This vlog is basically me trying to live my best remote software engineer life… while getting absolutely humbled by winter in Aomori, Japan. I flew in with delays, got stuck waiting on buses because of heavy snow, and somehow ate my own “souvenirs” (300g of dried strawberries) on the plane. Once I finally made it into the city, it was the usual me: wandering around freezing, buying snacks, and then realizing I’m in Japan eating Chinese food. I also did a little hostel room tour—this place was apple-themed in the most Aomori way possible (wooden apple-box beds, apple shower, apple toilet… everything apple). Because I’m working remotely, a big part of the trip was just me working from the hostel when it was too cold to exist outside. My skin got super dry, my hair got tangled, and I was like… okay, I miss Singapore humidity. I tried doing “viral cheesecake in the snow” and it got awkward fast. Then I went skiing (aka: donating money to the mountain), struggled getting off the lift repeatedly, and learned again that ski is a sport for rich people only. Valentine’s Day was lowkey—friends were busy, I fell asleep after one can because I’m weak—but the whole trip reminded me why I love visiting Aomori: kind people, cozy moments, and somehow I always leave with tons of apples.