Christmas in France

Sapin de Noël in Cassis, amid the Platane trees. It is both exciting and saddening to spend Christmas in a country that isn’t your own. The prospect of learning about…

Homesick Holiday Help

Marseille’s Christmas market, the Foire aux Santons, is one new tradition I’m looking forward to. Photo credit: Ladmedia.fr Having lived outside of the United States for most of my life,…

Pumpkin Pie Thanksgiving Abroad

This year will mark my third Thanksgiving in Colombia. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, I have a conveniently large group of North Americans to celebrate with. Every Thanksgiving, Volunteers and…

The Big Move

If you think Adventure is scary, try routine — Paulo Coelho December 2008. My father had passed away a month earlier. I felt numb, unable to feel joy or pain….

Inspiring women

While walking to work the other day, my mind was flickering round in its usual disorganised state when my thoughts finally settled on International Women’s Day. I began to think…

Athens, I Love You

The first international airport I ever landed in was Athens Hellinikon. I was 18, desperate to hear, touch, taste, smell, and see life outside my middle-class, Christian, white, American bubble….

Connecticut Is My Heart

At a party last night, during introductions to friends of friends, someone asked, “Where are you from?” – a pretty standard getting to know you question. When I answered, “Connecticut,”…

135 lbs

Hi. My name is Samantha Wu and I weigh 135 lbs. I’ve got tummy fat and the remnants of sprinter legs (for those who have little experience with track, that…

Roots of my Values

When I started school, I was enrolled in a private Catholic school despite being from a family with no religious tendencies at all. We moved when I was 7, before…

Need a boost? Try some sunshine.

If you know my story than you know I have battled depression for the last eight years or so. My triggers come in all forms: being too stressed, recalling on…