Become a Discoverer.
Discover more about your world by living in it. Learn languages, arts and sports through total immersion. Go where you feel uncomfortable until strangers become your friends and you feel at home. This is what we do at Discover Discomfort!
Our best material comes by email. Join for explorations of language, culture and travel. Here’s what we’ve sent so far.
About Us
We’re on a mission to become more connected with the many people of our world. We believe in living like a local, learning the language and doing local things. As we go, we’ll share what we learn.
We’re currently in East Africa. Previously we spent 10 weeks in Egypt learning Egyptian Arabic (see us speaking it here), then time in Israel/Palestine (see my notes on what to call that place, plus me speaking Hebrew). Now we’re learning Swahili (this is our interim video with us telling you to visit Zanzibar!) then go running in Kenya, then Chinese martial arts and many more things — all in different places, in compressed time frames and on limited budgets. We’ll sometimes succeed and often fail, but share what we learn and always make it fun. Join us for the ride!
I want to…
Popular Posts
How to Learn a Language While Working Full-Time
Our guide for learning a language while working full time, spending only an hour a day — how to learn as efficiently as possible.… Read More
The Joy and Pain of Travelling While Non-white
I’m called lao-wai in China. We’re called agaanib in Egypt and wazungu in East Africa. But even those we’re those things, we’re other people, and we’re ourselves.… Read More
Living in Zanzibar: Seven Things We Didn’t Expect
Did you know that to say “7am” in Zanzibar, you say “one o’clock”? That’s called Swahili Time. It’s just one of many things we learned about living in Zanzibar.… Read More
“This Part of the World Between Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon”
The complicated politics of nation, cultural identity and religion in Israel, Palestine or whatever you want to call “this part of the world”.… Read More
Building Hebrew’s Cultural Fortress
Hebrew is thousands of years old and yet has evolved into a language that many use as their primary — or only — language. This is its story.… Read More
The “Garbage People”: The Faces Behind Cairo’s Giant Trash Problem
The story of the Zabaleen – “Garbage People” who have for generations been the informal backbone of Cairo’s waste management.… Read More