Travelling is tough for a toddler like me. Foreign countries rarely have my favorite foods, like mac ‘n cheese or pancakes. Sometimes they don’t even have milk. I find this incomprehensible, since warm milk is one of life’s greatest pleasures. When Mom and Dad told me we were […]
The second I landed for the first time there was no denying it: I was in love with New Orleans. It was a bit grimy, yet charming, sad but vibrant and somehow chaotic at a slow pace. The multiculturalism of the city, embodied in its food, music and […]
I have never watched the TV show “Mad Men” but my understanding is that there are certain parts of the ‘50s that are glamorized. One in particular that fascinates me is the three-martini lunch. You know , those old school lunches that were leisurely, overly indulgent and […]
I had the good fortune to be a respondent for the opening plenary at the Caribbean HIV Prevention Conference at the Atlantis Resort and Casino in the Bahamas, a choice of location that seemed rather odd and extravagant given the seriousness of the event, particularly its goal of […]
In the 1980’s, the South Bronx of my childhood was the epicenter for AIDS in New York City, with one of the highest AIDS infection rates in the city, if not the country. Even during the early stages of the epidemic, the disproportionate impact on the poor, on […]
American Playwright William Saroyan once said, “A man’s [or woman’s] ethnic identity has more to do with a personal awareness than with geography”. This is doubly true with Hispanics. Unintentionally, by choosing the descriptor “Hispanic” in the title of this post, I am making a personal choice as […]
Cuba is a land of contrasts. A totalitarian regime ruling over a friendly, open people. Extreme poverty by American standards, coupled with effective public health efforts. An educated public that often cannot put its education to use. Cuba: A mix of low technology such as cars from the […]
I had the great fortune to visit Cuba as a US delegate of the American Public Health Association (APHA). I was struck by the beauty of the island, the warmth of the people and by the high sense of pride and adoration of heroes. Everywhere one turned you […]
In the words of Sir Adam Thomson, founder of British Caledonian Airlines, “A recession is when you have to tighten your belt; depression is when you have no belt to tighten. When you’ve lost your trousers—you’re in the airline business”. Anybody who travels for work can vouch for […]
The ability to “pass” is often a loaded term and a loaded action. My son and I both can “pass” in different contexts for different ethnic or racial groups. When I visited Egypt, they thought I was French. When I lived in Spain, they thought I was Tunisian. […]
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