Asian and American. Enthusiast of adventures and storyteller of misadventures. English teacher and global student. Caribbean pirate and polar explorer.

wander eat write in antarctica

Hello! I’m Michelle, the voice behind Wander Eat Write.

I’m a second-generation Japanese and Chinese American, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Since 2013, I’ve been finding ways to get paid to travel.

Now, after seven continents and seven seas, I’m sharing what I’ve learned.

As Seen In

About Wander Eat Write

Bringing the world to you & taking you to the world

Traveling is a privilege and one I hope to share while making it more accessible for others.

The goal of this blog is to not only bring the world closer to home for those who might not be able to travel, but also to inspire others to explore where they can.

On Wander Eat Write, you’ll find:

My Story

Chapter One: Japan (2013-2015)

japanese food

I got the chance to travel independently for the first time post-grad, exploring my roots while teaching English in Nagoya, Japan.

My time abroad taught me so much and I was eager to continue learning more about the world through immersive travel experiences.

It was in Japan where I also realized I could continue to fund my global adventures through unique work and travel opportunities.

Chapter Two: International Waters (2015-2019)

For the next few years, I’d find my calling onboard cruise ships; first as an ESL instructor with Peace Boat on a four-month global voyage across 17 countries, and next as a camp counselor at sea with Royal Caribbean.

In total, my time working on ships would bring me through 6 continents, 52 countries, and every ocean.

Cruising through Prins Christian Sund in Greenland
girl walking with a pig at the beach
Sunset on Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas
Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas docked at sunset
on top of table mountain in cape town, south Africa

Chapter Three: Antarctica (2019-)

After sailing through the Seven Seas, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime to sling dishes at the end of the world; to check off my last continent in the most remote place on Earth, the final frontier: Antarctica.

Penguins molting at Hut Point, near McMurdo Station with cross and sea ice in the background
The view on top of Observation Hill at McMurdo Station, Antarctica
Scott's Discovery Hut and Observation Hill at McMurdo Station, Antarctica
At the McMurdo Station sign in Antarctica

It’s been a whirlwind adventure, to say the least.

And despite having seen 60+ countries, getting paid to travel to all seven continents and sail through all the Seven Seas, there’s still so much more left to be explored and still so much to be learned.

Since 2020, I’ve split my time between ice contracts and spending the off season in Mexico.

You can find me at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station until November 2023.

My Adventures and Misadventures

Traveling isn’t always pretty, but I’ve learned that both good and bad experiences make for some great stories!

Here are some of my favorite memories:

  • The one where I lived with penguins in Antarctica
  • The one when I spent a summer in Russia during the 2018 FIFA World Cup
  • The one where I hung out with wild pigs on a beach in Curaçao
  • The one where I ate my way through Lima
  • The one where I sailed through the Arctic Circle and crossed the Atlantic into Greenland
  • The one when I partied in Madagascar
  • The one where my BFF and I went to Cuba
  • The one when I climbed sand dunes in Namibia
  • The one where I circumnavigated the Southern Hemisphere on a global voyage
  • The one where I hiked an ancient pilgrimage route in Japan

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