I'm still here, and I've got exciting news!!!

I wanted to inform all of my readers that I am still alive, and I have been working to get my website www.hopscotchtheglobe.com up and running. This is the first time I have put together a website, so it has been taking me longer than anticipated; but I promise it will be worth the wait!

In the meantime, I have some exciting new to share with you all.

Back in November, I wrote about The Lost Girls and how they were the first people that really inspired me to want to drop everything and travel the world for a year like they did. The first time I came across their blog was almost three years ago, and now I am proud to announce that I am officially the new Lost Girl contributor! Check out my first published article that I wrote for The Lost Girls: http://www.lostgirlsworld.com/2010/07/5-tips-for-editing-travel-videos/

For more about the Lost Girls, visit their website at www.lostgirlsworld.com. If you haven't already purchased their new book titled "The Lost Girls. Three Friends. Four Continents. One Unconventional Detour Around the World," I highly recommend doing so. A portion of the the sales will be donated to Village Volunteer's Butterly Project, an educational scholarship program for young women in Kenya. I just finished reading the book myself, and I have never felt more excited dropping everything to travel. Which leads me to my next piece of exciting news...

On September 15, 2010, I will be boarding a plane to fly to the first of many destination on my year-long adventure around the globe! I have decided to quit my jobs, sell my stuff and leave everything behind to travel to places I've only dreamt about. I will be starting my year-long journey in Iceland followed by England, Scotland, India, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma, Malaysia, New Zealand, Turkey and Greece. I'm sure my list of destinations will change throughout my journey as I don't have a set itinerary and flexibility and spontaneity are two words that I live by when I travel. To learn more about my adventure and what I will be doing, you will have to wait for the launch of my website in a couple of weeks. I have some very excited projects on the go, and I can't wait to share them with you all. So stay patient and get ready to join me on my exciting adventure across the globe!

Look, Mom! I Can Fly!

If you could possess one super hero power, what would it be?

While I have yet to find a way to walk through walls, turn invisible or have the strength to lift a Panzer VIII Maus, I have uncovered a way to fly like a bird above the Costa Rican rain forest for only 45 US dollars!

Straddling the Continental Divide at 1440 meters (4662 ft), the Monteverde Cloud Forest area offers one of the most interesting place to visit in Costa Rica. The forest is boosting with over 2,500 species of plants (including 450 kinds of orchids), 450 species of birds and innumerable reptiles and mammals, including: jaguars, tapirs, coatis, toucans, sloths, agoutis, howler monkeys, tarantulas, poison dart frogs and the famous resplendent quetzal. Within the immense flora, and fauna and situated high up in the tree tops, lies an exciting offering where you can fly above the forest and through the clouds on Costa Rica's premiere canopy experience.


The adventure begins with the canopy guides harnessing you with the all the appropriate equipment and going over all of the safety procedures. Then you're off to the first of 13 cables and 16 platforms assembled up to 150 feet above the forest floor - sufferers of Acrophobia beware! As if that isn't enough, there is a surprise at the end of this adventure; but more about that later.

Climbing up to the first platform is an overwhelming experience. The first emotion you may encounter is fear as the platform tends to make relatively loud creaking noises that intensify the higher up you get. The smell from endless vegetation lingers in the air. The restricted air movement combined with the high altitude is enough to make your body work harder than usual to get oxygen deep into the lungs. But, the view from the top of the platform is enough make you want to sell all your positions back home and relocate to this newfound utopia.

You can choose to fly solo or opt for "taxi service," meaning one of the guide will go along with you for the ride. As soon as you are strapped to the cable, the guide will tell you hold on to the line with your stronger arm for balance and speed control. Your other arm is used to balance your weight by holding on to the center strap that connects you to the cable. After you're strapped in, you have approximately three seconds to reconsider before you are forced to take the plunge. Stepping off the platform is the hardest part because after that, there is no turning back. You quickly pick up speed as you fly over tree tops and into the clouds. As the wind brushes across your face and forest floor comes and goes, you feel liberated. As you soar through the sky, your depiction of freedom takes on a whole new meaning.

Twelve cables and fifteen platforms later, you come face to face with the last and most exciting cable of all. Stretching one kilometer, it is the longest in the country and has you flying at 50 kilometers an hour. You are required to partner up for this one, as the weight of two people is necessary to get from one side of the cable to the other. Having someone else with you makes the journey that much more special because no mater how many times you try to explain this experience, there really are no words.

Oh, and the surprise at the end...a tarazan swing of course! Check it out:

Whales Fall in Love - Help Put an End to Commercial Whaling!!!

In 1986, commerical whaling was banned worldwide. It was thought to be one of the most monumental and iconic conservation victories of the twentith century. Since the moratorium passed, however, Japan, Iceland and Norway have still killed roughly 30,000 whales. They hide the illegality of these killings under the guise of "scientific research." The killings are brutal and unnecessary.

And now, on the 22nd of April, the International Whaling Commission has announced a draft proposal that would legalize commerical whaling for the first time in two decades. The proposal will be voted upon in June. What is even more frightening is that the U.S has voiced support for the dangerous new proposal, claiming that it has potential to rein in the annual killings currently defying the international law. Sounds likely doesn't it? May as well build a fortress out of toothpicks and masking tape. Before the illegalization of whaling, roughly 38,000 whales were killed every year, driving the species near to extinction. This bill, should it pass, would do nothing more to save the whales than to breath the life into an otherwise dying industry.

Doesn't it seem archaic? The whole thing? Doesn't it seem strange that whaling hasn't been stopped completely by now? What with the new discovery of this specie's intelligence?
In 2006, a study conducted by the New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (long name) in investigating the brains of these mysterious creatures, found the presence of a spindle cell. Spindle cells, until recently, were thought to only live in humans and great apes, making it possible to experience love, attachment, self-reflection, grief. Furthermore, the cells were found in the same area of the brain (anterior cinfulate cortex and frontoinsular cortex) that regulates functions such as social organisation, empathy, speech, self-reflection. And not only that, whales may have up to three times as many of these cells as humans and have been developing them for 30 million years, nearly twice as long as humans.

It quickly becomes apparent, when you kill a whale it feels it on a physical, mental, social and emotional level. And likewise, its offspring and friends feel the loss.

This bill should not pass. It is a step in the wrong direction. I urge you to tell your friends so as to bring more awareness to this issue. Click on the link below and encourage Prez Obama to vote no on the legalization of commerical banning. Put an End to Commerical Whaling

And if you haven't heard about the Sea Shepherd Conservation, you should check them out. They sail somewhere between activism and piratism.

UPDATE!!!!

Hi everyone! I wanted to let you know that this blog will be moving. That's right! It will no longer be "hopscotchtheglobe.blogspot.com" but instead it will just be "www.hopscotchtheglobe.com"

I have a very cool new layout that I am excited to present to you all. The new site will be live hopefully in the upcoming month. In the meantime, I will continue to post here.

The new blog will include videos of my travels including the documentary that my boyfriend Siya and I filmed in Peru a few summers ago. It will also feature travel articles from myself and other travelers alike. I am starting to focus more on the people I have met from my travels who have inspired me in some way. I will also be focusing more unique experience that tie in with culture and adventure. Lastly, I will write about the most amazing accomidations I have had the chance to stay at during my travels.

If anyone has any ideas of the types of stories they would like to hear about, don't hesitate to contact me at kristen.jacobson@hotmail.com. I want to know interests and inspires YOU!

Happy Travels!

(The above photo was taking while I was zip lining in Paraguay, South America)

A life changing experience

In the summer of 2008, I traveled to Peru to film an independent documentary that focused on breaking the stereotype of a third world country. I spent two years saving and planning for this project, but could not have anticipated what would come of this adventure.

Peru is an exceptionally stunning country with outstanding landscape and beautiful people. I had some pretty wild experiences during the thirty days that I spent traveling throughout the country. I hiked the Lares Trek to Machu Pichu, visited the islands of Lake Titicaca, spent the night with a Quechua tribe, ate guinea pig, spotted pink dolphins in the Amazon river and suffered from gastroenteritis - twice! Yet, these experiences do not compare to the couple of days that my partner Siya and I spent with a very special Peruvian family.

Siya and I, had asked a friend if he could introduce us to a Peruvian family that has a story to tell. Our friend told us about a family of eight made up of a mother, father and six children under the age of eighteen. Little did we know that this family would make us evaluate the definition of happiness and what it takes to achieve such a state of mind. During the drive through the family's neighborhood, Siya and I made a mutual prediction that this was going to be a experience like no other. We were surrounded by houses made of metal scraps, leaves and dried lava. Children with protruding belly's were running barefoot though the streets selling pieces of gum for whatever change they could get.

When we arrived at the house of the family, we were welcomed by the mother, her two youngest daughters and youngest son. They all had smiles on their face and sparkles in their eyes. With little hesitation, they hugged us and gave the traditional kiss on the cheek. We were led by the mother into into what would classify as a backyard. The backyard consisted of a dirt floor covered with toys belonging to the children. However, these were not the same toys that children in Canada beg their parents for. There toy collection was made up of old batteries, broken barbie dolls heads, pieces of plastic, wood and rocks. The toilet was located in the backyard. It was broken, rusted and barely hidden behind a piece of wood. There was no privacy and only a shallow hole in the ground for the feces to go. As Siya and I observed our surroundings, the mother called out to her husband to come and greet us. At first there was no response, but with a little perseverance from the mother, a very nervous and petite man walked out to the backyard. After a nod of the head and very weary smile, he went into a small dark room just around the corner from where we were standing. Following behind her husband, the mother lead us into the room. The family had constructed the room themselves from metal scraps, mud, dry lava and dried leaves. This room was their main living space. The room consisted of two small beds made of wood and covered in raggedy clothing. This is where both parents and their three daughters slept as well as kept all of their personal items. To the left of the entrance was a large pile of old dirty clothing. To the right were two chairs and a small rectangular table. Everything in this room was all the family owned and had been collected over several years. Just outside the room was a small space where the mother cooked and another small room where her three sons slept. The kitchen consisted of an old pot, a place to create an open fire and a larger rock which she used to cut food when necessary.
While Siya and I took a look around the kitchen, the father came out behind us with his smallest daughter Precia and a smile on his face. Precia is the youngest child of the family and was born without the ability to walk. If given a simple operation, she would be given the chance to walk, but the family does not have the sufficient funds to pay for such a thing. The father explained to Siya and I that living in extreme poverty has been a reality for this family for generations. From the look on his face, I could tell he knew Siya and I are sincere people with a genuine interest in learning about his family and their story.

Siya and I both brought our video cameras along to document the experience, not really knowing what to expect. The kids were especially fascinated with our cameras and loved to see themselves on the display screen. One of the girls who developed an attachment to Siya and I from the very beginning told us that she dreams of being a film maker just like us when she grows up. Throughout the day, we had a chance to talk one-on-one with each member of the family. They each told us about their daily struggle to find food and water, take care of each other and hopes for a brighter future. The mother explained to us that in order to get clean drinking water, she had to walk two kilometers with Precia on her back; and this was only when the family had enough money to afford it. The water cost more money in this part of the city because it is "inconvenient" for the water trucks to the deliver the water to the tanks. With great enthusiasm and determination in her voice, the mother explained her hopes for her children to be able to live a different life then what she has known. She wants them to have the opportuinty to get a good education and become anything they wish to be. Although the family explained their struggles, they focused more on what they do have and their undenying love for each other and life. Siya and I felt overwhelmed with the family's determination, passion, motivation and love for life and each other that they all had. They had so little yet, they focused on expressing their content and appreciation for what they did have. They did not have many materialistic things, but they had love for one another and a desire to break out of the cycle of poverty that their family has always known. The family offered Siya and I the little food they had because they wanted us to feel welcome and happy. The whole afternoon and evening was spent laughing and playing.

This family is like none I have ever met. They have a zest for life that is inspiring. The family welcomed us into their home with open arms and in one day taught us the true meaning of happiness. Where many people believe that money is the leading factor to happiness, the family taught us that happiness is about family, friendship, nature and simplicity. We left the family at the end of the day feeling extremely overwhelmed. We had three more weeks ahead of us to explore Peru, but all we could think about was the family.

After seeing condors flying, monkey's playing, peaceful islands, floating villages, breathtaking landscapes and one of the wonders of the world, we were still very emotionally affected from the family we met. During the last few days of our journey, we decided to visit the family one more time before our return to Canada. During our drive back to their neighborhood, Siya and I put together a small photo album of the pictures we took of the family. Upon our arrival, we saw each member of the family digging a trench for a water pipeline along the road. They were very excited to see us! We surprised them with the photo album and they were extremely grateful as these were the first photos of themselves that they had ever seen. We learned that all eight of them had been digging the trench for twelve hours and would only earn a total of what is equivalent to three Canadian dollars. That is only half the amount of what it costs to buy a gallon of clean drinking water. We also learned that for years they had been saving up money to get a pipeline in their house, so they would no longer need to walk far to get clean water. After years of saving, they only has saved a quarter of what it would cost. With six growing children and an unsteady source of income, it would take many more years for the family to be able to afford a water pipeline in their home. In order to have the water pipe line connected to their house, it would cost the equivalent to 60 Canadian dollars.
Siya and I knew that we needed to help this family. We put together all of the money we had in our wallets and it equaled the exact balance of what it would cost the family for the pipeline. Siya and I took the mother aside and discretely handed her the money. We told her that we wanted her to have it so that her family would have access to what all living beings should have the right to - clean water. The moment we handed her the money, is one of the moments I will never forget. The mother covered her face and broke down crying. She was speechless for words but managed to get out "bless you and thank you." At that moment, I felt so grateful for having the chance to do something that seemed so little but would ultimately change their life.

A few months upon our return to Canada, I received an email from our local friend who had introduced Siya and I to the family. It was an email containing pictures of the mother of the family standing in front of her house with the largest smile on her face. She was bend over a well with a bucket filled with clean water. They now had access unlimited drinking water. This small act of kindness has changed the family's life and has definitely changed mine.



**Since we met this family, Siya and I have sent school supplies and toys down with friends to deliver to the family . Also, all proceeds we have raised in the past two years from every purchase of our documentary has gone towards this family. If you are interested in purchasing a copy, please contact me at kristen.jacobson@hotmail.com**

Big Milly's Backyard - A Traveler's Wonderland

When I think back to the summer I spent in Ghana, the first memory that comes to mind is of the night I spent at Big Milly's Backyard in the small fishing village of Kokrobite.

Started in 1995 by an English woman called Wendy and her Ghanaian partner Seto, Big Milly's a is beach resort that has a good mix of foreigners and locals. As soon as I arrived at Big Milly's, I was welcomed with good vibes and a peaceful atmosphere. The place is home to countless coconut trees among many other exotic plants, animal and bird species. Depending on your budget, or if space permits, there are several rooming options for you to choose from. There are a variety of unique huts and cottages that are each equipped with fans and thatched roofs to keep you cool. Most cottages are self contained while others share toilets and shower facilities. The shower water is used by the plants so should be used wisely. Those with a smaller budget and desire to try a different style of accommodation can stay in an outside dorm consisting of a few mattresses draped with mosquito nets, lined up on a wooden platform under the star filled sky. Not bad for $4 a night.

My time here stands out from any other experience I had in Ghana because Big Milly's has everything to offer a traveler interested in culture, beauty and relaxation. Equipped with a fabulous restaurant, variety of vendors, a happening 24 hour bar, drumming and dance lessons, fruit stands, book swap, massage center, wonderful people, a beautiful beach and live music, this place is what I classify as a traveler's wonderland. But what truly makes this place memorable is how everyone feels like family. The best way to experience this sense of community, is celebrating a Friday or Saturday night here. As the sun goes down, reggae and high life rhythms fill the air and attract town's people and travelers alike to Big Milly's Backyard. Bob Marley and Peter Tosh covers initiates crowd sing-a-long's and friendly dance offs. True Rastafaris smoking “ganja” slowly sway to the feelgood beats while local children run through the crowd to join in on the festivities. There is a garden gate that opens onto a long sandy beach that is clean and safe for swimming during the day and used as a dance floor at night. The beer is cheap and the entertainment goes until sunrise. Disco lights? No need! The immense amount of stars that pierce the sky add the finishing touch to a perfect setting.

After dancing until sunrise, I slept for a few hours before heading to the restaurant for a mouth-watering brunch. The elevated restaurant, which overlooks the sea, serves delicious food including traditional Ghanaian dishes at a very affordable cost. After consuming every last bit of my homemade yogurt topped with tropical fruit and banana pancakes, I walked down to the beach where I curiously watched the local fisherman haul a very long fishnet onto shore that was filled with various types of sea creatures. As the men pulled in the net, local women and children came to the beach to collect their share of fish. With fairly large bowls balanced on their heads, the women and children never fought over the fish, but shared the catch equally among themselves. This was more proof that this is a very close knit community that helps and supports one another. While helping a few children pull fish from the net, they warned me to stay away from the long snake like fish, as they were very poisonous. This kind warning was followed by the youngest child picking up a crab the size of his head and shoving it only a couple mileometers from my face. This sent a contagious laughter amongst the other children and eventually myself. This is when I looked around, took a deep breath and became overwhelmed with how lucky I was to be part of this moment. I was so far away from my family and friends in Canada, yet I felt so at home. This community and the people in it really captured my heart, and I knew then that it wouldn't be long before I returned back to this wonderful place.


Feel the love!

A quote I love...

“Why tell your grandkids you worked 9-5, five days a week for 40 years and quietly sat in traffic jams while people went to war, suffered disease and shot their own classmates? Tell them you refused to live in fear. Tell them you crossed the Amazon, saw the Lost Cities of Gold and met your soul mate in Casablanca. Travel to the ends of the earth. Go now and live adventures that will make your grandkids proud.”

(Courtesy of an inspirational postcard Travel Writer and Word Travels Host Julia Dimon found at a dingy backpacker bar in Byron Bay, Australia)

** You can check out Julia's website here: http://www.traveljunkiejulia.com **

Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed. - Corita Kent

I have abandoned this blog for the last few months, and I feel horrible about it. I am currently facing the overwhelming inner battle of "what do I want to do with my life?" It's not that I feel that I have no interests or goals, in fact, it's the very opposite. I have so many interests and things that I want to accomplish that I feel slightly overwhelmed. Actually, that is an understatement. I feel like I have been buried underneath a mass of thoughts, and no matter how much I kick and scream, I can't seem to get out! Even when I am doing things that make me happy and accomplishing goals that I have set for myself, I feel like it's not enough; that I need to move on.

But "life is about the journey, not the destination" right? I totally agree with this quote but let's face it, sometimes I feel like kicking that quote in the butt. Aside from today that is!

Today I am going to write because that's what I love to do. Today I am going to enjoy the sun, talk to a stranger, sign up for a writing course, book a trip to Costa Rica, eat chocolate, look for theater auditions and enjoy life. After all, enjoying what we do is our motivation for everything, right? So, today I will embrace the quote, and I hope you will too. As for tomorrow? Well, I'll deal with tomorrow when today becomes yesterday. But I know that the haunting question of "what do I want to do with my life" will uninvitedly return. I am a restless soul, and i accept this realization. In fact, that's why I am choosing to write this entry today. I am ready to embrace the fact that I am always going to want more. It's not always a bad thing to want to keep moving forward, but it's also not a good thing to not enjoy what you're doing while your doing it. So, even though I will always have new goals that I will strive to accomplish, I am learning to live in the moment and enjoy every little side road that's on this life journey.

Another Inspirational Video

I thought I would share a very moving video with you all before I leave for work this morning. This is another video I came across a little while ago that is just beautiful. For those of you who haven't seen it, enjoy! If you've already seen it, watch it again. I could watch it over and over and never get tired of it.

To learn more about Matt and why he decided to make this video, visit http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/

A World of Increasing Levels of Over-Consumption and Waste

I really love this short but effective video, and I want to share it with you all! It puts into perspective the impact of our ever increasing level of over-consumption and waste. This isn't a travel story, but it definitely is something that is affecting the world and everyone in it.

This video really opens your eye to what kind of world we are living in today. There couldn't be a better time to show you all this video just as most of you may be getting ready to do some serious holiday shopping. So, please, take 20 minutes out of your day to watch the video below and visit http://www.storyofstuff.com for more information.

Some Inspiration...

If we all show an understanding for one another and realize our similarities rather than our differences this world would be a better place. I absolutely love this video....

Playing for Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The idea of this project arose from the common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. No matter whether people come from different geographical, political, economical, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race.

You can learn more about Playing For Change on the website http://www.playingforchange.com/

Also, check out other videos by Playing For Change on the official Playing For Change YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/PlayingForChange

Meet The Lost Girls!

Ever thought of just quitting your job, leaving everything behind to explore the world? If you have, you're not alone! In fact, I can't even count how many times people have said to me, "I wish I could just quit my job and take off for a year." Well, my response to them is, "So, what's stopping you? Your the creator of your life journey, so go for it!"

The first people that I was really inspired by, who left everything behind to travel the world, are The Lost Girls. I came across their blog a few years ago and since then, the adventurous trio has continued to inspire me and others with their stories about their yearlong, 60,000 mile journey across four continents and more than a dozen countries. You can follow the adventures of The Lost Girls on their site at http://lostgirlsworld.com/

Also, watch out for the release of their book, "The Lost Girls and the Wander Year" that will be hitting shelves in May 2010!!

Youngest Ever To Sail Around The World!

I came across a video while paroosing YouTube of a 16 year-old girl name Jessica Watson. The video immediately captured my attention and inspired me. Why? Well, while other 16 year-olds are executing a way convince their parents to let them go to a house party, Jessica has successful convinced her parents and the Australian government to let her sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the World. I don't know about you, but I think that is pretty awesome! Jessica started her adventure on her pink sail boat, who she refers to as "Ella," on October 18th, 2009. You can join her on her journey by following her blog at:

http://www.youngestround.blogspot.com/

Or learn more about Jessica and her mission at:

http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/

Great Travel Literature

I spend quite some time in the travel section at book stores so, I thought it would be appropriate to share with you a list of travel literature that I highly recommend:

Holy Cow! An Indian Adventure

By Sarah MacDonald

After backpacking her way around India, 21-year-old Sarah Macdonald decided that she hated this land of chaos and contradiction with a passion, and when an airport beggar read her palm and insisted she would come back one day - and for love - she vowed never to return.

But twelve years later the prophecy comes true when her partner, ABC's South Asia correspondent, is posted to New Delhi, the most polluted city on earth. Having given up a blossoming radio career in Sydney to follow her new boyfriend to India, it seems like the ultimate sacrifice and it almost kills Sarah - literally. After being cursed by a sadhu smeared in human ashes, she nearly dies from double pheumonia. It's enough to send a rapidly balding atheist on a wild rollercoaster ride through India's many religions in search of the meaning of life and death.

From the 'brain enema' of a meditation retreat in Dharamsala to the biggest Hindu festival on earth on the steps of the Ganges in Varanasi, and with the help of the Dalai Lama, a goddess of healing hugs and a couple of Bollywood stars - among many, many others - Sarah discovers a hell of a lot more.

Jungle, A Harrowing True Story of Survival

By Yossi Ghinsberg

When Marcus, Kevin, and Yossi agree to accompany Karl to Indian villages deep in the South American rainforest, the three backpackers think they are embarking on a dream adventure. Setting out from La Paz, Bolivia, the group flies to the most remote area of the rainforest accessible by plane to begin their off-the-map expedition.

Days into the journey the foursome begins to unravel under the duress of travelling through the dense undergrowth. Yossi soon finds himself lost and alone for three weeks- no weapons and with few survival skills- in the heart of the Amazonian rainforest. What follows is his tale of fortitude and physical endurance in one of the most dangerous and unpredictable landscapes on the planet.

The Kite Runner

By Khaled Hosseini

Taking us from Afghanistan in the final days of the monarchy to the present, The Kite Runner is the unforgettable, beautifully told story of the friendship between two boys growing up in Kabul. Raised in the same household and sharing the same wet nurse, Amir and Hassan nonetheless grow up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a prominent and wealthy man, while Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant, is a Hazara, member of a shunned ethnic minority. Their intertwined lives, and their fates, reflect the eventual tragedy of the world around them. When the Soviets invade and Amir and his father flee the country for a new life in California, Amir thinks that he has escaped his past. And yet he cannot leave the memory of Hassan behind him.

The Kite Runner is a novel about friendship, betrayal, and the price of loyalty. It is about the bonds between fathers and sons, and the power of their lies. Written against a history that has not been told in fiction before, The Kite Runnerdescribes the rich culture and beauty of a land in the process of being destroyed. But with the devastation, Khaled Hosseini also gives us hope: through the novel's faith in the power of reading and storytelling, and in the possibilities he shows for

redemption.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

By Khaled Hosseini

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan’s last thirty years—from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to the post-Taliban rebuilding—that puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives—the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness—are inextricable from the history playing out around them.

Propelled by the same storytelling instinct that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once a remarkable chronicle of three decades of Afghan history and a deeply moving account of family and friendship. It is a striking, heart-wrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love—a stunning accomplishment.

Eat, Pray, Love

By Elizabeth Gilbert

Gilbert (The Last American Man) grafts the structure of romantic fiction upon the inquiries of reporting in this sprawling yet methodical travelogue of soul-searching and self-discovery. Plagued with despair after a nasty divorce, the author, in her early 30s, divides a year equally among three dissimilar countries, exploring her competing urges for earthly delights and divine transcendence.

First, pleasure: savoring Italy's buffet of delights -- the world's best pizza, free-flowing wine and dashing conversation partners -- Gilbert consumes la dolce vita as spiritual succor. "I came to Italy pinched and thin," she writes, but soon fills out in waist and soul. Then, prayer and ascetic rigor: seeking communion with the divine at a sacred ashram in India, Gilbert emulates the ways of yogis in grueling hours of meditation, struggling to still her churning mind. Finally, a balancing act in Bali, where Gilbert tries for equipoise "betwixt and between" realms, studies with a merry medicine man and plunges into a charged love affair.

Sustaining a chatty, conspiratorial tone, Gilbert fully engages readers in the year's cultural and emotional tapestry -- conveying rapture with infectious brio, recalling anguish with touching candor -- as she details her exotic tableau with history, anecdote and impression.

Adventure Divas

By Holly Morris

After years of working behind a desk, Holly Morris had finally had enough. So she quit her job and set out to prove that adventure is not just a vacation style but a philosophy of living and to find like-minded, risk-taking women around the globe. With modest backing, a small television crew, her spirited producer-mother, Jeannie, and a whole lot of chutzpah, Morris tracked down artists, activists, and politicos–women of action who are changing the rules and sometimes the world around them.

In these pages, Morris brings to life the remarkable people and places she’s encountered on the road while filming her PBS series Adventure Divas and other programs. We meet Assata Shakur, a former Black Panther and social activist and now a fugitive living in exile in Cuba; Kiran Bedi, New Delhi’s chief of police, who revolutionized India’s infamously brutal Tijar Jail with her humanitarian ethic; New Zealand pop star Hinewehi Mohi, a Maori who reinvigorates her native culture for a new generation; and Mokarrameh Ghanbari, a septuagenarian painter and rice farmer who lives in the tiny village of Darikandeh on the Caspian plains of Iran, where her creative talents run counter to the government’s strict stance on art.

Along the way, Morris herself becomes a certified Adventure Diva, as she hunts for wild boar with Penan tribesmen in the jungles of Borneo, climbs the Matterhorn short-roped to a salty fourth-generation Swiss guide, and memorably becomes the first woman ever to enter the traditional camel race of the Saharan oasis town of Timia.

Intelligent, phenomenally funny, and chock-full of rich and telling details of place, Adventure Divas is apro-woman chronicle for the twenty-first century. In a pilgrimage fueled by curiosity, ideology, and full-on estrogen power, Holly Morris has paved the way for all of us to discover our own diva within and set out on our own adventures.

A Long Way Gone - Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

By Ishmael Beah

A gripping story of a child’s journey through hell and back.

There may be as many as 300,000 child soldiers, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s, in more than fifty conflicts around the world. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them. He is one of the first to tell his story in his own words.

In A Long Way Gone, Beah, now twenty-six years old, tells a riveting story. At the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he’d been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts. Eventually released by the army and sent to a UNICEF rehabilitation center, he struggled to regain his humanity and to reenter the world of civilians, who viewed him with fear and suspicion. This is, at last, a story of redemption and hope.

Memoirs of a Geisha

By Arthur Golden

In this literary tour de force, novelist Arthur Golden enters a remote and shimmeringly exotic world. For the protagonist of this peerlessly observant first novel is Sayuri, one of Japan's most celebrated geisha, a woman who is both performer and courtesan, slave and goddess.

We follow Sayuri from her childhood in an impoverished fishing village, where in 1929, she is sold to a representative of a geisha house, who is drawn by the child's unusual blue-grey eyes. From there she is taken to Gion, the pleasure district of Kyoto. She is nine years old. In the years that follow, as she works to pay back the price of her purchase, Sayuri will be schooled in music and dance, learn to apply the geisha's elaborate makeup, wear elaborate kimono, and care for a coiffure so fragile that it requires a special pillow. She will also acquire a magnanimous tutor and a venomous rival. Surviving the intrigues of her trade and the upheavals of war, the resourceful Sayuri is a romantic heroine on the order of Jane Eyre and Scarlett O'Hara. And Memoirs of a Geisha is a triumphant work - suspenseful, and utterly persuasive.

Writers Block? I Think Not!

I've been thinking a lot lately about how I can get this blog going. I want to write frequently, but I want to write about travel and stories that are going to be fresh, interesting and create a ring of resonance in my readers. Although I'm not traveling around the world like I did last year, I am living in the most multicultural city in the world!

I moved to Toronto in January and a lot has happened since then. I graduated from college, I have and continue to volunteer for many different organizations and production companies, work/worked a lot of different jobs and still have found time to explore Canada's largest city. I can't say I've had much of a down time but thats whats so great about Toronto; there is just so much to do! So, although I'm not traveling from country to country I am in a very happening place and it has been quite an adventure living here. Those who are from Toronto or the surrounding are may think they know it well, but trust me I discover new places and meet very interesting characters everyday. Having said that, I will be filling you all in on the most interesting places, events and people I meet during my time in Toronto. So, stay tuned, and I hope you enjoy:)

I entered the Gap Adventures "Coolest Travel Intern" Opportunity!!

So, I just applied to be the "Coolest Travel Intern" at Gap Adventures, and I'm really excited. I'm a huge fan of Gap Adventure tours and would love for a chance to work with them. I went on a tour with them when I was in Peru and it was a great experience. Their tour guides really know their stuff and the excursions they organize are all unforgettable.

Now that I've applied for two opportunities to work for two great travel companies, I am crossing my fingers AND toes. Both opportunities would be UNBELIEVABLE!!! I have discovered in the past few months that my career NEEDS to involve travel, adventure, writing and/or any form of media. Both of these opportunities would truly be a dream come true.

S-TRIP! World Intern Contest

I'm really excited because I just entered the S-Trip World Intern Contest for a chance to work as an S-Trip destination staff in 5 locations, take care of passengers, set up events, concerts and excursions! I would also get to explore 6 destinations around the world, check out beaches, hotels, nightlife, pubs, restaurants and more in search of the best places for S-Trippers to visit! During this amazing adventure I would report back toS-Trip headquarters with your my travel tales through blogging, videos, and photos! Talk about the best job EVER!!! This is definetly a job made for me. I've been thinking a lot lately about what I want to do most in life. What means the most to me and what I'm most passionate about...and nothing compares to how I feel when I travel. I need to have a job where I can use my technical skills, be in front of the camera and travel and this job with S-Trip is exactly that. You can check out my video and vote for me here:

http://www.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/6531/voteable_entries/1319344?order=recency


Wish me luck!!!!!!!

The smell of spices linger in the air

Tunisia was amazing! This was a country very different than anything I have yet to see. Although Tunisia is in North Africa, it feels like you are in the middle east. After a 10 hour fairy ride from Palermo, we finally arrived in the capital of Tunisia...Tunis! But before I write about my experience in Tunis I have to mention the wonderful people we met on the fairy. We met 3 other travelers from the US who we decided to share our adventure with. Jane and Fred who are a married couple from New Mexico who have spent that last 5 months eploring many countries around the world and Celeste from Oragan who is a young single female traveller who is spending 4 months in total travelling throughout Africa and Europe. We spent the many hours on the boat planning the next four days we would spend in Tunisia. We arrived late in Tunis so we decided to find a place to sleep for the night right away and then walk around the city for a bit. This lady we met on the boat from Australia who had spent the past 2 months studying Arabic in Tunisia brought us to a hostel that she recommended. It only cost 2 dollars but trust me it was no deal. The place was very dirty and i was scared to sleep in my bed. The sheets looked like they had never been cleaned and this also marked the beginning of my goal to master squating to go to the washroom. The toilets in Tunisia are not the cleanest and most of them are nothing more than a hole in the ground. The first time I attempted to use this kind of "toilet" I urinated all over my pants. However, practice makes perfect right? So, everytime I went to the washroom I tried different angels to position my body and also tried various levels to squat until I found the best position that worked for me. Moving on...

We made it through the night in the hotel of hell. One of the girls with us even slept sitting up because she was afraid to rest her face on her infested pillow. But, we made it through the night although it wasnt the greatest sleep ive ever had. It also didnt help that we were in a shady part of town. But Im glad we slept in this hotel because it just adds to the exeperience.

We then took a taxi ride to the bus station. It took a lot longer than it should have. Tunisians like to take you on a joy ride to a destination that never asked to go to. Then they expect you to pay! We eventually made it the bus terminal and took a louage (a small van) to the city of Douz. It was an 8 hour ride but we got to see a lot of Tunisia. Although Tunisia is in Africa is feels more like you're in the middle east. When we steped out of the van, we were immediteley approached by men trying to convince us to book a camel trek through them. We decided to ignore them and make our way to a hotel that our wonderful and very reliable "Lonely Planet Tunisia" guidebook had recommened.

As a quick note: If you are planning a trip anywhere in the world, I highly recommened buying a Lonely Planet book for your destination. These books are great! They tell you everything you need to know about the country and recommened hostels, hotels, restaurants, tours, etc that have been recommended by other travelers.

After walking around for a bit, we decided on a hotel called Hotel 20 Mars. This hotel was very nice and the people who run it are very friendly and helpful. What is also great about this hotel is they run a tour company where you can book a camel trek through the sahara dessert for a very resonable price. After settling into our rooms we booked an overnight tour and camel trek through the Sahara Desert for the next day. Now...it was time to explore Douz!

The markets in Douz are really interesting and busy. It is definetely an attack of your 5 senses. There are people walking around in long gowns and turbins. You hear Arabic music playing that makes you want to stop what your doing and just dance. Everywhere you walk you smell spices in the air. There are many fruit and nut stands as well as many stores to buy traditional clothes and other items. I had a lot of fun shopping here!

While shopping for suverniers, we met these really nice group of Tunisian men. We ended up partying with them in their shop in the evening. They brought us mint tea (which is very tasty), we smoked the hookah (a pipe with a long flexible tube that draws smoke through water. It is traditionally used for smoking flavored tobacco), played drums, danced and drew henna. Mingling with the natives is my favorite part of travelling. By participating in their activities and traditions, you really get an appreciation for a culture.

From Europe to North Africa

Well I have a couple of hours before I need to be somewhere so I thought I would spend some time and write about my adventures in Sicily and Italy. Where to start is the question. Rome was really amazing and I cant wait to go back for another 3 days before we fly back to Canada. Our friend Gianluca lives in Rome and is an awesome tourguide. I have already mentioned in a past blog about some places we visited in Rome so I wont repeat that. Overall its a fun city and it really helps to have a friend who speaks perfect English explain the history of it all. Its a very crowded city especially because of all the tourists. However, you wont find many people wondering the streets between 12-4 because its siesta time! All of the stores close and people eat lunch and rest and eat some more during this time. Italians really really love their food. That is something I have learned very well. If your on a diet and planning on travelling to Italy...those two things really dont go well together. They also love their wine!!!!!! You drink wine all the time and as soon as your done your class they pore another glass. I would also recommened anyone flying to Catania to not be surprised if you lose your luggage. Im very fortunate to have gotten mine within a day but some travellers I have met said they still hadnt gotten them after 10 days!!! Now, driving in Sicily is pretty crazy but not the craziest I have seen. Siya did an amazing job driving accross the large island. We did have some help from our very dependable friend Betsy...our GPS!!!! Without her I dont know where we would be right now....somewhere in Europe but most likely not in Palermo. Driving through Sicily was unbelievable! Its so beautiful. You have mountains on one side and the sea on the other. Youre driving up and down the mountains and the landscape is overwhelming. Each city we visited had its own unique look and history. We visted some really cool Greek temples in Regento, made a spear and caught crabs and sea orhcants in Agrigento, swan in the sea and tanned on a beautiful island in Taormina, visited fish markets in Catania, got stuck in an alleyway WITH the car with people honking behind us in Syracuse and we past through many other small and interesting towns along the way. Now we are in Palermo visiting relatives and looking for other relatives. We are staying at a beautifyl hotel for free because a relative owns the restaurant inside the hotel. We have been spoiled when it comes to food and accomidations. During our travels we have stayed in hostels, B&Bs, Hotels, Campsites and a villa overlooking an island in the middle of the sea. My mom has been really happy and Im really impressed with her Italian taking she hasnt practised is in 47 years! Im also impressed with how much money we have saved. I have been told that it is very expensive to travel in Europe but this trip has cost me 2000 for flights, car rentals, GPS, places to stay, food, gifts, sites, etc.... Not bad! Im also surprised how different Italy is from Sicily. There are so many different people from Africa, the Middle East, India and Greece living in Sicily. But thats because Sicily has been invaded by different countries throughout history. Everyone we have met has been very helpful and friendly as well. They will even go out of their way to personally lead you to where you want to go. We made some great new friends from other parts of the world. Thats one of my favorite parts of travelling. You get to meet people from all over and almost always you get an invite to visit them in their homeland with a free place to stay. Today we are booking our boatride to Tunisia. Tomorrow morning we will leave and we will stay in Tunisia for 5 days. Im really hoping to go on a camel trek through the desert! Its going to take 10 hours to get there but I know it will be well worth it! So now I must go and get prepared for another adventure...this time in Africa! I will write again soon.

The halfway mark!

Well we have reached the halfway mark. Right now we are in Palermo. We have been here for the last 3 days. We no longer have a car to drive around but there are plenty of buses to take and a relative has been driving around and showing us around the city. Palermo is where my mother was born and lived until she was 5 years old before coming to Canada. She hasnt been back here since then. Its a pretty lively city and much bigger than any other city we have visited in Sicily. Let me tell you something about Sicilians....THEY WILL FEED YOU UNIL YOU FEEL LIKE YOURE GOING TO DIE!!!!!!!!! I have never hated food before....until now. I dont hate it because it doesnt taste good....because trust me this is the best food ive ever had! But for one meal they will serve you antipasti then a huge plate of pasta then meat and more carbs and bread and then fish and then ice cream and then fruit and then coffee and wine until your going to explode!!!! Siya is really loving it!!!! hahahaha. Its really nice here though. It has been really cool to meet family i never knew existed. I will write in more detail about the people, food, scenery and culture in the next week. Now I mustgo and eat lunch....wish me luck! Tomorrow we leave for Tunisia! Its a 10 hour boat ride to get there YAY!!! Hopefully I dont get sea sick!