Explore With Me
WORLD TOUR ADVENTURE
Travel is one way I’ve learned more about how the world works and about the history of different cultures. History and geography were not favorite topics of mine in school. Looking back, that is because to my mind, what happened in Rome in the 15th century, for example, seemed to have little connection to the life I was living as a girl and teen in the Manhattan of the 1960s and ’70s. Knowing the world only became interesting to me when I could experience it first hand, especially through its people.
Also, travel has challenged a lot of my assumptions. For example, I assumed that the cultures of New Zealand and Australia were similar because of their geographic proximity. My assumption was not rooted in anything with real teeth, just a casual idea. These two cultures are not at all alike. And I much preferred one to other. Had I not visited New Zealand, I doubt I would have ever known that it was the first country in the world to give women the vote. That tiny but significant bit of information led me to study about the worldwide suffragette movement once I returned home.
When I was in my 20s and early 30s, I had this idea that because I was naturally intelligent and could learn just about anything I put my mind to, that I was “smart.” Travel humbled me in a variety of ways—it showed me how little I knew and how much I had to grow, not so much in intellect, but from a place of compassion and connecting more meaningfully with others.
Uncheck the boxes in the dialogue window in the upper left hand corner of the map.
1.
Now you have an unmarked world map.
2.
Depending on where you want to go – where I’ve lived or visited (world countries and USA national parks), check a box and the corresponding icon will appear on the world map.
LIVED:
TRAVELED:
VISITED NATIONAL PARKS:
3.
4.
Since I’ve lived in fewer places than traveled, try this first: check the box to the right of the
Lived: icon.
The yellow house icon will appear wherever I’ve lived.
5.
Using the plus sign + in the lower right hand corner of the map, expand the map until you can easily read the names of countries and bodies of water. This will help you to know Where in the World you are.
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Left click your mouse on the map to activate the little hand grab tool. Holding the left click button (the little hand turns into a fist), grab the map and drag it in any direction until you see . Where in the World are you? (I’ve lived mostly in the United States but I’ve also lived overseas).
8.
After your virtual visit to the places in the world I’ve lived, uncheck the box in the dialogue window to clear the map and virtually visit some of the countries I’ve been to by checking the box to the right of the little motorcycle icon.
9.
You can also highlight the icons on the map by left clicking on the words “all items” to the right of each icon in the dialogue window in the upper left hand corner of the map. Remove the highlight by clicking on the map itself.
