The Observer Effect

Ferdinand spent two weeks naked in Australia. We asked what, if anything he learned ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Check out Kiva.org. “Does what goes on inside show on the outside? Someone has a great fire in his soul and nobody ever comes to warm themselves at it, and passers-by see nothing but a little smoke at the top of the chimney.” —Vincent van Gogh

Bishupal tried to renew his visa to study in the United States, from Morocco; they told him he needed to go back to Nepal. We asked whether travel really changes people, since he's a professor of postcolonial theory ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Check out Kiva.org to make a small business loan in a place where it can really make a difference. "All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art." —Jorge Luis Borges

Bishupal tried to renew his visa to study in the United States, from Morocco; they told him he needed to go back to Nepal. We asked whether travel really changes people, since he's a professor of postcolonial theory ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Check out Kiva.org to make a small business loan in a place where it can really make a difference. "All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art." —Jorge Luis Borges

Flore studied abroad in Portugal through the Erasmus Programme and unexpectedly fell in love. We asked what it felt like when the program ended and she had to go home ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Check out Kiva.org to knit the world one stitch closer together. "Coming home at last at the end of the year, I wept to find my old umbilical cord." —Matsuo Bashō

Flore studied abroad in Portugal through the Erasmus Programme and unexpectedly fell in love. We asked what it felt like when the program ended and she had to go home ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Check out Kiva.org to knit the world one stitch closer together. "Coming home at last at the end of the year, I wept to find my old umbilical cord." —Matsuo Bashō

Johannes is a social worker in Vienna serving primarily Afghan refugees caught in Europe's migrant crisis. We asked where else he's traveled ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Check out Kiva.org to knit the world one stitch closer together. Circles-cafe.com comes up in this conversation too—if you're ever in San Marcos La Laguna, Guatemala go have a drink in the only coffee shop I know where coffee trees grow inside the shop! "When strangers on journeys and people far removed from their friends and companions enter a well-known place and famous site, it is their habit to leave behind a record of their presence in order to seek blessing in the prayers of other strangers, travelers, and people bereft of their kith and kin. I want to join in, so get me a pot of ink." —Caliph al-Ma'mūn

Johannes is a social worker in Vienna serving primarily Afghan refugees caught in Europe's migrant crisis. We asked where else he's traveled ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Check out Kiva.org to knit the world one stitch closer together. Circles-cafe.com comes up in this conversation too—if you're ever in San Marcos La Laguna, Guatemala go have a drink in the only coffee shop I know where coffee trees grow inside the shop! "When strangers on journeys and people far removed from their friends and companions enter a well-known place and famous site, it is their habit to leave behind a record of their presence in order to seek blessing in the prayers of other strangers, travelers, and people bereft of their kith and kin. I want to join in, so get me a pot of ink." —Caliph al-Ma'mūn

Calum is a driver for Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland. We begged him to reveal what famous people he's chauffeured, even though he said he never would divulge anyone's secret ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Check out Gleneagles.com. And check out Kiva.org to lend a small amount that can make a big difference—knit the world one stitch closer together. "Neither in your conversation be without method, nor in life be so busy as to have no leisure." —Marcus Aurelius

Calum is a driver for Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland. We begged him to reveal what famous people he's chauffeured, even though he said he never would divulge anyone's secret ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Check out Gleneagles.com. And check out Kiva.org to lend a small amount that can make a big difference—knit the world one stitch closer together. "Neither in your conversation be without method, nor in life be so busy as to have no leisure." —Marcus Aurelius

Sergio walked the 800 kilometers from Sevilla to Marrakesh in 17 days. We asked why such a good madness came over him ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician, Dana Boulé. Check out Pachilofeos.es, the mountaineering club that inspired Sergio's journey. Check out Kiva.org to make a small business loan to someone in another country. "Following a road from beginning to end is particularly satisfying both in literature and in life." —Italo Calvino