Travel Blog Posts
August 9th 2011
36 degrees celsius. Naoshima. I can feel the salty smell in the air and the stickness of my skin. As I walk in a forest on the small island, the sun emits maximum heat, birds and cicadas chirp away in the lush green. I am tired, sweaty, and thirsty. Spoiled by the abundance of vending machines in the metropolitan areas in Japan, I blame myself for not storing enough water beforehand. Naoshima, one of the many small islands in the Seto Inland sea, is not so well known to some Japanese people, but a popular destination for those who love art. Naoshima hosted the International Art Festival (瀬戸内国際芸術祭) last year. In the past 20 years, artists came here and created their works of art. Until now hundred of artworks are scattered on Naoshima, Inujima, Teshima, Megijima, ... read more
August 7th 2011
Last Friday I handed my annual leave form to my supervisor, he gave me this strange look. Was he envious? surprised? I still can not tell what Japanese people are thinking sometimes... I'm lucky that in Japan I am a gaijin and don't need to feel guilty about taking day offs. So my two-week summer vacation has begun. Our first trip was to Kinosaki onsen. Where to go was really not a big issue for me. I was just overwhelmed with joy because it has been long since I last traveled. And because my yoga course and work had kept me in for quite a long time. If I can, perhaps in Japan many people do not have the privilege of doing so, I would never want to sacrifice traveling for money and career position. During ... read more
March 31st 2010
I tried to write this blog entry in English as I always do. But this time I find myself unable to produce anything nearly close to my true feelings in this language. Most of the thinking I've done during this trip was concreted in the form of Chinese language. So to come up with English descriptions would require an extra step. And that does not guarantee the essence of thoughts would not be lost. Maybe that's an obstacle of language translation. There's always something fluid that gets sifted out readily through the process. Therefore my friends, please excuse me for leaving most of my writing of this trip in Chinese. Taroko Gorge (太鲁阁） We traveled to Hualien from Taipei by train. Took a day-trip to Taroko gorge on the second day. 我们从花莲坐计程车到天祥。下车后开始晃荡。 在那附近不远就有座佛教寺庙。这些地方都是敞开大... read more
February 21st 2010
I don't recall myself having seen a spring as lively as this one. Sure enough that the change of seasons is gradually visible in any place of the world. However there is more to the spring in Japan than anywhere else. First of all, it's people's anticipation of spring. As soon as the plum trees are blooming to farewell the winter, most people here have already started to organize Hanami (cherry blossoms viewing) events weeks before the flowers begin to grace their beauty. Well, if that doesn't impress you, I've got more to tell. The Chinese say,"一年之计在于春"(a year's plan starts with spring). But the Japanese have taken it to the limit. It is not at all exaggerating to say that the spring is the fresh start in Japan. The first day of April is filled with ... read more
Coexistence of My Multiligual Pride and Linguistic inferiority Complex
Published: January 29th 2010Asia » South Korea » Seoul
January 15th 2010
Since I had personal connections with some people in Seoul, the trip was for sure off the beaten tourist track. And thus this blog entry could be more personal, and serves less to the purpose of a travel blog. Never at once in my life have I ever had the confidence in writing. I often wonder, If I had always lived in environments that allowed me to speak the same language my whole life would my cognitive development be different? In another word, I was taught Cantonese and Vietnamese as my mother tongues, switched to Mandarin when I was old enough to attend kindergarden, then moved to Canada at the age of fifteen. Now I'm in Japan. Every time the change of environment uproots me from one culture to another, and that includes language uprooting. I ... read more
January 15th 2010
Seoul is nesting some of my most favorite people on earth. Within this metropolitan city they are building their small worlds with passions. Like Min Yong, the bright and young owner of the hostel Backpackers Inside, opened his first hostel in the center of Seoul and is on his way to expand his business across South Korea. His dream is simply, to travel around the world and to welcome foreigners to his country with open arms. Like Forest and his circle of artists, genuinely worship music and stand for the sacredness of arts. My dear sis JianYi and my dear friend Ares, are both on their journeys to defend their righteousness and values. To these people I deeply respect, and can't express how grateful I am to have met them in my early twenties, the time ... read more
December 14th 2009
5:46AM. Jan 17th, 1995 7.2 Richter scale earthquake. Kobe's annual Luminarie is a memorial to the loss suffered in the Kobe Earthquake. The festival runs every year in December for about 12 days. Pictures taken on Dec 14th, 2009. Text written Jan 17th, 2010. As natural disasters continue to hit us, our prayers go to those who were affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Namaste ... read more
December 6th 2009
Today is a week before Christmas Eve. Just got a parcel delivered right at my door. I thanked the postman went inside again opened the box which was sent from my family. A full big box of Christmas presents, from pads to scarfs to shirts to letters and stuffed animals. A flood of tears gushed down my cheeks staining the card from my dad. 每逢佳节倍思亲。 These pictures were taken in Arashiyama, Kyoto. There's no way that my words can describe the place better than my photos do. So I will just leave it as that. And some of these pictures are poetic enough to speak my mild homesickness on my behalf. 当你看到另外一座山的景色比现在这座山更美的时候,你必须做的第一件事就是, 就是从现在这座山头走下去. ----- 刘墉... read more
November 23rd 2009
My time, the rank I attain, my outward appearance — all of these are secondary. For a runner like me, what’s really important is reaching the goal I set myself, under my own power. I give it everything I have, endure what needs enduring, and am able, in my own way, to be satisfied. From out of the failures and joys I always try to come away having grasped a concrete lesson. (It’s got to be concrete, no matter how small it is.) And I hope that, over time, as one race follows another, in the end I’ll reach a place I’m content with. Or maybe just catch a glimpse of it. (Yes, that’s a more appropriate way of putting it.) -- Haruki Murakami I do a bit of running myself. 10km is a distance I'm ... read more
November 16th 2009
November marks three months since my arrival in Japan. At the same time, splendid colored leaves mark the gradual change of seasons. I'm aware that my mood also transforms with the change of nature, from excitement of summer to contentment of fall. Almost everyday when I leave school my heart would smile knowing that I'm earning a full-time salary and I'm nowhere near the rat race of our society! Interaction with my students is probably the most divine part of my job and the dearest memories I hold after a full day of work. As I get to know them better they also feel more comfortable talking to me. The kids really crack me up everyday with their immature cuteness, unexpected sense of humor, etc. Love teaching at Senior Highs. At the mid-year Osaka JET seminar ... read more
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