Sorry Mom and Dad (NSFW)

After finishing camp and meeting the governor at a dinner, all of the teachers took a trip to Jeju Island. It was a really beautiful place that I hope I can come back to at some point. Honestly, my time on Jeju Island was strictly controlled and somewhat sanitized -- a twenty minute stop at some beach, a forty minute bus ride, a thirty minute stop at a park, and so on. All day. All tourist spots. I do have photos of these places, most of which I don't remember that well, and I'll get to posting them later. Forgive me if I sound ungrateful; going to the island was a great experience. But after working 10 days straight from 9 in the morning to 9 at night, I wanted to spend my time in Jeju peacefully, taking my time to see the sights I wanted and straying from the group of 70-something teachers to meet other people.

For the most part, this didn't happen.

Luckily, nights were free, and I vowed to myself that I would go to the place I've wanted to go ever since I looked up Jeju Island on Wikipedia.

I was going to Jeju Love Land.

Proceed only if you are 18+!

Danse de caractère

Over the summer, I've been working on contributions for Arabesque, a zine focusing on the idea of otome, which is Japanese for maiden. The zine is finally finished and is taking pre-orders!



More details and pre-order information here!

I contributed some photos and reflections about my time in Korea and wrote a blurb about the souvenirs from Japan that meant the most to me. The zine contains a little of everything: fashion, photography, comics, academic articles, translations of Japanese stories, travel reflections, and cooking tips. I hope you pre-order a copy so we can make another issue! I, personally, had a great time, and I want to see it keep going! Everyone involved is extremely talented, and I was so privileged to work with them.

Big Bang Class

It wasn't the landscape of Korea that made me love it. Rather, it was the handful of kids in my homeroom class.

Swear I'm Not Dead...Promise

I'll be back with at least one update tonight. Until then:



Now imagine a group of 12-year-old girls singing and dancing to that song.

That was my homeroom. I'll introduce you to them soon.

Continental Drift

So I'm going to be boarding my flight back home in about an hour or so.

The whole experience seems a little unreal. After all, in a month, I've come to Korea, taught elementary school students, was quarantined by the Korean government, and visited some of the country's most rural, urban, and exotic places. And then I went back to Japan, met up with my host family and a good friend, and visited a couple new places.

So many new experiences. Not all of them were fun, but none of them were bad. If anything, I've learned so much about myself in the small space I've had to think.

I wish there was more time to see more, meet more people, go out more, shop more, write more, take more pictures. My month of experiences is full, but woefully inadequate.

A week back at home is fine. Then, give me a plane ticket back, and let me plan the trip. Let me bring my people and adventure around. Oh, I can only dream!

Tadaima

I wanted to write a post a couple days ago, but I haven't had time to do much of anything.

Do I have to say how much I love being back in Nagoya? Honestly, this feels just as much a home to me as St. Louis. I haven't traveled here, I've lived in this city, studied here, had fun here, and was challenged more than I ever have been anywhere else.

The subways smell familiar. I feel comfortable in the crowds here, not crowded. For the past three days I've spoken nothing but Japanese, and even though it's been difficult, I haven't really noticed myself struggling to understand.

I wish I had more time here with my host family, with my friends, and with the city. I want to see it at night, in the early morning, go shopping, and walk around its streets all day.

I love Nagoya more than I ever expected to. It's so passed over; most people in America don't even know it exists. Yet there's a certain charm here and also in St. Louis. It's a city you want to live in, not visit. It becomes more beautiful and interesting the more time you spend, slowly unfolding its beauty like a flower in bloom.

I'm a bit homesick in a way that's difficult to describe. I don't want to leave here; the thought of it makes me a little sick to my stomach. What if I never come back? What if something happens to my host family while I'm gone? And the biggest worry: when am I ever going to be able to bring my mother here with me? I want her to see this place that I've come to love so much. It's the one thing I'd love to give to her after she's sacrificed so much for me.

Nonetheless, I leave for Korea tomorrow. A night in Seoul, and then I'm back home and free to recount all of the stories I have piled up to tell you.

I Could Be a Contender...

Expect a full post later on tonight, but look:

How to Fight With Your Host Family

I'm a published writer!