I was quite ignorant about sickness and health when I first moved to SE Asia back in 2009. Yes, I had gotten a nasty bout of food poisoning when I traveled to Thailand when I was 16, but I didn’t know that getting sick is a regular thing for explorers and expats here. Yes, a… Continue reading What to do + what to buy when you get sick in SE Asia
Ever since I moved to Siem Reap I’ve been fairly anti-social. That is to say, whenever I’ve been asked to be part of a group, an outing or even a casual meal, I’ve thought about it a great deal because: 1) I’m such a homebody, and 2) I’m working on my second memoir. Despite what… Continue reading Do you have to be anti-social to be an artist?
Folks have been asking for this one for a long time, but I never felt ready until my latest Thailand visit. Originally, I was going to do a Thailand versus Cambodia post, but then I realized both countries can be quite varied depending on where you are at. So, it made more sense to compare… Continue reading Chiang Mai versus Siem Reap: an expat weighs in
You know how when you’re getting ready to leave something or someone and everything suddenly starts to look good? That job, that boy, that town unexpectedly doesn’t seem so bad. If anything there seems to be a kind of shine and sparkle to sitting down at your own desk, the morning commute feels charming and… Continue reading 8 Things I’m Loving About Life Right Now
For what feels like the first time since moving to Siem Reap, I’m attempting to sink into it and accept it. Part of the problem is I’ve been telling myself that this move to Cambodia was only a temporary situation, and well, it’s been almost 2 years now. Sometimes it looks like as soon as… Continue reading 10 ways I’m finding my sanity this month
Aw, man, I’ve been struggling this month. A lot of this is due to work. I have a great schedule this term, but I have a lot of lesson planning and preparation to do. I’ve also been in my head too much. Waaay too much. // When I have had a chance to write, I… Continue reading How to listen to yourself (or go a little crazy)
On a regular basis, I’m mistaken for being Chinese – as in from the Motherland, China, Chinese. Now, to be fair, I look pretty damn Chinese, but these days it’s getting ridiculous. I blame it on the throngs of Chinese tourists in Siem Reap, and the fact that many Cambodian students learn Chinese as another… Continue reading I’m Chinese, but I’m not Chinese
