My Journey & Relationship with Armchair Travel

From Germany to Taiwan

I was born in Germany and raised in California before my family emigrated to Taiwan. Stark cultural differences made me a rather lonely kid, yet the striking commonalities among people from diverse backgrounds gifted me empathy.

My Voyage into International Survey Research

In college, curious about a world that never felt like home, I dove into international survey research, volunteering in Uganda and interning at Tibet-in-Exile within India.

Can Introverts REALLY Travel the World?

Despite my younger self's fervent denial, I have always been an introvert. I struggled with the people-facing career prospects of lobbying, campaigning, and outreach. Harboring guilt, I abandoned my wanderlust and found refuge in Corporate America, analyzing data.

A Barcelona Epiphany

It wasn't until decades later in Barcelona that an epiphany struck. I was nagging my partner about why he couldn't engage more with my travel buddies when, clearly, he was capable of cornering that unlucky tour guide for 20 minutes about European politics. My partner countered that, Sure a Russian can seem standoffish in small talk because they don't see the point of it, but it’s not uncommon for them to vibe over deep, all-nighter conversations (with vodka, if you must ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) until sunrise. This turned out to be what I needed to realize that physically putting myself out there isn’t the only way to explore life.

Embracing Different Styles of Human Connection

Different methods of "travel" illuminate different facets of our world. Though I've never set foot in Russia, I’m optimistic that I understand aspects of its people, from their self-deprecating humor to their excessive potato and sour cream diet. Over the years, I have been learning to accept who I am. Admitting that I am an anti-social world explorer is part of my growth.

Join Me on This New Adventure

Now, I want to share with you the wonders of this immense world as I traverse it—the way I see it—or, as the YouTube gurus call it: I'm starting my own niche, baybeh!