Two Rivers through the USA I was in a bad place recently, a bad place of the kind you can’t get to by plane or leave a bad Yelp review for. There was a Sylvia Plath quote I kept repeating to myself (can you ever be in a good place if you’re quoting Plath?): “Is … Continued
Shopping in Rome, (well in most of Europe) there are different social norms and customs that patrons are expected to know. In the United States, people paw the merchandise, carry it around and then usually leave it somewhere it doesn’t belong. This. Does Not. Happen. In. Italy. Entering into a shop is like entering into … Continued
I had a decision to make. To step off of the plane in Guatemala City, forget all the turbulence that I had just endured, shaking up my emotional state, releasing feelings of doubt and insecurity alongside memories of past failure. My stomach was churning and my mind was racing. “It’s not too late.” I attempted … Continued
Ten White Knuckles on a Passage to India by Simon Rowe The sub-continental bus equation goes like this: for every two hours of road travelled allow 30 minutes for breakdowns, meal stops, smoke stops, pee stops and no-reason-at-all stops. This formula took effect the moment I pulled out of Kathmandu. The Bus—a barge on … Continued
Being brave is not the opposite of being cowardly. Being cowardly is letting your fears paralyze you. Being courageous doesn’t mean you aren’t afraid; it simply means you take those fears in stride and keep moving forward. We learn from an early age that soldiers and firefighters are brave. We watch Marvel superheroes fight … Continued
Brave Girl in 15A over the Ocean Seeing the bullfights in Portugal (they don’t kill the bull, mostly), dancing the tango in Argentina, diving the reefs in Australia all have one thing in common for a girl from Illinois. First she has to get there. If you want to head out across this big blue world, … Continued
Hopscotch to Christiania Christiania made me feel brave because I came there cowed and disillusioned and the experience of it brought me to a more courageous state. I hadn’t even wanted to be in Copenhagen. My boss had announced he had tickets for a “weekend trip” and couldn’t go so I said I’d take … Continued
Bravery on the Beach in Costa Rica When I think about a place that really inspired me to be brave, the first place that pops into my mind is Playa Camaronal, in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. The reason I chose this place is not because of the massive waves that challenge even the most advanced surfers, … Continued
Never in my wildest nightmares did I think I would return to India. Not after last time and the following months of therapy, depression medication refills, and reoccurring dreams of a man’s face melting off in an open fire. Yet here I am, sitting by a different window wearing my old saffron salware kameez, listening … Continued
Left On The Road in Iceland I’d never hitchhiked before. I emptied my bank account so I could leave Manhattan and find raw nature–a place where the land was more alive than the people. My aunt’s 10-page letter from Iceland, with tiny sentences squashed in and around printed photographs of Icelandic horses, turf … Continued