 |
When I was a child, my mother thought I’d join a nudist colony; I was always taking off my little toddler dresses and running around in the backyard with nothing on. As an adult, I’ve managed to parlay comfort with my body into an easily portable financial application: nude figure modeling.
There are two genres of nude modeling (it’s always “nude”, by the way; if you say “naked”, it’s not art): photography and life drawing. … Read more »
Vagabonding for an extended time through Europe isn’t the same shoestring travel it was 20 years ago, but the continent still remains as alluring as ever to travelers. It can be rather expensive to travel abroad in Europe long enough to really immerse yourself in the culture and feel like you intimately know the place. A more budget conscious way to do this, however, is to try to find a job in Europe, and working … Read more »
Damascus, Syria
I had seen the ads for television extras in Bangkok hostels, and I had spoken with travelers about their Bollywood background roles in Mumbai. But I had never made an effort to pursue this myself.
But last Monday at 9:00 a.m., while stepping … Read more »
After a year of collecting suggestions from over 32,000 people, the U.S Dept of State has unveiled a completely revamped source for travel information, travel.state.gov.
While most Americans may only interact with the Bureau of Consular Affairs when they obtain or renew their passports, their charter also includes assisting citizens who fall victim to … Read more »
Just got back from India. For some reason, I thought this homecoming would be like all the rest. What I didn’t expect was to wind up in a stampede of my friends’ forward momentum: A graduation party two hours after arrival, an NYU commencement in Radio City Music Hall, and Facebook pictures aplenty of caps and gowns.
There’s no diploma awarded … Read more »
Recently Rolf posted some tips on making the transition into life as ESL teacher in Korea. But what happens after you’ve been in the country for a while and you’re starting to feel worn down by the hidden demands of teaching? Here are some great ways to relax and stay healthy while getting to know the … Read more »
More expats are moving to China, attracted by business opportunities and hopes of advancing their careers. However, working with the locals can be tricky, as illustrated by this New York Times article: For American workers in China, a culture clash.
The Chinese have a saying that captures this challenge neatly: “same bed, different dreams.” Western expats might have goals like accessing a new market and increasing profits. Their Chinese colleagues, on the other hand, … Read more »
I’d never thought much about senior travel until a wrinkled yet muscled man sat down next to me on the Pokhara to Kathmandu bus. Preston had lived in Mexico, Hawaii, Nepal, Thailand and more — he’d been on the road for most of his life.
He’d relied on his wits and his skills to take him around the world. Renovating houses, fixing up boats, running a gem polishing … Read more »
The Chinese language is notoriously complex. There are the tones, the accents, and not to mention the writing! China and Singapore use simplified Chinese characters, while Hong Kong and Taiwan still use traditional Chinese characters.
Then there are the different dialects. Mandarin is spoken in China, Taiwan, and Singapore. Hong Kong and China’s southern Guangdong Province mainly speak Cantonese.
That being said, there’s few sadder sights than an expat who’s lived in Asia for years … Read more »
I love drawing when I’m on the road. Even when I’m lugging around a decent digital camera, nothing beats recreating impressions, scenes, objects, and people with your hand. For me, drawing feels more intimate because you get to notice details that are often overlooked when taking a photograph.
But carrying around a full set of paints and brushes is contradictory to my practice of Read more »