Author: abscoggin
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Running the Chicago Marathon: The Gateway to World Marathon Majors

On the flight to Chicago, sleeping peacefully in the row in front of me sat the person who convinced me to sign up for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon: my friend, Gloria. It was her convincing, which took all of maybe five minutes, that I signed up for an expensive race I knew nothing…
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10 Photos That Will Make You Want to Travel to Inner Mongolia

In early October, I traveled to the quiet village of Kulun Yinshawan, located in northeastern China. Although the name is deceiving, Inner Mongolia is actually in China. It’s the region which includes most of the length of China’s border with Mongolia.
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How to Overcome Grading Fatigue

College instructors have the best jobs, but the idea that it’s the perfect job is a myth. It’s not all cargo shorts and Birkenstocks. No. It can be quite stressful. An instructor’s time is spent doing a heavy mix of grading essays, teaching lectures, creating lessons, working with students, and working in committees. It’s all…
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Writing as a Form of Therapy: How My Chinese Students Processed COVID-19 Through Journaling

As much as I didn’t want to write another blog post about COVID-19, I feel like this was too good not to share.
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How COVID-19 Changed Everything for Expat Teachers in China

My phone buzzed in my jacket pocket. It’s mom. She’s wondering if I heard about this new virus that’s spreading in China. Wear a mask and be careful, she wrote. I replied with a masked selfie while boarding my flight in Dalian, hoping it would lessen her concern. Deep inside, I was relieved to be…
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Why Expats Should Accept Every Invite During Their First Month Abroad

China is my do-over. It’s my “let’s get it right this time.”