Global Citizenship
It’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, we picked up a few Burundian friends who were going the same direction. I struggle to make casual conversation in Swahili, the unfamiliar syllables falling heavily from my tongue. The boy next to me is patient, and he smiles broadly at each clumsy attempt to communicate. Something I have learned during my short time in Burundi is that the people are rarely judgmental. They appreciate your interest in their culture, although they don’t mind laughing good-naturedly at your fumbles. Children of Burundi We pull up to our destination: a modest two-room home built of mudbricks. Small children stare [...]
Aran Mor is arguably the most significant example that comes to mind and an island on which you can learn about the past, while enjoying everything it has to offer in the present.
On January 13, 1888, a small group of explorers and scientists, 33 in all, gathered at the Cosmos Club in Washington, DC. (A place where DC members of the famed Explorers Club, including World Footprints, meet today.) They proposed to organize a society "to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge while promoting the conservation of the world's cultural, historical, and natural resources." Two weeks later, they incorporated the National Geographic Society . Alexander Graham Bell, the Society's second president, proposed a magazine, sales of which would help fund the Society's activities. In 1899, Bell's son-in-law Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor was named the first full-time editor of National Geographic magazine. He served the organization for fifty-five years (until 1954), and members of the Grosvenor family have played important roles in the organization since. Bell and Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor devised the successful marketing notion of Society membership and the first major use of [...]
Islam is the second-most followed religion after Christianity. Out of the 195 countries on Earth, 56 have a Muslim majority and are governed by Muslims.
One of the best parts of traveling is discovering the history of the place you are visiting. I like to consider myself a bit of a history buff, so when I booked a weekend trip to Poland while studying abroad in London, I knew I would spend most of my time learning firsthand about World War II.
Our guide on the Kinabatangan River in Borneo in Malaysia has been pointing out wildlife at every turn. Crocodiles sulking near the water's edge. Proboscis monkeys lazing in the top of trees. Hornbills flying overhead. The only thing missing is the elusive pygmy elephant. The elephant’s absence hints at the growing threat to the abundant wildlife in Borneo.
World Footprints commemorates the anniversary of the terrifying attack that changed the world and brought heroes to the front-line. You will hear from survivors their first-hand account of the events as they experienced them.
Changing careers from an estate and trust administrator (think death and taxes) to a travel journalist brought me more than a flexible fulfilling career.
And then there’s the zero-waste lifestyle, which advocates for reducing your personal and household waste as much as possible. Those who practice this way of life say it’s changed them, and many are keen to share their tips and tricks with others.
Until I spent time in Palestine’s West Bank, seeing it with my own eyes and listening to people’s stories...I didn’t have a grasp or understanding of what was happening or why.
In a small town in the southwestern region of Nepal, Eva the rescue elephant and her new companion Lhamo are sprouting a charming kinship.
If you love traveling and take vacations away from home, you're not alone. An estimated 1.4 billion people on the planet travel somewhere at least once every year. Unfortunately, the travel industry is partly responsible for the increase in greenhouse gas emissions compared to other sectors. Concerns over climate change and environmental issues should cause every traveler to pause and consider their carbon footprint. And by adhering to the following good travel habits, we can work together to reduce our wanderlust carbon footprints. Consider RV Road Trips Recreational Vehicles (RVs) were already popular and became even more so during the pandemic of 2020. That's a good thing because according to RV Insight, RV vacations are more environmentally friendly than traditional airline/hotel vacations. The study compared the carbon emissions of a family of four traveling by RV for vacation with that of flying to a hotel and renting a car. [...]
