Poole, Cherbourg, Paris and a close call at Heathrow

23/6 - Poole was a pleasantly familiar place. And since it's relatively small and compact, you run into people on the street quite often, such as Bill. It was fun to catch up with old friends, such as Joanna and Tim. The three of us went out for dinner and drinks, which felt like old times.

Every Tuesday during the summer in Poole, hundreds of motorcycles descend upon the Quay and park in one spot, creating a mass of two-wheeled machines. It never fails to make me envious seeing those bikes, knowing the kind of roads around Poole riders must use to get there. It was a complete coincidence I arrived in Poole on Tuesday, but I certainly don't regret it.

I hopped on the ferry to Cherbourg yesterday morning, another familiar practice. It was foggy and damp in Poole, which was typical English weather. But just like flying, riding the ferry gave me a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Travel in general does that for me.

In Cherbourg I met up and stayed with another former Couchsurfing friend: Marie-Amance. She once again collected me from the ferry terminal in Cherbourg and gave me the key to her flat because she had to return to work for a few hours. Her flat looked just as I remembered it: tiny, cramped kitchen, steep, spiraling staircase that blocks the closet, the second-floor living room and her room on the third floor. It was during these few hours in her flat by myself that were some of the most relaxed I was since coming to Europe last week. It was total bliss to read my book while listing to gentle rain through the wide-open window on the second floor.

Later that evening, Marie-Amance returned home and proceeded to cook dinner out of what little food she had around the kitchen. She made a casserole with tuna, tomatoes and olives, and crepes for dessert along with different jams, syrup and sugar. We spent the evening enjoying the crepes, the conversation and discussing other matters, one of which blew my mind.

Since Marie-Amance will go to England for a year to study at university, she offered to let me stay in her flat for 200 Euros a month while she's gone. That's an incredible opportunity, nevermind the fact I don't speak French or am illegal to work in France. The big question is whether I'd be able to survive there. What would I do for a job if I don't speak French? But, it would be a great opportunity to learn French in a small-ish town in the north of France. It would present some massive challenges, but I'd like to see if I could handle those difficulties.

Cherbourg is a small city, and one with not a lot of opportunity in terms of work, even for French citizens. But it's a quiet, calm place filled with the scent of sea water and the squawks of seagulls. It also has a certain charm to the look of the city. I could see myself living there, but there is much research and thought to be done about that decision.

I went to bed that night in the flat listening to the thunder and heavy rain of that storm, seeing the flashes of light and feeling Marie-Amance's friendly black cat snuggle up next to me on the bed. It was a peaceful moment; in fact, my time in Cherbourg felt safe and familiar, and it was one of those times I made sure to appreciate being in the moment.

After leaving Cherbourg this morning (Thursday), I rode the train three hours to Paris and immediately met up with Magda, my friend from Bournemouth University. This is our second time meeting in Paris, and we also crossed paths in California at the end of last year. Magda lives in a house (more like a mansion, really) in Croissy Sur-Seine, a suburb on the west side of Paris. The home is obviously old, but it's a beautiful place, with three floors and a basement. There is a wide space on the roof to sunbathe during the day and drink under the stars at night.

The tip of the Eiffel Tower can be seen at night, thanks to its revolving spotlight. So with the spotlight periodically shining our way and a near-full moon lighting up the sky above the glow of Paris, I had a short but meaningful conversation with Magda and her roommates on the roof on Thursday. Since the attacks in Paris, people seem to be more aware of their surroundings. I heard stories of people looking others in the eyes while riding the metro, suspicious of who might be the next person to murder others. Just walking around Paris and the metro, and one can see soldiers with assault rifles patrolling metro stations or security guards armed with metal detectors guarding entrances to shopping malls. But, Paris is still a thriving, alive metropolis, a place I'd greatly love to move to.

It's adventures like these that cannot happen in hotels while traveling. I am immensely thankful to have friends in all of these places who are happy to share their homes for a night. I am lucky to be able to stay in these areas and feel so familiar with the cities.

25/6 - It wouldn't be a normal travel day back to Porterville without drama for me. No step went smoothly, starting in Paris and being squashed in rush-hour traffic on the metro. Then, my passport was retained and I was detained in a side area, again, by the UK border patrol before boarding the Eurostar train from Paris to London. It all has to do with the UK student visa; I must find a way to get it out of my passport.

Fortunately they let me through, but the actual train was an hour late by the time we arrived in London at St. Pancras. With the hour-long tube ride into Heathrow, this meant I had about 90 minutes to check in, get through security and find my gate. Luckily, I checked my bag about three minutes before the cut-off time of one hour before the flight. Talking to the lady at check-in revealed she loves this kind of thrill and adrenaline rush as well.

After getting through light security, I got a bite to eat before going to the gate. However, I misjudged how far my gate was, which was about 15 minutes away on foot when I had just 25 minutes before the flight left. So with my passport in one hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other, and a heavy backpack, I sprinted the way to my gate. I had never had that close of a call with a flight, besides the time I completely missed my flight from Barcelona.

To top it all off, when I got onto the plane I found out the flight was delayed by about 50 minutes. You can imagine the surge of annoyance I experienced for making that kind of effort, all for naught.

Currently I'm about 30 miles from Bakersfield, CA, my adventure almost complete. I have never, and will never, regret traveling. It always ends up memorable in some way. Here's to the next one (though I have nothing planned for the future).

Adios to Kaichi, Poole and an encounter with an old friend

19/6 - I start off by admitting I have writer's block. I've been running off of the minimum amount of sleep during this trip to London; last night I had a total of two hours of sleep. But, it's all been worth it.

This weekend was a learning experience because my kids showed me how to write my name in Japanese. In the language, I am Maikeru (Mah-ee-ke-roo). On Saturday we were stuck in a classroom doing cultural activities, and just like last year it was a great way to break down language barriers. But unlike last year, my kids have been speaking to me in English with enthusiasm, without me having to facilitate anything.

But over the past few days I've noticed how Nono and Tatsuki have grown in confidence in terms of speaking English to me. The two are comfortable now. It really helps that they understand I am patient with them while they speak to me and search for that hard-to-find word. I've also shown I will help them finish a sentence for them if they need it.

I've enjoyed seeing how Shunsuke is the outgoing jock of the group, to how Ryunosuke is the shy and introverted one. I rarely hear him speak, but I know he is pretty good at composing music based on his oral presentation. Arima is...I'm not sure how to say it. The word that immediately comes to mind is "square." He follows all the rules and sometimes is a bit serious when Shunsuke teases him. I guess you could say he's a bit rigid. But, he speaks a lot and puts forth a great effort. I found out recently he joined the tennis club at school and lasted exactly one day because he didn't like the physical exertion tennis forces from you.

Nozomi was impressed when I used chopsticks while eating Chinese food in Chinatown today. She and Nono are very talkative now and so expressive it's a bit funny when I reveal some incredible fact of information, such as when I showed them my driver licence when I was 16 years old and had long hair. Yuma is a bit more reserved, but she constantly smiles and is nice to be around. Tatsuki is eager to speak English as well, and he has been known to troll with his group mates with a completely straight face, such as when he was trying to convince Shunsuke to drink watermelon juice at dinner today. None of them liked the juice!

We have just one more full day with this program, and it simply flew by. I highly enjoyed my second encounter with Kaichi High School and its students and do hope to participate again next year. I've noticed I'm more comfortable around the students as well because I already know how this turns out. No worries, no stress.

It also helps to not secretly take my group to Piccadilly Circus and later be caught by teachers, like last year...

20/6 - I've forged much better connections with the kids this week compared to last year. Most of them have been asking for my Facebook information or phone number, so I will probably keep in contact more with this group.

As with last year, I saw how competitive Japanese kids are when they play sports. We played Dodgebee today, a cross between dodgeball and frisbee. These kids are diving on the floor, jumping for everything and sprinting; it's impressive to see. The game was very fun, especially because I have the simple talent of throwing a frisbee correctly.

During the farewell party, the group gave me a thank-you poster with notes from all seven of the kids, along with my Japanese name spelled out in Kanji. It was incredibly cool, and something that did not happen last year. I smiled the whole time I read the notes, confirming what I thought about the elevated confidence of everyone. It was a great feeling to know it was a positive experience for the kids.

21/6 - The kids left Brunel University for good this morning, but not before I met them for breakfast one last time. I finally gave them my gift, which was a hand-written note for everyone along with chopsticks and British candy. But then I felt my gift was a tad too simple when I realized they were going to give me even more gifts! I now have plenty of Japanese candy and food, and Shunsuke actually signed a baseball he played with at Kaichi and gave it to me. That was the coolest thing I could have imagined.

With just a few more moments left with the kids, I taught them games they can play on the coach to the airport and in the airplane, and gave Arima and Shunsuke chest bumps. I wasn't emotional to see them go like many other people were, but I was happy and proud to have helped these kids improve their English and their confidence. I gave the kids my contact information and encouraged them to keep in contact, so I know it won't have been the final time we saw each other. I expect at least one of them to reach out; if not, it's no big deal.

 This year helping Kaichi was a massive success and I hope to do it again next year. While I took part with the selfish wish of traveling, I also had a positive impact on kids from another country. I want to make the world a better place, if even for just one person. I accomplished that goal for seven kids over five days; we traveled from opposite ends of the world to meet up in London, and it was a fantastic fit. Perhaps fate meant for an American and seven Japanese teenagers to meet up and accomplish something positive in a world filled with negativity. Here's to next year's Kaichi High School students.

After I left Brunel bogged down with so many gifts, I currently find myself in a familiar place: Poole. Being here is a welcome flashback to a year of my life, spent in a foreign place forging connections from all over the world and manufacturing crazy stories.

It is a place Bill and I terrorized the local pubs, such as the Jolly Sailor. In fact, I ran into Bill on High Street about 10 minutes after getting off the train. He's been sober since I left, and it's probably a good thing I'm not here to drink with him. I think that's why he didn't return my phone call when I first got into London. While it would have been nice to grab a coffee and catch up, I understand. He wasn't trying to be rude; it's just how British people are to avoid being too forward with someone.

Here's to the travel during the rest of the week to Cherbourg and Paris, and back to California.

Back to England, more Japanese students and issues at Heathrow

15/6 - Hello from London.

There was no feeling of eager, giddy excitement for me while waiting at the gate in LAX. This is just another familiar place; I know it well. London is like my other home. After arriving at Heathrow, taking the tube to Kings Cross and walking to my hostel, I feel completely at home here. I'm comfortable. The accents, the signs, the different language, cars that drive on the left side of the road, the ancient buildings...none of it present the unknown.

I first visited London in 2010 for a month. This is the first international city I visited in my life. While riding the tube from Heathrow, I reflected on the past six years and how my life has shaped up. London has obviously been a heavy influence on my life because I seem to find myself here quite frequently. This city has a special place in my being, and I'm thankful to be here again. In fact, it doesn't even feel like I'm traveling because I know this place too well. London is like that old friend you embrace and interact with as if the two of you never left, but in fact you haven't seen each other for years. I'm happy to be reunited with my old friend.

As for the journey here, there were of course some bumps along the way. My day started with my debit card being flagged down for fraud after I tried to buy a Eurostar ticket (the train that connects London to Paris) before notifying my bank. That meant I couldn't fill my car with fuel before leaving Porterville. I was getting stressed out and eventually had to laugh. No adventure is complete without a snag like that.

After landing at Heathrow, I waited an hour at border security. While talking to the customs agent, she got suspicious of me and retained my passport and made me sit in a small area out of the way with a couple of other people. She was gone with my passport for about 15 minutes. I think she got suspicious when I misunderstood one of her questions. She asked if I had been back to the United Kingdom or Ireland since I left England last September. I said no, not hearing the part about Ireland. That confused her because of the stamp from Ireland in my passport.

I flew with Air New Zealand because that was the cheapest ticket I could find, but it might be my new favorite airline. There were absolutely no issues at any point in the process. Customer service was friendly, the food was surprisingly fresh and tasty and the seats comfortable. To top it off, the airline produced a Men In Black spoof to present the safety spiel at the beginning of the flight. It was so creative it made me smile; no other airline has managed to make me enjoy the safety information video, so credit to Air New Zealand. This is difficult to do because that information becomes so repetitive the more you fly. You eventually know it by heart.

16/6 - I realized today I'm a Londoner. I do not get chills from the sites of Big Ben, Parliament or the London Eye anymore. They are simply features of the city. My friend Chris said this is how people who actually live in the city feel. But despite the lack of a chill down my spine, I'm still very much happy to be in London, a city that holds a special meaning to me. It was also great to stroll the city with Chris for a few hours.

I met my group from Kaichi High School today after arriving at Brunel University. There are seven kids in my group, each with a different level of English. Luckily, the group is more talkative than the one last year. It was also great to see friends from last year's program as well, including Jess, the woman who introduced me to it. I can already see how this year is much more different than last year. This is because I feel more confident and I already know people.

And this year, excuse me for sounding arrogant, but it seems I'm much more interesting just for the simple fact I flew from California to be here. The people who I have told that too were all surprised, and it's great fun to see Japanese students react to that kind of information. Additionally, the photo I sent the program several months ago features the huge beard I used to sport. I've already been told several times it looked great!

17/6 - Tatsuki, Shunsuke, Nono, Arimas, Nazomi, Ryunosuke and Yuma have already warmed up to me, compared to last year when it didn't happen until the second to last day. They all spoiled me on the bus back from Hampton Court today with gifts of food and Japanese soaps, and they are actually talking to me rather than me having to initiate all conversation. It's quite enjoyable.

At Bourton on the Water, all of the kids had an order of fish and chips, complete with tartar sauce and vinegar. I did much of the same as last year, such as taking the kids to that 1/9-size model of the village. We also spent a lot of time searching for a place that was open to serve food before noon. But the best part of the day was Shunsuke, with my encouragement, marching up to a group of local kids, introducing himself, shaking hands and speaking with them. That's how you strengthen your language skills! The kid is a stud (he plays baseball at school).

From left: Arima, Tatsuki, Shunsuke, Ryunosuke, Nozomi, Yuma, Nono, Michael

We also visited Hampton Court today. It's always interesting to stroll the palace and read more about the shenanigans of King Henry VIII and King George I; maybe I'm just getting old...

But typical of England, it rained off and on today interspersed with bright sunlight. I broke out my sunglasses, which inspired Nono and Shunsuke to rock shades as well. My group has already shown some personality!

Tomorrow we'll do group presentations and see a Kyogen, which will be translated into English this year. I'm really looking forward to it!

Revelations, England and a new understanding

1/6 - After talking with a friend today, she helped me reach more enlightenment about myself: I love control.

This is why I enjoy traveling. What it really boils down to, I enjoy the control of going where I want, when I want. I love the planning. I love controlling how I get there and in which fashion. That's why I enjoy traveling alone, because I don't have to cede control to another person. That's why I'm rarely stressed when I travel by myself: I'm the one making decisions.

10/6 - I'm beginning to understand what I really want to do with my life. I desire a career working in international relations. For example, this whole week I was looking forward to a job interview with the British Consulate in Los Angeles. This would have been for a position called Politics and Public Information Officer.

Unfortunately, the recruiter did not call me when I thought she would. I got my hopes up fantasizing about having a career that would involve international relations, traveling, living in a big city, etc. I felt cheated when the recruiter didn't call. I was angry. I was depressed. I was dumbfounded. All day yesterday I couldn't get out of that haze of disappointment.

But, within the past few minutes I have had another epiphany. I was so upset about that situation because this is what I want to do with my life. I saw an opportunity I dearly wanted, and it passed me by. Out of disappointment comes realization and enlightenment. I have a new purpose and goal. This has given me a new fire and enabled me to cheer up considerably. A career within the international community is something that fits me perfectly, and that is where my focus will be. I think joining the United Nations is a suitable goal.

In other news, my trip to England is coming up quickly. I still only have a rough plan of what I'll do after leaving London. I know I want to take the train to Poole to stay with an old friend and then take the ferry to Cherbourg, and eventually a train to Paris where I will meet another friend from Poole.

I am still trying to find a host for my first night in London, and I still need to buy tickets for the trains and ferries. But I'm looking forward to another adventure and to meet up with some old friends.

13/6 - It's the eve of another adventure. I fly to England tomorrow! Most of my plans are relatively solid, but I still don't have a place to stay at in London Tuesday evening. And in Paris, I'll stay with Magda, an old friend from Bournemouth who now lives in Paris. This'll be another long travel day, as I will drive from Sacramento to Porterville and then Los Angeles in the morning. Here's to travel.

Also, Nikolaj and Edward go home to Denmark and Norway on Tuesday because their exchange program has ended. It has been excellent to get to know them. But they are now legitimate travelers, and it is their duty to host other travelers when needed. They are a part of this community now.

14/6 - Well, I have a hostel in London for my first night there. But I'm going into this trip a little bit unprepared because I still haven't informed my bank that I'm going overseas, as of this writing. Perhaps that's why I can't buy a Eurostar ticket yet.