Good Day or Night,
Obviously you are looking at this page because either you know me or you are bored sitting on Google doing random searches. The reason why I am starting this website is to chronicle my life of living and traveling abroad. It makes it easier for many people that do not have Facebook to keep in contact with me and my travels as it is very difficult to always post to Facebook and to upload images and send out emails with images in them. It is also easier for me to keep in touch with people I meet as exchanging Facebook info is sometimes difficult because of peoples names etc. I have jotted down most of my travels in a notebook and now I will finally get around to putting all my writings and pictures down on this website.
I grew up in El Paso, Texas and lived there for most of my life. I graduated from UTEP with a degree in Education with a minor in History. I got my Masters of International Education while I lived in Venezuela. I am your typical expat-I work to travel. I started traveling seriously when my grandma took me to Europe in the summer of 2003 for a graduation present and have never looked back since. I taught for three years in El Paso, before deciding to move abroad to Omagari, Akita, Japan for one year. I then went back to the United States for a year, then decided that it was not the kind of lifestyle I enjoyed, so I got a job in Maracaibo, Venezuela where I taught HS and MS history for three years. I then got a job in Cairo, Egypt where I lived for 5 years, China for two years, Qatar (during Covid) for two years. Currently I am working at a school in Karachi Pakistanteaching Speech and Writing- History and Business focus and AP Comparative Government and Politics.
People ask me “why I travel every chance I get”, and my response is along the lines of “why don’t you travel every chance you get.” I found it very hard with the holidays in the United States (even as a teacher) and also the distance away from places, to have any chance to go on the travels that I want.
How do I define my favorite countries? What makes a perfect country that I go to, whether it is with people or alone are MY SEVEN CLAUSES IN TRAVELING: 1. Good Variety of Food 2. Friendly People 3. Good Service Industry (Bars, Restaurants, Accommodations 4. A well rounded past and modern history 5. Outdoor Activities 6. Wildlife 7. Good Nightlife Scene. If all of these clauses are met, then it is a good bet that I will love the country….
How do I travel? Planes, Buses, Coaches, Taxi’s, Cruises, Boats, Car Rentals. In my younger years I did a lot of organized tours to see places. Now that I am older I tend to go with friends or alone and just tend to meet people and go at my own crazy pace. I do not think any one way to travel is better than the other. Mixing it up is good!!!!
I also really like over-landing as you get to see the culture and people and usually stay out of big cities over an x amount of time. I took a Trans-Africa in 2015-2016 that went from UK to Gibraltar to Morocco, down to South Africa and up to Cairo which was about 42000 Kilometers and about 40 weeks. I am also doing the Western Hemisphere which is currently in progress which goes from Alaska to Rio and from Cartagena to Ushuaia and up to Rio de Janiero in time for Carnivale in February. The following companies are doing over-landing which I have or will travel with:
How do I book accommodations? I usually use but not limited to these sites:
Why have I decided to live in the places that I have lived? Why Akita, Japan? Very traditional away from the big cities and very rural. I wanted something traditional that would reflect the part of Japan people do not always see. Why Maracaibo, Venezuela? Obviously one of the most dangerous countries in the world. But when I lived there it was going through a big change and still is to this date. I do not regret living there at all (sometimes in fear) as it is a place I still call home. Why Cairo, Egypt? This country too has been going through a change politically and socially the last few years. Sure it is a big dirty city, but there is so much to see and do around Egypt. Why Shanghai, China? Why not? Look at all of the sites there is to see in this huge country!!! Why Qatar? Lets see a city being transformed because of the World cup. Whey Pakistan- It is one of the most beautiful countries with great people!!! All of these places I have lived also make it easy for me to travel during the Holidays as they are all located around areas I have wanted to explore.
Enjoy the site as it is a work in progress with Blog Posts and pictures etc.
——-Daniel C. Yenshaw