Ryan Goes Abroad

I really could just end the post right now, because with the title I’ve told you the biggest things you need to know about Cartagena. But, I actually took out my camera out a little more than usual when I traveled there, so this post is a good one to stick around for. The City [...]

Zombies usually popup all over the world. That’s why I was surprised they didn’t show up at TBEX 2011 last week. I mean, they had every reason to make an appearance– such a great event to completely foul up… But then I thought about it, and realized there were many reasons why the zombies stayed [...]

As some of you may know, I returned to the US in early May 2011 from Colombia, a trip which was my first extended experience abroad. When I got back I noticed I was different. It’s difficult to describe, but going abroad has changed me in some major ways. Some of them are internal… Nowadays, [...]

Many people including me have used the Pimsleur language program to learn a foreign language. Here I am going to give you my super-definitive, 1300+ word review of the Pimsleur Spanish program, and by the end of it, you will have a good idea of what to expect. Why I Am Uniquely Qualified In 2010, [...]

I want to ask you a question today… Do you have the courage to lose sight of the shore? Look at your life… Maybe you have lived your life in certainty. In predictability. In routine. In safety. Maybe you have traded the adventure of your life for the four walls of your own knowledge. Why [...]

Last week I passed the century mark. I have now been abroad in Colombia for just over 100 days, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. In fact, I actually planned to stay less than 100 days, but here I am! Here are a few lessons I’ve learned in my first 100 days abroad: [...]

Holy canoli! Did you just see the response from 50 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Traveling? There were literally hundreds of years of traveling behind all of those gems. No wonder, then, as to date it has been re-tweeted more than 150 times! Thank you so much everybody for sharing it! The [...]

What do you wish you knew when you started traveling? How Do You Like Them Apples? I don’t know about you, but I am totally stoked to hear back from so many experienced travelers. They have offered some really good advice here. If you enjoyed it too, please share with your friends!

A few weeks ago I traveled in an overnight bus from Bogotá to Medellín. Here’s some of what happened. A Qué Hora: Night or Day? In planning my route, I made sure to ask Colombians about whether it was safe to travel by bus between the two cities. The opinions varied, though the vast majority [...]

I arrived to Medellin a few weeks ago and parked myself in a hostel. Now, up to this point, I had had minimal experience staying in hostels, but one tip I garnered before I came on this trip was that you should bring a small flashlight in order to see when it is pitch black [...]