The last 3 years, the year that I have been actively traveling, have absolutely flown by and I’ve started having trouble remembering what happened, when. Luckily, I have this blog and a ridiculous number of neatly organized pictures to keep my thoughts in chronological order.
When I moved to Tokyo toward the end of 2009, I told myself that I would use the 10 months of my contract to not only explore Tokyo, but Japan as well. At the end of 2010, I found that I’d spent more time going abroad than I had exploring Japan like I said I would. I vowed to do better in 2011. 2011 brought its own challenges, with the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and I was yet again unable to fulfill this declaration. Then came my third chance in 2012. In 2012, I’ve finally been able to go to some places in Japan that I’d never been to before. Looking at this list that I’ve compiled using my archives page and my photo archive, I finally have a year where I spent more time exploring Japan than I did escaping its unbearably cold winters and terrifyingly molten hot summers. It’s a miracle!
Just in case you need proof:
January
I rang in the new year with relatives in Shimonoseki, a small city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture in Western Japan. After this, I made my way up to the Kansai area, where I stayed in a hostel all on my own, and even made some awesome new friends while reuniting with old ones! I also had a green tea parfait.
Also… My first book was published!
February
I was fortunate enough again this year to be able to go to Cheltenham, England, for business for 3 weeks with 20 students.
March
Okinawa is known to be the Hawaii of Japan with its cerulean waters for snorkeling, and it was here that I arrived armed with my backpack and a reservation for 1 night, another first for me!
April
I went skiing for the first time ever!
May
One of my friends and ex-co-workers from the US came to Japan on business. I not only got to show her around to my favorite haunts in Tokyo, I was able to go to Nikko with her, a place that I’d heard so much about, but had not yet seen myself.
June
I took a very emotional trip to the Tohoku region to volunteer for the Ai Love Japan project and to see the famously lush lands up north.
On a slightly happier note, I met a fellow travel blogger in person for the first time- Kristen, of Flight Camera Action (initially introduced to me by Edna).
July
As the last full month of my contract and final month of work at the women’s college that had employed me for 3 years (I did not recontract this time), I spent every possible opportunity with my students. I’m pretty sure we made scones and cookies twice, just as an excuse to get together and eat yummy treats.
I also went to Yamanashi and gave paragliding a try!
yeah… it’s way harder than it looks. The taking off part, and not running yourself into trees part.
August - November
My contract ended in the middle of August and I headed straight to Okinawa, where I spent a week in a hostel I like in Naha. After coming back from attempting to soak in some sun, I boarded a ship that would be my home for the next 85 days. I was on board as a volunteer interpreter and translator so there was always plenty to do, even on days when we were at sea.Through this, I conquered my fear of not only speaking, but interpreting in front of a big group of people. (Big being >1,000)
I’ve just started recounting these tales, so stay tuned to my RTW via boat!
November
In Yokohama, I got off the boat once, only to get back on again to help out during open ship (when the general public is invited on board to see what it looks like). This took me down to Hakata, making some stops on the way. I then made my way back to Tokyo via land, where I met up with as many people as I could, before saying my farewells and…
December
… flew across the Pacific, arriving in Seattle, where I slept for a little under a week before flying across the U.S., arriving in NYC, where I am spending the holidays.
Currently unemployed with no set plans, this year has started to look pretty rough, but making this list has really reminded me of how many amazing opportunities have come my way, all the amazing places that I’ve seen and people that I’ve met. I was truly blessed during 2012 and am now even more motivated to make sure that 2013 measures up- and is even better.
To all those who are reading this- thank you so much for following my journeys. I am so thankful that I have such an amazing group of people with whom I can share these tales. Writing this blog keeps me motivated to keep my eyes and heart open to cherish even the smallest of moments and I definitely can’t thank you enough for the encouragement you send me via email, twitter, facebook and comments.
No matter how you’re ringing in the new year, be safe, have fun, and I’ll see you on the interwebs in 2013!
You actually ended up seeing way more of Japan in three years than I did.…. I wanted to go a lot of places, but something else always came up. The one time I did head out to explore the country, an encounter with a high school kid who was riding his bike while talking on his phone, smoking and eating an onigiri, left me with a sprained ankle (and cost him both his snack and his smoke--ha!). There’s only so much sightseeing you can do while hopping around on one foot, so I cut that trip short.
And congratulations on the book! If I’m even in need of some basic English grammar, you’ve got yourself a customer…
Ah, isn’t that always the way. I felt the same most of the time I was there. Though often the “thing that came up” was a nap. Oh no! I saw a lot of people navigating their mamacharis in a similar way in Tokyo and often wondered if they ever got in an accident- now I have my answer.
Haha Thank you- a couple more years in Japan might do the trick.
Happy New Year! I look forward to your next adventures.
Thank you, and Happy New Year to you too!!
ha… me too. Someone needs to figure their life out, at least the next couple months out
Our memories really do tend to get fuzzy after awhile, so it is so great to have a blog to document all your adventures abroad.
Congrats on being a published author, that is so exciting!! Also, skiing is fun, but so much harder than it looks. The time I went I was soooooooo sore for days. It was a a lot of fun though.
Yours is such a good catalog for fun DIY activities on rainy days, too!
Thank you!
They tortured me by insisting on going to this really, really long walk through a touristy town nearby, which I think helped cool down my muscles, so I was actually able to walk the next day. barely.
You’re amazing, and you’re going to have an amazing year! You’ve experienced so much, and I know you’re going to be awesome in your next venture. I love you so much!
Thanks, BL!! Love you too!
We need to catch up soon! I barely knew about your move!!! but seriously. When are you free? Or text me when you get a chance
What a fantastic year it’s been - so many new adventures and travels both within and beyond Japan. Not long ago I decided I’d revisit Kansai sometime next year - hopefully during sakura season - so your blog may have had a hand in that.
Can’t wait to read more about your RTW trip aboard the Peace Boat!
Thank you, James! Looking back, it has been quite the year
I’m glad that my posts convinced you to go back and not to stay away! Let me know if you need any recommendations for anything. I’ve never been able to catch sakura in Kansai so I hope you make it there around that time so I can live vicariously through you.
Thanks! I can’t wait to recount my journeys and also to hear more about yours!! I just found out that a friend of mine is moving to HK in the near future so a trip may be in order so I can see those lush hills that you wrote about recently.
What a great year you’ve had! Best wishes for a great 2013!
Thank you, Carol! Hope you’re having an amazing start to 2013
That trip to Cheltenham was only in February?? I remember that’s when I first found your site and I could have sworn we were blog buddies way before then…time flies!
I’ve actually gone to Cheltenham with students twice, so it might have been the year before, though I have a feeling that it was 2012 that we became blog buddies- either way, time does fly!!