Latin America has long been a hotbed for social and environmental activism. Unlike most active protesters here in the States, activists in Central and South America deal with an entirely different level of resistance, which have sometimes resulted in violent conflict. According to a report released in 2014 by Global Witness, a watchdog organization active […]
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey recently announced that they plan to phase out the use of elephants in their shows by the year 2018. The announcement comes in the wake of years of pressure from animal rights groups through the filing of lawsuits concerning the circus’ treatment of animals. End of an Era “It […]
Voyaging out of the United States, or England, or Spain—or really when embarking from any country that perpetrated colonialism—it’s important to understand the legacy of nationalistic violence. From genocide to enslavement to economic and environmental exploitation, “developed” countries have never treated their poorer cousins kindly. History’s status quo is reflected in our thoughts and speech […]
In spite of rising international pressure to halt the controversial practice, rebel forces, as well as the Sudanese government, continue to actively recruit child soldiers. Sudan has been marred in conflict for years, but renewed conflict between members of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) has recently caused many South Sudanese civilians to take refuge […]
Concerned residents and anti-dolphinarium activists of the Turks and Caicos islands (TCI) are desperate to find a way out of a legal maelstrom which permits the importation and keeping of dolphins for commercial tourism. A biodiversity hotspot with one of the longest coral reefs in the world, the Caribbean archipelago of 30 islands, eight of […]
As a nation still haunted by the memories of genocide, Rwanda continues to show its ability to be redeemed. Their efforts to preserve the natural beauty of mountain rain forests like with Nyungwe National Park continues to be a goal among government officials. The effect is twofold: travelers from abroad get to witness the beautification […]
Mauritius may be young but it’s well known for being one of the developing world’s most successful democracies. It’s been featured on Ethical Traveler’s 2015 Ten Best Ethical Destinations, earning a place on the list for the fourth year in a row—and with good reason. Eco-tourism has taken off in a big way in many […]
Last month I was honored to attend the first-ever White House Summit on Study Abroad and Global Citizenship. The administration invited the top 100 travel bloggers and digital influencers to Washington DC to discuss how to encourage citizen diplomacy. The administration wants to see more people-to-people connections across borders. And for this first summit, that […]
The State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (or the ECA)’s mission is to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural exchange that assist in the development of peaceful relations. The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange […]
