Where have you traveled to, and what are your fondest memories? I think it's so fun to share these experiences with people who have traveled to similar places. It's hard to explain to people who haven't traveled, and they can't understand your enthusiasm or what's so great about another country. For example, I find Asian street food quite exciting, but someone who hasn't experienced it would find it lame and boring. Again, it's one of those things you really have to experience for yourself.. no amount of words and pictures can explain.
I miss the sights and sounds and culture of the places I visited. It's really so wonderful to experience the things other countries have to offer, and I love seeing how people there do things differently. In the states, there is definitely the mentality that the way we do things is the "only" way and the "right" way. I don't like this mentality. I know that people everywhere are ethnocentric, but I believe that the U.S. is one of the few countries that actively imposes their lifestyle on others. This is something I won't delve into as I'm not qualified, and it's a fairly touchy subject...
Anyways, one of the things I miss the most? FOOD! I know I know, you probably hate it as much as I do when your friends say "Food tastes so different when you have it in other countries!" What sucks is that they're absolutely right!
the infamous "Japadog"
Kyoto
freshly caught fish in Japanese seaside village
(I'm so sorry, I can't help but snicker a bit when I hear people in San Francisco talk about how "fresh" the sushi is at a restaurant.. they really don't know what "fresh" is!)
blowfish
lovely presentation
breakfast sandwich from street vendor
homemade kimchi stew
this kimchi was fermented for 1 year
home cooked meal
samgyeopsal
pancake egg
delicious sweet potato drink
our "wappeul" sandwiches
