The Jewrican Traveler

Ancient Ruins of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom in Cambodia

by: cbrodzky in Cambodia, Featured Posts, Southeast Asia on September 09, 2011

Known as one of the most significant archaeological sites in Southeast Asia, it's no wonder that Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom proved to be my favorite destination in Cambodia. It was easy to see that the ruins had a rich history and you're able to gain a sense of peace while walking through the different temples. What made this trip even better was that it was fairly affordable.

What a random day in NYC can look like

by: cbrodzky in Featured Posts, New York, North America on September 09, 2011

If there's one thing I love about New York City, it's that there's always something to do at any given moment. It's the perfect playground to be spontaneous, wonder around and see what the day will bring. Here's what a random day for me looked like recently when a friend came to visit from out of town. We had a few destinations in mind just to have an idea where to go, but we ended up doing a whole lot more along the way. What was even better is that nearly everything on our adventure was little to no cost. Gramercy ...

Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand

by: cbrodzky in Featured Posts, Southeast Asia, Thailand on June 06, 2011

Visiting the Elephant Nature Park, a rescue and rehabilitation center in northern Thailand, was one of the most memorable experiences during my backpacking adventure. I had seen the park on a National Geographic TV show a few years back and as soon as I saw their travel office in Chiang Mai, I knew it was a must see. It was a little pricey, $80USD for a day trip, but well worth every penny.

Mini Vacation to Stowe, Vermont

by: cbrodzky in Featured Posts, North America on March 03, 2011

Until recently, I found it hard to believe that I managed to take a 21-hour flight to Vietnam and have yet never managed at least a five-hour drive north of NYC (that didn’t include New York). So for my first trip of 2011, three of my closest girlfriends and I headed up to Stowe, Vermont for a weekend filled of skiing, hot chocolate by the fireplace and the most important - relaxation! Also, I wanted to hit the slopes for the first time in my life and continue on my path to doing things I’ve never done before. We got a ...

Bali – My Favorite Destination in Southeast Asia

by: cbrodzky in Featured Posts, Indonesia, Southeast Asia on December 12, 2010

If there was one destination in all of Southeast Asia that I could revisit, hands down, it would be Bali. Even though the island is small, there are so many different types of landscapes and activities so there’s something for everyone. Once I got off the plane, picked up my luggage and went outside, I remembered to try to catch a cab from outside the airport gates. By doing this, I eliminated the airport tax! The airport in theory is only a 15-minute drive from Kuta, a town known for shopping, bars and surfing; however, because of all the traffic, it ...

Climbing Mt. Kota Kinabalu (Part 1): Pushing My Body to the Limits

by: cbrodzky in Featured Posts, Malaysia, Southeast Asia on July 07, 2010

Climbing up Mount Kota Kinabalu, a 13,435-foot (8.9 kilometer) high mountain on the Borneo side of Malaysia, was without a doubt the hardest activity I’ve ever put my body through, and it goes down as one of the most memorable accomplishments in my life. The brochure said that people of all ages participate in climbing the mountain. What the brochure neglected to mention is that you shouldn’t try to climb the summit unless you’re in good physical shape!

The Beaches of Ko Phi Phi Don, Thailand

by: cbrodzky in Featured Posts, Southeast Asia, Thailand on June 06, 2010

After four days in Bangkok, it was time to head south to Krabi and continue my solo adventure. As expected, the driver was reckless and fast, just like every other driver I’ve encountered on my trip. Luckily it wasn’t my time and I managed to live another day. I’m glad I survived because Krabi was pretty amazing.

Video: My Life in Vietnam

by: cbrodzky in Cambodia, Featured Posts, Indonesia, Laos, Living in Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Southeast Asia, Teaching ESL, Thailand, Vietnam on June 06, 2010

For the last six months, I traveled throughout Southeast Asia and lived in Vietnam. In six minutes, you’ll get to see how my life as an ex-pat was and hopefully feel inspired to do something similar. Everything from my students to new friends, to learning about a new culture and trying new food, Vietnam has had an impact on my life and I’m happy to finally share it with you. Enjoy!

Video – Ho Chi Minh City Traffic

by: cbrodzky in Featured Posts, Vietnam on January 01, 2010

This is what the traffic in Saigon looks like pretty much any time of the day. I experienced only two near collisions this time (better than usual). Usually when I’m on a xe om (motorbike cabby pronounced 'say ohm'), they whip in and out of traffic incredibly fast and I always think I'm going to die. My xe om driver from the video heard me gasp when it looked like we were going to collide with another bike and replied, “Don’t worry, I look both ways.” Oh, well in that case ...

First Day Teaching English

by: cbrodzky in Featured Posts, Teaching ESL on December 12, 2009

Just got back home from my first day of class and even though I was pretty nervous, I’m happy to say that everything turned out well. Previous English teachers I know have told me to talk really slow, and with that little bit of information, I thought I planned enough material to last for the three-hour class. I brought in pictures of my friends and family (they loved the one of me as a baby making a stink face), students introduced themselves to the rest of the class, and I went over what I expected and how grading would work. I even ...