MatadorU student and regular MatadorAbroad contributor, Camden Luxford, opened the Yamanyá Backpackers Hostel in Cusco, Peru this month.

Rachel y los Berries rocked out at the opening and will be performing regularly.

The hostel offers free breakfast, free Internet and WiFi, and free luggage storage.

And later this year, they’ll be adding a temperature-controlled stone swimming pool.

Community Connection:

Have news you want to share? Email julie[at]matadornetwork[dot]com.

Photo: Ranoush

The goal was to finish reviewing all the applications and notify selected Correspondents by August 15. But with just over 700 applications, the review process took longer than expected. Plus Glimpse Editor-in-Chief Sarah Menkedick was in the midst of an epic road trip that kept her in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico for days and which involved too much Papa John’s pizza and abandoning a car that couldn’t be repaired after breaking down in Texas.

But we’re finally done and we’re stoked about the Fall 2010 Glimpse Correspondents. Though their writing and photography projects will take them in different directions–both geographically and thematically–what characterizes all of these Correspondents is their ability to present their authentic selves to readers, rather than a contrived version of themselves.

Our 10 Correspondents are:

Meghan Battle
Naomi Kaye
Molly Beer
Alana Vogl
Kevin Boswell
Rebekah Olstad
Tyler Wilkinson-Ray
Camden Luxford
Stephanie Santiano
Alexandru Guta

And here are some highlights from their applications:

“Life here [in Cambodia] is just that — life. It’s not exotic to the people living it, and after a year here, most days it’s not especially exotic to me.

If I’m a Glimpse Correspondent, my writing will not center around eating bugs, getting stuck in flash floods, adjusting to sleeping on a mat, or the perplexing happiness of ‘people with nothing….’ I write to ask uncomfortable questions and tell stories that reveal ethical dilemmas, systematic injustices, and simple (if not straightforward) truths.” -Megan Battle, on what her writing won’t explore.

“Then there is the task of discussing cartels with my mother-in-law. The syndicate linked to Morelia has a penchant for cutting off heads; it is called, of all things, La Familia.”- Molly Beer, on what her move to Morelia, Mexico with her husband, child, and a baby on the way will involve.

“There are two themes that fascinate me here in Peru. [One] is a huge sense of pride in the country’s cultural richness and heritage, its Incan ruins, its history. This presents a curious contradiction with an underlying racism and discrimination against indigenous groups – those closest to the cherished Incan heritage.” -Camden Luxford, on the themes she intends to explore as a Correspondent.

Community Connection:

You can follow Glimpse Correspondents’ stories on the Glimpse website.

Lindsay Clark, third from left, with Project Explorer team; Photo: Cooper Bates

Matador’s managing editor, Julie Schwietert, interviews MatadorTV intern Lindsay Clark.

How did you originally learn about Matador?
Upon getting familiar with other travel bloggers and searching for that which interested me, Matador organically came into view. I thought Brave New Traveler was a clever title and a concept that really attracted me.

I didn’t aim for Nomadderwhere to be a consumer travel blog, so the stories about “why we travel” spurred my own musings and made me pleased to know those stories were appreciated. Thus began my avid interest in Matador.

What is your role with Matador?
Since April of 2010, I’ve been a member of the MatadorTV team, scouting out the Internet’s top travel videos and formatting them for the site. I also reach out to the video producers, occasionally create content for the vlog, and promote with social media. It’s a gay ol’ time.

Tell us about your background, academically and professionally. Did you study film/video production formally?
I loved photography and attended university with the intention of studying the crap out of it; however, a new zest for travel documentation (not to mention an extreme dislike for a photography teacher) led me to realize I couldn’t quite say all I wanted to with photos.

Luckily, my major wasn’t specific to photography but all studio art. I grew to love drawing, ceramics, graphic design, and many other media that allowed me to translate my artistic voice. Enter multimedia as my new obsession.

Find Lindsay online:
Her blog
Twitter
YouTube
Flickr

I traveled on a round-the-world trip after graduation with the intention of documenting the experience and found real satisfaction in doing so. This prepared me nicely for receiving the STA Travel World Traveler Internship in the summer of 2009. Post-internship, I returned to Fiji, the first stop on the itinerary, to attempt creating a volunteer project in a highland village, all the while still snapping shots and editing videos like a maniac.

I wasn’t a product of a film program (though it crossed my mind when looking at colleges), but I organically found a knack and necessity for production in my life. To this date, I’ve made over 130 travel shorts, and anyone can see my gradual progress on YouTube from my first Windows Movie Maker slideshows to my more recent Final Cut Pro mini-films. It was simple practice and experimentation, all fueled by passion. It would have been incredibly beneficial to attend film school, but for now I’m sustaining myself by constantly learning from others and self-teaching new techniques (hence one of the many great benefits from working for MatadorTV).

What’s the project you were just working on in Mexico?
All that traveling and documentation ended up crafting me into a traveling film producer. That was a real shock after feeling like a valueless vagabond for years. My worth was finally recognized by ProjectExplorer.org, a non-profit based out of New York City, which creates free educational travel series for children. We actually found out about each other through Matador.

After seeing a profile of their Good Global Citizen campaign on Brave New Traveler, I soon wrote about the concept on my blog, and because of a trackback, Jenny, the director of the organization, encouraged me to get involved and eventually apply for a position.

During the month of June, I traveled as a crew member for ProjectExplorer.org throughout Mexico City, Oaxaca, and Merida. We spent our days the way I’d imagine our boy, Tony Bourdain, and his crew do: writing, filming, crafting on-screen appearances, photographing, and producing content for the web while continuously marketing our concept through social media.

After three weeks of on location production, we returned to our respective homes to begin with post-production video editing and community outreach. Thus far, I’ve already produced over 40 short educational films for the organization and hope to present the ProjectExplorer.org resources to my former schools.

At the moment, our next travel series is between Rwanda, Thailand, and India, which is determined by student/teacher interest as well as the level of support from each country’s tourism board. I’ll be pumped wherever we go. The real thrill for me is just to move and teach through multimedia.

What are some of your short/long-term goals?
Had I concocted a plan during high school or college for this portion of my life, I don’t think I would have landed where I did. I stick with the no-plan plan most days.

Short-term goals: I have dreams of writing a relevant travel narrative. I’m also interested in developing my film skills with some sort of intensive structure alongside brilliant minds.

Long-term goals: To stay alive for a while.

Any favorite travel anecdotes?
My most moving and memorable travel moments are all similar. They are either relatively mundane and involve social interaction or are centered around mountains. Dancing with one friend on the beach in Zanzibar, watching “Indian Idol” with some new friends in Delhi, driving through an intense bloom of yellow butterflies – those are some of the small scale favorites. Seeing Mt. Everest from a hill near Darjeeling (107 miles away from the peak) was a top-tier experience.

“I have a really hard time valuing certain experiences over others, because my travel incentives aren’t destinations but challenges.”

I have a really hard time valuing certain experiences over others, because my travel incentives aren’t destinations but challenges. I just don’t like to have it easy. If I’m peeing on the side of the road in the African bush or freezing my toes off at high altitude, I feel like I’m sharpening my blade and succeeding at something. Those are the memories that stick.

What do you predict to be the role of film/video in travel narratives over the next couple of years?
I love written word. It’s the crux of travel documentation, and I think the freedom the reader has to make the experience their own is incredible. However, I’m finding, especially in my own travel blogging pursuits, that people yearn for the dynamism of video. It’s also much more accessible and motivational for the largest amount of people. It’s likely there will be a shift in how the majority of people concoct their stories from the road. Maybe industries will collide in a more obvious way: music and travel, tourism and film, etc.

Anticipating the future isn’t one of my strong suits, but hopefully, the use of video in travel narratives will remain about artistry and storytelling, not so much about timing, inaccessible technology, or marketing.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/meet-a-matador-team-member-lindsay-clark/feed/ 3 http://matadorpulse.com/glimpse-correspondents-application-deadline-extended/ http://matadorpulse.com/glimpse-correspondents-application-deadline-extended/#comments Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:40:00 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1864

Photo: somegeekintn

Life happens.

Glimpse editor-in-chief Sarah Menkedick got married (Felicidades!), went to the Dominican Republic for a few days, and moved back to the US from Oaxaca, Mexico… all since July 3.

As she gets settled in, we figured we’d give applicants 10 extra days to get their Glimpse Correspondents applications finished.

The new deadline is July 25.

To learn what the Glimpse Correspondents program is, to find out if you’re eligible, and to apply, visit the Glimpse website.

Jessica Carter’s nails, painted in Udaipur.

Read more about Jessica’s experience of getting her nails painted in Udaipur on her blog.

Photo: Jessica Carter

Community Connection:

If you’d like your photo considered for our Friday Photo series, please join the Matador photo pool on Flickr.

Screenshot from Digital Vagabonding

If so, then you’ve got a couple weeks left to submit your application for the Roads Scholarship.

For the second year in a row, Matador member Pat the Digital Vagabond is sponsoring the Roads Scholarship as a way to support young travelers and stoke their passion for the road.

At the end of July, Pat will be choosing one “Roads Scholar” as the recipient of a $500 honorarium and a ticket to Burning Man.

Read full details about the application process and learn more about last year’s winners on Digital Vagabonding.

Photo: Prefeitura de Olinda

When Matador acquired Glimpse a few months ago, we committed to continuing the Glimpse Correspondents Program.

The Correspondents program provides a $600 stipend and editorial support to writers and photographers working on journalistic projects abroad.

The application period for the next cycle of Correspondents closes on July 15, so you have just nine days left to finish your application.

For complete details, visit the Glimpse application page.

Community Connection:

Do you have stories or photographs you’d like to share with a massive audience? Check out Matador’s Bounty Board and learn about articles we’re currently commissioning.

Photo: Egan Snow

WWOOFing stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, and it’s a strong network of farmers around the world who host travelers in their homes in exchange for farm work.

Here are 5 Matador members with WWOOFing experience.

1. Rebecca Kinsella

Rebecca, a MatadorU alumna, has written articles about WWOOFing in Ireland and Australia for Matador Change. All of her information is based on first-hand experience as a WWOOFer in these countries.

2. Dona Francis

Dona, also a MatadorU grad, has written about WWOOFing in Thailand for Matador Change. For her, WWOOFing is just part of her larger commitment to sustainable living. Check out her article, Unplugging the Fridge, for more insight into her low-impact life.

3. SweetPotato

This 25 year old Matador member is from the city, but “forsook it for the country,” where she practices all sorts of home and farm arts. She and her partner are planning a WWOOFing trip through Spain, France, Italy, the Alps, The Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, The Netherlands and, hopefully, Ireland.

4. Merrilee Frable

Merrilee is fired up on “environmental preservation, local and sustainable food, human rights, vegan cooking.” No surprise, then, that she’s studying environmental science and politics at NYU. This summer she plans to WWOOF in Costa Rica.

5. Blackpacker

Blackpacker estimates he has 15,000-20,000 miles on his feet; he walks everywhere. In addition to seeing the world by walking, he’s fired up on “permaculture and how various communities and countries feed themselves and attempt to live in harmony with nature.” He and his fiance are considering WWOOFing in Australia and/or New Zealand.

Community Connection:

Want to learn more about WWOOFing? Read A First-Timer’s Guide to WWOOFing for the basics. Then, if you’re interested in WWOOFing yourself, read 4 Questions to Ask Before WWOOFing.

Photo: tezzr

Our new bulk photo uploader lets you upload dozens of photos with the click of a button.

Using Matador’s new bulk photo uploader is easy. Here are the steps:

1. Login to MatadorTravel.
2. Choose “Create a gallery.”
3. Add as many images as you’d like with one click using the bulk uploader.
4. Once you’ve created a gallery, choose which image you want as your profile photo by hitting the “make profile photo” link.

If you have questions, please email me at julie[at]matadornetwork[dot]com.

Community Connection:

Want to improve your photography skills– or even become a professional travel photographer? Check out MatadorU’s travel photography course!

Photo: e-magic

A couple weeks ago, we announced the re-launch of MatadorTravel.com, the community side of MatadorNetwork, where individual and organizational members can set up profiles, write blogs, upload and share photos, and post or respond to travel-related questions in the Forums.

Since then, we’ve identified a number of bugs in the system and have been passing along the problems you’ve encountered to our tech team.

It may take a few more weeks for all the problems to be resolved, so thanks for your patience. If you have questions about the bugs or want to know the status of a problem you’ve reported, please visit this Forum thread.

Photo: NickPro

I don’t do surfing.

I don’t mean for that to come off like it sounds because I’d actually love to learn to surf. And the reason–five reasons, actually–are below. If you’ve ever read the writing of the folks included in this week’s members to meet, or seen photos of them killing it in the world’s oceans, then you’ll know why– surfing is stoke. Meditation. Adrenaline. Focus. Risk. Fear… but fear conquered, over and over again.

1. David Miller

David Miller, Matador’s senior editor, has temporarily traded his surfboard for a kayak since moving to Patagonia last fall, but I suspect if he had a chance to spend a week at Los Cerritos, he’d pull the plug on his laptop and head up there in a second.

2. Benita Hussain

Benita Hussain’s an interesting woman for a lot of reasons. She was a child actor. She ditched her job as a lawyer and decided to travel the world. And as she travels, she picks up new sports, including surfing. Read about her experiences in “Fear of the Big Drop.”

3. Rhys Stacker

Rhys Stacker’s been a Matador member since the early days, and as he’s made his laps around the world, he’s filed a handful of surf reports for Matador, including Surf Vietnam: China Beach and Beyond; Surfing Morocco; and Portugal’s Algarve Coast.

4. Alex Hapgood

Peep Alex Hapgood’s Matador profile and you’ll see him ruling a wave in Cornwall. Though he’s written about surfing in Portugal and Spain for Matador, he knows his local territory best. Check out his article about ING’s kitesurfing ban in Cornwall.

5. NickPro

NickPro is fired up on “surfing, partying, and meeting people” and felt most immersed in another culture when he worked on a surf lesson boat in Mexico. Check out his profile to see pics of him owning his board.

Community Connection:

Looking for the best surf spots around the world? Want to get started surfing? Everything we’ve ever published about surfing is on our Surfing Focus Page!

A girl at play in Austria.

Photo: Daniel Nunes

Community Connection:

If you’d like your photo considered for our Friday Photo series, please join the Matador photo pool on Flickr.

Photo: Genista

Back when he was in his 20s, Matador member Pat the Digital Vagabond went on his first cross-country road trip of the United States.

It changed his life.

“Roughly twenty years after my first great road trip,” Pat says, “I’m still a devout believer in the religion and magic of vagabonding.”

Pat continues to travel and is committed to making travel possible for other young people, too. That’s why he started the “Roads Scholarship,” a program intended to award a talented traveler/writer/photographer with a summer stipend of $500 USD and a ticket to the Burning Man Festival.

After last year’s successful launch of the scholarship, Pat decided to continue the scholarship in 2010. If you’re interested in applying for the scholarship, please visit Pat’s site, Digital Vagabonding, for more information.

Community Connection:

Looking for other ways to fund your travels? Read How to Travel the World for Free.

Hal Amen’s Korean for Beginners

I was editing some articles for Matador last week when the doorbell rang.

“Are you expecting anyone?” my husband asked me.

I wasn’t.

I opened the door and saw the UPS man, who was delivering an envelope, return address: Random House. I tore open the package, thinking it was a review copy of a book. Turns out, it was a copy of the 6th edition of Fodor’s Puerto Rico. I was one of six contributing writers on this guide, and having submitted my five features almost a year ago, I’d forgotten that the guide was just about to hit shelves.

It was nice to see my name in print alongside fellow guidebook writers, including Matador contributor Nicholas Gill and Charyn Pfeuffer, who we profiled on Matador Change a couple months ago.

As thrilled as I was to see the Fodor’s guide published, though, I was even more stoked to learn that contributing editor David Page and Trips co-editor Hal Amen were also celebrating some big accomplishments.

David’s piece, “Adventures in Weaning,” published on The Travelers Notebook, won first place in the John Reginato Conservation Awards at the annual conference of the Outdoor Writers of California. His “Writing Fire: A Brief Anthology on the Burning of Los Angeles,” also published on The Travelers Notebook, won second place in the web-only category. David won a whole bunch of other awards for his print work, too; he was just too modest to tell me so (I discovered the other awards when I checked the OWAC website, where I also learned that MatadorU alum Carina Port also picked up a few awards for her photography and writing).

Hal didn’t even broadcast his accomplishment; fellow Trips co-editor, Carlo Alcos, alerted the rest of the Matador crew to the fact that Hal had just published Korean for Beginners, a book he co-authored with Park Kyubyong. Learn more about his writing and publishing processes in this post from his blog.

Do you have an accomplishment to share? Email me at julie[at]matadornetwork.com.

Community Connection:

Interested in becoming a travel writer? Learn more about MatadorU’s travel writing program.

The community site of the MatadorNetwork, Matador Travel, has just emerged from a complete overhaul that was more than a year in the making.

More user-friendly and tricked out with all kinds of bells and whistles, Matador Travel now allows community members to share photos more prominently, connect their Matador Travel updates to their Twitter account, and find and interact with other travelers and organizational members more easily.

The overhaul wasn’t without its frustrations–transferring massive amounts of data to a new server is a huge challenge. Difficulties you might have encountered with your account over the weekend include having received multiple friend requests in the email account associated with your Matador Travel profile. We’re also aware that some users didn’t notice our warning that any new posts entered over the weekend were likely to be lost.

We think we’ve ironed out the rest of the wrinkles, but if you encounter any problems or have any questions, please post them in this forum thread so we can address them right away.

Community Connection:

What do you think of the new site? Share your feedback in the comments.

Matador member Aaron Appleton recording a traditional Mayan instrument called a “tun” in Guatemala; Photo: Aaron Appleton

Meet five ethnomusicologists and musicians who are members of the Matador community:

1. Ellie McCutcheon

Ellie McCutcheon is a 20-year old student interested in ethnomusicology–and she’s already well on her way to learning about other cultures through their music.

Ellie has lived in Chile and will be on her way to Kunming, China this fall, where she will be starting an independent study on Chinese music.

2. Aaron Appleton

Wisconsin-born Aaron Appleton describes himself as an “avant-garde ethnomusicologist currently working to start-up a non profit organization named Ensigo,” and he wants to make a difference in the world by “using music as a tool to bring transformational development.”

Check out photos in his gallery to see Aaron recording music during his travels.

3. Danielle Adomaitis

Danielle Adomaitis is a grad student studying ethnomusicology. Much of her work focuses on New Orleans; follow her blog, SocioSound to learn more.

4. Michelle Schusterman

Michelle Schusterman, associate editor of Matador Goods, isn’t formally an ethnomusicologist, but she’s pretty much earned an honorary degree. From Brazil to Korea, Michelle’s perfected the art of traveling with instruments and making music with locals.

Follow her blog for entries about her life as a musician, traveler, and writer.

5. Mark Powers

Mark Powers is a percussionist “dedicated to traveling the globe, studying its musics and cultures, and teaching others what I learn.” Mark’s summer travel plans include a stop in the Afro-Puerto Rican town of Loiza, Puerto Rico, where he’ll be studying traditional bomba y plena.

Community Connection:

Check out the Internet’s most inspirational music videos and follow Matador Nights’ weekly #MusicMonday series.

“Near Tegallinggah, Bali, there is a deep river gorge with a half-finished candis from the 11th Century. Yanni, most at home in any aquatic environment, found a spot where the water poured out of the walls, making its way to the river below.”

Photo: Kerry Lee

Community Connection:

If you’d like your photo considered for our Friday Photo series, please visit the Matador photo pool on Flickr.

Am I right?

If so, then it’s worth reading on.

MatadorU is partnering with World Expeditions, a global adventure travel company, to take our course offerings on the road… or, more accurately, on the trail.

Later this year, a 23-day trek led by World Expeditions’ qualified mountaineers will head up to the Everest base camp, accompanied by Matador’s Robin Esrock, a travel writer/blogger and creator and co-host of “Word Travels,” a 40-part adventure series, seen on OLN/CityTV in Canada, and on National Geographic International.

Robin will be leading a travel writing course focused on pitching and gaining greater exposure for your writing.

Participants will be invited to blog about their Everest experiences during and after the trip, and the best blogger will be awarded a free Inca Trail trek from World Expeditions.

The cost of the trip is approximately $3,654 USD, and includes all accommodation, meals, guides, and a round-trip flight from Los Angeles.

For more information, please view the full details for the Everest course.

Community Connection:

Curious what it’s like at Everest’s summit? Check out this video, Reaching the Summit of Mt. Everest.

Matador member Carina Port with ducks.

Every time I dig deep into the Matador Travel community, I’m always amazed by the kinds of people I find. This week, I’ve got five farmers for you to meet:

1. JenG

JenG, based in the Philippines, describes herself as “a floundering aspiring organic farmer” who will “someday be a spectacular one.”

2. Carina Port

When she entered MatadorU’s travel writing program, Carina’s day job was working as an editor of a magazine about ducks. Yes, she assured me, there is such a thing: an entire publication devoted to ducks.

She recently shucked that job to get down and dirty with ducks in an entirely different way: she’s now a farmer.

Here’s what she had to say about the transition on Twitter:

9:02 PM Apr 7th via web
since I became a farmer last week, less tweeting. But squatting to pee on a patch of nettles this am inspired driving to town for internet.

moved to the farm and fell off the earth. or so it feels. haven’t been on twitter in approximately 2 weeks. somehow, have more followers now
10:42 PM Apr 19th via web

She hasn’t dropped her pen, though; Carina just launched a blog about the farming life, called, appropriately, Chicks on a Farm.

3. SophisticatedMonkey

Like many Matador members, SophisticatedMonkey is a man of many interests and talents. He’s a musician, storyteller/writer/poet, a builder, a soccer coach, and a farmer.

Long-term plans include: “learning how to live sustainably and therefore reduce my ecological footprint. I want to someday be self-sufficient and build my own home, have a farm powered by solar, wind, water, and/or thermal energy, and have friends/interns/whoever come and live with me to learn and live and love.”

4. Queen Bee

As her Matador screen name suggests, Queen Bee is a beekeeper, as well as a farmer. (She’s also a jazz singer and a cake baker).

She currently calls Chiang Mai, Thailand home and is building a house at Panya Project out of bamboo, mud, and straw.

5. Josh Kearns

Josh, aka Good Farmer, is fired up on “nvironmental chemistry, ecological economics, organic farming, natural building, permaculture, agroecology, sustainability, self-reliance, appropriate technology, right livelihood” and wants to make a difference in the world by “creating self-reliant agrarian communities and local economies.”

Community Connection:

Want to get your hands in the dirt and make things grow? Check out our WWOOFing guides to Australia, Ireland, and Thailand.

“Nothing like a fresh watermelon to quench the thirst on a hot tropical day in Cartagena, Colombia. But the best part was the happiness and friendliness of the guy selling the fruit. It was a joy to watch and hear him advertise shouting ‘Fresh fruit to taste life! Watermelon as sweet as love!’”

Photo: Mario Arana

Community Connection:

If you’d like your photo considered for our Friday Photo series, please visit the Matador photo pool on Flickr.

Photo: Michael R. Perry

Nora Dunn left Canada in 2006 and set off on a round the world trip that has taken her to Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, and points in between.

Now, she’s hoping to head to the Galapagos… with your help.

Nora is one of 10 finalists in the running for a Galapagos trip from GeckoGo. In this stage, finalists are expected to gather votes to push them to the top of the heap, so Nora took to her Matador blog to ask for support from the community.

You can vote for Nora on the GeckoGo site. If you don’t have a GeckoGo account, you’ll either need to sign up for one or use Facebook Connect to login.

Community Connection:

Do you want to win a trip? Matador’s giving away a trip to Costa Rica–airfare, lodging, and surfing lessons included!– in a contest co-sponsored by Zozi. Enter here. Thecontest ends on May 23.

Photo: laurenatclemson

The Matador team has been a fan of KEEN’s shoes for a while, and Matador Goods editor Lola Akinmade has put a couple pairs of KEENs to the test in her travels, including the KEEN Newport H2s and the KEEN Targhee Hiking Boots, which she tested on the Inca Trail.

Now, KEEN’s teaming up with Matador to give away eight pairs of its shoes as part of the KEEN HybridLife Photo Contest. Each week for the next eight weeks, we’ll pick a winner, giving away a pair of shoes to the person who shot the best photo that represents KEEN’s “HybridLife.”

Ready to enter the contest? Click on through to our contest page for more details and to fill out the KEEN HybridLife Photo Contest Entry Form.

Community Connection:

We’re running a few other contests right now. Check out the Matador-ZOZI Costa Rica contest and the Glimpse photography contest.

Here’s the idea behind 48HR Magazine:

A group of writers, editors, and new media professionals decided to get together and crowdsource a magazine that would be produced in 48 hours. By putting out a call on Twitter, the group behind 48HR Magazine would generate buzz for a couple weeks before unveiling the theme of the first issue: hustling.

The theme was sent to all writers who signed up for 48HR’s news alerts and the challenge was for them to turn around a piece within 24 hours; the editors, in turn, would review all submissions, select pieces for inclusion, and then produce a real magazine–a digital version and a print version–within the next 24 hours.

More than 1,500 writers submitted pieces about “hustling,” among them Matador Sports editor, Adam Roy. And of the 70 pieces selected for publication, Adam’s was among those, too.

Adam’s piece, “How to Be a Better Liar,” is available in the print version of the magazine, which can be purchased for $10 USD from MagCloud.

Community Connection:

To learn about other interesting writing and new media projects, be sure to check Matador’s The Travelers Notebook, our blog about all things media-related.

A young woman in Puerto Rico shows off her goat. Photo: Francisco Collazo

Every Friday–though I’ve been lax for a while– I like to use this space to feature Matador members’ photos.

We do this on our other blogs, too– Matador Trips features members’ photos in their weekly “Wordless Wanderlust” series, as well as in regular photo essays–but what makes the Pulse Friday Photo different is that it’s a single photo featuring a person you’ve met or seen during your travels who exemplifies a sense of place.

If you have a photo you’d like us to consider for this series, send it to julie[at]matadornetwork[dot]com.

A few criteria to keep in mind:

*We require crisp, clear high resolution photos.
*The orientation of the photo should be horizontal.
*Each photo must be sized to 930 pixels wide. The height can vary.
*The photo should feature the person facing the camera (no backs, please), though the person doesn’t necessarily need to be making eye contact with the camera.
*Each photo should be accompanied by a caption describing where the picture was shot and what it shows.

Want more opportunities to show off your photos? Join Matador’s Flickr pool.

Community Connection:

Want to perfect your photography skills and earn a living as a travel photographer? Read up about MatadorU or join our class today!

Photo: sskennel

I don’t know how often you browse through the profiles of fellow travelers in Matador’s travel community, but do it more often: there are thousands of incredible people just like you waiting to share their stories and experiences.

Some of them, though, happen to do so for a living.

In light of the fact that we’ve just opened the application period for Glimpse correspondents, it seemed like a good time to introduce you to some of the professional journalists in the Matador Travel community.

1. Francisco Alarcon

Francisco’s hometown is Ciudad Juarez, Mexico… one of the least safe places for journalists on the planet.

He currently lives in El Paso, where he is a journalism student and a reporter for a local Spanish-language newspaper.

2. Alexis Grant

Alexis Grant, a regular Matador contributor, graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, worked as a reporter at the Houston Chronicle for three years before taking a temporary leave from the profession to backpack around Africa.

Her trip gave her plenty of writing material–so much so that she spent the period following her return from the trip writing a memoir about it. Her memoir finished, she’s now looking to pick up where she left off as a journalist. You can read more about her in this interview or on her blog.

3. Conner Gorry

Conner, an American expat who has called Cuba home for just shy of a decade, has written a whole shelf of guide books and other travel-related articles for publications like Cuba Absolutely and others, but her day job is working as the senior editor of the MEDICC Review, “the only peer-reviewed journal in English dedicated to Cuban health and medicine.”

She recently returned from a trip to Haiti, where she reported on Cuban doctors’ work in post-earthquake Port-Au-Prince. Keep up with her on Twitter or her blog.

4. Andrew S. Lewis

Andrew, a recent arrival to the Matador community, describes himself as a travel journalist who “focuses on the coasts of the globe,” filing stories for surfing publications.

His mission? To “help Americans understand that the world is not flat, and that three miles off our coasts the ocean does not, in fact, drain off in some Niagra fashion into the deep of space.”

Friend him up here on Matador and follow his blog.

5. Mei-Ling McNamara

Mei-Ling is a long-time Matador member who lives in London, where she works as a journalist and producer. Much of her work has focused on human rights issues, and she has collaborated with the International Red Cross and the Human Rights Watch Film Festival.

Community Connection:

Are you considering a career in travel journalism? Read Sarah Stutteville’s article “To Be (or Not to Be) a Travel Journalist” for some first-person insight on the profession.

Photo: wwarby

The Correspondents program is the cornerstone of Glimpse, offering writers and photographers the opportunity to apply for financial and editorial support so they can travel abroad in search of exceptional stories to share with readers. Published photos and writing will appear on Glimpse and on Matador.

The application period for the Fall 2010 Correspondents program opens today; applications will be accepted until July 15. Accepted correspondents will be notified of their admission to the program on August 15. You can read the application instructions on the Correspondents page.

To get an idea about what we’re looking for from a correspondent, browse through some of the work of current correspondents.

Community Connection:

Read more about the Correspondents program on The Travelers Notebook.

Gail Mooney-Kelly is a professional photographer who has shot for National Geographic and Smithsonian. Erin Kelly is a recent college graduate. They’re a mother and daughter pair about to take off on a round-the-world trip to document people making a positive difference at the grassroots level.

I learned more about their trip via email.

Julie:
How did the idea for your mother-daughter trip evolve?

Gail:
I actually came up with the idea after seeing Robert Frank’s “Americans” exhibit at the MET in New York City. The photographs inspired me to get back to my roots and head out on the road. I had over 350,000 airline points as well as thousands of hotel and American Express points and it was time to use them.

But I also knew I needed a purpose and decided to do a “passion project” – a documentary about people who were making a positive difference in the world on a grassroots level. A young woman from our town helped inspire this project and will be one of our subjects. She graduated high school with Erin and decided to travel rather than go straight to college.

She ended up in Nepal where she saw the need for a home for orphans so she built one. Four years later, she is still in Nepal and is now building a school.

Erin:
It was my mother’s idea, initially, for the project – to make a documentary that focuses on individuals making a difference around the world. But it was my idea to go with her, adding the mother-daughter element to the trip. I think it also partly stemmed from a dream that we’ve always had to get round-the-world tickets and travel for a summer. And now we’re doing just that, but with an even more meaningful purpose.

Julie:
What are the goals of the trip with respect to your relationship with each other?

Gail:
My daughter has grown up traveling the world with her parents – both my husband and myself are photographers/filmmakers. This is the first time we will be working together and Erin will bring another dimension to the project because of her age and how she sees the world.

It will be the trip of a lifetime that we will share together, an experience we’ll never forget. Most importantly, it will let me get to really know the young woman my daughter is.

Erin:
I hope to learn more about my mother’s traveling adventures when she was my age, and reconnect with her on a more adult level. As it’s been a year since I’ve moved away from home, our relationship has shifted – I’m hoping that it will continue to grow and strengthen as we share this experience together.

With respect to the project, my goal is to connect with our subjects, learn from them, and inspire the world with their stories. Overall, I also hope to learn more about myself and discover what careers I might be interested in pursuing, once I return.

Julie:
And with respect to the documentary project?

Gail:
We will distribute the documentary online with the hope that it will spread virally and inspire others who see the film that they too can do something to make a difference in their own communities or elsewhere in the world.

Julie:
How did you select the organizations that will be featured in the documentary?

Gail:

Screenshot from Maggie Doyne’s blog

We actually didn’t select “organizations,” but rather individuals. We wanted to shine a little light on people who are out there but who go unnoticed. We knew we wanted to include Maggie Doyne, who had inspired us to do this, so we initially sent a query to her.

She sent us some people she had met and they sent the query to people and it took on a life of its own with social media. Word of mouth generated leads.

Erin:
We reached out to all of our contacts, asking if they knew anyone who would fit the project, if they encountered anyone on their travels, or in their daily lives (for those are living abroad). The majority of people we found were referred to us by peers. We also looked at various websites that honor local community members for their efforts – for example, we found one of our subjects through the Australian of the Year Awards site.

Julie:
Why is it important to tell their stories?

Gail:
To show people the power of the individual. To inspire others to follow their passions and dreams.

Erin:
The biggest goal of the project is to show how one person can make a difference in their community when they are passionate about something. It’s important to share these stories to bring awareness to these individuals who are doing incredible things, to inspire others to want to aid these individuals or embark on projects of their own, and to perhaps connect these individuals with each other – facilitating communication and collaboration amongst those who strive to make the world a better place.

Julie:
Who do you expect your audience to be and what kind of effect do you want the documentary to have?

Gail:
I expect it to be a mixed demographic as far as age since we are a mother and daughter team. It’s also certainly appealing to travelers because it will take us across the globe and they can follow our journey. It will also appeal to photographers and filmmakers because it will be a behind the scenes look at the creation of a documentary. So I think it has a very wide appeal. And certainly philanthropically minded people will be interested.

Erin:
I expect that our audience will at least initially be our friends and family, our colleagues, and perhaps like-minded individuals who are in the travel, video and nonprofit worlds. I am hoping that we will be able to spread the word even more and inspire others to make a difference in their own way. The important thing is to make people aware that there are in fact individuals all over the world who are actively following their dreams and working to create change.

You can follow Gail’s and Erin’s journey on their blog.

Community Connection:

If you’re planning a RTW trip, be sure to check out our Travel Around the World Focus Page!

Screenshot from Del Mar Surf Camp.

Matador has given away some incredible prizes in past contests: REI gear, a JVC camcorder, and a trip to Dominica, among them.

This time, we’re partnering with Zozi, an online booking agent for local experiences (the best place to find and book things to do–like fire-eating lessons, cycling, sailing, and more), to give away a trip to Costa Rica AND tuition to MatadorU’s travel photography course.

ENTER THE ZOZI CONTEST HERE

All you have to do is enter your name and email.

The full contest guidelines and entry form are over on Zozi’s site, but here are the highlights:

*The contest starts today and runs for three weeks.
*The winner will receive free tuition to MatadorU’s photography course, as well as $1,000 from Zozi toward airfare to Costa Rica, four nights’ accommodation for two people at the Del Mar Surf Camp, and surfing and yoga lessons.

So what are you waiting for? Enter already!

Feature photo: dominikgolenia ; Photo above: papalars

JoAnna Haugen was recently named the managing editor of the Journey Beyond Travel website, an online travel guide focused on Morocco. We talked over email about this new project and some of her other work.

Julie:
What is Journey Beyond Travel and what is your role?

JoAnna:
Journey Beyond Travel is a cultural and eco-tour operator in Morocco. I am the managing editor of the travel guide section of the Journey Beyond Travel website. I’ve been working with my direct supervisor to create a plan for a consistent and interesting flow of articles related to Morocco.

Over the long term, I will completely run this section of the site by editing and posting 3-4 articles per week, putting together an email newsletter, and running the social media components that are related to the travel guide.

Julie:
What interested you in taking on this position?

JoAnna:
I personally have never been to Morocco, but I’ve always been fascinated with the country, so I was excited to take on a position that allowed me to really dig in to the culture, places, and people of Morocco. In the short time that I’ve been working on the site, Morocco has definitely made a big jump to the top of my bucket list.

Also, the Journey Beyond Travel site had reached a point where it needed fresh eyes, and it’s been a lot of fun to create long-term plans that will help develop the site into something more comprehensive and user friendly than it is now.

Julie:
What are your plans for developing the site?

JoAnna:
Right now, everything is a work in progress, but I have developed an editorial calendar and we’re talking about redesigning the layout of the travel guide so that we can begin posting photo essays.

Photo: David Dennisphotography.com

We have a few other ideas on how to make the travel guide more useful for people interested in traveling to Morocco, which we hope to implement before too long, but no other major changes to the site have been decided on at this point.

One of the most pressing things right now is finding one more long-term writer for our editorial team. If any Matador readers are interested in learning more about the open position, they should contact me at joanna[at]journeybeyondtravel[dot]com.

Julie:
What niche or gap does JBT fill in online travel writing?

JoAnna:
Journey Beyond Travel is strictly focused on travel to and in Morocco. Though the site is for a tour company, the ultimate goal is to make this a go-to site for people who would like to travel to the country.

Because of this, I’m hoping to cover all aspects of travel to Morocco from what to pack and what kind of weather to expect at certain times of the year to finding the perfect place to stay for a honeymoon or where the best rock climbing is. We aren’t trying to cover everything related to travel, but we are trying to provide information for anyone who wants to go to Morocco, regardless of budget, age, or interests.

Julie:
What else are you working on apart from travel editing and travel writing these days?

JoAnna:
I’m always juggling a lot of different projects, but I do have a couple new interesting writing assignments that stand out right now. First, I’m getting ready to work with a client on some web copy writing and ghost blogging about a new, very exciting niche business she is starting. She has a brilliant idea, and, quite frankly, I’m surprised no one else has thought to create this business first.

Also, I just signed with a literary agent to have my first children’s picture book represented, so I’m working with her to develop a marketing / promotional plan. I knew getting an agent would be tricky, but I didn’t know how much work would be involved once I found one who wanted to represent my book!

Julie:
What are some of your long-term writing plans?

JoAnna:
That’s a hard question to answer because I love everything I work on and write now, but I also could use a little more time to sleep and a bit more focus on what I write. I have about a dozen half-started novel ideas–some are 50,000 words and eight chapters in, some no more than an outline and a few words or thoughts–and I would like to get back to those some day.

Community Connection:

Matador’s ultimate resource for Morocco is our Morocco Focus Page. We have articles on Surfing Morocco, finding the best food and spiritual experiences in Morocco, and gorgeous photo essays by Matador contributing editor, Morocco guidebook author, and MatadorU faculty member, Paul Sullivan.

Photo: pardeshi

Back in 1999, Kerala Taylor and Nick Fitzhugh started Glimpse as an undergraduate student publication; within a few years, Glimpse had evolved into an independent non-profit focused on the use of digital media to share journalistic stories from around the world.

And, significantly, they secured the support of the National Geographic Society. Glimpse has been operating out of National Geographic’s Washington, D.C. headquarters since 2007.

Matador and Glimpse have been informal partners since Matador was founded in 2006, as both organizations share a vision of travel as a way to connect people, to understand and appreciate other cultures, and to encourage active engagement in the world community.

Now, with Matador’s acquisition of Glimpse, the site moves into its next phase. Matador will be deepening the relationship with National Geographic, and we’ll continue fostering Glimpse’s projects, including the Correspondents program, an opportunity for young people living abroad who are interested in writing and photography.

Each semester, Glimpse selects 10 talented young storytellers who are living overseas to become featured Glimpse contributors. Glimpse Correspondents receive a $600 stipend, one-on-one editorial guidance, and guaranteed publication of their stories on Glimpse.org.

Glimpse.org will remain at its current URL. Matador Abroad editor Sarah Menkedick, who will retain that position, has been promoted to Editor in Chief of Glimpse, and will be managing the Correspondents program.

Mary Richardson

One of the Transitions Abroad writing contests invites entrants to submit essays about their expat experiences.

In addition to first, second, and third place prizes, Transitions Abroad recognizes runner-ups for excellent writing, and MatadorU grad Mary Richardson was one of nine runner-ups in this year’s contest.

Mary’s essay, “Island Fever in Okinawa,” recounts how she became a “reluctant expat” living in Japan after marrying a U.S. serviceman.

Read the full essay on the Transitions Abroad site, and be sure to follow her blog.

Congratulations, Mary!

Community Connection:

MatadorU students enjoy exclusive access to market leads, posted daily to our Market Blog. Leads include blogging and guidebook gigs, commissioned assignments, residencies and fellowships, and contests. Access to the board continues even after you complete the 12-week travel writing course. Interested? Check out MatadorU today!

New York City at night; Photo: Francisco Collazo

The communal table is already filling up for Matador’s TBEX dinner.

Confirmed Matadorians in town for TBEX who will be having dinner together on Saturday night include Matador Goods’ editor, Lola Akinmade, associate editors JoAnna Haugen and Candice Walsh, interns Abbie Mood and Nancy Harder, Matador’s social media ninja, Andy Hayes, and myself.

Dinner–at a restaurant to be announced (plenty of vegan and vegetarian options)–will be preceded by a walk on the High Line and followed by drinks and Cuban music at Son Cubano, both in the West Village’s Meatpacking District.

If you’d like to RSVP, please email julie[at]matadornetwork[dot]com by May 1. Please include your full name and the number of people who will be accompanying you.

Community Connection:

First time in New York City? Check out my What NOT to Do in New York City guide (which also has suggestions for what TO do).

All photos by Paul Sullivan.

Most of the Matador editors have a whole lotta gigs going on. We love too many places and have too many interests to confine ourselves to just one project… I suppose that’s one of the reasons why we get along so well.

Contributing editor Paul Sullivan, also a faculty member in MatadorU’s travel photography program, may have more going on than most. One of his latest projects is Slow Travel Berlin.

We went back and forth over email to talk about STB:

Julie:
You’re originally from the UK. What brought you to Berlin and how long have you lived there?

Paul:
I officially left London / the UK in 2002 and have been moving around and living in different cities and countries ever since. I first came to Berlin in 2007 to write/photograph the Hedonist’s Guide To Berlin, and fell in love with the city right away.

I was actually living in Cologne with my partner at the time, a pleasant enough town, but I knew Berlin was more my kind of place. We moved here at the end of 2008. In the year and a half we’ve been here we’ve enjoyed it even more than we thought. It’s definitely one of the most interesting and inspiring cities in Europe right now.

Julie:
Explain the slow travel concept. I’m guessing it’s a bit like slow food?

Paul:
It pretty much employs the same underlying philosophy in that it’s about slowing an experience down to enjoy it more. Slow Food was Italy’s direct reaction to fast food and spawned a global movement. While Slow Travel doesn’t have the same globally defined criteria (yet), by our personal definition it means encouraging travelers to engage and explore a place instead of rushing through it.

It’s about interacting with the local community, getting off the beaten track, not being guided too much by mainstream itineraries. We love the Reichstag and the Brandenburger Tor, but there are many smaller, lesser-known sights and places just as worthy of attention.

Julie:
So what makes Berlin particularly amenable to this notion of slow travel?

Paul:
Berlin is a distinctive city in both German and European terms: its historical development is very unique. In the last century it has endured two world wars and a cold war, which as you can imagine create a very special atmosphere.

The city is vast, with large streets and lots of empty spaces which, combined with a relatively low population (around four million), make for a less stressful vibe than more ‘compressed’ cities like London, Paris, or New York. You can usually get a seat on a bus or tram, for example, and even central parts of the city can sometimes feel quite empty.

It’s a pretty broke city – “poor but sexy” as the famous motto goes – and therefore doesn’t have such an invasive commercial presence – less advertising and less emphasis on materialism as seen by the pride Berliners have in their old, crappy bikes and trashy-chic aesthetic. In fact there’s a discernable anti-capitalist thread that still runs through Berlin 20 years after the fall of the Wall.

Couple that with the famously liberal nightlife here and you have a city that’s extremely popular with an international creative community who tend to value quality of life and experience over accumulation of wealth and corporate success.

It’s one of the greenest cities in Europe too, with plenty of large parks to collapse in once you’ve exhausted the club scene, and it’s very bike-friendly – generally quite flat with plenty of cycle lanes.

Given my work as a music journalist (I’ve been covering club culture worldwide for a decade), setting something up on the nightlife scene would have been an easy and obvious choice. But I wanted a different challenge.

The project was also provoked by the various guidebooks I’ve written/photographed for Time Out, HG2, and Cool Camping. While these are usually great fun, I’m generally “dropped into” a place and have a limited amount of time and words to represent it.

Living in Berlin I realized I had the opportunity to write from a local perspective and enjoy zero restrictions on word length and coverage while still exploring my main passions: art, music, travel, culture, photography, food and more. My partner, Kirstin Gernath, has a background in PR and marketing, so we’re working together on creating an alternative way of experiencing the city.

The idea is to promote not only “hidden” or “alternative” aspects of Berlin but also locally produced services and goods like food, clothes, art….

Julie:
I’m intrigued by your description of slow travel on the site, mainly because my own travel style is slow (so slow I end up living in places for a while). Does slow travel address or include preparing before a visit by learning more about the place you’re visiting?

Paul:
Preparation can be useful in certain cases but we don’t think it’s essential to experience a city in “slow” style. It could even be argued that preparation gets in the way. In the sense of researching courses, areas to explore, lesser known hikes and cycle routes, or accommodation, a bit of prep can be good, and our site is definitely set up to help visitors garner such information and insights before they come or even when they’re here.

But Slow to me is also about leaving enough time to be spontaneous and explore a place creatively without being bound to a rigorous schedule. Such itineraries are generally based on filtered, pre-conceived notions of a place that result in “conveyor-belt” tourism that promotes and recycles the same old sights and places.

In reality, cities are like people – they unfurl and expand in unexpected ways, challenging our preconceptions as we interact with them.

Julie:
Slow travel probably resists lists, but indulge me. What are a few experiences that you’d recommend to slow travelers in Berlin who want to, as you say on the site, “get beneath the skin of the city a little”?

Paul:

The first thing I’d suggest is forgetting the guidebook or website (yes, even ours) and indulging in some random train, bus, and tram hopping. Take a map and the phone number of your hotel or the friend you’re staying with, and just – explore. You really can’t get too lost.

It’s only a few euros to ride the system for a whole day and Berlin is a pretty safe and friendly city. You’ll find history and surprises everywhere. Please don’t forget to take your camera!

You could also think about taking a course. As mentioned, Berlin has a fantastic creative scene and there is a multitude of artists, photographers, chefs, musicians, and writers living here, many of whom run courses and workshops in their respective fields.

Since rents and day-to-day living are relatively cheap here, Berlin is a great choice to come and write that short story or novel, learn a language or record your demo. This side of our site is in development, but we’ll soon be providing information on the best courses and private teachers, as well as links to mid and long-term accommodation spots (hostels, private rooms, apartments) to enable (and encourage) visitors to spend more time in the city.

For more specific Slow tips you can of course visit our site, Slow Travel Berlin. We feature bio restaurants and pleasant cafés / places to hangout, museums and galleries, spas and outdoor activities, as well as interviews with local creatives and personal ‘takes’ on the city.

We post slowly – literally a couple of things a week – but we’re quite selective and try to cover things more in-depth than most.

Julie:
What are your goals for slow travel Berlin, the site?

Paul:
We’d love it to become a legitimate travel business that offers a range of thoughtful services and intelligent information to visitors and residents alike (we have a German language section in development).

But we also like the idea of growing organically and – yep, you guessed it – slowly, feeling out each step as we go and making sure we do it sensitively and properly. Slow Travel as a philosophy has a lot of potential for positive change both locally and globally.

The possibilities are endless and we have a lot of ideas, but we’re in no rush.

Julie:
Do you have any collaborators, and if so, who are they?

Paul:

We only really started the site in January, so we’re just starting to look for prospective partners now. We just partnered with the Local Travel Movement – http://www.localtravelmovement.com – who place value on an approach to travel that is mindful of local people, the local environment, local culture and the local economy. We know there are many other like-minded folk around too; it’s just a matter of time before our paths start to cross naturally and the fertile collaborations begin.

Julie:

I imagine this site is–at least for now–a labor of love. But you’re a partner, a dad, a working writer and a working photographer, so where do you find time to keep Slow Travel Berlin updated?

Paul:
One of the biggest challenges for us, as for many busy, ambitious and life-loving parents, is time management. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to earn your crust, raise your kid and maintain a range of hobbies on the side.

It becomes a serious juggling act, and the big challenge is not just to do everything, but do it well. A big appeal with the slow philosophy in the first instance was the opportunity to explore ways of decelerating important aspects of life such as food, health, parenting.

I can’t say we’ve mastered it. We’re not Slow Ninjas just yet but the project is helping us achieve some life balance and we sincerely hope it inspires others in the right way, too.

Slow Travel Berlin is currently seeking contributors. If you’d like to help promote local Berlin art, culture, food and more, contact paul@slowtravelberlin.com

Community Connection:

Does Paul have you stoked on Berlin? Check out Paul’s photo essay, Berlin 20/20: A Photo Tour of a Reunited City.

Feature photo: Reeti Roy; Photo above: gfpeck

When Matador awarded Reeti Roy a scholarship to our travel writing program, we were confident that we’d see Reeti use the scholarship to strengthen her writing, expand her portfolio, and to engage with other writers in the program.

We weren’t disappointed; she did all of those things.

In addition, Reeti continued to look for other opportunities to build her skills, and she applied for the Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarship, which supports creative writing students by funding their participation in a three-week summer course held in Edinburgh.

Reeti won the scholarship, and will be headed to Scotland in August. The writing course coincides with the Edinburgh Book Festival, and Reeti is especially looking forward to connecting with other writers and “fellow students from all across the globe” (including, we hope, Matador’s own Andy Hayes, who is a local expert on Edinburgh for Planet Eye Traveler).

Congratulations, Reeti! We look forward to reading your work from Edinburgh.

Community Connection:

If you’d like to read more of Reeti’s writing, you can browse these articles she has published here at Matador, or visit her blog.

Photo: Mike Baird

In late 2009, Matador opened the online “doors” of MatadorU, offering a 12-week travel writing program for beginners and professionals already in the field.

To date, more than 200 students have completed the program, and many have gone on to attain internships, writing gigs, and scholarships. Others have enjoyed seeing their name in print publications, and still others have monetized their own travel blogs so they can earn money while they’re traveling.

Today, MatadorU launches its second course, a travel photography program that also consists of 12 modules. Developed by Matador editors and professional photographers Lola Akinmade and Paul Sullivan, the course also features interviews and continuing education material contributed by working photographers whose work has been featured in diverse publications, including National Geographic.

As with the U’s travel writing program, students will have access to daily market leads posted on our Market Blog, and will enjoy the support of fellow students. Given recent additions to the U, they’ll also enjoy feedback from Matador’s editorial team, as well as periodic portfolio reviews by acclaimed photographer Gail Mooney, whose work has been published in National Geographic and Smithsonian.

For more information about the course and to enroll, please visit MatadorU’s photography course overview.

A book market in Cairo, Photo: dlisbona

News of Matador members’ wins in the Grantourismo writing competition was followed by the announcement of the winners of the latest Trazzler writing contest.

And MatadorU grad and intern Nick Rowlands was among them.

The theme of the writing contest was “City Flavor,” and Nick’s entry, “Rummaging Around Nooks and Crannies in Azbakiya Book Market, Cairo,” was the winning trip itinerary entered in the “Neighborhood Spots” category.

The prize is an expenses-paid trip to San Francisco, which is especially exciting for Nick because he’s never visited the U.S. before.

He’ll be in good company– Matador co-founders Ross Borden and Ben Polansky are based in the Bay Area, as is Matador’s San Francisco Destination Expert, Lauren Quinn.

Congratulations, Nick!

Community Connection:

Are you headed to San Francisco? Check out Lauren’s What NOT to Do in San Francisco guide, as well as Matador’s guide to Urban Volunteering in San Francisco.

Abbie Mood, after having run the “original marathon” in Athens, Greece.

Like all the members of the Matador team, Abbie Mood has many interests.

In addition to travel, writing, and the combination of the two, Abbie loves hiking, climbing, and running.

She was recently offered an opportunity to bring all these passions to bear when the founder of the website Barefoot Running asked Abbie to be its managing editor. I talked with Abbie about her new gig via email:

Julie:
How did you land your job with Barefoot Running?

Abbie:
Matador Associate Editor JoAnna Haugen asked me if I wanted to be a writer for Barefoot Running as well as the the owner’s other site, Journey Beyond Travel. After talking to the owner, we decided that with my running background and the experience I’ve been getting as an intern at Matador that I could handle the managing editor position.

Julie:
What will your responsibilities entail?

Abbie:
It’s a new site/blog, so we’re really working on building content (there are two other writers working with me), engaging in social media (Facebook, Twitter), and tweaking the website, in addition to the typical editorial duties of editing and formatting articles.

Julie:
Is it a paid position?

Abbie:
Yes!

Julie:
How did your own interest in running begin?

Abbie:
I’ve been running since I joined the cross country team in high school (so more than 10 years) and started becoming more interested in barefoot running a few months ago when I read the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall.

While there are people who run totally barefoot, I usually wear Vibram Five Fingers, which are more like a rubber glove for your foot to protect it from anything that might be on the ground.

Julie:
How do you see this work tying into your travel writing?

Abbie:
Travel writing is where it all started for me, so a lot of the skills I have learned through that as well as the MatadorU course have helped me with all styles of writing and I feel pretty confident branching out a little bit.

Julie:
What other projects do you have going on right now?

Abbie:
I’m taking a course with the amazing designer Sarah J. Bray to make over my website (which may or may not still be MilesofAbbie.com after April 15), which I am very excited about. A big focus of mine right now is working on my own site and developing some content so that I can one day write an amazing bestselling book (perhaps following the footsteps of Matador’s Michelle Schusterman)!

I am also still interning at Matador Change, working on our amazing Focus Pages, and writing about Orange County for Planet Eye Traveler online magazine.

Community Connection:

Do you have good news you want to share? Send me a note at julie[at]matadornetwork[dot]com.

Photo: Matador member, Carlos Russo

Mike Sowden

Matador ID: mikeachim
Twitter ID: @mikeachim

In his Twitter bio, Mike describes himself as a “freelance writer, aspiring professional storyteller, adventure geek and power-klutz.”

Evidence regarding that last point? He accidentally deleted his blog last year.

Follow him for funny tweets, especially about food (bacon, Yorkshire Pudding), travel (Athens), and technology (the iPad, of late).

Maryanne Oxendale

Matador ID: koangirl
Twitter ID: @koangirl

Maryanne is a teacher, writer, and photographer who has been on the road for the past 15 years. Currently in Shanghai, she also likes “barefoot reggae dancing, experimental cooking, [and] reading,” and she speaks French, Turkish, some Afrikaans, and some Spanish in addition to English.

Follow her for evocative 140-character descriptions that only a long-term traveler could come up with:

“Ringtone on phone in noodle shop was like Shirley Bassey singing show tunes in Uyghur.”

“Our neighbourhood in Xuhui smells like a textile fire in a polyester factory. Had to walk down Shanxi Nan lu with my scarf over my face.”

Carlos Russo

Matador ID: CeRusso
Twitter ID: @cerusso

Carlos, who calls New York City home, is currently road-tripping with family around Florida. He’s a student with some pretty fascinating long-term plans involving the study of Santeria in Cuba, which he told me about over breakfast a couple months back.

Follow him because he’s genuinely friendly and supportive, and because he tweets about life that’s not directly related to travel.

Pres Vasilev

Matador ID: globbler
Twitter ID: @globbler

Pres, originally from Sofia, Bulgaria, is currently based in Chicago, one stop on his long-term plan to “go around the world, explore its wonderful places, and make friendships with people from every corner of our amazing planet.”

If you’re curious, as I was, about what a “globbler,” is, then visit his blog and decide whether you are a globbler, too.

Follow him for thought-provoking quotes and his enthusiasm.

Suzanne Wales

Matador ID: velveteditor
Twitter ID: @velveteditor

If you’re headed to Barcelona, you’ll want to be following Suzanne, who tweets about traditional bars and travel news related specifically to her city.

You should also follow her because the site she manages is running a travel writing competition through September 9, 2010. The prize? A weekend in Barcelona.

Community Connection:

Are you on Twitter? Leave your handle in the comments so we can start following you, too.

Michelle Schusterman

As Matador Goods’ associate editor, Michelle Schusterman gets to show off her technical writing skills, offering regular reviews of travel-related tech goods like Sutro Media’s Essential Boston iPhone app, Apple’s iPad, and National Geographic’s full magazine collection, digitized.

Michelle writes about music and travel on her own blog, and as the Matador team learned last week, she writes young adult novels, too. Her most recent book has been picked up by an agent and will be shopped around this spring.

Curious about her experiences as a writer beyond the travel and gear world, I sent Michelle some questions for her to answer via email.

Julie:
How did you become interested in writing books for young adults?

Michelle:
I wrote “books” (and I use the term lightly!) when I was younger, and my characters were always between 12 and 16. I grew up, and the characters never did! There’s just something about that time of life – everything is new and exciting; everything is an adventure.

Julie:
What’s the process of looking for an agent like?

Michelle:
Honestly, it makes you feel a bit like a stalker! There’s tons of information online about how to query a literary agent. Most agents have pages indicating what types of manuscripts they’re interested in on Publisher’s Marketplace, and lots have blogs and websites as well.

It’s a slow process, because the last thing you want to do is mass query. I made a carefully researched list of agents who were interested in my genre, and looked up agents who represented published books similar to mine. Every agent has different query submission guidelines – some want a full synopsis, some want sample pages and chapters, some want a bio – and it’s important to stick to their rules. It’s like writing a cover letter – personalized and professional.

There’s lots of waiting involved. Some agents respond in days, weeks, months, and with others, no response means you’ve been rejected. If they do respond and ask to see a partial or the full manuscript, guess what – more waiting! Response times really vary, so it’s important to stay organized and keep track of who has what during the query process.

Julie:
Why does a writer need an agent?

Michelle:
My personal reasons are that I’m awful at negotiating contracts, and I want a professional to help edit and polish my book before sending it out to publishers. A good literary agent is a writer’s advocate – they work to make your book great and get the best deal possible.

Many agents are very experienced with editorial work, and it’s always fantastic to have another set of eyes on a novel. They’re also well-connected – they know which editors at which houses are looking for which types of novels, so they’ll know just who to submit your novel to.

They know the market inside and out, and while some writers do as well, many don’t.

Julie:
What’s the writer-agent relationship like?

Michelle:
Some agents are more editorial than others, some are more reachable than others. It’s another reason why it’s so important for a writer to find an agent with similar goals for their book and career.

I’m just in the beginning stages of this, but I’d say it’s a mix of both professional and personal – I mean, writing is an intimate thing, and you’re working with someone who loves your writing and wants to promote it. It has to be a little bit personal! An agent isn’t just a contract negotiator, but someone a writer can turn to for guidance or advice during the overwhelming process of writing and publishing a novel.

Julie:
What should you/did you look for when choosing an agent?

Michelle:
First, I looked for someone who represented the genre of my novel, which is middle-grade supernatural. I looked at the lists of authors and books they already represent to see what their tastes were like.

I also looked at those who had somewhat of a web presence – websites, blogs, and maybe even a Twitter account. And honestly, I moved the friendliest, most approachable agents to the top of my list. I’ve heard stories about both good and questionable agent-author relationships, and I knew I wanted someone genuinely interested in helping a newbie like me with this venture!

Julie:
What are the next steps leading to potential publication?

Michelle:
My agent currently has my manuscript and is working on editorial notes. Once I get those back from her, I’ll go through and revise, and revise, and revise some more. When we both feel comfortable with the final product, she’ll begin submitting it to editors. If someone is interested, hopefully a contract with their publishing house is the next step!

Julie:
What’s the subject of this particular book? Would it be your first published book?

Michelle:
This would be my debut novel. It’s a (hopefully) humorous supernatural story about a tech-savvy 8th grade girl named Ruth whose stepmother is into séances and insists that their town has ghosts. So Ruth holds her own kind of séance – she starts a blog inviting all of the town’s ghosts to tell her their problems.

Encounters with creepy comments, possessed computers, shawls with wicked cases of static cling, and other general mayhem ensues.

Community Connection:

Photo: llamnudds

Many Matador members submitted an entry in the first Grantourismo contest, including Lola Akinmade, Heather Carreiro, Tom Gates, Simone Gorrindo, and Sarah Menkedick.

The prompt was to write about a neighborhood and the people who live in it, “the idea being to inspire people to get out of the tourist zone and off the beaten track, to get an insight into everyday life, and to interact with locals.”

Two Matador members took first and second place in the competition. MatadorU student Lisa Bergren won first place for her entry, “View on a Venetian Neighborhood.” Matador Trips co-editor Carlo Alcos was awarded second place for “It beats watching TV,” an account of one of many experiences with locals during his recent cycling trip in Cuba.

Grantourismo plans to host several more writing competitions, so be sure to follow their blog and add them to your Twitter feed so you can be updated about future contests.

Congratulations to our winners!

Community Connection:

Become a travel writer!

MatadorU is the most supportive, engaging, and innovative course for helping students accelerate their careers as travel writers and new media professionals. Join Us!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-editor-u-student-win-grantourismo-competition/feed/ 4 http://matadorpulse.com/matadoru-announces-new-features/ http://matadorpulse.com/matadoru-announces-new-features/#comments Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:55:13 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1593

Students talked and…

I was watching a talk by Gary Vaynerchuk yesterday and he was talking about a lot of ideas that are totally relevant to everything we do here at Matador.

Here’s one soundbyte:

“Listen to your users? Absolutely. But giving a shit about your users is way better…. Do something.”

Vaynerchuk was griping about the fact that every company says it’s listening to their users, but few of them actually take what their users are saying and turn it into something actionable.

I happened to watch this talk before hopping on a four-way call across three countries and as many time zones with Matador co-founder and CEO Ross Borden, senior editor David Miller, and BNT co-editor and resident tech genius Ian MacKenzie to talk about MatadorU.

Though our original marketing material indicated that the U’s courses would be independently guided, students are sending a clear message that they want more feedback and guidance from the editorial team.

To that end, we’re making some big improvements at the U, including:

1. More visibility and engagement on the part of the Matador editorial team. I’ll be the point person from the editorial team who will have the most active presence in the forums and providing feedback, and you’re welcome to reach out to me anytime at julie[at]matadornetwork[dot]com.

2. A refined leads system via the Market Blog. In addition to writing gigs, commissioned assignments, and article leads, we’ll be including information about residencies, fellowships and grants, and other opportunities in traditional and new media. What makes this more than a simple leads system is that, when relevant, Matador editors will include insider insight and advice about how to approach specific opportunities. We’ll also provide direct contacts and recommendation letters when appropriate.

3. Some technical improvements. These should improve navigability and ease of use in the forums.

The first two changes are rolling out this week, with the third improvement being an ongoing process. Let us know what you think about these additions, and feel free to share your feedback with us by sending it to my attention: julie[at]matadornetwork[dot]com.

And now, if you want to watch Vaynerchuk’s talk…

Community Connection:

Why do people enroll in MatadorU? Because it leads to paid writing positions and a chance to “learn about what goes on behind the scenes at a travel magazine.” Read about Heather Carreiro, a MatadorU alum who has been brought on board as an editorial intern.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matadoru-announces-new-features/feed/ 7 http://matadorpulse.com/meet-matador-intern-heather-carreiro/ http://matadorpulse.com/meet-matador-intern-heather-carreiro/#comments Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:31:48 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1581

Matador intern, Heather Carreiro

The latest MatadorU grad to join the team is Heather Carreiro.

If you’ve read Heather Carreiro’s articles on Matador, you probably have a good idea why we invited her to join our team as an editorial intern. Heather’s writing is vivid and authentic, conveys a strong sense of place, and relies wholly on original images.

Given her experience as an expat in Pakistan, we thought Heather would be an ideal person to assist editor Sarah Menkedick with MatadorAbroad, our blog about studying and living abroad.

Heather and I exchanged a round of emails so the Matador community could learn more about her.

Julie:
Where were you born and where are you living now?

Heather:
I grew up in western Massachusetts and recently moved to Fall River in southeast Massachusetts. Although it’s the same state, it feels like I’m living in a completely different culture as a large part of the population is Portuguese.

My husband Duarte and I live in an apartment in his parent’s house, and I’m the only one whose native language is English. Meals at our house include dishes like octopus, salt cod, tripe, kale soup, linguica and blood sausage.

Julie:
Tell us a bit about your academic and professional background.

Heather:
As an undergrad I studied Linguistics & Middle Eastern Studies at UMass-Amherst. My junior year was spent in Morocco, where I took classes in Islamic theology, Arabic, Berber history and culture and Islamic art & architecture. I started to see how travel complemented academic pursuits.

Follow Heather on Twitter and be sure to check out her blog.

In one class we were learning about Moroccan policy in the Western Sahara, so during Eid break some other students and I headed south to Laayoune to see what the situation was on the ground. On another occasion, a friend and I hiked through the High Atlas mountains to see the historic Tin Mal mosque, a place even our Islamic art professor hadn’t been.

I quickly became hooked to travel that was not just for the sake of travel, but also for experiencing different cultures and gaining local perspective.

After graduating from UMass, I moved to Lahore, Pakistan to work in education development. I didn’t go with any organization or have any particular job lined up, but I went and stayed with my Urdu tutor’s family and started making connections that way.

During my three years in Lahore I ran creative writing workshops, developed an ESL curriculum for teachers, offered professional development seminars for teachers, and lectured for an MA TESOL program at a local university.

Although I didn’t have an MA myself, my background in linguistics and my experience teaching ESL in the UMass Continuing Education department put me in high demand in Lahore. Because linguistics is a fairly new field of study in Pakistan, I was seen as an expert and was able to have creative freedom in designing college classes and curriculum.

Julie:
And a bit about your professional goals.

Heather:
While I loved being abroad and working with local NGOs and schools, Duarte and I realized that we wanted a bit more structure in our lives. Taking care of our own visas and constantly having our finances in flux was a huge source of stress, and we were ready to take a break from the power cuts and 120-degree heat of the Pakistani Punjab.

As we both had experience teaching and enjoyed being in the classroom, we decided to pursue careers as international teachers: me in secondary English and him in physics and math. We’re currently in the U.S. for the purpose of getting certified in those subjects and continuing our education so we can be more competitive teaching candidates.

In the long term, we both have a lot of dreams and we aren’t yet quite sure how they will all mesh together. I plan to write about any place we go, and I also want to get involved with the community, whether it’s through training teachers, starting book clubs, encouraging local musicians and artists, or working with literacy development programs.

Julie:
How did you find Matador?

Heather:
While I was living in Pakistan I started thinking about ways to be location independent so that I could live anywhere in the world and still have opportunities to write. I ended up following the Residuals and Royalties blog, and one of the writing opportunities mentioned was Matador’s Bounty Board.

Some of Heather’s articles published on Matador include:
“Cooking in Lahore: An American Woman in a Pakistani Kitchen” and “Tales from the Expat Life: A Memsahib in Pakistan.”

Julie:
What motivated you to enroll in MatadorU?

Heather:
Although I’m a grad student in English, I felt starved for direction and feedback when it came to my creative writing. I’d been publishing informative travel articles, doing some copywriting, and working on teacher training curriculum for a few years, but I didn’t really know how to go about advancing my career as a travel writer. When I heard about the Matador U course, it immediately went on my wish list.

I love things that are pragmatic and offer specific steps you can take to move forward. Looking at the Matador U course syllabus, I was impressed that the course not only offered advice on how to improve your writing, but that it also went through practical matters like how to pitch to different publications, how to think like an editor, and how to make travel writing a career.

Julie:
What are some of your upcoming travel plans?

Heather:

This summer Duarte and I are planning on WWOOFing in Maine or Vermont for two weeks, taking a one-month spiritual retreat at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, and doing some camping along the east coast. I also work as a certified horseback riding instructor, so I’ll be spending a few days in New Hampshire helping out with a camp riding program on Lake Winnipesaukee.

We’re plotting to go back to the Azores, where Duarte was born, and explore some of the islands we didn’t hit during our first trip to the archipelago.

Julie:
What do you hope to learn/do/contribute as an editorial intern at Abroad?

Heather:
I’m excited to work with Sarah as I’ve been inspired by her writing and how she so seamlessly interweaves travel narrative with thought provoking questions and cultural observation. As a teacher, I believe the best way to learn is by doing, so I look forward to learning about what goes on behind the scenes at a travel magazine.

Many times people feel that the only way to be a travel writer is by becoming a global vagabond, leaving behind their career and taking off into a perpetual state of the unknown. I admire this type of travel writer, but I hope that I can serve as another example that you can study, teach, pursue a career, live or work abroad and be a travel writer at the same time.

Community Connection:

Become a travel writer!

MatadorU is the most supportive, engaging, and innovative course for helping students accelerate their careers as travel writers and new media professionals. Join Us!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/meet-matador-intern-heather-carreiro/feed/ 16 http://matadorpulse.com/5-matadorians-to-meet-right-now-the-couples-edition/ http://matadorpulse.com/5-matadorians-to-meet-right-now-the-couples-edition/#comments Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:34:41 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1527

Photo: Matador members, New Nomads

Dig deep into the Matador community, and you’ll find all kinds of interesting folks: filmmakers and photographers, deep-sea divers and extreme sports enthusiasts, expats and entrepreneurs.

Lots of our members go out into the world solo, leaving everything and everyone behind.

Others go out in pairs, having found a partner as passionate about travel as they are.

Here are five couples making a life together on the road:

NewNomads

The female half of NewNomads says:

“I love traveling with my best friend – my husband. We are on the road about 80% of the time and hope to increase that this year to 90%…. We can go from the Hilton Arc du Triomphe to sleeping in the back of our old van at a fishing pier and be just as thrilled. We can go from convenience store burritos at dawn in Arches National Park to a four star restaurant in Washington DC and have a great time either way.”

Robert Kittilson and Jessie Kwak

Robert, a writer and photographer, and Jessie, a writer, have slow traveled their way through Peru and contributed an article to Matador on which they collaborated, “On the Trail of Ruins in Northern Peru.”

Photo: Matador members, Robert Kittilson and Jessie Kwak

Robert writes, “I am a photographer traveling with my wife Jessie who is a writer. I love having a blast, and sometimes that means real fireworks.”

Deb & Dave, aka ThePlanetD

Together for 18 years, Deb and Dave–”Canada’s Adventure Couple”– seem to have perfected the art of traveling as a pair. They’ve cycled around Africa and their next stop is Asia. Like Robert and Jessie, Deb and Dave collaborate professionally–Deb is a writer and Dave is a photographer. Check out their blog, ThePlanetd and follow them on Twitter.

Technomadia

Featured recently on MatadorLife, this couple describes themselves as “two gen-X technomads – synthesizing technology in with our full-time traveling.” They’re currently roaming the U.S., with long term sights set on doing “extended sailing and global backpacking.”

GeordieP

GeordieP writes:

“My boyfriend and I have been travelling around Oz for a couple of years and are now planning to head back to our beautiful hometown in NSW to start a family and make a home. I love travelling with a passion, though I am now ready to hang up my hiking boots and travel vicariously through websites like this for a while. Looking forward to creating everyday adventures at home.”

Community Connection:

Not sure if you’re ready to take your love on the road? Read “Traveling Solo: How to Tell Your Partner You Want to Travel… Alone” for some tips on leaving your other half behind when it’s time for you to pack your bags.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/5-matadorians-to-meet-right-now-the-couples-edition/feed/ 6 http://matadorpulse.com/help-a-matadorian/ http://matadorpulse.com/help-a-matadorian/#comments Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:56:32 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1565

Photo: AntwerpnR

If you’ve spent more than a few minutes browsing through Matador’s sites, you know why I say that Matador’s so much more than a magazine.

Matador really is a community, and one of the places where you can see what I mean is in our travel forums.

Maybe you’re not familiar with the forums–they’re a little bit buried within the Matadortravel.com site–but hundreds of travelers use the forums to ask for advice, seek inspiration, to look for travel partners or a place to stay, or to confirm information about local transportation, food, or lodging.

Here’s a sampling of recent requests… can you help a Matador member out by responding?

TRAVEL PARTNER REQUESTS

Buying a Big-Ass American RV to Travel the World… Who’s In?

Tayerhughes writes:

“I’m thinking of buying a big ass American RV to travel around the world in! I have no idea how or when etc but I thought I would see what kind of response I get when I post the idea. I’m looking for probably 7 people to join the team. I have no plans at the moment, I’m just looking to find people that are interested.”

Tayer- Once you’ve got some takers, be sure to check out Matador contributor Misty Tosh’s guide to renovating an old travel trailer.

“I want to hitchhike around the U.S. Anyone want to go with me?”

Jackiehaze says:

“I’d really like to hitch hike around the US this summer. Perhaps fall. I’d prefer a woman. I think it’d be cool to document it. And since the only requirement I personally have is to stay clean, it will probably take some planning finding state parks and places to shower.”

Jackie, if you do find some travel partners, be sure to read Tim Patterson’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to Hitchhiking before you hit the road.

TRAVEL ADVICE NEEDED

A New Yorker inspired by Matadorians’ travels asks for advice from SE Asia experts

TheDaysRjustPacked asks for help planning a SE Asia trip:

“I have been talking about this trip for over 2 years now and here I am planning for it officially with my ticket purchased.

This trip is going to be different for me on so many levels since I have never traveled alone before…. [I leave] on April 13th and plan on returning May 1st.

To start my trip I have a lay over in Seoul, Korea for a nice 14 hrs…. My plan is to leave the airport and see what Korea has to offer for a few hours maybe get some Kalbi. I love Korean BBQ. Does anyone have any pointers on what I can do in Seoul for about 8 hours?

Now on to Thailand… I will be in Bangkok for what I believe to be the second night of Songkran and I plan to stay around for 2 days before heading north so I can cross into Laos. I have been reading Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai then somehow to Laos is the way to go about it. I feel like I’m strapped for time and I want to enjoy as much as I can with the time I have but also enjoying things as well.

After going to Laos I wanted to go to Cambodia but I don’t know if I should go from Laos straight to Cambodia or go back through Thailand. That part I am hoping you travelers of S.E.A can help me with as well. From Cambodia I want to fly or boat it back to Southern section of Thailand. On the 28th I would like to just experience the full moon party. I would also love to go Scuba diving (I have never been) so I have been looking to that as well.

I will appreciate any info that you guys have to offer. Fill in any blanks that I may not have touched upon. You have no idea how many times I thought of taking someone along because I didn’t feel I would be able to do this trip solo but through this site and many others I have realized that I am ready to do the trip the way I have always wanted to do it: with a backpack, few clothes, a camera and a wide open mind.”

While you’re waiting for advice, be sure to check out Matador’s focus page on Southeast Asia.

Colombian weather in October?

Jesse Meshkov asks:

“I’ve read that October is the rainy season, but does that mean that it’s raining constantly, or that there are showers for an hour or two each day? Any insight would be really helpful. Thanks!”

All of Matador’s articles about Colombia are archived on the Colombia Focus Page.

Community Connection:

Do you have a question about an upcoming trip, or do you have advice you can share? Visit Matador’s travel forums to ask for or give advice.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/help-a-matadorian/feed/ 2 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-gabriela-garcia/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-gabriela-garcia/#comments Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:06:35 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1559

Photo: Gabriela Garcia

One of the things I love about my job is learning more about Matador members.

I met Gabriela Garcia a few weeks ago in a Manhattan coffee shop after she returned from a trip to Cuba. After handing over some gifts she’d brought back for my husband from his son, who lives in Havana, we talked about Cuba, Cuban families, the writing life, and social justice.

The short conversation left me wanting to know more about Gabriela, so we did this interview over email.

Julie:
You’re a full-time freelance writer. How did you get started in the field, and what did you do before this?

Gabriela:
Even though writing has always been a part of my life, it took me a while to arrive at doing it as a profession. I always knew I wanted to work in media. Before becoming a freelance writer, I held some crazy jobs and internships all over the media landscape, from working with multi-platinum artists in the music industry to researching photos for RL Stine books (remember Goosebumps?)

New York is a really expensive place to live so I took on a lot of freelance gigs as side jobs along the way, mostly through contacts I’d made in the various companies I worked for. In my last job at a book publishing company, I realized I was doing so much freelance work on the side that it suddenly struck me that it was possible to leave the office altogether.

And well, I did.

I started off mostly writing service pieces for consumer magazines and taking on a lot of proofreading and copy editing jobs. Being a travel writer always seemed like one of those fantasy jobs like saying I wanted to be a “rock star” or something. Matador offered that first window of opportunity that opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me.

It has been far from easy, and I still have to take on a lot of other projects to make ends meet, but I’m watching with incredible gratitude as the fantasy slowly merges into reality.

“Being a travel writer always seemed like one of those fantasy jobs like saying I wanted to be a ‘rock star; or something. Matador offered that first window of opportunity that opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me.”

Julie:
You commute back and forth between Miami and New York. If someone asks you, “Where’s home?,” what’s your answer?

Gabriela:
I think that being a multi-cultural daughter of immigrants has made me very comfortable with fluid identity. I’m used to belonging and not belonging at the same time, and having pieces of who I am tied into different physical locations. New York provides me with incredible creative energy, inspiration, and motivation, but Miami is like a long exhale that keeps me grounded. I would have to say that both are home to a different part of me.

Julie:
Back to writing– what I love about your work is that you tend to tell stories about overlooked people and you insert yourself into the story in this lovely way that’s not egotistical but is, as Matador editor David Miller says, transparent. In my women’s studies classes we called that “positioning yourself as the writer,” which meant we were acknowledging that objectivity doesn’t really exist. Do you feel like this is an accurate description of your writing style? And what influences you to write in this way?

Gabriela:
I think that acknowledging objectivity doesn’t really exist is important, especially in travel writing. The same place can look a million different ways through different eyes. The way I experience a place, the things that stand out to me, the way I interpret those experiences—they are all based on who I am, and I like to let my readers know that.

I think the majority of people experience most of the world through media, and so much of what we think we know is based on the observations of a select group of people.

I’m constantly amazed at how few places, cultures, or people match up to the collective images I’ve received all my life of what they are supposed to be like once I actually go there or get to know them. I know I can’t give anyone a voice, but I’m immediately attracted to people and ideas that provoke me, that spur up questions in me, or that challenge me to look at things differently.

Julie:
Are there any seminal travel experiences that have caused you to rethink who you are or that have shaped your direction in life?

Gabriela:
I think every travel experience has shaped parts of who I am and what I care about. But if I had to choose specific moments where I looked around and felt the ground shift beneath me, it would probably be based on my volunteer experiences.

Reading the essays of school children from a rural village in Ghana who say they have no dreams. Sitting beside the bed of a dying woman picked off the street in Calcutta, India and suddenly feeling her hand grip mine. Standing amidst wild horses and canyons in the Navajo Nation and realizing that running water and electricity aren’t a given in the United States.

The constant juxtaposition of beauty and pain that I have experienced in my travels has left me dizzy and searching for answers. They are the images that constantly make me question my own life and how I can be a more positive force.

Community Connection:

Have you joined the Matador community? If not, sign up for a free account on MatadorTravel.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-gabriela-garcia/feed/ 11 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-marie-szamborski/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-marie-szamborski/#comments Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:30:37 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1552

Marie Szamborski

Once a week, we introduce you to a Matador member worth keeping your eye on… they’re doing great things.

Meet Marie Szamborski.

Marie, or @Shantiwallah on Twitter, is a recently enrolled student in MatadorU’s travel writing program and a teacher who has just taken the leap out of working in the classroom full-time to pursue her goal of becoming a full-time writer.

I’m totally inspired by Marie and enjoy her kind, gentle presence on Twitter, as well as the “I love” series on her blog, which pairs her evocative photos with simple observations about objects and experiences she loves.

I asked her a few questions via email:

Where are you from?

I was born in the US, but do not have a hometown as I moved… every two years or so growing up. The hospital near Miami I was born in was blown away by a hurricane so I really do feel rootless in that way. My parents are from Michigan and I went to high school in Atlanta, GA. My family now live in California, which is fun to visit, but I’ve never lived there so I’m a complete tourist.

I lived in the UK for 10 years where I did my undergraduate degree and met my husband. We later immigrated to New Zealand and have both become dual nationals. We’ve also done stints in Vietnam and Japan and have been very lucky to have traveled a lot in between.

“I want to keep writing about identity, place, and experience because I really believe that honest exchange of information is the only real way things are going to progress….”

Tell us about leaving teaching to write.

I’ve just left my 10 year teaching career (although I don’t believe you ever really leave teaching) to write full time. I know I sound like a complete suck-up to say so, but Matador was pivotal in this decision. Well, actually, the people I’ve met through Matador are the ones who have convinced me.

I’ve always been a writer, but I just didn’t know it. I’ve always kept journals and blogs and have even tortured my students by making them write journals and blogs. Which, might I add, they come to love in the end! It’s only recently that I’ve started thinking that I might be able to do this for a living.

I think the timing was right, because I started ‘meeting’ other people, who were writing on the internet, and exchanging dialogue about writing. Whereas in the past, my writing was really for me or my close friends and family, I realized that maybe I did have something to say to the wider world.

The thing about social networking is that it is not, as I once thought, just a venue for self-promotion but a link to the thousands of other people who think like you do. This ‘community’ is empowering.

“The thing about social networking is that it is not, as I once thought, just a venue for self-promotion but a link to the thousands of other people who think like you do. This ‘community’ is empowering.”

What are you working on right now?

I’m currently serving as the regional contributor for New Zealand at Pocketcultures.com. It’s a fantastic site aimed at getting the facts out about countries as seen from the perspective of locals who are living there.

I’m also using my applied linguistics background to do write some EFL [English as a Foreign Language] exams and textbooks for the Taiwanese market.

I currently keep a personal blog about writing, travel, and everything else, and also a food blog about the multicultural aspect of food in New Zealand. Oh, and of course, I pitch to Matador now and then!

But, for the future, I want to keep writing about identity, place, and experience because I really believe that honest exchange of information is the only real way things are going to progress in this world. The more I travel and learn about other people, the more I internalize that we all need the same things. I hope that by passing on stories and observations about how people live their lives in the places that I visit I can make a positive contribution.

Community Connection:

Would you like to introduce yourself to the Matador community? Don’t be shy- send me an email at julie[at]matadornetwork[dot]com and tell me a little about yourself. Be sure to include the link to your MatadorTravel profile.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-marie-szamborski/feed/ 10 http://matadorpulse.com/matadorians-are-you-at-sxsw/ http://matadorpulse.com/matadorians-are-you-at-sxsw/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:25:03 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1547 SXSW’s become the must-attend event for people in music, film, and media.

One day, I’ll get to SXSW, the 9-day festival described as “a unique convergence of original music, independent films, and emerging technologies” that’s a premier destination for discovery.

Though those quotes come from SXSW organizers, most people I know who’ve attended agree. They come away fired up and full of new ideas about their own work.

This year, Matador has a few staff members at SXSW– our Twitter ninja, Andy Hayes, is there, as is MatadorNights co-editor, Tom Gates. And MatadorTrips co-editor Hal Amen and intern Lindi Horton will be meeting up with the crew for an end-of-festival brunch bash next weekend.

Are you at SXSW, have you been, or would you like to go? Shoot us a line at julie[at]matadornetwork[dot]com to tell us about your experiences and plans.

Community Connection:

SXSW is held every year in Austin, Texas. We’ve built up our Austin Focus Page. Give it a visit!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matadorians-are-you-at-sxsw/feed/ 4 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-friday-photo-washing-lamps-in-kerala/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-friday-photo-washing-lamps-in-kerala/#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:59:02 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1540 Every Friday, we show off Matador members’ photos.

“One of my favorite photos – It was taken in Kerala. We were on a backwater cruise, and were passing a small village. The lady in photo is cleaning the base(s) of a traditional brass lamp that are native to the region (the top half of the lamp is sitting on the stone above).”

Photo: Neha Puntambekar

Community Connection:

If you’d like your photo considered for our Friday Photo series, please visit the Matador photo pool on Flickr.

Trying to become a successful travel photographer or find new markets?

Grab Matador’s Free Report 15 Publications That Pay For Travel Photography and help accelerate your career as a photographer.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-friday-photo-washing-lamps-in-kerala/feed/ 3 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-intern-eileen-smith-cycles-new-zealand/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-intern-eileen-smith-cycles-new-zealand/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:49:16 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1535

Photo: magicalworld

Eileen Smith left Santiago, Chile before the quake to set off on her New Zealand cycling trip.

Lots of Matadorians love cycling.

If you keep up with news of what Matador staffers are doing, then you’ll know that Matador Trips co-editor Carlo Alcos just returned from a multi-week cycling tour of Cuba. Photographic evidence substantiating he survived Cuba’s potholed infrastructure can be found in the Cycling Cuba photo essay over on Trips.

The other Matador staffer currently taking the road on two wheels is intern Eileen Smith, who helps manage the Matador Travel community.

Eileen set off from Santiago, Chile, where she lives, for a multi-week cycling tour of New Zealand on February 9. Along her route, she’s meeting up with MatadorU student Marie Szamborski. Follow Eileen’s trip on her blog.

Community Connection:

Planning on taking a cycling trip? Check out our Road Bike/Cycling Focus Page for dozens of resources.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-intern-eileen-smith-cycles-new-zealand/feed/ 6 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-friday-photo-learning-a-new-skill-in-lagos-nigeria/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-friday-photo-learning-a-new-skill-in-lagos-nigeria/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:23:42 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1507 Every Friday, we show off Matador members’ photos.

“A young boy still in his uniform hangs around the tailor shops in Iponri, Lagos after school – observing and learning a new skill. In a city of over 20 million inhabitants, the bustling metropolis of Lagos continues to struggle with infrastructure, corruption and employment issues among a myriad of problems. Many recent college graduates remain unemployed as they battle for limited resources and jobs. As such, learning additional skills and developing one’s multi-dimensionality early on acts as a surefire investment to help locals survive the fiercely competitive city.”

Photo: Lola Akinmade

Community Connection:

If you’d like your photo considered for our Friday Photo series, please visit the Matador photo pool on Flickr.

Trying to become a successful travel photographer or find new markets?

Grab Matador’s Free Report 15 Publications That Pay For Travel Photography and help accelerate your career as a photographer.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-friday-photo-learning-a-new-skill-in-lagos-nigeria/feed/ 3 http://matadorpulse.com/matadorians-finish-strong-in-travel-writing-contests/ http://matadorpulse.com/matadorians-finish-strong-in-travel-writing-contests/#comments Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:46:40 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1522 Five Matador contributors are honored for their travel writing.

The winners of two writing contests were announced this week, and there was a strong showing of Matadorians among the awardees.

Photo: Photos8.com

MatadorU student and contributor Alyssa Martino tied for third place in Transitions Abroad’s 2010 Narrative Travel Writing Contest. Her winning essay, “Finding Refuge in Giving,” is a reflection on her experiences in three very different places–Rome, Tunisia, and Mohawk Valley, New York–and the similarity of the lessons that she learned there.

MatadorGoods editor Lola Akinmade and contributors Erin Byrne, Darrin DuFord and Shelley Seale all won prizes in the 2009 Solas Awards, sponsored by Travelers’ Tales.

Congratulations to all of you!

Community Connection:

Do you want to become an award-winning writer?

MatadorU

MatadorU is the most supportive, engaging, and innovative course for helping students accelerate their careers as travel writers and new media professionals. Join us!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matadorians-finish-strong-in-travel-writing-contests/feed/ 3 http://matadorpulse.com/learn-chinese-fast-with-matadorian-justin-white/ http://matadorpulse.com/learn-chinese-fast-with-matadorian-justin-white/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:36:14 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1518

Next time, you can speak the language, not just smile. Photo: mathieudreo

Matador member Justin White launches Learn Chinese Fast.

In the summer of 1997, I lived in Fuzhou, China.

It was, as most travel experiences are for me, a seminal moment in my life. I became a vegetarian, I really learned how to use chopsticks, I was told by my tai qi quan instructor I wasn’t cut out for the so-called “soft” martial art, and I began acquiring Mandarin language skills.

I’m not good at lots of things, but I do have an ear for languages. I picked up basic Mandarin fairly easily… and subsequently lost most of my skills when I returned to school in the US, where I had no one with whom I could practice conversational Chinese.

In the years since then, I’ve made repeated promises to myself that I’d pick Mandarin up again… that I’d take a class or find a language partner. Not being an urgent matter, it always get pushed down to the bottom of the to-do list, but Justin White’s Learn Chinese Fast program may motivate me to reprioritize.

Justin, a Matador member, is a 22 year old Canadian who teaches English in Taiwan. He’s involved in developing and marketing language products as a way to make additional money, and hey, there’s nothing wrong with that.

The full language learning program, which is part of Rocket Languages, is a bit pricey at $99.95 USD, but the six day “Learn Chinese Fast” course is free. It consists of audio tracks and language and culture lessons, and while you obviously won’t master Chinese in six days, this program might be a good kick in the pants to get you started.

The website for Learn Chinese Fast is dense with information, much of it presented in some over-the-top marketing language (“You Too Can Learn to Speak Chinese Confidently and Naturally with an Amazing Interactive Course that is Dynamic, Comprehensive, and Proven to Work!!), but browse through to learn a bit about the program.

Rocket Languages also has courses in Arabic, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Sign Language and Spanish, and each of these also offers a free rapid-learning option.

Community Connection:

Matador has dozens of language learning resources on our Language Learning Focus Page.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/learn-chinese-fast-with-matadorian-justin-white/feed/ 3 http://matadorpulse.com/matadorians-in-chile-let-us-know-youre-ok/ http://matadorpulse.com/matadorians-in-chile-let-us-know-youre-ok/#comments Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:33:51 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1504

Santiago before the quake. Photo: Julie Schwietert

An earthquake registering 8.8 struck Chile this weekend.

Senior editor David Miller felt the quake all the way down in Argentinean Patagonia, in El Bolson.

Matador members Eileen Smith, who lives in Santiago (but is currently biking around New Zealand), and Craig and Linda Martin, who are traveling in Chile, have all checked in and let us know they’re okay. Friend of Matador, Roberto Parra, also posted a note on Facebook saying he’s okay.

We have lots of Matador members and friends in Chile, though, and we want to hear from you. If you’re anywhere in the Southern Cone, leave a message and let us know you’re ok. And if there’s any help Matador can provide, please let us know what we can do.

Peace.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matadorians-in-chile-let-us-know-youre-ok/feed/ 2 http://matadorpulse.com/tweet-matador-to-time-for-25-best-blogs/ http://matadorpulse.com/tweet-matador-to-time-for-25-best-blogs/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:00:31 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1494 TIME Magazine is curating its annual list of the 25 best blogs.

Photo by David Fraíz

Each year since 2008, TIME Magazine has published a list of the 25 best blogs.

Last year’s picks included the usual suspects– The Huffington Post, Mashable, Lifehacker, and BoingBoing– as well as some lesser knowns like Confessions of a Pioneer Woman.

There wasn’t a single travel blog on the list.

Let’s change that for the 2010 list. TIME is taking recommendations for the best blogs via Twitter.

Tweet your favorite travel blog to @TIME.

 

Community Connection:

Still not up to speed with social media? Check out our focus page with dozens of articles on Twitter and other social media platforms.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/tweet-matador-to-time-for-25-best-blogs/feed/ 0 http://matadorpulse.com/matadortv-editor-a-finalist-in-nomadic-matts-costa-rica-contest/ http://matadorpulse.com/matadortv-editor-a-finalist-in-nomadic-matts-costa-rica-contest/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 04:46:50 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1490

Photo: baxterclaus

Just 42 people entered Nomadic Matt’s Costa Rica trip contest.

And one of the 15 finalists is Matador’s own Joshywashington, editor of MatadorTV.

This is the entry that nabbed Josh a chance to go to Costa Rica:

If you’d like to vote to send Josh to Costa Rica, visit Nomadic Matt’s site to cast your vote.

Community Connection:

Like to win things? Be sure to check MatadorGoods regularly, where we give away gear, books, music, and other goodies.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matadortv-editor-a-finalist-in-nomadic-matts-costa-rica-contest/feed/ 2 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-friday-photo-contemplating-the-view-of-tenerifes-volcano/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-friday-photo-contemplating-the-view-of-tenerifes-volcano/#comments Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:19:19 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1479 Every Friday, we show off Matador members’ photos.

“The photo was taken at Roque Nublo, nearly the highest point of Gran Canaria. From there you have a beautiful view of Tenerife’s volcano, Pico del Teide. Especially on clear days these like these.”

Photo: Bas Wallet

Community Connection:

If you’d like your photo considered for our Friday Photo series, please visit the Matador photo pool on Flickr.

Trying to become a successful travel photographer or find new markets?

Grab Matador’s Free Report 15 Publications That Pay For Travel Photography and help accelerate your career as a photographer.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-friday-photo-contemplating-the-view-of-tenerifes-volcano/feed/ 3 http://matadorpulse.com/what-does-matador-mean-to-you/ http://matadorpulse.com/what-does-matador-mean-to-you/#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:10:43 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1484

Photo: Ed Yourdon

Matador is built upon its community. So what does Matador mean to you?

A couple things got me thinking about what Matador might mean to you.

Over the weekend, a reader left a passionate comment in response to Kate Sedgwick’s humorous article, “Crimes Against Hair in Buenos Aires”:

“It is sad that an article like this appears in the Matador Network…. Go write for a fashion magazine and not Matador, so we won’t have to read your garbage. PLEASE!”

At first, I was put off by the comment. Even if the reader didn’t like the article, did she need to be as aggressive in her reply as she was?

But then I thought about it some more and realized that the reader does seem to care about Matador. In fact, she seems to care about it so much that she has a very personal vision of what she thinks Matador is or “should” be.

*
The other thing that got me thinking about what Matador might mean to you is a conversation the editorial team has been having about how travel publications define themselves. Senior editor David Miller and I were noting that lots of travel publications try to define themselves by comparing themselves against their competition: “self-defining by saying who you’re NOT instead of who you are,” David says. It’s not really a useful way to identify oneself, though.

We’re pretty clear about what Matador means to us, as I wrote last week in an editorial about the original vision of Matador as articulated by co-founders Ross Borden and Ben Polansky.

But we’re curious to know: what does Matador mean to you? How do you use Matador? What do you value about Matador? What’s your role in this community? How would you like to see us grow and evolve?

We invite you to share your thoughts in the comments.

Community Connection:

Senior editor David Miller rounds up the 15 most vital narratives published on Matador in the article “Travel Writing as Punk Rock.”

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/what-does-matador-mean-to-you/feed/ 17 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-jared-krauss/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-jared-krauss/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:25:28 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1475

As soon as he heard about the earthquake in Haiti, Matador member Jared Krauss decided he wouldn’t just sit around and hope for the best.

Jared Krauss is a 19 year old college student.

He could be out drinking on Friday nights, but he’s not.

He’s raising money for Haiti.

Within a few days after the earthquake, Jared reached out to Matador’s senior editor, David Miller, writing:

“I’m an avid reader of the Matador Network. When I read that Julie was organizing a trip of specialists to go to Haiti and help I could do nothing but want to go with. However, being a freshman in college doesn’t really result in being a specialist in any area other than drinking coffee, alcohol, eating, sleeping, cramming, and talking. I don’t really have the skills to offer right now.

However, I noticed the amount of people who wanted to help, but weren’t able to for lack of skills like me. Although I have an able body and mind, like many others, without the skills needed for the jobs, we would just be another mouth to feed in a world of starving people.

So, I took it upon myself to begin to organize a trip of my own for others, mostly college students, to travel to Haiti as an alternative spring break option.”

You can read more about Jared’s effort in his piece published on MatadorChange today.

We’ll definitely be keeping up with Jared and his Haiti Volunteer Project as it evolves over the next few months.

Community Connection:

What projects are you working on? I’d love to hear about them. Email me at julie[at]matadornetwork[dot]com.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-jared-krauss/feed/ 0 http://matadorpulse.com/five-new-matadorians-to-meet-right-now-february-11-edition/ http://matadorpulse.com/five-new-matadorians-to-meet-right-now-february-11-edition/#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:49:25 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1470

A cube is no place for a palm tree. Photo: Dr. Bacchus

Every week, hundreds of people from around the world join the Matador community.

This week’s crew are all cubicle-avoidant.

1. Hop and Jaunt

Hop and Jaunt, otherwise known as Aly and John, “are a couple of twenty-something designers who have decided to step away from the routine of 9 to 5 life and venture out to new horizons. We have started our own design agency, create cool t-shirts, and travel the world writing our blog.” First stop on the journey? Colombia or Argentina.

2. Core Reality

Core Reality is a “musician, turned lawyer, turned back into musician/photographer/author. After realizing I was miserable in an office setting, I left it behind and set about driving back and forth across the country, meeting people and collecting their stories.” Visiting national parks are among his immediate travel plans.

3. SweeneySays

21 year old SweeneySays will be graduating in just a few months. Here’s what she has to say about her job prospects:

The economy has gone to shit and everyone I know is in a panic over what they’re going to do with their lives. Personally, I think this is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me. For the first time in my life I have absolutely no idea what is going to happen next. It’s amazing. This probably says more about me than any extended list of facts ever could. The fact that I will travel is the only certainty I have right now, and I am on good terms with that fact.

4. marta@atravelroundtheworld

marta@atravelroundtheworld quit her 9-to-5 in London and is headed to Italy.

5. Karla J

Karla J writes that she’s “working up the nerve to leave my desk behind and start what I’m pretty sure is actually living, and then write about it.”

Community Connection:

And you, what are you up to? Leave us a note in the comments!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/five-new-matadorians-to-meet-right-now-february-11-edition/feed/ 2 http://matadorpulse.com/from-the-editor-matadors-so-much-more-than-a-magazine/ http://matadorpulse.com/from-the-editor-matadors-so-much-more-than-a-magazine/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:55:43 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1465

Photo: wili.hybrid

Around this time last year, I asked Matador co-founders Ross Borden and Ben Polansky to write down what I called “The Matador Story.”

I was working on some publicity and marketing materials and wanted them to get down on paper exactly what Matador was and how it all got started.

Ross wrote:

High on Vulcan Misty, an 18,000 ft volcano near Arequipa, Peru, we began talking about the need for a global community of travelers where people could share stories like the one that was unfolding on that mountain and connect with locals and travelers over whatever they were passionate about. We didn’t know what this community would look like, but we were sure it didn’t exist yet.

Ben wrote:

It was an idea to create a space where people could share their experiences, connections and passions with others and inspire and support each other to live as travelers (curious, engaged, informed risk-takers) both at home and abroad. I always thought of Matador as a virtual campfire where people who are at different points in life can stop by and share or just look and listen for information and encouragement. I still think of the Matador Network in that way, it’s much bigger now though, but that same kind of campfire storytelling and collaboration is occurring, but at a much larger scale.

Matador turns four later this year, and though we’ve grown a lot,* we’re still so much more than a magazine: we’re a community.

Every day, I exchange emails with writers and MatadorU students who are writing articles and essays that are alive with the energy that only a materially transparent style can endow. No cliches like “gem” or “nestled”; this is writing that stirs readers out of their easy reading complacency and invites them to look at people and places with fresh eyes.

I follow Matador members on Twitter, a virtual tag-along on their journeys as they photograph micro-loan beneficiaries in South America, defy the US travel ban to visit Cuba (and meet my stepson in Havana), and prepare to volunteer in Haiti.

The campfire is virtual, but it’s also, increasingly, offline, too.

Over the weekend, I met up with Mitch Anderson of AmazonWatch, one of Matador’s organizational members. Though based in San Francisco, Mitch was in New York working on a project to encourage big oil shareholders to exercise their influence over oil company executives. We talked about Matador members holding house parties for the documentary, “Crude,” and he told me about efforts to protect a recently discovered uncontacted group of indigenous people in Peru.

A couple weeks earlier, I met with a Matador writer who’d just flown into town after spending days preparing a cargo ship’s worth of donations to send to Haiti from Miami.

There’s no shortage of websites and travel magazines that tell you where you should go and what you should do when you get there. And that’s fine.

But Matador’s different because it offers you a community of people who view travel not as an occasional journey, but as an integral part of life. There’s a place for everyone around the campfire– what stories do you have to share?

*more than 25,000 members of MatadorTravel;
*more than 10,000 followers on Twitter;
*more than 1.7 million unique readers each month;
*more than 300 students and graduates in our MatadorU travel writing school

Community Connection:

Have you set up your MatadorTravel profile? It’s free and easy. Create an account today!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/from-the-editor-matadors-so-much-more-than-a-magazine/feed/ 24 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-friday-photo-hot-pan-in-peru/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-friday-photo-hot-pan-in-peru/#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:13:44 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1458 Every Friday, we show off Matador members’ photos.

“Pisac Peru, near Cusco, January 10, 2010. The town of Pisac specializes in fresh empanadas cooked in traditional style ovens. These ovens are also used to cook the morning bread and he is currently pulling fresh bread out of the oven. “

Photo: Robert Kittilson

Community Connection:

If you’d like your photo considered for our Friday Photo series, please visit the Matador photo pool on Flickr.

Headed to Peru? Start your trip planning by visiting our Peru Focus Page. Still have questions? Matador’s destination experts Nicholas Gill and Matt Barker are our men in Peru.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-friday-photo-hot-pan-in-peru/feed/ 2 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-ryan-van-lenning/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-ryan-van-lenning/#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:57:40 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1450

Ryan Van Lenning

Learn about Ryan Van Lenning now so you can say “I knew him before he won the Nobel.”

35 year old Matador member Ryan Van Lenning is based in Oakland, California, and with the activist history of that city, Van Lenning’s presence there seems apropos.

Van Lenning, a contributor to MatadorChange, says the following about himself in his MatadorTravel profile:

I left a good teaching job to travel for 6-months straight around the world, from Mexico to Thailand via Poland, Turkey, and Kenya. Then I did what I should have done years ago, resettled out in the SF Bay Area and make my way as writer and activist. I have them ol’ travelin’ bones and like to write on social justice, environmentalism/sustainability, peace and militarism, fiction, and of course travel. I think writers can be guerrilla fighters of the word and social change. I am scuba certified, I wish I knew how to build a straw-bale house. I also wish I could write the way Andres Segovia played Spanish guitar and could dance the way Twain and Nietzsche wrote.

Van Lenning has written for Matador on several of those topics that fire him up, including environmental issues related to big oil in articles like First Person Dispatch from the Chevron Protest, and peace and aid issues in the Middle East in Israel Detains Aid Ship Bound for Gaza.

“I think writers can be guerrilla fighters of the word and social change.”

When not writing for publication, Van Lenning updates his personal blogs:

Travelin Bones

Pull the Root

Rumi and the Cholo

What consistently impresses me about Van Lenning’s writing–and what makes him 100% Matadorian–is that all of his work is rooted directly in his own experiences. He doesn’t just write about activism; he’s out on the streets living it. He writes what he knows. Be sure to check out his blogs and enjoy some of that writing.

Community Connection:

Would you like to be featured as a Matador member to watch? Drop me a line at julie[at]matadornetwork[dot]com to introduce yourself!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-ryan-van-lenning/feed/ 5 http://matadorpulse.com/matadors-friday-photo-finding-exotic-animals-in-belize/ http://matadorpulse.com/matadors-friday-photo-finding-exotic-animals-in-belize/#comments Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:22:08 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1446 Every Friday, we show off Matador members’ photos.

“I was driving through Belize and saw an intriguing, run-down shack made of rusty tin. I really wanted to shoot it so we pulled off the road to get some shots. As we were about to leave, a man came walking out of the bush with his anteater, Fred, and two snakes in hand. He opened the door to his home and presented a whole slew of animals who’d been silently sitting inside the entire time. I’ve never seen anyone care so much for animals the way he did. This photo was taken in the heat of the moment as he introduced us to his newest creature, Lilo. “

Photo: Farryn Weiner
Read Farryn’s writing or follow her on Twitter.

Community Connection:

If you’d like your photo considered for our Friday Photo series, please visit the Matador photo pool on Flickr.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matadors-friday-photo-finding-exotic-animals-in-belize/feed/ 6 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-ekua-ipraim/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-ekua-ipraim/#comments Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:48:41 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1442

Ekua Impraim

San Francisco-based Ekua Impraim is a Matador member to keep your eye on.

When her favorite books were featured on MatadorGoods last week, I was intrigued.

Not by the selections, necessarily, but by this woman with a radiant smile sitting in a field of daffodils that stretched way back into the horizon.

I clicked through to her MatadorTravel profile, where I saw her fantastic screen name– Girl, Unstoppable– and learned we share some favorite musicians in common (Ani Difranco, Nina Simone, Zap Mama).

Then I clicked through to her blog, also titled Girl, Unstoppable, and was drawn in by its clean design, engaging font, and funny entries, like this one:

“The kids I work with are often full of hilarious and sometimes surprisingly insightful one liners. This week, a student said something about travel that made me smile and I knew I needed to post it here:

‘I like seeing new places, it makes you feel like a new person. Travelin’ be hella cool. I been everywhere- Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, Arizona, Las Vegas…’”

Ekua created Girl, Unstoppable to “inspire others (especially females) to be audacious adventurers.”

Welcome to Matador, Ekua!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-to-watch-ekua-ipraim/feed/ 12 http://matadorpulse.com/matadors-friday-photo-reed-flute-cave-guilin-china/ http://matadorpulse.com/matadors-friday-photo-reed-flute-cave-guilin-china/#comments Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:10:17 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1436 Every Friday, we show off Matador members’ photos.

“This was taken at the Reed Flute Cave just north of Guilin, China. The naturally formed cave got its name from the verdant reeds growing at its mouth, which are used to make flutes. This shot was taken from a beautifully lit reflective pool in the heart of the cave.”

Photo: McLendon Garrett

Community Connection:

If you’d like your photo considered for our Friday Photo series, please visit the Matador photo pool on Flickr.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matadors-friday-photo-reed-flute-cave-guilin-china/feed/ 6 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-associate-editor-wins-writing-contest/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-associate-editor-wins-writing-contest/#comments Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:34:25 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1433

JoAnna Haugen with her dog, Butch Mbwa

JoAnna Haugen wins Wanderlust and Lipstick writing contest.

JoAnna Haugen, one of Matador’s associate editors, was just coming back from a Caribbean cruise (a prize for one contest) when she learned that she’d won another contest: Wanderlust and Lipstick’s Wanderwomen Write Contest.

The contest invited female writers to submit one or more non-fiction pieces in one of five categories: Adventure,
Family Fun, Food & Drink, Off the Beaten Path, or Spiritual. Entries were judged by freelance travel writers Vera Marie Badertscher, Harriet Baskas, Rosalind Cummings-Yeates, and Angela Nickerson.

Five other entrants were selected as category winners; JoAnna, though, was the grand prize winner, selected for her piece titled “Building a Family in Kenya.” The prize is a 12 day culture and spa tour of Vietnam, led by Buffalo Tours.

Congratulations, JoAnna! We look forward to reading the pieces you’ll write from Vietnam!

Community Connection:

Though the deadlines have passed, check out joshywashington’s 4 Travel Writing Contests You Should Enter Right Now to learn about organizations and publications that run annual contests.

Become a travel writer!

MatadorU is the most supportive, engaging, and innovative course for helping students accelerate their careers as travel writers and new media professionals. Join Us!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-associate-editor-wins-writing-contest/feed/ 18 http://matadorpulse.com/matadors-friday-photo-antigua-guatemala/ http://matadorpulse.com/matadors-friday-photo-antigua-guatemala/#comments Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:51:25 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1428 In a new series, we show off Matador members’ photos.

“I snapped this image while meandering through the streets of Antigua, Guatemala. I caught this group just after seranading a chica hermosa.”

Photo: Ashley Albright

Community Connection:

If you’d like your photo considered for our Friday Photo series, please visit the Matador photo pool on Flickr.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matadors-friday-photo-antigua-guatemala/feed/ 1 http://matadorpulse.com/matadoru-student-joannaline-c-young-hired-by-planeteye/ http://matadorpulse.com/matadoru-student-joannaline-c-young-hired-by-planeteye/#comments Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:18:39 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1422

Photo: Joannaline C. Young, Photo courtesy of Joannaline

Joannaline C. Young joins another MatadorU alum, Abbie Mood, as a PlanetEye expert.

We keep getting good news from our MatadorU graduates.

Joannaline Young of Los Angeles, California, recently informed the Matador team that she has been hired by online travel guide Planet Eye as their Los Angeles Local Expert. This paid travel writing gig involves sharing local insights with readers who are interested in planning a trip to Los Angeles.

Joannaline will be blogging at least three times a week about activities and eats in her favorite city.

And don’t expect the boring same-old, same-old sights: so far, Joannaline has covered LA’s Tattoo Expo and her favorite ice cream shop, Scoops. Caramel bacon ice cream, anyone?

Want to pick Joanna’s brain about LA sights? Check out her Local Expert profile on Planet Eye.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matadoru-student-joannaline-c-young-hired-by-planeteye/feed/ 7 http://matadorpulse.com/matt-kepnes-announces-costa-rica-trip-contest/ http://matadorpulse.com/matt-kepnes-announces-costa-rica-trip-contest/#comments Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:10:22 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1416

Ziplining is just one activity you can enjoy in Costa Rica. Photo: Carlos Luna

Matt Kepnes teams up with Gap Adventures to give away a two week trip to Costa Rica!

Everyone at Matador remembers his or her first travel abroad experience.

For Matt Kepnes, that memory involves a 2003 trip to Costa Rica with the company Gap Adventures. That trip stoked Matt’s passion for travel, and he wants to inspire someone else to hit the road.

To that end, Matt has teamed up with Gap to give away a two-week trip to Costa Rica for someone willing to be bitten by the travel bug.

You can enter the contest between now and February 14 for your chance to win the trip. You’ll need to submit a video or blog post detailing why you want to win and what you’d hope to get out of the trip. You’ll also need to confirm that you’re willing to blog and use social media during the trip to share your adventures with others.

Read the full contest details on Matt’s blog… and good luck!

Community Connection:

Want a preview of what to look forward to in Costa Rica? Check out MatadorTV’s Dos Viajeros, Music Video: Surfers in Costa Rica or Pimp My Jet? First Class Sleeping in Costa Rica’s 727 Jet Home.

Got questions about Costa Rica? We’ve got you covered! Check with Matador’s Costa Rica Destination Expert, Martin.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matt-kepnes-announces-costa-rica-trip-contest/feed/ 2 http://matadorpulse.com/full-length-version-of-the-recess-ends-doc-now-on-matadortv/ http://matadorpulse.com/full-length-version-of-the-recess-ends-doc-now-on-matadortv/#comments Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:12:50 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1412

Photos courtesy of Austin Chu

When he’s not moonlighting as one of Matador Goods’ gear reviewers, Austin Chu is promoting his full-length documentary, “The Recess Ends.”

You may already know about Austin Chu’s documentary, “The Recess Ends.” Some clips from the doc have been featured on MatadorLife, and several Matador members attended the premiere of the doc in San Francisco back in October.

If you weren’t among them, though, you now have a chance to watch the full-length doc on MatadorTV.

“The Recess Ends” documents the stories of Americans affected by the economic crisis, stories which Austin and his brother collected during a cross country road trip.

Matador Abroad co-editor Tim Patterson had the following to say about “The Recess Ends”:

“It is one of the best films about contemporary America that I’ve ever seen.”

High praise for two DIY-ers! We hope you’ll take time to watch “The Recess Ends” in what MatadorTV editor Joshywashington calls “all its 800 pixel glory” and let us know what you think!

Community Connection:

Are you interested in submitting your film to be shown on MatadorTV? Read the submission guidelines and show us what you’ve got!.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/full-length-version-of-the-recess-ends-doc-now-on-matadortv/feed/ 3 http://matadorpulse.com/matadorchange-adds-list-to-matadornetworks-twitter-account/ http://matadorpulse.com/matadorchange-adds-list-to-matadornetworks-twitter-account/#comments Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:31:22 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1404

Screenshot of the Change list.

@MatadorNetwork announces its first topic list on Twitter.

Back in October, Twitter announced a new function: lists. Twitter users could sort their followers into groups based on specific interests, making it easier to track tweets by topic.

As Josh Catone of Mashable observed, “Lists aren’t just static listings of users, but rather curated Twitter streams of the latest tweets from a specified set of users.”

Matador intern Abbie Mood has curated the Network’s first list (besides the Matador Team list), which is now available for viewing and sharing on our Twitter account.

The list– @MatadorNetwork/change– is a work-in-progress collection of people and organizations who are changing the world by building community and protecting the environment. There are some predictable folks in there, like New York Times’ Nick Kristof, and people we’re really excited about discovering, like Marianne Elliott, a human rights lawyer and peace activist who’s currently writing a memoir about her peacekeeping work in Afghanistan.

Are you following anyone on Twitter who should be added to our list? If so, please e-mail their Twitter handle to Abbie: abbie@matadornetwork.com.

And if you use Twitter and you haven’t used the List function yet, Mashable has a series of how-to and why-you-should articles dealing with the List function, including 10 Ways You Can Use Twitter Lists by Sarah Evans.

Community Connection:

Want to put some faces to the names of your favorite travel tweeps? Check out Tom Gates’ round up in Twelve #Travel Tweeps Twittering.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matadorchange-adds-list-to-matadornetworks-twitter-account/feed/ 0 http://matadorpulse.com/three-students-awarded-scholarships-for-matadoru-travel-writing-course/ http://matadorpulse.com/three-students-awarded-scholarships-for-matadoru-travel-writing-course/#comments Sat, 02 Jan 2010 02:06:22 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1400

Photo: infodad

What better way to celebrate the new year than helping aspiring writers achieve their goals?

When the Matador team began accepting applications for its MatadorU scholarship program, the plan was to award one scholarship to a deserving and ambitious student who dreamed of becoming a travel writer.

But after reading dozens of scholarship applications, we decided one scholarship just wasn’t enough.

Last week, we informed three aspiring writers they’d been selected as the first recipients of MatadorU scholarships. These scholarships provide full tuition to MatadorU’s 12 week travel writing course. What better way to celebrate the new year than helping students achieve their goals?

The recipients of the scholarships are:

Juan Pablo de Gamboa of Panama

Juan Pablo, who will be taking the course along with his wife, was an easy choice because he’s already living the Matador vision. Juan Pablo and his wife, who are Colombian, moved to Panama to start a new life together. That new life isn’t just about their partnership, though; it’s also about their professional vision for themselves:

“Now that I don´t have a job [Juan Pablo lost his job recently], well… there is no better moment to jump into life and see where it takes me and my beautiful wife! We went to Hawaii on our honey moon, and there we discovered that we are an amazing traveling couple, so there is your answer: We want to travel all around the world, all the time, and we want to get paid for doing so. We are a 30 /33 year old couple struggling against the system, we want to teach the world that traveling is possible, even if you don´t have the money to do so.”

Reeti Roy of India

Reeti, a 21 year old college student, was already familiar to the Matador team, as she has published several articles on the Network. Aware of her potential to grow even more as a travel writer, we didn’t hesitate in selecting Reeti as a scholarship recipient.

“As a travel writer, I hope to be able to depict real life incidents and to tell stories with as much zeal, passion, sensitivity and compassion as I can,” Reeti wrote in her application. We have no doubt she’ll do exactly that.

Mijan Celie Wilder of the United States

Mijan, a single mom, wrote in her application:

“I only want to write fiercely moving work. Something that can bring a reader uptown where they swear they can hear the lyricists as if they were actually with me on the train and sitting in the front row. Words and passages stronger than strong, that make eyes cry so hard they swell, and bellies laugh so intensely they need super strength adult diapers.”

We can’t wait to see what she does with her scholarship.

Welcome to MatadorU, Juan Pablo, Reeti, and Mijan!

Community Connection:

Looking to become a better writer or make the leap to professional freelancer?

MatadorU is the most supportive, engaging, and innovative community of students and teachers anywhere on the web. Together, we’re helping students accelerate their careers as travel writers and new media professionals. Join Us!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/three-students-awarded-scholarships-for-matadoru-travel-writing-course/feed/ 7 http://matadorpulse.com/twitter-attack-matadors-most-rtd-articles-in-2009/ http://matadorpulse.com/twitter-attack-matadors-most-rtd-articles-in-2009/#comments Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:24:45 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1395

Photo: Mykl Roventine

At least eight articles published on Matador this year were re-tweeted 100 or more times. Which one is your favorite?

More than one media outlet called 2009 “The Year of Twitter.”

Matador established a strong presence on the social networking platform early in the year, and grew its following to more than 9,000 people as of today, thanks to Twitter ninja Andy Hayes.

Twitter has been a vital way for Matador to connect with travelers, writers, and readers in 2009, and thanks to active tweeters, many of the articles we’ve published have helped generate thoughtful conversation and build community, which has been our goal since our founding.

Here are eight of the most re-tweeted articles on the Matador Network in 2009, presented in ascending order of the number of RTs:

1. Twitter Contest Giveaway: The Marmot Diva Pack: 100 RTs

When we launched a giveaway series on Matador Goods this summer, the Twitter-verse went wild with RTs from travelers eager to win free gear. The Marmot Diva Pack was an early promotion and a high performer, with 100 RTs.

2. Twitter Contest Giveaway: The Marmot Genesis Jacket: 106 RTs

Our readers seem to love Marmot gear! At 106 RTs, the Marmot Genesis Jacket was another popular giveaway among our Twitter friends.

3. 12 Places to Get Close to the Edge: 113 RTs

2009 also saw the launch of several photo essay series across the Matador Network. The popularity of 12 Places to Get Close to the Edge–with 113 RTs–seemed to suggest that our readers are seriously adventurous folks.

Not that we didn’t know that already.

4. 10 Words and Phrases We Never Want to See in Travel Writing Again: 121 RTs

The craft of writing isn’t dead!

Just before launching our travel writing school as the first course offering at MatadorU, the Matador editorial team provided some freebie writing tips for aspiring travel writers with our 10 Words and Phrases We Never Want to See in Travel Writing Again.

The editors were pleased to see this article get 121 RTs, and hope the advice we offered has led to less cliched travel writing.

5. What Can 150k Buy in Real Estate Around the World?: 224 RTs

What with the recession and all, everyone was looking for a deal in 2009, and senior editor David Miller generated 224 RTs with his article, What Can 150k Buy in Real Estate Around the World?

6. 5 Key Ingredients in the Search for Happiness: 224 RTs

Everyone wants to be happy, right? Matador Trips co-editor Carlo Alcos offered five insights about the variables that lead to true happiness in this article that was RT’d 224 times in 2009.

7. Intolerable Beauty: Chris Jordan Photographs American Mass Consumption: 404 RTs

Another photo essay, this one of Americans’ excessive consumption, fired up tweeters and got this piece re-tweeted 404 times. Commenters were torn between appreciation for Jordan’s observations about mass consumption and debating the validity of the claims suggested by his photographs.

8. The Most Alien Landscapes on Earth: 440 RTs

Matador Trips co-editor Hal Amen proved he was the master of the photo essay in 2009, but even he didn’t expect 440 RTs–or the wild debate that took off in the comments section–on this piece. The Most Alien Landscapes on Earth was Matador’s most re-tweeted article in 2009!

Community Connection:

Are you still resisting Twitter or totally clueless about what it is? Matador member Kevin Chan offers a simple primer in his post “How to Get More Traffic to Your Travel Blog Using Twitter.”

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/twitter-attack-matadors-most-rtd-articles-in-2009/feed/ 3 http://matadorpulse.com/nomadic-matt-kepnes-featured-in-nyts-frugal-traveler-blog/ http://matadorpulse.com/nomadic-matt-kepnes-featured-in-nyts-frugal-traveler-blog/#comments Fri, 25 Dec 2009 18:32:56 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1388 Matador U student, community member, contributor, and travel blogger Nomadic Matt Kepnes featured in NYT’s “Frugal Traveler” blog.

Looking for budget travel advice?

If so, it’s likely you already know about the “Frugal Traveler,” Matt Gross. Gross, of the New York Times, has a weekly column in the Sunday paper and a regularly updated blog that’s heavily trafficked by budget travelers looking for penny-pinching advice.

One of Matador’s own members, Matt Kepnes, was featured in Gross’ blog this week, and the column was so popular that it caused Kepnes’ web server to crash as 15,000+ readers clicked through to his site, Nomadic Matt.

In his interview with Gross, Kepnes shares tips gained from his own budget travels and talks about the topics covered in his most recent e-book: how to make money by launching your own travel blog.

Be sure to check out the full interview on the Frugal Traveler.

Community Connection:

If you’d like to read more from Matt, please read Matador U Student Contributor Nomadic Matt Releases New E-book.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/nomadic-matt-kepnes-featured-in-nyts-frugal-traveler-blog/feed/ 2 http://matadorpulse.com/last-day-to-win-matador-u-tuition-from-passports-with-purpose/ http://matadorpulse.com/last-day-to-win-matador-u-tuition-from-passports-with-purpose/#comments Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:30:28 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1383

You can learn how to write better than this. Photo: shareski

What are you waiting for? You’ve only got a few hours left to win MatadorU tuition from Passports with Purpose!

Today’s the last day to make your donation to Passports with Purpose, the travel blogger-organized raffle that’s raising funds to build a school in Cambodia.

As we announced a couple weeks ago, Matador donated one spot in MatadorU’s travel writing course as a Passports with Purpose prize. For just $10 USD, you can select MatadorU tuition as the prize you’d like to receive if you’re picked as a winner.

Full details are on Passports with Purpose’s website, but hurry! You only have a few more hours to make your donation and get in the running; the fundraiser ends tonight at 11:59PM PST.

Winners will be notified on January 5, 2010, and we’ll feature the winner of our prize here on Pulse.

Community Connection:

Passports with Purpose isn’t the only chance to win free tuition to MatadorU! Gadling is also giving away a spot in our travel writing school, and their contest closes today, too. The contest closes at 5:00 PM EST. Full details are here.

If you miss both of these opportunities, drop your family member or loved one a hint that you’d like the gift of the MatadorU travel writing course this holiday. Learn how in this article: Give the Gift of Matador This Holiday.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/last-day-to-win-matador-u-tuition-from-passports-with-purpose/feed/ 0 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-from-students-to-editorial-interns/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-from-students-to-editorial-interns/#comments Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:10:55 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1366

Photos left to right of Nancy, Abbie and Neha provided by the interns.

We’re always looking for talent in our community and in our school. And we never fail to find it.

Just a couple months after the launch of Matador U, more than 200 students have enrolled in our travel writing program.

Three of those students–Abbie Mood, Nancy Harder, and Neha Puntambekar–recently joined the Matador team as editorial interns.

Their active engagement in the U and their solid writing skills drew the attention of the editors, who invited the three women to put all the skills they were learning to practice both behind the scenes and front of house across the Matador Network.

In addition to publishing their writing on Matador, Abbie, Nancy, and Neha will be working on a number of special projects related to social media and community outreach.

To learn more about these exceptional students, you can visit their blogs: Miles of Abbie, Nancy the Gnomette, and The Flying Suitcase.

Community Connection:

Want your writing to get noticed?

Sign up for MatadorU and accelerate your career.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-from-students-to-editorial-interns/feed/ 12 http://matadorpulse.com/give-the-gift-of-matador-this-holiday/ http://matadorpulse.com/give-the-gift-of-matador-this-holiday/#comments Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:19:16 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1368

Photo: Ana Santos

Your favorite traveler doesn’t need more tchotchkes.

I always wait until the last minute to do holiday shopping… if I do any at all. Most years, the December holidays sneak up on me. Reluctant to give people stuff they don’t need and often unsure what they’d really like, even my closest family members and friends are unlikely to find anything under the Christmas tree from me.

If you’re a gift dunce like me, Matador may be able to help you out… at least for the travelers in your life.

This year, we’re offering lots of different gift ideas for the holiday season.

First up: tuition for Matador U’s travel writing course. If you’d like to give someone the gift of this 12-week professional travel writing class, you can purchase tuition for MatadorU right here.

And if you’d like Santa to consider giving *you* that gift, then we’ve set up a way for you to give your family and friends a not so subtle hint about that. Those details can be found on the gift request page.

In addition to the gift of the travel writing course, the Matador Store offers coffee/tea mugs, beer steins (oh yeah!) and shirts designed by Matador members. Check out the inventory here.

What are YOU hoping to get for the holidays? Leave the top item on your wish list in the comments!

Community Connection:

Looking for some more gift ideas? Check out our original Top 10 Last Minute Gifts for Your Favorite Traveler.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/give-the-gift-of-matador-this-holiday/feed/ 2 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-student-contributor-nomadic-matt-releases-new-e-book/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-student-contributor-nomadic-matt-releases-new-e-book/#comments Sat, 12 Dec 2009 04:02:39 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1363

Matt Kepnes

Matt Kepnes–or “Nomadic Matt” to travel blog readers–releases a new e-book.

Matt Kepnes is the man behind the popular travel blog, Nomadic Matt. He’s also the author of the e-book, Make Money With Your Blog and, most recently, How to Build a Travel Blog.

I caught up with him–no small feat–via e-mail as he transited between Thailand and New Zealand to ask him about the new book:

How many copies of your first e-book have you sold so far?

I have sold 15 copies of this book at the price of $4.00 but sales of my Make Money Travel Blogging book have shot up this month now that both books are bundled together. So far this month, I have sold 30 copies of the bundled set.

What motivated you to write this second book?

I was motivated to write this because I received so many e-mails after the first e-book; many buyers were e-mailing me questions on basic site design, themes, plugins, linking, domain names, and hosting companies. This new e-book puts it all together from start to finish.

This e-book is really meant to help people reduce the learning curve. It’s not the most definitive book out there, but its goal is to get people from no website to a working one without scratching their heads. That’s why I include a lot of graphics and screen shots to walk people through the website building process. I want to take the trial and error that I went through out of the equation so people can have a fully working site within a week or two.

Where can people buy your e-books?

They can buy the book on Nomadic Matt or they can buy both my old e-book as well as this one here.

Any plans for future books?

After the first of the year, I plan on releasing an e-book on teaching English overseas. But after that, I don’t have anymore planned.

Community Connection:

Do you want to become a travel writer?

Sign up for MatadorU and accelerate your career.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-student-contributor-nomadic-matt-releases-new-e-book/feed/ 3 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-writers-in-running-for-hawaii-writers-residency/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-writers-in-running-for-hawaii-writers-residency/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:18:04 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1360

Photo: jparise

Trazzler’s latest contest is a doozy: a $7,000 trip for two or a $6,000 writer’s residency in Hawaii.

Matador member Mike Lynch sent out a surprised e-mail last night, noting that he’d made it into round two of Trazzler’s latest writing contest.

Mike’s entry is just one of several from Matador members and contributors.

Are you one of them?

Leave the URL to your entry in the comments and tell us which of the Trazzler prizes you’re jonesing for.

If you’re NOT in the running, consider popping over to Trazzler and lending your vote in support of the Matador community!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-writers-in-running-for-hawaii-writers-residency/feed/ 6 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-student-lands-gig-as-salt-lake-city-local-expert-for-nile-guide/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-student-lands-gig-as-salt-lake-city-local-expert-for-nile-guide/#comments Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:30:17 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1354

Amiee Maxwell

You couldn’t have a better guide to Salt Lake City.

When Amiee Maxwell joined Matador U and introduced herself to her peers, the Matador team knew there was something special about her:

“Hi everyone – I am Amiee and I totally understand how difficult it is to come home and write after a full work day. That is why I ditched my totally secure job, minimized my expenses, and saved a ton of cash to head on out to try and live some version of my dream.

I honestly have no idea what I am doing and that is why I signed up for this course. It was too hard for me to whole-heartedly pursue writing while working full-time and I figured that quitting my job would give me the time (and pressure) to succeed – hopefully before all my savings disappears.”

Amiee set up her blog, secured a location-independent internship with Trail Runner Magazine, and jumped headlong into the U’s travel writing course. She’s also joining the Matador team as an intern for Matador Sports.

Then, she landed a writing gig with Nile Guide as their Salt Lake City expert.

I asked Amiee a few questions via e-mail about ditching the cubicle and visiting Salt Lake City:

Give us your personal elevator speech.
I had considered quitting my job for quite awhile so I saved up some cash and seriously minimized my expenses. After scoring an internship with Trail Runner , I decided to leave the job and dedicate myself to learning everything I could about publishing and commit to writing full-time.

I had been dabbling with writing for a few years and eventually that desire to get out and explore rather than read about the lives of those doing it became so overwhelming I just had to try it.

Are you from SLC?
I have spent the last 8 years in Utah. I grew up in Wisconsin and after graduating college headed to Salt Lake City for some of Utah’s famed snow.

“I had been dabbling with writing for a few years and eventually that desire to get out and explore rather than read about the lives of those doing it became so overwhelming I just had to try it.”

Sell us on SLC.
Salt Lake City is a surprising liberal haven in an otherwise conservative state.

Although the city is still dominated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), religion has recently taken a backseat to a burgeoning arts and film scene, great food and nightlife, and some of the best outdoor recreation in the country.

Visitors flock to Salt Lake City in winter to ski on the greatest snow on Earth and are soon captivated by the city’s quirky politics, the absolute stunning beauty of the Wasatch Mountains, and the seemingly endless recreational opportunities that surround the entire city.

What’s the biggest misconception of SLC?
Membership cards are no longer necessary to get into a bar in Salt Lake City. Utah eliminated their “private club” laws July of this year, making bar hopping now possible in Salt Lake City.

What are three of your favorite places/activities in SLC?

Squatters Brewpub – Downtown brewery featuring tasty microbrews and foods from locally produced ingredients

Alta Ski Area – Skier only resort with a wide variety of terrain, killer snow, and dedicated ski bum community

The Front Climbing Club – Indoor rock climbing gym that acts as the hub for Salt Lake City’s climbing community.

If you want more Salt Lake City advice, be sure to check out Amiee’s Salt Lake City guide on Nile Guide.

Community Connection:

Want to read more of Amiee’s writing?

A Dirtbagger’s Guide to the American West

Do you want to leave the cubicle behind and write full time?

Sign up for MatadorU and accelerate your career.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-student-lands-gig-as-salt-lake-city-local-expert-for-nile-guide/feed/ 9 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-kicks-off-fundraising-campaign-to-support-student-travel-scholarships/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-kicks-off-fundraising-campaign-to-support-student-travel-scholarships/#comments Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:26:23 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1350

Photo: kretyen

Remember your first travel abroad experience? Pay it forward.

When I was a 15 year old high school student I won a scholarship to study Spanish anywhere in the world.

It was my first experience traveling abroad, and that summer in Costa Rica remains one of the most formative experiences of my life. I survived a couple earthquakes, crossed the country on chicken buses with little clue about where I was headed, and learned that cold water showers are a no-fail way to promote water conservation.

Your story’s different, but I’m willing to bet that your first travel abroad experience was no less of a watershed moment for you than mine was for me. And perhaps you feel, as I do, that you’d like to find a way to help someone else experience a similar sense of discovery, wonder, and transformation.

Well, you can.

Last year, Matador launched the Brave New Travelers Youth Scholarship Fund, created by Matador co-founder, Ben Polansky. We raised enough money to send 11 inner city students on their first trips abroad this past summer. Among the countries the students visited were Nicaragua, New Zealand, and Cambodia. Each student expanded their comfort zone by living abroad for six weeks, immersing themselves in local cultures with the help of the educational tourism organizations, Where There Be Dragons, Global Glimpse, and AFS.

Their trips were possible because members of the Matador community donated generously to the scholarship fund.

This year, our goals are even more ambitious: raise $20,000 to send as many as 15 students abroad. We’re kicking off our fundraising campaign this month and will be actively seeking contributions to the scholarship fund until February. So far, we’ve raised a bit more than 10% of our goal.

We’d love it if you’d pay your first travel abroad experience forward by participating in the campaign. Donations can be as little as $1.00 and as much as… well, the sky’s the limit!

Complete details about the program and how you can get involved are on our Brave New Travelers Youth Scholarship Fund page.

Community Connections:

Travel changes lives.

Read past scholarship recipients’ stories about their first travel abroad experiences:

Be Bigger Than the Ignorance

My First Time Away From Home

It Was Me Who Had Changed

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-kicks-off-fundraising-campaign-to-support-student-travel-scholarships/feed/ 4 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-participates-in-passports-with-purpose/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-participates-in-passports-with-purpose/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:26:13 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1344

Photo: Charles Chan

We want to help build a school in Cambodia!

Last year, a few Seattle-based travel bloggers decided they wanted to leverage the power of their collective networks to launch a holiday fundraising drive.

But there was nothing ordinary about their project, which they named Passports with Purpose.

Beth Whitman, Debbie Dubrow, Michelle Duffy, and Pam Mandel asked travel bloggers to pitch in with prizes, promotion, and donations. People bought $10 raffle tickets for the chance to win the donated prizes. All of the raffle ticket money went to support the work of Heifer International.

The first year of Passports with Purpose raised $7,400. This year, the organizers set a goal of raising $13,000. That is the amount of money needed to build a school in Cambodia through the organization, American Assistance for Cambodia.

Last year, Matador donated a prize pack full of travel writing books and Matador gear. This year, we’re donating free tuition to our travel writing school, Matador U. This prize is worth $350.00.

Read all about Passports with Purpose and make your donation here.

Community Connection:

Over on Matador Change, writer Carina Port has put together a guide to Gifts That Give Back.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-participates-in-passports-with-purpose/feed/ 6 http://matadorpulse.com/meet-a-matador-team-member-andy-hayes/ http://matadorpulse.com/meet-a-matador-team-member-andy-hayes/#comments Sat, 28 Nov 2009 02:46:19 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1337

Matador’s Twitter Ninja, Andy Hayes

Do you know the names behind Matador’s blogs? In this new series, we’ll introduce you to the people who keep the Matador machine humming.

Andy Hayes knows that building relationships isn’t just about numbers. It’s about starting and keeping up a conversation.

Name:

Andy Hayes

Role at Matador:

Twitter Ninja and Social Media Outreach. Behind the wheels at @MatadorNetwork

How You Found Matador:

When I started in travel writing in 2007, I asked around for what were the highest quality travel content sites on the web. Matador seemed to keep coming up regularly, and I liked what I saw. It’s been in my RSS reader ever since.

How You Got Brought on Board as a Team Member:

As I mentioned in my review of MatadorU, (we have a travel writing program, did you hear?) I was working on a piece with Julie Schwietert before the most recent re-structure of the team and blog structure. They didn’t want my article anymore. Instead of throwing a tantrum at all the time lost, I just sent a replying saying “sorry to hear it” type thing and that I’d be interested if anything else came up that might fit.

Because I wasn’t a jerk about it, Julie actually recommended me for the Twitter Ninja role. And nearly 9,000 followers later….

Where Do You Live:

Edinburgh, Scotland

Your Next Trip:

I wish I knew. I’ll definitely be spending some time in the US as I am attending South By South West, so hoping to check out New Orleans and visit a dear friend in Los Angeles. In between I hope to make a stop in Southeast Asia, but I’m still trying to find a good deal.

What You Do When You’re Not Working on Matador Stuff:

I can’t tell you how many people are worried that I never spend any time away from Twitter. (It is a dangerous problem, I do admit. )

But I have two key businesses that keep me very, very busy. Like, a little crazy-what-the-hell busy:

Travel Online Partners – a resource for small businesses in travel and tourism to get help with online technology. We help these small companies make BIG ideas happen. Isn’t that cool?

Sharing Travel Experiences – formerly my travel solo travel blog which has exploded into a whole multi-author website full of travel goodness, like our travel concierge. Way cool, but not quite as cool as Matador. But close.

A Favorite Travel Memory:

My favourite has to be New Zealand. Always. I spent nearly a month on the South Island and it was absolute bliss. I started with the Abel Tasman National Park coastal trail and spent days rarely seeing a human.

If you need some digital detox, that’s where you should head. But the quirky fun of Queenstown, the breathtaking scenery of Fjordland, the glaciers of Fox Village, and the glowing waters and stars at night in Lake Tekapo. I could go on all day….

Oh, wait – did I tell you about my not-so-secret love affair with Melbourne…?

Community Connection:

Have you met other members of the Matador tribe?

Meet a Matador Editor: Carlo Alcos
Meet a Matador Editor: Lola Akinmade
Meet a Matador Editor: Julie Schwietert Collazo

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/meet-a-matador-team-member-andy-hayes/feed/ 11 http://matadorpulse.com/meet-a-matador-editor-lola-akinmade/ http://matadorpulse.com/meet-a-matador-editor-lola-akinmade/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:05:10 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1307

Matador Goods editor, Lola Akinmade; Photos courtesy of Lola Akinmade

Do you know the names behind Matador’s blogs? In this new series, we’ll introduce you to the people who keep the Matador machine humming.

After resigning from a cushy 10+ year job as a System Architect and 14+ years in the GIS industry Lola Akinmade takes a few minutes to tell us about herself.

Name:

Lola Akinmade

Side note: My full first name is 15 letters long.

Role at Matador:

Editor of Matador Goods

How You Found Matador:

Back in 2007, I was searching for online travel communities and resources to help me plan a round-the-world trip. Stumbled across Matador Travel through a Google search and was instantly hooked.

I’d begun planning a RTW trip that same year and the trip was to commence in 2009, but life had other, more important plans.

How You Got Brought on Board as an Editor:

After milling around the community for awhile including writing two articles for Matador Traverse, I was interested in writing an article for Matador Goods to review the Keen Womens Targhee II hiking boots which helped me through the Inca trail without a single blister.

I sent CEO and founder, Ross Borden an email. Ross’ response was, “Your timing is great, actually. Would you like to help me with the gear blog?”

And that was it.

Other Projects You’re Working On For Matador:

There are tons of exciting projects in the works, most notably our Travel Photography course which I’m working on with Matador contributing editor and photographer extraordinaire, Paul Sullivan.

Can’t divulge too much right now.

I’m also on the lookout for travels, authors, photographers, filmmakers, and all around cool people to feature on our popular, What’s In Your Backpack? series.

Where You Live:

Currently splitting time between Stockholm, Sweden and the Washington, D.C./Baltimore area.

Your Next Trip:

Shifting base again to Stockholm this December and maybe a trip to Morocco in January. Also traveling up to Northern Sweden not too far from the Arctic circle. Fun times.

What You Do When You’re Not Working on Matador Stuff:

I write for a variety of travel publications and try to do as much photojournalism work as I can. I recently launched three projects:

Lemurworks – which is my official company that provides GIS consulting and programming/development services.

Art By Lola – which features some of my oil paintings and past exhibitions. I took a hiatus in 2009 to focus on travel writing and photography, but will be back on the canvas in 2010.

Office Supplies, The Comic – my comic strip centered around office supplies and their take on life. This comic strip is certainly my baby and labor of love project.

I truly love photojournalism work with NGOs and will be looking for more assignments and opportunities to collect impressions and document field projects in 2010. (hint. hint.)

A Favorite Travel Memory:

Pushing a van stuck in mud deep within the remote jungles of Fiji. Those weeks I spent with my fellow volunteers on the island were surreal.

Community Connection:

Want to read more from Lola? Here are two of my favorites:

The Most Valuable Thing You Can Pack on the Journey

5 Essential Tips for the Budding Travel Photographer

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/meet-a-matador-editor-lola-akinmade/feed/ 30 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-meets-the-new-york-times-the-sunday-telegraph/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-meets-the-new-york-times-the-sunday-telegraph/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:34:47 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1286

At Matador, we pride ourselves on keeping ourselves and our writing real.

As senior editor David Miller wrote yesterday in “Travel Writing as Punk Rock: 15 Vital Matador Narratives,” “Over the last three years, Matador contributors have continued to progress in their styles and abilities as travel writers outside of any pre-established ‘hierarchy’ or need for approval.”

We keep writing and living in a way that’s true to our experiences–not forcing our narratives into genre du jour– and though there’s not a “need for approval,” it sure is nice when our commitment to keeping it real is validated.

So we were stoked to learn yesterday that three Matador writers have been featured in the mainstream media over the past week.

First up: new contributor Benita Hussain, whose first article, “Discovering Kindness in Denmark’s ‘Cold Hawaii’,” was published on Matador Sports last week, was featured in an article in The Sunday Telegraph. The article explains how Benita left her unsatisfying career as a lawyer to travel the world and blog about it. What could be more Matadorian?

The second mention was of another Matador member following her heart wherever it leads her– Misty Tosh. Long time readers will be familiar with Misty, who has written for Matador about her first-hand experience renovating a vintage travel trailer and hauling it around Mexico, starting up an NGO in Indonesia, and rehabbing an old sailboat.

Misty was featured in this article by “frugal traveler” Matt Gross of The New York Times. Maybe Matt will tag along with Misty if she ever does another trek up the volcanic Mt. Rinjani.

Final kudos go to Matador Nights co-editor Tom Gates, who deserves more than a media nod for his ability to endure some of the world’s most repulsive foods. But until he receives a medal or some other accolade, we’ll celebrate his mention in this NY Times travel blog entry, which gives a lengthy treatment of Tom’s recent piece on The Five Worst Pizzas in the World.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-meets-the-new-york-times-the-sunday-telegraph/feed/ 6 http://matadorpulse.com/meet-a-matador-editor-carlo-alcos/ http://matadorpulse.com/meet-a-matador-editor-carlo-alcos/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:47:52 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1262

Matador Trips co-editor, Carlo Alcos; Photos courtesy of Carlo Alcos

Do you know the names behind Matador’s blogs? In this new series, we’ll introduce you to the people who keep the Matador machine humming.

After recovering from two weekends spent re-flooring his campervan, Carlo Alcos takes a few minutes to tell us about himself.

Name:

Carlo Alcos

Role at Matador:

Co-editor of Matador Trips

Photo courtesy of Carlo Alcos

How You Found Matador:

I can’t recall exactly how I stumbled on Brave New Traveler, but that is the site that led me to Matador as the two had freshly merged. Specifically, it was Daniel Harbecke’s article Budget Travelers are Hippie Scum (try NOT to click on that link). It remains one of my all-time fave pieces on the network.

How You Got Brought on Board as an Editor:

I’d contributed a few articles across the network and was very active in the Community. I interacted with Matador members, read their blogs, commented on them, posted forum topics, and also read and commented on articles across the Matador network.

You’d have to ask the senior eds to verify this, but I think my involvement with Matador and the fact that the articles I submitted didn’t need much revising were key reasons why I was approached to join the team.

Where You Live:

Melbourne, Australia…for now.

Your Next Trip:

A 5-6 week cycling trip in Cuba — the inspiration started with this interview…Freewheeling: Lynette Chiang’s Two Wheel Journey from Cubicles to Cuba.

What You Do When You’re Not Working on Matador Stuff:

Besides holding down a 9-5 (I’m trying to quit…honest), I am currently in deep preparations and plans for leaving Melbourne in January 2010. My wife and I have about half a year planned; after that, it will be played by ear.

We’re working on a campervan conversion to tour Australia down the road: I Am S.A.M. the Van. I’ve just started my personal blog at carlo-alcos.com and I’m also working on a new website, which will hopefully be launched before the new year!

A Favorite Travel Memory:

Here are two: skinny dipping in Lake Baikal in October and getting beaten with a besom in a Russian banya in Petrozavodsk.

Community Connection:

Want to read more from Carlo? Here are two of my favorites:

Hostel on Wheels: The Coolest Campers Around

A Budget Traveler’s Guide to Wedding Planning: 9 Useful Tips

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/meet-a-matador-editor-carlo-alcos/feed/ 18 http://matadorpulse.com/anna-brones-launches-a-social-media-start-up/ http://matadorpulse.com/anna-brones-launches-a-social-media-start-up/#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:32:23 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1275

Anna Brones (l) and Emily Nuchols (r); Photo courtesy of Anna Brones

Anna Brones has been a Matador member since its own start-up days.

As senior editor at WEND Magazine, Anna forged a special relationship between WEND and Matador, recognizing that the core audiences of both publications were people who were living adventures by passionately pursuing their dreams.

Now, Anna’s jumped the WEND ship to set out on her own adventure: launching Under Solen, a social media start-up company, with her business partner, Emily Nuchols. Emily, by the way, is also a Matador member.

Over e-mail, the three of us talked about Under Solen, travel, Scandinavia, and whether they’re crazy to start a business in this economy:

What was the impetus for you and Emily to start Under Solen Media?

Emily and I have both been working in the outdoor industry for the past few years, she in the non-profit world and I in publishing. Because social media had been a large part of both of our jobs, we saw that there was definitely a niche in the outdoor industry that wasn’t being filled. The Internet and new media have changed the way companies, organizations and individuals brand themselves, and so much of marketing is about connecting with a message or a cause.

We want to provide the tools to bring these people together to push these messages out in the most interactive, dynamic way possible. In a day and age where a brand can offer a technical, do-it-all waterproof jacket, which company are you going to buy from: the one that listens to you as a consumer, supports worthy causes, and is committed to a certain set of ideals, or the one that simply markets their latest sales offers?

“How can you not be inspired to get out and explore?”

What does the name mean?

Under Solen means “under the sun” in Swedish. Emily and I first bonded over our Scandinavian heritage, so we figured it was only appropriate to choose something that related to that. And since we’re working with folks who love the outdoors…

Will this job allow you to be location independent?

Definitely! We believe in doing business a bit different than usual and that means traveling, exploring, and getting out the message of our clients on the ground. Plus, when you’re constantly working with a bunch of crazy cool adventurers and causes, how can you not be inspired to get out and explore? That being said, Portland is an excellent place to be based, both for the brands that are headquartered here, the general ethos and the number of amazing people.

Who are your ideal clients?

We started this business because we want to work with people who are driven to make positive change in this world and really get their message out. Since Anna and I are steeped in the outdoor industry, we haven’t had to look far. We are stoked to be connecting with people who are passionate about their causes — be they businesses, advocates, or adventurers.

What do you expect a typical work day to look like?

Every day begins with coffee. Swedes LOVE their coffee But seriously, we spend the majority of our time connecting with people — online, on social networks, on the phone, or in our own backyard. We obviously spend a lot of time in front of our MacBooks writing blog posts, streaming content from our clients through social media channels, and promoting our clients.

But Anna and I do things differently and that means a lot of travel and adventure — that could mean jetting off to Brazil to meet up with one of our expedition teams or hitting the trail for a run to mull over a new project.

Your future office?; Photo: mike baird

No one starts a business in a recession. Are you nuts?

Honestly, we didn’t think twice about taking the leap. Some people say that the people we work with are nuts — paddling first-descents on the most remote and dangerous rivers of the world, traveling for months in search of the perfect photo, or going head-to-head with the U.S. government to remove dams…. Well, we’re just proud to call these folks our partners.

We have an amazing group of folks who encouraged us from the very beginning. And we have the connections, energy and passion to succeed and we think that is exactly what is needed to jumpstart a flagging economy. How could we not dive in?

Community Connection:

Planning a trip to the Caribbean? Anna is also Matador’s Guadeloupe expert, and she’d be happy to answer your pre-trip questions.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/anna-brones-launches-a-social-media-start-up/feed/ 12 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-to-offer-travel-photography-course-in-2010/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-to-offer-travel-photography-course-in-2010/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:49:59 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1270

Picture yourself here. Photo: nattu

We told you we had big plans!

Last month, when we announced the creation of the Matador Flickr pool (which, by the way, now has more than 80 members and more than 700 incredible photos!), we alluded to some big plans we’d soon be unveiling for photographers.

[Insert virtual drumroll here.]

Matador U, Matador’s travel writing school, will be expanding its course offerings in the first quarter of 2010 with the launch of a travel photography course.

Working in collaboration with some of the world’s best known travel photographers, the course has been developed by our in-house editors and professional travel photographers Lola Akinmade and Paul Sullivan. Between them, Lola and Paul have had their photography featured in Vogue, CITY Magazine, and Time Out and Hedonist’s guide book series, among others.

More details about the course will be announced here as the launch date nears. In the meantime, we invite you to download our FREE report, 15 Publications That Pay for Travel Photography to get you excited about the program.

Want to be a successful travel photographer?

Grab Matador’s Free Report 15 Publications That Pay
For Travel Photography and kickstart your new career!

Community Connection:

We’re always interested in featuring Matador members’ exceptional photos in our photo essays. If you’d like to see your photos published on Matador Trips, please contact Trips’ editors, Hal Amen and Carlo Alcos: hal@matadornetwork.com and carlo@matadornetwork.com.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-to-offer-travel-photography-course-in-2010/feed/ 8 http://matadorpulse.com/michelle-schusterman-promoted-to-associate-editor/ http://matadorpulse.com/michelle-schusterman-promoted-to-associate-editor/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:51:49 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1257

Intern-turned-editor, Michelle Schusterman.

Matador Goods’ intern is promoted to associate editor.

If we’re looking for talent and skill, we’re likely to find it right under our noses.

Almost all of the Matador editors were brought on board after their Matador Travel blogs were noticed by Matador staff. Whenever possible, we scout talent from within our own community, filling open positions with people who are already channeling the Matador vibe.

This week, we’re pleased to announce that Michelle Schusterman has been promoted to associate editor after serving as intern with Matador Goods since May.

Michelle is a musician, long-term traveler, and freelance writer who has been focusing on writing gear and tech reviews for Matador Goods.

In her new position, she will continue working closely with Goods editor Lola Akinmade to research and write gear-related articles that are relevant to travelers.

Have a tip for Michelle or a special request about a product you’d like to see reviewed on Goods? You can reach her via e-mail: michelle@matadornetwork.com.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/michelle-schusterman-promoted-to-associate-editor/feed/ 25 http://matadorpulse.com/now-showing-matador-tv/ http://matadorpulse.com/now-showing-matador-tv/#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:41:03 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1259

Matador member Grady, a documentary filmmaker

MatadorTV brings existing and original travel video content together in a single place.

Since its founding in 2006, Matador has always been dedicated to publishing the best travel writing online. As our community of travelers has grown, though, we’ve realized that not every story is told with words. Matador is also home to thousands of talented photographers and filmmakers.

Which is why we’re launching MatadorTV.

While there’s tons of incredible travel video on the Web that makes us want to get offline and go exploring, there hasn’t been a single place where all of this material has come together to be showcased. That’s what we’re building with MatadorTV.

MatadorTV will be headed up by editor Joshua Johnson, who will scour the Internet for the best travel video online. In addition to curating existing work, he’ll be working with freelance video producers and filmmakers to create original content.

Sound interesting to you? If you’re stoked about doing a film project at home or on the road, we want to hear from you. Read our contributor guidelines here, then hit us up with your best travel video.

And if you’re not handy with the camera, pop on over to MatadorTV to enjoy the collection of videos we’ve already put together for you.

Community Connection:

Want to perfect your filmmaking skills? Check out our archive of travel video tips here.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/now-showing-matador-tv/feed/ 12 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-announces-two-new-associate-editors/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-announces-two-new-associate-editors/#comments Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:11:05 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1254

Photo: dbdrobot

Matador just keeps growing!

Little did Ross Borden and Ben Polansky know when they launched Matador in October 2006 that they’d have a staff of more than 30 employees and interns just three years later.

Every day, Matador staff fire up our computers in New York, San Francisco, Mammoth Lakes, Vancouver, Oaxaca, Melbourne, Berlin, Buenos Aires, and points in between to bring you sweet, relevant writing about travel and life on our network of 10 blogs. Working across almost every time zone, we exchange as many as 100 emails a day (102 today at my last count), read a dozen or more submissions each day, moderate comments, plan contests, search through the community for new talent, and respond to readers’ and travelers’ questions.

It’s a big job, one that’s got to be shared among a few dozen brains, hearts, and hands.

We’re stoked to announce that two new folks have joined the Matador team. Candice Walsh and JoAnna Haugen, both students in Matador’s travel writing school, Matador U, have come on board as associate editors. They’ll be working with the team to identify timely story ideas and to continue our tradition of producing the best travel writing online.

Candice and JoAnna each bring a unique voice and set of experiences to the team. Candice will put good time experts Kate Sedgwick and Tom Gates, editors of Matador Nights, to the test. She’s already written a couple articles across the Network, sharing a voice that’s authentic, believable, and always funny.

JoAnna, who’s currently on a press trip in Honduras, is a former Peace Corps member who recently took the plunge into full-time freelance writing. She also embodies the Matador vibe– if you haven’t already read about the fund she set up for Peruvian porters who lead treks to Machu Picchu, you should definitely check that out here.

We welcome both to the team!

Community Connection:

Are you interested in working for Matador? Keep your eyes on our job listings.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-announces-two-new-associate-editors/feed/ 21 http://matadorpulse.com/dominica-contest-winner-announced/ http://matadorpulse.com/dominica-contest-winner-announced/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:28:00 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1251

Mei-Ling McNamara

And we have a winner!

Back in August, we launched the Discover Dominica contest, inviting Matador readers to submit a photo related to the exploration of Mother Nature for a chance to win a trip for two to the Caribbean island of Dominica.

After reviewing hundreds of entries, moderating dozens of comments, and learning a lot about how we can run contests better, the Matador team has selected a winner: Mei-Ling McNamara.

Mei-Ling is a is a writer, advocacy journalist, and international development worker who is currently authoring a new travel guidebook to Senegal with Bradt Travel Guides. She’s also an extraordinary photographer who has documented plenty of outdoor adventure on her travels.

Thanks to everyone who entered, and congratulations to Mei-Ling!

Community Connection:

Are you looking for a chance to win? Matador sponsors regular contests for gear, photographs, trips, and books. Find out about current contests here.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/dominica-contest-winner-announced/feed/ 9 http://matadorpulse.com/matadorians-halloween-finery-caught-on-film/ http://matadorpulse.com/matadorians-halloween-finery-caught-on-film/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:14:17 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1244 You sent in photos from Germany, Canada, and points in between.

Here are three of our favorites:

Matador Nights co-editor Tom Gates on Halloween in Berlin: “It’s not me but I just love the whole family thing. Even Satan needs to refuel on some fries and currywurst.” Photo: Tom Gates

Candice Walsh dresses up as every child of the 1980’s favorite traveler: “This photo is me dressed as the lovely globetrottin’ Carmen Sandiego. I spent the night on George Street, which hosts its annual Mardi Gras celebration every Halloween, with a huge costume contest on the street.” Photo courtesy of Candice Walsh

Sydney-based Larissa de Villa, dressed as Luigi from Super Mario Brothers.

Community Connection:

Missed our call for costumes? Add your Halloween photos to Matador’s Flickr pool!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matadorians-halloween-finery-caught-on-film/feed/ 0 http://matadorpulse.com/call-for-halloween-photos/ http://matadorpulse.com/call-for-halloween-photos/#comments Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:58:52 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1240

Photo: senor codo

Matador contributor Daniel Harbecke wonders how brave new travelers dress for Halloween. So we decided to ask for your photos.

Where were you on Halloween night?

And what were you?

Send some snaps of you in costume by noon EST on November 1 to julie@matadornetwork.com. We’ll feature our favorite photos in a quick photo essay roundup, which will be published on Sunday afternoon. Be sure to include a caption that tells us:

-where you were;
-what you were;
-what you were doing.

Photos should be at least 600×400 pixels.

Community Connection:

Don’t miss Kate Sedgwick’s photo essay of animals in Halloween costume!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/call-for-halloween-photos/feed/ 0 http://matadorpulse.com/joanna-haugen-co-founds-fund-for-machu-picchu-porters/ http://matadorpulse.com/joanna-haugen-co-founds-fund-for-machu-picchu-porters/#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:25:17 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1229

Porters of Machu Picchu, Photo by Lola Akinmade

Plenty of people haven’t seen their own country’s most famous sites.

Americans who haven’t seen the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone. Mexicans who have never been to Chichen Itza. Egyptians who’ve never cast their eyes upon the Sphinx.

It’s one thing to choose not to visit these places. It’s another entirely when your job involves ferrying travelers to the edge of these wonders but never being able to cast your own eyes upon them.

Such is the case in Peru, where porters carry 55 pound packs of travelers’ gear right to the edge–but not within viewing distance–of Machu Picchu before turning around and catching a train to Cusco to start the trek all over again. “[V]ery few porters [can] ever actually visit Machu Picchu,” wrote JoAnna Haugen, adding, “[It] hits a nerve. Global travelers can probably name countless times they’ve met local people who have never experienced the things that draw travelers to a country.”

And she wanted to do something about it… at least in Peru.

Collaborating with Julio Tello, the founder of the tour outfit Karikuy, Haugen co-founded the Karikuy-Haugen Fund, which is raising money to pay`for porters to visit Machu Picchu.

Read more about the fund and learn how you can support the project here.

Community Connection:

Headed to Machu Picchu? Matador Trips co-editor Hal Amen tells you how to visit on the cheap.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/joanna-haugen-co-founds-fund-for-machu-picchu-porters/feed/ 9 http://matadorpulse.com/blog-to-follow-taxi-gourmet/ http://matadorpulse.com/blog-to-follow-taxi-gourmet/#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:01:36 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1216

Matador managing editor Julie Schwietert eating in Oaxaca. Photos: Francisco Collazo

We’ve featured Layne Mosler before on Matador. But if you’re not keeping up with her blog, you should add it to your reader. Now.

The Matador editorial tribe is a diverse group of folks, but if there’s one thing we share (besides our love of travel), it’s a love of food. Whether we’re sampling mole in Oaxaca, indulging in Korean tteok in Mexico City, or subjecting ourselves to a tour of the world’s worst pizzas, followed by a full day of binge eating in Berlin, we’re as alert for our next meal as we are for the next adventure.

That’s why we love to hear about other travelers’ favorite food moments.

Matador member Layne Mosler has lots of them… so many, in fact, that she documents them in close detail on her blog, Taxi Gourmet.

Mosler’s mode of travel revolves around food: wherever she goes, she hops into a taxi, asks the driver to take her to his or her favorite restaurant, and then narrates the ride, the meal, and the cultural/political/historical context of the whole experience on Taxi Gourmet.

More than a “Look at what I ate today!” post, Mosler’s writing offers a thoughtful, often funny and often poignant look at cab drivers’ lives. Her writing is so good, in fact, that she’s been featured in The Economist, The Guardian, and The Washington Post, among other international magazines and newspapers.

For the past three years, Mosler’s posts have mapped the culinary landscape of Buenos Aires, but in June of this year, Mosler returned to the US to settle down in New York… and become a cab driver herself.

You can follow her quest to secure a coveted taxi driver’s license–and her ongoing adventures at the table–at Taxi Gourmet. Taxi Gourmet also features loads of useful information for food lovers on the move, including a list of her favorite food blogs, as well as links to cabbie resources in the US and elsewhere.

Community Connection:

Headed to Asia? Check out our 5 favorite Asian food blogs before you go.
What are your favorite food and travel blogs? Share links in the comments below.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/blog-to-follow-taxi-gourmet/feed/ 0 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-launches-yoga-meditation-social-network/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-launches-yoga-meditation-social-network/#comments Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:05:50 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1179 “Kunga is the kinyarwandan word for ’service.’ And I thought the word ‘Kungaroo’ sounded super nifty since it’s aimed towards globe ‘hoppers.’”

Nancy Harder

So what is Kungaroo?

According to its founder, Nancy Harder, Kungaroo is a online social network intended to help travelers who practice yoga or meditation to make connections with like-minded folks during their journeys.

She says:

“My intention for this network is that those on their respective spiritual journeys will find oneness and connection through reaching out to others in their communities and abroad. As I’ve traveled around the globe and utilized other networks like couchsurfing , I’ve often wished I could reach out to others practicing yoga or meditation.

Whether you can offer information to locals or visitors about yoga and/or meditation classes in your area, share your own practice with others by meeting up for yoga and/or meditation, share service projects in your area, or just simply connect to others on the path to enlightenment, I hope this site is of service to you.”

If Kungaroo sounds like a service that may be of use to you–or if you can provide information and support to people who may be traveling through your community– you can register for Kungaroo by visiting the site here.

Community Connection:

Are you new to meditation? Check out Nancy’s beginner’s guide to meditation retreats here.

And you can find all of Matador’s yoga articles here.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-launches-yoga-meditation-social-network/feed/ 2 http://matadorpulse.com/discover-dominica-photo-contest-semi-finalists/ http://matadorpulse.com/discover-dominica-photo-contest-semi-finalists/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:18:05 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1182 Matador’s Discover Dominica” Photo Contest attracted over 400 talented, adventurous participants.

VOTING HAS NOW CLOSED.

A big thank you to everyone who submitted their photos! Be sure to be on the lookout for our future photo contests!

1. Anthony Lewis – “Exploring Torres Del Paine, Chile.”

2. Annie Nelson – “At the Devil’s Golf Course in Death Valley National Park. The ground is made up of crystals of pure salt from lakes that dried years ago. I tasted the ground, and sure enough, it tasted just like table salt.”

3. Julie Han – “Jumping over white sand dunes in Mui Ne, Vietnam.”

4. Karen Keeney – “St. Paul’s on Pitcairn Island.”

5. Matt Bigelow – “America’s greatest outdoor past time: roasting marshmallows over a river of molten lava.”

6. KWilliam Beasley – “A little silliness after hiking up from the valley floor in Yosemite.”

7. David Tai – “Preparing to enter the cold pool, Buckskin Gulch.”

8. Emmy Lenevald – “Preikestolen, Norway. 604 meters down. Vertigo.

9. Lara Silver – “Crawling through an ice tunnel while hiking the magnificent Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand.”

10. Chelsea Raubenheimer – “Exploring the ends of the Earth!!!”

11. Vamsi Vasireddy – “What happens when your shower head is an elephant trunk? The look on our faces – priceless!!”

12. Alex Montalvo – “A joking attempt at backwards dowsing unexpectedly yields a Komodo dragon.”

13. Fabio Barbon – “That’s me walking over the waters of Barra Velha, BA , Brazil.”

14. “With storms coming in, a manatee herd heads for open water, allowing us to swim alongside them before heading down to Paul’s Reef, Florida.”

15. Alex Budak – “Exploring the sand dunes of Rajasthan, India, isolated from the rest of the world, as we watched the sunset as the golden sand in the horizon gradually faded to black.”

16. Jennifer Eden – “My boyfriend showering in the waterfall.”

17. Dacey Zelman-Fahm – “My father and I hiking across a natural land bridge in Sycamore Canyon Wilderness, Arizona.”

18. Laurin Ensslin – “Laurin conquering the Boquette Tree Trek, the real canopy tour of Panama…hope there is cold beer at the bottom!”

19. Katie Peterman – “Sandy Spit in the British Virgin Islands.”

20. Chris Tse – “Stopping to pose while hiking in Plitvice Lakes National Parks in Croatia.”

21. Kurtis Hastie – “Here’s a picture I took while myself and a few friends explore mother nature in the form of ice climing! Picture was taken at Restoule Park in Northern Ontario. Climb pictured is “The Snake”. How much more can you get in touch with mother nature than in the form of seasonal ice climbing? She creates it, we climb it.”

22. Aisha Springer – “Hiking in Great Falls, Maryland.”

23. Curtis McLeod – “We took the phrase “When in Rome…” to heart. So, when in Wales, act like mountain sheep.”

24. Krishana Clark – “The sun setting over the beach in Montego Bay Jamaica! Me on the left hand side enjoying the moment…how I miss this place!!!”

25. Mei-Ling McNamara – “A baptism of solitude in the Desert du Lampoul in Northeastern Senegal.”

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/discover-dominica-photo-contest-semi-finalists/feed/ 1 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-intern-prepares-for-honduras-volunteer-trip/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-intern-prepares-for-honduras-volunteer-trip/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:05:06 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1175

Juli Huang; Photo courtesy of Juli Huang

It’s happened to lots of Matador members: you get together with some friends, have a couple drinks, talk about travel, and before you know it, you’ve dreamed up your next adventure.

For Matador intern Juli Huang, it happened at a birthday party last month. After telling some people about her volunteer work with a community health clinic in Berkeley, California and her passion for advocating health care for everyone, Juli learned about Global Medical Brigades, an organization that brings together medical professionals, students, lay health care workers, and volunteers to provide health care and health education to communities in Latin America that lack health care access, resources, and information.

After learning more about the organization, Juli signed on for a week-long volunteer trip in Honduras that will take place in January 2010.

The trip is an extension of the work she’s been doing in Berkeley. As she says, “the provision of health care as a basic human service independent of privilege or race or condition or history is extremely important to me. And though I am not interested in embarking down the path to becoming a medical professional, helping to provide people with the information to exercise more agency over their own health is something I feel strongly about.”

As part of the medical brigade, Juli will help with patient intake, triage, pharmacy, and education. Depending on the amount of money the organization raises prior to the trip, she may also be involved in public health education workshops in Honduras, focusing in particular on getting word out about how hand-washing and sanitized water can cut down on the number diarrheal deaths and disease transmission. If you’d like to make a donation to support the brigade’s work, click here.

We look forward to her first-person dispatches from Honduras.

Community Connection:

Want to learn more about volunteer opportunities abroad? Check out Matador’s organizational member listings here.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-intern-prepares-for-honduras-volunteer-trip/feed/ 0 http://matadorpulse.com/david-page-wins-lowell-thomas-award/ http://matadorpulse.com/david-page-wins-lowell-thomas-award/#comments Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:34:19 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1171

David got started on his research early…. Photo courtesy of David Page.

The annual Society of American Travel Writers convention was held last week in Guadalajara, Mexico. Though he was chopping wood in chilly northern California, Matador’s contributing editor David Page received some good news from south of the border.

Each year for the past 25 years, the Society of American Travel Writers has sponsored a travel journalism contest that has become the premier competition in this field. The Lowell Thomas Awards, named for a radio and print journalist who made his media reputation as a globe-trotting correspondent, are considered to be travel writing’s equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize.

And Matador’s own David Page earned one this year.

The Lowell Thomas Awards are given in 25 different categories; David took the bronze in the Guidebook category for his Great Destinations: Yosemite & the Southern Sierra Nevada. Explaining why they selected David’s book for an award, the judges wrote:

“David T. Page presents a thorough, entertaining guide to the region. It contains an unusually detailed section on the natural history of the area, sure to appeal to Page’s outdoor-minded readers. It’s a joy to read.”

The Lowell Thomas Award isn’t the first honor David has received for this guidebook; it also won the distinction of the Best Guidebook of 2008 from the Outdoor Writers’ Association of California.

If you’d like to read David’s book for yourself, here it is:

And be sure to check out the articles David has published on Matador, including:

How to Travel to Socotra Island, Yemen

Powderquest Patagonia: Trip Report from Devin McDonell

10 Fundamentals When Packing for a Fun Family Ski Trip

Adventures in Weaning: Cold Turkey in the Great American Desert

Community Connection:

Would you like to see your name on the list of Lowell Thomas Award winners? Join Matador U’s travel writing school to learn how to author guidebooks…and much more.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/david-page-wins-lowell-thomas-award/feed/ 9 http://matadorpulse.com/matadors-editorial-team-welcomes-leigh-shulman/ http://matadorpulse.com/matadors-editorial-team-welcomes-leigh-shulman/#comments Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:33:03 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1167

Matador Life editor, Leigh Shulman. Photo courtesy of Leigh Shulman

Leigh Shulman: wife, mom, long-term traveler, blogger, social media aficionado. And now: Matador Life editor.

It was right around this time last year that Matador launched the blog Matador Life.

The idea behind the creation of the Life blog was that it could be the platform for articles and conversations about everything that happens between trips. As we wrote when we introduced Life:

Everyone comes home from their travels eventually, and the way we return can be the most important part of all.

Matador Life is about people in their hometowns, how they represent where they’re from, and what we can learn from each of the unique places we inhabit.

Here you’ll find articles ranging from financial advice and tips on being more productive at work to portraits of people’s hometowns and profiles of individuals strongly rooted in their communities.

Since then, the Matador community has grown and become even more diverse. Our members range in age from 15 to 70+. They’re parents and partners, single or divorced. New graduates, drop outs. Professionals, retirees. Artsy fartsy, business minded. Expats, experienced travelers, people planning their first journeys into the world, and soldiers looking forward to finishing up their deployments.

What they share is the eventual need to come home and make a meaningful life where they thrive by bringing their travels into daily life. And what they need is someone who’s where they are… and who can publish writing that speaks to their experiences.

The`Matador team is confident that we’ve finally found that person.

We’re happy to announce that Leigh Shulman has joined the Matador editorial team. Her first post is up on Life today… say hi and share your ideas about the types of articles you’d like to read on Life.

Community Connection:

Want to know who’s who at Matador? Meet the team here.
Want to work for Matador? Our job listings are posted here.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matadors-editorial-team-welcomes-leigh-shulman/feed/ 8 http://matadorpulse.com/winner-of-matadors-twitter-contest-for-free-tuition-introduces-herself/ http://matadorpulse.com/winner-of-matadors-twitter-contest-for-free-tuition-introduces-herself/#comments Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:33:46 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1160

Susan Marjanovic, winner of Matador’s Twitter tuition contest.

Last week, Matador’s senior editor, David Miller, announced the winner of Matador’s Twitter contest in which we gave away free tuition to our travel writing school, Matador U.

The winner was Susan Marjanovic, an artist, photographer, writer, audiophile and healer. We interviewed Susan to learn more about her…not surprisingly, she’s totally living the Matador vision.

Matador: Tell us a bit about you: where you’re from.

I kind of feel like I’m from all over. I consider San Francisco ‘home’ these days, but before that I lived in NYC for about a decade. I was born and raised at the Jersey shore, and my parents are from the old Yugoslavia (Serbia and Croatia), so I grew up in a European/Socialist sort of household surrounded by beach culture environment, stuck between two major cities.

When I was younger, I kind of felt like an outcast because of all those crazy juxtapositions but when I got older I was able to realize how lucky I was to have been exposed to so many different cultures all at once and it really shaped me in ways I am eternally grateful for.

Matador:… why you travel…

There just isn’t any other experience that comes close to it. I can’t really imagine life without traveling. I took my first overseas flight to the Adriatic coast & Serbia when I was 4 and was instantly hooked.

Photo: snowcrash

My parents had one of those huge fancy world atlases and I used to spend hours poring over it, planning all the places I would go when I got older and could afford it.

We used to get National Geographic too, which fueled even more daydreams (I loved the free maps that came with it) of exploring cultures all over the world. I was especially interested in tribal cultures, where people seemed to live more in harmony with each other and the earth, and where ritual, dance, and body decoration played a huge role.

Matador: …what you do…

I’m in pursuit of ultimate freedom always.

I’m also an artist, photographer, writer, audiophile, and healer.

I am interested in so many things, so I’ve never had one official career. The idea of doing the same thing over and over for days on end makes me cringe.

I studied photography at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, did some commercial work for record labels and magazines, had art shows, helped run an indie hip-hop label in NYC, worked at Current TV watching documentaries about the world for a brief stint, and then temped for a year because it gave me freedom, not just physically but mentally and emotionally, which were even more important to me at the time.

“How do I get paid to travel around the world doing what I love – creating art, making beautiful images, spending time in nature, meeting amazing people, and helping others?”

I tried going back to work at a landscape architect’s office for a bit. Temping doesn’t really provide financial stability, and I really love plants, so I thought I could learn something new and sort out my finances at the same time. But I found the environment to be really stifling and knew my freedom and happiness were worth way more than a steady paycheck so I began trying to sort out ‘How do I get paid to travel around the world doing what I love – creating art, making beautiful images, spending time in nature, meeting amazing people, and helping others?’

I had a health crisis. As I began to learn how to heal through a steady diet of raw/living foods, herbs, spiritual work, and hours spent in the wilderness hiking, I ended up stepping into my power as a healer, which really clicked everything together for me….

All the synchronicities in my life began to increase. I knew I was on the right path and didn’t need to focus only on one thing – what I needed was to find a way to make them all work together.

I signed up for a raw foods nutrition class and was praying for everything to get taken to the next level when I got fired from my job. It was a huge blessing. I began blogging about raw foods, health, life transformation and began consulting with clients one-on-one to help sort out their health issues. I finally had the time to spend my energy doing things I loved, so I began volunteering more than ever and immersing myself in [my passions]: food, permaculture, food foraging, the environment, and healthy living.

I knew travel was an integral part of the puzzle, so I applied for a paid WWOOF sponsorship to study permaculture in Bulgaria for six months and got it. Everything was coming together perfectly.

Matador: What are you up to these days?

I planned to spend some time with my family back east for a month or two before heading to Bulgaria and decided to take a cross country road trip to get there. Just as I was finalizing my trip, the WWOOF Bulgaria program told me that because I wasn’t an EU citizen, they weren’t going to be able to get my paperwork processed in time to make the funding deadline.

I trust that everything happens for a reason, so decided to just roll with it. I turned my cross country adventure into a bigger trip with no real end date. I left San Francisco in February and embarked on an experiment to trust that if we’re being of service, we are always being provided for. In my case this meant educating people about raw food and inspiring them to take their health back into their own hands, volunteering on organic farms and gardens, and exploring the power of community everywhere I went.

Photo: Ian Muttoo

It’s been amazing so far. I’ve met some of the most positive, inspiring, beautiful people who are changing the world. I’ve also been taking part in a lot of intense North American Indian ceremonies and sweat lodges and deepening on my spiritual path. It’s been beautiful and empowering experiencing how everything in your life shifts when you begin to trust the universe, listen to your intuition, and live in alignment with your soul.

My life feels so magical. I don’t really want this trip to end, but I think it’s time to head back to SF to work on a few projects and work my magic on a few other areas.

About a year ago I decided to start a raw, organic, medicinal chocolate company because I wanted to build an eco-conscious business of my own that would allow me to do good things in the world and allow me to travel and fund my art. On this trip I’ve had so many chocolate and herb syncs, so I’m itching to get work on that and start working with an incubator program to get that off the ground.

I’m also applying to school to become an herbalist and continue to work with plant medicines all over the world, especially South America and the Himalayas.

I also have a few big art projects I want to work on, especially one I am excited about that harnesses the power of community and human connection. It’s a roving art gallery in a truck that travels to cities all over the country. I’m really into alternative economies, so instead of purchasing the art, people will barter their own art for what’s already on the walls. The new art show will travel to the next city, and the barter process will continue.

I really like things that are constantly changing and evolving and want to be able to connect art communities all over the world and have everyone be a part of something bigger. I want to try to also capture the whole process digitally in an online museum of sorts so that people can know where their art ended up & keep in contact with whoever has it. I’d really love it if it spurred a few collaborations as well.

Matador: How did you learn about Matador?

I can’t remember exactly, but I know I found it while researching how to be a location independent digital nomad. I think it might have been through a link from Soultravelers3 on twitter.

Matador: You won Matador’s Twitter contest for free tuition… have you ever won anything before?

A few things. I won a small photography scholarship fund in high school. My freshman year of college, SVA had a photo show that was judged by one of the curators of MoMA and I placed…I think my prize was a gift certificate for photo supplies. Oh, and last year I won a Japan guidebook from Lonely Planet.

Matador: What are you hoping to get out of the Matador U program?

I want to connect with other people who are living a nomadic lifestyle and get high off the journey. I feel like I need to learn the economy of words. Several people who read my blog have been writing me to suggest I turn this current adventure into a book, so it would be fantastic to learn how to do that and get published.

“I want to connect with other people who are living a nomadic lifestyle and get high off the journey.”

I’m also in the process of revamping my photography site, elasticfate.com, so I’d like to learn how to morph it into a monetized travel site that will help me bring in another stream of income from doing what I love and inspire others to do the same.

Matador: What’s your favorite kind of travel writing or travel writer?

The kind that has the power to transport you fully to a place and moment in time without having to rely on crazy partying and outlandish tales to keep you riveted, though those can be entertaining in their own way. I really like travel writing that gets inside the local culture and teaches me something new and inspires me grow in some way.

Community Connection:

Want to learn more about Matador U? You can do that here. To read more about raw food and spiritual healing, check out senior editor David Miller’s review of Sofia Brandon’s book, The Adventure Cookbook, published on Matador Goods earlier this week.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/winner-of-matadors-twitter-contest-for-free-tuition-introduces-herself/feed/ 6 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-launches-its-flickr-photo-pool/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-launches-its-flickr-photo-pool/#comments Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:08:15 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1153

Mongolian girl, Photo by Matador Trips co-editor, Carlo Alcos

Matador’s a community of travelers, writers, and photographers.

But admittedly, photographers have gotten short shrift in our three years of existence.

That’s all about to change.

Matador Trips editors Hal Amen and Carlo Alcos have already taken the lead in highlighting Matador members’ photography by publishing stunning photo essays from Iceland, Brazil, and Papua New Guinea, to name just a few. Other Matador editors have followed their lead, featuring photo essays on Matador Sports and on Matador Change.

We’ll have some other exciting news to share with photographers over the next few weeks and months, but in the meantime, why not add your travel photos to Matador’s Flickr pool?

If you already have a Flickr account, all you need to do is join the group by following this link and clicking “Join This Group.” Then, you can add photos from your own photostream to the Matador pool, sharing your talent and your travels with the rest of us. The photos you add will carry the same license you’ve selected for them in your own photostream. Leave your photos licensed for Creative Commons and commercial use, and you may just see your work featured in a Matador article!

Interested in having your photography considered for a photo essay? E-mail me at julie@matadornetwork.com and I’ll direct your query to the appropriate editor.

Community Connection:

Would you like to WIN a beautiful photograph taken by professional travel photographer Peter Guttman? Check out our Twitter contest– details here.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-launches-its-flickr-photo-pool/feed/ 4 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-students-share-their-success-stories/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-students-share-their-success-stories/#comments Sat, 03 Oct 2009 10:44:12 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1150

Photo courtesy of Abbie Mood

It was just about a month ago that Matador launched the first course at Matador U: the 12 week travel writing curriculum.

Since then, dozens of aspiring travel writers have joined the course, working through the curriculum at their own pace and enjoying the conversation with other students and the Matador editorial team.

One of those students is Abbie Mood, who has also been a member of the Matador Travel community for about six months. Abbie registered for Matador U two weeks ago, and says, “I already feel like I’ve gained so much! Besides the chapters being really informative and interesting, being able to connect to and share feedback with editors and other writers has been amazing.”

Abbie has taken full advantage of Matador U’s features, including the Market Leads board, which provides students with exclusive listings of online and print opportunities for publishing their work. In fact, Abbie has already landed a writing gig through the market leads; she learned this week that she has been hired as Planet Eye’s local expert blogger for Orange County, California. “I’m very excited,” she says, “because this is my first official writing gig!”

Abbie has lived in Orange County for just over four years and will be using her experience to inform her postings for Planet Eye about what’s going on in Orange County. Some of her favorite places there are El Moro Canyon/Crystal Cove State Park to trail run (“There is a beautiful view of the ocean, and the trails kick my butt!”), Main Street on Huntington Beach to bar hop and people watch, and the Irvine Spectrum in Irvine for shopping!

Though it will be a few more days before her local expert page is active, you can check out the site and other cities’ local experts–including Matador’s own Twitter Ninja and Edinburgh local expert, Andy Hayes–at www.planeteyetraveler.com.

Community Connection:

Abbie isn’t the only Matador U student who has landed a writing contract since entering the travel writing program. Over the next few days, we’ll be profiling other students who have found gigs through the Market Leads board.

Interested in joining the U? Learn all about it here. And keep your eyes on that page– over the next few months, Matador will be introducing other courses, too!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-u-students-share-their-success-stories/feed/ 8 http://matadorpulse.com/austin-chus-the-recess-ends-premieres-in-san-francisco/ http://matadorpulse.com/austin-chus-the-recess-ends-premieres-in-san-francisco/#comments Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:42:22 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1144

Photo: Andrew Ciscel

Maybe you’ve seen some of the clips of “The Recess Ends” on Matador Life.

Matador’s own Austin Chu, who occasionally reviews gear for Matador Goods, was laid off his job in December 2008. Rather than sit around and despair about his bank account or struggle to find a new job in a dismal economic market, Austin hit the American road with his brother Brian to make a documentary about the current state of the economy and, more importantly, what’s next.

Less than a year later, the Chu brothers can say they traveled through all 50 states, completed editing and post-production, and launched their documentary, “The Recess Ends,” to enthusiastic reviews. The premiere was held last night in San Francisco. Matador’s co-founders, Ross Borden and Ben Polansky, showed up early and still had to sneak in to the theater; it was that packed.

If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the trailer and then head on over to TRE’s website to find out when the film may be showing near you:

Official Trailer: The Recess Ends from B-Rilla on Vimeo.

Community Connection:

Were you at the premiere? Share your thoughts about “The Recess Ends” below. You can also check out other clips from the film on TRE’s Vimeo channel.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/austin-chus-the-recess-ends-premieres-in-san-francisco/feed/ 11 http://matadorpulse.com/from-the-editor-its-time-to-take-our-pulse/ http://matadorpulse.com/from-the-editor-its-time-to-take-our-pulse/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:06:07 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1138 For the past year or so, Pulse has been Matador’s news blog.

My big news? Baby Mariel!

There have been some exceptions, but during that time we’ve looked mostly outside of our own community to find “news.”

Though we always cared about finding the stories that were overlooked by mainstream media and bringing them back to you–as often as possible by reaching out to someone on the ground for a first-person dispatch like this one– we recently realized how much news is being overlooked within our own community.

In the three years since Matador was founded, we’ve created a large, tight-knit community of travelers and writers around the world who are living what we call the “Matador vision” every single day. That vision is to:

“…raise questions and share ideas and information in a way that isn’t bounded by geography or culture but ripples out from one traveler to another worldwide. Over time, these connections, dialogues, and relationships are affecting positive changes and creating new opportunities in the real world.”

Living the Matador vision looks different for each of the 12,000+ members of the Matador Travel community, the 1.6 million + people who visit our blogs each month, the nearly 8,000 people who follow us on Twitter, and the 70+ students enrolled in our travel writing school, Matador U.

For new member justdanny, who is currently serving in Iraq (which has a “hell of a sunrise,” he says), living the Matador vision means figuring out how to use the time and experiences he’s had at war once he gets back home. For HittheRoadJACK, it’s figuring out how to “hold on and continue believing in this dream” of living in their RV and “taking photographs and sharing our stories with others,” even when nothing seems to be going their way.

So long story short: go get your travel news elsewhere. Check Global Voices Online for politics and world news. Check other travel blogs for fare deals. And stay here to learn more about the incredible people who make up the Matador community.

Community Connection:

Want to contribute to Matador? Read our submission guidelines here.

If you have a story about what’s going on in your part of the world or if you want us to celebrate your good news, send me an email at julie@matadornetwork.com.

[Feature photo: qrtzcntrl]

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/from-the-editor-its-time-to-take-our-pulse/feed/ 9 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-wins-international-food-wine-travel-writers-association-scholarship/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-wins-international-food-wine-travel-writers-association-scholarship/#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:47:27 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1100

Photo courtesy of JoAnna Haugen

It’s been a good summer for JoAnna Haugen.

You’re probably already familiar with JoAnna Haugen, an active member of Matador.

She’s a Matador contributor, having written the popular article “5 Things You Should Know Before Joining the Peace Corps” for MatadorChange.

She’s an enthusiastic and supportive student in Matador’s travel writing program, MatadorU.

She’s an active blogger, writing here on Matador and on her own self-hosted blog.

She was one of the Roads Scholars, using her travel stipend to explore the U.S.’s national parks and to write about her transformative experiences at Burning Man.

So the Matador team was stoked to wake up this morning to an e-mail from senior editor David Miller, who shared JoAnna’s latest blog–and good news–with us. JoAnna has won the 2009 Wine Food Travel Scholarship, awarded by the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA). In addition to being awarded a one week trip to the Caribbean in the dead of U.S. winter, JoAnna was given a one year membership to IFWTWA and will have at least one of her articles published in Global Writes.

Best of all, JoAnna’s decided to start a new writing project: her two weeks notice at her day job. She’ll be pursuing travel writing as a full time career.

And Matador will be pulling for her all the way!

Community Connection:

Interested in connecting with people like JoAnna? Set up your MatadorTravel.com profile today to meet other passionate travelers. You could also consider joining MatadorU, a 12-week curriculum developed by the Matador team where we teach you all you need to know about the history, craft, tools, and future of travel writing.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-member-wins-international-food-wine-travel-writers-association-scholarship/feed/ 13 http://matadorpulse.com/travel-promos-get-stranger-bolder-and-sexier/ http://matadorpulse.com/travel-promos-get-stranger-bolder-and-sexier/#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2009 03:50:25 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1097

Photo: ClickE

So far this year, we’ve seen the Best Job in the World and the All-You-Can-Jet Pass promotions, both intended to boost tourism. What could possibly be next?

Well, the Westin Resort Aruba has the answer to that question.

In an effort to up its occupancy rate, the Aruba Westin is running a unique promotion: couples who conceive a child during their stay will receive a “Conception Credit” worth $300 USD, which they can use for a return visit in 2010.

I would have paid money to be at the marketing meeting where this promo was dreamed up.

If you want to take advantage of the offer, there is some fine print: You’ve gotta get it on before December 18, 2009. In addition, once you return stateside, you’ll need to get a note from your doctor indicating that “the likely conception date took place around the time of [your] stay at the resort.”

No word on whether child care is provided on your return visit.

Community Connection:

Interested in outlandish tourism promotions? Read about the “Best Job in the World” or check out how one traveler is taking advantage of JetBlue’s All-You-Can-Jet Pass.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/travel-promos-get-stranger-bolder-and-sexier/feed/ 5 http://matadorpulse.com/iraqi-shoe-throw-journo-to-be-released-from-jail/ http://matadorpulse.com/iraqi-shoe-throw-journo-to-be-released-from-jail/#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:46:43 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1092 Maybe you don’t remember his name. But you certainly remember what he did.

Photo: illuminating_9/11

Remember Muntadar al-Zaidi?

Nah, I didn’t think so.

How about the Iraqi “shoe throw” journalist?

Yes?

Well, al-Zaidi IS the journalist who famously threw his shoes at President Bush during a December 2008 press conference. He was subsequently arrested and sentenced to three years in prison.

Despite the long sentence, his total time was reduced to one year since he had no prior criminal record, and local authorities agreed he could be released three months early in recognition of his good behavior. He is scheduled to be released from a Baghdad prison tomorrow.

Though no one’s arguing that serving time is pleasant, al-Zaidi has been enjoying some unexpected benefits as the result of public support of his actions. In addition to continuing to receive his salary from the al-Baghdadiya news agency, al-Zaidi has allegedly been bought a house and has received multiple offers from parents who are eager to give their daughters’ hands to him in marriage. He (and his shoes) were also nominated as BBC’s Person of the Year.

Other promises–such as the Emir of Qatar’s pledge to buy al-Zaidi a golden horse–haven’t yet materialized.

No word yet on al-Zaidi’s post-prison plans, but his boss at al-Baghdadiya says he expects al-Zaidi to return to journalism.

Community Connection:

Are you a member of the armed forces who has served in Iraq or Afghanistan? Join Matador Travel today and start sharing your stories with our community.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/iraqi-shoe-throw-journo-to-be-released-from-jail/feed/ 1 http://matadorpulse.com/travel-to-cuba-legally/ http://matadorpulse.com/travel-to-cuba-legally/#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:19:09 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1071 If you’re a U.S. citizen eager to travel to Cuba but you’re hesitant to go off-the-radar, New York’s Katonah Museum of Art offers a chance for you to travel legally.

Cuban artist Juan Antonio Picasso paints at his studio in Havana. Photo: Julie Schwietert

Despite the Obama administration’s stated commitment to improving Cuba-U.S. relations and reviewing U.S. foreign policy that prohibits most Americans from traveling freely to Cuba, actual policy changes have been slow in coming. The so-called travel ban remains intact for American citizens who are not from Cuba themselves or who do not have family in Cuba.

Fortunately, some organizations have been granted licenses to lead authorized trips to Cuba, and the Katonah Museum of Art, located in Katonah, New York, is one such institution. Museum administrators are now accepting reservations for a trip to Havana scheduled for January 17-23, 2010.

From the museum:

“Participants will spend the week immersed in Cuba’s… vibrant artistic culture through visits to museums, cultural centers, holy sites, and tours of the studios and homes of 14 Cuban artists led by Chelsea [New York] gallerist Alberto Magnan. Artists to be visited include contemporary surrealists Sandra Ramos and Los Carpinteros.”

In addition to the studio visits, trip participants will travel just outside Havana to the Cuban estate of American writer Ernest Hemingway and will have free time to explore Havana on their own. All participants will be lodging at the upscale Parque Central Hotel.

For full itinerary, rates and more information, contact Jacqui Potente at 914-232-9555, ext. 2968.

Community Connection:

Planning a trip to Havana? Check in with Matador’s Havana expert.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/travel-to-cuba-legally/feed/ 8 http://matadorpulse.com/wend-announces-septembers-friday-photo-contest-theme/ http://matadorpulse.com/wend-announces-septembers-friday-photo-contest-theme/#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:51:47 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1069 A new month means a new chance to win gear from Wend.

Matador Trips co-editor Carlo Alcos.

Wend invites Matador members to submit photos on the theme of hiking or trekking in order to be entered into its September Friday Photo Contest.

September’s weekly prizes include Kaze stainless steel vacuum bottles. The grand prize is an Eco Ether sleeping pad from Pacific Outdoor.

Click on over to Wend for all the details.

Feature photo: dms_303

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/wend-announces-septembers-friday-photo-contest-theme/feed/ 0 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-members-reach-semi-final-in-trazzlers-nycgo-writing-contest/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-members-reach-semi-final-in-trazzlers-nycgo-writing-contest/#comments Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:03:48 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1042

Photo: Ed Yourdon

$10,000 to live and write in New York City for two weeks? That’s what four Matador members have at stake in Trazzler’s NYCGO Writing Contest.

Sorry, it’s too late for you to get into the game, but four Matador members have made it into the semi-final round of Trazzler’s NYCGO Writing Contest.

At stake is a $10,000 prize and a most-expenses paid two-week stint to visit New York City, where the winner will spend his or her mini-residency writing about the city.

To get to this round, entrants had to make an initial editorial cut after submitting a short trip guide on the theme “Oasis.”

The initial pool of entrants has been culled to 200 semi-finalists. Visitors to the Trazzler site will vote for their favorite trips and the 10 entries garnering the most votes will move on to the finals. A jury will choose the grand prize winner. Even if you’re not a Trazzler member, you can vote for your favorite semi-finalists by logging in through your Facebook account.

Here are the Matador members who are in the running for the next round:

Katie Hammel:

Katie is a regular contributor to Matador Trips, writing frequently about her hometown of Detroit. She’s also written about Chicago, Denver, and Iceland.

Katie’s Trazzler entry is “Brunching at a Hidden Urban Oasis in Detroit, Michigan.”

Sabina Lohr:

Sabina is Matador’s expert on Martha’s Vineyard, an area she writes about frequently for Matador Trips. Her most recent Matador article is All Over the Map: A U.S. Festival for Each Month of the Year.

Sabina’s Trazzler entry is “Jumping Off the Jaws Bridge on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.”

Michelle Schusterman:

Michelle, a musician, Matador intern, and regular contributor to Matador Goods, currently calls South Korea her home base.

Michelle’s Trazzler entry is “Stumbling Onto a Bahiano Making Dende Oil in Santo Amaro, Brazil.”

Ryan Van Lenning:

Ryan is a writer, educator, activist, and regular contributor to Matador Change, where he writes about environmental and social justice issues.

Ryan’s Trazzler entry is “Lounging in the Turquoise Pools in Semuc Champey, Guatemala.”

Click on over to Trazzler to vote for these Matador members!

Community Connection:

We’ll forgive Katie, Sabina, Michelle, and Ryan for using the word “oasis,” but don’t be caught using it when you send a submission to Matador. “Oasis” is one of the 10 Words and Phrases We Never Want to See in Travel Writing Again.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-members-reach-semi-final-in-trazzlers-nycgo-writing-contest/feed/ 10 http://matadorpulse.com/mexico-city-breaks-another-world-record/ http://matadorpulse.com/mexico-city-breaks-another-world-record/#comments Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:36:42 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1038 As one of the world’s largest cities, Mexico City doesn’t do small.

Back in February of this year, 40,000 Mexicans gathered in the Zocalo, Mexico City’s main plaza, for a massive kiss-in, setting a new Guinness World Record for the largest number of people to gather together for a big collective kiss.

Still high from setting one record, they gathered again this weekend, this time to set a different record: the largest number of people to gather together simultaneously in a single place to re-enact Michael Jackson’s video for the song “Thriller.”

Feature photo: Guerry; Photo above: Eneas

While New Yorkers were gathering in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park to celebrate the late pop star’s birthday in a bash sponsored by the film director Spike Lee, Mexicans gathered at the Monument of the Revolution in full Jackson regalia: black fedoras, aviator sunglasses, and bloody make-up, according to NPR’s Mexico City correspondent, Jason Beaubien.

It didn’t take much to break the existing record, which was set by 242 people at the College of William and Mary earlier this year.

An estimated 12,000-13,000 people showed up to dance, while as many as 40,000 more showed up to watch.

While the Guinness officials convene to ensure whether all of the dancers performed the song from start to finish, you can check out some video footage from the event:

Community Connection:

Interested in bizarre record-breaking feats? Peru won the world’s largest ceviche title earlier this year, and Anandita Dutta Tamuly won a Guinness title for downing the most hot chiles –51–in less than a minute. I don’t know about you, but I think I’d rather moonwalk.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/mexico-city-breaks-another-world-record/feed/ 7 http://matadorpulse.com/libyan-leader-seeks-permission-to-pitch-a-tent-in-central-park/ http://matadorpulse.com/libyan-leader-seeks-permission-to-pitch-a-tent-in-central-park/#comments Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:12:17 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1021 Libyan leader wants to camp in New York City’s Central Park.

Photo: openDemocracy

No matter where he lodges when he visits New York to speak at the United Nations in September, Libya’s leader Muammar el-Qaddafi isn’t likely to receive a warm welcome, particularly after the jubilant homecoming his government orchestrated for the freed Lockerbie airline bomber last week.

But el-Qaddafi isn’t planning to join other world leaders at swanky, upscale hotels like the Waldorf Astoria.

Instead, he has made a request to pitch a tent in Central Park.

City officials were reported to have rejected el-Qaddafi’s request this afternoon.

He won’t be left without a bed, though: the Libyan mission to the United Nations is said to own a spacious mansion in nearby Englewood, New Jersey, where el-Qaddafi will be hosted.

Community Connection:

Looking for some unusual lodgings yourself? Check out “The World’s 10 Weirdest Hotels.”

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/libyan-leader-seeks-permission-to-pitch-a-tent-in-central-park/feed/ 1 http://matadorpulse.com/mexico-passes-drug-legalization-law/ http://matadorpulse.com/mexico-passes-drug-legalization-law/#comments Sat, 22 Aug 2009 04:14:06 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1017

Photo: elpablo

Back in February, Matador reported that several Latin American countries were considering changing the region’s strategy in the war on drugs. Mexico followed up yesterday.

It was a small item in today’s New York Times: “Mexico Legalizes Drug Possession.”

But the news may have big implications for drug policy in the Americas.

Mexico’s federal government passed a law yesterday that decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana, as well as cocaine, heroin, meth, and LSD.

The law, which established legal limits for personal possession, represents a shift from a punitive drug policy to one that treats drugs as a public health issue. If successful, the law may serve as a model for other countries in the region.

The law went into effect today.

Community Connection:

Drugs can be taken too far, of course. Read about Bolivia’s cocaine bars and weigh in: Do these represent a “Latin American Adventure or Playing With Fire?”

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/mexico-passes-drug-legalization-law/feed/ 7 http://matadorpulse.com/turks-caicos-reverts-to-colonial-status/ http://matadorpulse.com/turks-caicos-reverts-to-colonial-status/#comments Fri, 21 Aug 2009 19:23:36 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=1013

The now-deposed TCI Premier, Michael Misick (center); Photo: Foreign & Commonwealth Office

As many of their neighbors celebrate 40 years or more of independence, residents of the Turks & Caicos woke up this morning to learn that their islands have become a colony… again.

Nobody says postcolonialism’s been easy.

To go from a state of dependence to one of autonomy with little support has proven understandably challenging for many of Europe’s former colonial states, especially the small islands of the Caribbean. And in the age of globalization, which has prompted a form of economic neo-colonialism, fledgling independent governments have struggled to develop infrastructure, support, and services for their citizens.

Economies have hiccuped as traditional sources of labor and income have disappeared in the past decade, prompting many countries to focus almost exclusively on tourism as an industry (which was fine until the global economic crisis hit, literally shuttering hotels on some of the smaller islands).

With all the challenges, though, few of the newly independent nations have been interested in reverting back to colonial status. That’s just what happened today in the Turks and Caicos Islands, though local news reflects widespread discontent with the action, which resulted in the suspension of the TCI’s Constitution and the dismissal of the islands’ House of Assembly.

It’s true that the Turks and Caicos have been undergoing political challenges that may be unique: the government has been accused of rampant corruption and the economy has been in a shambles. But critics charge that the TCI haven’t received the support they need to really achieve independence in the fullest sense of the word, and that the rollback to colonialism is punitive and infantilizing.

“The move is a smack in the face of democracy and a backward step to colonialism.”

A British governor, Gordon Wetherell, was appointed to serve as head of government; Wetherell, in turn, has begun appointing other Brits for key government positions, including chief executive of TCI public service. “Belongers” (locals) will be appointed to serve on an Advisory Council and a Consultative Forum, though the functions and specific level of influence these entities will have are not yet clear.

The move is a “smack in the face of democracy” and a “backward step to colonialism,” according to Rosalind Cummings-Yeates, a Chicago-based travel writer who commented about the take-over on Twitter.

Community Connection:

Learn more about colonialism, postcolonialism, and independence movements in the Caribbean:

U.S. House of Reps Approves Proposal to Consider Puerto Rico’s Status

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/turks-caicos-reverts-to-colonial-status/feed/ 6 http://matadorpulse.com/colombian-singer-juanes-responds-to-critics-in-advance-of-cuban-concert/ http://matadorpulse.com/colombian-singer-juanes-responds-to-critics-in-advance-of-cuban-concert/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:43:21 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=996

Colombian singer Juanes, in concert; Photo: Julio Enriquez

Artistically speaking, it’s been a banner year for Cubans.

In July, the Royal Ballet of London came to Havana for a joint performance with the Cuban National Ballet, appearing before a crowd so enormous that the Cuban government was forced to set up outdoor screens so the performance could be seen by those who hadn’t been lucky enough to snag a ticket.

The same week, the New York Philharmonic announced its intentions to perform in Havana this October.

But before then, the wildly popular Colombian pop singer Juanes is scheduled to play in a “Peace Without Borders” concert alongside beloved Cuban folk musician, Silvio Rodriguez, and the perennially popular Los Van Van.

He’s even met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to seek her support, asking her to permit U.S. musicians to visit the island to take part in the event (they’d be the first to do so since Audioslave’s 2005 concert, which drew more than 60,000 Cuban fans).

The concert, scheduled to almost coincide with the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, is the latest stop on Juanes’s Peace Without Borders tour, the first leg of which kicked off on the Venezuelan/Colombian border in March, 2008.

Juanes, like his fellow Colombian superstar musician, Shakira, has been actively involved in using his music as a means of supporting causes he cares about– he’s also started a foundation to help survivors of land mine explosions. But not everyone–especially certain sectors of the Cuban American community–view Juanes’s Peace Without Borders tour as an act to celebrate.

The singer, who lives in Miami, has been the target of outspoken criticism. Some Miami Cubans have been reported to be burning his CDs in the streets there. Even his wife, who is eight months pregnant, has been threatened.

In the Spanish language newspaper El Pais, Juanes responded to the criticism that he’s being insensitive to Cuban exiles’ concerns. Some highlights from the interview, translated by this writer:

“I am convinced that art plays an important role in the construction of peace.”

“I’m not interested in the government of Cuba. I’m interested in people, in the youth….”

“I’m fed up with us asking one another whether we’re Muslim, gay, Cuban, or Venezuelan.”

“Why can I go to Spain and no one asks me if I’m singing to the president, but if I go to Cuba, [everyone thinks] I’m singing to Castro?…. Just let us sing!”

The concert is still scheduled for September 20.

If you’re not familiar with Juanes’s music, here’s a clip from the Venezuela/Colombia “Peace Without Borders” concert:

Community Connection:

To learn more about the New York Philharmonic’s scheduled performance, read “New York Philharmonic to Perform in Cuba?”

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/colombian-singer-juanes-responds-to-critics-in-advance-of-cuban-concert/feed/ 2 http://matadorpulse.com/grandpa-and-grandson-take-wrong-flight-to-sydney/ http://matadorpulse.com/grandpa-and-grandson-take-wrong-flight-to-sydney/#comments Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:32:31 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=992

The right Sydney. Photo: Corey Leopold

What would you do if you thought you were going to Australia and ended up in Canada?

It was definitely a long-haul flight for Joannes and Nick Rutten, a grandfather and his grandson who planned to take their holiday in Sydney… Australia.

But when their plane landed and they made their way toward Customs and Immigration, something seemed a bit amiss.

The pair weren’t in Sydney, Australia; they’d landed in Sydney, Nova Scotia, located on the east coast of Cape Breton Island.

The wrong Sydney. Photo: Smudge 9000

They weren’t the first pair of travelers to make the mistake, according to this article in The Cape Breton Post. Apparently, the two Sydneys are mixed up with relative regularity.

Who can blame the Ruttens for wandering onto a flight that they thought was going to Sydney? The question is, who was checking their tickets as they boarded?

Community Connection:

Have you ever ended up in the wrong destination? Share your story below!

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/grandpa-and-grandson-take-wrong-flight-to-sydney/feed/ 11 http://matadorpulse.com/canadians-moon-the-us/ http://matadorpulse.com/canadians-moon-the-us/#comments Mon, 17 Aug 2009 05:23:31 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=984

Note: This is NOT the balloon. Photo: joshmadison

You’d have thought that more people would have shown up to be part of the historic Moon the Balloon event.

Organizers anticipated as many as 1,000 people would show up to drop their drawers in protest against a surveillance balloon the United States has hovering in the air above the U.S.-Canada border.

The idea was that the balloon–which is believed to have a powerful camera inside it that can spot objects from a considerable distance–would capture images of the protesters expressing their displeasure with its presence.

But the “Moon the Balloon” event, planned for this past Saturday, was a bit of a disappointment, as only a couple hundred Canadians put their asses on the line–literally–to flash the balloon.

Little good it did– the balloon was grounded after having sustained a tear in its fabric last week.

The balloon, which is being tested for Homeland Security purposes, is viewed by some residents on the Canadian side of the border as an infringement of their sovereignty.

Community Connection:

Read more about border issues–but to the South this time–in “Back in 1848? A Closer Look at the U.S./Mexico Border.”

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/canadians-moon-the-us/feed/ 2 http://matadorpulse.com/mexicans-fed-up-with-banks-burn-credit-cards-in-street-protest/ http://matadorpulse.com/mexicans-fed-up-with-banks-burn-credit-cards-in-street-protest/#comments Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:31:09 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=980

Feature photo: Andres B; Photo: Andres Rueda

While many of their fellow citizens celebrated Mexico’s win against the U.S. in the World Cup qualifier match, some folks in Veracruz were mad as hell….

Only it had nothing to do with soccer.

Like most countries, Mexico’s been hard hit by the world financial crisis. Last fall, the Mexican peso–a relatively stable currency–plummeted in value. The U.S.’s own economic woes severely impacted Mexico’s GDP, as the countries are each other’s primary trade partners. Unemployment soared.

Even Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim–reputed to be among the world’s three richest men–predicted that the crisis could easily become catastrophic for Mexico in a February 2009 speech that was so heavy with doomsday predictions it landed Slim front page billing on most of Mexico City’s major newspapers.

So today’s news from the port city of Veracruz shouldn’t really come as a surprise.

According to a report in the newspaper La Jornada, a group of people in Veracruz showed up at a branch of the Banco Azteca to protest “exorbitant interest rates” and “threatening actions” taken by the bank against its debtors.

Protests aren’t uncommon in Mexico, but this one was particularly interesting: the protesters allegedly burned 50 credit cards right outside the bank’s entrance. Fellow protesters in other areas of the state staged their own card burning actions, burning more than 7,000 cards in all.

The action was organized by the non-profit advocacy group Fundacion Digna Vida. Back in March, Digna Vida had urged debtors not to simply stop paying off their debt, but to have their debt assessed and to work with their financial institutions on devising feasible payment plans.

Since that time, however, the organization learned that Banco Azteca’s convenient partnership with the appliance retailer Elektra had allowed it to “economically kidnap” its clients, keeping them in inescapable spirals of debt by extending credit for home appliances and then pressuring them to pay off those appliances at usurious rates.

Burning the credit cards won’t erase the debt, of course. But hopefully it will let Banco Azteca and its partner in crime know that the jig is up.

Community Connection:

How are credit cards viewed and used around the world? Check out “The Culture of Credit Cards Worldwide,” just one of the thousands of articles from our archives.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/mexicans-fed-up-with-banks-burn-credit-cards-in-street-protest/feed/ 5 http://matadorpulse.com/the-words-according-to-castro/ http://matadorpulse.com/the-words-according-to-castro/#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:28:42 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=977

Feature photo: peamasher; Photo above: Sami Keinanen

Amazon isn’t selling it, but if you head to the island yourself, this would be one hell of a souvenir.

There are lots of jokes about Fidel Castro. Most make some reference to his propensity for making lengthy speeches.

Throughout his 48 years in power, Castro became renowned for his ability to orate for hours and hours on end. Though you’d probably be tired if you were a Cuban standing in the audience, you could certainly say you witnessed history in the making: some of his speeches, such as “History Will Absolve Me” (given in 1953 before he took power), are widely anthologized in history books around the world.

Just in time for Fidel’s birthday–which is today– Cuban professor Salomon Susi Sarfati published the 339-page Diccionario de Pensamientos de Fidel Castro, or Dictionary of Fidel Castro’s Thoughts, which was released to the public in Cuba last Saturday.

The dictionary defines words based on references from Castro’s speeches.

Castro, who turns 83 today, is reported to be in ill health.

If you happen to head down to Havana, be sure to snag your own copy of the dictionary. It’ll be one hell of a souvenir.

In the meantime, check out Castro’s oratory style in this video:

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/the-words-according-to-castro/feed/ 2 http://matadorpulse.com/jet-blue-asks-how-much-can-you-fly-in-30-days/ http://matadorpulse.com/jet-blue-asks-how-much-can-you-fly-in-30-days/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:20:35 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=970

Feature photo: Rene Ehrhardt; Photo: DieselDemon

If you plan to do lots of traveling in the States between September 8 and October 8, this promo’s for you!

Jet Blue’s always trying out new strategies to engage customers.

It’s latest promo might just be of interest to those of you planning to do lots of traveling in the States between September 8 and October 8.

Now through August 21 you can purchase an All-You-Can-Jet Pass for a flat fee of $599 USD.

As the name suggests, you’ll be able to fly as often as you want between the 57 cities Jet Blue services, including its international destinations (though some international taxes and fees will bear an additional cost)– you’ll just need to make reservations three days in advance.

You can read all the fine print here.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/jet-blue-asks-how-much-can-you-fly-in-30-days/feed/ 4 http://matadorpulse.com/whats-going-on-in-guantanamo/ http://matadorpulse.com/whats-going-on-in-guantanamo/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:30:19 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=958

Detainee cells. Photos: Julie Schwietert

Your quick guide to recent news.

Even before his inauguration, President Obama was working on making good on a campaign promise: closing the detention facility located on the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The original plan was to shutter the detention facility by January 2010–eight full years after the U.S. started housing alleged Al-Qaeda and Taliban loyalists there–but recent reports have indicated that the administration is concerned it will not be able to meet that deadline.

The sticking point–as I predicted after my visit to the base and detention facility last November–has been figuring out what to do with all of the detainees who have been cleared for release but who have no place to go.

Slowly, though, nations are beginning to express their support for closing Guantanamo by agreeing to take in detainees who are eligible for release but are unable to return home.

Last month, Ireland agreed to take two people currently being detained at the facility. This week, Portugal agreed to offer special visas to two Syrians being held at Guantanamo. And the agreement between the U.S. and Palau that was forged a couple months ago finally seems to be taking shape: the tiny island nation will take between four and 13 Uighurs eligible for release.

Still, there are more than 200 detainees who–for various reasons–are unable to return to their home countries and who need a third country to take them in. Read more about the issue in this article.

Community Connection:

What do you know about Guantanamo? Here are 5 Things You Should Know About Guantanamo.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/whats-going-on-in-guantanamo/feed/ 1 http://matadorpulse.com/matador-launches-discover-dominica-contest/ http://matadorpulse.com/matador-launches-discover-dominica-contest/#comments Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:43:42 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=939

Photo: kretyen

Never won anything? Now’s your chance!

Who doesn’t like a free trip?

Matador is giving away a paid trip for TWO people to Dominica and all YOU have to do is send us an amazing photo of you exploring the outdoors.

The contest, open to residents of the United States and Canada, kicks off today. Winners will be chosen at the end of October.

The two lucky winners will receive round trip airfare from the United States or Canada and lodging for four nights at one of Dominica’s premier hotels.

Full contest details are here.

Questions? E-mail ross@matadornetwork.com.

Community Connection:

Read up on Dominica by checking out this article from our archives: Caribbean Romance in the Shadow of Volcanoes, written by one of Matador’s Caribbean experts, Anna Brones.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/matador-launches-discover-dominica-contest/feed/ 5 http://matadorpulse.com/wend-announces-theme-for-august-friday-photo-contest/ http://matadorpulse.com/wend-announces-theme-for-august-friday-photo-contest/#comments Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:08:18 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=935

Photo: ThisParticularGreg

Matador’s had a few winners in Wend’s Friday Photo Contest… this month, we want to see a few more!

This month, Wend’s Friday Photo Contest is all about cycling. Whatever you’re doing or wherever you’re going on two wheels, Wend wants to see your photos!

Check out the full contest details here.

This month’s prize? KEEN Cycling Shoes and the month’s grand prize: A KEEN Commuter Bag.

Community Connection:

Need some photographic inspiration? Check out Hal Amen’s photo essay about the 20 of the Freakiest Custom Bikes on the Road.

And along the same lines, Megan Hill rounds up 8 Quirky Bike Rides Across the US.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/wend-announces-theme-for-august-friday-photo-contest/feed/ 0 http://matadorpulse.com/breaking-news-matador-contributor-detained-in-iran/ http://matadorpulse.com/breaking-news-matador-contributor-detained-in-iran/#comments Sun, 02 Aug 2009 04:43:04 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=899 One of Matador’s contributing writers has been detained in Iran.

Matador writer Sarah Shourd.

Earlier today, mainstream US media reported that three American hikers were arrested in Iran after crossing the Iran/Iraq border on Friday. According to this report in The New York Times, Iranian television confirmed the arrests.

The news hits close to home for Matador, as one of our contributors, Sarah Shourd, is believed to be one of the arrested hikers, though her name has been spelled inaccurately in various reports. The other two detained hikers have been named as Shane Bower and Joshua Steel.

The arrests were reported to the US Embassy in Iraq by Shaun Gabriel Maxwell, a fourth hiker who had not been with his friends when they were detained. Though some reports have indicated that the three hikers defied local warnings not to cross into Iranian territory, other reports tell a different story. USA Today reported that Maxwell stated that the detained hikers–who contacted him by phone–told him they had gotten lost and wandered across the border unintentionally, where they were surrounded by troops and arrested.

Shourd penned this story for Matador in November of 2008.

While details are still coming in, Matador will continue to follow the story and wishes the best for Shourd and her companions.

Feature photo: Lezan

Community Connection:

Read Sarah Shourd’s story, “Escape from Iraq: A Muslim Family Finds Solace in Ramadan,” here.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/breaking-news-matador-contributor-detained-in-iran/feed/ 29 http://matadorpulse.com/bill-oreilly-shows-promise-as-tourism-spokesman/ http://matadorpulse.com/bill-oreilly-shows-promise-as-tourism-spokesman/#comments Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:31:55 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=896 Should Bill O’Reilly, the conservative US talk show host, ever find himself out of a job, perhaps Amsterdam might take him on as their tourism spokesman?

If I ever met Bill O’Reilly, I’d like to ask him about his travels.

His observations about the world just seem so astute.

He just discovered, apparently, that Amsterdam has long taken a liberal stance on drug use and prostitution.

Unfortunately, he hasn’t based any of his analysis about that stance on facts.

But a viewer from Amsterdam decided to set the record straight in this video:

Community Connection:

Check out this article from our archives about Amsterdam:

10 Things to Do In Amsterdam Besides Smoking Pot

Feature photo: earcos

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/bill-oreilly-shows-promise-as-tourism-spokesman/feed/ 6 http://matadorpulse.com/obama-administration-warms-up-to-cuba/ http://matadorpulse.com/obama-administration-warms-up-to-cuba/#comments Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:15:09 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=892

Photo: divya_

It was an action that didn’t make big headlines, but it may just be the next step in the US-Cuba political thaw.

First, some background.

The United States’ diplomatic presence in Cuba (if that’s not entirely a contradiction) is not to be found in an embassy or a consulate, but in a pseudo-consulate semantically distinguished as the “United States Interest Section Havana.”

Occupying some choice real estate along Havana’s ocean front, the Interest Section’s professional purview is a bit different from that of your typical embassy or consulate (you can read all about what they do–and what they don’t do–here). For one thing, the building itself became a tool for communicating US propaganda to Cuban people during the Bush administration.

Three Januaries ago, the Interest Section installed some snazzy new technology: an electronic ticker board, much like the electronic news spools you see in Times Square. The board was inaugurated on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, broadcasting the message: “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up” (a rather crude appropriation of King’s message, if you ask me).

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up.”

The message was changed periodically, and though the Interests Section says the billboard’s purpose was to display “news and information,” critics–notably, El Comandante himself–pointed out that the line between news and rhetoric was a little bit blurry.

In fact, the messages were so annoying to Castro that he had an installation art work erected to obscure the billboard from the public eye. The flag poles in the photo above– all 138 of them–prevented passersby from glimpsing the US’s messages. Castro even had competing billboards (not electronic–after all, 2006 was the Year of Energy in Cuba) put up, protesting US involvement in Cuban affairs.

Anyhow, earlier today, the Financial Times reported that the US quietly turned off the ticker recently, with little fanfare from either side. The fact that the US didn’t announce the ticker’s demise and that Cuba didn’t gloat about the dimmed electronic billboard clearly signals a detente, according to journalist Marc Frank.

Citing a “Western diplomat,” Frank wrote:

“’That they turned off the ticker is important – and that nobody has noticed is significant, too…. The Cubans could have howled victory – but [they] said nothing, indicating they are serious about improving relations.’ The diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said some local contact may have resumed already. Easing of travel restrictions for US and Cuban diplomats in each other’s capitals was expected soon.

It appears the standoff about the US mission – an attraction for tourists and a symbol of relations with the Bush administration – is winding down. The Cuban government took the billboards down soon after Barack Obama took office. There have been no marches past the building since Raul Castro took over from his ailing brother Fidel in February last year.”

Many individuals and advocacy groups who hoped for a speedier thaw in US-Cuba relations have criticized President Obama for what seems to be a deliberate pacing in bilateral negotiations. But it’s steps like these–which seem so little–that will ultimately lead to change in the decades long freeze between the US and Cuba.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/obama-administration-warms-up-to-cuba/feed/ 1 http://matadorpulse.com/us-house-of-reps-approves-proposal-to-consider-puerto-ricos-status/ http://matadorpulse.com/us-house-of-reps-approves-proposal-to-consider-puerto-ricos-status/#comments Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:52:55 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=882 Many Americans are unaware that Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States. That status may soon change, however.

Photo: Oscalito

The status of Puerto Rico is one of the most complicated, confusing, and fascinating political arrangements in the world.

Puerto Rico, formerly a Spanish colony, was ceded to the United States in 1898 as a consequence of the Spanish American War. For several decades afterward, the status and identity of the island were in limbo as the United States and islanders attempted to arrive at a viable political arrangement that would satisfy the interests of both parties.

The result was a strange compromise in which Puerto Rico became a commonwealth, or “free associated state,” of the US. The status granted some–but not all–of the benefits of US citizenship and left many Puerto Ricans wondering what, exactly, being a commonwealth meant.

It’s an issue that remains the focal point of politics on the island, with referenda being held every few years to determine what islanders want their status to be. There are those who favor statehood, others who favor complete independence, and still others who would be content to let the commonwealth continue as is.

Yesterday, the Associated Press reported that the US House of Representatives approved the island’s proposal to allow Puerto Ricans to hold a new referendum to vote on the island’s political future. Under the proposal, titled the Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009,

“[v]oters would choose between keeping the island’s commonwealth status, adopted in 1952, or to opt for something different. In the latter case, a second plebiscite would let them decide whether they wanted statehood, independence or independence with a loose association to the United States.”

Though no date has been scheduled for a vote, anxiety about the potential referendum is already high. The last referendum was held in 1998.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/us-house-of-reps-approves-proposal-to-consider-puerto-ricos-status/feed/ 4 http://matadorpulse.com/clever-ad-campaigns-or-gimmicks/ http://matadorpulse.com/clever-ad-campaigns-or-gimmicks/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2009 05:36:39 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=870 Public relations and communications advisors increasingly launch outlandish campaigns to attract the world’s attention.

Feature photo: Daquella manera; Photo: Arturo de Albornoz

Is it media saturation that’s causing PR firms to go bigger and bolder with their tourism clients’ ad campaigns?

First, there was the Best Job in the World, a clever and controversial contest to attract attention to Queensland.

Then, there was the NEXT Best Job in the World, a similar campaign (which, it should be noted, folded without explanation shortly after it was launched).

And now, there’s Nova Scotia’s ad for a product that has nothing to do with Nova Scotia at all.

In fact, the product–the Pomegranate NS08, a cell phone, translator, coffeemaker, harmonica, and electric shaver– doesn’t even exist.

So what’s the connection?

According to this article by Susan Karlin in the tech and engineering magazine, IEEE Spectrum:

“…the Pomegranate exists only in a YouTube video and a Web site designed to draw you to another Web site… the “Come to life” initiative in Nova Scotia…. The idea is to rebrand a rustic vacationland as a bastion of innovative minds, creative businesses, and a balanced quality of life.”

Karlin reported that in the first six months after the launch of the ad campaign for the fake product, more than 1 million visitors from 198 countries clicked through the site, and of these, 64% continued on to the Nova Scotia site.

Though Karlin went on to say that local businesses in Nova Scotia have reported an uptick in new clients, one has to wonder whether the campaign will ultimately be effective in increasing tourism.

What do you think? Will these types of flashy, over the top ad campaigns result in a flood of tourists, or are these PR firms risking backlash from an audience who is tiring of gimmicks? What’s the craziest ad you’ve seen? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Community Connection:

Read more of Matador’s coverage of the Best Job in the World. Craig Martin takes A Closer Look at The Best Job in the World in this article, and looks at the environmental impact of the contest.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/clever-ad-campaigns-or-gimmicks/feed/ 3 http://matadorpulse.com/honduras-update/ http://matadorpulse.com/honduras-update/#comments Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:09:37 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=866

Photo: YamilGonzales

“I haven’t heard anything about Honduras this week,” my husband said to me as we sat down to have dinner last night. Come to think of it, neither had I.

What’s happening in Honduras?

Good question.

In the US, at least, we’ve moved on, captivated by the Sotomayor Supreme Court confirmation hearings, former Liberian president Charles Taylor’s insistence of his purity and innocence in the war crimes case being heard against him at The Hague, and the rumblings that US Attorney General Eric Holder may appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the Bush administration’s CIA interrogation practices.

Oh, and then there was that early week bit about the CIA’s naughty habit of lying to Congress (repeatedly. Since 2001… at least).

So excuse us if we’ve forgotten about Honduras (and Iran… but we’ll get to that later).

But we shouldn’t be so quick to put the Central American situation out of our minds.

According to the Latin America Working Group, “The situation in Honduras has only escalated since last week.” Remarking on the military’s role in the current political standoff, LAWG continued:

“Civilians in the streets of Tegucigalpa and throughout the country side continue to face brutal repression by military officials. Civil liberties remain gravely affected, including freedom of the press.”

Meanwhile, the Americas Society reported that “an inch, but not a mile” has been gained in the executive branch, thanks to negotiations between the elected Zelaya administration and the imposed Micheletti administration, which are being mediated by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias. The organization indicated that curfews have been lifted and the threat to imprison Zelaya has been reconsidered if the deposed president returns, as he has said he intends to do.

To continue following developments in the country, visit the Americas Society’s Resource Guide to the Crisis in Honduras, which provides links to primary sources, news, and multimedia, produced both in the country and outside it.

Community Connection:

Clueless about what occurred in Honduras? Check out these articles from our archives:

Honduran President Ousted in Military Coup

Photo Essay: Honduras After the Coup

To Coup or Not to Coup?

Honduran President Attempts to Return to Country; Military Prevents Plane from Landing

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/honduras-update/feed/ 1 http://matadorpulse.com/contest-alert-win-a-trip-to-australia/ http://matadorpulse.com/contest-alert-win-a-trip-to-australia/#comments Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:28:00 +0000 Julie Schwietert http://matadorpulse.com/?p=862

Photo: aloha73

Bring on the contest! Bring on the van!

As if we didn’t already think they were cool enough– you HAVE applied for their Antarctica photography contest, right?–our travel buddies at World Nomad have us swooning with another dream contest.

They seem to have a certain affection for “As”– this one will find the winners in Australia.

It’s a country so big, so wild, and so beautiful it’s its own continent.

And even if you live there, you haven’t possibly seen it all.

That’s why World Nomads wants to hand you the keys to their van.

Here’s the deal:

World Nomads Van-Tastic contest will award seven pairs of travelers–one for each state–a round trip flight to/from Australia, keys to a camper van, $1,000 in “petrol” (that’s gas to those of you in the US), and six weeks with a digital video camera and laptop.

You’ll be charged with the task of documenting your trip– and if voters like your documentary the best, then you could win again, this time $10,000 and two Virgin Blue domestic flights. Not too shabby.

So get on over to World Nomads and get your application ready!

Community Connection:

Bummed you didn’t win the contest? Matador Trips co-editor Carlo Alcos shows you some of the coolest campervans on the road.

]]> http://matadorpulse.com/contest-alert-win-a-trip-to-australia/feed/ 4 http://matadorpulse.com/world-nomads-announces-sweet-photography-scholarship/ http://matadorpulse.com/world-nomads-announces-sweet-photography-scholarship/#comments Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:41:01 +0000 Julie Schwietert