Tucked away in the mountains of northern Vietnam, about 100 miles from Hanoi, sits the rural district of Mai Châu (pronounced: my chow). Its lush landscape and relaxing village atmosphere beckoned us from the big city, as we planned a weekend away with our friends. Quick picks: Mai Châu at a glance Where to stay: local homestay in…
We first starting blogging seriously when we become Peace Corps Volunteers in 2012. The following year, our blog was recognized for achieving Peace Corps’ “Third Goal”, and we were flown to D.C. to discuss best practices for promoting cross-cultural understanding online. After over a decade of blogging from various international destinations and working with fellow…
If you’ve been keeping a blog while you’re abroad, and… you haven’t been giving your blog the attention you originally hoped for it, or your posts have been getting bland, or you’re not feeling inspired to write anymore, or you just don’t know what to write about …then a blogging boot camp challenge is just…
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 an effort to promote cross-cultural understanding through our blog, we share posts from our fellow intentional travelers who have interesting stories and important lessons from abroad. Today’s guest post comes from Beth Spencer, a Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho, Africa. We…
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…