About

I’m a Pennsylvanian who left home at 18 to see the world.

For 10 years I lived and worked in Paris, Italy, Singapore, China (x2), and New Zealand. I was an expat pretty much my entire adult life, traveling the world while building my dream career in media and the Olympics, and eating & drinking my way through 15-20 countries a year.

In 2018 I moved back to the States for work (and to try out the country as an adult, ha) and have since lived in Denver, San Francisco, and Chicago. While currently not an expatriate, it won’t be long before I head back overseas and this blog name makes sense again.

If you’re here for the how I did it: this detailed anniversary post is a good place to start. If you’re looking for a good stalk of my life story or just a timeline of the past 10+ years, here you go.

*

[2008-2009: CHINA] My first move overseas was at 18, as an extended gap year halfway through college. I taught English in the northern city of Dalian, then worked for a city blog and a tech start-up in Shanghai.

At 20, I (reluctantly) returned to the States and finished my degree in political science.

Two weeks after graduation, I left the US for good.

Singapore 2010

Singapore, 2010

[2010-2011: SINGAPORE] Freshly 21 and degree in hand, I moved to Singapore on a whim — I had $700 to my name, zero job prospects, and only a hazy idea of where to find the country on a map. Ultimately, I found myself running social media for an Asian reality television show.

But it was because of Singapore that I was able to kickstart my career in international sports — a path that, for the next three years, would take me to the London and Sochi Olympics, and sporting events across three continents (including two memorable months with FIFA in Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates).

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[2012-2013: PARIS] At 22, I moved to France on yet another whim — I’d never been to Europe, but decided I wanted to learn French, so off to Paris I flew. Though the first year was rough, the second year was full of cheese and cocktails and picnics and I absolutely fell in love.

Bastille Day - Expat Edna

Paris, 2012. Fabulous, I tell you.

[2013-2014: ITALY & SOME OTHER PLACES] After leaving Paris at 24, there was a failed attempt to live in northern Italy.

Post-Italy debacle, I spent a few months backpacking Europe and Southeast Asia, went to Russia to cover Sochi 2014, and then decided to take a break from the industry.

*

[2014-2015: CHINA, AGAIN] At 25, I moved back to Shanghai for a second stint, this time working for Ford on their Asia Pacific communications team. I definitely enjoyed the high-flying corporate marketing life for a while, but I still quit my job the following year to return to my true loves: travel, food, and the Olympics.

My office, Rio 2016

[2015-2016: ALL THE PLACES] On my 26th birthday, I began living out of a suitcase and traveling full-time. Over the next 18 months I said yes to every opportunity — producing a show for BBC Travel; working Rio 2016filming Snapchat campaigns all over the world — until I ran myself into the ground.

2016 was by far the most exhilarating year of my life, but it wasn’t sustainable and I was burning out in spectacular fashion.

*

[2017: WELLINGTON] So at 27, I decided to take a sabbatical to pursue a growing passion: spirits and cocktails. I put down the suitcase, moved to my fourth continent, put a pause on travel and sport and spent the year as a professional bartender in Wellington, New Zealand.

I make a mean martini. Photo credit: Ryan McKenna

*

[2018: ON THE ROAD, AGAIN] Now 28, I returned to living out of a suitcase. I spent two months in Korea working at Olympics #5, then went on a reunion tour visiting friends scattered across the world and having one last summer in Paris. Around the time I turned 29, full-time travel began to feel heavy and lacking and unfulfilling. So I signed up for AmeriCorps, moved to the American West and joined a mental health nonprofit serving Asian immigrants and refugees in Denver.

*

[2019-2020: DENVER, SAN FRANCISCO, CHICAGO] Following my AmeriCorps year in Colorado, I moved to San Francisco for what seemed to be a dream job in food media and photography…until Covid-19 hit and I was laid off the first week of California’s shelter-in-place order. I am now currently in the middle of moving from San Francisco to Chicago, where my partner lives, before deciding which country I want to move to next (whenever it may be safe to do so again).

*

At the Bund, 1995

The Bund, Shanghai 1995

I blog to share many aspects of my life, but also because I believe:

You don’t need to sacrifice a career to travel. One doesn’t necessarily come at the cost of the other. Not only have I managed to find jobs in each country I’ve moved to — being abroad is what enabled me to fulfill my lifelong dream of working in the Olympic movement.

You don’t need to be rich to travel. I grew up with very little; my parents were immigrants who came to the US as grad students (and also for political asylum). Yet even on minimum wage, my parents still scrimped enough to fly me to Shanghai every single summer to visit relatives — teaching me the value of cross-cultural experiences over material possessions.

I absolutely recognize the privilege I have in possessing an American passport, but I want to make it clear I do not come from money nor do I have heaps of savings that I splurge on big trips. It has been through the prioritization of my finances and career, as well as some luck (aka a combination of certain societal privileges that have opened doors for me), that I have been able to create this consistent life of travel.

In short: a life of travel does not just fall into your lap. It’s about saying why not?, buying that one-way ticket and making it happen for yourself.

***

Paris Gaels

Paris Gaels, 2012

MOAR STUFF

* I’m obsessed with playing Gaelic football around the world. I picked it up in Dalian a decade ago and have since played with teams in Paris, Wellington, Hanoi, and across China.

* I love gin (Martin Millers & Sipsmith), rye (Rittenhouse & Distillery 291), a good Belgian blanche, and seriously dark porters and stouts.

* I live for bad puns, and will also go to some pretty reckless lengths for a good viewpoint.

* I’ve been published in a book! It’s this one.

* I’m also in a TV show! It’s this episode.

* The photoblog of my China years can be found here.

Contact

Want to get in touch? I can be reached via edna at expatedna dot com, facebook, G+, twitter, and instagram.

46 Comments

  • Reply
    Edna’s Travels from A-Z | Expat Edna
    January 5, 2012 at 16:48

    […] About […]

  • Reply
    annyasin
    February 2, 2012 at 15:36

    Hi Edna!

    Nice to meet you! I just discovered your blog :) I’m Malaysian but I’ve been living in France for almost 7 years now…

    If you want to discover the north of France (I’m living in Lille), just tell me!

    Bonne journée!

  • Reply
    Daisy de Plume
    February 12, 2012 at 06:34

    Hi Edna and welcome to Paris!
    I think we’re connected on twitter through Kasia.

    If you’re interested in coming to the spring kickoff of THATLou (Treasure Hunt @ the Louvre) on Sunday 4 March take a look at THATLou.com or drop me a line at [email protected].

    Kind regards,
    Daisy de Plume

  • Reply
    johnny
    February 16, 2012 at 05:40

    love anything irish?! wow, that’s great to know!! =)

  • Reply
    Emily McManus
    March 1, 2012 at 18:52

    You’re an inspiration! Can’t wait to read more :)

  • Reply
    Darlene
    April 22, 2012 at 17:31

    Hi Edna – thanks for following my blog. If you ever want to meet for coffee while you’re in Paris, drop me a line – I think we’d have lots to talk about! (Strangely enough, Galway is also one of my favourite places in Ireland!) :)

  • Reply
    arranqhenderson
    May 2, 2012 at 16:50

    Hi Enda, thanks for the great blog. So cool to see you playing Gaelic football ! I originally logged onto your post about Dublin, which was excellent. You ask for further suggestions, so I am going to leave one or two in the right place, ie: in the comments under your Dublin post. For anyone of your readers who is particularly interested in Dublin or planning a visit there over the next few months, they might wish to visit my blog too. Although the older posts are about Buenos Aires in Argentina, I am from Dublin and the more recent posts, and the future ones are all about Dublin. There is even a little picture quiz there at the moment. Well done again on your blog… it is great!

  • Reply
    tm
    May 2, 2012 at 19:47

    Welcome to Ireland. I moved here about a year ago from Vancouver (I also have a bit of a bug and lived in a few cities in Asia) and it’s taking a while to get used to it. Galway is very lovely. Are you still in Ireland?

  • Reply
    scintillatebrightly
    May 3, 2012 at 01:58

    Good for you girl. Living the life. I just started my own wanderings in 2010, but hope to continue for the rest of my life.

  • Reply
    home, garden, life
    May 3, 2012 at 15:02

    You go girl! ;-)

  • Reply
    maryrsd
    May 7, 2012 at 01:39

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. Your adventures certainly look exciting! I’ll be following regularly!

  • Reply
    Nin
    May 7, 2012 at 14:37

    Hi Edna, London this year is very exciting actually, are you gonna be there?

  • Reply
    Cultural Quirks
    June 1, 2012 at 04:59

    You have been nominated for a Kreativ Blogger Award. Enjoy! http://culturalquirks.com/2012/05/31/award-season-is-here/

  • Reply
    Megan
    June 3, 2012 at 19:24

    I came across your site via a retweet and started looking around. I’m also from York, PA, and am so happy to find a travel blog of a fellow (York) Pennsylvanian. Can’t wait to start following your adventures. :)

  • Reply
    bollychees
    June 15, 2012 at 21:21

    Hi Edna! Great blog you have here! My hubby and I moved from Singapore to Paris last year and like you, are exploring the city and sharing our adventures (Paris and beyond) in our blog. To many adventures in the days/weeks/years ahead as we satisfy our wanderlust :)

  • Reply
    Chasing Butterflies: Sunshine and freedom
    June 17, 2012 at 17:05

    Because I love reading your blog so much I´ve nominated you for the Lovely Bloggers award! For more information check out my blog! Hope you´re having a great Sunday! :)

  • Reply
    Erin
    June 25, 2012 at 14:40

    Thanks for the follow! You’re blog looks great. I love connecting with fellow travel addicts!

  • Reply
    Taylor
    June 26, 2012 at 16:05

    You are an inspiration

  • Reply
    Lana
    June 27, 2012 at 12:43

    Fun! I lived in Singapore for 4 months when I was 17, and not my hubby and I are expats in Serbia! I have the travel bug as well! Happy travels!

  • Reply
    Addenbrooke
    July 23, 2012 at 21:34

    Wow, this website is really fantastic Edna – beautifully designed and laid-out, beautifully photographed and most importantly interesting to read. Congratulations on the redesign and a job well done, work in progress and all.

  • Reply
    mee
    August 28, 2012 at 23:13

    Just stumbled upon your blog and read your story. It’s always interesting to know how people get to travel around the world. Your story though seems somewhat more similar with mine than the other travel bloggers. I move countries a lot too (7 cities so far), but I stay at one place a bit more than a year (so far 3 years is the longest in the past 14 years). I’ve lived in Singapore and Australia too, and am now in London. Sounds familiar? :)

  • Reply
    Tim Moon
    September 18, 2012 at 04:17

    Great story! I really wish I had taken the idea of living abroad seriously when I was in school. Better late than never, I suppose. Currently, I’m working to pay off some bills then the plan is to move to China and start a business. Congrats on the engagement!

  • Reply
    Daisy de Plume
    December 9, 2012 at 15:09

    Dearest E,
    Finally your wonderful post on the background of the Expat Edna blog is live.
    Sorry it took me so long!
    http://thatlou.com/2012/12/09/friends-of-thatlou-edna-zhou/
    xx,
    D

  • Reply
    elizabeth
    February 17, 2013 at 19:29

    Just looked at your about page for the first time and I LOVE that picture of you when your little at the Bund. TOO cute! just had to say that…. :)

  • Reply
    Erin
    April 26, 2013 at 20:45

    Hopped over here after a comment you left, and I have to give you a special hello from one Pennsylvania native to another! I’m from Philly (born & raised!) and am so envious of your fantastic expat life. Living in Paris is a dream I’ve had for as long as I can remember, and I’m making it come true next spring! Well, hopefully, there are a lot of little things to take care of first. I’m so happy you found my blog so I could find yours! I’m going to go do some catch-up reading. :) xo

  • Reply
    eemusings
    April 29, 2013 at 05:23

    What a great story! So glad I came across your blog today.

  • Reply
    Nin
    July 25, 2013 at 23:30

    Hi Edna,
    I’ve nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award: http://ninstravelog.wordpress.com/2013/07/25/versatile-blogger-award/ because I are really enjoy your blog especially your photographs and variety of the content. Enjoy!
    Nin.

  • Reply
    Jessica J. Hill
    August 30, 2013 at 16:17

    Hi, Edna! I know you’ve been a busy bee, but I just wanted to let you know I’ve just nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Check it out here: http://www.missadventuretravel.com/inspiring-blogger-award/

  • Reply
    Kayli Schattner
    November 17, 2013 at 22:44

    Hi, Edna! Just stumbled across your blog and love it- I totally can relate to your “about” page…currently working on getting my degree in Communications and PR in Arizona and desperately want to spend some years traveling after I finish school! You’re definitely an inspiration :)

  • Reply
    Vanessa
    January 7, 2014 at 01:47

    Hi Edna, I stumbled across your blog through Kate (“Adventurous Kate”) and Ashley (“Ashley Abroad”) and thought I’d say hi. I also especially like the picture of you when you at the Bund in Shanghai when you were little. I have been to China three times in the last three and a half years, twice alone in 2013, and I fell madly in love with the country. Both times last year I also spent a few days in Shanghai. Enjoy your time in Europe and let me know if you come to Germany.

    Happy and healthy New Year 2014 and always great travels.

  • Reply
    John Rose
    June 27, 2014 at 16:32

    Hey Edna. Great blog but you failed to mention that you are part of a winning pub quiz team in London :-)

  • Reply
    Bryan
    November 20, 2014 at 18:18

    I just discovered your site and it’s fast becoming my favorite travel blog. Well done! Especially I’m enjoying reading the series ‘Why I love My Neighborhood.’

  • Reply
    Samar Misra
    March 18, 2015 at 07:04

    Love your blog! BTW, which country are your ancestors from?

  • Reply
    Kieu
    March 18, 2015 at 17:18

    I LOVE the new About you page.. Strange to say, I feel like I’ve known you for years! lol ;)

  • Reply
    Todd @ Visit50
    May 29, 2015 at 04:50

    I love your blog – just discovered today – so excited to read about your experiences. Looking forward to the next chapter!

  • Reply
    Teresa
    July 27, 2015 at 17:57

    Hi just wanted to say I love your blog and following you around on Snapchat through the world! You are bringing the wanderlust out of me and I am planning my first trip to Italy, France, London sometime in sept! ? its my dream to become an expat in Europe and travel. I was wondering do you have any advice on getting a job in the EU? I’ll be graduating nursing school in a year but would consider changing my majors if needed to land a job in the EU and follow my real dream of traveling. Do you know which career field in The EU/France that commonly hires/sponsors non EU citizens? It’s so overwhelming when I try researching online. I get alot of the same results, that either its very difficult to get a job as a noneu citizen or teach English. Any help or info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much for taking us around the world with you. We are truly living through your snaps lol.

  • Reply
    Amy
    August 27, 2015 at 01:17

    Hi Edna,

    Strangely enough, I only came across your website AFTER I had followed you on Snapchat! Now that’s a first. Thankfully, you recently snapped an image and included your website, otherwise I wouldn’t have known about your site at all! Your travels always look so amazing and I’m glad I’ve found your site, looking forward to reading all your stuff!

    Amy

  • Reply
    Amarachi
    February 2, 2016 at 09:50

    Just discovered your blog today.. Only wanted to see the source of a photo and now 45mins later, I’m still on it, reading article after article. You’re very brave and an inspiration and I think it’s awesome that you manage to find jobs wherever you go. I wish you all the best in your travels

  • Reply
    Vanessa
    February 4, 2016 at 14:17

    Well this answers many questions I had for you! Keep on living your dream girl, it is truly an inspiration! Thank you for sharing :)

  • Reply
    Kate
    February 22, 2016 at 02:04

    Hi Edna,

    I’m about to finish my university degree and hoping to begin the next few years travelling and working in different places around the world, away from my hometown in London

    I was wandering if you had any advice on the financial aspect of this decision.

    Thanks, K

  • Reply
    Marissa_My Greece, My Travels blog
    May 21, 2016 at 10:31

    Hi Edna, Great blog. Looking forward to following your journeys!

  • Reply
    Marta
    August 8, 2016 at 16:29

    I love the “I will do it myself” attitude. There are so many people who think that good things will just come to them. Go, Edna!

  • Reply
    Sudharsanan Sampathkumar
    January 6, 2017 at 05:15

    Just stumbled upon your blog. Love this as I often wonder what everyday life on opposite end of the earth. Thank you :)

  • Reply
    Sudharsanan Sampathkumar
    January 6, 2017 at 05:21

    Hi Edna, Love this blog as I often wonder about the every day life in other parts of the earth. Thank you for this :)

  • Reply
    Revé
    April 11, 2017 at 08:21

    Haven’t heard from you in a while, hope life is treating you well!

  • Reply
    Kathryn
    October 3, 2018 at 18:24

    I’m newly obsessed with your blog – any advice for a soon-to-be college grad who is going to move to France? I have always wanted to learn the language of my mother’s people, and I just recently decided not to apply for jobs in the United States post graduation to fulfill this dream. Please let me know if you have any tips!

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