I pass them every single day. I recognize them. The man in the metro who walks around with a small, dirty espresso cup after he plays the same, disjointed melody that might be Frank Sinatra, might be his own composition, on his clarinet. The heavy set woman with her hair covered who sits on a little … More The War on Pain
It’s raining again. The weather has become a popular topic of conversation these days. When I pass the cleaning man in my apartment building as I head out for a run, and he asks how I’m doing, I smile and tell him that I’m doing well, and himself? And he tells me he’s well too, happy … More A Sunless Summer in Paris
We decided to have dinner in the park. We like to save money and eat well when we travel, so we rode our bikes over to the Hakaniemi Market Hall and decided to take our food to go so we could picnic at Kaisaniemi park, right in the heart of the city. We had only been in Helsinki for … More Talking to Strangers
I can’t stop smiling. It’s past 8pm and the sun still hasn’t set, the birds are still out chirping, and all I see out the window of my little apartment is green. Green on the trees, green spattering the ground, even a little green growing on the buildings. My suitcase stares at me ominously from the … More Sprung
I ate my salad standing up, as I watched my steak gristle in the pan with the butter, onions, and mushrooms that I had tossed in. A TEDxtalk played on my phone next to me as I watched my sizzling meat, glancing over every now and then to see the charts that the speaker was … More Living in the Belly of the City of Lights
Over the course of the past three and a half years, I spent roughly 8,000 minutes in a classroom. I listened to lectures, took notes, wrote papers, crammed for tests, over-flooded my already busy schedule with internships and part-time jobs, and checked all the boxes that would land me a degree. Then, in about five minutes, … More Becoming Adult: More Transitions and Growing Pains
Someone knocked on the door. “Uh, Linet, someone’s at the door!” I called out, unsure if I should answer it. A face popped into view through the window next to the metal door, and Dorcas’ eyes peered in. Her short hair, cropped close to her head, bobbed as she nodded in greeting. Though I had only seen … More How Making Friends and Understanding Culture Are Directly Tied
Right now, I feel more myself than I have in a long time. Over the course of the past year, I have often found myself struggling with a sense of who I am in the context of different environments. I’ve been somewhat identified by my “background.” I’m Kate from Houston, Texas; Kate the American; Kate who is half … More A Cross Cultural Identity Crisis
I had forgotten about the fireflies. The tiny little firecrackers that lit up my grandparents’ backyard and once flooded my memories of childhood summers, with their little sacs of glowing goo that sometimes streaked the jar I caught them in to win a slushy from the 7/11 gas station. I forgot that they fly here, too. In fact, … More The Flash of the Firefly
Sometimes I try to remember what it felt like the first time I made a friend. The furthest back I can remember using the term “best friend” I think was when I told my parents and anybody who asked that a little girl I spent all my time running around and holding hands with in my first pre-school … More Making Friends on the Playground
The Transition Artist 