One of my favorite things about blogging is when I actually get to meet someone in person who I met through the blogging and social media world. Last month, I finally got to meet Dan Bailey, a professional adventure and outdoor photographer who I’ve been following online for years. Dan was traveling through Minneapolis and we were able to get together for lunch. It was fantastic to meet him in person and to learn more about his inspiring career and life in Alaska. His work is absolutely breathtaking and while we were talking I finally learned how he captured some of his most stunning masterpieces from the open window of a tiny yellow 1947 Cessna 120 flying over the mountains of Alaska. Dan also runs a photography website at www.danbaileyphoto.comfilled with amazing tips and resources on how to learn and improve your photography.
Here is my exclusive interview with Dan. Hope you enjoy it!
Dan Bailey doing what he loves best! Photo credit: Dan Bailey
Tell me a little bit about your background. Where did you grow up? What did you study in school and when did you first learn photography?
I was born in Colorado and lived there until I was five. Then I moved around quite bit, east coast, Kansas City, Cincinnati, boarding school in Maine, high school in Lawrence, Kansas, then Boston for college, and then back to Colorado for a few years before moving to Alaska.
I was a pretty rambunctious kid who was always running around, riding my bike and playing outside. I got into guitar when I was 15, and then I bought my first camera in 1990 when I was 22. I studied recording engineer and music production at Berklee College of Music, but by the time I graduated, the photography seed had already matured into a true love for cameras and photography.
You got a degree in music in college but ended up pursuing photography as a career. What was the defining moment that made you follow your dreams and go on an your epic trip to Nepal?
After I was done with college, photography kept growing on me and I begun to realize that I might be better suited to career that has me running around outside than sitting in windowless recording studios. Guess I didn’t quite think that one through… 😉 I had started taking some photography trips and became aware of Galen Rowell, who was preeminent outdoor adventure photographer of our time. He’s without a doubt my biggest influence.
At the time, I was still living in Boston while trying to figure out how to make a living by traveling and taking pictures. Then, one day, I saw an ad for a Photo Workshop trip to Mustang, Nepal with Galen Rowell in the back of Outdoor Photographer Magazine. This was 1993, and the region of Mustang had only just been opened up to outsiders the year before. To me, this was a dream trip, so I called right away, reserved my spot, maxed out all my credit cards and it was a done deal.
I figured what better way to get track to becoming a pro adventure travel photographer than taking a workshop with the guy who invented the profession. It really was the beginning for me, and certainly the biggest thing I’d ever done. I consider my 1993 Nepal trip, and my 1994 trip to Pakistan to be the defining events in my profession journey.
What did you learn about photography and yourself during your trips to Nepal and Pakistan?
More than anything else, those two experiences reaffirmed my love for wilderness, exploration and travel. I knew that I wanted more. With photography, it was simply an opportunity to shoot in some of the most amazing locations on the planet and coming away with powerful imagery. And, of course, refining my technique and my creative eye, that process never ends. Looking back, I’m still very proud of the photos I shot on those two trips.
Photo Credit: Dan Bailey
When did you decide to become a professional photographer? How did you move from photography as a hobby to a career? Continue reading →
“Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more”.
– H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
A few years ago, I began highlighting different organizations that offer wonderful gifts that also give back to a cause. Given how popular the posts have been, I created a permanent Gifts that Give Back page on my blog and last holiday season that page alone received 40,000 views in the months of November and December! I am thrilled to know that these amazing organizations and causes are getting more customers from my blog.
Here are some of my favorite Gifts that Give Back for the holiday season. I hope you enjoy the list, and please share this holiday guide with friends and family. Make your gift giving season count this year by making a difference in someone else’s life and also giving an incredible gift that will make them smile.
Author’s Note: The products below are just a few of the many these amazing organizations have to offer. Please visit each website to get a full view of all the gifts that give back each organization has to offer. Enjoy!
2017 Gifts that Give Back Guide
ALEX AND ANI
As the heart and soul of ALEX AND ANI, CEO, Founder and Creative Director, Carolyn Rafaelian, created Charity by Design, which serves as a unique division focused solely on giving and making the dreams of charitable organizations come true. Charity by Design empowers non-profit organizations both on a national and local scale to reach their goals by sharing their mission through the power of positive energy and creative design.
Here are three featured Charity by Design bangles below: The Pinecone benefiting Plan International’s Because I Am a Girl initiative, True Wish benefiting the Make A Wish Foundation, and Heart of Strength benefiting the Global Fund to help them fight AIDS with PRODUCT(RED). ALEX AND ANI will donate 20% of the purchase price* from each bangle sold, with a minimum donation of $25,000 between October 2017 and December 2018 to the charities. www.alexandani.com/charity-by-design/.
ALEX AND ANI will donate 20% of the purchase price* from each True Wish Charm Bangle sold
ALEX AND ANI will contribute 20% of the purchase price* from each Heart of Strength Charm sold.
ALEX AND ANI will donate 20% of the purchase price* from each Pinecone Charm sold.
Anchal Products
Designing Change Stitch by Stitch” Anchal creates absolutely stunning scarves, pillows and quilts each handmade out of recycled saris by Indian women rescued from prostitution. www.anchalproject.org
Neutral Patchwork Straight Scarf – The eco-friendly straight scarf features color blocking in tan and gray hues. Handmade from soft organic cotton by artisans in India, this lightweight oversized scarf is a versatile and stylish accessory
Organic Cotton Grid Stitch Poncho – Handmade from layers of lightweight organic cotton, this soft and cozy shawl is perfect for cold weather. Designed to be reversible, featuring camel on one side and charcoal black on the other.
Organic Cotton Grid Throw in Scarlet -Add a sophisticated statement to your home with the grid stitch quilt. This soft cotton throw is lightweight and breathable with a buttery soft hand feel. Use the scarlet red side for a pop of color, or reverse to bone white and easily change to a more subtle look.
b.a.r.e soaps
b.a.r.e. soaps is an all natural, socially conscious soap and candle company. b.a.r.e stands for “bringing antiseptic resources to everyone”. 20% of proceeds are reinvested into economic development in India and Uganda. 100% all natural handmade products using sustainably sourced ingredients. www.bare-soaps.com
The delightful Kindness Box of soaps
Essential Duo – two soaps
Pick four bath bombs
Bloom & Give
Bloom & Give sells beautifully handcrafted scarves and bags made in India using techniques passed on from generation to generation. Each product is designed in the US by one of Bloom & Give’s designers, and made in India with love. Bloom & Give donates 50% of their profits to support girls education programs in India through their partner Educate Girls to improve the lives of girls in Rajasthan. www.bloomandgive.com.
A Special Discount of 20% has been offered to my readers. Please use the code: THIRDEYEMOM at checkout.
Bella Woolen Scarf – hand-loomed with fine marina and silk
Nola Woolen Scarf in Crimson – hand-loomed with fine marina and silk
Cloud Woolen Throw – Wine: Made of super light felted merino wool with a vibrant ombre dip. It can be used as a bed blanket, a throw, or a picnic blanket.
Indigo Pillows – Made with “Khadi” – a form of heirloom cotton that is hand-spun on a traditional spinning wheel, and then hand-woven in a loom, producing rich texture and a breathable fabric with a near-zero ecological footprint.
Boutique Mexico
Boutique Mexico is on a mission to give back to the community by partnering with native artisans in Guerrero, Hidalgo, Puebla, Chiapas, and Oaxaca to help them earn a living and preserve the ancient crafts of weaving and embroidery that have been the creative expression of their communities for generations. Boutique Mexico takes pride in providing one-of-a-kind pieces designed by talented Mexican artisans. Each piece is a modern twist on an ancient crafting technique to create eye-catching, colorful bags that complement any outfit. www.boutiquemexico.com
Conscious Step
Conscious Step is working to end poverty, one step at a time. Each pair of socks is matched with a leading non-profit and provides quantifiable impact through one of their ten partners. For example, in partnership with Matt Damon’s Water.org, each pair of Water Socks provides 18 months of safe drinking water for someone in need. Conscious Step socks are non-toxic, made with organic cotton and are vegan and Fairtrade certified, so they’re as soft on your skin as they are on the environment. www.consciousstep.com
Global Wonders
Global Wonders is a part of SA Foundation (SAF) Canada, whose goal is to stop the sexual exploitation & trafficking of young women through implementing their unique recovery model. All Global Wonders Products are handmade in Nepal by women who’ve been rescued from Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation. Each purchase helps to support another woman’s journey to freedom from a life of slavery. Ships products worldwide. www.beaglobalwonder.com.
Global Wonders scarf
Global Wonders Women’s lounge pants
Global Wonders tote bag
Haiti Projects
Beautiful products hand-made by a cooperative of women in a rural village, this brand provides access to jobs at fair trade wages, education, health care, and avenues for building sustainable community. The second largest employer in a region of Haiti where over 100,000 people live with no electricity or public Haiti Projects makes a tangible impact on raising the quality of life for those who need it most. www.haitiproducts.org
Lavender Sachets
Embroidered Nightgowns: Whether you want a Garland, Tulip, or Butterfly stitch, each beautiful nightgown is designed for comfort with ample arm opening and a generous skirt falling to the knee. It washes, wears beautifully.
Embroidering the nightgowns
Her Future Coalition (formerly MadeBySurvivors)
Her Future Coalition (formerly MadeBySurvivors) is an international nonprofit organization which employs and educates survivors of slavery and other human rights abuses, including many women and children living in extreme poverty. Products include jewelry, bags, gifts and cards and prices range. 100% of profits go back to the survivors who made them. www.herfuturecoalition.org
Liquid Gold Earrings
Invisible World Ring
Coral Reef Earrings
Humanity Unified
Humanity Unified International is a nonprofit organization that empowers communities to rise above poverty through education, economic opportunities and food security programs. They start by investing in women.
The Humanity Unified Mala Collection is made by women in India who have no other employable skills. Your purchase provides them with a fair paying job. 100% of profits supports an educational entrepreneurship program to empower vulnerable women in Rwanda with the skills necessary to launch small businesses. Each mala represents a prayer for women in Rwanda and for anyone who seeks the power to love, heal, manifest their dreams and to live in serenity, unity and compassion. View the collection: https://humanityunified.org/collections/jewelry
IZZAROO
IZZAROO encourages and inspires families to play, create and explore more together. They offer a collection of handmade t-shirts for kids and adults. Founded on the mission to “Be The Good”, they donate 10% to organizations that help underprivileged youth do the same – play, create and explore. These organizations build playgrounds in areas of poverty, provide art education and outdoor experiences to inner city youth. www.izzaroo.com
Mens t-shirt
Boys t-shirt
Girls t-shirt
Kahiniwalla
Kahiniwalla means the teller of stories in Bangla, the national language of Bangladesh, where these beautiful handmade toys, clothing and rattlesare lovingly crafted. Each special piece makes a thoughtful, heartfelt gift for the children and grandchildren in your life. But perhaps one of the most powerful stories Kahiniwalla products tell is of one of hope. Every purchase helps women in rural Bangladesh provide better lives for their own children by earning a fair wage. www.kahiniwalla.com
Kahiniwalla hat
Kahiniwalla Christmas Ornament
Kahiniwalla toy
Kurandza
Kurandza is a social enterprise non-profit that uses entrepreneurship and education to empower women and girls in Mozambique. One of Kurandza’s projects is a sewing cooperative that helps women, the majority of whom are HIV positive, to create and sell handcrafted jewelry, bags, and cards using traditional African textiles. The women receive fair wages for their work, and profits go back to the community fo fund social programs. The name “Kurandza” is the word “to love” in Changana, the local language of the women Kurandza’s works with in Mozambique. www.kurandza.org
National Geographic
National Geographic has a wonderful collection of gifts for curious kids, trips around the world for ambitious travelers, gear and inspirational gifts for budding photographers, and even personalized gifts.
Each gift aligns with National Geographic’s mission to further our knowledge and understanding of our world and helps support the non-profit National Geographic Society to fund future science and exploration. 27 percent of all proceeds from our store go back to the non-profit National Geographic Society, which funds scientific grants, research and exploration. To view the entire collection of holiday gifts offered, click here.
National Geographic Africa Midi Satchel
Everything Rocks and Minerals
National Geographic 8 x 21 Mini-binoculars
Obakki
The Obakki Foundation isa small Vancouver-based foundation, created and run by local fashion designer (Obakki), mother and wife, Treana Peake. Obakki contributes 100 per cent of all public donations to their humanitarian projects. The foundation has drilled or rehabilitated more than 850 wells in the war-torn country of South Sudan, bringing clean water to an estimated more than one million people. And they have just promised six remote villages in the country that the foundation will help them to build a better future by providing each village with a much-needed fresh water well. All that Obakki Foundation needs to do this is to sell 500 of each of the new, stylish colours of scarves – as a part of their Scarves for Water program. www.obakki.com
Obakki Foundation Essentials Collection: 100% of the proceeds will go toward providing the essentials of life to people in South Sudan, Uganda and Cameroon.
Obakki Foundation Bidi Bidi Scarves: 100% of net proceeds from this scarf, where the print was created at the world’s largest refugee camp Bidi Bidi, goes towards helping women in Uganda rebuild their lives through the funding of their own business initiatives, whether it be textiles, agriculture, or trade.
Preemptive Love Coalition
Preemptive Love Coalition brings emergency relief and medical care to families on the front lines of the world’s most polarizing conflicts—in places like Syria and Iraq. But Preemptive Love doesn’t leave once the fighting is done. Instead they stay and empower refugees to reclaim their future from the ashes of war. The wash cloths are handmade by Syrian refugee and the candles are made by women impacted by the war in Iraq. The Soap set is made by different refugee groups. www.preemptivelove.org
Sisterhood Garden Candle Set
Sisterhood Soap Fig and Date Gift Set
Sisterhood Wash cloth Set
PURPOSE Jewelry
PURPOSE provides freedom from slavery for young women around the world. Each piece of jewelry is handcrafted by artisans escaping human trafficking. Every purchase changes a life! PURPOSE is the brand under International Sanctuary, which is a nonprofit whose mission is to empower people escaping trafficking to embrace their true identity and worth.
PURPOSE Jewelry has worked with hundreds of young women around the world for the past 10 years. The art of jewelry making paired with holistic care ensures every artisan receives freedom and hope for the future. Holistic care is provided through our non-profit, International Sanctuary, and includes education, health care, and counseling. Their program provides every artisan with the life skills and opportunities to succeed. www.purposejewelry.org
Revel earrings (silver)
Chevron necklace (brass)
Geo Studs (rhodium)
SOS Children’s Villages
SOS Children’s Villages (www.sos-usa.org) is an international organization that builds loving, stable families for orphaned, abandoned and other vulnerable children across 135 countries, including the US. Through their family support and care programs, medical centers, schools and emergency relief efforts, they impact the lives of millions of children and families worldwide making sure that every child has the support and care he or she needs to grow, thrive, and lead a fulfilling life. SOS Children’s Villages is proud to partner with ALEX AND ANI. The specially designed “Imagine” Sandcastle Charm Bangle represents the strength and love that helps us build strong families for vulnerable children. From May 2017 to December 2017, SOS Children’s Villages will receive a 20% donation of the purchase price to support its mission in building families for children in need in 134 countries, including Syria, Ethiopia and South Sudan. The bangle can be purchased at ALEX AND ANI retail locations, online, and through authorized retailers.
Sudara
Sudara is a benefit corporation that exists to advocate on behalf of and empower women who have escaped from, or at the highest risk of, human trafficking by providing dignified employment opportunities to women in India. Sudara is a mission-driven lifestyle brand whose success is not just measured or defined in sales and revenue, but in our positive social impact and creating long-term, sustainable change. Check out their beautiful pajamas handmade by the women survivors of sex trafficking. www.sudara.org
For the holidays, Sudara is offering discounted robe and short sets and holiday pajama sets with an average of 20% savings on original pricing as well as limited edition holiday colors.
Sunshine Nut Co.
Sunshine Nut Co. is a cashew company harnessing the food industry to create lasting economic transformation in Mozambique. We grow, roast and package cashews in-country, where we are able to go from tree to package in just three weeks. We directly employ over 30 people at our factory, and then we take 90% of our profits and reinvest them into philanthropic efforts: 30% to orphan care, 30% to farming communities, and 30% to replicate the business model elsewhere. Now in over 2,000 stores across the US, we hope that when you purchase our cashews, you taste the difference in the freshness and quality, and find hope in knowing that you are making a difference in the lives of the poor and orphaned in Mozambique. www.sunshinenuts.com
Thistle Farms
Thistle Farms is a social enterprise of women survivors of prostitution and drug addiction that would provide an opportunity for a sustainable income and life for the women. Based in Tennessee, Thistle Farms houses a natural bath and body care company, Thistle Stop Café, a paper and seeing studio and a global marketplace called Shared Trade. Today, Thistle Farms employees more than 50 survivors and benefits over 700 women a year. Proceeds support Thistle Farms and the residential program, Magdalene. The community provides housing, food, healthcare, therapy and education for two years, without charging residents or receiving taxpayer money. www.thistlefarms.org
Threads of Opportunity
Threads of Opportunity is a social enterprise partnering with refugee tailors who have fled their homes all over East Africa: South Sudan, Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, and Uganda, to expand their product market. While these tailors provide local services, most of their clients are other refugees, most of whom are entirely dependent on UN and NGO handouts. Contrary to this traditional humanitarian model, at Threads of Opportunity, we believe that all people should have agency, the ability to control and make decisions in their own lives. We also believe in altruism, that people want to make a difference in the lives of others, but often-times just don’t know how. Our mission is to connect refugee tailors with markets in the developed world, to expand the opportunities for refugees to support their families by earning their own income and to provide a meaningful way for individuals to make a difference. www.threadsofopportunity.com
Too Young to Wed
Too Young to Wed, a non-profit organization, that employs visual media, photography exhibits and campaigns to educate and engage the global community to demand an end to the practice of child marriage, has launched a print sale of beautiful, hand-printed 8.5×11 archival pigment prints by Kenyan child marriage survivors and Too Young to Wed Founder, acclaimed photographer Stephanie Sinclair.
Prints are $100 each – with 100% of proceeds going directly to support Too Young to Wed’s important work in communities affected by child marriage. Visit WWW.TOOYOUNGTOWED.ORG/PRINTSALE to take home a photograph and help put a stop to early, child and forced marriage around the world.
Anita, 15, as photographed by Monica, 12. Both girls were rescued by the Samburu Girls Foundations, supported by Too Young to Wed.
Sisters Yagana, 21, Yakaka 19 and Falimata, 14, were all abducted and held captive by Boko Haram until they escaped. The militant Islamist group, began itís insurgency against the Nigerian government in 2009. The terrorist group drew global outrage after abducting more than 270 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok. Many of the girls were forced into marriage and motherhood.
Anita, 15, enjoys the breeze at the Rift Valley viewpoint at Malasso, Kenya. Photo by Jane, 15.Named after an eight-year-old child bride in Yemen, Too Young to Wed’s Tehani Photo Workshop brought together 18 brave girls — including 6 student instructors from the previous year’s workshop — who escaped their marriages and were given the opportunity to pursue their education through the support of the Samburu Girls Foundation.
To the Market
TO THE MARKET | Survivor-made Goods (TTM) combines the powers of commerce and storytelling to empower the world’s most courageous survivor populations, in the belief that resilience is more powerful than suffering. TTM showcases handmade goods made exclusively by proud and passionate artisans who have overcome the perils of abuse, conflict, and disease. By assisting local partners around the world in bringing these goods “to the market,” we take an active role in equipping the survivor’s they employ with economic independence, while raising awareness of the challenges that they face. www.tothemarket.com
Three Drop Oval Horn Earrings – Light
Ethical Midi Crossbody Bag
SAMSUNG CSC
Vibes Hi-Fidelity Earplugs
A pair of Vibes Hi-Fidelity Earplugs
Vibes Hi-Fidelity Earplugs are reusable earplugs designed for live music. Unlike traditional foam earplugs that block and muffle sounds, Vibes lower the volume of your environment to a safer and more comfortable while still allowing you to hear everything around you clearly.
Vibes is partnered with Hear the World Foundation which provides hearing healthcare and hearing aids to children in need around the world, and 10% of our profits is donated to the Foundation to fund hearing health projects. www.discovervibes.com
Other notable gifts that give back:
These two coffee table books, Chicago UnleashedandChicago Monumental by Larry Broutman. Chicago Unleashed and Chicago Monumentalnot only make a unique gift for book lovers, photography lovers, and travelers, but purchasing these books supports a worthy cause as all author proceeds from both books go to the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind and Access Living Chicago. Chicago Monumental is an elegant, full-color, hardcover book of photography with images and information on over 250 public memorials, statues, and fountains located in the Windy City’s parks, streets, storefronts, bridges, and cemeteries. Chicago Monumental has recently picked up two book awards: a Midwest Book Award for best interior design and an IPPY (Independent Publisher) Award in the Great Lakes Nonfiction category. Both can be ordered at Amazon.com.
Chicago Monumental Book Cover
Chicago Unleashed Cover
Chicago Unleashed Swans near Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo
1000 Shillings
1000 Shillings an international development organization that provides microgrants to impoverished women enabling them to start their own businesses and provide for their families. 1000 Shillings gives each woman a microgrant in exchange for a product they make that is sold on our website. Each woman then takes that grant and starts their own business that is sustainable in their home country (becoming a seamstress, selling casava root, etc) with the help of dedicated business mentors. The goal of 1000 Shillings is to give these ambitious women the opportunity they need to become self-sufficient and independent and support themselves and their families. www.10000shillings.com
1000 Shillings Scarf
1000 Shillings Apron
1000 Shillings earrings
Looking for more ideas? Please feel free to check out my permanent page of Gifts that Give Back here for even more amazing products. Also, if you like this gift guide please share via social media. Think of the collective difference we can all make!
Exciting news! I’ve teamed up with Lokal Travel to share their Ultimate Sustainable Travel Sale. For the next month Lokal is offering discounted gift cards and deals on unique bucketlist adventures, so you can give (or receive) the gift of meaningful travel. From expeditions in the Amazon with indigenous guides to stays in family-run guesthouses in the Himalayas, Lokal makes it easy to book hundreds of incredible trips that support local communities, protect nature and preserve cultural traditions. Through Third Eye Mom you’re getting early access and month long deals to Lokal’s launch specials. Deals include:
$100 Gift Card for $50
$1,000 Gift Card and custom trip plan for $750
Over 30% off a Costa Rica Jungle and Community Adventure (which I did this past January and it was amazing!).
Lots more!
Lokal Travel, a platform that allows intrepid travelers to book immersive local experiences and adventures around the world has launched an incredible Indiegogo campaign. From November 12-December 12, 2017, the campaign is offering extraordinary travel adventures that will help Lokal launch in ten new countries and support 1,000 inspiring local business. It is a brilliant concept and as a traveler who has experienced one of Lokal’s life-changing trips this past January to the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica, I am getting itchy feet just sitting here reading about the amazing deals!
From expeditions in the Amazon with indigenous guides to stays in family-run guesthouses in the Himalayas, Lokal makes it easy to book hundreds of incredible trips that support local livelihoods, protect nature and preserve cultural traditions. Better yet, at Lokal over 80% of every dollar you spend goes directly to independent, locally-run and vetted travel businesses who are creating amazing experiences and real benefits for communities. Pretty fantastic!
Here is more information on this exciting sale and a few of my photos from my past trip to get you wanting to click on over now and book your next adventure.
Canoeing down a private lagoon was one of the many highlights I had during my week in the Osa.
“All Good Things are Wild and Free”. – Henry David Thoreau
There are some things in life that are truly miraculous. Before going to the Outer Banks, a 130-mile strip of barrier islands running off the coast of North Carolina, I had no idea that a herd of Wild Spanish Colonial Mustangs called the northernmost part of Currituck Outer Banks their home. The story of how they came to this unique part of the country and their survival for over 500 years is nothing short of a miracle. However, as I would soon learn the future survival of these amazing creatures is in peril.
We left our rented vacation home in Duck for the short drive north on Highway 12 to the neighboring town of Corolla where we would begin our tour with Wild Horse Adventure Tours. After signing in at the friendly front desk we met our guide, Tom Baker, a Virginia Beach native who has lived in the area for decades and goes by the suitable nickname “The Outlaw”. We boarded the open air, custom-designed 13-passenger Hummer H1 and followed Highway 12 to where the pavement ends at North Beach. The remainder of the drive would be on the beach.
I sat upfront next to “The Outlaw”, taking notes and asking him tons of questions about the history of the Corolla Wild Horses. Tom, a man in his sixties by my estimation, had grown up in Virginia Beach and spent his teenage years driving down the vast open, uninhabited stretches of shoreline to go surfing with his friends. He recalled with sadness the immense isolation and remoteness of what was once a landscape filled with sand dunes, trees and thousands of wild horses roaming free. However, over time as more and more people discovered the beauty and miles of endless beaches of the Outer Banks, the surge in commercial and residential development caused the decline of the wild horse population which was once estimated at over 7,000 back in the 1930s.
The most significant change happened in 1985. Before then, the 17-mile stretch of road between Duck and Corolla was unpaved, untouched and infrequently travelled. This allowed the area to be the perfect sanctuary for the wild horses as it was one of the most remote, isolated and undeveloped areas in the country. Once this road was paved everything changed. The area became open to mass development and tourism and the wild horses were in constant danger, being struck and killed by cars and roaming around strip mall parking lots. Something had to be done or else all the wild horses would disappear.
Thankfully, It was decided that the wild horses would be relocated further north where they would be safe. They were rounded up by cowboys and moved to the North Beach area where Highway 12 ends and only a 4 x 4 “road” runs along the beach. With the help of The Corolla Wild Horse Fund, a South to Sea fence and sanctuary were established which includes roughly 7,544 acres of land heading 12 miles north to the Virginia border. The land is unique as it is one-third public and two-thirds private land, meaning the wild horses live alongside people. There is no other place where wild horses live in such close contact with humans but it is better than nothing. Tom said that this has helped the wild horses yet there are still many challenges ahead.
When we finally reached the end of Highway 12 and pulled into the entrance at North Beach, Tom beamed and said “Welcome to the door to my office“. I had never seen a highway on the beach before. It was quite bizarre. The speed limit is 15 mph and it is patrolled by a Sheriff who is ready to ticket any offenders. Tom said that there is one tow truck driver named Larry who has the rights to working the beach. At $200 a pop to tow out all the cars that get stuck in the ruts along the beach, he is apparently always in a good mood. I finally understood why we needed a hummer for the tour. We were going to be doing some serious off-roading and climbing sand dunes.
Driving on the "highway" on the beach was pretty unusual.
Car passing
The 'road" was rough given we were driving on the beach. This is the only way for the people who live in the two communities to reach their homes.
Nothing but sand
I was relieved to see the company offsets its emissions since we were using a hummer for the tour.
The Outer Banks, a 130 mile stretch of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina is perhaps best known for its endless beaches and luxurious vacation homes for rent for those craving a beach vacation in the heat of the summer. However, there are many other amazing things to do in the Outer Banks when you visit off peak and best of all, the hordes of crowds have long gone home.
My husband and I took our two children to the Outer Banks in the middle of October and it was a magical time to visit. First of all, I hate crowds so having stretches of beach all to ourselves was delightful. Second, I am not a person who likes to lay in the sun. If I’m on a beach, I need to be doing something active and it is just too darn hot in the summer to be very active. If we had visited in the high season of summer, we would have had an entirely different experience and perspective of the Outer Banks. October in the Outer Banks was magnificent!
We stayed in the quaint, less developed seaside town of Duck. After much research, we found a wonderful home to rent that was less than a five-minute walk to both the beach for sunrise and the Sound for sunset. Duck is more upscale than the other popular hyper-developed towns of Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills which were developed long before Duck. Those towns felt like row after row of enormous vacation rental beach homes looking out at ugly strip malls and lacking character and charm. The only advantages I saw in staying there is you have close access to the beach and also many of the restaurants in Duck shut down for the season in October. We found ourselves doing at least a thirty minute drive to dinner each night but staying in Duck was worth it given its unique charm and character.
Where else would you find an oversized red Adirondack Chair with a beautiful sunset like this all to yourself? Duck, Outer Banks
If you go off-season, here are some of the highlights of wonderful activities you can do.
We arrived at our arranged meeting point promptly before 3 at the Walgreens parking lot in Kill Devil Hills, a sprawling seaside town in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. A tall young man, barefoot and dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, greeted us with a smile and introduced himself as Brett, our tour guide from Coastal Kayak Tours.
Brett would be taking our family of four to kayak in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, an area of over 152,000 acres of protected and preserved wetland habitat that is home to black bears, red wolves, snakes, birds, and American alligators. He advised our group to use the facilities and buy any water at Walgreens before we headed out in the 12-passenger van to the refuge. It would be around a 35 minute drive over two bridges and an island, to reach the refuge and once there we would only have access to a Porta Potty.
Grinning ear to ear as he told us to climb inside the van, I could tell that Brett was going to be an excellent guide. Originally from Ohio, this was Brett’s first summer spent working as an adventure tour guide in the Outer Banks with Coastal Kayak Tours. The Alligator River Tour was one of his favorites and the weather was perfect for a late fall day. Bright blue sky, no wind and temperatures in the 80s. We couldn’t have asked for a more picture perfect day.
As we headed east towards Roanoke Island, Brett told us a bit about the history of the area as well as the wildlife refuge. Unbeknownst to me, the first group of English settlers arrived on Roanoke Island in 1587, three decades before the Pilgrims arrived in Jamestown, VA and Plymouth, MA. The mysterious, unexplained disappearance of these settlers gave the name “The Lost Colony” to this area which later became called Manteo. I was amazed to have never known this important historical fact.
As we continued east along Highway 64 past Manteo and onto the mainland, the windows were rolled down and the music on. I watched the beautiful landscape out the passenger seat of the van, the place I always prefer to sit so I can get the scoop on my surroundings from the driver.
The Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge is located on the eastern shore of North Carolina. It is bordered on the west by the Alligator River and the Intracoastal Waterway, which is crossed by the 2.8 mile Lindsay C. Warren bridge; on the north by Albemarle Sound; on the east by Croatan and Pamlico Sounds; and on the south by Long Shoal River and corporate farmland. Map used with permission from VisitOB.com.
Nestled by the Alligator River in the west and the Intracoastal Waterway in east of North Carolina, lies the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge was established in 1984 to protect the unique wetland habitat that runs roughly 28 miles from north-south and 15 miles from east-west along North Carolina’s Coastal Plain. There are many diverse types of habitats in the refuge however the most dominant habitat is known as “pocosin”, a name given by the Algonquin Indians meaning “swamp on a hill”.
In addition to pocosin habitats, there are also pine and cypress-gum forests, fresh and brackish water marches, swamps, bogs, rivers and lakes as well as farmland. The refuge is home to the densest population of black bears in the eastern United States and also has the world’s only population of red wolves. If we were lucky, perhaps we would see some wildlife.
We arrived at a long gravel road that brought us to the entrance of the refuge. A few bumpy minutes later, we pulled alongside one of the many creeks in the refuge and unloaded the kayaks. We had both single and double kayaks, and all in all our group of nine were on six. I had my son with me and my husband brought my daughter. I figured I’d sit up front so I could take lots of pictures and let my son do the arm work when I needed a break (silly me, I forgot he is only 12 yet he already towers over me in height).
Slowly, we drifted into the dark murky waters of the creek and paddled out to a larger, open waters of Mill Tail Creek which feeds into the Alligator River. All I could hear was the splashing as our paddles hit the water and the cry of the birds.
“The Outer Banks National Scenic Byway traverses one of the nation’s great wild and scenic coastal landscapes encompassing the unique maritime culture of 21 coastal villages”. – The Outer Banks Travel Guide
On our first morning in the sleepy beach town of Duck in the Outer Banks off the coast of North Carolina my alarm went off at 6 am. The entire beach house we rented was fast asleep yet I was wide awake with jittery anticipation. I had planned to wake up and walk to the ocean to watch the sunrise.
The sky was still inky black except for the glow of light from the moon and the brilliance of the stars shining high above. It was too early to go so I laid there in bed, staring out the bedroom window waiting for a tiny sliver of light and a sign that it was time to get dressed and head out. I tossed and turned but couldn’t fall back asleep. Thankfully by 6:30, I saw the first streak of light off in the horizon and knew it wouldn’t be too much longer until the sun began to rise and paint the sky.
I quietly got dressed, grabbed my camera, hat and house key and was out the door descending into the darkness. The humid ocean air gently blanketed my face and the smell of salt and sand awakened me. The sound of birds, wind and waves reminded me of where I was. On a thin sandy stretch of land that would give me sunrise and sunset all within a five-minute walk.
To the west laid the shoreline of the Currituck Sound, an impressive habitat for waterfowl who migrate here every winter and return north in the spring. To the east awaited the sandy shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean with its powerful waves evolving and changing the landscape of the Outer Banks every single day. All in all, the 130 miles of barrier islands that form the Outer Banks is covered in endless sand, water and beach as far as the eye can see. It is quite a unique place.
I walked the short distance to the beach under the moonlight sky. When I looked up, I could see thousands of stars sparkling making me smile. My heart fluttered with excitement and anticipation. I was finally going to watch the sunrise! Unfortunately it is not very often I wake up to see the sunrise and it is even less often that I see it over the ocean. The memory of the last sunrise I saw months ago at the top of a mountain in the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica brings me joy and gratitude. I knew that I was in for a special gift.
When I reached the steep sandy incline to the beach, I could hear the thunder of waves crashing against the shore and the cry of the sea gulls. I climbed up the slippery slope of sand and arrived on top with an extraordinary view of the shore. The beach was endless and I could see for miles upon miles. There was not a soul on it except for me.
The magical glow of autumn colors in Northern Minnesota is one of the most beautiful displays of color I have ever seen. Given the fact that we have over 12,000 lakes to choose from in the state, there are plenty of beautiful places to see Minnesota’s fall colors. One of my favorite places to go is about a five-hour drive north of Minneapolis to Ely, one of the launching off points to the Boundary Waters Wilderness and Canoe Area (BWWCA) that borders Canada.
The BWWCA is one of the largest federally protected wilderness areas in the United States with an area of 1.1 million acres of untouched lakes, streams and forests, and is also one of the most pristine wilderness areas I have ever visited. If you are lucky, you may see a bear, wolf or even a moose in the wild and you will always hear the melodic song of the loon, Minnesota’s state bird.
Fall is one of the best times to visit Ely as the light graces the changing colors of the leaves and the deep blue sky is vibrant and pure. The fresh scent of the air or even the smoke of a campfire fills me with warmth and happiness. There is no place I’d rather be than outside hiking in the wilderness taking in the beauty of the changing leaves.
Unfortunately this fall we did not make it up north and instead opted for a visit out east to North Carolina and Virginia. Although we had a fantastic trip with gorgeous weather, we missed the peak colors this year (the leaves peaked about two weeks later than normal given our warm September). It is still beautiful here in Minneapolis yet I am sad to have missed our annual trip up north this fall. To ensure we make it back next fall, we have already reserved our accommodations. In the meantime, I will settle with remembering these lovely photos from our trip last October to Ely.
“I stuck my head out the window this morning and spring kissed me bang in the face.” – Langston Hughes
“Pura Vida“, she smiled as she handed me a cup of savory rich Costa Rican coffee. “Gracias” I replied playfully, letting my rusty Spanish bounce off of my tongue. We had just arrived at our hotel in Manuel Antonio, and would be spending an entire week in Costa Rica for our family Spring vacation. When the waitress left, my twelve-year-old son who had just started learning Spanish at school asked me what “pura vida” meant. I told him that it was not exactly easy to translate. Instead, it was something that would have to be experienced in order to fully comprehend its meaning. He shrugged his shoulders at my response, looking a little bit miffed. Over the course of the next nine days he would certainly learn, I assured him. He would just have to be patient.
We would see nature like never before – such as sloths, monkeys, rainbow-colored grasshoppers, venomous snakes, and lots of beautiful birds. We would play in the waves of the ocean at sunset, walk high above the jungle on suspension bridges, zip-line above the trees, canyon down waterfalls, ride inner tubes down the rapids of a river, and horseback ride below a volcano. We would stay way up at the top of a mountain at a typical Costa Rican farm where we would be served hot rice and beans with friend plantains. We would constantly have to pinch ourselves that we were in a place so utterly beautiful and serene. Yes, we would experience Costa Rica’s pura vida in a little over a week.
Heading up the gravel road to the farm
Lake Arenal beckons
If there are two words that sum up Costa Rica, it is “Pura Vida”. Literally translated as “Pure Life”, Pura Vida means much more than its basic definition. The saying can be used as simply as “you’re welcome” or “hello”. Or even as a statement or a response to “how are you”. Yet in my opinion, Pura Vida symbolizes an entire way of life that Ticos (the nickname for Costa Ricans) enjoy. A life filled with appreciation, love and gratitude for the beauty of their amazing surroundings and nature. An energy and joy of simply being alive.
Gifted with some of the greatest biodiversity of flora and fauna on earth, there is no better place to experience pura vida than in Costa Rica. In her canopies of rainforest filled with life and her mystical volcanoes peeking out of the clouds. In her majestic sunrises and sunsets painting the sky in hues of pink, purple, orange and red. In her endless species of flowers delighting the eyes, the roar of the howler monkeys at the first sign of dawn or a pair of scarlet macaws flying directly overhead. There is no place on earth where one feels more of the pure beauty of life than in Costa Rica.
“A true community is not just about being geographically close to someone or part of the same social web network. It’s about feeling connected and responsible for what happens. Humanity is our ultimate community, and everyone plays a crucial role”. – Yehuda Berg
I got off at 110th and Amsterdam to the of sea of humanity and life that defines New York. As I walked down Amsterdam through the neighborhood of Morningside Heights in the Upper West Side, I was flooded with curiosity at what I’d find. It only took a few blocks for a potpourri of senses to settle in. Flower stalls, coffee shops, a Hungarian bakery, and any ethnic eatery under the sun caught my attention. The smell of greasy hotdogs, freshly baked bread and chicken curry infiltrated my nose while the sound of car horns, trucks braking and the distant hum of Mexican music rang in my ears. And I had only walked a block.
At 111th, I see a homeless couple sleeping on a plastic mattress on the dirty sidewalk, he shirtless with his arm stretching across his bare chest and resting upon her smooth sweaty shoulder. Shoes off, dirty sheets, and all their life’s possessions in a couple of see-through plastic bags. A few blocks later comes the grand entrance to the elite grounds of Columbia University where students of every color are abound, wearing ear buds, texting on cellphones and toting backpacks in route to class. Millennials eating lunch inside the fenced off green grass at the university or atop the grand stone stairway to their future success. Meanwhile a bum wearing rags and pushing a shopping cart collects trash from a full garbage can about a block away.
As I continue on, I hear a melodic harmony of sounds floating out an open window of a piano hall. I stop for a moment and close my eyes to listen but am interrupted by the piercing sirens screaming towards the Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Hospital up at 113th. I then realize that within these four short blocks is a slice of New York and I am dumbstruck of how every spectrum of humanity seems to live within this small radius of space.
Today I am in New York City attending the prestigious Travel Blogger Summit on Study Abroad and Global Citizenship — a sequel to the acclaimed White House event held in 2014. Co-hosted by Hostelling International USA (HI USA) and Partners of the Americas, this event touches on my personal passion for the transformative power of travel, and the belief that travel is and should be for everyone. The goal the conference is to inspire a new generation to study abroad and experience the transformational power of travel. I have been asked to share my own personal story and here it is. Feel free to follow the summit online and read other stories using the hashtag #studyabroadbecause.
“We travel, some of us forever, to seek other places, other lives, other souls.” – Anais Nin
The first time I ever left the country was at the tender age of six. I was tiny, timid and loved playing with my dolls. My family rented a station wagon and we drove south of the border of Texas, along the coast and then west into the mountainous, tropical mystery of Cuidad Valles, Mexico. On the drive, we passed people living in deplorable conditions; in homes of hand-made shacks and tarps alongside the road. I stared out the window at this strange landscape, wide-eyed with wonder.
When we arrived at our hotel, we were surrounded by the local children who came to meet the new guests. There I stood, painfully shy and in pig-tails while the children danced around me shouting, “Niña rubia, niña rubia… Quiero tocar tu cabello” (Blond girl, blond girl, I want to touch your hair). They were fascinated by my shiny white blond hair, blue eyes and nordic pale skin. They had never seen it before. This was the mid-70s a time when not many foreigners came to visit a small town in the middle of Mexico. I was equally spellbound by them. Their dark black hair, sparkling brown eyes and skin. The playful rapid-fire Spanish coming out of their mouths. It was a moment in time I will never forget, and began my life long love of travel and culture.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain
The first time I went overseas, I was 13 years old. Young, awkward, impressionable and ready to find my place in the world. I had the experience of years of family travel back home under my belt. Yet going to Europe for the first time was a new kind of adventure. It was 1984 and none of my friends had ever been to Europe. It felt exotic. I was filled with a rush of anticipation of what I would discover.
The moment I road up the escalator from the Paris metro and stepped out onto the streets to see the awe and wonder of Paris for the very first time, I was mesmerized. Paris blew me away. I made my decision right then and there, looking down the magnificent Champs-Élysées, that I would someday live in Paris and spend a semester studying abroad there. I returned home, enrolled in my first french class and continued to study french in college to prepare me for the day I’d live in France. My junior year of college, I applied to a study abroad program in Paris at the Sorbonne and was accepted. My dream had come true.
Me standing at the Cite Universitaire in Paris circa 1993
“I’ve always believed that when you educate a girl, you empower a nation.” Queen Rania of Jordan
Kurandza (which means “to love” in Changana, the local language ) is a non-profit social enterprise that invests in the future of women in Mozambique. Founded by Elisabetta Colabianchi in 2014, Kurandza works to empower women and their community through education, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development programs in Guijá, Mozambique.
Elisabetta was first introduced to Guijá, a small village in southern Mozambique, when she lived and worked there as a Peace Corps volunteer at a local hospital. Her main role was to counsel HIV-positive women on the prevention of HIV transmission to their children. During her work she realized that many patients would abandon treatment because they could not pay for transportation to the hospital to pick-up their medicine each month. Elisabetta and her good friend, Percina Mocha who lived in the community, started an income generation project for the HIV-positive women, with the goal of teaching them a skill that would earn enough income to pay for the monthly transportation costs to the hospital. The impact was enormous and sparked the impetus for Elisabetta to do more.
In the Fall of 2014 after returning to the US, Elisabetta founded Kurandza to continue supporting the community through a variety of educational, business and sustainable development programs. Her good friend Percina works as the Country Director of Kurandza in Mozambique and is responsible for managing all of the programs on the ground.
This month, Kurandza has launched the #IStandForGirls campaign with the goal of sending 100 girls to school in Mozambique.
What is the campaign?
In the month of September the goal is to bring-on 100 purpose-driven individuals who support girls education, empowerment and gender equality to become monthly donors and will afford an education to girls in Mozambique.
For $20 per month (or $240 a year), someone can join the movement and give a future to a girl in Mozambique. The $20 pays for school fees, uniform, backpack, school supplies, school books, photocopies for exams, and transportation to get to school.
I have just signed on to support a girl’s education. It is something I have always wanted to do especially as a mother of a ten-year old girl who has all the opportunity imaginable simply based on where she was born.
Why girls education?
I had the opportunity to interview both Elisabetta and Percina (who was the first girl to graduate from high school in her community) to learn more about the campaign and the impact an education makes on a girl. Here is what they had to say.
