Interacting with modern, westernized cultures can be a fairly intuitive process; the double cheek-kiss may be one of the biggest adjustments you’ll have to make. (And such a pleasant one at that!) But venturing a bit further out of metropolitan hubs, especially in the developing world, often presents a whole new paradigm. Many intrepid travelers […]
How-To
Visiting a Sikh Temple: How to Step Inside Respectfully
When traveling in India, I had the opportunity to visit a lively Sikh temple in New Delhi. It was a completely new and amazing experience. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded in India’s Punjab region and based on the teachings of Guru Nanak and his successors. The Sikh philosophy focuses on the equality of all […]
Tips for Choosing a Volunteer Travel Experience (Don’t call it a vacation!)
The popularity of “volunteer vacations” is hard to ignore. I have a clear bias towards the benefits of seeking out meaningful volunteer opportunities while abroad because I’ve been working for an NGO that offers these kinds of international travel programs for many years, and I’ve seen powerful, transformative results for both travelers and host communities. […]