It's been much too long since the last time I posted, so here's to things long overdue! The last time I blogged, I reflected on the things I've learned from the coronavirus . I can't believe that was two months ago! I've been in Korea for four months now, and I often half-joke that each month feels like three. Every day is chock-full of learning opportunities. There's a study that explains why summer vacations felt so much longer when we were kids , and subsequently why time

COVID-19 (AKA "coronavirus," AKA "corona," AKA "'rona," AKA "🎶My Corona🎶") ramped up in South Korea just before Valentine's Day, so I guess we really should've been asking people, "Will you be my quarantine?" At this point, everyone is probably sick of hearing about COVID-19, especially since it's even been going viral online. And yet, here we are. In a recent post, I pulled out my medicine-sized soapbox about taking every opportunity to learn something . I'll take this mo

I've had a camera in my hand since I was a kid, yet I am still always learning from my heroes and from the very humbling trial-and-error process. What are some of the best tips I've gotten over the years? 1) Tell a story The most common basic composition tips you'll usually hear are, "Fill your frame," "Include only the important details in your shot," and "Shoot multiple angles to find the winner." But what's the end goal for all these practices? It's to answer this questio

Every day is an opportunity to learn. Even in the most monotonous moments of my life, I challenged myself to learn one new thing every day. I slacked off a lot. But I don't want tooooo, I'd whine to myself some days. It was so easy to let go, to spin back into the cycle of routine, like getting stuck in a whirlpool between the safe shore and the unknown expanse of eternal ocean. Keeping an active mind got me through boring days, sucky days, and happy days. "What did this teac

Back when I was in school, as I took notes very studiously in class, I would just as studiously take notes on any funny interactions between the students and/or teacher. And that has not changed one bit since I started teaching in Korea! This blog post has two parts: Part 1: Korean Superstitions and Why Kids Should Be Hostage Negotiators Part 2: What Dolphins and Teachers Have in Common Part 1: Korean Superstitions and Why Kids Should Be Hostage Negotiators Noteworthy moments

***Update 3/1: As the stabilization efforts continue in South Korea, schools have announced that they will remain closed this week, as well. The streets are quiet, but I am well. People generally seem calmer, though everyone is taking precautions to stay home and practice good hygiene if they need to go out. It's been a great opportunity to relax, sleep, write, binge Netflix, and maintain false promises about cleaning. Ha! If you'd like to better understand the virus, here is

The most common question I get about living in Korea is: "Michelle, what are you eating over there?" It's no secret I'm a vegetarian! (Unless you didn't know, in which case: SURPRISE!) And it's also no secret that Koreans often don't know what a vegetarian is. Korean food consists largely of meat (hence, Korean BBQ and Korean fried chicken -- yes, KFC) and seafood, and meat and seafood hidden in food (which would not be a fun surprise for Michelle). Background/Quick story ti

Hazy high-rises on the hills. Bare branches brave the brazen breezes of winter. Built into Inwangsan Mountain stands a colorful temple, its architecture a pan-Asian blend of Korean history. The intermittent drum beats of Buddhist prayer echo from the temple. Between my feet and the drum beats are wooden steps, stone walkways, and a man smoking a cigarette on the porch of a wide home. My destination is the wall built into Inwangsan, directly ahead. At the gates of the temple,

What's the single most unexpected thing about living in South Korea? Turning an air filter face mask into an everyday necessary accessory. Looking like a post-apocalyptic movie character or like Kitana (or Mileena or Jade or Frost...or maybe the Mortal Kombat world has an air pollution problem, too)... So, what's up with the face mask, anyway? Air pollution gets pretty bad here. You've probably got a smorgasbord of questions now, and so did I! So, let's go through them: What

I'm learning a different type of normal. It's a normal I don't completely understand, yet. There are a lot of things I don't understand, yet. But I've always understood me. Not all the time. But as a whole, I've felt confident with myself, my purpose, who I am. I'm not perfect, and I'm OK with that. I've always been interested in many things, but beyond all, art and stories. Other people's stories and what others have learned. In people who have stayed positive and optimisti

There's something about being 30 that feels like I finally fit into my own shoes. At this point so far, my life experiences, the good and the rough, have molded my identity, and I have lots of practice in adapting to and accepting change. In the past 13 years, there has been a little blip on my radar, a little tugging thought that has popped up every few years. It says, "Leave the country! Make a difference in the world! Change things up!" "You're crazy, little thought," I wo