Favorite Thing Friday: Blog Refresh

After two and half years of blogging, it gets tough to keep things fresh with interesting topics. Admittedly, my muse is focused on other things, so I’m finding it hard to keep this space filled with quality posts and content. In many ways, I don’t think I’ve been entirely successful, but I’m hoping to change that over the next few weeks.

Over a cup of coffee, I asked my mom, “What do you think I should write about?” It took her less than a second to answer, “Travel.” I rolled my eyes because that is a topic I’ve explored time and time again with articles, fiction, poetry, and photography. Everybody gets it, I’ve traveled a lot. She stopped me right in the middle of my eye roll and explained that she wasn’t interested in the stuff she can find in any tour book, but rather the everyday life of people in other places. What do they wear? What do the houses look like? What’s in a grocery store? You know, the little things that are so normal for some, but strange to visitors.

I have journals full of those “little things” because my favorite thing to do when I travel is people watch. Part of my motivation for staying in London for an extended stay was to get a sense of what it’s like to live as a Londoner. Furthermore, wherever I travel, I am always more fascinated by local custom and the neighborhood experience than I am of the tourist trap. My mom is right – I should write about what I’ve observed and open up candid discussions about cultural perspective.  There are things I’ve seen and experienced that I still don’t understand. What better platform to explore those curiosities than blogging?

Starting next week, posts about the “little things” from around the world will fill this space on Wednesdays.

Some topics on upcoming agenda include:

• Why Europeans wear shorter pants
• What it’s like to shop in a communist grocery store
• Shopping in a Chinese Wal-Mart
• What Londoners do when it rains
• Queuing up in a London post office
• Water calligraphy in Changchun
• Why left-handed people are clever in China
• What a bed is like in Prague
• The French are not rude
• Dogs in China / Dogs in Prague
• What Americans look like to Europeans
• Riding the Tube
• Eating at a pizza place in Prague

The list is endless and this is only the beginning. In addition to my own posts, I will also be inviting guest bloggers to share their observations and insights on the places they’ve traveled. If you are interested in contributing, please let me know!

Aside from this adventure into international normalcy, all the old favorites my readers enjoy will still be around. My writing journey, creativity, poetry, and photography will fill in Mondays and Sundays, while Friday will continue with Favorite Things.

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What’s your favorite thing this week?

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c.b.w. 2013