Going Back to Matsumoto

Tomorrow I will set off on a journey that will take me back to a place that is very special to me.  I am going back to Matsumoto, Japan.  It has been almost two years to the date since I left my home in the mountains.  For me, this isn't just another vacation, it is a journey back to a place that I consider my second home.  Some may wonder how I can call it my second home when I live in Seoul and love it here, but the truth is that Matsumoto is a place that is very special in my heart. Having grown up wishing to visit Japan and see what I had heard about from friends, and read about in books,  Matsumoto was the first place that I truly experienced everything I had wanted to and more.  It was the first time I had truly lived alone, explored new places, learned a new language, met the girl of my dreams, and made wonderful memories that I still think about on an almost daily basis. I loved how I could set out from my house and find new and interesting things around each corner; crystal clear streams, apple orchards, temples and shrines hidden away in the mountains, green rice fields, winding alleys, and people that had gave me a welcoming smile.

I am very happy that Soojeong and I will be able to go back to where we first met and enjoy the things we used to do.  Simple days of going on walks, watching movies and talking until late at night, having drinks with friends, and just enjoying life.  We are both excited to see some of our old friends and attend the city's biggest festival of the year.  I really don't know where life will take me after this year and to be honest, I am not really that worried about it.  All I know is that in the future I want to marry Soojeong and travel the world together.  No matter where we go and what we end up doing, Matsumoto will always be special to us, and I know that this will not be our last trip there.