Good evening readership! A thousand apologies for the holdup since last month. Unfortunately, work and school took over for the second half of 2017, and I couldn't update any content on this blog, subsequently.
I owe y'all another big update. I've recently finished my first online semester with George Mason University, and that frees up time to write more in spite of what little time I have left until 2018 starts (along with the next class I have to take in the spring semester). In addition, I've successfully uploaded my application for graduate school; please keep me in your prayers for that.
I've got a ton of new adventures coming up next year, by the way...
On the last week of January, I'll be going on a trip to the Philippines to visit family. It'll be the shortest time I'll be spending in my island home due to work, but I'll be sure to make the most of it! As an added bonus, my penny-pinching self decided to take the cheapest flight home, resulting in the 15-hour, home-bound layover in Seoul; that might make for an interesting blog post.
Currently in development is a trip to Pittsburgh. I'll be visiting the Byzantine Catholic Seminary there for a personal tour/retreat there. More to follow...
Short as it is, that's all I've been up to so far. I'll be rolling out more writing sooner than you think! See ya!
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Monday, December 18, 2017
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Open Ears
I forgot to bring my headphones.
I sat uncomfortably throughout my ride on the CTA this morning. I did not have the usual comfort of listening to Gemini Syndrome on my commute, instead looking everywhere and generally avoiding eye contact with other people; I occasionally looked through my Facebook profile and emails on my phone, but even that couldn't alleviate the discomfort and social anxiety. I was used to closing off the outside world with my headphones and staying comfortable in the stagnancy of my "happy place".
But not this time. With my ears open, I was barraged with the bustle and boom of the world around me. Conversations about recent events. Parents introducing their children to the public transit system. Arguments on the phone. Homeless people asking for help.
Why now? Why should I listen to all of this? It pains my ears to hear the pain in this world. I want the noise to stop.
But that's probably why my ears were opened in the first place. One can ignore the pain, but it doesn't make it go away; it will still be there when you return to reality. You'll have to treat it directly if you wish to make your world a place worth living in.
Reality can hurt. It's what we do with the hurt that brings us out either at our best or our worst. We open our ears and listen to our surroundings. What is wrong? How can we fix it? What is right? How can we cultivate it? More questions may lie behind these initial ones, but they lead to more refined answers as we delve and explore our world and our lives.
I'm glad I didn't bring my headphones.
I sat uncomfortably throughout my ride on the CTA this morning. I did not have the usual comfort of listening to Gemini Syndrome on my commute, instead looking everywhere and generally avoiding eye contact with other people; I occasionally looked through my Facebook profile and emails on my phone, but even that couldn't alleviate the discomfort and social anxiety. I was used to closing off the outside world with my headphones and staying comfortable in the stagnancy of my "happy place".
But not this time. With my ears open, I was barraged with the bustle and boom of the world around me. Conversations about recent events. Parents introducing their children to the public transit system. Arguments on the phone. Homeless people asking for help.
Why now? Why should I listen to all of this? It pains my ears to hear the pain in this world. I want the noise to stop.
But that's probably why my ears were opened in the first place. One can ignore the pain, but it doesn't make it go away; it will still be there when you return to reality. You'll have to treat it directly if you wish to make your world a place worth living in.
Reality can hurt. It's what we do with the hurt that brings us out either at our best or our worst. We open our ears and listen to our surroundings. What is wrong? How can we fix it? What is right? How can we cultivate it? More questions may lie behind these initial ones, but they lead to more refined answers as we delve and explore our world and our lives.
I'm glad I didn't bring my headphones.
"Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear." --Mark 4:9b
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
New Orleans, Louisiana: A City That Stole My Heart
It's been well over a month since my last post, but I've finally gotten around to writing again after adjusting to a new schedule. Hopefully, I'll be writing more often from this point onward. Anyways, I just came back from a brief, but amazing trip at New Orleans, Louisiana. That's another state to knock off the list!
My family and I boarded a coach bus bound for NOLA on March 1. Unfortunately, our trip got stalled in the first hour, as our bus broke down and we had to wait a good three hours on the shoulder until another bus came along to pick up everyone and load up all of our luggage.
The rest of the trip went smoothly. We arrived at our hotel and got settled in our rooms. The main reason why my family was there in the first place was that there was a business conference in the convention center not too far from our hotel. In reality, there were many things in New Orleans that caught my eye as I started exploring this fascinating city.
Our first stop was the French Quarter, an area rich with culture and historical architecture. A statue of Andrew Jackson on horseback stands in the middle of the square which bears his name. Just behind that statue is the Cathedral of St. Louis, the episcopal seat of the Archdiocese of New Orleans (Bonus fact: One of the Archdiocese of Chicago's former archbishops, Cardinal Cody, was archbishop of New Orleans.) I had the opportunity of going to Mass when I came in, and I was absolutely awestruck by both the exterior and the interior of this cathedral.
We continued to explore the city a bit more before stopping for lunch at a Bubba Gump's, where we were treated to some nice Southern-style cooking and, of course, Forrest Gump trivia. After spending the evening exploring the French Quarter--and seeing some things I probably should not be describing in this post (or this blog in general)--we got back to our hotel and rested a bit.
A couple of days later, I decided to go out on my own to see the National World War II Museum, which was about a six minute walk from the hotel.
What I found was a treasury of historical artifacts, ranging from uniforms and equipment to first hand accounts of the war from all sides. Having grown up watching military documentaries and also having had a great-uncle who fought in the Pacific Theater, this place was breathtaking. I went through basically all of the attractions offered, including, but not limited to, a 4D presentation on the war narrated by Tom Hanks and a submarine simulator reenacting the sinking of the USS Tang. If anything, I'd love to go back there next time.
Overall, this short trip had a lot to offer. I think I just found my new favorite U.S. city outside of Chicago. Perhaps I could move there. Who knows?
My family and I boarded a coach bus bound for NOLA on March 1. Unfortunately, our trip got stalled in the first hour, as our bus broke down and we had to wait a good three hours on the shoulder until another bus came along to pick up everyone and load up all of our luggage.
The rest of the trip went smoothly. We arrived at our hotel and got settled in our rooms. The main reason why my family was there in the first place was that there was a business conference in the convention center not too far from our hotel. In reality, there were many things in New Orleans that caught my eye as I started exploring this fascinating city.
 |
| St. Louis Cathedral |
Our first stop was the French Quarter, an area rich with culture and historical architecture. A statue of Andrew Jackson on horseback stands in the middle of the square which bears his name. Just behind that statue is the Cathedral of St. Louis, the episcopal seat of the Archdiocese of New Orleans (Bonus fact: One of the Archdiocese of Chicago's former archbishops, Cardinal Cody, was archbishop of New Orleans.) I had the opportunity of going to Mass when I came in, and I was absolutely awestruck by both the exterior and the interior of this cathedral.
We continued to explore the city a bit more before stopping for lunch at a Bubba Gump's, where we were treated to some nice Southern-style cooking and, of course, Forrest Gump trivia. After spending the evening exploring the French Quarter--and seeing some things I probably should not be describing in this post (or this blog in general)--we got back to our hotel and rested a bit.
A couple of days later, I decided to go out on my own to see the National World War II Museum, which was about a six minute walk from the hotel.
 |
| Best. Museum. Ever. |
What I found was a treasury of historical artifacts, ranging from uniforms and equipment to first hand accounts of the war from all sides. Having grown up watching military documentaries and also having had a great-uncle who fought in the Pacific Theater, this place was breathtaking. I went through basically all of the attractions offered, including, but not limited to, a 4D presentation on the war narrated by Tom Hanks and a submarine simulator reenacting the sinking of the USS Tang. If anything, I'd love to go back there next time.
Overall, this short trip had a lot to offer. I think I just found my new favorite U.S. city outside of Chicago. Perhaps I could move there. Who knows?
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Persons of Interest! #1: Katie Soprych
As I continue to journey on the adventure of a lifetime--pardon the cheese--I not only encounter places; I will often run into people that make significant impacts on my life and shape the path I walk.
Based on a series of Instagram/blog posts done by another good friend of mine (check out her blog sometime), I've decided to start a Persons of Interest series on The Mapping. It's only appropriate that I take note of my friends and fellow adventurers, as I cannot truly traverse alone.
Which leads us to the inaugural post of this series.
Meet Katie Soprych.
I met her a year or two ago at the St. John Paul II Newman Center. We sometimes chatted a bit at Newman, though we hadn't been that close back then. It was only until recently, when we traveled to Rome and Krakow, that we became very close friends, our friendship sealed by the many memories made during the trip to World Youth Day 2016.
Katie is quite the adventurer, not afraid to act on her curiosity. She is definitely willing to step outside of her comfort zone and try something new, an attribute which definitely could prove useful for her, as she has recently been undergoing student leader training from Evangelical Catholic. It brings out the best--and often the funniest--out of her, and she is very outgoing. She has an extremely open heart and can also maintain some very interesting conversations.
(In other news, she's planning on building a very extravagant house with all the landmarks she's seen in Rome.)
I'm very blessed to have gotten to know her during the trip, and I believe she herself will have quite a big adventure (and a big map to complement it).
Based on a series of Instagram/blog posts done by another good friend of mine (check out her blog sometime), I've decided to start a Persons of Interest series on The Mapping. It's only appropriate that I take note of my friends and fellow adventurers, as I cannot truly traverse alone.
Which leads us to the inaugural post of this series.
Meet Katie Soprych.
 |
| Photo creds: Christy Manaois |
I met her a year or two ago at the St. John Paul II Newman Center. We sometimes chatted a bit at Newman, though we hadn't been that close back then. It was only until recently, when we traveled to Rome and Krakow, that we became very close friends, our friendship sealed by the many memories made during the trip to World Youth Day 2016.
Katie is quite the adventurer, not afraid to act on her curiosity. She is definitely willing to step outside of her comfort zone and try something new, an attribute which definitely could prove useful for her, as she has recently been undergoing student leader training from Evangelical Catholic. It brings out the best--and often the funniest--out of her, and she is very outgoing. She has an extremely open heart and can also maintain some very interesting conversations.
(In other news, she's planning on building a very extravagant house with all the landmarks she's seen in Rome.)
I'm very blessed to have gotten to know her during the trip, and I believe she herself will have quite a big adventure (and a big map to complement it).
Monday, August 1, 2016
World Youth Day 2016 Part Two: Krakow, Poland, a city of saints!
After our three day stay in Rome, we joined up with other friends at Krakow, Poland. The next week would be some of the most fruitful and spirit-filled days we would ever experience. Here are some of those highlights, in no particular order:
This was honestly my favorite part of the trip prior to the apex of our pilgrimage. The highlight of this, well, highlight, was the prayer service called the Appeal, in which us, along with our fellow pilgrims, placed our petitions before the Blessed Mother and her Son.
This place has an incredibly rich history, ranging from the Neolithic period to the present day. Aside from being able to lick the walls of the mines and (regrettably) drinking from a spring of extremely briny water, I was bombarded with images of Polish culture and history which were quite literally carved into these mines. At the Chapel of St. Kinga, I was awestruck by the artwork and the effort placed into creating it. Also, Kevin and Molly, with Fr. Pat's blessing, renewed their marriage vows in the chapel. Many years!
As you can read above, this was a very solemn and somber highlight. It's unthinkable that some would go so far as to commit genocide for the sake of "purification". Let this chapter of history remind us to never forget the value of all human life, and let it also give us hope in building a world where everyone's dignity is respected.
I did not take pictures of the Campus Misericordiae (my battery basically died when we got there), but it was quite the walk! Took us a few hours to walk all the way and then camp out in our section for the vigil. We walked around, interacting with the various international groups that came, and I served as our group's hype man, cheering on the other countries that came. Spain. Germany. Italy. Poland. Canada. Armenia. The Philippines. Singapore. France. Portugal. Brazil. And many others!
The morning after our campout, we had Mass out in the Campus. Pope Francis passed us by as we cheered him on. During this weekend, His Holiness stressed that we should not confuse comfort with happiness, and that we must take an active role in the Church as the next generation of apostles.
There were many other places, such as St. John Paul II's apartment and the site of the Divine Mercy apparitions, but there's a reason why I added "city of saints" to the title of this post. See, the patrons of WYD 2016 were Sts. John Paul II and Faustina Kowalska, who both lived in this city. But they were not the only saints present at this event. The city of Krakow was filled with saints of the Church on earth, today's generation of Catholics. Today's generation of Catholics will serve as the new leaders in the mission of spreading the Gospel of Christ, and we are called to push in this mission.
"Blest are the merciful, blest are the merciful, for it is mercy that shall be shown to those who show mercy."
Hope to see you in Panama in 2019!
 |
| Jasna Gora Monastery, home to the Black Madonna of Czestochowa |
This was honestly my favorite part of the trip prior to the apex of our pilgrimage. The highlight of this, well, highlight, was the prayer service called the Appeal, in which us, along with our fellow pilgrims, placed our petitions before the Blessed Mother and her Son.
 |
| Chapel of St. Kinga at the Wieliczka Salt Mine |
This place has an incredibly rich history, ranging from the Neolithic period to the present day. Aside from being able to lick the walls of the mines and (regrettably) drinking from a spring of extremely briny water, I was bombarded with images of Polish culture and history which were quite literally carved into these mines. At the Chapel of St. Kinga, I was awestruck by the artwork and the effort placed into creating it. Also, Kevin and Molly, with Fr. Pat's blessing, renewed their marriage vows in the chapel. Many years!
 |
| Never again. |
As you can read above, this was a very solemn and somber highlight. It's unthinkable that some would go so far as to commit genocide for the sake of "purification". Let this chapter of history remind us to never forget the value of all human life, and let it also give us hope in building a world where everyone's dignity is respected.
I did not take pictures of the Campus Misericordiae (my battery basically died when we got there), but it was quite the walk! Took us a few hours to walk all the way and then camp out in our section for the vigil. We walked around, interacting with the various international groups that came, and I served as our group's hype man, cheering on the other countries that came. Spain. Germany. Italy. Poland. Canada. Armenia. The Philippines. Singapore. France. Portugal. Brazil. And many others!
The morning after our campout, we had Mass out in the Campus. Pope Francis passed us by as we cheered him on. During this weekend, His Holiness stressed that we should not confuse comfort with happiness, and that we must take an active role in the Church as the next generation of apostles.
There were many other places, such as St. John Paul II's apartment and the site of the Divine Mercy apparitions, but there's a reason why I added "city of saints" to the title of this post. See, the patrons of WYD 2016 were Sts. John Paul II and Faustina Kowalska, who both lived in this city. But they were not the only saints present at this event. The city of Krakow was filled with saints of the Church on earth, today's generation of Catholics. Today's generation of Catholics will serve as the new leaders in the mission of spreading the Gospel of Christ, and we are called to push in this mission.
"Blest are the merciful, blest are the merciful, for it is mercy that shall be shown to those who show mercy."
Hope to see you in Panama in 2019!
World Youth Day 2016 Part One: Rome, the Eternal City!
Now begins the posting.
On July 21st, my friends and I flew from Chicago to Rome. This was the pre-trip to prepare us for World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland.
The first day, when we arrived, we were greeted by Father Patrick, the pastor of our campus Newman Center and a good friend of ours. We later met up with two more friends, Alberto (whom I had recently met on campus) and Marco, who would serve as our guides in Rome.
We went to various historical places and landmarks in the city, including, but not limited to, the Colosseum, the Church of the Gesù, and the Vatican.
As our group would eventually arrive in Krakow, we held Mass in a variety of places. From the catacombs of the early Church to the crypt holding a relic of the True Cross and finally to the tomb of our patron, St. John Paul II.
As our group would eventually arrive in Krakow, we held Mass in a variety of places. From the catacombs of the early Church to the crypt holding a relic of the True Cross and finally to the tomb of our patron, St. John Paul II.
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| St. John Paul II, ora pro nobis! |
We had our fellowship time as well, making way for laughs and smiles during these three days. We had quite the taste of Rome as we ate pizza, pasta, and gelato. Shenanigans included, but were not limited to, messing around in "Mussolini Park" (One of our group tried to make that place "historically significant." You know who you are.) and imitating pterodactyls.
When the time came to depart, we had to say our goodbyes to Marco and Alberto. Loro sono molto bene, and we miss them dearly. Ci vediamo, i miei amici!
This concludes part one of the World Youth Day 2016 story. Part two to come soon.
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