NOTES FROM THE ROAD
Liberating the Dharma for Women: A Visit to a Revolutionary Buddhist Monastery in Thailand
At first glance, Wat Songdhammakalyani is a familiar sight in Thailand. Situated along a busy road about 50 km outside of Bangkok, this Theravada Buddhist monastery is an oasis within the noise and busyness of [...]
A Canadian and an American walk into a Nepalese restaurant in Korea. . .and get married!
When I came to Korea in April of 2018, marriage was probably the last thing on my mind. I won't bore you with the backstory in this post as I've discussed it in others. Suffice [...]
Halfway there: Reflections on a year and a half in Jeollanamdo, Korea
It was a year and a half ago that I packed my bags and headed to Newark Liberty International Airport: destination, Seoul, South Korea. It's fair to say that my life at that stage was [...]
Exploring Borneo: A week in Sarawak, Malaysia
In the weeks leading up to our visit to Malaysia in January, many people seemed puzzled by our plans to spend a week at Damai Beach Resort in Sarawak, 40 km north of the city [...]
Hindu Culture in Malaysia: Thaipusam at the Batu Caves
Malaysia is easily the most interesting country I have visited thus far in Asia. A melting pot of cultures and religions, it is home to Malay Muslims, Indian Hindus, Chinese Buddhists and folk practitioners, as [...]
Christmas in Korea: Spending the Holidays Abroad
There are many upsides to living in Korea and teaching in the public schools here. The pay and benefits are excellent, the culture is interesting, the standard of living is high and the social life [...]
MUSINGS
Why Radicals and Pragmatists Need Each Other
“A man who does not have something for which he is willing to die is not fit to live.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr. "Politics is the art of the possible" ~ Otto von Bismarck [...]
Life after Facebook: Why I finally quit social media for good
For billions of us in the world today, social media has become an integral part of our lives. Whether we use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or all of the above, these apps are sending dozens of [...]
A “Post-Truth” Election Year: Propaganda, Conspiracy theories, and Trump’s “Big Lie”
2020 has been the most surreal year of many of our lives. As if things weren't already weird enough, we now have the fear and confusion of living through a global pandemic to contend with. [...]
The Vegetarian Experience in Jeollanamdo, Korea
This piece was also published online and in print in the January 2020 edition of Gwangju News in South Korea. If you are interested in reading my other published works, please see the portfolio section [...]
Why U.S. citizens abroad need to vote in the midterm elections
This article will be published in of Gwangju News under the title "Why U.S. citizens in Korean should vote in the midterm elections." But this applies equally to all U.S. citizens abroad. You need to [...]
Music for the Journey #1: Grateful Dead, Dave Matthews, Pete Seeger, John Mayer, Ben Howard, Xavier Rudd & Mickey Hart
It is early September here in Nampyeong. For those of you who don't know, this means it's desk warming time for those of us who work at the English town, which starts its programs on [...]