Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Travel is fatal to bigotry

"Travel is fatal to bigotry, prejudice, and narrow-mindedness. Broad, wholesome, and charitable views cannot be acquired by vegetating in one tiny corner of the globe."--Mark Twain 

"Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” 
– Maya Angelou 


Action. Compassion. Adventure

I have a penchant for being a peripatetic. I like to roam and explore, mingle with culture and climates, photograph and write of my journeys.  I visited Turkey in 2007. Last night the Ataturk Airport in Istabul was attacked. My heart hurts. This world is becoming more hateful. I will not join that. Instead, I work towards compassion. Embarking on this next adventure is rooted in compassion for the earth, power of the people, and education as the key. I'm following the footsteps of a hero: Jane Goodall. 

Just this week, I began an online course she's offering called Growing Compassionate Leaders: Empowering Youth Through Service in Education. Roots and Shoots, her environmental education program, began 25 years ago in Kigoma, Tanzania. This morning I finally skyped with my Roots and Shoots contact there to finalize plans for my own service with the program. I am looking forward to my continued learning, new friendships, and our shared experiences. 


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