My take on linguistic relativity, and how Japanese may be the easiest language for functioning in the modern world due to the intuition of Japanese speakers and the plethora of stock phrases.
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My take on linguistic relativity, and how Japanese may be the easiest language for functioning in the modern world due to the intuition of Japanese speakers and the plethora of stock phrases.
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This wasn’t the biggest travel year in my life, but it certainly held a few firsts. After spending a few months in San Francisco, bouncing from Airbnb to friend’s spare bedrooms and couches, I decided to try and work remotely in Asia. It’s funny how easily I can now make this kind of leap...
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When you ask the average child what he wants when he grows up, you’ll probably get a variety of answers based on careers, outlandish ideas – e.g. “to live in a castle with a pet dragon” – and a combination of wealth and fame. Seldom do we hang on to these ideas into our...
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I have no regrets about my time on this life-avoidance trip. I left Dallas without much of a plan: just visit a friend in Chattanooga, work in Atlanta, and see what may come in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington DC. There were some times I felt a little out of place – meeting...
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Walking around any major city at night is something I’d recommend to newbie travelers. Although you’re sure to encounter traces of home, like a Little Caesar’s Pizza across from a Starbucks advertising pumpkin spice lattes, they might be in the shadow of a thousand-year-old mosque, or inside the Louvre. Little things stand out: the...
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In the summer of 2004, I accepted a position working the graveyard shift at a small fishing resort on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska. The job was pretty straightforward: bag ice when customers weren’t around, make sure the shelves were stocked. I even took a few shifts as a server and dishwasher to mix...
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One of the things most likely to come up in a conversation with me, no matter the topic, is my list. My all-encompassing list of activities and destinations I have yet to experience. As a traveler, this list keeps getting bigger with each Internet search and knowledge of new adventures. I’ll give you a...
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After two weeks at Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery in the redwoods of California, I find myself disconnected from the world. Not the real world, mind you – not the one filled with green fields, snow-capped mountains, and blue rivers – but the one in which everyone is obsessed with getting the fastest wifi and burying...
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Working in the customer service industry and being a white face abroad (in most countries, anyway) have a lot in common. I’ve already done my share of ranting over my superficial treatment in Asia: for as many benefits as there are in being a foreigner – e.g. not expected to know or necessarily conform...
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I can’t explain why autumn has this affect on me. For as long as I can remember – and we’re talking as far back as 5-6 years old – I’ve always associated sunny weather, chilly winds, and brown leaves with being at peace. I can remember walking to my father’s office from school on...
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