An Asian American in Myanmar

The clanging of spatula against wok, churning out delectably greasy, fried snacks at the corner. Trishaws whistling at me to gtfo of their way. I traded fluorescent lights in a cubicle for stray dogs and monsoon season.

Exploring, Learning and Adventuring the World Around Me

I sat in my four-by-five foot cubicle staring at the computer screen. The highlighted cell on the spreadsheet stared back at me. I glanced at my to do list and back at my computer.

Why we must redefine failure.

I remember tests when I was younger: Demonstrate how you get from Point A to Point B or solve for X in terms of Z. I would anxiously wait to hear my name called and scramble to the front of the classroom to grab the test. Uninterested in any comments that might line the…

Overheard in Xintang Town

Despite its rustic trappings, small population, and relative geographic isolation, the auricular environment of Xintang Township — in terms of actual decibel-output — often rivals that of the bustling streets of its more eminent megalopolis-cousins: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou…

Thousand Island Lake, The Milan-Seine Hotel, and My First Encounter With Chinese Law Enforcement

My post at Ouyang Yu Middle School in Hunan province doesn’t start until August 15th, but our training in Chiang Mai, Thailand began on May 30th and ended June 11th…

Rice, Rice Noodles, or Rice Paper- The choice you must make at every meal in Viet Nam

Since it’s Thursday and I’m now back in the land of the Big Mac, waffle tacos, and the double down sandwich from KFC, I figured a #throwback to an early post of mine from my time in…

On Culture and Community

As a 50+ year old organization, culture and community are some of our defining attributes. Our participants typically start at VIA as strangers but leave our programs with a lifelong connection to our organization and our community. Each year, VIA welcomes over 400 participants from…