Meeting My Chinese Family

It's a strange business, traveling to meet family. In my case, I felt completely displaced going to China. Arriving in a place that you are supposed to have a connection with but have never visited before is difficult. There is a certain desperation to feel that bond, but it doesn't always come easily. I don't look traditionally Chinese, I don't understand the language and more importantly I don't share the culture.

My father is Chinese without even trying. He's only been there a couple of times but his mannerisms are full-on Chinese. It was a hard realization, seeing him blend in, although he doesn't speak the language and is just a little bit too tanned to look traditional. He grew up in the Caribbean but I see similarities in many of his actions.

But meeting our actual Chinese family showed that although my dad has similarities, he is just an outsider too. The whole situation was alien. We were alien to them, they were alien to us and there was a certain communication barrier that we tried to break through, but still managed to stay up. However, both sides trying to jump the fence made things easier, they talked and we didn't understand and we talked and they didn't understand, but in the end we all just had a good laugh about it and hugged it out.

Family is extremely important to me. Someone pointing at a person and telling me we somehow share blood doesn't necessarily make me feel anything towards you. However, the lengths 'our family' went through to make us feel welcome, makes me hope that we are somehow related. They invited us into their, homes the proceeded to stuff us with food, and then they took countless pictures with us. Sounds like family to me.

Moving To Switzerland

This post is long overdue. I've been in Europe for a while, I think I've alluded to it a bit but I haven't officially said anything. But I'm here. And its great. It's not quite what I expected, but I am enjoying myself.

Before this trip, I had only been to London in Europe and it was great. I got the sense that Europe was the same as everywhere else I had been but just with a little bit more history. Switzerland for me is a whole other beast.

I chose to come here because of the school, The Swiss Hospitality Management School (SHMS, I may be referring to this guy a lot in my future posts). Like New York, I never really saw myself moving here but I was persuaded under the right circumstances. I was actually really scared to move somewhere that wasn't surrounded by water. But so far it has been an incredible experience.

Before I came here I'd never been to Switzerland. It was a leap of faith and it has worked out marvelously so far. What I'm trying to say is, sometimes you don't know where you will end up and why you will end up there. But that doesn't really matter. Just go. See what happens. And know that whatever shit you get yourself into, it will be alright. And Switzerland is an incredible place which you might not think of going automatically, but its definitely worth a visit.

My stay here is actually coming to an end, and I will be on to my next adventure soon but thats for another post. So, where have you moved to? Why did you move there? And how was that experience? Let me know in the comments below.

Chefette

Chefette is the local fast-food chain in Barbados. They serve everything from burgers and fries to rotis and their upscale section BBQ-Barn even has pork chops and macaroni pie. So we are clear, I love Chefette. There's nothing quite like a Broasted Chicken Bubbie Sandwich on a warm Sunday afternoon on Accra. Its actually one of the things I miss most when traveling. Don't be confused by there signature Broasted Chicken, it is fried chicken just cooked under a pressure fryer. The difference is subtle, but so damn good. Its the definition of crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside.

Now if you visit Barbados and don't go to Chefette, you haven't really visited Barbados. It can only be found here so don't even try to cheat. Their trademark yellow and purple are iconic here and could never be copied with the same success. There are 15 branches spread out around the island so it shouldn't be hard to find one, and when you go, trust me you won't regret it. If you want Bajan Street Cred get the Broasted  Chicken Breast Sandwich, 6 piece Nuggets and Chips with a Mauby. Extra points if you call it a Chicken Bubbie Sandwich. But if theres a special get the Wing Dings. 6 Dings, Chips and a Coke... and the Sauce. Always use the sauce. It makes the meal, its like if hot-sauce and ketchup had a perfect baby.

In conclusion, if you are every hungry in Barbados just go up to a taxi driver and say, "Take me to Chefette" and all will be right with the world. If you want to look them up online, go to www.chefette.com. Find the closest location to you, give them a call and order everything on the menu.

BEME

BEME is a social media app where you send video messages that you don't see or edit before you send. The app was created in part by the incredible, Casey Neistat. While not seeing what you are putting out into the world before you send it might seem like a crazy idea, its actually kind of cool.

With most social media apps you retake, edit and filter everything to the point where the finished product doesn't resemble the reality. With BEME, you get one chance to make it right, and then its out there. It makes everything more real.

The whole point of this is to make a more authentic experience through social media. Its more personal. I think its great for travelers because you can create content and then go back to enjoying the experience instead of getting caught up in creating the content. I say try it out. See if you like it. If you don't like it, I'm sure there are loads of other apps to fill that void. But try it out. Its fun. I think there are some bugs but its got some serious potential. And you want to be a pioneer.

If you want to download BEME check it out here. And if you want to follow me on BEME, add me at j.cho. So have you tried BEME? If yo have tell me your username and what you think in the comments down below.

Half The Fun Of The Travel...