Going to Guatemala!!

Hey Everyone!!

From March 22nd to April 15th I am going to Guatemala! I'm going to travel throughout Guatemala as well as do a yoga retreat. I promise to write about as soon as I get back. Also I'll try, TRY, to do some videos but I won't promise anything.

Going to England for Christmas!

Hey everyone!

So around the Christmas time I am going to go to England and see family and friends. I've decided to do vlog videos for the trip. So I think I'll create more of a video presence. 

STAY TUNED!

Going to San Francisco Next Week!

From August 21-31 I will be in San Francisco. I will be mostly working but I'll try to snap some quick pictures, some reviews of some restaurants, and some observations about San Francisco. Stay tuned!

Places I Want to See in the next Two Years

I want to do a list of places I would like to see in the next two years. I don't plan on seeing all of them, but I think it would be good to have a little list to get my hopes up, or even yet, to encourage me to be and look my best for when I go.

  1. Brazil

Brazil is a tropical paradise that has food that I have never seen. I mostly want to come here for two reasons; one is the food, and the other reason are the beaches. I think the people here must be friendly and nice, and overall I think Brazil would be amazing to go to. 

Plus I am aiming to see all of the current seven wonders so I think seeing the Christ is the Redeemer statue is a must. Also, the Amazon Rainforest would be fantastic.

  2. Cuba

If there is a country that I want to see, Cuba would be it. Because I'm American and Cuba is "the sworn enemy" from 1950s, I can't go legally. However I have been hearing rumors on how friends have cheated the system and gotten in. I would be so happy if I can get in. I promise I wouldn't even buy anything. I just want to see it.

  3. Aurora Borealis 

I had only one transcendental experience which was at Macchu Picchu. In one short moment I felt so small yet so important to life, the world, and human existence. I felt so special and that I was in the center of all that is "now". I nearly cried realizing how beautiful the world was and how I was wasting it away. I feel like the Aurora Borealis would give me a chance to have that feeling again. 

Now there are 10 places where I can see it, and generally the borealis comes out around the fall equinox (September 23).

                *. Alaska

                *. Denmark

                *. Scotland

                *. Canada

                *. Greenland

                *. Finland

                *. Iceland

                *. Norway

                *. Russia

                *. Sweden

  4. Statues of Easter Island (Chile)

Who wouldn't want to see mysterious massive statues?

  5. Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)

It would truly be amazing to see some rare animals as well as to see Darwin's inspiration and realization of evolution. It was the start of it all, and it would be wonderful to see that. 

  6. Venice (Italy)

I've been reading that the city is slowing sinking and will be lost forever. I need to see it before that does happen.

   7. Oaxaca (Mexico)

I really would love to see Mexico. From all the rumors I heard, and from my parent's hesitation, I never got a chance to see my next door neighbor. I think I would have to go with someone in order for this to happen but I would love to go and see what Mexico has to offer.

There are also two other countries I would like to see but because of their political issues I don't think I can.

* Egypt

I can't go there right now until their government gets fixed.

*Jordan

I wouldn't go to Petra by myself as a young single female. 

So these are the places. All I have to do is get some money and get crackin'.

My Trip to Massachusetts

The previous week I went to Massachusetts. Yep, I went to Massachusetts. I wanted to what it had to offer, and if I could still be a vegan.

I did, and I could.

This is what happened.

Massachusetts is one of our oldest states. Growing from a land connected strongly with the harbor, Massachusetts seems to be evolving into a state that is a cross hybrid of two extremes. A relatively democratic state it seems to be a clusterfuck of extremely new aged liberal interests mixed in with 'Merica stereotypes.

My first meal was something I made myself however I think it demonstrates how being vegan is quite easy in the bay state. It was a vegan bagel sandwich. With a mixture of hummus, avocado, kale, and tomatoes I managed to enjoy my day with a healthy vegan meal. 

I had previously bought these items at the store quite easily. There wasn't any trouble buying organic, nor were any of the items scarce. What makes the states so unbelievably easy being a vegan is the powerful magnitude of American supermarkets. While you might not be able to get vegan only products (except in this case you can) you are easily able to devise a happy healthy meal. 

Cous cous salad with a side salad

Salad mixture from Whole Foods

Vegan shortbread with organic strawberries

While I did go to two restaurants, I found them both to be quite bland. I went to a thai restaurant in Plimouth and had the standard Pad Thai, and I went to a Indian Restaurant in Cambridge that was, in kinder words, mediocre. Both had labels that promoted their vegan knowledge about their meals, but both were not as good compared to my own cooking.

However traveling as a vegan in Massachusetts would be simple. If buying food at the supermarkets are impossible, going around to different restaurants would be easy. The new age thinking of vegan liberal thought seems to be quite possible here, and to step away from the American stereotype of obesity allows a lot natives to ask for the impossible, making it possible for you. 

While there seems to be a shift towards a more liberal thought, Massachusetts is also contains the stench of conservative 'Mericanism. 

I am proud to be an American. It is where I was born and it is my automated response of what my nationality is. (To those that didn't know, I am American and English. I have dual nationalities.) However my American nature was raised in a freakish environment compared to everyone else. I come from the land of misfits and rejects. My moral compass leans more on the side of liberalism, and overall I cringe seeing conservative aggression. 

Massachusetts, despite being new aged, still contains a strong conservative prejudice. In Massachusetts, people go "huntin'", people project their views on pro life wherever you go, and people saying "that's so gay" and the "N word" seems to be ok to them. 

But this state is friendly. Which is why this becomes a complex series of emotions for me. How do I judge a group of people who at one hand completely disgust me, and on the other, win over my heart? What seems to be the issue for MA is that you have to come here open, and you have to refresh yourself every day. Don't allow yourself to latch on the immoral aggression of the area, it is their thought, not yours. This is also the state that killed a bunch of people who they thought were witches. So it seems quite difficult to assume they are just like you.

Massachusetts is archaic and young. It shows you how this country came to be, but also where it is going. Coming to Massachusetts as a vegan is easy so don't worry. Just sit back and enjoy yourself, and experience the weirdness that is the bay state.  

For now, I'm on hiatus

Hello

As much as the title screams horror to you readers it is true; for now, I'm on hiatus. There is no traveling with me because right now I have finished my contract in Korea and returned home. So I will not write stories and observations of the world because right now, I have none. 

However I did create a blog that talks about home.

So for right now I will be focusing on the blog, Living with Woffke, or http://woffkeinla.blogspot.com/. This will incorporate reviews, historical stories, and observations about liking in Los Angeles, but mainly Hollywood.

When I go on a trip, I promise I will come back to this blog.

However check out my other one 

http://woffkeinla.blogspot.com/

Summing Things Up In One Post

So I have been a bit quiet for a while. Mostly because I lost all hope in life.                  















just kidding.



















Actually the real reason behind my silence is because I lost my interest in the blog. It didn't seem fun anymore. It was tedious. The concept that I had to write about my travels and repeated things other travel journalists had written simply didn't excite me anymore. I didn't feel like I was writing in my voice but instead I was regurgitating something that wasn't natural. I couldn't be bothered to do something that made it feel more like a chore than a privilege.

However I don't want to feel like a quitter so I, for right now, will take an initiative to write more. This is a quick summary of what has happened so far since my last post.

In September I went to Japan (Kyoto and Tokyo) and celebrated the freedom of being a young adult on my own in a different country. However, despite my feeling of growing independence it did not discount the fact that felt, needless to say, lonely. Most trips are not fun if you don't share them with anyone. However Japan has a special place in my heart. It is a beautiful place with people who generally want to get to know you. Throughout my trip in Japan I had people talk to me about their country, had people physically walk me to the right bus stop despite the aspect that it was not at all where they needed to be, and overall, I met people that were welcoming and kind. Japan is a country with depth and personality that no country can compete with. Overall Japan is one of the best places I went to this year. Japan is like a happy face spider. It might look just like any other bug, but man it is has some awesome traits you'll never notice until you really look. 

I have also done several things in South Korea. I went to a place called Nami Island, I went to an abandoned mental hospital, I went to Busan, and I tried to enjoy myself with the MANY days I have left. What I keep trying to do is make my weekends FANTASTIC so that my weeks would seem better. 

I had a birthday which was awful. My boss yelled at me and I cried. Next year should be better. 

Pretty soon I will go to Thailand. I am doing a yoga retreat there. After that I got a month then I will go to India.

I will try to write what inspires me. Since that is the only way I can write about things.

Movie Time! A woman singing in Beijing!

\

While walking around in a park in Beijing we managed to see a woman singing beautifully  I tried to be stealth but I took a small snippet of her singing. I apologize for the shaking, I am still not good at the camera.

Oh look! It's thursday and here's another post!

I have fallen in love with a place that I have not written about for about a month. I know I have been cheating on you (the reader) but for some weird reason I never have time to take a picture.

Because I'm usually stuffing my face

But this place is my favorite restaurant  A lot of people have been complaining that it is not is good because it is not a buffet. I don't really care.... good food is good food.

The better thing is that it is so close. 

Do you hear angels singing? I know I do.

The Loving Hut near Achasan station is so good. They make authentic korean food but it's 100% vegan. 100% FANTASTIC

Can you just say perfect?

I know I feel perfect whenever I'm there. Also, if you want some delicious food to go, or you want to make some meals on your own, you can buy some of their "meat" or other grocery products!

Basically I really do not have much to say but I go there maybe once a week. You'll probably see me there this weekend. I'm not joking.

It's good, it's vegan, and it is certainly healthy.


It makes me a happy camper.

You basically take the subway to Achasan station and get off exit 1. It is right outside your exit. 

Enjoy the joy I feel every single time I have been there.

Oh this is a dress I bought that I really liked. What do you guys think?

I'm a little blue...

Hi everyone.

Well I officially have left the safe confinements of my home to enter the dangerous unknown of Seoul, South Korea. It was a long trip and overall, I feel a little bit blue.

It really started before I even left. A couple of hours before I drove to the airport (LAX) I kind of broke down. It was just too hard to bear. At that moment, it was all too real, and I had a hard time dealing with the fact that I would be alone for so long.

I was in utter tears as I drove up to the airport with my dad. To make matters worse it was the Tom Bradley terminal which, in my opinion, is the worst terminal to say goodbye. The Tom Bradley is a wide open space, which means you can easily watch your love ones slowly and painfully walk away from you, something I did not want to deal with.

Despite the major tears I walked through those doors and left my home. After security, I barely had any time to sit and think so I bought my water and boarded the plane.

I was in the front seat at Thai Airways. While the plane was fancier than any other plane I have ever been on (and I once was upgraded to business class) it had a problem with my seat. First, the seat wouldn't go back, and second, the seat wasn't very wide. I had a hard time sleeping on my side, or even finding any form of comfortability, because the seat was shit.

I didn't have any food, and when the stewardess asked if I wanted tea, she never gave me any. What a genius evil plan! Ask if someone wants something then NEVER GIVE IT TO THEM! MUAH HA HA HA HA HA! There was no one around me that wanted to talk, so I just sat back and watched movies alone.

When I arrived, it was cold. Real cold. Not that kind of cold where you are like "hey its cold" but it is actually 69 degrees fahrenheit, but cold were you yell, "it's fucking freezing". However that wasn't the worst part, the worst part, at that moment, was trying to get out of the plane and navigate through Incheon International Airport. 

One of the last things dad told me before I left for Korea was "Incheon International Airport is supposedly really good". Well I assume dad found that out on lies.com because it was horrible. First, there is not a single person there that could actually give me any help finding my way at all. All there was were two signs with one of them saying Transfers and the other one saying Arrivals. 

What? How does that help me? I need baggage claim not arrivals or transfers. 

Basically I was lost, very lost. So I decided to be a sheep and follow the rest of the Korean traveling herd. I followed a large line until I ended off at a subway line to transfer over to another area at the airport. Only until I got in the line I realized that baggage claim was arrivals. So I got my bag, met the director of the school I will be teaching at, and left the airport.

All I wanted to do was to go to my apartment and go to bed. Well, that didn't happen. First the director took us to a supermarket to get some food for the first week, then he bought us all pizza. 

I didn't have any. 

However the worst part was the reveal that I would share my apartment with another teacher. I would be living with someone else for four days. Four days in a room the size of my bathroom.

So the question you're probably asking is "Why so blue?" Well I am just dealing with a lot. I am lonely and I am scared. I am still afraid of being alone, and all I want to do is go home and be with people that I can trust. I keep wondering if this was a good idea and if it is really worthwhile to extend myself. I want to hug someone. I want to have human contact. I miss my family and I miss my friends.

I wonder if I made a mistake?

The First of Many Lists

I thought it might be smart to write a list of things I want to do in the given countries I would like to visit. Hopefully I get to do all of it but so far I am writing down what seems to be best and the most fun to do. Here they are!!

Things I would like to do in South Korea:

1. Lotte World!
2. Jeju Island
3. Seolleung Park Royal Tombs
4. Seoul Folk Flea Market
1. Sinseol-dong
5. Try the quintessential Korean triple
6. Go to the Kimchi Field Museum
7. Visit Palaces and Museums
8. See a movie in 4D

1. The CGV cinemas in Yongsan (6F l’Park, Hangangno 40-999, 2012-3000) and Yeongdeungpo (Yeongdeungpodong 441-10, 1544-1122, 1544-1122) are equipped for 4D, and more are set to follow.

9. Go to a spa!
10. Walk through Bugaksan
11. Visit the Cheonggyecheon Stream
12. Visit the War Memorial?

Things I would like to do in Japan:

1. Go to a "themed" restaurant 
2. Stay Overnight at a Temple
1. http://www.daienin.com/e/shukubo.html
2. http://www.fudouin.or.jp/flance/index.html (information)
3. http://www7.489ban.net/v4/client/planinbound/list/customer/fukuchiin/lang/4
4. http://www.ekoin.jp/en/index.html
5. http://eng.shukubo.net/temple-lodging.html
3. Climb Mt. Fuji
4. Go to a hotspring MAYBE Dogo, Shikoku.
5. Go to Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park and Museum
6. Go to Kinkaku-ji
1. 1 Kinkakuji-cho, Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan; 81-(0)75-461-0013
7. Go to Ginkaku-ji
1. 2 Ginkaku-ji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan; 81(0)75 771-5725 
8. Go to Ryoan-ji
1. 13 Goryonoshita-machi, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
1.  ryoanji.jp
9. Maybe check out Toei Kyoto Studio Park
10. Go see Gion
11. SEE A TEA CEREMONY MUST DO
12. Maybe see the Kyoto International Manga Museum
13. Drink Sapporo beer in Sapporo
14. Visit Several Temples
15. Visit Hanayashiki?

Things I would like to do in China:

1. Go see the Great Wall  MUST DO
2. Go see the Forbidden City
3. Go see the Terra Cotta Warriors
4. Go to Dongtai Road
5. Get a Massage
1. Green Massage
   58 Taicang Road, Luwan, Shanghai, China 200021; 86-(0)21-5386-0222
6. Go to a hotspring

Things I would like to do in Thailand:

1. Go to Railay Beach
2. Visit the Elephant Nature Park
3. Visit The Grand Palace
4. Go to Wat Pho
5. Go to Wat Arun
6. Visit Wat Rong Khun
7. Go to Karon Beach
8. Go to The Jim Thompson House
9. Visit Doi Suthep
10. Bangkok Museum

I'll constantly add more when I can.