story and photo by Lindsay Shapka
For many travelers it is not the strange food, language barrier, or cultural differences that are the most daunting when embarking on a new adventure, it is the flight that it takes to get there. Having traveled with a few extremely nervous fliers (a friend of mine spent our 10 hour flight grabbing my arm every time the plane hit turbulence), I understand that this is a legitimate fear that sadly, prevents many from taking the trips that they long too.
If you are scared to fly (or know someone who is), there should be something on this list that can help you out!
1. Get Comfortable — The more comfortable you are, the more relaxed you will be. Most airlines don’t supply blankets and pillows anymore, so bring your own – inflatable neck pillows are the easiest to pack – and make sure to bring some socks to keep your toes warm as well.
2. Stay Distracted — Bring entertaining books and magazines on board (trashy ones are the best). Music is also a great distraction so pack your iPod (also helpful if the in-flight entertainment system stops working). If you have ear-bud headphones you will be able to keep them on during take-off and landing, headphones that cover your ears will have to be removed.
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story and photos by Lindsay Shapka
According to Canadian Stewart Steinhauer, though he makes his living creating beautiful stone sculptures, he is not an artist but simply someone who “inadvertently makes stuff”.
Mother Bear Preys for Earth Healing, 2007 Stewart Steinhauer
Identifying with his Cree/Anishnabe/Mohawk Aboriginal ancestors, Seinhauer follows their belief that his ability is not a ‘talent’, but a spiritual gift; “creative individuals become conscious of the swirling pool of creative forces, and recognize their place in it.”
This sculptor became conscious of his ‘gift’ when he went on an aboriginal fast/spiritual journey into the back-country mountain wilderness. While on this journey he had a vision of a bear who transformed from a small, playful bear – to a large and powerful spirit bear – and finally to a stone bear that seemed to ripple as it moved. According to this ‘non-artist’, the bear made a 3-D imprint on his mind which appears when he is creating his sculptures.
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story and photos by Lindsay Shapka
In Thailand approximately 95% of the population is Buddhist, which means that the country is chock-full of breathtaking temples (wat in Thai), elaborately carved statues of the Buddha, and saffron-coloured-robe clad monks (approx. 460,000 of them!).
It is an expectation across the country that EVERY Thai male will become a monk for at least a short period in their life. This practice, much like compulsory military service in countries like South Korea, usually occurs between the completion of school and the beginning of a career or marriage. It is not unusual however for males under the age of 20 to ‘take robe and bowl’ as novices, because a family earns great merit when a son becomes a monk.
The time spent in a wat is traditionally supposed to last for three months and take place during the Buddhist version of ‘lent’ that begins in July and coincides with the monsoon season. Nowadays however most men spend as little as a week in the temple in order to accrue merit as a monk.
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story and photo by Lindsay Shapka
Hoping to write a compelling thesis on urban poverty, first-year graduate student Sudhir Venkatesh walked boldly into the middle of Chicago’s most notorious housing projects one afternoon determined to gain some insight.
His boldness (meant to impress his professors) instead impressed a gang leader named JT who, attracted to the idea of being written about, befriended Venkatesh giving him unprecedented access into the gang’s world. For almost a decade, JT allowed him to observe as the gang operated their crack-selling business, evaded the law, made peace (or war) with the neighbors, and rose or fell in the gang’s complex hierarchy.
This fascinating book gives an eye-opening view of an “outsider looking at life from the inside” (pg xvi), and tells the story of the complicated friendship that developed between two men who, though both ambitious, lived in completely separate worlds.
text and photo by Lindsay Shapka
The Gas Station Siem Reap, Cambodia
Imagine my surprise, when on the way to Siem Reap, my tuk-tuk driver pulled over near what I assumed was a drink cart on the side of the road, bought a glass Coke bottle filled with yellow liquid, and started pouring it into his gas tank!
After emptying the bottle, of what I assumed was fuel, he handed it back to the ‘attendant’, smiled at me, and pulled the tuk-tuk back into the mess of traffic, leaving the unconventional gas station behind us.
