"Digital minimalism is a philosophy that helps you question what digital communication tools (and behaviors surrounding these tools) add the most value to your life. It is motivated by the belief that intentionally and aggressively clearing away low-value digital noise, and optimizing your use of the tools that really matter, can significantly improve your life."
– Cal Newport
We accepted the invitation in a flash. Who wouldn’t want to attend a destination Indian wedding? The venue was the Ritz-Carleton Hotel in Muscat, Oman. Every room was reserved for the guests of our South Asian Maple Bear partner in the UAE and his bride. I immediately nixed the idea of wearing Indian formal wear.…
Like everyone else on the planet, I need a respite from the noise of the Internet. What if digital technology offered a path to tranquility? Would I be violating my commitment to digital minimalism? Not if it adds value to my life. Not everything about technology is necessarily negative. There can be positives too. The…
A visit to Eva Peron’s grave. A tango show over dinner. Picturesque views of the magnificent Andes. Meh. Nothing could ever hold a candle to our memories of Argentinian beef. We flew to Buenos Aires from Brazil and soon after, headed to Mendoza for wine-tasting. Driving near Tupungato, a wine region several hours away, we…
The worst culture shock I ever experienced wasn’t over chopsticks in Beijing or about the suffocating heat of Bangkok. It happened when we moved home to Vancouver after living abroad for many years. Canada was supposed to be familiar to me. Yet, I felt completely out of synch with everything around me, including my own life. …
At a meeting in Lanzhou, China, on the ancient Silk Road, we ate sunflower seeds and discussed spread sheets. Rodney’s attack of sciatica began in Istanbul. It worsened on our long flight to China from Dubai. Still, at the public marketing event, he smiled widely for a picture. (Nice corsage, eh?) And in the evening,…
The only certainty is uncertainty. As The Expat Expert, I used to commiserate a lot with other expat wives over those five words. Like me, they were never sure where in the world their husband’s career might take them next. Nor did they know when they might be moving, at least not until their partner told them. That lack of control…