5 hard-earned tips for alleviating culture shock

As a seasoned traveler and a person who has lived in 12 fairly different countries, I tend to embrace a bit of culture shock and see it as a positive experience. I embrace it precisely because years of experience has taught me the potential pitfalls and also the hidden joys of being immersed in a […]

The unexpected consequences of lifting.

What motivates people to train in the strength sports? Ask 100 different lifters why they lift and you will no doubt get a 100 different answers that are just variations of the same theme. The common thread running through their answers would be that it’s that it’s just flat out fun being strong. Being stronger […]

Random Musings on Gym Behavior – Part 1

30 years ago I joined my first gym. It was a hugely overpriced affair located in Boston’s Financial District. It was filled to the brim with big, bright, shiny machines (Nautilus was a big deal in those days) and entitled Type A douchebags. Forget even approaching the bench press in those days as: a) there […]

Stranger in a strange land

In my first post I touched briefly (albeit not very coherently) on the the notion of nationality, cultural identity and, I suppose, the idea of diaspora. What makes it strange for people like me is that Americans think of themselves of the immigrant nation par excellence. People, according to this narrative, are literally dying to […]