Volume II: Entering The New Century

ROAD TRIP, SUMMER 2000
ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH

• 30 years of age
• Crew members on this journey: Al Kwon, myself (Sidney), Justin, Radu and Nick Chang.
• I graduated that same summer June 2000 from UC Santa Barbara
• Rented a mini-van for the trip
• Nick was the guide around Zion national park and only one with a tent
• The rest of us with except of Justin slept inside the van
• Justin slept on top of the van, I still don’t know why
• Went hiking around the mountains and almost got stuck as the sun was going down and we were without flashlights
• While driving back to Santa Barbara, we decided to spend a night in Las Vegas
• We crashed in a motel 8, pretty cheap room, but we had fun regardless of our condition
• While driving from Vegas, we discussed the most personal/private revealing conversation and open dialogues.
• Probably be the last time we will ever take a trip together

Summary of this journey:

I just graduated that summer; I was unsure where my life would lead me. I had a somewhat of a good paying job, but I still lacked direction and career objective. I guess those 3 years in the university setting gave an additional youthful outlook on life during my late 20’s and starting into my new age of 30. I also was feeling the pressure to either get married, have a child or both, settle down and cease the friendship I made while in school. It was also apparent that my friends were adopting certain misunderstandings about me, to them, I guess, I was to be an example of what they were suppose to be when they reach my age of 30. Somehow, I was not living up to even their ideas of what type of man I should be. Many friends were lost and many new ones were discovered. I remain the same person.

Experience/Skills:

Honesty, friendship and leadership

SOUNDTRACK

1. Bassement Jaxx-Red Alert
2. Queen-We are the champions
3. Dj Supreme-The Wildside
4. Westside Connection-West up
5. Mariah Carey-Heartbreaker

ROAD TRIP, FALL 2000
BIG SUR, CALIFORNIA

• 31 years of age
• Vehicle provided: 1993 Plymouth Acclaim
• Took this road trip with my new friend and roommate, Nathan Tweed
• This was a complete un-planned journey with a possible storm ruining this trip.
• We invited Nate’s cousin Blake who was 16 years at the time, we brought along some goodies (marijuana).
• Nate’s infamous proverb “sometimes, you gotta break the rules”
• I felt much younger more than ever in my life
• The clouds were moving away fast, blue and clear skies ahead of the storm
• Stopped by San Simeon, re-visited my childhood memories
• We camped out at the perfect spot: Kirk Creek Campsite
• Hiked around Big Sur, Julia Pfeiffer and other spots around Los Padres National Park region.

Summary of events during this journey:

This is where Nate and I became friends, the birth of La Legione di Resistenza. Though he was 20 years old, he taught me how to go out and experience life through nature. We met during my last semester in school. He moved into my dorm apartment. I was unsure who he was as a person or an individual and let the story be told, I probably went out of my way by not trying to get to know him personally. Maybe, I was feeling out of touch with people, because of my age. Nate helped me to feel secure about my surroundings and myself. Our friendship was not suppose to be, if you go by societal standards: I’m black, he’s white, ten years of age difference, grew up in different decades, lived in complete different areas of California, different privileges, different prejudices and different experiences in life. But, even with all of these obstacles, it somehow didn’t really affect us. In fact, this was more of a reason for us to be friends.


Experience/Skills:

Tolerance to age differences, ideas and people. Stress reduction, hope, happiness, and leadership by letting others lead and direct their destiny, friend and a new love and respect for nature and the California Coast.


SOUNDTRACK

1. Incubus-How do you do it?
2. Led Zeppelin-Ramble On
3. Alice in Chains-Rooster
4. Eve & Ruff Ryders-Want ya Niggas want
5. Steve Miller’s Band-Space Cowboy
   
   

SPRING 2001
BRAZIL! BRAZIL! BRAZIL!

• The American dream was dead and all jobs were going nowhere
• Still at 31 years of age
• A self-journey to far away land, full of exotic people and mystery
• Sought adventure and found it
• Taught English in two schools in the metropolitan São Paulo area
• Arrived with three times the local currency value of U.S. dollars
• Became broke soon after and had to depend on Brazilian currency and wages: Real Brasileiro
• Lived like a poor North American in South America, but enjoyed life at my fullest
• Experienced Carnival in its traditional way in the Northeastern Region of Bahia in the city of Arraial d’Ajuda and Pôrto Seguro.
• Lived with a friend for a few months and then later moved with another North American from Canada
• Canadian friend returned home, had to move to another stranger’s place, I was lucky
• Visited cities like Rio de Janeiro and Florianópolis
• Knock on wood, I never got robbed even in dangerous places around Brazil
• Discovered good friends, good foods, drinks, the best of Brazilian women and music.

Summary of events and observations:

After graduating from UC Santa Barbara, most jobs or careers weren’t really give me any challenges or learning new ideas or trade. I was overall given shit jobs related to filing, making copies, answering phones, starring at paper-work eight hours a day and hiding in the bathroom to ask myself privately “what the hell am I doing here?” One day during early December 2000, an old friend named Denis from Brazil called me and told me that I should come down to Brazil and get a job teaching English. So, I took his offer of free accommodations and left my lame career life in the states. During this same time, Nate and I were unsure of our living situation, because of our other roommate, Nick. He kept giving us the run-around with the rent and bills. Though, we parted, but our friendship remained. I left for Brazil.

Experiences and skills:

Language skills in both teaching American English and assisting with British Business English with students. Learning new words and expressions in Brazilian Portuguese. Cultural diversity as well as regional, leadership, direction, environmental awareness, safety, communication development, meeting other travelers and ex-patriots, love for my family and friends.


SOUNDTRACK

1. Banda Eva-Carro Velho
2. Ivete Sangalo-Pererê
3. Gabriel O Pensador-Astronauta
4. O Tchan-A Lua
5. As Meninas-Nega Maluca
   

FALL 2001
DENMARK, SWEDEN AND NORWAY

• Skøj! Or cheers!
• 32 years of age
• The primary reason taking this trip: my job at the time felt that I was not ready for international travel.
• So, I left for a couple weeks to prove to my former employer that I didn’t need their support.
• Visited friends that I met in Brazil
• Also visited friends from my college years in their home countries of Sweden and Norway
• Visited the infamous “Hamlet’s Castle” north of Copenhagen
• Re-gained my confidence in traveling even though my flight was scheduled one week after the Terrorist Attacks of September 11
• While in Copenhagen, my friend, Henrik’s apartment was in a large Arab/Muslim community and from that experience; I met overall kind, friendly people in the local neighborhood.
• 1st time traveling with a large backpack
• I discovered a new meaning about life & travel. I learned a new proverb, “if you want to know a man, travel with him.”
  

Summary of events and observations:

After returning from Brazil, I found a job working as a labor consultant. The perquisite for this job was having knowledge of at least one foreign language, I knew several. I felt that I was an ideal candidate as well as my cell leaders. This job was my first experience of full on racism and religious intolerance in any workplace. Members of the Mormon faith and other racial groups were given first priorities on international travel and working independently. These were plagues in the upper-management department and somehow I was not chosen for international inspections. I not only re-assured my fellow co-workers that I didn’t need this company as the only way to travel, I also re-assured myself.

Life changed on September 11, 2001, The World Trade Center towers were destroyed by terrorists. All flights to and from and within the United States were either grounded or cancelled. I like many people waited to find out when flights will be resume. After one week of debating over the matter, the U.S. government allowed flights to return to their normal flight schedules and I left on the first day of the announcement. My family and several of my friends thought I have lost my mind, because I decided to continue with this journey. Despite the possible threats of someone hijacking another flight, I had to over-come my fear of death and danger.


Experience and skills:

Bravery, confronting racial and religious tolerance, learning about new cultures, particularly ethnic-Scandinavians, including different nationalities of Scandinavia. Financial record keeping and budgeting, learning to adapt traveling by backpack, improved photographic methods and journal writing styles, business ideas and discovered new forms of art.



SOUNDTRACK

1. Ian Pooley-Since Then
2. Beck-Midnight Vultures
3. Coldplay-Parachutes
4. Incubus-Make Yourself
5. Pulp Fiction-Soundtrack