Traveling is an experience that changes a person. It’s as if looking at the world through someone else’s eyes, foreign and otherworldly, and with that you get to explore, find adventure within it. That’s what happened to me and it left a mark on how I’d forever look at the world.

During the summer, I was lucky enough to not only experience one country but two, South Korea and Japan, for my very first time outside the United States.

Being foreign to their country, it was really kind of the people who lived in Tokyo and Seoul to not only be patient, but respectful as well.

Whether it was a taxi driver or a salesperson, they were different from what one could expect as a
foreigner in big name cities.

For me, this trip also broke the stereotype of Asians being cold. Almost all the people I met were friendly and open. They were there to help and weren’t afraid to start a conversation. It was a very memorable experience to have the mayor of Seoul to warmly greet my family and me to his city, showing me how wrong that stereotype was.

Not only were the people amazing, but the sights were too. The overall atmosphere was different from what I was used to. It was surreal in a sense, whether it was the architecture or the unfamiliarity of my surroundings, everything just seemed unique yet represented their culture as well.

One of my favorite parts of the trip, and one that I could remember quite vividly was the look of Korea from above Seoul Tower.

The view was one that could take someone’s breath away, watching the city from the point where I was at. I could have sat there all night, watching the lights and cars flicker in the distance from up above. It was both mesmerizing and sad as I looked around the city I had become accustomed to for the past week. My descent from above the tower was hard as it signified my last time in Korea.

It was a time I would always remember. A time that really made me think of how exciting traveling was.

Whether it was looking at national landmarks or meeting people that were different from those back home, the trip really opened my eyes to the adventure of seeing new places and would be moments I would never forget.