I have been abroad for over 21 years. At 16, I stayed in Thailand, and at 22, in Spain. At 24, I was traveling back and forth between Japan and America.
I feel like Thailand is my second hometown. When I visited Thailand, I wanted to live there forever. Thailand is actually a popular destination for retired people.
In 1999, I went to Roi Et. Roi Et is located in Northeastern Thailand. It is far from Bangkok. Back then, the airport was under construction. I took a long-distance bus to see my host family. I was young, so everything was an adventure.
The host family was very nice. I went to the local high school and had friends. Most students saw a Japanese person for the first time. At the time, social media didn’t exist yet. We talked a lot and ate lunch together.
After high school graduation, I returned to Thailand and lived for a few months. Soon after that, the host brother studied in Japan. He liked Japanese cartoons.
Over 10 years ago, I returned to Roi Et and stayed there for a week. The city was fully developed.
“Ichigo Ichie” (一期一会) is a famous Japanese four-character idiom. In English, “once in a lifetime” and “never again.” Tea master Sen no Rikyū originally stated it, and the concept is commonly associated with Japanese tea ceremonies.
Even now, I keep it in mind. Next time, I will write about temples and popular tourist attractions.
Photos by LILI
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