Hello, Late Twenties!
September 28, 2013
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 first year I honestly felt somehow much older. Given a…
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A Day in Napa Valley
September 22, 2013
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 a Designated Driver After asking around for tips, a friend…
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Confession of a Travel Brat
September 20, 2013
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 too busy puking and battling with carsickness to appreciate it…
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California Dreaming : Culture Shock in America
September 1, 2013
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 a few months of networking, hustling, and some miracle-working later,…
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THE Job vs. THE One
July 10, 2013
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 a child, we were taught that genius is 1% inspiration…
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Mourning the Loss of a Village Friend
July 7, 2013
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 never know. Then, I ended the day with a devastating…
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Celebrating America’s Birthday in Foreign Lands
July 5, 2013
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 Shanghai! I am not even an American by birth. I…
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Yoga Retreat with Yejo Circle
July 1, 2013
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 retreat for quite a while, but until now, I’ve always…
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Shanghai’s Development Gap: What You See is not What You Get
June 28, 2013
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 infrastructure development has far outpaced the people. You can give…
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Solo Travel Encounter
June 26, 2013
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 massive line was for the ticket, or to board the…
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