Stowaway Fall 2013 by Brigham Young University Editing Students

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On the cover: Sheltering from the Rain—Hobbiton in New Zealand Photo by Ian Brodie

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Happenings: Enjoying Ethnic Enclaves Escapades: Lifestyles of the Feared and the Famous Staff Essay: Paradise in Purgatory Parting Shot

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From Vegas Lights to Mountain Heights Serenity in Sicily For the Birds: Birding in Belize The Colors of India: Exploring New Delhi and Agra Southeastern China

Features

Editor’s Note: The Telephone Pole on Lombard

Getaways

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When Life Takes You to Kazakhstan “There and Back Again”: Hobbiting in New Zealand Alive and Aware: Experiencing Xcaret Wales: “They’ll Keep a Welcome in the Hillside” Recycled Rhapsody

Travelers to Kazakhstan can view the peaceful countryside and explore the nuances of the Kazakh culture.

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Art of the Deep Going Full Circle: Kiiking in Estonia Every Umbrella under the Sun The Truffle Hunter Star Anise: Four Corners of the Kitchen

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Evan Meets World An Autumn Roadtrip: Historic Route 1

Undara: Under Australia’s Outback The Outlook from OSSO Tales from the Trip Photo Contest Winners

Insider

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Scotland’s Fringe Festival

Field Notes

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Culture

Photo by Mariusz Kluzniak

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Ascend into the Alpine Soak up the Sun: Rekindling Digital Life Expedia: Hotels and Flights Lend Me a Lens: The “How To” of Photography Rental On the Tracks or Off the Tarmac Drying Clothes in a Hostel Environment The Rhythm of Ghana

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Courtney Manwaring

Amy Vanden Brink

Assistant Managing Editor

Sarah Andrews

Sky Nuttall

Senior Editor

Edwin Eschler

Kelly Haight

Hannah Ballard

Associate Editor

Art Director

Rachel Nielsen

Rachel Mahrt

Managing Editor

Assistant Managing Editor

Rachel Ontiveros

Copyeditor

Chelsea Adams

Jessica Allen

Copyeditor

Sarah Syphus

Cory Christensen

Jason Cronin

Senior Editor

Associate Editor

Carly Huchendorf

Jill Bickham

Kaylee Herrick

Assistant Art Director

Senior Designer

Assistant Art Director

Social Media Team: Chelsea Adams, Jessica Allen, Cory Christensen, Kelly Haight, Megan Horrocks, *Dana Knudsen, Sky Nuttall, Valene Wood

Megan Horrocks

Brooke Jorden

Dana Knudsen

Valene Wood

Senior Designer

Marvin K. Gardner

Julie Ogborn

Dana Kendall

Editing Advisor

Design Advisor

Cameron Smithson

Editor in Chief

6 ▶ summer 2012

Web Team: *Sarah Andrews, Brooke Jorden, Kaylee Herrick, Sarah Syphus *team leader

Eugene Tapahe

Web Advisor

Design Advisor

Stowaway is produced as a project for English Language 430R, Editing for Publication, the capstone class of the editing minor at Brigham Young University. All staff members contributed to planning, writing, editing, designing, and advertising. The views expressed in this publication are solely the views of the authors and do not represent the views or opinions of BYU. Stowaway takes inspiration from the words of Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Photos by Rachel Haslam

Photo Credit: See style guide to review credit wording before writing this.

Advertising Team: *Jason Cronin, Edwin Eschler, Rachel Ontiveros

editor s note

The Telephone Pole on I grew up in a tourist trap, surrounded on every side by meccas for the traveler. From the front door of my childhood home, you can drive 40 minutes in any direction and end up in one of America’s must-see locations: the Golden Gate Bridge, the vineyards of Napa Valley, Redwood National Park, California’s state capitol, and the Jelly Belly factory. Even though these landmarks were a part of my backyard, they never lost their appeal. Given my family’s unique location, the majority of our holidays were spent entertaining a house full of extended family and friends. One holiday season my younger sisters named our home “The Clawson Hotel,” and when I returned home from college for Christmas break, they had me formally check in to my bedroom, which now had a construction-paper sign on the door, labeling it room three. With holiday seasons like this, my family and I rarely spent vacations living out of suitcases and instead spent them embracing our geographically induced role of hosts. Of the hosts in my family, my dad is the best. He knows exactly which Bay Area destinations people enjoy, how to get there, where to park, and which local secrets elicit the best reaction from guests. Take his San Francisco tour, for example. In just one strategically planned day, he shows visitors all the classics: the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Union Square, Lombard Street (he avoids Fisherman’s Wharf because its low-quality fish and otter-covered t-shirts leave guests unsatisfied). And as my dad leads a van

full of people to these classic destinations, he shares his secrets, bringing the trip to life. Lombard Street, the steep street in the middle of the city, boasts eight hairpin turns and is the first destination on Dad’s tour. After he tells everyone to put their hands in the air and say “weee,” he drives down the street and stops at the bottom to allow our guests to snap some pictures. The trouble is that the street is so steep that it is nearly impossible to catch all of it in one shot. But Dad has a solution. He whispers in the ear of one of our guests: “You know, the only way to get a shot of the whole street at once is to climb this telephone pole.” Soon, someone is shimmying up the wooden pole while one camera after the other is being passed up to that brave soul. Some guests laugh, others worry for the safety of the climber, and others try climbing the pole themselves. On every major and not-so-major holiday, I relive this telephone-pole experience and other experiences just like it. But it never gets old. I am always excited to go on Dad’s tours because each time I go, I get to see my backyard like a first-time traveler all over again. I get to see guests ooh and ahh or laugh when they see the largerthan-life picture of Ronald Reagan made out of Jelly Beans. And I get to see them fearfully or excitedly ride the fast glass elevator up the 32-story Westin St. Francis hotel in Union Square. Every time we take someone on a tour, we get to re-experience the thrill the traveler has discovering something for the first time, and these

Baby Rachel, Mom, and Dad in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.

first-time experiences are what make traveling—and hosting—worth it. As you dive through this issue of Stowaway, we hope you catch the traveler’s excitement by experiencing through other’s eyes—like backpackers traveling through New Zealand dressed as Hobbits, artists performing at the Scottish Fringe Festival, and a couple uprooting to live in Kazakhstan. We are delighted to be your hosts. Thank you for joining us.

Rachel Nielsen Managing Editor

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There’s something about the crunch of leaves underfoot and the hints of an upcoming winter that makes people want to celebrate. But don’t limit yourself to the traditional Americana of Halloween and Thanksgiving. The United States is home to many ethnic enclaves with a variety of cultural festivals. It turns out that, for all the cultural differences, deep down we all just want an excuse to eat, dance, and celebrate. —Edwin Eschler

Autumn Moon Festival San Francisco, California

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www.moonfestival.org

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Celebraciones de Gente Flagstaﬀ, Arizona

Literally translated as “Celebration of People,” this annual festival is a celebration of Hispanic cultures. Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), an ancient holiday with pre-Columbian roots, is known for its gaily dressed skulls and skeletons. During the last weekend in October, the Museum of Northern Arizona and Nuestras Raices (Our Roots), a local cultural and historical society, work to bring the ancient holiday to a new generation with songs, dances, and calaveras de azúcar (sugar skulls). Mariachi performances and traditional ofrendas (altars) allow visitors to honor the dead and celebrate the living in the museum’s courtyard. ▶

www.musnaz.org/hp/celebraciones_fest.shtml

Photos from left: Alex Jagendorf, Flickr user Experiencias Xcaret, Christoper Allison, Philip Bump, Lance Cpl. Zachary J. Nola

During the Autumn Moon Festival, the streets of San Francisco’s historic Chinatown are closed to city traffic. But they are bedecked in red banners and filled with traditional Chinese music and the sweet allure of vendor food. This celebration of Chinese culture and tradition is based on the Chinese lunar calendar, typically falling in late September or early October. The Autumn Moon Festival features lion dancers roaming the streets during the dragon parade and is easily recognized by its beautiful moon cakes—holiday fruitcake delicacies that are just one of the many traditions this holiday passes from one generation to the next.

happenings

Longs Peak Scottish-Irish Highland Festival Estes Park, Colorado

The sound of pipes and the banging of drums welcome you to the Highland Festival, a celebration of Celtic heritage held September 5–8. This event combines the spectacle of caber tossing and stone throwing with the more kitsch Renaissance faire-fare of turkey legs and jousting. Men wear their clan tartans with pride, and people of all ages compete in many tests of strength and agility, including Irish and Scottish dance competitions. ▶

www.scotfest.com/Scottish_Festival/Home.html

Feast of San Gennaro New York City, New York

French Food Festival Larose, Louisiana

Joie de vivre (joy of living) helps define the Cajun paradigm. When you visit Larose, Louisiana, during the last full weekend of October, you’ll begin to understand that paradigm as you fill your plate with jambalaya, shrimp po’boys, and pistolettes. The French Food Festival offers more than just food, with local music (including zydeco) and demonstrations of the unique Cajun culture. Come hungry, and bienvenue dans le bayou. ▶

www.bayoucivicclub.org/ﬀf.htm

Opening with a cannoli-eating contest and a blessing of the vendor stalls by a Catholic priest, the Feast of San Gennaro combines the down-to-earth with the reverent in a way that is unique to the Italian people. The feast was originally a small act of devotion by a few immigrants to San Gennaro, the patron saint of Naples. But it has expanded to a full 11-day festival (September 12–22) replete with live performances by Italian performers, stands filled with traditional Italian food, and two processions honoring San Gennaro. The main event occurs on the September 19, the official Saint Day of San Gennaro. After Mass in the Most Precious Blood Church, the statue of San Gennaro is carried through the streets of Little Italy. ▶

www.sangennaro.org

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ALPENWILD

Find yourself in the Alps 10 â&#x2013;ś summer 2012

Alpenwild.com

801.226.9026

Getaways In 1938, Mahatma Gandhi opened the beautiful Laxmi Narayan Temple in Delhi, India, to people of all castes.

Away for a Weekend

Away for a Week

Away for a While

Hike the best trails near Las Vegas, or enjoy the coastlines of Sicily as you climb an active volcano.

Go birding when you travel to Belize, or plan a colorful trip to Agra and New Delhi, India.

Photo by Brooke Eddington

Go beyond the Great Wall and explore four authentic cities in southeastern China.

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FR O M

V E G A S

Lights

M O U N TA I N

Mt. Charleston Northwest of Las Vegas lies Mt. Charleston, a towering conglomeration of rock and weathered sand. This mountain is perfect for those looking for a diverse hiking adventure. Hikers wanting a lengthy challenge can try the North Loop Trail, which weaves its way over and around the steep mountainside for more than 20 miles. Those looking for a lighter hike can simply tackle part of this trail. Consider starting at the north end; about three miles

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HEIGHTS

in is the Raintree, a 3000-year-old bristlecone pine. Mt. Charleston can get rather cold and snowy by late fall, so it is better to hike this area before mid-October. Near Mt. Charleston are two other popular trails. Cathedral Rock is a fairly strenuous one-and-a-halfmile hike that is perfect for those looking for a relatively quick way to get a gorgeous view of the canyons below. Also nearby is Mary Jane Falls. The hike to this location is somewhat arduous, but it leads to gorgeous limestone cliffs with trickling spring water and shallow caves. These two hikes are steep, but the views at the end are well worth the effort.

Red Rock Canyon

To the west of Las Vegas lies Red Rock Canyon, an expansive national park filled with dozens of hiking opportunities. Fall is the perfect time to hike this canyon—after summer’s exhausting heat and before winter’s icy chill. The Icebox Canyon Trail gives hikers a break from the beating sun. It traverses a narrow canyon amidst trickling water and jutting rock. The sun rarely reaches into this two-anda-half-mile slot canyon, so it is a perfect escape from the heat. Another popular desert trek is the Calico Tanks Trail. This relatively mild two-mile hike takes visitors from sagebrush-ridden ground to

Photo by Hannah Ballard

Las Vegas is known for its extravagant casinos and bustling nightlife, but few people are familiar with the gorgeous landscapes situated just 45 minutes from the center of the Strip. Perfect for hiking, these locations offer a wide variety of sights and experiences for everyone—from the amateur climber to the experienced trekker.

getaways

Photo by Tracy Ballard

The sun casts a striking shadow against a cliﬀside in Red Rock Canyon.

quarry stone and sandstone. It culminates in serene pools of water hidden by the steep, brush-red cliff side. The best view in Red Rock is from the top of Turtlehead Peak. This six-mile climb is fairly difficult, but it is still accessible to amateur hikers. The trail concludes at the peak, the highest elevation in the park, with a stunning

panorama of the canyons below and Las Vegas in the distance. You may just find yourself wondering why the mountains near

Las Vegas aren’t as renowned as the city itself. ▶

www.birdandhike.com

—Cory Christensen

Viva Las Vegas ̶Elvis Presley This Town ̶Frank Sinatra Sam s Town ̶The Killers

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erenity in icily

On a typical sunny afternoon in Sicily, tourists and locals enjoy the beautiful streets that wind through each Sicilian province. This unique island lies just off the toe of the Italian Peninsula and is rich with culture and adventure. After a busy week visiting Florence, Rome, and Naples, travelers can look forward to a relaxing weekend on the island of Sicily. From volcanoes to ancient ruins to ethnic cuisine, this island is full of delights that avid travelers must experience. Sicily’s port at the Strait of Messina is a short trip south from the most popular destinations in Italy, making Sicily the perfect weekend getaway. Many ships leave those ports daily en route to the island. When travelers arrive, they’ll find several cozy hotels on the coast. Fred Rodio, a traveler who began his trip to Sicily by enjoying a beautiful sunrise, comments, “I wasn’t sure what to expect in Sicily, but from the first morning there, I knew that I would not be disappointed.”

Sicilian Smiles From top: The Temple of Juno Lacinia is part of the Valley of the Temples. The coast of eastern Sicily is a welcoming sight to visitors of the island. Boats leave the mainland ports of Italy en route to Messina.

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The food, shops, and historic destinations in Sicily are all brought to life by the Sicilian people. Sicily has a friendly and inviting atmosphere, which makes interacting with the locals easy. Although travelers might

not speak the same language, the smiles and handshakes they exchange in the streets and back roads of the provinces are worth a whole conversation.

Local Foods

Sicilian food is rich in flavor and tradition, and the locals are eager to share their food and talents in their personalized dining nooks and shops. Rodio spent one of his mornings browsing small shops along the streets of Catania and eating lunch at a family-owned restaurant. The restaurant served a tasty rendition of eggplant, artichokes, mushrooms, beef, and peppers. Rodio says, “I really enjoyed the restaurant where we ate lunch. The flavors were distinct, and the yummy meal made me ask for more.”

Ancient Greek Theatre in Taormina

Partway between the cities of Messina and Catania lies the popular tourist destination Taormina. There, tourists can visit the city’s ancient Greek theatre and meander through little shops

getaways

that line the streets. The blue and turquoise waters, which wrap around the green coastlines, provide a breathtaking backdrop for the theatre’s ruins. Rodio’s daughter Reana explains, “I loved seeing the beautiful water that hugged the coast of the island. It made the island different from what we had seen in Italy.”

Catania’s Volcano

Catania, another enchanting Sicilian city, is the gateway to Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe and one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Many travelers take buses up the volcano and wander around the volcanic paths and rocks. Because of the height of the volcano, Mount Etna is often covered in snow, and the heat from the volcanic activity causes steam to rise across its snow-capped peaks, a favorite scene to capture for amateur photographers. At the volcano’s base, tourists can visit little shops that sell jewelry and other souvenirs made out of rocks from the volcano. A weekend on the island of Sicily leaves visitors with a lasting impression. Sicily is an island that offers a sense of serenity and wonder for travelers who have a love for natural beauty and rich cultural experiences.

Photos by Sky Nuttall

—Sky Nuttall

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For the Birds Birding in Belize

The verb is “to bird,” and the enthusiast is “a birder.” This fall, you can become a birder as you search for the exotic birds of the Central American country Belize. The search for birds through the tropical jungles and the pine forests of Belize is a journey that offers everyone—from the experienced birder to the curious amateur—an escape from the beaten path.

Birders rise early, usually around 5:00 AM, walk long distances, and stand for hours waiting for birds to come into view. But birders will tell you that the journey is worth all of the effort. Lisa Boice, an international birder who recently returned from Belize, calls herself an “accidental birder.” She had always been a traveler, but she discovered birding only after she fell in love with and married an avid birder. Now, she says birding has given a whole new meaning to her travel. “It’s like choosing something to seek after,” Boice explains. “I’ve found that when I’m traveling and I’m looking for something, it makes things different.” Following the birds in Belize leads travelers across the small country’s stunning and varied environments. If you want to give it a try, a lodge like the Crystal Paradise Resort offers an authentic cultural experience and an opportunity to connect with other birders. Guests stay in hand-thatched

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cabanas and begin and end their days gathered together for familystyle meals. While staying at Crystal Paradise, you can join birding groups and hire local guides to lead you on birding tours. Getting to know your local guides is one of the best ways to discover more about Belize. Ask questions about why they enjoy birding or about what life is like in Belize. Ask them about places to see while you are in the country. On every birding outing, look around and take in the environment. And as you travel, your search for birds will lead you to more than you expected to find.

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Crooked Tree, a low-lying network of savannas, marshes, and lagoons, offers birders in Belize exceptional views of long-legged wader birds, like herons and storks. The sanctuary is a destination for birders in search of the jabiru stork, a very rare wader that spends the fall and winter months in Belize. At five-feet tall and with an eight-foot wingspan, the jabiru is believed to be the largest bird in the Americas. Birders at Crooked Tree can find this

Photo by Erik B

A Day in the Life of a Birder in Belize

Clockwise from top left: photos by Emmanuel Keller, Xavi Talleda, and Carol Foil

getaways

Opposite page: The blue-crowned motmot builds its nest in tunnels in river banks. Clockwise from top left: A keel-billed toucan, the national bird of Belize, finds shelter in the tropical treetops. A jabiru stork, the tallest bird in the Americas, stands reflected in a pool of water. The American pigmy kingfisher is 13 centimeters long.

enormous stork pacing the lagoons in its natural habitat.

El Pilar Nature Reserve

El Pilar, a Mayan nature reserve located on the Belize-Guatemala border, offers a promising system of trails through the jungle. Travelers should be aware that frequent robberies make El Pilar one of the more dangerous pockets of the Belizean jungle. But in the safety of a group and with a trusted guide, birders can hope to

see a variety of tropical birds, such as woodpeckers, flycatchers, toucans, and parrots.

Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve

At Mountain Pine Ridge, birders can escape the humidity of the jungle and visit the pine forests in the mountaintops of Belize. Visitors enjoy cooler temperatures, picturesque forest walks, and views of 1000-foot waterfalls. Here birders can hope to see the

orange-breasted falcon, one of the rarest breeds of falcon in the world. Regardless of the birds you find, your search will be a new experience—an escape from the typical vacation. As Boice says, “Birding takes you to areas you never thought you would go to. My traveling experience is not redundant.” ▶

www.birdingpal.org

—Sarah Syphus

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The Colors of India

Exploring New Delhi and Agra The cities of New Delhi and Agra, India, are worlds of brilliant hues. Although they may require you to forgo a few of the more luxurious travel comforts, New Delhi and Agra will leave you with photos and memories bursting with just about every color of the spectrum.

New Delhi

Finding Color in Old and New

According to recent traveler Sarah Cox, the first things you’ll notice when you arrive at New Delhi International Airport are the tremendous heat and the beautiful shades of green found throughout the landscape. Heading towards New Delhi, you’ll quickly notice that in this vibrant country, color is everywhere. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself mesmerized by the women’s beautiful

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saris and scarves, flowing in bright shades of various colors. The city of New Delhi displays the unique culture of India by blending modern wonders with ancient architecture. You’ll be missing out if you don’t visit the beautiful Lotus Temple, an alluringly exotic Bahá’í House of Worship built in 1986 in the shape of a budding flower. It is surrounded by nine turquoise pools, and people from any faith can enter its arching walls to enjoy a moment of peace and tranquility.

Another must-see place is the Lodhi Gardens: 90 acres of lush green fields and peaceful gardens dotted with tombs, mosques, and other ancient buildings dating back to the 1500s. New Delhi is also home to a number of structures built from the region’s red sandstone, including the Red Fort, a seventeenth-century fortress; the 800-year-old Qutub Minar, one of India’s tallest minarets (towers used to call Muslims to prayer); and Humayun’s Tomb, a sarcophagus built in a 30-acre garden intersected by four azure rivers.

getaways

Agra

Photos by Brooke Eddington

India s Colors at a Slower Pace

After spending a few days in New Delhi, hire a driver and take the two-and-a-half-hour trip south to Agra. Here you’ll find colors in every aspect of the local scene, but at a much slower pace than in the busy metropolis of New Delhi. The outdoor markets are certainly a sight to behold. Brooke Eddington, a recent visitor to Agra explains, “Everything is colorful. Fruit and vegetable stands burst with color, and the people are wearing vibrantly colored clothes, like bright pink, yellow, orange, all colors.” She adds, “Even on a cheap point-andshoot camera, everything looks like professional photos. The colors are so pretty.” Agra is the place to experience the most authentic Indian food, so make sure that you delve into the red, green, and orange curries. Try the delicious kormas as well, which are meat and vegetable dishes with bright orange sauces made with spices like white pepper, saffron, and curry leaves mixed with yogurt or cream. Agra is also the home of the famous Taj Mahal, where sparkling white majesty sets the background for the bold textiles of its visitors. While you’re there, take a break from the crowds and stroll through the emerald Mehtab Bagh, the four-part garden complex located next to the Taj Mahal. There is certainly an endless list of things you could do as you travel through these two vibrant cities. But no matter where you go, you are guaranteed to have a colorful experience.

—Jason Cronin

Opposite page: This suburban scene in Ghaziabad, a neighborhood just east of New Delhi, shows some of the colors found in India. From top: Colors bring vibrant life to this rather ordinary scene of a family enjoying the Taj Mahal. White marble keeps barefoot visitors cool as they wait to reﬂect within the Taj Mahal. This family, in traditionally colorful dress, sits in a nook of Jahangiri Mahal, a structure inside Agra Fort.

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S O U T H E A S T E R N

CHINA Go beyond the Great Wall and take a while to explore these four cities in southeastern China—a place where there is something for everyone. Lindsi Milligan of Sandy, Utah, says her hair grows fast. Though she has a pixie cut now, she claims that in a year and a half or so, it could be halfway down her back. But when Milligan traveled to China to teach English with the International Language Programs for six months, she found a village with incredible women who have been growing their sleek black hair since birth—and for 10 yuan they’ll undo their intricate

20 ▶ fall 2013 Explore these hump-backed mountains in Yangshuo.

buns to show just how long their locks have become. These Yao women are a minority in Ping’an, a tiny sector in one of the largest countries on the globe— China. As part of their unique culture, these women are extraordinarily protective of their hair. After cutting it once at age 18 or 20, they reweave the cut section into the rest of their growing tresses—then they just let

their hair grow naturally for the rest of their lives. Though coming halfway around the world just to see their hair-twisting ritual would be worth the trip, there is another reason to travel to Ping’an: it is also home to China’s iconic terraced rice fields. “If you’re really wanting to experience the Chinese culture, this town is the place to go,” Milligan says. “It is situated on top of rice fields, and there

getaways are no automobiles to speak of. You get where you need to go by foot.” The bus doesn’t take travelers directly to Ping’an. Instead, it drops them off at the bottom of a hill. From there it’s just two legs and a roller bag (if you’re lucky enough to think ahead) because the roads are too steep and narrow for rickshaws. As you make your way up the mountain, vendors sell traditional homemade crafts like vibrant hand-woven blankets and table runners, which are indicative of their unique culture. Many of the vendors’ goods are made by Yao women, who weave ornate material used for these crafts in addition to convincing people to purchase a view of their floor-length hair. After making the 45-minute hike to the top, travelers can see an endless view from the mountain— overlooking dozens of steep peaks that are chiseled into rice terraces. Each terrace has its own mini rice field, and the residents of Ping’an and the surrounding villages are in charge

Only an hour walk from Ping an, Long ji removes all sense of

Photos by Courtney Manwaring

time and place. of maintaining them and harvesting the rice in the appropriate seasons. The epicenter of the Ping’an village has closely stacked wooden homes, each adorned with traditional red lanterns and surrounded by tiny steep alleys that connect one home to the next. For travelers who want to stay for a while, the Liqing Hotel is the perfect place. The affordable rooms are equipped with balconies that overlook the entire Ping’an area. Hotel visitors can see everything from the vendors’ homes to the dozens of surrounding peaks, which showcase layer upon layer of the rice field’s

The tiered rice terraces of Ping an provide the perfect traditional view of the area.

water-soaked strips. In the morning, rather than waking up to alarms or the bustle and noise of traffic, travelers in Ping’an will hear the crows of roosters throughout the town. As Milligan says, “It’s like walking your way into the past.” But Ping’an isn’t the most authentic village in the area. Because the village has attracted many tourists over the years, it has become a little more developed than the surrounding villages. This is precisely why, after spending a day or two traversing the steeps of Ping’an, travelers should take a trip to Long Ji. Only an hour’s walk from Ping’an, Long Ji removes all sense of time and place. Here travelers will find that the few residents truly work the fields; they are not there for tourists. There is no electricity, no sounds of generators, and no hurried talk of haggling. Everything just seems to slow down. Few visitors know about Long Ji, so it’s a great place to find solitude and to see everyday people in their everyday lives—hanging out laundry on the lines, scrubbing themselves clean in outdoor plastic tubs, squatting near their doors while shelling peas or preparing dinner. Pigs, chickens, and wild puppies roam aimlessly along the stone alleyways. The atmosphere generates utter serenity.

From Ping’an and Long Ji, you may decide to travel to the larger tourist city of Guilin, located just two hours away by bus. The Guilin area is home to some of the most beautiful sights in all of China. Within the boundaries of the city lie the famous twin pagodas, the Jingjiang Prince City, and the picturesque Elephant Trunk Hill. Here the booming traffic of tourists is similar to the tourist traffic in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and many of China’s other communities. Nearby is the picturesque town of Yangshuo—the home of enchanting mountains that look like threedimensional parabolas springing from the ground and Moon Rock, a strange rock formation with a large hole in the center. Visitors can rent bicycles to tour the city, take a night to haggle with street vendors in the fair-like town, explore grand caves before taking a dip in mud baths, and much more. “The highlight of my China trip was Yangshuo,” Milligan says. “The landscape is absolutely beautiful, not to mention all the things you can do in that area. From riding down the river to mud caving, there’s just so much to explore and do. It’s hard not to be adventurous.” ▶

travel.nationalgeographic.com/ travel/countries/china-guide

—Courtney Manwaring

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22 â&#x2013;ś fall 2013

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 23

After years of waiting patiently...

Forget the bleeding letter. We're going ourselves. Spend time in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland

Travel Summer term 2014

Application deadline: February 3, 2014 English Language Study Abroad in Britain http://kennedy.byu.edu/isp/

24 â&#x2013;ś summer 2012

Features

Actors at Xcaret reenact the sacred Mayan journey to the island of Cozumel to worship Ixchel, the goddess of midwifery and medicine.

Photo courtesy of Xcaret Parks

When Life Takes You to Kazakhstan

A couple discovers that when living abroad, the best approach is to just “go with it.”

There and Back Again : Hobbiting in New Zealand

For three groups of The Lord of the Rings fans, New Zealand is the travel destination for taking a walk in Frodo’s feet.

Alive and Aware: Experiencing Xcaret

Wales: They ll Keep a Welcome in the Hillside

Recycled Rhapsody

Cancún’s eco-friendly archeological theme park connects visitors with Mexican culture and geography.

Wales offers a wealth of sites steeped in traditional culture, history, and beauty.

Paraguayan teenagers create music with instruments made from items found in the trash.

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 25

When Life Takes You to By Rachel Mahrt

Kazakhstan

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irsten and Scott Morris, a US couple living and teaching in Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, were riding the elevator to their apartment on the 16th floor one morning. Music abruptly started playing in the normally quiet elevator. After a startled pause, they spontaneously broke into dance. In the attitude of “go with it,” Kirsten and Scott rocked out to the elevator music until they reached their floor. When the doors opened, they calmly stepped out, giving no evidence of what had just transpired.

Previous spread: Astana s modern skyline includes a golden-capped mosque. Above: Residents of Astana, Kazakhstan s capital, are proud of the city s futuristic-looking architecture.

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This moment epitomizes the couple’s travel philosophy and how they handle life as teachers in Kazakhstan’s capital. “Some of the most enjoyable experiences we’ve had here were when something completely unexpected happened and we decided to go with it,” Kirsten explains. “And some of the worst times we’ve had were when something unexpected happened and we got really upset or frustrated about it.” Living in Kazakhstan wasn’t always the Morrises’ plan. “We wanted to travel, had a love for it,” Scott says. “Then we had this opportunity [to live in Kazakhstan], and we said, ‘Well, let’s make it plan B.’ And then plan A didn’t happen, so here we are.” After they flew to Kazakhstan, they took a noisy bus from the airport to their apartment. From the bus windows, they got their first impression of Astana, the city they would be living in for the next year. Scott says that its futuristic-looking buildings—most of which were built during the past 10 years—make it look like Tomorrowland. That view is one of Kirsten’s favorite things about the city. “The skyline of Astana is unmatched,” she says. “You would never mistake a picture of Astana, day or night, for another city, and it’s beautiful because of that.” The city’s architecture was not the only thing to give a polished first impression. The Kazakh people, including teens, are “dressed to the nines,” Scott says. “They’re really into fashion. In the States, if there’s a TV on in a restaurant, it probably has a

game on. But here, if there’s a TV, it has the fashion channel on.” Kirsten laughs as she remembers, “Everyone looks great all the time—it was a little bit intimidating.”

Kazakh Facts Size: 9th largest country in the world Official Languages: Kazakh and Russian

Searching for Food

Photos by Scott and Kirsten Morris

Scott and Kirsten quickly realized that living in a country where you don’t understand the culture or language makes commonplace activities, such as finding food, feel adventurous. “It was hard to find milk when we first got here,” Kirsten says. “We kept going to the refrigerated section and would look for things with cows or percents written on them, and when we got it home, it would be buttermilk.” “At one point,” says Scott, “we had four cartons in our fridge; none of them were milk. Finally, we looked it

Age: Just over 20 years old. Declared independence on December 16, 1991. Traditional Food: Beshbarmaq—horsemeat and onions drizzled with meat broth and served over flat, wide noodles. National Beverage: Kumys, fermented mare’s milk. Discovery: Apples, called alma in Kazakh, were first discovered in the area that is now Kazakhstan. Athletic Ranking: In the London 2012 Olympics, Kazakhstan ranked 12th with 13 medals (seven gold, one silver, and five bronze).

up in the dictionary and asked someone ‘where is milk?’ We found out that the milk here is evaporated, so we were looking in the wrong place.”

Ordering food was also a struggle, especially for Kirsten. A month after moving to Kazakhstan, they went to a food court in the mall.

Kazakhstan s national dish, beshbarmaq̶horsemeat with broth and onions̶is served with pride at traditional feasts.

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All Kirsten wanted was a salad, but as Scott quips, “They don’t do vegetables here.” Kirsten explains, “I was wandering around looking for a salad, and I was kind of standing back, trying to pick something out, because as soon as you walk up to order, they expect you to say your order right away. . . . We didn’t even know how to say ‘I need a second.’ I was so overwhelmed making a decision. The only things I could make out were things like ‘hot dog on

a stick’ or ‘pizza.’ I was so frustrated that I decided, ‘Well, I’m not going to get anything.’ My eyes were getting really teary.” Eventually she gave up. “It was a defeating experience for me,” she says. That experience gave Scott and Kirsten more motivation to learn some basic Russian. Scott says, “The first word we learned was the Russian word for ‘this’—eta. I have learned that when you travel, the words you need to know are this, yes, and

no. Those words go a long way.” So they used pointing and the word eta to communicate what foods they wanted until they were able to learn more specific words.

Traveling “There are so many surprises,” Kirsten says. “The most fun we’ve had is when we’ve had the attitude ‘let’s go with it.’” This attitude is what helps them navigate difficult situations. They

These three men teach with Kirsten and Scott at Nazarbayev Intellectual School of Astana. For them, international teaching is a great way to see the world from diﬀerent perspectives.

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Teaching Abroad

After Kirsten earned her teaching certificate, she applied to all the paid teaching positions she could find. She heard back from a job in Kazakhstan, which was posted on TeachAnywhere.com. She and Scott are now working with the Nazarbayev Intellectual School of Astana (NISA), teaching critical thinking and history. Teaching in a Kazakh school is “exhausting, mentally and emotionally,” Kirsten says. Yet this experience has helped Kirsten gain insight into her professional practices. “You find clarity in doing something different because you have something to compare it with,” Kirsten says.

Scott and Kirsten don their warm fur hats during a frosty Kazakh winter.

once asked a bus driver in Almaty, a large city in Kazakhstan, if he could take them to their destination. Scott relates, “He said ‘. . . yes?’—a really questionable ‘yes,’ but we got on anyway.” They rode on the bus for a while, asking the driver every once in a while, “Does this go here?” and pointing to the destination on the map. After riding for 45 minutes, they concluded that they were completely lost and that the bus driver hadn’t understood where they wanted to go. They tried to get off the bus, but the bus driver told them to stay. At this point, they thought, “You know, who else can you pay 50 cents to and get a tour of the city?” So they stayed on the bus and got to see most of the city. Eventually they asked him again if it went to their desired destination. They say that “the bus driver’s face fell and he let out a low, ‘Ooh . . . ’” and told them to get off the bus and catch a different one.

Their Philosophy on Traveling Both Scott and Kirsten say that living abroad helps you value what is good

in your culture, learn what you take for granted at home, and appreciate how other people do things. Scott likes learning about people’s worldviews. “When you start talking to people about politics, religion, and food,” he says, “you realize that your way of doing things could be different.” Kirsten adds, “Living abroad helps you see your own worth, but you also get to see the worth of other systems, other ways of doing things.” Although Scott and Kirsten learned these things far from their home in the United States, they don’t think travel is the only way to expand your knowledge about the world and learn to overcome challenges. Scott reflects that just talking to people can expose you to different worldviews and help you understand who you want to be. “Each person is like their own little foreign country,” he says. “I think anything that gets you out of your comfort zone is good for you. You either go crazy or become a different person. You grow.” There are many rewards for the hard work they have put into teaching and adapting to this new way of life. “I can look back on this and say that it has been a difficult

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experience,” Kirsten says, “but it has made me so much stronger. I am capable of difficult things. I can tell myself, ‘I did something really hard. So what else you got?’ I feel empowered, and that’s one of the really neat benefits of doing something like this.” Living in Kazakhstan was an exciting opportunity for Scott and Kirsten to challenge themselves. Kirsten says, “Some people run marathons; we moved to Kazakhstan.” ▶

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“There and Back Again” Hobbiting In New Zealand By Hannah Ballard

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Though Gandalf isn’t around to give travelers such wise responses, they will also experience such a change when they visit the only country that stamps passports with “Welcome to Middle Earth.”

there lived a Hobbit. New Zealand—“Best Supporting Country”—is home to all four of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies. Now a landmark for all things Middle-Earthian, New Zealand combines fantastic sites with Tolkien lore

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in the main attraction for “Ringers.” A permanent Middle Earth location in Matamata, New Zealand, Hobbiton is the best film location to visit according to Ian Brodie, author of Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook and soon-to-be-released The Hobbit Location Guidebook. “Hobbiton is the only location that still looks the same as it did in the movies,” says Brodie. “All the rest, you simply go to the locations and you just have to imagine what was there for the film.” Jackson discovered the perfect place for Hobbiton in what was originally the Alexander family farm. The land had all the necessary traits—the rolling hills, the picturesque lake, and Bilbo’s party tree. On the Alexander Farm, Hobbiton has been rebuilt permanently as a site featuring 44 hobbit holes as well as the Green Dragon, a local hobbit pub that caters to appetites ranging from hobbit- to Gandalf-sized. If you want a tour, guides will take you through the Shire. Complete with lush gardens— that Samwise might have trimmed himself—and with round, colorful hobbit doors, Hobbiton transports you directly into Tolkien’s mind, a place you’ll never want to leave. Watch—Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin

might burst from around a corner at any time, ready for Elevensies, Noon Tea, or Second Breakfast. Brodie, who authored his Guidebook while working for Hobbiton Tours, always felt that his native New Zealand was, in fact, Middle Earth: “Although the names for the locations my parents and I were visiting were New Zealand names, I was actually translating them into Middle Earth names. It was immediately apparent that

Hobbiton transports you directly into Tolkien’s mind.

Prevoious spread: photo by Hans-Juergen Janisch; this page, clockwise from bottom left: photo by Ian Brodie, photo and map of New Zealand courtesy of Rooster Teeth

n the recent film adaption of The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins asks Gandalf the Grey to promise they will return alive from their dangerous quest. Gandalf’s response? “No. And if you do, you will not be the same.” For a tour guide, a comedy group, and three advertising students, Gandalf was right.

This page: clockwise from top, photos courtesy of Rooster Teeth and Jeﬀ Hitchcock

Opposite page: Kerry Shawcross (left) and Chris Demarais prepare for their journey to Mount Doom. Above: Demarais and Shawcross stumble across the barren wasteland of the active volcano Mount Ngauruhoe̶the cinematic stand-in for Mount Doom.

those mountains could be the Misty Mountains. I was actually imagining in my mind the places I was really seeing put into Tolkien’s books.” Though Hobbiton is a precious location, many come not simply for the location but also for the journey. As Bilbo Baggins says, “It’s a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no telling where you might be swept off to.”

I will take the ring to Mordor! Just as Bilbo was swept off to adventure, far from home and family, two members of Texas-based Rooster Teeth Productions, Kerry Shawcross and Chris Demarais, swept themselves onto a journey to recreate Frodo and Sam’s part in the fellowship. Hoping to create a video series reenacting Frodo and Sam’s journey to destroy “The One Ring”—walking from the film location of Hobbiton to the film location of Mount Doom (Mount Ngauruhoe)—Demarais

and Shawcross began their journey with the help of Nick Newton, a guide much friendlier than Sméagol. Though Shawcross and Demarais’s adventure started at Rooster Teeth’s home base in Austin, Texas, it was only when they reached Hobbiton that they realized exactly what they had gotten themselves into—131 miles of walking in six days. Despite the intensity of the journey Newton had mapped out, Demarais and Shawcross wore hobbit costumes the entire way: Shawcross toted the ring around his neck, and Demarais “stabbed” the plastic replica of Sting into any Orcs (or cows) that

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that the New Zealand landscape was the most surreal part about their journey. “Just walking on the road was beautiful,” says Demarais. Shawcross recommends the Waikato River Trails, which they took for about half of their 131-mile journey. After burying the ring in the fiery depths of Mount Doom, Demarais expressed how it felt to finish their quest: “Like seven days or even three days prior, to me it was like we were doing this thing, we’re making a video series out of it, it’ll be awesome, and I like Lord of the Rings. But actually getting there and finishing . . . it was way more emotional.” Demarais and Shawcross concluded their journey and returned home, but not without realizing that, as Gandalf notes, “Hobbits really are amazing creatures.”

Go home, Sam Just as Frodo told Sam to leave him and “go home,” three additional hobbits named Olo, Beri, and Toad were beckoned home to the Shire by the start of Jackson’s filming of The Hobbit. These advertising students

Bilbo s Party Tree convinced Peter Jackson to choose the Alexander farm for the set of the Shire.

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“What

if we tried to be in The Hobbit?” from Brigham Young University— Mitchell Stevens, John Wright, and John Storey—started their journey in Provo, Utah. Their end goal was to capture the attention of Jackson and become extras in The Hobbit films. These three would-be hobbits made a pact to participate in this journey when a speaker at BYU inspired them. “He basically said don’t wait for big things to come; go out and make it happen,” says Stevens. “John and I talked after the presentation: we need to do something cool, and we need to do something huge. Just as chance would have it, John was watching The Lord of the Rings extended editions, and it just clicked for him: ‘What if we tried to be in The Hobbit?’” After creating videos directed at Justin Bieber, Ellen Degeneres, and Steven Colbert, and starting

Photo by Hans-Juergen Janisch

came between them and Mordor. And besides, Demarais says, without the costumes they “would have just looked like homeless people, not like homeless hobbits.” Homeless hobbits or not, in the end, cows and Orcs weren’t the problem. “In watching the movies,” Demarais says, “you see [Frodo] being dramatic, ‘Oh, Sam, I can’t go any further,’ and you just think, ‘Come on, you’ve just been walking!’ But going up the mountain, at that point we had been going for so long that physically our bodies were stopping. There were several times where the muscles in my leg cramped up, and I literally couldn’t walk.” It was then, Demarais said, that he really connected with both Frodo’s and Sam’s journey. So far away from anything recognizable, especially their homes, Demarais and Shawcross began to feel like the hobbits that started Tolkien’s Fellowship journey. “It definitely sunk in that the journey would have been much worse than it seems in the movie,” Demarais says. Despite the toll the long hike took on their bodies—including blisters that covered their “hobbit feet”— both Shawcross and Demarais agreed

Photo by Jonathan Wright

Olo, Beri, and Toad (Mitchell Stevens, Jonathan Wright, and John Storey) are would-be hobbits who campaigned tirelessly to be cast as extras in Peter Jackson s Hobbit trilogy. They are creating a documentary about their journey.

several campaigns like CARP-ing (Congress Acting like Ridiculous Politicians) outside Steven Colbert’s studio, walking barefoot for Frodo’s and Bilbo’s birthdays, and winning BYU’s Dining with the Dean culinary competition by creating a hobbitinspired meal, these three “Road to the Shire” hobbits gained the funds to go to New Zealand. “We had several people reach out to us on our blog and offer to have us stay with them,” says Stevens. “We didn’t have to pay for lodging at all. And Escape Van Rentals gave us a van to live out of for the two weeks we were there.” Stevens and his fellow hobbits are creating a documentary of their journey, and while they are

keeping the outcome of their final trip to New Zealand a mystery, Stevens emphasizes the emotional effect the journey had on him. After having this experience, “I feel like I can really connect with the lifestyle that they live, that Tolkien created,” says Stevens. “Hobbits are very easygoing; they love to eat; they love to have company and have friends. I realized that the more I let myself believe I was actually living that, the better the experience was.”

Not the hobbit that you were Through these journeys by a native New Zealander, the Rooster Teeth comedians, and BYU advertising students, these hobbits realized

something larger than simply the connection forged between New Zealand and Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings epic. Each learned what it was like to take a walk in Frodo’s feet. After all of his experiences with the Lord of the Rings stories, says Brodie, “they’ve only gained depth and, no pun intended, they’ve gained three dimensions. It certainly hasn’t diminished my love. If anything, the experiences have increased my love because of that indelible link to New Zealand.” ▶

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Alive & Aware

Experiencing Xcaret By Brooke Jorden

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Opposite page: The river system at Xcaret winds in and out of limestone caves, traditionally thought to be the home of the gods. Above: Xcaret is a tropical paradise that highlights Mexico s natural beauty.

You’ve been to other amusement parks. You’ve seen the long lines at Knott’s Berry Farm, the high-tech rides at Six Flags, the commercialized attractions at Disneyland. But you’ve never experienced a place quite like Xcaret. Located near Riviera Maya, Cancún, Xcaret (eks-kah-RET) celebrates the natural and cultural beauty of Mexico’s past and present. It contains a wealth of natural wonders and authentic experiences. Like watching a butterfly, experiencing Xcaret connects you to nature—something far more real than cheap thrills, electric lights, and motion sickness.

Photos courtesy of Xcaret Parks

History of Xcaret Before its metamorphosis into the thriving eco-tourism destination it is today, Xcaret was simply a dream in the mind of Mexican architect Miguel Quintana Pali. Originally, Pali intended to build his home on the 12 acres he purchased in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. But when he discovered the location’s diverse

ecology and the chain of underground caves and rivers, he resolved to share Mexico’s natural beauty with the world. “Xcaret is a corner of Mexico that touches the souls of thousands of people,” Pali says. Daniela Muñoz, director of public relations for Xcaret, says, “We want to be the best tourist destination that shares the experience of the natural and cultural richness of Mexico.”

Natural Attractions Xcaret is home to the largest butterfly pavilion in the world—nearly 38,000 square feet. The ancient Aztecs believed that butterflies held the souls of brave warriors. To them, each fragile creature contained within its tiny form the strength and beauty of a rich cultural moment in Mexican

history. Visitors follow a winding path through the humid dome, greeted by native butterflies of every imaginable size and color. There are more than five thousand butterflies in the pavilion, so you are bound to make at least one beautiful friend as they land on your shoulders, your hat, and your hands. After you see the butterflies, grab your life jacket and goggles and head to Xcaret’s mysterious underground rivers. Some parts of the rivers are so dark that you can’t see the cave walls around you. You cling to the rope that guides swimmers through the deep caves until you see the light streaming down through the sinkholes that periodically light the way through the river system. Other parts of the rivers are open to the sky. According to

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Xcaret performers don the garb of Maya warriors and prepare to reenact a Maya ballgame for park visitors.

Muñoz, “All the rivers have a natural flow. A characteristic of Quintana Roo is that a lot of underground rivers are connected, and in some little towns they are still used to provide fresh water.” With friendly tropical fish swimming at your feet and the tropical sun shining above you, you’ll never want to leave. There is no better way to connect with nature than interacting with the amazing creatures that live at Xcaret. Spend an hour swimming with the dolphins. Or if you are brave, swim with the sharks— taking this kind of risk takes more guts than riding even the most terrifying rollercoaster.

Cultural Connections When the sun goes down, watch an amazing spectacle of song and dance in the Xcaret Mexico Espectacular. Nearly three hundred performers reenact the history of Mexico,

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beginning with the Maya and the Aztecs. Performers even play Maya ballgames. In one game, players use their chest and hips to bounce the ball through vertical hoops. In another game, players hit flaming balls around the court with poles, trying to get them past the “goalies” on either end. When one flame goes out, the “ball boy” lights another and sends it flying into the game. The show ends by celebrating the unique cultural flavor of each of Mexico’s largest states. Every act celebrates the interwoven importance of Mexican culture and geography. “Xcaret cares as much about the cultural traditions of presentday Mexico as we do about ancient Mexico,” Muñoz says. In fact, Xcaret is built on an ancient Maya archeological site, and many of the structures have been preserved. The show and Xcaret itself are monuments of Mexican pride.

Conservation Efforts Muñoz says that despite Xcaret’s amazing attractions and adventures, what makes this archaeological park

Xcaret breeding programs raise and release thousands of beautiful macaws each year.

so unique can be summed up in one word: awareness. The creators of Xcaret are keenly aware of the need to preserve the natural beauty of the world. They even ask that you wear chemical-free sunscreen to minimize the impact on the environment. Xcaret works closely with nonprofit organizations like Fauna & Flora International to facilitate the revival of endangered animals and plants and has taken special care to protect green and loggerhead turtles. Between 1996 and 2011, the wildlife wing of Xcaret Park released a total of 5,539,355 sea turtle hatchlings into the wild. Xcaret also takes pride in its breeding programs for the scarlet macaw (also known as the ara macaw) and the military macaw. Each day at noon, a flock of these endangered red and green macaws fly over Xcaret, squawking their blessing over the park and its visitors. Xcaret holds the only Guinness World Record in history for an endangered species reproduction program—the record of “most macaws born in the same location in the same year.”

According to Muñoz, “In November 2012, the first 27 macaws were released back into the wild. These 27 macaws have a new home in Palenque, Chiapas. And every three months, Xcaret is going to release 30 more to contribute to the repopulation. This shows how Xcaret is working every day to create magic and unforgettable experiences for our visitors, even for those who still don’t know us.” She hopes that some day in the future her children will be able to see macaws flying free through the sky. Although tickets into Xcaret cost $71.10, you can be sure that the park is putting the money to good use. Xcaret represents the symbiotic relationship between culture and nature. With its natural attractions and its commitment to the preservation of Mexican ecology and culture, Xcaret is a one-of-a-kind experience. Taking its mission from the butterflies, it stands as a gentle reminder of the beauty of nature and the importance of a cultural past that may be gone—but must never be forgotten. ▶

Xcaret in the Fall Although most people visit Cancún in the summer months, hoping to work on their tan in the Mayan Riviera, three of Xcaret’s major cultural events take place during the fall season. So avoid the crowds and participate in an authentic Mexican experience. • October 30–November 2: Festival de Vida y Muerte (“Festival of Life and Death,” a celebration through art, music, and food) • December 12: Mañanita de Flor y Canto (“The Morning of Flowers and Songs,” a song-filled day of praise to the Virgin of Guadalupe) • December 14–25: Las Posadas (“The Inns,” a candlelight procession celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ)

www.xcaret.com

At Xcaret, visitors can see recreated Mayan villages ﬁlled with traditional styles of dwellings, clothing, and customs.

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A 42 â&#x2013;ś fall 2013

ALES

They ll Keep a Welcome in the Hillside By Dana Knudsen

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The Curtain Wall: The Welsh Fight for Independence A castle’s curtain wall is its outermost defense. Tall, thick, and strong, it defines the shape of the castle and protects the inner bailey and keep. Just as breaking down a curtain wall can lead to a castle’s inhabitants, understanding the Welsh’s fight for independence can break down the first barrier that keeps visitors from appreciating Welsh culture. Long before the Angles and Saxons invaded the island of Britain in the fifth century AD, the RomanoBritish people, who lived on the western “bump” of the island, were developing their Welsh identity. Having survived the invasion of the Romans, these hardy people were once again subdued by the Normans, who built castles to keep the Welsh people in check. Owain Glyndŵr is one of numerous heroes of Welsh history who demonstrated great dedication to his homeland. In 1400, a time when Wales was under English rule, Glyndŵr was pronounced a traitor to the English throne and was denied the rights to his Welsh lands. Furious, Glyndŵr raised a rebellion of Welsh followers to retake northern and central Wales. The Welsh flocked to his banner, and English presence on Welsh soil was reduced drastically.

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In 1407, after Glyndŵr had taken hold of numerous English castles, his supplies began to be cut off from Wales. Glyndŵr’s wife and two of his daughters were captured by the English and taken to the Tower of London, where they died. Eventually, Glyndŵr’s rebellion crumbled, but Glyndŵr was never captured or betrayed. Although he disappeared after 1412, his legacy lives on. Like Glyndŵr, the Welsh are defined by their stubborn longing for identity and independence. Throughout the ages, they have experienced long periods of invasion and oppression—by the Normans, Vikings, Romans, and Saxons—but they never abandoned their fight for their country’s independence. Wales hasn’t given up on its dream for sovereignty. According to Tom Taylor, Welsh professor at Brigham Young University, “The notion of the United Kingdom in many people’s mind is very static, but it’s not. There are shifts all the time.” Wales voted for its own government in 1999 and is still considering complete independence from the United Kingdom. “Some believe they want to be part of England, but others don’t,” says

Jonathan McColgan, a student who grew up west of Cardiff. Although the Welsh are somewhat torn in their allegiance to the English, they are united in their Welsh identity. To understand Wales’s continuing fight for independence, visitors can take a tour of the Senedd—the main building of the Welsh National Assembly. But the best way to understand Welsh history is to tour one of the many castles across Wales’s landscape. Some of the most picturesque Welsh castles include those at Beaumaris, Chepstow, Harlech, Raglan, Caernarfon, and Criccieth. Walking along the outer walls of these castles and looking at the shining rivers, grassy hills, and azure ocean, visitors will understand why the Welsh have fought so long and so hard for their homeland.

Previous page: photo by Rhisiart Hincks; this page: photo by Jelle Drok

he history of Wales, England’s lesser-known neighbor, is much like its own castles. If the history is not penetrated, it can be a barrier that keeps uneducated visitors from truly understanding the lifestyle and culture of the Welsh people. To breach this historical castle, visitors must understand Wales’s fight for independence, the importance of the Welsh language, and Wales’s artistic background. Then visitors can see the beauty that stands at the heart of Wales.

The Inner Bailey: The Welsh Language The inner bailey of a castle is a fortified enclosure where the core group of the inhabitants of the castle lived. After breaching the first historical defense of independence, it is

important to tackle the language of Wales—a pseudo inner bailey. The Welsh language has often been ridiculed by the English, but according to Professor Taylor, it is the language that “has really bound the Welsh together and kept a sense of

nationhood, pride, and nationalism for thousands of years.” Thus, it is no surprise that Welsh people are cautious to fully embrace the English, who cannot banter in Cymraeg, or Welsh.

Previous page: One of the best ways to see the beautywww.stowawaymag.com of Wales is to take a scenic drive through its ◀ 45 green, hilly countryside. This page: Stunning vistas await visitors who are willing to make the climb to Castell Careg Cennan.

Must-See Places in Wales ▶

Tintern Abbey

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Snowdonia National Park

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Big Pit, a national coal museum located in Blaenafon in southern Wales www.visitwales.co.uk

A father and son celebrate their Welsh pride on Saint David s Day, a national holiday honoring the Welsh patron saint.

The Keep: The Welsh Artistic Tradition The most heavily fortified part of a castle is its keep, the central tower of the castle that is designed to protect the most prominent people within. Like the keep, a treasure that the Welsh have consistently cherished and protected is their artistic tradition of song, poetry, and art. The Welsh have been blessed with the gift of voice; it is one

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stereotype that has accurately defined the country. For McColgan, the memory of Welsh song is the memory that has remained with him the most since coming to the United States. He recalls that as he left Wales, his church congregation sang him the Welsh farewell song: “We’ll Keep a Welcome in the Hillside.” This song’s lyrics explain the Welsh people’s enduring love of music: “This land you knew will still be singing when you come home again to Wales.” For visitors to enter the “keep” of Wales’s artistry, they can attend the annual National Eisteddfod, a festival of poetry and song. At the Eisteddfod, it may be hard to understand everything that is being said—much of the barddoniaeth (poetry) and proceedings are conducted in Cymraeg—but the bards’ costumes, along with the grand hand-carved chair that is given to the best poet, are distinctly Welsh. The tradition of Eisteddfod dates back to the 1100s and has some of the best singing, art, dancing, and poetry that Wales has to offer.

The Community of Wales If visitors can understand the defenses of the Welsh and successfully “invade” their hearts, they may be lucky enough to be accepted into the loving Welsh community. Of their caring community, Taylor explains, “In the Great Depression, the valleys had an unemployment rate that was far above almost anywhere else in the country. But there was almost no violence, people helped each other out, and there was a real sense of community that went very deep.” The Welsh tend to their own needs, and that sense of community continues even today. McColgan explains that, though he was born to an English mother and an Irish father, he feels like he is Welsh, just by having grown up in Wales. While traveling through Wales, be sure to interact with the people. Perhaps, by the end of your journey, you’ll even be lucky enough to hear the song that McColgan heard when he left Wales—and “this land of song will keep a welcome and with a love that never fails.”

Photo by Andrew Hazard

After all, Wales is the English name for Cymru, and it means “outsiders.” While much of southern Wales speaks English, northern Wales persistently continues to speak only Welsh. When English speakers say hello in the north, the locals may stubbornly answer in Welsh by saying noswaith dda—“good evening.” Surprise them by asking sut mae—“how are you?” They will smile and be pleased that you are attempting to use their language.

Recycled

Rhapsody By Rachel Ontiveros

ateura, one of the poorest cities in Paraguay, is ruled by its enormous landfill. Nearly everyone who calls this small town home works at the landfill and lives in a shack made from corrugated metal and scrap wood that were found among the garbage. Over the years, ton after ton of solid waste flowed down from the capital city, Asunción, to the landfill here in Cateura. Because the people had no place to dispose of their own garbage, the trash piled high in the city and filled the lagoon, leaving the land and the water polluted and unsanitary. But out of the piles of trash and the ramshackle buildings comes the melody of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. This unexpected, beautiful sound of violins and cellos drifts across the landfill. The majority of Cateura’s youth join their neighbors in working at the landfill. These youth must sort through the 1500 tons of waste that arrives in the landfill every day. This job often keeps teenagers out of school—and thereby hinders the possibility of a better future.

In this difficult situation, the youth are at high risk for using drugs and joining gangs; one young girl attributes her peers’ lack of study time to drug and alcohol addiction. With no education, no wholesome activities, and no hope for the future, the children of Cateura have almost no choice but to remain there, living out their lives confined to the landfill. But one man refused to let the Cateura youth succumb to this fate. In April 2009, Favio Chávez, a music teacher, committed to engage his students in something positive by teaching them to play musical instruments. Luis Szarán, director of a nonprofit organization that establishes music programs in poor areas, aided the cause as well. Since an average violin is worth more than each student’s house, Chávez let the kids play with

instruments from his own collection. But the number of students interested in playing surpassed all of Chávez’s expectations: the kids loved to make music. “When I listen to the sound of a violin, I feel butterflies in my stomach,” says 13-year-old Ada Bordados. “It’s a feeling I don’t know how to explain.” With excitement like this coming from many of the city’s youth, soon there were not enough instruments for everyone who wanted to learn. With only five instruments to share among them, the aspiring musicians grew bored. It seemed that the music school would not prove successful. But Chávez didn’t give up. The landfill workers often sort through the trash to look for anything of value to sell. One of these workers,

Below: Many students like Maria have avoided the gangs and drugs that are rampant in Cateura because of music lessons oﬀered by Chávez. Previous page: Tania holds a violin made of material salvaged from a landﬁll.

48 ▶ fall 2013

Photos courtesy of Landﬁll Harmonic

The Documentary Nicolás Gómez, can make almost anything out of the items he finds in the landfill. One day, he came across the battered husk of a violin, and an idea was born. After that day, Chávez recruited Gómez to build drums, cellos, violins, saxophones, and more for the music school. Gómez used anything and everything he could find in the trash—bottle caps, old x-rays, canisters, metal bowls, forks, jelly cans, scrap metal, and other such rubbish. Today, a 19-year-old boy named Juan Manuel Chávez plays a cello made from old oil cans, discarded pieces of wood, and a fork that connects the strings. The tuning pegs are made of pieces from a meat tenderizer and an old gnocchi maker. Szarán explains, “People say, ‘This is something I threw away because it was useless.’ But when they see us, they see the same useless materials being transformed into musical instruments.” From this project, a group of about 30 students, led by Chávez, became known as Los Reciclados, or the Recycled Orchestra. The Recycled Orchestra inspired their town with the classical music of Beethoven and Mozart as well as their own renditions of Beatles hits. And even more impressive is the fact that the current members of the Recycled Orchestra have now learned to build their own violins and guitars. As word of the Recycled Orchestra spread across cities, regions, and countries, the group began performing in various cities in its home country of Paraguay. Eventually the students received the opportunity to play in several other South American countries, including Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia. The students, most of which had

rarely left the borders of Cateura, reveled at the prospect of traveling beyond the landfill. The luxuriousness of these foreign locations contrasted greatly with Cateura’s poor and polluted atmosphere. The young performers stayed in grand hotels instead of the small wooden shacks they were accustomed to; they swam in the sky-blue waters at Rio de Janeiro, something they would never dream of doing in the contaminated streams of their hometown. Learning to play and make instruments and traveling to share their talents with others, these students have genuinely dedicated their lives to their art, and that dedication has paid off exponentially. The members of the orchestra have inspired each other to value their own lives more. “The music will help some not to start with drugs or other addictions,” says one young musician. “Let music be your addiction.” Another young girl adds, “My life would be worthless without music.” Slate reporter David Haglund shares how moving the transformation in these young people is: “If you do not lose it a little when 19-yearold Juan Manuel Chávez starts playing Bach’s Cello Suite no. 1 on an instrument ‘made from an oil can and wood that was thrown away in the garbage,’ then you are made of sterner stuff than I.” The original students who first attended Favio Chávez’s music classes have gone on to pursue other dreams, but their legacy continues as curious new students join the orchestra to discover the magic of music. These students have proven that people can make the most out of what life hands them—even if it’s garbage. “The world sends us garbage,” says Chávez. “We send back music.”

The story of the Recycled Orchestra is currently being made into a feature-length documentary, Landﬁll Harmonic, to be released in 2014. The directors hope to show how important it is that the formerly hopeless children have undergone a kind of metamorphosis; these neglected Paraguayan citizens have been carefully polished and ﬁne-tuned into something beautiful, just like the trash they used to create the instruments they play. ▶

www.landﬁllharmonicmovie.com

Ninth Symphony ̶Ludwig van Beethoven Cello Suite no. 1 ̶Johann Sebastian Bach Symphony no. 4 ̶Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky

From top: Favio Chávez conducts the Recycled Orchestra. A young musician holds a drum made from discarded x-ray photographs.

Don’t let classes stop you from studying abroad, going home, or taking that long overdue road trip with your friends. With BYU Independent Study, you get the freedom to travel while earning the credits you need to graduate. Who says you can’t be successful in school and still have fun? Sign up for courses at anytime, with up to a full year to complete them. Set your own deadlines and create your own schedule. You can even look at the syllabus before you enroll so you know exactly what you’ll be doing. Don't let a couple credits limit your freedom. Why not take a look?

50 ▶ summer 2012

Culture

Visitors to the Scottish Fringe Festival can enjoy the Edinburgh Castle, a grand structure carved out of the rubble of the extinct volcano underneath it.

Arts

Life

Eats

Watch hundreds of performers on Scotland’s Royal Mile, or visit a mysterious underwater museum near Cancún, Mexico.

Experience 360-degree swinging in Estonia, or learn about the world of umbrellas.

Photo by Jessica Allen

Search for the exotic fungi in the Italian forest, or taste the four corners of the globe with star anise.

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 51

Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Fringe Festival

culture

Photos by Jessica Allen and Flickr user byronv2

lice had been in Wonderland for only a short time when she exclaimed that it got “curiouser and curiouser” every moment. Wouldn’t it be fun to go on your own curious adventure? Well, if curious sights are what you’re after, check out the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Held in Edinburgh, Scotland, every August, the Fringe Festival was originally created as an attempt to reunite Europe after the devastation of World War II. It is now the world’s largest arts festival, and entertainers and tourists come from all over the world to participate. The festival spans the entire city, but the hot spot is the Royal Mile, the street that leads to Edinburgh Castle. This road is lined with performers eager to intrigue you with their acts as you stroll by. But here’s the catch: the performers are given a certain area on the street for an allotted amount of time. After that time is up, the spot opens up to another performer. This arrangement creates a unique atmosphere because by the time you get to the end of the street and turn around, all the performers have changed, and you hardly know what to expect. College student Shayla Johnson describes the festival as “always changing and evolving” and “a place for discovery.” One performer that Johnson stopped to watch on the Royal Mile was a Korean magician. Johnson was surprised when he called her out of the audience to be his assistant. “I had to do the Macarena with him, and there were at least 70 people watching,” she recounts. “Not at all an experience I would expect to have. That’s the way the festival is— really interactive.” One of Johnson’s favorite entertainers was an Australian comedian. He insisted on performing in a bathrobe—because he liked to be comfortable—and he frequently asked his audience for suggestions as he drew on his notepad to tell stories. Johnson loved “his completely original humor.”

As she continued down the Royal Mile, Johnson also saw a musician playing saws, a Tasmanian guitarist with inch-long fingernails, a spray-paint

artist, human statues, and many other acts. Johnson notes, “The range of performances that you see is incredible. There’s something for everyone.”

Opposite page: This unicyclist is one of many unique entertainers at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh. Above: The Fringe Festival is an arena for one-of-a-kind talents.

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 53

You’re probably wondering how much it costs to attend this fullblown festival. That’s the best part— nearly all of the shows are free. So if you’re a poor college student or just a frugal traveler, this is the perfect festival to attend. In fact, according to Johnson, the young adult years are the best time to go. “I would totally

go back, especially as a college-aged traveler. When you are young, you haven’t experienced the world yet, and the Fringe is a place to experience the world and all these weird, quirky, strange things.”

— Jessica Allen

Fringe

Festivals If you can’t make it to Scotland in August, don’t worry. Fringe festivals—based on the original in Edinburgh—pop up all around the world during fall. Here’s a sample: August ▶ ▶

Minneapolis, Minnesota New York City, New York

▶ ▶

▶ ▶ ▶ ▶ ▶ ▶ ▶

San Francisco, California Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Melbourne, Australia Dublin, Ireland Windsor, England Indianapolis, Indiana Chicago, Illinois Rochester, New York Boulder, Colorado

October ▶ ▶

Nashville, Tennessee Charlotte, North Carolina

November ▶ ▶

O’ahu, Hawaii New Orleans, Louisiana

Top: Musicians from all genres, including guitarists, singers, pianists, and pipers, come to the Fringe Festival in hopes of being discovered. Bottom left: Performers like this ﬁre-breather will keep you on your toes. Bottom right: Painted mimes, including mime artists considered living statues, add unique texture to the diverse arts of the Fringe Festival.

56▶ fall 2013

Clockwise from top: Photos by Emily Watson. Flickr user byronv2, and Patrick Down

September

culture

Art

Clockwise from top left: photos by Amy Thomas, Michael Brashier, and Jason deCaires Taylor

of the

nderneath the glistening sun and crashing waves of Cancún, Mexico, lies a hidden treasure—an underwater sculpture museum in Manchones Reef. The sculptures, created by British sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor for the Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA), is a collection of four hundred life-size statues modeled after workers, farmers, and other people who live near the reef. The exhibit provides an opportunity for scuba divers, snorkelers, and other tourists to interact with the ocean in a new way, all while preserving the life and natural beauty of the ocean.

Creating an Underwater Museum

The project began in 2006, when the Yucatán Peninsula’s National Marine Park learned about a few of Taylor’s sculptures, which were submerged off the shore of Grenada. These sculptures were meant to become living, breathing parts of the ocean as they grew coral and provided homes for fish in their crevices.

Cancún’s coral reefs and tropical fish had attracted snorkelers and scuba divers for years, but both coral and fish were dwindling because of hurricanes and tourists. Taylor’s idea seemed like the perfect solution to revive them. The National Marine Park contacted Taylor to propose their idea, and Taylor accepted. The statues are made out of special concrete designed to withstand

rough conditions on the ocean floor and to provide a perfect breeding ground for underwater plant life. Now MUSA’s underwater sculpture museum featuring Taylor’s life-size, human-like statues is helping to revive the popular reefs surrounding Cancún and Isla Mujeres. Not only does it distract tourists from other reefs that need a chance to regrow,

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 55

”

Visitors can view the statues from a variety on angels as they scuba dive over, around, and through the sculptures.

56▶ fall 2013

Photos by Jason deCaires Taylor

“

seeing

Like something you aren t supposed to.

culture

but it also provides additional places for more coral to grow.

Visiting the Museum

Photos by Amy Thomas and Jason deCaires Taylor

You can access the museum by contacting local scuba-diving companies in Cancún. These companies will either take you over the reef on a glass-bottom boat ride or transport you just a short distance from the Manchones Reef to snorkel or scuba dive in the underwater museum itself. As snorkeling and scuba-diving tourists swim around, over, and even through some of the works of art, they can view Taylor’s pieces from a

variety of positions—and have a more personal interaction with the pieces than visitors get with artwork in traditional museums. Amy Thomas of Davidson, North Carolina, explains that snorkeling at the underwater museum “is totally different than swimming over a natural reef that seems to be the ‘usual’ scenery. Snorkeling above the statues is very surreal. It’s almost like you are seeing something you aren’t supposed to.” While some museums always have the same pieces to see again, the underwater museum is always changing because the longer the sculptures are in the ocean, the longer the coral

grows and evolves around it. The art can also change color as the sun rises and sets. In an interview with USA Today (reported on Taylor’s website), the artist says, “The coral applies the paint. The fish supply the atmosphere. The water provides the mood.” Hidden below the surface of Cancún’s glimmering waves is a whole new world just waiting to be explored. Take a dip and discover it for yourself. ▶

www.underwatersculpture.com

—Kaylee Herrick

Many of Jason deCaires Taylor s sculptures are modeled after the everyday people and scenes near the reef.

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 57

Going

Full Circle

Kiiking in Estonia Every child dreams of defying gravity by swinging 360 degrees around the spindle of a swing set. In 1996, Estonian engineer Ado Kosk made this dream a reality. Kosk adapted Estonia’s traditional swings, which have wooden shafts rather than chains. Kosk’s version had adjustable steel poles and foot straps to hold swingers in place while they fly in a full loop around the top of the frame. His adaptation ushered in kiiking (pronounced keeking), an extreme sport in which competitors swing around the spindle at increasing levels of difficulty. Twenty-year-old Raili Laansalu, a native Estonian and veteran kiiker, says, “When you are standing upside down and looking at the ground and all around you—and you know that you cannot fall down—well, it feels like you are between heaven and ground. I have never felt anything like that anywhere.” Despite her busy life as a student, Laansalu competes in several kiiking competitions every year. Kiiking swings have adjustable shafts and posts, allowing riders to choose the level of difficulty each time they swing. The longer the shafts are, the more difficult it is to swing over the spindle. Once the height is set, riders strap their feet to the seat of the swing and begin to pump by alternately squatting and standing. As the riders build momentum, their own weight pulls them back and forth, then up and around the spindle.

58▶ fall 2013

Extreme athletes in annual competitions must complete a 360-degree swing in less than five minutes, with the length of the shafts extended before each round. Each competitor has only one shot at each shaft height, and the competitor who completes a swing with the shafts at the longest setting wins. Outdoor competitions usually take place during the summer in Estonia and across Eastern Europe, but many countries have built indoor facilities to host kiiking competitions all year long. And, best of all, the competitions are open to anyone with the guts to compete. Laansalu completed her first circle around the spindle in 2002 on a kiiking swing that her father bought on a whim in 2001. “At first it was really scary,” she explains, “but the feeling gets better every time.” Laansalu and her brother could not make it all the way around the spindle the first time they tried kiiking. “We kind of gave up,” she says. But they tried a year later, with better results. “We all managed to

get over the spindle,” Laansalu recalls. “I guess that was the beginning of our fascination with this sport.” While people in many countries participate in kiiking, it is a distinctly Estonian sport. Kiik means “swing” in Estonian, and Estonian village squares always feature large wooden swings that carry anywhere from two to ten people. Traditionally, the back-and-forth, give-and-take motion of the swing represents the rhythm of the swingers’ relationship. Today, these village swings stand as a reminder of a deep-rooted Estonian tradition. Swinging is part of Estonia’s beloved past, and kiiking is part of the nation’s promising future—a discovery they will share with the world. But, as any hard-core kiiker can tell you, swinging doesn’t become kiiking until your feet are above your head. And when that happens, according to Laansalu, “the feeling is pretty amazing.” ▶

www.kiiking.com

Photo by Rainar Aarand

life

—Brooke Jorden An athlete rotates 360 degrees on an Estonian kiiking swing.

culture

Every

Umbrella

under the Sun

There’s not a drop in the sky, but one in ten people on the streets of Zhongshan, China, are carrying an umbrella. No, they’re not over prepared; they’re protecting the porcelain skin they’ve been trying to keep up all winter. The word umbrella is taken from the Latin root umbra, which means shade. When people from the United States today think of umbrellas, most immediately worry about the rain. But the original use for umbrellas was to provide shade. In China, umbrellas were first made of silks to guard from the sun, but they soon changed to paper lacquered with oil to repel the rain. Westerners didn’t implement waterproof fabric to keep users dry until the early 1700s. People from the sweltering East Asian and Middle Eastern countries were among the first to use umbrellas, nearly 2,000 years ago. According to umbrella lore, red and yellow— colors representing luck—were reserved for royalty, while the common people used blue, a color representing health. In Thailand, umbrellas look very similar in shape to the paper ones in China. But rather than adopting the

use of paper, Thai people continue to use colorful silks. Each year in the city of Bo Sang, native residents celebrate these traditional umbrellas during a unique festival, which takes place each January. The festival displays the parasols-turned-works-of-art and uses them in dances and parades throughout the celebration. In Spain, umbrellas also serve a decorative capacity. For Semana Santa (Easter) celebrations in April, residents along the main street of Alicante hang large colorful umbrellas overhead, blanketing the sky with a canopy of rain shields. The umbrellas are the traditional size for everyday use, but their colors are vibrant pinks, greens, blues, and yellows, bringing a spring cheer to the road. Though the use of umbrellas spread throughout the world— traveling to Italy and then France under the name “parasol”— umbrellas were not a common

accessory until nearly 1730, when a traveling philanthropist named Jonas Hanway began to carry his own umbrella around the streets of London. To the socialites around him, the trend seemed eccentric at first; however, it was soon adopted by the vast majority of male and female Londoners alike. As you travel throughout the world, keep a lookout for the umbrellas of the people you visit. How they use these umbrellas, along with what their umbrellas look like and are made of, can be an interesting window into other cultures. ▶

www.hivingout.blogspot. com/2011/04/umbrellainstallations.html

▶

www.kaufmann-mercantile. com/history-of-the-umbrella

—Courtney Manwaring

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 59

Truffle

The

Hunter He signs all his emails “Giulio, the Truffle Hunter,” and with good reason: everything Giulio Benuzzi touches is infused with his passion for truffles—the fungi, not the chocolates. His deep-rooted connection with these rare subterranean fungi has influenced his Italian lifestyle, his career, his paintings, and his art. And when he talks about truffles, you can’t help but imagine the surge of excitement that will come from trekking through the forest and getting your

From top: Giulio and his hunting dog head out for a truffle hunt. Truffles resemble the chocolates we often think of when we hear the word truffle. Eda is eager to start a hunt. Truffles are a decadent and expensive topping used in many dishes.

60 ▶ fall 2013

“It ’s like working every day for anyone else, but I don’t have to take the car.”

hands dirty as you unearth these culinary diamonds. Truffles are found everywhere, from Oregon to Africa to Giulio’s home in Italy. They grow just a few inches beneath the earth’s surface, living off the nutrients provided by nearby tree roots. They vary in size, between that of a pea and that of an orange, and look a lot like the chocolates we usually think of when we hear the word truffle. In the culinary world, truffles are a treasure because of their tantalizing smells, which range from nutty to garlic-infused, and their characteristically indescribable flavors—even truffle experts like Giulio admit that they can’t accurately explain them. Before becoming a truffle hunter, Giulio owned a bed and breakfast in Tuscany that catered to middle-class tourists. But in 2000, the poor state of the economy threw him into a financial slump, and he decided it was time for something new. The opportunity to shift paths arose when Giulio joined a truffle hunt and was drawn to this art—not because of the thrilling search for $600-per-pound treasures but because of “the beautiful feeling that was created between the truffle hunter and his dog.” This

From top: photos by Giulio Benuzzi, Bonjwing Lee, Giulio Benuzzi, and Jocelyn & Cathy

Giulio Benuzzi has dedicated his life to truffles, relatives of the mushroom, that sell for approximately $600 per pound due to their tantalizing smells and luxurious flavors.

From top: photos by tavallai, Bonjwing Lee, and Giulio Benuzzi

culture

connection inspired Giulio to find his own hunting dog and become a full-time truffle hunter—making his living by selling valuable truffles and leading tour groups on unique “truffle experiences.” Giulio and his dog, Eda, hunt for truffles in a forest near their home six days a week. Giulio gives all his success in finding these truffles to Eda. “Every day, she finds a new truffle for me because she’s really a champion,” he boasts. But apart from working side by side with man’s best friend, Giulio is convinced that his job is like any other. “It’s like working every day for anyone else, but I don’t have to take the car”—he just walks right outside his home and into the forest with Eda. Giulio’s truffle tours bring visitors from all four corners of the globe to the Truffle House in Tuscany, where Giulio’s passion rubs off on anyone who hears him talk about these fungi in his thick Italian accent. At the Truffle House, visitors learn how truffles grow, go on a truffle hunt, and then indulge in a truffle tasting. When they come, Giulio says he tries “to give them 10 stars,” creating an experience “that guests will keep in their memory all their life.” Giulio’s customers are probably most surprised by the physical demands of the truffle hunt. It starts out as a casual walk, as Giulio and Eda lead their guests through the Tuscan forest. But when Eda catches a truffle’s scent, she dashes through the trees without warning, sending

“Every day, she finds a new truffle for me because she’s really a champion.” Giulio running after her. He must be with Eda the moment she arrives at the truffle’s location so she won’t eat it before the guests get there. With heavy breath, guests watch as Giulio unearths the truffle. This is the payoff, Giulio says, the moment where guests “become excited like little kids.” Not only does Giulio sell truffles and offer truffle tours, but he also paints and writes about them. He explains that his creative energy comes from his moments in the forest. These are the moments that inspire him to create colorful abstract paintings and write poems and fantasies all about truffle hunting. For Giulio, truffle hunting is a near-spiritual experience that fills his soul with inspiration. ▶

Not Just in Tuscany If you are looking for a bit of inspiration or adventure, don’t wait until your vacation in Tuscany to participate in a truffle hunt. Truffles grow in France, Croatia, Africa, and the United States, so you can make them a part of your next travel experience. Many truffle hunters and restaurants offer truffle tours, allowing you to get your hands dirty while searching for these buried treasures. But before you go out on the hunt, remember Giulio’s words of advice: “To do hunting, you must love this life.”

www.giuliothetruﬄehunter.com

—Rachel Nielsen

O Sole Mio ̶Beniamino Gigli La Dolce Vita ̶The Italian Light Orchestra Sunrise in Rome ̶Italian Restaurant Music

From top: The rare fungi can be transformed into a delectable soup. Truﬄes sell for around $600 per pound. Giulio congratulates Eda on a job well done.

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 61

Star anise, a spice with an eightpointed star shape, comes from Vietnamese- and Chinese-native evergreen trees and has been used for cooking and medicinal purposes since 100 bc. Star anise has a spicy, somewhat bitter licorice flavor and is used to enhance everything from poultry and beef to seafood and fruit. Many countries use it, so you can enjoy star anise–inspired recipes from all four corners of the world.

—Kelly Haight

Grilled Pink Grapefruit with Star Anise Greece

Four Corners of the Kitchen

Ingredients

2 pink grapefruit 1 teaspoon ground star anise (pods from about 4 stars) 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon 3 cups Greek yogurt

Directions 1.

Halve the grapefruit and shave a thin slice from the bottom of each half, so it sits flat. Cut between the dividing membranes so later you can spoon out the fruit easily using a grapefruit knife. Place the halves on a lightly greased baking sheet—cut sides facing up. Mix the star anise, light brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Sprinkle the star anise mixture on top of the grapefruit halves. Place the baking sheet in the oven to broil for three to five minutes, or until the star anise mixture caramelizes. Scoop out the grapefruit sections and place them on top of the Greek yogurt.

Yield: 2–4 servings Total time: 15 minutes

Photos by Jill Bickham

Star Anise

This sweet-and-sour recipe is a Greek favorite. It’s very simple and takes about 15 minutes to prepare. Along with being refreshing and healthy, it gives your day a sweet and spicy kick.

culture

Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

Polynesian Chicken

Moghli (Spice Pudding)

Polynesia

Middle East

Vietnam

Seafaring Polynesians brought their domesticated chickens to the

This Middle Eastern dish is traditionally served after the birth of a new

Americas three thousand years ago,

son, but tastes great any other day as

beef has a warm, delectable flavor.

and chicken is still a staple in their

well. It can be a fun tradition to make

And it has enough substance to fill you up.

diets. This star anise chicken dish

this whenever a baby is born or to

serves many people, so it’s easy to see

have a unique dessert to share with

why it’s popular with the highly social

your friends.

This traditional Vietnamese soup with its many spices and delicious

Ingredients

8 cups rich beef stock 1 pound beef sirloin 1 cup basil leaves ½ cup Sriracha 3 limes 1 lemon 2 tablespoons star anise seeds (pods from about 8 stars) 1 package Thai rice sticks (10‒15 ounce size) 2 cups bean sprouts 6 green onions

Polynesian people.

Ingredients

1 cup rice ﬂour

4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced

1 teaspoon ground caraway seed

3 teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons sesame seed

½ cup shredded coconut

½ cup soy sauce

1 cup chopped walnuts

⅓ cup honey 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger

3. 4.

1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground star anise (pods from about 4 stars)

Directions

¾ cup sugar

1 tablespoon pepper

2 teaspoons ground star anise (pods from about 8 stars)

Bring beef stock to a boil. Squeeze juice from the limes and lemon into the beef stock. Add the star anise. Let stock boil for 15 minutes. In a separate pot, cook Thai rice sticks according to package directions. Cook beef sirloin in a pan. Prep the other ingredients: Slice green onions. Chop cilantro. Thinly slice beef. Rinse and dry basil. When noodles are cooked, drain and divide among six bowls. On top of noodles, evenly divide the bean sprouts, sliced green onions, and cilantro. Top herbs with beef divided evenly between the bowls. Remove the star anise from stock. Ladle hot stock into each bowl of noodles and beef. Season individually with basil and Sriracha.

3 cups water

1 package white rice (10‒15 ounces)

½ bunch of cilantro

Ingredients

Directions 1. 2.

10 green onions, sliced 1 cup chopped, fresh cilantro leaves

Directions 1. 2.

3. 4.

Preheat oven to 375º F. Mix diced chicken, soy sauce, honey, hoisin sauce, star anise, ginger, salt, pepper, and sesame seed in a baking dish. Bake 30–40 minutes. Prepare rice according to package directions. Serve chicken on top of rice. Sprinkle green onion and cilantro on top.

5. 6.

Bring 2 cups of the water to a boil. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining cup of water with the rice flour until smooth. Combine the star anise, sugar, caraway seed, and cinnamon in another bowl and set aside. Add the rice flour mixture to the boiling water, stirring well, and reduce the heat to medium. Pour in half of the sugar mixture, continuing to stir until combined, then add the remaining sugar mixture and keep stirring. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Serve in small bowls with coconut and walnuts on top.

Yield: 2–4 servings Total time: 35 minutes

Yield: 4–6 servings Total time: 45 minutes

Yield: 6 servings Total time: 45 minutes

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 63

MOXIE PHOTOGR AP H Y

801.709.0335 64 summer 2012 ▶

MOXIEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Field Notes To fully experience Maine s vibrant fall colors, take a road trip along the coast.

Proﬁle

Highway Highlights

Oﬀ the Beaten Path

Service

Tales from the Trip

Photo Contest Winners

Meet Evan, a world traveler and YouTube sensation.

Find the best fall colors along Historic Route 1.

Step way out of your comfort zone and into Australia’s Outback.

Serve orphans in Ecuador; it just might change your life.

Hear travel stories from Stowaway readers.

Photo by Diana

Take a look at Stowaway readers’ best photos from near and far.

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5:34 A young protester in Cairo raises the Qur an.

6:07 Large lines of protesters march in Cairo.

3:09 Locals in Bangkok lift ﬂoating lanterns at Loi Krathong.

Evan MEETS World The camera spans across the bank of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand, where locals gather to lift softly glowing lanterns into the dark autumn sky. Small green and purple boats made of leaves and Styrofoam carry flowers and candles out across the water, symbolically carrying away the griefs of the past year. It’s the 2011 celebration of Loi Krathong, the annual festival of the “Floating Crown,” and in the wake of major flooding across Bangkok, the small boats are weighed down with more grief than usual. As Evan Carpenter, who happened upon the festival by chance, explains to the camera, “For me this was just a spontaneous travel accident, a novelty that would later lead to a checkmark on my bucket list. But it seemed like a bit more than that for everyone else. This year, [the festival] was rather improvised, and conditions made for an imperfect Loi Krathong. But after a month or more of hardship, I don’t think that anybody felt like demanding perfection.” And with that, the screen pans out to the lanterns, burning bright as they float out above the river.

2:18 This Thai temple66 escaped damage from the 2011 ▶ fall 2013 ﬂooding in Bangkok.

8:42/12:46

This is the final episode of Evan’s Bangkok series on his YouTube travel channel, Evan Meets World (EMW). Unlike similar channels that offer how-tos and travel guides, Evan’s episodes follow him beyond the typical tourist treads to the stories behind the destinations. He talks with locals and dishes out commentary on his travel mishaps in a blend of journalism and irresponsibility. In one episode of his Cairo series, Evan interviews Ahmed Maher, one of the founders of the April 6 Youth Movement. In another, after stepping off the metro, he asks the

Evan s Travel Playlist camera, “Did you know that there’s an all women’s car in the subway?” And after a pause he adds, “I didn’t either . . . until I rode it.”

by it; it just doesn’t interest me that much.” What’s most important to him isn’t his location; it’s what he’s creating while he’s there.

Getting Started

Finding Inspiration

Evan began recording stories like this for YouTube in 2010, but his love for film began long before then. In college, Evan studied anthropology in class and documentary filmmaking at home. But as he focused more and more on film, his grades began to drop. He decided to take a semester off to work on a documentary. That semester led to another, and another, and he never went back. He soon realized that documentary filmmaking doesn’t pay well, so he started looking for other ways to make money in film. His roommate was part of a marketing team for a small business that got its start through a YouTube video. “I had no idea how I was ever going to get documentary filmmaking to do anything,” Evan told Stowaway, “so I thought I would try YouTube, too.” He started with episodes from his trip to Hana, Hawaii, and now the show has expanded to include series on Cairo, Bangkok, and South India.

Photos by Evan Carpenter

Picking a Location

These destinations are often a matter of chance rather than careful planning. Evan funds his YouTube channel by working as a freelance filmmaker, and whenever he has the chance to film abroad, he takes it. “Sometimes I just end up somewhere because it’s convenient, or there’s work to do there. That’s part of the reason I realized I could do this, because I travel for work sometimes, and I can make videos while I’m there.” While he’s traveling, Evan tries to stay away from the regular tourist stops. “I’ve been to India, I think five times, and I’ve never been to the Taj Mahal,” said Evan. “I’ve been right

For Evan, his show isn’t about travel. It’s about telling stories. “That’s why I got into it. I thought, I want to tell stories,” said Evan. “I want to show people something that is different and make them empathetic with that thing. It doesn’t have to be something suffering; I just want people to be able to empathize with people living very different lives that might be surprisingly similar.” According to Evan, empathy is a way of bridging cultures. “I think it’s an instinctive reaction in most people to feel empathy for others. But all growing up, I noticed that there are limits to our empathy, or places where we feel empathy more naturally. Basically, we feel empathy within our tribe, for our own people. But I believe good storytelling can overcome that problem.”

1/4 Aerosmith: Love in an Elevator

My ﬁrst time in India, I spent a lot of time alone or on trains. They were still selling a lot of cassette tapes at the time in India, believe it or not, and so I decided to buy a Walkman for about three dollars, along with a few tapes. Aerosmith s greatest hits kept the culture shock at bay.

Radiohead: The Bends

When I was a teenager, I got pretty fed up with high school. I remember really emo-ing out after my shifts at Classic Skating and feeling a huge need to wander. I would scream this song at the top of my lungs while deciding whether or not to drive alone to Yellowstone in my parents Mazda Protege. I eventually made the trip (with parental permission) in their Windstar minivan.

Oﬀering Advice

To those who dream of traveling like Evan, he says it’s all just a matter of priorities. “I don’t have very much money. I don’t have a college degree. I’m not the most qualified person to do this. But if I can have the time to do this, most people can. It’s a matter of prioritizing. If you get a 40-hourper-week job with only two weeks of paid vacation, then you can’t. But if it is your priority, then it’s totally doable.” And for Evan, this is his priority. “Much to my parents’ dismay, it is. But for me it’s not just recreation; I’m trying to create something. I’m trying to reach a goal, and there are glimpses of success on the horizon.” ▶

www.youtube.com/evanmeetsworld

—Carly Huchendorf

David Bowie: Life on Mars? 3

This is hands down the best song for a roadtrip singalong. Everyone in the car just has to give it their all during the chorus.

The Faces: Ooh La La

Every June I throw myself a birthday party, which ends with a sort of expensive fireworks show and this song. I like it because it s nostalgic; the song perfectly sums up the year no matter what happened. And if I had rights to use the song on my vlog, resisting the temptation to play it at the end of every episode would be . . . well . . . difficult. (See the final scene of Wes Anderson s Rushmore.) Listen to Evan s playlist here.

An Autumn Roadtrip

Historic US Route 1 US Route 1 winds 2,450 miles along the US East Coast through major cities like DC, Boston, and New York City. But in the autumn, especially around early or midOctober, the stretch of highway along the coast of Maine is particularly striking when the landscape turns into a foliage sunset. While the drive itself will expose you to a myriad of colors, stopping and stepping out into this autumn scene will enrich your experience.

There is no “if” about visiting a lighthouse in Maine, so you might as well make it your first stop; a lighthouse set against a background of fierycolored hills is a quintessential scene. About five miles east of US Route 1, right before Portland, Maine, lies Cape Elizabeth. You’ll have to veer off onto Highway 77, but it will be well worth your while to visit the second oldest lighthouse in the United States. First lit in 1791, the Portland Head Lighthouse still stands overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, offering a classic, postcard-worthy view. ▶

www.portlandheadlight.com

Alternative US Route 1

US Route 1 intersects and joins with several interstates as you travel up Maine. But sometimes the fast-moving freeway isn’t the best way to see the fall colors because

68 ▶ fall 2013

they feel distant as you zoom by. So when you’re nearing the town of Scarborough, Maine, don’t be too quick to follow US Route 1 as it merges with I-295. Instead, stay to the right and cross the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge to end up on the alternative route of US Route 1. This section of highway lets you leisurely drive within a few meters of the coastline and leads you right through downtown Portland.

Portland, Maine

This city is one of those quaint New England towns that completes the picturesque autumn landscape. Portland dates back to the 1600s, when colonists first began to settle the continent. Its downtown district reflects the old cobblestone streets and crowded storefronts of the 1800s, when the city was Maine’s capital. There are dozens of interesting sites

to see in downtown Portland, but one you should seek out is the Fore Street restaurant that resides on its namesake street. The restaurant changes up the menu every day to accommodate the fresh foods they receive from local farmers—quite the authentic Maine experience. When you’re ready to continue your trip, get back onto Alternative US Route 1 (Franklin Street) and once again join the main highway. ▶

www.forestreet.biz

▶

www.portlandmaine.com

Red s Eats

Many fall leaves are red, and so is the iconic cooked lobster of Maine. After you’ve made your way 45 miles north of Portland, you’ll need to be on the lookout for Red’s Eats. It’s one of the most talked-about roadside stops along Maine’s US Route 1 in the city of Wiscasset. The simple shack along

Photo by Andrew Bain

Cape Elizabeth

ﬁeld notes

Some of the best fall colors are found in Acadia National Park in Maine.

the highway can’t be missed when you near Water Street, and this little food shop almost always has a line of people waiting to get their pound of lobster on a bun.

Rockland Harbor

Photo by Nancy Houlihan

If it’s warm enough and you want to see the fall colors from a different angle, Maine has several locations to kayak along the coast. One such place is located 33 miles up US Route 1 from Wiscasset on the Rockland Waterfront. There, Breakwater Kayak is one of many companies that gives sea kayaking tours of Rockland Harbor. The vivid trees along the shoreline are breathtaking—and when you add the reflection of the water, you literally double the experience. ▶

www.rocklandharbor.info

▶

www.breakwaterkayak.com

Camden Hills State Park

Seeing the wide expanse of fall colors across the landscape is awe-inspiring, but for a contrast, get up close and in the middle of the scenery. Camden State Park, 46 miles up the highway from Wiscasset, has more than 30 miles of hiking trails that weave in and out of trees and a rocky shoreline. Trails are mostly moderate in difficulty and are more about the view than the cardiovascular workout. So it’s a great stop on a road trip when you’re sick of sitting—or if you’ve just eaten a pound of lobster. ▶

www.camdenmainevacation.com

Bar Harbor

It’s about 76 miles north from Camden to Bar Harbor. But if you make it up that far, it is worth every mile, including the detour onto Highway 3. Bar Harbor is a dynamic city and harbor that offers so much that it might be best to just park the car and wander around to explore.

There are wildlife observations, boat tours, hiking trails, and shops. Like Portland, it’s all tucked between a rocky shoreline and sunset-colored hillsides. ▶

www.barharborinfo.com

Acadia National Park

Bumping up against Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park is east of US Route 1, just off of Highway 3. If you’re leisurely driving along the highway, the chance to see some of the best fall colors is surely a worthy excuse to exit US Route 1 for a scenic drive. You can travel along the winding Acadia Park Loop Road or explore any of the 145 miles of hiking trails. If you have time to stay, there are also many other things to do in the park: tide pools, beaches where crushed shells and driftwood mix in among the sand, and even boat rides to go see the puffins—a type of seabird that looks something like a penguin. ▶

www.nps.gov/acad

—Amy Vanden Brink

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 69

oﬀ the beaten path

Undara Under Australia s Outback

If you’re not quite ready for the warm weather to leave as fall creeps in, Undara Volcanic National Park in North Queensland is the perfect place to enjoy Australia’s springtime, avoid crowds, and see something others rarely see when they visit Australia.

A Walk through Lava Tubes

The name Undara comes from the aboriginal word meaning “long way,” an appropriate name for the world’s longest lava flow. The Undara Lava Tubes are enormous molten tunnels that were formed after the eruption of a shield volcano in the Gulf Savanna region of Australia’s Outback. They can be explored only with skilled guides. Getting to Undara is an adventure in itself. The lava tubes are located several hundred miles southeast▶of 70 fallCairns, 2013 and visitors have to take a bus ride on one of the windiest

roads in Australia to get there. Miles of twisting and turning roads go through the Gulf Savannah from Cairns to Undara. But the somewhat stomach-turning drive is worth it. The lava flow left a scenic valley, so hiking is a must. Bush-walking trails were engineered to show off the Outback’s beautiful shrubbery, birds, and wildflowers, as well as a breathtaking view of the volcano.

Joeys, Microbats, and Wallabies

During your visit to Undara, you will be in the uncontrolled Outback,

where wildlife can roam right up to you. Wild kangaroos—gems of the Outback—can grow to almost seven feet tall and weigh nearly two hundred pounds, so make sure to observe them from a distance. Kangaroos are easy to find, but to see other wildlife, you’ll have to make more of a journey. Each evening as the sun begins to set, Australian tour guides take groups up to the mouth of the lava tubes. After walking about 50 feet into a dark cave, everyone settles and gets their cameras ready. Then the guide counts down from three. “We waited and heard wisps of wind fly past, but nothing touched

When a guide leads you through the entrance of a lava tube, you notice a sudden shift from light to dark.

Photo by Matthew Kenwrick

us,” visitor Ashlee Stettler says. And then all at once 50 camera flashes went off. “The whole cave lit up,” she says, “and I could see millions of bats flying around us for a split second.” You may even get a glimpse of a cave snake snatching one of the microbats in its large mouth. Some animals will come to you. As another visitor, Melissa Oakey, described, “I remember sitting outdoors eating dinner at the lodge’s restaurant and being able to watch kangaroos hop around while we ate. A little wallaby kept coming up near our table looking for food. Where else can you experience that?”

Camp Out or Stay In You can choose from several unique places to stay when you visit the Undara area. For those who want a rustic experience, permanent tents,

dormitories, and campgrounds are available. For those who want cozier accommodations, there are restored railway carriages. That’s right, you can stay in a refurbished train, set right in the middle of the Outback.

Indulge in the Outback

Your Undara experience would not be complete without indulging in Australia’s food. “They had large platters of fruit after a tour where you could sample all of the local fruit,” Stettler remembers. Australian fruit includes some familiar produce such as papaya, pineapple, and persimmon. But there are also more exotic fruits like lychee (a sweet, red, oval-shaped fruit), jaboticaba (a fruit similar to purple grapes), and mangosteen (a

round fruit with dark purple skin that has a sweet-and-sour taste). In addition to trying the fruit, you can wake up every morning to a campfire breakfast with Australian wildlife hanging out nearby. For lunch and dinner, the Undara lodge has a restaurant that provides the perfect menu to complete your Outback experience. Stettler remembers trying a kangaroo steak, and Oakey tried the kangaroo burger. There’s only one continent where that kind of meat is so readily available. While Australia has many amazing things to offer, Undara offers experiences that you can’t find anywhere else, experiences that you must travel hundreds of miles to see. That is really what makes Undara an adventure. ▶

www.undara.com.au

—Sarah Andrews www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 71

The Ou tlook Each of these individuals volunteered with the Orphanage Support Services Organization (OSSO), a program that offers volunteers a chance to serve at various orphanages in Ecuador from five weeks to six months. During their time serving, Leah, Carl, and Camille helped orphanage workers meet the physical and emotional needs of the children through teaching and play. Their service not only helped the children in Ecuador, but it also gave these three volunteers new perspectives to guide their lives when they returned home.

Teaching Students with Certainty

For Leah Bonner, volunteering with OSSO seemed like the perfect way to transition between colleges. She was

finishing up her associate’s degree and thought that the Ecuador trip would be the perfect break before she moved on to get her bachelor’s. Before volunteering with OSSO, Leah was an elementary education major and was fairly certain that she wanted to teach special-needs students. When she was presented with the opportunity to work at a specialneeds orphanage, she jumped on it. Despite the occasionally sad atmosphere, Leah was amazed by the happiness that the special-needs children in the orphanage maintained. “One of the little boys I worked with was 11 years old, but he looked like he was maybe two or three,” says Leah. “He had part of his forehead removed, so his head was really soft. He had extreme special needs and was constantly in pain, but he was

always smiling. I’d go in to see him in the morning, and he’d always be so happy for any attention he received, always excited for another day.” After working with these children, Leah was sure that she would teach special-needs students when she got home. “This made me certain I wanted to go into teaching special education as a career,” says Leah.

Sailing with Purpose

Carl Eschler currently works as a member of the US Coast Guard stationed in Seattle, Washington. But nine years before joining, he took a semester off from college to volunteer with OSSO. For Carl, this trip to Ecuador was more than just a service opportunity. He was 18 years old, and this was his first trip abroad and his first opportunity to live in a distinctly

From left: photos by Carl Eschler, Camille Larsen, and Leah Bonner

Leah Bonner, Carl Eschler, and Camille Larsen: a special-needs teacher, a member of the US Coast Guard, and a stay-at-home mom. These three seem to have little in common, but their pasts are tied to one place—Ecuador.

Left: While serving at an orphanage, Carl Eschler met this playful young boy. Center: Camille Larsen s experiences increased her conﬁdence in her ability to care for children. Right: While working with orphans, Leah Bonner decided to teach special-needs students when she returned home.

72 ▶ fall 2013

ﬁeld notes

From left: photos by Leah Bonner and Carl Eschler

from different culture from his own. The experience was an adjustment for Carl, who spoke very little Spanish. He had an especially hard time communicating when he moved into the home of a local family, but Carl grew to better understand and appreciate this small family. As he describes it, “The trip opened my eyes to traveling and accepting other cultures.” Every day while in Ecuador, Carl worked at one of two orphanages. At one orphanage, he fed and played with the kids. The other was for children with special needs, and he helped with physical therapy. On occasion, he was bussed to a nearby preschool to teach short lessons to local children. But Carl’s best memories came from working with the special-needs orphans. “I have a lot of memories of when I worked with those kids,” says Carl. “There was one kid in particular that I really loved. Those kids at the orphanage were always so happy.”

O.S.S.O. This eye-opening experience abroad became a stepping-stone toward Carl’s decision to join the Coast Guard. As he puts it, “I enjoy traveling, serving my country, and helping other people. I think it was important to be a part of OSSO, to be part of an organization bigger than myself. OSSO’s not a big thing, but it’s a group of people who do a lot of good. That’s also what the Coast Guard is: an organization that’s doing a lot of good.”

Raising Children with Conﬁdence

Camille Larsen’s first volunteer experience with OSSO was only the beginning. Her time in Ecuador made such an impact on her that she decided to return the following summer for six and a half months as a site coordinator, training new female volunteers and helping them adjust to their new home in the orphanage. While Camille loved working with these new girls, her favorite

moments came from working with the children. One of the moments that she remembers best is when she was able to work with a newborn baby girl. Holding the baby in her first moments of life was extremely moving for Camille, who believes that moments like this prepared her to be a mother now. “It was really hard for me to see so many children without parents. It broke my heart, and it gave me a better appreciation for my own ability to take care of my child. I went there thinking, ‘Oh, I’m going to help them so much,’ but they helped me. They taught me the responsibility of parenthood.” Not every volunteer will continue the work they start in Ecuador. But whether they come to teach, travel, or serve, in some way volunteers carry their experiences from OSSO with them after they get back. ▶

www.orphanagesupport.org

—Carly Huchendorf

Left: Volunteers quickly learn their way around this neighborhood in Cuenca, Ecuador. Center: Leah Bonner holds Pablo, an infant she cared for during her weeks with OSSO. Right: Carl Eschler grew to understand and appreciate his Ecuadorian host family.

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 73

Orphanage Project:

Supervised • Safe • Organized LDS Standards

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Service + Adventure

International Service Experience

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tales from the trip

Only my sheer terror could distract me from the excruciating pain I was experiencing. I was only six years old, was alone on a train, and was hardly able to breathe because I was surrounded by strangers. And my fingers were stuck in the train door—the result of my impulse to reach for my father when I realized he wasn’t going to make it onto the train with me. Looking out the window, I could see that he was getting further and further away. In my mind, the Japanese passengers had no reason to care how this played out for me. These fears were confirmed as I helplessly tried to remove my fingers from the door of the train and the swarm of bodies prevented me from accomplishing anything. But suddenly three men pried open the doors of the moving

76 ▶ fall 2013

train. I was immediately yanked away from the door as it quickly slammed shut again. Strong arms were firmly grasping me from all directions. Gentle hands lightly touched my bruised hands to inspect them for damage. The train stopped, and I heard the doors swoop open. Several people pulled me off the train, and then they shuffled back on—all except one middle-aged, average-sized man. Placing his arm on my shoulder, he looked intensely into my eyes. He was speaking so fast and obviously wanted me to understand what he was saying, but I couldn’t. I tried to get back on the train, but he pulled me away from the door. The doors shut, and the train sped away. The man just stood there on the platform. I stood there too, thinking that if he wouldn’t let me get back on

the train, he probably wasn’t going to let me walk away either. What did this man want from me? Where was my father? How on earth was he going to find me in this crowded city? It felt like hours to me then, but it probably took only about five minutes for the next train to show up. After the train arrived, the man stood there, looking like he was waiting for something, so I waited too. Suddenly the man smiled, apparently assuming that the one white man hurrying off of the train was my father. He was right. I ran to my father, and my father ran to me. Then my father shook the man’s hand and thanked him. The man gave a slight bow and got on the train my father had just exited.

—Sarah Andrews Yorktown, Virginia

Photo by Yohei Yamashita

Lost in Tokyo

ﬁeld notes

Fumbling with the Lingo By the time we got to Haworth, England, it had been 10 days since I had done laundry. Washing machines were scarce, and finding the time to hand wash anything was hard since our stay in each hostel was so short. I had two pairs of jeans, both caked in dirt from our daily hikes, and my situation was getting dire: I needed to wash my clothes, and I needed to do it now. Almost crying with gratitude upon hearing that there was a washroom in the basement of the Haworth Hostel, I lugged my bag of smelly, muddy clothes down the rickety staircase to the creepy concrete basement. I poured in a more-than-ample amount of detergent, stuffed as many clothes as would fit into the machine, and reached for the washer’s dial only to find that there wasn’t one.

I searched frantically for some way to start it, but I was stumped until I saw a tiny slit just big enough for a coin. Laughing softly at my pathetic desperation, I dug into my bag for a pound coin. It didn’t fit. None of my foreign coins fit. Panic overtook me, and I raced up the rickety old stairs again, rushing to the front desk. “The washer won’t start,” I gasped, startling the young clerk. “Oh,” he said, “Right. That’s because you need a token. I’ll grab you one.” As he reached toward a drawer to get me a life-saving token, however, one of the more attractive and flirty of my traveling companions approached. The clerk immediately forgot all about me and stepped forward to help her. When he

disappeared into the back room to get her something, I snarled to myself in frustration, “I haven’t washed my pants in 10 days. Give me a stupid token!” It wasn’t until I looked up and saw the front desk clerk staring at me in horrified repulsion that I realized that not only had I been far from quiet in my outburst, but I had also failed to remember that pants to a Brit means underwear. Without moving his disgusted gaze from me, he slowly reached into the drawer and slid a washing machine token across the counter. In defeat, I took it and said softly, “I meant trousers,” before skulking back to the dreary basement and my disgusting clothes.

—Leah Robinson Provo, Utah

Painted in York It was the day before my twentieth birthday, and I was in York, England, on a study abroad. I was standing with three other students and one of our professors, looking up at Clifford’s Tower, the keep of York’s medieval castle. It looked down at us, round, beige, and heavy from the top of a green hill. We were trying to decide where to go next. We had spent our morning walking on the walls of the city, and now we were looking for something else to see, something that we hoped wouldn’t come with a hefty price tag. We eventually drifted into the museum near the tower, discovered its daunting entrance fee, and drifted right back out. As we left the museum, we passed a painter standing behind his easel and looking out

over the square toward the tower. Our professor stopped and asked if we could take a look at the man’s painting. We were surprised when the painter seemed embarrassed. He held up his arm as if he didn’t want us to see his work, but eventually we persuaded him to let us step behind his easel. The painting was a Monetesque image of the tower on the green hill and the people walking below. The people were daubs of different-colored clothing with heads and arms, walking right and left in the street below the tower. And there we were. It took us several seconds to notice, but the artist had captured all five of us there in his painting. Although we had been reduced to a few smudges of

paint, we recognized elements of ourselves. I recognized myself by my height and the silver stripe on my blue backpack. I was glad to see myself there. It’s interesting that somewhere on the other side of the ocean there’s a painting with me in it on the last day I was 19. Travel allows me to broaden my life, to see the world, and to be a greater part of the world. Sometimes it’s easy for me to forget, as I move around from place to place and from site to site. But what’s most important isn’t where we’ve been—it’s that we’ve made an appearance.

—Sarah Syphus West Jordan, Utah

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 77

Photo Credit: See style guide to review credit wording before writing this.

photo contest

78 â&#x2013;ś summer 2013

photo contest

First Place Into Shadow

The Remarkables is a mountain range on the South Island of New Zealand just outside of Queenstown. As our little band of adventurers descended to our camp, I snapped this photo before the last rays of sun vanished behind the jagged peaks.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Jasmyn Hicks Idaho Falls, Idaho

www.stowawaymag.com â&#x2014;&#x20AC; 79

photo contest

Second Place Tranquil Summer

It was a beautifully picturesque summer day at Fort Foster in Kittery, Maine, with the majestic cloud coverage and still, peaceful water by the shore. I wanted to capture that New England afternoon in its perfect summer splendor.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Brittney Thompson Newfields, New Hampshire

1st Title 80 â&#x2013;ś summer 2013

Photographer Photo details blah blah blah

photo contest

Third Place Placid Pool

A palace tower is reflected in a lily pad– covered pool, punctuating the exit of the serene garden on the grounds of the Generalife in Spain.

—Rachel Mahrt Phoenix, Arizona

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 81

82 â&#x2013;ś summer 2012

Insider

Cross-country travel can be diﬃcult in Europe, but trains oﬀer one solution.

Gadgets and Gear

Travel App

Conquer wicked altitudes, and keep your electronics charged on the go.

Learn how to book your flights and reserve your rooms from practically anywhere.

Just the Ticket

Tips and Tricks

Insights

Save your back by renting photography equipment instead of packing it.

Get the scoop on going from here to there in Europe, or learn how to dry clothes quickly in a hostel.

Photo by Trey Ratcliﬀ

Experience the culture of Ghana at a youth dance competition.

www.stowawaymag.com ◀ 83

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84 ▶ fall 2013

insider

Ascend into the Alpine

Alpine climbing offers a fantastic physical challenge to people who want to climb the world’s beautiful, ice-capped mountain peaks. Alpine climbing is a self-sufficient way to tackle a mountain—climbers hike for a few days in a row and carry their own food, shelter, and other equipment the whole way. Sure, some of these cliffs have names like Death Face, but conquering them offers climbers a cosmic view of the world. If you want to join in this challenge and surmount the summits of these grandiose cliffs, you’ll need some specific gear. All-Around Single Ropes

All-around single ropes are your go-to ropes for alpine climbing. They are thick enough to stay solid on a climb, but light enough to not weigh you down as you hike. You’ll want one or two good all-around ropes. Climbers most commonly choose a 60-meter-long dry rope that is 9.8mm to 10.2mm in diameter. ($150–$270)

oto

b y G O R E- T E

—Chelsea Adams

Crampons

o Ph

In order to climb up the snow and ice, you’ll need crampons, which attach small spikes for traction to the bottoms and sides of your boots. The style of crampons you will need depends on how difficult the climb is that you will make. However, the best ones are made of steel, are semi-rigid, and have horizontal frames. ($120–$245) by Vill e (G ologozo)

Ice Axe

o w yI ob Phot

An ice axe is absolutely essential for an alpine climb. The perfect ice axe for you will depend on your size and the technicality of your climb. Before making a decision, go into a store and test out axe weights and shapes to find what works best for you. ($75–$100)

na Ke llie

Pho ti to b y Simon Sirot

Photo by Dru!

Belay Device

Harness

Each person will prefer something different when it comes to alpine-climbing harnesses, but an effective harness will be light, adjustable, and simple. You’ll want an adjustable harness so that it will fit comfortably no matter how many layers of clothing you wear. Simple harnesses are also best because they have just a few gear loops to keep your climbing necessities nearby. ($50–$100)

A good belay device will allow for a wide range of rope sizes. The two main choices are self-braking belays, which help protect you when you fall, and figure 8 belays, which work better for rappelling. ($25–$50) Pho to by zo) Ville (Gologo

▶ ▶

www.blackdiamondequipment.com www.rei.com

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Soak Up the Sun Rekindling Digital Life

Dead. The accursed blank screen signifying a drained battery is one of the most upsetting sights in today’s technology-driven world. No one wants to stop and charge their phone for an hour at a café when there are Roman ruins to see. No one wants to be in the middle of a life-changing hike when their camera dies, along with their hopes of reliving the experience in full-color HD images. But there is a solution! Certain portable devices can save us from this stomach-dropping moment. To revive our phones, cameras, laptops, and other devices, these portable tools draw their power from a source that is accessible virtually everywhere—the sun. You can easily find these gadgets—from solar panels to portable power sources—online or in most outdoor equipment stores. They are well worth the cost to keep your battery bars green while you’re on the go. —Valene Wood

Nomad 7 Solar Panel Goal Zero, $100 This portable, weather-resistant solar panel fully recharges your mobile phone, GPS, USB camera, and Guide 10 in two to four hours. It also hooks onto a backpack for portable recharging.

Guide 10 Goal Zero, $60 This USB device and battery charger includes four rechargeable AA batteries and a built-in LED flashlight that runs for 20+ hours. After being charged by USB (8–10 hours) or solar panel (2–4 hours), the Guide 10 can recharge cell phones one to three times and can recharge batteries in just two hours.

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Switch 8 Goal Zero, $50 This pocket-sized energy source contains a USB output that can charge a smartphone in only one hour! The Switch 8 recharges from a USB port or solar panel in four hours. It’s also perfect for city and airplane travel— passes easily through security!

Powermonkey Explorer Outdoor Tactical, $100 This device stores up to 96 hours of reserve power for most devices. Apple approved, it will give you 40 hours on your iPod as well as 48 hours on your PDA. It can be recharged via USB or solar panel.

Scorpion Etón, $50 This all-in-one radio, flashlight, bottle opener, and cell phone charger is designed to provide instant energy to a phone battery for emergency calls or texts. It includes a built-in solar panel with a clip to hook it to your bags and a hand crank to provide manual recharging.

Clip-Mini Solio, $35

Illustration by Andrew and Emily Mitchell

This flashlight never runs out of juice! It has five lighting modes, including an SOS mode, and a built-in diffuser to turn it into a bike safety light. It provides full light for three hours and lower levels of light for 42 hours afterwards, and it recharges by solar panel (5–7 hours) and USB (1 hour).

Rukus Solar Etón, $150 These speakers connect wirelessly to Bluetooth-enabled devices. The solar panel allows you to play music all day and eight hours into the night and charge mobile devices via USB.

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Hotels and Flights With hundreds of travel apps available, it’s hard to know which ones to download. For booking and reservations, the Stowaway staff suggests Expedia Hotels & Flights. One Expedia app user says of his experience, “It’s a painless way to save money on a last-minute reservation. We were switching hotels after an unpleasant first night, and Expedia came through with a high-end Vegas hotel.”

Get the Free App

You can download the free app from the iTunes App Store, the Windows Store, or the Google Play Store, depending on your mobile device.

Hotels

Flights

The app’s homepage also features worldwide destination hotspots as suggestions for spontaneous travelers. But you can easily search any location if you have somewhere specific in mind, and Expedia will find you the best airfare deals. You will see the available rates from all the top airlines for easy comparison, and—as with the

hotels—you can make a selection and pay right from your phone.

Mobile Deals

Expedia treats their mobile users right by giving them exclusive deals in addition to their already low prices. These discounts are signified by a red mobile device icon in the top right corner of a destination’s photo, along with the percentage off that mobile users will receive.

—Cameron Smithson

Photo by Christopher Schoenbohm

On the homepage, Expedia automatically highlights the hotels that are closest to your current location, giving the rates and exact distances from where you are. You can then read reviews, see photos, and learn about the policies and amenities of each

hotel. When you find the one you want, you can book and pay—all from your phone.

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Lend Me a Lens

The How To of Photography Rental Sometimes, a photographer’s biggest problem when packing for a vacation is not deciding what clothes or accessories to bring; it’s how to get photography gear safely to a destination—especially when flying. One way around this problem is to rent photography equipment at your destination, rather than carrying it there. Both online renting and local renting are available for many locations, but both require you to do some serious, in-depth research before you decide which option to use. When you plan your vacation, take the time to figure out what kind of equipment you’re looking for and what equipment would work best for your destination. There’s a big difference between taking a few casual photos and taking professional-level photographs, and when you travel without the right equipment it’s much harder to make up the difference.

Photo by David Wong

Renting Online

With online renting you get quality equipment—and most companies will ship it to your destination. For example, on borrowlenses.com, you can rent a semi-professional camera like the Canon EOS Rebel T3i for two weeks for only $92, including shipping to and from your destination. When renting online, you can compare prices and rental agreements with other companies and get the best deal for the equipment you want. Online rental agencies will also have

hotography by Jill Bickham

several reviews that allow you to learn from others’ experiences as you decide where to rent your gear.

Renting Local

Renting local is definitely tricky, but it could end up being worth the hassle. Unlike an online agency, a local shop allows you to handle the equipment before you decide whether or not you want to actually use it. This is particularly beneficial if you are concerned about quality. The downside is that your choices are limited to what items are actually in the shop. Photography student Stephanie Gasser, who rented her gear at her destination when she was out of town for Thanksgiving, warns of another downside: “I wish the renters had been a little bit more helpful in getting me what I needed (or thought I needed), rather than trying to make the most money they possibly could.”

If you decide to rent locally, don’t just show up at your destination and hope to find a local shop; do your homework. Look online or in a phone book for local photographers and photography shops. Ask them about places to rent equipment. Photographers often network with each other, and most of them are willing to help out another photographer. In the end, either rental option might serve you better than trying to decide between bag space, camera safety, or good photos of your trip. Now if only there were similar options for clothes . . . .

—Jill Bickham

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On the Tracks or Off theTarmac Nicolas Marrero, a Master at Arms in the US Navy, sits in a Spanish airport with his tickets in one hand and his carry-on in the other. He looks at the LCD screens scattered throughout the airport, but they lack the information that would be readily available in a US airport. Maybe he should have taken the train instead. At least then he could have used the timetable in his bag and done some sightseeing on the way.

Cost

One of the largest deciding factors when booking travel is cost. Flights in Europe are often cheaper than flights in America, but remember that while it may be cheap to fly into a Paris airport, the €50 taxi or the €20 shuttle ride to get into Paris will eat up your cash. Train tickets, however, can be very cheap (a trip from Rome to Paris costs only €15), and the train stations are in the middle of each city. Either way, to cut down on those incidental

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costs, be sure to do your research and find out exactly where you’re headed. Even more importantly, remember to keep an eye on the little symbol that accompanies the prices: a deal may seem good in euros, but remember that the euro is strong compared to the dollar (EUR 3=4 USD).

Reliability

Many American safety regulations may seem inconvenient to flyers. But these regulations result in strict scheduling, and gates and departure times are assigned hours in advance. In some European airports, on the other hand, travelers may not know where their planes are until they have to run across the terminal to get there. Trains, however, are on schedules set far in advance and are notably reliable. Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you’ll know exactly where you need to be and when you need to be there.

Travel Time

If convenience means getting there as soon as possible, flights are the quickest way to get around: Rome to Paris is two to three hours by air or eleven to fourteen by rail. However, taking a night rail may give you the most efficiency. Why waste all your time just sleeping when you could be using that time to get to your next destination? Night rails make it easy to see a lot of Europe in a short amount of time. And as long as you travel within the Schengen area (26 countries that have agreed to lessen border controls among them), you don’t even need to worry about showing immigration officials your passport while you are in your PJs. ▶

www.eurail.com

▶

www.ryanair.com/en

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www.europe-airports.com

—Edwin Eschler

Illustrations by Andrew and Emily Mitchell

Travel can be confusing and stressful enough in your home country, and the stress can increase when you’re abroad. But regardless of where you are, the first question to ask is how do I plan to get from point A to point B? And while airplanes may be one of the quickest (and cheapest) ways to travel in the United States, Europe has an extensive train system that can give the airlines a run for their money.

Pick Your Continent

International Study Programs at the Kennedy Center serves students, faculty, and departments by facilitating the development and implementation of quality international academic experiences. Use the Program Finder (http://kennedy.byu.edu/isp) to choose the best fit for your academic and professional goals covering four types of programs for any major to department-specific opportunities. Study Abroad

Students attend classes taught by BYU faculty that are enriched by excursions to local sites and immersion in a new culture. Some programs offer general education courses while others offer major-specific courses. These are excellent for students who are traveling overseas for the first time and who want a structured program with plenty of interaction with BYU faculty and students.

Direct Enrollment

Students attend classes at an international institution of higher education. Classes are taught by local professors with the credit transferring back to BYU. Direct enrollment is ideal for students who are willing to accept the challenges of facing a new culture on their own or in small groups of other BYU students.

International Stud\ Programs Field Schools

Field Schools are designed to help students prepare for graduate school or a career in cross-cultural/international consulting or research. Small groups of students, or individuals, live within a communityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;immersed in the local culture, as they carry out their own research projects. This type of program requires independent, committed, and self-motivated students, who are willing to prepare themselves through a semester-long preparation course, and who are willing to live in local conditions as members of a culture and community. Students are academically guided by one or several faculty mentors.

International Internships

Individual students or small groups work with international companies, government organizations, or development agencies. International internships are intended to provide a practical application of classroom learning. On-the-job experience is enhanced by regular feedback from a BYU faculty mentor. These internships are geared toward students who are independent, self-motivated, and willing to face the challenges of a new culture on their own. 101 HRCB | (801) 422-3686 | isp@byu.edu | kennedy.byu.edu/isp

Drying Clothes

in a Hostel Environment Hostels only guarantee that you will have a mattress to sleep on—everything else is a bonus. After you wash your clothes in the sink (student-traveler style), it can be tough to dry your clothes without a dryer and in such limited space. However, there are some techniques that you can use to dry your clothes fast.

Take white vinegar with you to add to the wash water. The vinegar helps clothes dry soft, so you can avoid the scratchy crunch of hung-dry clothing. The kinds of clothes you bring will make a big difference; choose yours wisely. Polyester—Dries the fastest and isn’t too scratchy after a hand wash and air dry. You can typically go longer without washing some polyester materials because smells don’t cling to them easily. Cotton—Can be functional if it’s thin enough, but it’s not the best option because it takes much longer to dry. Wool—Can take a while to dry, especially if it’s thick. But some wool blends dry faster than cotton. Specialty fabrics—Tend to be lightweight and thin (especially with clothes made for hiking), and therefore dry faster. Denim—Is hard to wash and takes a long time to dry. Don’t bring jeans if you plan to hand wash and air-dry them. Also remember to pack light. Unless you have a reason to bring more, two or three sets of clothes should be sufficient. The more clothes you have, the more tempted you’ll be to put off washing them. So bring simple clothes that can be mixed and matched to create different looks.

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When you stay in a hostel, you don’t usually have a room to yourself, and the bed might be the only furniture available to hang clothes on. Bring a string and think of ways to attach it to the door, walls, or windows to maximize the space you do have. Hooks, rubber bands, and paperclips work well. Specialized travel clotheslines made of braided rubber are also available. If you use regular string, bring something like clothespins or magnets to attach the clothes to the line.

Avoiding Theft

The surest way to keep your clothes safe is to stay with them as they dry. Read a book or chat with another traveler as you wait. Avoid bringing fancy, expensive clothes that someone might want to steal. Bringing fewer pieces of clothing may also make you less of a target.

Drying Methods

To speed up the drying process, lay your wet clothing flat on a clean, dry towel after you have removed as much excess water as possible. Roll up the towel with the clothing inside it. Sit on, step on, and otherwise apply pressure to the rolled-up towel. This will take a lot of the moisture out of your clothes. If your clothes aren’t dry when you want to leave the hostel, consider

wearing them for the day. They’ll likely be uncomfortable at first, but they will dry eventually. You can also hang the damp clothes on the outside of your backpack to dry as you sightsee. Or pack them in a plastic bag and pull them out to dry as soon as you get to your next destination. Isolating the wet clothes from the other items in your backpack will help prevent any mildew from growing on the damp clothes or your other belongings.

Hanging Hints

Articles of clothing will dry faster if they are hanging than if they are touching something, so consider hanging clothes versus laying them on a surface or draping them over a line. When possible, hang your clothes outside. This typically makes clothes dry faster and smell better than when you dry them indoors. Hang shirts from the bottom hem so they don’t bunch in the middle or at the shoulders. Look for a drying room in your hostel to hang your clothes in—the air is hot and dry, good conditions for fast drying. For more drying tricks, ask other travelers at the hostel what they do. Then you’ll learn some more neat tricks while you make new friends.

—Rachel Mahrt

Illustration by Andrew and Emily Mitchell

Helpful Supplies

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The Rhythm of Ghana

From top: photos by Juan N Only, velo_city, and George Perfect

Dressed in traditional clothing for their ceremonial dances, students from all over western Ghana fill a dimly lit gym. While drummers create a beat, young women carrying woven baskets do a dance representing traditional family values.

From top: Traditionally carved drums add an important artistic dimension to Ghanaian culture. A Ghanaian boy drums passionately. A young girl waits to perform in the dance competition.

As the group finishes, the spectators shake their hands in the air to salute the incredible dance-and-drum performance they have just witnessed. The dance is already beautiful, but it is made even more beautiful by knowing that each of the dancers is deaf and that in order to stay with the beat, all of the dancers have to watch the rhythm of the drummers’ hands as they perform. These students in the gym tonight are just a few of many students throughout Ghana who come together to celebrate Ghana’s traditional culture through high school dance competitions. But though the students are competing, they are highly supportive of each other as they perform—everyone is cheering each group on. This sense of community is particularly poignant for Nicole Burgess, a Utah Valley University student who interned in Ghana for a semester as a sign-language teacher. Burgess and her deaf students had to work extra hard to prepare for their dance routine. All the students in the gym were very supportive of the deaf students’ efforts to learn and perform these traditional dances. “The most moving thing for me, besides the dances and how awesome they are,” Burgess recalls, “was that when it was time for our school, everyone put their hands in the air and clapped for them

in sign language. There were many people packed in the auditorium, and yet they all respected the deaf students and immediately switched to their way of communication in such a simple way. I loved it.” The respect that the audience showed to the deaf students demonstrates one of many values that is important to the Ghanaian people— in this case, the importance of family and community. The dances themselves also highlight the Ghanaian people’s focus on passing down and adapting their culture from one generation to the next. In these dance competitions, each group is given a particular Ghanaian folk dance to choreograph. Each dance represents a different aspect of Ghanaian culture that is passed down through generations. And each generation of dancers adds their own voices to the culture as well by contributing original choreography, style, and flair to the traditional dances. “These dances have stories that go along with them,” Burgess explains. “The dances are passed down and changed a little bit over time. But they are recognizable, and they tell the story through dance and music. It is something I will never forget.”

—Megan Horrocks

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escapades

s e l y t s of the e f i L

Feared Famous and

the

For generations, famous cryptids* have played coy with the media. These creatures allow us glimpses of their strange appearances and lifestyles just to keep us wondering, “Could that creature really exist?” Their clever marketing ploys have kept them in the public eye for centuries—there’s no telling when they’ll show up next. Here’s a quick look at some of our most famous celebrities and their favorite hangouts. *potentially existing, yet technically unproven creatures

—Valene Wood

Sasquatch: a.k.a. Bigfoot

This hairy hominid from Native American myth has sparked a wave of popularity resulting in film gigs, news articles, and merchandise. He is a humanoid gorilla between six and nine feet tall, with shaggy brown or red hair that carries a disgusting stench. Though Bigfoot has left footprints all over the United States, his favorite haunts are on the Northwest Coast, especially Washington and Oregon. You can try your luck at seeing this American celebrity by driving the Bigfoot Scenic Byway, a stretch of road in Northern California that cuts through the most frequent sighting locations. ▶

www.bigfoothunting.com

El Chupacabra

The “goat sucker,” the newest of our celebrities, made his first appearance in Puerto Rico in the 1990s but has since been spotted along the west coast of the Americas and the southern United States. Most accounts describe a three- to four-foot lizard-like creature with gray, hairless skin, looking much like a disfigured coyote with large eyes, fangs, and a forked tongue. He usually moves at night to attack flocks and suck sheep or goat blood. El Chupacabra has starred in movies and television. Your best bet for seeing this vampiric creature is to spend the night with a flock of sheep or goats in Puerto Rico. ▶ ▶

www.chupacabrasightings.com www.cryptozoo.monstrous.com/sightings__chupacabra.htm

Kongamato

For hundreds of years, the Kongamato have plagued the locals of Sub-Saharan Africa, revealing themselves only through eyewitness accounts and large chest wounds. They are described much like Pterosaurs—Jurassic flying dinosaurs—and are said to have wingspans of four to seven feet with featherless black or red skin, long skinny tails, and a beak full of razor-sharp teeth. The name “Kongamato,” meaning “breaker” or “overwhelmer of boats,” refers to their habit of capsizing canoes. The daring traveler may search for them along the rivers of Africa, but be prepared to run for your life. ▶

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www.kongamato-pterodactyl.com

escapades

Loch Ness Monster

Good ol’ Nessie has been toying with people for almost 200 years. She lives in Scotland’s second largest lake, which is over 700 feet deep. She is usually described as gray or black with a long neck, a small serpentine head, and several humps that resemble a series of overturned boats. Even with only fuzzy pictures and eyewitness accounts as evidence of her existence, Nessie has quite a following. The earnest seeker can take advantage of Nessie-hunting boating tours and lakeside camping to try and see her surface. ▶

www.nessie.co.uk

Yeti: aka the Abominable Snowman

The Yeti—“that thing” in Sherpa—is following in the footsteps of his larger brother, Bigfoot. A bit shorter and usually lighter colored, the humanoid Yeti leaves footprints twice the size of a man’s across the Eastern Hemisphere, especially from Siberia to the Himalayas. Recently he’s been upping his publicity by dropping hairs that have scientists and believers buzzing. A Yeti resort is being built at the Sheregesh Ski Resort in southern Siberia, where most of the Yeti sightings have occurred. Aman Tuleyev, the region’s governor, is offering one million rubles ($33,000) to anyone who can catch the Yeti and prove his existence. ▶

www.unmuseum.org/yeti.html

Kraken

Illustrations by Andrew and Emily Mitchell

Bunyip

The elusive Australian Bunyip has changed his image over the years. Initially an Aboriginal legend of a territorial demon who rose from the water to prey on women and children, he’s recently gone vegetarian and has even starred in children’s books and commercials as a friendly creature. His most common description depicts a dog-faced creature with a shaggy coat, a horsetail, walrus tusks, and flippers. Although his appearances are becoming infrequent, who knows if his transformation is genuine. You would be wise to avoid Australian water at night, especially if you hear his eerie screams. ▶

www.cryptozoology.com/cryptids/bunyip.php

This monster has the terrifying habit of ship-sinking and sailor-devouring. One of our oldest monsters, she began her career in the Scandinavian countries during the twelfth century. Accounts describe a tentacled monster as large as an island and capable of swallowing men whole. The story 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the movie Pirates of the Caribbean helped make her into the modern sensation she is today. She has recently attempted to boost her public image with the scientific community by allowing the smaller of her species to be seen by scientists: Discovery captured video of a living 10-foot-long squid in July 2012. Though the Kraken used to haunt the northern waters near Iceland, today you are most likely to find her off the coast of Japan. ▶

dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/curiosity

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Paradise in

Purgatory

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staﬀ essay

The schist rock found at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is over 2 billion years old.

Photo courtesy of NPS

The van felt swelteringly hot as we traveled. I tried putting my head against the glass, hoping for a brief respite, but found it burning hot as well. I pulled my head away and stared out at the red dust, barrel cacti, and saguaro that stretched into the distance. Two weeks of travel from Oregon through Idaho, Montana, Utah, and finally Arizona in the desolate summer months had finally broken my spirits. I slumped in the back bench of the van, trying not to succumb to the heat. Reaching under the bench to find my Game Boy, I flipped the switch back and forth, willing the green screen to flare to life, hoping in that way only a child can that the batteries would somehow suddenly come back to life. I wanted to be home. Home, where 60 degrees was swimsuit weather, not a midnight breeze. Home, where there was more to see out the window than crimson and cacti. Home, where there were always more batteries. I didn’t dare mention this to my father, who had made it quite clear that he didn’t care where I wanted to be. His flip shades were down to keep the sun out of his eyes, and the sweat beaded on his bald head as if the water in his body wanted to be as far away from the dour look on his face as I did. Eternities later, the van lurched to a stop like a dying beast, which perked up my head as my brothers and sisters all came to attention. Had we run out of gas? “We’re here,” he said. I wasn’t sure where here was—I never knew where we were going—so I looked out the window on my side of the van, trying to find the rest stop or, potentially, the house of yet another relative. But I still saw just desert. The van’s suspension creaked as my father hefted himself out his door. I queued up, waiting for what seemed to be an hour for my place in the pecking order before I could disembark:

sisters came first, then brothers, then me, the last of the pack. I stepped out of the van sullenly, wondering what lame diversion had delayed my homecoming this time. I rounded the van, a breeze rolled over me, and I stopped as I saw it. The Grand Canyon. The wind kicked dust into my eyes, but I just let them water as I gazed as far as I could into the distance, barely making out the other side of the canyon from where I stood. I ran to the nearest railing, trying to crane my neck over the edge to look into the Colorado River down below. To my left and my right,

A breeze rolled over me, and I stopped as I saw it. The Grand Canyon. the canyon extended farther than I could see. The railings were a safe distance from the edge, but still I felt like the canyon would swallow me up if I wasn’t careful. It seemed like you could fit the whole world in there. An instant later, the sun was going down, and my father was herding us back towards the parking lot. As we reassembled at the van, my mother came up behind me. “Pretty neat, huh?” she asked. “It was awesome!” I said. “You know, I bet they sell batteries at the gift shop.” “Batteries for what?

—Edwin Eschler

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staﬀ essay

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