Every time I have done IVF, it has shattered me a little on the inside. It shatters—and exhausts—me because I know for the next four weeks, Bitter and Hope will be coming to stay as houseguests. Hope is great—she really makes such an effort, is so encouraging to me with gentle words and whispers like, […]

BELGRADE, SERBIA–We first met Sayid* under the blazing hot sun in the park near Belgrade’s main railway station last Thursday. My friend Maja and I had decided to go down to the park to hand out milk, fruit, crackers and juice to refugee mothers, children and families who were in transit from southern Serbia to […]

LONDON–I am going to bust open a London urban legend: Americans don’t automatically fail their driving exam the first time they take it. I will admit this was a scaremongering myth even I perpetuated before I took my exam, as I had heard from American friends and colleagues countless horror stories of examiners failing people […]

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FRANKFORT, MICHIGAN—I have been reviewing and writing about the arts for a good part of my journalistic career; everything from profiles of artists like Indonesia’s Heri Dono to theatre reviews like the strange site-specific production I saw in Lithuania in 2009. But I have never had to review anything I have done—because I haven’t been […]

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LONDON—It’s the time of year that I love most, when spring has graciously stepped aside for summer. It probably dates back to my childhood; when school was out, not only did it mean no more teachers and no more books, but also a long period of time away from the perceived drudgery of daily life […]