Author Archives: joyrobin

Travel Moment: Say What?

Posted on September 21, 2019 by joyrobin

  I find the passage of western t-shirts through the developing world, and the prestige that English language garments bestow on the wearer, to be an infinitely fascinating phenomenon. However in some cases the result can be quite jarring. I … Continue reading →

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Welcome to New Guinea

Posted on April 13, 2018 by joyrobin

  I think I can safely say that no travel experience offers absolute predictability. But cruise the islands of Papua New Guinea and you will encounter one immutable certainty. You will visit a predetermined number of  picturesque villages, and you … Continue reading →

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Travel Moment: Lounging Lemur

Posted on August 3, 2017 by joyrobin

When you’re worn out from all that leaping, I guess…

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Here We Go Again

Posted on February 20, 2017 by joyrobin

  Today I rummaged around until I found a 2008 Obama for President campaign button, and proudly affixed it to my battered day pack. No repeat of the Bush years for me – I want to deflect as much awkwardness as possible when … Continue reading →

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Poetry Interlude: Departure

Posted on November 20, 2016 by joyrobin

  My bags are packed and sitting by the door. The car awaits. Whether the destination is Kalamazoo or Kuala Lumpur,  I pass through my house in silent reflection Visiting each room Grateful for our common experience Thankful for the people who … Continue reading →

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Reconciliation: For Bosnia

Posted on March 27, 2016 by joyrobin

  In a week that saw both the forty-year sentence handed down to Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic for his role in the massacre at Srebrenica, and the decision of Bosnian Serb authorities to name a school building in his honor, I was moved … Continue reading →

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Travel Moment: Slovenian Spiral

Posted on December 13, 2015 by joyrobin

Sometimes you can visit a country justly renowned for the beauty of its mountains, lakes, and castles and when you get home your favorite picture was taken at your hotel… Ljubljana, Slovenia

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On the Beach in Benin

Posted on October 21, 2015 by joyrobin

This striking assemblage of folk art on the beach at Ouidah, Benin illustrates two ever-present themes of the West African experience: the terrible legacy of slavery, and the fact that nothing ever goes to waste. The setting was the annual Voodoo Festival … Continue reading →

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Miles and Miles of Mongolia

Posted on September 21, 2015 by joyrobin

In response to the question “How was Mongolia?” there is only one adjective that comes to mind, pushing all other qualifiers out of contention: vast. The extent of the vastness can only be appreciated once you leave the capital of Ulaanbaatar and … Continue reading →

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A Ride on the Cubamobile

Posted on April 13, 2015 by joyrobin

  The question on every traveler’s lips these days is “Have you been to Cuba?” Cuba is hot – tour operators are scrambling to offer it, and long-denied Americans are eager to sign up. I listen with genuine interest to fellow travelers’ reports of visits … Continue reading →

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