Author: Kim Willis

  • Five of the Best Cafe/Bars in Athens

    Five of the Best Cafe/Bars in Athens

    This post was originally published on Border Skipping.  I love cafes. Who doesn’t? After all, when you’re exploring a new city finding a good cafe can be like finding a home from home; a place to relax and recharge while soaking in significantly more of the local culture than is possible from the edge of your […]

  • Podcast: Occupy Wall Street meets Occupy London

    On the day that Occupy London lost their high court eviction battle and exactly 4 months since protesters set up camp in what’s now known as Liberty Square in New York, Orchard Times’ Kim Willis brought together Karanja Gacuca from OWS and Jamie Kelsey-Fryfrom Occupy LSX to look back on how this unprecedented global movement has evolved and what they each think of their sister camp on the other side of the pond.

  • Interview: a Guide For Visiting Palestine

    Interview: a Guide For Visiting Palestine

    Every day, Fred Schlomka’s Green Olive tour company picks up a car full of Jerusalem tourists and guides them through the Separation Wall into the Palestinian West Bank, visiting refugee camps, social enterprises and – in what’s been seen by some as a controversial move – settler communities. “Most tour companies offer a ‘Disneyland’ view of the country, from a Jewish or Christian perspective, often excluding information, experiences, and sites that conflict with their worldview” says Fred. “Green Olive Tours tries to offer a more comprehensive experience while gently advocating for a more humanistic and democratic perspective. The tours serve as a bridge between my political and professional work. Through traveling the West Bank almost every day I am able to monitor the situation and stay in touch with my contacts. Through offering tourists the opportunity to benefit from my experienced guides’ knowledge, and witness the impact of the Occupation, they often are motivated to become politically active when they return home. Some return as volunteers in the organizations we introduce them to”.