Travel Tales Podcast
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It’s a long way from Pennsylvania Amish Country to South Africa.
No, Jack Rathmell was not raised without electricity, nor did he ride a horse and buggy or churn butter. But he did live in the vicinity of the Amish people, in a bucolic area of the Keystone State. By the time high school ended, Jack wanted something more.
He first left home to attend college in Philadelphia. But after just a year, Jack realized a mere shift across the state wasn’t enough.
Did he retreat back to small-town life? Hardly. He took a volunteer position working in one of the world’s largest slums outside of Cape Town, South Africa.
Though the South Africa trip only lasted 90 days, the change of countries and culture left a lasting impression on Jack. He vowed to return to Cape Town and he did- eventually finishing his degree there and later finding work.
Along the way he got a chance to explore his adopted country as well as other exotic locales, learning and making mistakes along the way (including nearly getting his hand bitten off by a Great White Shark!)
Jack recounts his exploits and the lessons learned in his new memoir, “How The Rhino Lost His Horn,” now available on Amazon.
We caught up with Jack at his current home in London, where he continues to travel, write and thankfully, avoid sharks.
Thanks, Jack!