SUNNYSIDE

this past week i was given the opportunity to

to volunteer as a primary teacher at sunnyside camp in alberta.

the long 18 hour drive to get to this 

magical camp was well worth it.

i encountered my first sighting of hay bales in alberta.

i didn't know that massive roles of hay that are probably double my hight could exist.

it looks so awesome when 100+ hay bales are scattered randomly across a large field of green.

the best part of the trip was being able to meet a ton of talented and beautifully crafted people.

there were musicians of all ages who could play their instruments like beasts.

there were dancers who could flip and pop to each beat in a song.

there were artists who used their imagination and soul to move their pen.

i saw so much love and support in this one week, it was no surprised that some people have been attending this camp for 30+ years.

i hope i'll be back for year 2 next summer!

xox

:)

JAPAN PART 12 - STEP BY STEP

i'm a dweeb.

i know.

who takes multiple pictures of their feet?

i do.

anyways,

this is the last post on my trip to japan!

it has taken me way longer than i expected,

and it is a relief that it is finally complete.

yes japan is an awesome place, 

and i highly recommend everyone to go visit.

however my opinion is biased.

the people who i spend my time with during my trips to japan make every moment memorable.

my cousins, grandparents, family friends;

they always find ways to make me feel like 

japan is my home away from home.

and i have lots of love for 

my momma who is a great travel partner.

this trip taught me that each moment of our lives; 

sad, humorous, exciting, etc,

 can make us grow and better ourselves. 

i also came to a realization that there is this certain unfathomable magical purpose in each brief encounter and simple conversation.

life is such a strange thing,

hard to put into words.

isn't there a saying called carpe diem?

well let's seize the day 

and walk this path called life with big smiles.

:)

more new posts to come!

JAPAN PART 11 - NIPPON BONBON

these candies bring back memories of the times i spent in japan as a youngin.

my cousins and i would spend our precious chum change on these goodies and fill ourselves with sugar until our little bodies could not handle anymore.

tasting the sweet goodness of these savoury treats in present times makes me realize how fast our lives unfold.

it feels just like yesterday i was swinging on my grandparents swing-set with my cousins, giggling away without a care in the world.

i learned that it doesn't take much to bring back 

sweet childhood memories and a waft of nostalgia.

:)

p.s. japanese candies are definitely a must try

JAPAN PART 10 - SAVOUR THE MOMENT

as you can see by looking at these pictures,

ice cream was one of the main highlights of the trip.

from a variety of soft ice creams and parfaits, to baskin robbins and dip n' dots; each calorie was savoured to the very last bite.

enjoying conversations over a sweet and chilled treat

can make any day delightful.

however, the beach-bod may suffer.

now that i'm back in vancouver, reality has kicked in and it's time to enjoy savoury treats in moderation.

my friend and i have decided not to eat any ice cream until the first of july. this may not seem that long, but for us it is a great challenge. going cold turkey off pinkberry for even a week is a dreadful task for us ice cream lovers.

i'm on a search to finding magical recipes for delicious yet 

beach-bod-acceptable ice cream for this zesty summer season!

-to enjoying treats in moderation!

:)

JAPAN PART 9 - TAKE ME BACK

just looking at these pictures makes me feel nostalgic.

i.want.to.go.back.

i want to be surrounded by warm air.

i want to walk along rice fields.

i want to hear the trains passing.

i want to gaze at miles and miles of mountainous green-ness.

i want to feel the cool breeze of the asian sea.

there's something about travelling that 
makes life seem more exhilarating.

you see roads, trees, buildings differently.

everything is so captivating.

maybe that's the beauty of being young.

so many things unseen.

so many things that excite our minds.

-cheers to youth and living life

:)

JAPAN PART 8 - MONKEYS!

in oita there is a mountain called takasakiyama.

it's a popular tourist attraction, specifically for viewing these cute monkeys.

there are around 1200 monkeys that live on mt. takasaki.

these monkeys are split into two colonies (B & C) and they each take turns coming down to the base of the mountain so they can protect themselves against enemies from each colony. the base is where the tourists gather to view the monkeys and this is also where the monkeys are provided with food. the monkeys have a keen eye for treats, so i advise you to go without goodies because they will literally attack you.

happened to my mum once; she's got a slight fear of monkeys ever since - true story.

i, however, have this slight obsession with monkeys, so i was super stoked when i got the chance to visit this place for the second time with my cousin. 

my mum decided to opt out on this day trip.

lets be real, these little creatures are adorable, and they're fantastic at modelling for photo's.

if anyone figures out a way to smuggle and tame these monkeys as household pets, please contact me a.s.a.p.

:)

JAPAN PART 7 - SWEET BREAD

one thing i absolutely love about japan 

is the smell of their bakeries.

the heavenly scent of butter and sweetness can waft throughout an entire department store and captivate one's senses. 

the bread in japan is quite different from western style bread;

it's sweeter and more delicious?

i'm positive that their bread contains mountains of calories,

but the softness and yumminess of the bread makes it totally worth it.  

who wouldn't want to get cute bread that looks like turtles and pandas?

more to come...

:)

JAPAN PART 6 - MORE FUKUOKA

1. inside a 13 floored shopping center

2. beauty japanese fan display at the loft

3. mothers day flower stand

4. hipster cafe/store inside a mall

5. funky store in underground shopping center

6. underground shopping center 

the tenjin train station in fukuoka happens to have an awesome underground shopping center (shown in the last picture).

this underground shopping center is then connected to multiple department stores/malls (shown in the first picture) 

so that = mega shopping.

i witnessed many cute store fronts, and the insides were organized like art pieces.

if you're gonna go to japan, it may be a good idea to come with an empty suitcase since the shopping is overwhelming.

i am almost certain that if you visit japan, you won't 

be leaving empty handed.

to get more info on fukuoka and the shopping

click here- http://fukuoka-now.com

:)

JAPAN PART 5 - FUKUOKA

during my trip to japan, my mum and i

took a little trip to fukuoka.

we had to take a two hour train ride to get there, but i was in awe with view so the time flew by.  

oita is a crazy tiny city compared to fukuoka,

i can only imagine how big tokyo is. 

in fukuoka i ate my first krispy kreme donut (i give it an A+), went to a yatai which is a japanese 

food stall (shown in image four),

went to this marvelous store called the loft and bought

 a lunch-bag that is shaped like a mini backpack 

(this store literally has some of the coolest goods),

did some more shopping (yolo), 

and had black sesame soft ice cream (satisfaction).

more on fukuoka still to come...

stay tuned

:)