Diary of a Wanderer
Thoughts, stories and observations that don't quite fall into the travel guide category. Take a peek into this diary of a wandering traveler.
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My Experiences Flying During COVID
I moved from California to Michigan in February 2020, a months after the president heard about COVID but a month before the country shut down. With a sick dad, I found myself flying…
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4 Reasons Tinder is a Solo Traveler’s Must-Have Travel Companion
A few months ago, I bought myself a one-way ticket to Thailand, intent to travel Southeast Asia, solo, for as long as my bank account would allow. After an extra social hostel in…
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The Power of Rock, Scissor, Paper in South Korea
I’m sitting in Starbucks writing an article about the increasing Chinese influence in Cambodia, when I see four grown clenched fists moving rhythmically over a tray of empty Starbucks cups and croissant wrappers,…
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Peace Corps Ruined Travel for Me, But I’d Do It Again in an Instant
I served as a Peace Corps volunteer from 2010-2012 in Ukraine, and if I’m talking to fellow Peace Corps volunteers, they know what that means. I don’t have to explain what an amazing,…
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Three Hours at a South Korean Love Hotel
I’ve driven by their flashy neon lights along the highways on Jeju Island, and walked past them in the middle of the city in Seoul. I’ve been curious how the Korean love hotel…
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Why Are There So many Old, White, Single Men in Phnom Penh, Cambodia?
That was what I typed into Google after one morning waking around Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. And I should have already known the answer. Walking down any street in Phnom Penh where there…
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Why I Decided to Eat Meat After 25 Years of Being Vegetarian
Most of the people in my life have always known me to be a vegetarian. We’ve never shared a hamburger or a meat-lovers pizza, never gorged on chili cheese fries or all-you-can-eat sushi.…
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An American Abroad: Anger When I’m Home, Guilt When I’m Away
As I sit in a café in Seoul, South Korea, an American abroad, I scroll through news articles about recent Supreme Court decisions, actions the government is taking against immigrant children, protests at…
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My Temple Stay at Geumsansa Temple
I spent 2 rainy days at Geumsansa Temple, learning about Buddhism, meditating, prostrating, chatting with monks, walking and resting. It was a peaceful escape from everyday life in Seoul, and something I’d recommend…
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10 Things About Living in Korea: Eight Months In
I came to Korea eight months ago to teach English to little ones at a private academy. Before coming here, I had traveled quite a bit, South America, Europe, even living in England…