Podcast Feature
Recently, Dan Mullins interviewed me for his My Camino podcast. You can listen to the full recording here. And if you want to follow along, here is the piece I wrote called “20 truths about walking...
Deliberate Wanderer Blog
29 Things to do Before 29
Some of these tiny goals may seem silly (don’t worry—I have some big, less measurable goals I’m working on). But year after year I enjoy reflecting on the prior year and the fun times...
28 Things to Do Before I’m 28
Despite my long-standing tradition of birthday goals, this year I hesitated to make a “28 Before 28” list. I’m in the process of trying to simplify my life. I’m slashing my ‘to-do’ lists and...
Reviewing my ’27 Before 27′ Birthday Goals
A wise woman told me the secret to feeling satisfaction in life is to take your ‘to-do’ list and cut it in half. I recognize this annual birthday goals tradition does not fit that...
Reflections on a New Job as a Global Curriculum Director
SIX YEARS AGO I spent the summer in a remote village in Ghana on my first major international trip. I worked in a local high school where I volunteered and researched attitudes towards reading and the...
The Hunt, Risk, and Thrill of Swedish Ice Skating
Frida, my local Swedish friend, pulled her car to a stop in front of a frozen lake outside of Östersund, Sweden. It was 2 pm, and the winter sun was already beginning to set....
Why We Need to Celebrate Teach For America’s 25th Birthday
In 2012 I began a challenging two-year commitment as a Teach For America (TFA) corps member in the Lawrence School District in Massachusetts. With a dropout rate of 52.3% in 2011, many Lawrence students lacked...
Lessons from the Ugly Indian
“I have been convinced more than ever that human nature is much the same, no matter under what clime it flourishes, and that if you approached people with trust and affection you would have...
Love Letter to Sweden
Dear Sweden, I’m sorry I never really noticed you in the corner of the world. It was always Austin who wanted to be with you. I’ve spent the better part of my life oblivious...
The First Thanksgiving with My Pilgrim Ancestor, William Bradford
Almost four hundred years ago my great, great+ grandpa, William Bradford, sailed on the Mayflower into Cape Cod into what is now Provincetown, Massachusetts. He later became the mayor of Plymouth Plantation and played...
A Thai Lantern Funeral for my Grandma
EACH FALL THAILAND celebrates Yi Peng, the iconic floating lanterns festival held on the first full moon in the second month according to the Lanna lunar calendar. Last year I watched the sky light up with masses of Lanna-style khom...
