The Observer Effect

Meytal felt uncomfortable just following the typical path of a young Israeli, school, the army, job, and so she found another path that took her to India—and eventually, back to Israel. I asked whether people here comment on her Yemeni roots ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boule.

Consider donating to Westin's Fund (http://www.westinsfund.org/).

"If you want to study yourself—look into the hearts of other people."

—Friedrich von Schiller

Odna was summoned by the police in Nazareth and questioned about her Facebook activity. They said they were secretly listening to her conversations as well. I asked what her name means ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders.

Consider donating to Westin's Fund (http://www.westinsfund.org/).

"I have been a stranger here in my own land."

Sophocles

Frank McCourt wrote his beloved memoir, Angela’s Ashes, about a childhood spent in Ireland. Una Heaten turned the schoolhouse he attended into a museum honoring his book and his legacy. I traveled to Limerick to ask what it’s like to build a museum ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.

Consider donating to the WestinsFund.org.

Visit the Frank McCourt Museum: https://frankmccmuseum.wixsite.com/

"Telling stories is sure medicine."

—Primo Levi

Nellie Bly set out in 1889 to beat Jules Verne’s fictional circumnavigation of the globe by ten days and report along the way, but that’s only one among her many adventures. I asked Nathan Mannion of EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum what made Nellie so special ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.

Visit EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum at epicchq.com.

And please consider donating to Westinsfund.org.

"Standing there alone among strange people, I thought how sweet life is!"

—Nellie Bly

St. Francis of Assisi attached himself to a band of crusaders in the hopes that when he met the sultan in Egypt, his words could dissuade everyone from fighting. I asked a monk named Stephen who lives in Assisi whether he was successful ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.

Donate to http://westinsfund.org to help cover the medical costs of families who lose children to miscarriage and stillbirth.

"Grant that I may not so much seek to be understood as to understand."

—St. Francis of Assisi

Vincent Van Gogh left the Netherlands to paint the South of France near the end of his life and created some of the most famous and lasting works in his short career there. I asked Marion Ley of the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh Arles why ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.

"There is nothing more truly artistic than to love people."

—Vincent Van Gogh

PJ Murphy dresses like a chemist to greet the visitors to Sweny’s Pharmacy who come to Dublin to experience James Joyce’s novel, Ulysses. At Kennedy’s Pub and Station across the street—that Joyce surely visited as well—before a lovely warm live audience, I asked how PJ ended up at the center of such a moving literary pilgrimage ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.

Westin’s Fund (http://westinsfund.org) is a foundation started by my brother and his wife to help cover the medical costs of families who lose children to miscarriage and stillbirth. There’s no better week to donate than now as we celebrate James Joyce’s Ulysses, which deals with exactly that tragedy and its lingering effects. Click on the link above. Even a small amount helps. Tell them I sent you!

"I saw the danger, yet I passed along the enchanted way."

—Patrick Kavanagh

John Steinbeck packed up his dog and a few belongings into a camper he christened Rocinante and set out on the road late in life to discover America. I asked the head archivist at the National Steinbeck Center why ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.

Visit the National Steinbeck Center at www.steinbeck.org.

And learn more about their upcoming festival, In Search of America, on August 2 and 3—www.steinbeck.org/event/steinbeck-festival-2019.

Also, consider making a donation to Westinsfund.org to help cover the medical costs of families who lose children to miscarriage and stillbirth.

"The way is open."

—John Steinbeck

Mikey spent years as a helicopter pilot before becoming to a storyteller. You can see his filmmaking at MikeyKay.com. I asked how he approaches interviewing—in other words how he deals with “the observer effect” ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.

Visit www.MikeyKay.com to see his films.

Donate to Westinsfund.org.

"Your thought kindled a fire beside you that showed a path."

Abu l-'Ala al-Ma'arri

Ryan needed a place to decompress after serving in the military, so he went to L’Abri, a communal living center in the English countryside. I asked what exactly it was that reversed his political stance ... and hope listening like this evaporates borders. Special thanks to the musician Dana Boulé.

Donate to westinsfund.org to help cover the costs of families who have miscarriages.

“So hadde I spoken with hem everichon

That I was of hir felawshipe anon.”

—Chaucer