I came to Nihon for the quaternary fourth dimension inward 2013, but this time, non every bit a student. My journeying brought me to Koga, a pocket-size coastal urban total inward Fukuoka Prefecture, simply an hr from the occupation solid of my offset host menage unit of measurement every bit a high schoolhouse student. Located on the southern isle of Kyushu, this lively prefecture is filled amongst foods influenced yesteryear Chinese together with Korean cuisine. The people are to a greater extent than set dorsum than Tokyo together with slightly less eccentric than Osaka.
Although familiar amongst Fukuoka together with happy to go dorsum to such a wonderful coastal prefecture, I was far from my academy friends inward Kyoto. Once graduated, I was happy together with costless to start my life abroad to instruct together with farther my international experiences. I didn’t receive got a render trip flying booked, nor was I solely sure when I would motility dorsum to America, or if I would at all.
Adjusting to a novel city, a novel fix of friends, together with novel operate surround were pocket-size trials inward comparing to my long distance fellow breaking upwards amongst me a calendar month into my contract. Although I wanted to relate to my students, their constant questions most my human relationship condition drove me to crying inward the bathroom. After a few weeks of skipping songs reminding me of him, I decided I had bigger fish to fry. I traveled, started a blog, kept upwards amongst my Japanese studies, together with released my stress at karaoke. Once the cherry blossoms opened, I was able to alternative upwards kyudo, traditional Japanese archery.
My offset Golden Week every bit a JET arrived. I decided to see my friends together with fellow JETs inward Nagasaki, only a curt develop ride away. It was a perfect day; the warm atmospheric condition continuing after the pale pinkish cherry blossoms had drifted away. Confident inward my favorite xanthous dress, I stuck inward my earphones, which furnish the only constant inward my life every bit a traveler, together with leisurely made my agency to Hakata Station, listening to my ain personal soundtrack. Quickly, I realized my error leaving on the Sabbatum of Golden Week. Lining upwards for the train, the station was packed, together with I prayed I could secure a spot for the hr together with one-half journey. The doors opened together with my pump raced. As everyone inward front end of me took their seats, I held my breath until I saw the perfect seat: a window spot inward the back. I sat downwards together with breathed a sigh of relief, taking out my telephone to allow my friends know I was on my way.
A few seconds later, a guy amongst tousled dark hair, a caput taller, sat downwards side yesteryear side to me. I peeked out of the corner of my eye, non wanting to go besides obvious. When I was able to glimpse inward his direction, I noticed his guidebook was inward Korean. I forthwith wanted to start a conversation amongst him. My dearest for K-pop together with Korean dramas motivated me to report Korean inward college, which was useful amongst my Korean roommates, together with fifty-fifty amongst a few of my ex-boyfriends, who were from Korea. More excited than nervous, I consulted my friend together with jokingly asked her whether or non I should speak to him. I was sitting at that spot waiting for her reply, when he said “Excuse me,” together with prompted me to reluctantly line out my earphones. “Does this develop become to Nagasaki?” he asked. Looking upwards to run into his gaze, I replied amongst a, “Yes, it does!"
Thankful he broke the ice, I took the chance to ask, “Hanguk saram ieyo?" (Are yous Korean?). His eyes bulged and, inward fast-paced Korean, asked why I knew his woman nurture tongue. When it came downwards to it, I couldn’t call upwards much Korean together with his English linguistic communication marking was pretty low. We communicated using our telephone dictionaries. I showed him the motion-picture present of me when I met the K-pop grouping 2PM. He took out his expensive Nikon together with showed me roughly of his photography. I never lay my earphones dorsum in.
When nosotros arrived inward Nagasaki, I invited him for tiffin since he was traveling alone. At lunch, my friends together with I learned he plays piano, plant at a hospital, together with produces marriage videos every bit a hobby. Impressed, but knowing he would render to Korea soon, I tried non to acquire besides attached. Our brief fourth dimension ended every bit he waved goodbye together with walked the contrary way.
Our crimson thread of fate was certainly pulling us together, together with after nosotros saw him exiting the same museum nosotros visited. In my heart, I hoped it wouldn’t go the terminal fourth dimension I saw him, but I believed it would be. We exchanged information, but I wasn’t looking for roughly other long-distance relationship, afraid, knowing what mightiness plow over inward the end. Our powerfulness to communicate was nearly nonexistent together with it was questionable how a human relationship would operate if he lived inward Korea together with I Japan.
After a few days, nosotros kept talking on LINE (free texting app pop inward Asia) and, all the same non serious most him, I asked my friends if I should give him a chance. We had then much inward mutual together with despite the linguistic communication barrier nosotros were able to express mirth together. My friends told me, “You receive got zero to lose.” Eventually, I agreed I shouldn’t allow my yesteryear experience brand me fearful of the future. He played pianoforte for me, nosotros sang to each other, together with watched dramas over Skype.
After endless telephone conversations, nosotros all the same weren’t able to quell the wishing to view i roughly other again. Born on contrary sides of the footing together with 7 years my senior, at offset he seemed every bit alien every bit Do Min Joon, the primary graphic symbol of, My Love From the Star. “You volition autumn inward dearest amongst Do Min Joon,” he told me, predicting non only how I would experience most the character, but most himself every bit well.
The to a greater extent than nosotros talked, the to a greater extent than nosotros studied each other’s languages. I became hooked on the drama, together with I saw myself inward Cheon Song Yi, the woman somebody lead. She didn’t sympathise Do Min Joon at offset but each 24-hour interval brought them closer together. The to a greater extent than I learned most the cute alien inward my ain life, the to a greater extent than amazed I became at how nosotros had then much inward common. It’s easier for us than for the primary twosome inward the My Love From the Star. At to the lowest degree my guy isn’t beingness pulled dorsum to his dwelling occupation solid planet. Age, distance, together with civilisation are sometimes cosmetic, together with nosotros constitute ourselves planning trips to Nihon together with Korea. Though the distance isn’t great, it seems similar 2 unlike planets when yous aren’t able to view each other. We mused it would go dainty if he could teleport, similar Do Min Joon.
During our visits to view i another, we bond over music, dance, sightseeing, food, together with exercise. The linguistic communication barrier was hard at first, together with all the same challenging, but our willingness to run into inward the middle helps operate against miscommunications—we both appreciate the endeavor to sympathise i another. It helps I’ve lived inward Japan, then I’m used to picking upwards novel cultures together with languages. My boyfriend’s infinite dearest for Jazz has brand him cultured together with curious most novel things.
His friends together with menage unit of measurement are then accepting of me, together with mine portion the same feelings. We are actually lucky to receive got then much back upwards because many couples receive got menage unit of measurement or cultural problems threaten to tear them apart. Being from the Southern United States, I’ve witnessed racism, inward improver to the stereotype of Koreans beingness non accepting, which I receive got constitute to go completely imitation inward my case. It’s his plow to come upwards to Japan, together with I excogitation to pass my offset Christmas inward Korea amongst him together with his family.
Long distance definitely has its ups together with downs. Some days are hard, but nosotros larn to appreciate whatever fourth dimension nosotros receive got together or simply talking. Knowing when nosotros are seeing each other also helps. International dearest together with long distance relationships are hard plenty on their own, much less when lay together. Anything is possible amongst the correct match, patience, together with a niggling compromise!
