Yi Shun Lai (say "yeeshun" for her first name; "lie" for her last) is the author of Pin Ups, a memoir about her relationship with outdoors sports, and what it's taught her about her place in a white world. She is a columnist for The Writer magazine and Features Editor at Undomesticated, a web magazine that aims to redefine the way we write about other cultures and travel. Visit her at Twitter @gooddirt.

INSIGHT

The Long Tail

By YI SHUN LAI

My parents speak fluent English, and my Taiwanese is pretty well close to fluent, but some things cannot be communicated.