It’s been over a week now since I arrived in Rishikesh: the holy city on the banks of the Ganga and a central source of vinyasa yoga. Last Tuesday I joined a circle of strangers for a fire ceremony to mark the beginning of our 200 hour yoga teacher training journey. Together we threw pieces … Continue reading
These days it’s embarrassing to tell people I am from the U.S. During a time when my country separates children from their families at the border and locks them up in cages; when yet another police officer has killed another innocent black teenager, Antwon Rose, just a few minutes from where I live; when women’s … Continue reading
It’s official. I have one week left in Bangkok before flying out to Delhi. I admit I’m feeling a little sad to leave. It hit me last night after a long day. I had caught an early morning train north with friends to Ayutthaya. We swept through villages and rice fields on the train and … Continue reading
I fanaticize about this woman who is both empowered and safe in the world. She’s independent. When she sets her sights on something, she confidently follows through. She brings other women with her, they support each other. The woman doesn’t compromise on her principles. She’s unafraid to stand up for herself and others. She understands … Continue reading
I made a half-assed effort to be environmentally-conscious my first month in Bangkok. I brought one reusable grocery bag with me from the U.S. that I intended to use daily here, but I didn’t always remember it. I bought plastic water bottles because they were safe and convenient. Sometimes the nice people at 7 Eleven … Continue reading
I think the thing I most admire about him was his bold willingness to be himself and embrace the people and places around him. He wasn’t afraid to fail, to be proven wrong, to be pushed off track and to grow from the experience. He believed that travel should change us and that we should be open to it. He once wrote, “I’m a big believer that you’re never going to find a perfect city travel experience or the perfect meal without a constant willingness to experience a bad one.” Continue reading
Since I moved to Pittsburgh almost one month ago I have been swimming in narratives of social justice. The program I am a part of, Repair the World, is a Jewish nonprofit that focuses on education justice and food justice in several cities across the US. I am an Education Justice Fellow, but many of … Continue reading
Once again, I’ve taken an almost four-month hiatus from publishing here without any forewarning. I’ve spent some time thinking about why I do that. Often in my life, having a place to publish the things I am processing forces me to clarify my thoughts and articulate myself in a way that I think others will … Continue reading
This piece was originally written for submission to an online magazine prompting authors to reflect on the power of simplicity. As I was writing my reflections on the seemingly simple days that make up my life in Haiti, I realized how problematic much of what I said was. With that understanding I tried to provide some more … Continue reading
When we tell visitors that many of the children at Espwa have living parents, they are surprised. When we explain that many people in Haiti choose which of their children they are able to support and leave the rest at an orphanage, they are appalled. “How could you choose to leave one child behind? That’s … Continue reading
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