What is Travel and Why do it?

After writing "To Benin and Back," I thought a lot about what travel is. The common definition is experiencing a new place. It should always be done with an open mind and a sense of adventure to get the most out of it. The appeal of travel for me is all the new things that I experience and learn about in a very short period of time. I realize now that one can travel without going very far at all. You can talk to people that you don't normally talk to. You can visit a near by place that you've overlooked. You can revisit familiar places with a desire to learn more. You can change your daily routine and try activities you haven't done before. In short, travel is a state of mind! If you can't go far because you don't have the time, money or freedom, then break out of your routines and comfort zones in order to learn something new. It's the next best thing to getting on a plane and traveling abroad for weeks at a time.

See "To Benin and Back" on Goodreads.com

To Benin and Back: Short Stories, Essays, and Reflections About Life in Benin as a Peace Corps Volunteer and the Subsequent Readjustment Process. by Chris Starace

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Back Cover:
Just out of college seeking the adventure of his life and an opportunity to do good, Chris Starace joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Benin, West Africa for two years from 1995 to 1997. The challenge was great, and he was pushed to the limit in adapting to a starkly different culture while living on a meager $6 a day. He made many discoveries about himself, as well as an exotic land. Delving into the culture and creating strong relationships with the people led him to appreciate numerous aspects of Benin, while many outsiders are unable to see past its shortcomings. To Benin and Back recounts a variety of unique experiences from an insider’s perspective such as living in a remote village, adapting to the Beninese culture, exploring the regional market, harrowing bush taxi rides, odd encounters with Voodoo, having a strange illness diagnosed by a very imaginative traditional healer, being stuck in a sandstorm in the Sahara desert, and humorous anecdotes about insects, snakes, animals and children. When he returned to the United States, he was forced to reevaluate his own culture while dealing with severe reverse culture shock. Traveling back to Benin seven years later allowed him relive, reexamine and assess his long-term contribution.

Testimonial:
"Great stories and detail about a fascinating country from a unique perspective. It provides a fresh look at a West African country and the Peace Corps experience. The book made me see my own culture in a new light." – Dan Florin.


Note from the Author:
As soon as I arrived in Benin, West Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer in October 1995, I knew that I had to share my experiences with others because Benin is such a fascinating place. I worked in fits and starts over the last 14 years gleaning the most interesting stories, anecdotes, cultural observations, essays and reflections from my journals. It has been a long time coming and I’m proud to say that To Benin and Back has been officially published!

For more information about the book go to www.tobeninandback.com. There I have a synopsis, excerpts, the full table of contents, the cover art, themes, a blog and a guestbook.

To Benin and Back will also be available in e-book formats such as Kindle, Nook and Sony e-reader for $9.99 or less at the end of November.


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The last revision

I have just submitted my final revision to the publisher so it should be ready in about two weeks I think. 

Release Date

To Benin and Back is at the very end of the production process and the publisher should have it live on Amazon.com and many other sites by around mid-September.  I will post updates when it's ready.