Hello, Hiroshima. Nice to meet you!

On Saturday morning, I finished packing my suitcase and made my way to the train station. I was headed to Hiroshima for a long weekend. Even though I'd had this trip in mind for a couple of months, it still seemed to catch me by surprise. The school year messes with me. My days during the week string together, and my weekends are blurs of explorations and Japanese class. Like I've said before, there's little 'free time'.

Another reason for why the trip seemed to sneak up on me, is because I left the planning to someone else. Yes, that's right. I let someone else take control and plan the itinerary. Well, I didn't exactly leave it all up to them. They told me to give them a list of all the places that I wanted to see and that they would take care of the logistics.

If you know me, you can imagine my struggle with the idea of letting someone else plan and be in control. This was definitely a time where I was learning how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. 

And here's what happened when I let my guards down and let someone in ...

I had fun. I enjoyed myself. I relaxed. I felt like a little kid.
And most importantly, I saw things and did things that I probably wouldn't have without the push of someone else.

So to my friend, tour-guide and photographer, Thank you! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be myself in a way that I rarely am. For that, I am forever grateful. You'll never know how much that meant to me. 

XOXO, M

Take a look at how I spent 3 days in Hiroshima . . . 

Day One Highlights...

- Hiroshima Castle: toured the grounds and museum, saw the view from the castle's top window, and ate sake flavored ice cream  

- Hiroshima Museum of Art: walked through 4 exhibition rooms and felt nostalgic for the Dallas Museum of Art 

- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park & Museum: toured the grounds and museum

- Okotber Fest: admired all of the beer, especially the ones that were served in a glass boot

- Ichigo Ramen: sat at our own individual ramen stalls and slurped our noodles

- Manju Matcha Dessert at Orizuru Cafe: おいしですね！

- Orizuru Tower Tour: Even in my dreams, I've never imagined a place this stunning

- Origami Paper Cranes at Orizuru Tower: made paper cranes and dropped them from 12 stories high

"One way with coffee,

walking, touring and wide eyed,thirteen stories high."

Hiroshima Day 1, 2017.9.16

Day Two ...

- Our Miyajima Island Tour was cancelled due to Typhoon No. 18. So I spent the afternoon at Edian browsing through electronics, housewares, and their amazing collection of books. I ordered a chai latte at Starbucks and found a place to read. It was incredibly peaceful and the perfect way to spend a stormy day. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't venture around town because the typhoon brought strong wind and walls of rain. In the evening, I ate dinner at the hostel and continued to read my book in the lounge. 

"Good morning, Tyhphoon.

Grande chai tea soy latte.

Edian, thank you."

Hiroshima Day 1, 2017.9.17

Day Three ... 

- Miyajima Ferry: took the ferry from Hiroshima to Itsukushima "Miyajima Island"

- Coffee at Miyajima Coffee Shop: sipped our coffee in the most aesthetically pleasing space

- Touring Miyajima Island: walking through the island felt magical --- a real life Disney park

- Mt. Misen Hike: a glass of sake and a beer with a view; a 500 meter hike to the top; the most spectacular view and cleanest restroom I've ever seen!

- Okonomiyaki: ordered ours the Hiroshima way, with scallops

- Celebratory Mojitos: 1 grapefruit, 1 kiwi

- Kentai Bridge, Iwakuni: the ending to a perfect day

"Take two. Clear, blue skies,

coffee buzz, picturesque views,

and an appetite."

Hiroshima Day 3, 2017.9.18

Goodbye, Hiroshima. Thanks for the memories. 

XOXO,

M

From the Sea to the Mountains

As I was walking to the Kokura Port on the evening of Friday, September 8th, I could feel Fall in the air. It was crisp, cool and calm. I'm sure I had a stupid smile spread across my face. I love this time of year. It's finally comfortable to be outdoors. Soon I'll be layering on clothing, wrapping up in scarves, and ditching my iced coffee for anything pumpkin spiced and hot. 

I've started back to school and feel busier than ever. Between regular classes, preparing for the English Speech Competition, Sports Day Practice and the end of month course exams, there seems to be even less free time than usual. Even though it's busy and quite hectic, I'm secretly loving every second of it. I like when things are happening. I don't do well with free time. 

Since I took the month of August off from Japanese Class, starting back has been a little difficult. Shoko-san is as patient as ever, though. We have a few field trips coming up that I'm looking forward to. And at the end of this month, we'll be celebrating our 1 year of friendship! 

It's been about two weeks since I last posted. I'll be honest, I've been distracted. I've let myself indulge in the comforts of home. For a second, I almost settled. As nice as it was to be reminded of the US and the life I used to have, it was only that, just a reminder. Living in Japan and having this experience is something that I want for myself. So I'm being selfish with my time and focusing on me. It's refreshing. It's giving me time to understand myself, find out what's most important to me, and learn my worth. It's wildly rewarding and not something I'm ready to give away to anyone else. It's my time, it's my Neverland. 

So in these last two weeks I've ventured from the sea to the mountains. I've seen my city from new perspectives and have gained a greater appreciation for the place I'm currently calling home. 

Last weekend, an ALT friend of mine and I went on a Beer Cruise around Kitakyushu. It was the perfect way to Welcome Fall and say Goodbye to Summer. We cruised for two hours, drinking beer and taking in Kitakyushu's night lights. It was spectacular . . . 

"All at once I saw,
some things that I had read then,
when I was searching."

Kitakyushu Beer Cruise, 2017-9-8

This afternoon, I went with another ALT friend to hike Mt. Sarakura. It's 622 meters high and is unlike anything I was expecting. This was the first real hike that I've ever been on. It was challenging to say the least. Last year, I went to the top of Mt. Sarakura by cable car. The view was stunning and getting there was fun. This time however, I was dripping with sweat as I climbed stairs that I thought would never end. Sometimes I was leading and sometimes I was falling behind trying to catch my breath. The hike to the top took us about 2 hours. When we got there, the view was even better than I remembered . . . 

"はい、 ありがと。

Overcoming barriers

in language and life."

Mt. Sarakura, 2017-9-8

Take a look at my memories . . . 

XOXO,

M

Work Days of Summer

Tenjin Core, Tenjin, Fukuoka

Last summer I traveled back to the US. I visited my family in Texas for a week, and then spent a week at a beach house in Florida with them and my friends. It was such a wonderful vacation. I returned to Japan well rested and sun kissed. The beach is always a good idea. 

[Life Update: My family has just moved to Florida full time. So when I return stateside next year, I won't be coming home to Texas. I'll be moving to Florida.]

This year was different, though. I didn't travel back to the US. I choose to stay here in Japan. At the beginning of the summer holiday, I took a trip to Okinawa. That trip turned out to be much more than I was expecting. It changed my perspective for the better. 

Once I returned to the mainland, I had a few days to unpack and relax before I headed to Okayama for a training session. There's so much that I want to write about from that trip ... unapologetically honest conversations, self-introductions and insights into a new world ... but I'm still processing it all. I think I'll be processing it for a while. 

After returning from Okayama, I had about a day and a half to relax and get ready for the English camps I was scheduled to attend. Both of the camps that I attended were for elementary school students. Since I teach junior high school students during the year, it's fun to interact with elementary students at the camps. It's a nice change of pace, and it really makes me appreciate my junior high school students --- like really! In addition to the camps, I participated in a teacher's training seminar, and training sessions for ALTs. 

As busy as this summer was, I enjoyed it so much more! For the first time, I felt like an adult. 

Now, the school year is back in motion. The weather will start cooling off and the holidays will be here before I know it. I have quite a few trips planned for these upcoming months, but I'm not spending my time wishing for them to come around. 

I'm re-centering myself and will probably un-plug again soon. Since my perspective has changed, so has my 'to-do' list. I have new goals and new reasons behind what I'm working towards. The list is unapologetically honest and something I'm proud to have. 

Hakata Station, Fukuoka 

Tenjin Core Starbucks, Tenjin, Fukuoka 

Hakata Rooftop Garden, Hakata Station, Fukuoka

Hakata Rooftop Garden, Hakata Station, Fukuoka 

English Camp Preparations

Kanda English Camp

Kanda Station, Kanda 

Kokura River Walk, Kokura