Here is a comprehensive list of every singe blog post I’ve ever written. Happy Reading!
2014 Year-in-Review
The word for 2014 is balance. I struggled to find it. Last year, I didn’t write my year-in-review until nearing the end of January. To start off 2015 right, I am writing it with 4 more days to spare! January: I ended the year with a trip to the East Coast…
Year-end solo reflection trip to Yangshuo, China
Last Minute Booking 2014 had been a very busy year. Few weeks ago, when Ctrip had round-trip flights from Shanghai to Guilin for 789 RMB all-inclusive. I booked it. I had booked the trip rather spontaneously, and decided a trip alone to reflect was the best way to end and…
Om No! The Tiger Mom Yoga Teacher
I have been practicing yoga off and on for about a decade now. Try as I might, I haven’t managed to become an advanced yogi (ie, I can’t stand on my head or my arms, STILL). I can’t be consistent with my practice for one reason or another. Nevertheless, I…
Icy Winter Wonderland in Harbin, China
Every winter, I see the famous Harbin Snow and Ice Festival on my social media timeline from friends living in China. I am not one for crowded tourist attractions, and never quite feel the crowd is worth whatever amazing thing one is meant to see. Yet, when my friend Jen…
The Silver Lining of Self-inflicted Torture
This morning, I was at the subway during peak hour with a latte in hand. Normally, I am fortunate that I live close enough to the office that I don’t need to subway as my commute. But today, I was heading to a different office, and experienced the joy of…
Post CFA Freedom
After 4 months, and 315 hours of studying (yes, I logged it), I sat for the CFA level I exam last Saturday. Freedom has never tasted so good.
I arrived at the Shanghai Expo center around 8am, and there were 15,000 anxious test takers, mostly Chinese, frantically flipping through exam notes, attempting to cram in those last few formulas. At the sight of this, any feeling of anxiousness dissipated. I simply didn’t see the point of subjecting myself to that level of stress.
Shanghai Dating Woes
Recently, I’ve finally started watching the TV series, Girls. I know, I am 3 years late to the game. I gave it my first attempt in 2012 when I was finishing grad school in New York, and it was simply too real, and too painful to watch (Lena Dunham…
10 Days in Yunnan, China
My Frenchie and I took a 10-day trip in June to the Yunnan province, and this itinerary seems to be useful for many friends. We booked this trip because of a flight sale from Shanghai to Kunming. If short on time, I recommend flying directly into Dali and fly out…
Leisure Sunday Morning
These days, I’ve swapped the late nights at the clubs for early tranquil mornings. I found myself totally alone this morning, a rare occasion these days of coupledom. It’s a rather nice spring day, after the non-stop rain the day prior. I relished in the silence of the apartment for…
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,…