humanity

If nothing else, travel opens your eyes to the colorful quilt that is humankind.

In Cahoots with Mahouts
It’s so hot, I can feel my face is reddening in the worst way. I was way too ambitious in taking on this path. Riding my bike everyday was no preparation for this. Removing the roots of a tree from the ground with a machete was no preparation for this, nothing really could have prepared me for such a hike.
By Phin A8 years ago in Wander
Leaving
Summer is my favorite season. Even here, in Norfolk, when the humidity and heat become oppressive. Some days I walk down to the ocean in the early morning as the sun rises to watch the mist rise off the Chesapeake Bay. The haze disappears by the time the sun has peaked over the horizon, fading into blue sky like cigarette smoke from Poseidon.
By Gary Jacob8 years ago in Wander
The Sweetness of Triviality
I love getting lost in the crowd. By getting lost I do not mean to lose the sense of directions, but the evaporation of self-consciousness and the inability to identify yourself as a separate entity from the crowd. You become only what you see: all that was left of me was my pair of eyes. There are many ways to it. It doesn’t have to be that you jostle your way through a hunger strike; neither does it have to be that you sit on the always-packed Piazza Navona, licking off gelato as different people pass you by.
By Emily Wong9 years ago in Wander
Climbing
So I guess I’m selling out, or giving in, whichever is less pathetic. Starting a blog; I think I’ve fought it for a good while. I’m not sure why I decided to make one. I honestly don’t believe many people will read, so this can’t lead anywhere significant, and maybe I just don’t think I’m talented enough to put my writing out into the world. But I guess I decided to quote Josh Ramsay, singer and songwriter of the band Marianas Trench: “Hey, might as well say fuck it”. So that’s what I’m doing, I’m saying fuck it.
By Anna Eisenberg9 years ago in Wander
Girl at the Edge of Death
Fear turns you inside out. Like an invisible, open hand, it reaches out towards you from the unknown. We all have fears, and most of us hide them as far away as possible. Our fears are so defining and embedded in our character and our past, that it isn’t until we know someone well that we even dare to approach the question. No one ever asks about fears as an icebreaker, or during small talk (but why the hell not?).
By Carlota Maura9 years ago in Wander
Me First
I have always loved travel, although I haven't done it nearly as much as I want to. In high school, I traveled to Italy and Greece and fell in love. The architecture was so beautiful, the culture so rich, and it was all around so different from America, a place I often felt lacked a strong cultural connection. This was the true beginning of my travel bug.
By J.C. Marie9 years ago in Wander
The Flow
Once I was in the flow everything happened fast. I still remember rising early in the morning in Cairns and saying goodbye at a corner to Jen and then walking to the airport. A few hours later I was in Cairns and a couple days later I was looking at the Pacific Ocean en route to California and then Colorado. The wheels were turning for Japan though. I had applied for The JET Program from Australia. At that time though I had no clue what would happen. So often my life has plopped me right back down on Main Street in Aspen, Colorado and told me to be patient and start over and so there I was. The musical ringing from Australia hadn't subsided and soon I met up with an old friend and we formed a makeshift band. I got a regular gig for apre ski and met quite a few music connections. The glitter was still pouring out that year from Australia and everything was in movement.
By Sound And The Messenger9 years ago in Wander
New Castle To Cairns
I returned from my trip south with a new sense of adventure. So far, the spontaneity card had been working out nicely, and I was eager to try it again. While in New Castle, I had gradually come to know some of the local residents there.
By Sound And The Messenger9 years ago in Wander
China Like You (Didn’t) Know It
Forget whatever you have heard about China previously, this country has too many dimensions and is way too diverse to be categorized singularly.
By Judy Mae9 years ago in Wander
Why I Live In Mississippi
Behind every name, there is a story. The ones we recall are lucky enough to be written down and repeated; these narratives resonate with others and through continued storytelling, people determine the history of our past. 2017 finds us as the chosen ones to transcribe what the future will know about our time and the people who laid the groundwork for the lives of those to come. As William Faulkner succinctly explains, "The past is never dead. It's not even past."
By Virginia Carter9 years ago in Wander
Behind the Sky
One day a driver is headed home from a usual work day. Most drivers listen to music as they travel from point A to point B, but this driver often likes the sound of her own thoughts. Surrounded by the symphony of life, busy streets, high wind, and rubber tires against the concrete road, the driver also hears thoughts passing through her mind and then very subtly vanishing into the abyss until something finally stuck. It was an epiphany. This epiphany appeared as the driver stopped at a red light. Past the interior of the car, past the windshield, past the stop lights, the driver saw clouds, light, and space. What a beautiful sight...what a wonderful thought. To ponder on something greater than the existence of one life and focus on the beauty of the world is priceless. The driver became filled with excitement as she thought freely into the atmosphere. She was grateful for the life she had now, though it grew monotonous. But, experiencing the beauty past the interior of her life, past the windshield of her anatomy, and past the stoplights of her mind, forced her to appreciate the ability to think freely. To have thoughts about what lies behind the usual sky, as unusual as the sky can seem allowed her to express a kind of gratitude that was genuine.
By Jamiah Sandles9 years ago in Wander
For the Love of the Game
One of the best things about living in a foreign country is exploring and becoming immersed in the local sports scene. When you’re living outside the U.S., a different kind of football takes precedence over all of the sports combined. Football, in most countries, is the national sport and one in which kids from an early age learn to play and master over the years. Whether it's a city street, a dirt field, or turf glass, football is an adaptable sport to any kind of climate which is why it's such a famed world sport.
By Ben W9 years ago in Wander