Currently I’m sitting at my cozy breakfast nook in Seattle, Washington. Before me is a self-prepared Americano and a heap of Cinnamon Raisin Pain Perdu, Lost Bread, or as it’s colloquially known French toast, topped with a dulcifying orange-honey glaze. Billie Holiday can be heard throughout the house, and the rustling of leaves outside. Everything is ordinary—not mundane, but routine. In a couple of minutes I’ll leave for a run on the damp, brisk streets of the city to my favorite park, the idyllic Green Lake. However, every so often I get an impulse to leave my home and explore, further than my feet can carry me, to a completely new continent, culture, or landscape. My name is Alexander Gittleman, I am an English graduate from Western Washington University. In my spare time I run a cocktail-travel blog called African Bowtie that I update frequently. Travel is the most enriching experience one can have, and while grappling with a new culture or custom can be difficult, it is something I’ve become an expert at. Through writing, I’ve been able to capture and retain the spirit of each place I visit, and I’d love to share it.