Journey

By Yosuke Morieda

Josh feels like he is in heaven. It is the first day that he arrive here in NY city. It was a long journey for him. He left Deejeon in Korea and ride a KTX which is a similar to a bullet train. The smell of his hometown makes him really missing. This is in the station.
' Josh, take care of yourself. And study hard so that this 1 year is meaningful to you.'
'Thank you Mother. I'll learn a lot and thank you for your support.'
'You can come back anytime you want'
'I'm so glad to hear these words. But I'll endure even if things are difficult.'
'As a man you should endure to some extent, then you can become strong.'
'Thank you Father. I'll try my best and change myself.'
'We want to go to the airport to see you off too.'
'Don't worry. It's far and costs a lot right? I'm ok.
'Then take care of your self.'
'Thank you. I'll contact you from the USA. See you soon.'
The parents gave him a letter and he didn't open this letter because he thought if he read, he couldn't have left Korea. He looked out the windows and see the view of the countryside. The vibration of his mobile phone made him conscious. He pushed up his cellular phone and opens it. And it was from his older friends.
'Good luck on your journey. I will always remember you and keep contact.'
He feels blessed because he has a friends who cares for him.
He stopped school in Inha university which is located in Inchon. He has a lot of hope and he expects a lot for the things coming towards him for the next 1 year in United States. It was a first journey and first abroad for him. But he studied quite a lot in Korea, so he has some confidence in his language skills. When he arrived at the airport, he feels joy in his heart and he thanked God for he has giving him.
'Lord, thank you for giving me such a wonderful opportunity. I pray that I could get close to you through this journey and I could always centered on you whatever things I'm doing.'
Korea is the country where lots of Christians and has so many believers of God.
' Next please. Show me your passport and e-ticket'.
'Yes, thank you so much.'
'Are you heading to NY via LA?'
'Yes sir.'
'You have to wait in LA for 6 hours for the next flight to NY because of the connection problems.'
'That's fine with me. This is my first own journey and I'm excited to be in the airport too.'
'Here's your tickets sir. When you arrived in LA, please do ticketing once again. Sorry for the inconvenient sir.'
'Thanks a lot. Have a wonderful day. Bye.'
The bell ring and he took the phone and it was his other friends.
'Hey Josh, how's your feeling to leave Korea? I'm sure you have lots of expectations about it.'
'Yes. I'm so thankful that I have these opportunities. Thank you for giving me gift the other day.'
' Don't forget you have lots of people who can help you and we will support you.'
'I appreciated about that and I'll write to you guys from US. Goodbye then.'
The time came and it was a time to get on the airplane. Everything was perfect for him. The smell of the airport, the airport is clean and the star bucks inside Inchon airport is also made him excited since he love western related things.
'Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for boarding the flight to LAX International Airport flight xz007. Please on board from 1st class passenger.'
His hearts beats faster as he hear those announcement. He feels happy.
'Ladies and gentlemen, star alliance Asiana Airline flight to LA, all passenger will allow to go in.'
There was not even 1 time he become happier than this time. He feel excied and he was in line to get in. He showed his passport and boarding ticket, and finally he is going inside the airplane.
'Please stop sir. You need to open your bag sir.'
The inspector looked carefully all over the bag. But there was nothing suspicious about Josh's bag.
'You may go ahead inside.'
As he going into a airplane, he has a strange feeling. There are Americans, European people, and Chinese people... His heart reaches his limit and he wonders who is sitting next to him.
'Hi. I'm Amande. Are you Chinese?'
'No I'm Korean. People say I look Chinese though. My name is Josh'
' Oh, I see. Nice to see you.
'Are you going to LA? '
'Yes, I just stay in Korea for short holidays to my relatives. I live in LA actually and go to school. How about you?'
' I was born and have lived in Korea for 20 years. But this time I'll leave Korea to see what's up in the world and I'm actually go to NY via LA. By the way, which year are you?'
'I'm 3rd year and I'm 20. Why did you choose NY?'
' Because I thought NY is the place all the people on the face of the earth are gathering and I thought it' s a good place to start my foreign life.
' I envy you. I want to visit NY. I've never seen there even once. You are lucky.'
' but I think I need to study more about my English. But I don't have enough money I guess.'
When they are chatting about each other, the flight attendant came to serve food and talked to Josh.
'Hey young couple, what do you want for food? Chicken or Korean food.
'Of course Korean food. Korean food is the best in the world and I'm proud of it. And she is not my girlfriend.'
'Oh sorry, since you guys have really good atmosphere, I thought you guy are couple. So did you get her number or address?'
' Ha-ha. You are so direct and I like that. Thank you for asking this question. Then I can ask her easily now.'
As the time passed and the light of the inside of airplane turned off and it's the nighttime. Josh and Amande is having a good conversation about each other thus far. And she suddenly be silent for a while and talked to Josh about her problems.
'hey you know what? I have a big problem on my own.'
'What is it? I'm kind of the right person to talk to. Because I'm mature guy. Ha-ha.'
'You are going to surprised to hear this. Can you promise you definitely keep what I will say secret?'
'Of course. Tell me.'
'I'm actually infected with HIV.'
There was an awkward silence.
'See. You're shocked, aren't you'
He was just stunned to hear this because he thinks If people infected with HIV, Almost all people will die. It's his first experience to talk to someone who has HIV.
'Sorry I'm just surprised and I don't have come up with the word what to say about it.'
'It seems like you don't have much knowledge about AIDS. Yes. Of course I'm infected it, but for me it was early to find that I'm infected by HIV, so there is a lot of hopes for me.'
' oh, is it possible to overcome?'
'Of course, Any problem can overcome if you continue to fight good fight and have a good care about it. Whatever you face. In my case, I often go to doctors to see I'm infected with HIV or other diseases.'
Actually in korea, these issues are taboo and everybody avoid taking about these staff and he feels she is positive even if she gets infected by those horrible disease and fight a good fight. Because he believes, if people in korea is infected by it, they would never talk like this. He felt people in the US is much more developed in terms of approaching AIDS.
'Actually Asian countries people especially my country people don't want to talk about these issues and hide. But I'm so inspired to hear your approach.'
' I'm glad you say things like that. Everyday, I'm doing the best that I can to heal my disease and try to feel better. Because how you think is really important to fight. Please be careful when you make love with people. Don't do with anybody. And even if you fall in love with someone and when the right times come, you should use condoms to protect you. I'm saying this because I experience it. People who have experience should speak about it more I think. Now that you hear the people who experienced it, you can tell your friends about this story so that they may also not going towards same mistake like me. '
'Thank you so much for the story and I won't do with anybody and take right measures when the time comes.'
'Also, what I want you to realize is your body is so precious. If you hurt your body in this world, you can't do anything. Please take care of yourself well. OK?
' I appreciated that advice. I want to hear how did it happen to you. Why did you infected? I can guess a little bit, but I want to know detail if you don't mind to talk to me so that I can avoid temptation.'
'It was when I was elementally school and it was the day my uncle came to my house. I just like my uncle because he was so kind to me and always gives me present. But on that day, he came to my room and raped me. I couldn't believe what was happening at that time and I didn't remember clearly at that moment either. But things happen and things changed at that time. I couldn't tell these stories before but now I told you and I'm surprised by myself. Maybe because I'm facing the reality much more now than before and I'm working on it to get better and try to do my best in everyday life.'
'What is your relationship with your uncle now?'
'Actually he left. I mean, we couldn't contact with him anymore.'
It was so deep for Josh to hear these stories because he never experienced it. But he learned a lot through the time he communicated with Amanda. He fall into sleep and it was the end of the flight and Josh arrived in LA.
'Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for using Asiana airline today. Have a wonderful day and I hope to see you again.'
He and Amande exchange their address and said goodbye. He realized in the course of life, we meet people. And everything that he talk to has a meaning. Nothing is occurred without meaning. Through the meeting with Amanda, he realized this fundamental truth. He made up his mind to live a life that is substantial, not superficial.
'Hey, what's up? You want a ride?'

Journey

The suspicious taxi driver talked to Josh and he couldn't refuse this big guy. Josh just followed this taxi driver and arrive a parking lot. There was his car and it was big car. Usually NY taxi is yellow, but this was not. Josh has friends here. He called friends and asked what to do.
'Hey Dice, I took a white cab. What should I do? Are these people in NY all right?'
'Maybe. You just gave them the address of paper that I gave you.'
He showed the address and taxi driver nodded and start the engine.
The driver didn't speak at all, so Josh was more anxious about that and he try to speak to him.
'Where is a dangerous place in NY?'
The driver replied in one words.
'Harlem.'
'How about Queens?'
'Not so much.'
The driver always answered back with a cool phrase. As the conversation went on, Josh thinks the driver is actually normal people.
'It's almost there. Just around the corner.'
Josh was amazed at the scale of NY. As he went towards Queens Josh could see Manhattan night view and it was outstanding. He had no words again and he couldn't hear driver's voice.
' Hey young man, you arrived your place. You can get out.'
'Oh sorry. Thank you so much. How much is it?'
'40 dollars.'
'Here's your 40.'
This is the first smell on the street of NY. He just excited about it.
' Hey, are you Dice's friends?'
One African American guy came out from the apartment.
' Hi. My name is Kim. Please call me Josh.'
'Hi. My name is Gregory Moore. Please call me Greg. I'll carry this for you.'
He took Josh's suitcase and bring to the upstairs. Josh followed and went inside. There is his friend dice and his friend 'blue.
The atmosphere is like a snow in spring time. Everybody welcomes him warmly.
'Long time no sees dice. Thank you for all your help for me'.
'No problem. You take care of yourself ok?'
Then they went to sleep and it was next day.
'Good morning Josh, I'll take you to the place in Manhattan today.'
'Thank you so much. Where can we go?'
'We can go anywhere you want. There are so many things in the city here. Let's take a train and hang out.' First we'll take you to the Manhattan. The wind looks like welcoming josh. The street of noise made him upbeat. The sing of the bird in central park gives special impact to him. The more he knows about this city, the more he loves it. There are a lot of animals in the city all over the New York City. The people with black face, people with white face, Hispanic, Asians. It was truly amazing scenery for him. Josh loved NY especially the noise of the city. The people are bigger than he thought, the streets are wider, the building is much taller compared to Korea which is his hometown. He started the new life in NY city. As he goes back to the Queens, Astoria, he found a gym right across from his house. The gym is called synergy. He was interested in it. Because there is a military system in Korea and he knows after he go back to his home country, he need to go to service for about 2 years. That's why he wanted to make his body strong before going into military. He went into the gym and there is a man who looked really kind.
'Hi sir. Welcome to Synergy, the finest gym in New York. How are you doing?'
' Hi. I actually want to join as a member and wants to make my body strong.'
'Then there is a great plan for you. We suggest that you take a personal training session.'
'I'll take that since I have no idea how to make my body strong.
That's how he started the life of Boxing. He was introduce Boxing there and be addicted to become boxer for his country. His goal is to become the contender of the country. And he starts his journey at that time. He was just 20 years old and arrive to NY and he has lots of hope and energy. His future looked bright. We'll expect his bright career for generations to come.