I distinctly remember the rain on my last day in Japan, May 13th, 2013. After a few weeks of lounging around Kris’ spacious Kamigaya apartment, it was time to finally say a sad farewell. It wasn’t all terrible; I was Malaysia bound, with 8 weeks of travel ahead of me. Nonetheless, I will never forget saying “Goodbye” for the last time at Haneda airport.
In June of 2016 I finally returned. After years of dreaming I would someday return and practicing my Japanese, I made it back.
Summer in February is still a foreign concept to me, yet here I sit in the blistering heat. It’s forecasted at 100F today, with a heat index of WHAT THE EFF WHY IS IT SO HOT.
Despite our advantageous location of being in the Northern Beaches, I’m still feeling the dredge of summer as I type this. No air conditioning reminds me that this was once a penal colony. I believe the harshness of the environment here created a race of super humans known only as: ‘Strayans.
You’ve just landed in a foreign land. You don’t speak the language and everyone is driving on a completely different side of the road. You think “Aw, hell with it, how am I supposed to figure out where to run?”
STOP! You can do this! You even packed your bright purple and pink Brooks shoes! No going back now.
Summer in Australia announces it’s presence as a warm breeze that wafts lazily into the family room while you’re enjoying Pavlova and a cold, Australian white. Unlike Florida summers, often overwhelming in nature, Australian summers are like a warm security blanket. With them come all the perks one would expect to find in the warmest part of the year; Lazing around on beaches, eating mangos, getting sunburns.
In the last few years of globe trotting, I’ve learned a really, really important lesson: Pick an airline. Ok, you can just pick a preferred network, but then you have to stick to it.
Traveling casually, I always took the cheapest fair (which, turns out, is what most people do). Typically, I would also sign up for whatever frequent flyer program that airline offered as well. But to what end? I had a couple thousand miles on a smattering of airlines around the world. When I started traveling for business, I realized what the hell those points were even for. Continue reading
As many of you know, I run. I run quite a bit.
I get a lot of questions like “Don’t you get bored running for that long?” and “How do you get yourself to get up and just go?”
I assure you, these are all things I wasn’t great at to start. I won’t regale you with the entire saga of Jess’ running history. But since we’re starting the year off right, this will be the post to kick off my running series; Running on the Go.
Do you travel? Do you like to stay fit while traveling? Are you also an aspiring/seasoned runner? Well well well, have I got the blog series for you. Smash that follow button if you haven’t already!
My try-hard, ganbaru face
You may have noticed an absence over the last year. Or maybe you didn’t (I won’t be offended). Well, I have good news for you: I’m back.
The last year has been quite the roller coaster for me. My previous post marked the final turn in my father’s health, and subsequent rapid decline. The prior November, in a last-ditch effort, he underwent a difficult procedure to “replace” his immune system to beat the Lymphoma. Remember my “Thankful for Superheroes” post? Well, that post was made just after he completed that treatment. He was such a trooper, the true image of strength and a positive attitude. I’m still learning these lessons from him, and will continue to do so for a long time.
It’s been nearly one year to the day since his passing.
Next time, you’ll be here too.
Lunch in Copenhagen, wishing you were here.
For you, dad.
The Girl In Translation 