Hi Reader,

As we spend more time traveling through the world, we find ourselves constantly checking our privilege—and considering how we can use it in ways that genuinely benefit the local communities we pass through.

Not long ago, we spent two weeks in Havana, Cuba. Post-pandemic, many residents are still struggling to get back on their feet. This was our fourth trip to the country, and we arrived with the mindset that we had to give more—more than what’s required by U.S. regulations to “support non-state-owned businesses.”

As travelers, we carry a small pharmacy with us: Advil, Tylenol, Melatonin, Lactaid pills, Imodium... you name it. Because you just never know. But on this trip, we realized those things—simple to us—can be life-changing to people living on an island so often cut off from resources. We packed less for ourselves and more to give away.

Now that we’re traveling through South America, that same intentionality has followed us. We buy from street vendors. We eat in small family-owned restaurants. We shop in the local mercado, where we see the people whose lives our purchases impact. Of course, we indulge in the occasional standard restaurant—but we lead with local first.

Because the truth is, travel comes with responsibility. We don’t take it lightly. It matters how we show up in these places and what we leave behind. Too often, travelers carry themselves like gods—expecting the culture to bend around them, to be catered to. That’s not good travel. That’s not learning. That’s not contribution.

We study languages in preparation for the countries we visit. Even saying a broken “have a good day” in Portuguese is more respectful than never trying at all.

We speak often about how much the world has given us: the people we’ve met, the conversations that have reshaped our thinking, the cultures that have made us better. The least we can do is give something back.

The more we travel, the more we understand—this is a privilege. To enter someone’s home, someone’s sacred space where their identities and traditions live... that’s not something we’re entitled to. It’s something we’re lucky to experience. And while many of us have access to these experiences, most of the people we meet don’t have the same freedom to move through the world as we do.

So, if the smallest thing we can do is show up with awareness, with gratitude, and with intention—and use our impact for good—we’re committed to that. Fully and graciously.

We’d love to hear how you're navigating the world with intention. How are you traveling these days—and what has travel taught you about your place in it?​
Hit reply and tell us your story. We read every message.

Albion & Maurice

​