We decided to head south for the winter and explore Medellin, Colombia for the very first time. We had an amazing one-month long assignment house and cat sitting in the Provenza neighbourhood (I’m already missing Ollie, our adopted cat). Since we happened to be in the city, we added a short stay at Selina Medellin […]
Social Impact Travel
The Tire Problem in Haiti
Julina rushes outside from the workshop to give a strong ringing of the gold hand bell. She’s smiling ear to ear because she just made her next shoe sale. It’s a big deal here. Julina and 13 other full-time workers make leather shoes, hand-crafted from old rubber tires they manage to collect from the sides of the road in Port-au-Prince. […]
Sustainable and Adventure Eco-Lodges in Costa Rica
Choosing what to do and where to stay when you travel can have direct social impact on the destination and community you visit. In Costa Rica, the government and local ticos believe in sustainable eco-lodges where you can sleep, eat, and travel in a more conscious way, and where your tourism dollars help support the local development. The Costa […]
Where to Volunteer in the Dominican Republic
My time volunteering in the Dominican Republic was one of my most rewarding experiences. There is so much need on this Caribbean island where much of the population lives on less than $2USD a day. Beach-hopping is relaxing yes (the DR has some of the most stunning coasts and sunsets), but resorts and “all-inclusives” are […]
Supporting Refugees and Thai Freedom House
Last year, the UN reported more than 110,000 refugees living in Thailand. Escaping from ethnic conflict, many of them flee for Bangkok but most of them settle along the Thai-Burmese border to the north. As refugees, they face a lot of obstacles. The legal means of staying in Thailand are dependent on employment but many refugees don’t have the […]
Fair Trade Coffee with a Real Barista
One of the first small, local roasters and third wave cafés to open in Prague has given new energy to European coffee. Since 2008, Mamacoffee founded six locations, a coffee NGO, and a coffee festival with the main goal of showcasing to the rest of Europe (and the world) that coffee can be both good and fair. I […]