We spent Christmas Eve with a big group of expats and some fried chicken, on a patio overlooking the capital city of Cambodia. We played Christmas music off YouTube, and we drank mulled wine. The others hailed from France, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Latvia, Cambodia, England, Canada, and Australia. At one point after most everyone was gone, the…
A few days ago, we attended a performance of Cambodian folk dance. The organization that runs the performances seems very worthwhile, with a very interesting story.1 We went to the Monday night performance, which featured traditional dances done to ask for water, during cardamom picking, at the end of the harvest, and several more. The…
Before visiting Phnom Penh, we had done some research on what to expect. Articles and blogs said that one of the primary things to get used to was the constant hassle and demands: ‘Take my tuk tuk!’ ‘Give me money!’ ‘Buy my product!’ I was somewhat concerned, because I hate that kind of pestering. When…
I entered college knowing that I was going to be a French major. I had no intention of teaching it or being a translator, but I loved the language and the culture. My parents were horrified to see me waste so much money to learn something that I could get – as Matt Damon puts it in Good…
TL:DR: we took an epic hike and lived to tell the (very long) tale. Where We Decide to Take a Little Hike The Amalfi coast is known for its hiking. Usually, people trek to the Path of the Gods, reputed to have an excellent view. However, we are marginally lazy, and I am very motion sick, so…
Throughout our travels, I have been sensitive to how each locale treats women. When I traveled alone, it was actually less noticeable, because I was the only traveler to address. Someone may have thought that men wear the pants, but in the absence of one, here they were, addressing me. But as we travel together, it…
I may have disliked Rome, but I am a big fan of the Amalfi coast. We’re staying in a small town on the Tyrrhenian Sea called Maiori, and the people here are amazing. A few stories to show what I mean: Yesterday, we decided to go hiking (a story for another day). Without a map, we found ourselves…
It is a very good thing that this is our second trip to Italy and not our first, or I might never come back. Now hear me out. I spent six weeks in Paris in 2001, five months in Lyon in 2004, three months in Los Angeles in 2005, two years in Manhattan in 2007, and 17…
Many people dislike mosquitoes, and I am certainly no exception. However, I do tend to be exceptionally affected by the little critters. Specifically, if I am somewhere with another person, I will always get bitten more – even if I am wearing more bug spray, longer sleeves, and an anti-mosquito bracelet. The other night, mosquitoes bit my hand,…
I love trivia. I’m not quite sure why: it’s not the competitive element, and I’m certainly not particularly good at it. But I love it. I’ve gone to bar trivia everywhere from NYC and Columbus to San Francisco and Milwaukee. Sometimes, I won’t go to bed before doing just one more Sporcle quiz (you’re welcome). And for…