Japan

the boardman at maunalua bay The year of the monkey came and went just like that.  Every year, we always say that the year felt like it went by so fast.  This year is no different.  Perhaps there will come a year that will have felt like a lifetime to pass by, but 2016 was no anomaly. It had gone by so fast that I had actually forgotten many of the things I did.  I forgot I went to Myanmar, I forgot I went to Korea, and I had forgotten and I had gone on two cycling adventures.  These events were meaningful to me, but they seemed like it was so long ago. For the 3rd year straight, I find myself in Hawaii for the holidays.  I keep telling myself that I'll stay in Japan during the holidays but for some reason I always end up wanting to go home.  So I do, and I never regret it.  It's cold in Fukuoka.  It's warm in Hawaii.  That's a big enticing factor. So what have I done in Hawaii?  I've tanned about 5 shades darker. ...

Iizuka (Kaita) Mornings I'm surprising myself by keeping up with regular posts on this blog.  I either have nothing to do or have nothing else better to do, the latter being the more likely case.  I've been getting into a good rhythm of riding my bike everyday so that's great.  Although it's cold (temperatures hover in the low 30s F in the morning), I'm still finding a way to enjoy the rides.  Better yet, 2 and a half years later, I'm soaking in the scenery around me.  Every so often I'll stop and take a random picture and post it on Instagram.  Although Iizuka isn't too rural, the abundance of nature and agricultural land in Japan is abundant despite having many large and in some ways, futuristic metropolitan areas.  This allows for a great contrast in lifestyle and scenery. Anyway, this is probably my last post of 2016. Winter Camp at Global Arena As I did last year, I attended a Winter Camp for another school in Munakata Cit...

As winter in Kyushu approaches, the temperatures are finally beginning to drop.  This change of weather is both a blessing and a curse.  Two years later, I still can't decide if I prefer Japanese summers or winters more.  The summers are unbearably hot while the winters are, at least for me, unbearably cold.  Considering that as an even bout, the additional factors still even out the situation.  The summer brings an abundance of annoying bugs while the winter brings much shorter days of sunlight.  Perhaps I can never be satisfied with the weather in Japan.  So what have I learned two years later?  Deal with it. I have a few more goals to accomplish while I'm here and thus I've decided to extend my stay by one more year.  I have mixed feelings towards this decision, but due to certain circumstances, it may be the only decision that I have. I've been trying to ride my bike a lot more.  It's been painfully cold and dark every morning,...

I hadn't realized how busy I've been since September.  During the summer months it's as if time stands still.  There's not much to do at work and the hot hot heat essentially forces me to stay indoors.  But I guess at some point I must have decided that I was tired of staying indoors.  I look back at my calendar and realize that I had done quite a bit of things in the months of September, October, and early November. Perhaps it was my trip to Shimonoseki that made me realize I should go out more and do things that I want to do.  Although I do enjoy being at home, I thought, I can always be at home, but I can't always be in Japan. From when I was younger, I remembered seeing an informational pamphlet about Kyushu.  One of the places listed was Takachiho Gorge.  From the pictures, it looked absolutely gorgeous and I hoped one day I would be able to see it.  However many years later, I got to see it. The drive was long but with good company, a...