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June 18, 2012 | Stories From The Road

Preparing to say good-bye

Today ended four days of lunches, dinners, and outings with some of our Chinese friends. It's a kind of last mad rush to get in those experiences we've been meaning to get to, but, for some reason, haven't had the opportunity to do. Seems odd in a way. When you stay in a place for five months, you would think a person would have ample time to see a country, even a country like China. And it probably would be enough time ... Read More

Filed Under: Stories From The Road

May 30, 2012 | Stories From The Road

Another Rewarding Chance Encounter

Michael (left) and Adam (right) with me in the Max Pub. These two young men are in their mid-twenties and have come from the northern provinces to find their way in Shanghai. Adam speaks English very well, all self-taught. Both Michael and Adam were enthusiastic conversationalists. We walked into the Max Pub in Shanghai on our return walk from the foreign bookstore, where we had gone to buy cookbooks and a gift for our ... Read More

Filed Under: Stories From The Road

May 24, 2012 | Stories From The Road

Trying to come up for air!

I'm back after a long hiatus from the Status Update.  But it's not my fault.  We have been busy.  For our latest adventure this past weekend, I played a minister.  See the story, Marryin' Joseph, in the People section of the blog.  This took considerable time, requiring a couple of meetings prior to the event, plus all day during the event. The weekend past was quite busy, indeed.  We met ... Read More

Filed Under: Stories From The Road

May 23, 2012 | Stories From The Road

Marryin’ Joseph

Marryin' Joseph!  OMG!  You should have been here.  Was this an operation.  I played my role as a minister, but I swear, I was more popular than the bride and groom.  No kidding! Marryin’ Joseph, in person. You may recall from my April 16 post, "An Unusual Request," that I was asked to play a minister for a young Chinese couple who wanted to have as part of their wedding theme an enactment ... Read More

Filed Under: Stories From The Road

May 5, 2012 | Stories From The Road

Bus Encounter

Children are fearless and uninhibited.  Today on the bus as we returned from the grocery store, a seven-year-old girl engaged Char in a conversation using her basic English, which actually was quite good.  About a dozen people within earshot smiled and chuckled as they spoke.   Char proudly demonstrated to the girl that she, Char, could count to 10 in Chinese.  After which the girl demonstrated to Char ... Read More

Filed Under: Stories From The Road

April 28, 2012 | Stories From The Road

Hand-Grasping Pie

We discovered the Hand-Grasping Pie early in our stay one day while we walked to our apartment from West Lake here in Hangzhou.  We ordered that first street food delicacy by pointing and nodding.  When Char, who teaches at Hangzhou Foreign Language School, told her students about the experience, they were thrilled that we would venture into the local culture in this way.  One enterprising young girl, ... Read More

Filed Under: Stories From The Road

April 16, 2012 | Stories From The Road

An unusual request

Get this!  I have been asked to be a minister at a Chinese wedding! Ok, ok--for some of you who know me well, this may seem a bit unusual, if not outright unbelievable.  But this is an interesting situation. Now pay attention and follow along carefully; this may seem a bit convoluted. A young couple is getting married at the end of May.  It is common for young couples in China to plan a theme for ... Read More

Filed Under: Stories From The Road

April 16, 2012 | Stories From The Road

Construction Season in Hangzhou

Construction season has come to Hangzhou as well. One morning about 6 a.m. we heard the loud clanging of metal on metal combined with voices in foreign tongues. Alas, construction workers went about the business of erecting scaffolding at the building across the courtyard and beginning to tear off overhangs above the windows. By the end of the first week, scaffolding appeared around our building as well, and workmen are ... Read More

Filed Under: Stories From The Road

April 9, 2012 | Stories From The Road

Busy, busy, busy!

As the weather has gotten warmer, sunnier, and friendlier, we find ourselves getting outside to see this place or that, purchase needed items, and collect information for a host of stories.  Alas, such activity leaves little time for writing.  I offer apologies to my readers for my lack of time management skills--I have wonderful stories to tell, and precious little time to write them. Just last weekend ... Read More

Filed Under: Stories From The Road

March 18, 2012 | Stories From The Road

Update: Hangzhou Foreign Languages School

Weather permitting, all students go outside for 15 minutes of exercise. BoomerTrekker Note:  The following article is by Char Koppi about her continued teaching experience at Hangzhou Foreign Languages School. By Charleen Koppi One Child, and Only One Child China’s “one child” rule sort of hits you in the face here.  I often make references to a brother or sister when I’m giving examples or asking a ... Read More

Filed Under: Stories From The Road

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About BoomerTrekker

When you travel, only one of two things can happen: something good or something bad; either way, you have a story to tell.

Boomertrekker.com is the cave wall on which I try to etch the stories and pictures of my travel experiences. You will find stories of setting out to go one place, but arriving at another; of finding, quite by accident, experiences that I could not have anticipated; of meeting and becoming friends with people whose language I cannot speak. Sometimes you will find me paralyzed and out of my comfort zone, as I was in Cambodia when I regretfully let pass my opportunity to eat a cricket. At other times, I hope you marvel, as I have, at the intelligence and ingenuity and inventiveness of ancient peoples everywhere. These are the stories I tell here. They are the stories of my travels to foreign lands in which I am the foreigner. Read More

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Recent Comments

  • Claudine on We’re headed south for winter in the Andes

    Glad you have arrived safely and are settled in. The Farmer's Market looks luscious. And the weath......

  • Andrea on We’re headed south for winter in the Andes

    I'm so happy for both of you.. continue enjoying Cuenca!! :) xoxo...

  • Jeanine Ryan on We’re headed south for winter in the Andes

    Thanks for taking me along! I look forward to reading more!...

  • Judy Horsnell on We’re headed south for winter in the Andes

    Joe, enjoy your escape to that beautiful area of the world; really, you are not missing anything bac......

  • Marsha on We’re headed south for winter in the Andes

    So happy you are able to get away from the cold and be in such a neat place. Looking forward to foll......

BoomerTrekker

Joseph Koppi is a freelance travel writer with over 40 years of writing and communications experience in both the media and corporate arenas. He currently treks around the world, writing about his adventures in foreign lands and with the amazing people he encounters. Read More

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