Recap

As I sit and analyze this trip, I can't believe that we can use the small game of basketball and the gifts and talents that each of us are blessed with to impact a nation. Who would have thought that the 10 of us would have spent the last two plus weeks in Bhutan, traveling around going into classrooms and putting on clinics and playing games? I didn't think it would be possible but we did and it was amazing. We met so many awesome people who have so much respect and love. Some things that I will miss from our trip and time in Bhutan: -the people- they are so respectful and hospitable -our teammembers- even though most of them will be around in the area, I will miss the late night talks and the van/bus rides together sharing wisdom/stories, laughing, and singing (don't worry we have amazing voices as well, just ask some of the classes we sang in). -being detached- it is always good for me to get away from the busy lifestyle that I/we create to recharge and refocus on what is really important in my life. -the landscape- Bhutan is a very beautiful place with lush mountains, valleys and rivers. It is hard to escape the wonders. -the food- I will miss having 3 good meals a day prepared for me/us where I didn't have to do any shopping, cooking, or cleaning. (If you really know me that is a huge deal) -playing/teaching basketball- most of you know that I am retired from playing on a consistent basis, and not directly involved with coaching the sport anymore, but it is always great to get out there and show these younger kids/players how much fun the game of basketball is and the things the sport can teach you if you are intentional about it. (All I know from this trip is I still got some game left, that is why the team nicknamed me "game guy", ok maybe I gave that nickname to myself because I brought it in the games we played) (you might hear different things from the team members about my in-game plays, but the altitude got to their brains and their memories are a little blurred, or maybe mine, ha) Thank you again for your love, support and thoughts, we couldn't have done this trip without you. I encourage everyone to go on a short-term trip like this one, no it doesn't have to be basketball related in Bhutan, (we have some contacts if you want a similar trip though) but seeing the world and experiencing new things and growing is important to everyone. I am pretty sure everyone could find a two week window that they could go and impact peoples lives and be changed themselves (just remember sometimes you don't have to go somewhere to impact peoples lives). Always be willing to grow and improve. I also understand that not everyone can be go-ers, that is why I am so thankful for my job and the availability for me to do these type of trips and to those who support me and encourage me in my life and on my life journey. I look forward to sharing more when we return home shortly, and I look forward to my next trip and where I might be lead. Land of the Thunder Dragon

#4

We finally got to hike tigers nest, it was amazing! The whole time we were here at bhutan i wanted to get a chance to hike or trek in these beautiful himalayan mountains but hadnt got a chance! Maybe i could of in the middle of the night but of risked my health with yetis, wearwolfs, and wild dogs roaming the streets and mountains. It was a short hike but quite steep and some parts very tiring. The views were amazing and i made an effort to get as many pictures as i could and get pictures with some of my teamates to remember this great time we had together the whole two weeks. I tried to take my time because i was hiking in the himalayan mountains! and tried to take advantage of every moment! We stopped halfway up for some needed water and they offered us tea but we were way to hot even to think of tea. They say tigers nest was only built in one year but all the materials had to be carried up the small trail we took to get up. There is a cave in the middle of the building which took u to the other side of the cliff that the building itself is built on. Its a small passage that u enter by going down a ladder and then have to actually jump across a deep crevise to get to the other side where beautiful views of the valley and mountains await u. This jump was actually quite difficult and dangerous because ur landing was on rocks and it was not a straight jump. I was not expecting this rush of adreniline up here. I didnt even think about getting back when i first jumped because at first glance this seemed to be much harder than the jump, but a closer looked revealed a little divit on the rock face to put ur foot on as a step up. Going back down was much more enjoyable because i was able to concentrate more on the beauty and the funny conversations. This hike never fased coach boom cause he is a hard body and in the best shape of his life. We then got to have dinner outside by a bonfire back at our hotel which was real cool and relaxing. As this trip comes to an end here in Bhutan I look back in my thoughts, journal, and photos to try and relive all of the wonderful memories I have made with everyone on this trip. I have written 75 pages of jounaling in my journal so i would never forget any memory, event, talk, joke, and thought. I have learned a lot about myself and my future on this trip through these experiences. We have also built many relationships that will some day change the world I have no doubt. Only Thailand awaits us tomorrow and I am sad to say i will have to leave a few days early to catch the start of another adventure. Luckily Pynch will keep my company as we both travel back together. I will never be the same on this trip and my team members will make sure of this. See everyone soon!

Closing Time

Last night we arrived in Paro, our last stop here in Bhutan.  It is interesting being back in a bigger city.  As Kirk and I were talking, this trip has flown by.  We can't believe that our time here in the country is coming to a close.  We have so many memories and stories that we could probably write a book (don't worry, I won't at least).  We have been truly blessed to be apart of of a trip like this.  In some of the schools we were the first Americans to come to their school and talk with them.  That is such a huge responsibility representing the USA, Vanguard University, and our families, among other people.  We couldn't have done it without so much support, thoughts and planning by many people. 
I would like to take this time and give some shout outs to those people that made our trip possible.  First off Tom Bohnert, who has been working with the Bhutan Basketball Federation (BBF), Bhutan Youth Basketball (BYB), and the Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC).  We couldn't have done this trip without his connections and hard work for the past 10+ years.  Next is the BOC and BBF and their people who have been with us throughout this trip.  They have been the ones who set up the school visits/clinics and our games.  Josh Harrison is next on the list, he was one on our teams' end that handled the majority of the logistics and planning/organizing.  Boomer Roberts and Levi Seekins who also did a lot of the planning and who ran all the clinics and camps.  They did a great job, they got all the campers involved and even the crowd during all of our camps.  Next is the other six men on our team.  I am very proud of them and how they represented Vanguard and themselves throughout this trip.  I knew going into this trip that we had a special group of guys and they proved it hands down.  I wouldn't think twice about going on another trip with them, it would be an honor. 
Lastly, I would like to thank all of the people that donated funds/equipment for this trip.  There is no way myself or any of our team members could have experienced this trip without you in our lives and the love and support you show us.  The Bhutanese people also have benefited from your support.  We are truly blessed and honored to have gone on this trip and it isn't even over yet.  I am very thankful also for the gifts, talents, and life experiences that I have been blessed with, I see them being used daily and it solidifies my beliefs.
If you have gotten all the way through this long blog, thank you for taking time to read it, we all hope that when we return to the US we can share more memories and stories with you personally. 
From the Land of the Thunder Dragon. 

Boom Means Girl

Boomer here. I have not blogged since the first day we got here, so I figured it was time. This trip has been pretty awesome, have had some amazing experiences with the fellas. Really proud of all the guys for their attitudes and the way they have shared what we are about. If you are a parent, relative, friend or girlfriend of one of our guys, you should be very proud. In all aspects.
The Bhutanese people are beautiful, kind, and have a strong desire to learn the game of basketball. It's been fun teaching them and watching our Vanguard guys use their talents to communicate and teach the BT youth.
After tonight, we have one full day in Bhutan left. Today we hiked to Tiger's Nest - google that when you get a chance. It was a really tough hike, but well worth it. Something all of us won't forget.
Quick story to end it: Since the first day of our trip, I have been introducing myself to classrooms and basketball players as "Coach Boom". A lot of them giggled or smiled, which I thought was a product of my incredibly terrific humor or the attractiveness of my teammates. Not the case! "Boom" definitely means "girl" in Dzonka, the national language. Wonderful. I am affectionately known as Coach Girl to the BT youth.
Can't leave a blog without givin a shutout to my lady...pumped to see you on Monday. Don't worry about dinner that night---I got this. Cereal or pb&j's (sounds AMAZING). Your choice.
Much love to all of you who have supported us.

#3

After our 9 hour bus ride back east, we slowly made our way back west to Paro where we flew in. Our initial bus ride that I described in my previous post got us to a town called Tongsa. This town was majestic in itself because the town was placed on the sides of a steep cliff. There is absolutely no flat land, three canyons merge with a thundering river at the bottom. Our hotel was set on the side of one of these cliffs and the views were spectacular as we gazed down miles below us. We had a balcony which was my favorite and looked forward to the mornings when I would be able to just chill and soak in the beauty. Lots of crazy things happen in this town which were totally unexpected but def some of the highlights of the trip. We met some great people that I will for sure keep in contact with. We found out that there has been some yeti sightings in this city which we all thought was so cool. Dogs here are crazy I also found out and they go crazy here at nights. During the day they just lounge around all over the city. We feel like they are just physcially and mentally preparing for the battles at night. It sounds like they fight in gangs or something or maybe just against a yeti. TK is always so frightened which is always so funny. We had two camps at two different schools in this town. I want to say that the kids absolutely loved us but I think it would be more appropriate to say that we absolutely loved the children. Every school we go to we are welcomed at their big assembly and often are given gifts and tea. The culture keeps amazing and am feeling more and more at home every day I'm here. We got to witness some archery which is one of their national pastimes. It truly is amazing cause their target is 130 meters away and is only a few inches thick. We just kind of stumbled on it when we were exploring the city on our hike. Nole got a toy bow and arrow and we started to play with some of the kids and then his dad started to play with us which was really cool. We then drove for a few hours to the next city called panahka which was a little lower in elevation so a lot hotter. Here we went for a swim in the river and lounged on the beaches of Bhutan which consisted of large rocks. This was surprisingly comfortable or maybe the good company made it so. We had a few more camps. These camps were much larger cause many schools sent their kids to the school we were presently at. This was fun and at the end of the camps we got to play each school for a little like a little tourny. The rest of the school would gather around and cheer usually led by seeks and cam. Cam stole the show with all of his highlight dunks and it showed with the huge line of kids that wanted his autograph. Class visits are getting easier for me to just be my self. Josh doesnt help when he volunteers me to sing in front of the class or tell the whole High school class that i am single! Every day Always seemed to get better with the interactions with the kids, the surprises that always found us (not the other way around), and the interactions with everyone on our team. We have different partners and different roomates every few dAys and my half of my highs for the day consist of conversations with these people. We hiked tigers nest today and had a blast for various reasons that I will go over in my next blog. Can't wait to see my fam again in a few days! Love u guys

Final Destination (from Levi)

We are officially at the final stage of our Bhutan trip. We have two nights left here in Paro, home of the airport that we will fly out of on the 25th of this month. Sitting here while writing this blog I am tired and worn down physically yet still full of energy emotionally. We finally trekked up to tigers nest, which is the most famous monastery in Bhutan. This was an amazing experience that was crazy and difficult. It is very hard to power through a hike that is mostly uphill for an hour and a half straight with an altitude of up to 10,000 feet.
This trip has been one of the most amazing times of my life and I have grown very close to all of the guys. As my time is coming to a close I feel that of all the things that have happened on this trip that is one of the most important.
We have seen amazing sights, traveled on small roads with thousand foot drops, eaten a lot of rice and pasta, seen thousands of kids smile, listened to TK and Nolan say the craziest things, and so much more. In the end though when I look back it'll be all about the people, the people we have met and the people who have been with me the whole time.

Seeks

Long time, no blog

Hi All,

It's been quite a while since I last took up the pen, so to speak, to chronicle our adventures in Bhutan, but from the looks of things, my traveling buddies have more than made up for my lack of blog time.

Last time you heard from me, I was busy bulleting out a list of "firsts" from our time in this one-of-a-kind country. And, before I get any farther into today's blog, I have a few more firsts to add to that list:

-Had a 3-hour coffee date with His Majesty's (affectionately referred to as HM) best friend and personal assistant, GP, during which time we were entertained with war and hunting stories that sounded like something out of a movie.
-Hung out in a couple of Dzongs (amazing fortress-like buildings that house local monks as well as government officials from each district).
-Did a "stretchy band" workout with a maniac named "Boomer" in our hotel room after a long day of basketball. Beast mode! I only recently regained use of my arms.
-Watched a farmer harvesting weed (not weeds) from the side of the road. The stuff grows wild here; it's everywhere! But, it's illegal to smoke it here, so a lot of times, they just feed it to their livestock. They have very happy, mellow cows here in Bhutan.
-Very nearly discovered the truth behind the saying, "Let a sleeping fog lie." During the day, Bhutan is the land of GNH (Gross National Happiness), but at night it is ruled by packs of wild dogs. I accidentally disturbed one during his morning nap and almost found myself on his bad side. Reason #27 you should never walk and text.

Anyway, just a few new firsts to give you all at home a taste of life in this amazing country.

We arrived in Paro last night, after a whirlwind tour of eastern Bhutan that included some spectacular and death-defying drives through the Himalayas, as well as the occasional Yeti/Wherewolf scare. (Levi's still a little shaken, so be gentle with him). Today, we've got our first late wake up of the trip, which many of the guys are taking full advantage of, and then it's off to hike Taksung (The Tiger's Nest). Stay tuned for lots of posts and pictures. It's going to be breathtaking! From they, our guide wants to take us out for karaoke in downtown Paro. Not sure how I feel about that one, but when in Rome...

Then, Thursday, we'll have our last clinic at a local school and our last game against the Bhutanese national team. And, we'll head to the airport on Friday morning for a couple days of decompression in Thailand. We're on the home stretch!

It's been an amazing time here in Bhutan, and I'm looking forward to finishing strong. We'll keep you posted on the conclusion of our East Asian adventures!

josh

Bills brain #3

Good morning America! Today I just want to share with you all a bit about what I have learned on this trip so far. It is amazing how sometimes the most difficult situations in our lives can cause us to have paradigm shifts. Sitting on a bus, winding through the Himalayan mountains for ten hours is a difficult task for me as some of you may assume. I struggled. I hate long car trips as much as Frodo hated his journey to Modor. But, I learned a lot in the process. I believe that some of my fellow teammates have already entertained you with their pictures and stories about the beauty of the country that we have the privilege of being in. I was able to really appreciate this beauty in a new way. I cannot wait to share with you all some of the lessons that I learned on this bus ride in more detail. I was simply overwhelmed by the magnificence of the scenery that surrounded us. There are obvious implications that come with acknowledging this magnificence that I would love to share in more detail. I found myself realizing that I am on the other side of the world, in the Himalayan mountains, sitting on a bus with two Bhutanese men, amidst some of the most magnificent sources of beauty that these eyes have ever seen. To top it all off, this song came on my iPod. It reminded me of the music video that I would love to share with you all. This little boy epitomizes the way I was feeling in those mountains. Awestruck. Humble. Childlike. Adventurous. I love it! the song is called "Holocene" by Bon Iver..... And at once I knew I was not magnificent. http://vimeo.com/27307766 P.s. I just shaved for the first time today... I like to think that I was lookin like Christian Bale in Batman BeginS :) http://www.google.com/search?um=1&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=d&biw=1024&bih=672&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=christian+bale+batman+begins&oq=christian+bale+batman&aq=1&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_l=img.1.1.0l10.712.712.0.3810.1.1.0.0.0.0.346.346.3-1.1.0...0.0.DVA-XV_Y0zI

#2

As we traveled east from the capital we have been staying at for the past few days I felt like I was on a quest going through middle earth. The beauty is breathtaking as we went through forests of grand pines, then through lush rainforests,through ancient forests with moss spreads on trees, then dropping in endless green valleys. There is only one main road and literally is only one car width wide whipping around towering mountains. With cliffs and valleys sho deep on both sides. Of course it's raining when we go around hair pin turns with only the hope of a horn to ward off a potential fatal accident if a car decides to come the other way. I just want to be quiet and let the beauty talk to me. There is such a wonder and mystic to this country that I can't reAlly put a finger on. Sometimes I feel like maybe I went back in time but then my reason gets in the way, but is that a possibility? The answer to life is all around me. I feel blessed to enjoy it so.

change of location

It was an amazing trip going from Thimpu to Trongsa we left early the other morning (around 7am), drove up and through the mountains towards the central part of Bhutan. It was an amazing drive. We had to stop and think about the beauty all around us. At one point we stopped and were up within the clouds, hopefully on the way back it will be clear and we could see more of the Himalayan mountain range. I have attached some pictures that I took, trust me it doesn't do the scenery justice. I don't think I have been on so many switchbacks or winding roads. I heard it could have been a 20 minute flight, but it took us 9+ hours in the bus, the time was very good with our team and seeing the beauty. We are very thankful for safe travels and a good bus driver. We are ready for a good nights rest and our clinics tomorrow at the local schools, being out of the big city should bring new adventures ahead of us. (this is an older blog that I had written but didn't have wireless with my phone)

From the Land of the Thunder Dragon

Going East

For the last two days we have been residing in the most beautiful place i have ever seen. It is a 9 hour roadtrip from the capitol that is so crazy i cant even explain it. For most of the trip our bus is so close to the edge you can literally look out the window and see thousands of feet down to the valley floor. i was so taken back by the beauty that i didn't stop looking out the window for the entire 9 hours. We enjoyed what turned out to be a day off (meaning no games or school visits) by enjoying each others company in the bus, by playing games and listening to music. When we got to our hotel we were amazed by the views we have from our balconies. We can look out over at least five different mountain peaks high up in the Himalayas. We can see many animals from the viewpoint which included my first siting of wild monkeys in my life.Simply stated i will always remember the views from this trip in the beautiful countryside.

At this point of the trip i am really starting to like Bhutanese food and i am eating so much more than i ever thought i would. I love tea time and the fact that i am so out of touch of what i consider regular life. I realized while talking to Pynch today that we are not bombarded at every step of our days with ad's and companies telling us who we are and who we should be, its very refreshing.

Our team has gotten extremely close the last week and i am excited to see how much closer we can get. Numerous times on this trip people of the country have commented on how much we smile and laugh.  They also tell us how nice it is to see a group that loves each other so much (just happened again today while we where speaking in a classroom, a kid stood up and told us how awesome it was to see a group so close and so loving to each other.

Well till nexttime

Seeks

#1 (post #1)

Sorry for the delay in my first post. I probably spent an hour trying to remember my google username and password tovsign in on blogger. Anyways Bhutan i just want to say is an amazing place. When i first stepped off of the jet i was thoroughly amazed. I looked at pictures and videos of bhutan before my trip but the views of the mountains and trees did not compare. Bhutan is the most beautiful place i have ever seen. Thats saying something since i have been fortunate enough to have seen a lot of the world. We flew from la to tokio and then from tokio to bangkok. Then we stopped at the top of India before entering the kingdom of Bhutan.when we stopped in India i thought we arrived in Bhutan and was very disapointed to see no mountains and no trees. I was relieved when i was told that this was India and we werent staying here. Everday has been an adventure and been a blast because of the guys i have had the privedge of going on this trip with. The people here are so friendly and the respect and hospitality they have shown us is unbelievable. So far we have not been teaching as many bball camps as i thought we would have at this point of the trip. But when doors close better ones always open. Inatead we have just been hanging out with the kids at various schools. Kids flock up to u and are always so happy to see u. The respect in this country is unbelivable. All of the kids when running up to u would say hi sir! Or good morning sir! These kids have brought joy to my life. We have also gotten the privledge of playing some games against the national team of bhutan and a locak university. I thought i could jandle the elevation since i am in pretty good shape but nope the first run down the court i knew i was in trouble. Luckily ee had quality subs like game guy to give each other some breaks. Often on breaks u would want to just leave the gym and just sit down and enjoy the surroundings. I could just sit for hours and enjoy the beauty while thinking about life and its grandour. Our hotel is nice and we have a personal driver thst we nicknamed bob. Many of mornings i just enjoy walking in the city streets and enjoy the culture and the frendliness of the people. Tomorrow we willl be leaving to go east from the capital where we have stayed so far. More adventures and jokes i know are ahead of us and am lookong forward to it. Already we have done so much and met so many new people to call our journey a sucsess. I have learned so much about the culture which has been great which includes go's which are the clothes the people wear (many of our team purchased a set and look great in them i might add), some words of respect that sound a little funny, and the charachter of the people. The kids today at the camp wanted our autographs. How crazt is that. I wanted their autographs because of the amount of respect they shown me. I will fight on! Just like usc until next time...

HIGHS & lows

I had a hard time trying to remember where I had placed my cell phone so I could blog (which is an awesome thing). Meaning that I am totally detached and enjoying the time promoting basketball, hanging out with the guys, and loving on the people of Bhutan. We try to meet as a team each night and discuss different topics and talk about the upcoming day (if we have any idea what is planned, it changes so often, which is awesome). What we have been doing is sharing our highs and lows about the day. Most evenings we had had multiple highs and very few lows. I will share some of my personal highs and lows and also those of the teams.

Lows-
*Teammates getting sick, hurt, and not feeling well. (Very common on a trip of any kind)
*Not always being together (due to schedule) and being able to share in the exciting times. (Some might say that is a high, not always being together)
*Missing loved ones in the US and not being with them.

HIGHS-
*Going to different schools and seeing the kids and their smiles when we walk around the grounds and talk with them in the classrooms. They are so respectful, we haven't had some many kids call us "sir" or bow in respect to us in our lives.
*Being able to share the game of basketball and teach basketball skills along with life skills.
*Being around a great group of guys (our team) that get it. My job is awesome, where I can impact their lives with my life experiences but they can also impact my life with their passion and world view.
*Seeing a country and experiencing a culture that very few people in the world even know about or get to be apart of.

I could go on and on with so many highs that some people might get really jealous, so I will end with what some of us experienced the other day. Through the small game of basketball we were able to meet and hangout with one of the Kings personal assistants, the King only has 3 of them. We met in a coffee shop and were able to just talk and listen to his experiences growing up with the King (a Prince when they were younger) and now working for the King. It was an experience that I will not forget anytime soon.

This trip has been amazing so far, we look forward to going into smaller towns and provinces tomorrow and experiencing life outside the big city. From the Land of the Thunder Dragon,
I (we) have to go get ready to play the National Team one last time, maybe on National TV.
They have improved each time we have played so it should be fun to play against and with our new friends.

CAMDEMONIUM

Cam's second blog post! Today was amazing and actually probably one of the top school visits I've had! Our guide took us to the school that she teaches P.E. at and also the game of basketball. When we first arrived we split our team up into groups and I got paired with Coach Boomer. We both walked and talked through 4 classrooms spreading why we are here in their country. Our main points that Boomer and I touched on were 2 things. First, the obvious, basketball. Second, and the main reason we are here, love. We want to spread love to everyone we come in contact with. Not only love, but the joy that comes along with loving one another and the joy of having the ultimate love, with the ultimate person! After going in these classrooms and talking and handing out little gifts to the kids, we walked out to where the basketball court is at and started talking to all the kids that were watching the clinic the Dallas team was putting on. Handing out little gifts, such as; bracelts, rings, candy, spinner tops and little beach balls. Once the kids saw we were passing out the gifts, a swarm of about 100 kids crowded around me, pushing, to get a gift. I didn't have enough for the kids, so I had to put it away before it got out of hand. Then after that craziness, one of the kids had a piece of paper asking for an autograph. Once all the kids saw this one kid asking, a sea of kids with papers, books, arms, hands, were in line wanting an autograph. I feel like no kid left without getting an autograph from one of the players. I had to step back and say to myself, how awesome is the person that sent me here and made this all possible, that i could be alive and be able to impact and touch kids lives. A stupid autograph, by a not-at-all famous person like me, being considered by these little kids, as amazing! I am completely humbled through my ultimate love and I can not express my love for him enough! When we all got back in the van coach Levi told me that wasnt pandemonium, it was camdemonium!

Bills brain #2

Hello America! I miss all of you! I figured that I should probably check in so that you all know that I am still alive and didn't pull an "Alexander supertramp"on you. I am so blessed to be on this trip. I am overwhelmingly thankful for every guy on our team and we are all finding our purpose and role on the team. I am also very grateful for all of your support. We are feeling it very strongly over here. It is a whole new world in Bhutan. Our lives will never be the same as we learn, grow, and have new experiences. Continue to be warriors for us as we are trying our best to be warriors out here. I love and miss you all and cannot wait to share with you soon.

PS Happy Birthday to the most beautiful girl in the world :)

What's important?

A constant thought that has crept into my mind these last couple days is about what exactly is important. When little things that we are usually used to are taken from us we tend to react in two different ways. We either realize that we can't live without "it" or we realize the exact opposite, that we can in fact live without "it". This has come up many times in the last couple days with having to do laundry in the bathtub (thankful for the bathtub!), to having no phone on me, having no wifi in every building, or a Starbucks on every corner, etc.

What has been most important has been the friendships, the people and figuring out exactly what I'm living for. I look forward to the next 10 days of separation from what I'm used to so that I can continue to think further about all of this.

Go for the Gho

Like a child waiting for Christmas morning I have been waiting for my Gho (the national dress for men in Bhutan). Ever since I found out about the national dress I have been excited to get one, and finally yesterday I got mine. It is a beautiful blue colored Gho and I love it. When I put it on for the first time I felt fully immersed in the culture. I have been slowly falling in love with the country of Bhutan, with it's people and with all the intangibles that make it special. My heart goes out to the people and I want nothing but good for them. When I wear my Gho I feel like I am where I am supposed to be (yes I will be wearing it back home, much to the dismay of bj I'm sure)

It has been an amazing thing of beauty to watch the team come together these last four days. The number of smiles has to be in the thousands and the fits of laughter is in the hundreds. Other than a few guys getting sick or injured we have had little go wrong and that is not a testament to us.

Well it is hard writing blogs on the iPhone so I will cut it off here but I am always thankful for the support that you give me through your thoughts and support.

Seeks

The land of the "first"

Because this blog post has the potential to consume all of my remaining time and energy, I'm going to resort to something I generally despise, the bullet point. See, despite the fact that I consider myself to be fairly well-traveled, Bhutan has turned out to be a land of firsts for me. And, we've only been here for three days! In those three days, I've lost track of all of the times I've said, "Well, I never imagined I'd see that." So, without further ado, the promised list of firsts (I can't figure out how to do bullets on this app, so I hope you'll tolerate dashes):

-Saw my first Takin, the national animal of Bhutan (see photo).
-Stood on a stage in front of 1000 Bhutanese kids while they sang their national anthem with the Himalayas serving as the backdrop.
-Couldn't play basketball in the gym we wanted to use because the king was worried that it was unsafe.
-Watched two princesses (twins) play basketball.
-Was told that I would have to order something else because the restaurant had run out of yak.
-Sang for a finalist on "Bhutan's Idol" so that I could convince her to sing for me.
-Listened to a principal's morning announcements that included, "...and we ask that all of the children stop swimming in the river or you will die."
-Watched a artist make an amazing wood carving with his feet.
-Saw several examples around town of how the Bhutanese ward off evil spirits (Since this is a family blog, I won't attach a picture; you may not want to google it either. We'll tell you when we get home.)

These are just the first things that popped into my mind. I'm probably missing some, and I'm sure there will be many more firsts to come. And, when they do, I'll be ready with more bullets...er...dashes.

Good night from the land of firsts!

The Blind Man

Stepping foot onto foreign ground for the first time is an experience one will never forget. I'm amazed at the the sights I saw entering Bhutan. The Himalayas are greater than any National Geographic or Google image search or blog can ever provide. They expand further and higher than any persons eye could see. And yet surprisingly that is not what struck me most. The best way to describe Chris Pynch's experience today is to compare myself to a blind man. I've never seen foreign land. I've never even seen a car driving on the left side of the road. But today, I compare myself to one who had their literal eyesight given to them for the first time. With every step taken it was like my eyelids were lifted one millimeter at a time until I was fully enclosed in Bhutanese culture.

Words can't describe the feeling. I could literally, tangibly FEEL my life changing. Oh what a feeling! My worldviews, thoughts, visions, expectations changed in seconds and there was nothing in the world to help it. Riding in van right after we landed in Bhutan, I was like a dog sticking its head out the window, barking and marveling at the sights. My eyes were so wide for so long I literally ripped my contact from dryness.

I saw an entire people group, an entire culture with not a worry in the world. No time constraints, no stoplights and no traffic jams. Just devout monks and the common man alike, passing through as if the word "worry" meant less to them than a 401k does to me now. There's something to be said about happiness, and the Bhutanese people personify this perfectly.


Happy mothers day mom! I love you and miss you. Thanks for being who you are and leading me to where I am at this very second. Words can't explain, you know this.

What a day!

Hey everyone! Our first full day on Bhutan was absolutely amazing! So much to tell, but for now, I'll just leave it at that. Absolutely amazing! I'll elaborate on that soon (if one of the guys doesn't beat me to the punch).

Good night from Bhutan!

Backstreet is Back!

Cameron Khoury's first blog! Our first day in the wonderful country of Bhutan couldn't have gone any better! After sleeping for 12 hours and getting our bodies on Thimphu time, we woke up this morning and ate a really good breakfast. After breakfast we saddled up in our vans to head to the first school, a high school. When we arrived the principle of the school greeted us and rushed us up on stage in front of the whole school, size of about 1000. The principle introduced us to the school and Coach Boomer formally introduced each one of us. After the introductions the whole school of 1000 sang the Bhutanese National Anthem, to me, officially starting our trip here in Bhutan. Once the national anthem was finished the high school was dismissed to begin school and go to their first class. We split up the team into groups of 4, with Nolan, Tom, Billy, and myself in a group, and got the chance to speak to a class of about 30. Each of the other groups also got to speak with a class. In the class we got a chance to further introduce ourselves and tell a little background information about us. The kids were extremely respectful and gave is their undivided attention. We talked to them about basketball, life, and what other benefits you get from being part of a sport and a team. They asked us questions about positions of basketball along with what players in the NBA play those positions. With one kid being a Laker fan and the rest being Miami fans. I had to give the one Laker fan a high five for being one amongst all the bandwaggoners. Our group finished our classroom session first and when exited the classroom we hear a group of guys singing. So I walk into the class, two away from us, and come to see my teammates Taylor and Kirk, along with Coach Boomer and our coordinator Josh singing Backstreet Boys "I Want It That Way" by request from one of the kids! With the kids are clapping along and me getting it all on video! They plan on doing that song at every school we go to!

Exhaustion (from Levi)

So let me tell you something if you don't already know, getting zero sleep while traveling thousands of miles and jumping times zones like they were a jump rope really wears a person out. I am constantly reminded every time I travel abroad that I am not as tough as I always think (especially with Nolan reminding me of that fact). It is currently 630 am of day two and after twelve hours of sleep I am feeling ready to attack this trip with energy and fervor again. Today we have two separate kids camp to run and will be splitting up into two separate groups. Continue to keep us in your thoughts as we go throughout each day. I hope I have hit my wall and now will be good but surely others will hit there's soon and it always takes a group effort to battle travel fatigue. Love you all


Seeks

Bum Leg

Hey all,

As Boomer mentioned, my first game back after a 15-year retirement, wasn't filled with all the glory I thought it would be. Instead, it was filled with me rolling my ankle like a schmuck. My ankle hurts quite a bit, but I think my pride hurts more. So dumb!

Anyway, other than that and not sleeping for the last 42ish hours, things are lovely. It's an absolutely amazing country that I'd love to tell you all about right now, but as I mentioned, 42 hours, and I've already spent most of my remaining energy whining about my ankle. So, I'm outta here, a bit discouraged, but full of hope. Here's to tomorrow...

First Game in the Books

Boom here. This is my first blog of the trip, and TK is soon to follow. We got in to Paro Intl Airport safely this morning. The landing is the craziest...literally splitting the Himalaya Mountains like an old school Atari game. Supposedly it is the world's third toughest landing. Really fun actually. The pictures we got from the air of the world's third highest peak are awesome, and it got better from the ground...Bhutan is beautiful. Very much in awe of this hidden gem of a country.

We capped our 35 hour trip from LA to Thimpu with a 70 minute car ride through the winding mountains. Brittney, you would have gotten über sick! We got to Thimpu at noon, which would be 11 pm California time. Very long and tiring, but we tried to tough it out. After eating lunch at our hotel,we stopped by a huge outdoor market,similar to the OC Fair (but with a little more "flavor" to it)! After the market, it was straight to our first game...against the BT national team made up of mostly 18-25 year olds.

With little or no sleep for essentially 40 hours, we played as hard as we could. However, we ended up several men down, because of Noel's back, Seek's knee, and then Billy got sick and Josh rolled his ankle. Levi and Bill will be back probably tomorrow, but Josh needs your thoughts with him, so he can return to the court with us. Even more important is his ability to walk without pain, because he is a primary reason we were able to get here and is a big part of our team. Pynch, Kirk, Cam, Nolan, TK, and I battled with the emotional help of our fellas, and we won by about 15. Didn't play great, had to adjust to FIBA rules and a super slippery ball and court.

The best thing about the day was meeting with Tokey, who is the boss man over here, and hanging with the fellas from the BT national squad. They are really funny, and we are honored to spend time with them in this country. Tomorrow we have a couple camps and maybe another game, but we are definitely ready to get some rest first!

Lastly, I want to thank all of you who helped us get here. It's a great feeling that we have a lot of people thinking about us back home. We love you all. Shout out to the wifey and my Momma Shaq on this Mothers Day. I love you guys.

Crazy

I am sitting on the airplane flying over the Pacific Ocean heading to the Himalayas while writing this blog on my smartphone. Do I need to say anything else. I think it has just hit me that pretty soon we are going to be in a totally different country/world. I have been blessed to see and experience many different things in my life.

Growing up in the Philippines for 9 years, other overseas projects and living for almost 29 years. I know, I am still young. I hope those past experiences will give me insight for this trip but my eyes are going to be wide open. I think part of that is because we don't really know what to expect. On my past trips someone on our team had been there and was able to brief us pretty good, this trip, first time for everyone in Bhutan. I can't even imagine what Pynch, Cam, and TK (Taylor) are thinking right now, since none of them have ever been out of the States. What a way to start their world adventures.

Before I left I received a book/journal to document my world travel adventures. I was joking around that my kids and grandkids (neither I have yet or are even close to having, need to get married first, sorry Mom and Dad, but probably 5 years.. don't get me off topic) would be flipping through the book and listening to their crazy old dad/grandpa talk about all his trips and not even believing some of the experiences that I have had and probably going to have if I keep up the pace that I am at.

I am truely grateful to those who support me personally and our team. We hope that you know each of you are along with us on this trip and we couldn't be doing this without you. Land of the Thunder Dragon, we hope you are ready for what is about to come into your country, I know we are ready for what you have for us, we hope.

I attached a photo of us in the Bangkok airport, can you find some of our teammates? One more flight and we will be in Bhutan, and we have a full day ahead of us.

Surviving Thailand

Ok so the day is not officially over (currently 10:05pm) but I can officially say that I just experienced one of the craziest traveling days of my life. I will list them in bullet points because I do not have the time nor the will power at this time to fully tell the full story (ask about the points when I get back and I will love to tell you about them).

. Despite the humidity and heat in Thailand I am pleased to find that Bangkok does an amazing job with having all of its trains, cars, and buildings air conditioned.
. Josh and I figure we took well over 10,000 steps today and in the heat that took its toll
.surprisingly the trains were easy to take and getting to our destinations were simple
.we took an hour and a half boat ride through the river system of Thailand and let me tell you it was an eye opening experience of seeing a city that is not quite big enough for itself and at some points we saw the poverty of the people here and that was heart breaking
. One of the highlights of the trip was paying WAY too much a for a tuk-tuk (three wheeled taxi bike) ride from one part of the city to another. The exciting part was that our driver thought we said we would pay the fee if he got us there in ten minutes! Let's just say it was amazingly dangerous and all the while exilerating, I never want to do that again but I am happy to have the memory (and also be alive). He thought banking corners at 40 miles and hour and weaving through semis was what we wanted so we let him think that. Safe to say he might have earned the money we didn't know we were having to pay.
. J and I got real Thai massages were they walk all over your back. This was amazing and interesting all at the same time, I still don't know how the lady giving me my massage had such a strong big toe.
. Later in the night I was able to successfully barter with some street venders (first time in my life, very exilerating) for a watch and three pairs of Calvin Klein underwear :)
. After our boat ride we got approached by a different tuk-tuk driver and somehow we got talked into taking another ride around town (we were still both concerned highly from our first experience earlier in the day. This driver quickly told us the price that he would charge us for the rest of the day if we wanted to ride his taxi. The price as roughly 1usd which was an amazing price that we couldn't turn down and since we had a couple hours to burn we told him to take us wherever he wanted for the next couple hours. He hen convinced us that if we went to certain shops he could get free gas,free food, and other random things from the store owners simply by bringing American tourists by. We did not know that we had agreed to this when we got into the taxi but after forming a relationship over the course of the next three hours we didn't mind and besides it made for a great story and it kept us busy and entertained. At one point though I got into an argument with a shop owner over the price of his suits that I never intended to buy (the driver was getting free gas at the time from the shops owner) and it got pretty heated to the point of the j and I leaving on bad terms because the owner was berating me on my idea of how I should know the price differentials of competing shops before I purchased his suit. Needless to say it was a great experience and buying the driver dinner at the end of the night was very fun for j and I (even though he did order two meals and one was shrimp soup)

Well that was a majority of the day and most of those stories can be better told in person and with the right focus I'm sure I will be able to make you feel like your were right there

At this moment j and I are just waiting at our hotel for the rest of our team to fly into Thailand. We are gonna meet them in less than two hours and then board a plane for our final destination of Bhutan!

Until next time

Levi

It's for washing your backside, right?

1000 points to the person who tells me what movie that from.

My hero has a first name...

...It's L E V I. My hero has a second name; it's S E E K I N S!

Had my first workout with Levi this morning, and I'm still standing. He was easy on me!

It's been a great morning! Good breakfast, good workout, great Skype with the fam, and now off to downtown Bangkok. Talk to you soon!

Thai Adventures

Well, I know most of you probably just found out that Levi and I are in Tokyo, but surprise! Now, we're in Thailand! Turns out the internet in the Tokyo airport is somewhat less than stellar. But, on to bigger and better things.

I discovered two important things on our flight from Tokyo. First, my willpower is much weaker than I imagined. See, I convinced myself I would stay awake for the majority of the six hour flight so I would good and ready for bed when we got to the hotel, but I was asleep before we lifted off and didn't wake up until we started our descent. Second, and far more interesting, I found out that Levi has an absolutely adorable laugh! (Don't worry, bro, I still think you're a bad bad man!) He discovered the show New Girl on the plane, and it's safe to say that he enjoyed it.

Anyway, after a fairly uneventful day of travel, we're now in the lobby of our hotel in Bangkok, blogging and preparing to go for a late night stroll in search of food. Then, off to bed and up at a reasonable hour for breakfast and a workout (during which I'm thinking Levi will punish me for the laugh comment).

Good night from Asia! See you tomorrow!

Thailand

Just walking out of the airport you can feel the rush of air. It's a mixture of heat, humidity, and finality! I am finally here and it's feels great, despite the exhaustion and plane food I've eaten the last 20 hours. I hope that I will get some good sleep tonight although josh and I are wide awake at 130am here right now. We are planning on getting some late night food and then hitting the hay. Tomorrow brings a lot of excitement as we have a few things to take care of before the rest of our team shows up. I can't wait to meet up with them and reach our final destination, but until then I am happy to have arrived at my current destination safely.

A toilet by any other name...

-This is a little out of date now, but I wouldn't want my literary genius to go to waste, so I'll post anyway-

...smells about the same.

12 hours, 4 in-flight movies, 2 questionable airline meals and 4 sore butt cheeks later (I'm assuming this last bit is true of Levi too; we haven't actually discussed it much), we're in Tokyo...for another hour or so. Then, it's off to Thailand. Stay tuned...

Bill's Brain! Episode 1

Hello Everyone!! And welcome to the world premier of Bill's Brain. This is the portion of our blog where we get to take a look at what is going on in Bill's Brain as he experiences all that the country of Bhutan has to offer him. This is the first official episode of its kind, and we hope that many more will be accumulated over the course of the next few weeks. As this post is being vigorously typed out, Bill is laying in bed, wondering what the next few days will bring. Traveling long distances is not one of Bill's specialties. It is going to have to take some phenomenal airplane food, movies, and sleeping pills for Bill to endure the hours and hours of transportation necessary for him to reach the final destination--- The Himalayas. When Bill thinks of the Great Himalayan Mountains, he is reminded of a few things: Batman Begins (Yes, Batman was originally trained in the Himalayan Mtns.), The Yeti (The infamous Abominable Snowman that finds its dwelling in the Himalayan Mtns.), and his least favorite pet- the Himalayan Cat (the most ugly/creepy creature on Earth). BUT, ultimately Bill snaps back to reality and understands that there are much bigger things in store for him in the Himalayan Mountains than possibly becoming Batman, encountering the Yeti, or being attacked by a Cat. Bill does not know what will happen when he is out there- he really has no clue what to expect- but he is excited. Bill wanted to mention that he will be missing his friends and family back home. He wants them to know that he appreciates their support and loves them a lot..... We have now come to the end of our first episode of Bill's Brain. As a tradition, we will leave our readers with a quote to end the show. Today is Bill's favorite quote from his favorite movie- Into the Wild--- "The core of man's spirit comes from new experiences." HERE IS TO NEW EXPERIENCES!

We're off!

Well, it's official. Levi and I are walking on the plane right now. 2-3 years of planning are paying off! Headed to Bhutan with an amazing group to teach and learn. It's gonna be amazing!

Let's goooooo!!!

Unplugged

No, I am not a musician doing an acoustic set, but I am going to be detached and freed (also known as off the grid). No cell phone, no work, no watch, no email, no twitter, just Bhutan, Basketball and the Boys (well men, but boys followed my "B" pattern).  I always enjoy going out of the country and being totally unavailable and slowing down my busy life that I create.  It is my only true vacation time and my job here at Vanguard is important, but things will be handled here, they don't need me for 18+ days, if they do then we have bigger issues. 

To all my people (you know who you are) I don't know what you are going to do without me coming around to your office and providing breaks at work.  You might actually get work done and your productivity will increase.  Don't work too hard though. :)

You might want to know what I am looking forward to the most on this trip.  The first and foremost is a time to create and strengthen my relationships, not only with team members but other important connections I have. Second, is seeing the beauty of the earth, a picture/camera is not going to do the landscape justice (yes, we will try with some pictures to share).  Thirdly is to spread the awesome game of basketball, I have been blessed with gifts, talents and a skill set that is unique just to me, I am hoping that what I have learned and developed will impact the country for good, while keeping with their rich heritage.  The last thing that I am looking forward to is learning from the people of Bhutan, learning how to mediate and clear my mind and being able to focus on a singular thing.  Also learning some of their culture and life skills that I can develop and use for my own life in the future.  Everywhere I go, I always try and take something away that I can use whether at work or in my personal life. 

This will probably be my last post here in the USA, unless I can't sleep tonight with all the excitement I have for our trip tomorrow.  We leave LA around noon and it takes 30+ hours to arrive in Bhutan.  Thank you for your thoughts and support.  Hugs and kisses (you also know who gets those, not necessary the same group :))
We are off to the Land of the Thunder Dragon.

Hey so this is my very first blog of my life! No better time to start blogging then right before this amazing opportunity i have to travel to Bhutan. For most of you if you are reading this then you about this trip already. I consider myself very privileged and blessed to be able to team up with 9 of my fellow team members (6 of my players, 1 of my fellow coaches, 1administrator and Big J Harrison!) The trip will be a total of 18 days for Josh and myself, while being 17 days for Taylor (player), Noel (player), Nolan (Administration), Boomer (coach), Billy (player), Cam (player), and then 15 days for Pynch (player, at least he thinks so :) and kirk (player).

I could not think of a better group of guys to be traveling with on this grand adventure. With a mix of old friends and new friends i will be personally looking forward to the strengthening of each and every relationship while on this trip. I am excited for all of the guys on the trip that will be leaving the states for the first time in their lives, especially Taylor and Pynch (i can still remember my first time traveling and also my first time in a country that was so different from everything i have ever known). I am excited to see the transformations that this trip will play in each life and my own as well.

The preparation of the trip has been a good one for me personally. When you go on a trip like this you always want to make sure that you are prepared mentally and physically. When you are bringing something so precious to another country, in this case the game of basketball and more, it is so important to me that i strip down all the ways that i can get something out of this and focus rather on how i can help others and in turn be changed myself.

As far as we know (tentative as always with trips like this) our team will be teaching seven different basketball camps in seven different locations, one of which will be in the capitol city of Thimpu. Our team will teach the country on the basics of shooting, dribbling, passing and so much more. Along with teaching the game we will be bringing equipment that is essential to the playing of the game (about 500lbs of equipment).

These are just a couple quick point about my trip that i wanted to talk about and as i am on my trip i will dive deeper into whatever is on my mind when i am writing. Before i finish this post i just really wanted to thank all of my supporters for giving so generously to my trip and for your continued support with your thoughts as i am gone for 18 days. I am blessed for even being able to have this opportunity and am gracious to everyone responsible for being a part of it.


Levi-

Look What You've Done

It's hard to trust the age-old myth that "a little goes a long ways."  But with a lot of little donations from friends, family, and the occasional quarter find in the couch coushin, we've gone an unbelievably long ways.  Below is a picture of 120 basketballs we had to deflate, by any means necessary.  At one point Levi was sitting on two and squeezing two more trying to show off his deflating capabilities- it was impressive.  Almost.  

Along with the 120 basketballs we purchased and packed basketball rims, nets, scoreclocks, whistles, drawing boards, shirts, hats, sweatbands and pumps. We had so much materials that we couldn't pack it all because of the 50 lb weight limit.  We filled 8 large bins and several pieces of luggage with the gear.   I couldn't believe the amount of gear we were able to raise in such a short time.  So amazing!

I (we) really want to say thank you for donating to our trip to the Himalayas! We trusted we would raise the money and it came quickly, thanks to all of you.  We all are very thankful for your part in allowing us this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  I'll keep you posted as often as possible.  Thanks again and please keep us in your thoughts!

-Chris Pynch

Where are you going?

I've had several people ask me exactly where it is that our team is going to be, so I figured I'd post a map. We'll be in the redish, pinkish country smooshed between China and India.

Packing day, details... thank you

I am so very blessed and privileged to be able to go on this trip.  It is amazing all the people that have supported our team and donated money and supplies for our trip.  I think of all the details that go into a trip like this: Airline tickets, passports, visas, getting to the airport, accommodations in Bhutan and numerous other details especially once we arrive in Bhutan.  It is going to be an amazing experience and I'm counting down the days/hours until the trip.  I am currently at work right now, but can't really get any work done.  Our team got together earlier today to pack our bins of items, we have so much basketball gear it is crazy.  Rims, scoreboards, nets, Adidas headbands/wristbands, basketballs, NBA All-Star gear, and much more.  I am glad that the 120+ basketballs that we got through NBA International and from Spalding arrived today.  It was a chore deflating them, knowing that we will have to pump them up very shortly.  I am sure we will make some sort of a competition out of it once we arrive in country.
Thank you for taking time to read this blog and follow our journey as we embark on our trip and bring basketball to the Land of the Thunder Dragon.    

Hey All,

So, if you're reading this blog, it's probably because you know one of our team members.  See, we're a group of basketball players, coaches, and a couple of other guys, who are going to be leaving for Bhutan at the end of this week.  While we're there, training local coaches, putting on clinics in schools, and playing some friendly games against Bhutanese teams.  It's going to be an amazing experience!  I'd love to tell you more about it, including the story that got us here, but since we're leaving in less that a week, I've got tons to do.  So, it will have to wait for a future post

That being said, please feel free to bookmark this blog and check back regularly.  We will have a different team member posting at least daily this week as well as throughout the trip.

Oh, and if you want to know more about Bhutan, check this out:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcoQjoZ6toI

I'll talk at you soon!

josh