19 Mar

I love living in a big city. There's no need to own a car, there's always a new bar to try, or art exhibition to see. But most importantly, there's the opportunity to participate in Restaurant Week.

Restaurant Week is a concept that originated in New York City by Zagat Guide founder, Tim Zagat, and late restauranteur, Joe Baum in 1992. In brief, it's 1-3 weeks of prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus, offered for a fraction of the price. Not all restaurants participate, but many do, and it's an opportunity to get a 3-course meal for as little as $20. It's most well-known in New York, but the idea has caught on globally, and now takes place in many major cities around the world.

08 Mar

Earlier this week, my friend Matt, a reporter for China Daily, asked me to provide some quotes for an article about life as an expat in Shanghai. I gave him my views on the easy transition and the similarities and contrasts from my time in Colombia.  I thought nothing of it and assumed he would weave a line or two into his text; but apparently I was quoted heavily enough to warrant a picture in the paper. Not having any solo pictures of me galavanting through the streets of China, I scrambled to get something together and asked a coworker, Maja Kelly, to take some photos after work, around the neighborhood.

02 Mar

I am not a morning person. I never have been. I never will be. But the fact that I'm now a high school teacher means I at least have to pretend.

So Monday through Friday, I set my alarm for 6am, giving me a solid hour to quietly enjoy a giant cup of coffee. I make breakfast. I cake concealer under my eyes. I bike to school to get my blood pumping. By the time my students enter the classroom at 8am, I fake a smile and actually resemble a human being.

23 Feb

Well, it's official: I am certifiably crazy. During the last seven days I hopped on two 14-hour flights, adjusted to the 13-hour time difference not once, but twice, and now I'm back at work, teaching teenagers. But that's not all. I did all this traveling for a guy. And not just any guy, but a guy I met on Tinder, in Shanghai, six months ago, who now lives in New York.

13 Feb

If you're an expat, or if you've ever traveled by yourself for long periods of time, you know that sometimes it's tough to meet people. True, you may get lucky and meet that perfect group of people at a hostel, or another solo traveler on a walking tour. But what if you don't? Well, my advice for you is to get online.

There's Meetup.com, which is a great site for finding activities or weekend trips with like-minded individuals, Couchsurfing.org, good for finding a couch/room or meeting locals, and the Tinder app for the single traveler, looking for a possible romance on the road.

But if you're planning on making a semi-permanent or even permanent move abroad, Internations is the way to go. The website is similar to Meetup, but with an emphasis on networking opportunities. I've personally been to several events, and have made many friends and business contacts along the way.

IMG_1839

Lately, I've been getting a lot of questions about what I do for a living. "How did you start teaching overseas?" "Do you teach at a Chinese school or an American school?" "How do you travel so much?" "What kinds of benefits do you get?"

Then the most important: "How can I do it too?"

Six years ago, when the U.S. economy took a turn and I was left without a job, I decided to throw all caution to the wind and move to Korea to teach English. I had never taught before, I hadn't traveled much, and admittedly, kids weren't really my thing. But I thought, Hey, I can do anything for a year. 

25 Jan

While in Sydney, I heard that I would either be a “Melbourne girl” or a “Sydney girl.” Apparently, according to locals of both cities, you can’t love both. At least, you can’t love both equally. But I’m sorry to report to my Aussie readers, I did.

Sydney and Melbourne are in fact very different from one another. Sydney has all the major tourist attractions, beaches, and is admittedly a better option for tourists if you have to choose. However, Melbourne is definitely worth a visit too.

20 Jan

Now that I’m finally back and settled in Shanghai, with the second semester in full swing, it’s time to acknowledge that it is now 2015. It always takes me awhile to make the switch; in fact, my students corrected me today when I wrote the date on the board.

2014 was a busy year for me. I finished up my contract in Bogota, Colombia, attended my sister’s wedding in the States, started a new teaching contract in Shanghai, and added a new continent to my travel list. It was a good one. Here are the highlights:

19 Jan

Planning a trip can be extremely overwhelming. You have to decide on which country to visit, which cities, how long to stay in each place, find hotels and airfare within your price range, and have an idea of what you want to do once you actually arrive. Aren't vacations supposed to be relaxing?

If you're like me, the Internet can be a double-edged sword when making these decisions. It's easy to log hours on travel sites, reading review after review, until you lose all confidence in your ability to make a decision. So, I'm making it easy for you. I've compiled a list of my top three things to do when visiting Sydney. If you're limited on time, plan your days around each of these events, giving you three very different days of touristic opportunities.

12 Jan

Up until a few years ago, I never cared too much for New Years. To me, it was a hyped-up celebration with false expectations, unrealistic resolutions, and drunk drivers. But then everything changed right around the time I turned 30--when I stopped taking myself so seriously.

Three years ago I was in Buenos Aires, singing karaoke in a large Argentinian family's living room. The following year I celebrated on Copacabana Beach in Rio, alongside two million people, dancing and jumping waves for good luck. And a couple of weeks ago, I got the opportunity to see the famous Sydney Harbour fireworks from a boat, with a dear friend I made in Korea.

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