| KOREA |
| Buddha's
Birthday In Seoul - White Elephants And Lotus Flowers |
| I
stood quietly in the riot of color and noise, bathed in the warm light
of thousands of colorful lanterns bearing images of Buddha, dragons, white
elephants and lotus flowers. Before me marched robe-clad groups of monks
and nuns and throngs of people dressed in brightly colored hanboke, Korea's
traditional dress. Other people on the street wore plain street cloths
presenting a modern contrast to the otherwise, almost medieval atmosphere.
Blanketing the street came the sounds of droning Buddhist chants and Korean
folk music. |
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| Castle
Hopping In Korea - The Beauty Of Korea |
| Standing atop
the fortified castle wall, I look down at the mist shrouded shapes of pine
trees crowding the mountain slopes. I can easily imagine troops of armored
soldiers marching their way up the steep trails towards the high stone
walls. This is not an image of Europe that we are describing, but one of
South Korea. Korea is more than just the home of kimchi, the DMZ and red-shirted
soccer enthusiasts. Korea has a rich, five thousand year history that is
still easily accessible to travelers. One of the favorite things many visitors
enjoy experiencing are the castles that dot the Korean countryside. |
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| Investing
in Korea |
| A
Korean business man spent four years developing a relationship with a Malaysian.
The Malaysian finally agrees to a joint venture in Malaysia. But,
he wants a contract with guarantees in the event of breach. He also
wants to use modern accounting methods and have a means to keep track of
the money. The Korean backs away making lame excuses. The real
reason is that he did not want anything in writing, especially a contract.
His remark was, "You must understand the Korean way. This is how
we do business in Korea. You don't trust me." He openly displayed
insult over the Malaysian distrust. It was an affront to his honor
and reputation. Actually, he would have disappeared all of the cash
and the Malaysian was smart enough to know what the Korean was about.
The deal never happened for good reason. |
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| Korean
Lessons - Restrooms And Toilets |
| When you move
to another country bathrooms can be one of the things that you first run
into that will make you say to yourself, "Ain't like home". In Costa Rica
the bathrooms were never finished, in Panama they were always too dirty.
When I lived in the deep interior of Panama I used to have to go to an
outside bathroom that was really just a hole in the ground with a board
over it and some concrete. You had to be careful because bats flew around
in the hole below the toilet. |
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| Relishing
Narcissus in South Korea - Living in Korea |
| Barry Walsh
is wandering the world trying to find a place between the gloom of mundane
routine and the vivacity of the new. Sometimes travel makes it happen,
even on weekend getaways to the environs of mountain hermitages of South
Korea. Walsh writes, "This is bliss. I am the only Westerner traveling
today as always, but whereas during the week I am detached, now I feel
I belong. My weariness of heightened cynicism is replaced by a tempered
tranquillity, my spirit found by renunciation. To me this is what experiencing
a foreign culture is all about. I have done nothing uniquely Korean on
my journey, but my self-assurance is sufficient. I ask the bus driver in
my limited Korean how long the stop is for. I already know – it’s always
the same – but right now my self-love is smothering my self-consciousness.
While in the toilet, I observe my appearance – why don’t I have a girlfriend?" |
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| Seoul
Diary - Living & Working in Seoul, Korea - Living & Working in
Korea |
| "So,
before long, I found myself on a Korean Air 747 soaring over the Arctic,
on the way to teach at a private school that I had never seen or heard
of before. Though it didn’t seem so at first, moving to Korea turned out
to be one of the best career moves I ever made." David Ritchie supplies
readers with information about living and working in Korea. He lives and
works in Seoul. He writes the “SeoulTalk” column for Seoulscope, the city’s
entertainment magazine. His 16 published books include Will America Survive?
(Cambridge India, 2000). |
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| South
Korea as a Potential Expat Haven - Moving to Korea |
| Compared
to other destinations around the world, South Korea has been overlooked
as a destination for those looking for alternatives to life in North America.
Most expatriates know about Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines—but few
have made an effort to settle in South Korea.Those who choose to expatriate
to South Korea can take advantage of opportunities in the following areas:
business and consulting, education and training, and, of course, the Internet.
And, retired professionals and retired military personnel are living quite
happily here. |
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| Squid
Island - Ullungdo, South Korea - Squid Island |
| Richard S.
Ehrlich is from San Francisco, California, and first journeyed to Asia
in 1972. Ehrlich writes, "At night, Islanders tie undried squids to indoor
racks. Down by the seashore, fishermen's trash buckets are filled with
discarded squids' eyes, but the rest of the slippery animals are carefully
gutted. They have turned isolated, middle-of-nowhere Ullungdo into a boomtown
with tentacles. The island offers moody, inspiring, rocky hills and a seemingly
hostile coastline." |
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| Teaching
English In Korea - Secure And Fun |
| There are
number of people who I've known that taught in schools in South Korea and
many of them - not all - have told me that it's a great experience. The
Koreans tend to be too serious as students, I've been told, but they know
how to have fun outside the classroom. The country is modern and safe and
allows the expatriate teacher plenty of opportunities to enjoy his new
home. |
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| The
Other Korea - The Underbelly of South Korea |
| A short commentary
on the role of women in South Korea. What do South Korean men want and
how are they going about getting what they want? And what role do Russian
women play in this little dance? The analysis given in the above article
looks at South Korea through the eyes of the West and does a very good
job of laying out the differences of Western and South Korean worldviews. |
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| KUWAIT |
| Through
the Looking Glass -- A Madras Indian Living in the States Visits Kuwait |
| Pradeep Selvakumar
discovers the culture of this oil rich Islamic nation and the way others
look at the US from abroad. There are no taxes in Kuwait, living expenses
are few, and only Kuwaitis are allowed to own businesses and property.
At the mall, he got his first indication that Kuwait isn't as conservative
as most people probably think. The lingerie on the mannequins are as kinky
as any he'd ogled in Victoria's Secret magazines. The movie "Speed" was
on TV, and someone was asked if "things like that" happen in the US. He
said that life in the US was pretty boring, actually. Then they wanted
to know if he owned a gun . . . |
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| LAOS |
| Late
Autumn In Laos - In The Laotian Jungle |
| Strolling
the leafy promenade along the Mekong river I told myself to slow down and
savor every last minute of these last few hours before an interminable
series of planes and connections conveyed me back home to the other side
of the world. Up ahead a bench conveniently appeared as if to second the
motion. Between it and the river’s muddy banks, soil - Southeast Asia’s
most fertile - yielded corn and mustard, both of which would be replaced
by rice before the next monsoons. Field workers were bent in labor, their
efforts typifying the work ethic that permeated Lao culture, its contract
with the land, its compact with the seasons, its acceptance of the inevitable. |
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| Mekong
Fish And Bordeaux - Thanksgiving In Laos |
| The
Mekong River is the 12th largest in the world. The River originates in
China and flows through Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
What would it be like to travel down the Mekong? In Laos there is still
strong French influence but this influence is mixed with Buddhist monks
in yellow robes holding red umbrellas. There is also great food and a friendly
atmosphere. And behind it all the great River flows by. |
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| LATIN
AMERICA |
| ANTI-AMERICAN
SENTIMENT - Politics In Latin America |
| Have been
in Latin America for 8 years and have never been harassed about my American
citizenship. Now, I've be harassed, but about other things. Like taking
a piss in the wrong yard or laughing to loud in a quiet bar. Mark has his
own vision of this and when you live outside your own culture, breeding,
rules and norms you learn what it feels like to be seen as different and
strange and even dangerous - but you always find your friends and then
get on with living. |
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| LATVIA |
| Real
Estate in The Baltic States : An Emerging Market Place |
| Fed
up with looking at all the endless so called amazing deals in the UK at
only 5% deposit or 25% discount, I realised it was time to take the plunge
and start looking further a field for a place to invest. Having already
invested in Cyprus I new buying off plan abroad can be very profitable
and work just as well as the UK. |
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| LEBANON |
| Escape
to Lebanon - Travel To Lebanon |
| Nice travel
article about passing through beautiful Lebanon. The country has great
mountains and valleys; it also has great beach towns that were favorite
hang outs of the rich and famous in the 50s and 60s. The country is on
the way back and might be a place to invest in in the near future. |
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| Lebanese
Real Estate Investments |
| From
multimillion-dollar tourism projects to single-owner apartments in the
capital, Gulf investors are increasingly looking to Lebanon. A look at
the regional players. Jun/06 |
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| Lebanon
Beyond Beirut - Four Must-Do Day Trips |
| Beirut
is wonderful, a cosmopolitan Mediterranean city famed for its friendly
people, exclusive shops and fine restaurants. The Solidaire quarter of
Beirut especially is worth the trip to Lebanon, but there is more, so much
more to see in Lebanon, and some of it is outside the capitol and easily
done as a day trip. Here’s a sampling. These world-famous caves are immense
and absolutely spectacular. Located about 18 kilometers along the highway
north of Beirut in the valley of Nhr el Kalb, Jetta Grotto is formed of
two galleries, the lower gallery being opened only in 1958. One visits
it by boat, since it is home to an underground lake, a trip of about 500
meters. |
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| LIBERIA |
| Twilight
one - Living in Liberia |
| Teacher, missionary,
screenwriter, Maurice Blaise tells of his experiences in Liberia, Africa.
This two page article written in descriptive detail tells of human strife
and love of life on the dark continent. Blaise writes, "Each morning, between
five and twenty containers of yellowish river water greeted them at liturgy.
The villagers believed in the efficacy of prayer. Peter's hand no longer
shook. He quickly dropped the host on her withered tongue. She was the
third and last recipient, from a total congregation of seven. Turning,
he ascended the altar's three steps. A rooster, outside the doorless, ocean
entrance, lined with large yellow and red hibiscus, greeted the rising
sun with a startling screech. As she receded, he returned to his thoughts.
No, it wasn't loneliness, male hormones, or friendship that had driven
him to seek out this Mona Lisa." |
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| LONDON |
| Temping
In London ~ BUNAC Program |
| After
graduating from the University of Chicago with a BA in Philosophy during
the summer of 2002, I chose a program that had never been seen at the Registrar’s
office, my BUNAC form. Fulbright yes, but BUNAC? As the Registrar personnel
looked in curiosity, I hung my head in disappointment. BUNAC had been my
last “common denominator” resort to living in a major European city directly
after graduation, excluding the option of au pairing and teaching English;
those roads had just been too trodden and I wanted my own unique experience. |
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| LUXEMBOURG |
| Luxembourg
- A Confluence Of Culture |
| I saw the
giant red spheres at first from a distance. They rested calmly on the side
of a steep grass hill facing a large rocky outcrop ominously known as the
Bock. The spheres lay about, in no particular order, resisting gravity
and descending haphazardly towards the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse
Rivers in the meandering valley below. |
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| Offshore
Stock Exchanges - Special Feature From LowTax Online TaxWire - Offshore
Stock Exchanges |
| In
an ongoing effort to provide a cross-section of the best offshore information
on the internet, EscapeArtist seeks out the best online resources. We are
really excited about a new website and news letter called, Low Tax Online
NewsWire - In this issue or Escape From America we present a Special Feature
from the NewsWire on Offshore Stock Exchanges. Countries such as Bermuda,
Ireland, Jersey, Cyprus (maybe), Hong Kong (already) and Mauritius are
cleaning themselves up for what could be a glittering future. This report
includes some of the offshore jurisdictions with Stock Exchanges, their
Regulatory Basis Including Listing Rules, Trading and Settlement, Costs
of Listing and additional resources. |
| MADAGASCAR |
| An
Island With Sapphire Fever - Madagascar's Hidden Wealth |
| Excellent
article about the history of gold and sapphire exploration in the north
of Madagascar. The above article examines the atmosphere at the sapphire
pits and talks a little about the history of Diego Suarez - a northern
port town that is said to have a bay as beautiful as Rio de Janiero's. |
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| Antananarivo
- The City Of A Thousand Warriors - Madagascar's Capital |
| Some great
photos of Madagascar and Ansirabe in the above article. If you go to Madagascar
you must check out the wonderful markets on Friday. There you can buy handicrafts
and fine goods that can be found nowhere else in the world. There are some
great hotels to stay at in Antananarivo and Ansirabe and the views of the
surrounding lakes and plains is stunning. You should take a tour or the
train from Antananarivo to Ansirabe and make sure to walk in the blue forest
above Antananarivo. |
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| Discover
The Secret Of Isalo - Adventures In The South Western Corner Of Madagascar |
| One of the
most frequented National Parks in Madagascar is Isalo. From Antananarivo
the RN7 will lead you to Isalo National Park. Taking the road, you will
reach the province of Fianarantsoa (408 km from Tana) before arriving in
Isalo (206 km from Fianarantsoa.) Situated in the south western corner
of Madagascar, the lsalo range raises its rocky heads on the distant horizon. |
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| Getting
Around Antsiranana - In The Extreme North Of Madagascar |
| As I mentioned,
Madagascar is a wonderful, tumbledown Indian Ocean island where people
laugh at hardship. Diego Suarez, situated in the extreme north of Madagascar,
considered one of world’s most beautiful and widest bays, is a county town
but also the third port of the continent island. Diego Suarez harbor, named
after the two Portuguese explorers who “discovered Madagascar, is on the
island’s northeastern end. Their names are: Diego Diaz, who discovered
it in 1500 and a sailor, Fernando Suarez that visited it in 1506. |
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| Hira
Gasy - Music In The Highlands Of Madagascar |
| Malagasy
people like dancing and singing. From the North to the South, from the
East to the west, by the way of the High plains, Madagascar sings and dances.
Not only to modern rhythms, no necessarily to world music. Like the other
countries in the world, Madagascar has its own culture and tradition. This
tradition is alive and kicking throughout the country in many guises. Popular
culture needs no electricity, stage or professional artists. In a country
so impregnated with the memory of its ancestors, songs and dances remind
of the depth of its roots whilst at the same time entertain the community.
Such diversity is in keeping with the size of the country which comprises
18 ethnic groups, despite obvious similarities from on group to another. |
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| Humpback
Whales Around Sainte Marie Island - In Madagascar |
| From Toamasina,
Nosy Boraha or - Tamatave in French, and about 370 km from Antananarivo
- is one of the most important ports on the East Coast of Madagascar,
from this port town you can easily reach Sainte Marie Island by boat or
by plane. The island is also called Nosy Mbavy, that translantes into “the
women’s island”. |
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| In
The South Of Madagascar - Among The Harsh Beauty Of Isalo |
| The south
of Madagascar is blessed with great beauty and that is nowhere more evident
than in Islao National Park. There are animals and vegetation that can
be only seen in the Park. There are hidden pools and jagged rocks. Old
hotels and brilliant sunsets and walks through the moonlight. Time to go. |
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| Nosy
Be - The Little Great Island In The North Of Madagascar |
| Nosy Be, situated
in the North of Madagascar, in the Mozambique Canal Waters. This great
island has been granted several nicknames in the course of centuries. The
most relevant of those nicknames seems to be “Nosy Manitra” (the scented
island in Malagasy). Getting down from the plane in Fascene airport, you
will feel the ylang ylang, frangipani tree, coffee, cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon,
sugar cane balmy fragrances are almost being aggressive towards you. |
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| Tanà
- The Nights In Madagascar's Capítal |
| Hidden behind
the moistness of the night comes a town with no possible comparison,
Tanà, the thousand-lighted city. From wherever you may come it’s
always the same festivity; with a variety of feelings, this town has something
exciting. |
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| The
Fascinating Coral Reef In Toliara, Madagascar - Diving And Traveling In
Madagascar |
| One of the
most frequently visited provinces in Madagascar is Toliara. From Antananarivo
the RN7 will lead you to Toliara. Taking the road, you will reach the province
of Fianarantsoa (408 km from Antananarivo) before arriving in Isalo (206
km from Fianarantsoa.) Situated in the southwestern corner of Madagascar,
the lsalo range raises its rocky heads. Jan/06 |
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| The
Tsingy Of Belo Sur Tsiribihina And The Royal Bath - In Madagascar |
| Nia takes
us to the south of Madagascar where tradtions run deep. The landscape and
people are magical and there is plenty to see and do. If you're thinking
about visiting Madagascar be sure to drop a Nia a line; he would be the
perfect person to talk to about planning a trip to the "red island". |
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