Lifestyle guide and resources for the Transient
in collaboration with Said Hamideh
That is the question for women visiting the Middle East. In Sex and the City 2 we witness Sarah Jessica Parker and the entourage donning burkas to escape the wrath of locals. And yet they also parade around in some pretty revealing clothes such as in that scene where they visit a Dubai souk. A reality which is almost passable, but not quite. Like many other aspects of that movie, it is difficult to take away some kind of reliable lesson. [Read more...]
One of the greatest things about relocating to a larger-than-life destination is that there is always so much more to discover underneath the surface when you get there.
Living in the states, I had become quite familiar with the fare in “Middle Eastern” restaurants, not realizing that in many parts of the Arab and Muslim world, what we call “Arabic ” or “Middle Eastern” food actually comes from a quite specific area, sometimes denoted as the Levant, or even simply referred to as Lebanese cuisine. For example, I was shocked when first moving to Morocco, in discovering that it’s not that easy to find hummos out on the street. It’s because the Ottoman Empire grip never quite reached that far. [Read more...]
Uruguay’s lack of architectural uniformity entices visitors toward permanent residency. Turn a corner, and you might find an English-style house with a thatched roof, a quaint beach cottage, a humble adobe or a stately manor. The possibilities are endless. Uruguayans have a strong sense of personal freedom, which prevents the development of neighborhood associations that [...]
I’m sitting in an auditorium in a school in Thailand. My cousin is next to me planning courses. I spent the morning stretching on top of a brick staircase in the sky. The steps were falling apart and as I walked up it hoping the structure wouldn’t crumble beneath me. The staircase didn’t seem [...]
Stress blows problems out of all proportion, especially when you are nineteen and you’re currently attending University.
What’s your experience with Indian – or on a broader scale – South Asian food? Are you in love with it? Do you feel heartburn after a hearty meal of spicy lentils? If your experience is not good, chances are that you made a bad choice. South Asian food is as diverse as the languages [...]
They offer the best living standards in the world. They have the best career opportunities and the biggest salaries. In addition to this, they are the most heavily visited destinations in the world. I am talking about the top five countries with the biggest number of expats.
On a sunny summer’s morning in late January, you awaken in Montevideo to the sound of pulsating drum rhythms. The sound emanates from the waterfront. It intensifies, and draws closer. Look out your window. Women dress in scanty, elaborate costumes, parade down the street as they dance to the rhythm of the drums. It’s carnival [...]
I must admit it. I like food! One might say it is my preferred heuristic device for exploring new places. When I first visited Romania, I was really curious about what this small country had to offer in the field of gastronomy. Back in Greece, I was accustomed to various dishes, and you may know [...]
I thought I knew everything there was to know about the America and – New York for sure. I knew all the facts: I knew that I needed to spend an entire afternoon at Times Square and several afternoons in Central Park. I prided myself on my knowledge of all things a brand new expatriate [...]
“When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.” – Clifton Fadiman
Somehow, whenever people speak of Cambodia, all they seem to remember is the great citadel of Angkor Wat. While Angkor is certainly the showpiece of ‘The Magnificent Kingdom’, I wasn’t buying the argument that if you had seen Angkor, you had seen Cambodia. Most of the people you meet on the streets will still proudly [...]
As I found myself on a plane headed towards Romania, I must admit that I felt terrified. I was moving away from my home, sunny Greece, into a new, unexplored place, a strange country, with vampire myths, and bizarre traditions.