I wanted to write about Japan before too much time passes by after.
So I got back from Japan on Monday, and I want to say that it was the most cleansing and refreshing time out of all the times that I went to Japan.
When people say they're going to Japan, most people assume or picture a crazy time in the city or all night bar hopping and unlimited shopping, loads of great food in high tech areas. Or just somewhere in some city. But my experiences when I go to Japan are filled with nature, farming, and no technology.
I go to this city called Kinasa in Nagano, which is where the '98 olympics were. No internet cell phones or friends. polar opposite of my life here in the US. just constantly surrounded by nature's beauty and family. I could just enjoy spending all day standing outside and taking big breaths in and our slowly and feel so alive. Coming back to the US (or even just the city over there) was such a downgrade of air quality. I could drink out of the faucets because the water from the mountains and pipes were that clean. The houses in the area that my grandparents' place are all spread out but most of them are empty now because most of the neighbors have passed away. So I'm literally just surrounded by my grandparents, mom and green mountains and beautiful skies with moving clouds in the blue sky.
I definitely am reminded of patience and appreciate my life for what it is just by being there with no one to really talk to. (aside from my family). My life here in the US can get so cluttered and stressful but just being in nature with no distractions brings me to a clear mindstate. It's so humbling to be reminded by the simplicity of life and not get washed away by my own personal world here. I left the US a little stressed about my future and career, and confused about where I am in my life. (typical post grad state of mind haha) so this trip came at such great timing. I'm back with a refreshed, clear mind and ready to take my life one day at a time. small things seem so stupid to me now a days.
Anyway, my days in these mountains were literally filled with farming, cooking, bugs, hanging out with my grandparents, and watching TV. yes we had a TV! It had like12 channels but unlike american TV where there are 70+ channels and not a single interesting channel, 5 out of the 12 japanese channels that we had always had something interesting to watch. god I love japanese TV hahaha its so funny, and they know how to keep the viewers watching, and commerical breaks are short(er) [even though they used to be even shorter. they seem to get longer everytime i come to the US] Farming with my grandparents is always a great experience. Builds my patience (not in a bad way) and I get to spend time with my grand parents and make jokes with them, things that I would NEVER be able to do here in the states. In my spare time during the day, I seriously just catch bugs or something and throw them into spider webs or watch a frog and play with it. Old fashion japanese boy style. hahaha I miss carefree times like that.
Anyway, I am so convinced that I can't live without nature. When I'm surrounded by it, I get a body high and I'm filled with so much energy from it. Maybe one day I'll do something with nature.
Being in Japan this time around made me seriously consider living out there. Not like my Japanese is good enough to make it out there, but if I studied some and just used it more I think I could pick it up. hhaha maybe. If I really tried. its hard to keep goals like that here when I don't really have a Japanese outlet.. are there any japanese community events and stuff out here in OC? Anyway, one day I wanna do something bilingual and make some money off that too. that would be really rewarding for me too.
Aside from the majority of my time in the mountains, I DID get to go to the city (Tokyo) for like three days. met up with an old friend of mine that moved back to Japan in middle school, some friends that I met at UCI when they were exchange students and a friend that went to UCI who's now teaching english. I highly considered teaching English too,but then I found out I have to give up my Japanese citizenship, so I kind of didn't wanna do that just yet. But it was so good catching up with these people and seeing the kind of fun life they get to have over here. Actually it was my first time out in the city at night because I was always stuck to my mom whenever I went to the city or wherever, so it was really fun being able to go out to the bars and stuff. (and speaking english all of a sudden haha)
Getting to experience both the city and rural life was just the whole package that made me feel so satisfied about my stay in japan. I mean I'm satisfied everytime when I go, dont get me wrong, but this time around was just that much more refreshing especially for my post-grad mind state.
Well I guess that's it for now. I will post pictures later. I have bursts of nostalgia about Japan at times now that I'm back. Like my heart tightens thinking about how I loved the environment there and wanting to be there again. But life is here for me for now. And I'm ready and excited to take on my life and goals one day at a time. I feel more motivated to do the things that I do and want to. Not in like a gungho crazy way but in a calm way where I just wanna make sure I'm moving forward in some way or another in my life.
Thanks Japan for such a refreshing trip.
[add on]
I choreographed a piece inspired by my trip to Japan, and I was lucky enough to teach it for Boogiezone's Japan week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCOr8IvDcCM
Friday, October 29, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
you know what i cant wait for?
http://www.hiphopinternational.com/
although ive only competed once, ive been at HHI for the past three years and really really love the experience and vibe. its just so different from our little circuit here. cant wait to go out there and support again. some of my best memories are at HHI. remotivated and reinspired every time.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Competition..?
just wanted to write about how it really sucks to compete these days.
i mean. EVERYONE is so good.
Just got back from Fusion XI tonight, and was just thinking how i feel like everyone was equally good.
who's to say who's better than that other team that has that completely different style. to even be competing in the same general category is so subjective, and i feel like its unfair. i mean, im not discrediting the judges. they're all legitimately chosen people of course. but they're seriously just five individuals who are all looking for different (maybe the same) things, and it just sucks for those teams that aren't really in their favor. hip hop these days is so amazing in every way that its so hard to just..JUDGE. i mean why judge anyway? everyone should just showcase, and life would be much easier. haha competitors won't be so nervous, people won't be offended by placings, and everyone would be happy. hahah i dont know, i just feel so bad for the teams that didnt place that were EQUALLY great as teams that did place. placings just placing right? haha maybe im just not so competitive anymore and i just dont wanna see all this unnecessary tension. haha
anyway, im rambling now.
GOOD JOB TONIGHT to the teams that competed and showcased their art. everyone was dope! studio429/choreo cookies really reminded me of whats so great about dancing--thanks for that! and im sorry KM and CG for missing you guys.. I didn't make it in time!
spring quarter (and hopefully my last quarter at UCI) starts tomorrow! WOOO
lets do this
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Moving On
I feel really content right now with my circumstances, and what's given to me.
I feel like I'm moving on with my life, even though I haven't physically moved on from UCI, I feel like I'm taking the first step towards being able to leave UCI with nothing tying me down. For the past few years I was so in love with KM and SPOP that I feel like I was starting to get lost in it. Of course, the two were the organizations/programs that really built who I am today, but I'm glad that as I'm graduating I'm able to put these things behind me and use them to move onto the next steps in my life. Whatever it may be.
Choosing not to apply for SPOP and not re-auditioning have been very liberating actually. and free, because I cared so much about both when I was in it, that its easier to let go now that I gave so much. I feel like I'm getting a breath of fresh air as I'm finishing up school (just got done with my hardest quarter at UCI), doing things towards my career like internships, taking classes finally (outside of KM), starting KM Legacy, doing things like barebones and simply finding things that I couldn't do before when I was so buried in the two things that consumed my life. I'm excited to live up my last quarter at UCI (hopefully my last haha) and dance again.
Random post, just thought I'd write it here.
2010 is definitely giving me some new answers and questions that I'm excited about.
For once, I really have no idea what's coming. and that feeling to me is really exciting.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
REMEMBERING 2009
Inspired by PJ's reflection of the year, I decided I wanted to do something similar.
Before I move onto the year 2010 that I'm looking so forward to, I want to remember all the great times that I've had and the many emotions that I felt at certain events that overcome the lower times of 2009.
I don't even think anyone reads this, but i want to come back to this later on and remember all the great times I wanted to remember about 2009. Of course there are too many times that a photo wasn't taken, but looking through my pictures, I found many that took me back to the time I felt something from the event.
It's not gonna be in an order because my pictures aren't saved in chronological order haha.
It was weird doing SPOP 1 again for some reason. being a returner and not a CP was VERY comforting and to have jenevieve take over this first one was SO great, and i learned a lot. and i was a little bit rusty, but it was fun picking it back up and being able to be a part of other people's TFO's. BBBBB was the only time i did returner for the hall, and it was really fun
but CPing, was one of the best things that I got to experience this summer with SPOP. I went through a lot of emotions through these, but learned SOO much. and for the first time in 2009 i was proud of myself for being able to live up to what i wanted to do as a CP. i wanted to thank off of my staffers for being so supportive and understanding to my CPing style and helping me see something that i couldnt see in myself. HIGHLIGHTs of 2009 for sure. and im sorry to the CP's that said that I shouldve been more sensitive to the other CPs that couldnt put that much money into making them for their halls. (but for my defense, i only spent 3 bucks on each tank and had the rest, and took my own time to make them for my staff)
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This day was fun because me and joyce invited everyone but the macs were the only ones that showed up. turned out to be hella fun and we made a 3D apple. the day regina engraved "a shit ton" in my head
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i remember i have THE MOST fun when i perform for welcome week. Something about a fresh new year, and the great number of people that I love that come to support make me have the most fun when I dance for welcome week. i really love welcome week performances. maybe because i rarely get to perform at school.
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My first year dorm-mate reunion.
Whispering Woodies 2006-2007. I loved how no matter how long its been, some people never change, and we can all still be the same. This night was interesting to see how some people grew closer, and some people grew farther. My dorm-mates will always have a special place in my heart.
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This isn't a picture of me, but I wanted to remember that I got these stoles for KM. i dont think we ever had KM stoles and we finally got them this year, and they looked really. It was great seeing mike bui regina and clarizcel being able to showcase their accomplishments on KM for graduation.
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When KM went to stanford to perform for their korean culture show. The performance was fun. ill remember attempting the breaking part and failing miserably. and how both my parents came to watch LOL. and being able to see christie and eunice and lizzie. and that all night cafeteria in the first picture, that any of the students can go to whenver, and they can just eat...whenever?! we were so intrigued by that. hahaha Ill remember sleeping in the big common room because they wouldnt let us sleep in the same room cuz we were differnt genders? haha and the hardcore lambda guys hitting on the girls and always being separated. haha interesting experience, but always so grateful for being given the opportunity to do what we do.
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Of course fucking Surreal PROM 2009. This experience is always one of my favorites. to share the stage with fellow UCI dance crew members and friends that will support each other in this community?! how could i ever pass up on an opportunity like that?! I've gotten closer to my already team mates, but built new bonds with new friends and stronger bonds with the ones that i only knew from the stage. Highlights of my dance life of 2009 for sure.
This picture brings back an emotion that i had that morning in vegas. sorry to marko for posting this. haha. but this was the FIRST time that it hit me that i was an oldie. it was weird. i hadnt really felt like an oldie til this. just listening to the things that marko was saying just really took me back to how i was when i was a newbie and how i looked at my oldies.
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princeton 2009. one of the funnest trips that ive had with modern. what a blessing to have been given this chance to perform at princeton. from irvine. hahaha my favorite time to bond with the other oldies, and made some good friends from princeton. it was seriously like harry potter. haha look at the first picture.
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WHO wouldve thought that my returner revealing video would have gotten me this. This unintentional award was surprisingly a good feeling knowing that people had a good time impersonating me for something that i had fun making for the staff. hahaha
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body rock trophie with the oldies. this picture means a lot to me
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a family dinner for thanksgiving. nothing else needs to be said.
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one of my favorite vegas trips with some of my closest people. regina died this night. after this warm family dinner.
this picture illustrates the vegas strip walking feel. im gonna miss it with these people that ive been so used to going to vegas with for three years.
Royal year color revealing. i didnt have any other picture haha. but it works cuz i got to share it with one of the most impactful friends Jamie.
oldie guys at the bar cuz we were all finally 21 in vegas. crazy how time flies.
hands down, the funniest and most awkward performance that ive ever done. Soul of Korea 2009. and cant forget joyce's waving hahaha
a SPOP picture that we took at a KMDC mixer. its great how we can integrate things like this. being in two different crews we can still come together and reminisce on these great times that weve all shared together through a different program
it was such a fun experience being able to represent the US in a world level.
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hip hop internationl 2009 was one of my favorite memories of 2009. being able to put together just a 2 minute set to represent who we were to compete with the different styles of the world and to even make it TO the world level was a blessing. 3rd place in the US and 11th in the world was enough for me to be grateful for everything that i had. to even be standing and dancing on that stage was an experience in itself. and to have had to perform and compete 4 times to get to the world finals was so nerve wracking. Ive never been as nervous as world prelims in my life. i thought i was gonna die from being so nervous that night. thank you KM for this great great opportunity.
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i twitpiced this picture from fall 2008 when my great grandma passed away this year. i had never lost anyone before especially in my family, so it was shocking to lose her. and i didnt know how to take it at first. the following week was painful because small things would remind me of her, like the slow dragging footsteps of old people i specifically remember at langson. Rest in Peace great grandma, i love you and i miss you.
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haha finals week fall quarter. definitely one of my favorite finals weeks. great times with connie chow
KM oldies 2009. beginning to end (almost) but this marks the end for most. I've met some of the best people within this class. I have met true friends, brothers, artists, visionaries, leaders, and people within this class. I've been loved, betrayed, hated, appreciated, taken for granted by people in this class. I've laughed, cried, fought and smiled with people in this class. but above all, i love these people no matter what. They've helped me become who I've become and helped me find myself especially in this last year. We'll never be together like this again, so 2009, thank you for bringing us together under the arcs of crawford. I will never forget the most rewarding experience i had with these people that i truly love.
Now that I look back, 2009 was pretty bomb. I'm looking back and I'm so thankful for all of the great things that happened to me.
Now I can await 2010 without looking back.
Thank you for everything 2009.
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