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The Shadow of Motherhood
Motherhood is often wrapped in images of tenderness, sacrifice, and unconditional care. Yet there is another side, rarely spoken of. It...
Shikin Xu
Sep 304 min read
 
 
 


IUD
Before deciding to get an IUD (Intrauterine Device, a form of long-term birth control), I did a lot of preparation. I read many articles,...
Shikin Xu
Sep 1515 min read
 
 
 


Herbal Caress
Wendy suggested that I could cleanse myself with basil. Suddenly, everything made sense. In the little shops where I often buy incense,...
Shikin Xu
Sep 96 min read
 
 
 


Flame’s Heart, Inhabited by a Tear
There was a flame, radiating countless lights, countless flickering sparks. She danced, leapt, and swayed without hesitation; She was...
Shikin Xu
Aug 275 min read
 
 
 


26/8/25 Jotting
Dust swirls slowly in the air, drifting upward like a silent flood, spiral. If one does not linger long under the sun, it is almost...
Shikin Xu
Aug 261 min read
 
 
 


My Notes on Traveling in Colombia
Since my friends Alma and Dani are visiting Colombia, I thought I’d share some tips and recommendations. Instead of sending bits and...
Shikin Xu
Aug 244 min read
 
 
 


Oyster
Oyster, raw, alive. Plump, sweet, briny, carrying the faint musk of seawater, rich as cream. Between the lips and teeth—passion,...
Shikin Xu
Aug 202 min read
 
 
 


The Tale of a Toad
Once upon a time, in the lush green hills of northern Colombia, just outside a sleepy little coffee town called Minca, lived a toad....
Shikin Xu
Aug 83 min read
 
 
 


18/7/25 NuquÃ, Chocó, Colombia
We had nothing planned for today. We woke up slowly, lazily, and had breakfast without any rush. I think I’m really, truly starting to...
Shikin Xu
Jul 2311 min read
 
 
 


Whispers from the Sacred Valley
25/5/25 Right now, I’m sitting in a small café in this mountain city, with Negra Presentuosa by Susana Baca gently playing through my...
Shikin Xu
Jun 2416 min read
 
 
 


15/6/25 A Wakeful Night
Late at night, I couldn’t fall asleep. Though to be honest, it isn't that late, just around eleven. Beans and I had watched Orlando , a...
Shikin Xu
Jun 165 min read
 
 
 


30/5/25 I am inhabited by a cry
Ever since I was little,  I’ve known I was a fairy. I loved whimsical worlds. I loved dancing with the wind. I loved molding mud with my...
Shikin Xu
May 304 min read
 
 
 


15/5/25 Fiona, the friend who felt like we’d always known each other
Summer in Venado Tuerto On my first morning in Cusco, I had a rather emotionally intense conversation. Combined with some altitude...
Shikin Xu
May 1610 min read
 
 
 


10/5/25 First night in Peru
I'm currently staying at my Airbnb — the kind where you share the space with the host.  There's a dog in the house named Quero. He's a...
Shikin Xu
May 135 min read
 
 
 


3/5/25 Dripping
I like eating a cold, juicy, fresh orange in the dark, after taking a hot, steamy bath. Warm water flows gently, my toes touch the...
Shikin Xu
May 43 min read
 
 
 


1/5/25 Overcast
Cloudy skies. A night full of dreams. I have a slight headache. The café I wanted to go to was closed—it's feriado today, and the streets...
Shikin Xu
May 13 min read
 
 
 


23/4/25 A Little Story About an Alfajor
Yesterday, my dear friend Vira asked if I wanted to rehearse together, and I said yes. She took the bus, and I called an Uber. She’s the...
Shikin Xu
Apr 295 min read
 
 
 


14/4/25 My Breasts That Breathe With Me
There are parts of our bodies that seem to understand before we do. And I want to write about my breasts.  Breasts? Yes—you read that...
Shikin Xu
Apr 2116 min read
 
 
 


20/4/25 Easter Fragments
Just around the corner from my house, there’s a tiny café I love—cozy and green, with exposed brick walls and a quiet palette of deep...
Shikin Xu
Apr 2112 min read
 
 
 


17/4/25 El susurro de la lluvia
Lately, I’ve been really busy and tired. Each day was full, and I barely had a moment to pause. Tonight, finally, things have quieted...
Shikin Xu
Apr 1710 min read
 
 
 
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