Etymology: the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time. The term “the etymology (of a word)” means the origin of the particular word. Ever since my awesome Rhetoric and Persuasion professor (shout out to Dale Smith) introduced me to etymology, I’ve been obsessed with finding the roots of diction…
Everything You Need to Know Before Teaching English Abroad
I’m sure many of us have thought of doing this at some point. Especially when we’re broke and desperate to travel fresh out of our undergrad with little to no experience in teaching whatsoever. If you end up finding the right opportunity, take these tips with you. You are not a real English teacher so…
One small step for man, one giant leap for Chef Zahra
August 3rd, 2017 This day should really go down in history. After 21 years, 7 months, and 3 days, Zahra Khozema cooked herself a meal without the help of a microwave, Maggie, or mama. As someone who LOVES to eat, it’s a shame I can’t cook. It truly is disgraceful, not because I should know…
Behind the Scenes of Glamourous Travel
In a world where Instagram acts as a resume, it’s distasteful to display weaknesses, especially in the sector of picture perfect travel. Though travel encompasses many elements of self-growth, it is only achieved when every layer of your limit is stripped bone-naked. There have been so many times I’ve wanted to drop everything and take…
Life in a Suitcase: Packing 21 lbs. of Good Vibes Only
There is this stereotype that young people travel to find themselves but I think most of us do it to run away from a certain reality. Imagining a 9 to 5 routine after graduation felt like an early funeral. Alright, that’s a little fluffed but I don’t know why an appetite for cultural change is…
I Graduated From My University, Not My Program
This week, I graduated from my undergrad in Media Production. Like a lot of immigrant families with dreams for their children to be doctors, lawyers, and engineers, my parents still ask me what my major is because it falls in none of the above. And at this point, I can’t even answer. Stepping into my…
Trips to Take This Summer to Celebrate Canada 150
If I was to be stuck in a country for my entire life, I’d pick Canada. You can spend 4 hours on the plane, shift entire time zones, and still be in the same country, that’s how big this land is and I realize how thankful I am to be here every time I leave…
Sorry For Being a Shitty Daughter Ft. Ottawa’s 2017 Tulip Festival
My mom and I drove down to Ottawa this Mother’s Day weekend to help my little sister move back to Toronto. I slept the entire way while my mom drove and answered emails while she packed. I boost feminism and the power of women often but I’ll be the first to cringe when my mom…
“Cuba Body” & Tips For Cheap Travel Fashion Essentials
Do you feel like you dress better when you travel or is that just me? For shorter trips, I plan my outfits to the T so I don’t over pack. For Cuba, I refused to pack pants because I hate them so much. Pants, especially in hotter climates, are torturous. As you guys know, I…
Zahra Time Travels in Cuba
As a child going through my parent’s black and white high school pictures, I assumed that’s how life was back in the day: colorless. Regardless of 10-year-old Zahra’s imagination being shattered when her mom told her she was an idiot for thinking so, reality finally settled in in Cuba. I never thought time travel would…
I Asked Toronto Out Again & She Sent Nudes
As I was scrolling through my pictures, I noticed I had a lot of travel companions, but someone I cared most about was missing: Toronto. Zahra Travels started with the anticipation of empowering others to “date their cities” because travel’s essence lies in experiencing something new, whether it’s across the world or the street. In…
“I am not your exotic country, knowing me does not make you a traveler”
Thank you, Pavana for putting into words something I’ve felt in my heart for a long time. Traveling has its fair share of social gatherings and everyone brings their A game to later slide into your DMs (and eventually other places). As I started attending more of these things, I noticed a weird pattern taking…
