I noticed more people are reading my Chinese funeral blog post these days, and I wonder if it has to do with Covid-19, though I am unaware …
How to Plan a Chinese Funeral: A step-by-step guideRead More
Lessons Learned from My Father’s Death
Today is Father’s Day. Half a year has gone by since my dad passed away. To be honest, I’m not feeling sad today. It feels like a normal …
January 28, 2019
Yesterday was January 28th. The date on my one-way ticket to Colombia, the first stop on my solo adventure across South America. It was also …
What does grief look like?
My friend asked if I’ve had a big cry. I have a few times: the morning I found my dad already gone, the next day when I went to …
A Traditional Chinese Funeral: Rites, Rituals, and Little Time for Processing
Surreal is the best word to describe my dad’s funeral. It was a 3 hour-long series of Buddhist rituals interrupted by paperwork and …
A Traditional Chinese Funeral: Rites, Rituals, and Little Time for ProcessingRead More
Losing My Dad
For the first time in my life, I feel grief. But only moments of it when the realization hits that I’ll never see my dad or hear his voice …
My (Transformed) Arbitrary Idea of Happiness
I'm sitting at my brand new kitchen table with a pretty view of my recently acquired backyard and tall trees beyond it. I have my coffee, my …
The only thing leftover is cake!
You know how people always ask on your birthday if you feel any different? Normally I'd say nope, no changes. But this year, when nobody …
“Health is Wealth!”
Old(er) travelers are troves of life lessons and good advice. One piece of advice I always receive and will generously share with you all …
“Emily, how can you afford to travel so much?”
(Post updated after deeper reflection) I get asked this question a lot, and it's often assumed I'm made of money, spoiled or both. But …