I started this blog to write down the moments I don't want to forget. I hope you like it and I hope it helps me to find my voice.
Under the Tree
What should we do when everything falls apart? I think our education system is missing one of the most important lessons in life: how to cope with disappointment. They teach us how to dream big and strive for success, but not how to change course when life doesn't go according to plan. It's easy to say, …
Not you, Tokyo
“God damn it, I hate this city.” My first impression of Japan’s capital was, honestly, not very positive. It was 2001 — I know, for some readers it may sound like prehistory — but I was there. Eighteen years old, a freshman in a university with a literature major, which meant I still hadn’t figured …
On Top of the Peninsula
I usually travel cheap. Backpackers are my go-to accommodation. I mostly eat at cafés or food courts, or grab takeout from street vendors. I take public transportation. But sometimes life takes me to unexpected places—like a bar lounge on the 28th floor of the Peninsula Hotel. For a 29-year-old on a business trip, it was …
My Independence Day
Is this the place I’ve always wanted to be?Is this the place I want to stay forever? On July 4th, 2009, I was in New York.More precisely—on the balcony of a 19th-floor apartment on West 48th Street, between Broadway and 8th Avenue. I was invited to a house party to see the fireworks display for …
A Lesson in Grace
“What do you want for your birthday?” When my 15th birthday was approaching, mom asked me. I couldn’t think of anything. I’ve always been like that—my mind full of wants until the moment I’m asked, and then suddenly, everything feels unnecessary. Also, I didn’t want to bother my mother. She was a single parent who …
Staples of the Soul
Cafe latte and sofa. Those are the two things I want when I go to a cafe. On December 19th, 2023, I found a perfect cafe in Krakow. It had a large armchair, an espresso machine, and a variety of sweets and sandwiches. I ordered a cheesecake and a cafe latte. I sat down in …
Fear of Missing the Bus
To me, one of the greatest stresses in life is being stuck in traffic. On a beautiful morning in October 2017, we were stuck on the local bus in Nice. I needed to get to the bus terminal to take a coach to Genoa. The bus stop was just a short distance away, but the …
One in A Billion
Have you ever seen someone (typically a guy from a developed country) travelling to India seeking a spiritual awakening? You can sneer at their tangled hair and the way they say “Namaste” with an accent. But in fact, I was also one of those people who went to India seeking spiritual inspiration - or at …
Toi, Toi, Toi
Let me raise a question. Do you believe in marriage? As a child from a divorced couple, my answer is no. Growing up, I have been having a mixed feeling toward marriage — its concept, its institution, and its obligation in general. It was not something I would readily subscribe to. Vending to love someone …
Letting My Hair Down
It is hard to pick one favourite place in Australia, but Byron Bay is certainly one of the special places for me. On June 23rd 2014, I was walking on the beach at sunset. The beach was not too crowded. Some dogs were playing with a ball, and some surfers were trying to catch the …
A Thousand Years 