It’s been a while since I posted, but the summer sun in Australia has kept me very busy in this bubble of a place. The past 10 weeks have not felt real and I am not entirely sure if it has hit me that I am living down under. All I know is that this time last year, when I was thinking about my next move, I never would have imagined I’d end up here. Since then, I have soared above the clouds back and forth across the world and this view has been enough to make my heart outgrow…
It’s my first time living in New York City. I’ve always seen it in the movies, watched its glistening greatness from a distance. In the movies, everyone starts out small—they have a big dream and maybe two pairs of shoes to their name. They wander into the vast city, a nobody. But then 60 minutes into the film, they’ve stumbled into the right person at the right time. They’ve fallen in love and then their closet is totally revamped. They’ve made it. Then the happy indie song plays as the credits roll and we’re sure that one day we will…
In Japan, there was this sweet Korean girl that I worked with. One day, she came to the office wearing a black t-shirt that said, “maybe love is in New York City.” I asked her if she had been to New York before and she said, no. But ever since she was little, the Frank Sinatra tune had her fantasizing about this life in the concrete jungle. And now I am moving to New York City and that has me thinking, maybe love is in New York City. This sort of romanticism for the city might trigger some eye rolls.…
In case you haven’t noticed, Tokyo became a piece of my soul. It may be strange to some, but to me this place is pure magic. Memories that I will never forget took shape here and in this city, I fully embraced the weird and the wonderful. Here are my favorite, weird and wonderful things about Tokyo. The Trains Always on time, clean and quiet, the trains are an experience of their own. Outside of rush hours, it provides a break– a place to briefly decompress from the city on the way to your next stop. Vending Machines There is…
One week ago I said goodbye to Tokyo… And I was more emotion than human. After spending three months in this place, I can honestly say I wouldn’t change a thing, not even the messy parts. Exploring a new place is like a book. We get out of it what we desire to get. The book itself isn’t going to change. The words don’t magically reshuffle themselves to our liking. We interpret the story a certain way depending upon the state of our heart. I found many things in the storied city of Tokyo. A magnetic contentment. A contagious outlook.…
If Tokyo is the NYC of Japan, then Kyoto is the Washington DC or Boston. It’s full of charm by the way of over 2,000 temples and shrines and gorgeous green landscapes. Kyoto provides a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. It’s so open; therefore there is this element of discovery and feeling of free reign here. I’m not going to pretend to know even a small bit of the intricate history of Kyoto. Even if I did, I wouldn’t be able to fit it on this page, nor would I want to rob you of learning…
In my next life, I’m going to be Japanese. I’ve decided and Japan life is the life for me. I like to talk about my lives because to be honest, every time I travel, my entire mental capacity is consumed wondering what the lives of the people that live there are like. What do they do for a living? What time do they wake up? What do they do for fun? Where do they do their grocery shopping? Are they happy? I’ve found the answers to a few of these questions about this little place called Tokyo. For over a month,…