Tag Archive for interview

Interview with Rachele and Gabor from Surfing the Planet

December 27, 2012 interview No comments
Rachele and Gabor from Surfing the Planet eating sea food in Chiloe

You would never believe how the small world really is until weird things like this one happens. South America is HUGE but miracles still happen. I guess it must be because many travelers follow more or less the same route when there visiting the most famous destinations. And so did I in Argentina and Chile … and the couple Rachele and GĂĄbor too. We first met on the bus from Ushuaia to Puerto Natales. Then hiking in Torres del Paine, and again in El Calafate, El Bolson, El Chalten, Bariloche and all this by accident 🙂 So then we planned a trip together finally and visited lakes around Bariloche, stayed in nice Molino Viejo in Puerto Varas and took a ride through Chiloe island.

It was not just fun to travel together but also to talk about ”business” of blogging as Rachele and G started a blog Surfing the Planet.

Here they are – Rachele and GĂĄbor from Surfing the Planet:

1. Who are you? Tell us something about you.

We are Rachele (Italian) and GĂĄbor (Hungarian), a couple doing the round the world trip at the moment. We both are fond of travelling, and travelled quite a lot in Europe before meeting each other. The round the world trip had been a dream for both us even before met, and after meeting in Barcelona a couple of years ago, we soon decided to make our dreams real. We started our trip six and a half months ago, we spent almost half a year in South America, and at the moment we are travelling in New Zealand. What we like the most about travelling is not only discovering amazing places, but when we have the possibility, we try to get in a closer connection with local people through Couchsurfing or any other manner. We try to spend a day like they do, and learn from them as much as possible.

Rachele and Gabor from Surfing the Planet eating sea food in Chiloe

Rachele and Gabor eating sea food in Chiloe

2. What is your favorite place, city and country and why? (all three of them)

Gábor: These questions are always rather difficult to answer. As I am a mountain lover, my favorite place would be some of the most beautiful mountains I have been hiking around, can be the beautiful towers of “Las Torres del Paine” in Chile or to say something really recent, “Mount Cook” as it reflects in the lakes. My favorite city as a tourist is New York, this cosmopolitan city where you can listen to people speaking in different languages in every corner, and all this in the atmosphere that reminds you of watching one of your favorite movies. However, if I had to say in which city I would live, it would be Barcelona probably, also very international atmosphere, perfect climate, the sea and mountains are close, intense sportlife, at the moment the only thing you can’t find there is a decent job. My favorite country is the most difficult question, I prefer countries in which people are friendly and open to connect. Spain fits more or less for this, from recent experiences I would say Argentina.

 
Rachele: As GĂĄbor said is quite difficult to decide which place is the favorite one. There are too many fantastic places in the world. I can tell you the experience that I like the most. Close to Cuzco we went up to the Andes in a village and we spent two days living as they live. These people are really poor, they live in a simple way and most of them they are not going out the village neither at the closest city that is just 30 km from there. This experience made me reflect a lot and I really enjoy to experience this kind of life style.

 

3. If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would it be and why?

Gábor: If I can fly tomorrow to any places, probably would be New York again, just to get absorbed in this unique atmosphere that this city provides. If it had to be a place I have never been to, it would be Colombia, which we didn’t have time to visit in our South American trip, and would love to go there and meet its friendly people.

 
Rachele: At the moment we are doing the greatest trip of our life and I won’t fly anywhere tomorrow, I am just happy and living this great moment.

 

4. What do you love the most about your home country?

GĂĄbor: I love my country, and I am really proud of being Hungarian. Our country always achieved more than it would be expected from its size. You just have to look at the number of Nobel Prize winners we have had or in the Olympic Games, we are always in very honoring position in the medal table. I love in my country, even if it is against us, that general intelligence is still considered to be a really important thing, people admire someone more for being expert in the History of the Middle Ages than someone who had a really great business idea. At last, our cuisine is unique and fabulous, I always miss our dishes when I am abroad.

 
Rachele: My home country is simply brilliant. Italy has lot of good things, history, culture, fashion, good food I love all of them and I am really proud to be part of this country. The place in Italy I love most is Venice, that is a unique city in the entire world. I have been there a hundred of times and never take the same street, it is like a labyrinth in which is amazing to get lost. Every corner is different and special at the same time.

 

5. How travel changes you?

Travelling is definitely the most life changing experience, especially if you do it for a long time. Travelling as a backpacker make you do a lot of sacrifices, you can’t have many of the luxuries that you have in your every day life, you become more flexible in any sort of sense. At the same time, as we travel mostly around countries, where most of the locals live without all these commodities of the society, it opens your eyes and makes you think deeply every day about how much you really need them.

 

Miss traveling with you two and running into you by accident all over!

Love,

Alex

Interview with Bria Schecker about Gomio’s World Hostel Conference

November 29, 2012 interview 2 comments
World hostel conference

I don’t stay in hostels all the time but there are some really cool hostels I have stayed in. One of them was 40Berkeley in Boston. The hostel’s Director of Events and Media, Bria Schecker, tells us more about World Hostel Conference 2012 she attended.

1 ) How was the Gomio’s World Hostel Conference 2012 and what did you learn?

 

In a nutshell, the World Hostel Conference was amazing! In terms of creating a space for like-minded travelers and hostel professionals to learn from each other and network, there really is no better event. While the hostel scene is quite established in some parts of the world (like Europe), it’s still very new in other areas (like the US). Having a conference that brings together individuals from the newer and older sectors is invaluable – you learn what strategies have worked for years on end, as well as what trends are on the rise.

Aside from the amazing people I met, the hostels I learned about, and the strategies for success, the WHC served as a great forum for learning about new tools and technologies that are geared specifically towards hostels.

If you attend other travel or tourism conferences, most information targets hotel owners; hostels gain very little attention when they’re sitting next to big boys such as Marriott and Hilton. Having an annual event dedicated solely to hostels is so special – there is no other event where you can learn about property management systems based on revenue per bed, mobile and social apps geared towards hostels and backpackers, and market research focused on the backpacker industry all in one day!


 2) Why was the World Hostel Conference important to you? Why did you attend?

The WHC truly embodies what the hostel culture and industry is all about. When you go to some of these other travel and tourism conferences, there is always a slight tension in the air as big boy competitors pretend to walk hand-in-hand for the duration of the conference. With hostels, there really isn’t a sense of tension or competition when you have the entire industry sitting in one room. Because so many hostels are privately owned, independent entities, they see each other more as partners – rather than competitors – who are all working together to keep hostelling hip and alive. If I have a hostel in Boston, and I meet the owner of a fantastic hostel in Germany, there’s no way we’d be competing for guests. In fact, by building a relationship with that hostel, I would probably gain more business for my own establishment through referrals from my new German friend!  This is probably the most valuable aspect of the WHC – the networking. Of course the lectures and presentation are extremely helpful and insightful, but there really isn’t anywhere else in the world where I can make so many connections with other hostels and hostel owners all in one place over such a short time frame. That, to me, is what this conference is all about.

 3) What do you expect from the World Hostel Conference in the next few years?

This year’s conference focused a bit more on new hostel-specific technology than in previous years. In the past, there have been speakers from larger players such as Yelp, but it was very refreshing to hear from smaller hostel-focused organizations. I think future WHC’s will continue to nourish this need for new technology within the hostel sector, and will bring exciting new opportunities to the floor in the coming years.

4) How will hostel industry change in the next few years?

This is an interesting question because, if you look at the lifespan of the hostel industry over the past several years, you’ll notice that it hasn’t actually changed that much. There are the obvious advancements of course – more online bookings, increased credit card payments, mobile transactions, etc., but the heart and soul of the service that a hostel provides has gone relatively unchanged. Hostels are about helping travelers integrate themselves both with each other as well as in the local culture and community of a location. That’s a core value of any successful hostel, and a pretty timeless one at that.

There are, however, some very interesting new services and technologies that have developed in recent years to help hostels embody that core value. I think we will continue to see an influx of higher tech services in the hostel industry such as mobile apps with guided tours and navigation, self-service check-in kiosks, and social travel sites. This new technology has somewhat shifted the standards and expectations of travelers – many hostellers now expect cleaner, more comfortable accommodations with more amenities than were previously standard for hostels. These expectations are causing the insurgence of a new type of accommodation – the luxury hostel. Luxury hostels fall in that gray area between traditional hostels and hotels. They still embody the social and cultural spirit of a hostel, but provide more hotel-like comforts (nicer rooms, private bathrooms, more upscale decor, etc.).

World hostel conference

World Hostel Conference

5) What advice can you give to new travelers and existing travelers to save money and have a good time?

 

Stay in hostels! That’s the obvious answer of course, but the reasons why may not be so obvious to someone that has never tried hostelling. Even if you’re not the type of person that enjoys sharing a room with several strangers, you can still take advantage of the affordability and social benefits that hostels provide. Many hostels these days offer private rooms for non-backpackers, couples, and even families. In fact, all the rooms at 40Berkeley are private.

While hotels service museum-goers and tour-takers, hostels serve as a traveler’s gateway to all things local – food, events, cultural traditions, festivals, and so much more. Imagine you were visiting a friend in a foreign destination. Sure they would take you to all the famous landmarks and attractions, but they would also make sure you saw what life is really like in their home town, and they’d make sure you saw it on a local’s budget – not a wealthy tourist’s. Hostels aim to give travelers that same type of experience.

My advice is this: travel and stay local (in hostels!), explore the road less traveled, don’t be afraid to talk to strangers (even though your parents told you not to), and always be willing to try something new and different with an open mind!

6) Where are the best places you have visited?

Whenever I tell people about all of the countries I’ve been to, I always get asked this question, and it never gets any easier to answer! Today, my favorite country in the world is Australia, but that answer could very well change tomorrow! In 2008 I lived in Australia for about 8 months. Other than the US, this country feels most like home to me, which is probably why it’s at the top of my list. During my time there, I learned what the phrase “no worries” really means, and it has drastically changed the way I live many aspects of my life.

I think part of the reason why I fell in love with “Oz” is how different it is from the US.  The best way I can put it is that, in America, people live to work, while in Australia, they work to live. I realize that’s quite the sweeping generalization but after reflecting upon my life during those 8 months, I’ve come to truly believe that statement. In Australia, when someone asks what you “do”, they don’t want to know about your job. They want to know about your life!  Australia is also full of hostels and hostellers, and the local culture basks in it!

7) What makes a good hostel?

This was a topic of great discussion at this year’s WHC. There are so many aspects of a hostel that keep people coming back, but by the end of the conference, the atmosphere of a hostel was deemed the most important. Travelers stay in hostels to enjoy a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere that embodies the culture of their destination. Hostelling is also a very social experience – the friends you make while staying in hostels around the world often become friends for life, and it’s the hostels job to create an atmosphere where those types of relationships can be forged.

8) How has technology played a part keeping the hostel sprit alive?

Hostelling is all about being a social traveler, and technology these days makes this so easy to accomplish! Technology has helped both sides of the hostel industry (the hostels and the hostellers) express themselves, develop their personalities, and communicate their values. It provides tools that help hostels keep former, current, and future guests engaged with their brand.  It provides means for travelers to meet other travelers before, during, or after a trip, and it helps keep all parties in touch when your trip is over.

At 40Berkeley, we constantly seek out new technologies to help enhance our guests’ experiences and ensure they can easily access local information about Boston.  We recently added iPads in our lobby so guests can Skype with friends and family, send free emails, and access maps and information about social events where they can meet other travelers and locals. We’re a huge hostel, and sometimes our size can be a bit daunting to the unfamiliar traveler but putting all of our social resources in one place on an iPad helps keep things manageable for our guests – it shows them we care and understand their needs, and that’s yet another thing that hostels are all about!

 

Interview with Savannah Grace

November 15, 2012 interview 5 comments
Savannah in Metz, France

1) Who are you? Tell us something about you.

 

Hi, my name is Savannah Grace, I was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. I’m the youngest member of a very adventurous family. At age 14 I was pulled out of school to travel the world before returning home 4 years later to graduate from high school. Now 22, I’ve traveled to nearly 100 countries and have just completed my first book “Sihpromatum – I Grew My Boobs in China.” I’m currently living with my Dutch partner in The Netherlands, where I continue to write and travel.

 

2) What is your favorite place, city and country and why? (all three of them)

 

This question has always been one of the hardest to answer. After nearly 100 countries and over 500 cities, it is impossible for me to pick a favourite. How can I choose amongst trekking the Himalayan mountain range in Nepal and seeing the sun rise over Mt. Everest, snorkeling with the colourful fish in the Maldives and sun tanning on the soft white sand, canoeing through the tangled jungles of Suriname with parrots flying overhead, riding atop camels through endless mountains of sugary sand dunes across the Sahara desert in Mauritania and experiencing the historical genius of pyramids in Sudan or the beautiful architecture of any European village, town or city.

There are so many places I could mention that I feel guilty not listing them all! Though, I will choose a few examples.

A favourite place, other than my bed, is Yangshuo, China. It was one of the very first places I ever travelled so maybe I was easily impressed, but I still think it was amazing. It was just so beautiful and I was blown away by the different culture and unique landscape.

One city that left a big impact on me was Mets, France. It was by accident that we stayed there but I went at night when it was a complete winter wonderland, snow falling with its huge cathedral lit by glowing street lights. Actually, I think almost any village and town in Europe is worth seeing with their cobblestone streets, spectacular cathedral and the generally old, detailed architecture where each and every house is different.

Istanbul is a thriving city where cultures and history merge together. It’s also very modern and built around some amazing history. I could go on and on. My top countries are: Nepal, for its gorgeous mountains trekking and people; Mongolia, especially its countryside for its horses and extremely friendly people; Surinam for its jungles and multicultural atmosphere; Switzerland and its villages and great skiing; Canada’s amazing nature with waterfalls, mountains and lakes; China’s beautiful authenticity and villages; Italy’s amazing history and artwork; Maldives priceless islands blue waters and white beaches, plus many, many more!

Savannah in Metz, France

Savannah in Metz, France

 

3) If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would it be and why?

 

I think I would go somewhere in Asia. I just love how Asia is so friendly and beautiful. You can be comfortable and wear any kind of clothing, eat fresh, flavourful food, interact with the locals and have an adventure at the same time.

I have yet to discover South East Asia and have heard amazing things about the Philippines and the people there. Also Thailand has some amazing sights and beaches which I’d love to see.

One of the only places I wanted to go before I caught the travel bug was Japan, so I am amazed that I have not yet been there. I grew up with lots of Japanese ESL students living in our house so I would love to go visit them. They are such incredible people!! Surpringly my next trips are not any of these places. My next destinations are Austria in January, Guinea in February and then Italy this summer.

 

4) What do you love the most about your home country?

 

Canada is such a huge country that I still have yet to explore most of it. I love how it is such a liberal country with so many rights and freedoms. I feel like Canada has everything.

Because Canada is so big, I will sum my feeling up with Vancouver, my home city. It’s very multicultural, stunning, outdoorsy, friendly and modern. I especially love how 20 minutes can take you from watching the seals play in the glistening ocean to the top of a breathtaking, snowy mountain. I truly feel it is one of the best places on earth. But hey, maybe I am slightly biased.

My parents had a local tour company before we started to travel so I was able to experience many of the highlights and great activities in my area. Having seen a large part of the world now I can really appreciate the diversity of activities and nature available around Vancouver and especially Canada as a whole.

 

5) How travel changes you?

 

Before I left I was becoming more and more of a spoilt brat, living in one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the world. If it weren’t for traveling I would have continued down that road for sure, naïve to the privileges and opportunities I have as a Canadian. I would have been negligent of the reality poverty plays in this world and continued to take everything I had for granted.

 

I am an entirely different person as a result of travel. I sometimes shudder, to think what my life would have been without it. I learned so much about the world, people, cultures, history and most importantly myself and my family. I discovered my strengths, pushed myself to achieve goals I considered impossible and learned that dreams are worth following! This is a world full of possibilities.

 

I learned to appreciate and be grateful for the things I have, which is something I try not to lose. I realized that I don’t NEED all those things I thought I needed before I left. People are nice everywhere in the world, and we all have the same basic wants and needs. A world considered to be wrought with hunger, despair, corruption and danger turned out to be one full of love, family values and respect. Ironically, it seems that the less people have the more willing they are to share.

Savannah having a family travel dinner in Guinea Bissau, West Africa

Savannah having a family travel dinner in Guinea Bissau, West Africa

Interview with my sweet Mica Senyorita

November 8, 2012 interview, Philippines 7 comments
No boyfriend, no problem

I don’t even remember when and why we started talking with Mica. I just remember that she was always nice to me and I got a message from her just after I posted I was going to Asia in late September 2011. She persisted I should visit the Philippines too when going to be close and I agreed. We met, we spent a few days together in Manila, attended the crazy Captain Morgan party with some hot models, and then we explored beautiful Batad rice terraces and Mica’s home place.

And you know what? We both happened to have a T-shirt with the same ”no boyfriend, no problem” on it 😀

No boyfriend, no problem

No boyfriend, no problem

 

I love this girl and she is one of my best friends since we met back in November 2011. One of the examples that proves meeting new people when traveling is WORTH IT!

1. Who are you? Tell us something about you.

Mabuhay! I am Mica Rodriguez, a twenty-something blogger from the
Philippines. I love eating, traveling and making films. It is a dream of mine to
do movies while traveling. I will do my best to turn that dream into reality
soon. I do maintain a number of blogs (two of which are senyorita.net and
micamyx.com). I also write for a local tabloid in the Philippines.

2. What is your favorite place, city and country and why? (each one of them)

This is hard! Do I have to pick one only? If that’s the case, I’d choose
Camiguin Island in Northern Mindanao. I am mesmerized on how this place is
mysterious yet beautiful at the same time. They have mountains, volcanoes,
cold and hot springs, white and black beach, a sunken cemetery – all in one
island!

My favorite city would be London. I love everything about it except the
cost of living. I stayed there for a few weeks and my love for travel and
performing arts became more intense after that trip.

Of course, my favorite country is the PHILIPPINES. I would love to visit India,
Spain and explore more of the United Kingdom.

3. If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would it be and why?

Spain. I heard that Spanish people are passionate and artistic. I want to learn
how to dance Flamenco too!

Mica and me jumping in Batad rice terraces

Mica and me jumping in Batad rice terraces

4. What do you love the most about your home country?

I love the food, the beaches, the variation of culture and the people.

5. How travel changes you?

Travel pushed me to step out of my comfort zone. Being an obedient and
sheltered kid way back when I was still studying in Pangasinan, I’ve always
thought that I couldn’t travel on my own. It also transformed me into a risk
taker and worry less (especially on the financial aspect LOL). I’ve met a lot
of people from different walks of life and learned from each one of them.
Traveling keeps me inspired and happy that I am living my life.

 

A lot of love, Mica and thanks for the answers 🙂 Missing you!

Alex

Interview with Arne Van Schoors I met in Argentina and Chile many times

October 25, 2012 Argentina, interview 4 comments
Arne in Chacarita, Buenos Aires

Life can be really fun sometimes. I never thought something like that would be possible, but it was. Asking me what I mean? Well, meeting with Arne!

First, I saw Arne looking kind of desperate in Rio Gallegos, Argentina waiting for the same bus to Ushuaia. We didn’t talk there even though we were both travelling solo. Then I spotted him with some more guys in Ushuaia a few days later walking along one of the streets in the city centre. Afterwards, he was staying in the same house with me and more Couchsurfing guests in Puerto Natales in Chile (no, thankfully that time there was no sex and Couchsurfing issue). Then, we met by accident when hiking Torres del Paine when I made friends with his friends – yes, the same guys he was with in Ushuaia! Later on, we met again a few more times. Back to Argentina, we met again by accident with Arne and his friends one night in El Calafate among hundreds of people who came to the live concert. The following day we met again in Perito Moreno glacier where we decided it was enough of weird unplanned meetings already to finally start talking more 😀 And also that it was nice to watch sunset above the glacier getting frozen together:) Then, a few days after, we spent some time together in El Chalten. We were supposed to cross our paths with Arne again in Chile, but because of bad weather we both changed our plans so it never happened.

Right, I would never think I could keep meeting the same people for around a month across 2 countries! Unbelievable how it can sound, we never took a photo together 🙁

Btw Arne writes about some of his trips in his mother tongue on Genblogt.

Arne in Chacarita, Buenos Aires

Arne in Chacarita, Buenos Aires

 

 

Let’s find out more about this interesting guy:

1. Who are you? Tell us something about you.

To start with a clichĂ©: it’s hard to define myself. Probably I’m a ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’. I started working at a very young age and at the age of 25 I finally went to college, where I studied to become a professional educator. But before I went back to school, I travelled together with my brother and a friend through the Indian Himalaya on Royal Enfield motorcycles to cross the highest motorable roads in the world. A lack of experience with motorcycles and all the ungentle contacts with the asphalt during this two-month travel (8 crashes), made this trip an unbelievable odyssey and probably the craziest thing I ever did. On the road I saw how beautiful and powerful this planet is.

Apparently, this whole adventure triggered a sleeping traveller inside me who wanted to discover this planet, I travelled to Croatia and Bosnia, crossed the Caucasian Mountain Range from Armenia to Iran and fell in love with the beautiful Tunisia.
Meanwhile, working with refugees in my home country, I had the idea of making a movie about those people who are living in difficult circumstances and during two years I could call myself a director slash fundraiser. Leading a team of more than fifty people with a small budget was probably the biggest challenge so far in my life. Luckily the result received positive response in my city and province and the first three screenings where all sold out. The movie was titled On the Road referring to the ones who are not accepted in their home country nor in their guest country and because of that unable to find a place they can call home. But unconsciously also to my favorite author Jack Kerouac.
But my biggest childhood dream didn’t come true yet. Since years I was dreaming of crossing the Americas from south to north and during two years I did everything (worked as educator, ICT-teacher, bartender) to get all the money together to explore the other side of the Atlantic. I applied for a press card so I could start to work as a freelance journalist during my trip and write about all my adventures. Finally January this year, I travelled from Uruguay to Tierra del Fuego and from there all the way up to Canada. After 143 days I had more than 26000 km (16000 miles) under the belt, I crossed 15 countries and lost 6 kilos of body weight. Absolutely the journey of my life.

 

2. What is your favorite place, city and country and why? (all three of them)

 

My favorite place is my apartment, I live in the city of Ghent in the Million Quarter (Miljoenenkwartier) on three high. I have a fantastic view of this green and beautiful neighborhood, built in the Interbellum. The apartment I live was built in 1929 on the former grounds of the World Fair in Ghent in 1913. This green lung surrounded with green parks with a nice view through the windows of my apartment on the corner of the street is my daily part of joy. If I go out, this tremendous city gives me all I need to be happy: good friends around, nice bars with live music and the best shops for quality food or a pleasant chat very close by.

Although I love my city, I fell in love pretty recently with Toronto, Ontario. A vibrating city filled with culture, nice bars, trolleys and some great people who live there. In a perfect world I would have my summer residence there and in winter time I would spend my time in Seville, Spain to enjoy the tapas, the narrow streets and the great atmosphere of AndalucĂ­a.

The country I have a crush on is Colombia, I only spend short time there, but I heard great stories about the Caribbean coasts and the old cities around there. I had fabulous days in Medellin and Cali. Living in the motherland of Marquez and salsa and floating in a boat on the Amazon makes the illusion of my personal paradise there even bigger. But maybe it’s only illusion, like I said it’s a crush, not really love
 I really like travelling in remote areas but to live I will prefer to keep my good ol’ western life. After one month of great encounters in the States, from Texas to Louisiana and further heading north to Tennessee, I really fell in love bit by bit with the Southern way. The ones that complete the stage as a good second and third: France and Canada!

 

3. If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would it be and why?

Alaska! My first plan of my journey across the Americas had Alaska as the final destination, because I was running out of money and lack of time, I had to skip that part. Only one person responsible for my love for Alaska is Jack London, who wrote beautiful books about the life over there. It’s the same thing as people enjoying looking at the sea, just like that Alaska is a metaphor of the end of the world, and sitting on the edge can be pretty relaxing, sitting on the sideline of life.

Arne in Lafayette

Arne in Lafayette

 

4. What do you love the most about your home country?

The happy unconcerned life. We always forget how high our quality of life is in Belgium. A good social system that helps (almost) everybody in time of need, the good working conditions, the beautiful medieval cities with a lot of culture, music, events, sports and always somebody to find to go for a drink. If you want to escape the city you can go to the coast or the Ardennes in the South, away from the rat race and stress. But I doubt I will stay in this country, life is too short to stay all my life on my little hill.

 

5. How travel changes you?

If I can give you one advice: never travel in the hope you will find yourself along the way, let the travel crawl slowly under your skin and try to be aware of everything that happens. Working already for years with very underprivileged people I wasn’t afraid of to meet that dark side of life during my travels. I learned a lot about people, how they deal with their daily problems, but I learned also a lot about myself: how to perceive every day new realities. One day surrounded by friends, you’re blind for everything around you and another day when you feel lonely, the helpless beggar at the corner -who is always there- makes your day by talking to you and giving you attention. In my opinion travelling is a lesson in humility, it teaches me that I’m not the belly button of the world, only an accident waiting to be happen.

 

Arne, thanks a million for these answers, I really enjoyed them and it made me remember all the fun we had with you and guys in Argentina!

Love,

Alex

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