February 13, 2019 Taking on Taiwan: Hiatus in Hsinchu Most days, I feel like I am on a speeding train, with no stops in sight. I have, fortunately and unfortunately, made it so my life is bustling with activities and tasks to complete, which I am grateful for 98% of the time. It’s true: I love feeling like there’s always something to do or work towards. Without a goal or a destination, I feel aimless and I get restless, and then get irritable. But I made sure that upon 2018’s end, there would be no such hectic planning or too many commitments to attend to. New Years’ was more or less a hiatus from the norm.
November 25, 2018 Travels from the Time Vault: Sweden Twelve years ago, my father received an email from a local hockey coach. We’d barely been in the Chicagoland area a year at this point, but the coach presented an idea worthy of consideration. In the spring, coincidentally during spring break, he was taking a team to Stockholm, Sweden, and he asked if we would be willing to participate. I’d be the only girl on an all boys team (and the first girl to every participate in the tournament), which to me, was just a small detail included in the entire offer. I’d stay with a host family and we’d be there for a whole week, taking in the Swedish culture, playing against Swedes and some Finnish players, and exploring the city. In my mind, it was a no brainer: we had to go. Luckily, everything checked out. Five months later, we gathered at the airport with the team and embarked for Arlanda International Airport.
