Should I stay or should I go?....

It's no secret that the coronavirus has gotten much worse in Korea, especially in the last few weeks. Barely a week ago, Korea raised its status to red. It has told everyone not to travel unless it is essential, and lots of festivals and events have been canceled. The idea is to limit people's contact with each other.

But, up here on my little mountain, it doesn't feel quite as real. I know when I go into town, everyone will have a mask on, and there won't be a single soldier in sight as they have all been restricted to base, I think.

It got more serious, to me personally, with an email. Recently, all of the Fulbrighters in Korea have been given the chance to decide if they want to go home early and end their grant.

I don't know what to do, or how to go from here. I knew when I received my grant that there was always this possibility that is something happened in our host country, that we could be sent home. But it never occurred to me that it would actually happen. I just wish that they would just tell we have to go, instead of making it a choice. I don't want to make that choice. A lot of people are telling me that I need to think about my safety and put myself first, but I have this life here. I've already come to terms with my whole Korean adventure ending in July, and I am ready to go home and start my next chapter, but I don't want this chapter to be cut short.

I suppose what I can do for now is just keep an eye out and make my decision if it gets worse. Luckily this isn't a one and done choice. I will get other chances if I do change my mind, but for now, I'm going to stay. I'm going to try, at least, to stay for as long as I possibly can.

Wish me luck!

Japan Part 3: Nara

Day Eight

My final full day in Japan. It was a good day. It was sad to think about how it was coming to an end and that the next day I would be returning to Korea and I will no longer be in vacation mode, but it was also exciting because I really wanted to visit Nara and for several days I had been going back and forth in my head on whether or not I would be able to go, but the day before I didn't have enough things to do in Osaka to warrant doing another full day of exploring, so I decided why not? It's for that reason that I am actually really glad that I decided to solo travel to Japan this year, instead of giving in to my fear and nervousness and going with someone else. Traveling by myself, I was able to make last-minute decisions and plans and it didn't matter what anyone thought except myself. 

I tried to leave relatively early enough in the morning to arrive in Nara around the time everything was opening up. I think I ended up getting there at a pretty good time. Quick advice, unless you know exactly what you want to do, it can't hurt to go to the visitor's center. At the station when I first arrived, I went into an information center because there was a sign that said there were tourist maps. I figured that it can't hurt to get a map, even though I already had a bunch of things highlighted on my phone. When I went in and asked for a map, the sweet lady that worked there both gave me a map and actually walked me through a recommended route, highlighting things that are really worth going to and are often overlooked. She also gave me a little origami deer that I complimented too.

Nara, if you don't know, is very famous for being the origin spot for a lot of Japanese culture and history. It was once the capital of the country and several other things, but the city is probably most widely known for its deer. There is a whole park where deer just live and roam wildly around people. They are smart too. You can purchase these little deer biscuits for them and they know when you have them. They watch you. But they also safely cross the street and will even bow. It's so cute. If you bow to them, they will bow back. They are so polite. 

So I was recommended to go around the park first. Inside the park are a bunch of temples, historical buildings, and other attractions. My first stop was Kohfukuji Temple, the five-story Pagoda and the Central Golden Hall (which is only open at certain times to the public and I was able to go in). The five-story pagoda was probably the most interesting to me in that it had burnt down eight times, and the most recent reconstruction was actually finished in this century, not often what I think about when I see historical buildings. The top of the pagoda also has a small sphere that is said to hold some of the Buddha's ashes. 

After the temple, I went further into the park until I got to the Nara National Museum. This museum was showing a lot of the Buddhist history that was facilitated through the country through Nara in one exhibit and in another that I saw, showed Nara through the years and through various historical periods. 

Next was a massive temple, the Todaiji Temple. There is a massive Buddha in this temple. Also, quick tip, never feed the deer outside of this temple. They are the most aggressive in the whole park. 

Just before the temple is also a huge gate called the Nandaimon Gate. 

After going through the gate and the temple, I started making my way uphill to see the Great Bell and the Nigatsudo hall. This was a very beautiful structure, but even more than that, it also gave me a view of the whole city. It's right on the back end of the park. 

I made my way around the backside of the park by the Wakakusayama Hill, where I found the deer a lot nicer to feed, all the way to the Wakamiya Jinja Shrine. Another beautiful testament to Japanese culture and architecture. 

After making my way out of the park, I started walking towards another temple that was in the middle of town, but by this time, I was tired and when I walked past the Nara Visitors Center, I got curious. I saw that they had free cultural activities, like writing your name in calligraphy and origami, and I figured I could go in and do something and give my feet a bit of a break. I got so much more out of the place then I expected. 

In the center, the workers were all proficient in different languages, and the English speaker was a really kind man. He told me about different festivals in walked me through making the origami deer, but I think the best thing I got out of it was I found out about an event, where they were only doing twice, and the day I was there was going to be the second and last time they did it. It was a performance of Noh (traditional Japanese theatre) with about an hour beforehand where they explained the history, characters, and instruments they use in the shows. We were provided with an English translation of the script and after the show, we got to actually try to play the different drums. I think it is such an interesting twist of fate in that I could have walked right past that center and not found out about it and not have gotten to see traditional Japanese theatre at all during the trip, despite the fact that I was really interested in it ever since I learned about it in my world theatre class in college. 

It was getting dark by the time the performance was over. The two temples I had wanted to visit both closed at five, so I couldn't go. I did know there was a lighting festival going on in Nara park after dark, so I went and got dinner, saw the lights, and made the long train ride home. 

Overall, I am so glad that I went to Japan. I have always wanted to go there and I'm super glad I got the chance. I am definitely not done yet, though. I really hope to get the chance to go back one day. There are some places I didn't get to go and some things that I never got the chance to do, that I want to do someday. But for now, I am really glad I went. I'm really proud of myself for going alone and I am proud to say that Japan is the first country I have ever visited that I didn't live in.

Japan Part 2: Osaka

On day five of being in Japan, I packed up my suitcase, said goodbye to Kyoto and got on the train to Osaka.

Osaka was a lot more modern and I'm not sure exactly how I felt about it. I arrived at my hostel a little early for check-in, so I dropped my bag off in the lobby and had a look around.

I found on the map that the Tennoji Zoo was not too far from me, so I figured it was a good a start as any. It seemed strange to me that there was a zoo just in the middle of a park in the middle of a city, but I love animals and figured it was a good way to kill time as any. The zoo was definitely small and I felt sad for some of the animals being in such small habitats. But there were several signs on some exhibits that the animals went 'home' after a certain time, so it made me feel a bit better that they didn't spend all their time there. There were also a lot of really cute animals, including a little monkey that was less than a year old!

I checked into my hostel, got some dinner and went out to explore some more.

Near where I was staying, was the Dotonbori area. This has a lot of shops, restaurants, nightlife and is also where the famous Gilco sign is. I just wondered around that area, did some shopping, and explored until I was exhausted enough to go back and get ready for my busy days of exploring the city.

If you are going to Osaka for the first time and want to go to most of the touristy places for a free or reduced-price, I highly recommend getting the Osaka Amazing Pass. I got the two-day pass for a decent price. I can see where some would think it would be too expensive, but if you plan your day out, it can be well worth it. I got to go to most of the places over those two days for free or a discount rate and rode on the local train for free. I was having so much fun. I used this pass for days 6 and 7 of my trip.

Day Six
My first full day in Osaka started at Osaka Castle, which has an observation deck and a museum throughout its floors. It was really cool to learn the history of the castle and the battles that were fought there. Afterward, I got to take a boat ride on the moat around the castle. It was an interesting insight into the history and a closer look at the walls that made the castle look instructable.

After the castle, I went to several different museums. Including the Museum of History, Museum of Science, and Museum of Oriental Ceramics. The history museum was by far my favorite of the three.

Next I went to the Umeda Sky Building. Which is actually two buildings that are interconnected on several floors and have a Floating Garden Observatory. Which was beautiful. The ride up included see-through elevator and escalator as well. It was a bit cold at the tippy top since it was roof-top, but the floor below was inside with windows on all sides and a cafe, so you could sit and just take in the view. Which was really cool.

Afterward, I checked out another little shopping area near the Umeda building and actually found myself really close to the HEP Five building, which was on my list because there is a Ferris wheel on the top of the building that I could ride for free, with my pass. So I did. Why not? It was another interesting view of the city, especially because by that time it was dark, so I got to see the city by the lights.

Day Seven
This day started a bit later, as I walked around the Dotonbori area again, checking out hidden temples and stuff until the show started. I went and saw another show called GOTTA, which was about singing food that fought evil spirits? It was confusing, and honestly not my favorite show that I saw during this trip. But after the show was over, it was time to head to yet another temple, Shitennoji Temple. It was really nice, lots of beautiful buildings and felt very peaceful.

After this, I went to the Museum of Housing and Living, which sounds really boring, but actually was a full life-size reconstruction of Osaka during the Edo Period and more modern early 20th century Osaka. You could also rent Kimono and wear it around the reconstructions to take pictures, but I didn't do that. It was actually kinda cool being able to go inside this mock-village and see how people lived during these times.

Then I took the train to the other side of the city to the bay area. My next stop was the Osaka Aquarium. This place is known as one of the largest aquariums in the world, and I could see why when I was there. The place kinda spiraled around this central tank that was several floors deep that had sharks and rays and other types of fish in it, and on the other side, there were several different habitats with seals and sea lions, dolphins, and various other fish and sea creatures. There was also a whole floor for artic type animals like penguins. So many penguins. It was really cool to go and see. I even got to pet a fish and a stingray.

Just outside the aquarium was the Tempozan Ferris Wheel, which is huge! It was also on my pass, so I figured, let's check it out. It was just started to rain so I actually didn't have the best view, but it was an interesting one with the rain, and I was just glad I wasn't walking around in it since I didn't think to bring an umbrella with me.

Another thing that I just happen across was just inside the building next to the wheel was this little petting zoo? animal cafe? I'm not exactly sure what they were, but there were animals, and I could go in and pet them. There were three areas. The outer area had rabbits, guinea pigs, and my personal favorite, turtles. The second room had dogs and cats, and most of the people. And the third room was more interesting. It had an alpaca, a kangaroo, a couple birds, a snake and a small monkey that I, unfortunately, couldn't pet.

Once I was done here, it was starting to get late. I had one more place on my list, but at this point, I was tired and wasn't really that interested in going. So I found my self a cafe and hung out for a bit, and figured out what to do the next day, before heading back to my hostel.

When I was traveling around Kyoto, I kept thinking that if there were just as many places to see in Osaka, I would never make it to Nara, which was another city I wanted to go to. But I actually seemed to luck out and while I didn't go to all the places in Kyoto I wanted to go, I did make it pretty much everywhere in Osaka that was on my list. So as I sat at that cafe, I started to plan out my trip to Nara the next day.

Japan Part 1: Kyoto

I finally made it to Japan. I really wanted to go to Japan last year during winter break but it ended up not happening. I really wanted to go with another person or a group, but my schedule is a little different than a lot of the other ETAs because the bulk of my vacation time is when most of them are going back to school to desk warm. And, I didn't really feel that comfortable going solo. I was just starting to feel really comfortable traveling around Korea by myself, and I can (sorta) speak the language. I wasn't so sure about going to another country where I didn't speak the language at all. Though it ended up not being as difficult as I had originally thought.

This year I was determined to go. I'm not missing out on my last opportunity to go where it's only a two-hour flight and barely 200 dollars for a round trip ticket, including taxes and fees. What I didn't know was going to happen when I bought the tickets, was the Coronavirus, or Corvid-19, outbreak. The virus started to become a problem while I was in Busan, but it hadn't really come to Korea. There were only one or two cases, and they were only at the airport. So when it came time to go to Japan, only a week later, there was a lot of nervousness going on. But this was not something I was going to miss.

I stayed in Seoul the night before since it was a morning flight. While I was there, I actually went and saw another comedy show, like the one I saw back in October. It wasn't quite as good, but I enjoyed it, and it was a good way to spend the evening.

The next morning, I got up and went to the airport. It wasn't too difficult to go, and I was also flying out the Gimpo, which is the smaller of the two airports in the north, so that was good. The flight was short, and before I knew it, I was in Japan. Kansai Airport to be exact. I made my plan to have the first half of my trip in Kyoto, which is a more traditional city, known for its temples and shrines and lots of culture, which I was really into, then the second half of my trip to be in Osaka, a more modern city with a touch of the traditional. I know, I know, 'why did you go to Tokyo?' Well, the truth is, I'm just not that much of a city person. I'll go back one day with another person and we can go to Tokyo, but for now, I was perfectly happy just going to these smaller cities.

Kyoto- Day 1
Once I arrived in Japan, got my phone data all figured out, and made my way to Kyoto from Osaka, I still had a few hours before I could check into my hostel, so I hung out at Kyoto Station (which is huge), and then decided to go to Kyoto tower and a temple that were both just across the street from the station. The tower was pretty cool to be the first thing I check out in the city because it gave me a panoramic view of everything I was going to see in the next several days.

The Hostel I stayed at was fantastic and the man who owns it is super nice. It really seemed like he really cared about the place and he was really easy to talk to. He even rented me a bike on my third day of exploring for much cheaper than the places nearby.

Day 2
My plan, the whole time I was on vacation, was to not waste the day away. I knew I was going to get to sleep and relax plenty when I got home, so I got up at the same time as I do for school the whole time I was there. Besides, most of the places I wanted to go seemed to all close at 5pm so I had to try and get as much as I could get in, in the time that I had.

My first stop was Nijo Castle, which had a lot of history, as it was an imperial palace for a while. and inside was also Ninomaru, home of the Nightengale floors. They were named this by the sound that they make when you step on them.   This place was a significant place in Japanese history.

After Nijo, I went to the Kyoto Imperial Palace, which was much more expansive, and included several more buildings. This was the home of the Emperor when Kyoto was the capital, and until recently, was the sight of each emperor's coronation. Even in the middle of winter, the garden in this area was so beautiful.

After a quick break for lunch (and my legs), I headed to the Heian Shrine. This is a famous shrine that was built for the anniversary of moving the capital of Japan from Nara to Kyoto and is recognized by the massive red tori gate.

Nearby, there were several other temples and shrines located in and around Okazaki Park and Maruyama Park. Each of these was relatively small, but what I found significant about these and a lot of the temples that I visited is that they are actually still active. One that I visited was actually holding service as I was walking by.

By this point, most of the cultural places were closing, so I walked around some shopping areas like Hanamikoji Dori, Pontocho Alley, and Shinkyogoku Shopping Street.

Day three
Today actually started a little late because I actually had signed up for a class and tour at a local Ninja and Samurai Museum. I got to throw ninja stars, try on a samurai outfit, watch a samurai demonstration and learn a bunch about their history.

After this, I went to Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine. This is probably one of the most recognizable places in the city because of the lines of orange gates going up the mountain. I actually walked most of the way up the mountain but decided to turn back because I wanted to get to some other places before they closed, and I knew I was going to be climbing up a mountain the next day as well. But it was beautiful all the way up.

Next, I went to the Kyoto National Museum briefly. They had a lot of the history of the city but also had a lot on Buddhism in Japan, with a whole room dedicated to Buddhas.

The last place, which was probably one of the more beautiful natural places I visited was Ginkaku-ji. This is also called the Temple of the Silver Pavillion. I didn't have much time there, as they were just closing when I left, but it was small and beautiful and I'm glad I went.

Day four
This was my last day to really tour Kyoto, so I decided to bike everywhere today. That seemed like a good idea until I really got started. I'm not sure why I chose to bike on the day that I was going the furthest away.

My first stop was Kinkaku-ji, also known as the Temple of the Golden Pavilion. And it was really golden. I walked around the temple for a bit but then I moved on. When I left this temple, I actually was really happy to have the bike because most of the roads between where I was and my next few stops were downhill. That was fun.

On my way to Arashiyama, I went by Ryoan-ji temple which is famous for its zen rock garden. There are several larger rocks and no matter what angle you look at the garden, it is arranged in a way that there is always one rock out of sight.

The Arashiyama area was something I was really looking forward to. There was the bamboo grove, which was pretty, but I was really excited about the Monkey park.

The Arashiyama monkey park is up the side of a mountain where wild monkeys roam free without cages and are cared for by the park workers.  It's about a 20-minute hike up to the main area, and you are given a card you can read on the way with the rules of the park. You can't look directly into the monkeys' eyes, get within 2 meters (it's okay if they come to you), pet them, feed them, or squat to take pictures. Apparently, they would think a lot of these things are acts of aggression. They did have an indoor area where you could indirectly feed them through the safety of some fencing.

When I got up there, I made it just in time for the feeding frenzy. It truly was a frenzy. It was really cool to watch. When I finally turned around, the view from the park was also so beautiful, it made it okay that I didn't get all the way to the top the day before.

Leaving the park wasn't the last thing to do that day, though. I did go to one more temple in the area, then I rode the bike all the way to the other side of town to watch a nonverbal comedy show, called Gear. It was actually phenomenal. I enjoyed it so much and unlike the ones I've seen in Korea, this actually was completely nonverbal.

By this time, I was exhausted, and after getting something to eat, I went back to my hostel to get ready to go to Osaka the next day and look thought the multitude of pictures I had taken over the last few days.

To Travel, or Not To Travel

Being okay with not traveling is probably one of the hardest things to learn when you are living in another country. When you are living in a place where half of the reason you are there is to experience everything you can in the time that you have.

Every time I open up Instagram, I can feel it. The thoughts in my head are telling me that I need to be doing something, experiencing something. Otherwise, I might as well be home with my friends and being a part of their lives back there. I feel guilty when I decide that I want to spend time at home. I wonder if I would be different right now if I had decided to move into an apartment this year instead of another homestay. I wonder if I would be different if I had chosen to move to another city. One that is a lot closer to the other ETAs or just the cities that I haven't yet gotten to see. 

I know I made the right decision to stay for a second year and I know I made the right decision to stay in Hwacheon with my homestay. They are fantastic and I am having a fantastic year. 

But then again. I see other ETAs going on these fantastic trips, doing all these things that I could be doing if I wasn't at home. Right now is winter vacations. Unlike in the US, winter vacation is the break between school years, so it is a bit longer. After school finishes and I have my winter camp, I am free to do whatever I want until school starts in March. This ultimately gives me about a month and a half off. 

Now the total amount of time given to each ETA varies. Some get the minimum, and some get more. I am lucky in that I get a bit more. And in this month and a half long vacation, I only planned two trips. Four days in Busan and Nine in Japan. And while they are fantastic trips and places I have really wanted to go to for a while, its hard to compare to the multi-country, several week-long trips that the others plan. 

I know, I know. I shouldn't compare myself to other people. But it is hard. 

While I am very happy with the trips I made for myself and extremely proud of how brave I  feel to solo-travel both of the trips, I can't help but feel like I need to fill up the rest of the time I have on vacation. 

Last year, I was working towards my black belt test so every day I went to my lesson. I didn't really travel much at all, so I suppose the amount of traveling I've done so far this year is great comparing it to myself. 

But at the same time, I also know that unlike last year, I'm not coming back next year. This is my last chance before Korea is going to be a very expensive plane ride away. 

It will be okay. I know it will. This is just where I am because I've spent the last three days in my house. 

And if I had been away the last few days, I would have missed a spectacular fireworks display and a regular playdate with my host brothers building houses and towers with my Jenga blocks. FOMO (Fear of missing out) is hard but a smart person told me that the best way to fight FOMO is to give yourself something fantastic to do instead. Even if that is just a movie night with the host fam or mental-health veg out session with Netflix and some tea, and that is exactly what I plan to do. Give myself some weekends to go on short trips and some weekends to hangout at home. As for the rest of my vacation? I don't know. I guess I will just have to wait and see.