When Malaysia’s national lockdown began three weeks ago, I didn’t know what to expect. Everyone kept stressing that it wasn’t a total lockdown, it was …
expat
Watching the U.S. Fall Apart from Afar: A Note From Your Worried Friend Abroad
“Don’t you want to go back to the U.S. eventually?” I get this question a lot. I could write an entire blog post about my …
When a Short-Term Crisis Becomes Your Long-Term Plan (Moving to Malaysia)
It’s strange when the world is panicking, your friends are largely self-quarantined in their apartments in China, many people are suffering and have died, but …
Safe and Sane in Malaysia: An Update on the Coronavirus from a Beijinger in Exile
First, I’m fine! Although I live in Beijing, I was in Malaysia when the first reporting of the Coronavirus occurred and had already been out …
Thailand: Then and Now
A traveler I met in Nepal back in 2016 reached out to me last week. “Do you find when you travel something pulls you back?” …
China Celebrates with Lots of Tanks (or Why I’m Leaving Beijing Next Week)
October 1st is a big deal in Beijing this year. Which is why next Thursday I am LEAVING CHINA. Not for good. Just until October …
7 Things That Catch Me Off-guard When I Visit the U.S.
My Chinese visa expired. Time out. R.I.P. My future hangs in the grasp of the Chinese consulate in D.C. In the meantime, I’m banished back …
A Tale of Two Passports
The time has finally come to say goodbye to my single favorite item: my passport. My old one is officially expired. It’s a bit strange …
China 2.0: A New Chapter in Beijing
Three months into my job, I already knew I wanted to quit. I didn’t just want to quit the job, I wanted to quit China. …
The Cult of the Professional Hot Girls or How I Lost 9 Pounds in 8 Weeks
The first time I did F45 in Beijing, I got dizzy and almost threw up. I was tired by the end of the warm-up. I …