Monument Valley, Utah, the type of place that computer screensavers are made from and a lost soul goes to for closure and peace. A place where the stars light up the night sky and the galaxies dance, where God has created pillars and caves to give this desert an image and an exquisite beauty. Monument … Continued
The afternoon was chilly and my espresso was cold. On the plane, shivering under my thin blanket, I’d dreamt of drinking in this piazza, a space as bright as sun-ripe tomatoes, wafting of baked bread and roasted peppers. I’d come to write about living beautiful, about how, if we less fortunate non-Italians were bold enough … Continued
New York Dear Diary, Eight years has gone from our ten-years-plan. We made this plan with my friends when we were eighteen, and just before we left high school and gone to University. We said ten things we will do in the next ten years. We said. We promised. So we have to do … Continued
Perspectives I lay flat on my back, staring up at the ceiling. My parents were fast asleep, but nervousness kept me awake. “I can’t do it,” I decided. “We have to cancel. I’ll say I’m sorry. I can’t do this.” I looked out of the hotel window. Perhaps it was just my … Continued
In Glasgow you climb and fall with roads that climb and fall. When I ride a bicycle up the road, I struggle – the flesh of my thighs pant and jaws clench in melodramatic effort. But at the fall of the road, I rush down with ease and descend playfully into the topography shrieking. The … Continued
Angel Island In the Bible, angels often greet people with, “Do not be afraid.” And so it was ironic that in the spring of 2011, the biggest of my many fears was the thought of sending my fourth grade daughter on an overnight field trip to “Angel” Island. Conventional wisdom says that fear keeps you … Continued
Choosing to Travel What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare? – W.H. Davies Karan and I sat in the gypsy for a few seconds longer. Our last safari was over. This time, we had not seen a tiger, but that was fine. We had not seen … Continued
Located in the home of the brave and the one that has been known as the city that never sleeps; say hi to New York City. The city that is usually termed as N.Y.C. offers the best things one can ever wished for, from fashion to food, from Chrysler building to chances. Whether you are … Continued
Feeling Squamish by Deborah Stoloff I stand tentatively on ice covered rocks at an elevation of almost 1,300 feet. Wind whips my hood off my head and the air is too cold for tears. After three days on the couch sobbing and unshowered, this outlook onto barren Squam Lake pushes feelings of sadness away. I … Continued
Sheer excitement and the thrill of the unknown were quickly replaced with panic and an overwhelming feeling of helplessness when my jet lagged feet hit the tarmac. Landing in Seoul, South Korea, marked my second trip via commercial flight and my first trip to a foreign country. I was 20 years old, did not speak … Continued