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Manga Souko: The Ultimate Treasure Trove in Okinawa
Living in Japan allowed me to learn a lot more about the country. We all think we know what Japan is like, but we don’t have any idea. Once I had the opportunity to live there for three years, I realized it was a dream I didn’t even know I ever had. Okinawa had so many things to do and see that I wouldn’t have expected. As I shared in my previous blog about Okinawa, I fell in love with the country during my time there. The food was unbelievable, the views of beautiful seas and lush greenery were spectacular,…
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A Weekend of Magic: A First-Timer’s Guide to the Best of Shanghai Disneyland
As you all know, I love theme parks and will visit any while traveling. Once I learned that I would be moving back to the U.S. after three years of living in Okinawa, Japan, I made plans to visit different countries, including Chiang Mai in Thailand, Taiwan, and China. I took a long holiday weekend from work to visit China to explore the Disney parks there. The first park I visited that weekend was Shanghai Disneyland. The park opened not too long after I moved to Japan, and I knew I would have to see it when I had the…
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Unexpected Adventures in Taiwan: From Ruifang to Taipei and Beyond
My trip to Taiwan was spontaneously planned by my best friend, whom I met while living in Japan. She shared that she and her husband would be going to the country and invited me to come with them. She planned everything from the different places we visited and even provided me with some homework before we went. I will explain more about that later. One thing I will never be upset about is when someone pulls a plan together and knows what they are doing. Throughout the trip, we visited many cities, including Ruifang District, Jiufen, Taipei, and Keelung. Taiwan…
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Travel Chronicles: My Unforgettable Solo Trip to Chiang Mai
After my adventure in Bangkok, I reached my desired destination: Chiang Mai. After getting off the bus from Bangkok, I jumped onto a Songthaew, a passenger vehicle that could drop me off near the AirBnB where I would be staying for the weekend. When I arrived, my first half-hour was hectic as I couldn’t find my Airbnb, and it was pretty early, so not many people were around to help, but I think my New York spirit kicked in, and I made it work while navigating the maps I had available. Once I found my humble (temporary) abode, I was ready…
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From Unplanned to Unforgettable: Eight Hours in Bangkok
One of the greatest privileges of living overseas was the ease of travel around Asia and the affordable price of airfare, hotels, and other vacation necessities. When I moved to Japan, I started working quickly, which didn’t give me much time to travel. Once I learned I would be moving back to the U.S., I knew I had to take the time I had left to explore other countries while I had the chance. I took the time to research which destinations I should visit and asked my friends what their favorite places to travel to were so I could…
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Exploring Enchantment: My Unforgettable Adventures at Tokyo Disney
Living in Japan afforded me many luxuries and unique experiences for which I am grateful. As a Disney fan, when I learned that there was a park in Tokyo, it was the first item on my to-do list. It is a privilege to say that Tokyo Disneyland was the second Disney park I’ve ever visited. Finding out about the Tokyo Disney park expanded my mind since I’ve only really thought about Disney World because it was the theme park most talked about. Going to Tokyo Disney awakened my desire to travel worldwide to all the Disney parks. Tokyo Disney has…
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Living the Island Life: My Favorite Okinawa Spots That Made It Feel Like Home
With bright blue oceans, mouth-watering cuisines, and tropical vibes, Okinawa offered so much during my time there. My experience living there was unforgettable. Moving to Okinawa was a milestone for me for various reasons. One, I had never been to Japan before. Two, I had never lived overseas previously. Honestly, I had never traveled outside the U.S. before going to Okinawa. I was wary of living abroad, but I got lucky with this opportunity. There is so much that I love about Okinawa, and I miss them all so much. From the beautiful landscapes to amazing outer island day trips…
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Top Travel Eats: Taiwan’s Culinary Local and Global Treasures
Taiwan is a beautiful destination with incredible sights, delicious food, and historical spots. The array of experiences we were able to enjoy really surprised me as it wasn’t a place I ever thought I would visit. Taiwan is always my first answer whenever someone asks which country I was my favorite to visit while living overseas. It provided not only great photo moments but also great discoveries with some of my favorite people. The best part of traveling to Taiwan with Jana, my best friend, and her husband was they were also foodies. Since I was new to the wonders…
