Turning Devastation into Peace and Hope

Nagasaki

Thursday, December 22, 2011

WOW! I’m on the train, leaving Nagasaki and am truly impressed.  Nagasaki is the “little Hiroshima” that was bombed by the US on August 9, 1945 at 11:02 am.  Nagasaki was actually the secondary target but it was such a cloudy day that troopers could not spot the primary target, and aimed for Nagasaki instead.  As is the major tragedy of most attacks, over 70% of those killed were women, children, and senior citizens.  The site of the explosion was right near a primary school and several public buildings.  

My first stop of the day was to Peace Park where they have landmarks detailing the explosion site, destruction, and reconstruction. There are also several monuments and a Peace statue around the site, encouraging the world to adapt world peace and stop nuclear weaponry.  I could not have picked a more perfect day to visit the site.  I was literally the only person in the park for most of my visit.  This isolation, combined with the grey, cloudy day made for an eerily somber day, perfect for the reflection and respect deserving to the spot. 

Clock stopped at 11:02 am, time of bombing

There is also a museum inside the park that I debated whether or not to pay for and visit.  I decided to go ahead and do not regret that decision.  The museum had photos, videos, and relics from the day.  One of the most powerful sites was a few clocks that had been salvaged from the wreckage--All of which stopped working (and hands were permanently stopped) at exactly 11:02am, the time of the explosion.   Another powerful site were the sides of buildings and stones who had permanent imprints of the people and things next to them that looked like shadows, caused by the heat of the flash. 

Burnt rosaries

"Shadows" imprinted on a wall from the heat flash of the bomb

As I walked around the sites and museum, I couldn’t help but be moved and feel completely overwhelmed with sadness and desperation.  Both that we live in such a world that could cause such suffering to humanity, and that it was my country that had caused such devastation.  It was yet another instance where I was glad there was no one around to communicate with so that it allowed me the time to fully digest all that was around me. 

Just when I thought I couldn’t take the sadness much longer, I entered the section of the museum dedicated to survivors and hope.   There were entire wings of the museum and monuments around the entire city dedicated to bringing peace and hope to the future.  It was a very inspiring site, much of which was started by a fantastic man, Dr. Takashi Nagai. I am embarrassed to say that I had never heard of him.  I imagine you haven’t either, and I encourage you to read his story.  It’s pretty inspiring.  Long story short, his wife was killed in the attack and he dedicated the rest of his life to peace-making efforts.  Check him out.  Oh, and the Asian fascination with “peace signs” in photos finally makes sense now!

After seeing all the sites related to the bomb, I decided to head to see Japan’s oldest bridge and a few temples.  As I made my way to the trolley tram station, a little old man asked me “if I needed help.” I told him where I wanted to go and he kindly joined me on the trolley and became my little tour guide for the remainder of my visit.  It turned out that he was from Nagasaki and was here during the attack.  He was 6 years old at the time and saw the explosion from his house.  His family survived except his brother died 4 years later, due to complications from radiation (as was the case for many).  I could not have asked for a better guide.  He was happy to practice his English and I was honored to be in the presence of such a walking part of history!

We parted ways and I made my way back to the station.  I had a few minutes before my train so I bought some souvenirs, snacks, and treats for Jyumpei’s dinner party this evening.  I also witnessed a live Christmas pageant play put on by some adorable local children. 

With the somberness of the day, I had been worried that I would leave feeling down for the party tonight.   I’m happy to report, however, that Instead, I left Nagasaki with admiration for how it has built itself back up and turned the situation into a positive one- - to promote peace and awareness, and I left feeling hopeful and energized for the future. 

I arrived back at the hostel around 5:30pm, had about an hour to get ready and then Kei picked me up to head to the dinner party.  I rented a bike from the hostel ($4) and we set off to Hakata station.  Riding a bike on the sidewalks of Japan was an experience! I think I narrowly missed killing about 245 people, and that was on the way there, stone sober.  You can only imagine how fun it was on the way home, after “a few” glasses of wine and sangria! 

The bus terminal has a parking garage just for bikes and it’s just like for cars- - you take a ticket, first 2 hours are free, rack your bike, then pay upon exiting.  To go up and down the stairs, they have a little mini flat escalator for your bike.  I learned the hard way that you are supposed to BRAKE the bike while going down so you don’t BREAK the bike!

We made it safely to the dinner party which was in Jyumpei’s friend’s restaurant.  The place was SO cool! It’s basically a penthouse suite on the top floor of a building and it’s only open to private parties so we were the only folks there! Jyumpei cooked AMAZING Japanese traditional hot pot meals and a delicious Italian fish.  He was very sweet and made sure to make an entire vegetarian pot and fondue cheese for me.  I learned that one of the ingredients in the stew is collagen.  Yup, straight up collagen---this explains why the Japanese have the most beautiful skin in the world!  As expected, the meal was delicious, his friends were super nice, and the evening was perfect!  Oh, and besides providing comic relief to all his friends who enjoyed making fun of my Korean backpack and Japanese cartoon socks, I was an extra hit because of my dessert.  

Jyumpei's Christmas dinner

As I was leaving Nagasaki, I bought a dessert to bring for dinner.  I had no idea what I was buying, just looked around and picked a cake that looked good.  Turns out I had unknowingly purchased a traditional Nagasaki delicacy so everyone was super excited to have it…go me!  J

Kei and I rode the bus back to the terminal.  Even though she was catching a night bus out of town for the weekend holiday (it’s the emperor’s birthday), she rode her bike back with me to hostel. Only, when we were close, her friend called to say her bus had already arrived! We said a quick goodbye and she pedaled off to catch the bus.  I hope she made it back in time!  I was lucky enough to catch the hostel staff as they were walking out the door so they could show me how to lock up the bike since I hadn’t a clue. 

The next day, (today) I DRAGGED myself out of bed.  I was BEAT from a week of very little sleep so I passed out quickly. And of course, per tradition, I got about 3 hours of sleep between the snoring, hostel noise, and my roommates alarm going off 98798782734 times on Snooze.  I had a slow start at breakfast and just as I was making my way into the room, Jyumpei arrived.  CRAP! I had 10 minutes to get dressed, pack, check out, and be on our way! He was patient and I made it in about 12 minutes.  I was smart and decided not to look in the mirror before I left.  I’m still not sure what I’m wearing today, kind of don’t want to know.

All suited up for pottery making!

We headed off for something I have wanted to do MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   We went to make pottery!!!!!! I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited!  It was SO much fun and I WILL be doing this again in the future!  We had a private teacher show us how to make things.  My first two attempts did not end so well, but the third worked! I made a rice bowl and Jyumpei wrote my name in Japanese on it.  He made a Sake glass.  It will take about 2 weeks to dry, bake, and paint and then he will be mailing it home for me….I can’t wait!!!!!! 

After our ceramics outing, we went to eat Unagi (eel) since I had yet to try it and I was leaving Japan in a few hours.  On the way, we passed an Apple store so I stopped in to ask about my ipod.  Of course, it was working fine today so I looked like a moron.  Good thing I’m quite used to that by now.  We made it to our food spot and had our lunch.  I LOVE Ungai!!!! It also came with a bowl of soup that has the eel heart in it.  I ate it and it wasn’t half bad. 

Trying out my unagi!

Unfortunately, after lunch, I had to rush off to catch my ferry back to Korea.  Jyumpei (and a terminal worker—turns out they walk even Japanese people to their destination when you ask directions) walked me to the bus stop and saw me off.  I was really sad to be leaving Japan after such a short visit.  I cannot thank Jyumpei enough for his hospitality and unbelievable generosity. He literally took care of every need I could have possibly had---bought me tea when my throat hurt from the heater, treated me to everything he could think of, introduced me to wonderful people and Japanese food and traditions, lent me a cell phone, and made sure someone always met me at the hostel and/or walked me back.  My time in Japan would not have been nearly as fabulous without you, Jyumpei,  and I am forever grateful.  I hope I can return the favor one day, to you and fellow travelers.  Until then, if you meet a backpacker, especially a Japanese, please help pay it forward! Thanks! Jumpei, I will see you soon my friend, and be on the lookout for a non-pink hat in the mail and a MARVELOUS CouchSurfing Review!!!!! : ) DOMO ARIGATO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Japan Part Ni

Beppu

Wednesday—the plan was to wake early and go for a run but since I was up late and then didn’t sleep well, thanks to another snorer, that didn’t happen.  After a slow start and awaking to discover my ipod not working, I spent the good part of the morning on the phone with Apple and trying to fix the darn thing.  By the time I was done with that and made it to the town of Beppu, it was 12:30.  So much for an early start!

Oh well.  Beppu is an area famous for its hot springs. There are several around town, known as “The Hells.”  These are just for viewing and not for soaking.  Having read that they are quite thematic and touristy (plus I was short on time), I decided against seeing any of these.  I may have been disappointed had I not just seen amazing springs in NZ as well.  I had hoped to see the wild monkey mountain park but time didn’t allow for that either. 

Instead, I set off to try a local SAND bath! Not a water one, a sand one! There are LOTS of hot springs (onsens) to choose from.  The lady at the info. desk pulled out a book of different spots for me to choose from.  Most people do like a “pub crawl” equivalent of the different hot springs.  I’m poorer than most people so I had to pick the best one.   My criteria for the spring was traditional, cheap, close, and authentic. Most of the ones in the binder were inside big hotels, quite touristy, and a bus fare away.  I knew I was in good hands when she pulled out a DIFFERNT binder (I can only presume it’s the “local, secret” binder and showed me one where it was OUTSIDE, ON the beach, and I could go for free with my train pass—I was sold!

I rode the metro to the spot and headed off to find the spa.  Stopped to ask for directions, was herded by a lady to follow her.  I, presuming she was taking me to someone who spoke English, blinded proceeded.  I was handed off to another guy who shuffled me down a hallway to a classroom where another man was waiting.  They all seemed to think I belonged there.  They finally stopped to look at what I was actually asking for and then all laughed and shuffled me outside to the right spot.  I never did figure out what that place was or who they thought I was, but it was a fun little encounter!

It was different than anything I had ever done.  I was the only person there except for a small Chinese tour group.  No one spoke English so I had to guess as to what I was supposed to do.  You can imagine my gesturing for asking if I was supposed to take off my underwear or leave that on under the robe. I made instant friends. 

Basically, you strip down, put on a robe, walk outside where little women are shoveling shallow pits in the hot sand (warmed from the hot springs).   You lay in the sand with the robe ON (I narrowly missed a REALLY embarrassing moment there), head rested on a wooden block, and they slowly burry you in the hot sand.  I’m not gonna lie, it was slightly claustrophobic feeling and I had a few instant itches that I couldn’t get to, but for the most part it was relaxing.  It was really nice to look out and see the ocean right in front of me, feel the cool wind on my face, and most of all, see the clock on the wall so I knew when I would be able to scratch my itches. 

After baking in the sand, I went inside and had a nice charades session to figure out what I was supposed to 

do next.  I think I got it right.  Either way, you’re hearing what I did. Rinsed off in the shower, took a dip in the indoor hot spring tub, then “showered” by the faucets.  One of the workers had given me a towel and when I tried to leave and was being charged for a towel, I realized that there was a miscommunication.  I had actually brought my own towel, but since I was handed one, thought I’d use theirs.  Turns out, they were to purchase.  But, they realized the situation and didn’t charge me. : )

I rushed back to the train and made it back to the hostel around 6pm…RIGHT when Jyumpei called to say he was on his way over.  Perfect timing!  We walked to the mall and tried free samples of everything…even wines! I also sampled different Japanese foods, including a Fukuoka caviar specialty, pizza, tofu, unagi, and different pastries.  And this was BEFORE our dinner party!

Jyumpei bought some sake and wine and then we grabbed the desserts I bought and set off for Kei’s house.  At the party, I met her friend Muneo and we had an AMAZING and HUGE feast with all traditional foods.  They could not have been more kind, making sure I got to experience traditional Japan! I had a WONDERFUL time sitting on the floor, eating all the delicious foods, skyping my folks, and learning about Japan from my new friends.  It was a GREAT night and Jyumpei is a GREAT friend, always making sure I’m taken care of—pulling me to safety from Japanese bikers, planning my week full of fun things, walking me to and from places, and lending me a cell phone in case I should need it.   DOMO ARIGATO!!

Arrived back around 11:30pm and spent the next few hours posting pictures, researching my day trip the next day, and trying to fix my damn ipod (including installing an APP to learn some more Japanese!)

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto

Sorry, I just had to! And I will admit that I was very grateful for terrible 80’s music because, sadly, it was just about the only exposure I had had to Japanese and it is a useful phrase!

Okay, so a run-down of my days in Japan.

Fukuoka:

Fukuoka is the city where I arrived and my home-base for the week.  Even though it makes more sense geographically to stay in each city here, it was much easier for me to not lug around my backpack so I chose to return here each night.  Since my train pass I unlimited, it works out.   Plus, I had to be back each night for visits with my new friends!

                                                                        Jyumpei!!!

Fukuoka is a nice, port city that is unique, even to Japan. Because of its closeness to China and Korea, signs around town appear in 4 languages: Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and English.  Even Tokyo sports only Japanese and English.  It’s a big city, although much smaller than Tokyo or Osaka, houses a professional Rugby, soccer, and baseball team and hosts a marathon each year.

Aso:

Aso is about a 2 hour train ride to town (and another 45 minute bus ride to the volcano) from Fukuoka and is home to the world’s largest caldera volcano.  It is still very active and erupted as recently as 1993.  I set out Tuesday morning to Aso and met 4 guys from Singapore on the train.  They were the only other people I heard speaking English so I instantly struck up a conversation.  Turned out we were headed to the same sites so they were kind enough to let me tag along their entourage for the day.

It took 3 trains to get to Aso (although that sounds much worse than it was) and when we arrived to the info. desk in town we were told that we should not waste our time taking the bus to the base since the cable car and viewing paths were all closed due to toxic gas levels spewing from the volcano.   But, alas, I did not earn the nickname “Moose” for no reason.  Stubborn me was not going travel this long and not even see the darn thing.  We decided to risk the bus ride and take our chances that the winds would change and we’d be allowed a visit.

                                                              The Singapore boys

Turns out my golden horse shoe works in Japan and 5 minutes after arriving at the base, the cable car began taking folks up! We jumped aboard (actually, we stepped on lightly since it was swaying a bit and we were too cold to move our extremities quickly) and rode to the top.  There is a colored light warning system that tells you the levels of gas and danger as well as which viewing spots are open.  At first, only 1 was open, but as we were viewing, they all opened up except for one! We got some great photo shots and then hurried back to the semi-heated shop to await the cable car.  I was glad I had made new friends because I did not calculate my cash very well and was just shy of having bus fare back.  They were kind enough to chip in for my fare and I had to hope I didn’t need any money the rest of the day. It always takes a few days to figure out conversions and local prices.

                        It was hard to breath up there!

I arrived back to the hostel around 6pm and had a nice night catching up on life online. I was up until 2am posting pictures and sorting out plans online. I also needed to finalize my travel plans for Christmas but the webpage for the trains was in Korean.  Luckily, my roommate was Korean so she helped me research it all—LOVE the “internationalness” of hostels!  It was also neat to be in a room full of Koreans, Japanese, and Thai folks watching the news unfold about North Korea’s leader dying.  

My big plan for the night was to blog, but it took that long to do everything else and blogging always seems to be the last thing I do since it take a lot of focus.  I find it’s a constant battle to find a good balance between making time to write about your experiences and ACTUALLY experiencing things.  So, I apologize if my postings are not as frequent as you would like, but experiencing my travels usually wins out on the battles.  After 3 days of attempting to blog at night with epic failure, I caved and brought along my laptop on my day’s journey today so I can type on the train. Okay, this section is no longer about Aso.  I’ll move on. Done.

I Think I'm Turning Japanese

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Today is my fourth day in Japan and I am So impressed so far and regret not having more time to stay in this wonderfully welcoming country.  I arrived Monday afternoon around 1:00pm after a nice 3 hour ferry ride from Busan, Korea.  The ferry was quite comfortable and enjoyable and getting to town from the port was an easy bus ride away.  As I do in any new country/city, the first thing I did was visit the information center and then exchange money.  They explained where to go on the bus, and also how to pay.  In Japan, the bus fare is based on the distance of your journey.  You take a ticket upon entering the bus, and when you reach your destination, you check the screen to see how much your fare is and turn in your ticket with fare.  It’s quite easy and helpful.

My hostel check-in wasn’t until 4pm and the bus station was en route so I decided to stop there and pick up my train pass for the week (I had to exchange the voucher from Korea for the actual pass).  Turns out, there was some miscommunication between Korea and myself and I had paid for a 5 day pass when I would only need a 3 day pass.  The difference in price was 2000 Yen ($26)—that’s a lot of money for a backpacker!  Luckily, the woman at the counter could not have been more helpful and patient.  Long story short, I was there for almost 2 hours but in the end, got my 3 day pass and was refunded the difference, minus 10%, and I was able to plan out my train routes for the week.  It was a nice introduction to the Japanese helpfulness that I have encountered everywhere since.

The walk to the hostel was easy (even for me, my 85 pound pack, and my lack of direction) and it was nice to take in the sights of Fukuoka a bit.  Tabicolle Backpackers is a converted house owned by a young guy, Shuzi.  It’s only big enough for 7 guests at a time which I love since it feels like you are in a house and not a giant, impersonal hostel.  Every detail of the place was thought out and it is a FABULOUS place! You even get to sleep on traditional futon mats on the floor that fold up during the day.  Shuzi and the staff are SO friendly and helpful, speak great English,  the place is clean and nicely decorated, and they even provide free wifi, breakfast, coffee and tea, and bathroom toiletries—these are all luxuries when traveling! 

I was pretty tired but received a nice “pick-me-up” surprise at arrival.  Turns out, Jyumpei, the couchsurfer who was unable to host me had dropped off a bottle of wine for me and left a message that he would be coming by later that night.  What a way to welcome me to Japan! Thanks, Jyumpei! 

                                Shuzi, the owner, and his fiance

By the time I checked in, I had been traveling all day and was beyond antsy to just move around.   Shuzi told me how to find a nearby park so I set off for a quick run before dark.  I made it to the park and enjoyed a quick workout and watching the locals run, walk, play soccer, and baseball.  I always prefer watching people interact in their day to day, “real” lives which is why I prefer going to a park, library, or coffee shop and just “hanging out” over going to a museum, cathedral, etc.  when I travel.  I learn a lot more about a country this way and find it much more enjoyable. 

Darkness had set in by the time I set off back to the hostel.  I got slightly turned around but stopped at a store and the guy walked me back.  It may have just been easier to walk me than trying to explain since he didn’t speak English, but I liked the “star-treatment.”

Afterwards, I was able to unpack, go to an ATM, grocery shop, and relax a little bit in the living room with Shuzi and his fiancé who were busy planning their upcoming wedding.  Come 10pm (they are very punctual here), Jyumpei showed up and his friend, Kei, arrived shortly thereafter.  I was really glad I bought a chocolate cake at the grocery store for tonight since everyone showed up with treats.  It appears to be customary to not arrive empty-handed here.    Turns out Shuzi is friends with Kei too (small world!) so the 4 of us hung out until close to 1am, drinking wine and eating traditional Japanese desserts…it was certainly the best welcoming party I had ever had in a country where I knew no one! The evening ended with my social calendar full of invites for the week, my belly full, and my hear happy to be in such a lovely country.

Besides the amazing hospitality, other first impressions of Japan include:

-It’s really safe!  It’s safe to walk at night (people are out at all hours) or alone during the day.  It’s a nice feeling.

-Bikes have internal locks on the wheels so they lock anywhere, standing up.

-It’s really clean, orderly and organized.  I still haven’t figured out the trick, but I seem to always be walking in the wrong direction.  Every time I go to or from the train station, I swear I am the ONLY person walking IN when everyone else is walking OUT and vice versa. I’m not talking through a certain doorway, but on the entire street. There must be some secret door and memo that all the Japanese get and I don’t.  Either way, they are kind enough to overlook my foreign awkwardness that messes up their nicely organized paths and step aside or bike around me without dirty glances. 

-They are SO helpful and smile easily and frequently.  Just like Korea, they are patient with language barriers and understand that a smile and laughter go a long way in helping out ANY situation!  They are eager to practice their English and proud to share their country with me (rightfully so)!

-Fewer people speak English than I had anticipated, although I’ve encountered  more Japanese that speak English than in Korea.

-They have designated smoking areas, even outside

-They drive on the wrong side of the road—didn’t expect that one! Although, to be completely honest, I’ve been to so many countries now that I couldn’t remember which was the “right” side to drive on and had to clarify (thanks for not judging)! : )

- The train system is AWESOME!!! Trains are super-fast, punctual, clean, and come with a regular frequency.  Everything about them, is convenient.  Stations are in the center of town, tickets can be purchased a minute beforehand and switched at any time.  I don’t ever have to worry about a time schedule since I know there are plenty of trains and I can switch my itinerary at any time! They have nice bathrooms, comfy seats, plugs for computers, and I’ve had 2 seats to myself every time.  The only complaint is that they go SO fast, my ears hurt! : (

-People love to wear black! I stand out quite loudly with my orange coat, blue shoes, and Korean pants!

-It’s warmer than I anticipated.  Okay, let me clarify.  It’s still winter cold, but warmer than Korea and I had been warned otherwise.

-I LOVE the bowing system.  People bow for anything, and it’s SO cute and polite and makes me reminisce of simpler times when people were much more respectful.  On the trains, the staff turn around and face you to bow EVERY time they exit the train car as a sign of thanks—I LOVE it!

I’ll sign off now with an official, turn-around-facing-you, bow to Japan as a big thank you for welcoming with such open arms. THANKS, Japan!

No Woman, No Cry

Monday, December 19, 2011

I love Bob Marley and I wish I could say I always head this advice.  Traveling has a way of continually  pushing you to the edge of personal limitations and it’s a challenge, every day, to “go with the flow” and trust that all will work out okay.  I’m currently seated at the Busan International Ferry terminal waiting for my ferry to depart to Fukuoka, Japan.   Ferry and train tickets are in hand, although the journey to get here was not so stress-free.  You may remember, from my last post that purchasing the ticket, alone was a “fun” task and that picking it up proved even more fun.  Since I was out of town until last night, I had no way of retrieving my ticket before this morning’s departure.  Shane, the Canadian I met while on the brink of tears at the ATM a few days ago, volunteered to retrieve the ticket for me and exchange it Sunday night.  Sounded simple enough to me!

I departed Busan on Thursday, comforted by this fact and anticipating a smooth exchange of the ticket and place to sleep on Sunday night.  Upon arriving in Gwangju, I emailed Shane to coordinate details.  Had an awesomely stress-free weekend until Saturday night when I read his response.  It was not what I had anticipated.  It read, “I’m not sure what you thought I said but I can’t meet up this weekend because I have a friend in town.  Maybe next weekend.”  Wait, what??!!!  I replied back to make sure he realized that I was needed my ticket THIS Sunday as I was leaving in less than 48 hours!!!!! Come Sunday morning, still no response from Shane.  Tried calling, couldn’t get ahold of him.  I was still 5 hours away from Busan, the travel agency was closed on Sunday, wouldn’t open Monday until 9am, and I had to be AT the terminal at 9am (clear across town).  I didn’t even know if my ticket was still at the agency or with Shane.  Good times.

To add to the fun of the weekend, I had a confirmed place to stay in Japan and a few hours before leaving Gwangju, got an email that he was unable to host.  So, I found myself with nowhere to sleep that night, nowhere to sleep for a week in Japan, and no way of retrieving my $200 train ticket for Japan.  So, I did what any person in this situation would do…hung out with friend longer and ate fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies!!  I’m proud to say that I didn’t panic or freak-out.  At that point, I figured the situation was out of my control and it was upsetting enough so there was no point in freaking out and making myself more miserable.  Instead, I TRULY LET GO and trusted that it would all work out somehow.

Nonetheless, I was less than thrilled for  my 5 hour bus journey in the snow, with no place to go upon arrival. I decided to head to where I ran into Shane at the ATM, hoping he lived nearby.  I planned to find a Jimjilbang (Korean spa) and crash for the night in the napping room ($6 for free spa services and a place to sleep)!  Before searching for a spa, I thought I’d  try one last time to see if I could contact Shane.  Turned on my Ipod touch (btw-BEST purchase for a traveler!!!!) to search for free wifi and I found it! Checked FB and had a message from Erin that Shane had called back and had my ticket!  Borrowed a phone from a passerby and got ahold of Shane—he had my ticket, could meet me near where I happened to be, and had a free couch to crash on!!!!  So, in the end, it all worked out.  I got all that I needed and to top it all off, had a lovely evening out exploring Busan and eating/drinking local Korean treats (and got free some Canadian socks out of the deal).  And don’t worry, mom, as for Japan, I booked a hostel for tonight and will see what unfolds for the remaining days.  Just another life lesson that, no matter what, it all works out in the end and people help people out if you are open to it.  I think that so often, we are too stressed and set on doing things for ourselves that we don’t allow others to help and open the door to new friendships and adventures such as this one.   I’d like to say that I’m perfect at this, at all times, but we all know how hard that is.  For now, I’m content knowing how blessed I am to travel and have plenty of opportunities to practice this.  I know it’s much more enjoyable (and adventurous) to be a “no worry woman” than a “cry woman.” Thanks, Bob.

Lucy, you got some Complainin' to do!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Okay, sorry for the corny title.  But it's such a great show and a happy thought to start with before the vent session about to occur.  I’m SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO frustrated right now!  Nothing big or terrible has happened, and I know I should be grateful that the first of my travel frustrations are occurring after 3 months of being on the road.  But, I’d still like to vent a bit so please just be a good friend and listen….or skip ahead ‘til after I’m done complaining, deal? Thanks.

So, yesterday was supposed to be my day to explore Busan.  I had arrived there the day before but had an early travel start and ended up sleeping away most of the day and didn’t see much.  It was my sister’s birthday and we had a Skype date at 11am (that part of my day WAS awesome!)so I got up early and planned to finalize some travel plans and odds and ends online before heading o ff to explore Busan.  Oh, if only it were that simple. 

I researched ALL morning the most affordable way to get to Japan (that’s right, I’m off to Japan next!) and this was not an easy task.  All the websites for the ferry were in Korean.  Didn’t help me.  Finally found some websites in English, but couldn’t actually purchase anything from them.  Found a travel agency (thanks, Marisa) that spoke English and could help, but conversations over Skype were COMPLETELY lost in translation.  To the point where I would say, “is there a train from the ferry to downtown?” and they would respond with “what time do you need to be at the consulate?”  It was a challenge.  We finally got it figured out as to what I wanted and then I had to calculate between 3 currencies.  Some prices were quoted in Korean Won, others in Japanese yen, and I had to convert them all to US dollars.  This was fun.  Wasn’t entirely sure I even knew what I was buying or how much I cost but at that point I decided to just go for it.  Perfect, I’ll 

give you my credit card and I’m set…..

Only they take cash only. Of course.  By this point, we had given up on Skype and were emailing to communicate, so I wasted the whole day waiting for emails.  Did go for a jog by the river which was nice. Fine, I’ll bring you the cash.  But it was 5:50pm and they closed at 6pm.  Asked what time they opened in the morning, was told 8am.  So, even though I was set to be on an early bus to my next town, I rearranged those travel plans to go there first and then continue on.

That brings us to today.  Headed out the door around 7:30, made it to the agency at 8:30….but they were closed! Found another business who was open, borrowed their phone, and heard the recording that they open at 9.  Waited ‘til 9, got down to business and wen tto get the cash I needed from the 2^nd floor ATMs.  Only the ATM kept saying “exceeds the limit”  The Korean banker that was greeting people helped me out and he and another co-worker and I put our 3 heads together to find the international contact number for my card, figure out how to call collect from Korea to the US, and I called my bank.  Got through! But wrong division. After 3 transfers and waiting on hold for 15 minutes, we were disconnected.  Perfect!

I gave up on that and decided to try the card again, the whole time worried that my bank would cancel my card for too many tries (still not sure they haven’t done so).  Same nice banker guy spotted a fellow white person and grabbed him and said “help!” and pointed at me.  Turned out to be Canadian, Shane.  Canadian Shane stayed with me while I took out $50 at a time, offered to lend me money after meeting me literally 2 minutes prior (I take that back, he didn’t even know my name at that point so hadn’t technically met yet), and accompanied me back to the agency once money was in hand. 

Thought the worries were over after I handed over the money and was told my reservation was complete. Oh, but apparently I have to come back to the agency to get my train pass for Japan the next day…and I would no longer be in town.  Great! Canadian Shane (sorry, just so fun to say) offered to come back and get it for me and meet me on Sunday to hand it over before I head to Japan the next morning.  I hope this plan works! THANKS, Shane!  It’s really nice how being in a foreign land brings ex-pats together…LOVE it!

I was now 3 hours behind schedule to get to my next town, Gwangju.  Made it to eh bus station and had to wait over an hour for my bus. Had to pee an hour into the bus ride and was about to burst and had no idea how long the bus ride even was but knew it was at least 3 hours.  Was just about to panic when the driver pulled into a rest stop…thank God! Also bought what I thought were the same cinnamon rolls I discovered in the last bus station, but they were like little mini apple pies...that’s  the kind of surprises I can deal with!

Made it to Gwangju around 5pm and my couchsurfing host had sent me directions to her house via taxi.  This should be easy.  Only the first driver had no idea what I was saying, even after I showed him the email.  Got out of that cab, spotted two cops who read my email and patiently listened to me butcher their beautiful language in an attempt to just get to her house! They finally figured it out and escorted me to the next taxi and pronounced it for me. Whew!

Made it here and thought I’d relax before heading out to explore.  Checked email and my flight for Thailand (next stop after Japan and Korea) did not go through because they didn’t like my credit card.  Really, people??!!! SO, now I’ve spent all afternoon on Skype, from Korea, with Spain, trying to purchase a ticket with China airlines to Thailand. Talk about Gloablism! I’m sidetracked. Long story longer, they wanted me to transfer money from my bank to their account.  Wasn’t about to attempt that so canceled that, purchased it directly from China Southern airlines…and am now crossing my fingers that went through since I received no confirmation.   Oh the joys of travel! Why can’t anything be simple?!

Okay, so enough ranting.  For those of you who were hoping to skip the venting, BEGIN READING AGAIN HERE.  Going to end with positive thoughts. I’m grateful that this was my first big traveling obstacle and I’m already 3 months into my journey.  I’m grateful for couchsurfing hosts willing to host me sight unseen, last minute, and offer me a free, welcoming home (with free wifif).  I’m grateful for helpful Koreans and Canadians.  I’m grateful that I am healthy and in a position to have this opportunity to travel, be flexible, take it all in, and explore the world.  I’m grateful for family and friends who support me and encourage me to keep going, even when frustrated over finances and such. Above all, I’m grateful for those same friends and family who help me keep this all in perspective and realize that all of this is “small cookies” and part of the challenges that I signed up for and ultimately enjoy because they make me a better person.  THANK YOU ALL! And please keep that support coming as I’m sure there will be many more “opportunities for personal growth” to come!  

Thought I'd throw in a happy picture of me for good measure so you know I really AM enjoying ALL of this (each interaction is still a cultural encounter!)!

Me on a hike in Geoje-do with two AMAZING Couchsurfer hosts! THANKS, guys!

Dani's Korea

I’d like to tell you all about my perceptions of Korea.  Please take them all with a grain of salt, knowing that all opinions are just that…and I’ve only been here about 2 weeks…here goes anyway!

Korea.  It’s awesome! Here are some of the things I love about Korea.  I can do weird stretches and exercises anywhere, anytime…and no one cares—they do them too!  People are patient, helpful, and always have a smile and free food for foreigners.  FREE FOOD--On our day-ventures, Carolyn and I were handed free food from complete strangers FOUR times!  On our day tour of Daegu, we spent no money on food all day because we were handed sweet potatoes (twice) and soda, a sticky rice cake, candy, roasted chestnuts (in korea they actually have and eat them, not just reserved for Christmas songs like back home).  And, it’s not limited to Daegu.  In Geoje, I was gifted free bark juice (yup, straight form the bark of a tree) and more 

chestnuts.  I love food…and I love FREE! Major points for Korea.

Other awesomeness about Korea: it’s clean, organized, buses and public transportation are punctual (most have left early so don’t be late), it’s easy to get around, people are honest and don’t rip you of (there’s not a Korean price and a foreigner price as in many places. You don’t need to  haggle.  The price is listed, and it’s fair.  Vendors are not pushy.  Korea is safe.   

Things that surprised me.

There are Northface, Red face, and various outdoor equipment stores everywhere—Koreans love hiking!  And a Korean hike may be short, but that’s because it’s the most direct route to the top—straight up! They are short, but hard-core vertical so you get a workout!  Old men smoke everywhere (that’s not so surprising) but girls smoke in bathroom stalls so as not to be seen.  Couples dress alike.  I’m talking head to toe, exact same outfits.  Professional drinking is huge here.  Let me clarify.  They don’t have professional drinking teams like “Vodka Vikings” and “Tequila Terrors” but the professionals have to drink as part of the work culture.  Every time your boss drinks, you must too.  It’s not uncommon to see professional men passed out on the streets after a work function.  And nothing happens to them ‘cause it’s safe, remember? Apparently, Korean is fairly easy to learn—written form at least.  All the ex-pats I’ve talked to say they learned it in a few days or so.  I’m going to borrow my friend’s book so I’ll let you know how long it takes me to master.  I’m giving myself a few hours.

Best part:

I think the best part about Korea so far is the challenge and adventure in it all!  I was really surprised to discover how many people DON’T speak English…and I LOVE that!  Everyday tasks turn into great adventures.  I’ll tell you about my journey to Geoje and you’ll see what I mean. 

I left Emily and Jared’s apartment early Saturday morning but was running late and carrying a 75 pound backpack so I decided to have the front-desk boy call me a cab to get to the bus station.  Daegu has 4 or 5 bus stations and I had to try to explain to him which one I wanted.  Only I didn’t know the name of it and had never been there, only knew more or less where it was located.  He didn’t speak a word of English so this turned into a 10 minute charades gam.  Eventually, he called someone, spoke in Korean for a long time and said something about 5.  I assumed it was “wait here for the taxi to come in 5 minutes.”  But as I stood and waited, getting nervous about missing my bus, I wondered if I had guessed right.  Turns out I had, the cab came, only now I wasn’t sure if he understood where I wanted to cab to take me.  So he told the cab to take me somewhere, I got in and hoped for the best—it worked out somehow!   I bought my ticket to Busan, and made it onto the bus without any problems. 

In Busan, I had to purchase another ticket to Geoje or Gohyean.  I had been warned to get the pronunciation exactly right or I could end up in an entirely different city (as happened to my friends!).  Only problem was, I had never heard these places pronounced, only had an email.  Showed the girl my ipod with email, she gave me a ticket, and I marched down to wait for a bus I hoped would take me to the right place.  Geoje-si is up to Seoul (where I did NOT want to go) and Geoje-do is an island, where I did want to head.  My ticket was in Korean so I had no idea where I was headed…either way, I was going there!

I only had about 10 minutes before the bus left so I rushed to the bathroom.  Bathroom was only marked in Korean so I guessed, saw urinals and realized I guessed wrong, turned around, and found the right one.  No harm done.  Next, to grab a bite to eat.  Saw a stand that had eggs.  Almost bought one but couldn’t get the gesturing for “is this hard-boiled and edible now” quite right and had visions of cracking open a raw egg onto myself so decided against that.  She was frying up some dough things with something brown so I decided to go with that.  Tried finding out if It had meat but couldn’t get that one across either (had to have been her slow interpreting skills ‘cause my gesturing rocks) so I decided to just buy it and hope for the best.  Handed her money, having no idea what I was buying or how much it cost.  Broke it open, wasn’t meat….but it was cinnamon! It was a yummy cinnamon dough thing!  Ended up buying another one and another fried thing she had which also turned out to be meatless…woohoo! Buying food is extra exciting when you’re vegetarian and you’re not sure if you can eat it or not.

Onto the bus. I tried confirming with two other people if I was on the right bus buy showing them my email but they all wanted to see my ticket.  Since I wasn’t exactly sure I bought the right ticket, it wasn’t too reassuring, but at least I was on the right bus for my ticket—wherever that was headed.  I was on the bus for over an hour (had been traveling for about 2.5-3 hours by now and the entire journey was only to take 2 so I was a bit nervous), plus the bus kept heading away from water…not exactly heading towards an island.  I tried asking 2 people to borrow a phone, but neither had one.  So, I decided I’d just go with it and have fun wherever I ended up!

Oh, and of course, I had to go to the bathroom.  At one point, the bus stopped in some town and the driver disappeared before I could tell him I was hopping off to find a bathroom.  So, I gestured to the lady next to me that I was going to find a bathroom so that she could watch my stuff and tell the driver not to go off without me.  Luckily, I also remembered my only Korean phrase I learned in 6^th-grade science class sitting next to Pansy Lee (thanks, Pansy!) and it was an important one—where’s the bathroom!  She understood, but got off the bus to find the bathroom for me.   Appreciated that but now I was worried that the bus driver would take off without both of us..and both our stuff! Found the bathroom and made it back to the bus, no problems.  Pretty sure I used a men’s room but didn’t matter at that point.  Being a foreigner, you can pretty much get away with anything, which is kinda fun!

I was just about convinced that I was headed to the wrong place when the bus turned and started over some bridges..that was a good sign! About 20 minutes later, I finally spotted a sign with the city I wanted and arrived with perfect timing to meet my Couch Surfing hosts for the weekend.  So Dani’s Korea is full of fun challenges and exciting adventures, even if it all is just to catch a bus and go to the bathroom… How boring would it have been to just read a sign in English, know where I was going, and get there on time, without any adventure?!  I’m glad I get to challenge myself to take these risks and remain flexible throughout all the excitement!

Beetle Juice, Beetle Juice, Beetle Juice!

Friday, December 2nd, 2011- Monday, December 5^th, 2011

That’s right, ladies and gentleman.  I’ve gone and done it; I ate beetle juice…and the beetles (like the bugs, not the beAtle music group)! Seems odd to you that anyone would eat beetles, let alone vegetarian-me, right?! I know.  That’s probably because it wasn’t entirely voluntary.  You see, yesterday, Carolyn (Jared’s mom-in-law) and I were palling around town when we ventured into Seoman market to take in the sights and smells of the local cuisines.  After tasting every Korean cookie, cake, and sweet under the sun--thanks to a very charismatic sales boy-- we came upon “beetle row.”  We were stopping to admire the beetle stew and take a photo when a second little old lady came from behind me, grabbed a handful of beetles for herself and one for me.  She popped hers in her mouth, and before I knew what was happening, had very skillfully coerced me to eating them myself.   Luckily Carolyn was quick on the draw with the camera and very artistically captured the moment for all to see.  Personally, I think she was just trying to keep her hands busy so the ladies wouldn’t shove beetles into hers as well.  Nonetheless, I thank her for the fun, candid photos.  I’m happy to relive the moment over and over again…but only in photo image!

Truth be told, they weren’t as bad as I had expected.  Not crunchy, not chewy.  Not bad, not good.  If you ever come here and smell them, they taste just like they smell. Not sure if it’s the spices they use to cook them or the beetles themselves but I won’t lose any sleep if I never find out the answer to that one.  I have to admit, I think I had it coming to me since earlier in the day I spotted a stand with beetles and half-jokingly said to Carolyn that I wish I could try just one.  I guess you really do have to be careful what you wish for!

My time here in Korea has been amazing so far!  The beginning of the week was spent in the hospital….for a good reason—we welcomed baby Lucy Hatch into this world!  After a change in travel plans that had me arriving after Lucy’s due date, I was certain and saddened that I would miss the momentous day.  But alas, little Lucy knew her Aunt Dani REALLY wanted to make it in time so she held out for me! (Sorry Em, but Lucy and I had a secret pact)  I feel SO honored and blessed to have been here for this glorious moment in the Hatch family and will forever be grateful to them for allowing me to share in this special time.  I am SO amazed (but not at all surprised) by your natural, loving parenting styles already and admire your patience and team-work.  You inspire me and I love you guys!

I am SO impressed with the hospital care here.  They have a cultural/translator, Ms. Ku, assigned to foreign patients and she is AMAZING! She works tirelessly and always with a smile to make sure they have everything they need and understand it all.  The hospital staff is always helpful, friendly, extremely responsive, and very knowledgeable yet not pushy-allowing patients to make informed choices in their own medical care.  The rooms are private, high-tech, and comfortable (and come with free slippers)!  The food is good, nutritious, and plentiful.  And best of all, there are no visiting hours or limits on numbers of guests so we are able to enjoy Lucy whenever we want!

Turns out I’m a master gesturer and I challenge anyone to play me in charades!  Since being in Korea, I’ve had to gesture such things as “Can you page my friends on the intercom and tell them to meet me in front of Dunkin Doughnuts,” and “I’d like this Kimbob order to go, please.”  I’m so good, in fact, that Carolyn and I decided that when we enter to be on the amazing race (look for us soon to come), under the useful skills column, I would list “fluent in gesturing…ALL languages.”

Okay, I’m home alone right now and the house is talking to me.  Yes, the HOUSE.  Everything here in Korea is like a fun toy.  The toilets have buttons to heat, spray, dry, massage, etc., the front doors have codes that open up with a button like an inspector gadget tool, apartments have screens to call the elevator, check the weather, see who’s at the door, fridges have trap doors, and sinks turn on and off with your feet.  It took me ten minutes to figure out how to turn on the light switch the other day as it has its own entire launch pad system.  And now, apparently houses talk to you! I have NO idea what it’s saying.  For all I know, it’s telling me to get out because the building is on fire.  But, ignorance is bliss so I’ll just keep typing away to you and enjoying the nice elevator music and Korean chatter coming from the house.

This blog entry is really ADD, sorry.  But to know me is to love me.  So, my days in Daegu have included time at the hospital with baby Lucy and her parents, catching up on much needed down time at the Hatch apartment, and touring around Daegu with my travel buddy, Carolyn. The first day she and I attempted to walk to the hospital on our own we walked so far out of our way it took us 2.5 hours to go the normal 45 minutes!  Yup, our Amazing Race episodes will be entertaining!  Thankfully, in true Korean style, everyone we stopped to ask for directions was SO patient and helpful, looking up directions on their phones, drawing us maps, and highlighting ours.  One girl even ran after us and offered us money in case we didn’t have enough for the bus fare.  Koreans are the best-so patient and helpful! They also love to say “hi” and use any English words they know when encountering us.  It’s been fun!

Today, Jared and I walked to 2 out of the 3 military bases here and got my access pass (so I can use the facilities while here), visited Emily’s school, got the mail, money from the Bank of America ATM, and ate copious amounts of greasy American food…and I didn’t feel guilty at all!

If you couldn’t tell from my blog and photos, I’m having a great time in Korea!  I’ve enjoyed exploring Daegu, tasting local cuisine (Kimbab and some crepe-like things dipped in a soy sauce that Carolyn and I eyed at the market until we were convinced they didn’t have meat), and gaining insight into the Korean culture.  Most of all, I’ve enjoyed spending time with dear friends and getting to know Carolyn and little Lucy! : ) 

I was RIGHT!

Friday, December 2, 2011

I was Right!!!!

Just in case you were having doubts about me after my misjudgment of Queenstown, I thought I’d point out to you that…I WAS RIGHT! I DO love Korea! Read on and you’ll see why, but before that, I have to say something…

December??? Really???  Where the heck did this year go?! It’s hard to believe that just a few months ago, I was in the States, living the day to day, two days ago I was in NZ, and now I’m in Daegu, South Korea—what an amazing year it has been!

I arrived in Korea two nights ago and made my way to a couchsurfer’s house in Seoul, fellow American, Alex.  He was a fabulous host for a night.  Served me a belated Thanksgiving dinner, complete with apple pie and brownies, and I enjoyed the evening sharing travel stories and photos and playing Pac man!  His apartment was SO nice! Had my own room, own bathroom with rain showerhead, and free American food—just what I needed!  Alex was eager to show me Seoul but I had to head out early the next day to make it to Daegu so we’ve made plans to meet again when I return to Seoul. Thanks, and see you soon, Alex!

Ok, back to loving Korea--My arrival to his house could not have been more uneventful, just the way I like it.   I landed (and by I, I mean the plane with me on it) in Seoul around 7 pm and by the time I went to the bathroom and made my way down to baggage, my backpack was waiting for me! Grabbed the bag and put it on a free luggage cart and made my way out customs.  I was an idiot and filled the customs card out wrong…3 times! But, the guy was nice and politely bowed and pointed for me to step aside and correct it each time. I suck. Got it straightened out and made it through customs with no problems (score one for me for sneaking in oatmeal and honey..,such a rebel!) Walked to the information desk, borrowed the phone to call Alex, got out some Korean Won and made my way to the bus stop. 

The bus I took to get to Alex was the nicest bus I’ve ever been on! Leather seats, recliners, footstools, tv, nice way to end a long journey (over 24 hours at this point).  Once at AK plaza, I made it inside but there was no sign of Alex.  No problem, just borrowed a phone from someone and called him.  Well, there was a slight problem since he didn’t answer but he arrived a few seconds later so no harm was done.  I’ve had to repeat this process of borrowing phones from people several times already and every person that I talked to, regardless of their English ability, has been SO helpful! I’m quite impressed! It’s amazing what pointing to a piece of paper with a phone number on it or gesturing a phone with your hand can communicate!

The next day, I set out on the bus to Seoul Station and was greeted with the Korean helpfulness again.  My Korean is a bit rusty but I’ve still somehow managed.  Got onto a full bus so I stood the doorframe, backpack twice my size on.  A nice girl took pity upon me and took it upon herself to ask the driver

if I could put my pack on the dashboard.  Much better.  The driver was patient and kind as I narrowly missed decapitating a few passengers with my gigantic pack and figured out how to place my money in the slots.  This bus was comfortable too, once I got a seat.  Amongst the city sites I saw on the way to the station was some sort of celebration where they were releasing hundreds of red balloons into the sky.  Kinda neat to see.

At Seoul station, the ticket lady was patient with me and helped with my ticket to Daegu on the KTX train.  I had an hour or so to kill and while seated, spotted an American guy.  Turned out to be James, an army soldier.  There’s LOTS of military around, both US and Korean.  I like how being in a foreign place automatically bonds you with other Americans.  We went for coffee/tea together in a really traditional Korean places called Dunkin Doughnuts and he was kind to lend me his phone to alert the Hatches of my arrival time.  Nice way to pass the time. 

The train was really comfy too.  People helped me put my bag up and the little old man next to me was a cute as could be with his limited English and giant smile.  The two hour ride to Daegu was pleasant and I was entertained with the free wifi and adorable chubby baby near me. 

Arrived to Daegu, actually DongDaegu--I was in the right place! : ) and planned to meet the Hatches…we were both there but somehow missed each other.  After borrowing several people’s phones to try calling them, only to discover Jared’s cell was turned off, and trying to have them paged, I gave up on the waiting.  With my dead ipod and their phones at home, we did not plan this very well : ) Luckily, we are all seasoned travelers so I wasn’t concerned.  Made my own way to their place in a comical cab ride where the guy spewed out every English word he could think of, in no particular order or meaning, and played the oddest country-style Christmas music I had ever heard. Entertaining to say the least! I had asked the information center how much a cab might be and they wrote down in Korean for me, the address, and how to ask, “How much is it?” Told me where to go and what direction the cab should go in and how long it should take.  Again, with the helpfulness. 

It’s really clean and safe here.  I like it.  Arrived at the Hatches building at the exact same time Jared was returning from his second round at trying to find me so we entered and surprised Emily and Carolyn who were online trying to find me that way!  Emily and Jared are my dear friends from home who are about to have a baby….literally any second now.  They are at the hospital while I type this and Carolyn, Jared’s mom, and I are holding down the fort at their house and plan to meet them soon.  They are teaching here and love it. 
 

Their apartment is BEYOND nice and way better than anything a teaching salary could get you in the states! I have my own room again (sheets were fabulous  by the way, Emily!),  bathTUB, and heated toilet seat! It also has buttons for spraying, drying, etc.  Koreans love their gadgets and being green.  Kitchen sinks turn on and off with your foot so you don’t waste water fidgeting with full hands, escalators are sensored to only run when someone steps on them, and fridges have secret mini doors so you don’t have to open the entire door each time.  Oh, the apartments also have screens to call the elevator before you exit, doors have codes instead of keys, and the screen also tells you the weather, has a video of who is at your door, etc.  Fun toys.

Spent the evening catching up with the Hatches.  They were so sweet to be concerned for me when they had much bigger things to worry about!  Emily walked me through the subway and showed me how to put money on the pass, showed me around town, gave me a rundown of all in the apartment, lent me warm clothes…she’s gonna be a good mama!  

Carolyn cooked a FABULOUS pasta and shrimp dinner for Emily’s last supper and then we sent them off to the hospital to be induced.  Carolyn and I will head there is a few hours.  It’s night time but I’m awake.  It’s so nice to be with friends, in a house, UNPACKED, and just be able to JUST BE! Looking forward to exploring Korea with Carolyn, working out at the gym on base, and meeting baby Lucy Revolution very soon!