Another Life at 40s    by Sio Ten years ago, I became a travel writer after roaming the world. At 35, desperate and broke, it felt like my last shot. I poured everything into social media until algorithms sucked the life out of it, and I it quit all. Luckily, I met a partner who led me into international real estate. At 38, with limited time, it was my true last shot. I worked hard and built success - Until pandemic left my partner stuck in Japan and me in Macau’s three-year

Another Life at 40s    by Sio In youth, friendships came easily. Just a Hello could spark a bond. But the older we get, the harder it becomes. When I moved to Japan, I had no friends outside work. I threw myself into event after event like a second job. The more I tried, the more out of place I felt. Small talk in a second language buried in noise left me exhausted. But watching others click and making plans, I wondered: Am I too cold? Too old? Why does no one ask me out? I f

Another Life at 40s    by Sio In my 30s, I backpacked across continents with no plan. I ventured into the Amazon, crossed remote borders, got lost and sick — life felt like a romantic movie.  A decade flew by. I no longer roam, my body won’t let me. Long flights hurt, jet lag lingers. Checkups feel like lottery. Midlife has arrived, but I’m not ready. 10 hrs of walking at Expo left my knees failing. Doctor said it might be early aging. I panicked: “I’m only in my 40s! Is my a

Another Life at 40s  by Sio Japan was never on my Dream List — no anime, no J-Pop, no love for tatami. When I got the job offer, I thought: not for me. I’d started over in Europe and the Americas, but always with passions. But Japan? No sparks at all. To live properly means handling life on your own. Doctor visits, banking, lashes... But without love for Japan, I had no will to learn the language. So how could I possibly say yes to the offer? Then came the year everything fe