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Czech Republic
Czeching my reflection...
The three month mark has come and gone. Looking back, I realize that I've pretty much accomplished what I set out to do: get out of my comfort zone and get comfortable with it. On June 1, 2009 I said goodbye to family and friends, a guy I've spent the last ... read more
by Amy Smith
29 Sep 2009
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![<p><span style="font-size: larger;">Runner-Up</span></p>
<p>[Western Oases, Egypt] On a hazy, dusty day in December, a few friends and I explored Egypt’s Western Oases. As we approached a fortress in the middle of the desert, a man in a blue scarf beckoned us over and, in broken English, asked if we wanted to see the “moomies.” After several minutes of confused hand gestures, he led us to a dark cave, filled with preserved human remains—mummies! There were a few more of these caves, all dug into the side of a dry mountain, and we walked around taking it all in. Afterwards, the crypt guard, alone in this remote spot in the desert, invited us to his home for some tea and dominoes. I almost beat him once, but it was clear he had more practice.</p>
<p><em>Photo by Nicole Sheldon-Desjardins</em></p>](http://media.glimpse.org/uploads/bVj_hb/small.png)
![<p><span style="font-size: larger;">Runner-Up</span></p>
<p>[Western Oases, Egypt] On a hazy, dusty day in December, a few friends and I explored Egypt’s Western Oases. As we approached a fortress in the middle of the desert, a man in a blue scarf beckoned us over and, in broken English, asked if we wanted to see the “moomies.” After several minutes of confused hand gestures, he led us to a dark cave, filled with preserved human remains—mummies! There were a few more of these caves, all dug into the side of a dry mountain, and we walked around taking it all in. Afterwards, the crypt guard, alone in this remote spot in the desert, invited us to his home for some tea and dominoes. I almost beat him once, but it was clear he had more practice.</p>
<p><em>Photo by Nicole Sheldon-Desjardins</em></p>](http://media.glimpse.org/uploads/bVj_hb/large.png)
![<p><span style="font-size: larger;">Runner-Up</span></p>
<p>[Phapheng, Laos] While trekking through the forests of northern Laos, my sister and I stayed with families in minority Hmong and Khmu villages. Here, in the hamlet of Phapheng, we shared a meal of sticky rice and wild mushrooms with a family of 12 in their one-room home. Sharing food is one of the few experiences that transcends cultural, linguistic, and geographic barriers—all of us can recognize the warmth and fraternity that accompany the shared meal. This photo captures one of my favorite moments during my seven months of backpacking in Asia and the Pacific. Looking at it now, I can almost feel the humidity of the steaming rice and smell the earth floor and livestock.</p>
<p><em>Photo by Kevin Ummel</em></p>](http://media.glimpse.org/uploads/pvse2q/small.png)
![<p><span style="font-size: larger;">Runner-Up</span></p>
<p>[Phapheng, Laos] While trekking through the forests of northern Laos, my sister and I stayed with families in minority Hmong and Khmu villages. Here, in the hamlet of Phapheng, we shared a meal of sticky rice and wild mushrooms with a family of 12 in their one-room home. Sharing food is one of the few experiences that transcends cultural, linguistic, and geographic barriers—all of us can recognize the warmth and fraternity that accompany the shared meal. This photo captures one of my favorite moments during my seven months of backpacking in Asia and the Pacific. Looking at it now, I can almost feel the humidity of the steaming rice and smell the earth floor and livestock.</p>
<p><em>Photo by Kevin Ummel</em></p>](http://media.glimpse.org/uploads/pvse2q/large.png)
![<p><span style="font-size: larger;">Runner-Up</span></p>
<p>[Lumino, Uganda] I stayed in a small village bordering Uganda and Kenya for a weekend while participating in Food for the Hungry’s Go ED study abroad program. There had been a death in the village and nearly a thousand people had come from nearby villages to mourn. Everyone who came brought as much cassava root as they could, and the woman gathered to begin making cassava bread. It took a few women to move the giant stirring stick, as cassava dough is very thick. My traveling companion, right, is trying to help.</p>
<p><em>Photo by Charith Norvelle</em></p>](http://media.glimpse.org/uploads/5CR6wC/small.png)
![<p><span style="font-size: larger;">Runner-Up</span></p>
<p>[Lumino, Uganda] I stayed in a small village bordering Uganda and Kenya for a weekend while participating in Food for the Hungry’s Go ED study abroad program. There had been a death in the village and nearly a thousand people had come from nearby villages to mourn. Everyone who came brought as much cassava root as they could, and the woman gathered to begin making cassava bread. It took a few women to move the giant stirring stick, as cassava dough is very thick. My traveling companion, right, is trying to help.</p>
<p><em>Photo by Charith Norvelle</em></p>](http://media.glimpse.org/uploads/5CR6wC/large.png)
