April 28, 2019 Reunion on Marbella Pier I was at my usual place. Sitting still on the edge of the pier, I dangled my legs into the water. My toes dipped into the cold saltwater. I opened my mouth and could taste the seawater on the brim of my lips.
December 5, 2018 Tattooed Back in May 2013, I went in for my first tattoo ever. I was terrified, but I spent a lot of my days back then in a constant state of anxiety. So, in an effort to push myself past my comfort zone, I sat under the needle for about an hour. I got my first tattoo, and one that would cause me a lot of controversy for a couple of years: a girl breaking out of chains.
December 2, 2018 Travels from the Time Vault: Czech Republic Growing up, my parents were adamant about exposing us to our heritage. Both of my parents come from diverse backgrounds. My mother is English, Irish, Scottish, and Polish, while my father hails from Germany, Czechoslovakia, and England. Any family gathering we went to was complete with delicacies from every side of our heritage. They spared no expense when time proved available and there was a chance to explore uncharted territory. I was very blessed with a lot of chances to see England, Germany, and other parts of Europe before reaching adolescence. Among those as I reached my teenage years, Czech Republic made it onto my list of places visited.
July 25, 2018 Learning to Swim with Sharks: How to Survive the Traffic of Taiwan (And Life) Back in August 2016 when I first arrived in Taiwan, I’ll never forget one of the first information sessions our training group had. Most…
July 18, 2018 Waiting On Maria The day is Tuesday. July 10th. Here in Taichung, we await the arrival of Typhoon Maria, who seems to be escaping her planned parade…
June 24, 2018 Linda La Jirafa *This is a work of fiction, based upon current events. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.* Four days ago, my little family–Mamá, Papá, Abuela, Abuelo’s cigars, and I–were pushed into a white van in the middle of the night. Everyone was shouting about tents, the government, and something called deportation. I didn’t understand…