A cute baby monkey is peeking from behind its mama in Dambulla, Sri Lanka...
Wednesday Postcard: Sri Lanka
Life in China: How Does China Compare to the USA?
It’s November 2018. We’ve now lived in Shenzhen, China, for more than a year. People often ask us, “How does living in China compare to living in the USA?” or “How does teaching in China compare to teaching in the USA?” So, in this installment of Life in China, we will endeavor to answer those questions. We’ll also consider...
Wednesday Postcard: Portland Head Light
Happy Wednesday, everyone. We decided to start a new weekly column on our blog. So often we have a photo or two to share but it’s not enough for a full-length blog post. Enter Wednesday Postcard: a photo and a short story to go with it. Today’s postcard is from Maine. We love the Pine Tree State, we have...
Can I Travel with Kids?
“Can I travel with kids?” You’d be amazed how often people ask this question! Of course you can travel with kids! You can travel with big kids, and you can travel with small kids. At this point, ours, both under six, have been to almost 30 countries. Jenia often quotes this dialogue from the Paris, Je T’Aime movie: Vincent:...
The Immigrant Worker
I stereotyped people freely, and I didn't know how to relate, nor did I make any effort to try....
Keeping a Routine While Traveling with Kids
Part of the fun of traveling is that you get to leave your routines behind, right? Well, that maybe true to an extent. However, since we travel with our kids, we find that keeping a routine while traveling with kids is vital. Knowing which aspects to keep up with is important for traveling well as a family with young...
Top Tips for New Expats. Be Prepared for Life Overseas!
Moving overseas is a great, big undertaking! Accordingly, we are frequently asked by people who are preparing to move overseas for the first time if we’ve garnered any wisdom we can share with them. The short answer is yes! We’ve definitely got some tips for new expats moving abroad to help you be prepared for your new life. Our...
Northern Michigan Itinerary for a Family on a Budget
Everyone who visits northern Michigan goes to Mackinac Island. But Mackinac Island is an expensive place and kitschy, too. So what can you do in Northern Michigan that’s both budget friendly and not hokey? We consulted our friends Jody and Megan Terrell at Wallhanger Photography, headquartered in Kalkaska, and then we hit the road together to have some fun....
Life in China: How does Living in China Compare to Living in the UAE?
Many of you know we started our expatriate lives off teaching overseas in the United Arab Emirates. You maybe wondering the same question we find ourselves asked frequently: “How does living in China compare to living in the UAE?” Or perhaps, “How does teaching in China compare to teaching in the United Arab Emirates?” As it turns out, that’s...
Are JBL Noise Canceling Headphones Worth It? Real World Review 2018
Jenia and I have been flying extensively since 2012. We’ve found intercontinental flights can be really draining. In the last few years we started hearing more and more about how great noise-canceling headphones are for long flights, but because good ones are expensive, we steered clear. Could they really be that nice? Are noise canceling headphones worth it? Since...