Global Nomad

The Mighty Himalayas and How to Prepare, Nepal

jcampos — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:31:50 +0000

Now that you have decided to embark on the journey of a lifetime, let this list be a helpful guide in preparing you for anything that may come your way while on the trail. High energy snacks such as nuts and/or granola bars Walking stick Up-to-date map (also makes a great souvenir upon completion) Good raincoat as the weather [...]

Never Leave Home Without: A 3 Step Guide to Surviving India

jcampos — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:02:54 +0000

A lot of travel done throughout the country is by train…very long train rides, which more often than not arrive late, go overnight and are very full. My advice is to bring some sort of a musical device or earplugs to remove yourself from the chaos surrounding you. After you pack your backpack or suitcase for [...]

Turning to the Streets, Kolkata, India

jcampos — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:31:59 +0000

There is a reoccurring theme ever-present on the streets of Kolkata; one where the roots of struggle and poverty often come from the same tree. Of Kolkata’s 15 million people, a significant portion of the population has turned to informal business as a way of providing for themselves as well as their families. Street vendors [...]

Child Headed Households, India

jcampos — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:42:13 +0000

As the prevalence of HIV/AIDS continues to rise in many developing nations, once traditionally structured households have shifted from nuclear, where two parents claim the responsibility of child rearing and providing basic needs such as food and shelter. With the rise of HIV/AIDS however, many families have been left parentless forcing, the children to abandon their [...]

Three Generations: Nepal

jcampos — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:42:07 +0000

With a lower standard of living and little access to basic necessities, many rural Nepalese are plagued with lower birth rates and higher death rates than the rest of the nation. For this reason, it is a rarity to find you amidst a generational tree such as the one that stretches through three generations as seen [...]

Forgotten Souls of Burma

jcampos — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:21:07 +0000

It’s early morning and the sun has just begun to peak its warm glowing face from out underneath the bed of clouds. The streets are fairly quite, despite the chicken clucking for their morning feed. Smoke slowly rises out of the narrow chimney- stacks of the bamboo stilted huts as the women prepare breakfast for [...]

Golden Rock, Burma

jcampos — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:18:40 +0000

The Golden Rock (Kyaik-htiyo or Kyaiktiyo), set atop a cliff near Yangon, is one of the most sacred sites in Burma for Buddhists. The great boulder strangely balances on the edge of a cliff and is crowned by a small stupa. Endless streams of pilgrims come to admire the sight and add squares of gold leaf to its [...]

Enter the Holy Land, Bago, Burma

jcampos — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:14:43 +0000

Bago is a city and the capital of Bago Division in Burma, which was formerly Pegu. It is located 50 Miles (80 km) from Yangon and is populated with 220,000 people. Bago has many major attractions in terms of Buddhist statues and temples.  Shwe Tha Lyaung Pagoda, the Golden Reclining Image, is a must-see. It is [...]

Welcome to Yangon, Burma

jcampos — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:14:40 +0000

Four million people walk the streets of Yangon, also known as Rangoon, the former capital of Burma. An overwhelming city that is full of helping hands, curious smiles, decaying buildings, and beautiful monasteries, and yet still remains to be the largest city in Myanmar. Whether one comes to Burma for trekking, spiritual indulgence, or volunteer reasons [...]

A Sprinkle of Saffron, Burma

jcampos — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:02:50 +0000

Like neighboring South East Asian countries, some 89% of Burma’s population is devout Buddhist, occupying a land that unfamiliar to many even to this day. With pagodas, Stupas and monasteries bearing as much importance and relevance in present day Burma (Myanmar) as in its past, the population as a whole has learnt to employ the [...]