If you’re traveling to Hawaii, it’s very useful to familiarize yourself with the pronunciation of the Hawaiian language and learn some Hawaiian phrases. It’s also fun! We don’t claim to be experts in Hawaiian, however, Jedd grew up on Oahu, Michelle is a language geek, and we still spend a lot of time with family in Hawaii. With…
Mérida, Mexico is a vibrant travel destination in the Yucatan peninsula. The city has a rich cultural life, with frequent community events; dining and amenities for both budget and luxury travelers; and is conveniently located near ancient archeological sites, cenotes (underground rivers), and beaches. Last updated: Jauary 2026. Originally published: February 2017. Note: All prices…
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…
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. April 3, 2014: Earlier this month Michelle and I had the honor and privilege of welcoming the newest group of Peace Corps volunteers (group #85; we are 83)…
Traveling to visit our friends in Vietnam was a completely new experience for us, especially since it was our first time to an Asian country. It was also the first time traveling to a place where both of us had absolutely zero grasp of the language (unless you count the words phở and bahn my from…
Historians say that phở got its start in and around Hanoi at the turn of the century. So when we visited for the first time, sampling the phở was high on our to do list. We thought we knew phở from home, but our friends quickly showed us that the noodle itself appears in several very…