We all know cultures are different from each other. But what are those differences? The first time we travel to a new country, we don’t always know what we don’t know. What we may consider “common sense” may not be common – or make much sense – in another culture. By simply acting “naturally,” we…
We put together this list of must-try foods in Jamaica to help travelers experience the culture through typical Jamaican dishes. We also share some reflections on what we’ve learned about Jamaican food culture and traditions. Enjoy! This post originally appeared on our personal blog while we were serving with Peace Corps in Jamaica in 2014….
Last week we hosted 6 guests for their very first trip to Vietnam. The week went better than we could have imagined. We enjoyed it so much that we’re going to do this again in the near future (more on this later). Our goals for this trip were: to help orient our guests to traveling…
When travelers and tourists alike make their way to the shores of Samoa, many are content to spend their days lackadaisically catching sun rays on the beach. Others will pack up and try to make the most of their time. They will rent a car and adventurously scour the island for the natural wonders that…
When we were Peace Corps Volunteers, our appreciation of cross-cultural exchange really grew. In fact, we’re taking on a new passion project related to better understanding others around the world (more on that soon!). In an effort to promote cross-cultural understanding through our blog, we’re periodically sharing posts from our fellow intentional travelers who have…
Southeast Asia has its fair share of elephant camps, sanctuaries, and various other elephant attractions. Nature & Wildlife tours, as well as trekking tours to the hill tribe villages, are some of the top things to do in Chiang Mai. While visiting elephants sounds exciting, visitors should be aware that the thriving travel market in…
Not too long ago, I came across this thoughtful blog post by a couple in the Peace Corps who had joined my Blog Challenge over at BloggingAbroad.org (a project to help people living abroad promote cross-cultural understanding online). After the 2016 elections in the U.S., I thought it more important than ever that Americans experience…
You’re traveling through Central Vietnam, from Huế to Hoi An (or vise versa). You could take the bus – probably the cheapest option. You could take a train. You could rent a car. Or hire a private driver. Or you could take Vietnam’s most typical mode of transportation: the motorbike, and have a spectacular adventure…
This post originally appeared on our personal blog while we were still in Peace Corps. It has been revived here as part of our Jamaican culture series. Home stays are not unique to Peace Corps. They are an integral part of many transformative, cross-cultural programs around the world. Sharing life with another family, being welcomed…
We believe it’s important to understand a culture before visiting for the first time. This is what intentional travel is all about! If you’ve been following our blog, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that we served with Peace Corps in Jamaica. It had a major impact on our lives. Though we lived in…