In light of recent events, particularly hurricane Matthew, some countries have been left demolished and devastated. As of today, the death toll in the US is at 27 but even that tragic number is dwarfed by Haiti’s death toll which is over 1,000 and continues to rise. 

This post will deviate slightly from my previous posts where, I explored a place through the eyes of just a tourist. Haiti is in desperate need of aid and as you read this post, foreign aid workers and volunteers are flooding in and helping out.

In this blog, I will explore Haiti through the eyes of someone who wants to help and provide aid. Aid that is surely needed since this is one of the most devastating natural disasters to ravage this small island nation since the earthquake.

Haiti’s history as  a small nation in the Caribbean was largely shaped by European colonization, which remnants of those times are embedded into the culture of Haiti. Haiti was originally colonized by the Spanish then the French controlled the island until the Haitian Revolution began around the time of the French Revolution. At the end of the Haitian Revolution, Haiti was an independent country and the former slaves created a new society and culture that resembles Haiti today. Historically, Haiti has been a poorer, less developed nation, which makes it especially vulnerable to disasters.

During past disasters Haiti has been dependent on international aid and relief. Hurricane Matthews left the Haitian people waiting for relief and aid from organizations and the United Nation. The magnitude and intensity of Hurricane Matthews and the storms that it caused prevented aide from reaching Haiti until a couple days after the storm. The more secluded and remote areas of  Haiti have waited even longer for aid and relief since many of the roads and bridges have been destroyed.

I would love to join the efforts to help provide food, shelter, belongings, and clean water to Haitians. Millions of homes have been destroyed and along with the belongings  in those homes. The attention of the world is already beginning to gravitate away from the effects of the hurricane so now is the time to bring donation initiatives to help gather necessities to give to Haitians. Furthermore, providing clean water is an urgent need. With water and sewage mixed together from the storm, Haitians are facing an epidemic of cholera. To prevent further spread of disease and deaths due to cholera, providing clean water and fixing the wells will minimize casualties of the storm.

The need to rebuild vital infrastructure such as bridges that have been destroyed and repair roads and other buildings is high. Reconnecting communities that have been isolated will allow for aid to reach out further to those in need. Additionally, as a poorer country, being supplied with aid to rebuild the destroyed infrastructure will not only allow for immediate aid and relief but in the future help with rebuilding the economy and daily lives of Haitians.

Visiting Haiti would allow for making amazing connections to locals and learning a bit about the culture of Haiti while providing a much needed aid and support, fulfilling  the calling of service that resonates within me along with my desire to travel.

To find an adventure in a foreign country, Americans only need to look just next door or rather just look north.

Now I know you might scoff, since most people probably wouldn’t consider Canada an interesting foreign country but wonders, adventures, and a different culture are just four hours way from State College. If its good enough for Prince William and Kate Middleton to vacation to with their family, than us humble, non-royals should be thoroughly satisfied.

Anyway, if this election goes poorly, Canada will  likely be the place people will try to emirate to.

In the past, I have taken advantage of the close proximity and accessibility of Canada. Reminiscing on my trip to Toronto, Quebec, and Niagara Falls only makes me want to experience the rest of what Canada has to offer.

A couple summers ago, I vacationed to Canada with my family. The first stop of the trip was Niagara Falls. The shear size and beauty strikes awe in anyone who gets the chance to behold this wonder. The beauty and roaring thunder, along with mist complete the experience of taking a boat up close to the falls.

At the time we were seeing the falls, we happened to get tickets to the performer who walked across the falls on a tightrope. Witnessing the performance and just the raw beauty of Niagara Falls marked the start of an amazing trip.

From there we traveled to Toronto where we unintentionally booked a bed and breakfast in the gay pride section of the city but this just brought to life another cultural aspect to this thriving city. A few days in this city was not enough to explore and really experience what Toronto has to offer. But in our limited time we did venture out of the city one day to hike in a lush and gorgeous national park.

I would truly love to travel around Canada hitting all major cities from Montreal to Vancouver and most of the national parks in between. The variety in hiking and culture lures me to this.

I was lucky enough however to visit and experience a major part of French Canada: Quebec.

The city itself is beautifully historic and modern, since it has an old city that is enclosed by the old city wall which feels as though you have been walking though a modern city and you stumble across a portal to a quaint European city within the modern city with glass skyscrapers. Beyond architecture alone the fluidity between old and new, English and French is amazing. The French Canadian culture is so unique in part to the fact that local natives are very friendly and address anyone with bonjour, hello. By using both English and French they revert to whichever language the person they are speaking to is comfortable using. Furthermore the blend of French, English, and Canadian food gives Quebec a unique food scene. Walking down the street, restaurants range from a maple syrup bar (no joke it only sold maple syrup products in various forms) to French bakeries, the range of food choices was exquisite.

I could continue to gush about my amazing memories of Quebec but I think it will suffice for me to say that any chance I get, I would not hesitate to head right next door to this amazing city or any other part of Canada.

These last couple days of rainy, fall weather here in State College have me missing the warmth of the sun. Don’t get me wrong, I love fall but on days like these I can only think of how lovely it must be to visit the warm outback or sunny beaches of Australia.

The main appeal of Australia, at least for an “outdoorsy” person like myself, is that this continent is teeming with nature and wilderness. From the orange desserts of the outback to the flourishing array of colors of the Great Barrier Reef, the landscape of Australia is diverse. Trekking out to see the famous dusty, rust colored Ayres Rock would yield for amazing views of not only the desert outback but sunrise, sunset, and the starry nighttime sky. Australia has the rap for being a contentof harsh extremes and although that is mostly true, both the desert and the ocean contain wondrous beauty. One day soon, I hope to snorkel and witness the vibrant marine life that calls the Great Barrier Reef home. But why one day soon, you might ask. Well as global change impacts all aspects of life, it can be seen directly in the rising acidity of the ocean which is essentially killing off the reef. That and the destruction human activity are causing the reef to wither. However, not just the wildlife of the reef is effected by climate change. All of the varying environments from desserts to grasslands feel the effect primarily via intense droughts. Hopefully climate change will be put in check which would preserve of these diverse landscapes that Australia is comprised of. Diversity can be found more plentifully when looking at the wildlife that occupies the spectrum of environments that span the continent.

Even though kangaroos can be considered the deer of Australia, I would still be enthralled to drive down the road and causally see a kangaroo.  Since I have never been to Australia, the closest encounter I have had with a kangaroo or any Australian wildlife for that matter is from a trip to a zoo. To put it simply, I would absolutely love the opportunity to see a kangaroo and a koala bear. I do have to put this aside in here, since we are talking about Australia, that I am not particularly excited for the large bugs, snakes and sharks but I guess that’s just a trade off.

Visiting Australia would not be complete without going to Sydney. And with Sydney comes seeing the Sydney Opera House. This architectural masterpiece is stunning from pictures alone. I cannot imagine the awe and wonder that seeing the Opera House in person would cause.

And of course, traveling to any new place means experiencing a new culture and trying local food. A brief overview of the history resembles most non-European countries. I was settled by the British and colonized despite already being inhabited by indigenous people. That history is what has helped develop and shape Australia into the unique and rich continent and country that is also known as the land down under.

Its time to visit the other Hemisphere, hop on that long plane ride, and head down under.

Oh how the allures of Africa beckon for a curious soul to have an adventure across one of the counties contained in her vast landmass of a continent. But with over 50 counties in Africa to chose from, the task of planing an adventure might appear daunting.

One approach is to randomly pick and plan a trip to a country just solely based on the map of Africa. This technique has roots back to the 1800’s where the leaders of Europe met in the historic Berlin conference to carve up Africa into territories without knowing anything much about its geography and the people and communities that were already established there before these arbitrary line either united or divided them. Perhaps a trip created from this fashion  could be amazing but if history is any indication, it will mostly likely crumble due to the stresses of conflict within certain countries.

So back to square one: where to go?

Although visiting a underdeveloped poorer country would coincide great with volunteering or a mission trip, I’m looking at this through the eyes of a traveler who wants to experience the wildlife, culture and languages, the people and the beauty of Africa.

So I am off to South Africa, or at least in writing until I am able to actually go in person.

But do not think that by me choosing South Africa, any of the other counties lack wildlife, culture, or beauty. South Africa was my pick primarily because right now it is relatively safe as opposed to visiting Sudan or Libya. In fact, most of South Africa’s surrounding neighbors are relatively safe and peaceful to visit as well.

One certain, guaranteed thing about South Africa is the diversity of both cultures, people and wildlife.

In South Africa during the 1800’s there was a clash of cultures and people. The Bantu, who were the original natives of the country, the Dutch settlers, and the English colonists all vied for power over the country, but from these violent conflicts arose a temporary peace and unfortunately an apartheid. These people created the unique cultures and communities that reside in this country today. And of course, one can not talk about modern South Africa without mentioning Nelson Mandela. Thanks to Mandela, South Africa has arrived to a stable point where people can visit and learn about this nation’s rich variety of cultures, languages, people and history.

However, that is just the human and historic element and at the heart of Africa is her wilderness. Seeing a safari has been a dream of mine ever since I saw Disney’s Lion King as a child. The thought of seeing giraffes, elephants, lions, cheetahs, rhinos, and zebras outside of a zoo in their natural habitat it true extraordinary and excites me to the bones. South Africa’s wilderness extends beyond these large exotic animals.

The national parks and wondrous landmarks in South Africa could satisfy anyone’s desire to hike and explore the dramatic landscape and geography of Africa. Besides saying you have been on a safari, it would be fascinating to say that you stood on one of the southern most points of Africa. Yes, I am talking about standing on the every tip of the Cape of Good Hope. The cape represents only just one of multitudes of unique opportunities in South Africa.

South Africa hosts such a diverse span culture, history, and wildlife. The window for adventure is open and endless.

So here’s to South Africa and the adventure to come.

Deutschland wieder.

Or for those who don’t speak German:

Germany again.

“Again” you might ask? Well, over two years ago I participated in a German exchange program and the experience of living in Germany and the immersion in the German culture and language was wunderbar, or rather wonderful.

One month abroad is a finite amount of time, but the possibilities of what to see and do are infinite. I am so dankbar (thankful) for the amazing memories and improvement to my German that this trip gave me.

Perhaps this exchange program is what planted in me the desire to travel, my wunderlust.

The summer I went abroad, I stayed with my host family for three weeks in a small city called Oldenburg which is between Hamburg and Bremen. Living daily life as a German was incredibly eye opening. I learned a breadth of knowledge about their culture. For instance were you aware that biking is the most popular mode of transportation followed then by public transportation then personal cars? Minute differences in eating habits and even daily school routines became apparent. Beyond finding differences in culture, language, and customs, I was privileged to be able to travel to many different cities such as Hamburg, Köln (Cologne), München (Munich), and Berlin. Additionally, seeing and walking through some of the famous German castles, Neuschwanstein and Linderhof to name a few, was as chliched as it sounds absolutely breathtaking.  My trip also included some of the darker reminders of events in this country’s history such as the Berlin wall and the Dachau Concentration camp. On top of that, the summer of 2014 was also the summer of the Fifa World Cup. Being in Germany while team Deutschland was making their way to and winning the World Cup was unbelievable. As a nation, since World War II and the Holocaust, Germany has suppressed their national pride. Unlike America where walking down the street, you are bound to find an red, white, and blue flag, Germans rarely show off any nationalism but after winning the World Cup, Germany was emblazoned with red, yellow, and black. Those three weeks and that summer culminated to an experience that I will always remember.

But just as that summer as come to pass, our summer of 2016 is passing as we enter mid-September. Fall is nearly upon us. Here in America that means football season, thanksgiving, and Halloween. Over in Germany, however, fall calls for one of the most stereotypical and quintessential German cultural holiday:

Oktoberfest.

I would love to go back to Germany and go to the Marienplatz which houses this festival. Many of you probably only know Oktoberfest as that German festival with the beer. And yes, of course beer is a huge element since it is sponsored by the Hofbräuhaus; however, there is so much culture that can be gleaned from attending this celebration.

The traditional German outfits, Lederhosen and Dirndl, will be on display by the German speaking attendees. Oh and the food galore that will be for sale! Bretzel, Wiener Schnitzel, Spätzle, Bratwurst and much more traditional essen (food) ready to be eaten. More so, the fun and games available while interacting with local or just native speaking Germans would be a great way to use and improve my German beyond a classroom and an ap course.

This expansive cultural carnival is calling me back, wieder nach Deutschland (again to Germany).

Just over a year ago, Cuba opened its boarders to Americans.

So why is it such a big deal?

There are many islands in the Caribbean for Americans to visit, all with beautiful beaches, thriving picturesque cities, and great food. However, this event is momentous at least for us millennials because for the first time in our lifetime, we can experience the sights and sounds of Cuba beyond written words or videos.

There is a catch.

A trip to Cuba and really experiencing Cuba is not going to be a vacation to an all-inclusive resort that comes with a brimming itinerary of fun tropical and cultural activities. “Why?” You might ask. Well besides the hassle of booking flights, accommodations, and the currency difference, political and economic relations between the US and Cuba aren’t completely smooth yet. About 50 years ago Cuba and the US practically cut ties which included eliminating embassies and establishing a trade embargo. Additionally, Cuba had kept tourism strictly separate from the society and culture of native Cubans. Although many of these issues have now been smoothed over, relations between the two countries are still fragile.

So getting the true experience of Cuba and its culture is not derived from a tourist’s trip to a resort, but rather from the now allowed educational trips. I know you are probably having a flashback to some forced educational field trip from elementary school with the use of the words “educational trip”; however this journey would be so much more than any school field trip could ever be.

Just imagine the opportunities to immerse yourself in the daily workings of Cuban society and culture. Of course visiting Cuba will undoubtedly have its fair share of amazing beaches and delicious food. But there is so much more beyond that; there are chances to meet with local natives and learn about their traditions and daily life.To see first hand how their culture and daily life has been effected by the Cuban revolution and the previous trade embargo the US had placed on Cuba, would be truly enlightening.

Although I, and perhaps you too, have the desire to visit this island to experience some of the rich cultural elements, learning about how Cuban  life and society has developed through the communist Cuban revolution and the trade embargo will help us, as global citizens, understand the impact of such events on a country.

While aspects of Cuba’s modern society might have changed due to such factors, traditional parts of the Cuban culture have persisted.

The thought of going out and being able to hear traditional live music or even just some street music gets my foot itching to tap along to that unique Cuban rhythm.

And with music comes dance.

To watch either spontaneous dancing on the street or a  professional performance would be a window into the depth of the soul of Cuban culture that dance embodies.

Pair that with the creative cuisine that originates from a blend with the Spanish and Caribbean food and just a single day can encompass three vital elements of Cuban culture.

So whether the history, culture, or beaches beckon you, prepare for Spanish speaking natives, ropa vieja, and the rumba.

Prepare for Cuba.

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