Global Crossroads

In this 5-minute audio clip about the multimedia components of the book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie, our tech guru Chris Smith [Shamblesguru] spells out for the user how to go about navigating through this eBook. Depending on the machine, e-Book reader, and browser you are using, Chris explains how to manipulate the font and color, and how to enlarge the images embedded in the book, as well as the technical details on how to link to the 24 audio conversations and the two multimedia clips in the book. And, if you’re lucky enough to have the right software, even have the machine read the book to you. Both Chris and the author, Mo Tejani, eagerly look forward to sharing this interactive experience with you, and will be awaiting your thoughts on your experience in the comments sections to the various links. Come along for an adventure ride through our digital journey! This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Fruits of Childhood (short_b) [24] In this 3 minute audio clip, Mo Tejani reads Chris Smith’s favorite quote from the story and explains how that quote serves to bridge the cultural gap between two countries, Uganda and Thailand, for the author through a symbolic flower. This audio clip serves as a companion piece to the story “Fruits of Childhood” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Fruits of Childhood (short_a) [23] In this short 3-minute audio clip, author Mo Tejani talks about the travel writing genre and the anthology, Best Travel Writing, a collection of travel stories from around the world that is published annually by Travelers Tales. This audio clip serves as a companion piece to the story “Fruits of Childhood” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Fruits of Childhood (long) [22] In this audio conversation connected to the final story in his book Global Crossroads, author Mo Tejani talks about the emotional responses he had after he finished writing the book, and what it has been like to relive some of those same emotions while recording the audio conversations here that are linked to each story in the book. Reflecting on how any of the five senses often take him back to his lost homeland in Africa, Mo discusses the impact of foods on his psyche, and tells of another incident that occurred with a vendor lady in Guatemala selling cassavas that is not part of the book. He ends this conversation with some closing remarks for the listeners that have been with him and Chris Smith through all 24 audio recordings. This audio conversation serves as a companion piece to the story “Fruits of Childhood” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Red Dust of Singida (short) [21] In this short 3-minute audio clip, author Mo Tejani recounts an incident that happened to him at the age of 15 on his very first trip hitchhiking around East Africa (“Mogo na Maji”), and how that incident works as the perfect antidote to the message brought out in his story “Red Dust of Singida,” which takes place while he is traveling on a bus heading to his place of birth in central Tanzania. This audio clip serves as a companion piece to the story “Red Dust of Singida” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Red Dust of Singida (long) [20] In this audio conversation, author Mo Tejani discusses the parallels between the actions of Juma, the demagogue bus conductor in “Red Dust of Singida,” and the actions of various dictators in Africa’s post colonial history. He also talks about the intensity of emotions he had while traveling on a bus through East Africa after 25 years of exile in anticipation of reaching Singida—his birth place in central Tanzania—and laments on the country’s socio-political history and the consequent suffering of the Tanzanians. Mo also elaborates on the actual events that occurred after arriving in Singida, which are not part of the story. This audio conversation serves as a companion piece to the story “Red Dust of Singida” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

The Beast Within (short) [19] In this short 3-minute audio clip, author Mo Tejani discusses his relationship with Clare, his high school teacher in Uganda, and the strong influence she had on his life and the world of books, music, theatre, and world events. Her spirit is present when Mo ends up teaching Lord of the Flies to high school students in Thailand. To his day, she remains a dear friend whose spirit is always close by. This audio clip serves as a companion piece to the story “The Beast Within” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

The Beast Within (long) [18] Reflecting on the strong influence that William Golding’s classic novel Lord of the Flies had on him as a 17-year-old lover of literature, author Mo Tejani discusses the book—its origins, its universal relevance, and what the ‘beastie’ in the novel symbolizes in post-World War II history— and what happens when he gets a chance at the age of 58 to teach the novel to 17-year-olds at an international school in northern Thailand. Mo also elaborates on what the allegorical character in the story, “Shetani,” who exists within all of us, signifies for the future. This audio conversation serves as a companion piece to the story “The Beast Within” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Childhood Games (short) [17] In this short 3-minute audio clip, author Mo Tejani talks about how he applied what he learned from the events in his story “Childhood Games” at a major international conference on humanitarian aid in Guatemala, using children as teachers of adult experts working in the Aid industry. This audio clip serves as a companion piece to the story “Childhood Games” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Childhood Games (long) [16] In this audio conversation connected to the first of four stories with an African setting in his book Global Crossroads, author Mo Tejani talks about the numerous children’s games he and his group of diverse friends played in Uganda, marveling at the myriad cross-cultural and managerial skills those games taught him and how he was able to apply those skills throughout his adulthood. Contrasting the innocence and simplicity of those games some half a century ago with the current high-tech digital games of today, Mo reflects on how those simple games were communal in nature, involving team work and team spirit, as opposed to the boy and machine solitude of today’s world of games. This audio conversation serves as a companion piece to the story “Childhood Games” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Joggers' Jamboree (short_b) [15] In this short 3-minute audio clip, author Mo Tejani discusses the anthology entitled Lost in Thailand, where his short story “Joggers’ Jamboree” was first published. This audio clip serves as a companion piece to the story “Joggers’ Jamboree” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Joggers' Jamboree (short_a) [14] In this 3 minute audio clip, Mo Tejani gives us the reaction of a Thai nurse in Chiang Mai to the Hash Harriers 4 day festival of debauchery and mayhem which is what prompted the author to write this story. This audio clip serves as a companion piece to the story “Joggers’ Jamboree” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Joggers' Jamboree (long) [13] In this audio conversation, author Mo Tejani recalls the four-day revelry of the bi-annual Interhash festival of Hash Harriers in Chiang Mai, Thailand and tells of the humorous clashes that occur when some 7,000 “drinkers with a running problem” from 174 countries descend on this quiet, unsuspecting, Buddhist city in northern Thailand. Reflecting on the cultural juxtapositions that come about at this international event of debauchery, Mo explains what happens as the non-confrontational Thais try to go about their daily chores during the winter of 2006. This audio conversation serves as a companion piece to the story “Joggers’ Jamboree” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Mother India (short) [12] In this short 3-minute audio clip, author Mo Tejani recalls his very first trip to India when during a 13-hour layover he ended up searching for a lost aunt in Bombay whom he had never met, not knowing her address or any of her contact details, only that she once lived in the city some forty years ago. This audio clip serves as a companion piece to the story “Mother India” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Mother India (long) [11] In this audio conversation, author Mo Tejani reflects on his tug-of-war relationship with India during one of his many rail sojourns through the country. With his travel partner Mahatma Gandhi as his ‘confessional priest,’ Mo attempts, yet one more time, to come to terms with the land of his ancestors and the birth place of his father. He also explores whether India is, indeed, the spiritual center of the world (as many Westerners like to assume), and how a billion-people thriving on chaos, mayhem, and conflicting traditions somehow miraculously come together to make the world’s largest democracy function. This audio conversation serves as a companion piece to the story “Mother India” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Dog Karma (short) [10] In this short 3-minute audio clip, author Mo Tejani explains how Thailand spurred him to seriously question his relationship with dogs in different cultural settings. This audio clip serves as a companion piece to the story “Dog Karma” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Dog Karma (long) [9] In this audio conversation, author Mo Tejani explores his on-going attempts to understand his ambiguous relationship with dogs in many parts of our world, including the cultural disparities that he has come across in both the East and the West. His confusion about his relationship to “man’s best friend” is heightened by the linguistic anomalies of how dogs are referred to in different cultural contexts, and how different cultural norms about dogs often conflict with each other. Ultimately, Mo’s love-hate relationship with dogs becomes a metaphor for the clash of cultures that all of us live with in our everyday lives. This audio conversation serves as a companion piece to the story “Dog Karma” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

T-Shirt Tango (short) [8] In this short 3-minute audio clip, author Mo Tejani throws out a plea to listeners to engage in the world of T-shirts to see what they mean to us in our multicultural world of today. This audio clip serves as a companion piece to the story “T-Shirt Tango” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

T-Shirt Tango (long) [7] In this audio conversation, author Mo Tejani delves into the world of T-shirts, describing how they can become a powerful tool that can invoke culture clash but also potentially help clear out one’s own cultural baggage. Here, Mo recounts some entertaining sayings on T-shirts he has come across, and probes deeper into the various emotional effects that T-shirts have on people, whether they are traveling or just walking down the Main Street where they live. This audio conversation serves as a companion piece to the story “T-Shirt Tango” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com

Hedonists in Oz (short) [6] In this short 3-minute audio clip, author Mo Tejani throws out a challenge to all the young backpackers of today: What mental frame of mind should one be in before traveling, be it on a long or short trip, near or far? (Answers to the challenge can be made in the comments section above). This audio clip serves as a companion piece to the story “Hedonists in Oz” in Mo’s book Global Crossroads: Memoirs of a Travel Junkie (February 2012). This is one of a number of conversations between award-winning author Mohezin (Mo) Tejani www.motejani.com” and digital nomad, educator, and edtech consultant Chris Smith shamblesguru.com hosted at globalcrossroads.podomatic.com