Some of my favorite moments as a tour leader are watching the expressions of our travelers as they first encounter some of these wonders. There is a particular corner where I like to skip ahead just a little so I can savor the expressions as the group rounds the corner and sees the magnificent Eiffel Tower towering above them in all its glory.
On this Labor Day weekend in the US, I won't lie -- I wish I were traveling. But then again, when do I not wish that? Fortunately, I have an entire library of travel memories to savor at any given moment, and lately I've been thinking about the way travel can be such a bonding experience with fellow travelers.
Welcome to the first episode of Season 2 of the World to the Wise podcast. I hope you’ve had a chance to catch up on Season 1 during our break, because we have a whole set of new and fascinating people and stories for you in Season 2.
We’re also excited to tell you about our partnership with Patreon, who makes it possible for you to become a sustaining patron of this podcast. The truth is, we believe passionately in what we’re doing here at World to the Wise, and it takes quite a number of hours to put each episode together. When you choose to partner with us, even if it’s just $10 a month, you are helping to ensure our being able to provide great content that continues to challenge, inspire, and inform. You can find us at patreon.com/worldtothewise. We won’t wear you out with pitches like this, but we do want to ask you to seriously consider becoming part of the patrons’ circle. You can read more about what that looks like on the website, which again is patreon.com/worldtothewise. Thanks so much.
And now — imagine that you were born and raised in America’s heartland. You’re a white male, and your world is pretty much white Americans. Then your world is rocked when you start meeting and developing friendships with people from all over the world — without even leaving the shores of your own country. Meet Stuart Stokes, a film maker and vlogger, originally from the Missouri Ozarks, now living in Nashville. I hope you enjoy listening to his stories and find yourself challenged like I was.
You can find Stuart on Twitter at Skip Stokes, and on YouTube under the same name. If you’re interested in his documentary on the life of Ken Rideout, you can follow the film’s progress on Facebook at Rideout: One Last Summit or at rideoutfilm.com.
Have you ever been with someone from a different culture and wondered at -- or even been shocked by -- something they said or did? Have you yourself committed a cultural fauxpas because you didn't know any better? It happens to just about all of us at one time or another. Our guest this week, Sarah Lanier, talks about her book, Foreign to Familiar, in which she explains that many of our behaviors are consistent with the culture we live in, and specifically whether we live in a hot climate or cold climate culture. The thing is, it's not always as simple as how far north or south you live. And as we know, different cultures can coexist within one country, with the American North and South being an obvious example.
I think you'll find this interview illuminating -- you might even have some "Aha" moments as you are reminded of certain experiences. Understanding these concepts can go a long way toward more effective communication, leading to more fruitful relationships and sometimes even more successful business partnerships.
If you find the interview helpful, please share it by simply posting the URL of this page!
Here is a link to Ms. Lanier's book:
They could be making good money in the United States. Drs. Eric and Rachel McLaughlin have chosen instead to spend themselves not only on treating the poorest of the poor, but on training the next generation of doctors in a country that is called the hungriest nation on the planet by the World Hunger Index. At the time of this interview, there were only 300 doctors in a country of over 10 million inhabitants. That's one doctor for every 33, 333 people. By comparison, in the US there are 82 doctors for the same number of people.
The name of the hospital where they work, 2.5 hours' drive from the capital city, is Kibuye Hope Hospital, with the operative word being hope. You'll hear about some of the challenges Eric and Rachel face on a daily basis as they work to bring that hope to a desperately poor corner of the world, all while raising their three children.
Eric is also a songwriter, and has recently released an entire album of songs written since their arrival in Africa three years ago. You can find a link to Eric's music, available for FREE download, here, along with some of his reflections.
polyglot [pol-ee-glot] (n). A person who speaks, writes, or reads a number of languages. If this podcast is about crossing cultural bridges, learning other languages has been a major vehicle that has helped me cross multiple bridges. Find out here why this is not something to boast about, but, like all gifts, is intended to serve and inspire others.
Be sure to comment! Either here or by email to podcast@daviddurham.org.
Coming next week: being a biracial couple in the American South.
