It’s hard to believe that it has been three years since we said goodbye to Gracie. In 2024, I marked the day in Kenya. This year, some family and friends will gather for supper at one of her favorite restaurants in the Twin Cities. What follows below is the written and slightly edited version of…
Jo
A consultant, trainer, teacher, and learner who focuses on helping people live well where they don't belong. In my case, that's China. I came to China in 1984 to teach English for a year–or so I thought. Obviously my sojourn has had a duration and scope that I never imagined when I first arrived. I help people prepare for and navigate the challenges of cross-cultural living through writing, speaking, training, and coaching. I’m also a life-long learner–hopefully of EVERYTHING!
A Recluse Hero
On this Memorial Day, I am re-upping this post (with edits) that I first wrote 10 years ago. I always knew him simply as Cousin Del, even though he was actually my mom’s cousin, not mine. He never married and took care of his mother until her death. After my family moved to Minnesota (in the…
A Tribute to My Dad — 25 Years On
TWENTY-FIVE years ago, I was at a small beachside resort in southern Thailand when I got word that my father had died. Within 24 hours I was on a plane bound for Minnesota. Below are the words that I spoke in farewell and tribute to my dad at his memorial service on January 25, 2001…
Best 11 Books I Read in 2025
As usual, my reading selection in 2025 was all over the place — literally. I read in a variety of locations: at home in Minnesota, Massachusetts, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Hong Kong! I read fiction and non-fiction, Christian and secular, many China-related, but some not. These are the best eleven books I read:…
Mississippi Delta Chinese
Earlier in the week, we drove through the Mississippi Delta region of western Mississippi. Blues aficionados may be familiar with the town of Clarksdale, the town that claims to be the birthplace of the Blues. Further down Highway 61, which doubles as the Great River Road and the Blues Highway, is the town of Cleveland….
The End of the River. The End of the Road.
On Tuesday, we rolled into New Orleans after driving for five days from St. Paul. Since we still had 2 hours before we could check into our lodging, we headed to the Cafe du Monde in City Park for beignets! A few days before we set out on the trip, my sister’s husband decided to…