A few nights ago, I released a lantern full of birthday wishes up into the sky. Before that, we were encouraged to write down our wishes on the lantern. Under the pressure, I came up blank. So we ended up writing one single word: believe. Thinking about it now, it is perfectly fitting. I am overwhelmed with all that have transpired over the past year. We’ve cultivated new dreams and made huge decisions. We’ve weathered broken relationships and made painful…
Travel Reflections: 7 lessons for my younger self
One year ago, I was in the most depressive funk of my life. Those who have been reading this blog will know that travel was never my dream, but rather D’s. A little over a year ago, about 6 months into our dating career, he said “let’s sell all our stuff and see the world!”…. Or something like that. And….. my life fell apart. (Okay, being dramatic, but it felt like that at the time.) I stopped talking to my family…
A little Monday gratitude
Funnily enough, exactly one day after I published this post, the clouds and rains came and haven’t stopped yet. Looks like the weather gods were listening! I’m so thankful for the change in weather and everything has been remarkably more enjoyable. In fact, the days of sweating to death seem like a lifetime ago. That’s kinda the way it is, isn’t it? We are constantly seeing so many new places and experiencing so many new things, that the past quickly becomes only a faint memory…
On Growing Up and Becoming Boring
You’d think that the more I travel, the more fun and outgoing I’d be. But I’ve realized that I am really quite boring. The other night, D wanted to go out for some drinks. Well, because it was a Saturday night. (Even though technically, every night is a Saturday night for us.) Let me explain that this is very out of character for us. Most of our nights are spent watching Netflix or working on our laptops (after all, D…
On Approval, Criticism, and How I Know I Made the Right Choice
Approval. We all seek it. I still don’t quite understand why we feel the need to gain approval from our family and friends to live a certain way, take a certain path, or even make a certain choice. But we do. And I wanted approval to travel the world. When I first told people I was going to quit my job and travel with D, the responses were not positive in general: You can’t travel with your boyfriend unless he…
A Mother’s Day Story (and why I write)
On this Mother’s Day, I am sharing this story of a girl and her mother. My parents were very strict growing up. My sister and I only had one role: to study and get good grades in order to go to a good college. Anything that didn’t help achieve that wasn’t allowed. No makeup, no nail polish, no sleepovers, no dating. Even when we went off to college, my dad stressed that again, our only role was to study and get…
Birthday Wishes for Dad (and when parents are unsupportive)
This is a sensitive topic that many bloggers don’t really talk about. But my blog is my space for any of my weird/random/personal musings, and I don’t hold too much back. My father is not an easy man to understand. I’m not sure whether it’s due to just being born that way, his upbringing in China, or his life experiences, but he is extremely pessimistic. He often doesn’t see the upside or light in any situation. I try hard to think if it’s…
On Doubt and Moving Forward
If someone had told me a year ago that by spring of 2014, I would have quit my job and flew away to lands far, far away to explore the world with a man who I was not married to… I would have nervously laughed (and then ran away to get away from the crazy). I’m not that girl. I like security. I like roots. I like knowing that I can develop some strange disease and be covered by health…
Once Upon a Christmas Tree
Sometimes, the smallest things make me insanely happy. I hate to sound like a Grinch, but overall, I haven’t been having the most joyful December. In between the unseasonally warm weather, 12-hour work days, and feeling fat (probably due to my mass consumption of chocolate lately), I haven’t had the time to feel Christmas cheer. But this is also the last Christmas D and I will be spending in his house (and for me, also the first) as the house…
I Am Thankful (2013)
Thanksgiving beckons family reunions, home-cooked food, laughter, and warmth of a home. It is also a day to take a moment to reflect over the past year and express gratitude for the blessings of life. And even though my family isn’t from America, over the years, we have adopted Thanksgiving as a beloved holiday to be celebrated. A turkey no less than 16 lbs will be roasted, pies will be baked, the table will be set, and leftovers will be…