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If there is one skill that differentiates humans and other species, it must be that humans are so versatile. We are so quick to adapt to changes; our brains instantly reformulate plans and recalculate paths that we need to take to ensure survival. However, once we get used to a way of living, it can be tough to reprogram our minds differently. In 2010, I made the choice to leave what was comfortable and familiar in Indonesia and fly halfway across the world to live in Canada,

One of my favorite favorite favorite  things to do is meet Italian people. I am always amazed by their genuine warmth and passion for helping me learn about their culture. Often times I end up learning about a quirky tradition I didn’t know about or a hidden village I’d never heard of. Sometimes I end up at their dinner table, pouring through old family albums after a meal. But every single time, no matter what, I walk away with a new friend. And just as mi casa es tu casa

What if there were a secret weapon that gave you the courage and drive to face your fears and turn your weaknesses into skills— just like that? It wasn’t what I intended when I started down this path, but the truth is that being an entrepreneur has become the ultimate secret machete that has cut right through my fears. It isn’t so much being an entrepreneur as it is the core behind it- having a deep passion and an enormous belief in your offering to this world will lead you

In Italy, every holiday comes with a hundred variations of ways to celebrate, traditional foods to eat, and stories of how it all came about. Easter is no different, and in the southern region of Apulia, la scarcella is not to be forgotten! La scarcella is a simple cookie or cake formed into various shapes like an easter basket, bird, or bunny. The twist? They put a boiled egg on the cookie itself. Yeah, I know, hard to picture… Luckily, one of our Pugliese friends took som

I still remember the first thing I ordered in complete Italian ( cioccolata calda , anyone?). The feeling of those beautiful sounds rolling off my tongue, and further, being comprehended by the Italian barista, was addictive. Before departing for my study abroad program in 2011, I studied Italian on my own between my classes because I knew I wanted to be able to communicate with the locals. I was surprised by how far my lessons took me and how much deeper my experience was be