Travel Journals

Mandela's 100th Year & the Postcard View We Shared (Part 1)

I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul. "Invictus" is said to have been Nelson Mandela's favorite poem. Penned by Victorian poet William Ernest Henley, the words inspired Mandela during his 27-year imprisonment. "Madiba" was born 100...

---

My First South Africa Visit: When The World Lost Mandela (Part 2)

Marking 100 years since Mandela's birth, celebrating International #MandelaDay, and hearing Barack Obama's speech in Johannesburg this week had me reflecting on marrying into a South African family and my lessons from "Madiba"...

---

South of the Border: Solo Getaway In Mexico Featuring Beautiful Sights & Fear of Heights (Part 1)

In Janel's second post for ESG, she shares her recent experience as a solo black female traveler in Mexico, from Mérida to Mexico City. One of her goals as an ESG blogger is to empower other women to take the leap: “Believe it or not, I still find th...

---

A "Third Culture Kid's" Fourth of July Through the Years

In Gaia's first post for ESG, she reflects on the disconnectedness of being a "Third Culture Kid" (growing up in many countries as her parents moved around for work, including Italy, Switzerland, France, England, Scotland, and Saudi Arabia), then spe...

---