W for "Wonderful Vacation"

Long long time no see! (or write?)  I abandoned this blog for so long, partly because I couldn't come up with a good topic to write about that starts from "w".  Well, but I have used this excuse too many times.  I admit, I was lazy.  

On the fourth week of September, I took a late summer vacation.  The destination was of course(?), Vancouver, Canada.  I haven't been there for two years.  Due to my short vacation, I only managed to stay there for 5 days!  Since the flight tickets were really overpriced, I doubted my decision to visit Vancouver at this time of the year, and at this timing.  But this trip turned out to be absolutely worth going.  I met my old coworkers, friends, and landlady, and they haven't changed much.  The best thing was that they remembered me as if very little time had passed since I met them last.  It was very heartwarming and inspiring experience to talk and catch up with them.  I remembered the reason why I have been clinging to the idea of going back to this place some day.  I love this place, and its culture really makes me free.  

I hear about severe employment situation in Canada, might be worse than Japan, so I decided it was not a clever thing to leave my job in Japan and become a student again without any future prospect.  I feel like a wimp for giving up my dream, but this trip gave me hope.  I realized that I can come back to this place again, even though I'm not a resident.  And this town and this city and my friends will welcome me again.  The important thing is not to forget that there are various ways to choose in my life, and as long as I appreciate and become open to the change and inspiration, I will be able to live my life fully.  

In the end, I am honestly thankful for all the people in Vancouver who made my stay very special, and my loving R who made me excited about coming back home. :)

Beautiful Vancouver Downtown

False Creek 

The sunset from North Vancouver