#12 It's Not Goodbye, It's "See You Later"
Is it fair to say, after a year abroad, that I am the same? Anyone who has studied or lived abroad has probably returned home with a similar sense of confusion as to how to sort all that time away.
Dan Spinelli
#11 What It's Like to Learn Chinese at ICLP in Taiwan
Greetings from the United States! After 16 hours in the air, a little over an hour at the baggage claim, and a three-hour drive home, I made it back to Philadelphia.
This past year has produced a lifetime's worth of memories (and areas of reflection), but I'
#10 China, At Last
I started learning Chinese in the spring of 2020, only a few weeks before...well, you know. I did it mostly on a whim, thinking that if I could keep at it for a month or two, maybe I could be a more empathetic or, at least, better informed journalist.
#9 The One Where I Talk About the Earthquake
Another packed newsletter today, including: a fun Chinese-language-learning story, a crazy travel story, and, oh yeah, that 7.4 magnitude earthquake.
Let's get right into it.
Imagine, just for a moment, that it's a Wednesday morning and you're barely awake. The alarm still fresh
#8 Why I Want to Study China
Hi friends! I'll dispense with my now-standard apology to begin these newsletters. Yes, it's been far too long since I've graced your inbox with a new edition, but hopefully this jumbo-sized newsletter somewhat makes up for my absence this past month.
First, a brief
#7 Making Sense of a Place That Defies History
It's been a busy month since I was last in your inbox. Taiwan elected a new president, the weather in Taipei finally turned bitterly cold—ok, not that cold—and I made it through my midterm presentation (mostly) unscathed. We also have the Super Bowl in a few
#6 Why Do We Come to This Place?
Happy Holidays, everyone! Here in Taiwan, where I'm writing this newsletter against the backdrop of a quintessential Taipei downpour, I've been on winter break for the past two weeks. And yesterday, I came back from eight days in Japan, a trip I'd had high