Tag Archives: travel

Lehengas, Laughter & a Little Culture Shock: A Muslim Girl at a Hindu Wedding

I’ve always dreamed of attending a Hindu wedding. Not in the “bucket list” kind of way, but in the wide-eyed, Bollywood-watching, puja-reciting, childlike wonder sort of way. Hinduism has always fascinated me—majestic, layered, and spiritually magnetic. I’ve felt so close to it, like a language I almost spoke in another life. Growing up, I memorizedContinue reading “Lehengas, Laughter & a Little Culture Shock: A Muslim Girl at a Hindu Wedding”

How the Peace Corps Changed My Life (In Every Way That Matters)

It’s the oldest cliché in the book: “The Peace Corps changed my life.” And yet, like most clichés, it’s absolutely true. I think of all the movies and TV shows where a bright-eyed American shows up in a remote village in West Africa, armed with idealism and granola bars, determined to “help.” It’s a ridiculousContinue reading “How the Peace Corps Changed My Life (In Every Way That Matters)”

Indian-Pakistani Love in the Time of War

I remember the first time I laid eyes on my husband in West Africa. In a sea of beautiful, unfamiliar faces, his was the first that looked familiar—not in appearance, but in spirit. We immediately saw the similarities: the language we shared, the childhoods shaped by immigrant parents, the cultural shorthand that made everything feelContinue reading “Indian-Pakistani Love in the Time of War”

Peace Corps in The Gambia, West Africa

I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in The Gambia, West Africa from 2017-2019 and left just before the global pandemic. The process to get there was extremely challenging and I sympathize with all of the young grads who just hope to explore the world but have to deal with the lengthy and confusing medicalContinue reading “Peace Corps in The Gambia, West Africa”

Ethiopian Hospitality Took our Breath Away

We visited Ethiopia in 2020, just a few weeks before the global pandemic that would shake the world and its people. From the moment we landed, we were mesmerized. Ethiopia has one of the most unique cultures that we’ve ever experienced. It has a mesmerizing language, unique coffee culture, and unbelievably hospitable people.