Nara was a quieter, less expensive alternative to staying in Kyoto. We just needed to defeat the lock on the B&B.

I didn’t love the fortune I received from the temple. Fortunately, I didn’t have to keep it.

We had some delicious food in Japan, and it was almost always an adventure.

I stopped in Kamakura to speak to a Japanese camera crew, and now I might be an infomercial star in Japan.

We took 2,216 photos in Japan. Did we ask permission for any of them? I asked one time.

You don’t have to see to find the escalators or know when the train doors are closing. Just listen to the birds.

I was looking forward to a fantastic dinner. Uber almost ruined my plans.

It was subtle and discreet, but he was definitely laughing at us while we tried to figure out the bus signage.

It’s difficult enough to ask strangers if I can take their photo. I wonder if it will be even more difficult in Japan.

I can walk for an hour in this Houston suburb and not see another person. I miss French squares filled with people.

After only 30 days, I’m sure I don’t have a true picture of expat living, but I learned a few things.

As a frequent traveler and someone who cares about the environment, I knew I should take public transportation. I was irrationally nervous about it.

It’s difficult to ignore a giant flea market at your front door, even if you’re not a shopper.

Being sick did a number on my frame of mind. While stuck in my apartment, I started to miss American life and I was annoyed at all things French.

I always come across articles on “How Not to Dress Like a Tourist.” But the idea of not looking like a tourist is kind of laughable.

"Help me. Help me." I saw a young Asian man yelling and waving his arms. The man sounded desperate.

If you’ve ever romanticized the idea of walking to the local market every day, you’re right, there are benefits…and some downsides.

Even in this large French city, I'm beginning to feel like this is my neighborhood and I am getting to know the shopkeepers .

The man at the next table wanted to know where I was from. He said he only asked because I had coffee with lunch, unusual in France.

I’d been hitting DuoLingo pretty hard. Still, I hesitated because it was the middle of the night.