Not everyone has a passport.
Almost two-thirds of us Americans don't, according to U.S. statistics . And yet we live in a country that is richer in world-wide culture than ever before, where recent waves of immigrants from Latin America, Asia and Africa have layered on top of some of the longer-settled diasporas from Europe and elsewhere.
The jeweled hues of delicacies at a Vietnamese pastry shop. The music in a Latin grocery store that sets you dancing in the check-out line. A crush of brightly colored silks in a small store that is the sister to a next-door Somali restaurant. These experiences aren't exclusively in the domain of the international traveler, lofty and out of reach. They are in your backyard.
It's been my real privilege to own a passport, and to travel to nearly 30 countries, since the early years of my life. I am the proud daughter of a first-generation immigrant, and the granddaughter of two other first-generation immigrants who came to this country more than a hundred years ago.
America is full of people like me: people who are unequivocably American, but who hold tight to their heritage. We celebrate other dances, other music, wear other clothes, speak of other lands; we practice less prevalent faiths and traditions. And frequently, we make it available for all of American to see.
On this website, I invite you to visit these ethnic enclaves that once sat in the middle of big cities. but are now in the suburbs and cities of all of our 50 states, or sometimes even in our small and isolated towns. You'll notice that there is prevalent attention given to food, and that's not an accident. Food is a universal language of "yum!" "oh my GOD, this is delicious," and "I've never tasted anything like this!" You can get that all by looking at a face on the receiving end of a first forkful; food transcends barriers of foreign language. It's also a place where, by happenstance if not on purpose, you can sit down over a bowl of steaming, seasoned nourishment and converse with people who come from elsewhere. They can tell you what makes their food savory and sweet, and how they ate there where they come from. And maybe, why they left a cuisine and a place that they love so much. These stories are as old as the American Republic, but each individual story is fresh and intriguing.
I hope you enjoy my website. I welcome your comments, feedback, corrections, enlightenments, and especially, your suggestions of where I should visit next!
Happy travels,
Ellona
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AROUND THE WORLD
IN 50 STATES!