Local stories

The most rewarding thing about my job? Sharing my culture and showing my country is fantastic as a local guide. I enjoy taking a group of strangers across the country. In a short time, I built a bond during their trip through Ecuador. I still get messages from amigos that I have guided. That's what I like the most about my work.

My favorite memory of making and guiding a tour is meeting one of the best soccer goalkeepers in South America. We met him by chance at a football field and he challenged us to play soccer with him. I thought that was so very cool, I never expected it.

¡Pura Vida! Soy Don Rodolfo. Together with my wife Doña Rosa and our 8 children, we wish you a warm welcome to our farm in Costa Rica. We grow pineapple, cocoa, sugar cane and pepper in an ecological way. It is our passion to share our knowledge about the farm with travelers like you, which is why we give tours and tell you everything you want to know about our activities. Catch your own tilapia fish for lunch and make a fresh juice from the freshly-cut fruit. And the pineapple you just picked, hmmm, it's so sweet. You can also stay overnight in our guesthouse. My wife Rosa and my daughters prepare fresh local dishes in our own restaurant. She also provides cooking workshops with the local community so that we can help each other. We hope that a visit to our Finca is an experience to remember.

You see me in the middle of this picture with my friends. Party time! Each year on September 18th we celebrate our ''Fiesta Nacional", the beginning of the independence process from Spain on September 18th of 1810. Depending on how it falls, the celebration can last around for a week.

The celebration of Fiestas Patrias is an expression of Chilean culture, but honestly it is just an excuse haha we in Chile are very patriotic! During the whole week there are celebrations all over the country, we have food, we dance a lot and drink as any good party! But we also learn and dance 'cueca' (the national dance), we eat typical food like empanadas and humitas, we drink typical drinks called 'terremoto', and we go to 'fondas': places to party outdoors with typical games, food and music. This celebration is also the beginning of the spring.

The 19th there is a military parade, very famous. It is actually mandatory to have the Chilean flag at your house during these days.

This year, due to corona, everything is cancelled unfortunately, so I will just celebrate it at home with my family and an 'asado' which is a typical barbecue.

I started selling vegetables, as it was easy and cheap to set up a vegetable stand. After the earthquake in 2015 I changed to fruits, because fruits are less perishable and have larger profit margins. Now I sell fruits and peanuts in Gapali Suryabinayak, just off the highway from Bhaktapur to Kathmandu.

I wake up at 5 in the morning and go with my husband to the wholesale market to buy my merchandise, which is imported from India. Then we visit a temple for our daily prayers. My busiest hours are in the morning, from 6 till 11 a.m., then I go home to grab a quick lunch. My shop is open 7 days a week until 8 p.m. My daughters help out around the house, so we can enjoy a family dal bhat after a long day at work. They also help out at my fruit stand after school. My daughters are really good girls.

I wish and pray for my daughters to get a good education and that they will find good marriage partners. I hope for us to save money, so one day we can build our own house.

"Daily life in Nepal" Inside Himalayas, onze lokale partner in Nepal.

In Sri Lanka zeggen we ‘Ayubowan’, oftewel welkom! Elke ochtend ga ik vroeg uit de veren om onze gasten van een vers ontbijt te voorzien. Vroeger ging ik ook altijd al naar de markt, samen met mijn vader. Dit was nog voordat wij ons guesthouse hadden. Toen hadden we slechts een klein stukje land waarop wij groenten verbouwden. Dit verkochten we op de markt, net zolang totdat we grond bij konden kopen.

We leefden zuinig, zodat alle extraatjes in mijn opleiding konden, dat was voor mijn ouders het allerbelangrijkste: ze wilden een goede toekomst voor mij. Mijn ouders zijn goede mensen en geloven dat goed doen zorgt voor een goede karma. En die levensvisie kan ik nu doorgeven aan mijn leerlingen!

Erik en Lisa van Reisstel ontmoette Pradeep in Sri Lanka.

I have the best view of the world!

Every day I see the Cotopaxi volcano. When I look north, I see Ilinizas Mountain. South I see the Tungurahua, Chimborazo and Altar.

With the Cotopaxi I have a special connection. After my mon and son, it’s the most beautiful thing I have. It has fed me and given me an amazing view. I go there 3 times a week with tourists.

My dream? My ‘sueño dorado’ is to walk the Inca Trail in Peru. When I die I hope to be in the mountains. The closer to the sun, the closer to god, just like the Incas.

Ik kom uit een plattelandsdorpje in het bergachtige Shan State. Als kind moedigde mijn vader mij en m’n broertje aan om met buitenlanders te praten. “Goed voor je kennis over de wereld!” zei hij. Terwijl de reizigers in onze “achtertuin” door de rijstvelden liepen, maakte ik met m’n handen en voeten allerlei praatjes.

En zo werd gids worden mijn droombaan. Die droom is uitgekomen. Ik werk nu bij het beroemde Inle meer en woon met mijn man in Yangon. En mijn vader is trots ;)

Wat ik nog meer leuk vind? Zingen, dansen, lezen en reizen.

Ik vind het fijn om mensen blij te maken met lekker eten. De Mexicaanse tortilla’s bereid ik volgens traditioneel recept. Geleerd van mijn tante. Als ik op mijn werk ben draag ik deze traditionele kleding. Thuis heel soms, maar meestal alleen op feestdagen. Nu ik naar mijn kleding kijk zie ik dat ik geknoeid heb.. Ach, dat hoort erbij :) 

Hier bij het restaurant kook ik altijd buiten, wel met een afdakje boven me. Gelukkig, want hier in de bergen van San Cristobal regent het nog wel eens.