http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Guzder-TravelBlog/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Guzder TravelBlog en-us Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:01:30 +0000 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:01:30 +0000 On May 28 2009 Amy Goodman invited me to hear her interview with Eduardo Galeano at the DN studio.You can watch today's broadcast of Democracy Now here Eduardo Galeano recently made headlines when Hugo Chavez gave Barack Obama a copy of Galeano's book on the economic exploitation of Latin America. The book Open Veins of Latin America instantly became the world's bestselling book Read m http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/New-York/Manhattan/blog-403004.html After reporting in Thailand I went to India March 2009 and volunteered at an amazing NGO founded by the late Mother Teresa. Please let me know if you're interested in volunteering in Mumbai India or making a donation because this place is helping the city's poorest of the poor. Asha DaanMissionaries of CharitySankli StreetByculla Mumbai 400008INDIAKarmayogi Sister Yvoone Superintendent Tel http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/blog-381360.html I'm reporting in Thailand from February March 2009. Here's my new contact information Green House84 Ramburti St Banglampoo Bangkok Thailand 10200phone 02281 4293 fax 02 629 5889 Bangkok gtgt Ayuthaya gtgt Kho Samui http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/Central-Thailand/Bangkok/blog-381358.html Greetings EveryoneHere's my updated contact informationDeena GuzderTIME Asia MagazineQuarry Bay Hong KongMobile 68516155Work 31285540 Email deenaguzdertimeasia.comStay in touchDeena http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-349287.html A visit to the Bal Asha Trust which is an NGO in Mumbai India that my mother and I help fund the Bal Asha Trust was started by our family friend Mrs. Vera Jamshedji. We hope to partner the NGO with the S.T.I.T.C.H Project.To find out more andor support the Bal Asha Trust please visit Bal Asha Trustalya is an NGO that seeks to empower street children see Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay and visit http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Mumbai/blog-298094.html I spend an entire day driving back to Tehran where I again meet the Zoroastrian community. I beg my minder to leave me alone for my remaining days in Iran and promise him that I won't meet any political dissidents now that we're better acquainted he reluctantly obliges. The Zoroastrian community has affectionately embraced me and invited me to participate in their ceremonies and classes. In the http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Iran/North/Tehran/blog-188838.html After four months of badgering the Islamic Interest Section at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington D.C. I finally received my Iranian visa in the mail via FedEx a mere two hours before departing for JFK airport in New York City. Since the United States cut off diplomatic relations with Iran after the revolution in 1979 obtaining an Iranian visa is a Sisyphean battle for American citizens. And t http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Iran/North/Tehran/blog-188835.html When I mention to friends and colleagues that I'm going to the Islamic Republic of Iran they look shell shocked and incredulous. Their first question is predictable are you scared I give them my stock answer it's safe the people are friendly and the U.S. media is hysterical. I say to myself I'm much more scared by the prospect of spending the rest of my summer sitting in a newsroom editing r http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/blog-188831.html After a train ride from Delhi to Amritsar we arrived in Sikhism's holiest city. At the Wagah Border we saw the ceremonial closing at sundown despite the downpour. Indians and Pakistanis chant and celebrate for their respective nations as if attending a football match. All the yelling and fanfare seemed goodnatured. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Pakistan/blog-140943.html Sabbath morning began with a cacophony of crows flying through the gauzy clouds that stretch across Mumbai's pale sky like birthmarks on a new mother's belly. Groggily answering wakeup calls and slathering sunscreen across our shoulders we left our disheveled rooms which were quickly tidied by invisible hands during our absence and enjoyed a breakfast buffet downstairs. Adam Goldmann the son http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Mumbai/blog-140941.html COVERING GLOBALIZATIONFOOD TRADE AGRICULTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENTMarch 29April 1 2007The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism with generous support from The New York Times Company Foundation and the Initiative for Policy Dialogue with generous support from The Open Society Institute and the International Institute of Journalism InWent will sponsor its fifth annual Covering G http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/New-York/Manhattan/blog-134083.html I ask our driver to stop at Pasargadae the site of Cyrus the Great's tomb and the remains of his palaces. Cyrus the Great was a Zoroastrian king who freed the Jews and allowed them to practice their own religion so the Jews greatly revere him according to my minder. My first cousin's name is Cyrus and his brother's name is Darius. These kings continue to dominate the imagination of the Zoroastri http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Iran/blog-186523.html On the way from Yazd to Shiraz in a rental car we stop at the small desert town of Abarkuh. Sitting under a 4000year old cypress tree my minder tells me that that the local mosque was constructed over the base of a Zoroastrian fire temple. The Zoroastrian community still lives here and has a strong presence in this preIslamic town. Walking down the narrow alleys I find myself looking into http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Iran/South/Shiraz/blog-186521.html Thanks to a generous fellowship from the Scripps Howard Foundation I'm gallivanting through India with the former New York Times religion correspondent Ari Goldman from March 7 to the 21st And I'll be back for the Persian New Yeardrop me a note if you want to celebrate Nowruz Mumbarak with other New York Persians and eat vegetarian chalo kabobs. Friends and strangers alike are welcomeWe http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/National-Capital-Territory/New-Delhi/blog-134078.html Come Celebrate the Persian New Year on March 21stdrop me a note if you want to celebrate Nowruz Mumbarak with other New York Persians and eat vegetarian chalo kabobs. Friends and strangers are welcome alike The best thing about being Zoroastrian is that you get to celebrate two Birthdays and two New YearsFOR MORE PICTURES OF LAST YEAR'S PERSIAN NEW YEAR NOWRUZ PARADE Click Here Come Celebra http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/New-York/Manhattan/blog-134363.html Please Click Here to See My Online Journalism PortfolioNEWLY PUBLISHED ARTICLES Payvand Iran News Film Review The Stoning of Soraya M. June 06 2009 Mother Jones Children's Health Trusting God Over Doctor May 29 2009 Mother Jones Should Parents who Call God Instead of the Doctor be Punished May 13 2009 TIME Magazine Mumbai's Parsi Restaurants Get It While It's H http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/blog-130603.html PRESS RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEStatement released today by the Columbia Coalition Against the War announces a strike on February 15 2007 the anniversary of the first Iraq war protest and calls for Columbia University to divest from corporations profiting from war. SUPPORT US BY SIGNING OUR PETITION Click HereNew York NY 7 February 2007 In a statement released today the Columbia Coa http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/New-York/Manhattan/blog-126532.html Photo documentation of my journalism eduaction . . .My escape from Texas Second Semester from JanuaryMay ldquoMy only advantage as a reporter is that I am . . . so temperamentally unobtrusive and so neurotically inarticulate that people tend to forget that my presence runs counter to their best interests. And it always does. That is one last thing to remember writers are always selling somebo http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/New-York/Manhattan/blog-124075.html After reporting on some of the more depressing news in the city I thought it would be a good idea to highlight ldquopeople powerrdquo by covering what Irsquoll call the ldquoprotest beat.rdquo CoVerInG the PrOtEsT BeAt watch www.democracynow.org for much better coverage1 Darfur Rally for Peace2 Octobe http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/New-York/Manhattan/blog-89405.html Photo documentation of my journalism eduaction . . .My escape from Texas First Semester from AugustDecember hence the futuristic date of this entry If a person is not talented enough to be a novelist not smart enough to be a lawyer and his hands are too shaky to perform operations he becomes a journalist.rdquoNorman Mailer For those wondering what in the world goes on inside Columbia's http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/New-York/New-York/Manhattan/blog-83460.html