Soul searching Jessica, you are asking yourself all the right questions. Do people really want or need to be rescued? If they find a way to make a better life for themselves it may mean more. What do you think?
Men and women with good intentions have taken animals and or plants from one country to another and disaster has occurred. From these acts indigenous plants and animals have been wiped out.....unintended but none the less the changes have been devastating.
As we've traveled around the world we have found some of the poorest people to be the happiest. They are content with what they have even though it does not seem to be enough by our standards. Finding the balance is the key and you have hit on the right questions. Only you can answer them for yourself.
Loved the blog!
Life is beautiful Once again I am so glad I am following your blog, great photos and your writting allowed me to have a glimpse of how beautiful it must be but also such powerfull real lives you are coming in contact with. Keep us all informed about your progress. Best wishes A
All the best!! I have been following your blog since a couple of weeks, it is always a pleasure to read it, you are a really deep person.
I wish you all the best for you Foundation, please, keep us inform. I hope I might help.
All the best
I have been following your blog since a couple of weeks, I sincerely appreciate it. You are really a deep person and it is always a pleasure to read you.
I wish you all the best for Foundation, please keep us inform about it and I hope I might do something to help.
Great stories. Great writing. Great photos... All together pretty great. I also am teaching and solo traveling in SE Asia. I live in Bangkok right now. Let me know if you ever come this way - I'll offer some recommendations.
Your Good Life Jess, congratulations on finding a meaningful way to contribute to the world! Your experience touched my heart, and I wish you the best. I'm also on a long-term travel (in South America), have done some volunteering and hope to do more once I hit the poorer countries. Your photos and story are inspirational--good work!
hi from Argentina Yes, I agree with you. I have been there. Your describe it very well and your project is very useful and necessary. I also know something similar in Cambodia, in Siem Reap, in Angkor Wat. There I met the people of the ODA organizacion and they do an amazing work with dissabeld kids, abandoned kids and kids who have AIDS, so the work towards solidarity is endless. We spent a couple of days with them. Thank you, in the name of humanity. Hugs from Argentina, Graciela.
Amazing What a wonderful thing, to be so touched anothers life that you actually want to do somthing positive about it. Yet, another refreshing and insightful account. These blogs should be published.
Dalat It felt very humbling to read about your experiences, specially your comments about issues of faith. I felt great empathy and yes we have a lot to learn and I think that it is never ending...Great photos and so personal . Anabela xx
It was great to read about all your incidents and specially your comments and observations about the beach front. Really enjoyed your inicident with the the grumpy man and loud music first thing in the morning, well done! Loved the photos and the blog. Good luck on your next adventure. Lots of love Anabela xx
Wow With the greatest respect for your other blogs - this is your best yet - it is so marvellously honest, and full of life and colour.......makes me feel very humble to learn from you x x x
Photos Hi Jess. I am constantly in awe of your photos. What camera are you carrying around with you? Thanks for giving us such honest views and a few ideas for where to go when we finish in HCMC in a year or so!!
hi sory for the late reply, get a bit carried away and busy with this site....
i use a canon 1000D and a lens which is almost always permanantly attached; canon 50-250mm. its cheap and cheerful but it does the trick
thanks Hi there,
sorry for short message back but i am writing from sapa and its so cold here!!! my hands are frozen. Thank you for your message; i use a canon 1000D with a canon 55-250mm lens - bottom of the range.
much of it is just being in the right place at the right time....
Funny you should email because I have been following your blog too and photos. So thanks also :)
REFLECTIONS...AND PORTRAITS Reflections of one experiencing life's disparate journey...the lives of cultures far different from our own...enjoyed your reflective perspective...and the portraits...glad I have discovered you.
Fantastic experience Just by looking at your excellent portraits, one can discern that you have connected with the people you've met on more than a superficial level. The privilege of entering, observing and withdrawing from cultures of other countries is the most remarkable aspect of travel. I say withdrawing rather than leaving as a part of you never truly leaves. "The world is beautiful, there is so much to learn..." shows that you have made the transition not only from a tourist to a traveller but from a traveller to an explorer. Keep dreaming, exploring and learning - the world is an amazing place.
Hmmm..... I was saddened to read about your negative experiences. I know that first impressions can often be instrumental in ruining a trip, however, I still hope you will give Vietnam a chance. I came here with the intention of staying for 1 year at the most. I have now been here for 3.
Vietnam is by far, much safer than the UK even if petty theft and fraudulent attempts to 'rip you off' are quite prevalent in certain areas. What you need to remember though is that most people here earn a pittance and the general attitude towards westerners is that we are so rich that we won't miss a few pounds. While I admit this attitude seems wrong from our perspective, many Asians tend to live for the moment and will generally sink any extra income they make from people like you or me into caring for their families, which, on refection, doesn't leave such a bad taste in ones mouth. Anyway, happy travels Jessica :)
In a nutshell; I am Jess. I was 27 years old, and left a wonderful teaching job in search of unemployment and volunteer opportunities across the other side of the world. Some say it's foolish, I was inclined to agree but these experiences altered me in ways I never imagined possible. I accomplished dreams, re-found lost passions, set up a charity in Sapa, taught in Cambodia, established a teaching course in Vietnam and published articles and photos for magazines and books.
... full info
D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Soul searching
Jessica, you are asking yourself all the right questions. Do people really want or need to be rescued? If they find a way to make a better life for themselves it may mean more. What do you think? Men and women with good intentions have taken animals and or plants from one country to another and disaster has occurred. From these acts indigenous plants and animals have been wiped out.....unintended but none the less the changes have been devastating. As we've traveled around the world we have found some of the poorest people to be the happiest. They are content with what they have even though it does not seem to be enough by our standards. Finding the balance is the key and you have hit on the right questions. Only you can answer them for yourself. Loved the blog!