I’ve done it in Arabic, Lao, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, and Vietnamese. I gained language functionality in these foreign tongues with minimal, yet consistent, easy effort. Functional isn’t conversational. Functionality is using practical words for ordinary situations. Here we’re reminded to learn hello
Year: 2023
Once in a while I get the question: What’s your favorite country? My answer has typically been:, the exact place I was in, or the last new country I had drifted to. Sheer newness elevates optimism. Fresh surroundings breed content and enhanced excitement.
While Vietnam’s coffee allure may have pushed me into consuming more caffeine than ever, it also nudged me to give it up, at least for the last 19 days. I have no immediate intention on stopping this cold-turkey endeavor. Still, the abstinance could
I awoke at 4:15 a.m. I don’t want to deal with electronics at that hour. It’s a deal I’ve made with myself. Although the habitual thought loomed, I observed it, and let it slip away. Psychological win! Mostly, the only thing mindful was
Wide sidewalks, yet long blocks, make Danang a pleasant alternative to Hanoi’s cluttered streets and practically endless buzzing traffic. Hanoi’s Old Quarter thrives in organized chaos while Danang seems to prosper without this potentially-perceived pandemonium. Danang has a wide, luxuriously-long, soft-sandy beach. It
Laos is a land to love. It’s an earth space that can have you feeling like you’ve stepped back in time, while simultaneously, the country is developing at a moderate pace. I don’t believe that Laos is well-known to most of the eight-billion-plus
A drifting mantra of mine is Wellness. In southeast Asia I get to take advantage of affordable saunas (herbal steam). I’ll happily take whichever I can get. It’s called a sauna when in essence it’s an herbal steam, just semantics. While steam facilities
On foot in Panama City, I ordered a fruit shake from a drive through window. I was charged for, and got four huge shakes in styrofoam cups. I thought my Spanish was functional. I was on a tight budget, yet had no choice
Buying and haggling in most Asian and other developing countries can be a different experience compared to in Europe and North America. Away from shopping malls, stores, and street food stalls, getting used to haggling in the developing world is something we have
When drifting in a land not one’s own, it behooves a visitor to take time to think about why learning numbers abroad is a great idea, along with the phrase: How much? Some vagabonds will disagree, as I’ve observed the majority assume that