I had never traveled internationally or spoken any language other than English. Yet somehow, something so seemingly impossible became real. I was about to step out of my comfort zone and personally experience a giant leap of a trip outside of just pictures or videos on the internet.
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We Built La Familia
Maybe it was the traveling we always used to do. A family of six that would pile into a fire-engine red 1985 Chevy van, a vehicle that could easily hold a family of six. However, we would always load the van with all kinds of toys and goodies, so I imagined it looked like Santa's sleigh, filled with as much joy and happiness as he delivered on Christmas Eve.
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Almost Lost Forever: True Love and Survival
When the extraordinary Swedish documentary “Nelly & Nadine,” directed by Magnus Gertten, was released in 2022, it was featured in over 100 festivals and received more than 20 international awards, mainly in Europe. Thankfully in the US, it is now widely available on streaming services like Amazon Prime.
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Ingredients for Love: The Unspoken Language of My Grandma’s Kitchen
As years go by, I spend more and more time making memories in my grandma’s kitchen. It took me a long time to realize that food is how she shows her love. I’ve come to understand that the food we make together isn’t just something to eat; it’s also my grandma’s way of connecting with me and sharing her life story.
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A Premature Death on New Year’s Eve
I was at Primrose Hill, in Camden, London at the time of 16-year-old Harry Pittman’s murder on New Year’s Eve last week.
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The Voice Of Our Ancestors
He hears them. They speak to him constantly. No, not in his head. The voices speak to him in the breeze, the creeks, the leaves, the rocks, the soil, and everything all around him. Sometimes, they speak to him through the eyes of the elders of the community. These are voices that never stop for him.
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I Told my Mother About Gurdjieff
I told her about an experience I had, of mystical ideas. She said to me in Yiddish “Ken nisht herren” (Can’t hear it.) She didn’t want to hear about it, and I thought, “Wait a minute, I can’t talk to her about this.” She was not ready to listen.
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I Feel Closer to My Great Grandma Since She Forgot Who I Am
“Are you sure you want to go visit Grandma T? It might be difficult for you to see her this way,” my grandma, whom I call “Oma,” asked me. “Why?” I asked in return. I knew my great grandma had recently moved from her home to a memory care facility, but I wasn’t aware to what extent her mind had been affected. I hadn’t seen her in a few months. “She gets really upset sometimes,” she replied. “And she probably won’t remember who you are.”
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Is There a Rainbow of Possibilities in Malaysia?
The Mid-May 2023 seizure of rainbow-colored Swatch watches from the brand’s Pride Collection at most major shopping malls in Malaysia, including the regionally renowned Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, Queensbay Mall, and Mid Valley Megamall, struck many a Malaysian local as absurd. Following this crackdown, Malaysians flocked to comment sections on most major social media platforms with sarcastic, lighthearted memes and comments.
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Adventure Hostess: Making My Home a Global Community
Several people passed by my house this year. Many of them just passed by temporarily, but other people stopped by and stayed as long-term friends. For me, being an adventure hostess meant that everyone who needed a place to stay for some days, weeks, or months could come to my house. Welcoming people at home for over a year was my “specialty.”
