Matthew David Nelson is a travel photographer and writer from Des Moines, Iowa.
He is an advocate for sustainable travel and citizen diplomacy, he has undertaken projects in ten countries, primarily in the Western Balkans, India, and Nepal.
Matthew’s work has been published in National Geographic Traveller Magazine, Resonate (Norway), and Get Lost! (AU), among others.
His photographs have appeared in exhibitions and shows in Athens, Greece, and Prishtina, Kosovo. He is also a freelance contributor to travel guidebooks.
We interview Matthew and read his story, Life Lessons from a Macedonian Philosopher-Shepherd.
You can follow his Substack at @matthewdavidnelson, Medium at @Mearcstapa, and find him on Instagram as @mattnelly.jpg
From the show:
“…why do we work 11 months out of the year so we can live for one? Isn't there some way where you could live your life 10 months out of the year and just only work for two? And so I was kind of seeking to find that…”
“…ethical tourism?…it's about a two-way exchange with the community and not so much trying to exploit the locals by forcing tourists down their throat. But instead operating from - let's engage the locals first and see, one, do they even want anybody? And two, what do they want to showcase about a place?…”
“Q: Between your writing and photography, what do you think is more impactful?
A: That's an amazing question. Oh, gosh. I always think that the written word is probably the most powerful medium. Thoreau has a quote about it from Walden…”
Stories: Matthew David Nelson. Life Lessons from a Macedonian Philosopher-Shepherd.