Travel

WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THE JAPANESE

October 12, 2024 by Jo Maeder 1 Comment

Japan was on my husband’s bucket list, not mine. How long a pane ride? What about the language barrier? Now I’m so in love with Japan (and sumo wrestling!) I’m pushing to go back. What has stayed with me the most is the thoughtfulness of the Japanese; a unique culture centered on beauty (even the […]

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SUMO WRESTLING: How I unexpectedly fell in love with an ancient Japanese tradition

December 29, 2023 by Jo Maeder 1 Comment

I’m not much of a sports fan. I mainly watch the Super Bowl for the ads and halftime show. But when my husband and I were planning our first trip to Japan, to his surprise I suggested we take in sumo wrestling. I saw it as quintessential Japanese entertainment, like a tea ceremony with a […]

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OPPOSITES ATTACK: THE AUDIOBOOK. A long journey and rebirth

May 26, 2023 by Jo Maeder Leave a Comment

Bonjour! Summer is here and the thrill of new travel odysseys beckon. I’m thrilled to share that my culture clash novel set in the South of France, Opposites Attack, is finally an audiobook. For various reasons, the project kept dying on the vine like Viognier grapes in a drought. And then, life burst forth. There’s even […]

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2020: The Ups and Downs, a New Year’s Eve Invitation, and Wedding Photos!

December 17, 2020 by Jo Maeder 2 Comments

A Year Like No Other How many times in 2020 did you say: “What a year!” I hope you didn’t lose a loved one to Covid-19 or meet with financial ruin. Surely, someone reading this has and you have my deepest sympathies. Please keep reading. I have something to invite you to at the end that might be […]

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BONNE JOURNÉE: How My French Work Exchange Journey Led to a New Life and Love

February 12, 2020 by Jo Maeder Leave a Comment

Hotel de Cours de Thomazeau in Castillonnes, France. A few years ago I stumbled on the blog Enjoy Living Abroad and began a vicarious journey through Karen McCann and her husband Rich. In 2004, these intrepid Americans decided to live one year in Seville. They’re still there. If you’ve ever dreamed of living abroad or […]

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