Body Memories: What is Trauma?

Experiencing a fire can cause trauma. But what can help? Image from wildforestfires.com. If there’s one thing I hate, it’s somatic memory. It’s what makes your stomach ache, your throat…

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….

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,”…

Ghosts of Birthdays Past

Celebrating birthdays in a new place can lead to a host of emotions—enthusiasm, joy, freedom, anxiety, or even nostalgia. This year, it was yet another reminder of how much can…

Good-bye Bologna

My last week in Italy was a surreal blur of exams, papers, parties, late night dancing, watching the sun come up from my balcony. Until all of a sudden I…

Going home again (kind of sucks)

I don’t know about you, but I never really miss a place when I’m not there. Of course I miss people, but the place – no. I’m pretty adaptable. Put…

Finding home: Here and now, and…then?

Consult the self-improvement powers that be, and you’re likely to hear one of two things: 1)   Embrace the present 2)   Envision the future What you won’t hear, what is to…

Marathon Tourism

Since 2006, “running a marathon” has also come to mean “travel excuse.” In fact, I cannot imagine myself running a marathon (whether half or full) in a town I’ve been…

A Few Favourites

Photographs are an excellent way to save memories of people, places, friends, events, sunsets, scenery etc. While at times it is important to put the camera down and just look…

The angst of losing a parent

By Poonam Kirpal, Guest Writer I always maintained that with the biological clock ticking, midlife is the logical time when one loses a parent and, being the practical one that…