The Places I’ve Been

By Theplaceswevebeen @petenewbury

I was recently checking out a blog and saw the person had listed the countries they had been to by showing each country’s flag. I thought it would be a good idea to do the same and add a photograph from each country. I do not have photographs from some places because I went there before the days of digital cameras (remember film?). I hope that in the years to come that this list becomes even longer.

Canada

Niagara Falls

My home and native land. This is the country I have lived most of my life in. I will be returning to my home country within in the next few months.

China

Dancers at a Dinner Show in Xian

I first went to China in the spring of 2000 on a missions trip. After moving to South Korea, my wife and I decided to go back and see Beijing, the Great Wall and the Terra Cotta Warriors. It’s definitely a country I could revisit and explore again and again.

USA

My first experience traveling in the USA was with a college buddy. We drove from Edmonton to the Toronto area in his loaded down car. Instead of staying in Canada, we cut down through some of the northern states. A year later I would go back to Minneapolis for training for a summer job I had. I’m sure I will be back in the States next year to visit friends and be a tourist.

Netherlands

My time in this country was very short. I had about a 24-hour layover here on my way to Ukraine for a missions trip. Amsterdam is a beautiful city with some great photo opportunities. Unfortunately, my photos of Amsterdam are in a photo album buried in a cardboard box back in Canada.

Ukraine 

My time in Ukraine was spent in a small town near the border with Belarus. I was there with a team helping out at a local church. It’s a great country with friendly people. I definitely want to visit eastern Europe again.

South Korea

Deoksu Palace

South Korea has become like a second home to me. I have been living here since 2006 and only intended to be here for two years. I have enjoyed my time here and I will be sad to leave this country in 2012. I know that because of the connections I’ve made here, I will be back and I’m already looking forward to it.

Guam

This small island in the Pacific is a territory of the USA. We headed here during our first year in Korea to enjoy the beach, shop and be in a place that was a little like home.

Sri Lanka

Negombo Beach

I went to Sri Lanka over Christmas one year on a missions trip. This picture was actually taken on Christmas Day. Not a bad want to spend the holiday. It’s a beautiful country with amazing people. I highly recommend visiting this country if you get a chance.

Vietnam 

Water Puppets

Vietnam was a country that I’ve wanted to visit for years. I was lucky to visit this beautiful country a few summers back. It ranks as one of my favorite trips. The puppets are used in the water puppet theater in Hanoi, which is a show featuring large puppets in a pool of water. A great show for children and adults alike.

Golden Pavilion

I hesitated to visit Japan for the first few years I lived here in North-east Asia, mostly because of how expensive it is compared the rest of Asia. We decided to suck it up and visit our neighbor and have not regretted it at all. We spent our entire time in Kyoto. It’s a beautiful city with a ton of sights to behold.

Philippines 

Boracay

Our trip to Boracay, Philippines was a vacation to just relax, sit on the beach, read a book, swim in the ocean, and eat delicious food. We reached all of these goals while there.

Malaysia

Kek Lok Si Temple

Our trip to Malaysia was spent jet-setting from one beautiful place to another. The island of Penang was one of the highlights of the trip with its colonial buildings, temples and delicious food.

Singapore 

This city-state is a beautiful and modern place. It is one of my favorite cities in Asia. What’s not to love? An amazing zoo, beautiful skyline, and fun activities.

I hope that in the years to come this list will grow. Where have you been?