Before I moved to Spain, I had read a lot about the history of Spain, its people, and its position in Europe. While some places in Europe are, quite frankly, less fascinating in terms of their history, Spain has always stood out to me for its extremely diverse culture. Perhaps part of that is because where my parents … Continue reading
Lately, there’s been a lot of discussion regarding a possible Rumi film. Yes, an entire film dedicated to the life of the most famous Persian poet. This got me thinking; I’ve always had a difficult-yet-poetic name. When I was a kid, I used to highly dislike being named “Ghezal” because no one ever knew how to say … Continue reading
I may never fully understand what it means to be a refugee. From my understanding of the term ‘refugee’, I know that it means to seek refuge due to unstable circumstances in one’s homeland (for varying reasons). I understand that my parents were a type of ‘refugee’, as many people of their heritage are. They’re highly … Continue reading
“Just pack two outfits, and you’re good to go.” “Pack extras in case you need them.” “Make sure you take lots of underwear.” Regardless of where you’re from, what your gender is, or how old you are, you’ve probably heard at least one of these quotes. Some people are of the mindset that you don’t … Continue reading
It’s been quite a while since I’ve last written about any travel, but this has not been due to a lack of trips. It’s been the opposite, actually, leaving me with a lot to write about. Most recently, I was recently lucky enough to visit a famous American city (for the first time). The first … Continue reading
There’s something extremely bizarre about feeling more culturally connected to a foreign country – one that you only spent two years of your life in – rather than where you happened to grow up. When I speak of my experience in Spain, I often have to interject with, “but those were the two most influential … Continue reading
Whether you truly believe in a nomadic gene being real or not, there are some real-life cases that could easily support the idea that some people are destined to travel. Sometimes, this gene skips certain people in a family, but sometimes, it affects everyone. It leads to lifelong confusion, a ridiculously high amount of curiosity, and … Continue reading
For anyone who’s lived in Ottawa, Toronto, or even other various parts of Canada, it’s quite clear that Ottawa and Toronto are two very different cities that long to be the most important city in Canada. While Torontonians might laugh at the idea of there being any rivalry between their great city and any other … Continue reading
It’s a common desire, this need to “travel the world”. Lots of people talk about it as though it’s some easily-achieved goal, as though there’s a checklist they can conquer within the span of a few years. It’s almost trendy to be a traveller, or to plan travels at all. Yet, despite many young people … Continue reading
Language can be a peculiar thing. At times, it appears that being a native English speaker comes with many benefits. Should you choose to travel the world, you have the option of teaching English (given you have certain other qualifications). Should you want to speak to a group of varied foreigners, English will probably be … Continue reading
The Rooted Traveller 