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Stories from the field

torso of child holding fresh-picked flowers in his hands

Allergic to Children

Posted on August 5, 2023August 5, 2023

Despite declaring my allergy to children to Peace Corps staff, I was somehow placed with a family that has two young children: Sebastian, a 9-yo boy, and a 6-yo old girl named Nicole.

pizza with a tortilla crust and hot dog slices on top

In Colombia, You Can’t Always Get What You Want

Posted on April 30, 2023May 1, 2023

All I want is a cup of black coffee with some milk on the side. But, in Colombia, you can’t always get what you want.  If you order café (coffee) in a café (cafetería), you’ll get a cup of hot milk with a splash of coffee. If you ask for tinto, you’ll get a small,…

Cafe de Olla: Coffee to Fuel a Revolution

Posted on March 14, 2023March 16, 2023

Mexico’s Cafe de Olla (pot coffee) is a velvety, rich, and sometimes spicy way to begin the day. While the drink is enjoyed in many parts of Mexico, it’s especially popular in the country’s premier coffee-growing region, the southern state of Chiapas.  Cafe de Olla came into existence shortly after coffee became an important export…

Celebrating Christmas in Colombia

Posted on December 27, 2022January 5, 2023

If you think Christmas is a big deal in the US, you’ll be blown away by Colombia’s Christmas traditions.

How I Voted in the US Election From Abroad, and How You Can, Too!

Posted on October 11, 2022October 18, 2022

If you consider voting to be not just a right but a civic responsibility, you might be interested to know that US citizens can vote from anywhere in the world. And you might be surprised to learn that very few overseas citizens actually exercise those voting rights.  According to the Overseas Population Analysis conducted by…

A Week in the Life of a Peace Corps Colombia Volunteer-in-Training

Posted on October 2, 2022October 2, 2022

Four weeks into our 11-week Pre-Service Training schedule, I am just now beginning to adapt to the intense and unrelenting routine. Here’s what my typical week looks like in Colombia’s coastal region.

Letting Go of Independence to Live with a Peace Corps Host Family

Posted on September 18, 2022October 1, 2022

Turns out, living with a host family is much better than I ever could have imagined.

No Dar Papaya: How to Stay Safe as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Colombia

Posted on September 12, 2022October 1, 2022

“No dar papaya” may be the most common expression you will hear in Colombia. What does it mean, and how do you do it?

Centuries-old Systems Help Keep Real Estate Affordable in Rural Mexico

Posted on January 31, 2022February 18, 2022

Activists often speak as though the solutions we need have not yet been launched or invented, as though we are starting from scratch, when often the real goal is to amplify the power and reach of existing alternatives. What we dream of is already present in the world – Rebecca Solnit The dream of home…

Changing of the Guard: How a Modern Indigenous Community in Rural Oaxaca Celebrates a Centuries-old Tradition

Posted on January 22, 2022

When most folks think of Oaxaca, they think of mole, mezcal, and Día de los Muertos. As you may have noticed, we’re not most folks. Don’t get me wrong: we’ve certainly partaken of plenty of mole and mezcal. We’ve also celebrated Day of the Dead twice in Oaxaca City. But our most recent visit to…

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  • Man and woman planting corn in a field in Mexico.
  • Gateway of the Sun rock formation and archeo-astronomical clock

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Together, we have more than four decades of freelance writing experience. Our stories have been published in local, regional, and national outlets including Vice, Saveur, The Atlantic, 7×7, and many others.

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As of September 1, we’ve settled into a small apartment in the Mission District of San Francisco.

We hope to use the time here to catch up on our blogs and some other writing projects.

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