Outside of Spain, Antigua is said to have the largest Semana Santa celebration in the world, and certainly in the Americas. Being in Sevilla a few years back for Holy Week, I was a bit nervous that restaurants would be impossible to get into, the roads would be blocked by processional traffic, and the hordes…

If Cinque Terre (Italy) and Lake Inle (Myanmar) were to somehow have a lovechild, it would be Lake Atitlan. The lake sits in the crater of a massive volcano and the surrounding areas that dot around it are made of tiny Mayan villages, alonside larger towns where Mayans and 21st century bohemians seemingly coexist. A…

These nine words, uttered by Keiko Ogura, the director for Hiroshima Interpreters for Peace (HIP), helps to illuminate the incredible efforts that many Hibakusha (survivors of the A-bomb) take to promote a peaceful, nuclear free future. After traveling to Hiroshima last summer with the Japan Society, and brining my students to hear two survivors speak,…

A beautiful lake, a local winery, and our first fancy hotel of the trip; needless to say, we were thrilled when we finally arrived in Nyaungshwe after our 6 hour delay in Mandalay. Arriving much later than we had planned, we spent the evening briefly exploring the town and hotel. Located in the state of…

After 3 awesome days in Bagan, we headed to Mandalay for two nights; a city that many people skip altogether. With not many iconic sights, and lacking the worn-down, colonial charms of Yangon, Myanmar’s second city is dirty and griddy, but underneath the dirt, street trash, and exhaust fumes that permeate the city, one can…

I cannot even begin to describe how amazing this place is. If you are even remotely considering coming to Myanmar, do it now, because once this gem of a city becomes well known, it is sure to be over-run with tourists. After a bumpy flight, we landed in Bagan around 8 in the morning and…

George Orwell’s critical portrayal of British Imperialism at the begining of the twentieth century seems a long ways off from the Myanmar of today. Nevertheles, the legacy of the British empire has left its toll on Myanmar’s history over the last century.   Always a country I was fascinated with, the decision to come to…

With this being my last post from Brazil, I am sad and joyous at the same time. I am sad for the obvious reason that I am saying goodbye to an incredibe group of educators, both from the U.S. and Brazil, who have inspired me to grow as both a professional and as an individual….

The third largest city in Brazil, the city of Salvador is well known for its Afro-Brazilian roots. A coastal city in the Northeast, Salvador was a pivotal capital in the Portuguese empire. After arriving late the night before, we spent the bulk of Saturday on a tour of the Pelourinho (the old colonial city). Our…

With our time in Teresina nearly over, I have a few hours to process what an incredible and uplifting experience this week has been. Throughout the week, Jennifer and I often laughed when asked the question “What do you think of the weather in Teresina?” We laughed because it is a known fact that the…