To say I’m exhausted is an understatement. Our friends from Atlanta headed to the airport at 4:30 am today; two ladies I was schooled by (so they have a couple of years on me) who out-walked, out-shopped, and out-drank me their entire visit in Hungary. There are two reasons for this: one, I’m out of [...]
Sai, a member of our PitchRate community, recently sent me this story his grandfather told him about Saint Narada and Lord Vishnu, the God of creation in Hinduism: Saint Narada prided himself on being Lord Vishnu’s most devoted follower. One day, Narada found the Lord praising a farmer for his own devotion. Outraged, Narada asked [...]
Here I am, living in a rural Serbian village, which is not the easiest thing I've ever done. Budapest was somewhat of an adjustment from U.S. living, but this is a whole other level. Things I took for granted in Budapest have become glaringly absent, like not having a Starbucks around the block when I [...]
Have you ever felt like you’re on a movie set? That somehow you've been “beamed up by Scotty”? Just to be clear, I’m not a Trekkie – but that’s exactly how I felt as Will and I sat on bales of hay in a horse-drawn carriage driven by an enthusiastic coachman a few weeks ago. [...]
Am I crazy? I ask myself this question a lot and I keep getting the same answer… but I’ll let you decide. Here I am, sitting in a youth hostel in the middle of Serbia. What exactly is a youth hostel doing in a small Serbian farming village, you might ask? Fazekas Róbert, the town’s [...]
I had no clue what the Serbian reporter was asking me. Thank goodness Oscar was there to translate the conversation. I met Oscar earlier this spring on CouchSurfing.com when we couldn't find a pet-friendly place to stay in Serbia. While we weren't exactly in the market for a couch to sleep on, I thought the [...]
Have you ever noticed that as soon as you commit to something, everything that is NOT that thing shows up in spades? For example, say you commit to working on your spare tire or muffin top. (Not that I’d personally know, but I have a friend…) Then what do you see, constantly, day in and [...]
The view from our apartment balcony, looking toward the Old Town of Dubrovnik. George Bernard Shaw was enchanted by this beautiful city, about which he said, "Those who seek paradise on Earth should come to Dubrovnik and see Dubrovnik”. I spent almost three months in Croatia last winter and I distinctly remember stepping out of the shower one [...]
Before I started writing my first book (available now!), I’d heard people say that writing a book is similar to giving birth. I thought, really? Isn't that a little over dramatic? Obviously due to a natural barrier, I haven’t given birth. (Not that I wouldn't have wanted the experience, but life is life.) But now [...]
You know that old expression, “waking up on the wrong side of the bed”? Well, the other day I woke up instantly upset. I contemplated not even getting out of bed. And, truthfully, I didn't need to. Since I’m working from Europe, no one in the U.S. would have been up for hours. So if [...]
Getting ready for the first shot of the day – Stara Moravica, Serbia You may or may not know I’m a reality TV addict. It’s my guilty pleasure. And here’s the fun news. Recently, I moved from being “just a fan” to being an actual reality superstar! (Doing one episode does make me a superstar, [...]
Subotica, Serbia (photo: InSerbia News) I had no idea what they were saying, but I was happy. You know those moments when you stop and think to yourself, how did I wind up here? Of all the possible scenarios and different ways my life could go, I’d never have predicted I’d be sitting in a [...]
