Speak for the Rich; Do for the Poor
November 9, 2012
I first became involved with the concept of social enterprise back in 2007, when I volunteered with StudioSTL and ended up helping the organization to win some big money at a Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition. Five years later, I find myself in Beijing, attending a forum titled, “First China Impact Investment Forum”, hosted by Avantage Ventures. While at the conference,…
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Beijing Bound
November 1, 2012
I’ve barely gotten over my jet lag, and I boarded the high-speed rail to Beijing. I arrived in China just in time to attend China’s First Social Investment Forum. Through my LinkedIn network, I was offered a ticket to attend. So, off I go. I took the subway to Shanghai’s Hong-Qiao Station (虹桥车站). There are apparently three major rail stations…
Read MoreShanghai: First Impression
October 29, 2012
First 24 hours in Shanghai was filled with a lot of walking around in a zombie state due to this jet-lag, and not having had a full night of sleep in nearly 3 days. Even still, it’s been pretty eye-opening. I spent the day mostly within the 1/2 mile radius around where I currently live, in the Jing’an district. It’s…
Read MoreThoughts from 38,000 feet
October 29, 2012
Going on hour 10 of this 13-hour flight. It’s been a while since I took a 10+ hour flight. If the bus ride to DC provided ample time to think about my life, this flight took it to the next level. I would guess around 85% of the passengers on this Boeing 777 aircraft are Chinese. I haven’t been surrounded…
Read MoreInhale. Exhale. It’s Not Like I’m Moving to Africa Again…
October 27, 2012
Remember all that zen I had a few days ago? Well, they completely dissipated this morning when I opened my eyes. A stream of thoughts crossed my mind as I gained consciousness, “o.m.g. this is my last day at home.” “o.m.g. I have so much to do still.” “O.M.G. WHY DID I EVER THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA?!?” Yes,…
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Polyglot in Action
October 25, 2012
Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. – Steve Jobs The dots, they are connecting in my life. When I decided to move to Shanghai a little over a month ago, I realized it is time to cash…
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Saint Charles Charm
October 24, 2012
It’s a lovely fall day here in St. Charles, a town where I spent my adolescent years. St. Charles is the first capitol of Missouri, and its “downtown” has preserved its historic charm from the 1700’s. I’ve never really appreciated this town. Coming from Taichung, the third largest city in Taiwan, I always thought this place was small, and somewhat……
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Final Countdown: 2008 & Now
October 19, 2012
Yesterday was my 10-day countdown until this next journey begins. People have been asking me how I am feeling, and if I am ready. I don’t really know if there is any way to truly be ready for this – moving to a country that you have never visited and had no idea what you will actually do once you…
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Snail Mail & Roots
October 15, 2012
I am back in my parents’ house, a place where I spent my adolescent years. This place is as close to home as it gets for me. A part of being a globetrotter is you move, a lot. I am going on my 14th move in 8 years. Luckily, my parents’ home serves as an excellent storage space. True to…
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Finding Meaning
October 5, 2012
“Chelsea Clinton Exited Wall Street to Seek Career with Meaning”, this Bloomberg headline shared by a friend on Facebook caught my attention this morning. My friends commented on the piece as inspiring. This is not the first story of someone that left Corporate America behind to find “meaning”. This is the first time, however, that I became frustrated at the fact…
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