wanderlust

WordPress tells me that I already have an entry named wanderlust, but I can’t help but call it that when it is what it is.

There are times when I am cozy and content with trodden trails, habits formed, and the norm.

But there are other times when I am antsy in my seat about adventures to be experienced, new things to try, and life to live. I feel like I’m missing it all sitting in my room at night, painting my nails.

Of course, being antsy would be the only thing coaxing me back to putting my mile-a-minute thoughts to (electronic) paper again.

among many things

via duke‘s amazing food blog (if i were to ever have a food blog, it’d be like his.)

a little bit behind…

Just got back from the East Coast on Thursday night and am still a little jetlagged, which (sadly) translates to a normal person’s sleep schedule here.

Other than that, so thankful for sweet time with a dear brother & sister, breathing room, & coming back with fresh eyes & a renewed spirit. It was so needed.

Per my tradition for the second straight year, I finally penned up my resolutions for 2011 on a plane ride. I already had them in mind, but I was wondering if I should add more. However, the problem with last year’s is that I had WAY too many; in fact, I had forgotten at least 40% of them halfway through the year. I’m keeping it simple this year with 3 basic aspects: spiritual, physical, mental/creative.

1. Read Bible in one year chronologically.

2. Sleep by 1 am every night.

3. Make a dress & wear it.

Here’s to 2011.

wanderlust

I can’t believe it’s been three years this summer since studying abroad in Beijing.

I was suddenly nostalgic last night listening to Stevie Wonders’ “Just Called to Say I Love You,” because there was one very long EAP trip on a bus where the bus driver had an awesome mix tape of old 90′s songs…and only that. I think we listened to the tape at least 10 times. Regardless, I hold EAP memories & people very close to my heart.  While college gives opportunity to self-discovery, moving to San Diego is nothing compared to being thrown into a society so antithetical from California’s. Even being Chinese and somewhat familiar with the culture didn’t prepare me for what I struggled with during my time there, from the language barrier, having to guard against being taken advantage by any and everyone, the sweltering heat, having to constantly push through the crowds, throwing manners out the window, and the overall lack of the familiar and the comfortable.

biking the city walls of xi'an

I tell a lot of people that two months was enough for China. In many ways, it was. But at the same time, it definitely stripped away crutches of habits and the safety bubble I had in the United States, and boiling my self-identity down to that. Sometimes I wonder what my experience would’ve been like there knowing what I know now, but then again, I know that in God’s sovereignty I studied abroad for that reason.

China, we will meet again. I will probably wonder why I missed you in the first place when I get there, but until then, zai jian!

one day, paris

I love The Sartorialist because he travels everywhere, takes pictures of everyday people’s fashion (even if it’s not something I’d wear, there’s lots of style ideas present), and his photography is pretty darn good.

I’ve been feeling the pull to go to Paris recently. It’s strange, because nothing came to mind but the Eiffel tower & overcast skies when I used to think of Paris, but I love the essence and beauty of this photo. So crisp, summery, and European.

God-willing, I will visit Paris/Europe one day. and look stylish while I’m at it.

lately

As usual, I’ve been ultra behind in life, especially since returning from my trip (or even before that, when finals ended… or even before that, my entire life). Life is just kinda messy and hectic. I should really get around to posting about my trip and the reviews that went with it before I forget it all, but I can’t seem to find the time/motivation to do it.

Either way, I just wanted to put up the picture of the Brooklyn Bridge, just to show something. Gosh, I really liked New York… can you tell?

lovers in japan

{the coldplay song, not that i had a lover in japan. just to clarify}

It’s one of my favorite Coldplay songs, so it was quite the coincidence that they played it when I stopped by the Starbucks in Shinjuku to read (it was also my one and only Starbucks visit the entire trip).

So upon S’s request I’m finally going to do a whirlwind post of my whirlwind time in Tokyo. I actually forgot about it, but I’m glad she keeps insisting on it cuz it’s pretty noteworthy that I finally visited. This is because after studying abroad in Beijing, a couple of my friends were planning to go. I was too, but my standards for prices got reallyy low since everything in China was so cheap.. and I wasn’t willing to shell out around $500 to include the trip to Japan. In retrospect–meaning once I saw their pictures–I regretted it. I think part of it was also traveling non-stop with two friends for two weeks after our program in China… was taxing, and I didn’t know how much more I could do it. During that time I think I really realized how it is by God’s grace that imperfect people can stand each other and not hate each other after spending so much time together. Seriously. Marriage & long-term relationships are a wonderment to me.

Ok, wow, that was a tangent. (See what I mean about lightning thoughts?)

I decided to finally take the trip to Tokyo since I was going to be on that side of the world anyway to visit my grandparents, and currently I have a few friends in Japan. T & M are studying abroad in Tokyo for the year, and so they graciously offered me the futon in the living room for the weekend. JK, who is one of my dearest friends from my time in Beijing, is teaching English in a more rural part of northern Japan for two years. While he was planning to come to Tokyo to see me, schedules conflicted… so next time it is. (I have to add that in our exchange of emails, he explained his part of Japan as really nature-y, and knew that I probably wouldn’t be interested in that. How my friends know me <3)

So after my six days in HK, I took off to Tokyo via Seoul.I should mention that I had breakfast shortly before I left for the HK airport and got food poisoning. I spent my time waiting for my flight in absolute pain, wondering if I could even leave HK–and ended up throwing up 10 minutes before boarding the plane. Ok, gross, but it was amazing that I was fine after a nap on the plane, only to wake up to the best airplane economy food ever–bibimbap, but not being able to eat it cuz I was still a little nauseous. I was sooo sad.

{no pictures here because I was fighting unconsciousness most of the time}

Tokyo as an experience was a little underwhelming at times. Or maybe it’s just because 2-3 days to experience an entire country/culture is not nearly enough. I think I imagined it to look like old traditional Japan (e.g. what I’ve seen in the movies, like Memoirs of a Geisha or The Last Samurai), but I heard that you have to go to Kyoto for that. For the most part, Tokyo was very sleek, streamlined, modern, and clean. And expensive! (Tip if you ever go: exchange more money than you think you need. The rumors are true!)

More specifics to come next! Consider this my prologue.