I bet we have many places we call ‘home’ for reasons that might be as diverse as the places themselves. And among my many homes that span…

What would she cook today? I started thinking about food right away after making myself comfortable on the train. It was a quarter to ten — just a bit late for dinner. I could have gone home much earlier if the boss hadn’t kept sitting at his desk. There wasn’t…

The fun of studying abroad is that no single experience is the same. My previous student experience in Japan and the UK seemed in part irrelevant in preparing me for Sweden. …

I fell asleep to the sound of raindrops tapping on my window And woke up to same sound that resembles light touches and a lover’s whispers Summer rain Calming as though it has no reason to rush Pop, pop, pop Is the sound of rain hitting the roof Or the sound of time ticking away? As the rain trickles down, the neighborhood awakes A car breezes by An airplane roars overhead The stray cats whine, tasting the wetness of their fur

I started learning Swedish recently to prepare myself for the upcoming master’s program in Sweden. Exploring a new language is not only fun (shout-out to Duolingo), it also allows me to reflect on the lessons I can draw from my previous experience with different languages to apply to learning Swedish. LESSON 1: Don’t go into it with a prejudiced/defeated mind …

To the person who taught me how to love She still remembered the train of thoughts circling in her mind when her boyfriend told her she was beautiful for the first time. There were excitement and pride, but they soon were overshadowed by doubts and insecurities. ‘Has he seen your…

I am living my last months in Japan and everything I have tried to do has been for last time’s sake. To live, and to see and feel and smell and taste life in this country for the last time as a full-time resident. Spring is only slowly settling down…