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[teekoyang]

I spent three nights and four days in Rome. However, two full days were spent figuring out transit and where I needed to be. 

The trip was overshadowed by my strenuous experience getting to the London Stansted airport, which is north of my flat. This tiny airport is located 36 minutes away by car and a little bit over an hour by public transit. As a recent graduate student, every penny counts thus public transit is the way to go!

I made it to the stop for the National Express bus and waited for at least 45 minutes. When I realized that the bus was 10 minutes late to pick up the passengers, I went over to security. Security informed me that the bus will be half an hour late. WHAT!!!? My flight was at 1:20pm and by this time it was 11:20am! I was so upset and started opening my uber app when a nice girl from Czech Republic suggested that we split a cab because security told her it would be cheaper than Uber. 

The cab took another 20 minutes to show up and to our dismay, he only accepted cash. Mind you, I generally don’t carry cash with me and time was not on our side. The cab driver suggested for me to find an atm, but the girl had cash! She is my savior! We decided that when we arrive at the airport, I would then find an atm and pay her back the money. 

By the time we reached the airport, it was 12:20pm. The girl went to search for an atm while I went to check-in because I had an American passport. I had my boarding pass on the app and when I went to the counter to check-in, I couldn’t... apparently, for RYANAIR airline, non-eu citizens are required to print out their boarding pass. I had to pay £15 to print out my boarding pass and £7 for a fast-pass through security. I paid almost $30 USD!

IT IS NOW ALMOST 1PM!! I hastily went through security and was told I was only allowed a small ziplock bag for my liquids, meaning, I had to throw away all my liquid lipsticks, face moisturizer, and Vera Wang perfume, plus all of my shower products. HELLO, I JUST FINISHED GRADUATE SCHOOL! I AM TRYING TO SAVE EVERY PENNY BY NOT BUYING NEW PRODUCTS! 

As I was getting rid of my things, this wave of emotions washed over me as I was reminded of the time during my undergrad where I was so excited to receive the opportunity to study abroad in Italy. I was prepared and paid for the ticket to go. The day of the flight, I arrived at check-in and the lady from American Airlines stated that I was an hour early when I should have been two hours early for an international flight. She then said I needed to call my travel agent and book another ticket.  I was an innocent first-time flyer who have never flown on my own before. And before I knew it, the voice in the intercom at the airport kept announcing my name. 

I’m not sure why I didn’t have the strength to fight American Airlines. I was sitting and crying as I called Priceline. They quoted me for $2000, and I had already paid almost $2000 to go. I called my parents and they willingly told me to use their card and I said... no. I left the airport and went back to attend classes at OU, and continued to help my parents at their restaurant 3 hours away during the weekends. 

Seven years later from that experience, I WAS NOT GOING TO MISS MY FLIGHT TO ROME! I finally left security and sprinted for 10 minutes to my 1:20 flight. Seriously, London Stansted is designed for visitors to shop and is made of mazes that lead to restaurants you have to run through to get to your gate. And I made it there... at 1:20! 

Where is my savior!?? When I made it to the line, I bumped into the Czech Republic girl who had paid for my cab earlier. She couldn’t find an atm and left to check-in her flight. We exchanged information on Facebook and called it a day. 

Finally, I landed in Rome at 4pm. I had to pay €5 for a bus from the airport to the Roma Termini. From there, I paid €1.50 for a 100 minute MetroCard to my Airbnb near the Rebibbia station. And to my luck, right when I got out of the train in Rebibbia, MY PHONE DIES! 

I tried memorizing the address and how to get there but ended up lost. I met a lady who only spoke Italian and she pointed me to a large grocery store. I went inside to ask if I could charge my phone for a few minutes, and the manager, in Italian, said she would only charge my phone if I purchased an item...

At 8pm, I bought a frozen pizza and a kinder bar. Waited 10 minutes for my phone to charge and left to find my Airbnb. I walked to the street and asked the locals where this building was, and NO ONE could point me in the right direction. By 9pm, an elderly woman from London who had been living in Italy for 30 years, used her phone to call the owners of the Airbnb to find my building (I had called multiple times but no one would pick up, and I wrote a message). The elderly lady walked with me to the building and I finally made it. 

DEAR LAWD GEEZUSSSSSSS!!! I spent 13 hours getting to my Airbnb. This was a record! THANK YOU IF YOU’RE READING THIS LONG-ASS BLOG POST!

My sister, who is stationed in Naples, met me the next day. We spent most of our time walking around the Colosseum and following the travel guide from Google. This helped immensely as the guide provided a map of things to see if you only have 24 hours. I had delicious pasta and wine. 

For nighttime activities, we went out to Shari Vari Playhouse. When we were there, one of the employees actually tried to make us pay more for our two shots when we had previously paid less with another bartender! My sister and I were there for only an hour when we decided to go back home (Yes, we are boring). 

The next day, we headed for Vatican City but the rain started to pour. We had lunch at a Chinese restaurant (Yes, we went to Italy for Asian food!) and took shelter at a cute cafe. By this time, my sister had to leave to catch her train back to Naples. I stayed behind and made it inside St. Peter’s Basilica, the most beautiful church I’ve seen thus far. It was huge and full of tourists. 

I had dinner nearby and left for my Airbnb. My flight was the next day, and better believe, transit was a struggle. The bus from Roma Termini to the airport was late so I befriended a nice South African couple where we ended up splitting a cab. 

This couple, the cutest couple ever, had so much love between them. The boyfriend adored her and left his home in South Africa to follow his girlfriend in London as she finishes her degree. He worked in finance and was able to transfer jobs easily. They were so kind and this made the end of my Rome trip much smoother. 

And fate played a major role again when we boarded for our seats, this lovely couple had the seats next to me! I never got their names, but if you both are out there, you’re #relationshipgoals! 

Overall, I adored Rome, but I personally wouldn’t want to go back. The locals hate the tourists, understandable, but not a good position for the tourist. The transit was a headache and I spent most of my time frustrated. The best part was spending time with the sis and making her my obligatory instagram photographer (haha). 

And below is an image of us Facetiming with our baby sis, Nico, who lives vicariously through us back in the states. <3

[teekoyang]

I’m back in London after visiting Amsterdam for the weekend. 

It was an exhilarating experience, as I set foot on De Dam on my own. 

From the airport, I took the train straight to Amsterdam Centre and walked towards The Flying Pig, the hostel I stayed in. I was in a 6 bedroom suite, with one suitemate from Denmark, two from Germany, and two from Brazil. I was lucky to have had incredible suitemates to explore the city with. 

I visited the Moco Museum for their exhibition on contemporary street artist, Banksy. I waited in the queue for Van Gogh, whose birthday is the same day as mine! I checked out the Red Light district (during the day btw, I know, I’m a horrible tourist), paid for a canal tour, checked out the coffeeshops (from the outside because I’m shy), and walked around downtown numerously while dodging all the bicyclist. Amsterdam is definitely one of my favorite cities with its charming architecture, character, and dynamic culture. 

Did you know that Amsterdam is considered a Smart City? They have been working on creating accessible spaces by building miles of bike lanes, wide pedestrian walkways, efficient transit, and numerous urban green spaces. Project for Public Spaces’s Placemaking Week Conference was in the city this October, highlighting Amsterdam’s efforts in becoming a Smart City. 

Also, the Asian food was fairly good (haha)!

I got back to London Monday night, and after a few days of rest, I woke up yesterday morning, slid my workout outfit on, and ran in the park nearby my flat. As I was blissfully running around the park, I thought about how privileged I’ve been to have left Minneapolis and explore parts of Europe. In comparison to my parents, who have never set foot anywhere but SE Asia, and then ambivalently crossed over for America, leaving their homeland of Laos for asylum so that I can reap the benefits and comfort of being an American, and enjoy the leisure of traveling as a global citizen. 

A sense of guilt washed over me, as I’m reminded of my mother’s insistent testimonies to never travel alone; that there are dangerous people out there; that the land is foreign; that I’m a girl and I need protection. As I ran with the view of futball players and red double-decker buses, I try to understand the years of doubt and fear embedded in my mother. Her fear of danger and her sense of uneasiness to trust strangers stem from the years of displacement and war; not being able to trust thy neighbor, walk alone to the market, and perhaps bathe outdoor (because they didn’t have access to showers in a war-torn country), have all culminated to fear of place and fear of people.

The recent attack in NYC, the Las Vegas shooting, the Human trafficking in Atlanta, the London attacks- all feed into this notion of fear. As my mother has every right to feel fear, I wish that she didn’t have to live with fear. So, that she could see the beauty in her daughters (I have 2 younger sisters) who live so fearlessly in unbeknownst places, and hear the stories of strength, love, and hope by strangers.

I would bring my mother on my travels if I could. 

Furthermore, within the work of placemaking and smart cities, if my immigrant mother feels safe walking and being alone in a city while embracing her authentic self and cultural practices, then perhaps you’ve done your job.    

A poem from Rupi Kaur’s The Sun and Her Flowers

Can ya feel me on this poem?

Off to Rome, I go!

[teekoyang]

It’s October the 24th, one week and four days since I’ve left America for Great Britain. The fast-paced lives of Londoners can be compared to that of New Yorkers; everyone here hustles and they hustle quickly. Minnesotans move a bit slower, and this makes me miss home. As odd as it has been since it came as a surprise that I’d be homesick, I appreciate the quickness in movement London has offered.

Again, I’ve been homesick the past few days; finally today, I withdrew from that overwhelming feeling. I know you’re thinking, Teeko its only been a week-ish, but I MISS MY FAMILY okay!

My first few days were spent at a conference by the Centre for London, focusing on Open Spaces and the Public Realm. It was a lovely conference with amazing people. It definitely provided more knowledge on the local politics of England and the role of placemaking in London.

I’ve only been here for eleven days but I have already learned so much.

Here’s a list of eleven things I’ve learned about London, and myself.

Buy an Oyster Card once you get out of the airport to take the tubes (that’s what they call their trains or subways) if you’re planning to take public transportation. I’m staying in Zone 1 (Or is it 2?) and sometimes venture out to other zones. Buy an Oyster card because every other option on the ticket screen will be confusing.

Exchange USD for pounds before you leave for England. Yes, I should have known better but I thought I could get by with credit cards on my first day. I landed at midnight and needed cash for a taxi ride since it was dark and I had two suitcases. A nice British couple offer to share their taxi with me, so I naively rode with them. I can hear my mother screaming at me for riding in a car with strangers, but I survived it!

Download the app City Mapper. Google maps is good too. I used both simultaneously.

Eat at Xi’an Impression for hand-pulled noodles and simple Chinese food. I went and had dinner there by myself. I ordered two entrees, and the waiter looked at me and said, “The plate is very big, you sure you want two?”... YAS!

Do not wear heels while exploring London. However, I’ve been able to explore with one-inch wedges! Okay, I lied, they were two-inches!

Many flats do not have dryers for your laundry. I was incredibly ignorant when I first moved into my flat and asked my flatmate why dryers aren’t a thing here. The washer is generally tiny and located in the kitchen, and you dry your clothes on drying racks (or clothes horse?). It's kind of a pain to wait for clothes to dry because it takes a day or two. What happens when you have to wash a large blanket?

Apparently, philanthropy in placemaking isn’t a thing? For folks who don’t understand what placemaking is, it is a sexy term as defined by Wiki, Placemaking is a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and management of public spaces. Placemaking capitalizes on a local community's assets, inspiration, and potential, with the intention of creating public spaces that promote people's health, happiness, and well being. During the Centre for London conference, a woman posed a question about philanthropy in the UK and their responsibility in investing in places and people. A contentious subject here as Brexit continues to move onwards. I need to do more research on this topic of giving in the UK if I want to provide better context before I make any elaborate assumptions! However, I did find this article that counters this bullet point: The Placemaking Factor in Philanthropy and Funding. For more information on placemaking, here’s a great article I received the other day from a colleague: Five Steps toward Implementing Creative Placemaking. This is from the perspective of an engaged urban developer.

Tier 2 Visa Restrictions. My 20 yr old brother was in London last week as he had trial shift interviews for two 1-star Michelin restaurants in Mayfair. He was offered a position for both places but visa issues hindered the process. After hours of research, it turns out that on April 6, 2016, Theresa May introduced tighter restrictions for a new £35,000 salary threshold to be able to apply for UK Tier 2 Visa. As someone beginning his career in the culinary world, my brother will not be making that amount. Whatever...

Making friends. I am fortunate enough that I have great flatmates! And as an extrovert, its been easy to talk with people. I’m attending conferences, workshops, networking events, etc. There’s also Meet Up, and apps like Hey! Vina and Bumble BFF. I also have a few friends in London prior to coming here, so I haven’t been too lonely. From what I’ve observed thus far, people are cold to one another. I may be wrong, as I spoke about this issue with my British friend, he thinks that it may be because people here are always on the move and no one has time to speak or connect with one another. This is interesting as I’m curious how placemaking would operate in populated urban spaces with the lack of human connection (sorry, this is a tangent). Anyway....

Check out Opium. Its a speakeasy in Chinatown next to Dumplings Legend. The bartender made the best Old Fashion. Ask for a Yam Sling Shot, this shot is off the menu. You choose your liquor base and they finish it off with the bar scraps. This shot is for the brave.

And lastly, the MEN! What better way to explore options than in the city of London! First, I’d like to start off by saying that I’m in no position for a long-term commitment or actively seeking a significant other. However, men in London do not know that (ha). I’ve been courted a few times and met a sweet Swiss man the other day. At the end of our walk, instead of a hug, I fist bumped him (yes, I’m awkward but it was hilarious!). He had no idea what a fist bump was (must be an American thing?). Needless to say, there was a second meeting. One thing I’ve noticed is that I have not been cat-called once while walking the streets in London. But I’d like to add that haven't taken advantage of the nightlife here yet. I don’t care for it too much... OMG, AM I GETTING OLD? Before I came to London, I was in NYC with my best friend. During my commute, I would get cat-called at least once for every two blocks or so. The difference has been nice.

This is not a list off of thorough investigation but of observations from my first eleven days in London. I’m off to Amsterdam this weekend and will be celebrating Halloween in the beautiful city. Can’t wait!

[teekoyang]

My birthday was a few days ago. 

I’m one year older, one year wiser as they say. 

The moon.

I fall for its ghostly lights late at night. As it shines, my mind heightens the complexities of my thoughts. Like the first touch from your crush when they brush against you, for the moon and I have just brushed. 

I am in love with the moon. #teamnosleep 

[teekoyang]

Today I read an insert from an amazing writer, Yolo Akili, from his book Dear Universe: Letter of Affirmation and Empowerment for All of Us. 

“Remember: Oppression thrives off isolation. Connection is the only thing that can save you. 

Remember: Oppression thrives on superficiality. Honesty about your struggles is the key to your liberation. 

Remember: Your story can help save someone’s life. Your silence contributes to someone else’s struggle. Speak so we all can be free. Love so we all can be liberated. The moment is now. We need you.”

#beautiful

[teekoyang]

I am completely overwhelmed with projects, work, and school that I have not had time to read at my leisure. I have been searching for my next book after finishing Richard Florida’s The Rise of the Creative Class. 

The next book on my list is Jane Horan’s How Asian Women Lead. I find it fascinating that a white woman wrote this book following multiple Asian women and their leadership paths. Let’s hope this book is as interesting as it sounds. 

Read along with me! 

[teekoyang]

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!" — Audrey Hepburn

[teekoyang]

It's been three years. 

RIP Grandpa.