Shenanigans in China

Whenever I visit China, I develop multiple personality disorder. I metamorphose from a respectfully polite Canadian to, well, quite frankly, a bit of an ass. Things I would never consider saying or doing (for sake of basic decency and inhibitions), seem to come more than naturally (and obnoxiously) when I’m in China. Yet, my dual […]

Wanderlust

There are moments in one’s life when one has to stop and ask – “what the heck am I doing here??”. These moments are especially poignant when you find yourself 4800 miles away from the familiar comforts of home, family, friends and your significant other. Inevitably, as the rules of culture shock dictate, the novelty effects […]

The dangers of Switzerland

On a sleepy Sunday night on August 26, 2012, I finally arrived in Switzerland – land of meticulous watchmakers, Swiss cheese, cow bells, the Alps and yodelling contests! Obviously, there must be more to this beautiful country than these stereotypical images. Jet-lagged, scared, and cautiously filled with excitement, I was about to find out what […]

Culture shock!

I’ve often wondered what life would have been like – or more accurately, what I would be like – had I grown up in China. Though I left China at quite a young age (6), I still remember several emotional moments in my short time in Beijing: In my first (and only semester) of grade […]

The “right” rules

I recently attended a seminar about “Cultural Diversity” hosted by an non-profit organization for Canadian newcomers (immigrants). While the slides were informative, what I found most interesting was the emergence of my own preconceptions in rather typical situations. Here was the scenario: 1. Halfway through the seminar, the presenter said “Let’s play a card game”. […]

A trip ’round the world

I recently got back from my trip around the world. Actually, it was a trip to San Francisco, Irvine (California), Zurich, Luzern, Geneva, Edinburgh, Pittenweem (a small fishing village in the Kingdom of Fife, Scotland), and St. Andrews (Scotland). I can now say that I am a world traveler! Indeed, I’ve now slept overnight in […]