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Tag: Los Angeles

Moving Abroad And Saying Farewell: It Never Gets Easier

Moving Abroad And Saying Farewell: It Never Gets Easier

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Cloudy Skies in Shanghai

I woke up to cloudy skies.  I wanted sunshine for my final day here, but I knew a clear day was a rare blessing in Shanghai.  The weather reflected the feelings in my heart: uncertainty, haziness, fear.

I walked out of Z’s room to find she was already in the living room, staring out into the sea of Shanghai’s skyscrapers from her 25th floor window.  Her apartment wasn’t big, but it was cozy.  My suitcases were lined up neatly near the door, my entire life packed into two large bags and one carry on.  My heart winced as I looked at them. read more

Save Over $10,000 a Year By Living in Tokyo

Save Over $10,000 a Year By Living in Tokyo

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View from tokyo sky tree

I know, you think I must be crazy for suggesting you could save over $10,000 a year by living in Tokyo, a city famous for its supposed ‘high cost of living.’

But if there’s one big smack in the face I’ve received from reverse culture shock in the United States, it’s this:

It’s goddamn expensive to live in America!

I want to compare cost of living in America with what most people consider an expensive country: Japan.

More specifically, Tokyo.

blogphotojapan

This scenario is based on a single individual working in Tokyo with an English teacher’s salary, which is about 30,000 USD per year and averages out to 2,500 dollars per month. read more

Life in Los Angeles is Killing Me

Life in Los Angeles is Killing Me

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Los Angeles Sprawl
Los Angeles Sprawl

My alarm buzzed at 6:00AM, waking me out of my deep slumber. I fumbled in the darkness of the early morning to shut the alarm off and begin yet another 12+ hour day of work and commuting.

Originally, I didn’t want a car. I wanted to just get by with a bike, a ride form my boyfriend every now and then, and the trains—yet it was impossible. The distance from my boyfriend’s house to the train station was 20 minutes away by car, which is almost 90 minutes away by bike. Thus I was forced to lease a car, which costs me a ridiculous amount of money every month. An asset I honestly don’t want, but is impossible to live without in the United States. read more

Merry Christmas from Salt Lake City!

Merry Christmas from Salt Lake City!

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IMG_0877

For the first time in five years, I’m spending Christmas at home.   I’m not flying in on a 13 hour flight from Tokyo or Shanghai.  I’m not spending Christmas in China and Lunar New Years in the states.  I’m actually home during the holidays, and it’s a wonderful feeling.

I flew into Salt Lake City on Christmas eve and was greeted to a white blanket of snow on Christmas morning.  It was the perfect Christmas present to my morning.

IMG_2279

Although I’m spending the holidays in the United States, the month of December hasn’t felt much like Christmas because of Los Angeles. read more

The Good and Bad in Los Angeles Living

The Good and Bad in Los Angeles Living

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PalosV

Since my fateful return in April and the initial culture shock that ensued after China, I have found both good and bad to my new life in Los Angeles.

I Miss the Seasons

I returned to America for a myriad of reasons, one of the big ones being:

Pumpkin Spice Flavored Goods

(Note: Asia has no such thing as the American pumpkin)

photo credit: julochka via photopin cc

photo credit: julochka via photopin cc

Oh, how I lamented when I saw my friend’s pumpkin spice latte photos taken in the U.S. I’m having a new craft pumpkin spice beer, my friend from the U.S. would tell me over Skype, gulping it in all its delicious glory as I sat on the other end of the world, completely helpless. We’re having your favorite pumpkin pie, my parents would tell me as I heard them chomp on that delicious, orange morsel with whipped cream on top. read more