Going Places — Okinawa

  Ryukyu Glass (琉球グラス) is a traditional craft from Okinawa — originally made from the discarded bottles found in US military facilities as resources to make glass were scarce after World War II. Under the sun, it glistens and showcases its unique features — vibrant colours and tiny bubbles enclosed in the glass. It is a symbol that embeds the history of Okinawa and represents the creativity and craftsmanship of the Okinawa culture. I have chosen it because I am an artsy person, often purchasing and collecting a variety of art pieces like prints, mugs, plates etc. I love a touch of colour in life which is why the Ryukyu glass caught my eye. Since it is made from discarded glass pieces, every single Ryukyu glass piece has a unique pattern and shines in its own way. This representation of individuality and uniqueness really draws me in to learning about this symbol.  Usually I’m quite an impulsive buyer — if I like something, then I will just get it. I don’t question much. Howeve...

🌊 Hey! I’m Jolyn! If you can’t already tell from the photo, I’m a huge fan of food from different cuisines and love to immerse myself in a variety of cultures! This was me in Suwon in Korea, trying pesto pasta from a fusion cafe.  Coming from an international background, I travel often across Asia (Japan, Korea, China, Indonesia etc.) and enjoy learning about what are the differences in lifestyle and food. In Iyer’s (2000) article “Why We Travel”, he mentioned how the difference between a “tourist” and a “traveller” is in their assumptions. As the article is rather dated, our current society is highly globalised and digitalised — everyone can learn something new about a different culture or country and assumptions can be more easily debunked. I believe his argument may not stand as strongly, and needs more nuance to it. Perhaps both the tourist and traveller have ditched their assumptions, but is there something more to their mindset and appreciation that we have yet to discover? ...