Echo From The West
Faith, fatherhood, and the open road — a patriot’s path to the East.
“The road runs East, but the roots run deep.
Faith. Family. Freedom. One man’s journey through shifting lands and timeless truths.”
Echoes Along the Road
These aren’t just posts — they’re markers on a long road east. Reflections on leaving, on belonging, on faith, fatherhood, and the quiet resolve to keep moving forward. Step by step, story by story.
days
hours minutes seconds
until
Flight Back to the US
“A man of vision, you say. Yeah… Hell of a vision.”
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The last few weeks have been some of the most emotional, overwhelming, and meaningful of my life. In the span of just days, I became a grandfather to little Rhys and then a father again when Elsa was born a week later. Two new lives joining the family almost back-to-back, beautiful, miraculous, and honestly a
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It’s only 1 p.m. as I write this, but I already feel exhausted. It’s been an emotional, unforgettable day. My youngest child, my newest daughter, was born today. This isn’t my first time becoming a father; I have two wonderful older kids. But even so, the experience hits with the same awe every time. A
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I haven’t written here since September 16th, just a few days after Charlie Kirk was assassinated. That post was an emotional one, and since then, life has been a whirlwind. I’ve been deep in a new project, and, more importantly, preparing for the arrival of my youngest. We think it’s a daughter, at least that’s
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Grief, Faith, and Getting Back to Work It has been not quite a full week since Charlie Kirk was assassinated. I did not know him personally. Still, his voice felt close to mine. His faith, his courage, and his willingness to speak shaped a part of the public conversation I care about. Watching him die
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I wrote this on September 9th with the intent of publishing on the 10th, once I was done with traveling. I didn’t get the chance, but here it is now. I’m sitting in Seoul, South Korea, catching my breath after a long flight and waiting for the next leg of my journey back to Dalian,
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It’s been almost four weeks since my last post—my trip to Shanghai—and a lot has happened since then. I’m actually writing this on my way to the airport, about to fly back to the U.S. for 12 days before returning to Dalian. Work has kept me more than busy. Over the past month I’ve been
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It was supposed to be a smooth two hour flight back. But Shanghai had other plans. A typhoon swept in, and every flight out of the city was canceled. I found myself standing in a moderately long line at Pudong Airport—not snaking through terminals or wrapped around stanchions, but still, a delay, a delay to
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After a long day immersed in robots, enterprise AI, and emotional tech at WAIC 2025, I figured my Shanghai adventure might wind down with a quiet evening. I was wrong—in the best way. The second half of my day reminded me that while AI may power the future, it’s the moments of connection—real, human connection—that
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A Different Kind of Buzz Shanghai’s WAIC (World Artificial Intelligence Conference) was not what I expected—and that’s exactly why it was worth attending. While the big-name Western AI companies were noticeably absent, no Microsoft, no OpenAI, the expo halls were packed. Families, students, businesspeople, techies, and curious onlookers filled the venue. It wasn’t a quiet
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Tucked away in Old Town Shanghai is a little hole-in-the-wall bar called Park Here. You might miss it if you’re not looking — tiny tables, round stools just barely off the ground, and a glowing street view framed by orange window panes. I wasn’t planning to stop. I was just wandering after a quick errand
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I came to Shanghai thinking I’d squeeze in a little AI inspiration… turns out what I really needed was a damn good slider and a tall glass of berry cider. Nestled in an older part of the city, I wandered past the usual suspects—noodle shops that smelled incredible, locals slurping bowls of broth that looked
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I found out about the 2025 WAIC (World AI Conference) in Shanghai late last week—just in time to snag an expo ticket for the final day. The first three days of exhibitions and forums were already sold out. Still, I couldn’t resist. A quick trip to Shanghai, a peek at some cutting-edge AI projects in
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This afternoon, we headed to the city center of Dalian for a prenatal appointment. From the start, it was more than just a hospital visit, it was a full day journey through subways, city streets, a polished hospital, and a few unexpected moments of beauty and reflection. We started by driving to the subway station
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I’ve always loved cooking. It connects me to the people I care about. It grounds me, especially in moments of change. Before I left for China, I cooked for my daughter as much as I could. I cooked for my mom. I’ve always found joy in preparing a good meal and sharing it with the
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A personal look at my first few weeks working remotely from China — from setting up a secure digital workspace to rediscovering clarity, focus, and purpose in a new rhythm of life and work.
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A home-cooked meal in a minimalist Chinese kitchen: stir-fried chicken, cucumber salad, and a rookie chili mistake you’ll never forget. 🍽️🌶️
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Today was one of those days that started with a surge of purpose and ended with the simple pleasures that come from being present in a new place. It was both an exciting and surprisingly casual day. This morning kicked off early, 3:45am early—as I prepped for a key meeting with a client who’s not
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As a long-suffering Mariners fan — still haunted by what could’ve been in 2001 — it’s been awesome to watch what Cal Raleigh is doing this year. And fittingly, it all has some ties back to that legendary 2001 squad. Dan Wilson is now the head coach, Edgar Martinez is the hitting coach. Makes you
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Yesterday had all the makings of a story worth telling—one of contrast, curiosity, and quiet connection. It started like many mornings here do: with a walk to the local McDonald’s. Now I know—McDonald’s isn’t exactly the place you’d expect to find breakfast inspiration in China. But hear me out.
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When I landed in China on July 9th, I had a pretty simple plan: reunite with my wife, enjoy some good food, and gradually ease into life here. Four days later… we’re buying a home. Yes, seriously. Somewhere between unpacking my suitcase and figuring out the laundry situation, Xue and I made an offer, negotiated,
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One of the first things I’m learning as a new expat in China is that “normal” is a moving target. Yesterday, Xue and I had a full day mapped out, breakfast, apartment hunting, a bit of rest, and then heading to the Hilton in Golden Pebble Beach for some quiet study and work time. We
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Troy was my older brother—just 11 months ahead of me. We were the kind of brothers who fought like cats and dogs when we were little, but in those last couple of years before he died, we had started to turn a corner. We were finally becoming close—really close. His birthday was July 11th. Every
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It was 4:30 a.m. in China when my phone buzzed—twice. I stirred awake, still groggy, mind racing. I assumed it might be a message from a partner or maybe even from Xue. But instead, to my surprise and delight, it was Sydnee.
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My first full day in China started with a breakfast buffet that didn’t disappoint. It wasn’t a full Western spread, but I had eggs, decent sausage (which is surprisingly rare here), spicy wonton noodle soup, some Chinese vegetable dishes, and of course—watermelon. Believe it or not, watermelon is huge in China—always fresh, always sweet, and
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After nearly 24 hours of travel, I’ve finally arrived in Dalian. My flight left about an hour late, but I wouldn’t have known, I fell asleep after boarding and woke up just as we were taking off. Sometimes exhaustion works in your favor. 😄 It’s now 11:15 p.m. in China — 8:15 a.m. back in
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Waiting to board my flight to Dalian now. It’s been a long day, but moments like this make the travel feel lighter. Across from me is a Chinese family with three kids, two young teens and a little boy, maybe five or six. That little guy walked past me with his eyebrows bouncing up and
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Made it! I’ve been to Shanghai before, but the airport always manages to impress me, the sheer size, the tall ceilings, the long halls, and the endless flow of people. 😄 Pro tip: Even if you don’t have access to an airline lounge through miles or status, sometimes you can pay a small fee to
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Wheels up — and now officially in the air for the next 12 hours. Got a surprise last-minute upgrade to Premium Select — fancy, I know 😂 But hey, glass glasses, real napkins, warm towels, and enough elbow room to actually exist… I’m not complaining. Meanwhile, the little guy behind me seems to think he’s
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Was up past midnight, still pulling things together to pack. Everything was there, but somehow the final packing always sneaks up. At 12:30 a.m., I finally surrendered and got a few hours of sleep. Alarm went off at 4 a.m. — rushed to get dressed, grab a quick breakfast, and throw the final touches on
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Eve-of-departure. A prayer, a goodbye, a thank-you. Quiet resolve before the leap. Tomorrow, I board a plane that will carry me away from everything familiar, my home, my children, my dogs, the roads I know by heart. I am scared, and yet I feel no panic. Just a quiet stillness. The fear doesn’t come from
Echo From The West 