Something about this time of year always brings me a sense of gratitude. People become nicer versions of themselves around the holidays. This is not to say that people are not inherently good, but rather that the best side of each individual is exhibited right as the air turns crisp, the snow flurries begin arriving, and the scent of gingerbread wafts through the air. The barista at Starbucks returns a customer's smile. The businessman leaves an extra five on the table for the harried student waiter. Drivers actually observe right of way laws. It is my favorite time of year, and [View Full Entry]

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There we stood in the center of a piazza in Florence, locals and tourists streaming around us as we scanned the skyline for the looming shadow of the Duomo we just knew had to be somewhere nearby. Back to back we stood, looking vainly in every direction for the landmark that would lead us back to the hostel. No such luck. Such is the joy of backpacking through Italy, even if you do it with a rolling suitcase. This is the story of the two-week Italian odyssey I embarked upon with my brother, Reid, and our mounds of dirty laundry. It [View Full Entry]

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Questions were raised. Curiosity was piqued. Concern abounded. What had happened to her? Well, fear not, dear readers. I am alive and well. I apologize for the many fortnights that have passed since I last put pen to paper (or, rather, fingertip to keyboard). My life has been a whirlwind of activity, though not the sort I had previously anticipated. Let me explain. I returned to the United States after two years spent living, working, studying and traveling throughout China in August of 2008. I imagined a joyful celebration of my return, with parades held in my honor, chi [View Full Entry]

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The sirens wailed ever louder as I continued walking my parents' dog, Nick, through the public walkway behind their new home in Arizona. As we rounded the final corner around a group of mailboxes, we both stopped dead in our tracks. Surely, my eyes betrayed me. Although only moments ago a picture of suburban tranquility, my parents' street had been turned into a scene straight out of a Schwarzenegger film. Five enormous fire trucks blocked off the street. Three ambulances were parked haphazardly on the golf course, the sidewalk and in the middle of the street. Firefighters walked purpose [View Full Entry]

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It happened when I picked my brother up from the airport tonight. I arrived a little early and decided to use the ladies' room. After I closed the door to the stall, I got the fright of my life. The toilet flushed suddenly, and without warning. I shrieked, dumping the contents of my purse all over the floor when I instinctively threw my hands in the air to cover my head. Apparently, I am still readjusting to those little American luxuries. In many ways, my life in China was simpler. I didn't own any furniture apart from my digital piano. I [View Full Entry]

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The day we've been waiting for has finally arrived. Election Day, November 4, 2008. I felt so excited the night before that I had trouble sleeping. Like a small child the night before Christmas, I tossed and turned, eagerly checking the bedside clock to count down the hours until I could arise and meet the day. And now....it's here. * HOUR ONE I'm currently sitting court-side, watching the proceedings at my assigned polling station in Wisconsin. I've already voted for my candidate of choice and now have settled down to watch, and wait. For what, I'm not certain. After the scanda [View Full Entry]

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The first indication that I'd returned to the United States came when I opened my computer to write this blog and realized I would have to type in English. That was over two weeks ago. Each day, I summoned the courage to crack open my Macbook, and timidly tap out a letter or two. The past several days have brought colossal victory as my grasp of the Roman alphabet returned and I realized that the meaning of each word was distinguished by pronunciation only and not accompanied by one of four tones. Cue victory music. Everything in the United States is [View Full Entry]

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Beijing has been invaded. It began at the start of the traditional tourist season at the end of May. A couple of hopelessly lost Koreans here, a few scattered Westerners speaking Mandarin with horribly mangled tones there, and a smattering of hopelessly lost elderly Japanese. As the summer arrived and the weather heated up, along with Beijing's interminable humidity, the trickle became a stream, which turned into an all-out flood. Foreigners are descending upon Beijing in droves, reminiscent of a locust swarm. These lecherous parasites have infiltrated the poshest hotels, are hesitant [View Full Entry]

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One of the many perks of living in China is the proximity to other interesting Asian countries. I took advantage of my geographical prowess to jet off to Seoul, Korea this past weekend. A good friend of mine from high school and college, Martha Ja-yon Hong, had just moved back to her hometown of Seoul to do some soul-searching, and I had just finished my semester at Beijing Language and Culture University, so the timing was perfect. I had no idea what to expect, nor was I 100% positive that my student visa would allow me to leave China, but I [View Full Entry]

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The official countdown has begun, both for me and for China. For China, the Olympics will open in Beijing in 44 days; for me, I will be leaving China and moving back to the United States in 35 days. The Olympics will open here in Beijing via a spectacular ceremony on a very auspicious date, August 8, 2008, or 8/8/8 at 8:08 PM. Eight is a very lucky number in Chinese culture. Chinese is a monosyllabic language, utilizing four separate tones to indicate differences in meaning between words with the same pronunciation. The word for "eight" in Chinese is "ba", which [View Full Entry]

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