‘Tis the season for reflecting on the year we leave behind, when we aspire to do better and live a more deliberate life in the new year to come.
We ask ourselves: What is the meaning of our lives?
The answer is different for each of us, if we can find an answer. A better question might be: How do we find more meaning in life? Or, better still: What do we live for?
The beauty of a new year is that it represents a new beginning. It gives us hope. It might be a delusion. But it also might be true that our normal expectation that life will grind on as usual is the delusion.
I’m profoundly grateful for the happiness in my life. On the internet, it may seem that I have a perfect life full of joy and adventure, roaming the world and exploring different cultures.
While I feel fortunate to live the life I enjoy — it's true that my life is often filled with joy and adventure — it's far from perfect. My heart aches every single day for people I love deeply and who suffer beyond hope. And I know that most of us carry heavy burdens and sadness in our hearts and souls.
As human beings, we have to endure all sorts of pain, suffering and broken hearts. This is one reason why Gastronomad Experiences exist. They were created to provide a place for joy and wonder beyond what most people can even imagine. During experiences, quotidian existence vanishes, replaced by constant beauty, unmitigated fun and abundant delicious food and drink, magnificent landscapes and endless laughter, joy and wonder. Time stops. And history is all around us.
Traveling is wonderful and, I believe, essential for our overall wellbeing. Travel done right takes not only to a different place, but a different time, which we can experience as a different self. This is why we crave stories — to live another life, if only for a moment.
The Gastronomad Experiences are designed to make you feel truly alive, the way nothing else can.
Each Gastronomad Experience is unique. Even those in the same location are never the same, which is why we’ve been having guests signing up to repeat the same locations.
The Gastronomad Experience was created to celebrate food, life, human connection and sustainability through joyful gatherings with locals. It is a slow travel culinary experience in the most beautiful spots on Earth with some of the most wonderful artisans in the world. But it's really about looking at life from a beautiful new perspective that changes your view about the whole world.
Mike and I strive to explore and learn from other cultures and the different ways others live around the world. With The Gastronomad Experiences, we do this through hosting immersive and meaningful culinary travel explorations that celebrate life, honor our common humanity and help us cherish the threads that connect us all.
We find that the more we enjoy fun and celebration with other like minded people around the world, the more productive and creative we become, which in essence is part of the art of cultivating joy and living life fully.
Our mission is for our guests to rediscover the beauty, joy and love within each of us — and the incredible depth of traditional human cultures.
Gastronomad Experiences are the food that sustains us in all aspects of our lives so that we can enjoy the experience of living. In other words, it's what we live for.
Wishing you all a joyful season with magical gatherings and the happiest of new years! May you find more meaning and joy near and far.
From the bottom of my heart, much love to you all.
Big hugs and kisses,
Amira
