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.
Podcast Interview: The Maverick Show
I rarely talk publicly about the nuts and bolts of my career, but I got that opportunity on The Maverick Show podcast with Matt Bowles. On the show, we go over some of my stories from Armenia, Kenya and Brazil, and discuss the ethics of journalism and travel writing. Listen to Part 1 and 2 (Episodes … Continue reading Podcast Interview: The Maverick Show
ESPN: Chasing River Monsters In The Brazilian Amazon
When I was in Brazil for five months, photographer Stephanie Foden and I heard about surfers riding waves on the Amazon River. Yes, rivers tend to be calm, especially the Amazon – but a couple of times a year a tidal bore wave comes thrashing through the lush forest. I reached out to tidal bore … Continue reading ESPN: Chasing River Monsters In The Brazilian Amazon
VICE: My Uncomfortable Stay in the BDSM Room of a Brazilian Sex Motel
Love motels. They seem weird, don't they? But in Brazil and many countries around the world they're a common sight. When I thought about going to one with my girlfriend Stephanie Foden, I didn't think she'd want to go, let alone do a story on it. But she loved the idea and we tried one … Continue reading VICE: My Uncomfortable Stay in the BDSM Room of a Brazilian Sex Motel
Joel Balsam 