A Piece of My Heart Lives in Taiwan
I’ve tried writing this particular piece many times since returning from my adventure on the other side of the world. Why has it been so hard to nail word to page? Why have I avoided it? If I’m honest, it’s because a piece of my heart now lives in Taiwan. I struggle with the fact…
To Walk In Someone Else’s Shoes
One of my purposes in coming to Taiwan is to walk in someone else’s shoes. More particular, in the shoes of international students. What’s it like to live in a country different from the one in which you grew up? What are the struggles? What’s it like to be a minority? So my month stay…
Taiwan’s Urban Wilderness
One thing that amazes me about Taipei and New Taipei City is how closely urban and wilderness coexist with one another. I’ve started calling it Taiwan’s Urban Wilderness. These cities sit in a bowl formation ringed by mountains on the north end of the island. The transition from relatively buildable ground to the steep side…
East Asian Beauty
I have always thought East Asians are one of the most beautiful ethnic groups. In my opinion, the shape of their eyes, lift of their cheekbones, smoothness of their skin, and darkness of their hair make them easy to look at. A Random Act of Kindness Today I was witness to how beautiful they can…
Welcome to Taiwan
Two days ago I unfolded myself from a 13 hour flight and walked into the humid heat that is summer in Taiwan. At 7:30 pm, and with the sun having set an hour prior, my exit from the airport still felt like walking into a sauna. Welcome to Taiwan! Welcome to Taiwan, Little Raccoon! And…
The Blind Side
One of my favorite movies is “The Blind Side”, the story of American pro football athlete Michael Oher. Michael’s journey to the world of pro football starts when the Tuohy family takes him in, helps him, and champions him. Most of all, they take the time to understand him. Leigh Anne Learns to See… Leigh…
Taiwandering to Taiwan
Taiwan or Bust Taiwan. The other side of the planet. The flip side. The opposite side. The converse, inverse, and obverse of my little universe. Said little universe is about to get a lot bigger, because Taiwan is where Chloe and I are heading. I was hoping that typing it out made it less surreal,…
To The Parents of International Students
Parents of international students have my respect and admiration. This blog post explains why.
My Mission Statement Is So….Anpanman?
Mission Statements, Time Management and KPOP! Oh My! Writing has this peculiar tendency to corral vague thoughts and ideas, shove them into the spotlight, and turn them into concrete, black and white subjects. That happened as I was describing my observations of Korean pop (KPOP) and the Asian music world in my last piece, Observations…
Observations of a Gen-X KPOP Fan
KPOP Has A History I have a confession to make. I’m American, Gen-X, and I like Korean pop, (KPOP). I’ve actually liked it for quite a while. I just didn’t know the genre name when Gangnam Style by South Korean rapper, Psy, went viral in 2012. I also didn’t realize there was more to this style…