Author Archives: jasonh52gmailcom

Yesterday (September 30th) marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. It was a day for all of us to listen, to learn, and to understand the truth of this country. There is no reconciliation without truths.  I gave a short talk before our stand-up about my experience as an immigrant, a newcomer toContinue reading “The kindness of strangers”

  I will never take for granted the privilege that my Canadian passport grants me. It takes less than 3 minutes to clear customs (“Where did you go?” – “Why did you go there” – “OK, bye”). It wasn’t long enough to finish an Ariana Grande song. I’ve said many times, that I am stillContinue reading “Connections”

 “When destiny calls you, you’ve gotta be strong. I may not be with you but you’ve gotta hold on” – it’s been a while since I listen to that song. I guess the perk of traveling on a road trip is the rediscovery of old things and new alike. I guess it’s almost a traditionContinue reading “Solo – A nomad update”

As we were trying to explain to a coffee shop owner in Bern (a bit of a himbo) our friendship and where we met – 3 Asians from different South East Asia nations (Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam) who met in school in Singapore and now live in Canada, Geneva, and Zurich – I couldn’t help butContinue reading “In this small (dying) world”

This is a story about a girl, well, a woman, who has been a major part of my life. We have been friends for 2 decades now. Half of a lifetime. The funny thing is, we don’t spend a lot of time together in the same place, but I always think of her with admirationContinue reading “About a girl”

  I know time is just a construct and calendars are just a convenient way for us humans to mark the milestones in our life. But the past 4 years have been … well … real. I mean life has not been perfect, but it has been kind. A pandemic, two job changes (for eachContinue reading “Four”

  (Midjournye prompt: A young man returns to NYC after the apocalypse) The epitome of the pandemic is over is that I am finally traveling for work again. I went to Boston and Chicago and Europe last year for a personal trip, but this is my first work trip. The last work trip I tookContinue reading “The great escape”

  In Vietnamese proverbs, there is a saying “No mud, no lotus”, which means the challenges in life (the mud) give us the condition to rise above, shine, and be pure-hearted and beautiful, like a lotus. These days, with the literal forest fire and all, I don’t feel very “rise above” at all. It’s mostlyContinue reading “Flowers in the Fire”

(Trigger warning: Political views) (Originally written May 2019 – Repost since the feelings are the same in May 2023) I heard recently from an Albertan  that they voted for the UCP  (a government I believe to be racist, homophobic,   anti-choice and uncompassionate)  because they have suffered,   because of their economic anxieties  justify their choices toContinue reading “A prayer for UCP voters”

  (Image generated on MidJourney by AI, set to the theme of Lemon Tree) I don’t know if there are any more lonely questions than “What is the point of this anymore?”  The past feel weeks have been…weird. We hit some major roadblocks with immigration for my brother (I called racist officers). Three of myContinue reading “Lemon tree”