Here is a comprehensive list of every singe blog post I’ve ever written. Happy Reading!
Inner Mongolia: Xiwuqi Grassland Marathon
I attempted my very first timed race in the Xiwuqi Grassland Marathon in Inner Mongolia. Races are a great excuse for travel. Inner Mongolia is fascinating, and I felt as though I’ve been transported to another world while running on the grassland. Day 1: Shanghai – Hohhot We took the…
Becoming 30
I turned 20 in London. It was junior year of college, and I was on an internship program at the U.S. Embassy. The night before turning 20, I met a boy. That boy liked me and we had a lot of fun for 4 months. He liked me so much…
Birthday Cleanse: Yoga Detox Retreat in Kerala, India
On the start of a new journey, each day is filled with incredible newness. When a day goes by, it feels as though a week has passed. My 30s has been this way thus far. Several months ago, I felt my life was losing direction. The corporate grind and the…
One week in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
I’ve been living in Asia for the last four years, but yet never ventured to Vietnam. I heard there is good coffee, so I decided to give it a go! One note of caution: Vietnam recently changed its visa policy for Americans. We were only able to obtain 1 year,…
2016 Year-in-Review
Travel. Need for Change. Relationships. Those are the themes that have ran through this year. It was also a year filled with fitness firsts: first half marathon & first trail run. Here’s another year of life experiences under my belt, and on the road to becoming a better version of…
3 Days in Siem Reap, Cambodia
On a whirlwind trip with my Peace Corps loves in January, we hit up Cambodia. We traveled just after New Year, and thus was a high tourist season. Angkor Wat was understandably crowded, but I live in China, so nothing is that crowded for me. The city isn’t very big,…
10 Days in Thailand & Cambodia
Day 1: Bangkok Arrived in Bangkok. There were 4 of us; one coming from Shanghai, two from Washington D.C., and another from Michigan. We managed to all arrived within 24 hours of one another. We spent the night at THA City Hotel, a no frill, cozy boutique in a nice…
Birthday Tradition: Self Care Day!
Several years ago, someone told me that their company gives every employee a day off on their birthday. I found that to be a brilliant idea. Since my company doesn’t have this policy, I decided to implemented for myself. For the past few years, I’ve taken at least one day off for my birthday. If it falls on a weekend, as it does this year, then I take a day to make it a long weekend! This is #selfcare in all its beauty, and I encourage you to adopt it…
Shanghai Photo Journal: 2012-2017
Today, I celebrate five years in Shanghai. It’s rather unsettling even as I write these words. Five years. Really? That fateful bus ride from New York to DC doesn’t seem that long ago. Yet, five years. My cousin’s kid was born just before I moved to China. She’s almost in…
2017 Year-In-Review
Another year filled with travels, laughters, and this year in particular, many momentous occasions. The year flew by in a blur, and I struggled to remember what all had happened each month until I flipped through thousands of photos. I spent the year feeling very discouraged, as if my life is circling in place, not advancing forward. Yet, upon reflection…
Goodbye Corporate Grind, Hello Life!
Today, I walked away from the fancy corporate job, counting beans for that tech giant of a fruit company. It has been 1,683 days or 15% of my life that I’ve worked in a job for the sake of earning money. $120K of debt and a substantial saving later, I unchained from the golden handcuff.
Why Coding Camp? Why Le Wagon?
Isn’t it ironic that I am leaving a tech giant to go learn tech? Life is ironic that way.
It’s no secret that I had been thinking of all the ways to pivot my way out of being a sophisticated bean-counter. For a while, I even worked 15-hour days, volunteering my time to another group within the company, hoping for an opportunity to pivot. Alas, it didn’t work out.
Shanghai Living Quick Start Guide
This post has been on my to-do list for ages. Today, I met new friends who are in the city for the first time to attend Le Wagon coding camp! Finally, I have a reason to write this and add some value. Here are some of my favourite places in Shanghai. If you’ve been in Shanghai for a while, please feel free to add your favs in the comments!
Le Wagon Week 1: Change the Way We Think
Well, I survived week 1 of the 9-week coding bootcamp with Le Wagon in Shanghai. I do not remember the last time my brain was used so extensively for such prolonged period of time. Ask, and you shall receive. I wanted a challenge, and that is precisely what I’ve got.
Le Wagon Week 2: Shut Down Sexist Jokes
Since today is International Women’s Day, the timing is perfect for what’s been on my mind this week – our general lack of resistance to sexist jokes.
Women being a minority in the tech world is no news. During my time at the tech giant, despite being in the non-technical side of the business, decisions makers were still often white & male. No surprise.
