.. finals are just around the corner.

This visual is the only thing that's encouraging me to continue:

I need to get through the week, I can't even think about the next two quarters I need to pull myself through in order to reach the destination above!

Paradise needs to come.. now.

Alert!

At this point in time, I am at the dead week, and my four finals are coming up fast.

I'm exhausted, hungry, and can barely focus.


Maybe I should just buy my ticket now and go for spring break...

Who's with me?!

BANNED: Too Smelly

Durian.

Now, while this looks like just another tropical fruit, it is far different from the rest.
In fact, it is banned is many hotels and modes of public transportation-- all due to the fact that it is one smelly, smelly fruit.
It has often been described to smell like gym socks, onions, and almonds.

Who's hungry now??

I can't stop thinking about it..

Is the decision to enjoy a wonderful vacation after I've put in a long, hard four years, rational?



... I just keep thinking about that potential career, literally calling me the while I'm laying on the beach- halfway around the world.

Oh, that thing called money...

One fabulous fact I realized about traveling during August is that peak season is over! Yes, I will be missing the best weather, but I will be saving a ton of money! Apparently, travel prices decrease quite a bit during the rainy season (I guess people don't want to brave the monsoons and typhones??).

This logic obviously has it's pros and cons....

P.S. Round-trip ticket to the Philippines right now: $1591...

What you've seen on Fear Factor

I've given my spiel about the foods I can't wait to devour, but I have yet to tell you about the foods I simply can not eat.

(Warning: The following material contains graphic content. Those with weak stomachs should not read further.)

I'm a rather picky eater so I've narrowed it down to two things that would stop my 'exploratory' side dead in it's tracks.

1. Balut. You've probably seen this Filipino delicacy on Fear Factor before, but if you haven't, let me give you the scoop. Balut is a fertilized duck egg with a nearly developed baby duckling inside. It is then boiled and eaten right out of the shell, usually with salt or vinegar.

2.  Dinuguan. This dish is a stew made of blood and meat. That's right, it is a blood pudding stew. It is made of a dark pig blook gravy, chili, vinegar, and pork meat (and sometimes intestines, eats, and snout).

My family enjoys both dishes. In fact, my grandpa loves, loves, loves balut. I, however, just don't have the guts to even try them.

A Wild Ride

This, my friends, is a jeepney. It's the most common form of public transportation in the Philippines. It was originally made from US military jeeps that were left from WWII and are known for it's wild decorations and packed seating.

The seating on the jeepney is awfully crowded. In fact, if an individual can not fit into one seat, and must take up part of another, they are charged for both seats. This can make for a rather embarrassing moment, as some of my relatives have told me.

Some people even jump onto the moving vehicle, and hang on to the back.

As you can see, this is not your typical transportation service!