Reverse culture shock hits hard. I’m back in the States, itching to move, but reconnecting with family and friends has been its own kind of treat. This year’s been a crash course in reinvention — some hard lessons, some damn good ones. We’re out here, figuring it out, growing, learning.
In Korea, I found a film shop tucked in my 구 (gu). It’s where I got my first camera, and with it, a new way of seeing everything around me. I’m grateful I had the courage to move.
Starting in Hokkaido, I rang in the Lunar New Year snowboarding in Niseko. By year’s end, I had visited Okinawa, Kyushu, and Honshu. It felt like I’d lived here in a past life.
Fulfilling a lifelong dream of visiting the motherland was revelatory. I was lucky enough to have one of my best friends meet me in Cebu.
Days filled with boba tea and night markets. This trip was completely unplanned. Taiwan was nothing like I expected. From lush greenery to Ghibli-esque villages and endless outdoor adventures, it took me by surprise.
This is where I truly felt like a traveler. It only took a few countries, but I found confidence in my own skin, immersed myself in the culture, and leaned into my discomforts.