Shoplifter wall of fame.

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 05:22:59 -0500

Daily greeting committee.

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:44:28 -0500

Daily greeting committee.

Photo

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 05:36:48 -0500

Photo

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 05:36:28 -0500

Our office puppy. I call her stinkbug.

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 23:52:52 -0500

Our office puppy. I call her stinkbug.

Ridin dirty on my Honda Click.

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 21:13:50 -0500

Ridin dirty on my Honda Click.

Good morning Vietnam. (at Everest Education)

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:34:02 -0500

Good morning Vietnam. (at Everest Education)

Standing rib roast before.

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 14:57:06 -0500

Standing rib roast before.

Boone.

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 21:46:51 -0500

Boone.

Boone in the fall.

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:40:36 -0500

Boone in the fall.

Sunset over Hudson.

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:39:15 -0500

Sunset over Hudson.

Pham Ngu Lao chicken kebabs.

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 09:59:11 -0500

Pham Ngu Lao chicken kebabs.

Some travel tunes.

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 06:36:47 -0400

Some travel tunes.

Some black and white portraits across Southeast Asia.

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 06:08:49 -0400

Some black and white portraits across Southeast Asia.

Bangkok, Thailand

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:23:21 -0400

Bangkok, Thailand

The Ancient Royal Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 05:10:56 -0400

The Ancient Royal Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.

The island of Ko Chang, off the southern coast of Thailand in...

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 01:10:23 -0400

The island of Ko Chang, off the southern coast of Thailand in the Trat Province.

10 Insights From Overseas

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 03:19:00 -0400

1. A lot can be said for planning ahead, but most of your most memorable experiences will be things you never planned for.

Planning, especially when travelling, can make the difference between a fun, enjoyable trip and a miserable, problem-ridden experience. I think planning is an essential part of travelling, and even more so when you are travelling on a shoe-string, not knowing where you will be in the next three days. With all that said I think the best thing to do when travelling is be open to the unexpected and be flexible with your plans. Many of the best and most memorable experiences I have had overseas were doing things on a whim, and I would recommend to anyone travelling to always be open to doing things you didn’t plan on.

2. Be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

This idea has been hard for me to embrace, but the sooner you accept the fact that you aren’t always going to be comfortable, the sooner you can get on with enjoying your travels. No matter where you go you are going to be put in uncomfortable situations, whether it be wearing the same clothes for three days straight or dealing with bugs and heat, it is going to happen. Everyone has their own limits when it comes to being uncomfortable, so know where your limits are and be okay if you pass that limit every once in a while, it will make travelling much more enjoyable.

3. Be frugal with things, lavish with experiences.

Pinch pennies wherever you can, if you can buy a bottle of water for a couple bucks cheaper down the street make the extra walk. Especially in countries where the conversion rate is favorable, nickels and dimes will add up quickly, and a little effort to save money will make a significant difference. Also don’t waste all your money buying “things”. Just because you are in a different country doesn’t mean you need 100 new t-shirts that your going to have to lug around the remainder of the trip. Save you money for things you are going to remember. Spend a little extra on a dinner cruise, or a day out on the ocean in a kayak. You are not going to remember how many necklaces you bought overseas, but you will never forget the exciting adventures you had while you were there, always keep those priorities straight.

4. Challenge your views about everything.

Being in a foreign country is a great place to meet new people who see things much differently than you. People of other races and religions can provide fresh views on everything from food to marriage to God. Never shy away from someone who is different than you. The only way to grow and develop as a human is to challenge what you believe in. You will either increase your resolve in what you already believe, or find a better way of thinking, which is a win-win situation. The more people you meet that are different than you, the more you realize the differences are really not as big as you would be led to believe.

5. Life is not a movie, stop expecting everything to be perfect all the time.

It isn’t always going to be perfect weather, you are not going to find your soul mate every time you go to a beach or a bar, and you’re not going to always be dressed in bells and looking perfect. This is one thing I have struggled with when travelling. I think our media and entertainment industries create unrealistic standards of what things are like in the real world. I don’t think telling you to lower your expectations is exactly what I am saying, just don’t expect everything to work out like it does in the movies, cause that isn’t how life is. Embrace in imperfection, its what makes life interesting.

6. Don’t pack two of something when only one will do.

Travel light. Don’t lug around a bunch of luggage just because you aren’t sure what you will want to wear the next day. If you desperately need something while you are travelling, chances are you can buy it where you will be. The less you carry around with you the more you can focus on where you are and what you are doing, the more flexible you can be not having to pack up three suitcases worth of shit every time you want to go somewhere. Travelling light may not be for everyone, but next time you go somewhere challenge yourself to see how little you can pack and see how it affects your trip, I think you will be pleasantly surprised with how little you really need.

7. Choose who you travel with wisely.

Some people may overlook the fact that who you are travelling with is going to greatly affect your experience. A travel partner is much like a spouse, you are going to eat together, sleep together, travel together, and party together, and sometimes it can be too much time with one person. Make you to spend time apart and spend some quiet time by yourself, but also make sure you are travelling with a compatible partner. The ideal travel partner is someone who lives a similar lifestyle to you, and it also looking for the same kind of experience as you are. For example if one person is looking for adventure around every corner and the other just wants to stay in all day there are going to be obvious problems travelling around together. Spend some time being honest with yourself about who you are travelling with and whether or not you think you will be compatible.

8. Be aware and respectful to other cultures.

No matter where you travel there will undoubtedly be a different culture than your own. As much as possible try to embrace that culture and experience it from the ground level. I like to always try to do what the locals do. Try the restaurants the locals habit, explore the areas locals go to, and have drinks where the locals have drinks. One thing to be aware of though is make sure you are always being respectful of the different cultures, sometimes things you wouldn’t think are disrespectful can be to another culture, so do some research before and touch up on the key do’s and dont’s of where you are going, it will save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

9. Be patient.

No matter where you are going there are going to be experiences that push your nerves, whether you get stuck on some form of local transportation or you are dealing with the language barrier, remember to always be patient. Understanding that everything isn’t always going to go according to plan and being patient will make your stay much more enjoyable. Also when you are trying to gap the language barrier being patient with people will always help you in the long run, getting frustrated and upset will just further the distance between two people understanding each other.

10. GO TRAVEL!

You cannot practice any of these things without going out and travelling. So save up some money, pack your bags, or bag, and go on an adventure! See somewhere you have never seen and taste the food, meet the people and see how things work in a different part of the world. You will never regret leaving where you are from to see another part of the world.

Photo

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 08:14:14 -0400

The Children of Cambodia.

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:33:01 -0400

The Children of Cambodia.

The Road Less Traveled

Shoplifter wall of fame.

Daily greeting committee.

Photo

Photo

Our office puppy. I call her stinkbug.

Ridin dirty on my Honda Click.

Good morning Vietnam. (at Everest Education)

Standing rib roast before.

Boone.

Boone in the fall.

Sunset over Hudson.

Pham Ngu Lao chicken kebabs.

Some travel tunes.

Some black and white portraits across Southeast Asia.

Bangkok, Thailand

The Ancient Royal Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.

The island of Ko Chang, off the southern coast of Thailand in...

10 Insights From Overseas

Photo

The Children of Cambodia.