Happy 2010 one and all (a little late of course).
Aaron and I have been busy with winter English camps, time with friends, adventuring around Korea, and traveling abroad. Our winter break began on Christmas Eve and continues until March 4. We feel so lucky to have this time to relax, read, adventure, and spend time with old and new friends!
We spent New Years Eve in Seoul with Charity, Aaron’s good friend from high school. She was our first official visitor to Korea! After showing her around Busan, we explored Seoul’s neighborhoods, celebrated the New Year downtown, and learned an incredible amount about Korea’s history at the Korean War Museum.
Then, from January 12-24 we visited Japan. “We only live once” or “what other time will we be in Japan” were commonly heard phrases on our trip as Japan turned out to be much more expensive than we thought (especially when our currency is the Korean won). But as we met traveler after traveler at hostels, restaurants, and coffee shops, these phrases became more sincere. We made friends from Canada, Belgium, France, Finland, Australia, and the USA who, after a few beers and incredible conversation, reminded us that the world really is a small place and discovering this for ourselves was worth every bit of yen spent.
First, we spent 4 days in Tokyo admiring its architecture and culture. We stayed with our friend Charity who has lived there 2.5 years and was a fantastic host. Immaculate streets, hybrid cars, innovative technology, and high-heeled mothers riding bicycles carrying 3 kids make Tokyo the city of the future, but one of our greatest memories was seeing a full day of traditional Sumo wrestling in all its glory. The sport is much more ritualistic than we ever thought and has quite a large following. Each “bout” or match included singing, slapping, leg lifts, fan flailing, salt throwing, and finally, wrestling. Then, after the tournament, we had our first Japanese sushi on a conveyor belt. Other than the fish eggs, we enjoyed every bite!
Takayama
This quaint town tucked in the Japanese Alps was probably our favorite part of the entire trip. It’s traditional, snow covered streets, Sake breweries, and nearby Shirakawa village (a World Heritage site) made it a worthwhile visit.
But one of our greatest memories from this town was sitting in the hostel with a couple from Belgium, a gal from Canada, another from Australia, and a man from Australia (who had been to 117 countries!). We sat around chatting about anything and everything for hours one evening. At one moment, the guy from Belgium turned to Aaron and asked, “Can I ask you something as an American?” Now, given the context of previous conversation, we were expecting a serious political or cultural inquisition. So, Aaron responded, “Sure” in a tone showing he was ready for anything! Then, with a humorless face, the guy asked, “How do you feel about rootbeer?” Needless to say, we got a great laugh out of it and it turns out the guy hated rootbeer when he tried it in America and was just curious if anyone really liked the stuff.
Kyoto/Nara
Temples, shrines, and amazing food characterize Kyoto. Our days were full and rainy, but we enjoyed every minute. One of our favorite places in Kyoto was the Zen Buddhist Temple as it reminded me of Anderson Gardens in Rockford. The temple itself was simple yet refined and the surrounding grounds were beautiful gardens and bamboo forests—if only it wasn’t winter time!
Hiroshima
After absorbing Japan’s beautiful landscapes and culture, we found it slightly disturbing yet fitting to end our trip in Hiroshima. From the time we arrived at the Peace Memorial Park until we exited the Peace Museum, Aaron and I did not say one word to each other. The entire place was eerily quiet except for the footsteps of other tourists and the sounds of a few survivors praying at the peace flame. Although I was not even born when the bomb hit, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of responsibility and guilt as an American. The sheer thought of anyone thinking it’s okay to kill innocent beings makes me hurt for humanity. I’ve been to all the memorials in Washington, D.C., but I have never been as moved as I was in Hiroshima.
However, once inside the museum, I was brought back to reality a bit. As we followed the long timeline of the war reading paragraph after paragraph, there was but one line about Pearl Harbor. Now this did not make the dropping of the a-bomb on Hiroshima seem acceptable in my mind but it did remind me that Japan was not innocent (a bitter reality indeed). It was a poignant way to end our trip to this country full of beauty, preserved tradition, and innovative technology—truly a country of the future.
-Callie
