A few months before my dad died, he called me to his room and asked me to open a drawer. Inside, I pulled out a folder so big that I needed two hands to hold it: our family’s Florida timeshare contract. He wanted me to get rid of it – but I couldn't manage to do … Continue reading Washington Post: Timeshares can trap you. My family couldn’t escape until my dad died.
Business Insider: I’ve traveled to over 60 countries. Here’s why I chose to live in Rio de Janeiro
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).
AFAR: What to Know About Travel to Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon
I went to Jordan in October for the Adventure Travel Trade Association conference and was among the last travelers to visit the Middle East in its long-gone 2023 "tourism boom". Since then, the industry has been decimated due to the Israel-Gaza war.I spoke to travel industry professionals in Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt about how their … Continue reading AFAR: What to Know About Travel to Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon
Atlas Obscura: The Mysterious, Naked Night Runners of Western Kenya
While in Kenya, I kept hearing about these naked nuisances that spook their neighbors at night. Thrilled to see the story with such amazing illustrations by Rodolfo Reyes for Atlas Obscura. Read it here.
Toronto Life: The Homesteaders of Mount Forest
One of my favorite stories ever. I interviewed the Murph-Ariens at their off-grid homestead in Ontario and channeled their life story in an as-told-to feature. Read it at Toronto Life.
Globe & Mail: Saving Quebec’s Chorus Frogs
Another feature for the Globe & Mail's climate desk. This time, it's about Quebec's tiny chorus frogs and the fight to save them before they're silenced. Story here.
Gastro Obscura: What Happened to Montreal’s Legendary Melon?
A century ago, Manhattan residents with a hankering for dessert might flick on their finest frock coat, get a table at a white-tablecloth restaurant, and order a juicy slice of Montreal melon for $1, or around $30 in today’s currency. But then it disappeared. Here's what happened, for Gastro Obscura (branch of Atlas Obscura): story here.
CBC: The psychology behind pandemic decision making
Plenty of people (including myself) made huge life decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic – why? I interviewed Bruce Feiler, author of New York Times' bestseller Life Is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age and Derek J. Koehler, a professor of psychology at the University of Waterloo. Read the story over at CBC Life.
Joel Balsam 