Having just spent five weeks in Southeast Asia, I traded in the bikini and flip flops for beanies and boots. Zurich was my last stop on my way home after a Fuller Center Global Builders trip in Lampang, Thailand and extended travel in the area. It may seem odd, spending a week in Zurich in … Continue reading
There are five microstates—very small sovereign nations—in Europe. Vatican City among them, is also the smallest country in the world. The other four are Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and Liechtenstein, which I visited as part of a bus tour out of Zurich. Although I had seen pictures and even a Rick Steeves episode on it, … Continue reading
The smallest country in Asia, The Republic of Maldives, is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean southwest of Sri Lanka. Formed of 26 natural atolls, made up of 1,194 islands, only 200 are inhabited. It is also the lowest country in the world, with an average elevation of less than 1.5 meters above sea level, making … Continue reading
Thailand, The Land of Smiles, never truer than during the week my team and I spent volunteering with the Fuller Center in Lampang. I hope you will consider leading or joining a team there, especially in the very able hands of their new host coordinator, affectionately called Angel. She’s amazing! While it is a bit … Continue reading
Founded in 1296, Chiang Mai was the northern capital of the ancient Lanna Kingdom, succeeding Chiang Rai. While the city itself sits among spectacular mountains, the old city center is still surrounded by ancient walls and their gates, perhaps the most important landmarks of all its historical remains. From the air you can see, the … Continue reading
“…and the world’s your oyster,” so the song goes. I used Bangkok as my landing pad, on my way to Luang Prabang, Chiang Mai and Lampang and again on my way out of Thailand before heading to the Maldives, then Switzerland. I bookended with two nights on the front end, one night on the way … Continue reading
After a failed attempt to visit Laos with a friend eight years ago, thankfully, I got a second chance. Luang Prabang had been on my travel wish list ever since. My first stop on a five-and-a-half-week trip, this delightful little town on the Mekong was the perfect place to begin to adjust to a new … Continue reading
After many hours of travel, our team of intrepid volunteers arrived in Moshi, Tanzania! We were off to a superb start, in the shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro, warming up for a fantastic week partnering with the Tanzania Women Research Foundation (TAWREF) to help a family in need of decent shelter. Continue reading
An African safari is at the top of my list of favorite things. For me, the experience, one I’ve had many times, never gets old. There is something about being in a place that is so beautiful, vast, different from my daily environment back home, that moves me. Being so connected to nature has a way of rooting us, calming us in our core, shining light into the cracks and evoking quiet and rest. Once you catch your first glimpse of a lioness playing with her cubs or stalking her prey, you’ll catch yourself in a deep inhale until your body lets you know you’ve been holding your breath. Continue reading
Although this would be my third time visiting Istanbul, because it’s one of my favorite places I didn’t mind the two-night stopover offered by Turkish Airlines in my way home from Malaysia. Plus, it gave me a chance to deplane, decompress, and delight in 3 new experiences in this magical, ancient city. Continue reading
Global Staci 