THE UNAPOLOGETIC TRAVELER
Warning: This is rated R*
*If you’re under 18, please don’t read this. Thank you.
Best Stories of All Time
If you have never read my stories, or if this is the first time you came across this blog, you can start here. I’ve put together a compilation of the top five stories from the last few years that my readers loved the most. Enjoy!
For God’s Sake
My friend sent me a gift from the Forbidden City to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year. “A few fun things to play with,” her note said. What she didn’t say was that the box also included a few sacred things.
Not So Secret Santa
Imagine what would happen if you introduced the idea of Secret Santa to a group of friends in China who had never heard of it before.
The Great Dinner
I wanted to impress a girl, so I threw a Thanksgiving dinner at my place. But if I knew then what I know now, I would have kept Turkey frozen and my dignity unbroken.
Molds and Blindfolds
What happens when your blind date blindfolds you?
Love, Lust, and Love Handles
As an expat in China, I get exposed to many thought-provoking phenomena. However, when it comes to sexual performance anxiety, it’s all the same, whether you’re in Toronto, Tokyo, or Timbuktu.
Old is Not Always Gold
One of the things I most enjoy during my travels is shopping for gifts. I love when I discover something that makes me think of a friend, a family member, or a colleague. But how do you ensure that what you’re buying is worth it?
How to Spot an Asian Girl
What happens when you’re over 40, and discover that the perfect woman for you is a mixture of someone who is an “Asian Girl,” a “Health Whore,” and an “Artsy Bitch.” And they’re all in their late 20s.
Touch Me Not
What do you do when there’s a new disease in town, and everyone assumes it’s coming from you. Welcome to the wonderful world of being an expat in China.
Not All Fires Burn the Same
Whenever I explore a region, I do my best to learn about its culture and traditions, to ensure that I don’t disrespect them. Yet, I never seize to amaze myself because at the end, I still fuck it all up.
Weekend in Wasteland
This is the story of when I got locked in the garbage disposal area, during a COVID 19 lockdown in Shenzhen, China.
Come Back to My Lemon Castle
I went on a blind date that taught me that sometimes when life gives you lemons, you can’t make lemonade, even when they come from a Lemon Princess.
Lost in Translation
What happens when a Canadian expat watches a Spanish film in a Chinese theatre with no subtitles.
Horses Lend Us the Wings We Lack
During my travels to Puzhehei, a scenic area in the Yunnan province of China, I met a horse that changed my life.
Great Expectations
I went to Dali, a beautiful city, sandwiched between mountains and Erhai Lake in the Yunnan province of China, to celebrate my birthday. This is the story of what happens when you have extremely high expectations from people who have no clue that you have them.
Dodging Deputies in Dali
What happens when you’re enjoying your holidays in a foreign country, and suddenly you find out that you’ve been put on a wanted list by the deputy police, and there’s no way for you to get out of it.
White Monkeys
White monkey is a term used to refer to the phenomenon of white foreigners in China being hired for modeling, advertising, or promotional jobs on the basis of their skin color. It’s based on the perception that association with foreigners, specifically white foreigners, can signify prestige, legitimacy, and international status.
An Indecent Proposal
As an expat in China, renting an apartment is a whole other beast, it’s a cut-throat game played between the landlord, the agent, and the expat. When I found the perfect apartment, and went to sign the contract, I got a taste of what it really meant to be an expat in China.
Dumb Foreigner
My travels to over 40 countries have changed the way I think, the way I create art, and the way I interact with locals. It has also made me a cultured, well-mannered, and a respectful traveler. At least that’s what I thought until last weekend, when I went on a double date, and a woman shattered my self-perception into 40 million pieces.