God Bless America?: Reflections on my Third Elections Abroad
The world is having a serious identity crisis. To say that 2016 has been a weird year is to echo the sentiments of...just about everyone. And it goes far beyond…
My American Crush on Memphis (Or, How I Realized Just How American I Am)
Our rented Kia Soul's direction was mainly southwest down I-55 to Saint Louis before we dipped slightly further south and nudged a bit east into the Deep South. As a…
Unbeatable view.
Three Things I’ll Miss From the USA, and Two I Won’t
The plane took off on the first clear Chicago day in a week, passing over I-294 and seeming to hang just for a few moments in the air. I could…
Driving the Amish Country in Indiana
I sat with an ice cream outside of the small, harshly lit shop in Shipshewana, slowly licking the only ice cream cone I'll allow myself until next summer before it…
Under the Loop
Dealing with Reverse Culture Shock (or, why my country confuses me)
When my phone buzzed with a friend inquiring where I was, I had an excuse for being late: I was overwhelmed with being back in the US and had gone…
Americana Overload: A Weekend at Road America
It's a family legend that my father took my mother to a swap meet on their first date. A blind date. Nancy, a sworn non-drinker, coped by downing piña coladas…