Hi Everyone,

Our first week in Taiwan has been an amazing introduction of rich culture and historical education. We couldn't have picked a better group of characters to join us on this building voyage. Upon our arrival to Taipe we were greeted by my 1st typhoon experience. What a way to begin a month long stay in Taiwan. After a 12 hr. flight from LAX to Taipe international airport we practically bounced our way sideways on the runway and quickly found ourselves in a seriously wet and 100 mph windy situation. Along with me on our arrival is master artist, James Hubbell, contractor, Chuck Lang, and commerade , Jackee Earnest. We grabbed a taxi and headed to the Santos Hotel where we will stay the first few days. We will meet with our architect and art students from countries such as Mexico, Russia, China, South Korea, Taiwan, El Salvador and USA there.

The Pacific Rim Park project always has such a mysterious way of teaching you to learn how to have faith in yourself. Searching for answers can be difficult at times yet when you are able to have love in your mind, body and soul you can truly become a confident humanitarian.
  I am specifically privileged this year to be invited, not as a student, but as a group leader. I believe I can do this by being meadiary between students and teachers. Since I am only 30 yrs old. I feel much more like one of the students still, yet know my responsibilities are to help facilitate the process of PRP project and to maintain composure through peace and happiness with everyone. So, during our couple of days in Taipei we saw some beautiful attractions such as the national history museum, buhhdist temples and the largest building in Taiwan, "the 101 building". It was constructed in the 1990's and held the record for the largest building in the world until Dubai built one that was much taller. For architect students that was a real treat to go to the top.
 After some sightseeing in Taipei we took a 6 hr. bus ride to the city of Kaohsiung. The park is being constructed on a small fishing island called "Cijin" on the waterfront. We are staying at the Marine University where we settled into our classic little barracks .It’s actually a dorm style of living space with bunk beds and below a desk where I write this for the blog. Not to many toilets to be found around here. Only these very interesting holes in the ground that I am not too accustomed. Other than that... Life is grand!

Our schedules are set up for our design processes and there are lots of really talented people giving their perspectives and ideas for the park project. We start each day with a poem read by one of the 40 or so students. Its a great way to get going at 7 am. The weather is warm and we ride bikes back and forth from the site. So, Lots of water during the night time and even more liquids are consumed at our (gas station)/ bus stop in the evenings.

We have managed to live through our very confusing first week and are now underway with are second week of "fun in the sun" construction phase. Building concrete forms and excavating ground levels so to pour our slabs by later this week. Lots more to come...-Garrett P. Goodwin

After traveling with typhoon Soulik to Taipei - we had a day in Taipei and then down to Kaohsiung and this is our first dinner in Cijin - our new home for the next month

MY ASIAN TRIP

My Asian trip was big. Long and full of new interesting views, people, culture, and other small aspects.

First of all I moved to Beijing, China. City is nice, a lot of temples and parks around, small lakes with a lot of restorants and small old streets. All velo and moto transport works on accumulators – Think it is Olimpic games result. A lot of people on the central streets who wants to know your name and where am I from… Very problematic ones! Be carefull with them! It was hard to remember all the subways station names as Guargximen or Chaoyangmen or Jianguomen… It’s writes different but sounds the same! It was hard to orientir in the city+ metro first time (I was 3 days there). Even taxi driver had a problem to find my hotel address. There are no way for me to do my trip in Beijing so easy if not Katya ‘s help. She is helped me a lot (starts from Hotel reservation, ticket to sms and phone personal Guid. She is my ex student, now works in Beijing like in architect and also nice girl. When I was looking around I met Italian girl Martina Bazzo from Milan (later we spent some time together including visit of Great wall on my Birthday) and one american Boeing engineer Paul who also get lost in orientation there. So three of us get one place together to see some modern region where was Pauls hotel. Thanks him for the double juice for me… Nice evening with Katya in one beautiful place near the lake (but without lotus flowers - they cut it and probably ate. But with romantic candle) and with nice company!!! Finished my last day in Beijing.

Morning on next day I was in speed train (240km/h) moving to Shanghai city for Expo visit and not only. Alina my other ex student ;) - (what to do if your students everywhere) Jock! Met me in Shanghai  that she get 2 days earlier and brought me to the hotel. Thank you Alina for this and for your travel bag that I use for 2^nd PRP! Hotel was kind of far from the center (but +metro) took almost 1,5 hours but was enough cheep. It was funny to use a motorcycle taxi to get my hotel at night, hugging the driver men for the 30 minutes with wind in the ears, without helmet and roads rules. But in double times cheaper then on real taxi!:)). If you are foreign and stay in the hotel, the owner will bring you to police to fill some documents…Be ready! Two days I spent in Expo place with a lot of countries pavilions and million china’s and some Europeans and other visitors. Hours and hours waiting in the lines to get any pavilion! I choosed to see them all outside and just some inside. It was many interesting architecture and interior scenary ideas. 2 days on expo + 2 days other places…Old Shanghai (more correct to say: small village Zhujiajiao) like Asian Venice located on the Dianshan Lake! There are canals and gondolas. It is another story how I found that place, trying to explain to the Chinas people the purpose of my interest and how I overtook my bus by the taxi. City is interesting also. Tall sky buildings and the tallest one in near past time we visited. Nice sea panoramas there you can see.

Came time to move our bodies to the South Korea, Jeju. Two flights get us there. In a way we met Sasha (also student who was in Pilipino park and lived in James home in winter last year.) So 3 Russians bodies get Jeju to renew Russian presence on Jeju for help PRP motion. “PRP Alumni” it calls now!))  Athena – American girl also came like PRP Alumni. She was participated in Mexican park.The view from the terrace of our home on Jeju was amazing! Through the cover of pine trees you can see the ocean with big waves, sound of crushed by the volcanic rocks with such rich forms (that looks like an animals or faces). Super view!!!

I get room where lived Valery (he came 1 week earlier), Mike (I knew him from Pilipines) and two Koreans students JH and Oh (nice guys). JH - washing machine boss- he always was in company of Korean girls that did massage to him and to Mike sometimes (I think there were a lot of girls who wanted to do massage to Mike))), Oh – internet boss- who always was absent at night but at morning was too late for the breakfast. Some times Piglet - Korean girl came to our room at morning to dry her hairs (maybe because Mike had a personal hair dryer or maybe she liked to come and do this procedure in front of mirror especially in our room because the mirrors of our eyes also was bright))) I don’t know. All was ok, but all the girls that came to our room get in without any signal without patter and warning.)))

How we get see there was too much work to finish! (everybody just ate different food delicates) befor our arrival! Jock. The park on Jeju is the biggest one on area and students with James and Kyle did a lot. But 10 days that we worked there were also enough to get tired of Work and hot weather. Nice company, interesting country presentations, opening ceremony… Bye friends, bye James and Kyle… 3 days more on Jeju. Thanks to professor Ko and Tracie. They gave us place to stay longer. We visited the central Island pick mounting (1950m), volcanic cave, museum of love…)

I had chance to sweam with a dolphins in the sea there. But also in that time which I was on Jeju I lost my cat Musik. He lived in our family almost 18 years. It was sad time for me. He met me at home after 4 parks (S-Diedo, Yantai, Tijuana, P-Princesa). After 5^th he did’t…(((

      Seoul. We get city by diffenent teams. Me, Katya and Dima (2 students) stay in Valery’s apartments. He works in Korean University like a professor and live there with his family for a year. Seoul I visited in a year befor the park on Pilipines. It was new for  the Students. Big city, many places to see if you know where to go…Thanks to Valery for his help in this deal.

Later train to Busan. Busan is a large port. We stay in one japan hotel not so far from the railway terminal. There are many bridges and ships in the bays. The landscape like in Vladivostok. I like this city. It is near the ocean! Nice sea panorams, sailfish, fish market… We visited  Busan aquarium. It is in 3 levels underground. There are a lot of sea animals, penguins, snakes, terrapin, frogs,  fishes, chilims, crabs, gelfishes (medusas). I was interesting in slopes and sharks. I never see too much differences in one place. Think it is interesting for the kids! But all this animals wanted freedom… it was in their eyes…(

      Bus to Sokcho. Sokcho is a small city. In 1989 (maybe) it was an Expo there. Not so much new architecture since that time just mail pavilion and an Expo tower, but I like. It is very comfortable city. And again – the sea, waves, small fishing ships in interesting Asian forms. Also exelant mountings, cable car, mounting river with waterfalls and small bridges, Lighthouses!

  Last shopping and we are on the Ship to Russia. Romantic trip home with clean horizon in the One Ocean at day and night, stars on the sky, moon +not romantic drunk Russians brought us to the real condition after so nice adventure. PRP time are great time and the thing that we do, did and hope will do. But life around PRP also different. And people live by their lifes with their problems and mentolitet.  Hope world will change to the best not just by PRP!!!  :(

Probably it was hard for the students Katya and Dima to have so concentrated trip after hard work on the park, but If not in this time, who knows maybe we never will be in this part of the world. Life is so changeable, volatile.

We’ve got Russia. We can see our native coast, islands, smell. Zarubino city. Is nice to come here for rest near the sea, but we came home. We miss home. What is home??? - Friends? – Parients and Friends! And Land and Language and Smell! And the LOVE that we all trying to find…

Anatoly Tukhbatulin

Filipino Blog Entry

Pasensya na kyle ngaun ko lang naisulat yung tagalog na blog entry makalimutin kasi akong tao at wala ako masyadong tiwala sa tagalog ko...

Ang proyekto ng Pacific Rim Parks na naganap ngayong Hulyo hanggang Augusto sa isla ng Jeju ay naging isang matinding pagsubok dahil ang trabaho na ginawa natin ay mabigat at nakakapagod ngunit ang lahat ng pagod at hirap na nanaranasan ko ay nabalanse ng saya at pakikisama na dala ng iba't ibang mga estudyante na galing sa iba't ibang bansa tulad ng Russia, America, Mexico, Japan, China at Korea. Alam ko na ang ginawa nating na liwasan ay napakahirap gawin minsan nga habang ginagawa natin ang proyekto na ito naisip ko baka hindi natin matatapos to ngunit dahil sa ating pinagsamang pagsisikap ay natapos natin ang napakagandang liwasan. Tulad ng isang kasabihan sa pilipinas ay pagasamasama ang mga tao kayang kaya gawin ang kahit ano.

Ang pagsasama natin ay naging isa sa pinakamasayang pangyayari sa buhay ko dahil nakilala ko kayong lahat. Gusto ko lang sabihin na ako ay lubos na nagpapasalamat sa pagsasama natin ng isang buwan at sa lahat ng nasaktan o naistorbo ko (lalo na sa mga nakasama ko sa kwarto na nagdusa dahil sa paghihilik ko) ako ay humihingi ng pasensya sa inyo. Sana naman sa pinagsamahan nating isang buwan na iyon napaligaya ko kayong lahat at may naitulong ako sa proyekto na ito. Ako ay nalulungkot na iwanan kayong lahat ngunit ako ay umaasa magkikita tayo muli ngunit hanggang dumating ang panahon na iyon mag ingat kayo at sana masaya kayong lahat

ang inyong kaibigang filipino
Pablo Ignacio R. Lim

-----

The Pacific Rim Park project that took place this July to August in Jeju island was a real challenge because of the grueling and tiring work. But all the hardships I went through was balanced out by the camaraderie and happiness brought by the different students from different countries such as Russia, America, Mexico, Japan, China and Korea. I know that what we did was very difficult and there was a time when we were building the park that i had my doubts but through teamwork and combined efforts we were able to make a beautiful park. this reminds me of the filipino saying that when everyone works together anything can be attained.

Our time together during the project is now one of my happiest and most treasured memories because i was able to meet you all. I just want to express my most heartfelt gratitude to everyone because of this wonderful experience. And to anyone I hurt or inconvenieced during the park (especially my roomates who had to suffer my snoring) Im very sorry. I hope that during this park i was able to give a some assistance and bring some joy to you all. Im very sad that we have to part ways but i am hoping to see you all again but until then take care of yourselves and live happy lives.

your filipino friend
Pablo Ignacio R. Lim

DAY 27 (August 7 2010): The Pacific Rim Park Dedication Ceremony

Finally, after one month of the hard and I mean hard work, the park is now complete. For the dedication ceremony, distinguished guests such as the governor of Jeju, Woo Keun-min, and the American ambassador to South Korea, Kathleen Stephens, along with numerous television cameras and print media reporters, attended. The weather was incredible: sunny and windy, perfect Jeju weather.

Professor Ko giving a speech

Jim giving a speech

The Crew

Ambassador Kathleen Stephens giving a speech

Prof. Ko and Kyle

The Jeju governor Woo Keun-min and Jim, surrounded by media

Here are the images of “Stepping Stones of the Pacific.”






























“Stepping Stones of the Pacific” will remain in Jeju for years to come. It will be one link to connect all the other Pacific Rim Parks. But more than anything, the experience to create a park with students from all over the world has been indescribable, and the one-month we spent together will remain special in my heart.

The brain behind the scene

You will remain in my heart...

The final meeting in the Pearl

The last dinner we will have as a group was at a “secret garden” where figures such as former Japanese Prime Minister Nakasone and the Chinese leader Hu Jintao visited. It entailed phenomenon food and environment (with live traditional Korean performance), which couldn’t have been any better.

Fresh seafood was my favorite

I had never been treated so elegantly in my life...

Beautiful sky as if it was celebrating with us

The park could not have been made possible without the help of the Jeju government and the people. Also, Prof. Ko, Architect Kim, Prof. Kim, Stone Master Kim and Mr. Lee have helped visibly to make this special park. I also thank the women divers who cooked lunch for us and let us use their bathroom for the past three weeks.

I would like to personally thank Jim, Kyle and Professor Haggard at University of California, San Diego, for opening the door to be a part of this unforgettable project.

And lastly and most importantly, I want to thank all the fellow students who ate, slept and worked together for four weeks. This is one of the things that only those who have participated will have the true appreciation for. I will remember this experience forever. Thank you for being so great. There wasn’t a single person I hated. Creativity, diligence, sense of humor, whatever you need to be successful in life, you all had it. I hope to keep in touch and see you all again in my life!

Tomo

DAY 26 (August 6 2010): Last Official Work Day

It's hard to believe that today was our last official work day before the competition ceremony tomorrow. A few tasks were being combated at the same time to finish this park.

On the pearl area, we were finishing up the pearl itself and cleaning the stone floor and walls off dirt and cement. On the back of the pearl portion of the park, the weed planters were planting grass. To hold the grass, they used chopsticks and stuck them on the ground. On the spiral, we were pouring reddish brown cement and the sand from Jeju beach (which consists of small black stones from volcano). Also the flag poles were planted today.

Working on the Pearl

Planting the flag poles

Friendly weed planter

Field of chopsticks (used to hold down the grass)

Back of the pearl

Putting cement on the spiral

Water melon break

Overview

The GM stone

The lunch was bibimbap with cold cucumber/seaweed soup. This soup is very refreshing after hard work in the scorching weather.

Bee Juseyo (this bee never moved while we poured water into cups)

Saying goodbye/thank you to the women divers who provided us with lunch for the past three weeks

In the afternoon, we continued to work on the pearl and spiral, but we were also constructing the shed house with a bench near the entrance of the park. The woods were cedar and smelled very nice.

Happy Jim as the construction comes to the end

Group Shot

It has been hard and hot four weeks, I think everyone worked so hard until this last day of labor. But the park is unbelievably complete. Who would have believed we would conceptualize, design, model, and build a park with 30 students within four weeks? We set a deadline, and we didn't question or stop for a moment. We kept pushing and pushing without hesitating. I am very proud of our dedication and the effort.

Exhausted in the bus on the way back to our dormitory

The dinner was shabu shabu for the third time. I think shabu shabu is everyone’s favorite meal, and also at this restaurant we could get free ice cream!



Tomorrow is our completion ceremony day. I cannot wait!

Tomo