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Story
The Dark Side of Voluntourism
Before our bags were packed our egos were boosted. Our air was shrouded in arrogance. Friends, family and strangers fuelled our vanity: what we were doing was "inspirational" and "selfless". The trip began to sound groundbreaking, like we were superheroes, and I bought it. I bought it until I stepped off the bus. We arrive…
December 28, 2019
Story
The Taxi Driver of Podgorica
Touch down in Podgorica Airport. The chill of Eastern European air encourages the hairs on my arm to stand in formation. Small pools of sweat slowly form underneath my black polar-fleece turtleneck after lugging my suitcase across the European continent. We’ve flown from Zurich to Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, and the sleek Swiss charm…
November 28, 2019
Story
Reluctantly Dancing on Space Cakes
"The game is called Presidents," one of the French girls is saying, gesturing excitedly the way people explaining card games do, her words coming to me through a haze of smoke. "And the aim of the game is..." But I can't catch what she's saying. Right now, I'm the dumbest, slowest version of myself, my…
November 19, 2019
Story
A Universal Language
Stickiness glues every inch of my clothes to me. Blaring sun blinds me from all directions. Wine fumes leave no room for fresh air on this street. A bead of sweat slides down my face to land on my upper lip. It tastes slightly of stale wine. I turn a corner and can finally see…
November 5, 2019
Japan Story
Lessons from Japanese Love Dolls
Hi, I’m interested in your collection. *Delete Delete Delete*  Hello, I would like to come and see your dolls. *Delete Delete Delete*  Maybe I should write this in Japanese. Wait, who the fuck is this email even going to. Ok, ok, let’s just Google translate a few ideas. English to Japanese has me feeling…
November 5, 2019
Bali Story
The Problem with Assimilation
“The problem with Muslims is that they don’t assimilate,” announced the Australian owner of a Balinese sports bar. The red-nosed sexagenarian was drunk on his own stock and the admiration of his fellows, swinging off a barstool in the joint he’d made his own. “They don’t assimilate and they don’t respect our way of…
November 3, 2019
Story US
Sleepless in Seattle
Sleepless in Seattle – that’s the old movie with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, right? I have some vague recollection of watching it on TV years ago. One of those weekends where you decide to stay in and watch whatever old film they decide to recycle on commercial television. Little did I know, as I…
November 1, 2019

Astray is a storytelling project centred on travel, community, identity and liberation.

We’re based out of Lenapehoking / New York City: the homeland of the Lenape. Specifically, we’re in Manhattan: a name that comes from Mannahatta, meaning “island of many hills”. As grateful guests in this city, we recognize the strength and resilience of the Lenape, and extend our reverence to all Indigenous peoples everywhere. This acknowledgement comes from our commitment to working against the ongoing legacies of settler colonialism.