I've waited over half of my life for this trip. Its main purpose is to finally visit the first foreign country I ever longed to see: Spain. As someone who has dedicated her life to literature, learning Spanish, and understanding the roots of Latin American culture, this is a dream come true for me. Over the … Continue reading Literary Heroes, Vegan Fare & Creativity in Europe (and a bit of North Africa!)
The relationship between tattoos and travel has been on my mind for quite sometime. Do people tend to get body art while on vacation because they're actually embracing the moment, feel out of character and able to do anything they want, or because they've had a few too many margaritas? (Come on, I know a … Continue reading Tattoos and Travel
When I moved to Argentina, there was much I had to learn not only about the country and the Latin American region, but also myself. At the romantic, idealistic age of twenty-two, I bought my one-way ticket to Buenos Aires. I was prepared to volunteer teaching English, finish the novel I'd started the year before, become … Continue reading Buenos Aires: A Time of Struggle, Awakening, and Transformation
Colombia. Drugs. Violence. Guerrillas. Death. Corruption. There is a common misconception within the US- and other first world countries- that these words are synonymous. I decided to write my Master's thesis on La Violencia, or "The Violence", in Colombia to prove that this notion was terribly false. From 1948 to 1958, the country experienced a massive … Continue reading Streets and Scenes of Bogota
Japan is one of the most wondrous countries I've been to. The food is great, the people are very polite and fashionable, trains are always on time, beer is sold out of vending machines, neon signs overwhelm your eyeballs, tattoos are still taboo, and beauty is everywhere. It's a crazy, spectacular, mind-boggling island that would … Continue reading Himeji-Jo in Japan
Motorcycles, bicycles, rickshaws, pedestrians, motorcycles, buses, pedestrians, and more motorcycles. Colors and characters flash by you instantaneously: old men smoking cigarettes on plastic stools; women in straw hats carrying a four-by-four, balancing a scale of pineapples and durians; bags, kitsch, shoes, Buddhas, green “Good Morning, Vietnam” t-shirts; lakeside Catholic churches and harbor-side pagodas; little kids … Continue reading Hanoi, Vietnam: Staying at Tony’s
Yes, I had traveled alone to Zihuatanejo, Mexico to visit my loser ex-boyfriend, and I had already saved up a year's worth of income to move to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I had a volunteer program waiting for me. But this was different. Here I was, completely alone, hung over from the Halloween party the night before, … Continue reading Do You Have What it Takes to Travel Alone?
On the road again- this time from Kuala Lumpur up north to Penang. The bus I sit in is quite comfortable and air-conditioned- a bit more luxurious than I’m used to. The winding path that takes us through Penang is overwhelming- inundated, lush verdure. It seems the trees may come in and reach into the bus, brush against me, … Continue reading On the Road to Penang
There are some countries you travel to and love, others that you don't really care for and want to leave right away. But none are really boring or forgettable, at least to me. One of my least favorite countries to date has been Bolivia. It's the third poorest country in Latin America where most roads are … Continue reading Salar de Uyuni: A Journey in Photographs
As a writer, traveler, and prolific reader, I often consider that I haven't read many "travel books," since I usually don't delve into travel memoirs. Usually, when I go to the travel section of a library or bookstore, I end up thumbing through a Lonely Planet travel guide, or musing through the colorful pictures of … Continue reading Five of My Favorite Travel Books
Chronicles of a Travel Addict 