Here is Ash, on her way to her next chapter in her life. The last time we met, it was Kichijoji and cool. This time it was summer—airless and humid…
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New environments help you gain new perspectives, I'd visit temples with dense foliage to block out the busyness of Tokyo, or huge gardens, where you can only see the tops of neighbouring buildings…
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It is under the norms and rituals of certain cultures that mental health issues are exacerbated, and morph into something greater than the sum of their parts…
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Be grateful.
Be grateful.
Be grateful.
Do not complain.
Accept your fate.
I have learnt long ago to take only that which feeds me…
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In the 1950s, we were “America.” People emulated us; wanted our products and blindly tried to fit round pegs into square holes. You could emigrate to the US, and you could be “American” in that era, but that meant emulating “white” America…
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I am Dutch, grew up in Germany and went to an American international school. My husband is Japanese, grew up in Ecuador and went to both Japanese and American international schools there. We often joke that our family is like the UN with all its different cultures and languages…
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Sara promptly opened the fridge, retrieved sustenance in the form of canned tuna and continued. After the session was over and everyone had left, I returned to my fridge and to my horror (distaste, displeasure, disdain, etc.) saw $1.10 lying on the counter…
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We were both required to take a placement test. I didn’t place very high, but brought my results to my advisor and got signed up no problem. Samiya, on the other hand, took it and scored very high. When she brought her results to her advisor, he said, “No way is this your score. No way a person like you can score this high”…
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“We African-Americans understand. It is a Black experience” with a gesture that included Patrice. Patrice cut her off immediately. She held up her hand and said, “No one likes a blanket being thrown over them”…
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The peace and tranquility were the main draw cards of Coolbinia Primary School, but it was also one of its major pitfalls. They bred comfort—the type which people get possessive about…
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Time is a very culture-centric topic that my father taught me well across the countries we lived in. On Guam, people were usually an hour late on an island that was 20 minutes wide to drive…
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We are in constant contact with everyone, so we forego personal contact with loved ones…
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These actresses are being condemned for participating in #metoo because of their privilege, while we’re forgetting that talking about abuse is terrifying at best…
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“You know he does porn. The gay type.” It just screamed in italics. My once best friend (from Guam) hissed into my ear at our high school reunion…
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My perceptions on sex have been hammered and scratched and polished. Although I still admit to catching myself admiring ankles from time to time…
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Scattered houses of veneer boards and rusty tin sheets pressed against each other along streets full of dust, are filled with abuse, heartbreak and pain…
Moving away is an emotional process regardless of how close or far you’re heading. Take in all the emotions as they come. Feel like crying? Let the floods of tears come. Feel like laughing? Go for it!
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After one too many times of giving in and being uncomfortable or having it hurt, I said no. He questioned my sexuality because I didn’t want to have sex with him that night…
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