Ethiopia was ready to be seen as the world-class tourist destination it's always been. Amidst investments from China, Ethiopians were building homes, fortifying schools and preparing the next generation for a country on the verge of rapid growth. With travel now on a temporary hold due to COVID-19, experts worry about the financial loss in Africa, especially in the wildlife and conservation sectors. Could it be that Ethiopia has a rare opportunity to assess the effects of their short-term accelerated tourism?

Few skills are more valuable to a magician than the ability to make something disappear and reappear. This sleight of hand is a trick so timeless that audiences still question the boundaries of possibility. You might think the magic show ends there, but in Chicago, the show is just getting started. 

Thanks to a law created in the 1800s, a person in India could get up to 10 years in jail for having gay sex. Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalized homosexuality, was repealed on September 6th, 2018. A year later, I visited India to engage with the queer community and create a short documentary about the repeal's anniversary.

Where to dine out in New York City is not an easy decision to make. From the tip of Inwood and deep into Brooklyn, over 50,000 food establishments line the gridlocked streets. With new restaurants opening every year, NYC’s food industry is a significant economic and tourist asset. Almost 10% of employees make their living in the city’s food scene, and migrant workers make up over half of this workforce.

The allure of New York City is made up of tall skyscrapers, a fast pace and dazzling bright lights. This is what people dream of when they picture the Big Apple. But “a Big Apple” can’t grow from concrete, it needs greenery. I’m not just speaking in analogies; it’s real life.

An estimated five million people attended 2019’s World Pride in New York City. Just imagine five million people lining the streets of Lower Manhattan on the day of the Pride Parade.

Japan is home to a unique hybrid culture. At first glance, you have a country whose motor runs on the fuel of tradition. But blink and Japan’s not-so-underground subculture comes into focus.

Is simply being present in another city enough to ensure we receive unique cultural experiences? Lisbon, Portugal is the perfect case study for this question.

As a kid I remember coming across a picture of a far away place on the internet. The picture featured an idyllic coastline with orange and pink houses built into a mesmerizing cliffside. My first thought was, "Is this real?"

New York City is teeming with beautiful parks and green spaces. If you're looking to spread your wings and explore beyond Central Park look no further than Fort Tryon. Full disclosure: this is my absolute favorite NYC park.

New Orleans has a reputation for being extremely festive. The flavorful food, the lively music and the friendly people all create a good-times vibe. At no other time is this feeling heightened than at Mardi Gras.

Visiting cathedrals isn’t really my thing. I get their significance. Most of them are extremely beautiful and they tell stories as ornate as their architecture. Organized religion isn’t really my thing either and that aspect kind of takes me out of the art of the experience. But it would be pretty difficult not to be blown away by Zipaquirá’s Catedral de Sal.

Patience has never been my strong suit. Since childhood I’ve been a restless mess of a child incapable of sitting still for very long. It got me into trouble at school. It exhausted my parents. It made me anxious.

My dad’s mom, aka Mama Marqueza, was the matriarch of our family until she died recovering from her third stroke during my sophomore year of college. I was young when I witnessed my grandmother have her second stroke.