“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life—and travel—leaves marks on you.”
~ Anthony Bourdain
An Anti-Foodie’s Realization Regarding Cooking Classes
I’m not a cook. In fact, I have a palette of an 8-year old. Due to my unsophisticated taste buds, I avoid the overwhelming culinary world. However, when traveling, I try in desperate hope of finding a cuisine that fits my ineptitude via a class. I’ve taken countless cooking classes. While specific skills and techniquesContinue reading “An Anti-Foodie’s Realization Regarding Cooking Classes”
Uniting The United States Through Culture Shock
Revised earlier entry for TrailingSpouse.com It goes without saying that culture shock is part of the territory when relocating abroad — perhaps even bookended by a reverse culture shock when repatriating years later! But another common challenge, far less discussed, is the culture shock you’ll experience within your own expat community. You would think that beingContinue reading “Uniting The United States Through Culture Shock”
The Intra-American Culture Shock of Ex-pats
“You have a speech impediment,” proudly diagnosed my college roommate. Her finger pointed at proof, an articulation disorder in her speech pathology textbook. I felt too old to have an undiagnosed speech impediment, but I begrudgingly accepted her judgment. She had evidence, after all. When I arrived in Tokyo 20 years later, the New YorkersContinue reading “The Intra-American Culture Shock of Ex-pats”
How Rice Cakes Saved Me from Depression
Finding your value in a time of transition I was a 30-something American with a left-behind career, two kids under the age of 5, trailing my spouse in Tokyo, Japan. My husband’s job afforded our first ex-pat experience in a country so vastly different from my own that repeated warnings of culture shock prepared meContinue reading “How Rice Cakes Saved Me from Depression”
Feed Your Travel Bug Without Leaving Home
My passport is beaconing me and I must go. But, wait … it’s Spring of 2020. I’m not going anywhere. If you’re like the rest of the human race, you’ve already painfully cancelled multiple trips while slowly losing hope regarding your summer plans. These desperate times have required us wanderlusters to find new ways toContinue reading “Feed Your Travel Bug Without Leaving Home”
A Letter from Mother Earth
Oh my sweet babies, how I didn’t want things to get to this point. I tried to be so strong and bare all the abuse to prevent this level of destruction. But I’m hurting, baby. I tried reasoning with you, sending you messages of my illness, showing you my wounds you inflicted, healing only toContinue reading “A Letter from Mother Earth”
Skills Learned as an Expat to Managing the COVID-19 Crisis
Nobody is coming out of this pandemic without a little help from their family and friends.
A Historical Comparative Analysis: Could Melania be our Eleanor?
The COVID-19 pandemic has been compared to World War II on a variety of levels. There are important lessons we’ve learned and are implementing from history. Perhaps one has been overlooked, specifically regarding the workforce. It’s common knowledge that women filled in a labor gap during the war. They had to adjust to working fullContinue reading “A Historical Comparative Analysis: Could Melania be our Eleanor?”
A Love Letter to Shanghai
As a former expat of multiple countries, I routinely get asked which city I liked best. With expert political correctness, I scoff and answer, “That’s like choosing a favorite child!”. But, Shanghai, let me tell you a little secret. That’s a lie! It’s been you and it’s always been you. I know the other citiesContinue reading “A Love Letter to Shanghai”
One Big Breath
Reposting from April 2014 as many kids may need some coping mechanisms now during the pandemic. Do me a favor … Take a moment and inhale one deep, full-bellied breath slowly. And then exhale completely letting all the air out entirely. Feels good, right? It’s wonderfully simple and only took approximately 10 seconds to oxygenateContinue reading “One Big Breath”
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