TODAY, I MEDITATED.

I TOUCHED THE LIGHT THAT RUNS THE WORLD.

THEN, I TOOK A SHOWER.

I SAT IN THE DOWNPOUR.

THE SOAP SWIRLED AROUND THE DRAIN,

MAKING A FIGURE EIGHT.

INFINITY

THE FIGURE EIGHT SPLIT IN TWO.

DUALITY

THE TWO BECAME ONE.

SOURCE

THE ONE EXPANDED.

UNIVERSE

THE ONE DISAPPEARED.

GOD

ONE FISH
IS TWO FISH
IS RED FISH
IS BLUE FISH

I DRIPPED DRY.

DISHARI
20
ORIGIN: CALCUTTA, INDIA
SIGN: CANCER

I AM TRAVELING THROUGH DELHI WHILE ON HOLIDAY FROM COLLEGE.

I AM STUDYING ENGLISH LITERATURE IN SCHOOL. MY PARENTS ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF MY EDUCATION.

TYPICALLY, INDIAN PEOPLE LOOK AT EDUCATION AS A NECESSITY, MOST SPECIFICALLY FOR MALES. YOU ARE EITHER AN ENGINEER OR A DOCTOR. I AM THE FIRST PERSON IN MY FAMILY TO STUDY LITERATURE. I HAVE RECEIVED RIDICULE FROM MOST PEOPLE I KNOW FOR THIS, SAYING I’M WASTING MY TIME AND PARENTS MONEY.

MY MOM IS 38 AND IS CURRENTLY DOING STUDIES HERSELF.

MOST INDIAN PEOPLE MY AGE HAVE NO JOBS, A LACK OF ZEAL TO STUDY, THEREFORE A LACK OF EDUCATION. DRUG ADDICTIONS TAKE PLACE OF THESE THINGS. I BELIEVE IT ALL GOES BACK TO OUR POOR ECONOMY AND A WIDESPREAD DEPRESSION AND HOPELESSNESS AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE OF IT. THEY FIGURE WHAT’S THE POINT?

WE HAVE THE MOST CORRUPTED GOVERNMENT ON THE PLANET...

ROLAND
21
ORIGIN: PARIS, FRANCE
SIGN:ARIES

IT TOOK ME AND MY TWO FRIENDS, MAX&LOUIS ONE YEAR TO PLAN A TRIP CYCLING AROUND THE WORLD.

WE TOOK A YEAR OFF SCHOOL. WE HAVE BEEN CYCLING FOR NINE MONTHS SO FAR.

WE STARTED IN PARIS
TO BRUSSELS
TOOK A PLANE
TO SOUTH AMERICA
EL SALVADOR
TO CHILE
TOOK A PLANE
TO AUSTRALIA
SYDNEY
TO MELBOURNE
TOOK A PLANE
TO ASIA
VIETNAM
TO YANGON, MYANMAR
TOOK A PLANE
TO INDIA
CALCUTTA
TO DELHI

FOR THE NEXT 3 MONTHS, WE WILL CYCLE THROUGH IRAN BACK TO PARIS.

SOUTH AMERICA HAD THE MOST DIVERSE AND BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE TO CYCLE THROUGH. IN SOME PLACES, WE HAD TO FIND A PLACE TO CAMP BEFORE 5PM TO BE SAFE.

THROUGH THE ANDES MOUNTAINS WE WERE CLIMBING 1000 FEET A DAY, IN SHINE AND SNOW. CYCLING THROUGH SNOW WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU REACH A PEAK WITH NO FOOD OR WATER AND HAVE TO SET UP CAMP FOR THE NIGHT.

SOUTHEAST ASIA HAD THE KINDEST MOST...

BEN
24
ORIGIN: MILTENBERG, BAVARIA, GERMANY
SIGN: AQUARIUS

I COME FROM MY FAMILY DAIRY FARM IN A VERY SMALL VILLAGE. THERE ARE ABOUT 70 PEOPLE IN IT AND I KNOW THEM ALL.

BEING AWAY, I HAVE A SUDDEN NEW APPRECIATION FOR THE CASTLES BACK HOME. I WILL PROBABLY GO VISIT NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE WHEN I RETURN.

I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A FARM IN NEW ZEALAND FOR THE PAST 14 MONTHS, WHILE ALSO WORKING WITH KIWI FOOD.

KIWI: FLIGHTLESS BIRDS NATIVE TO NEW ZEALAND
APTERYX<>APTERYGIDAE

I WOULD WORK 15-17 HOUR DAYS DOING DIFFERENT JOBS–IN THE PEAK HOUSE, OR AS THE PICKER DIRECTOR.

I ARRIVED TO NEW ZEALAND AND PROCEEDED TO LIVE IN MY CAR ON THE BEACH FOR THE FIRST 6 WEEKS. IT WAS COMPLETELY REFLECTIVE AND SO NICE SPENDING TIME WITH MYSELF.

DREAM: TO HAVE MY OWN WORKING FARM IN GERMANY ONE DAY, WITH A MORE RELAXED SCHEDULE THAN MOST FARMERS HAVE.

I IMAGINE I WILL...

NATASHA
31
ORIGIN: PORTENCROSS, WEST COAST, SCOTLAND
SIGN: SCORPIO

I’M FROM THE GATEWAY WHERE THEY WOULD TRANSPORT KINGS TO BE BURIED. I"M VERY PROUD OF MY HERITAGE.

GROWING UP MY SISTER AND I NEVER REALLY IMAGINED WHAT OUR WEDDINGS WOULD BE LIKE. WE WOULD DREAM OF ALL THE PLACES WE WOULD TRAVEL.

I’VE BEEN IN BOGATA, COLOMBIA FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS TEACHING CHILDREN. NOW, I HAVE JUST ARRIVED FROM NEPAL WHERE I FELL IN LOVE WITH PERMACULTURE.

MY FOCUS: REGENERATING LANDSCAPES INVOLVING CHILDREN WITH THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. HELPING THEM CREATE THE FUTURE.

I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT CREATING YOUR OWN HAPPINESS AND THAT FEAR IS TRULY A PERCEPTUAL MINDSET. CHANGE YOUR MINDSET, AND YOUR FEARS DISAPPEAR. ACCEPTANCE OF CHANGE IS THE KEY.

LOVE IS A WONDERFUL THING, I USED TO WANT THE FAIRYTALE. NOW, I DON’T BELIEVE THAT MARRIAGE CONSTITUTES THE ULTIMATE GOAL IN LIFE, ALTHOUGH MY MOM...

Carlos
21
ORIGIN: VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC, CANADA
SIGN:CANCER

I JUST WANT TO SEE THE WORLD.

I’VE BEEN TO:

MEXICO
ENGLAND
FRANCE
BELGIUM
NETHERLANDS
GERMANY
CZECH REPUBLIC
POLAND
AUSTRIA
CROATIA
ITALY
SPAIN
THAILAND
INDIA
NEXT STOP: NEPAL

MY FAVORITE PLACE SO FAR IS AFRICA. EVERYTHING ABOUT IT IS AMAZING.

BATSWANA
ZIMBABWE
ZAMBIA
MALAWI
TANZANIA
KENYA

I HAVE MADE MANY FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY. I’M JUST A RELAXED NOMAD.

I’M ABOUT TO MEET UP WITH MY FRIEND VANESSA IN NEW ZEALAND.

ON THIS TRIP IN INDIA, I LOST MY PASSPORT, MY DEBIT CARD, EVERYTHING. I’VE BEEN LIVING ON 100 RUPEES FOR A BIT NOW; ALTHOUGH I WENT TO MY EMBASSY AND GOT A NEW PASSPORT, AND NOW MY CARD CAME IN FAR LESS TIME THAN I THOUGHT. THE UNIVERSE WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS.

I’VE LEARNED FROM TRAVELING HOW TO ADAPT TO ANY SITUATION.

YOU HAVE TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE.

INDIAN JEWELS
INDIAN FOOD
INDIAN NOISE
INDIAN SILENCE

Crossing through dilapidated alleyways, bazaars, parks. All seem to link like DNA strands of the Indian soul, with large power houses that flee out into tiny bits, like water drops running from a loud fan on a car windshield.

One would think there is no order in chaos, but in fact all seems right in this world. Enough eye contact and you see the same wishes. The same need for survival, no matter how many stalls sell the same jewels.

Or the same THALI (Round platter used to serve food)

SWEET
SALT
BITTER
SOUR
ASTRINGENT
SPICY

In HINDU tradition, a child’s first haircut signifies a very holy and cleansing introduction to the world.

In the first or third year for some, the head is shaved back to front on an auspicious date and time decided by the priest.

The shaved head is washed in HOLY WATER

(GANGAJAL)

>TURMERIC SANDALWOOD IS APPLIED; TO COOL THE HEAD AND SPEED UP THE HEALING PROCESS.

SHIKHA::CHOTI::BODI

TUFT OF HAIR LEFT TO PROTECT THE BRAIN

CLEARS PAST LIFE NEGATIVITY
LONG AND PROSPEROUS LIFE
IMPROVED HAIRGROWTH
PROTECTION

KOHL

Kajal

BURI NAZAR WALE TERA MUH KALA!!
(SHAME ON YOU, BEHOLDER OF THE EVIL EYE!)

PENCILED MAKEUP AROUND THE EYES OF INDIAN CHILDREN IS USED TO PROTECT FROM THE EVIL EYE, AS WELL AS MUNDAN.

A DOT ON THE SIDE OF THE FACE MAY EVEN PROTECT FROM THE EVIL EYE OF FAMILY MEMBERS>

TIP: 1 AMERICAN DOLLAR

1 VEGETARIAN MEAL
5 CUPS OF WATER
INFINITE TEA
1 SEAT REASSIGNMENT
MANY INDIAN MEN
1 EGYPTIAN WOMAN

KHOULOUD

29
EGYPTIAN FROM CAIRO; LIVING IN VIENNA

I WORK IN JOURNALISM TO PAY MY BILLS SO I CAN TRAVEL MORE THAN MOST.

I’VE BEEN TO MANY ARAB AND EUROPEAN COUNTRIES-THE ARAB PEOPLE ARE A KIND PEACEFUL COLLECTIVE.

WHILE IN VIENNA, I HAD AN ARABIC FRIEND VISITING AND WE WERE OUT AT A RESTAURANT, SPEAKING ARABIC TO ONE ANOTHER. A GERMAN MAN APPROACHED US, DEMANDING THAT WE SPEAK ONLY THE NATIVE LANGUAGE IN HIS PRESENCE. I TOLD HIM I’LL SPEAK HOWEVER I PLEASE.

I TOO BELIEVE IN THE INTER CONNECTIVITY OF HUMAN BEINGS AND THAT ALL CULTURES AND SOCIETIES ARE DESERVING AND RELEVANT. WE JUST NEED TO CATCH UP WITH OURSELVES.

I AM SURPRISING MY INDIAN FRIEND

NITIM

WE SPEAK EVERY DAY. HE HAS NO IDEA I’M COMING.