About him: Paul, who goes by Pabloski because he is half Mexican and half Polish (Pablo-ski get it?), manages Funky Cycle, a rickshaw business in Barcelona. He has been living in Spain for about 16 years now, and his hidden talent is guessing what country people are from. How we met: My friend, Kristi, is visiting…
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Adéu
Adéu. It means goodbye here in Barcelona. And the goodbyes have begun. I had my first round of goodbyes this past weekend, with friends that were also studying abroad and had finished their program midway through April. I didn’t imagine it would be this difficult to say goodbye to people I had known for such a short period of…
Read MoreConversations with Strangers: Daniel from Araçatuba, Brazil
About him: Daniel is originally from Brazil, but has lived in the Netherlands for the last eight years. He has a background in engineering, used to participate in rally race-car events and knows a surprising amount about astrology. When we were discussing what I wanted to do with my life, he gave me a great piece of…
Read MoreConversations with Strangers: The Strangest Stranger
About him: Mystery man was very unassuming: a standard tall american white male; quiet and North Face clad. Once we started talking, I quickly realized that I had stumbled upon a truly fascinating man. Mystery man was originally from the States, but had been residing in Dubai for the last ten years. He had lived in Afghanistan working with military…
Read MoreConservations with Strangers: Huseyin from Istanbul
How we met: I was strolling through the Grand Bazaar when Huseyin approached me and invited me into his handbag shop for rose tea. He was very helpful in giving me advice on how to haggle and find the best quality products in the bazaar, but I’m also sure he was trying to schmooze his way into…
Read MoreTurkish Hospitality
I loved Istanbul for many reasons: the rich culture, amazing food, friendly cats and gorgeous mosques. However, what made me fall in love with the city was the Turkish people; I have never felt more welcome in a foreign place than I have this past weekend in Istanbul. I wandered out of their mess of an airport…
Read MoreConservations with Strangers: Juan from Barcelona
How we met: Juan and I met while boarding our flight to Istanbul Thursday night. We ended up sitting in the same row in window seats on opposite sides of the plane and insisted on obnoxiously yelling to each other in Spanish across the aisle for most of the flight. Needless to say, the other…
Read MoreA Day in the Life
You’re probably wondering what I do on a daily basis. Or not. You probably weren’t wondering at all. Which is all very valid, considering I do nothing 86% of the time. I have officially mastered the art of doing nothing and everything all at once, and it’s the best thing to ever happen to me.…
Read MoreLa Vida es Un Carnaval
Last night, I was locked in a tiny, dark bathroom with mayonnaise on my tutu, with my friend kneeling in front of me, helping me button my leotard from underneath, while an Icelandic Pharaoh and a costume-less American waited outside. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Carnaval. Carnaval is the festive season immediately before Lent and typically involves intricate parades,…
Read MoreConversations with Strangers: Jenica from Johannesburg
How we met: Jenica and I sat across from each other on a 5 am train to the airport in London and immediately started chatting. We talked about travel, how I would make the world’s worst spy and how many camels I would sell for in Africa. If you’re following the Conversations with Strangers posts, you know that…
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