TobyI never knew there were so many ways of wearing a head scarf, but after more than a month in Zanzibar–people watching on dala dalas […]
Category: Culture
The Tropical Beach Paradox
Walk along Miami Beach in a string bikini, and you’ll fit right in. Opt for boy shorts, and you’ll probably feel overdressed. Now, do the […]
Sometimes We Don’t Take Pictures: Camping on the Beach and Other Undocumented Adventures
Greetings from Tanzania! In the week since I returned from the U.S., I have not taken a single photograph. In that time, we have spent […]
Kenya V United States (A Fun Chart)
This blip of time back in the U.S. has offered me some perspective on both Kenya and my home country, and a chance to reflect […]
Embracing Syncretism
When I first encountered the concept of cultural immersion, it sounded something like this: To understand—to truly understand—another place and people, you must eat, sleep, […]
The Gift
Several days ago, I sat in a matatu (bus) plying the main road of Diani, Kenya. On my way to Diani Beach Hospital for a […]
Rusinga Island, Lake Victoria, Kenya
Here, I am Muzungu: foreign, white, outsider. Kids yell after us as we pass on foot (or, after realizing the walk from Mbita is at […]
Hostels: Beyond the Horror Movie Story
Picture it: A group of Portuguese boys play ping pong and try not to spill beer. Behind them, Spanish girls converse– loudly– with strangers via […]
What is Cultural Immersion? I Don’t Think It’s This…
“When I’m in a new place, I don’t want to go to the tourist places; I don’t want to go to museums. I want to […]
Shanghai Snippets
In Shanghai, everything is new. Or it wants to be new. Or it will be new just as soon as the old is knocked down […]