malicious acts

During my visit and all of our lounging around and being lazy, we spent time in Wolf's barracks. Two of the three nights I visited the barracks went just fine.

The third night, a Friday, didn't go so well. It started with someone knocking a broom around on walls and floors. When we stepped out into the hall and asked who did it, all we got were shrugs and "I don't knows". I caught the soldier messing with a broom, told him that I have PTSD and asked him to stop pounding on things. His response was "What's PTSD? Oh that post-traumatic thingy..." (We're all required to have training on PTSD so there's really no excuse to not know what it is.) The banging continued. It was making me jumpy so we made the brooms disappear. All was quiet for a few hours, probably because of the drinking going on downstairs.

Then someone came upstairs and pounded on the door. I screamed. Barracks went silent. No one came to check to see what was going on. Another long period of quiet. More banging on the door, another scream from me. I was beyond freaked out at that point. The banging progressed to someone just yelling up the stairs... and me still screaming. Hyper-arousal kicked in, and I was sitting on the bed staring at the door, straining to listen for someone sneaking up the stairs, and not really able to talk or move.

Wolf went out to investigate after each incident. He told them that I have PTSD, stop banging and yelling, and that I was freaking out so bad that he was afraid that it would take an ambulance to get me out of there. He also asked who was doing the banging, the yelling. No one in the group confessed. No one told. And I know they all heard me scream.

After I finally got out of the barracks (it took an hour and a half), we stopped by the staff duty desk to report what happened. A few of the people from the group downstairs had walked over as well. The sergeant on duty asked them what happened. Want to what guess their answer was? "Nothing." When what was really going on could have been marked up as harassment. And that was not even including the underage drinking.

I still can't believe that they would protect themselves and each other when they knew that person was being malicious to another person.

We weren't asking for much -- just for the banging and shouting to stop. We both thought that it was a reasonable request.

I hope that that night, my screams stays in at least one of their minds. I hope they think about what happened. And, as terrible as it is to say, I hope it haunts them.

I really want to believe him

I survived the bus trip -- a very nerve wrecking solo event -- and made it there and back without a problem. I enjoyed a very lazy week, an expensive dinner, and huge pancakes with Wolf. We played lots of computer games, bought too many books, treated ourselves to goodies, and had several long conversations.

He said that I did very well. Apparently he was expecting the worst: unable to sit through a meal at a restaurant, overwhelming anxiety in crowds, jumping at every little noise, breaking down in tears.

My definition of doing well is different. It is not one that includes flashbacks or pelvic pain. There are no mad dashes for the car after feeling trapped in the commissary. There would not be an emergency bottle of tranquilizers in my camera bag. And I would not scream, yell, or jump when startled.

Wolf constantly reassures me that it will get better. I really want to believe him.

keeping in touch

I am going to take a bus to see Wolf. It's been so long.

Fuzz is complaining that I still haven't seen Nephew. He asked me if friends come before family. I don't think he'll ever understand.

Ky is back to three days off a week, the lucky guy. I'm glad that he's doing much better.

No word from Aramis. He doesn't know how upset it makes me. He also doesn't know the real reason why I was medevac'd. (I think I've stopped caring.)

Driver was busted for pot, two miles from home. If he had gone to Europe, would that have happened?

back to the sandbox

I've been back in the desert for about a week now. No more Chinese, no more struggling with chopsticks, no more skyscrapers, no more yummy homemade meals and sleeping in until the construction work woke me up. Back to sand, sun, paperwork, plastic silverware, and o'dark thirty workouts.

My supervisor is on vacation, his back-up has medical stuff going on, and therefore, I am running around this base trying to get stamps and signatures. I managed to make a full bird Colonel rather upset over the stamping and the signing thing -- they dragged me back into the office later that evening to explain myself. Fortunately, because I have absolutely no clue what is going on, I was spared the Colonel's wrath via the Major.

Driver is on leave, and I'm missing him. He's backpacking Europe alone. Some of the people I spend time with while he's normally gone are also away. Moping around, keeping to myself, trying not to sleep all day. Today feels like how Sundays felt when I first got here: lonely, boring, empty, long.

At least I'm past the halfway mark.

unsent note to one of my baby cousins

Dear Cousin 2,

One day you will understand.

Right now you are probably confused and hurt and think I don't love you because I have been gone for a very very very long time. Your mom tells me that you ask if I'm hurt, if I'm okay, if I'm going to die. Yes, honey, I'm fine. No, I don't think I'm going to die. I know that you don't understand that I work in an office and that other Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen keep me safe. One day you will.

Until then, I hope your mom can explain it in a way that you can understand. Think of it as a vacation, and that Cousin Techno will be home very very soon. Because that's the place I want to be.

Miss you and everyone else dearly. And I will see you soon.

more odds and ends

This is what Hong Kong looks like from the top of a double decker bus.

Ferry ride is over! Getting ready to dock.

Rickshaws for sale. No one uses these for transportation in Hong Kong anymore.

This is the creepy doorman that laughs at everyone who comes home late. Dragonette, her sister and her father have all asked him why he laughs -- none of them can understand his reply. I wasn't going to take his picture, and then he laughed at me while I was waiting for the elevator. Notice how it is only 11:30 PM.

This is the view from Dragonette's room. I know that many wouldn't consider it pretty, but it sure as heck beats sand. There are five big dogs that live on the roof on the building to your right. They bark. A lot.

I leave tonight to go back to the sandbox. Not exactly looking forward to it, but I don't have much of a choice. At least I know how to pack extremely light.

out and about today

Overview of temple we visited today in New Territories.

Statues in the outer area. I wasn't allowed to take photos inside.

More dragons!

Another lotus flower. I think they're pretty.

Different temple, right next door. They let me take pictures inside... and they had more to look at, and were a lot less touristy.

First lion that I've seen painted. He's rather colorful, isn't he?

To rot your brain

Oh, I love broadband that isn't filtered or censored. Internet videos and cartoons, how I missed you so.

From my favorite Brit animators: Cucumbers and Pandas has fulfilled my panda-obsession as of late, Mango has been the WTF vid, Death Kitty and the Fat Man have made go "aww", and Kenya and Badgers are still my all-time favorites.

My favorite squirrel and his human describe a fortune cookie much better than I can. Yes, I spent $25 to send fortune cookies here. Why? They're American. Seriously, go Google it.

From Fuzz: Charlie and Candy Mountain. I'm still not sure if it was distrubing or funny. Maybe both. Poor, poor Charlie.

Anyways... enjoy the fluff. There might be pictures later, there might not be. I have a book that's calling my name.

reality?

From International Herald Tribune:

The United States military announced Wednesday that most active duty army units now in Iraq and Afghanistan and those sent in the future would serve 15-month tours, three months longer than the standard one-year tour.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who announced the change at a news conference at the Pentagon, said that the only other way to maintain force levels would have been to allow many soldiers less than a year at home between combat tours.

The lovely bit that applies to me:

Army National Guard or Army Reserves are supposed to be mobilized for no more than a year at a time, including nine months in Iraq or Afghanistan, under a policy announced by Gates in January.

Extending tours, shortening tours. But only for the Army. We already have some of the longest tours -- how is this going to change things?

Driver's convoy was hit by a roadside bomb during this mission. Everyone is fine, the equipment did the job it was supposed to do. Just worried. I know the trucks will keep them all safe, I know that they know what they're doing, and I know that he usually returns quickly and always in one piece. But there are people out there that are trying to kill Coalition troops. They do try. Some are successful. Sometimes, I hate his job. This is one of those times.

Temple

Overview of a building on temple grounds.

Temple with worshipper.

Small tower of Buddhas.

Statue with offerings of incense (in threes).

There be dragons! Was carved into a potted planter.

More dragons. People were throwing coins into this. I kind of suck at it.

Incense, worshipper, alter.

Seated golden Buddha.

Close up.

Ancestor Worship

Grave with offering.

Offerings for dead relatives. These are things that are believed to help their lives in hell.

Unexpected cross in a Chinese cemetary.

Hillside of graves.

odds and ends from School of Arts

Roar!! Lion guarding a doorway.

Door god? Door guard? Can't remember.

workshop visit

Today, in a few hours, I have an appointment with the wonderful people at Hong Kong Space Museum to get a behind-the-scenes look of their planetarium.

Yes, I am a total geek.

Hong Kong Park

Koi in a pond. So many colors!

There were turtles everywhere basking on rocks.

You can still see the city from the park. But that's okay.

Observation tower. Very long spiral staircase up to the top. I think the sign said it was 30 meters tall.

A view of buildings on the climb up to the viewing platform on the observation tower.

Circle window in Tai Chi Court.

Triangle window in Tai Chi Court.

Statue, circle window and plants near the exit of the Tai Chi Court.

Birds in the aviary. Many many different species are kept in the park's aviary. This is also a spot where everyone with a SLR camera was snapping away.

This is actually in the Zoological and Botantical Gardens, a short walk away from the park. The inscription reads "In memory of the Chinese who died loyal to the Allied cause in the wars of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945."

Fountains in the park -- also a spot to find people snapping away. The big mushroom shaped fountain actually has a path where one can walk inside.

Yuexiu Park

Sculpture inside the park. There were many like this in a row.

Dirt path branching off of a paved path, winding into the bamboo and trees.

Skyline of Guangzhou from the Zhenhai Tower.

Lotus flower in a pond in the Korean Gardens.

Five Rams Statue, symbol of Guangzhou.

I believe that Yuexiu Park is the largest in China. It is definitely huge. Lots of stairs and steep inclines so it was a bit tiring getting around from one point to another. Very beautiful, though.

Guangzhou Zoo

Yes, Dinosaur World was really that cheesy. But that's okay.

We all love Engrish. At least they tried. There were many many places in China that didn't even bother with English translations of anything. Definitely an experience of being illiterate.

Yeah, I have no idea either. He was just sitting there, off to the side. A relic from better days, perhaps?

This is what a peacock looks like when it's tired of the exhibit it belongs to and decides to look around.

And this is what a strutting peacock still in the exhibit looks like.

My mom told me to go see pandas. Unfortunately there are no pandas on exhibit in Hong Kong at the moment, so Dragonette suggested that I try in China. I went... and the panda was asleep. Sad.

Guangzhou Zoo is the largest in Southern China. And it is a pretty big zoo with a lot to see, but a bit of a letdown after the zoos I've visited in the States.

Just remember...

It's not everyday that you realize that all of that time that your parents spent training you to use a western style toilet is useless. And that there is such things as a proper and polite way to eat with chopsticks. Oh, and you will probably need a visa to enter mainland China. Because they really will turn you away at the border.

Headed back to Hong Kong soon, with the glories of English signs, western toilets and uncensored Internet access.

Expect pictures.

they didn't make it very far

This is dinner tonight.

This is dinner trying to escape.

They didn't make it very far. And yes, we did cook them before we ate them.

In other news, I'm leaving for mainland China soon.

Wish me luck.