Matador Network's Blog, page 2233

A call for reform in the Peace Corps

Photo: isafmedia

The Peace Corps is experiencing a lot of public criticism lately. The New York Times has been conducting an examination of the organization for months, digging up audit records and interviewing past volunteers and their parents. The February 2013 death of 23-year-old Philip Castle, a rural-China-based volunteer, has just recently been seeing a lot of attention.

According to The New York Times’ findings, Castle had complained three months before his death of gastrointestinal issues and rapid weight loss to his Peace Corps health provider. However, he wasn’t actually brought into the hospital until he collapsed and went into a coma one day in Cheng Du. He was deemed brain-dead and taken off life support just a few days later.

The Peace Corp “took the unusual step” of hiring an outside American expert to dig into what really happened. Reports showed that Castle’s health provider was slow to call for help when he became severely ill, and when an ambulance was finally called it got lost on its way to retrieve him. Castle was no longer breathing by the time he actually entered the hospital. Although the whole process appears to have been extremely disorganized, the hired expert concluded that nothing could have prevented Castle’s death.

Castle isn’t the first volunteer to have died during service with the Peace Corps. According to its website, since the organization’s founding in 1961, more than 200,000 people have served and 296 of those have lost their lives. Peace Corps deaths are rare, but they do happen.

Peace Corp director Carrie Hessler-Radelet has been pushing for reform since 2010, right around the time that a Morocco-based volunteer presumably died in 2009 due to “lapses in care.” The agency has been undergoing extreme changes in its healthcare system in an effort to reexamine itself. For example, this past week, the Peace Corps took cautionary action in temporarily removing 340 volunteers from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone due to outbreaks of the ebola virus.

According to a mournful letter sent to past and present volunteers by Hessler-Radelet, the Peace Corps has been naming reform in healthcare, safety, and security its top priority for the past four years.

The New York Times recently published a collection of volunteer experiences, revealing that although the Peace Corps has shown clear carelessness in organization — uprooting volunteers from projects without adequate notice, taking an unreasonable amount of time locating health providers, etc. — it’s ultimately a very positive force that has made great strides in terms of international service.

I asked a friend of mine who’s done two stints with the Peace Corps, in Thailand and Saint Lucia, about her personal experience. She said that although Castle’s death is gravely unfortunate, there are risks associated with traveling abroad whether you’re serving with the Peace Corps or not.

“Yes, the Peace Corps could have been more vigilant. But in the same respect, the volunteer should have been more vocal,” she said. “Just because you’re a Peace Corps volunteer doesn’t mean that you will be exempt from health issues for 27 months.”

Judging by the recent reports in The New York Times, the Peace Corps does have a lot of changes to make. However, ultimately your health is in your hands. No matter where you go and whom you represent, traveling demands heightened awareness.

Resources we'll have left by 2100

IT’S NOT ‘NEW’ NEWS that the earth’s resources are depleting at an alarming rate. But because I don’t feel the impact directly, it’s more of an, “out of sight, out of mind” situation. This infographic really puts things into perspective however. If I live to be over 100 (fingers crossed), there is a solid chance I’ll be present during the extinction of resources that used to fuel things like my GameBoy, and build my Ipod. But at the same time, I feel like humans will find alternative methods of energy before society is truly affected by the loss of the ones we use now. Hopefully those methods will be “greener,” and have less of an impact on the planet, so that we don’t have to fall back on burning coal.

Image via Visual.ly. Click to enlarge.

Japan's giant aquarium is pure zen

THE “KUROSHIO SEA” tank at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan is one of the largest aquarium tanks in the world, with nearly two million gallons of water and a spectacular array of sharks, rays, and other fish. In fact, it’s the fourth largest in the world (though it says it’s the second largest on the Vimeo page; the video was made four years ago), recently having been bumped back a bit by the 12.87-million-gallon Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Aquarium in China.

But for my money, Okinawa Churaumi is the best. The reason? This video. It’s one of the most relaxing, zen films I’ve ever seen. This is what we would have as our screensavers if screensavers were still a thing people had.

And if the Chimelong Ocean Kingdom would like to prove me wrong, they can feel free to make a super mellow video too. Go ahead, Chimelong: I dare you.

28 signs you’re addicted to paddling

Photo: slashvee

Paddling — like most anything worth doing — is worth doing badly, in pairs, and every chance you get. You probably can’t paddle too much, but here are some signs you’re a few strokes past moderation.

1. There are more boats at your house than people. We have four, but they’re really different. Two are sit-in fishing kayaks, one is a fiberglass canoe, and then there’s the dugout canoe I brought back from Siquijor in the Philippines.

2. At least once a day you say something like, “There’s this sweet little stretch of water…”

3. You plan a paddle trip while you’re on a paddle trip.

4. Your rear end has calluses but no feeling.

5. Your boat has more miles than your vehicle.

6. The first invitation you extend isn’t for dinner or drinks — it’s an epic day of paddling. “We’ll leave the house at 3am, drive to the coast, launch at daylight, paddle and fish until about dark, grab a beer and an oyster poboy, and head back home. It’ll be great.”

7. A “quickie before work” usually involves a stream.

8. The dings on your hull remind you of a particular stretch of water.

9. Your physique is a little off. You’re jacked and tanned up top, but your bottom half is pasty and frail.

10. Every online ad you see is from ACK.com.

11. When you’re having trouble sleeping, all you have to do is think on the sound of a paddle slipping through the water.

12. You have enough gear to outfit at least three friends. “Na, just come over. I got you.”

13. You shake your head at the guys in boats with motors — even when you’re eight miles from your launch and still chasing birds.

14. Friends constantly ask you for gear recommendations — and you secretly hate gear lists.

15. You don’t bother to stow your gear. Your bag is always packed and waiting by the front door.

16. Strangers call or email to ask your opinion about paddling routes for places on the other side of the state.

17. CFS means something to you other than chronic fatigue syndrome. (CFS is cubic feet per second — the unit of measurement for water in motion. One cubic foot per second = 7.4805 gallons flowing by a particular point in one second.)

18. A boat is strapped on your vehicle at all times, and a life jacket and paddle are inside.

19. You go to business meetings in your boat shoes.

20. You get river alerts from USGS Water Alert via email or text. Check it out.

21. You take — and schedule — business calls from your boat.

22. Without thinking, you stand up and float backwards through the riffles while taking photographs. Nine out of ten times it goes well, but you’re completely baffled the one time you fall.

23. When you close your eyes, you see GPS coordinates, topo maps, and nautical charts.

24. DD MM SS, DD MM.MMMM, and DD.DDDD mean something to you.

25. Your social life depends on paddle weather.

26. You think 40mph winds, rain, and freezing temperatures are okay paddle weather. That’s why God made waterproof gear and wool.

27. You hold up traffic to scope out flooded ditches and other sweet paddle spots.

28. You secretly believe being a bad paddler is a character flaw.

7 guys to avoid on the road

Photo: Jiuck

WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE. You’re traveling. It’s lonely. You miss your ex-boyfriend. Girl, I get it. But do yourself a favor and avoid the following male archetypes. Warning: They often travel in packs and frequent hostels.

1. The Psychic Vampire

He sucks up all your energy. He’s often between relationships. Something of a clit tease. Joni Mitchell once wrote a song about this guy called “Conversation.” “He comes for conversation,” she croons, “I comfort him sometimes.” The catch is that the object of her affection is dating someone else, yet emotionally cheats with Joni. “I want to free him,” she proclaims. Oh girl, get a life. And a new man.

2. The Passive Aggressive Question Asker

This guy feels so self-conscious about taking off six months from his prefabricated five-year plan, and in order to compensate he’ll grill you with questions about what you’re doing with your life. Usually, this relationship doesn’t last beyond a drunken makeout. Once you see his real personality, you’ll make up an excuse about needing to get to La Paz a week earlier than you thought. When he interrogates you about this, tell him you need to pee and then sneak out the back of the bar where you’ve attempted to gently break things off.

3. The Secret Sadist

He seems perfect. Charming to a tee, he’d treat even your remote acquaintances as though they were his own family. But in moments of stress, like when y’all are about to miss a flight, the cracks will start to show. He’ll spew out deeply judgmental statements about you — usually something along the lines of you always do this! or you blew it. Avoid him, he could take years off your life.

4. The Zero to Sixty

I met this guy at a hostel in Argentina once. To be fair, he was a local guy, not a traveler. The second words out of his mouth to me were a marriage proposal. After a restless night at an hourly hotel, I returned to his parents’ veggie stand to say hey. Boy avoided me like a Brazilian soccer fan. I still have fantasies of returning to his neighborhood in Palermo to give him an earful.

5. The Thrill Seekers (Mansplainers)

Often native to Colorado, he’s hiked all the mountains, stayed in all the remote Thai villages, and camped with sherpas. But like, it seems as though he’s just accumulating notches on his man belt. He’s a heavy user of bro speech — dude that volcano was seriously gnarly — and gear talk. There are times when you can’t tell the difference between his words and an REI catalogue.

It’s a good thing boys like this are so pretty, cause there’s usually not much going on up top. Sleep with him for one week, then cut the cord. It will be hard; he’s so nice to look at. To compensate for your time with the thrill seeker, you’ll probably move on to the overly culturally sensitive man. See below.

6. The Overly Culturally Sensitive Man

He often grows in the Bay Area or Seattle. He uses organizer speak, he goes on ad nauseam about folks and their white guilt. A few years ago he had dreadlocks, but cut them off once he realized it was cultural appropriation. Sex with the culturally sensitive man can be really good, but you might die of boredom from all the caveats he places on each opinion.

7. The Citizenship Hunter

If the second words out of his mouth are a marriage proposal, run.

A journey through the heart of Japan

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WHILE I’VE NEVER VISITED JAPAN, it continues to fascinate me more than any other country I have ever traveled to. I think because of its years of isolation, it is one of those places where I will eventually experience complete culture shock, but in the coolest of ways. This video, produced by David Parkinson, makes me feel as though I’ve traveled through Japan alongside he and his girlfriend. I also like how the camera shots are in slow motion, and dimly lit, as opposed to the sometimes overly-bright and neon scenes of Japanese cities I’ve found on other travel websites.

5 no-BS places to dance in Boston

Photo: Randy Kashka

Sometimes playing “Dance Dance Revolution” alone in your apartment just isn’t going to cut it. At the same time, how the fuck are you supposed to execute a perfect tootsie roll in five-inch heels? I’ve got the solution. Sweatbands and track suits highly encouraged.

1. The Cantab, Central Square (bluegrass)

If life were like the movies, and Liam and Ryan McPoyle actually got to open their own “anything goes” bar, this would be it. This place is weird as shit. Half the people here are geriatric fucks, half are wasted Harvard PhD students, and everyone resembles some kind of bird. The band’s average age is always at least 100, and the music is great.

To me, the most important thing about good dancing is being in a judgment-free zone, and you really can’t get much closer than this. Also, there’s a scratch ticket machine in the back for your boyfriend to skulk at if he doesn’t like getting down or is worried someone might try to lick his face.

2. Zuzu, Central Square (funk & soul)

In my opinion, funk is the best dancing music if you really want to freak out. You’ll hear the classic James Brown / Gap Band / Marvin Gaye stuff, along with some fantastic tunes you didn’t even know existed. You’ll see a fair number of college students here, but they’re the weird ones that wear long skirts and lipliner, so breathe easy.

Besides the music, the best thing about this bar is the floor-to-ceiling mirror wall. This provides a great way to perfect your pelvic thrusts and make sex eyes at the long-haired dude behind you. Preferably at the same time.

3. Rise, Bay Village (EDM)

This is the only place in Boston open past 2am. They don’t serve booze after 2, but it’s a great place to dance away your burgeoning hangover via seizure-like moves while surrounded by a bunch of glittery neon-garbed beacons of excellence.

4. Common Ground, Allston (’90s night)

Although you’ll spot a few high-heeled, sausage-dress-wearing girls awkwardly swaying, they’re relegated to their rightful place on the edge of the dance floor where they can perpetually adjust their dresses and check their phones. Everyone else will be in the middle of the packed floor, sweating their balls off while they flail around to “Good Vibrations” and slosh light beer all over each other. Breakdancing will be attempted.

5. 6B Lounge, Beacon Hill (’80s night)

’80s night in the fancy part of town seems to attract people from all walks of life: 22-year-olds basking in false nostalgia, die-hard Whitney Houston fans, 30-somethings hoping to relive their childhoods, confused-looking doctors who wandered in after a 24-hour shift at MGH and don’t understand what the fuck is up with this music. It’s all here.

The waiters are usually decked out in ’80s gear, and even though most of the patrons aren’t, I still like to get in the spirit with a scrunchie and crimped hair. They serve good food, too, so I recommend arriving at 9 and getting dinner and drinks before the line forms outside. Then you can sidle up to the alcoholic wreck who’s been slumped over the bar since 4pm, convince him that he almost definitely has the moves of a young Michael Jackson, and be the first duo to slither out to the dance floor. Your bartender will thank you.

Why British plugs are best [vid]

ONE OF THE BIGGEST PAINS IN THE ASS for travelers is getting plug adapters. For whatever reason, even though we all basically buy the same (or similar) gadgets around the world, we’ve all ended up with different plugs. Now I’ve got a pile of adapters that I’ll probably never use again taking up space in one of my drawers at home.

If you’ve accumulated a similar pile, you’ve probably thought at some point, “Couldn’t we just standardize plugs from around the world?”

Of course, then you’d have the debate over which plug to pick, and people can be pretty reactionary toward that type of change. YouTuber Tom Scott is making the case for British plugs being the best in the world. The reason? They’re super safe, well designed, and are hard for a kid to stick a screwdriver into.

Watch the video above to get the full explanation, and then write to your Congressman to get our plugs changed to the British style.

19 lessons the Dutch can teach us

Photo: Trey Ratcliff

MORE THAN AN OCEAN separates Amsterdam, my adopted city, from Newport Beach, the upscale Southern California beach town where I spent most of my life. Beyond being nearly 4,000 miles across the Atlantic, Holland is worlds from my former home — a city portrayed in reality shows like The OC and Desperate Housewives of Orange County — when it comes to culture. Here are some of the lessons I learned as an American expat in Holland.

1. Not everyone speaks your language.

Since few people outside their tiny country speak Dutch, people from Holland MUST learn other languages to communicate globally.

2. TV programs with subtitles are learning tools.

Through American exports like Sesame Street, Star Trek, Baywatch, Magnum P.I., Married with Children, and Dr. Phil, 90% of Dutch people learn English by their teens. Most add a few other languages (excluding German) in high school and beyond.

3. A trusty two-wheeler is de rigueur for daily transport.

No fancy clothes, helmet, or expensive fuel needed. Snap on a chain guard, hop on in business attire, stiletto heels, or that sexy salsa outfit, and ride off with pride, briefcase, lunchbox, kids (also helmet-less), and that all-important cell phone in tow.

4. Public transportation is not a sign of ‘lower class’.

Use the train for inter-city travel, leaving the driving to others while you sleep, read the newspaper, catch up on work, or just think while the countryside rolls by.

5. One or two weeks of vacation a year is insane.

In Holland, four weeks a year is normal.

6. It doesn’t pay to work your ass off.

While Americans slave away at their jobs 40+ hours a week, many Dutch professionals enjoy a 36-hour workweek. And they’re doing just fine.

7. It’s not the end of the world when temps dip below 15˚C / 60˚F.

There’s no bad weather, just bad clothing.

8. American sports are kinda lame.

The Dutch know a little something about real sports. You think American baseball is exciting? Try speed skating.

9. There is only one football.

Sorry, the American game with that cumbersome gear, bosomy cheerleaders, and commercial interruptions doesn’t count.

10. McD, Burger King, and KFC don’t serve real food.

Neither do Amsterdam’s ubiquitous FEBO outlets, but you might find something that staves off a hangover in those little windows.

11. Herring isn’t something only Jewish people eat.

In Holland, it’s a street delicacy, served lightly brined, ready for spearing with a little Dutch flag, with pickles and onions on the side.

12. Marriages are about relationships, not weddings.

In Holland, few are marked by ritzy celebrations. The Dutch typically live together and raise families under legal contracts, minus the costly party.

13. Same-sex marriages are so old news.

They’ve been legal in Holland since 2001.

14. Good medical care is a right, not a privilege.

Even illegal immigrants deserve basic healthcare.

15. When a politician cheats on a spouse, it’s bad form, but no reason to resign.

Unless that politician is from some wacky conservative party.

16. Journalists should generally avoid the private life of public people.

Unless those people choose to make their private life public.

17. Everyone is responsible for their personal lifestyle and has freedom of choice, so long as that freedom harms no one.

The Dutch call this samenleving, or the art of sharing space harmoniously and fostering a culture based on equality, mutual respect, and civil rights.

18. Marijuana is NOT the gateway to hard drugs and addiction.

Incidence of drug abuse and addiction is lower in Holland than in countries with a strict prohibition policy. Still, cocaine, heroine, ecstasy, and other hard drugs are as illegal in Amsterdam as they are in the US.

19. People who show off, act pretentiously, discuss personal finances, or do anything perceived as weird or foreign are jerks.

The goal is to be normal or, as the Dutch say, Doe normaal dan doe je al gek genoeg (Just be normal, that’s crazy enough).

6 big changes in the travel industry

Photo: Daniel Foster

I SPENT 6 YEARS as a young traveler exploring the globe, and have been fortunate to have spent the last 18 years working in the travel industry, both in the inbound and the outbound tourism markets.

The concept of going on a holiday hasn’t really changed in the last two decades. There’s still the aspiration, the need to fund it, plan for it, book it, and travel to it. Once there, there’s the requirement of sleep and food and the desire to explore. Sights such as the Eiffel Tower, the Egyptian Pyramids, or walking the Inca Trail haven’t changed, yet subtle shifts have altered the travel experience in some big ways.

1. Trip planning is now a DIY art form.

Twenty years ago, researching a trip was done in the library, in the travel sections of the newspaper, and in travel agencies. Purchasing guidebooks like Lonely Planet were crucial to planning, as they offered personal testimonials from seasoned travel writers. Keeping abreast of the political and economic climates of countries was done by contacting government organisations directly or via the news media.

Planning my first backpacking adventure was pretty much all done with a travel agent; they assisted in designing my itinerary, booked airline tickets and the first few nights’ accommodation, and organized rail passes. Also, they advised on visas that took months to courier, process, and return, and they pre-purchased currency and travelers cheques.

Today, the best and most up-to-date info is found online, where research, comparisons, and bookings can all be carried out. Sites such as TripAdvisor provide access to personal reviews on destinations and hotels, airlines and restaurants, and create certain expectations prior to departure. Google Maps can plan the distance and best route from an airport to hotel, train station to tourist sites. The latest political, economic, and cultural aspects of any destination are instantly available, as are transport timetables and currency converters.

2. The load is much lighter.

Two decades ago, the all-important travel wallet held passports, airline tickets, pre-purchased vouchers, travelers cheques, and various local currencies; this was guarded with one’s life. Everyone carried a heavy ‘day pack’ that held a Walkman (later a Discman), a limited amount of cassettes (or CDs), a travel journal, an address book, guidebooks, and a book. Camera equipment and film, which were kept in lead bags to protect them from x-ray machines, were also jammed in, as were local maps and other destination paraphernalia.

Now, almost all travel documents can be stored in the Cloud, as can photos, music, books, maps, journals, and address books. The versatile smartphone is travel wallet and day pack in one; it even takes photos, translates foreign languages, and tracks your location.

3. We expect air travel to be somewhat uncomfortable.

Twenty years ago, airport security was a brief, cheery chat while watching bags disappear through x-ray machines. Smoking was allowed on the aircraft, even by flight attendants, metal cutlery was used, and bags — generously filled with toiletries — were given to all passengers to keep them comfortable during the flight. Meals were a sumptuous highlight and alcohol was dished out liberally.

Now, airport security has ramped up to include explosive tests, 100ml liquid bottle limits, and invasive searches by uncompromising security staff. The price of air travel has actually decreased while airport taxes have increased, keeping the average international ticket price on par with or lower than 20 years ago. Airlines have had to dramatically reduce their service and offerings to stay afloat, and low-cost carriers have had a huge impact, including making travel more accessible and affordable to the masses.

Also…Virgin Airlines are now selling seats to outer space!

4. Our interactions with currency have evolved.

The first job when arriving in a new destination 20 years ago was to find a dedicated bank and convert currency or travelers cheques. Today, all it takes is a simple credit or debit card withdrawal at any ATM to obtain local cash, and traveling throughout Europe with the Euro is a breeze…albeit a much more expensive breeze.

5. Communication technologies have made the world much smaller.

Twenty years ago, phoning home was the only form of real-time communication with family and friends. It was done at an International Telecommunications Exchange or, if you were lucky, by a reverse charge call from a phone box. Dialing the home operator was a tedious task and wasn’t always successful. Receiving mail on the road was a major feat. My parents would consolidate my mail and send care packages via Poste Restante to a main post office of a designated city that I was planning to visit. It was beyond exciting to receive these packages, which brought news from home, occasional photos, and, sometimes, familiar edible treats like Twisties. Sometimes friends I’d met traveling would write and share their travel or returning home stories. Pen pals were made for life.

Today, the first thing to acquire on arrival is a local internet and phone SIM card. Family can access their loved one via email, phone, or Skype no matter where the traveler tries to hide. New friends met on the road can be easily tracked via sites such as Instagram, and everyone the traveler has ever met can follow each step of their travel journey.

6. The ‘homecoming’ is less dramatic.

Developing film after returning home was an expensive delight. A significant part, and end, of the travel experience was the post-travel get together (or ordeal) with friends and family to share endless photos and recount stories. Today this isn’t as necessary, as the travel stories have already been seen, read, or watched pretty much as they happened.