The Observer Effect The Observer Effect
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- Society & Culture
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These are strangers' travel stories. Each time I ask how travel has changed them and hope listening like this evaporates borders.
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136 Exposure Therapy—Sulawesi, Where Rachel Was a Fellow
Rachel was a Fellow with the U.S. State Department’s English Language Program in Sulawesi. She embraced challenges like finding ants in her food to unravel her fears and came away reflecting on how race shapes our experience. I asked how she became such a good storyteller … and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.
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135 So Much More Than One Thing—Mauritius, Where Armen Was a Fellow
Armen was a Fellow with the U.S. State Department’s English Language Program in Mauritius. I asked how the experience changed him … and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.
Listen to Armen's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/armen-kassabian/id1451319621
Consider donating to Westin's Fund: https://www.westinsfund.org/ -
134 Moral Injury—Afghanistan, Where Joan Got a Text
Joan took part in this past August’s “Digital Dunkirk,” the frantic effort to help Afghans escape the Taliban when the U.S. withdrew after two decades in Afghanistan. During those sleepless nights, she began advocating, writing articles calling on the U.S. government to honor its commitment to the people who served alongside its military. I asked how Afghans came to mean so much to her ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.
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133 All Very Hush Hush—Yemen, Where Aziza Wants to Help People Die
Aziza told me the religious police arrested her and her fiancé in Saudi Arabia. The interrogator asked, “Did you hit the religious police?” I was like, “Damn yes I did!” I asked if that experience changed her ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.
Consider donating to Westin's Fund: westinsfund.org
“Peculiar traveling suggestions are dancing lessons from God.”
—Kurt Vonnegut -
132 Love Is Stronger Than Death—Benin, Where Jean Reconnected
Jean was readier to answer my questions—as if he had somehow prepared—than anyone I have interviewed in the course of this project when we met randomly at a fountain in an alcove of Casablanca’s wondrous mosque by the sea. I asked him why ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.
Consider donating to Westin's Fund: http://www.westinsfund.org/
"Family is never lost."
—Creole Proverb -
131 La Direction de la Vie—Paris, Where Étienne Considered Suicide
Étienne has decorated his entire Paris apartment with paraphernalia from The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic children’s book. I asked what happened when he came home from nearly a year traveling the world ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.
Consider donating to Westin's Fund: http://www.westinsfund.org/
"On n'est jamais content là où on est."
—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry