I’ve often searched my room, only to come up empty-handed. I’ve sifted through cabinets without result, and rummaged around the kitchen, not finding the spices to enhance my dish. I…
Home ain’t so bad
Admittedly it wasn’t easy leaving Japan behind. In many senses I haven’t yet. I carried home hundreds of articles and papers for my thesis. I maintain links to friends and…
The Way to a Friend’s Heart
I don’t make friends easily. I’m picky with what movies to watch, which books to read, where to have lunch or dinner. There are only two things I’m always 100%…
A Goodbye to Friends
It’s all trickery. How a year stretches into a lifetime, marked by growth, connection, and departure, is a mystery to me. Time has flown. I run to catch up, but…
An Australian, a Chinese, and a Belgian walk into a Bar
The night after I returned from my first visit to China, from labyrinthine Beijing, charming Xi’an, and neurotic Chongqing, I went for a drink with Matt. I told him about…
Where the Ice comes South
I’ve often talked about the unusual geography of Japan. It stretches like a string of pearls dangling from frozen Kamchatka to the North, over rugged mountains and dense cities, all…
China is Big (and Empty?)
This should come with the important caveat that I’ve only spent limited amounts of time in China, and that I haven’t seen the whole country. Nonetheless, I’d like to share…
Trust scribbled on a leaf
Long before I ever made it to Thailand, I visited the North-African countries of Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt. The latter was a blast, accompanied by my Arabic speaking friend Marnix,…
What even is South Korea?
After living in Japan for a year, it was very difficult not to see it constantly when travelling to Seoul. From the food, architecture, and music, strong connections are everywhere….
Visit the Church and Become the Lord
A couple years back, during the week running up to Old Year’s Eve, I pestered my mate almost incessantly, asking how we’d spend the night. He has a more laid…