Here is a comprehensive list of every singe blog post I’ve ever written. Happy Reading!
Back to the Motherland: Goodbye Saigon, Hello Taiwan!
What a wild year 2020 has been! I rang in the new year in Taichung, Taiwan, helping my parents settle back into our home after 20 years of living in the United States as immigrants. The homecoming was bittersweet for them, and I was grateful to be there as emotional…
Relaxing Three-Day Stay at La Vie Vu Linh Ecolodge
The first stop of our Northern Vietnam tour is Vu Linh, a village half way between Hanoi and Ha Giang. We had decided to stop here as a way to break up the long 8+ hour drive. A quick search led us to La Vie Vu Linh, an eco-lodge on…
International Move Without a Moving Company
Over my life thus far, I’ve made nearly a dozen international moves. I’ve never hired a moving company. Like many adults in their 20s, I used to leverage my parents’ basement as storage. My parents also moved and sold our family home over the years, meaning that option no longer…
Surviving Taiwan’s Mandatory COVID-19 Quarantine at Aloft Beitou
Upon making Taiwan the next move, our first hurdle was figuring out paperwork and the mandatory two-week Quarantine. The Taiwanese border is still closed at this time (October 2020). Only Taiwanese passport-holders or those with a special permit are allowed entry. Fortunately, my Taiwanese passport saved the day, and we…
2020 Year-in-Review: Be Intentional
Last year, in the 2019 year-end review, I wrote about how time went by slowly in the best possible way. And then, 2020 happened. The year felt exponentially longer. Fortunately, it hasn’t all been bad. There had been many challenges for sure, but overall, I’ve been very lucky and was…
IVF Journey at Lee Women’s Hospital in Taichung, Taiwan
It’s been a quiet few months here on the blog, and it’s because I’ve been occupied with Project Baby since moving to Taiwan. Pursuing fertility treatment was one of the significant factors of our relocation. The journey has been a total emotional roller coaster. For what it’s worth, I’m sharing…
Five-Day Car Tour to Discover Vietnam’s Ha Giang Region with YESD
While researching our journey in the Ha Giang region in Northern Vietnam, motorbike tours appeared popular. Yet, some friends who’ve visited the area recommended against motorbike tours, citing frequent accidents. My research led me to YESD, a social enterprise focusing on responsible tourism that provides tours in the region. The…
In Search of Pregnancy Bliss
I spent my entire pregnancy searching for that elusive pregnancy bliss. Instead of joy, I hated nearly every minute of being pregnant. Pregnancy blues was the dominant feeling. And then suddenly, my pregnancy ended at 31 weeks via emergency c section. My twin babies are so far healthy, albeit incredibly…
Birthday Reflection: On Becoming 35
In my late 20s, I distinctly remember setting an arbitrary goal of popping out a baby before turning 35. The universe has a funny way of making some dreams come true. Less than two weeks ago, my twin boys dramatically entered the world after only 31 weeks of gestation. For…
One Week of Hiking and Relaxation in Sapa, Vietnam
After a breathtaking five-day tour of Ha Giang, our journey through Northern Vietnam continued in Sapa. We would do some hiking with Sapa O’Chau, followed by some much-needed R&R at Sapa Clay House. Night Bus Ride from Ha Giang to Sapa We boarded a rather uncomfortable night bus in Ha…
2021 Year-in-Review: Be Patient
Somehow, we are on the last day of 2021. This year, I’ve done nearly no traveling, both due to COVID but also because I embarked upon another wild adventure – motherhood. I spent most of the year waiting – waiting to become pregnant, waiting to get through my pregnancy, waiting…