As I leaned my heavy head on the glass window, the dry and weathered countryside streaming past, the effects of the extra strong IPA, two days of travel, and jet lag pressed down upon my eyelids with urgency while I struggled to keep them lifted. I was home. As my dad drove us through the rolling… Continue reading What It’s Like to Visit Home After a Year Abroad
Category: Reflections
Cleaning Up the Mess from “Don’t Date a Girl Who Travels”
I’ve lost track of who even started it, but somewhere along the way the internet became overrun with a series of sappy and cliche articles about whether or not to date boys and girls who travel. A couple of friends recently sent me the latest post titled “Don’t date a girl who travels”, because it… Continue reading Cleaning Up the Mess from “Don’t Date a Girl Who Travels”
The Story of a Letter and the Kindness of a Stranger
I love mail. I still remember the excitement that the mailbox brought to birthday season. On a warm summer morning, birds chirping lazily from the branches while bees darted busily from the fragrant jasmine bushes by the windows to the vibrant purple honeysuckle blossoms that lined the walkway, I would hear the squeak of… Continue reading The Story of a Letter and the Kindness of a Stranger
My Accidental Resolutions for 2014
No one ever keeps their resolutions so why bother making them, right? That was my mentality up until recently. When friends asked me about my resolutions I shrugged it off, explaining that I’d given up on trying because it was a lost cause. I mean, we all know how crowded the gym is in January… Continue reading My Accidental Resolutions for 2014
2013 In Review: One Wild Year
It’s incredible how quickly a year can pass. And the older I get the faster it seems to go. What’s up with that?! Yesterday I told of my “most ridiculous moments in 2013” because, let’s be honest, my life can be a bit strange at times. But I also wanted to do a more typical… Continue reading 2013 In Review: One Wild Year
The Tale of a Wannabe Runaway
Have you ever wanted to run away? I think we all have at some point. When I was young I sometimes gave my parents that stereotypical childish threat of packing my suitcase and leaving. They, of course, never believed me so one night I grabbed a backpack and snuck out. I made it as… Continue reading The Tale of a Wannabe Runaway
Lessons from Dragonflies
Yesterday, a dragonfly flew through the window into my classroom. I’ve always liked dragonflies and thought of them as sort of mystical creatures, so I didn’t understand why my entire classroom of 30 students erupted into hysteria at its appearance. As it buzzed across the ceiling, occasionally dipping down near students’ heads, the girls… Continue reading Lessons from Dragonflies
Bali’s Magic and How I Got My Groove Back
The taxi driver occasionally glanced at the road as he swerved around the hairpin turns and played chicken with oncoming traffic on the narrow highway; most of the time his eyes were fixed in the rearview mirror at my face, while he waved an arm about, emphatically describing to me Balinese life. He pointed… Continue reading Bali’s Magic and How I Got My Groove Back
When Tragedy Strikes at Home: An Expat’s Point of View
Living halfway across the world, you would think I’d feel somewhat disconnected from my country. That the happenings there would suddenly feel dim and distant, like they were no longer a reality in my own little bubble of life. To an extent, they do; since I’m not surrounded by American media, and 99% of the… Continue reading When Tragedy Strikes at Home: An Expat’s Point of View
Little Moments and the Happiness of Three Dumplings
When you move to another country, your life is suddenly boiled down to the basics. You are not living the exotic and grandiose life that everyone back home thinks you are just because they saw a few smiling pictures on facebook. Everything becomes a challenge and you suddenly struggle with the simplest of tasks. … Continue reading Little Moments and the Happiness of Three Dumplings
Day One of Living in Korea
I know many of you think I moved to Korea a couple of weeks ago, but that’s not entirely true. You see, two weeks ago I landed in Korea. I stayed in Seoul where I spent the first five days in a hostel with 25 other English teachers, exploring the city and having a grand… Continue reading Day One of Living in Korea
Near death, new life, and getting ready for Korea
Last week, my step brother died. It’s a fact he was excited to hear about. *** When it happened, I was sitting at my parents’ kitchen table with my head in my hands, trying to digest the events of the last few days. Vignetted memories surged through my mind of the smiles, the laughs,… Continue reading Near death, new life, and getting ready for Korea