Breana Johnson
Breana Johnson is an American expat living on the Caribbean Island of Sint Maarten. She surfs, snorkels, and spearfishes when she’s not tutoring local kids or writing. If she could have any job title in the world, it would be Professional Hummus Taste Tester. For now, she’s settling for freelance travel writer. You can catch up on Breana’s adventures at her blog, www.3rdCultureWife.com. PODCAST FEATURE Listen to Breana on St. Maarten Travels that Transformed Lives
Articles by Breana Johnson
Five Books about Travel (That You Probably Haven’t Read Yet)
By Breana JohnsonIn fact, we can do what armchair travelers have been doing for centuries: find a good book and let it transport us to the sights, sounds and smells of somewhere far away.
The World Literature & Music
January 12: National Shop for Travel Day
By Breana JohnsonIf you’re itching to get out of town, you’re not alone in your wanderlust. Maybe that’s why National Shop for Travel Day – a day dedicated to (you guessed it) shopping for your upcoming adventures – may very well gain quite a bit of traction this year.
United States Events & Festivals
Mysteries of the Superstition Wilderness
By Breana Johnson“Are you sure this is the right way?” My husband, Ben, stopped me and took a critical look at the map.
United States Nature & Outdoors
Teaching Children to Appreciate Diversity
By Breana JohnsonThe best way to travel with the intent of exploring diversity is to ditch the touristy places. Sometimes, tourist attractions bring people from all over the world — the Grand Canyon or Disneyland, for example.
The World Family Travel Insights The Arts Social Responsibility
Peace in Burundi
By Breana Johnson“Look, there’s a bullet hole here.” My husband points out a circular indentation in the wall of his childhood home at the Kigobe Mission Station in Bujumbura, Burundi. I run my hand over the warm stone wall of the house, then let my eyes wander around the peaceful yard. Sunlight … Read more
Africa History
Why You Should Go to the Bahamas Right Now
By Breana JohnsonI sat at the edge of the little fishing boat, peering down into the clear Bahamian sea to spot my husband. Under the water, I could make out his shape as he took careful aim with his Hawaiian sling. A moment later, he rose to the surface of the water … Read more
Caribbean and Atlantic Social Responsibility
Voluntourism: When Helping can Hurt
By Breana Johnson“Say cheese!” I lift the camera to my eyes and snap a picture, capturing the moment forever. The dozen or so Caribbean kids and visiting volunteers relax their poses and give goodbye hugs to one another. A handful of Rotary Club members from St. Catharines, Ontario visits the island of … Read more
Caribbean and Atlantic Volunteer Travel Social Responsibility
Taste the Local Lifestyle with Agritourism
By Breana JohnsonI bend to reach under a blueberry bush, knowing the juiciest berries are hiding underneath, where all the other pickers have missed them. Ping! A blueberry hits me in the back of the head, catching me by surprise. I turn to see my ten-year-old nephew looking sheepishly at me just … Read more
The World Agritourism Food & Drink Sustainability
Protecting Pottery and the Past
By Breana Johnson“Watch out for snakes,” my husband advises me as we make our way down the overgrown path through the wilderness of a Northern Arizona mesa. “I know, I know,” I reply, knowing that he’d be more comfortable out in front, watching for rattlers, but too excited to let him lead. … Read more
United States History The Arts
The Bittersweet Experience of Repatriation
By Breana JohnsonI held on to the apple for a moment, enjoying its weight in my hand. Even more than the feel of the fruit, I enjoyed the fact that it was going to cost me less than two dollars per pound. After living on a Caribbean island for two years, where … Read more
United States Insights
East Coast History Road Trip
By Breana JohnsonBenjamin Franklin gestured dramatically toward the moldering gravestone of the Revolutionary War soldier. “And then,” he proclaimed, pausing for effect, “He killed ‘im dead!” Twelve adults and a handful of children stared at him wide-eyed as he finished the dramatic account of the Yankee soldier’s death. “Follow me, I will … Read more
United States History
Books for Nomads: Little Free Libraries
By Breana JohnsonI double-check my map and turn left. At the end of the street, I pull up to the library, park, and step out. I don’t need to keep my voice down to use this library. I don’t need a library card, and I don’t even need to go inside. Actually, … Read more
The World Literature & Music
Roadside Stops between Los Angeles and Las Vegas
By Breana JohnsonThe route between Los Angeles and Las Vegas may be a heavily traveled highway, but it’s still a long strip of road through the desert of the American Southwest. As such, it offers plenty of the weird and wacky roadside stops that characterize this part of the world. Whether you’re … Read more
United States Off the Beaten Path
Sint Maarten: A Youth Program Reaches Out After Hurricane Irma
By Breana JohnsonSeptember 2, 2017, was a calm and sunny Saturday on the Dutch Caribbean island of Sint Maarten. In a small cluster of brightly painted shipping containers, a group of children gathered to play games, read books, and toss around a baseball. It was just another normal weekend at the Player … Read more
Caribbean and Atlantic Volunteer Travel Social Responsibility
A Burundian Lesson in Hospitality
By Breana JohnsonIt’s evening in the small African nation of Burundi, and the waning sun throws shadows over the city of Bujumbura. In the old Land Rover, we bump and jostle our way through the crowded dirt roads of the capital. Before we left the mission station where my husband’s family lives, … Read more
Africa Off the Beaten Path Social Responsibility
The Island of Saba: Looking to the Future, Embracing the Past
By Breana JohnsonI gaze in awe out the window of the old 15-passanger van that serves as a bus. Just inches from the narrow concrete road, a carpet of green treetops sweeps dramatically downward and ends abruptly in gray cliffs that plummet into an azure ocean. The red roofs of houses are … Read more
Caribbean and Atlantic Adventure Off the Beaten Path
Heartbeat of Detroit
By Breana JohnsonI didn’t know a single thing about Detroit when I moved here a year ago. Most people plan where they want to move but when your spouse is in medical school, you don’t always have the luxury of choice or time. The sudden relocation to the city was a surprise. … Read more
United States Off the Beaten Path
Exploring Arizona’s Ancient Native Dwellings
By Breana JohnsonI squint my eyes, trying to blur out the gaps in the mud walls and the crumbling walkway below it. What was it like to live here? Did the landscape look the same a thousand years ago? I try to imagine animals and kids running around under the canopy of … Read more
United States History
The Caribbean: This Season’s Top Destination for the Conscientious Traveler
By Breana JohnsonAs a conscientious traveler, you probably think about where your money goes after you spend it. Who and what does your spending benefit? Lately, travel practices like “voluntourism,” and booking green hotels have become hugely popular. Additionally, many travelers to third-world countries prefer to spend on locally-based companies rather than … Read more
Caribbean and Atlantic Volunteer Travel
St. Catharine’s, Ontario: Experiencing the Impact of Harriet Tubman
By Breana JohnsonSouthern Ontario is known for its thundering falls, flashy nightlife, and incredible wine country. However, this area of Canada has a lesser-known historical significance that goes far deeper than any of these things. You are probably familiar with the Underground Railroad which led many American slaves to freedom, but you … Read more
Canada Off the Beaten Path History
A Trip to Burundi
By Breana JohnsonAsk any average Westerner, and they likely won’t be able to point out Burundi on the map. Although this tiny country is virtually ignored when it comes to East African tourism, that’s no reason why it shouldn’t be on your travel bucket list. What makes it special? Read on and … Read more
Africa Off the Beaten Path Food & Drink
36 Hours in Phoenix
By Breana JohnsonPhoenix is one of the most interesting cities in the United States. Competing with Philadelphia for bragging rights as the 5th largest city in the States, it is large enough to encompass as much art, culture, sports, and humanity as anyone could ask for. Although there is more to do … Read more
United States Food & Drink
Volunteer travel opportunities in Haiti
By Breana JohnsonAs Haiti once again sizes up the massive post-disaster cleanup ahead of them, many of us who missed Hurricane Matthew are anxious to learn how we can help. The best way to get in there and make a difference is to go to the Caribbean and volunteer. Here are several … Read more
Caribbean and Atlantic Volunteer Travel Social Responsibility
What It’s Like to be an Expat Wife
By Breana JohnsonI like to call myself a “third culture wife,” which is my short way of saying that I married into an expat family. Unlike the rest of the Johnsons, I was born and raised in the same state. I never moved international borders, and I certainly never had to speak … Read more
United States Insights