Carlos
Why Isla Santa Cruz, Galapagos? Why Go: Numerous things to do in Santa Cruz, Galapagos make it the perfect for one stop, budget tour of the Galapagos Islands. Decent accommodations, ample food and grocery options, robust tours, and easy access from the mainland make most quintessential Galapagos experiences possible without leaving the island (aside from the … Read more
The Koh Phangan Full Moon Party is a legendary rite of passage for young travelers adventuring through Southeast Asia. Despite the fact that it is increasingly becoming over commercialized like most popular parties and festivals (we’re looking at you Burning Man and Coachella!!), the escapade is still a fun filled experience not to be missed … Read more
1. Pick the right destinations: Go for places that offer what you want without the crowds Mountains: South America Beaches: Asia Culture & History (Europe): Spain, Portugal, Poland, Eastern Europe, Turkey Food & Wine: You’re SOL here – the places with the best food are popular and famous, but get away from the big cities … Read more
Just Starting our “Experiencing Everest Series“? Then jump to our Everest page and start from Part 1 “Why go to Everest”. Gorak Shep to Kala Patthar Even through the sub-freezing chill of the unheated room, I could feel energy in the air as I opened my eyes in Gorak Shep, rustling in my sleeping bag … Read more
More from the Series: Adventures as a Global Volunteer – Lesvos and the Refugee Crisis Preface: Voluntourism – What Is It, and Why to Avoid It Part 1: The Beginning. The Reasons. The Dilemma Part 2: Teaching English, Serving Coffee, Going Solo Part 3: Translating in Moria Refugee Camp, Steps from Hell, and the Meaning … Read more
A Note from Carlos: Teachers and Educators – Thank you. What you do is invaluable. I want to open this with a thank you. Thank you to educators of all kinds, teachers, administrators, and facilitiators. Official and unofficial. Thank you for dedicating your life to the pursuit of building minds and empowering people with knowledge. … Read more
Moria Camp, on Lesvos Greece, is arguably the worst refugee camp in Europe. By chance, I was lucky enough to pick up a week long volunteering job translating for patients at a medical clinic. I dealt with their pent up frustrations, pains, and emotions in the process of translating. I listened to the sources of … Read more
As I settled into Lesvos and learned the situation, I realized very quickly that the need for “spotting refugee boats” was long past. The need was no longer to help disoriented refugees off of boats and onto to Greek beaches. The need was now empowerment through knowledge and skills and recovery from past atrocities … Read more
What is “Voluntourism”? “Voluntourism” is a newer travel trend that combines volunteering with tourism, and from what I’ve observed doesn’t do either very well. Though the idea sounds good in theory and “voluntourists” are nearly always well intentioned, (otherwise they would spend their precious vacation time in Ibiza or Cancun) the resulting waste and unintended … Read more
Any balanced and healthy fitness regimen should include upper body and lower body resistance training. For frequent travelers and “onebaggers”, the hassle and cost of finding a gym in every locale can be a pain and costly, and most exercise equipment is too bulky for travel or too inadequate for strength training on the road. … Read more