As my time in China nears its conclusion (for now), I’ve been reflecting a lot on what this amazing, inspiring, fast-paced year has meant to me. The thing I’m most afraid of, I think, is forgetting—I don’t want to forget the feel of cycling through hutongs on my way back from class, watching hazy sunsets … More Life Update
There are two weeklong public holidays in China per year. For the first of these, National Week in October, I went to Mongolia, which is still one of my favorite trips I’ve ever taken. The second (and most important) is Spring Festival—otherwise known as Chinese New Year. This was my first time truly celebrating CNY, … More Spring Festival: Singapore and Vietnam
I’ve been terrible about updating this blog. It’s this paradox where there are so many things happening all the time, so I don’t know what to write about; I’m not sure where to begin. I finished my first term of teaching a few weeks ago, then my family visited, and I’m heading to Taipei for … More An Ode to Beijing
Some things I’ve been thinking about lately— Learning Mandarin is one of the hardest things I’ve ever tried to do. Sure, I’ve progressed a lot; last spring I didn’t know more than a few words in Chinese, and now I can have actual (albeit very slow) conversations. I can order food, give directions, introduce myself … More Language
I blinked and two months passed. Yesterday marked exactly two months since I arrived in Beijing and began my new life. I remember so clearly the feeling of boarding the plane to come here: like taking a deep breath, preparing, a little uncertain. Now, two months in, I’ve finally let that breath out. I’ve decided … More Two Months In: A Day in the Life
I [Genghis] Khan’t believe I’ve been living in Asia for almost two months now… About a week ago I returned from a trip to Mongolia for 国庆节, or national week, which is basically like Chinese Fourth of July when the whole country gets a week off and everyone travels. Not Inner Mongolia, which is part … More Steppe-ing in Style: 7 Days in Mongolia
Time has flown; I’ve been in Beijing for about three weeks now, and I’m finally beginning to feel like part of the city. I know my way around Dongzhimen, have a couple of favorite food places, and at last got a Chinese bank account, which makes a HUGE difference when navigating Beijing. With a Chinese … More Settling
你好 from Beijing, and the beginning of my year as a Princeton in Asia Fellow! I’ve been here for just under one week now, and what a week it has been. I’ll start with what brought me here: the job. After spending the weekend before in Bangkok visiting some wonderful friends, I got off the … More Move-ins, Malls, and Millipedes: Week One in Beijing
This past May I graduated from Harvard. I’m not quite sure where these four years went, but I know they’ve left me with an unbelievable amount of knowledge I never thought I’d have, and more importantly, friends I will carry with me for a lifetime. One thing I still don’t know is how to be … More Bound for the Bĕi Area
As we approached a towering gopuram, alive with color and covered in exquisite sculptures of Hindu deities, my friend Samyuktha turned to me and carefully narrated what was about to happen. “South Indian temples are designed to awaken every one of your senses,” she explained. Inside, we would hear spirited music, taste tulsi leaf on … More India
Catching Thoughts 