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To the Philippines and Beyond: Part 3
January has proven to be a busy month at work. I also made a significant career decision and enrolled in the Trinity DipTESOL course that I plan to write about in the future. However, taking some time off from writing blogs encouraged me to blog more about my Philippines journey. If you are new to…
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To the Philippines and Beyond: Part 2
Writing about the Philippines and recovering from my emotional hangover has taken longer than I thought. It may be helpful to re-read Part 1 to jog your memory on what happened last time! I’d also like to give special thanks to The Monching’s Guide, a brilliant food blogger in the Philippines, for his invaluable advice…
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To the Philippines and Beyond: Part 1
Some places simply find their way into your life and transform it irrevocably. I first landed in Manila in 2019 and still remember what a journey it was. To tell you the truth, many people I knew found it intimidating when I mentioned that I was planning to travel alone in the Philippines as a…
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The Highlights of 2022
Since my hike last fall on Mount Myojin, I haven’t traveled anywhere because I am saving my energy and enthusiasm for my upcoming trip to the Philippines! We will visit Manila and then Cebu and come back to Manila after the New Year. It is an odd itinerary: if it is even considered an itinerary…
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Farewell Fall: The Last Hike of the Year on Mount Myojin
I went leaf-peeping in Arashiyama and Shodoshima last month, and honestly, how fall passed by so fast is beyond me. Yet it is safe to say fall continues well into December here because I still don’t feel the harsh winter that turns people into icicles in the north of Japan. But don’t take my word…
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The Comfort of Visiting Familiar Places
I have gotten used to not going abroad since the beginning of the pandemic, but I don’t think I can live without traveling. I’ve inhaled experiences and exhaled stories since my childhood. I couldn’t travel as a kid, but even then I explored every nook and cranny of our neighborhood. I would gaze at the…
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4 Things to Do When You Get Itchy Feet But Can’t Travel
It’s that time of the year again! The holidays are approaching, but I have still got work to do. I can’t help but daydream. I dream of mountains, rivers, seas, and towns—the longer I stay away from them, the bigger they loom in my mind. I contemplated writing about other subjects, but I can’t get…
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Shodoshima: A Spontaneous Seto Inland Sea Journey
I woke up around 3 a.m. last Saturday and couldn’t go back to sleep. I suddenly got itchy feet and wondered where I could go. I opened Google Maps and ran my finger over it to see which direction felt good. I have my own quirks when it comes to traveling, and being spontaneous is…
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What People Don’t Mention When Talking About Living Abroad: Part 2
In Part 1, I talked about how loneliness and lack of support for foreigners can be two weighty problems for people living abroad. Today, I will continue writing about these problems and how they affect people’s lives. Before reading this article, please note that this post was written entirely based on my own and other…
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What People Don’t Mention When Talking About Living Abroad: Part 1
When I lived abroad for the first time, I was 20 years old—a sophomore in college. I did an exchange program called the Erasmus+ Program (formerly known as Erasmus Exchange Program), which countless students from my home country did back in the 2010s. During this program, I lived in Portugal for a year. I fondly…
Bahanur is abroad! 