by Daryle Rico | Apr 18, 2026 | Culture and Celebrations
No amount of online research—and I mean none—can prepare a well-meaning Westerner for Songkran. Oh, I thought I was ready. I had read the blogs. Studied the photos. I even went full tactical and purchased an electronic squirt gun—because nothing says “I’ve got this...
by Daryle Rico | Apr 13, 2026 | Culture and Celebrations
When I think of New Year’s back in America, I picture myself heroically trying to stay awake long enough to watch the ball drop in Times Square… only to fall asleep somewhere around 11:47 PM, wake up confused, and then spend the next month writing the wrong year on...
by Daryle Rico | Apr 5, 2026 | Culture and Celebrations
In my short time here, I’ve come to realize that Southeast Asia offers certain experiences that simply must be seen to be believed. Near the top of that list—somewhere just after a sunset over the Andaman Sea and just before a dangerously spicy papaya salad—is the...
