The Cast

We’re a family of 4 in the midst of a standard suburban life in North Jersey who realized we don’t have to wait until retirement to do what we really want to.

A getting his “wish for fish!” granted in Ethiopia

Aaron: 7 years old.  Still cute enough to get his hair rubbed, his cheeks pinched, and be carried off by would be adoptive mothers, to his great consternation.  Develops deep yet fleeting infatuations with specific foods (eg, swordfish, “trill” (twirl) noodles, anything in a “pub,” Cholula). Strong willed, naturally cautious, and meticulous (as a German matron once commented approvingly with a curt nod when he was 4, “Such a clean, efficient little boy”).  Idolizes his brother.  Loves Legos.  Currently reading the Junie B Jones books.  His goal is to get through Africa without being touched (Ethiopia when he was 5 was a bit traumatizing).

E in his usual pose on lake Atitlan

Ethan: 11 years old going on 70.  An absent minded professor from birth, you’d think he was deaf if he didn’t ace every hearing test.  (Aces all his other tests too.)  Loves minecraft (of course), reads, eats, designs logos.  Suffers from RBF and the frustration of having parents that are as smart as he is.  Made Silver Elite frequent flier status when he was 6 (thanks to a father-son trip to Kenya) and got upgraded to First Class on his own account.  Goes to Ramah Outdoor Adventure camp in the Rockies, likes horses, thinks that Asia is the land of culinary genius.  Always helpful, especially with his little brother, and has an acute social conscience.

Suzie drinking tej

Suzie: The mom.  43, PhD in Particle Physics, working as a systems engineer (until recently).  Has a preternatural ability to remain remarkably good-natured despite Josh’s insistence on making travel as adventurous (ie, uncomfortable) as possible.  Looking forward to a year without having to order kids’ lunches online.

Josh on a camel in Morocco

Josh: The dad.  43, PhD in Nuclear Physics, working as a systems engineer (until recently).  Addicted to parentheses, semicolons, and won’t say no to an em dash either.  Basically, I like doing anything I don’t already know how to do.  I enjoy teaching, or really any public speaking.  For fun I taught a short course on Atomic, Nuclear and Particle physics for a general audience (here).  I’m a caver, and have all the tools and not enough of the time to do carpentry and woodworking.  I raise chickens for meat in our relatively dense suburban neighborhood within commuting distance from New York City, and have been trained as a shochet (ie, to slaughter them so they are kosher).  I cook.  A lot.  I served as president of our synagogue for three years (I can neither confirm nor deny that I’m taking this trip to get out of being reelected).  As a child, I thought Jeff Smith (The Frugal Gourmet) had the best job ever – travel around the world eating, and then try to cook it.