“Irasshaimaseeee” reverberated in unison from behind the bar, greeting me as I inched my way past clusters of Japanese businessmen to the only available space I could spot. On this particular night, that happened to be at the end of the standing bar, right under the tiny flat screen that displayed […]
We had gotten a late start to the day. It was approaching noon, yet the island still seemed to be in a lazy Sunday morning slumber. The rain clouds were emerging from over the mountaintops in the West, just as they had done the day before, teasing us in the […]
January has proven to be the perfect time to visit Beijing. The weather isn’t too cold, especially in comparison to the Chicago winters. In fact, it has been surprisingly sunny since I arrived. The rush leading up to the Chinese New Year, beginning on February 19th this year, hasn’t quite […]
Clocking three days since I arrived in Beijing, it has been quite the adventure from the moment I stepped off the plane. Everything is new. Everything is different. At each step, I come across completely unique sights, foreign customs, and unfamiliar interactions. But beyond my experiences, I myself am also […]
Welcome to my city. Although I have only lived here for a few months at a time throughout my life, and spent most of each year on the other side of the world, it is the oldest and most consistent home I have. And even though I will never move back, […]
It has been two weeks since I arrived in Turkey, and I must say it is good to be back. Until about three years ago, I would spend three to four months every summer back in Turkey. However, this period marks the longest I have been away. So far, my […]