About David 

_I0A3315.jpg

I love to study culture.

Since my childhood days traveling to and from Australia, where I lived for five years with my family, to my twelve years living in Europe, to my numerous travels to five continents, I have been fascinated by the human patchwork of our planet. As a language freak, history buff and musician, I am well versed in the various elements that make up culture – geography, art, history, politics, religion, language, and many more. I have learned and taught multiple languages over the years, and see foreign language learning as part of a broader picture. More on that in a moment….

Having been back in my native United States for more than twenty years, I have grown concerned about the increasing polarization of American culture. Hence the founding of World to the Wise, whose mission is to equip and inspire others with a broader world view and build bridges of understanding and appreciation of the cultural spectrum. I love to talk about what I call ‘cultural intelligence’ wherever I go – be it in the classroom, among educators, businesses and organizations, churches, leisure travelers – based on the principle that we understand ourselves better when we seek to understand others. Under the umbrella of World to the Wise, my wife, Becky, and I lead periodic cultural tours to Europe, providing life-changing and eye-opening experiences for people of all ages.

Back to foreign language: I have recently opened an online school promoting foreign language learning called World to the Wise Academy. Learning another language has more benefits than can be counted, not the least of which is taking an all-important step toward the Other, whoever that may be.

I am the proud patriarch of three sons, three daughters-in-law and six grandchildren. I'm a serious tea drinker, love movies (especially historical), tennis, and have recorded numerous CD’s in French and English, as well as sung on many other recordings in multiple languages. Becky and I are spoiled to have all three of our sons and their families living close by us in Nashville, Tennessee.

David Durham