As I sat on my shuttle bus, homeward bound after ten days of hiking and solitude, I glanced at the towering peaks around me: This is what true nobility looks like. Nobility, not to be confused with what man often associates with itself, was all around me. Soaring cliffs capped with overflowing glaciers, rushing rivers cascading through the landscape, and sparkling lakes of turquoise and blue describe what I can only call the most beautiful place I've ever seen. I had a wonderful time with my companions Julie, Alice, and June. They were true women of steel and I thank them for sharing the first four days with me. When they left, I had plenty of time for introspection and prayer. Much like my previous travels, I spent time gaining perspective and making sense of the ... read more

In Tainan, I stayed with my aunt's family on my mom's side. They were extremely helpful and wonderful hosts and I give them many thanks for taking me in! It's been very interesting learning about my mom's side of the family, and I've not met anyone related to me who is as chill as my cousin Ricky. It was great fun hanging out with him these past two days. My first day in Tainan we headed to a monument/temple celebrating Zhen Cheng Gong, a Taiwanese hero who fought against the Dutch occupation in the 17th century. I was also given a chance to visit my grandfather who recently passed away. It was a sombering and reflective visit and I was really glad to get a chance to pay him my respects. The following day we visited ... read more

Shanghai is a beautiful city. Sometimes dubbed the "Paris of the East," it is one of China's primer destinations and host to this year's World Expo. While in Shanghai, I stayed with my friend Gail and her family. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them, and I thank them for being such gracious hosts. My first night, Gail's younger brother Ingmar took me and a couple of his cousins to the Shanghai Zoo, where he gave us special access for a night tour on our own. Being able to soak in the Zoo's nighttime atmosphere without anyone else was a superb experience. We saw a lot of great animals, including a couple of bears, a wolf, and a giant panda. I particularly enjoyed seeing a group of three tiger cubs. The tiger and I have ... read more

I rolled into Wutai Shan, the Five Platform Mountains, after a 6 hour bus ride. The area is a collection of mountains with many, many Buddhist temples surrounding a tourist trap that was overcrowded. After spending a night in a crummy hotel, I wandered around looking for some good hiking, an escape from the crowds, and the proverbial temple atop a mountain. I ended up running into three friends who were on sort of an annual pilgrimage, spending several days at a Buddhist temple. They invited me to join for a day/night and naturally I couldn't resist. As I've mentioned earlier, I'm not Buddhist. I've been happily Christian for several years now. That being said, I believe interfaith awareness is critical to one's spiritual and personal growth. My stay was an incredible time of learning, meditation, ... read more

My arrival in Beijing has been a marked turning point. As soon as I landed, it was a whole new ball game. Culturally, it has been absolutely mind-blowing. Language wise, it's been a sort of linguistic playground where my Mandarin has improved greatly. Ironically, nowhere else have I felt more like a 100 percent red-blooded American. Chinese culture is vastly different than its Western counterpart. In the overcrowded, pollution stricken city of Beijing, I've at times struggled to remain flexible and understanding in my cultural tolerance. The city is very dog-eat-dog, where push often comes to shove. However, the people are also incredibly social and helpful when called upon. It has been very interesting encountering the pervasive government presence, whether while watching the state-run news channel, or through chatting with the locals about policy we've often ... read more