Ella's Voyage

One of the greatest gifts in travel is meeting good and interesting new people. Especially while traveling abroad, exploring someone else's perspective and history is truly a worthwhile key to a journey.  I can't actually claim this person as a true friend; we never met, and our conversations were quite limited via social media after I learned of her plight. However, I feel compelled to share just a small slice of her story, since for some reason it intersected and resonated with mine. I didn't want this year to pass without remembering her.

Ella was a Filipino, a swimmer, a student, a wanderluster, a mother to a young daughter... and a fighter. Beyond that, I should not pretend to know much more about her, except that she only lived to see the age of 26. And we shared the same blood type. Perhaps she would not care to be remembered for her illness; I mean, who would? But I think, at least for the story my discoveries are meant to serve, it should be told that she found herself in a fight to survive a disease that ravaged her kidneys. This meant she needed to find a donor - her "bean voyage," she called it. How interesting that she saw a powerless plea for help to save her life as a voyage. Now that I think about it, perhaps that is what piqued my curiosity.

She fought, and people would say she "lost her battle," but do we all lose when we die?  To talk about life in terms of winning and losing is pretty odd. When we talk about major illness, it's always referred to as a "battle." War is a competition comprised of battles, but the reality is that participants historically don't do it as much to win but to survive (or so that others will survive). War for those who fight is less about choices than staring down an ugly reality and doing what you must. Maybe illness is the same. It found you, and you can either marshal all energies within yourself to try to overcome it, or you can accept your demise. Or maybe it's both. Human nature is to fight back; your body does it without you even thinking about it throughout your life. But is it fair to say that when every person dies, he or she is conquered? Death is not defeat - not of the human spirit anyway; it is merely proof that one has lived.

Usually there is some hope or possibility that you can win in other competitions. Marathons are different. Out of hundreds of contestants, there is only one winner, and really only a small handful who have any expectation of being able to win. As opposed to most other competitions, participating has nothing to do with actually winning, but of some individual sense of accomplishment. In fact, many marathon runners compete to improve on their personal best, while others strive for the sole purpose of finishing. Life has many parallels, however no one does it simply to finish. You could say many want to finish well, or make a significant accomplishment along the way. But finishing is inevitable - even early, finishing life should not be a defeat.

Why write in theory about the life of someone I never met, simply because she passed? She even wanted to pass on quietly, I'm told. But it should be known that she fought; she lived; she had hopes, and she struggled against incredible odds - relying on the potential kindness of strangers. Hopefully that voyage took her someplace beautiful. Hopefully strangers can be kind because she lived. Wouldn't that be something?

Voyage in Peace

Cresella Laxa Arcaya

February 4, 1993 - July 21, 2019

Photo credit: Ella Arcaya

Link to Ella's Story

CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE HAS NO CURE AND A TRANSPLANT IS THE ONLY HOPE FOR MANY TO LIVE A LONG LIFE.

#ShareYourSpare

Information about Kidney Donation

To be clear, the fact that we shared a blood type should not deceive you into thinking I did anything to help her other than offer words of encouragement. I did, however, visit the Chong Hua hospital in Cebu, where Ella underwent regular dialysis, with the hope of gaining information about donorship and possibly helping to spread her plight.

Why the World Needs Good Travelers

Meeting One Face at a Time - Common Thoughts and Uncommon Results

Jakarta, Indonesia

I don't know these people. I met them, but I don't know them. However, we made a connection, and that is good.

Foreign travel is always an act of diplomacy - for better or worse. What we do out in the world is a reflection of our own people and a window for others around the world to have a glimpse of a relatively rare piece of the puzzle that is Planet Earth. For the rest of their lives, they may not remember your name, but something of your encounter stays with them. Traveling to distant lands affords one the opportunity to make a cultural connection. Though often simple enough, this can be one of the most meaningful contributions an explorer can make to his host country. Politics aside, Obama going to Cuba, Trump stepping across the DMZ into North Korea - these were major events which impacts could not have been felt by use of a phone call or an email. You too as a traveler can give just by being there and taking the time to have a conversation.

Now, you may not even think you are all that interesting or that you don't have much to say. Perhaps you are traveling with friends or family, and it would feel awkward to step outside of your group. What pleasure and opportunity you may be missing by not stepping out and over into unfamiliar territory! In my several trips to the Philippines, I have talked to many people - and I have never thought of myself as a big talker - about travel, my country, religion, politics, relationships, food... so many topics. Some of what we talk about could be considered rather banal for a conversation at home. However, I am always struck at how Filipinos are so engaged and interested (I hope). One observation I get fairly often is, "but you don't look American!" What? The point is that even though you may not think you have much to say, plain conversation can lead to rather profound revelations that neither of you would have predicted to offer or receive.

The world has always had conflict, and resolutions to our biggest problems are never elementary. On the other hand, our resources for reaching beyond borders have become so prevalent that meeting the ostensibly "different" members of this world has never been so possible. With a planet that many perceive to be increasingly volatile, perhaps travelers will be the ones who can make the appropriate connections and put faces to our various places on the map.

What World Travel Should Teach You

Life Lessons from Time Spent Circling the Globe

Physically making your way around the Earth these days obviously isn't the monumental accomplishment of centuries past, although for many, it is merely a fantasy. If you have the money and the passport, you could do it rather quickly. However, spending months out in multiple countries and continents on a tight budget is an experience that should teach or reinforce several powerful human qualities.
 
Humility
Being out in the world, if you're not an idiot, teaches one of travel's primary lessons - you are a very small part of a very big place that has a history and diversity that you may never fully comprehend. As a foreigner, you hopefully learn very quickly that life does not always go as you believe it should. There are barriers, injustices, and fundamental differences. Certainly this scares a lot of people out of never venturing out, but if you stick it out, you learn that there is a whole intricate world that will function with or without you.

Spontaneity
You can have the best travel plan, but if you are out in strange lands long enough, something will go wrong... or just not as you had intended. Travel is all about experiencing new things, and one of which is that you are not always in control. It could be that a storm cancelled your ferry or perhaps a restaurant closed for a private event; there are so many variables out there that you begin to learn that an unforeseen option is sometimes crucially better than what you had in mind in the first place.

Assertiveness
As a child you were likely taught to wait your turn and to be polite. There are a lot of places in this world where (unfortunately) those are seen as weeknesses or maybe just not as highly prized. People in some other places don't do lines (or queues, not the drug reference). I can't count the number of times someone stepped ahead of me to get a ticket or a sandwich. Not to advise one eschew all manners of polite society to look out for number one, but often in other countries you have to be a more active participant in securing your desired destiny. Just watch your pockets, and don't forget to smile.

Kindness
Remember how I told you things may go wrong? For every misfortune or bad actor out there, there is some local who will surprise you with a favor that you had no right to expect. I have had families in the Philippines feed and house me for a night, and I had a restaurant owner treat me to a multi-course meal and wine in Barolo, Italy. I could write a book on the kindnesses of strangers while traveling. You were probably also taught as a child that you should be kind, but world travel instills in you why you owe it.


Timeliness
Try showing up to the train station just one minute too late in some circumstances, and you may actually experience true regret. You are dependent on so much while traveling that being late can really, really ruin a day (or more). Of course, if you are in the Philippines, you may have more of a cushion (we'll discuss "Filipino time" another day), but in other places time is not so forgiving; tardiness can cost you a lot of money or some great opportunities.

Flexibility
More than the ability to change plans on the fly, being the foreigner requires the mental fortitude to accept different ways of approaching life. Immersing yourself in a culture, you will open your mind to realization that people have different traditions, expectations, values, and histories. The distinction between right and wrong or what is appropriate may have shifted, and you will have to adjust. In the end you don't have to betray your conscience, but rather gain an understanding and appreciation for disparate points of view.
  
Curiosity
One question I get asked a lot is, "where are you traveling next?" To the questioner, you may just be checking off boxes on your bucket list, but a true world traveler comes to realize that each new discovery brings answers, yet further questions emerge. Even revisiting the same destination can continue to be revealing if you have the curiosity to seek new truths. A journey with a curious mind is an exploration.
 
Patience
There's a lot of waiting in travel, even from day one getting through the airport. You will be tested. If assertiveness gets you what you want, patience is the virtue that allows you to measure the value of what you want. There are only so many Instagrammable moments in travel; the rest is what is required to get you the opportunities.

Appreciation
My earliest international travel was to Mexico, and one of my first lessons seeing poverty for the first time was that not everybody has what I have. Driving through the city in India, I saw families sleeping on the center divider between traffic. In Manila, I have seen children picking through garbage for rotting foods. Unfortunately, this planet has millions of people who do not even have basic needs met. Many face loss and deprivation that is impossible to fathom. Seeing this as a traveler makes you appreciate what you have. Realizing there may be nothing you can do to change it makes you appreciate that life does have the capacity to endure. On the other hand, discovering you can actually act and participate in good in the world lets you truly appreciate the concept of hope.
 
Purpose
People find purpose in other people and some greater good. Certainly you can do that in your own neighborhood, and you don't need to commit to a year living out of your backpack to find it. However, in this seemingly ever-increasingly self-centered world, it is often difficult to hear your true calling amidst a routine that tends to take a life of its own. On my first international disaster response in Peru with what is now All Hands and Hearts - Smart Response, I used my last day to document the real devastation of the horrible earthquake that brought us there, and then I cooked an Italian dinner for my fellow volunteers back at base - about seventy very hungry young workers. I have fed people professionally since 1993, but this moment was an opening to the possibilities of feeding people as a means to recovery or development aid. Two years later, I urged my own chef Jose Andres to go feed people in Haiti after their earthquake, and he went on to found World Central Kitchen, that does primarily what I had imagined. I later volunteered with them briefly in Puerto Rico and Indonesia, but have turned my focus to reaching out in other ways, mainly in the Philippines. World travel helps bring the "how" to your "why."

Walking Amadeus S01:E03 "Leyte Arrival"

Episode 3 - Leyte Arrival

Tacloban, Philippines

One man's solo journey around the world - traveling through the
Philippines to a volunteer experience in disaster response with All
Hands Volunteers in Tacloban, Leyte after Typhoon Haiyan. What began as
simply hard labor became a lesson in resilience and sets the stage for
discoveries for years to come.

Ten Reasons Why You Should Never Travel the World for a Year (Part 2)

*For Part 1 of this list, please see:
http://www.walkingamadeus.com/2016/06/ten-reasons-why-you-should-never-travel.html

We all know there are a good list of reasons why you should travel the world and check off all those things on your bucket list. Of course, if your list requires some epic adventures, this may require some good chunks of time out seeking them. If you do care to invest a year of your life out traveling the globe, I've made a list of some things you may not have considered.

20. People Will Disappoint You
Sure, this happens at home, but at least there, people know they may have to deal with you for a lengthy period of time. Abroad, the downside of disappointing a foreigner is not so terrible, especially when you are operating on a tight budget. As opposed to short-term travel, it's hard to be disappointed in someone you don't know or just met. Be prepared to have people flake on you, not be the person you thought you knew, or just disappear from your life completely without warning or reason.

19. You Will Wear the Same Clothes
George Clooney's character in "Up in the Air" tells people to imagine putting everything they own into a backpack and feeling the weight of the straps on their shoulders. Of course, that's ridiculous, but the point is clear - you can't be mobile with too much stuff. Traveling for a long period of time in several places paints a stark reality of just how much you can take with you. Depending on what else you have to carry, I'd say you will have about a week's worth of clothing. And you get to wear these same clothes... again, and again, and again. 

18. It Becomes Too Comfortable Putting Your Life in Danger
Have you ever crossed a busy street in Southeast Asia? How about that street food from a vendor with questionable sanitation practices? Fond of riding on the backs of motorcycles with strangers and no helmets? Long-term travel - often in undeveloped countries - brings new normals to your brain about what dangers you are willing to accept and how often. Some of these things can certainly expand your view of the world. Some learned behaviors can take you backward on the evolutionary ladder of survival.

17. People Will Never Understand
Maybe you are a really good storyteller. Maybe you have photos and videos and souvenirs to explain your journey of a lifetime. Look in the eyes of your friends who feel compelled to ask you about the trip they will never attempt. At best, they are probably struggling to understand. Your story is your story, and most people either will not care or will not understand what this adventure truly meant.

16. People Become Temporary
My first trip abroad to Europe, I met a few people I thought could be good friends going forward. That didn't happen. Spent some time volunteering, and saw people come and go daily. You begin to learn that most of the people you meet out in the world - no matter how great a time you had together - will probably just be a memory in a few weeks. Even with social media now, you learn that humans are only built to accommodate a finite number of friends, and out-of-sight often leads to out-of-mind. Furthermore, even if you start to feel "at home" in an extended stay during your travels and start to make friends, there's a good chance they think of you as temporary also. 

15. So Much More of Your World Becomes Trivial
Look at all the things people get worked up about in your home country. Surely some things are legitimate concerns, but it's hard to care so much about gender-sensitive restrooms when you see children sifting through garbage for food.

14. The Reality of Why Problems Exist and Why They Will Never Get Solved
One of the things we do as world travelers is compare ways of life. I remember thinking China could just benefit from tissue paper, so people wouldn't blow their noses directly onto the street. Certainly, Kathmandu could clean up with some street sweepers. Why isn't Indonesia more welcoming to foreign volunteers? Sure, there are solutions out there to a lot of the world's problems, including in your home country. That doesn't mean governments and people have the resources, the will, or the genuine desire to solve these problems. Even nuns litter in the Philippines.

13. It's Difficult to Stay Healthy
I didn't say it was impossible. Great if you travel to surf, or perfect your yoga, or hike. These are great to keep your body in optimum condition. Unfortunately, air quality can be a problem. So can stress. So can a number of influences (or lack thereof) that can be more easily structured into or eliminated from our home lives. Unfortunately, long-term world travel can be hazardous to your nutritional, mental, and physical health if you don't have a steady dedication for indulging in the world with limits and precautions.

12. Water Becomes a Rationed Commodity
If you don't ever worry about getting enough drinkable water, you might not have thought of this. Sure, all over the world, if you have money and barring catastrophe, you can probably get water to drink. However, especially in hotter climates, water is something you have to think more about and grow to appreciate how important it really is for survival.

11. You Get Too Used to Being a Target for Bad People 
Imagine a world, if you will, where your transportation charges you double what they charge a local, the money changer rips you off, your personal belongings are targets for thieves, and women are nice to you only to hit you up for money. It's bad enough that these things happen. Unfortunately, in your consequential quest to be a hard target, everybody is suspect, and that can be a very jaded way to live.

Now, as I said before, given all these warnings, if you still want to go out and see the world - actually live out in the world - I've done my part to admonish you. I can't be held responsible. And good for you.

Discoveries

Scenes from my travels around the world of how our lives may not quite be all that different.

For the First Time Solo Traveler

I have heard some reports that people tend to travel in multiples, especially internationally. Good for them - that might be interesting. Really, traveling alone has its advantages, but there are quite a few things to consider if you choose to just get away and haven't the patience to wait for someone to join you (or the tolerance for having them along).

Blend in, if you can. 
In Malawi, I couldn't pull it off, but in Spain I could. Alone or with others, you are a target, but alone you are easier prey. Yes, you - the one with the great big backpack on your back and smaller pack on your chest. The only question is whether you will be a hard target or a soft target. There are plenty of people all around the world who thrive off of the misfortunes of tourists, and you need to prepare to minimize your risk. Be mindful of your clothing choices, so as not to stand out. Study the people and try to behave in a similar fashion. Remember, if you are running from the lion, you don't necessarily have to be faster than the lion, just faster than anyone with you. Tourists will stand out, and you may not be able to avoid it, just stand out less.

Preparation is key.
Of course, learn what you can about your destination ahead of the trip, but also use your protected time in the plane, train, or hotel to get your bearings so you don't have to break out the guide book or spend all your time on your smartphone out in public. I carry a small moleskine notebook in my pocket where I can put directions and notes; it's light enough to take everywhere and doesn't scream tourist.

Know your vulnerability.
Your first 24 hours in a new country or city are your most vulnerable. Try to have a flight that arrives in the daytime. Ports of arrival - airports, train stations, bus terminals - have people looking for travelers out of their element, and that's you. Arrange ahead of time how you will get to your hotel, and you will save yourself problems and frustrations. If an acquaintance can meet you there, even better. Otherwise, many of these places have information counters staffed with people whose job is to help you. While I can write a whole section on taxis, it's usually best to spend the money on a reputable service that can save you from walking the streets of a strange place alone with your luggage. Get a good grasp of the currency and what things should cost, because plenty of vendors will attempt to overcharge you. Also, once you are on your way in a new place, act like you have been there 50 times, so at least your apparent confidence makes you a harder target.

Talk to strangers?
Yes, your mother told you not to do that, and often it is good advice, but if you are traveling solo, you will be very lonely, and you will miss out on much of what travel actually is. A good rule of thumb is be wary of strangers who come talk to you. Odds are if you choose the stranger, he/she is probably not a serial killer, and you might be surprised by some kindness and/or good advice. Also beware of anyone who asks you too many questions, and do not give out much personal information; feel free to make up some details if you want and have some fun with it. Often I will pretend not to speak English, which makes escape of nosey strangers easier.

Find your niche.
For me, it is restaurants. For you, it might be art museums. Go where you feel comfortable and have knowledge of your surroundings. This seems like a no-brainer, but use these places to get familiar with the new city and pick the brains of the people working there. It's like being part of a club, because these are your people, and having people in a foreign country is tremendously valuable.

Volunteer.
This should be number one, but I am biased. Opportunities will likely only be available if you arrange ahead of time, and you should also take the time to properly vet an organization. Volunteering in a foreign land is one of the best experiences you can have in a new place. While you should do this because you actually want to help in some way, it can provide you with experiences you would have never found otherwise as a tourist. Also, you may make some great friends who are just excellent people.

Go to church.
Okay, obviously if you are not religious (or atheist) and not interested, this is not for you. However, many people have some connection to a religious institution. If that's you, take an hour on your given sabbath and check out the local service. You will likely be in a safe place, often historic and beautiful, surrounded by people trying to save their souls. Again, membership has it's privileges. Even if you are not a member, you are probably welcome and might even get some free coffee and cookies out of the deal. If you're lucky, they may ask you to read during the service and/or take you out to karaoke.

Location, location.
First of all, DO check in with a family member or friend from time to time; in case you do go missing, that makes it easier to track you down. DO tell your bank and credit card companies where you will be, so they don't cancel access to your money. DO register with your government or local consulate, in case of natural disaster or some other emergency. US citizens can easily register on the State Department website.
However, be careful how much information you put on the internet about your whereabouts. Do you really want a stranger to be able to look on Instagram and see in real time that you are an attractive woman on her third shot of tequila at your exact location?

Think when you drink.
Odds are, at home you have drinks with friends and at places you know. You know your risks there. In a foreign country, it's a different story.

Manage travel fatigue.
Odds are if you are in a foreign country by yourself, you don't mind a little down time and lack of conversation. Also, you enjoy wandering and discovering all that world travel has to offer. However, you may find that the stresses (and sometimes unfortunate circumstances) of long-term travel can add up after a few weeks alone. Don't feel like you have to be on the go all the time. If you are gone for a month, it's okay to go see a movie or drop in to McDonald's for an American coffee and a Sausage McMuffin. It's okay to take a day and just read by the river. Spend a little time with a change of pace doing something you enjoy, even if it's not something that that culture is known for.

Don't let any of the above dissuade you.
Maybe you have never traveled alone before, so the mere prospect seems a little daunting. If it's your first time, go somewhere you can speak the language. Go where you have studied or have some professional experience to which you can relate. If you can, go somewhere that you know someone - that doesn't mean you have to spend all your time with them, but it's great to have a contact. Go somewhere with a purpose, and the trip will all come together. Most places are scarier until you get there... and then you won't be able to imagine your life having never been.

Chasing Yesterday's Sunrise - Appreciations of World Travel

In a long solo journey, you learn to appreciate the unique qualities of time as it relates to place: one night with a fascinating new friend trying to get out all of your stories before dawn, one week in a hotel with a family not your own, one hour in a church with a congregation you will never see again. The idea of time is something man created. We found ways to measure it, yet there is nothing we can do to have any influence on it. Time marches on without negotiation, without prejudice, without malice or hope. In travel, just as in life, so much is subject to variables, change, and finality. These all play into what we do and where we are relative to the ticks on the clock. Thanks to the invention of flight, not only can a human actually encounter yesterday's sunrise flying over the Pacific Ocean, but the human brain can realistically comprehend both the size of the planet as well as our relative positions on it. In my five-hundred days and nights of travel - a very long time with seemingly infinite decisions - I found in the end a story that cascades finitely like paint from a brush on the canvas of my life's portrait. Within that story is a lens through which I wish the rest of the world could view.

You can certainly save a lot of money by approaching this understanding in the library with an atlas, some mathematics, and your choice of other books, however there is a restriction to the manner in which the "home" brain perceives time. At home, we generally conform to a schedule based on expectations - our boss's, our family's, or our clients'. Time in this regard, is often the ruler of our day and the master of our universe. Due to inevitable repetition, it is easy to take moments and relationships for granted; the brain is trained to think that there will always be a next time. To see it in terms of muscle memory, the "home" brain allows you to function more efficiently in a familiar environment. However, due to redundancies, we can limit the scope of our grasp outside of what we predict and relive on a daily basis.

In world travel, each day is a possibility - a blatant opportunity for discovery. The "traveling" brain must constantly observe, measure, theorize, learn, adapt, and keep the rest of the body safe from danger in ever-changing environments. While time is certainly a force to be reckoned with in making these discoveries, there is more of a freedom from the mundane captivities of time while abroad. Each day can be fueled by mysterious destinations full of nature, art, and profundity. The "traveling" brain picks up on magnificence, that - while it may not be able to fully grasp at the time - would otherwise go undiscovered.

Consider the confrontation our minds encounter at a funeral. Someone who played a special role in our lives ceased - often without warning - to exist in the human life form. The ceremony is the moment we truly accept the loss of the deceased after a lifetime of next times. Funerals cement a certain finality; brains finally register. That being said, a world traveler can be found to experience a funeral every day, in that there becomes a realization that with every bus, train, or plane, you may very well have lost something or someone from your life forever. It is in this continual pattern of loss and gain due to changes in place and time that the world traveler can learn to adopt a unique appreciation for the moment, as if knowing ahead of time when the next funeral will be. Given an extended journey with some degree of flexibility, the world traveler may attempt to cheat time and "death" by revisiting old destinations or familiar faces. This can be met with some measure of success, but just as you might imagine, trying to travel through time, cheat death, or alter destiny are like trying to capture all the beauty of the world on one canvas - quite exhausting... and ultimately futile.

Nevertheless, just as any rigorous exercise of the human mind such as educational study, pondering philosophy, learning a new job, or even falling in love, chasing yesterday's sunrise strengthens the muscle of possibility. The exploration of time and place to parts unknown - even if you cannot cheat death or alter destiny - pushes us all to seek answers to questions we would have never even thought to ask. With all its stresses and excitements, this may actually be what helps propel humanity to where it was meant to go in the first place - some mysterious destination that is artfully and profoundly magnificent.

Pasta, French Fries, and the Meaning of Life

There is much to learn about the world and about life by lessons made evident in how we eat. Food, in its infinite forms, can be an expression of joy, survival, greed, family, pride, creativity, and love. Traveling the world, I discovered some valuable lessons. Certainly, many are no-brainers, but when they are so obvious that we no longer think about them, we get a little lost in satisfying that ever-perplexing quest for the meaning of life.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Hard Work and Dedication

In many places, food can be too easy - bountiful and convenient. We often forget all that goes into what goes on our plates. This Vietnamese woman carts out her pineapples to the busy street every day, slicing them up just right for her customers. While not always exciting, hard work and dedication are essential to a meaningful life.

Tacloban, Philippines

Try New Things

My Filipina friend Phoebe had never tried s'mores before, so I was proud to introduce that to her (and a bunch of other international volunteers) one evening on base with All Hands Volunteers. Without exploring, we may as well be snails in a garden; discovery is what enlightens us to all this world has to offer and all this life can be.

Tacloban, Philippines

Make Time to be Together
Busy working to help people as part of a volunteer organization, the staff usually just ate when it was convenient individually. One day, we decided to schedule a lunch with everyone to eat together. It is well documented that we are not meant to be alone. If there is an option to be together, perhaps we should.

Paris, France

Appreciate What You Have

One stark realization I had flying from Asia to Paris and visiting a local market was that you can't get delicious tomatoes everywhere... or endives... or cheese. There is a lot in Paris you can't get in other places. Being thankful for what you have is something quite evident in places like the Philippines. Then when you hit France, you realize how good some people have it by comparison, yet maybe aren't quite as content.

Muona, Malawi

God Provides

Religious or not, if you think about it, you will see that many of the keys to life are at our fingertips - free will, air to breathe, love, opportunity, family, and our own talents. While many foods are not plentiful in rural Malawi, there is water in the ground and mango and banana trees above it. It was so hot there, we took our lunch breaks from digging wells under what I called "The Magical Mango Tree." Even in one of the poorest places on Earth, this tree provides some of the basic necessities of life in an otherwise inconspicuous fashion.

Basel, Switzerland

Accommodate the Needs of Those Around You

I was fortunate to have two great hosts let me stay with them in Switzerland. I wanted to show my appreciation by cooking dinner one night. I like a good culinary challenge, but it was difficult to create a tasty meal that was vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free. It would have been easy to go for something mundane or just offer to show my thanks another way, but I decided it was worth the effort to come through with my versions of espinacas a la catalana and a potato soup with garlic mushrooms (the beer was for me). In the end, I can't guarantee it was their favorite meal, but at least they know I made the effort.

Tacloban, Philippines

Bring People Together by Sharing Your Culture

American Thanksgiving doesn't exist in the Philippines, so I brought it. I was worried that close to 90 people from many different countries would think I was trying to force my culture on them, but their reaction was quite the opposite. I got to celebrate my special holiday, and a bunch of other people got to learn a little more about me and the land that I love.

Pievepelago, Italy

Teach Others

The first day I woke up in my friend Alessia's family's hotel, I was ushered into the kitchen after my cappucino and promptly began my lessons on Italian cooking. Chef Bagatti was happy to share her knowledge of la cucina with me. Teaching is a way of communicating that enhances people's lives and it ensures our survival as a human race.

Valle D'Aosta, Italy

Celebrate Family and Celebrate Life

Surprise, surprise - Italy is on here more than once. From my point of view, Italians constantly win at life. My friend Susi invited me to her Dad's home in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I was in awe of the air, the colors, the mountains... and then I was treated to a delicious meal. It was clear to me that this man loves his daughter and wanted to enjoy the precious time he had with her. And as a guest, I was given the best treatment.

Tacloban, Philippines

Give What You Have

Nowhere in the world so far have I enjoyed this priceless lesson more often than in the Philippines. I was invited as a stranger into homes for food and karaoke. I was treated like an esteemed member of the family. I was given love, friendship, respect, smiles and countless memories by so many people. Sometimes the best thing you can do is simply invite someone into your life.

Roscommon, Ireland

People We Encounter in Life are Not an Accident

Sr. Maura was my 6th Grade teacher. After that, she was my principal. After that, she was a treasured member of the community. After that, she allowed me to come visit her in her native Ireland. Of course, I learned countless lessons in her classroom, but she continues to be a source of inspiration, even in retirement.

Expatria - the Unique State of Living Abroad

Life as a foreigner

The staff at Guisppe's Italian Restaurant on one of my returns to Tacloban

Living in a foreign land for an extended period of time is a lens like no other.

For instance, I don't think I could have ever ceased being a foreigner in the Philippines, but, that's okay for many reasons. Among those would be the fact that many in this archipelago have treated me so well, that I seem to often feel quite special here. Am I a novelty, or am I really that interesting and people back home just don't seem to understand? I guess the former, but I am holding out in hope of the latter. In either case, it's nice to be in a place where, maybe not everybody knows my name, but people look at me and smile. It's a simple thing, really. A smile goes a very long way, and showing people they are appreciated can get them to do almost anything for you.

Anytime you change your scenery - whether a place, an activity, or a group of friends - it affords you the opportunity to think, to adapt, and to evolve. As an expatriate, you are forced to make any number of life observations and come up with ideas, not just for how the world works, but for how it can work... and unfortunately sometimes how it doesn't. You see, of course, how people live - what they eat, how they react to things, what their passions are, what their problems are. You inevitably measure that culture against your own, and sometimes you are exhilarated, however also sometimes saddened.

Because of this lens of expatria, I do believe that while you can feel ever so welcome, and even sometimes like you are part of the family or neighborhood, there are constant reminders that you are still and will always be a visitor. This is not melancholy; it's simply a truth that you learn to see only after breaking through the barriers of being a stranger - that while each place in the world you love can offer you that temptation of the mind that it could be home, the humility that every world traveler must have tells you that what these people have is something sacred, and it is not for you to have simply because you want it, passing through with your backpack.

However, this realization is something quite valuable and unique. Not everyone gets the opportunity even to leave their own island in a lifetime. If expatria affords me the blessing of true friendship that knows no borders and forever enlightens what I know this world to be, if I can be welcomed back even where I feel I may not belong, these bonds in themselves are what I believe may just hold this fragile world together just a little bit longer.

Happy Forth - Thoughts of America from Abroad

One thing that intrigues me while I travel is how my country is perceived by people from around the world. To guess, based solely on what I hear people say at home or on the internet, I'd say everyone hates us. Never mind that lots and lots of people still visit or go through arduous processes to get to and live in America. Conventional wisdom seems to be that we are a violent, selfish, racist, arrogant, bully nation that is in need of some sort of enlightenment to regain the form of our youth.

Now, while I don't go around announcing my nationality or asking people on the street what they think of the United States, I do tend to meet people who ask me where I'm from, and sometimes we have a conversation. Pleasantly surprising, most meet my answer with a smile, and many times with some personal anecdote of their fondness for my country. Perhaps some are just being polite, but I get the feeling that many genuinely have a positive outlook on - even if not the government, then at least - our people. Even as recently as today, I still see people wearing American themed clothing - shirts, hats, and such. Yankees hats and Lakers jerseys are quite common on several continents, but even sporting gear aside, America still seems to be in fashion.

I can't tell you how distressing it is to have read the news for over a year now traveling, and there has just been divisive and upsetting story after story. Add in this nightmare of an election we are having, and many days, I just don't want to go back. People have asked me about guns, terrorism, sports, Indian tribes, the different states... but mostly Trump. Surprisingly, in Ireland, some folks weren't nearly as put off by him as many, however most seem to be of the opinion that he is either a joke or worse - a threat to world civilization.

However, what you see traveling the world is that every country has its conflicts and problems. Just this trip, I have seen: Nepal gain a new constitution that many would argue does not enough to address the inequality of women and minorities, the Philippines elect a new president who seems to have little regard for due process and a disdain for the media, and Great Britain decide to leave Europe. Since I began my trip, there has been an average of about 3 incidents of terrorism per day (7/day last month) throughout dozens of countries. Other plagues, such as poverty and various other injustices persist and would be too numerous to list.

I think people see us as a flawed giant, but recognize that we cannot be blamed for everything. Many see the work we do in delivering aid to those in need, working for peace and security where we think we can have an impact, and risking our lives to confront those who perpetrate evil and destruction. In seeing some of the pollution different parts of this world contribute and endure, it is difficult to imagine those people wagging their fingers at us any time soon. In short, as an American who has stepped out of his world to live within and among many other communities, we might just be being a little hard on ourselves.

Despite our many flaws, we have made it to our 240th birthday, and we are still here; people still look to us for influence. That certainly could change, but I think it is important to consider one thing - we are still capable of having an impact on the world and on our futures. In the 1960s, before we walked on the moon, the conditions were already set in motion that there was an African-American child who could aspire to and eventually win the Presidency of the United States of America. I like to think of this not to pretend some end of racism, but to consider what future is already possible for someone today when prospects seem incontrovertibly dim in the now. In the words of my dad, "look ahead!" Who knows what power we may have today to affect the reality of the future? I think that is still one of our greatest strengths, and others around the world can see it too.

Enjoy your burgers and fireworks. I'll probably have a pizza.

Ten Reasons Why You Should Never Travel the World for a Year

*UPDATE: See Part 2 of this list here: Walking Amadeus: Ten Reasons Why You Should Never Travel the World for a Year (Part 2)

Sure, it seems glamorous, exciting, challenging... an opportunity of a lifetime, yadda, yadda. Travel around the world for long periods of time is hard, and you should consider these reasons to just stay home:

10. All Toilets Are Not Created Equal
Sure, they serve the same purpose in every country, but you like having toilet paper, do ya? You like knowing you can sit down if you need to, do ya? Not every culture does. You just might find yourself hovering (hope you have good knees and good aim) and in a bit of a pickle that could ruin a good portion of your day. The good news is that you may just find yourself inclined to the habit of A) economically utilizing the tissue you've learned to bring with you, and B) finding cool new ways to form disposable balls of used said tissues for the bin on the floor... even if there isn't one.

9. You Will Probably Get Sick
It could be a mysterious rash, some sort of gift from a random insect, or Delhi Belly, but unless you are rich enough to stay in nice hotels and eat at great restaurants all the time, you are vulnerable to all sorts of things that might put a damper on your travel plans (or life). The good news is they oftentimes have medicines for those things, even in developing nations... and sometimes toilets to sit on.

8. You Will Miss Lots of Birthdays
... And graduations, and holidays. It's no fun for an American to spend Fourth of July in a place where nobody cares, and some places you just can't source turkey or cranberries for Thanksgiving. You will probably miss your favorite sports, because people in other countries don't watch it, and if they did, it might be on at some strange hour when you should be sleeping. What you will get to do is turn on the Facebook and see lots of pictures of your friends and family celebrating and having fun without you.

7. You Will Be Ruined for Proper Croissants and Great Ceviche
Yes, for the rest of your life you will resent all failed attempts at replicating the best foods of the world. That juice in a can will never be as good as fresh buko juice that your friend's grandfather climbed the tree to get for you. The list can go on and on, but I think you get the point.

6. You Will Lose Things
I prefer the term "liberate," because it sounds like I'm doing something good for the world. Sometimes it's the little things like a phone charger at the hostel or one of your favorite socks at the laundry service. Other times it could be your purse or your cell phone that walked away when you weren't looking. The good news is you just enriched the local economy, and that is admirable, my friend.

5. Home Will Annoy You
Now, not everything, of course; you will always love your In-N-Out Double Double, your dog, and your mother (not necessarily in that order). However, the more you learn about the world by being out in it, the more some things will seem petty when you return. See those little kids over there happily playing with marbles or playing some sort of dodgeball with their sandals? Yeah, it makes mandatory gift bags after soccer matches and other eccentricities seem horribly unnecessary when people on the other side of the world live very full lives with much less.

4. You Can't Take It With You
So you would love to collect great bottles of wine to take home with you? No. Maybe you found some great antique bookends in Morocco. No. Artwork? The answer is no. In most cases, what you want may be too heavy, delicate, perishable, or bulky to add to your already overloaded backpack. No.

3. You Won't Be Comfortable
What's that? You don't like the feeling of a stranger's elbow, thigh, two small children, or chicken touching you for three hours on a bus built for 2/3 the capacity it is carrying? You like the feeling of not being lost every other day? You know that couch with pillows or that glass full with ice? Get over it.

2. People Will Rip You Off
See #6. Yes, there is no better deed that gifting your weekly travel budget to a community in need, but sometimes you want to hold on to as much money as you can. There are bad people everywhere who target travelers, and unless you are always on your A-game, you are the target. Cheating tourists is a $2 billion a year business (I made that number up). Taxi drivers, street vendors... sometimes policemen or even your own hotel are all in on it. I got stuck paying $200 extra to enter a country, and my own airline had me detained overnight in an airport. You will learn to trust no one.

1. The People You Will Have to Leave
You will meet some of the best people in your travels. In some cases, you might think, "What if this person lived in my same city?" You will have random discussions with strangers that will enlighten you. You may share moments with someone who could be your best friend. Most of these people you will never see again. You will say a lot of goodbyes... if you're lucky. The people you leave may be the hardest part.

Now... given all these warnings, if you still want to go out and see the world - actually live out in the world - I've done my part to admonish you. I can't be held responsible. And good for you.

In Good Company - Leaving Makati, Philippines

I don't know why, but I am always astonished at the hospitality and friendliness of strangers when I travel. Maybe it is because I grew up in a place that had no tourists, or maybe because I have spent time in places that have an open disdain for them. Of course, nowhere you go is perfectly safe and welcomes the foreigner (that I have witnessed so far) all the time. I have definitely had plenty of locals around the world try to take advantage of my being in a strange place - like the pork vendor in Prague, the fake cop in Vienna, the taxi driver in... well, everywhere. However - and maybe it's just having an open mind and a desire to get to know the people who live around the world instead of just their landmarks and photo ops - there are plenty of people in many lands who will share their world with you and treat a stranger as a friend. I have seen it in Italy, Colombia, England, Peru, Turkey, Hawaii, Japan... wow, pretty much everywhere, and now in the Philippines.

If there is one thing this new travel video project has taught me, it's that meeting these unique and fascinating people all over the world and taking part in these experiences are moments - not unlike life - that are usually just recorded by the mind and never actually revisited. This came to me at a birthday party the other day - at home, we have the luxury of taking moments for granted because of the possibility (and in some cases, probability) of repeating something similar at some point in the future; when abroad, there is a good chance you have just created a one-time-only memory, hostage to the performance of your brain and victim to time. Certainly, moments and people come and go - some stick around longer than others - wherever you are, but like they say, "take a picture; it'll last you longer."

There is no mystery here. Life, and everything in it are temporary, everybody knows that. Traveling gives you unique experiences, no kidding. Good people help strangers, stop the press! It's just something to think about.

Thanks, Makati.

H & J Sports Bar

Walking Amadeus S01:E02 "Connections"

Episode 2 - Connections

Makati Manila, Philippines (2015)

One-man journey around the world makes connections in Seoul and Manila
to find an unexpected extra two weeks in the latter - intro to the
Philippines and a world travel lesson to remember.

Live Free and Die Hard - Old Friends and Beginning a World Journey

You know what they say about old friends... wait, what do they say? I feel like there is an old saying - something about tried and true... die hard... you know, Bruce Willis-type stuff. Well, I have come to know many friends in my day, and I always like to think we can all catch up right where we left off - some sort of unspoken continuum that transcends space and time. In many cases, I have found that to be true.

Fittingly so, I chose to start my world tour visiting two of those guys who fall into the category of Die Hard Friends. Two others are assisting me on the Walking Amadeus video project. With any luck, I will see a few more before I complete the circle.

Destination #1 - San Diego, California

San Diego is quite a wonderful place to be. There are many reasons, but temperature, beach, food, and craft beer are among the best... those, and my good friend Jeff lives there with his lovely Liz. We knew I wouldn't get any great stouts for, gosh, months (!) ...gulp, so we had a good couple days of exploring a few more from among the 100 or so local breweries. Of course, we had to make a trip to Underbelly for ramen just prior to my flight. Watch out, Asia; Underbelly sets the bar pretty high. I don't know if any of y'all know about ramen, but they sure do. Thanks, Jeff for the great send-off.

Destination #2 - Lahaina, Maui

I had to count, but I believe this was my eleventh time to the Hawaiian Islands. My dad took me the first seven times. He taught me that all you need is a cheap flight, a cheap hotel, and some food money, and you've got yourself a vacation. For better or worse, my dining budget has snowballed a bit since the days of KFC and bargain buffets. I won't mention how Tom and his friend made me smuggle out all of that buffet chicken in my backpack for beach snacks. Oh wait, I just did.

Anyway, I picked Lahaina, because I wanted to go visit my long-lost friend, Shaun. We were fast friends from his sixteenth birthday when he got to drive his Mustang to school, invited me out to lunch, and he had a Van Halen tape at the ready. Done. I say "long-lost," because since he moved to Maui in the late '90s, I think I've seen him twice. We haven't been that good about staying in touch, but it's great to know the offer still stands to just show up in West Maui, and I'll have a friend and a place to crash. We had a pleasant reunion, and it was fascinating to see him and his younger brother as dads now. Hopefully, it won't be as long until we meet again - found three more little kids who call me "Uncle!" I don't actually know how many people call me "Uncle Mark," but it seems like a lot these days.

Well, off to Asia!

Walking Amadeus S01:E01 "Departures"

Episode 1 - Departures

Riverside and San Diego, USA; Lahaina, USA (2015)

First episode of a one-man trip around the world - leaving home in California back in April of 2015, Mark Porter starts his journey in the Inland Empire, on to San Diego, and off to Maui. This is an interactive project, in that viewers are encouraged to participate in the open-ended journey by suggesting routes of travel, destinations, challenges, visitations, etc by emailing walkingamadeus@gmail.com