(36) something something tokyo

Harajuku clothing store

It's funny that this is the title for a post about my winter vacation to Tokyo, because honestly, Tokyo and the experiences I have there are something I can talk about until I run out of breath. It's my favorite city. It's a place where I can always find some new experience while at the same time, revisiting old experiences that remind me why I love this place so much.

This time I was able to share the experience with my girlfriend, not only a special occasion based on the action of sharing my favorite place with her, but the fact that she was able to clear out her schedule enough to actually go for a few days was a miracle. Her job, is not the typical 9 to 5 that many people hold. Taking vacation time is almost never a possibility for her and taking more than three days off to travel overseas is also a next to impossible task.

However, after a lot of discussion, scouring of the web for affordable plane and hotel accommodations and planning a mix of my favorite places to see with some new things for both of us to explore, the date was finalized and the plans were set. Fate had aligned, it was time to return to the city that in many ways, set me on the present course my life is currently on today. My genesis city, the origin of everything.

Traditional Japanese Wedding

It has been several years since I had spent time in Tokyo, and admittedly my memory of locations and sight to see were a bit fuzzy. I knew that certain places existed in certain areas,  but the memory of exactly how to go to them, the right train to take, the right subway exit to leave, was still a bit fuzzy. I spent a large amount of time researching and refreshing my memory of the places I visited years before. This was the first time I was traveling overseas with someone who was more unfamiliar with the area than I was and I wanted to make sure that her experience was as stress free as possible. I was completely comfortable with being lost in an unfamiliar place. It's how I ended up discovering most of the areas that would become favorite places in Japan during previous visits. I knew my girlfriend though. I knew what made her uncomfortable and what quickly drained her enjoyment. I made sure that this time, there was no getting lost.

Bright Shibuya

The wonderful thing about Tokyo, specifically central Tokyo where our hotel was located, is that incredible ease to get to each location with little to no difficulty. Many of the popular areas like Shinjuku, Harajuku and Shibuya were only a few subway stops away with a maximum time of 30 minutes to get to each area. I was amazed the first time I came to Tokyo in terms of its efficient subway system. after spending two years using the subways in Seoul and Daegu, I can still say with confidence that the Tokyo subway line still impresses with its ease of use and access.

With only three days, we decided to maximize our time in seeing places and trying things. By the end of the day we were always tired and ready to sleep as soon as our bodies hit the bed. I always took this as a sign of a good day. We used our energy to do what we wanted, another check on the list.

Taken from an indoor onsen (hotspring)

I took her to some of my favorite old places to visit. We walked around the shops of Harajuku at night taking in the bright pastel and candy colored clothing while enjoying one of Harajuku's famous crepes. We visited Meiji Shrine and were able to visit the many temples and shrines there. We were even lucky enough to witness a Japanese traditional wedding in progress while we were there. It was a incredible surprise to see and something that made my girlfriend very happy to witness in person.

That's not to say everyday was a nonstop series of traveling. We took the time to appreciate some of the more calmer moments. We made sure to sip coffee at the Starbucks in Shibuya while watching the crowd of people cross below us. We visited an onsen and let our minds and bodies relax as the soothing hot water was a pleasant and comfortable yin to the cold, outdoor air's yang. In the evening we always took the time to have a sizable meal with cold beverages, a celebration of our freedom and a great way to end a day of new experiences.

Delicious and fresh sushi

My girlfriend had to return to Korea after three days, while I stayed behind a few more days to visit friends. At first I was nervous for her. Having lived in big city her whole life, I knew that the impact on her wouldn't be as big for her as it was for me. A place so important and significant, I wouldn't want her experience to be mediocre. I wanted to share the same feelings and love for this place that I had with her. I wanted her to understand why I loved this city so much.

In the end, she didn't get quite the same impact as I did, but ended up loving it all the same. For her, it was more of an experience of seeing the little differences and the subtle changes between her city of Seoul and Tokyo. For her, it was seeing clean streets with not a piece of litter in site. It was going to a convenience store and seeing a wider selection of alcohol than just beer and soju. It was seeing grown men and women purchase figures and statues of famous anime characters with no sign of shame or remorse.

While any big city is bound to be similar in many ways, digging into the center to see the differences and the essence of what makes the city different from anywhere else. Cities have souls, and the people and the places make up the blood that flows through its veins.

For a few days, she was able to see that blood. For a few days she was able to catch a glimpse of the city that I love and the city that I know one day, I will return to again.

(35) Another New Year and thanks to those who believed in me

This weekend was many different things to different people. In Korea, families were celebrating the new Lunar New Year and welcoming the year of the horse with hope and optimism for a new and insightful year. Back home, many of my friends and family were tuning in to watch the Super Bowl, something that I was not willing to wake up early for on a Monday to watch in Korea (but was more than willing to watch the movie previews and see the snarky tweets).

Along with this, many of my foreign friends have just returned to Korea from their trips overseas, returning back home to start their new school semesters again.

For many people this was a time of new starts and fresh slates, and I was also one of those people. After spending the last few months searching and worrying about my future in Korea, I can finally say that I have secured a new teaching job at an international academy in the city of Songdo.

Songdo, is a newer city located in Incheon and is known for being a clean and modern city designed to be welcoming to the international community visiting and living in Korea. Many of Incheon's elite and influential people live and work in Songdo, making it an interesting change from my little city of Gimcheon.

The school itself, separates itself from similar schools due to its ciriculum based more on creativity and artistic expression rather than normal textbook based lessons. Classes at this school include the normal English, math and science classes, but also includes several other classes not normally found at schools including ballet and horse back riding. Needless to say, English is where I will be applying my schools to these children as my horse back riding and ballet skills are not quite up to snuff.

Songdo has also recently gotten the attention of the media due to the announcement that Avengers 2 will be filming in the area. As a huge fan of Marvel and the recent cinematic universe, I take this as a sign from some benevolent deity that this was meant to be in some way and will allow me a possible peak at the filming of this movie or at the very least, bragging rights to tell people that Avengers 2 was filmed in my neighborhood. Maybe I'll see Scarlet Johansson on set/ Heck, I'd even settle for some random SHIELD agent.

I also begin my winter vacation today as I'll be spending the next few days in Tokyo, three of which will be spent with the company of my girlfriend, allowing me the opportunity to show her some of the places and things that made me fall in love with this city so many years ago.

The last time I was in Tokyo, I was still a student in university getting ready to go out into the world on my own. This was before the massive typhoon and Fukushima disaster that drastically changed the country. Now, as a slightly older and wiser adult, it will be interesting to see if the city I fell in love with still measures up.

All of the good things in my life right now, didn't come just through myself. I worked hard and searched for opportunities and chances to continue working in Korea, but finally landing the job came from dozens of people whose kindness, recommendations cooperation and understanding allowed me to be where I am now. I could not have done it without all of you and even now, I am thankful for all you have done.

So before I start a new chapter in my Korean life, I want to say thank you. To everyone. I don't know if I'll ever be able to return the favor but I will always try to be my best to you and myself. You efforts will not go to waste through me.

So thank you, all of you.