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The first song I ever wrote was for a girl. It was the 8th grade, I thought I was in love, and I played guitar. It was the only logical course of events. Unfortunately, my attempt at winning her heart didn’t go as well as I’d planned. Instead of blushing and telling me she liked me too as I had imagined, my serenade was followed by some constructive criticism on song structure and lyricism. Although it was a crushing blow at the time, I must admit that her feedback was spot on. Moreover, that catastrophe was not enough to convince… Read More
By now there are probably hundreds of stories I could tell about my time here in Bolivia. From our group´s first card game in the Miami airport to my trufi ride only minutes ago, I have collected memory after memory, recording as many as I can in......Read More
I’ve spent the past week in the amazon. along with catching and monitoring tropical birds, finding a poisonous spider on my backpack strap, showering in the dark knowing a turanchala was somewhere in my stall, and getting eaten alive by bugs......Read More
“How’s Indonesia?” A simple question, and an inevitable one at that. I can only imagine if my son, brother, best friend, teammate traveled to a distant corner of the Earth, especially one that never crossed my mind save for a fleeting headline......Read More
“Most meals taken in Senegal are eaten with either your right hand or a single spoon… when in doubt, just watch others at the table (or floor) and, again, simply follow their lead and example.” – Where There Be Dragons Participant Manual As......Read More
Hello everyone!! The Him C crew is making their way through the mountains, but managed to phone in an update and send along some photos. Their trek looks and sounds STUNNING. They’ve been following a ridge line that has offered some tremendous views of Manaslu and Macchapucchre peaks, among others, and full night skies full of stars. They’ve had a few campfires, and one of the students led a fire ceremony to burn away their fears. They report being a bit cold, and now that they’ve been on the trail for coming on two weeks they’re a bit tired, but… Read More
I laughed, near-hysterical, as Melissa frantically rolled the dough with the wooden pin. I cradled my stomach to hold in my chuckles, cheeks aching. Ama simply smiled, eyes crinkling and expression merry, wrists resting on her knees as she crouched.......Read More
Our huddle of 6 is situated in a golden alley of solar panel induced glow. It is dark now, darker than when the sun first disappeared over the mountains at 6, darker still now that the light blue has bled from the sky to reveal galaxies. Now, if......Read More
Our group has been living in Tiquipaya for two weeks and two days now. There have been so many moments that feel priceless, rich with the opportunity to learn. I have been reflecting, lately, on what learning means to me. Real learning at this stage......Read More
I reluctantly drag myself off my mattress. It’s 4am in the quaint rice-farming village of Ngrambe. Lutfi and Yudha, my host brother and sister, are already up and ready to go watch the sun rise over Mount Lawu. The three friends they brought......Read More
After a month of q’oas, charlas, and scavenger hunts, the vast world of Bolivian culture is opening up and we are starting to make sense of its distinct communities. In doing so, I have found it helpful to think of things in terms of Ayni, a......Read More
I’ve never felt so clean. That was my first thought after leaving the small Hammam (Moroccan Bath House) in Azrou, Morocco, following nearly two hours of continous bathing, scrubbing off dead skin, and relaxing in the comforting humidity of......Read More
Time spent on a farm is seldom wasted. Neither in building a house. For many of us this will be just a footnote in wider and richer experiences. For the elderly lady who lost her home three years ago, and who is presently moving into her new one, it is more than that. That everything is transient is a truth that must be felt viscerally and emotionally to be understood. We spend time reflecting seriously upon it. But should it be overcome? Some truths contradict each other. We built using bamboo precisely because it will not last; it will fall… Read More
as we prepared to meet the group, I realized grace and I were running incredibly late for our hike. when we arrived at our meeting place, I was met by warm hugs and singing of happy birthday. at the end, I blew out a lighter that was placed on a jar......Read More
9/24/18 Today, I walked passed an enormous, majestic tree, with a myriad of intertwining branches sprouting in every direction, like a Hindu goddess stretching her abundance of arms in a serene yawn under the glow of the nascent morning sun.......Read More
Hello, everybody! I’m thrilled to be back on the Yak Board. This evening, we’re finishing our six-day homestay in Bangdong, and we have plenty of stories to tell. Inspired by the spring group’s homestay yaks, I’ve decided to......Read More
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