Celebrity Travel: Go away with Kento
A: I spent a month in Taipei and it quickly became one of my favorite places in the world. There are so many interesting shops and people there. I went there to visit the only person I knew there. Within days, I made so many new friends from just exploring and talking to people. I speak Mandarin on a conversational level, so it was nice to be able to communicate in both English and Mandarin. Don’t leave without going to the night markets and visiting some beautiful temples.
Q: What's the most important thing you've learned from your travels?
A: We’re all just people. No matter where you are, there are going to be people with similar interests, tastes and dreams. It’s always nice to visit cultural sites like museums or monuments, but next time you take a trip, don't be afraid to try to make some new friends. They know where all the hidden treasures are and you'll learn so many new things from each other. Go to a movie theater and watch something in the language of the country you’re visiting. Explore nightlife. Go off the tourist guidebook and wander. Try to speak the language as much as you can if you are not a native speaker. And be respectful of the land you are on.
Q: If you could only pick one place to eat, which would you choose?
A: There is a small ramen shop in Nakameguro called Afuri that is my absolute favorite. I could eat the yuzu ramen literally every day. It has a light broth with freshly torched char siu topped with lots of thinly chopped scallions (and) yuzu. It is divine.
Q: Do you speak any foreign languages?
A: I speak Japanese, Portuguese, French, Spanish and English. I’m also conversational in Mandarin. I think because I started learning languages at a young age just being from a diverse family, it’s definitely easier now to pick up languages. My advice for learning a language is to pick up a book of phrases and a dictionary.
Q: What are your five favorite cities?
A: Maringá (Brazil), Kyoto, Saint-Tropez, Taipei and New York City, baby!
Q: What is your guilty pleasure when you're on the road?
A: We always ate home-cooked meals at home, so I would have to say I’m a sucker for fast food when I’m on the road, because even to this day, I rarely eat it. I’m talking local chain fast food, not the big conglomerates. Like First Kitchen in Japan, or Bob’s Burgers in Brazil. It’s always interesting to see culturally what people eat when they are wanting a quick meal.
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(Jae-Ha Kim is a New York Times bestselling author and travel writer. You can respond to this column by visiting her website at www.jaehakim.com. You may also follow “Go Away With…” on Twitter at @GoAwayWithJae where Jae-Ha Kim welcomes your questions and comments.)
©2021 Jae-Ha Kim. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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