Unexpected Vacation: Japan&Korea

This vacation had mixed feelings for me. Winter vacation in Korea is Christmas vacation in the Philippines. And when you talked about Christmas in the Philippines, it's a very special season of the year because it's the time when families would gather and spend time together. This is the first Christmas without my family. Back in the Philippines, even though I lived away from my family due to university studies, I always make it to the point to go home on this very special season. However, for this Christmas vacation, or shall I say winter vacation, I cannot make it. It’s quite sad but I have to accept this reality. Nevertheless, I spend time with them online through video calls. Thanks to technology and the fast internet in Korea and Japan.

And my winter vacation does not end there!

At Gyeongbokgung Palance

I was not able to be with my family physically but I was able to meet and spend time together again with my Japanese host family back in 2009. I participated a cultural exchange program in Japan and met my lovely host family. When they learned that I’m currently studying in Korea, they immediately made a plan to spend their winter vacation in this neighboring country. A perfect consolation for not spending my Christmas with my family.

At Seoul Tower with Snowy background

They went to Korea for 4days and 3nights. I was literally with them the whole time, from airport to airport. First, we went around the city – Gyeongbok Palace (경복궁), Insadong (인사동), Myeongdong (명동), Seoul Tower (서울 타워), Teddy Bear Museum (테디베어뮤지엄) and Nami Island (남이섬) to name a few. I could remember when I asked my foster mom what she wants to do in Korea; she cheerfully told me that she wants to go shopping. Indeed, we spend several hours shopping in Myeongdong and Insadong. We also had random shopping in other places of our city sightseeing. Aside from the tour, we didn’t miss to try different Korean dishes and street foods such as Bibimbap (비빔밥), Samgyetang (삼계탕), Samgyeopsal (삼겹살), Steam Chicken (찜닭) Toppokki (떡볶이), Odeng (오뎅) and many more. However, we had one problem. Spicy foods. My foster mom, sister (11 years old) and brother (8 years old) cannot eat spicy foods. Even if we tell the waiter not to make it spicy, the restaurant’s “not spicy” is still spicy for my foster family. Nevertheless, they liked the food even if they cannot bear just a little bit of spicy foods. I just told them that even I myself don’t like spicy foods before. I just learned to eat it here and like it because it will be my meal everyday for the next few months.

“I was literally with them the whole time, from airport to airport.” Yes, because my vacation didn’t end when they went back to Japan. They gave me a trip to Japan. I joined them going back home. I stayed with them for a week. I spend time with them like my real family. I showed them the pictures we had during our first meeting, pictures of my family, pictures of my stay in Korea. I also told them stories that happened to me. They also told me their stories at the same time showed pictures of our meeting and their family. We reminisced together. On my last day in Japan, my mom and I didn’t even sleep just to maximize the remaining time left before I went back to Korea.

In Japan, we went to the places we visited before like the Zenkoji Temple. We also went to Tokyo Disneyland and Iizuna Ski Resort, where the 1998 Winter Olympics was held. It was one of my wishes to visit Tokyo Disneyland and it happened when I least expect it. In addition, the skiing experience was very fun. I didn’t believe it to be that difficult until I wore the skiing equipment. I stumble 5x but continued to play with the enthusiasm to learn how to do it because my foster mom was there to assist me. Like what Disney Parks would always say, “Where Dreams Come True.” Indeed, Tokyo Disneyland and Skii Ride were dreams come true for me!

At Tokyo Disneyland

At Iizuna Kogen Ski Resort

Aside from those ‘dreams come true’ activities, I also met a childhood friend of mine whom I didn’t meet for almost 5years already because their family migrated to Japan in 2007. We spend time and talked about the things that happened to us. In addition, we also prepared a very special Filipino meal for my host family as a gratitude for everything that they gave me. We cooked Filipino food, “Chicken Adobo” and “Nilagang Baka” for viands and “Fruit Salad” for dessert. We ate it with Filipino style and etiquette. This means that we get rid of rice bowls, individual viand bowls and chopsticks for big plates, spoon and fork. We also put the viands on the table just like what we do in the Philippines. My foster family was very grateful for what we did. But if we come to look at it, it is nothing compared to what they have given me.

They were very happy for me! Such a very kind and sweet family of them. I would say that they are not just any ordinary Japanese family. I am very grateful and forever be grateful to meet a family like theirs, Kawamura Family.

To summarize my winter vacation, I could only say a word: MEMORABLE!