Backpacking Diplomacy by Andy A blog dedicated to sharing world culture, travel tips and building community.

Overstaying your welcome Knowing when it’s time to leave  Staying with people while traveling is a great way to experience local culture on a personal level.  A person gets to experience what everyday life is like for people in the area and can be shown some of the better things in town by those who know it best.  Furthermore, staying with …

Interesting World Languages A few unique world languages to share Languages are what drive our world.  Many believe that the art of communication goes hand-in-hand with man’s development.  As we have improved our communication, we have improved our world, to an extent at least.  From the very first grunts to sophisticated debates and public forums, languages have evolved in a …

Breakfast in Lafayette La The best in Cajun Breakfast from Lafayette Louisiana Personally, I am a huge fan of breakfast food.  Breakfast is not only the most important and nutritious meal of the day; it is also the most delicious, depending on where you go of course.  There are many great breakfast places in Lafayette La.  They are all known …

Helping fellow Travel Bloggers How we can build community  The internet started not too long ago as a unilateral system of static webpages and read-only content.  There was no such thing as interactions, especially not through comments nor social media.  The best that you could do was to email someone and hope for a reply.  Blogging has revolutionized the internet …

Things you Learn when Traveling Traveling teaches us many things.  In fact, traveling changes us in many ways.  We are always challenged by the life experiences that we have, regardless of whether those experiences are at home are abroad.  Life tests us, pushes us, and eventually we find out who we are and where we stand. For those who listen, …

About those Languages I write a lot about language learning and different world languages.  Although, I do not know many well, I thoroughly enjoy studying, comparing, and learning new words in another language.  The very construction of language as a form of communication interests me.  I have written multiple articles on ways to learn a langauge, practice a language and …

A Christmas Service with Armenians International at home: Article 1 Not long ago I wrote an article titled, “How to be international without leaving home.” My intent with writing that article, was to give an introduction to this series.  I am going to begin writing articles, when applicable, about international events close to my home.  To show people how they …

World Documentaries Online A few good films that will make you think I don’t spend too much time watching TV anymore.  In fact, I don’t think that I will have a TV when I eventually move to a new residence.  If I do watch TV, I will usually spend my time watching History, Discovery, Comedy, Nat Geo, the Travel Channel, …

The King Cake Tradition The Louisiana King Cake and the legacy it leaves This past Sunday I went to a French King Cake celebration with some friends.  At the celebration we shared both a French King Cake and a Louisiana King Cake in accordance with tradition.  After eating both cakes, I thought that it’d be a good idea to share …

Guide to Mardi Gras A quick practical guide to Mardi Gras from a local A brief history of Mardi Gras Mardi Gras is a festival with deep tradition.  Tracing its oldest roots from European masquerade parties, Mardi Gras has crossed the sea and established itself in Louisiana.  The first Mardi Gras of the United States actually took place in Mobile, …

 What to do in Baton Rouge A few highlights from the capital city of Louisiana Louisiana is known for its colorful personality and overall happy lifestyle.  Louisiana’s capital city, Baton Rouge, is located in the south-central part of the State and does its best to uphold this lifestyle.  Baton Rouge is actually not known for being the most exciting city …

A Quick List of Touristy Things to do in Detroit Mi With a few that aren’t so touristy Detroit Hotspots If you have some time, I think that you’d enjoy my article on: Is Detroit that bad?  In addition I have a photo essay of some pictures that I took while in Detroit. Detroit is a unique America city because of …

How to immerse yourself in a culture The best way to get to know something is to become it One of the biggest goals of mine when traveling is cultural immersion.  Cultural immersion is a huge topic to me because I believe it to be the only way to truly experience another country.  When I travel, I spend almost all …

What language should you learn? Some food for thought on choosing a language Deciding which language you should learn requires a bit of thought.  The thought process for choosing a language will vary somewhat depending on the person, goals, and linguistic background.  There are currently between 6,000-7,400 languages in the world, which is down significantly from pre-colonial numbers.  Experts believe that …

An Personal Analysis of the Road not Taken What do his words really mean to me? “The two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference.” – Robert Frost (The road not taken) After reading this poem a few times, it is right for one to wonder …

Quick Overview Parish Brewing Company is a local micro brewery in the greater Lafayette area with a tap room and tours every Saturday. Located just off of Highway 90, it’s convenient as an after work meeting spot or for a visit on the weekend. In this article I break down the brewery and share my experience visiting it since its …

How to leave a favorable impression with internationals There is a new buzz phrase associated with diplomacy.  The phrase is not completely synonymous with the idea of new diplomacy, but it is close.  The phrase is soft diplomacy.  Soft diplomacy refers to the notion that you relate to people on a personal level and learn differences among one another through …

Going ‘old school’ when traveling It wasn’t too long ago that people had to carry currencies around for all the countries that the intended to visit.  They had maps, phone numbers, phrase books, boarding passes, and anything else that was absolutely essential to life.  The idea of all of those things coming together through a computer was but a figment …

Photos of Turkey A little bit over a year ago, I was traversing Turkey.  I learned a great deal from traveling through Turkey and I will always remember my time there.  Turkey is an amazing country with a beautiful landscape and an even more colorful history.  Turkey is a perfect blend of European and Islamic cultures with noticeable influences from …

Savannah Grace The girl who grew her boobs in China 1.)    Give us a brief bit about yourself (I.e. family, where you are from, etc.) My name is Savannah Grace, born and raised in North Vancouver, Canada. I’m the youngest and probably least adventurous member of a very adventurous family. By the age of 7 they’d already dragged me through …

Famous Symbols of Louisiana Louisiana is characterized in many ways by its uniqueness as a state.   This is true because of its cultural heritage, foods, and insatiable lust for passing a good time.  In addition to these attributes, Louisiana is well-defined by several symbols that are unmistakably connected with the State.  Below is a list of some famous symbols of Louisiana. Crawfish – Crawfish …

Travel Resolutions for the New Year It is that time of year again.   As we reflect over this past year’s events.  We’ve seen trials; we’ve seen tribulations.  We’ve been tested. We’ve experienced, and we’ve grown.  We are thankful for the holiday time that we spent with family and friends.  We anxiously awaited our ever impending Mayan induced zombie apocalypse.  Now, …

A Boy in Bengal The other day I was talking with a good friend of mine and he told me a story that I’d like to share.  We were discussing difficult life decisions and he gave me a bit of wisdom that I won’t soon forget.  A life lesson from the road. There was once a young boy in Bengal. …

Can comedians help with diplomacy? The other day one of my friends showed me a video of an Iranian-American comedian who was making light of several issues regarding Middle-Eastern foreign policy.  Since then, I have been considering the topic of soft diplomacy and how a comedian could be a force in diplomatic matters. There are many different diplomatic approaches.  Over …

A traveler’s duty Often, we as travelers find ourselves indulging in the many pleasures of life on the road.  We get to see some of the most amazing things that the world has to offer.  We get to meet wonderful people from every corner of Earth; and all the while, we have a good time doing it.  In traveling though, …

Abita Springs, Louisiana When one is asked to think of a place that exemplifies community while carrying a status of a true southern Louisiana establishment, few towns fit the description like Abita Springs.  Abita Springs is located just outside of Covington, Louisiana on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain.  Abita Springs is not a large city, but rather a small …

Nuns and Muslim Women: Is there a difference? With the rise of religious tension heating up around the world, one begins to wonder which of these tensions are justified and which ones aren’t.  Seemingly, the latest trend has been a contrast between ‘Muslim‘ people and the Western world.  Much like Christianity, Islam is one of the largest 3 religions in …

Being international at home This is an introduction of an upcoming series that I’ll have regarding how to fulfill your passion for travel without ever leaving home.  It is easy for people who are constantly able to travel to forget what it’s like not to be traveling.  However, there are many people out there who have the traveling soul, but …

Best words to know in a language: The Big 5 In traveling, few things are more cherished by me than the preservation of culture.  I believe that as travelers, we have a responsibility with the places that we visit to respect them and their culture.  In exchange for our respect, we are shown the world. Language learning is not natural to everyone. …

Louisiana words Louisiana has a very colorful history.  Many people don’t know that Louisiana’s history is still closely relevant today.  You might notice it purely in the culture.  Or perhaps, in the cities; however, if nothing else, you will most definitely notice its history by the names you see when you visit Louisiana.  Many cities, towns, rivers, lakes, and even …

Small Towns in Louisiana Louisiana is truly one of the more unique states in the United States.  I say that, not because I am from the state, but because I have seen what many of the others have to offer.  Granted, each state has something unique about it, and there are some really beautiful places around America.  Because of Louisiana’s …

3 Negatives of Traveling With all the talk I do about traveling and how great I believe it to be, one might think it strange for me to say that there are actually some things that I do not like about traveling.  I take them all as part of the sacrifice of traveling, and I have even found ways of …

Morocco Photos  Some pictures of Morocco This past summer, I was afforded the opportunity to spend some time in Morocco.  Before going to Morocco, I had never been to continental Africa.  I had only been to a few places, which were predominately Muslim such as Bosnia and Turkey.  I didn’t really know what to expect when I visited Morocco, but …

International Marketing Blunders As our world becomes more and more globalized, it seems that the need for businesses to expand, localize, and broaden their horizons is forever changing.  Nowadays, businesses need to be aware of the impact that their products are making around the world as well as how they are received by locals.  International marketing is where many of …

What I’ve Learned from the Road This article is about what I’ve learned from being on the road and traveling parts of the world. 1.) Never pass up an opportunity to do something new.  You might not get a second chance.  You really never know what you can learn from one experience no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. …

The Louisiana Fleur-de-Lis Although the fleur-de-lis has been symbolic in France and Italy for centuries, the symbol has become undertaken a much deeper and cultural meaning with the state of Louisiana.  Over the years the fleur-de-lis has been cited for having religious, status, and even  personal meanings. Today, the fleur-de-lis is an iconic symbol of Louisiana taking many forms.  Businesses, …

Why would you throw a rock at a post card vendor? 8 Tips for speaking to internationals and communicating in any language This article is about exactly what it sounds.  If you have ever been frustrated before when speaking to locals in a new language that you are learning, then you will probably appreciate what I am about to say. …

 What is the opposite of homesickness?   A while ago, I was thinking about possible alternatives to the word “homesick” or the idea of “homesickness”.  After contemplating the thought, I came to the conclusion that we don’t really have any good terms associated with homesickness. Sure we have wanderlust, cabin fever, and a few more, but those words do not …

Should you travel during high season or low season Which should you choose? Traveling at any time is a good idea.  The season in which you travel though is something that you might want to spend some time thinking about before leaving.  It depends primarily on your goals and budget, but also to a lesser degree, on the experience you will have …

Northern vs. Southern A Comparison between the North and the South I vividly remember walking around in a New England city when I was a little boy and being dumbfounded when someone didn’t say “excuse me” when they bumped into me.  Since then, I have been mildly perplexed by the idea of northerners vs southerners, from a cultural standpoint.  Time …

How to practice foreign languages with minimal effort Language learning is one of my favorite topics.  Languages are what drive the world.  Think about it.  Perhaps, do you remember a time when you were traveling and ordered something but didn’t actually order what you thought?  How about the other day when you were eating dinner at that restaurant and got …

The Balkans A backpacker’s view of the Balkan War and its lasting impact Brief History of the Balkans and its Recent War The Balkans are a very colorful and historically rich region in Europe.  The Balkans loosely consist of all the countries south of Slovenia and Romania.  Definitions change depending on who you ask, but most would say that Turkey …

Travel vs. Entrepreneurship: The Travel Entrepreneur A look at the similarities between being a traveler and being an entrepreneur I wrote an article not too long ago that could be called a precursor to this one.  That article, was discussing the 7 reasons why entrepreneurs should travel.  In this article, I am going to compare entrepreneurs and travelers by making …

Pictures of the French Quarter A photo essay of the New Orleans French Quarter Below you will find a series of French Quarter photos.  Taken from around the French Quarter, these photos represent some of the sights that the New Orleans French Quarter has to offer.  The French Quarter is a very historic district in Louisiana.  It can easily trace …

New Diplomacy What it means and why you should care New Diplomacy is the idea that the common citizen has a role in modern diplomacy.  Taken further, it means that interactions between people from around the globe will help to shape foreign policies and ideals through learning and cultural sharing.  By interacting closely with one another in a real world …