14/02/2026
Hey everyone,
It’s been a long time since I’ve been on here. I’ve just flown home, and now feels like the right moment to finally check back in. Today I also turn 24!
My whole life I’ve dreamed of following in my parents’ footsteps. To travel, explore, and immerse myself in new cultures and customs.
No SIM card.
No social media.
No plan.
From sitting on sidewalks with locals, to sharing meals with strangers who became lifelong friends.
To being welcomed with kindness and respect in countries that owed me nothing.
I’ve been reminded that most people, everywhere, are good. Generous. Curious.
And as someone who works with their hands, this time meant even more.
I watched craftsmen shape timber with techniques passed down through generations. I saw pride in slow work. Care in detail. Stories carved into everyday objects.
From the bustling workshops in Morocco to the ancient soap factories in Palestine.
The steelworkers in Mosul, Iraq or the child in Tanzania who crafts his own toys from plastic. There is a world of incredible people out there, millions with such talent hidden in countries the west deems as too dangerous to travel.
This time away has deepened my gratitude for the world, for connection, and for the life and business I’ve built and how privileged I am to do so.
To the hundreds of strangers who became friends - and to Sureja - thank you for opening your lives, homes, and hearts to me.
I would love to share these stories and more. Maybe I will post some gradually if you all are interested, let me know.
And thank you for being here, even while I wasn’t
— Rueben 💛
