Culture Shock in Ecuador

    Perhaps, one of the reasons why I have had such difficulty adjusting to my community in the province of Cañar, southern Ecuador, is that I come from the privileged background of never having been negatively defined because of my appearance or nationality. And all the workshops and preparation in the world could not have prepared[…]

50 Tiny but Powerful Ways to Learn More as You Travel

Your time traveling abroad might be short and sweet, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice in-depth learning and personal growth. In fact, with the right mindset and a couple of these ideas in your back pocket, you’ll set yourself up to not only learn about the country around you, but about yourself, too.[…]

How to Survive Language Barriers: 5 Strategies for Better Communication

Last September, I packed my bags and left the only home I’d ever known, San Francisco, and landed in Senegal where I’d be living for the next 8 months during my Global Citizen Year. After a month of cultural training and language lessons in French, I learn that I will be placed into a homestay[…]