As the only child of two working parents, I learned to keep myself entertained from a very young age. I would create elaborate soap operas for my Barbie dolls and challenge my alter ego in games like Connect Four and Battleship. (I grew up before computers and smart phones. Can you imagine?) But as a young adult, […]
Travel Tips
Winter Packing Tips for People Who Hate to Be Cold
Packing for winter travel can be super stressful. You want to be prepared for every possible weather condition, but airline baggage restrictions mean you can’t bring your entire wardrobe along. Plus, bulky winter wear takes up all the extra space you’ll need for your souvenirs on the way home. Whether you are chasing the aurora […]
How to Have Fun Almost Anywhere
When I started this blog, one of my hopes was to show a few naysayers that I was capable of living beyond the comforts of North America and Europe. From the wilds of the Cambodian jungle to the crowded Beijing metro, I have tried to make the most of every experience and tackle every challenge […]
Chinese Words and Phrases for Foreigners
In my opinion, one of the top reasons Westerners are reluctant to travel to China is fear of the language barrier. The elaborate Chinese characters are awfully intimidating and the challenge of speaking and being understood might seem insurmountable. While I failed in my attempt to master the language, I did learn enough Mandarin to survive […]
How to Quickly Comprehend Chinese While in China
Today I am pleased to bring you a guest post from the fabulous Agness of eTramping.com. How many times have you heard that Chinese is impossible to comprehend as it is the most complicated language in the world? Yes, that’s true – Chinese is considered to be one of the most difficult and challenging languages on […]