The Compass - February 2009

Thank You!

A huge thank you to ALL the writers who have contributed numerous articles from around the Globe. Exactly 41 writers have supported us in the past year. ‘Without you guys we wouldn’t have come thus far.’ Thank you for all your enthusiastic work!

Ali Majdfar is a 37 year old amateur photographer for the last 5 years. Through his photography he would like to show another side of his country, seldom shown in the media, which is its rich culture and history.
Iranian Caves

Alison Aitken escaped from her job in London 10 months ago and has been on the road ever since. Somewhere in the blur of overnight buses and overstuffed trains, it occurred to her to take a shot at writing - if only to keep track of herself.
Sailing into Patagonia

Andrea Bailey is a Dubai based freelance travel writer. Besides her interests in travel, she is also a mosaic artist and musician. She is contactable on abtravelwriter@gmail.com
Brazil – Catch up on Buzios Celebrity Buzz

Ashley Bedard is a recent victim of the infectious travel bug, having been whisked to the other side of the world by a very mysterious man. Her background is in classical voice performance and opera and she is now employed as a communications professional in Toronto, writing and policing the language of others. She hopes to have many more adventures in far off lands in the future.
Doorway to Zanzibar

Claire Kenny is a graduate student at Harvard and is pursuing a dual-degree program in business and international policy. She sees traveling not as "time off" from work and study but as "time on" to engage with new ideas and perspectives.
Swaziland – Where the land encompasses its people

Cynthia Palafox was born in Mexico and has lived in three countries. After graduating college, she traveled through Europe and Mexico discovering her passion for travel. She is currently living in Barcelona, Spain teaching English and learning new things everyday about the Spanish and Catalan culture.
Barcelona - Bringing Back the 80s

Diana Lumani’s passion for travel began as a child when her family retreated to their summer home in Europe each year. Born in the United States but grew up spending entire summers overseas. These experiences made her an avid lover of history, politics and cultures. She is currently living in Connecticut and working in New York City.
Saranda - To Sea or Not To Sea?

A psychic once remarked that Deborah Gilbert would live a long life, so she is making sure to explore all of her passions while trying to survive in this rough and tumble world. Traveler, Writer, Friend, Music Geek, Wine Sampler, Pet Lover… and whatever she stumbles into next.
A Wild ride through South Africa’s Private Reserves

Elsa Gasparian has developed a soft spot for adventure when she first travelled to Portugal. Far away from photography, she is passionately involved in cake decorations and sugar flower creations.
Canadian Reflections

Esmeralda Campos was born in Lima - Peru and has traveled extensively most of the Peruvian territory. She is not a writer, but wants to bring awareness about the richness of the Peruvian land. She has lived on three continents and presently resides in Toronto.
Along the Andes of Peru
Along the Andes of Peru…the sequel
The Culinary Delights of Peru

Golden Noble-Harris is an avid traveler, and has been working her way around the world after finishing an undergraduate Journalism degree and degree in languages in 2005. After working in the Mediterranean yachting industry for two years, she rekindled her close friendship with the trusty old backpack. She is currently traveling through the Americas, soaking up the beauty, mayhem and madness across the southern continent, and finally learning to surf. An Aussie just isn’t an Aussie without severe sunburn and a board!
Vilcabamba- Ecuador’s eternal youth
How fast will Iguazu fall?

Hanna Lindon graduated from Cambridge University in 2006 and is now working full time as a travel and emigration journalist for Outbound Media. Her passion for travel has its roots in a gap year inter-railing experience - since then she has travelled Europe widely, as well as visited America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In March she will be embarking on a journey across Canada and the US by train.
Top 5 Unique Ski Resorts in the USA
Czech Republic - Off the Rails

Jasmin Mutabdzija was born on the Big Island of Hawaii and is married to a Bosnian refugee. She is working to finish her book about the adventures of her family through Bosnia, Serbia, and Greece. Along with their two children, they reside in California, although a suitcase is always waiting by the front door just in case.
Dragon Tales from Sarajevo

Before moving to Mexico, Jennifer Lee O'Donnell had been living in Manhattan and teaching photography and journalism to high school students in Brooklyn, New York. During this time she was conducting research for a documentary photography project that focused on developing communities in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Currently she teaches English and Linguistics at The University of Papaloapan, in Tuxtepec, and is working on a photo/linguistics project that examines the Chinanteco communities that reside along the Papaloapan River in Northern Oaxaca State.
A Mexican Fiesta

Jenny Williams is a writer, editor, filmmaker, traveler, and all-around curious person. She currently works as News Editor for Ethical Traveler (www.ethicaltraveler.org) and is always scheming about her next trip abroad. Her website is: www.jennydwilliams.com.
How to be a Gracious Guest

Joely Rogers is a former pastry chef and cooking teacher whose next foray is graduate school to study linguistics. Reach her at sophron30@yahoo.com.
Savouring Ile d’Orleans

Katherine Hunt is a law student who is always eager to glance past her books to the next adventure. She believes that encountering other cultures allows a traveler to shape her life to be in harmony with the people she meets.
Havasu Falls – Home of Havasupai Indian Tribe

Kyle Knight is a freelance writer and photographer in New York City. His work focuses on the Himalayas, children, issues of marginalization, and human rights.
Nepal – A place to call Home

Kourosh Ziabari, an 18 year old freelance blogger and journalist from Iran, published the book "7+1" which is a collection of his interviews with 7 contemporary Iranian authors. He is the contributing author of Opednews.com and the Irani-based correspondent of OhMyNews
international.
Iran - Guilan, a rural heritage museum

Laci Chiodo obtained a degree in English-Creative Writing and is now working as a freelance writer amongst other noble jobs to supplement her travel funds. When she is not exploring the world she is riding her moped through Maui, reading books, and floating in the ocean.
Dingle - An Irish little town
Bali - Praying in a foreign land

Leah Michalos holds a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She grew up dancing with the St. Haralambos Hellenic Dancers, with whom she first traveled to the "homeland," dancing in the village square of her grandfather's native Chios. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York where she works as a freelancer.
Greece - We Dance

Lusine Stepanian is The Compass Editor. Aside from travel writing she is inspired by Latin dancing with her second performance on its way. Having caught the travel bug while living in Europe, she is dedicating her next few years to exploring more of Latin America .
Sidi Bou Said - An Artist’s Mecca
How to travel like a local
Cenotes - The Sacred Waters of Mexico
Czech Republic – A Breath of Dead Air
Seville - The hunt for Authentic Tapas
Armenia – A Cultural Flashback
Unico - World Festivals

Mauricio Osegueda is a Toronto-based freelance writer with ten years experience with the written word. Having adventured through over fifteen countries and lived in three, he is an avid lover of history and culture who specifically makes a point to take the road less traveled. Fluent in English and Spanish and on his way to mastering French, he continues to write for multiple publications and as always, his blog.
Under the clouds of Andalusia
Paris - Faults, Overpriced coffee and Love

Melanie Ast is a Sicilian living in Ireland, Belfast. She obtained a degree in languages and literature, and simply loves travelling, photography and writing. She is also passionate about art, culture and archeology.
Kuala Lumpur - A thousand different places

Michelle McAlister is a freelance writer and world traveler. She primarily travels solo and is a frequent international volunteer. Her stories about travel have appeared in San Francisco Chronicle, InTravel magazine, eMagazine, the Environmental Magazine, Tango Diva, and have garnered a bronze certificate and honorable mentions in Traveler's Tales' SOLAS Travel Writing Awards 2008. While she calls San Diego home, her overstuffed bookcase sardined with travel journals and maps to far flung locales spur her to travel on, further neglecting her garden.
Eigg - The least expected Isle of Scotland

Mike J. Pence is a recent graduate of San Francisco State University where he majored in cinema. Last semester he studied at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, and did as much traveling as he could, visiting Scotland, Amsterdam, Italy, Greece, and numerous English cities. A lifelong fan of journalism, he now devotes most of his time to writing.
In Search of Home in Stemnitsa

Molly Marie Griffin never owned a passport until 2007, when she jumped headfirst into the travel world by spending a month on a wildlife sanctuary in Namibia. While planning her next travel adventure, she is currently living outside New York City, working as a journalist and attempting to learn the harmonica.
Namibia – Connected in the middle of nowhere

Neha Kirpal has been a journalist in India for the last two years. Currently she is working as a Correspondent for The Times of India in Jaipur. Aside from writing, her interests include reading, traveling, movies and music.
Malaysia in a Nutshell

Owen Palmiotti’s home is Monroe, New York, but it is difficult to find him there. He is a sailor, serving Third Officer with Military Sealift Command. Owen graduated from SUNY Maritime College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marine Transportation and International Business, and with a United States Coast Guard License.
Sunset Safari in Dubai

While working on his first collection of short stories, Peter Wesolowski travels, photographs and broods on the affairs of the world - present and past.
Jordan - Mysteries of Petra

Robert M. Simon’s passion for photography began as a pre-teen, in 1968 with the building of his first darkroom. His photographic expertise has propelled him into the world of Digital Photography, creating Custom Digital Slideshows for about 7 years. His Profession as a Home Improvement Contractor, has given him the ability to travel and continue with his passion, creating countless digital keepsakes for others.
How to keep Photographic Memories alive

Ryan Keith was born in New Hampshire in 1981. After a series of cross-country journeys and habitations, he's back residing for the seventh time in New York City, where he's occupied by several musical projects as well as the ecstatic chore of finishing his first novel, the biopic of a desk lamp entitled Bethel of Halogen. Ryan is currently an Editor at Filler Magazine--a new publication for the subversive demographic. He hopes to continue exploring the earth and telling its tale with the craft and passion such a marvellous place deserves.
Snakes and Scooters of Marrakech

Sanjay Sivadas is a travel writer based in Bangalore. He may be reached at sanjaysivadas@yahoo.com.
Neemrana Fort Palace - Far from the madding crowd

Sarah Romney is a writer and filmmaker based in New York. She has lived in Australia and Berlin, and has traveled widely in Europe, the Caribbean and Central America. A divemaster, Sarah is constantly looking for the ultimate destination – one that combines pristine natural environments with unique cultural activities - and she is looking forward to upcoming adventures in Southeast Asia.
Bonaire – Divers’ paradise

Simon Newman is a freelance travel and features writer living in Catalunya, close to the French/Spanish border. "I love straddling two cultures. My passion is in people and the way they relate to the world as they see it. Human fragility and eccentricity provide eternal colour to my canvas. For me, it's what makes life interesting."
Port Vendres – The other South of France
Figueres - Beyond Dali
France - Le Canigou mountain

Born in Vietnam and immigrated to the United States at age 9, Thinh Le has traveled to over 50 cities and 14 countries around the world exploring displaced space, form, and colors. While studying architecture at the University of Florida, Thinh became interested in photography as a tool to capture space which he turned into a passion as he became fascinated with colors and composition.
Vietnam - Cultural Moments

Tim Kernutt is an Australian travel writer fast with a pen but slow to catch a bus, who is forever planning his next travels. Is he a cultural vulture? Does he have the travel bug? Does he simply just have a bug? It's probably too early too tell. However, whether he is in Asia, Europe or roaming around his home country, one thing is for sure - He will have his feet up (at the same time as writing about it of course).
Walkabout in Byron Bay

From September 2005 until August 2007, Tyrel Nelson worked as an AmeriCorps Construction Assistant, leading volunteer crews and building houses on behalf of Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, which is based out of Minneapolis, MN. Tyrel currently lives in Ecuador, where he has been teaching English since September 2007.
Cuenca - Paradise Found

Vahagn Stepanian is The Compass art director. He recently ventured to Peru on a journey of adventure and mystery. As a skilled photographer he looks at the world through his lens and never leaves home without his gear.
Peru - Ballestas Islands

Victor Chia is majoring in Business at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. His utmost interest lies in Asian culture and civilization which he considers the last unexplored frontier apart from the African continent. Victor is fluent in written and spoken English and Chinese with basic skills in Bahasa Melayu. He hopes to save enough money for a big trip through Nepal and India at the end of the year.
Vietnam - The Long Journey West

Of course we cannot forget our creative group of photographers who have allowed us to use their photography in our Festival Calendar and in ‘Through My Lens’ chapters. They come from all over the world with a creative eye.