Travel without leaving home: Drum Circles in Los Angeles

 

Peace Corps and the Princess

Four Seasons Kuda Hura, Maldives
Photo by Tim Yeung

George was in the Peace Corps, lived in Paraguay, dug his own latrine and was the only one in his village who could wash dishes inside since he created the only “sink” in “town.” During the same time, I lived onboard a 5 star cruise ship and my job was to be Julie MaCoy from the Love Boat. You might imagine that our traveling styles were VERY different! What an understatement! We have learned that what is GREAT to one of us can be very far from GREAT to the other. Over the years, we have tried different styles and stayed in places from 5 star as in the Four Seasons Kuda Hura in the Maldives to the YMBA in Kataragma, Sri Lanka where most rooms had no bed, light, bathroom or much besides a door. We have learned to travel in many different ways.

Besides the ability to stay in places with no water, or electricity (what do you want for $4.50), we have also shared other interests. George is a great musician and travels with his ukelele. While we were in Morocco at the Flint Oasis, which is gorgeous and amazing, we participating in a fantastic drum circle.
I am happy to report you do not have to fly to Morocco for a spectacular cultural experience and drum circle. We went to two here in Los Angeles in September.

With the RPCVLA (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Los Angeles), we participated in the annual summer picnic and drum circle in Rustic Canyon Park. What a group of committed individuals, volunteers were staffed everywhere from Kenya, Liberia, Jamaica, Hungary, Ecuador, Columbia, to Madagascar. The energy and friendliness was INCREDIBLE! We look forward to to celebrating the 50 year anniversary of the Peace Corps in the Fall!

Nashuva Tashlich and Drum Circle at Venice Beach: As part of Rosh Hashannah, Jewish New Year, there was “a service at Venice Beach. We will do Taschlich, cast our burdens and wrongs into the sea, have a drumming circle and blow the shofar.” We threw our bread (symbolizing our sins) into the Ocean and asked for a wonderful New Year. It is inspiring to be by the water and join in percussion with over 100 people. The drum circle which is the largest Jewish Drum Circle in the world is always amazing. And so is Rabbi Naomi Levy! Not only are Nashuvah services inspiring but she has a new book, Hope will Find you


Please see the recent Jewish Journal Cover Story on her and her new book.
http://www.jewishjournal.com/


It is possible to find hope or let hope find you. It is possible to have travel or cultural experiences while staying at home.


We hope that all your dreams come true this year!
Lisa and George



Coming soon: TUK TUK BLUES
Music composed on the road with friends from many countries!

Want to be part of Nashuva’s Kol Nidre Service:
http://www.jewishjournal.com/kol_nidre

claim token YD6PUH4M3UHT 

Lisa Ellen Niver

Lisa Niver is an award-winning travel expert who has explored 102 countries on six continents. This University of Pennsylvania graduate sailed across the seas for seven years with Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, and Renaissance Cruises and spent three years backpacking across Asia. Discover her articles in publications from AARP: The Magazine and AAA Explorer to WIRED and Wharton Magazine, as well as her site WeSaidGoTravel. On her award nominated global podcast, Make Your Own Map, Niver has interviewed Deepak Chopra, Olympic medalists, and numerous bestselling authors, and as a journalist has been invited to both the Oscars and the United Nations. For her print and digital stories as well as her television segments, she has been awarded three Southern California Journalism Awards and two National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards and been a finalist twenty-two times. Named a #3 travel influencer for 2023, Niver talks travel on broadcast television at KTLA TV Los Angeles, her YouTube channel with over 2 million views, and in her memoir, Brave-ish, One Breakup, Six Continents and Feeling Fearless After Fifty.

4 responses to “Travel without leaving home: Drum Circles in Los Angeles

  1. HI Lisa:

    The drum circles sound amazing. Thanks for passing that on. Our Yom Kippur was more traditional as you can imagine since you have been to our schule. I had a two hour security shift as well which helped to pass the time. Your trip to Sri Lanka and the Maldives sounded great. You certainly saw more things in your month in Sri Lanka than I did and I am glad it was a good destination for you as it was for me.

    Roslin and I are on our way to Hong Kong where we will spend a week with her nephew Mike who is working for Macquarie Bank and then to Bali where I will spend 5 weeks and Roslin 2 weeks.

    Wishing you and George a happy and healthy new years and look forward to seeing you both on Dec 14th.

    Love

    Dov

  2. Maldives, considered the smallest county in Asia, is the lowest laying country on Earth. Located on the Equator, it never fails to see the Sun throughout the year, which makes Maldives Holidays the ultimate choice of many.i like your post and blog.

  3. I think you will want to add a twitter icon to your blog. I just marked down this article, however I had to complete it by hand. Just my 2 cents.

  4. Hello! Thanks for your comment. I believe if you click on the TITLE of the blog post, you will get a twitter icon on the side!

    Thanks for your interest in our blog! You can sign up to get each post by adding your email into the box at the top!

    Lisa

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