Some people argue that first impressions are the most important. I would have to disagree. My first impression with Barcelona was less than ideal. Four years ago, my family and I were traveling through Europe on vacation, and we ended our trip by staying in a hotel off of La Rambla for three days before returning home. To be perfectly honest, it was my least favorite part of an otherwise amazing trip.
Countdown to Spain: three days. Currently, I am seated in the back seat of my mother's car with my younger sister, on the way to visit St. Mary's University on the eastern shore of Maryland. My sister and I are four years apart exactly, so she will be entering her senior year of high school as I enter my senior year of college. It amazes me that four years ago, I was in her shoes: knowing that after a busy year full of college visits, applications, and enjoying every last memory with high school friends, I was about to embark on the next big step of my life.
After a long 3-day weekend thanks to Umi no Hi (海の日), it is back to work. At length, this experience has been enlightening for a number of reasons. Japanese corporate life is all about social intricacy, and you find yourself lost in this dense network of mores and subtleties that you have to learn through experience. I have been trying to keep up, but in a culture of unspoken rules, it is often just easier to make a mistake and learn from it.
Now, if you've been keeping up with my blog and you are someone's parent, eagerly sifting through all the available information in order to be assured that your baby will be safe abroad, I thank and commend you for choosing my humble blog. If you've been consistently reading this blog, you likely have visions of your child coming home after a day of work, settling down with a laptop and planning out weekend trips to sites of cultural import as he or she settles into a comfortable, quiet night. Please, read no further. I'd hate to be the one to destroy your innocence.
Came back from Amsterdam this weekend and it was an absolute BLAST! I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to be in a country who were finalists in the World Cup! Sunday was pure crazyness! I seriously feel bad for anyone who has a phobia of orange because the entire day there was nothing but orange.
Nightlife and Beijing. Beijing and nightlife. The two go hand-in-hand. Never before have I lived in such a sleepless city. Granted I have never lived in any of the major cities in the U.S., but I still can't help but think that Beijing is high up there on the list of best nightlife activity scenes. Whether you like to bar hop, dine late or karaoke all night- Beijing can satisfy your every need. I am constantly lifting my jaw up to close it because I keep hearing about all of these cool hipster bar/lounges.
There was nothing more perfect than escaping the sweltering Paris heat for a relaxing weekend by the beach. I was invited by some family friends to spend the weekend at their summer house in Val d'Andres, a tiny town on the coast of Bretagne in north-western France.
The beauty of the city is that there is a niche for everyone. Tokyo is a nexus of culture and tradition, and like all urban environments, there is a convergence of everything and anything. Be a little nosy goes a long way, and the detective work ultimately leads you to something unexpected and unbelievable. All it takes is a little courage.
