We take the gift of travel for granted.
There are those who can skip town tomorrow, while others have no choice but to stay. Those who have this gift should use it. This powerful tool can be used to find and share the stories of lives around the world.
I remain strategically homeless so I can travel and share their stories.
I’m here to tell stories and serve as a guide to those who choose to skip town.
Daily Routine
Have you ever had to say goodbye to someone who you know you’ll never see again? There’s no easy way to go about it. You give them one last hug, smile, and hold back the tears. As you walk away, you wonder what the rest of their life will be like. A life without you.…
For You, A Thousand Times Over
I wish I could say I knew more Rohingya children like Mohammed, but he’s different from the rest of them. He hasn’t seen the things they’ve seen. He hasn’t known the meaning of hunger. He hasn’t come face-to-face with death. As a refugee growing up in America, he has been protected from all of this.
Found in the Middle of Nowhere
The impossible finally became possible. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, so I just started laughing uncontrollably. Then I started crying.
Found…Two Years Later
It’s been two years since this incredible family came to America. And I only just found out now. The past two years I thought they were still at the shelter where I found them in Thailand…still waiting for the day to be resettled. Yet the entire time, they’ve been right at my doorstep. I missed…
Day 1: The Bangladesh Chapter
“You are my daughter. I welcome you into our family. Please come back again soon — only after you see my daughter in America.” For eight months, these words played over in my head. So did the photo that was shared with me. It was a photo of my Rohingya friend’s entire family in Myanmar.…
Day 2: A New Pin in the Map
A new pin was set in our map today as we hopped in a CNG taxi in Cox’s Bazar, set for Kutupalong. We were on another mission on behalf of my friend in Utah.She was resettled in Salt Lake City with her children. She separated from her siblings and parents years earlier in Myanmar, with…
Day 2: Thanksgiving in the Camps
One thing that I will never be able to match is the immense generosity and hospitality of the Rohingya people. Every time I am visiting a family, they welcome me into their homes with a feast awaiting me. It’s like Thanksgiving. I arrive with nothing but some photos of their family members and a couple…
Face to Face with Genocide
Not quite sure how it happened, but somehow I was able to integrate myself into a quirky Rohingya family and follow them around the world. Despite the strong language barrier and logistical difficulties, this family has welcomed “Teacher Sophie” into their lives. They’ve taught me what it means to be resilient in a world full…
