Geotraveler’s Niche

Nothing warms my heart faster than true compassion. From little acts of thoughtfulness to grand philanthropic displays, every genuine gesture goes a long way in improving lives.

As ethical travelers who not only enjoy and respect various cultures, but also want to share our time, resources, and blessings with locals, finding ways to truly give back can be a challenge.

When I caught wind of the new initiative, Passports With Purpose, hatched by fellow travel bloggers Beth Whitman, Pam Mandel, Michelle Duffy, and Debbie Dubrow, hesitating wasn’t an option.

Through December 31, 2008, the Passports With Purpose logo will remain here on my site. I will also post details about purchasing raffle tickets and more very soon.

Proceeds from sales will go to Heifer International.

From Wanderlust and Lipstick:

Heifer represents the best of what travelers can hope to accomplish when they travel. Heifer:

• Oversees over 800 projects in 50 countries
• Has been working for more than 60 years to end world hunger
• Provides animals and training to help families become self sufficient and overcome poverty

“With Heifer, even a small amount of money makes a huge difference. Just $20 (the cost of two raffle tickets!) provides a flock of chicks that will generate eggs AND income to a family”.

Be sure to visit Passports With Purpose to see how you can get involved.

Photo: Ducklings in Krang Yaw, Cambodia

On a trip to Lisbon, Portugal, I happened upon some sort of celebration. There were hundreds of police officers lined up in an endless sea of blue.

But what I found more intriguing was the team of SWAT officers protecting the officers in blue.

Looking forward to my first FotoWeek/DC, touted as DC’s “premier photography event”.

Starting tomorrow, Saturday, November 15, we’ll be feasting on a slew of mouthwatering exhibitions in galleries, getting intoxicated on refreshing lectures, and salivating at the opportunity to network beyond capacity with professionals.

I plan on attending a handful of events to learn more about this intriguing craft, meet some potential mentors, and hopefully get inspired along the way.

Will you be hitting the show? Definitely leave a shout below.

Photo Above - Skyline of a portion of Lagos Island, Nigeria.

Hungary - Taken somewhere in the Buda district in Budapest, I stumbled across this police officer standing in front of a round white and red sign.

There were no clear inscriptions on the round sign and I wasn’t sure what the officer was looking out for, but it definitely made for an interesting shot.

Its always exciting to see one’s photo up on National Geographic’s site.

Be sure to check out the latest issue of Transitions Abroad’s Webzine - Focus: Africa and the Middle East.

Besides providing the magazine’s cover photograph of the little Nigerian girl with tiro around her eyes, I also wrote the following two articles:

- Volunteer Effectively in Nigeria: The Key is Thinking Grassroots

- A Glimpse into Nigerian Culture on the International Stage

What I love about this issue is that it provides more insight into West African culture. Other stories also cover countries such as Swaziland, Mozambique, Oman, and Morocco.

October was busy with lots of writing, photography and new leads underway. In a sense, it also involved re-evaluating on what level of detail I needed to work on due to deadlines and workload.

Sorting through my portfolio of travel photography, I stumbled across this picture of an old Quechua woman - one of my favorites taken in Pisac, Peru.

Besides the cultural timelessness it evokes, what struck me was the similarity between the etchings on the walls of the ruins and the age marks etched across her face.

Without her traditional attire, she could have easily blended right into the wall in a certain “oneness” with the Inca ruins and sense of history enveloping her.

Looking forward to a creative November - with a newly calibrated eye for more minute details.

You’ve probably noticed my penchant for jumping - high flying leaps in photos taken from various locations around the globe, spotlighting moments of absolute elation and joy.

Taken in Bermuda, this shot couldn’t communicate my feelings any clearer today.

“God loves a liberal giver. We were created to be givers, not getters”.

Those words permeated the small sanctuary Sunday morning as we listened to the sermon.

Simple words. No political inklings to them. Yet so profound because they came from the most conservative of settings known to lean a certain way - politically.

As we argue whether spreading the wealth is bad or good, remember those who struggle daily:

• Marginalized by society
• Born geniuses with no financial means to let the world witness their genius
• Silent warriors who battle physical and emotional odds
• Selfless heroes who never scream it from the mountain tops.

“Where you live should not decide whether you live or whether you die”, Bono belts out passionately on the U2 tune, Crumbs from Your Table.

Unfortunately, those lyrics remain ideal, but the ideal that “I am my brother’s keeper” is within reach.

Let your voice be heard loud and clear.

Go vote.

Photo - Barcelona, Spain

Shot during the famous San Fermin festival in Spain - commonly known as the Running of the Bulls, thousands of revelers meant thousands of photo ops at every turn.

A clearly drunk reveler backflips off the fountain into the crowd below, hoping they would catch him.

And this wasn’t the craziest act I witnessed….

Recently found out the photo below shot in Bermuda received an honorable mention and was published in CITY Magazine’s Issue 59.

Here’s an extract of the page. Be sure to visit CITY Magazine and subscribe!.

Be sure to check out Pology’s November 2008 Issue. I’ve got some photography in there under “In Pictures“, and “Nigeria“.

Wedding cakes teem with creativity - from lavish multilayer masterpieces to the most bizarre accessories and trimmings. This simple, two layered white cake served at a friend’s wedding in Virginia spotted a fun little miniature with the bride dragging the groom along.

I hardly ever see cakes with miniature brides and grooms anymore.

Though cliche, this piece remains a classic.

Last year, I was blessed to have traveled as a volunteer photojournalist with an anti-sex trafficking team to Cambodia. I visited a handful of shelters where I got to meet some of the most resilient little girls walking the face of this earth.

Read the short narrative here.