notes from an expat at home

there are a lot of fantastic things about being an expat visiting your home country. but some things can be a struggle - such as keeping up with your blog. I think you all understand why I've had trouble making time to write. between driving all over the state of Michigan, sorting through all our stuff that's been in storage for 3 years, trying to see all our family and friends, and stuffing ourselves with amazing food [not to mention extremely limited data plans] the internet has been low on my priority list.

we've been splitting time between the west coast and east side of the mitten. your somewhat unrelated photos today are from two sunset walks, on opposite sides of the state. the Lake Michigan shore from Stearns Park in Ludington, and country fields and dirt roads from Armada. [my mother-in-law is moving to Texas this fall, so the next time we visit the US, the corn fields will be replaced by tacos and brisket.]

we leave for Taiwan again on Tuesday, so we've entered the crunch time of our trip. maybe the worst part about coming back for the summer is knowing that you can't do everything. there's always going to be some persons you didn't meet up with, some restaurant you never made it to, some task left incomplete. you're going to end up disappointing at least 5 people with your plans. but after 3 years of this, I think I've finally accepted that it's just the way it goes.

I've learned not to make epic summer bucket lists because there's never enough time or gas in the car to make it all happen. however, there have been some amazing moments this summer. if you've been following along on snapchat [@jamiethewalker] or instagram, you've probably caught a peek at some of these moments:

• being matron of honor at my cousin's wedding
• meeting my nephew Derek for the first time
• morning runs out to the lighthouse
• climbing the bluff at Sleeping Bear
• snuggling with my long-lost kittens
• a video game marathon slumber party
• finally getting my first tattoo
• 4th of July antics at my family's cabin
• discovering my new favorite gluten free beer: Stone's Delicious IPA
• an epic game of Risk with my nephews
• trashing my wedding dress with a photoshoot
• margaritas on the El Azteco roof deck

while it's been a lovely summer, Husband and I are both SO excited to head back to Taiwan and settle in to life in Taipei. he will be starting a new job, and I will [hopefully] get back into my blogging and writing routine. I've been thinking a lot about the blog and where I might want to take it. there are still a lot of back-logged posts to write from New Zealand, I have several requests to revive my food blog, and a dozen ideas for new series to share. after all the sorting through of our physical stuff that I've done these past few months, I think it's time to tackle the idea pile. I'd like to take a step back and refocus on what I'm doing here, maybe make a bit of a fresh start.

while I'm really looking forward to exploring more of Taipei and organizing our new apartment, at this point I'm most excited to be done living out of a suitcase. I'm ready to create a new routine for our life and start planning adventures for the year to come. oh, and to have my unlimited data plan back please.

[there are things about America that I miss, but there are also things that drive me crazy. the ridiculously slow and overpriced cell service has been near the top of the crazy list this summer.]

this part - the end - of our visit is always bittersweet. I'm ready for my own space and for dumplings and dragons, but my heart still hurts to leave home behind. even after three years of doing this whole expat thing. the trans-continental summer gets easier each time [from a jet lag and packing experience perspective at least] but the emotional trauma hasn't lessened. I'll be saying some goodbyes the next few days... but trying to remember that on the other end I'll be saying hellos.

Michigan, you gave us a wonderful summer. plenty of sunshine soaked up, tasty food eaten, miles walked and memories made. we'll see you again soon, xo.

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my favorite things to do in Ludington Michigan

in about 7 weeks, I'll be heading back to Michigan for the summer. though I've been living in Taiwan for the past 3 years, and on the east coast of the US for the 5 before that, I think I'll always be a Michigan girl at heart. I spent many summer vacations camping and visiting Lake Michigan on the west side of the state, and Ludington in particular. in fact, my family loves Ludington so much that my parents purchased property and plan to retire there. I'll be lucky to stay with my parents for a few weeks in June and July and soak up the mitten state magic. today I want to share with you 7 of my favorite things, which you MUST do if you ever visit Ludington. [I know I plan to check these all off my list this summer!]

visit the state park

Ludington State Park is the most popular of the state parks in Michigan for good reason. if you need an excuse to camp, being able to view the spectacular sunrises over Hamlin Lake might be it. for those opting to stay in town- you can buy a park pass to visit during regular hours for hiking, biking, kayaking, floating down the Big Sable River in an inner tube, or just lying on the beach at Lake Michigan.

grab a cone at House of Flavors

this place is a Ludington landmark, and was once featured on the cover of Life Magazine. it's been renovated several times over the years, but still clings to the 50's diner/soda shop feel. House of Flavors has a full-service restaurant, and a separate counter for ice cream only. you can grab a cup or cone, or take home a whole pint or quart. I highly recommend their specialty flavor: Blue Moon. behind the restaurant is the ice cream manufacturing facility which creates and packs flavors for many Midwest and national grocery brands.

wave to the Badger

The SS Badger is a historic carferry that runs across Lake Michigan from Ludington, MI to Manitowoc, WI. during the summer months, it departs from Ludington twice daily - once in the morning and once at night. tourists and locals alike head to the marina or walk down the pier to wave hello and goodbye to passengers onboard as it sails by.

explore downtown

there are at least a dozen antique shops in the walkable downtown area of Ludington. hunt around for some finds, stop into one of the many apparel stores for a tshirt, or pop into Redolencia Cafe for a coffee or Le Serving Spoon for a sweet snack. you can also stop by the local farmer's market on Thursdays and sample some delicious Michigan produce.

hike to Big Sable Point Lighthouse

one of West Michigan's most iconic lighthouses, Big Sable Point is only reachable by hiking or biking through the state park. [I would suggest hiking, since the trail is quite sandy and you may end up walking your bike most of the way.] the state park has 18 miles of trail to explore, so if lighthouses aren't your thing, there's still plenty to see. inland lakes, sand dunes, forest trails, and of course Lake Michigan.

have a drink at the Mitten Bar

this venue serves all Michigan-made products. you can sample some of the best beers, ciders, wines, meads, and spirits that "the mitten state" has to offer here. on weekends they also have live music. check their Facebook page for information on performances and drink specials.

watch the sunset from Stearns Park

jutting out from Stearns Park Beach is a half-mile long pier with the North Breakwater Light at the end. if you arrive a bit early you can pass the time by playing shuffleboard in the park, or by taking a tour of the lighthouse. during summer hours you may also be able to catch the Badger car ferry heading back out to Wisconsin for the night.

from sunup to sundown, I hope I've given you a few good reasons to visit Ludington. I am SO excited to soak in the West Michigan magic this summer. no matter how many places I travel around the globe, this town will always hold a special place in my heart.

does anyone else have a town like this - not where you live, not where you grew up, but still feels like home?

look familiar? this originally appeared as a guest post on Route Bliss

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sunset on the Ludington lakeshore

when it comes to beaches and sunsets, I'm partial to Lake Michigan. and when it comes to Lake Michigan beaches... I'm partial to Ludington. I was able to spend a few weeks there this summer while visiting the US. we try to make it a habit to walk down to the beach around sunset. the clouds and weather this year were not very cooperative, but on this particular evening I was able to get a handful of shots.

can you see why I love this place? I know that having grown up in Michigan and spending many childhood summers here makes me biased, but Ludington will always be one of my favorite places to watch a sunset.

linking up with Bonnie, Camila, Jessi, and Amy for Travel Tuesday.

and now I want to take the opportunity to introduce my featured sponsor this month. Sara is the expat behind the blog Bristol in my Pocket. if you're heading to England [or just dreaming of it], I would suggest checking out her travel guides and her recent posts on the gorgeous shoreline of Wales.

Hey y’all! I’m Sara, a Texas girl who found herself in England. About a year ago I decided I hated the idea of “settling down”, so I moved to a city I had never been to and a country where I knew absolutely no one. Bristol In My Pocket is a place for me to document my expat life and other things that interest me (history, photography, traveling, and food of course). Hope y’all enjoy!

any travel plans or goals you have for this year [or have done already] that you'd like to share? I quite enjoy taking day trips to places around England. I believe it’s important to explore your own backyard. However, I’m hoping to make a trip over to Amsterdam later this year to finally experience one of Europe’s most beautiful cities!

what is one thing you'd love to learn how to do? This is going to sound so lame, but this past year I’ve learned how to transcribe medieval manuscripts. As a medieval history masters student, transcribing documents is essential to my research.

two of your favorite posts: Overcoming my fear of small spaces was difficult, but in the end the view was absolutely amazing. Cabot Tower showcases Bristol's amazing beauty. The Cliffs of Moher were always on my list of places to go one day. The fact that I can now cross that off my list is so rewarding!

where would you dream trip take you? My dream trip would be to travel around Europe, spending at least a month in each country. I love throwing myself into new cultures and learning to overcome the smallest of tasks, like conquering public transport. On my dream trip, I would be able to spend enough time in each country to understand its culture a little more.

describe yourself in 3 words: Restless. Independent. Fearless (at least I try to be).

read more about Sara on her blog: Bristol in my Pocket

follow along with

twitter + instagram + bloglovin

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hiking to Big Sable Point

I have a soft spot for lighthouses. growing up in Michigan and being surrounded by the Great Lakes [and having a mother who is a little obsessed with lighthouses] I have visited my fair share. Big Sable Point is one of my favorites. partially because you have to hike, bike, or boat to get there.

the most direct route involves a straight but sandy path back from the Pines campground, and is a little less than 2 miles. you can bike this way. but the road runs between the woods and the dunes so in some spots it can get a little tough with all the blown over sand.

or you can hike out on the aptly named Lighthouse Trail. this trail starts in the woods, then emerges onto the dunes. your shoes will definitely be full of sand by the time you make it to the lighthouse... but that's why you take them off and dip your toes in Lake Michigan when you get there.

you can pay a small fee to go inside the lighthouse for a tour and to climb to the top. [we opted to skip that given our hike was going to be 5 miles round trip and we've all been up before.] instead we enjoyed the view from "sea" level and took a snack break.

crossing the dunes from the woods to the lake can be really warm, especially in the low areas where you are shielded by wind. since it was a hot day we decided to follow the shoreline back to link up with the Coast Guard Trail. not only did this mean we had a lovely lake breeze, but we could walk barefoot in the cold water.

[check out the Michigan DNR website for more information on hiking this and other trails at Ludington State Park.]

the cup of coffee that fueled the writing of today’s post was sponsored by Jenn. she drinks her coffee with Truvia + almond milk and blogs about lifestyle + home improvement over at Near and Far Montana.

linking up with Bonnie, Kaelene, Sammy, and Van for Travel Tuesday

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hiking at Ludington State Park

this past week while I was in Ludington with my parents, we went out to the state park for a hike. I probably mentioned it last summer, but Ludington State park holds a lot of childhood memories for me. we used to go camping there in the summers with our family friends, and in fact we just watched some home video [from 20 years ago] where we are all sitting around the campfire talking about our day in the park.

having grown up in Michigan, and spending so much time outdoors as a child - camping, hiking, going to the lake - I am probably quite biased. but I really feel that the west coast of Michigan is one of the most beautiful places on earth. and, well, at this point I've been to quite a few places.

I admit it - I'm a detail person. especially when it comes to photographing nature. and a hike through the state park provides plenty of little treasures to discover: mushrooms of all varieties, woodpecker holes, moss, acorns, sunlit leaves, insects, and birch trees that have completely decomposed except for their bark.

our hike took us through parts of the Coast Guard and Lighthouse trails, through both forests and over sand dunes and even wading into Lake Michigan. today I've decided to share the "forest" portion of our hike - photos of the actual lighthouse and the lakeshore coming later this week!

I hope wherever you are in the world, you are able to enjoy some time outdoors this summer. pack a picnic lunch, your sunscreen + bugspray and just go.

the cup of coffee that fueled the writing of today’s post was sponsored by Samantha. she drinks her tea half sweet + half unsweet, and blogs about lifestyle + faith over at Elah Tree. go say hello!

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