| 2007 |
Archived Articles |
| November |
Loi Krathong: Festival of Lights, Laughter and Love
In Bangkok, the polluted canal behind Apple Gidley's house often overflowed during monsoon season. Her attitude toward its muddy waters changed completely, however, when she experienced Loi Krathong, a time when people launch offerings symbolizing thanks and forgiveness. Join Apple for a lisping toddler's prayer, gentle lessons from a Thai household helper, and plenty of cross-cultural insight.
|
| October |
Learning from Daouda
In the West African village of Sindou, the clinic is a cement-block shack with no electricity or running water. Yet the dedication, caring and generosity of the people there -- especially Dr. Daouda Mbengue, who chose to return to the village in spite of attractive opportunities elsewhere -- led Kari Masson to realize that these qualities are even more important than money and Western technology.
|
| May |
The Near Miss: Hunting Treasures in Mexico
A classic old typewriter at a flea market in Guadalajara caught the eye of American expat T.M. Spooner. It was sold to another customer, but Spooner's neighbor Curly stepped in to help, with a parade of assorted and dubious substitute objects on "la humpa" of his old VW -- and ultimately, a lesson about life and Mexican culture.
|
| 2006 |
Archived Articles |
| September |
The Bookseller of Dhaka
The ringing of the gate bell one rainy night brought traveling bookseller Mr. Nasam into the life of Peace Corps Country Director Michael Bedford. One visit turned into many, and the relationship became one of Michael's favorite memories from his stay in Dhaka, where fewer than half of adults can read and books are scarce and sacred treasures.
|
| July |
The Lacquer Boxes of Fedoskino
While living in Moscow, Hayley Alexander and his wife
became interested in the handmade lacquered boxes they saw in the shops.
With a Russian friend, they traveled to Fedoskino, a traditional production
center. There they found not only beautiful craft pieces decorated with
motifs from Russian art, but warm hospitality and a fascinating glimpse of
life in the former Soviet Union. |
| March |
Bargaining for Memories of Manama
Amid skyscrapers, shopping malls and luxury hotels, Ashley Schinella cherishes the opportunity to bargain in an old-fashioned souk in Bahrain -- while her four-year-old daughter turns out to be the family's most accomplished deal-maker. Don't miss Ashley's lyrical and wistful portrait of a changing country.
|
| March |
Ankara's Fertile Ground
Pregnant in the land of the ancient mother goddess Cybele, American artist Nancy Lunsford was unsure whether to celebrate or mistrust the local women's traditions. She discovered in the end that her Turkish neighbors were wiser than she'd expected. Find out why, in her beautifully descriptive essay.
|
| 2005 |
Archived Articles |
| December |
Bon Any De Barcelona With red underwear, twelve grapes and a painfully
perky countdown show on TV, you're ready to celebrate
the coming of New Year in Spain! Find out if our
writer Nichole Martinson can really choke down one
(seeded) grape per second during the last moments of
the year. |
| September |
Awakened
to Islam in Morocco A piper playing the flute in the middle of
the night; tough street kids who say "Welcome to Morocco";
the beauty of the Muslim call to prayer: Chris Hamilton's experiences
as a teacher in Morocco broadened his view of culture, religion and
human nature itself. |
| May |
No Culture Shock Please,
We're British Despite warnings about culture shock, UK citizen
Gillian Bland was surprised to find many similarities between Japanese
and British ways -- from a tendency to apologize for others' mistakes
to the belief that a cup of tea can solve any problem. |
| March |
Canine Diplomacy For
American Christy Quirk, taking a job in "Houston on the Caspian" meant
moving her two large dogs to a decidedly canine-unfriendly country.
The results, however, were much more positive than she had expected.
Find out how Mo and Whitney helped bridge the cultural divide. |
| January |
Bargaining In Beijing
When she moved from the U.S. to China to teach English, Ciarra Chavarria
was a novice at the art of marketplace bargaining. Fortunately, one
of her students was happy to teach her the basics -- and she was quickly
hooked. |
| 2004 |
Archived Articles |
| October |
Balancing Act Canadian
Cory Searcy was disillusioned at first by the ugliness he found amid
the country's beauty, but then learned to understand and accept both.
|
| September |
Thinking of Keti by Rachel Peterson.
When her cheerful and generous real estate agent is killed in an accident,
Rachel Peterson is surprised by the depth of her feelings -- and by
the Georgians' honest and open approach to the grieving process.
|
| August |
Ghanaians: You've Got to Love Them
By Karen van der Zee. Living in Ghana, Karen van der Zee was impressed
by the warmth and cheerfulness of the people, even in the face of
tragedy. Find out why bystanders give wrong directions -- and what
is sold at the Dead White Man's Market.
|
| June |
Among
Pigs' Feet in Athens: by Terje Raa. ANorwegian expatriate shops
for pigs' feet in Greece. |
| May |
The Other
Side of the Tracks: A Family Dinner in East Amman by Ingrid McDonald.
The chance for simple human contact with local people can be one of
the most memorable aspects of living abroad. Invited to dinner by
her driver, American expatriate Ingrid McDonald crossed over to the
"other side" of Amman, Jordan and gained a deeper understanding of
the people living there. |
| April |
Flower-sellers
of Rome by John Thorne. Living in Rome, journalist John Thorne
was suddenly moved to find out more about the quiet, dark-skinned
men who circulate around the city, offering flowers for sale. What
he discovered was more disturbing and thought-provoking than he'd
expected. |
| March |
Santas Street,
Thessaloniki by Richard Dobbie. Some of the poignancy in living
overseas lies in knowing that the modern world, with its impersonal
stores and parking lots, may soon encroach on the places we've discovered.
Australian expatriate Richard Dobbie appreciates a simple Greek street
market while it still survives. |
| March |
The Lights
of Maolin by Beth Fowler. When Beth Fowler headed out into the
beautiful Taiwanese countryside to teach English to Rukai aborigine
children, she received a welcome she has never forgotten. |
| January |
High
Lights in Montreal by Ralph Capper. The temperature may be well
below zero, but the city of Montreal plans to brighten some bone-cracking
February nights with a festival of music and fireworks. British writer
Ralph Capper bravely shares his experiences from last year, which
included the wearing of women's long johns, a frightening ride on
a rubber tube, and musicians who spin on harnesses in the freezing
air. |
| 2003 |
Archived Articles |
| August |
I Follow the White
Dog by Kevin McCaughey. In Samara, Russia, girls clutching flowers
and elderly women in scarves ride the crowded trams, unaware that
they are being observed by a writer and a scruffy, sad-eyed dog. Let
Kevin McCaughey transport you to modern Russia with his haunting story.
|
| September |
Let's Get
Physical by April Cohen. In Rio, a well-rounded bunda is more
important than a pretty face, and it's common to take bleach to the
beach for a "golden bath." Find out why in April Cohen's thoughtful
exploration of Brazilian sensuality. |
| August |
Glimpses of
Iraq, Shopping in Baghdad
- Before the Storm by Victoria Hess. The current situation in
Iraq is the latest in a long series of struggles for the Iraqi people.
Victoria Hess's two short essays, Glimpses of Iraq and Shopping in
Baghdad - Before the Storm, create a telling picture of what life
was like fifteen years ago in Iraq. |
| July |
Pas de Deux in
Provenciales by Sarah Fogarty. Living on a small island can make
you a star -- in the local dance troupe, at least. Find out how Sarah
Fogarty ended up on stage with local schoolgirls in the Turks and
Caicos Islands, in her funny and uplifting essay. |
| May |
A Bermudian
Delicacy by Joyce Finn. Ahh, Bermuda: turquoise seas; fragrant
hibiscus and oleander; brightly exotic birds called kiskadees ...
and a gray, smelly, congealed mass known as shark hash. Find out if
writer Joyce Finn was able to eat even a spoonful of it. |
| February |
Women in Heels
by Lisa Solod. Parisian women somehow manage to run for the subway,
push baby carriages over broken pavement and lug groceries home from
the Monoprix -- in three-inch spike heels. American expatriate, writer
and journalist Lisa Solod hoped to do the same in this city where
"the street is a stage and all the strollers the actors," but ran
up against some physical -- and perhaps cultural -- limitations. |
| January |
'Til the
Cows Come Home by Mike Labriola. How seriously did Mike Labriola
take his stint on the visa line at U.S. Embassy Belgrade? Seriously
enough to base tourist visas on the names of local citizens' cows.
|
| January |
The Love Hotel
by Matt Comeskey. Where do you go in crowded Japan for an afternoon
of private -- or illicit -- love? Matt Comeskey went "undercover"
to find out, reporting on an ultra-discreet world of hotel rooms bigger
than his entire apartment and equipped with strange objects. |
| 2002 |
Archived Articles |
| November |
Kenka Matsuri:
Death and Hairy Butts by Amy Chavez. Japanese society is generally
reserved, but at one traditional celebration, the men let it all hang
out -- from the back, at least! Amy Chavez, columnist for the Japan
Times, gives us the bottom line on the Nada Kenka Matsuri, or Fighting
Festival, complete with an incredible rearview photo essay. |
| August |
Jamaica
no problem by Raj Jilbear. During his year in Jamaica, Raj Jilbear
avoided the tourist resorts and hung out with the locals. "You cool
man, you cool," agreed the guys he met one night. A few moments later,
though, the situation turned ugly, and Raj realized that he was still
a foreigner in a strange land. Read his story of ganja, the Jamaican
grapevine and a missing woman here: Jamaica no problem. |
| July |
Wraps By Any Other Name:
T-Shirts African Style by Peg Clement. Pareos, pagnes or kangas?
Whatever you call them, these colorful and versatile cloths are the
"T-shirts of Africa" and a treasured collector's item for many expatriates.
|
| June |
Fuerza Y Luz (Power
& Light) by Patricia Jempty. What does the phrase "public services"
mean where you're living? In some countries, a problem like a fallen
stop sign or a pothole is fixed the same day, or at least the same
week. But in other countries, waiting for the utility company can
be like waiting for Godot. Writer Patricia Jempty finally figured
out the strange and roundabout way to get a streetlight fixed in Costa
Rica -- no small feat for an expatriate. |
| February |
From My Office Window...
by Rachel Peterson. The wealthy suburbs of Amman, Jordan can't quite
get away from their agrarian roots. Goatherds regularly bring their
charges across the airport road and into vacant lots to graze alongside
luxury villas. |
| 2001 |
Archived Articles |
| December |
A Bug's Death
by Dan Schmidt. How do you know when you've adjusted to life in Costa
Rica? A short, witty portrait of expatriate life in San Jose. |
| July |
The Rains in India
by Rakesh Agarwal. The beginning of the rainy season in India marks
an electric change in the atmosphere, landscape and the mood of the
people. Rakesh Agarwal shares his childhood memories and adult reflections
on the drama of the monsoon season. |
| July |
Sharing the Sun:
Eclipse-Watching in Zimbabwe by Victoria Hess. Our own RPR editor/webmaster,
Victoria Hess, drove 140 kilometers with her two sons to view the
first total eclipse of the new millennium, and made some village friends
during the experience. |
| July |
Nowhere More Beautiful
by "Millie." Although she's shy about using her real name,
"Millie" shows no timidity in praising a land most people
have never seen: Albania. |
| June |
Men in Gorilla Suits
and Other Swedish Lessons. An unpretentious Swedish children's
TV show, featuring things like a lineup of naked bottoms, leads American
expatriate Jean Marie Shootman-Tenlen to reflect on the pace of family
life and the beauty of simplicity. |
| May |
A Day in Chongquing.
Spend a day with writer and tour operator Claire Karaz as she explores
the Chinese city of Chongqing on the Yangtze River. |
| May |
Pilgrimage to Djerba.
Why does Madonna celebrate with a special picnic in May? And what
are Jewish women in Tunisia doing in a small room lined with rotten
eggs? American writer Maria Goldrich reports from the North African
island of Djerba about the mystical and mysterious Jewish holiday
of Lag B'Omer. |
| May |
Hong Kong Double Take.
Writer Michael LaRocca demonstrates his knack for communicating with
everyone (a.k.a. inflicting English on the locals) in his two short
essays on life in Hong Kong. |
| February |
Golfing at the Top of
the World: Revenge of the Birdies. Golfing in Iceland is like
golfing nowhere else in the world. Author and retired U.S. Foreign
Service Officer Gene Schmiel talks about the pluses (no woods in which
to lose golf balls) and minuses (getting pecked on the head by gulls)
of golfing way up north. |
| |
|
| 2000 |
Archived Articles |
| December |
Vehicles' Right-of-Way
and Pedestrians In-the-Way: A Guide to Walking the Roads of London.
According to Jill Gordon, every day of the year in London is fraught
with danger for pedestrians. Read more about the perils of taking
a simple walk at in her wry essay. |
| November |
Meathead's Wife: Observations
on Living in Poland by Stephanie Olsen. Stephanie Olsen moved
to Poland with her husband, two babies and six cats, and lived to
tell the tale! She shares her arrival experience with us in this light-hearted
essay. |
| November |
A Wedding in
Bosnia It's always wonderful to witness a wedding in another country.
World traveler Rachel Peterson invites us to spend a day at a Wedding
in Bosnia.... |
| October |
Bus Trip to Northridge by
Margaret Bender. Take a bus ride through Sydney, site of the 2000
Olympics, and reminisce a little with native Australian writer Margaret
Bender. |
| October |
The Giant Blow-Up Woman of Prague
by Kelly Bembry Midura. Prague, Czech Republic: a city of graceful
Middle-European charm, fantastic art nouveau architecture, frothy
dark beer, and a giant inflatable woman. |
| September |
Mr. Singh by Margaret
Bender. The author affectionately remembers the visits of an unforgettable
elderly tailor in New Delhi. |
| August |
Shanghai Shock
by Andrew Fletcher. Hilarious first impressions of Shanghai, from
bewildering traffic to dead animals hanging in the shop windows. |
| August |
My Summer Vacation
by "Millie." The author returns from a "developing
country" to find the U.S. full of danger and disease, from bubonic
plague to overly-enthusiastic whitewater rafting guides. |
| July |
American Junk
Food Addict Visits Vienna: We've all been there - had the Ugly
Americans as houseguests. But what if UA is 11 years old and staying
the whole summer? Writer Sara Rhodes takes a wry look at the longest
summer she's ever known in American Junk Food Addict Visits Vienna. |
| June |
Najmeh by Maria Bauer.
A remembrance of the author's language teacher in Iran, an extraordinary
woman who tried to come to terms with the requirements of her Muslim
faith ... and tragically failed. |
| May |
Looking for a Living
God by Amanda Holmes. She went to see the dead god first, at Lenin's
tomb -- but finally found the living one in a humble Moscow apartment. |
| April |
Perfectly Good Stuff
by Chris Ward. Japan's tradition of "big garbage" day has
a diplomat rummaging excitedly through cast-off furniture on the streets
of Kyoto. |
