Over the last two weeks, I enjoyed a physically and spiritually restoring vacation in Costa Rica, which was particularly helpful for rekindling a connection to nature and its diverse ecosystems. In addition to rainforest canopy tours, volcano hikes, and surf lessons, one of the top highlights was a tour of the Life Monteverde coffee farm, in…
A Cuban Conundrum On a sunny day in early February 2014, my partner and I stood at the end of a stone walkway at the entrance of Havana’s Castillo de los tres reyes magos del morro, or “El Morro” for short. We were on a two-week vacation in Cuba, and wrapping up a satisfying afternoon visit of the…
One of the first things I look forward to in every new year is the latest installment of international development conferences hosted by Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Canada, a non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to addressing global poverty through systems change. Every January, EWB convenes roughly 700 student and professional delegates from across Canada (and increasingly, around…
The 20th Anniversary of Srebrenica Saturday, July 11, marked the 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica Massacre – widely considered the most horrifying instance of mass murder during the Balkan Wars, and one of the starkest examples of attempted genocide since World War II. (Note: The use of the term “genocide” is still highly debated among governments in the region;…
Pine Tree Republic 