The Conversationalist

For my first full week in Laos, I spent some time volunteering at Big Brother Mouse. But I also shared some unexpected meals with friends who were coincidentally in the town of Luang Prabang the same time as me!

This week I had my first few days in Laos! It was filled with some great explorations, delicious meals and seeing local attractions. But first you need to excuse me for my fashion disaster…

Dear Family and Friends, Sa-bai-dee! I write you today from the charming town of Luang Prabang. Located in the north of Laos along the slow moving Mekong River, Luang Prabang is a UNESCO world-heritage site with delicious food and a unique architectural history.

When it came to choosing my November destination, for the longest time I couldn’t make up my mind. I had not visited anywhere in Southeast Asia before, and thought that perhaps now was the time.

This week I hit the road! And the road hit me back! Check out some videos from Goa, including my ‘lucky’ flat tire…

How does one summarize a week in India? Well here’s an attempt to bring you there through seven quick videos. See my work project. Listen to a radio interview. Watch a praying mantas meet its demise. Just an average week in Goa!

The options for volunteer travel have inflated exponentially over the past few years. If you tap “Volunteer Nepal” into your search engine, you’ll have pages of options of organizations that are willing to help you have a meaningful volunteer experience, for a price. Sometimes paying to volunteer is a worthy investment, but there are still plenty [...]

This week was filled with work. Check out some of the projects, and meet some of the guys!

Oh, sweet India. How I have romanticized you for decades, with your spicy chai teas and beautiful faces and gift of yoga and curried lentils. I have watched you from the other side of the room, wondering when I should make my move, wishing that my first time be meaningful, memorable.

My first full week in Israel brought a quick stop over (and a stunning sunset) in Tel Aviv, and then out to the goat farm. It was here I learned all about the mating habits of male goats. Very insightful.

In this week’s Letter Home, I made my case on why I have chosen to visit Israel. Some of these reasons included the desire to gain a first-hand account of the nation, to engage with the people and to hopefully form a more informed and sensitive analysis. But let’s be clear, it really is all [...]

Dearest Family and Friends, I fluctuated, to be honest, about where September would lead me. But in the end I chose Israel. I knew that I wanted to visit a nation in the Middle East, but I wasn’t sure where exactly I might find the most meaningful experience.