I guess you are here because you have discovered one of my books and enjoyed it enough to find out more about the author, me. Either that or you’re a potential employer who is investigating me to see if I would be a good fit for your organization. In which case, surprise, I write books as well as teach. Some might look at that as a bad thing, and if so, please explain to me how.
For whoever finds my site, I want to welcome you, and also allow you the opportunity to follow me on a regular basis. Anybody is welcome as long as you keep your posts appropriate, and respect the other followers to this site. As long as everybody follows those two simple rules, I won’t have to kick anybody off. Let the friendly banter begin.
I am hoping to create an interactive site that everybody can enjoy. Of course, I will keep you up to date on the latest writings coming out of my head, and I will also let you know when and where I will be in the world, so someday you might be able to meet me in person. Most people regret that decision, but who knows, maybe you’ll be in the minority.
I will also tell you about my world-wide travels as this is something I do on a regular basis. I’ll show you pictures from places I have been (this one is from Dubrovnik, better known to fans of The Song of Ice and Fire as King’s Landing), and tell you the exciting stories that happen to me along the way. You are also welcome to ask me any questions you may have about the place I have been, and I will try to answer them in a timely manner.
I know it all sounds amazing, and I can see you wondering why you haven’t been a part of this fantastic experience so far, but let me tell you about the most exciting part of following this site – the interactive part. You were probably wondering when I would get to that part I had promised you earlier. Well, I plan to create a list every month, and I want you to participate in its formation. I do love countdowns, but I am always disappointed in them. So I have decided to take matters into my own hands. You will be able to post your top ten of each monthly list and at the end of each month, I will comprise the total list to give you the countdown for that subject. Look for each new subject on the first day of each month, and the final list of the previous month by the fifteenth.
Otherwise, it is very nice to have you a part of this experience, and I look forward to all of our future posts together.
Will there be complaints if my drink is red, Instead of being traditional green? It is not what the ceremony bled, But it is the drink of my current scene. There is still a fair amount I will imbibe, So I can find the proper state of mind. I do not want to hear your diatribe Of how the island is not so refined, But I find myself a lot further south, And they still celebrate this holiday. Something different goes into their mouth, Toasting the saint in their own special way. The bottle of red wine will do the trick On the Venetian’s day of St. Patrick.
When you travel to a famous place, there are always must see sights, especially if it is your first time there. Sometimes these places are so important that when you travel back to these certain places, you find that you want to make it there again to see if it is the same as you remembered it the first time you were there. When traveling the Venice, there are two such places, the Rialto Bridge, and San Marco Square. These places are even better if you can make it out to them during the off season, when the crowds are not as large.
It is also interesting to see how much the place has changed over the years. Of course, the same stores and sites are still in place, but the last time I was out here, the square was covered in pigeons. Back then, you could buy bird feed and wait with it in your hands as the birds would crawl all over you to get a bite. The city of Venice was okay with this, because back then, they would add birth control to the bird feed to keep the population of the pigeons down. I found out later, that they stopped doing this shortly after I was there last time, but apparently the plan had worked. These birds were no longer all over the place, and the square was open for people to walk on through.
The pigeons are not the reason that people come to this place though. There are plenty of other great sites lined up on the square that make it worth visiting. The Doge’s palace is one of these sites. It was where the leader of Venice used to live during the height of its economic power. It is a fancy building filled with ancient art from before and up to the Renaissance. It also has the spot where people can peer out the Bridge of Sighs. People being imprisoned in Venice would cross over this bridge when they were being led to jail for the rest of their lives, and the small window would offer their last view of Venice as they made their way to this final spot. It is pretty expensive to get in to see these things, starting at 30 Euro a person, but if you walk behind the building, you can still see the Bridge of Sighs and people peering out of it in a much better mood than the people who gave the bridge its original name.
And of course, there is the Basillica di San Marco which attracts an even larger crowd. Most of this is because it is a lot less expensive to enter being only three Euro a person. This will take you inside the cathedral whose inside is covered in mosaic that is worth a fortune just in stones used for it alone. Add together the intricate patterns that are created with these stones, it makes for a place worth your time to walk around.
For a little extra, you can go up to the top floor and tour the museum. It is filled with precious pieces of art, which the one being the most impressive is the four horses. Replicas of these horses can be seen on top of the basillica, and it used to be the resting place that housed these horses. This is not the end of the story though. The horses are actually older than the cathedral itself. They were found originally in Constantinople and were stolen by the Venetians to be brought to this cathedral and placed there. Nobody is sure how old they are, but they think that they date all the way back to the third century AD.
All in all, it is a great place to visit twice, and both of the times I have come here, I have enjoyed it. San Marco Piazza is a must see place, and I hope that someday you can make it out there to enjoy it as well.
Don’t be fooled. You are not looking at a picture of Venice. This is an island very close to Venice and usually associated with a visit to this historic site. If you ever walk down the streets of Venice, you will find many shops selling the very expensive blown glass sculptures. These small pieces of art come from this other island where artisans come to show their hands at this craft, and if you want, you can take a short vaporetto, water bus, ride out there to see how it is done. You just need to find one of the buses that will take you out to the island of Murano, and you can see where all of this blown glass comes from.
The big question is whether the trip is worth it. It is not that far of a ride, and when you get there, you will be able to see more shops selling more intricate pieces. It is fun to look at the art, but the island has the same kind of feel that Venice does, only on a smaller scale. If this is a type of art form that you are interested in, there are displays that you can witness to watch how they create it. If you get tired of looking at art, there are places where you can grab a gelato, or a nice Italian meal, and when I went out there, the crowds were a little smaller than the ones I experienced on Venice. So for these reasons, it is a nice day trip to take if you find yourself staying in Venice for an extended stay.
But this comes with a warning. The way you got out there is the way you have to get back. The vaporettos only come every twenty minutes, and that is if they are running on time. There are a lot of stops along the way, and at a certain time in the afternoon, they start to get packed. I was there during the off season in March, and I had to wait for four different boats before I was able to squeeze onto one. I also left at 2:30 in the afternoon thinking that it would be before the crowds got there. I could not imagine what it would be like during a rush hour, or during the height of the tourist season. The point being if you go out there, you might find yourself stuck in line for a long time trying to get back to the main island.
To be clear, I really enjoyed the afternoon I spent on Murano. It was fun looking at the glass sculptures, and I had a great lunch. My frustration came when I tried to leave the island. The feeling I got from the island could have easily been found on Venice without the frustration of having to travel both ways to get there. Murano is not a must see, but for a certain select group of people, I could see why they would want to go there. If you are one of those people, please make your way out there, but try to plan it to avoid the frustration of trying to get back. Make sure you are on the stop that picks up passengers first, or leave later in the evening where there is not a mad rush to get back to Venice. It is the one thing that can make the time there not worth it, but otherwise, it can be a lot of fun to experience what all the noise about the Murano glass is all about.
Thanks for listening, and until next time, enjoy your time traveling.
When I was just starting off in my teaching career, I had saved up enough money to fly over to Europe to spend fifty days traveling around the various countries. I was working on a shoestring budget and spent a lot of time in various hostels, eating meals of bread and cheese to make sure that we were able to enjoy ourselves the best our budget would allow. There were many cities on that trip that I really enjoyed and I always told myself that when I could afford them more, I would come back to see them again.
Venice, Italy was one of these places. Some of the others disappeared from my mind as I continued to travel around the world, but Venice never did. It has always been one of my favorite places to have visited, and I tell people all the time that if they ever get a chance to make it out there, they should.
There is not another place in the world like it. The city has taken over this tiny island on the eastern edge of Italy. Because of all the water and canals, no motored vehicles are allowed to make their way across the cobblestone streets. This means that the roads are free for people to walk up and down at their leisure, and it also makes Venice the best walking town in the world.
One of my favorite memories from the last trip was wandering around Venice for a day. It is the perfect place to get lost in. You can’t get so lost that you will never be able to find your way out because you are on an island, and you cannot leave it. At the same time you can get lost enough where you find yourself strolling down back alleys and seeing sights that you would never suspect seeing. You will always be able to make it back to some place where you know where you are, such as San Marco Piazza, or the Rialto Bridge, and from there, you can catch a water bus back to a place close to where you are staying. It makes for a fun and cheap day of exploring one of the best cities in the world.
I am glad that I have been able to make my way back here, so I can explore more of this city. Coming back before the tourist season, in March, has been another treat. The crowds I had to fight sometimes, the last time I was here, are nowhere to be seen which allows me the freedom to get completely lost in the medieval maze and sometime feel like the whole city is here for me and me alone. It is great to know that the memories I made the last time I was out here did not steer me wrong, and it is still a great place to visit. I hope you get the chance to do it yourself some time, so you can share the corners of this city that you have discovered on your own day of wandering the city.
The town is hidden by the dark of night As I traverse the empty city streets. I get a glimpse underneath the road lights Of how missing puzzle pieces complete All of the picture which I cannot see. There are stories being told in the haze, And I’m just paying the admission fee For my story is told during the days. I am nothing but an interloper, Trying to look deeper in the shadows For an invitation that will never Come. But still my curiosity grows. How do I become a part of that tribe When they will not allow me to imbibe?
Traveling down a long and winding road, Closely tucked away around a cliff face, The life we have lived is forced to be slowed In this hidden accommodating place. A long time ago a wanderer found This unexpected shady oasis Where water was bubbling from the ground, Forming a swimming hole of relaxing bliss. Here, I can wash away the desert sand, Leaving my problems on the mountain top. My life, I will once again take command Because I have taken the time to stop. Here, the earth can swallow me in its hug, Ignoring responsibility’s tug.
As I traverse along the Sea of Death, Watching the salt water consume the land, I roll down the window to take a breath, And ride the wind with the play of my hand.
The ticking clock does not dictate my day, And there’s no rush to where I’m not going. I know the sea wishes for me to stay, But the wheels on the road keep on flowing.
I do hear your tempting voice luring me To spend the afternoon floating on you, But there are places I still want to see, And I will come back after I am through.
You are a part of all our destiny, Until then I will live a life that’s free.
We all need weekend getaways, and when given a three day weekend, we all like to jump on the opportunity to go take some time for ourselves. This is what I did this weekend. I did not have enough time to fly out of the country, but I still wanted to find a nice place where I could relax for a bit. I also wanted to experience something new. A friend of mine told me about these hot springs by the Dead Sea, so I thought that I would try that out.
Heading there, I instantly felt that this was the perfect place for a getaway from Amman, especially during the winter months. Amman has been hit with cold weather, and bouts of snow, but just an hour drive away locked away in a hidden canyon, the weather is perfect. It feels like a crisp fall or spring day with just enough sunshine to leave you comfortable. It is a very relaxing atmosphere, and the best part is, when you feel a little too cold, you can always hop into the warm, soothing water of the pool. It is like stepping into a hot tub, except there is enough space for everybody to find their own little corner. It is perfect on a day like the ones we experienced. I don’t know if it would as great during the summer months, but there is another pool there that was closed in February. I believe that this is the regular swimming pool, so during the warmer months, you could go there to cool off.
Some people drive down from Amman, just for the day. The pool is open to the public from nine o’clock in the morning until seven at night. But if you are looking to have a little privacy with the pool, there is a hotel attached to the pool. If you stay there at night, the pool is made available to you at six in the morning, so you can have the pool to yourself for a couple of hours before the crowds arrive. It is a little expensive, but a night’s stay does include dinner and breakfast, and the buffet does make the stay worth the price. The rooms are also really comfortable with amazing views of the valley.
The Ma’in Hot Spa is a great getaway, or even a nice night stop if you are traveling around the Dead Sea. It is only Qwant kilometers off highway 40 next to the Dead Sea. You just take the turnoff for the Panorama Plaza and follow the signs until you reach the hotel. It is a nice addition to any holiday, an definitely the perfect weekend getaway from Amman, Jordan.
For my regular readers, this should not come as any surprise that the English teacher in me does not like this new technology. Many people will dismiss that as another English teacher spouting out the dangers of technological advancement. We have experienced many different advancements in communication, and ChatGPT is just another example of another advancement. I should not fear this move, but rather embrace it and figure out a way to live in this new emerging world. Some will even point out the fact that Socrates, at one time, considered writing to be the most dangerous thing in the world because it prevented intellectual discourse, and the only way that we know this is because his student, Plato, wrote it down. So essentially what I am being told by these people is to not be Socrates.
But I do not think my fear about this new AI that makes writing easier is actually the same thing as Socrates’s fear of writing. It comes down to this idea of convenience that we are always striving for in our modern world. We want things to be as easy as they can possibly be. I get that. The struggle is not always an enjoyable experience, and it sometimes takes many years of work and effort to see any payoff. I know this better as teacher than most people do. I watch as my students struggle, get frustrated, take their frustration out on me, and then years later when they finally realize why I created that struggle for them in the first place, then they thank me for it. Some new teachers give up on teaching long before they ever get to experience this reward, and I can understand why. Teaching itself is a struggle.
How does this fit in with ChatGPT? Well, it eliminates the struggle. The struggle is a good thing. It is within the struggle that we learn the most about ourselves, and are given the capacity to grow. If we are never presented with this opportunity to fight through something and come out the other end as a better individual, then as a society, we can never grow, and we will become stagnant. Our new mantra will be, “If it is too hard to do, then it isn’t worth doing.” In a time in our existence where we need to face these difficult things to do, this is hardly the mantra that we need to take.
But there is something deeper going on here. It is not just convenience, but what we are giving up for this convenience. It goes back to what Socrates feared with emergence of writing. He thought it would take away intellectual discourse. There is a certain insight that emerges when people talk with each other, and I could see how losing that ability would scare somebody. But writing is also a form of discourse. Even as I write this post, I stop and think about what I want to say next, and why it is important for me to say it. I want to reach a certain audience, and get them to understand this issue in the same way that I do. To do this, it requires critical thinking, craft, and art. It is not convenient. It is a skill that I have worked years to develop, and I still work on improving this craft today. It is what makes me a human being, worthy of this intellectual discourse. What type of world do you create if we take away humans’ ability to do this?
This is where the advocates of ChatGPT will want to tell me to put down the dystopian novels that I have been reading. They are corrupting my mind, and making me think that any advancement is a bad thing. But to that argument, I counter with the fact that they are making me think. ChatGPT offers us an opportunity not to think. A great majority of society, when given the opportunity not to think, they will jump on that opportunity. They would rather be mindless drones who are easily influenced by whatever mass media throws at them. This is already a problem in our society, and ChatGPT does not solve this problem, but makes it worse.
I will use a recent example from my class. My students were given a simple task. They were to watch two different productions of the same scene from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Afterwards, they were given a series of opinion based questions about costumes, lighting, and performance about which production they liked better and why. Rather than think about what they had just watched and comment on it, they ran to ChatGPT to do the work for them. They couldn’t even take the time to give me their own opinion on a subject matter. I view this as a significant problem brought on by this new technology, and if you don’t see it the same way, I fear for the future of this world.
Society keeps on heading in the wrong direction. We are pulling further apart from each other, and pulling further into ourselves. Mental health problems are growing at an extreme rate, especially among the younger generation. A lot of these problems started around the same time as new technologies were created that did our thinking for us. Our brains cannot process the information as fast as some of these computers can, and we already seeing this becoming a problem. So, why would we release another artificial thinking entity into the world to do our thinking for us without asking what its agenda might be, and where that would leave us? We need to slow down and start thinking about what we are doing and why we are doing it, rather than just throwing it out there because we want to know if we can do it.
I know that the genie is already out of the bottle, but even genies need people to interact with it for it to be able to do anything. By not interacting with this new technology, it will not give it the power to influence society in the way I fear that it can. I am aware that by my writing about it, it helps to promote it, but at the same time, I do believe that this tipping point in society is so important that if the discussion is not opened to talk about this, then we open the door to allow it the power that it could have.
Please tell me what you think down below, share your stories about your encounters with this technology so far and tell me whether I am overreacting or not. Thanks.
There are a couple of places in this world that are known for their tuk tuks, and India is one of them. Basically a tuk tuk is a motorcycle that has a backseat attached to it, so some driver can speed tourists around a busy city. They are called tuk tuks because of the noise they make as they putter around. They are fun to take, but depending on where you are, you need to make a deal with the driver before you leave about how much you are going to pay, and where they will be taking you. There are many scams surrounding these vehicles, but if you stick to your guns, you can get a reasonable price, and have a driver waiting around for you as you go from place to place. The trips are usually short, but the feeling of being rushed around in an open air vehicle is one that is too much fun to pass over if you find yourself in one of the countries that relies on these as a form of transportation.
I recently took a trip to Chennai which, in retrospect, was a lot like a tuk tuk ride. I guess you could call the trip a business trip. I was taking a group of kids from my school to a track meet at a school in this city. For those of you who have been on a business trip before, you know that they rarely give you the opportunity to do anything more than the business that you were sent out there to do. You could find yourself in one of the most amazing tourist destinations in the world, but all you could see of that place is the inside of a board room. At least, I got to experience the beautiful campus of the school that I went to, and a track meet is always going to be a lot more fun than sitting in meeting after meeting. But I was still busy, and like take a quick ride on a tuk tuk, it was nothing more than a whirlwind that I am still trying to wrap my head around.
During the short moments that I was able to get and explore the city, they were never to go some place that would have enriched me culturally. My first responsibility was to make sure that the students I had with me enjoyed their experience first. This meant that I went to a beach where they were able to spend some time figuring out how to boogie board, and dig around in the sand. We also went to a mall to waste a little time before we headed to the airport to fly home. The mall was a little too western for my tastes and was like any other mall that I have been to in the world, but my students enjoyed it. All of this did was give me a little bit of a teaser that made me want to eventually return to India so I could explore it more on my terms rather than the short spurts of energy that was required of me by coming out here on this school trip.
Still I was able to sneak in a tuk tuk ride on my tuk tuk ride of Chennai. It was probably the most cultural significant thing that I was able to do. It was a quick run to a store so I could find a gift to bring back to my wife, and we had to pay the tuk tuk driver a little extra money to have him stick around for us. Still, it was nice to get away for a thirty minutes and have this small moment in this new country for me. I enjoyed the tuk tuk ride, but I am looking forward to something a little slower next time. This way I will be able to experience the moments a little better than being whisked away through the landscape. But it still better to have a tuk tuk ride rather than no ride at all.
Here is to all of those tuk tuk rides out there, and I hope that the next one that you find yourself on, though it may be quick, will still be memorable.
John Collings 