James (Jac) Clark

Jac’s two primary goals for his journey are to immerse himself in Buddhist cultures and share his love of food with people from around the world. Mindfulness practice has added immense value to Jac’s life, and he hopes to learn more about these techniques from the cultures in which they originated. For all of his life, Jac has had a passion for making and sharing food with people. By learning regional culinary techniques and volunteering to cook in homeless shelters and monasteries, he hopes to learn about world cuisines while giving back to the communities he visits. Jac’s travel itinerary includes Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, India, Nepal, Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil.

Alumni Reflections

How did the Bonderman impact your life?

“The Bonderman was the opportunity of a lifetime and it deeply changed my perspective on the world. I loved being able to cook with people from around the world and explore how folks from around the world have similar themes in their spirituality. The challenge of the solo journey also gave me deep self-confidence about my ability to move through the world independently and advocate for what I want out of life.”

What are you doing now?

“I now live in North Carolina and work remotely as a data scientist. I recently got back from my first trip abroad since my Bonderman trip ended in March 2020. My work funded a trip to Australia and I took an extra week to travel and explore. It was a blast and has me excited for another international trip soon.”