Hawaii is often described as tropical bliss! Images of palm trees and mai tai's come to mind. During my week on Oahu, I found the island to be a hiker's paradise. Below, I will review 3 fun hikes to do while spending time on the "gathering place", Oahu. Viewpoint in Oahu, Hawaii #1. DIAMOND HEAD … Continue reading 3 Hikes on Oahu, Hawaii
What do you think of when you think of Myanmar? Formally known as Burma, this country evokes a range of images when mentioned. Frequented in the news for humanitarian injustices, Myanmar is often seen as dangerous, socio-politically unstable, and a "no-go" for many travelers. This begs the question: Why did I go? Man uses a … Continue reading 3 Things to Do in Myanmar
Taipei is the cosmopolitan capital of Taiwan. I arrived in Taipei for a brief visa run trip and I was instantly hooked by the city's cleanliness, food and affinity for street art. Graffiti art in Taipei The cultural influences of Taiwan are diverse. For example, the influence of Chinese food, Korean music and trendy art … Continue reading Taipei, Taiwan
As I near 11 months on the road, I have a newfound appreciation for the impact of weather on both my mood and the city I am living in (Hanoi)~! Like many cities, Hanoi seems to light up on sunny days. It's a late Autumn afternoon in October and my first Fall season outside the … Continue reading Teaching in Vietnam: #6
A place you stay eventually becomes the place you are living. Then, it becomes a home. In some cases, it is one of many homes. From my experience as a backpacker, this can happen in as few as 3 days or take years to occur. Recently, I have found myself wondering what home means. I … Continue reading Teaching in Vietnam Express Memo
"The mountains are calling and I must go" ~ John Muir Through the field of psychology, we learn how to understand people - a shortened statement often used to describe the purpose of our degree. We learn to empathize with pain of the homeless, the anger of the drunken man, the internalized shame many, to … Continue reading Teaching in Vietnam: #4
Pho with duck, garlic and extra red chili peppers (Hanoi, Vietnam) Human perception can be a funny thing. Specifically, given how one understands their reality can be used to expand one's own perception. Pho with duck (pictured above) turned out to be the perfect motivator for a needed perspective shift in the right direction. Following … Continue reading Teaching in Vietnam: #3
"[Kids] don't remember what you teach them. They remember what you are. " ~ Jim HensonNinh Binh, Vietnam (June, 2019) Responsive teaching is something I have been trying to practice in my classrooms. Truth be told I feel that unless I work to understand my students, I cannot teach them as I will not know … Continue reading Teaching in Vietnam: #2
In my CK8 class, we welcomed a new student. As usual, I asked my students to introduce themselves by sharing their name, age and an interesting fact about themselves. During this activity, one of my students blew me away. She stated her name, age and proclaimed 'I'm gay!'. The vulnerability of this statement, even if … Continue reading Teaching in Vietnam: #1
Temple of the Tooth Sri Lanka, formerly known as 'Ceylon', has recently gained popularity as one of a 'must visit' country in Southeast Asia. Before embarking on my first trip to Southeast Asia, I admittedly did not know much about Sri Lanka aside from being able to recognize a few key landmarks around the country. … Continue reading The 3 Best Things to Do in Sri Lanka
Stampchaser Photography 