The Last 3 Months

Moving is hard work.

In honor of the February 2015 release of the movie musical The Last 5 Years (a musical I adore and played in the pit orchestra for in college) starring my favorite actress Anna Kendrick, here’s a brief synopsis of the last three months of my life for those of you who haven’t been in touch with me. 

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20 Interpretations of the Asian Honk

You’re walking down the road — obviously, because sidewalks just take up space — and you hear a honk. Startled, you turn to look at the person honking at you. What is it the honker is trying to say? Based on our experiences on motorcycles, walking and in cars in ASEAN nations, here are our top 20 honk translations. It is by no means an exhaustive list, but it might help a little.

From the Archives: Weight Loss Advertising in Cambodia

I was going through my pictures the other day, clearing valuable space for more pictures from our travels, when I came across a picture I had taken in Siem Reap. We had wandered down a street looking for a grocery store and got fairly lost; not surprising, since the street signs weren’t in English and no one away from the tourist areas spoke English. Suddenly, I look up, only to see possibly the weirdest billboard advertisement I had ever seen: a poster for a weight loss product with a woman stepping out of a giant fatsuit.

Product Differentiation? Not in SE Asia

One of the most popular tourist activities in Asia is shopping. Goods are very inexpensive, and the prospect of a $10 silk scarf, or a $2 pair of shoes, is simply too good to pass up for many. As I wrote a few weeks ago, there are some great bargains to be found here. But while you will find lots of inexpensive goods of relatively poor quality everywhere, what you will not find is a wide variety.

Hitting Our Stride

After a little over two months of traveling, I think we have hit our stride. Things seem to be getting easier. We are more courageous about street food, we confidently order local dishes in restaurants, and we are more decisive about activities and sightseeing. Plus packing and unpacking seems less onerous than before. Maybe I’ll make it six months after all!

Mountain Dew in Asia, The World`s Advertising Capitol

As far as brands go, Mountain Dew may be one of America’s most recognized. It has colors that are unique, it has a distinctive feel, and its font and logo are very recognizable. I always know when I am looking at a Mountain Dew ad. It isn’t often that I seek out Mountain Dew ads, or pay attention much at home. But it became apparent that they have distinguished themselves quite successfully when I arrived in Bangkok earlier this week.