Sunday, August 31, 2008

Katerina Voitik

a.k.a "Kat"

Like my friend Teresa, I also met Kat at Cal Poly while working for ASI. In 2004, a year after I graduated, Kat decided to "study abroad" in New Orleans, Louisiana. Once again, I discovered a talent in one of my friends of which I was not previously aware. After a few of Kat's email updates to friends and family, I asked her if I could help with distribution. "Kat In The NO" was the first official "blog" TRS ever syndicated. I previously relied mainly on the email distribution list to tell my stories, sometimes posting the updates on the trs web site along with pictures. Kat In the NO introduced TRS to the blog format and we thank her for it. Ironically, a year later, Hurricane Katrina (which is how Katerina is pronounced by the way) would make a name for itself in the history books.

Read the Adventures of Kat In the NO

Teresa Hoffman

I met Teresa at Cal Poly working for Associated Students Incorporated (ASI). As graduation loomed closer for both of us, I began looking for a job and Teresa applied to the Peace Corps. As I departed for Lugano, Switzerland to work with very privileged children from around the world, Teresa left for Uganda to work with kids with some very different needs than what I would experience. Just before she left, Teresa started sending out Road Scholar style email updates to her friends and family.

I knew Teresa for five years before we parted ways, and I always knew she was an extraordinary person. What I didn't know is that she is also an extraordinary writer. After her first couple of updates, I asked her if she would mind allowing me to syndicate her updates to the TRS mailing list. As you might imagine, Teresa's experiences in Uganda tend to be quite different from my experiences in places like New Jersey or Lugano, but occasionally she does find herself in some very TRS style dilemmas--like the bank ATM that wouldn't let her have her money. All of her experiences will touch your heart and I recommend taking some time to read about Teresa's journey. She's never traveled personally with me or Chris, so I can't bestow official Road Scholar status on her, but Teresa is certainly the Most Honorable of the Honorary Road Scholars.

Read About Teresa In Uganda

Chris Pasley


Chris and I went to high school together in Southern California, but it wasn't until we got to college and roomed together Freshman year that we really became friends. Chris has the distinction of being the only other "original" Road Scholar. He helped kick off TRS with the Year 2000 Road Trip Extravaganza! in the summer of 2000. Since then, he has traveled with me in England and Spain, and been an avid supporter of all things TRS (he even wears his Y2KRTE shirt from time to time). You can read more about Chris in the About TRS section.