This weekend I’m speaking at the New England Study Abroad ReEntry Conference, offering tips for avoiding the mistakes I’ve made words of wisdom to a group of students who just returned from studying abroad. I’m planning to talk about how travel gives us perspective, and how each one of us can harness that perspective to […]
I’m in Nicaragua. I’m so NOT in Nicaragua. I’d bought a ticket to fly there two days after my last day at work, with little plans other than than to find a zipline and get away from my computer. But as I was stuffing clothes into my pack the day before I was supposed to […]
On Monday night while I was waiting for the Metro, tired and cranky after a long day, a dark-haired women approached me. She towed three children, a grandmother and a clunky suitcase. “Vienna?” she asked, pointing at the tracks. I tried to explain that this train didn’t go to Vienna (that’s Vienna, Virginia, not the […]
You know those moments when you’re traveling in a far away place or even just the next town over and you see someone doing something that makes no sense at all? Where you think to yourself, Seriously? And you’re not sure whether to gape or crack up? Those moments are copious in Africa. So to […]
It’s never easy to pack for a long-haul trip. You want to pack as little as possible, yet also have everything you need. And the day before you leave, you always know you’re forgetting something. That’s why I’m a fan of creating a packing list, or using one somebody else created (which reminds me that […]
I left work grumpy on Wednesday, annoyed about something I wouldn’t remember the next morning. I’d signed up for a techie event that night, so I rode the bus from Georgetown to 14th Street, trying to shake my mood. Rush-hour traffic clogged the roads, and I pulled a book from my bag to pass the […]
My post last week about the myth of getting paid to travel struck a few nerves, particularly my comments about press trips. But here’s what surprised me: I thought more folks would disagree with me about how (un)realistic it is to make money as a travel writer. I expected to see more negative comments on […]
Want to know how you can REALLY travel the world? Check out my eguide, How to Take a Career Break to Travel. I can’t stand all the posts on travel blogs that claim it’s possible to travel the world for free through writing. It’s NOT. Okay, maybe it’s possible for a few select writers. But […]
Itching to travel? Check out my eguide, How to Take a Career Break to Travel. Like it or not, women have to take special precautions while traveling alone. After six months of backpacking solo in Africa, I’ve got a few ideas about how we can make the most of solo exploration — and stay safe […]
When friends ask how traveling in Africa changed me, I offer a lot of different answers. It made me more patient. More frugal. Helped me think through what I want out of life. But mostly, it made me thankful. After spending time with people who can’t afford to go to school or visit the doctor […]