Moving abroad can be an exhilarating and life-changing decision, opening you up to new sights, people, relationships, and experiences. It can take you from a familiar culture to one that is vastly different. This new culture that you immerse yourself in may turn out to be much more aligned with your values, lifestyle, and plans.…
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My trip to Malaysian Borneo in September 2015 began in Kuching, the capital and most populous city in the state of Sarawak (the city was formerly known as Sarawak in the 19th century). ‘Kuching’ derives from the Malay ‘kucing’, meaning ‘cats’, and the city has since become known as the ‘City of Cats’, which makes…
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I visited Malaysian Borneo as part of a round-the-world trip I did in 2015/16. One of my main motivations for visiting this part of the world was to appreciate the unique wildlife, especially orangutans, which I did manage to see at Semenggoh Nature Reserve (30km outside Kuching City, where I spent a few nights). But…
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I visited Myanmar in 2015 and, unlike in other Southeast Asian countries, US dollars were the preferred form of currency. But the dollars also needed to be crisp and pristine. If you go to a foreign exchange counter or bank and try to exchange creased, ripped, or scribbled dollar bills, they can be rejected. The…
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Nicaragua wasn’t a country I planned to visit during a round-the-world trip I did in 2015/16. I was intending to spend some time volunteering on an organic farm in Costa Rica, but this no longer seemed appealing as the date to start farming drew closer, so I changed my plan and embarked on a fairly…
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