School is Back in Session

A new year has emerged and school has started for a new term. I have officially helped start Tromsø International School and it looks to be a wonderful experience. The school is composed of 3 teachers, 9 students, 2 language teachers, and a principal. We have all been busy ordering textbooks, designing the classrooms, and planning for the first few weeks of instruction, and it looks like we have a great group of kids to work with. The students range from 6 to 14 years old and they are from Norway, Russia, New Zealand, Sudan, and the US. It looks be a great challenge and a lot of fun for everyone.

As for Chasa and I, we are doing great. We are moving into our new flat this next weekend, and we are very excited to establish a new home abroad. Our new flat is closer to the school and the university, and will be a nice change of pace to living in the city center of Tromsø. Chasa and I have been discovering the city and the island one day at a time, and New Years Eve was an experience in itself. We got all dressed up and ready for a night on the town, and as we walked down the EMPTY streets of Tromsø we noticed that every bar, restaurant, and pub was closed and dark. After a long search we found a great Italian/Greek restaurant, where the food was phenomenal followed by a few drink at the one pub that was open. At approximately 11:50 the place emptied out and since we didn't speak the language, we had no idea where anyone went. The clock struck 12 midnight, we cheersed and brought in the new year with a kiss. About 10 mintues later, people started to trickle back into the bar and all went back to normal. We later met some locals and found out that everyone left to go look across the water to the mainland where there was a HUGE firework display...so basicly, we missed it all. We did however learn that NO ONE stays inside for midnight in Tromsø....lesson learned. hahaha. Next year we will be ready.

On a side note, we love talking with everyone on skype and through our website, so keep the messages, notes, IMs, skype calls, and whatever else you can think of to stay in touch. We love you all and we wish everyone a very happy new year. Talk to you soon and much love to all. Cheers to 2011!

Two Weeks in the Arctic Circle and Going Strong

After 22 hours of flights and 10,000 miles of travel, Chasa and I finally arrived to Tromso, Norway, also known as "The Gateway to the North Pole". Tromso is located towards the northern tip of Norway on an island surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges and fjords carved by receding glaciers thousands of years ago. The people here are very friendly and the town is quaint and welcoming. We were greeted by a colleague at the airport and were then taken to the school to meet the rest of the teachers and principal. After a few days of getting settled in and acclimated to our new home, we started to get used to the cold weather and the 23 1/2 hours of dark skies....which at times I still struggle with, but THANK GOD for naps. Anyways, it is now New Years Eve day and the skies are starting to get a little brighter everyday...so hopefully that will help with my crazy sleep schedule. No northern lights yet, but we are constantly checking the Aurora Borealis forecasts in hopes to get some good pictures.

As of now, we are enjoying a few days off until my new International School starts on January 3rd. I have been working everyday in the hopes to get the school up and running as soon as possible. It looks to be a lot of work, but since I arrived I have worked with the other teachers and my principal on developing the curriculum, planning the first few weeks of instruction, and translating many documents and publications into English, as well as helping to create a working school and classrooms from scratch. So far, we have 10 students enrolled in the Primary and Middle School Programs, and I will be teaching all grades, ages 6-16, in English, Social Science, and Physical Education. I am working with some wonderful and knowledgeable educators from Norway, Russia, and Iceland, and so far, we have been very productive together. Come January 15th, we will be moving into our new flat, which is located a little outside of the city center, but closer to the school and the university. We will be living in a cute little one bedroom apartment, which overlooks the ocean and the mainland looking out east.

As for Chasa and I, we are doing phenomenally well. In the days of dark hours and cold weather, we help to keep each other bright, warm, and smiling. Chasa is definitely one of the best things to EVER happen to me, and I hope that I can only continue to provide her the same love and support that she gives me on a daily basis. We have started to venture out and conquer some touristy activities in and around Tromso lately, and everyday is an adventure together. We recently walked over to the mainland via the big bridge you might see in the pictures of Tromso, and then took the cable car/gondola up the neighboring mountain to overlook entire island of Tromso. It was absolutely stunning, and COOOOOLD!!! But what a view....then followed by a gorgeous sunset over the southern mountains. So needless to say, life is grand and continues to provide us with exciting adventures and anecdotes and until next time, be well, live life to the fullest, and continue to love. Cheers!

The Next Chapter: The Start of the WEston Family Adventures!

Dearest Family and Friends,

The world has evolved and it has been a year and half since my last blog. Instead of starting up where I left off, I decided to embark on not a new chapter, but a new trilogy. One of course filled with adventure, unknown, and yes, love. I am now accompanied by my best friend, lover, and life long partner for many more adventures to come.

For those of you who read my last blog entry in Switzerland, before I headed to Italy, but did not know what has happened since then, well…A LOT has happened. I met my now wife, Chasa, in Venice, where I surprised her with a trick ring and a pair of earrings as a few symbols of my love and commitment, which she was stoked to receive. A few days later we arrived in Cinque Terre together, where we found a private little beach, and as we were watching the sunset disappear over the horizon, with wine in hand and village lights flickering in the distance, Chasa said, “Wow…this is perfect, I wouldn’t want to be any where else right now.” I continued with, “Could this moment get any better?” She obviously said no, which is when I awkwardly got to one knee, pulled out a beautiful diamond ring I found in Prague, and asked her to marry me.

After a wonderful trip through Italy, we moved back to Carlsbad, where we have been residing up until this past week. During the past year, we have been developing our beautiful relationship and enjoying life to its fullest each and every day. Recently, got married on the beach in Carlsbad, and now….WE are moving to NORWAY!!!

OK…let me back up a bit. About 4 months ago, Chasa and I were returning from a wonderful trip from Ecuador, and in the San Jose airport in Costa Rica, I asked Chasa if she would mind if I started applying for jobs abroad sooner…and she was all for it. We then decided to bump up the wedding from the original date of August 2011 to April 2011, and then to November 20^th, 2010. Needless to say, we MADE IT HAPPEN. The wedding was beautiful. It was a bit hectic with the rain pissing down and the wind throwing the rain sideways, but I’m convinced, my brother, Chris showed up and parted the skies for the brief 30 minutes of the ceremony. After we said “I do” and kissed a passionate kiss, the rain started to return and the attendants scattered to their cars and then to the reception. Chasa and I waited a few minutes, and once again the skies parted with one of the most beautiful, God showing rays through the clouds, type sunset. We walked back to the reception, stopping to enjoy the entire moment for what it was and wouldn’t have done it any different. The night progressed with constant love and support from some of our dearest friends and family, and for all those who couldn’t make it, they were missed and felt in spirit.

So, NORWAY. Who would have thought we would be moving to Norway? For many of you, you probably thought…wow…that is amazing, for others…you might have thought, yup…that figures….no one can predict what those Weston’s will do. And yes, everyone is correct. We never thought this to be possible, but when life grants you opportunities such as these, you can either take them and live life to the fullest, or pass and watch the event pass you by. We chose the adventure. So anyways, after the wedding, we spent the next 3 weeks, taking a brief honeymoon up the coast to Santa Barbara and Big Sur, followed by a great Thanksgiving in LA with the Vollaros, Horoshaks, and the Merricks. After time with Chasa’s family, we headed back to Carlsbad, to complete the packing and storage runs, the numerous garage sales, moving back in with the parents (by the way….Thank You again Mom and Dad, you guys are AWESOME), and of course, trying to prepare ourselves for the move to Norway. As I sit on the plane ride to a new arctic world, filled with layers of snow and ice, beautiful Aurora Borealis events, and food I wouldn’t have imagined eating in a thousand years, I can only imagine what life might have been like 1000 years ago in this desolate land. These days, people have made a way of life in this arctic land, and we are hopefully prepared, as best as we could at least, to experience this part of the world at this point in our lives. We are so thankful for all our family and friends, and can’t wait to tell more stories from our travels around the globe.

Chasa and I share such a beautiful bond together, that no matter where the wind, the waves, or our love may take us, we know that life will bless us with wonders that we never imagined possible. I look at the picture of us running out the ocean on our wedding day, the clouds parting with rays of sunshine, and the wind blowing in our hair, and I see our lives opening up in the same manner. I feel honored to have found Chasa in my life, and so thankful to have finally seen the light and figured out that I better grab a hold of her before it was too late…and NEVER let her go. As for now, I raise my glass to all my friends and family, and especially to my wife and lover, best friend and world partner, and give thanks to a life full of unknown adventures and undying compassion and love. From this day, we look forward to the next sunrise to see what life has awaiting for us, and a remembrance of the last sunset we saw, and I say…

CHEERS!

The land of SWISS....SPECTACULAR

So I know I havent blogged in a bit...and basicly, it is because I am in one of the most beautiful parts of Europe. For the last week, I have been cruising around Switzerland, checking out beautiful lakes, partying with mates, climbing the Swiss Alps...which has been a dream of mine since I was a kid, and meeting some wonderful people. Tomorrow, I actually am leaving Switzerland to head south into Italy to discover the beauty and romance of Italia...and to meet up with my lovely Chasa. I am really excited to discover Italy with her and I look forward to starting a beautiful life together in a place that is bursting with love, romance, and passion.

Anyways, as for Switzerland, we first arrived in Lucern, Switzerland about a week ago to couch surf with a great guy and his mates...who welcomed us with open arms and blazing bbq dinners. We then cruised south with them to southern most tip of Switzerland, called Lugano for their national Independence Day party, which was GRAND. These guys know how to put on a fireworks display...that made the 4th of July look like a pack of blackcats. Anyways, from there...I headed out on the road by myself, towards the southwestern side of the Swiss Alps...to The Matterhorn. Now, when I was a kid, the abominabal snowman at Disneyland scared the shit out of me, so I had to give it a go and try to climb the Matterhorn. Little did I know...the mountain is massive...but absolutely beautiful. The energy that the mountain has over the town below is stupendous and the surrounding alps are absolutely stunning. I spent the next few days in a place called Zermatt, where I met a great guy from San Diego and he and I hiked all over the base of the Matterhorn and the glaciers around the Swiss Alps. We ended up hiking over 7200 Veritical Ft. in 2 days...needless to say, I could barely walk the following days afterwards...but it was 100% worth it. I then headed north to a beautiful set of lakes and towns, to a place called Interlaken...where I have been staying at a brilliant little camp ground and hostel right on the river...by the way..the water is freezing...but very refreshing. I have really had the chance to relax, recoup, and do some yoga and walks around the lakes and towns...and it has been absolutely sound. What a beautiful place and in the mean time I have met some great people, including folks from Scotland, Australia, Neww Zealand, and Ireland....GOOD TIMES..

I cant write much more because my internet time is running short, but all in all...SWITZERLAND IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. The people are great, the land is spectacular, and the whole place has a complete majestic feel and energy to the place. I will definitely be back here someday. I hope all is well back home and that everyone is having a lovely summer. Much love to all...and from here...ITALIA here WE come....

Germany and Czech Republic.....AWESOME!!!!

So, I know I have been lagging on my blog, but life as a traveler has been crazy, exciting, and always adventurous. For the past 2 weeks we have really been discovering both the north and the south of Germany, as well as Prague and other regions of the Czech Republic.,....and with all the adventures, I have had little time to blog or email or pretty much do anything but eat, drink, explore and sleep...but it is a great life!!!

AS of about two weeks ago, we left Amsterdam and the beauty of Holland, to venture south to Frankfurt and Geissen, which sits on the western side of Germany. We stayed there with a friend of Jessie's for a few days, and then headed northeast to Braunschweig, which is just east of Hannover....to stay with a good friend of mine, who I grew up with but havent seen since college. Braunschweig was definitely a sanctuary. We spent 4 nights there and ate and drank the local grub and grog everyday. I can officially say that I think I have tried every kind of sausage and German delicasie...including a makority of the German beers...which are delicious. After a great time in Brauschweig, we headed east to Berlin, where we had a bit of a layover in trains...then headed on one of the most beautiful trains rides I have ever been on down to Prague (or Praha). The train ride alone was spectacular. The majority of the time we crusied along this beautiful ride and small little villages all the way down to the Czech Republic...which is like no place I have ever been to. Once we arrived in Prague and got settled in our hotel, we cruised the city, looking for a good buddy of mine who runs the Prague Pub Crawl. Now, if any of you really know me...Im not a big club person...but these clubs in Prague are crazy. We went to the first couple of bars and tried the local beers, then headed to a couple of bigger clubs...that were fun...but at about 2 or 3 am...i was exhausted from traveling all day. We headed home and on the way home got one of the best Gyros I have ever had. It was deeeliiiicccciooous!

For the next few days, we explored every bit of Prague by foot. We visited the city center, walked up to the castle that overlooks the city, ate wodnerful food...including a delicious goolash and local roasted pork plates. Wow...the Czechs love good food. Then...on our last day in Czech...we took a day trip to a small town called Cesky Krumlov...that was absolutely beautiful. The town and the river that runs through town is spectacular...and the castle that over looks the city is unreal...also, they have bears and a waterfall in the mote of the castle....Only in Czech.

The next day we got an early train south, back into Germany, and about 3 pm we arrived in Munich! WOW:....i love this place. We have one more night here and we are going to the Hofbrauhaus again...we visited there on the first night as well as a local brewery...but if you have never been to Munich...then you have never seen a proper beer garden. These places are massive!!! The food is delicious, the beer is even better...esp. b\c all you can order are liters of beer...and these gardens can hold up to 10,000 people, including grandparents, children, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc....absolutely awesome! oh ya...I also got to surf while I was in Munich. They have this massive English Garden that has a big river running through it and there is a standing wave. There were a handful of people surifng it...so I asked to borrow a board and gave it a go. I ate shit a couple of times...but I did briefly surf it...before slamming my shouldeer into the ground. Oh well...atleast I can now say that I have surfed in Germany.

Today we got up early and took a tour out to Dauchau...the Nazi concentration camp...which was very interesting to see. Not the most upbeat place...but definitely a place worth checking out and to learn about the culture, the propaganda, and the history of Germany. As of tomorrow, we are heading south into Switzerland, where we are staying at some mates houses...then heading to south Swiss, where we are going to celebrate their indepence day...it looks to be a great time!! After that...Jessie is heading south to Italy, and I am going to go explore the Swiss Alps by myself for a few days. Ever since I was a kid, I have always wanted to climb the Alps....so when in Switzerland. Who knows...maybe ill even climb or visit the Materhorn. Anyways, after Switzerland, I am heading to Italy, where I am meeting Chasa in Venice...and I am absolutely STOKED!!! We are going to spend the last 2 weeks of my trip together, traveling around Italy, including, Venice, Florence, Cinque Terra, and then Rome. I am sooo excited to share this experience with Chasa, and I am very excited of rekindeling a great love in what better place than Italia. ANyways, I hope I will be able to continue to blog throughout my trip...but if not...just know that I am doing wonderful and exploring every bit of this planet that I can. Until next time...wish me luck in the Alps and great adventures through Italy. Much love to all and PROST from Germany!

AMSTERDAM!!!! One of the best places yet...

SO last time you heard from me, I was discovering Belgium one beer and one chocolate at a time. As of now, we are actually in a small town outside of Frankfurt, Germany, after spending 6 wonderful days in Amsterdam, Holland. This place was AWESOME!!! We met up with some friends of mine from traveling, and they really showed us the true beauty of Amsterdam. The canals are spectacular and the buildings are phenomenal. The food is good too, esp the brownies and cakes...that one is for you Evan...and we even tried the famous french fries with mayonnaise....interesting...but not my style. Other than that we had a great time here. Everyday we would wake up at our hotel....which we didn't realize was located at the heart of the red light district when we booked it...with our window facing the main street and a giant neon yellow, vertical sign spelling H-O-T-E-L out our window. Each morning we would have some breaky and head out on the town as soon as possible. We spent 5 nights there....with not a lot of sleep, but hey, when in Amsterdam. Anyways, everyday we decided to explore a different part of the city, and what a beautiful and picturesque place. I can see how Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and many other artists flourished here. What a spectacular view around every corner...and no, I am not talking about the flashy red lights....although they were quite a distraction for Jessie....if you didnt know, she loves bright flashy things....so Amsterdam was filled with constant visual stimulations. But once you get out of the downtown and red light area...the culture, the people, the pace of life, and the openness to all walks of life, are all spectacular. I could definitely see myself coming back here...if not owning a flat or canal boat here at some point in my life...what a great place to have a vacation getaway.



We spent the first two days touring the city, the next at the Van Gogh museum, the next wandering around aimlessly and sitting on random benches and visiting the many cafes of Amsterdam. We also spent a day meandering through the canals, which then brought us to a very long line to see the Anne Frank House...but it was completely worth it...The museum and the historical facts and figures were very well done. Overall, the trip to Amsterdam was absolutely wonderful. On our last day in town, we decided to make a road trip by train...with a small detour, due to the fact that we were quite distracted by the beautiful countryside of Holland, to an area outside of Amsterdam, called Zaandam...where some mates we met in Belgium are from. They took us out there and really showed us the more local side of the Holland. What a beautiful country, both inside and out. We then spent the last night at our hotel, where I had a few pints and watched a local Dutch band rock out to Led Zep, Skynard, Sublime, Bob Marley, Rolling Stones, etc...which was a perfect way to end our last night in Holland. This morning, we got on a train heading south to Frankfurt, Germany...and I will do my best to put it into words, but the countryside of The Netherlands and Germany is BEAUTIFUL! From lush, green, rolling hills filled with pastures and wheat fields, to dense oak forests, the countryside is filled with character. So far we have been in Germany for about 12 hours and I already love it. We are planning on spending the next few days around the Frankfurt coutryside, and then heading north to visit a good buddy of mine from back in the day...Mr. Sean Whitty...who is completing his PhD in Germany. We are going to stay with him in his hometown of Braunschweig...and then east towards Berlin and then south to Prague.



Jessie and I are truely seeing the beauty of every place we go to, and everyday awaits new dreams and adventures. This trip has been very insightful and has shown me some wonderful places, as well as the true beauty of what life has to offer. I feel this journey has given me, and my mind, a great chance to wander and to really look inside myself for what life is and where I might be going with it. Who knows what path I am heading down, but I do know that my mind is clear, by body is able, and my heart is leading the way. To whatever dreams and adventures hold in my future...I look forward to embracing them with open arms and a progressive step forward. Until next time....be well, live well, and laugh often. Cheers to all.

From Paris to Belgium....The Land of Beer and Chocolate

So besides Paris being absolutely beautiful, we found the people, the culture, and the food to be superb. After a wonderful tour of Paris the day before, we spent the following day at the Palace of Versaille and the amazing gardens around the palace. We ate some sandwiches, drank some wine, and took heaps of pictures around the area. That night, we were treated to a TRUE French cuisine at a delicious restaurant. I would have to say that France has some of the most amazing food and wine I have ever had. After a wonderful dinner, we toured around Paris, visited the Lourve, the Arch de Triumph, and the Moulin Rouge....followed by a great walk to the highest point in Paris, with the most amazing view of the city at night....WOW...what a spectacular city.

The following day, we had a very nice breakfast, and then jumped on a train to Brussels, Belgium. After getting entirely lost in the skid row district of Brussels, we finally got a cab to our hotel and then got lost again, before we finally found the city center. At this point, we were ready for a pint and luckily we found a great little pub with a free concert playing directly in front. What a great way to turn around our impression of Brussels. We then toured about the town, looking for breweries...but the town was very confusing so we found a small little pub...where we proceeded to meet the bartender and the owner...and after they found out my love for beer...the decided to have me taste almost every Belgium beer possible. Needless to say, we spent the remainder of the night there, and I definitely got introduced to Belgium beers properly. Their hospitality was great and we had a wonderful time. The next day, we had a chillaxed out day. We toured the city a bit, ate some kebabs, and low and behold, we turned a corner, and we were back at the pub from the night before. So, we decided to sit down and have a pint....it would have been rude not to. Anyways, we met up with the owner again, as well as a group of dutch travelers who also knew the owner, and we spent the next few hours chillen out with some wonderful people. We had a great dinner with them last night, and then called it an early one...for we left for Bruges this morning.

Bruges is beautiful, and as soon as we got here this morning, we dropped off our bags and headed out. We toured all the sights, had some fries with spicy mayonnaisse....weird...but great...and then went downtown to check out the local brewery. We got a great tour and tasted some delicious beer...and as of now...we are looking forward to a local night tour and pub crawl. Good times in Belgium...and until next time...which will be from Amsterdam.....CHEERS....