"The City for an Artist”, She Said

It's no news but I've been back in Prague for the summer. Believe it or not, as much as I love this city, coming back was not my intention. When I left this city behind, I thought the next time I'll be back would be perhaps with a family of my own. But merely a little over a year later, I'm back.

Someone once said something along the lines of me destined to be here. It sounds silly and I'm not sure about "destiny" but this city has surely become more than just a place I studied abroad during my college career. This city in a way became a third home or something of that sort to me. 

The last couple of days, a friend had visited Prague, and I had the honor of showing her around this beautiful and "third home" of mine. Walking along the Vltava river, overseeing the little red roofs, and getting lost in the alleyways of pastel colored architecture, I fell in love with the city all over again. Stuck in the financial district (or imagine something like that) all day everyday, I had forgotten why people travel from all parts of the world just to visit this small little place. 

Vltava River & Prague Castle by day

Vlata River & Prague Castle by night

The friend has gone back to the states (where there is real Mexican and Peruvian food.. Yum), hump day has come to an end already, and I'm about to knock out in this metro.. yet I’m in love with this part of my life in this so called “Fairytale City.” I look miserable in the metro after a long day of work—and I believe this is the reason why the traffic control never checks my ID—and even though I am dead tired right now, I love how I can just hop to a different train to go to a cafe I like because it’s raining outside. I love how I already have the hours memorized, which drink and cake to order, and how even my phone recognizes the WiFi. I love this ease and comfort I feel in this place. It’s strange for an Asian-American girl to say that she feels at home (even to me) at a place where she’s a minority and can barely communicate in the native language, but I do. 

The best chai tea latte of my (short) life

I get asked this question a lot, “Why Prague? Why not Paris?” I mean, I still find it funny that despite the years I spent studying French and loving everything about French (I’m a fake francophile), I studied in Prague and then back here again. If anyone is curious, in high school, I had an art teacher named Ms. Reynolds, and she was from Prague. She always spoke so fondly of Prague and called Prague a city for an artist. Because I spent so many hours in the studio, without even knowing, I became so fond of Prague that decided to study there instead of Paris. 

Now I feel like there is some validity behind the statement I am about to make, as I’ve lived here as a student and a working person, but I am not sure if Prague is really a city for an artist like she said haha. But I do not regret my decision to study abroad here, to have met people here, to come back here to work, and to just have welcomed this place as home in the midst of my many other homes (or no homes since I am a bit of a nomad). 

A random postcard I found online. 

Maybe Ms. Reynolds is the artist of this postcard.. Haha

There is this artist I used to listen to when I was in middle school, and his name is Lasse Lindh. He’s Swedish but he has an interesting past of living in Korea for a year. He fell in love with Korea so much that he decided to live in Seoul and even published a book called “Hallo, Seoul!” His songs are nice to listen to, especially on a rainy day like this, and I find this connection (?) with this guy because I am not the only one in love with a foreign city. 

Lasse Lindh- The Stuff

Lasse Lindh- I Could Give You Love

His book on Seoul

I might not be creating art left and right, but I do have to credit my time here for revitalizing creativity within me. I simply am inspired more, think more, and just see more. Perhaps it’s not Prague or Seoul that is for artists. Maybe.. a new city, a new place is where artists grow the most. Hmm, maybe. 

Anyways, I am done with my cup of chai tea latte, and the rain has stopped, meaning it’s time for me to head back home. Haha, home. 

Written 07.29.15

"You can't have your cake and eat it too"

It’s a fine Friday afternoon, and I’m currently at a café (as always), this time being a responsible student and adult.

What? An adult? It’s such a foreign concept to me. Daunting too. Yet exciting.

I come from a family of three daughters, the last one being me. I am not only the youngest (also known as “maknae), but also the late-born. My two sisters and I are respectively twelve and ten years apart, and thus I am the “baby” of the Kang family. If I were to be asked whether I enjoy being the maknae & baby of the family, I can answer in a heartbeat, “Yes!” 

Actually let’s take out the exclamation point. More like, “Yes.”

I’m only taking out the exclamation point because I’ve been discovering the “cons” of being the youngest the past couple of years. In a family of bunch of adults, the parents obviously, one sister who is now a mother, and the other sister who’s a lawyer and well established in the working world, I, the 2nd year college student who has just entered her twenties, don’t really have much of a place in terms of authority/making decisions. Not too long ago, I was just a cute (debatable) maknae who made the family laugh. I had no desire to be heard back then. Now it’s a little different. I’m at that awkward stage where I’m not the cute baby (debatable too, hehe. Just kidding, but really, it’s Asher), but I am also not an adult like the rest of the family. So where do I stand? There were many moments during our family trip (which was wonderful~), when I felt this tingling of desire to be heard and taken seriously as an adult, but was overlooked by the family. Who can blame them? I’m not a baby nor an adult. 

One time mom and I were speaking of my post-grad plans, and..

ME: Yeah, depending on where I continue school, I’m going to stay in LA or move back to SF I guess. Finally, I will get to live alone. 

MOM: What? 너가? 혼자산다고? No Jane~ 

ME: Um.. Why not? 

MOM: 너가 어떻게 혼자.. 

ME: I’ve lived alone in Berkeley, I’m living in an apartment right now.. What’s the difference? Eunice Unni lived alone from her 3rd year in college?

MOM: 아.. 그냥.. 너가.. 어린데.. 혼자 산대니까 이상해서

Sigh. 

As much as I want to be taken seriously as an adult like the rest of the family, I know deep inside, I’m not ready to let go of being the baby of the family. With being the maknae & baby of the family comes a lot benefits and honestly, blessings. I have room to make mistakes, many to seek advice from and depend on, and a lot of love and attention. 

It's paradoxical of me to desire to be treated like an adult but still be babied. But it seems like there are many opposing and paradoxical desires within me, within human beings in general. This is not the first time I've experienced this. As much as I wanted to fight for poverty and Gospel in Uganda, there was also a coinciding desire to go back to the worldly comforts and comfortable church/ministry routine. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus says one cannot serve two masters. Yet, we want to serve two or even more than two masters. Is it greed within us? Or is it what the society fostered?

In the end, I can’t ask my family to take me seriously as an independent adult but be so dependent. I’m experiencing a second phase of growing pains (this time not physical) to become a self-sufficient adult. It hurts. It's daunting. But it's exciting too. 

“At least you got your first W-2!”, said Eunice Unni. 

Yeah, I guess. 

It's already been 3 hours since I've been at this café yet I still have so much left to do.. 

Café Můj šálek kávy located in Praha 8

I brought The Fault In Our Stars ^__^

I like this place. 

I've finished my cup of espresso macchiato. 

I want to have some cake now. 

And eat it too.

;)

Photographed 05.09.14

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

is a film I have not watched.

It's actually quite irrelevant to what I am going to write about in my humble blog. The only relevance this film has to this post is that its Korean title is "프라하의 봄" (Prague's Spring).

’Tis April 10th of 2014, and it is still quite chilly here in Prague.

A week ago, Prague was in its 20's°C (high 60°F), and that Californian side of me jumped in joy--"It's finally spring time!" Then I left for Copenhagen, Denmark and had (what I thought would be) my last taste of winter. Here I am, back in Prague, and what is this madness.. It's raining. It's chilly. It's not spring T_T. 

1. In my beanie, heat-tech, sweater, jean jacket, and another coat on top

Oh and of course the essential Totoro-esque umbrella

2. My awesome Photoshop skillz. Please hire me! 

Oh Prague, make up your mind! Let's not go back and forth from 20°C to suddenly 10°C (high 60's to 45°F). But really, it is spring time here in Czech Republic. One thing I really miss about living in Korea, other than its delicious food, is its four seasons! My favorite season in Korea is spring time because my neighborhood just blooms with beautiful beautiful cherry blossoms and magnolia, and I haven't been able to appreciate that bloom of life in what-are-seasons-California. Though I haven't lived in all the places of the world, it's funny how you can recognize characteristics of your home(s) almost wherever you go. I've been experiencing that phenomenon here and there as I've been traveling..!

When I was taking a morning stroll in my neighborhood and came across this beautiful scenery
"Cherry Blossom Ending"- Busker Busker
^ A spring classic

Slapy, Czech Republic
A breathtaking view. For more photos, check out my alternative-Instagram-aka-Tumblr!

But I really like the rain hehe. It's nice to just be.. inside and by yourself. #introvert

Currently just sippin' a cup of hot chocolate at a café I discovered in the alley :-)

When all things fall into place

Perfectly.

It's been a while since I've sat down at a desk to update my blog. The last time I posted a quality post, it was 3 weeks into my stay in Prague. Tomorrow marks my 7th week here in Europe. Ah.. It is truly incredible how fast time passed by. It makes me all the more anxious to realize that I have to eventually leave this place now I call home. I, therefore, should push myself to document as much as I can, because in the end pictures (and I guess blogposts) are all that are left..

However.. I do not regret just soaking in all the beauties and wonders of Europe the past weeks instead of constantly uploading pictures on Facebook/Instagram/Blogspot. But I also appreciate this time I now have to just sit down, look through the pictures I've taken, and perhaps share some reflections.

To be honest, I am here sitting at a desk because I really have no choice. I sprained my left ankle in London, and I stupidly ignored the pangs of pain throughout the trip to now just be.. sedentary.

Totoro: >__< 

(I'm suffocating from her ice-pack and heavy foot! Save me!!)

The weather in Prague has been too good to be true the last few days, but I woke up this morning as a bed-burrito to fight the chill. Yes, it rained! Ahaha.. at least it didn't snow.

Lastly, my one and only roommate Deborah is gone for the weekend to Krakow, Poland! Ahh so jealous and I miss her presence.. but it is also nice to just be home alone. I don't think I've been home alone here before.

Sprained foot + rain + alone time = Quality time with Him.

Some of my favorite things :)

Every time I drink tea (which is multiple times a day), 

I am reminded that I am His beloved as well as my dear sister Sally Shin's! 

I guess I can say all things fell into place.. perfectly.

What a fine Saturday morning/afternoon.

Photographed 03.15.14

Farmers' Market

Oh how I love thee.

Back in those Berkeley days, I remember there was farmers' market every Thursday. It was always so fun walking around, eating all the samples, smelling all those organic soap/candles, and such. I am aware that there's one in Westwood every week too.. but then was never able to afford the time to just go dilly dally there.

Life is definitely getting busier here in Prague with six classes, internship, volunteering, and such, but I'm glad I had the time to drop by farmers' market here, which is held in my neighborhood 3 times a week--Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday! :)

My first time at farmers' market here!

A cold day, but it was still pretty crowded

I actually don't eat cheese just for the sake of eating cheese, but my eating habits have been changing! 

The best wine I have ever tasted so far. Mmm. Oh, he smiled for me! ^__^

Photographed 02.05.14

When I went twice in one day! Haha

Yes, food adventure! Down.

Mmm organic jam. Heavenly. Bought Fig & Wine jam! 

It was Valentine's Day so I bought myself some macarons like a boss. Teehee

"Bow Wow (I'm judging you for buying yourself macarons)" he barks.
"I don't care" she says.

My fancy Valentine's Day lunch, tomato soup

with my adorable dates, Erin & Maital

I love farmers' market. I love bread. I don't love pink.

Photographed 02.14.14

One

Post 01.

Hello, Blogger. I never thought I would be writing here after all the years I spent on Tumblr. But here I am! For various reasons, some personal, some not, you janeskang.blogspot.com, is now my new little haven in this virtual world. 

Tomorrow marks my 21st day (3 weeks, already?!) since I moved to Prague, Czech Republic from Los Angeles, CA to call it my new home as well. I haven't taken pictures of the kitchen, but this is my new home!

Welcome to my humble abode!

Bedroom. Guess which side is mine! Left? Right?

Left it is.

My little haven in the actual world

It's unbelievable to realize that 3 weeks have passed. Even though it's only been three weeks, Prague has become my city and home that I cherish already. They say it's honeymoon stage for us study abroad students and that later on we will snap out of it. Well, I love it and I cannot wait to fall deeper in love with this place as I find out its quirks and charms. 

Photographed 02.09.14