As I’ve gotten older, I’ve had to change my definition of success more times than I could count. If you had asked me what that word meant at fifteen, I probably would have said a mansion in LA, an acting career, and a supermodel on my arm. In college, I would have settled for...
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I try to remember when I was at my happiest. I distinctly remember my parents asking me in 2009 about which year of my life had been the best, and I answered “this one”; at that point, things had just improved by the moment. Being in New Zealand can have that effect. Though I...
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I feel ashamed. Like a failure. Broke, though I have some money in the bank. Inept, though I’m qualified to do many jobs. Lazy, though my routine isn’t really too different than that when I’m living in my own apartment. Unattractive to women, a source of mockery. Shorter, smaller. Sheltered. Mollycoddled. It’s only been...
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While I’m a little late on the ball with this entry, I’m just trying to get myself out of this slump and write something personal. North Korea is in the news making more idle threats; nothing will happen, as Kim Jong Un is a spoiled, immature brat. I’m dealing with some personal issues as...
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It’s difficult to write. I’m only going through these words just to get my fingers moving and the thoughts slowly put down on paper. I don’t know how this will end. The truth is, I don’t think I’m ever going to find a career I consider satisfying. Even some of the jobs considered the...
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Despite my best efforts, I gage the value of my life more by others’ perceptions than my own. In this sense, I’m a walking, talking contradiction. For you see, many people believe I’m living the dream, as a free spirit, traveling the world. But just as many, myself included, find this lifestyle wanting. I...
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These past few weeks in Thailand have given me some much needed perspective. Although I lived in South Korea last year, my travel mantra was in such a funk, I think it’s safe to assume I hadn’t really traveled like vagabonds travel for almost two years. With the opportunities available to one who has...
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I’ve come to realize something about myself: two years in Japan shaped my personality far more than high school, university, perhaps any other major transitional period in my life. Not to equate myself as a caterpillar turning into a butterfly by a cocoon of Japanese culture – obviously I held on to certain beliefs...
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One of my biggest pet peeves about living in Asia is the attention one receives as a foreign resident. Not even necessarily kids yelling “HELLO!” in a crowded area. It comes from adults as well. I’ve had cashiers struggle with the English to explain the cost of something when I’ve asked them in their...
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Nothing could be simpler than a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread for a comforting lunch, yet finding all the pieces to this American staple food is one of the first challenges I undertake when living abroad. My dinners can be anything from Japanese blowfish to Ethiopian sponge bread, but when it comes to...
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