Back Home Again - Random Travel Update

I'm back in Korea again. I returned from Japan about three days ago. Since returning, I have been pretty busy but still manage to sleep until noon everyday. I'm not sure what the deal is; in Japan I slept a TON, and now back in Korea I am as well. I'm simply going to assume that I am exhausted from the nearly constant travel over the past month.

Japan was amazing! I cannot begin to express how much it meant to me that I was able to visit with my host family as they allowed me stay with them for a week! I love them so much! My host sister is 15!!! She starts high school in two months! It is so hard to believe! Mama and Papa are doing just fine. I also got to see one of my good friends, Steven, from when I studied abroad. It was like we were never apart. I believe he described it as, "We make a good comedy act together." We really do! We are constantly playing off what each other is saying and I usually can't stop laughing when we are together. He met my host family the first night I got there; they invited him over. His Japanese is quite incredible considering he is currently studying AGAIN in Japan. My host parents loved him, so he was invited to a few other family dinners.

I arrived on Monday and had dinner with Steven and my host family.

On Tuesday, I went with Steven and his Japanese friend (Enda) to the Sapporo Snow Festival. It was pretty extraordinary; I couldn't believe how large some of the snow sculptures were. They were quite impressive. The three of us ate dinner together at a tiny place; I forgot how expensive Japan is! It was $10/person for three beers and enough food to act as an appetizer rather than a dinner. I think I am too used to Korean prices.^^

On Wednesday, we went to visit Master at his Sushi restaurant. Mama and Papa were happy to take me again, and I was happy to go. I walked through the door and just kind of looked at Master until he realized who I was. It was so great to see him again! Seriously, this man is amazing! We had tons of sashimi and tempura; it was delicious! Steven and I spent the whole time talking; it was nice to catch up with him. It literally has been 3 years since we have seen each other; it's funny that we met back up in Japan rather than in the states.

Thursday, I went to karaoke with Steven. Blast from the past; we used to go to karaoke with our group of friends often when we were students at Hokusei.

Friday, I went to my host sister's skiing practice. She is on a ski team; she has been skiing for a good portion of her life (not entirely sure how long).

Saturday and Sunday, Mama, Papa, Papa's friend (Pyonchon) and I went to Monbetsu in norther Hokaido. It was so nice of them to take me! I think that Papa and his friend were going to go ice SCUBA Diving, but the ice turned out to be too thick. Mama, Pyonchon, and I did everything together while Papa slept in the car. We slid down ice slides, went to an ice museum where we experienced a -20 degrees C room, and went on a boat at sunset that was able to break through the massive amount of ice. The whole trip to Monbetsu was a really good experience and I was lucky to share it with my host family. My host sister couldn't go though because she had ski camp/practice.

Monday, we came home from Monbetsu and I got to meet up with one of my good Japanese friends!!! We went to see the ice sculptures near Susukino and just sat and had coffee afterward to talk and catch up. I only got to see her for about 3 hours because she had to head back to the city she lives in now. Then Steven and I met up to head to my house for dinner. My host parents were throwing a dinner party for my last night there. Mama made all of my favorite foods! Steven only stayed for about an hour and a half because he had an appointment with one of his Japanese friends. Jason, my BCA director from way back when, got back from the states late and managed to come to the party. Jason came over to my house a few times when I was a student to eat dinner with the family, so my host family likes him. He literally got in and took a bus straight to our house. It was good to see him; we caught up a bit. He told me that he didn't expect me to be in Korea but off in some developing country somewhere. Ha! Maybe some day, Jason. I'm pretty content doing the Fulbright thing currently.

I was a bit surprised at how much I felt like I was back home when I went to Japan. It also made me start thinking about what I'm going to do after this year of Fulbright. I'm pretty confused all around, but I'm sure I'll have a better idea when the time comes to make a decision...at least that's what I'm going to tell myself for now. ;)