Published in Live Your Life On Purpose·PinnedMember-onlyTraveling the World has Ruined My LifeOr, the persistence of nostalgia. — I lived in South Korea for four years. During that time, I traveled throughout the country and was able to travel to other countries between work contracts. A month in France, a week in Hong Kong. Travel was a huge part of my life. And then my life changed. I…Travel4 min read
Published in The Expat Chronicles·Jul 15Member-onlyConversations With Young Women Who Dream of Moving to South KoreaI met so many of them and I hope I didn’t dash their dreams too much. Korean pop culture has swept the globe in recent years. As far back as the early 2000s Korea started exporting music, film, and television, but it came to a peak in the last decade…Korea7 min read
Published in Farewell Alarms·Jul 12Member-onlyThe Problem With Travel Writing on MediumMaybe there are too many writers and not enough readers… — Getting a comment on a story I wrote, whether a new or older story, is always exciting. It shows that they read my story and it resonated with them in some way. …Travel Writing4 min read
Jul 7Member-onlyGlow Up Culture Makes Me UncomfortableHave we become our own bullies in our quest to “glow up”? “I bet you regret being mean to me when I was an awkward pre-teen… because now I’m hot!” Okay, I’m paraphrasing, but this is the plot of nearly every glow-up video or post across social media. People talk…Social Media3 min read
Published in Farewell Alarms·Jul 2Member-onlyShould You Heed Travel Fashion Advice?The internet is full of videos and blogs about how to dress in various travel destinations and almost equally full of ire for this advice. — It seemed innocent enough — a short video about things people should be aware of before going to Japan. One of the points was that leggings aren’t commonly worn by themselves as pants in the country. Many of the comments were bizarre and defensive, which shouldn’t come as a surprise…Travel5 min read
Jun 2Member-onlyI’m Exhausted By American InfrastructureMy days are spent dreaming of walkable towns and efficient public transit. When plotting errands, I often turn to my faithful companion Google Maps. I currently live in the suburbs, which has to be the definition of worst-of-both-worlds. We live within a mile or two of some shopping and amenities…Public Transportation5 min read
Mar 11Member-onlyOur View of Death is Deeply DisconnectedThe funeral industry reveals our values, our fears, and our blindness. As a freelancer, I spend much of my time working at home, but there are times when I go to my clients. A few weeks ago I was working on location at a local funeral home. It certainly wasn’t…Funerals3 min read
Published in Farewell Alarms·Feb 5Member-onlyLet’s Get Rid of the “French Girl Beauty” Stereotype Once and For AllThis persistent stereotype is extremely outdated. — Search “French girl” and you’ll find hundreds of articles and websites talking about French girl brows or all the essential cosmetics you’ll need to be replicate the “effortlessly chic” style that all French girls have flowing through their veins. Imagine a French girl. You probably see slightly tousled light brown…France4 min read
Jan 24Member-onlyWhat’s the Point of Flowers?This trope of gifting flowers to your partner seems rather tired, until it’s not. When my husband and I were first dating I told him, “You don’t have to get me flowers. They’re pretty pointless, after all.” I didn’t really understand the point of it at the time and I…Marriage3 min read
Published in The Expat Chronicles·Jan 17Member-only4 Countries I’m Considering Moving To in 2023Since returning to the US in 2017, I’ve been planning my next move, and next year, I’m hoping to make it happen — just need to narrow it down a bit. Like many people who’ve recently hit age 30, I have been evaluating where my life is at, where it’s…Living Abroad5 min read