Seeing Similarities When Water Isn’t Free

Recently my husband and I felt like characters in a fairytale: an imposing castle on Hradcany Hill overlooking the Vltava river, an Old Town with charming bridges boasting Neo-gothic figures, and even an astronomical clock chiming every hour. Although hidden from the world while under Communist control (1948-1989), Prague has made up for the time … Read more

“Stoked-ness”: Tuning-In to the Vernacular

Heading on a bus to ski some Spring “powder” a fellow passenger asked, “Are you stoked (about the new snow)?”.  With the constant deluge of precipitation falling outside, we indeed felt full of “Stoked-ness”, hoping to experience fresh white stuff on the mountain trails.  Although being “stoked” was not necessarily an adjective in our vocabulary, … Read more

Olives for Conversation

When recently travelling to Spain, my husband and I with marginal Spanish abilities and a little effort enjoyed interactions wherever we explored. Sometimes our efforts translated into a bowl of green olives “on the house”! Although starting a conversation required some extra energy, the rewards were worth it, even if just for the smile and … Read more