Boston has an unmistakable energy—a city constantly in motion, shaped by generations of students, innovators, and dreamers. That vitality is hardly surprising given the concentration of world-renowned universities, but Boston’s appeal extends far beyond its campuses. What makes the city truly captivating, at least to me, is its patchwork of distinct neighborhoods, each with its […]

Chicago has character—gritty, deliberate, and unmistakably hard-working. Its palette leans blue and gray, steel and glass softened by the vast, steady presence of the lake. Unlike most American cities, it moves with a comprehensive transit system: elevated lines threading through downtown, their rumbling trains echoing along the corridors of streets, adding both texture and motion […]

We spent a few whirlwind days in Suibin, and the adventure began almost immediately with a visit to the local police station. Since I was staying with family instead of a hotel, registration was required. From the officers’ reactions, it was clear that a Western visitor in Suibin was something of a novelty. I was […]

Heilongjiang, way up in northeastern China, isn’t exactly what you’d call a wealthy province. Its GDP sits in the lower third of the country—eight or nine times smaller than the richest provinces—and most of its economy revolves around farming, with grain, rice, soybeans, and corn taking the spotlight. Outside of Harbin, the Heilongjiang province capital, […]

Lijiang We arrived in Lijiang by train, joining a queue of passengers at the station exit where IDs — passports in my case — were scanned before we could leave. Our driver dropped us at the edge of Lijiang Old Town, where motor vehicles are not allowed. From there, hotel staff carried our luggage through […]

Flying into Dali, the sun shone brightly as mountains rose like giants from the earth. Upon landing, taxi drivers—some of whom had returned to Dali after years working in the big eastern cities—queued outside the airport for departing passengers. We chose one, and after a twenty-minute drive arrived at our courtyard hotel in Dali Old […]

Beijing was the first stop on our two-week trip to China, and I arrived feeling a mix of excitement and unease. Growing up in the United States, most of what I had heard about China came through a negative or adversarial lens, especially when it came to internet censorship. Those feelings followed me off the […]

Osaka was our third and final stop in Japan. If Tokyo dazzled with its mega-city energy and Kyoto captivated with its spiritual charm, Osaka felt like an unexpected treasure—vibrant, genuine, and quietly revealing its character the longer we stayed. Dotonbori Arguably the heart of Osaka, the Dontonbori was unique from entertainment districts I have experienced […]