Big droplets of rain pummel the tar as we sit under the cover of a metal roof, watching the late-season storm cleanse Chiang Mai. Over icy glasses of Sangsom and Coke, and boozy chat about how to not get sucked into the abyss of Chiang Mai Expat-ness, an idea is born: 2014 is going toContinue reading “The year of living for me”
Category Archives: Expat Life
Why I’m grateful for Chiang Mai
Three years ago, if you would have asked me about a future in Chiang Mai, I may have gone all glassy-eyed and distant. Chiang Mai was a dream to me three years ago. The elephants were a dream to me then, too. I lived in a world where I was not satisfied with my existence.Continue reading “Why I’m grateful for Chiang Mai”
Chiang Mai Moments: The moto ride
Welcome to a new series on d travels ’round, Chiang Mai Moments. This series will profile small moments in time during my life  as an expat in Chiang Mai. The moments which normally would get pushed aside for the bigger picture of life, but deserve more. There is no schedule for these posts. There is no format. TheseContinue reading “Chiang Mai Moments: The moto ride”
20 things I love about Chiang Mai
Today is Sunday, July 13, 2014. Two years ago today, I changed my life. I hopped on a Trans-Pacific flight to Chiang Mai, the second largest city in Thailand, to begin anew. To work with my hero, Lek Chailert, and help raise awareness about responsible elephant tourism with Save Elephant Foundation. A lot can happenContinue reading “20 things I love about Chiang Mai”
Celebrating Passover in Chiang Mai
Rabbis clad in the Orthodox suits stand upon chairs, clapping their hands with smiles on their faces as our makeshift congregation of travelers and expats clap along. “Day-day-enu, day-day-enu, day-day-enu, dayenu, dayenu, dayenu,” we all sing together, accents melting into the chorus of the Passover song. It’s the first night of Passover, the firstContinue reading “Celebrating Passover in Chiang Mai”
The blessing of Chiang Mai
Living in Chiang Mai, I am constantly treated to spectacular visual beauty, thanks to the hundreds of temples and religious activities which regularly occur here. Any given morning, en route to work, I get to see people praying to monks and offering alms to them to bring back to their respective temples. The beauty ofContinue reading “The blessing of Chiang Mai”
Questions to ask before becoming an expat
Making the decision to become an expat isn’t an easy one — there are many factors to consider when deciding to live away from your own country. I have met so many people who tell me they wish they could be an living as an expat. While being an expat is amazing and life-changing, itContinue reading “Questions to ask before becoming an expat”
Breaking up with booze
The Comfort Zone Project and my quest to not be “fat” in Thailand are leading me down a path of mindful eating, five-day-a-week workout sessions (three of which are with a personal trainer) and breaking up with booze. OK. So, not really “breaking up,” but more like “we’re going into a very restricted relationship. Almost likeContinue reading “Breaking up with booze”
Travel bloggers favorite places to live as expats
I’ve been living in as an expat in Chiang Mai for almost two years. It’s a great place to call home and I love living here. The lifestyle is fantastically chill, the cost of living is low compared to American prices, and there is such a beauty in waking up in a foreign country. WhyContinue reading “Travel bloggers favorite places to live as expats”
The fat girl in Thailand
This post is a part of the year-long Comfort Zone Project. “Oh, why you so pom pui?” People ask me. Strangers. Friends. You name it. Pom pui. You’d think one of the first words I would learn in Thailand would be how to ask someone’s name, or how to ask for directions. But, nope. OneContinue reading “The fat girl in Thailand”
D Travels 'Round 