new Whiparound!

[Aaron Burgess]

As you know, I am currently on my way to Russia, and then on to Israel for the Presidential Conference. (See you soon Jane!) I am a big traveler, and I love hearing travel stories, as sometimes these are the most interesting. On the travel theme I have a few whiparound options for you below! I'm looking forward to hearing your responses. Since my flight is about to board and I need some food before sitting down for 10 hours I will add teasers to my answers to the questions below, and add more later!

1. A crazy (scary, funny, random) travel story of yours

- Spreading counterfeit money in China is a good story

- Near death attack (and escape!) in India

2. What places are on your travel list and why?

-thailand/burma

3. How would you describe yourself as a traveler? What things do you look for, what do you like to do, to see?

-I start by finding a tall building and going to the top and looking around to get my bearings 

Aaron

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Aaron Taylor Burgess
University of California - Berkeley
Master of Public Policy

(720) 273-9993

[Marker, Jessica]

Love these questions Aaron- so fun! Particularly as we think about all of your travel ahead!

 

I think one of my favorite travel stories was when Jon and I did “Europe by a shoestring” right after I finished college.  We hit up 8 countries in 2 weeks by way of big hostels and lots of trains. 

 

On our last stop on the trip, Amsterdam, we literally ran out of money (ie both bank accounts were bare) and had to be wired money by his parents L (total “we are grown ups now” loss.)  The story is much longer in all of its glory, and may involve us sleeping in a GIANT jean pants pocket in a trailer in the middle of Holland (not joking), but that story is much better told in person – so remind me in July ;o)

 

Much love!
Jess

 

Jessica Marker
Group Learning Leader
Teacher Support & Development, Execution
Cell: 415-377-5135
jessica...@teachforamerica.org
 

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[Amy Berkhoudt]

Nice Whiparound!

1. I was on my last leg of an 8 month trip in Australia. I was 18 with a surfboard, a guitar, and a bag of clothes. Someone stole my purse while I wasn't looking and I still needed to get from Byron Bay to Sydney (comparable to Portland to Los Angles) to catch an international flight in 3 days. I didn't even have some spare change to call my mom. I decided to busk for 8 hours straight with my open guitar case in front of me and my best clothes laid out with price tags made of scrap pieces of journal entry paper. I made about $100 with some daylight left and caught the next dirty Greyhound down to Sydney. 

2. Japan because I love the fashion, food, and cute everything. 

3. I do some research and then just walk and walk and walk by myself. It's therapeutic to people watch. 

Amy

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[Nicole Wellman]

The stories so far are random, funny, and scary. Impressive. So makes me want to travel, now.

1. My random travel story is a kind stranger story from when I spent my 21st birthday in Valladolid, Spain when I was studying abroad for a summer. We had only been there for a couple weeks when my birthday hit, but people had already started going back to the same bar a few times because it was a central spot for us to meet up off the Plaza Mayor. We walked in and the owner of the bar came up and told me he had heard it was my 21st bday, and that he knew it was a big deal in the U.S. So, he gave everyone in the bar a free glass of champagne, toasted to my birthday, and then- I couldn't believe it- came out with a white frosted cake with pink flowers that said Happy Birthday and a separate candle for me to blow out! I was blown away by his thoughtfulness!!

Could be because my friends were really cute and he wanted them to come back a lot? BUT, I'm going to go with kindness...

2. Such a long list. At the top are:

-an Austria, Switzerland, and Croatia trip

- an Argentina and Chile trip

-an Australia trip

-and BACK to Spain!

Maybe at the end of the year...here's to hoping!

ENJOY your weeks.
Envious of you two, Aaron and Jane--have fun on your journeys. And, I hope you guys get to meet Tom when/if you guys get together with REALITY Pro!

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Nicole Wellman
- - - - - - - - - - -
wellman...@gmail.com
(602) 377-2910

[Jesse Fetbroth]

Good morning everyone!

1.  This whiparound has confirmed that I'm no where near as adventurous as all of you are, but I do love to travel.  The story that comes to mind shows what I enjoy must when I travel: eating.  Zach and I were in Paris a few months ago and had spent significant time researching where and how to eat.  A coworker of mine who travels often had recommended a restaurant that she described as the "best meal of her life."  Of course, I had to go.  Unfortunately my dreams were quickly shattered when Zach looked up this restaurant on the Internet and found the following descriptions: "need to book months in advance," "hardest reservation in the city," "Anthony Bourdain's favorite restaurant in France," etc. etc.  Zach looked at me and said. "Better luck next time, kiddo." 

One night we had plans to go to another restaurant and we stumbled across THE restaurant I had wanted to go to.  I was so close now- I couldn't not try.  So, we walked up and the hostess said very firmly in his French accent, "reservation only."  And then he paused.  "But we may have table."  I thought I was going to die.

We were sat at a table and were given a menu for a five course prixe fixe dinner- all in French of course.  We had no idea what we were getting and even less business being in that restaurant, but we proceeded to have the most outrageously amazing 3 hour meal.  I'll spare you the details, but rrexplain the first course as a teaser: a martini glass with asparagus, asparagus purée, a poached egg, caviar and Parmesan mousse.  Is this real life?

2.  I think next on my travel list is Greece.  I realized in Paris that I never take relaxing vacations.  I like to see everything, do everything, (eat everything).  I think Greece would a nice middle ground: it seems so beautiful that you have to prioritize taking in the sights and slowing down a bit, but there's still a lot of culture to experience.  

3.  As I'm sure I've made abundantly clear, I like to eat my way through cities and countries.  I love the food culture in so many places compared to the US- the way everything is fresh and not processed, and the significance of the dining experience.  Especially in Europe, eating isn't a transaction- it is a time to enjoy your food and your company (often for hours on end).  There's no rush- you have nothing but time.  There aren't any televisions or distractions- just opportunities to be present with whoever you're with.  The food culture in Europe would be enough to convince me to live there.  Maybe someday..

Love,

Jesse 

Sent from my iPhone

[Jane Keir]

OMG I love travel stories!!! Okay...so my favorite personal travel story is the one where I'm staying with a Mayan family in Guatemala and I get cholera (deadly diarrhea disease) and I know I need to go to the hospital for intravenous fluids but...I have finished my first year of public health school and I know that one of the main problems in my region of Guatemala is reusing needles and I don't want to get HIV or any other blood borne infection so I'm hesitant to go to the hospital. I ask my host family to take me to doctor and they say "No, if you go to the doctor you will die"...I need to tell the story in person when I see you guys...it's pretty crazy.

 

Another travel story I like to tell is the one where it's 2 in the morning and I'm in the airport in Thailand about to fly to Japan. I am going through security when I'm stopped because they found a knife in my bag. I am sure I am not carrying a knife so I swear I don't have one. Then they open my luggage and find a pocket knife that I bought in Switzerland a few years before that has my name engraved on it. It had been in one of the many pockets in my bag and I thought I had lost it years before...oops! Luckily I burst into tears and they let me go...it was a little scary though!!!

 

I will be traveling in Israel from June 15 - July 1 and I don't know if I will have Internet access. I just want to put that out there in case I am late responding to our email conversations in the next two weeks. I haven't decided if I am going to bring my computer with me to Israel or not...I am kinda in love with the idea of being without a computer or cellphone and just taking in Israel. :-)

 

I can't wait to see you all at the reboot!!!

 

With love,

Jane

[Candace Burckhardt]

What a great question!

1) Running everywhere in Grenada, Nicaragua because there was a string of 10 assaults with deadly weapons/robberies on tourists within a day of us getting there. 

2) Travel list: I only have 2 states left to visit: Hawaii and Alaska. I am doing my Wilderness First Responder in Hawaii in September, so that leaves Alaska! 

3) I like to experience places as authentically as possible. I like to spend at least a week in one place, not stay at big resorts or chain hotels when traveling abroad, and EAT! 

Enjoy your current travels Jane, Amy, and Aaron. I cannot wait to see all of you soon.

Candace

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