Here is a comprehensive list of every singe blog post I’ve ever written. Happy Reading!
Thoughts from 38,000 feet
Going on hour 10 of this 13-hour flight. It’s been a while since I took a 10+ hour flight. If the bus ride to DC provided ample time to think about my life, this flight took it to the next level. I would guess around 85% of the passengers on…
Shanghai: First Impression
First 24 hours in Shanghai was filled with a lot of walking around in a zombie state due to this jet-lag, and not having had a full night of sleep in nearly 3 days. Even still, it’s been pretty eye-opening. I spent the day mostly within the 1/2 mile radius…
Beijing Bound
I’ve barely gotten over my jet lag, and I boarded the high-speed rail to Beijing. I arrived in China just in time to attend China’s First Social Investment Forum. Through my LinkedIn network, I was offered a ticket to attend. So, off I go. I took the subway to Shanghai’s…
Speak for the Rich; Do for the Poor
I first became involved with the concept of social enterprise back in 2007, when I volunteered with StudioSTL and ended up helping the organization to win some big money at a Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition. Five years later, I find myself in Beijing, attending a forum titled, “First China Impact…
Beijing: A Chinese Metropolis
Last week, I ventured up to Beijing. My sister has told me that Beijing is much less “livable” than Shanghai, and I was thus eager to find out for myself. Five days later, I was very much glad to be back in Shanghai. Beijing is gigantic, and not for the…
Proud to be an American
Last week, I witnessed Barack Obama’s second victory from a sports bar in Shanghai. Four years ago, I did it from a black and white TV in Cameroon. Obama’s presidency means a lot to me. I didn’t become a US citizen until 2005, and thus 2008 was the first presidential…
Getting Lost in Jing’an
One of my favorite ways to travel is to walk around aimlessly in a city, alone, without a map, without a destination. But simply being in that place in time and soaking in what the city has to offer. No stress of finding the next monument or restaurant. Just going…
Extreme Efficiency
Right before I arrived to Shanghai, I asked a friend who had moved to Beijing just a month before me how things were going. She had just arrived for a few weeks at that point, and she responded, “China in unreal.” Now that I’ve been to Shanghai for a few…
Yet Another Turkey Day Abroad
Happy Turkey Day from Shanghai! Somehow, I thought Thanksgiving is NEXT week. As it turns out, the rule is the 4th Thursday in November, and not the last Thursday. When I realize this a few days ago, I discovered I had booked my day solid full of non-America and non-turkey…
Bookworm in Shanghai
I love books. In my childhood in Taiwan, I loved going to bookstores, libraries, etc. and spending hours reading books without paying for them. So far in Shanghai, I’ve been surprised at the lack of bookstores. In Taiwan, they are kind of like Starbucks – all over the place. I…
Don’t ask me to lie China
When living in a foreign country, there is a fine line between integrating into a culture, and forgoing one’s integrity. In Cameroon, my rule was to never to pay a bribe, no matter what. After just one month in China, my rule is definitely going to be – never lying…
Lost in Translation: Why You Shouldn’t Trust Google Translate
I remember in one of my first French classes in college, the professor made a serious point about not trusting Google Translate when writing our essays. Back then, I remember thinking, but surely, it knows more than I do! Well, here, I have a story that should teach all language…
“Why do Americans have guns?”
This morning, I woke up and saw the NYT alerts on my phone. “27 Deaths in Connecticut Elementary School Includes 20 Children.” I was immediately horrified and had a heavy heart, but I was in a hurry to get to a tutoring session and didn’t get a chance to read…
Avocado Lady in Shanghai
Recently, I moved into my own flat in Shanghai and had to go grocery shopping. No big deal. Except, I walked into Carrefour, and started to panic somewhat. I was faced with the harsh realization just how western I am. This was the first time I ever had to grocery shop…
A Shanghai Christmas
Spending holidays abroad is always interesting, especially when you intermix it with different cultures. This year, I spent Christmas in Shanghai with American, Australian, Chinese, and Swiss friends. My Australian couple friends graciously opened up their expat pad to host a lovely Christmas. Thanks to Fields China, we had a…