Some Thoughts on Aging

I don't know what happened to time, it seems to move slowly when we go day after day but that is not the case, it is moving quickly like the speed of light and it will move faster as we age. I can still remember turning 15 and now I am 28. I have only two years left until I finished my 20s and that is all I have left, there is no going back to it.  I was looking at my Couchsurfing profile today and the number 27 is no longer there, the number 28 is there now and that extra digit is definitely not a big shock but at the same time, it feels nostalgic all of the sudden to know my 20s is coming to an end soon.

I survived my early and mid-20s and I am on my way to complete this rite of passage to being an adult.  By law, any American over the age of 18 is considered as an adult but if we truly think about it, most 18 year olds are still much like any adolescent walking on the streets; even the people in their 20s has a knack to act like teenagers. Both age groups are trying to figure out life and they will make mistakes in their career choice and relationships at some point. But hey, mistakes are always a part of growing up and a part of being matured.

One thing that aging can do to us is making us a stronger person. If it was not for our setbacks, mistakes, disappointments, and failed relationships, we would not be able to think for ourselves and know what we want in life. Bad experiences can seem like a curse but when we look back they will become a blessing, teaching us how to walk in life and how to live a fulfill one.  The key to personal growth is to always pick ourselves up after we fall down.  Sure, I hit some roadblocks in my 20s and fallen down pretty hard more than I wanted, but I am optimistic for my 30s and 40s and I can't wait for what is to come in those decades as my 20s is setting the roadmap for my next stage in life.  Resilience is the key factor to survive any setback and the more we get knock down and then get up on our two feet, the more we will be a stronger person. What does not kill us will only make us stronger.   

It's true: age is just a number. Just because someone is in their 30s, it does not mean they are capable to live on their own or even ready for a relationship or even marriage. And just because someone is 18, it does not mean they are fully an adult. The point applies to any age group and the only factor that can measure maturity is their experiences.  Have they gone through failed relationships and friendships? Have they become responsible for their own actions?  What action did they take after setbacks? We should not let age define us but in reality it does, what we do in with the number of years define who we are and make us who we are today.  If we want to look back and see our life was a waste, continue to do what would hinder our future growth but if we want to grow as we age, we should make the best use of the time that is given to us and put all our effort in working on becoming a better person.  

Letting Go Part 2

Letting go of something in life can be one of the hardest part especially when we became so attached to it.  Letting that job, that one person, that one relationship, that one career we put so much hope in can be a big blow at first but time does make it easier to get over it and to move on.  There will be doubts following by a time of grieving.  At that time, we might think letting go seems like it is the end of the world and maybe we have made the biggest mistake but maybe it is the best path for us and even for our future.

Just because we let go of that one thing at this moment, it does not mean we will never return to it; maybe the reason why we let go was we were not ready and maybe it was not the right time yet. It is hard sometimes to know the exact reason why we do what we do but times always has a way of showing us the exact reason why.  So we have to be patient and always know that there is a good reason behind our action and always look forward.  We can't undo the past but the future is in our hands, ready for us to take total control of it.

Amsterdam and The Anne Frank's House

I was in Amsterdam for one and a half day and boy I got out so much despite the short time I was there.  The saying is right, quality is always better than quantity. Amsterdam was a part of the guided tour destination and this meant I was on a strict schedule to see the best of the city.  On my first night there, I visited the Red Light district where I saw canals and bridges and the bikes that the city is known for. I saw the prostitutes who were waiting for men to come and pay for their service and though this was my first time seeing prostitutes up close, I find these women fascinating. I am not saying I approve of prostitution, I was in awe of how brave these women can be, to give up their body in a public place in order to make ends meet and to make a living out of it; seeing them only makes me wonder what brought them there to do what they do and how did they make a decision to work in such profession.  As for the bikes, I have never seen so many bikes in my life; literally, there were parking spaces just for bikes and there were hundreds and maybe thousands of bikes in a parking lot area.

On the second day, we were given half a day in Amsterdam before we had to be on our way to our next destination in Europe and even though the Anne Frank's House was on the top of my to-do list, I was hesitant to go there because of the time restriction. Fortunately, three other tour friends decided to visit the house so I decided to follow their lead. We waited for two hours in line for the ticket and when we finally got in the ticket booth, we were very much ready to see what this house is famous for.  The house was simple just like any other houses in Europe and in America: there were the living room, the bedrooms, the kitchen, the attic, etc.  Though the house was small compared to many modern houses in America, the history and the people who once lived here made this place an iconic place to visit.  The bookcase that leads to the hidden part of the house was still there and from the look of it, it was fragile from the decades it has to stand.  We were unable to go to the attic but there was a mirror that reflected how the attic looks like and the windows that was talked about extensively in the diary were still there and intact.

I was stepping in the foot steps of a young girl named Anne Frank who had dreams and who was growing to be a young woman.  She was just like any other young girl and the only difference is she lived in a time where wars and discrimination toward her people were happening.  She just wanted to live a normal life and though a part of her knew she might not get out of the predicament her family was in, she had hope and her diary has been an inspiration for people all over the world for the past decades. I saw her actual diary and though it was prohibited for visitors to take pictures, I snapped a picture of the diary to remind myself of how real the journal, the experience, and this little girl are.  The Anne Frank's house was not only place I checked off from my to-do list, it is symbol of hope and life.   It is a place where one walk in and walk out knowing that there was a young girl whom no one knew about at her time but who is now a big inspiration for many young people and the world to this very day.

The City of Lights

You are right Audrey Hepburn, Paris is a good idea.

Paris is discussed extensively in books and in movies but being there was definitely a decision that anyone should put on their to-do list.  In April, I decided to take a trip to Europe and then end my stay in Paris and to this very day I have no regret.  I spent nine days there and it was the best nine days of my life. A friend asked me what I would do in Paris for nine days as if the time I plan on staying there was a bit too much and to be honest I had a sketch of what to do but it would not take nine whole days; looking back I am glad I stayed there for that long.  I had a chance to absorb Paris in slowly rather than on a fast moving pace like when I visited other cities in Europe and in America.  I visited most attractions Paris is known for, I climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower, took a trip to the Musee Louvre and saw the famous Mona Lisa painting where I had to push and pull through the crowd of tourists in order to see her upfront, entered Notre Dame church and even sat on a mass just for the sake of it.  Food was definitely my favorite part; the French sure know how to cook and make their guests happy, though I spent most of my days eating baguette sandwiches I had a pure French cuisine on my last day and it was the best meal ever. I was with an American friend I met on a walking tour and we devoured the food as if that might be our last meal ever.

People call Paris the City of Lights and they have it all right there. At night, the city lit up from all sides with bright lights that you see no where else. It reminded me of New York City and Los Angeles but Paris is, and will always be, unique in its own nature and no other cities can compare to it.  Love is definitely in the air as dating couples kiss and cuddle in the public area without any hint of embarrassment; they love each other and they are not afraid to show it.  I was there in September and though the summer was almost over, tourists can be seen everywhere, from the main attractions to the Avenue De Champs Elysees and to the neighborhood of the Latin Quarter.  In general, I do not like crowds but after my tour ended I was by myself and it was good to have company from strangers.

At every turn there is history everywhere in the city. The Avenue De Champs Elysees was the road where people marched after World War II.  The Musee Lourvre, dated back to the 1100, served as a fortress for Philippe Aguste.  Entering the gothic churches definitely was a time of reliving the past. One will never leave the same after visiting Paris, the history and the life of the city would impress any newcomers or returners.

Seeing the Eiffel Tower was one of my highlights in Paris and it will be my favorite all-time human's creation.  She looks better in person than any art and photographs can portray her and her stance can be seen at most angle in the city center.  I visited her in the morning and once at night and during the time when she was lit up at sunset.  Her structure is detailed and any engineer would forever love to study how she was built and created in the two year span of her creation.  She was definitely an unforgettable sight and it reminds me how vast life is and how insignificant my life is compared to what is out there in the world.

Shopping on the Avenue De Champs Elysees was an unforgettable experience. Though most stores were overprice, I ended up buying a Louis Vuitton handbag and a few clothing items with the help of a French woman whom I met through the Couchsurfing website.  We decided to meet up and go for a shopping adventure on the Avenue De Champs Elysses in an afternoon.  She was a shopping addict and during our shopping hunt, she bought a few items and even had to put some back so she would not pass her budget limit for the month.  I learned the in and out of the French women's way of shopping and even how to save money when I have the intention to buy a high end bag oversea.  I discovered most French women do not like LV brand and though they prefer quality, they rather spend money elsewhere where they would pay less and get more in quantity for what they spend on.

The best part of my Paris excursion was I met many Parisians during my trip and each person was unique and taught me so much the French's way of living; I learned about the politics in Paris (I even traipsed by the President's house one time), fashion, how French women and men choose future spouse, the food, their way of cooking, their portion control when it comes to eating, etc. As I mentioned before, the itinerary was my main intention at the start of the trip but after meeting many great and interesting people, whether it was on walking tours or on the streets or on the Metro, the people were the highlight of my time.  I discovered that Parisians are just like any other people living on this earth; they have responsibilities, they have a family to take care of, they are open-minded, they value education, they enjoy people-watching, and they love to meet and being around people.

Paris will always hold something special in my heart.  Of all my traveling, it is definitely my favorite city so far, it has the history that no other city will ever have and the environment is lively everywhere you see. It is a city that marks the creative side of human's creation and mind: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre that once served as a fortress, the gothic churches, the bistros, the food, the delicious crepes that can satisfy anyone's taste buds, the music, the diversity of the people, the art, the neighborhoods, etc.  Someone once said, "You give me the kind of feeling that people write novels about" and this is a prefect description of the City of Lights. I did not enter a city, I was living the history, the presence, and living where many people only read and hear about.  It's a city where any magical things can happen and where anything is possible and where one can never leave as the same person again.

Across the World

For my first trip to Europe I decided to mix it up and chose to plan my own trip in addition to a guided tour as well.  The tour was fantastic. I visited six countries in a matter of eleven days and met an amazing group of people who taught me so much random facts that are fun to know and that are not of any value to my career or personal life, but hey at least there were camaraderie among us during the trip and all that matters was we had a blast.  We visited London, Amsterdam, Rhine Valley, Munich, Tirol in Austria, Venice, Swiss Alps, and Paris and each city will always hold something special in my heart.  Initially, I was more into the itinerary of the trip than the people I had to meet but I made friends with so many people from all over the world that as it turned out the people I met were the highlight of the tour.  My conversation and interaction with them taught me how similar I am to the other people in the group and how different we can be as well and how our difference and interests miraculously brought us together in one point in time.

One of the best part of my Europe trip was I couchsurfed for the first time in Paris. My main goal was I wanted to learn how a Parisian carries out his life in the City of Lights.  It was a bit intimidating to enter a stranger's home but the opportunity taught me so much about how a Parisian lives on a daily basis.  Besides learning how to live like a Parisian, I discovered they are just like anyone else living on this earth. They want to understand people and life itself and they want to be understood.  They want to be loved and cared for by other people; and they have family responsibilities just like anyone else: they need to pay their bills, they go to work every morning, they make dinner, they love their family, etc; I learn there is true kindness out there on the other side of the world, no matter how far it is from my home.  Granted, I stayed at hotels and hostels for most of my Europe trip but living in a native's home shows me the reality of Paris and more importantly it created a more meaningful experience.

Someone once told me 20% of success comes from education and 80% of the success comes from the people I meet. My trip proves that, if it was not for the people, I would not have a safe and successful trip.  I am grateful for the beauty that I cannot see elsewhere in the world and especially to the people who made the trip great and beyond my wild imagination.  If it was not for the tour guide, the bus driver, the Parisian man who welcomed me to his home, the walking tour guides, the Paris and London greeters, I would never have a safe and meaningful trip. I made friends from all over the world at every destination I walk on and the feeling of knowing that a part of me belongs to each part of the world is beyond my wildest dream. I have became the people I met on the road in Europe and they became somewhat me.  The world is all connected one way or another and only traveling can teach me that first hand.  My younger sister gave me this quote, "Don't you ever regret knowing someone in your life.  Good people will give you happiness, bad people will give you experience, while the worst people will give you a lesson and the best people will always give you memories."  I met some of the best people in this foreign land and they gave me memories that will follow me for the rest of my life, it is not the experience per se that brings joy to a person, it is the relationships that was built during the trip and it is all that matters.

Overall I did not have a high expectation for my Europe trip but I discovered more than what I initially intended. Life is funny sometimes, it puts us in a position where we feel like it is the end of the world but at the same time that very position also shows us new roads in life.  I had a low expectation for the Europe trip but it opens my eyes to the world and to opportunities that I would never thought of.  Maybe sometimes when life gives us lemon, we should always make good use of it and make lemonade out of it and maybe that lemonade is the cure for our inadequacy and our shortcomings.  So maybe the solutions to all problems in life is not to get frustrated and to change the situations sometimes, maybe the solution is to sit back and create opportunities out of it.

London