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Continue reading →: Facing gender inequality In Indonesia, not so different from the West
Last week, I sat on the floor of a community hall watching 12 men devour full plates of steamed corn, sweet potatoes, and bananas, washing down their mouthfuls with swigs of black coffee. The women who had graciously served this food sat on the other side of the room, watching…
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Continue reading →: Jakartans claim public spaces wherever they can find room
If you have noticed the long lull between posts on this blog, you are simply watching what happens after about a year of living in a foreign country. What was once a surprising and obvious topic for a blog has become so expected and commonplace that sometimes I nearly forget…
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Continue reading →: After tense election season, Indonesians breathe sigh of relief
Today my Indonesian language teacher showed up for our lesson wearing a blue and red checkered shirt, typical of the supporters of the newly elected president Joko Widodo (known by his nickname, Jokowi). Today, it seems like the wait is finally over. After three months of tense quiet since the election…
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Continue reading →: Stark contrasts, historical ignorance on display in Indonesian presidential race
Watching the 2014 presidential campaign in Indonesia is sometimes like watching a bad movie’s overwrought metaphor for the tension between democracy and authoritarianism playing out in real life. The choices have narrowed since I last described the presidential candidates, and on July 9, Indonesians will choose either the young populist…
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Continue reading →: Southeast Asia’s forests: vital and vanishing
Forests are key for our food systems and our economy. Forests are a pantry for the world’s poor, and an incubator for biodiversity and unknown genetic material that could lead to vital scientific discoveries. Even those of us who think we live in urban environments may be more dependent on…
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Continue reading →: Tourists in Asia seek freedom, find pain on two wheels
PreviewThe scooter was difficult to control, the road a bit sandy, and before he knew it, the 30-something Irish tourist was on his way to a hospital with a dislocated ankle instead of enjoying his vacation on the sunny island of Ko Samui, Thailand. That is how one man described…
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Continue reading →: There are no foreign lands
When we set out to build our life together abroad, we thought of ourselves embarking on an adventure in foreign lands; we’ve evolved. Over the past three years, we have spent most of our time outside of the U.S.; first Ecuador and now Indonesia have become our homes, and we’ve…
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Continue reading →: Anti-coup flashmobs outwit thousands of armed guards, shut down Bangkok’s shopping district
What would it be like if Thailand’s military coup were happening in New York City instead of Bangkok? If you know Manhattan, imagine opening the Sunday paper to read that as of 9, am all subway stops between Houston and 42nd Street would be closed, because the military government had heard…
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Continue reading →: Mixed messages from Thai coup and a growing divide in the streets
The leaders of the military coup under way in Thailand shortened a nationwide curfew, doled out payments to rice farms, and cracked down more strictly on freedom of speech today. The leadership seems to be trying to soften their image while simultaneously tightening their grip on the country. On Tuesday, coup…
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Continue reading →: Religious fest stretches curfew in Chiang Mai
In Chiang Mai, Thailand, locals butted up against the military-imposed curfew, partying until after 10pm as part of an annual city festival. The Inthakin festival is held in mid-May, to ask the spiritual guardian of the city to bring monsoon rains on time, normally rages late into the night. On…
Hello,
I’m Katherine
I started this blog while living as a single expat more than 20 years ago. Now with husband and two kids in tow I’m keeping the adventures alive. Follow along for travel tips and life detours!
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