For the duration of this upcoming academic year, I will be spending each trimester abroad. First, I head to India in the fall, then Morocco in the Winter, and Austria in the Spring. Throw in some travels on the breaks between programs, and I've got quite a hectic schedule.

As such, I thought it might be fun for people to track my location as the year goes on. However, I didn't want to share my exact location, so I decided to stick to listing whichever country I am currently in. As of a few weeks ago, you can now check up on my travels by entering the URL WhereIsNoah.com

The page automatically displays a basic map of the country I happen to be in at the time, with a database on the backend so as to avoid the need for constant manual updates. I created the idea and basic structure, but a good friend, Dom, was kind enough to actually get the code written and implemented. There are still a few bugs with edge cases, and a few backend clean ups needed, but the basic functionality on your end should be pretty smooth. If you notice any issues though, please reach out so we can get them fixed as soon as possible.

Some other tools I've created (occasionally with the help of friends) include an outfit recommender based on the current weather and my personal preferences for temperature and wind conditions (essentially a custom fit "feels like" temperature which is then converted into a level of jacket/pants/shorts), my travel packing list, and some favorite quotes, among others.

Things like this are why I love having a website, and think that almost everyone should invest the time into creating one, even if you don't write a regular blog. The internet is accessible from most everywhere we go nowadays, and having some tools and fun projects hosted online allows you to keep track of and have instant access to key guides. If you are worried about privacy, you can even password protect pages to stop anyone else from viewing them. A basic website can be set up for free, and some additional functionality can be purchased through drag and drop site builders for modest fees. The only reason I can think of as to why a website wouldn't add more value to your life than the time it would take to set up, is if you are extremely digitally adverse and prefer to keep everything on paper. However, that rids you of the ability to create any basic programs, which can be one of the most significant value sources of a personal site. At the end of day though, find whatever works best for you and just keep at it!

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Photo is of a softshell turtle my host sister and I saw in Tokyo’s Kiyosumi Garden. It let us get right up close to it, and even let us gently stroke its shell. If you have any ideas as to what specific type of softshell turtle it might be, please let me know.

I've been trying to keep this blog about insights even a stranger could benefit from, but figured I would make an exception here. Regular type post coming again in two weeks.