Here is a comprehensive list of every singe blog post I’ve ever written. Happy Reading!
Hong Kong at First Sight
I am in Hong Kong this week to take care of some visa business. This is my first time in Hong Kong! From the moment I landed, it felt like a breath of fresh air. I don’t even have a problem understanding Chinese, yet it was so nice to be…
Tim Ho Wan: Cheapest Michelin-starred Restaurant in the World
I don’t think I’ve yet been to a Michelin-starred restaurant, so when my friend recommended the cheapest one in the world in Hong Kong, it was a no brainer to give it a go. The IFC (super fancy) mall location of the hot spot, Tim Ho Wan (添好運) is rather…
Solo Travel Encounter
Today, while I was marveling at the amazing Hong Kong skyline, and waiting for the Symphony of Lights to begin, a girl came up next to me and said hello. I met her yesterday while getting tickets to take the tram up to the Peak Tower. She asked if the…
Shanghai’s Development Gap: What You See is not What You Get
Despite the shiny skyscrapers and Gucci stores on every corner, I find that living in Shanghai is a real tease. The city’s rapid growth unarguably has been a real success story in economic development. A picture comparing Shanghai’s skyline in 1990 vs. 2010 speaks better than words. Yet, the city’s…
Yoga Retreat with Yejo Circle
After stuffing my face for four days in Hong Kong, I came back to Shanghai and went on my first yoga retreat. A friend informed me a few months ago of a great group, Yejo Circle, that organizes city-break events at a low cost. I’ve been eyeing at the yoga…
Celebrating America’s Birthday in Foreign Lands
4th of July. For 10 years-ish of my life, this day meant pool parties, picnics, BBQ, day-eating/drinking, and then fireworks in the evening. For the past 10 years, however, I have spent most of America’s birthday abroad: France (’05), London (’07 & ’11), Cameroon (’08, ’09 & ’10) and now…
Mourning the Loss of a Village Friend
Today was a sad day full of tragic news. I woke up to my NYT alert on the San Francisco plane crash, and made a mental note how spooky it feels that I am due to take a flight on a similar route in a few weeks’ time. You just…
THE Job vs. THE One
As a twenty-something, most of us are constantly on the lookout for THE Job, or THE One. I have spent the better part of last decade battling for both, and realized that the lessons learned in both fields are strikingly similar. Sometimes, hard work is not enough. THE Job: As…
California Dreaming : Culture Shock in America
Recently, I got a big girl job. Last summer, I thought I was on my way to a big girl job, only to realize the banking sector was still in hot waters and I wasn’t lucky enough to get a headcount. Alas, it took a move across the world and…
Confession of a Travel Brat
I discovered on this trip to the Bay Area that I am a “mountain” person. Growing up in Taiwan, we had the best of both worlds. There are literally stretches of highways where you get the mountain range on one side, and the Pacific on the other. But, I was…
A Day in Napa Valley
A great friend of mine from my Peace Corps days took advantage of my business trip and visited me in the Bay Area. I was glad she came out because I’ve been thinking of visiting Napa Valley, but that is so the last place I’d want to travel alone. Get…
Hello, Late Twenties!
A few months ago, I came across a hilarious early vs. late twenties post on Buzzfeed; hilarious, because it is so dead on. A few weeks ago, I officially entered my late-twenties. It was one of those surprisingly good birthdays. 27 is a rather unremarkable milestone. It is also the…
Muddy Road to Heaven: Hiking in Sichuan
Back in my Peace Corps days, I had the nickname of Posh Corps. Somehow, despite living in a village amidst the mountains of Cameroon, I managed a rather posh life (relatively speaking – Internet connection in a house without running water is pretty posh, no?). It didn’t take me long…
Danba, China: The Valley of Happiness
Life of a globetrotter can be strangely disorienting. One minute, you are in the Tibetan village sharing roads with goats, the next, you are in Shanghai, sharing roads with cars and motorbike drivers who possess severe road rage. We live in the world where we can wake up in one…
The First Chinaversary
Today, I celebrate my first Chinaversary. I am simultaneously amazed at how quickly time has flown by, and how much has happened over the past 12 months. As I look back upon my many, many photos, I decided to narrow down the year to the top 10 most defining moments….