It was Spring Break for my teenage daughter and friend. She wanted to go somewhere warm. I didn’t want to deal with the continued hassle of international travel in March 2022, so I started looking south, in the good old U, S of A. Almost guaranteed sunny, or at least warmer temps, we decided on … Continue reading
I found myself, by myself, with an excuse to visit a part of North Carolina I’d never seen. I attended a weekend training to learn Healing Touch a form of energy healing therapy. My secondary motivation was to check out the area, a short two-hour drive from the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, to see if … Continue reading
For those of us who love to travel the world helping families in need of decent homes, OH HOW WE HAVE MISSED IT! The pandemic has been hard on us all, but perhaps no one has felt its detrimental effects more acutely than the world’s hard-working poor. Thanks to the reopening of The Fuller Center … Continue reading
Unquestionably one of the greatest experiences of my life. Definitely the greatest physical challenge of my life. I regret nothing but I would not do it again! Hiking the Inca Trail is not for everyone and I don’t know why I chose to see Machu Picchu this way. There are easier ways. Perhaps after being … Continue reading
After finishing another successful volunteer house build with The Fuller Center for Housing, I was fortunate to extend my stay in Peru. If you plan to visit Machu Picchu while in Peru, most likely your jumping off point will be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the Western Hemisphere and the former capital … Continue reading
It had been 18 long months since I built houses overseas, and nearly as long since I had left the United States. WAY too long for me. I had been leading volunteer teams abroad to partner with families in need of decent shelter with Habitat for Humanity—two or three times a year! You can imagine … Continue reading
Lima is known for many things, perhaps best as the gastronomic capital city of South America. Given some advance warning, you can try to get reservations at some of the hottest foodie destinations anywhere. I flew into Lima just one day in advance of meeting my Global Builders team, 15 volunteers who would be building houses with me and The Fuller Center for Housing. Without a lot of time to get to know this enchanting seaside city, I could only check a few items off my list. Guess that means I’ll have to come again! Here are a few highlights that I highly recommend and the ones I would have done if I’d had more time. Continue reading
Final stop on our week long journey through southeast Tennessee, northern Georgia and western North Carolina—the tiny town of Black Mountain, North Carolina. We had the better part of an afternoon here, on our way to the Asheville regional airport, where we’d drop our rental car and fly home. We started with a visit to … Continue reading
My roadtrip adventure continues to Asheville, North Carolina. So far, we’d flown to Chattanooga, TN then drove to Blue Ridge, GA on our way to Asheville. I’d never been to the vibrant bohemian artist town with a reputation as ‘Beer City’. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville is probably still best known as the … Continue reading
If you don’t have friends with houses in places you’d like to visit, make some! I’ve hosted loads of visitors in my life, and thankfully, I have friends who reciprocate. I’m always happy to trade lovely housewarming gifts for their hospitality and company. My friend and I flew into Chattanooga, rented a car and drove … Continue reading
Global Staci 