
Who Downloads “The Beach” in Thailand?
I don’t recommend taking a 14-hour bus ride to anywhere in your life. Sure, it sounds awful enough, but I cannot explain the uniquely agonizing delirium that came on after hour 12 or so. We took...
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This Backpack is A Lot Heavier Than I Thought
I'm currently sweating in a dingy hotel called Smile Inn. As welcoming as it sounds, the name is entirely ironic. The rooms are cramped, a little dirty, and the reception desk is exceptionally unfriendly....
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If I went to the Yellow River…
The historic Yellow River, considered by many to be the center of Chinese civilization and spiritual life has been the object of countless poets, writers, painters, and song writers for hundreds of...
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My Years at Zhu Wu Elementary School in My Hometown Shenyang, China, Before I Came to the US
First day of elementary school in my hometown, Shenyang, China, my class started out with 51 students sitting in a classroom in a relatively well-reputed elementary school. Sitting at an one meter by...
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India, a Song
India is a song that calls back to me with bright colors in its voice. In a simple memory, I am there. In the scent of henna, or in a sip of chai tea, I am there. With my sight on a small creature crawling,...
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Exploring a new continent in exchange for helping some fragile infants and toddlers
In the summer of 2007 I was offered the opportunity to...
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Anthropology of Fiji for the Backpacker
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Gaijin Living in Japan
I had never ventured out of the United States before. Not even the occasional Mexico day trip. I craved a sabbatical. I wanted a break...
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