Life: Lessons I Learned from the Trips I Had in 2023

In 2023, I had 7 trips to four cities I loved. It’s the most frequent that I’ve ever had in my life. I remembered that I wish to travel a lot in 2023 and God really made it come true. Not only did I get to travel, but it taught me lessons and realize that I was surrounded by beautiful souls. First of all, I wanted to give thanks to the Lord, the Almighty, for granting my prayers and showing me that He is listening. With my grateful heart, I wanted to share the lessons I learned from my trips in 2023.

Kindness Wins

I learned and witnessed that kindness wins during my trip to Bangkok in February. I went there to attend Kim Seonho’s fan meeting. In 2022, Kim Seonho was caught in a scandal and he almost got canceled by the society. At that time, he had to quit his programs and some of the brands canceled his contracts. After the truth was revealed, he was able to come back and even had an Asia fan meeting tour! He was really nice and kind in real life so even after those issues, he was still loved by many. I was really glad to watch the fan meeting in Bangkok because, for Kim Seonho, Thailand held a special place in his heart. Thai fans welcomed him when he shot his first movie and showered him with lots of love. It was like Kim Seonho’s second hometown. Watching his fan meeting in Bangkok hits me differently. I was so touched. I learned to be kind every time for everyone because if we are kind no matter what happens, good things will come back to us eventually.

Connection

During my trip to Seoul in spring, I met lots of people, from my high-school friends to seniors. Well, thanks to it my trip to Seoul was less lonely. After the trip, I realized that maintaining a relationship is really important. I never thought that I would have a job as an interpreter if I didn’t go to Korea and meet my seniors. At first, I went to Korea solely to bid farewell to my cousin and her family before they left for the USA. But, it turns out that I was given the key to many more opportunities in 2023. As an introvert, I need a long time to reach out first, so maintaining a connection is not my strongest possession. Well, having a good connection is very useful, especially for introverts. When you are in a new group and you don’t know anyone, they could be your card to open a topic. Through this trip, I got to realize how blessed I am to meet all of them and have them as part of my life.

Having a good boss is a blessing

I went on a girls' trip with my senior high friends to Bandung in June. The trip practically happened thanks to my friend's boss. Her boss was a member of IHG Hotels & Resorts and he has a lot of points that he booked the hotel for us to stay. Having a good boss is like a lucky star. Not everyone got the privilege to have a think-alike with their leader and a leader who could share. So, if you have a great leader, keep them close, because you are blessed! Thank you, my friend’s boss! We had a great sleep (even though the location was a bit far from the city center, but it’s free after all ^^).

Rest and heal

I went to Bali with my third aunt from my dad’s side in July. She took a short break after resigning from her previous workplace and before she started working at a new place. It was my first time to have a trip alone with my aunt and it went pretty nice though on the last two days, I got sick. At first, I thought it would be awkward to travel with my aunt, but it was great. Our appetites are pretty similar and she also liked to do some activities and relax on the beach. During the trip, we had lots of conversations and I learned that taking a rest is important. Even though, I’m not in the position to have a rest yet. But, when my life gets busier, I should remember that resting and healing are important.

Just Do it!

My second trip to Korea in 2023 is basically for fan-girling. I got the ticket for the 2PM 15th Debut Anniversary concert, so I flew to Seoul for a week only. It was the craziest thing I did in 2023, but whatever. I’ve become a 2PM’s fan since 2009 and I really like all of their songs. It was hard to see complete members of 2PM and other 2nd generation K-POP idols to have a concert. So, I made up my mind to just go and watch this precious concert. Even though in September I was a little bit busy, I think this is a birthday gift for myself (I got the ticket before my birthday, so I guess it’s an early birthday gift). I had to enjoy it while I could. I was so happy to see them again after almost 10 years! I learned that it took a long time to see them again, so just go! Whatever your troubles or worries, just do it! You’ll be grateful that you’ve done it and even though it doesn’t work out though you’ve tried it, it’s okay. That is life.

Everyone has their own seasons

I went to Bandung for the second time in 2023 to attend my cousin’s 17th birthday party. The trip was very short because November was full of my friend’s wedding events. The trip was also not as fun as I thought I would have, but nevertheless, I got to learn something. This trip showed me that everyone has their seasons of life. My grandpa had his best seasons of life when he was the top head of his old textile company. My uncle has his seasons of life, and so does my not-so-little cousin. She is entering a new season of life as a lady. It is fascinating to see how my little cousins grew up from baby to this point. When I saw my cousins perform on stage, I got teary. It feels surreal that a little baby girl has grown up as a lady and it hit me by the fact that I’m also getting older. I’m getting closer to 30 now and a new season will come soon. I just came across this song lyrics of Im Jaebum, with the title “Consolation”

“Everyone has their own season

I will bloom in my season”

 

A long-time friend also has some privacy

My friends for 15 years and I finally had our first full team trip together to Bali. With the years we’ve spent, we thought that we’d shared everything. But, I just realized that there are still some parts that we cannot share. We all have some privacy and sometimes we are not aware of it. From this trip, I learned that we should still protect other’s privacy even though the time we’ve spent was pretty long. There are still some thin lines we should be careful of.

So, that’s the 7 things I learned from the trips I’ve had. It might be something you might know already or something you cannot relate to, but I want to share it with you all. I hope what I shared here can help you to have a brighter and happier life in 2024. I always believe that we can learn anything from everything. I hope you have a great new year! Just enjoy the journey and believe that God will provide.