In 1983, four young university students in Japan made a decision to respond differently to a problem gripping their region than anyone else in the nation. They did not know it at the time, but...
The Bomberos of Guatemala City
“Slowly, when I count to three!” shouts a young, bald man in a white t-shirt, perched upon a precipice, his face glistening with sweat as he holds tension on a rope stretching far below. “One...
Preserving Indigenous Culture While Looking Fly: An Interview...
In the second installment in our series on amazing ethical start-ups, we talk to Jess Sanchez, the Founder and Creator of Santa Isla. Santa Isla creates one of a kind statement jewelry while...
10 Questions for the Founder of House of Wandering Silk
At Shatter, we are deeply committed to highlighting companies and entrepreneurs that focus on ethical travel, social responsibility, and cultural preservation. Our Editor had the chance to sit down...
Learning to Love the Mountains
Kunoor Ojha is a political campaign staffer focusing on Democratic candidates and progressive issues. She earned her B.S in Political Science and B.S. in Psychology from Illinois Institute of...
A Norwegian’s Perspective On New York City
The Camino: Part 2
Unfortunately this is the part where reserving a place to stay a day or 2 ahead of time becomes necessary unless you are prepared to sleep outside under the stars (which is not entirely a bad thing)...
You’re Safer In A Plane Than You Are In A Car
And then it happened, a lightning bolt hit our plane—a direct hit. You couldn’t see anything for a few seconds. It flashed so bright it was like looking directly into the sun while only 100 yards...
The Camino: Part 1
I never thought in a million years I would get lost on the very first day of the Camino de Santiago but I did.. I must have been so anxious I made a wrong turn right from the start and wound up on Le...
My Medellin Outlook
Ever since I finished my Fulbright in Thailand, I set my sights on a career abroad. I decided I never wanted to live in the U.S., and nothing could keep me there. I'm still not sure if this came from...
The One Caucasus Festival
We sat in the old Soviet-looking school gymnasium/cafeteria, with its peeling paint and high windows without any glass, eating our first breakfast in Georgia-- kasha cooked with shredded carrot and...
Singaporean Summers
As we came closer to the day when we were going to take that much anticipated flight away from the mundane desk at work and the vapidity of daily chores; to the faraway exotic land of Singapore, my...