1. I broke the no. 1 rule about visiting China just one day in. I accidentally drank the tap water – a decision I regretted almost immediately. The next few hours were markedly unpleasant, largely because my stomach has much…
Frat houses, America, and my downward-facing dog
It feels almost fitting that I will spend my last few days at Yale living in a frat house. So here I am, living out my final two nights in New Haven, sleeping on the fourth floor of ∑AE, which…
Paris est pour les amants
Four years ago, I spent a magical summer in Paris, capturing memories in a long-forgotten blog. Every Thursday, I’ll post my favorite entries from that blog. This is reprinted from 7-4-10. So now I know why they call Paris…
My life in two suitcases
I’m going insane trying to pack. When I found out a few weeks ago that United was going to charge me $100 to check in a second bag (seriously, who does that?), I took that as a challenge. Get 22…
Paris without a map
Four years ago, I spent a magical summer in Paris, capturing memories in a long-forgotten blog. Every Thursday, I’ll post my favorite entries from that blog. This is reprinted from 7-7-10. Today, I decided to be brave and face…
My last hours in Boston and encounters with complete strangers
I didn’t think my trip to Boston would end in tears on the stoop of a house at 5am on a Sunday morning. But there I was, mascara running over my red eyes, half in delirium from sleeping less than two…
Cultural Barriers
Four years ago, I spent a magical summer in Paris, capturing memories in a long-forgotten blog. Every Thursday, I’ll post my favorite entries from that blog. This is reprinted from 7-8-10. The average French man differs significantly from the…
Tea and Macaroons
Four years ago, I spent a magical summer in Paris, capturing memories in a long-forgotten blog. Every Thursday, I’ll post my favorite entries from that blog. This is reprinted from 7-18-10. My first encounter with the concept of macaroons came…
Au Lapin Agile, or my adventures in a French cabaret
Four years ago, I spent a magical summer in Paris, capturing memories in a long-forgotten blog. This is reprinted from 8-3-10. The idea of a cabaret show is appealing to many in the way that people say that “Playboy”…
the overwhelming devastation of 'getting' Russia
I think I’m finally beginning to get Russia. This entire time here, I’ve had such a hard time connecting with people. The people on the street, in the bazaar stalls, my relatives, they have all grown up in such a…
my struggle with the Russian table
In the past twenty-four hours, I have been chased by a pack of wild dogs, helped slaughter a cow, stood knee-deep in said cow’s intestines, peed in public (twice), and climbed over a ten-foot fence at 2 o’clock in the…
Gangs of grannies and my other adventures in the motherland
I’ve been in Russia for less than half an hour and I’ve already seen at least three kids with mullets. I’ve already been yelled at by an airport official (you can’t look at my passport and tell me it’s not mine just…