Chad Pillai
Bio
Military Officer, World Traveler, and Author.
Stories (29/0)
My Adventure in South Korea
The U.S. Army’s woodland battle dress uniform (BDU) was the official uniform for Soldiers until the mid-2000s. The BDU served as a financial windfall for the tailors who sewed on patches, producers of spray starch that helped the uniform looked crisp, and the boot shiners who made your boots look like mirrors on your feet. Making one’s combat uniform and boots look immaculate was a time-consuming process. Thankfully, as a young officer stationed in South Korea, I had the opportunity to meet and pay Mr. Kim a $50 monthly fee to press my uniform and polish my boots. Mr. Kim provided this service to all the young Lieutenants who lived in the famous “Dragon Valley” on Camp Casey. Mr. Kim had been providing this service for so long that he would tell us when he knew Generals when they were Lieutenants. However, this story is not about Mr. Kim’s superb ability to press uniforms and polish boots; instead, this story is about his superpower related to Korea’s most famous alcoholic drink: Soju.
By Chad Pillai3 years ago in Wander
Finding General Tso Chicken in China
Who does not love General Tso Chicken? It is a delightful and succulent breaded and spicy recipe and is one of the most requested dishes at Chinese Restaurants. While General Tso is famous here in the U.S., have we ever wondered if it is viewed the same way by the Chinese in China? I had the chance to find out when I visited China in 2002.
By Chad Pillai3 years ago in Wander
My Adventure in an Indian Tiger Preserve:
Tigers are fascinating and majestic creatures. After my misadventure at a tea plantation, my family headed to the Periyar Tiger Preserve National Park. The national park was a beautiful area covered in dense forest with a series of interconnected lakes. On one of the lakes, there was a small resort where guests could stay the night. Guests had to take a small boat out to the resort, and my father had rented it as an anniversary gift for my mother. When we arrived by boat, we were informed that it was possible to see wild elephants bathing in the lake early in the mornings.
By Chad Pillai3 years ago in Wander
Surviving in the Abyss
The cabin was cold, dark, and damp. I sat alone in a thick metal sphere crammed with computer monitors and caressed the heart-shaped locket on my necklace. As I sat alone, my mind wandered, and I thought about how far from home I was in the deep abyss. The computer screens, the only light source, compounded this feeling as they displayed the vast undersea landscape of the deep abyss.
By Chad Pillai3 years ago in Fiction
My Adventure in India
India is an exotic land to outsiders. My perception of India was shaped by stories and movies like the Jungle Book and Indiana Jones. My father, an immigrant from India, had told me stories of his homeland, and I remember asking him once if he ate monkey brains. The question did not amuse my father, yet he shared stories of his childhood and heroes from Indian lore, such as the Monkey God named Hanuman. His stories always fascinated me, and I wondered what an adventure to India would be like one day. Thankfully, I was fortunate enough to travel and experience adventures in India with my father. The one adventure that comes to mind involved getting lost around a forested mountain, a failed hunt, and a conversation with a dog.
By Chad Pillai3 years ago in Wander