When you think of winter, you might imagine trees enveloped in velvety white snow, marshmallows slowly dissolving in molten hot chocolate, scarves wrapped twice around the neck in defiance of the wind, or the crackle of reds, yellows, and oranges in a just-what-I-needed fireplace. Lately, when I think of winter, I picture immense convention centerContinue reading “Before You Travel, Why Not Check Out a Travel Show?”
Category Archives: Volunteer Travel
Iditarod: Ceremonial Start
As Rick Steves’ sister, Jan Steves, continues on her second Iditarod adventure, I’m continuing my three-part series on what it was like last year at her debut in the “Last Great Race on Earth.” The original article was posted on Jan’s blog on March 4, 2012. Snow dances its way onto the ground and ticklesContinue reading “Iditarod: Ceremonial Start”
It Takes A Village And Then Some
This might have been the lightest I’ve ever packed. Two pairs of lightweight cargo pants, one pair of leggings, two well-worn long-sleeve shirts, one short-sleeve, two tank tops, a sweatshirt, my jammies, my tennies, my undergarments, and my toiletries would be more than enough to get me through a week of construction work in Tijuana. Continue reading “It Takes A Village And Then Some”
Volunteering in Tijuana: Lessons in Gratitude
Life is good. While many complain, gobble up the spoon-fed fear from media outlets, and blame the other side for everything wrong in our society, traveling makes it clear: we have it good in the USA. That’s not to discount real problems that affect individuals like unemployment, lack of healthcare, poverty, and hunger. Those areContinue reading “Volunteering in Tijuana: Lessons in Gratitude”
Tijuana: Impressions Confirmed and Shattered
When people ask me what I do, I often find myself wincing on the inside before responding. It can be a loaded question, depending on who is asking the question and what the circumstances are. For nearly fifteen years, my answer was simple: I’m a Spanish and Dance teacher at Carlsbad High School. My standardContinue reading “Tijuana: Impressions Confirmed and Shattered”