EdgeWise Magazines Blog on RealTravel

Mombassa journal: Hakuna Matata

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 08:23:45 GMT

My first few days at work have been both exciting and trying. LICODEP has a welcoming staff who are committed to their work. They also have a staff that is very used to following hakuna matata time. I arrived early Monday morning for the first day to find the gate to the offices locked. After having the guardsmen let me in, I was stunned to see others stream in periodically over the next two hours. Expressions of tiredness and pombe sana (too much to drink) filled the air. Despite the laughter that was coming out of my mouth, I was secretly surprised by the idea of time. Coming from a ...

Kaohsiung journal: Getting into the swing of monastic life: Week two

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 11:09:09 GMT

By week two, we had already gotten the routine of living in the monastery down. Thus, I will not give a day-by-day summary, but instead tell the most interesting experiences from my second week at Fo Guang Shan.

It was during this week, however, that our punctuality began to slack, so we were given a lecture on timeliness that was a bit more serious than anything I had ever experienced. After two people were late for 5 minutes, Ven. Yifa, the programme's director, called us all together and explained to us a very important point of Chinese and Buddhist philosophy. As one of the 5 ...

Fo Guang Shan journal: Empty the cup: My first week at Fo Guang Shan

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:36:04 GMT

July 1st

I arrived in Taipei, actually, but I arrived so late that my original visit to Tapei didn't seem to warrant a separate entry. I arrived at my hostel at close to one in the morning, and quickly fell asleep. The next morning, I ran into another Wooden fish participant, Tom, staying at the same hostel, and we got breakfast that morning; my pork wanton soup turned out to be some of the only Taiwanese meat I got to try. We then hurried to the train station in Taipei, where we met two other wooden fish participants. Three of us (Tom couldn't get a ticket on our train) hopped onto a ...

Fo Guang Shan journal: Monastic generosity: Staying at a Monastery

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 03:52:29 GMT

This was by far one of the nicest places I have ever stayed. I stayed for free, but I know visitors can stay for a reasonable price. If you are interested in a day trip to the monastery while in Kaohsiung, stop by for the night too!

Taiwan journal: Woodenfish 2007: My life in a Buddhist Monastery

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 03:40:28 GMT

My freshman year of college, I attempted to plan out what I would do during the summers of my undergraduate career, as I knew this was the best time to have new experiences. Due to an advertisement in a class I took on Buddhism, I came across the "Woodenfish programme": a month-long programme in Southern Taiwan meant to immerse us in monastic life and teach us about Chinese culture and humanistic Buddhism worldwide.

The programme was through Fo Guang Shan, one of the leaders in Humanstic Buddhism, or living Buddhism, in which there is a stress on being involved personally with the ...

Indiana journal: A Bit Breathless

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 09:06:11 GMT

Sitting here at one of the local coffeehouses where we hold many EdgeWise Magazine meetings, I feel a bit overwhelmed and breathless from the details of the next couple months. Concerned with my aptitude to confidently implement my duties at my internship (and toiling over topics for future issues of the magazine), I cannot help but reflect on my past development experience.

In the Ghanaian cities, I witnessed one of the world's largest markets amid some of the world's most startling bastions of poverty. In Thailand, I saw the stark differences of wealth and poverty and the political ...

Kenya journal: Mombasa MicroExperience

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 08:59:42 GMT

Over the past year I have experienced the cultures of Ghana and Thailand. I've also experienced the institutional cultures of the World Bank and university-based development economics in the form of the World Trade Organization. In other words, I believe I experienced the year of the "macro". Despite all of the wonderful and dedicated people I met during these experiences, I realized I wanted to work more closely on micro-related projects. Thus, this trip. Fed up with bureaucracy and lofty language, I wanted to get my hands dirty. Follow me on my trip to Mombasa, Kenya where I have been ...

Yogyakarta journal: Mixtures of Religious History

Tue, 22 May 2007 10:44:05 GMT

Yogyakarta was meant to be the highlight of my trip, as I originally came to Indonesia to see Borobudur. While, Yogyakarta was not the highlight of my trip, the temples were certainly exquisite, and we are glad we visited them.

We arrived in Yogyakarta by train, and the ride was less than comfortable. We had paid a lot of money to be on an executive air conditioned train; the only problem was that the trainw as a bit TOO air conditioned. We continuously throughout the night ran to our bags to pull out another piece of clothing to lay on top of ourselves; we had towels, socks, and ...

Jakarta journal: Planet of slums

Tue, 22 May 2007 09:43:57 GMT

At first, I thought Jakarta might be an interesting place to visit because it tends to pop up in history and political science classes. After reading the Lonely Planet, I was less enthused. Nevertheless, we found cheap tickets from Hong Kong to Jakarta, so Jakarta was our firs stop. As it turns out, my first intinct was right; Jakarta was an interesting and rich place to visit, and was a nice introduction to Javanese culture. I'm glad we visited.

We arrived in Jakarta quite late, stood in line to get VOA (Visas on arrival) and went through customs. The minute we went outside, we could ...

Indonesia journal: Beaches, volcanos, and a whole new culture: Indonesia

Sun, 06 May 2007 23:15:42 GMT

Like our trip to Cambodia, my main reason for wanting to visit Indonesia was to see Borobudur, a large and famous ancient Buddhist stupa. And as I discovered in Cambodia, there was a whole new world and culture to discover behind the famous sites. While my British friend, Angela, tagged along to go to the famous beaches of Bali, I think she discovered the same thing too.

Using the lonely planet, we planned our trip according to the "top 5" of Indonesia, making sure we saw Borobudur, famous volcanos, and of course, the beautiful beaches of Bali. When we arrived, we realized that ...

Bangkok journal: Back to Bangkok: A relaxing end

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 07:50:30 GMT

We left Chiang Mai on the night train. From Chiang Mai to Bangkok, it was only about 12 hours, which is a pretty decent trip. Unfortunately, I found it very uncomfortable, and couldn't really sleep the whole way. I was very relieved when we arrived in the morning. We hopped in a bright pink taxi and drove to Khao San, where Angela had already reserved us a hostel.

Khao San, also known as the backpacker's street, is an amalgamation of many different things: bars, restaurants, hostels, and a night market which sells clothing, swimsuits, pirated DVDs, made to order street pad thai, fake IDs ...

Luang Prabang journal: A strange mix of cultures: Luang Prabang

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 07:49:38 GMT

We arrived in Luang Prabang by plane, because it would have taken too long to take a bus or a boat. Our entire trip, actually, was planned around the timing of this flight. Only one airline, Lao airlines, makes the trip from Siem Reap to Luang Prabang, and it is only every Monday and Thursday. Thus, we had to fly out on a Monday. The plane we took was extremely small, only 60 seats. My fear of motion sickness kicked in immediately, and Ally had to calm me down as I hesitantly stepped onto the plane. The flight, ironically, went quite smoothly, and even though we had to stop in Pakse for 25 ...

Bangkok journal: The largest outdoor market in Asia

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 20:40:31 GMT

From fluffy puppies, to new skirts, to illegal weapons, to silver jewelry, this place has it all for a reasonable price. Plan to spend at least a day there.

Bangkok journal: A well deserved treat

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 20:39:30 GMT

After a long trip throughout Southeast Asia, or even if you just arrived, this is a wonderful experience that both brings you closer to the culture, and relaxes your body. Wat Pho is known for having the best ones in Bangkok; if you go to the temple, ask anyone and they can tell you where the massages are.

Chiang Mai Province journal: Hill tribes and orchids: A short trip to Chiang Mai

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 02:17:06 GMT

We took a short flight from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai. Fortunately, we did not have the same problem in Chiang Mai that we did in Luang Prabang; we booked a hostel at the airport just to make sure we had somewhere to stay for the night. We were only in Chiang Mai for one night and one day, so the afternoon we arrived our first priority was taking care of arrangements. We needed a train ticket to Bangkok for the following night, and a tour to the mountains of northern Thailand for the day. We had heard of small minority tribes located in the north of Thailand, and the reason we wanted to come ...

Siem Reap journal: Art history come alive: Siem Reap and the temples of Angkor

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 02:10:27 GMT

We took a bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, which at first was frightening due to memories from Yunnan and horror stories about Southeast Asian busses from the Lonely Planet. However, the bus ride turned out to be quite pleasant, despite the bumpy roads, hard seats, and nonstop Khmer pop music videos. We watched the rural Cambodian landscape fly by from the windows, with beautiful palm tree gardens, expansive rice paddies, simple but elegant temples, and many small houses with straw walls all on stilts.

We arrived in Siem Reap at about 8:30PM, and we immediately went to a guest house ...

Phnom Penh journal: Eyes Wide Open: Our visit to Cambodia's capital

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 01:03:24 GMT

I had originally wanted to go to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat, and that was what I was most looking forward to. We had planned to only fly into Siem Reap; we found out, however, that we had a friend from Hong Kong now living in Phnom Penh who we wanted to see. Therefore, we planned to fly into Phnom Penh, stay for a couple of days, and then move onto the glorious Angkor temples.

After I found out we were going to Phnom Penh, I started to uncover in classes, books, and the Lonely Planet Cambodia's recent history. Before I left, I watched the movie The Killing Fields with Sam Waterston, ...

Southeast Asia journal: Lessons from Southeast Asia

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 01:03:24 GMT

When Ally, my Korean friend, and I went to Yunnan, we returned with so many incredible experiences and stories that we wanted to take another trip, and soon. Thus the plans for our Chinese New Year trip to Southeast Asia were born.

We did a lot of talking and planning, and decided that we both really wanted to see Cambodia, Ally wanted to see more of Thailand, and I wanted to see Laos. Our planning began there, and somehow, even with the problem of Chinese New Year (which meant, as the Chinese would say, ren shan ren hai, which means mountains and seas of people) and limited flights ...

Chiang Mai Province journal: Typical Guesthouse

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 08:15:37 GMT

There was very little that distinguished them from other places in the area. However, we booked at the airport and got a reasonable price, which was quite convenient.

Luang Prabang journal: Go to the street at 6 in the morning to give rice to monks. Its such a great way to connect to this town's culture.

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 02:12:03 GMT

Luang Prabang journal: Good price, and close to the center of town

Sat, 03 Mar 2007 03:44:12 GMT

Siem Reap journal: Visit as many temples as possible!

Sat, 03 Mar 2007 03:38:11 GMT

Siem Reap journal: Decent guest house

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 23:23:55 GMT

Phnom Penh journal: Will change your soul.

Sun, 18 Feb 2007 07:19:36 GMT

Phnom Penh journal: Clinically clean, friendly people, and they speak great English.

Sun, 18 Feb 2007 07:19:36 GMT

Beijing journal: Back to Beijing

Fri, 05 Jan 2007 06:36:34 GMT

My family came to visit me for the new year, and before they came, they told me they wanted to go to mainland China for a visit. My mother and I talked back and forth about where they wanted to go, and my mother was insistant upon seeing the Great Wall. Therefore, I planned another trip to Beijing.

We arrived quite late because our flight from Hong Kong was late, so we went immediately to our hotel. I had booked our flight and our hotel together as a package through a travel agency, so I knew we would be staying with a lot of tourists. When we arrived, my predictions proved true, as the ...

Beijing journal: Decent hotel, very standard

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 07:11:43 GMT

Kunming journal: Back and forth from Yunnan's captial

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 08:04:49 GMT

This may be the most disorganized entry, because we went to and from Kunming throughout our trip. We flew into Kunming from Shenzhen airport on our first day. Then, after our trip to Xianggelila, we went back to Kunming for one day. Finally, we ended our trip with one night and one day in Yunnan's capital. Kunming was a moderately large city, with a nice transportation system, great shopping, and wonderful food. We feel like Kunming was an appropriate bookend for our trip.

DAY 1 IN KUNMING: The first day

We flew to Kunming from Shenzhen airport, right at the border between Hong ...

Tiger Leaping Gorge journal: Beautiful Mountains, small horses and wild goats.

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 08:02:44 GMT

This was easily my favorite part of the trip, I think partly because I have never been an outdoors kind of person, and this was out of character, but amazing for me. I was also very proud of myself for actually backpacking. Besides my own personal obstacles that I overcame with excursion to the gorge, it was also included some of the most beautiful landscape I had ever seen, some of the best food I had ever eaten, and some of the most amazing people I had met.

The Tiger Leaping Gorge is located between two small towns: the town of Qiaotou, and the town of Daju. The gorge itself, thought ...

Shangri-La (Zhongdian) journal: A dusty old town with hidden opportunities

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 08:01:13 GMT

We originally planned to go to Zhongdian (Xianggelila, or Shangri-la) because we wanted to see Tibet without actually going to Tibet (since its quite difficult to get there now, you have to have an astronomically expensive travel permit to go). We had heard that there was a very beautiful monastery there. This monastery, home to the Yellow hat sect, was the biggest Tibetan monastery in Southern China, so we thought it would be a wonderful town to see. Furthermore, the population of the town was over 50% Tibetan, so we were excited to experience this new culture, even if just for a day. Little ...

Jinghong journal: A change of weather and a change of pace: Xishuangbanna

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 08:00:11 GMT

Jinghong, in the area of southern Yunnan collectively known as Xishuangbanna, was an entire change of pace for us. It felt much more like Thailand than China. The weather was very hot, the people weren't as friendly, the culture wasn't as emminent, and the pace was much more relaxing. The main minority group was the Dai people. most of whom are now settled in Thailand. Nevertheless, it was a nice place to recover from a cold, and actually have a relaxing end of our trip (sleeping in, exploring the town without a schedule, etc.)

We arrived in the town of Jinghong in Xishuangbanna quite ...

Lijiang journal: Lijiang: A tourist town in ethnic culture clothing

Tue, 26 Dec 2006 08:04:41 GMT

To be fair, I know the title of this entry may seem harsh, and I was only in Lijiang for a night and a morning. Thus, perhaps my assessment wasn't accurate. But talking to other travelers, and seeing Lijiang for myself, I can fairly say that the town is certainly dressed up for tourists. People are everywhere trying to sell things, and almost every restaurant had "ethnic dancing." Nevertheless, it was a fun town to visit.

My view of Lijiang may have also been tinted by the bus ride there. Knowing that I often get motion sickness, I made sure to take pills ahead of time. Little did I know ...

Dali journal: Dali: Baizu, Cangshan, and Zhang Mi

Tue, 26 Dec 2006 07:59:58 GMT

We arrived in Dali by night train, which, for the tickets we bought, gave us a spot in an area with 6 beds bunked on top of each other in a small compartment. We shared this compartment with three other elderly men and a middle aged woman. Because the train left at 10:25, most of us simply wanted to immediately fall asleep. The man in the bed directly under mine, however, was fascinated by the fact that both of us were foreigners yet could also speak Chinese. He was determined to help my friend Ally practice; his methods included speaking to her, her not understanding, and him yelling at me to ...

China journal: The many faces of Southwest China: Mountains, minorities, and friends

Tue, 26 Dec 2006 07:53:18 GMT

My friend from Korea, Ally, and I, when deciding where to travel during our finals times, thought it might be fun to go backpacking. We had originally planned travel and sightsee all the way from Hong Kong to Yunnan, but 10 days proved too short to see all of Southern China. Thus, after a lot of time spent contemplating, planning and reading, we had created an itinerary that covered many of the most fascinating parts of Yunnan. Many professors and local students were extremely willing to give us advice, some of which we followed, some of which we dismissed. I bought Frommers travel guide, ...

Kunming journal: Small models of many traditional minority villages, although the main thing to do is shop for souvenirs

Tue, 26 Dec 2006 07:38:45 GMT

Asia journal: My life in the Fragrant Harbour

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 03:15:54 GMT

On August 28, 2006, I sat on a plane from San Francisco to Hong Kong for 14 hours. After what seemed like an eternity, I arrived in the International City of Hong Kong, which in Chinese (xianggang) means the fragrant harbor. I will be spending a year in the outskirts of the city (the New Territories) at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, studying Chinese history, culture, literature, politics, economics, and the actual language itself (Putonghua, or as we call it in the west, Mandarin). I will also be traveling to other places in mainland China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, and ...

Jinghong journal: Decent rooms, friendly and accomodating staff, not the best place to eat though

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 03:13:43 GMT

Jinghong journal: Great Local and Western food, though stay clear of the yogurt shakes

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 03:13:43 GMT

Shangri-La (Zhongdian) journal: A beautiful monastery, must see!

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 03:08:44 GMT

Tiger Leaping Gorge journal: Similar food, but also great.

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 02:37:05 GMT

Tiger Leaping Gorge journal: Our first Naxi food, great place to stop. Try the fried potatoes

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 02:37:05 GMT

Tiger Leaping Gorge journal: A good place with good food, and also a fun place to meet people. The staff was helpful and friendly.

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 02:37:05 GMT

Tiger Leaping Gorge journal: Great rooms, great price, very convenient place to stop.

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 02:37:05 GMT

Tiger Leaping Gorge journal: Spectacular views and a fun hike, though I think in high travel season the ambience may not be the same.

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 02:37:05 GMT

Shangri-La (Zhongdian) journal: A bit overpriced, but good Tibetan food

Thu, 21 Dec 2006 22:16:33 GMT

Dali journal: A short experience of Baizu and Naxi life, including a tea ceremony, and a wedding dance.

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 18:52:16 GMT

Kunming journal: A bit overpriced, but quite nice.

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 07:02:49 GMT

Kunming journal: Interesting, but almost not worth the long train ride and entrance fee.

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 07:02:45 GMT

Ko Phangan journal: A Magic Island : Ko Phangan

Sat, 09 Dec 2006 18:58:27 GMT

An island with heart, with no worries, and with endless beauty. During my stay in Thailand, I visited this island twice and often dreamt of Thammasat relocating here. Backpackers and other tourists, including exchange students, all agree that this is one of the better islands. (Diving enthusiasts would argue otherwise). Ko Phangan is still free from larger corporate dwellings and thus is still a huge attraction for the average backpacker. It's also an attractive force for those daredevil and dangerous types: trying new experiences is part of the draw of this island. It's sort of the, ...

Ko Phangan journal: The best Thai and Western food in Ko Phangan.

Sat, 09 Dec 2006 18:30:20 GMT

Ko Phangan journal: Treehouses overlooking the bay.

Sat, 09 Dec 2006 18:26:24 GMT

This is probably one of the better locations to stay in Ko Phangan. It's opposite of Hat Rin Beach, where the full moon action takes place, so it can be quieter, but it's not so far that it is a hassle to get there when you're ready to drink and dance for the night. All of the main town area resides near these treehouse-like bungalows. Even better, they are on the side of a mountain so you get a good breeze in the heat and humidity.

Bangkok journal: Crossing borders: My experience in Thailand

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 00:09:52 GMT

I booked my ticket to Thailand for two reasons: I wanted to see my friend Justin, and almost all of the international students at my University had traveled there and loved it. So when I found a really cheap ticket, I jumped at the opportunity, not really knowing what to expect. Before I left, I had a few small, and mostly inaccurate, impressions of Thailand: what my friends had told me about the great beaches and shopping, the minimal online searching I had done of things to do in Thailand, parts of a book I read about wandering Buddhist monks in northern Thailand (the fact that the country ...

Shanghai journal: A small wedding and a large tower: my trip to Shanghai

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 00:02:43 GMT

I had planned a trip to Shanghai months ago because a friend of mine wanted to go to her cousin's wedding, and I wanted a sightseeing partner. As the plans for the trip went through periods of fluctuation, it was settled, and me, my friend Nancy (originally born and partly raised in Shanghai) and my Korean friend Ally flew to the international business capitol of China. It was an eclectic vacation, including many of the tourist spots, and other things tourists never see. And all for very cheap. To play off of Mastercard advertisements: Swarovski crystal necklace for the bride of the wedding: ...

Zengcheng journal: A more rural side of China

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 00:00:27 GMT

When I first came to Hong Kong, the International Asian Studies program at my school asked us to sign up for "Teaching English in China" programs. At first, I was very excited, as I wanted to see more of mainland China. I signed up, and as the trip approached, I began to dread it a little bit. I had heard the lodging and food wouldn't be great, and as I already had a hard time with Hong Kong food, I assumed it would be a weekend of me being sick, living in a dirty place with less than hygienic bathrooms, and being completely unprepared to teach children English. Fortunately for me, it turned ...

Beijing journal: A whirlwind tour of the center of Chinese culture: My trip to Beijing

Tue, 05 Dec 2006 23:58:00 GMT

On September 29th, 2006, I woke up at 4:00 in the morning to set off on a tour to Beijing. That was the weekend of Chinese National Day (October 1st) so we all had Monday off of classes. Therefore, two of my friends, Nancy, a girl born in Shanghai and now living in New Jersey, and Angela, a girl from London, and I booked a packaged tour through WingOn travel to see the sights of Beijing. Planning was not 100% smooth. At first, one of my friends couldn't get on the tour, and only when we went to talk to them multiple times were we able to get all three of us on the tour. Then, the week before ...

Hong Kong journal: My first impressions of Hong Kong

Tue, 05 Dec 2006 23:55:10 GMT

When I first arrived in Hong Kong, certain aspects surprised me that I didn't expect to surprise me. The things I remember most about the arriving were: how VERY hot and humid it was (I felt sticky being outside for 30 seconds, a feeling that would continue the first few weeks); the Mickey Mouse mooncakes (mooncakes being a traditional Chinese desert served at the moon festival in October...a symbol of Chinese beliefs in filial piety, and traditional reverence of ancestral worship, with Mickey Mouse on the front. Starbucks and Haggendaas also sell mooncakes, actually); the fear I had of eating ...

Ko Samui journal: Island Hopping - Samui

Sun, 12 Nov 2006 19:39:23 GMT

There's nothing like being dropped off in the middle of a city in a foreign land ten hours away from Bangkok and no further instructions. But, that's exactly what happened upon arrival at Surat Thani, the port city to multiple islands in the Thai region. And, that's pretty much what Surat Thani is good for, and nothing else: a launching pad to more beautiful things. Mobbed by the town's competing tuk-tuk drivers, all desiring your business, we ended up paying an exorbitantly high price (60 bath per person) to go a small distance to the city center, only to learn that step two of our journey ...

Ko Samui journal: Peaceful, inexpensive, and private.

Sun, 12 Nov 2006 19:08:40 GMT

The rooms are your average beach bungalow for Thailand; they include fan, and a place to shower and go to the bathroom. But, the real charm of this place is it's beautiful restaurant connected to it. Try a banana shake (unprocessed and fresh) and some delicious rice with chilis. The service is beyond friendly and the beach within feet.

Bangkok journal: If you want a great location and friendly staff stay here. Go elsewhere if you're looking for additional amenities.

Sat, 30 Sep 2006 02:11:39 GMT

It's a bit pricy for Bangkok, but, the location is one of the best. Along the river with a night-time view of the Grand Palace and a day-market as a front yard, you don't get much better.

Bangkok journal: Sa Wat Dee: Week One In Thailand

Sat, 30 Sep 2006 01:50:28 GMT

The heat stifled the air that flowed through my nostrils. As I stepped out of the Don Mueang Airport, with my Thai friend Rong, nothing else, not the traffic, the loud noises, the instant immersion in Thai language, got to me more than the humidity factor I had walked into. I couldn't look more out of place when several of the taxi driver's clearly were pointing and commenting on my attire: pants. I was soon to learn, however, this was the first of many encounters where I would look a bit out of place. Rong, who I just officially was meeting, was beyond helpful. We loaded my things in a ...

Thailand journal: The Land of Contradictions: Dispatches from Thailand

Sun, 06 Aug 2006 21:13:04 GMT

The famous Thai smile greets you quickly. But, what's behind those smiles? An EdgeWise trip to Bangkok, and surrounding areas hopes to reveal the beauty and the drudgeries of life in the land of contradictions. And through speaking and traveling with the Thai people, and drawing perpectives from Thammasat University, we can hope to gather an idea of the true story behind those bright smiles. Follow along on my adventure in Part III of my Economic Development Report Card, 'Tipping Point'.

Morocco journal: Life in Morocco

Fri, 21 Jul 2006 13:37:34 GMT

A trip to Morocco, visiting Marrakech before living in a poor Berber village in the desert.

Marrakech journal: I Ate with My Hands

Fri, 21 Jul 2006 13:34:16 GMT

When I took a trip to Morocco, I thought it would be fun. As a skinny, white, suburban-dweller from a small college town in western PA, I ventured into a world without electrical appliances, running water, or eating utensils. After a short stop in Madrid, Spain I landed in Marrakech, the capitol city in Morocco; from there, I took a two-hour sardine can taxi ride to a tiny village of which I can’t remember the name. That’s when the adventure started.

It’s a small village of a simple people called ‘Berber’s’. Persecuted for their liberal Sunni Muslim beliefs, these villagers are social ...

Accra journal: A poolside haven; even without the finest amenities, clearly the finest atmosphere.

Fri, 21 Jul 2006 10:56:46 GMT

Accra journal: Intimate cultural immersion. Dancing, food, and fun.

Fri, 21 Jul 2006 10:56:45 GMT

Accra journal: Low on artifacts; high on quality of preservation of the library itself.

Fri, 21 Jul 2006 10:56:45 GMT

Accra journal: Busy, lunchtime restaurant. Frequented by business people.

Fri, 21 Jul 2006 10:56:45 GMT

Accra journal: The Star of Africa

Fri, 21 Jul 2006 10:56:45 GMT

Arrival at the Accra International Airport was something of an adventure in itself already. We arrived a few hours after sunset in the capital city and, unlike the airport adventures in Philadelphia or London, we were shuffled off of the plane and walked across the airport lot instead of through a terminal. The immediate wall of humidity hit like a ton of bricks right after exiting the cool air conditioning of the airplane. I realized then that I would have to be getting used to the hot conditions. The airport itself was an exercise in patience and ingenuity. Although the staff was ...

Washington journal: Traffic, Heat, and Fireworks

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 12:54:39 GMT

The heat was getting to me as I parked my car (likely illegally) after quickly getting lost in the downtown D.C. area. I was coming in from the George Washington Parkway and the directions I had seemed easy enough to follow. Boy was I wrong. To top it all off, I was traveling on the nation's birthday, in the nation's capital, in the middle of a humid afternoon. But, I quickly found that people were helpful and friendly in accomodating my situation. One older man I met along the way even was originally from my hometown and we discussed this for some time before he and others sent me on my ...

Washington journal: Food is served promptly and hot.

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 12:54:04 GMT

United States journal: A World Bank Solution?

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 12:37:20 GMT

After returning from the African continent, the duty was now to find ways to give voice to the beautiful people there who cannot. I was lucky enough to be chosen to participate in ATHGO International's World Bank Symposium. This would be the beginning of many outlets to gain knowledge and give voice to those would could not. What were the impediments to development? I was about to listen to speakers in the field and even work to create my own policies.

Heathrow Airport journal: An English Breakfast

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 12:26:55 GMT

A rough landing, at least according to seasoned traveler's. To me, I was stunned by the smooth entrance into the airport. After a night of crossing the Atlantic Ocean, I was in disbelief of the modern marvel of the commerical airline. Everyone's naysaying about flights before the trip was all for naught. I enjoyed the flight immensely (on British Airways) and the staff was tres considerate. Every need was met (although, I had few) and the flight was without any problem. The flight over gave me much time to get to know one of my fellow Ghanaian colleagues, whose interest in art and art ...

Genova journal: Culture Shock: The "Italian Riveria"

Mon, 03 Jul 2006 04:11:45 GMT

On this particular weekend all of my roommates and english speaking friends had prior travel plans so I was left to fend for myself. Two and a half weeks of being in a hot dirty city made me decide to escape to the sea with the rest of the Milanese. Fortunetly one of the italians that I met had a house in Genova and offered to take me with him for a day at the "italian riveria."

I'm not sure what I was expecting. At home, in Philadelphia, when I spend a day at the beach my friends and I pack up our Cosmo magazines and Wawa iced-tea and head for the Jersey Shore to roast for the day, I ...

Italy journal: Italian Summer: Clothes, Culture, Cappachino

Mon, 03 Jul 2006 04:11:45 GMT

I am spending the summer studying fashion design in Milan, Italy. On the weekends my roommates and I have been traveling to various locations reccomended by our oh-so-helpful italian amiche!

Cuernavaca journal: Wow... there are a lot of clubs in Cuernavaca.

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 18:35:11 GMT

Cuernavaca journal: Summer Fun

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 18:35:10 GMT

So... in six weeks, what did the 23 IUP students do? A lot.

Every weekend we had an excursion to a new and exciting place, usually something of archaeological or historical importance. We hiked up pyramids, strolled through museums, oohed and ahhed over the huge church at the center of Mexico City, and saw a protest related to the upcoming presidential elections. We took pictures - lots of pictures. Most of us went to Acapulco for a weekend (not me, though. Too many tourists, not enough Spanish) and all of us hit the bars and clubs at least once a week. I can't speak for everyone, but I ...

Mexico journal: Modern Mexico

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 17:49:37 GMT

For six weeks, I studied in Cuernavaca, Morelos, MX. The city of Cuernavaca is known as "la ciudad de eterna primavera" (the city of eternal spring), and is known for its beautiful climate and exciting night life. Just an hour and a half from Mexico City, Cuernavaca is a hot weekend getaway spot. It is also proud home to several highly acclaimed language universities which offer both summer and semester study-abroad opportunities. This was an awesome trip!

Cheyney journal: African Economic Development

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 00:57:41 GMT

Arrival at Cheyney University on Mother's Day was a beautiful experience. The campus is one with a clear history: (it is the oldest historically black college in America) the courtyard that can be found outside of Emlen Hall, the university's home of the Keystone Honors Program, is hallowed ground. We were told often, politely, by the professors of Cheyney that we were to stay off the grass and use only sidewalks to manipulate our way around campus. This was one of the first of many experiences on the trip where I found great hope in tradition. As this was a trip of two honors students ...

Ghana journal: The Ghanaian Experience

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 00:25:49 GMT

A first time flier, on a trip to Africa? That was one of the first of many thoughts I had as I learned that I was lucky enough to be sent to Ghana through the PASSHE Honors Program. This African adventure was full of cultural immersion (a traditional naming ceremony, for instance), great people (street vendors and government officials alike), and many life lessons about economic development (my major and area of interest). The Ghanaian people, whose warm hearts and open hands accepted us graciously, will be the marker of a milestone in my life forever. Follow along on my first real-world ...