“It’s crazy how similar and different people in cultures around the world are. I’m always surprised by the places I can handle vs the places that catch me off guard. I thought I could handle China, but after I got there I was like ‘Nope, not doin this’.”
“Are you Chinese?”
“No, my mom is Korean, and my dad is half Mexican, half white. I lived in Korea and traveled around and then decided to move to China. I thought I wouldn’t get culture shock at all but within 48 hours I was trying to book a ticket out.”
“What was it?”
“Everything, I went from Portland where everything’s green to Beijing where everyone you can’t even get on the grass.”
“Why not?”
“Well there’s 28 million people in the city so if everyone got on the grass there wouldn’t be any grass. Also, they’ll turn off the power on everybody because they have to conserve energy for a couple hours. And the food…I didn’t know how to order food, so I’d order by pointing at the pictures. One time I ordered a sea cucumber, which turns out is a fish that lets other fish hide in it’s butt for protection. I saw that on a documentary awhile after I ate it and I was like ‘aw man, I ate that’.”

“What do you do in the city?”
“I have a beer and wine bar down the street called Fig and Thistle. I’m enjoying the sun before I go back in for the rest of the day.”
“What do you like to do when you’re not working?”
“I never feel like I’m working. I just hang out with friends and drink.”