After more than a decade of wandering as a freelance journalist and digital nomad, I finally decided to stay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I wrote a personal essay for Business Insider about that decision. Stay tuned for a book I'm working on about why people choose to live in the places they do.
Toronto Star: Trekking in Nepal to see one of the world’s highest mountains, I learned the meaning of pilgrimage — the hard way
A personal essay with my photos about a challenging experience that proved to be a turning point in my life path. Read at Toronto Star (it also appeared in print).
TIME: The Dream of an ‘Internet Country’ That Would Let You Work From Anywhere
What if anyone, not just people from countries with strong passports, could live the digital nomad lifestyle? Check out my feature about Plumia, a proposed global passport, on TIME.com here.
Lonely Planet: Morocco 13
After six weeks on the ground, 100s of tagines and 1000s of olives, stray cats and za3za3, blood, sweat and a busted ligament, the first Lonely Planet guidebook I researched was finally released today. Buy it at LonelyPlanet.com
BBC: A revival of Indigenous throat singing
Inuit throat singing was at risk of extinction after years of erasure by colonists and missionaries, but TikTok star Shina Novalinga is sharing the tradition for a new generation. Read the in-depth feature with beautiful photos by Stephanie Foden over at BBC Travel.
Beside: Sweet Survival For Quebec’s Sugar Shacks
The pandemic nearly killed Québec’s family-run sugar shacks, but the guardians of this centuries-old tradition wouldn’t let it die so easily. Read the story on Montreal's beautiful Beside Magazine, with photos by Stephanie Foden.
Eater: How Montreal Got Its Taste for Portuguese Chicken
Poutine, bagels, smoked meat, and Portuguese chicken. Look at any food round-up of Montreal dishes and you’ll see these four items listed as essential, signature foods. But how did piri piri chicken, a dish that wasn’t even a traditional component of Portuguese cuisine before the 1970s, end up here? Read my investigation in Eater Montreal.
Lonely Planet: Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan
Ever since my first backpacking trip to South America, I’ve wondered what kind of people write Lonely Planet books. I now know the answer. I finally received my copy of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan 6, which includes the chapter I updated following six weeks of research in Armenia. Buy it at lonelyplanet.com
Travel+Leisure: ‘Roma’ Is More Than Just a Movie — It’s One of Mexico City’s Most Vibrant Neighborhoods
I spent the beginning of 2019 living in Mexico City's Roma and wrote a story & guide to the neighborhood for Travel + Leisure on the weekend before the movie was nominated for 10 Oscars. Gorgeous black and white photos by Stephanie Foden!
Adventure.com: The patients who said ‘f*ck cancer’ and went to Burning Man instead
A few weeks before Burning Man last year, I saw a post from Aaron Muszalski, aka Slim, asking for help sending cancer patients/survivors to the annual "social experiment" in the Nevada desert. I couldn't help but wonder: Why would a cancer survivor want to go to Burning Man? It can be super dangerous for anybody. … Continue reading Adventure.com: The patients who said ‘f*ck cancer’ and went to Burning Man instead
Joel Balsam 