During my recent trip to Jordan, I had the pleasure of participating in a homestay at the Orjan Village in Al Ayoun, Jordan. My group and I stayed with Abu Mahmoud and Um Mahmoud in their beautiful home. We were welcomed in warmly, and treated better than I treat myself at home. Though […]
The International Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as the “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education” (TIES, 2015). Unfortunately, mass tourism can often be harmful to an environment. Even the most well intentioned travelers can unknowingly leave […]
As Wendell Berry recites “How To Be a Poet”, I am reminded of how to be a human.
I was particularly struck by these lines:
Communicate slowly. Live
a three-dimensioned life;
stay away from screens.
Stay away from anything
that obscures the place it is in.
There are no unsacred places;
there are only sacred places
and desecrated places.
Take the […]
It was a warm day in Indonesia, like most of them are. Sitting on a bamboo bench, I pulled my American passport out of my front pocket to stop it from sticking to my leg. Glancing at the eyes of my local benchmate, I realized that they were locked not on me, the strange foreigner, […]
We sat down with Tour Radar and answered some questions for their ‘Spotlight on the Tour Operator’ blog series.
Below is a copy of the feature:
Engaging Cultures Travel specializes in cultural immersion trips in Jordan and Tunisia. Get to know their story a little better in this edition of the […]
Travel is dangerous… especially if you are happy with the status quo.
If you don’t like change, especially within yourself, it’s best not to travel.
However, if you want to see what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes and learn to see yourself and the world from a new perspective, travel […]
Need a little more Roman history before your Jordan tour? Here’s a helpful episode of Crash Course: World History that will give you a feel for the fall of the Roman Empire and help you make sense of all those ruins around Jordan.
You can tell a lot about a person’s priorities by the way they walk.
I started noticing my American stride when trying to walk and talk with an Indonesian. During our conversation his voice would trail off and I would realize I was three steps ahead of him. He kept falling behind. Either that, or I […]
I’m sad to say that before coming to Jordan, my knowledge of Roman history was… well… basically nonexistent. If you’re preparing to embark on a Jordan tour and need a brush up, or like me, a complete introduction to Roman history, check out this episode of Crash Course.
Many people want to know if it is safe to visit Jordan today.
All of us are listening to the news and are aware of what is happening in the countries all around Jordan today (some of us are even getting ‘Breaking News’ notifications!).
Unfortunately, the perception in the West is that all of the countries in the […]
