Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness…. — Mark Twain I’ve seen this quote everywhere, but it has never felt very convincing to me. As most of the West…
Learning About Inuit Traditions: How to Use Seal
Cleaning sealskin. Image by Anubha Momin. Since mid-July I have been working with the Arctic Kingdom and Tour Iqaluit companies as a tour guide, usually leading boat and city tours in…
Top 5 Things I Miss About Peace Corps
Few bonds are as great as those between fellow Peace Corps Volunteers. Image courtesy of Samantha Marangell. People often ask if I would do Peace Corps service again. What they really…
Death-defying feats of skiing
Bunny slopes at Monarch Mountain – and a smile before…well, you’ll see. I had shown up on a trapped-between-winter-and-spring Colorado day: warm temperatures, snow still on the ground, with the promise…
Just Be: 4 Ways of Gleaning Emotion from Travel
The Natural Bridge invites imagination. We were staying in a hostel in Uruguay. A rooftop deck at the level of the palm trees, their long fronds spilling towards the ground….
Circus Learning by Trial and Error
Circus life is messy, but the rewards are worth it. The relief I felt when my taxi pulled up in front of a gaggle of caravans, clustered around a white,…
Pâté in Paris: Opinel in Hand
I showed up to the pâté-making gig with knife in hand. Well, knife in hand, and hand in pocket, to be more accurate. I’ve never had reason to distrust the…
The Love-Hate Relationship
My relationship in Colombia makes me crazy. One day I love it, one day I hate it. At times I’m so in love I’m beaming and the next hour I…