A few years ago, the first time I came here, the Thais were quite friendly and of course, smile at you when they talk to you. But now I feel like the Thais are not as friendly as before. Some of them are quite rude. For example, one day I went to a place where I stayed before and told the person at the lobby that I stayed there before and asked her how much was the room rate over there now, and she answered with a question. “Why do ask me that if you had stayed here before?” And I was like, “that was a few years ago, so I assumed that the prices have changed.” And another instance was with my host. The first time I dealt with her, she acted as if I wasn't welcome when I arrived (I booked my room for three nights). And every morning, I would say good morning, and she does not even respond as if I were talking to a wall. I don't know why this is happening, and I heard the same experience with another traveler. Is it because there are now too many foreign tourists and expats living here. They should be happy with a big smile on their faces because tourism brings money to their economy, and I do believe this is their biggest source of income. Just to think of it, Thailand is supposed to be the top destination in the world these past few years. They should keep it that way by remaining “The Land of Smiles.”
My Photography and Film Project about Asia Unlike What's Done Before
I figure that there are people out there who would like to be my patrons and help me get this long term passion project into completion and to get it our there in the world. Just to give you my background, I got a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cinema and Photography. For the past six years, it has been a great experience for me being able to live and travel all over Asia. One of my best experiences is being able to live in China. In addition, I was able to travel to countries such as South Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Macao and others and continue to travel. Right now, I am in Thailand, which I love. And three weeks from now, I am going to another country. I am still trying to decide which country to go to next. Maybe go back to Vietnam and visit Hanoi, which I have not been able to visit last time I was in that country. I was only able to go to Ho Chi Minh CIty, Dalat, Nha Trang, and Danang. Or maybe Taiwan or Japan, which I haven't been to yet. Some travelers recommended to me that I should visit those places. For sure, I've always been fascinated by Japan. I used to be into anime when I was young. Also I had a bunch of Japanese friends back in college. As for Taiwan, I've always been fascinated by the Chinese culture, so this is a definitely a must-see place for me. For sure, I want to include this in my China project along with Hong Kong, where I lived for seven months. Anyway thanks to my future patrons. Any help is deeply appreciated, and even a like or a share of my Social Media profiles and my website helps a lot too.
You can support this project through Patreon or by sharing my website and/or my Social Media Profiles such as Instagram and Youtube
Patreon - For Those Who Would Like to Support My Photography and Film Project About China and Other Asian Countries
I just got a profile on Patreon so if you like my project and would like to support it, please make a little contribution. For your contribution, I will let you know the progress of my long term photography and film project. I already had four exhibitions about this project, but I want to expand more on this project by shooting more pictures and videos for this project and to get this exhibited all over the world. My goal is to show the positive side of Asia, especially China, and from a different perspective (Asian American eyes). Usually most Western decumentary photographers and filmmakers tend to focus to show the negative side of this region by showing more of the negative side of this place, not its rapid progress into a very modern society. In addition, my goal is to combine documentary and experimental style of photography and film to make something more artistic and more of my own vision of this place. I use a variety of tools in order to do this with different cameras and equipment. To contribute, please go to www.patreon.com/chrisrevon Thanks so much for your support. Even a sharing this website and my Patreon page and like/subscribing to my social media accounts (Instagram and Youtube) can help me on this project.
My Equipment as a Photographer and Filmmaker
As a photographer and as a filmmaker, I think the equipment and cameras are not important. It is the vision, the style, the eye of the person and her content which are important. For the last four years, I’ve been using the same cameras and equipment. It is only the last few weeks in which I bought some new cameras and equipment/gadgets. I bought them because I had real reasons to buy them. These are the new cameras and equipment/gadgets I bought: a new mirrorless camera, a new 360 camera, a new gimbal, a new action camera, a new camera phone app. First, why did I buy a mirrorless camera, I already have one. Well, this one shoots 4K, and my old one only shoots up to HD. Also it has a mic input, which I need to do for vlogging, which is something I am getting serious about. I used to do just voice overs. Second, as for the 360 camera, there are times when I am in a crowd, and there is so many things going on at the same time, and I want to be able to capture them and not miss them, so this is when the 360 camera comes into play. Besides I am also about to do a lot of outdoor activities, and this would be great for something like that. Third, what about the gimbal? Well, obviously as an artist/filmmaker, I want to be able to be much more creative with my shots, and as a solo filmmaker with no crew, this is the only way I can do it. Fourth, I do have two other action cameras, but they do not shoot 4K and do not have camera stabilization, but this one I bought, it does have both. Though I still shoot mostly HD 1080P footage, I am giving myself an option to shoot 4K in the near future. Last but not the least, a new camera phone app. That’s because I want to be more creative with my camera phone and be able to use as if it is a regular pro camera. Actually my favorite filmmaker, Steven Soderbergh shot a feature film with it. So there you have it. I am a practical filmmaker and photographer, so I only buy a new camera or equipment only if I really need them. As you can see, I didn’t tell you the brands or models of the camera or equipment just because these don’t matter that much to me, it is how I use them that matters. On the other hand, next time I will tell you what they are.
For now, please like/follow/subscribe to my social media channels to get updated with my travel and photography and video projects and my photo and video equipment, software, apps and gadgets . Links are right below.
Seven Months in Hong Kong
I lived in Hong Kong for seven months, and my experience over there has been great, but of course, there are pros and cons of living in this city, considering that it is the most expensive city to live in the world (as of now) according to a lot of articles I have read about it. Yes, it is true based on my experience living there. Watch this video (which is my second video about Hong Kong on Youtube) about Hong Kong and find out what I learned about living in this city. It was mostly shot with my phone. (Even though I am not in Hong Kong anymore, I will keep on uploading more videos about Hong Kong. These were mostly shot with my other cameras such as DSLR camera, mirrorless camera and action cameras, so subscribe and/or follow me on Youtube and Instagram to see more of these.)
My First Video of Hong Kong (Shot on my phone only)
This is my first video of Hong Kong. More videos will follow. Right now, I have been so busy with my project about Hong Kong and business that I have not had the chance to upload any new video about this city, but I will have them edited and updated soon.
Bruce Lee's Philosophy - Something I Follow
Bruce Lee’s Philosophy is something I believe in and follow.
Read MoreNew Hong Kong videos on my Youtube and Instagram IG →
I am now shooting more videos about Hong Kong for both Youtube and Instagram IG, so make sure to follow me on both Social Media Platforms, including my FB page too: https://www.facebook.com/EthniqueMedia/ For now, there are just vlogs telling you about my impression of this impressive and exciting city. More topic-driven contents will soon follow after I get used to doing this random subject vlogs.
More than Two Months in Vietnam. Now About to Leave for Hong Kong.
It has been a great experience being here in Vietnam. In two months, I have been to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Dalat, Thra Nang, and finally Danang. I will have videos about these cities up on my Youtube channel, IGTV channel and Facebook Page soon, so make sure to subscribe to my social media channels to get updated with these new videos. Though I had a little bit of a bad experience (getting scammed, getting charged twice, etc), for the most part, everything else was great. Definitely I met some really great people who made me really feel welcome and at home. Also twice I left my phone at a cafe, and I got it back. For sure, never let one bad experience be your impression of the country and its people. Definitely most of the Vietnamese I have encountered have been extremely nice and honest. Will I come back to Vietnam? That’s for sure. There are still a lot of places I want to go to in this country. Not only I definitely want to go back to the places where I have been and stayed too for the last two months. I just wish I could stay longer, but now it is almost time for me to leave for Hong Kong. Knowing that there is a direct flight to Vietnam from Hong Kong (only 1 1/2 hour flight to Danang), I can always come here for a few days whenever I have some vacation time. Vietnam is supposed to be the next “Tiger” in Southeast Asia with its economy progressing at a very fast pace, so I would love to be a witness to that by documenting it through writing, photography and filmmaking. This is one of my long term projects.
My First Travel Vlog (About Chiang Mai, Thailand)
This was my first travel vlog about Thailand. Still I am not used to doing a vlog yet. I am hoping I get to find a travel partner/girlfriend who could do the vlog with me. I just feel awkward doing vlogs by myself. Anyway I am sure once I get a partner, it would be much easier for me to vlog.
A Nice Walk at Redondo Beach Pier in California
Let's Go for a Walk on the Beach in Sunny California (My Home)
Why Do I Travel?
I think the following quotes the reason why travel a lot and try to stay longer at each place I go to.
“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comforts of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things — air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky. All things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.”
– Cesare Pavese
“Wherever You Go Becomes A Part Of You Somehow.” -Anita Desai
We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.
– Jawaharial Nehru
WITH SMART PHONES, WE ARE DOOMED. ALL WE ARE NOW ARE JUST NUMBERS.
If we keep on relying on our phones for everything we do, we, the mankind, are doomed as we know it. And texting is not the best way to communicate with each other.
Whatever happened to voice calls or talking to each other in person? And people ending relationships with texts, what is that all about? Everything has become so impersonal because of smart phones. And if we ever get together, what happens？Instead of talking to each other, we look at our phones.
Do we really have to find what our friends or other people are up to and what they’re posting on their Facebook, Instagram or WeChat. Now we are just a number out of hundreds of friends on our friend’s list on Facebook, Instagram or WeChat. They can easily delete us as if we are nothing but just a number. Does it matter if they delete us? Of course not, considering we are just a number. Anyway they still have hundreds of friends online. We are easily replaced like a number. In a way, we just became a commodity. What are we worth to the person? Nothing really. Since we are just another number, we can be easily replaced by another that’s worth a lot more than us.
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA- A 24-7 MODERN CITY
The cold air made my body shiver as I got off the shuttle bus from Incheon International Airport. As I looked around, I was already fascinated by this city called Seoul. It seemed very modern with its stylish buildings all around me. It was my first time in Seoul, yet for some reason, I knew I would get to love this city, despite not having heard of KPop or KDrama or even Gangnam Style (well, at that time, the song wasn’t even out yet). So for sure, this was my first impression of Seoul. Oh wait, I did see some movies from South Korea, so in a way, I had a little bit of an idea what South Korea or Seoul was like. Yet, still not so much the way you find out about this place from those other things. At that time, when I first came to Seoul, it was very early in the morning, so most of the stores were still close, but there was already a crowd of people rushing to get to the bus stop or to the nearest subway station. Being very cold and not used to it anymore, having lived in Los Angeles, California for such a long time, I immediately tried to find the nearest cafe, and there it was: a Starbucks. Talk about cold, last time I felt this cold was when I was still living in Chicago, but after getting my caffeine for the day and getting myself warm, I was ready to check out the city, and I wasn’t disappointed.
As I went around the city, I could immediately see what this city had to offer. Shops, including most of the famous brands you see in the States and Europe, are all over the city, so this is a city that is almost on steroids when it comes to shopping. As I looked around, I saw a lot of beautiful and sexy Korean women and handsome men walk around with their designer clothes and accessories, so you could tell that they really care about the big name brands and how they looked. For some reason, the men are almost feminine as the women with their almost flawless skin. Just to think that South Korea used to be an impoverished nation ruined by the Korean war about fifty years ago, but now it is basking in wealth from the money it has been earning from its rise as a technology powerhouse with companies such as Samsung, Hyundai, LG and others.
Fast forward a few years later, when I came back, I knew a lot more about the Korean culture through KPop and KDrama. Thanks to my ex-girlfriend and some Korean friends who introduced me to those things in order for me to learn the Korean language and culture. This made me appreciate my stay in South Korea a lot more just because everything now felt familiar. The culture was not that alien to me anymore. I could pretty much immerse myself in the culture with ease as if it were mine. I’d say that I did not really enjoy the country of South Korea and the city of Seoul fully until my second and third time here. Knowing much more than what I knew back then really made those trips a lot more meaningful and fun. It was not a question of doing “when in Rome, do what the Romans do.” I was actually doing it naturally. Not because I had to, but because I wanted to.
I’ve been to a lot of cities worldwide, including most major cities in Asia, except Japan, and I think Seoul is not your typical Asian city. Here you do not see a lot of scooters. If you do see scooters, they’re mostly used by delivery people. In Seoul, anything can be delivered no matter what. For a city that is on the go, it is pretty much a necessity. In this city, everything is fast paced. That’s why the most common Korean expression is “Pali-pali” which means “Hurry up!” or “Faster!” In this city, everyone seems to be always in a rush. They walk fast here that only a New Yorker can outrun them.
No wonder their internet speed is considered the fastest in world, when their people do not seem to have patience due to their fast paced lifestyle, it is pretty much a given that their technology is dictated by the their needs for convenience. So I assume that probably the Research and Development Departments of their top technology companies always try to fill in those needs right away as to keep up with the pace of the lifestyle of the South Koreans.
This is a country that does not seem to want to slow down. Because of this, when you come here, you get a sense of that energy. That energy does not seem to run out as the overworked Koreans get off from their work really late at night. Still they have a lot of leftover energy to spend their time at KTV, clubs, etc, drinking their soju until they do not have energy anymore. By that time, it is almost morning already. To say that Seoul is another city that never sleeps is definitely true. Everything here is 24-7.
I think that’s probably one of the things that really made me like Seoul a lot. The energy you feel when you are in this city. Now that I’ve been here quite a few times already, I do not think I would never get tired of coming back here. But with its 24-7 lifestyle, you will definitely run out of energy and get tired as you spend your time here, but then again, life is best served best on the go.
WHY I LOVE THAILAND: MORE FUN FOR YOUR BUCK AND VERY TOURIST-FRIENDLY
What is it about Thailand that I like? First of all, it seems that the country itself is catered towards both the tourists and expats. You can immediately sense this as soon as you arrive at their airport: Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Countless different types of people (French, British, Australians, Brazilians, Japanese, Chinese, Germans, etc) swarm and arrive in this airport everyday, so it is true what the article from Trip Advisors said about this country: its city, Bangkok, is the 15th top travel destination in the world right now ( https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Destinations-cTop-g1 ). In addition, now its second largest city, Chiang Mai is the world’s second best city according to Travel and Leisure magazine ( http://www.travelandleisure.com/worlds-best/cities ). So it just makes sense that this is one of the best countries to visit.
In this country, everyone seems to know basic English. It is probably because they are used to a lot of foreigners coming to this country that they are now used to speaking the English language all the time. And I was told as more and more Chinese tourists are also visiting the country every year (4.5 million of Chinese citizen visited Thailand in 2015), they are also beginning to learn Chinese. I had a chance to talk to a Thai woman, and she told me that a few years ago, if a Thai person wanted to get a good job in this country, she needed to be able to speak English well, but now a Thai person can get even a better job if she speaks both English and Chinese well. Based on this talk with her, I assume that the country itself really wants to really do their best to make everyone welcome. I bet if it was not impossible, they probably would make themselves learn most languages just to make sure the the visitors from other countries feel at home in their country, but since they know both English and Chinese, they can pretty much talk to most people on the planet: Chinese with about 1 billion and 300 million people and about 328 million native speakers worldwide having English as their first language and about 600 million worldwide who speak English as their second or third language. This just shows how accommodating the Thais are with foreigners. You can also see this with their smile. They did not call this place “the land of smiles” for nothing.
Added to this, in addition to the famous Thai cuisine, all kinds of Western food are also served at a lot of places here. That is if you’re not the kind of person who “when in Rome, do what the Romans do,” but most foreigners love the Thai cuisine. Also the coffee, not the instant one but the pure brewed one, is everywhere and is not expensive in contrast with most Asian countries where real coffee is quite expensive. It seems that it is more a part of their existence since the beginning rather than just something that the Westerners just introduced into the country. That’s also one of the best things I love about this country. Cafes are everywhere. For a coffee lover like me, it is a paradise.
What also makes Thailand extra special is that the cost of everything is pretty cheap but not at the expense of them being low quality. Even with the Thai street food, you can tell that they use the best quality ingredients. And from the way it is prepared, they seem to be very healthy, especially with such dish as Papaya Salad. Just like the coffee, its beers and other alcoholic drinks are not too expensive compared to other Asian countries such as South Korea and even China. For sure, your money goes a long way. You will definitely have a great time for a lot less.
And if you are not just a tourist but an expat who wants to stay a lot longer in this country, you’re making a right choice since this country is one of the best countries to live in as an expat ( http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20160426-bangkok-shouldnt-be-good-for-expats-but-it-is) . I met a lot of them during my extended stay here, and they seem to enjoy its lifestyle, quality of life, and low cost of living.
What can you ask for. It has everything you need: great nightlife, beaches, outdoor sports, diving, etc. So you’re not limited as to what you can do over here for a vacation. Also if you come here, I highly recommend for you to try to go around, to another city or town, even a smaller town. Every place has different things to offer. Though I have been there for a few times, I still feel that there are still more things I could do and more places I could visit over there. It is a country I would never get tired of visiting over and over again.
The Poster for my Photography Exhibition in Hangzhou, China
This exhibition includes other foreign photographers as well. Each photographer has her own style. Mine was more about fashion: modern and traditional as shown on this website about my China Project.
Why You Should Not Judge a Country or Its People by just One Experience
A female Vietnamese pickpocket tried to steal my wallet, but she failed. I already knew what she was about to do, and I was able to stop her before she could do it. But anyway I also had a great experience with Vietnamese people. Twice I left my phone at a cafe, and I got it back. So the lesson here is to not let one bad experience influence you when it comes to judging a person or a place. Generalizing a country or a group of people just because of some experience is just plain wrong.. Let’s say another traveler had a bad experience while traveling Vietnam or some other country and told his friends back home about it. Please do not just think that same experience will happen to you when you go to that country. Maybe that guy, for the lack of a better word, just was not lucky and did not meet the right people, the nice people. People are people. They are the same in any country. There is good and bad. But if you really try hard, you will find that people are inherently good.. Having traveled all over the world, I did see the best in people, How they go out of their way to help me and to make me feel at home in their country. In conclusion, I still enjoy this country and met some really nice Vietnamese here. For sure, I will be back. And let’s say I didn’t have a great experience here. I would still be back and give it a chance. Vietnam has really opened my eyes and really made me discover its beauty which you cannot just experience through written words, videos and pictures. You really have to come here and experience it.
Why Traveling is so Important
You learn about a place and get to know the people by being there in the flesh rather than just by reading about it. It even sparked my curiosity some more that I even watched Ken Burn's unbiased documentary "The Vietnam War." It definitely opened my eyes. It just shows that you cannot just judge people. For sure, it is quite true that you cannot always rely on what information the media feeds you. You have to see it for yourself. I really enjoyed this country and really appreciate the generosity of its people. Though I had two instances of a bad experience, for the most part, I dealt with really nice sincere people here and who went out of their way to make me feel at home. I read that Vietnam's economy is booming fast, and it will be the next "Tiger" in Southeast Asia. They say it will be like China in ten years. Well, I think they deserve it after going through some turbulent times in its history. And they are such humble people 😁 This is one of the main reasons I travel. To look for beauty in people.
Traveling Changes You
Traveling changes you. When I say traveling, it doesn't mean being a tourist. Going to a country for a few days and seeing the tourist spots. I am talking about staying for a long time, interacting with the locals, forming a relationship with them, knowing and respecting their cultures, eating their food and knowing much more about their history and others. Most of the time, we have a preconceived notion about certain people and country based on what we read and hear, but it is more than that. Most of the time, it is not what we expected once we really assimilate into the country, its people, its culture and history and dig deeper. Suddenly you realize that the world is not all about you. We are just a part of much bigger picture. Having this priceless experience, my identity changes. Not for the worse but for the better. A world citizen. A part of the human race. If I ever have a child, I think the best education for her is to travel as she grows up. I believe this will make her a better person. No education is much better than to experience what's real rather than reading about something from the books or on the internet. Just like the quote says "The World Is a Book and Those Who Do Not Travel Read Only One Page" And I do not want to read just one page. Also what you read, even if it is based on someone's experience, that is not your experience but someone else's experience. Her experience is not the same as yours and could be biased. Better experience it yourself rather than learn something that's not your own.