The clamor of metal clanks, wooden plows, and electric drills from local construction sites have been echoing throughout my street and into my tenement apartment window for years now. Change is inevitable and even expected in New York City. However, the rate of change in my Clinton Hill/Fort Greene, Brooklyn neighborhood has been exponential and feels almost […]
The cold weather is among us in full force. For many in the Northern Hemisphere, this can be a dreadful time. Our vitamin D levels tend to drop as we receive fewer daytime hours and our motivation to get out decreases as we recede to the warm comforts of our homes right after work; both […]
Mongolia is an enchantment for travelers interested in history, culture, nature, and adventure travel. And yet, it is ranked as one of the least visited countries for tourism in the world (134 out of 188). This is partly because up until Mongolia’s Democrative Revolution in the 1990’s, tourism was limited by their formerly communist government. […]
The Dominican Republic is the most popular travel destination in the Caribbean. Every year, over five million travelers from around the world arrive in the tropical island nation. Tourism is one of the most important sources of revenue for the island nation. However, this revenue is not spread out consistently around. Many foreign travelers in the […]
The Trump Administration’s amendments to Cuban Assets Control and Regulation (CACR) have caused a ripple effect of doubt and misconceptions regarding travel to Cuba. In the midst of the hyperbole regarding the latest changes, many travelers have decided to cancel their flights or travel plans to Cuba. However, the changes enacted on November 8, 2017, were relatively […]
What does it mean to be an American? We are a 236-year-old relatively nascent country of immigrants, influenced by cultural values from around the world. Every few decades a new wave of immigrants enter and form their own diaspora communities for a few generations until they slowly assimilate into what we call the American culture; but […]
Myanmar has been making headlines across news platforms and social media for its military’s persecution of the Muslim Rohingya ethnic minority, which United Nations experts now call “textbook ethnic cleansing.” Because of this humanitarian crisis and the government’s public denial of its gravity, many ethically-mindful travelers have called for a boycott of Myanmar travel. These […]
Three trips to Cuba just weren’t enough. I still yearned to spend more time in the country connecting to the Cuban life. So in early 2017, I enrolled to the University of Havana and moved in with family friends in the beautiful Vedado neighborhood, as immersed as a yuma could be. Being a cultural hybrid […]
I first began traveling to Cuba in late 2015. Like many others, I’d been intrigued by the elusive island for years. Upon finally stepping foot on Cuban soil, I was captivated. The island embraced me with open arms and squeezed me tightly. Two months later, I was back. I had to see more. I “hitchhiked” from […]
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is a country of 55 million people, uniquely situated between India, Bangladesh, Laos, China, and Thailand. Due to its unique location, this captivating country is home to various ethnicities, religions, and languages. Although not-so-well-known, Myanmar has recently been frequenting the front pages due to what experts have determined to be […]