Destinations

North America

Mexico

Mexico is a Hispanic country in North America. The festive culture celebrates a mix of "Indian" (precolonial) traditions, Spanish customs, and modern American influence. The Spanish language and the Catholic church play large roles in society. A sensuous blend of food, music, and color lend...

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean country that borders Haiti to the west on the island of Hispaniola. It is well-known for its beaches, resorts, and golf courses. Its landscape includes rainforest, savannah, and highlands, as well as Pico Duarte, the Caribbean's tallest peak. In its Zona...

United States

The United States of America is the most well-known and looked-to country on the planet. For decades it has stood at the pinnacle of achievement in both technological and economical standards, and has garnished a reputation for being the “land of the free” and a place where anyone can come to...

Europe

Russia

Russia (Russian: Россия, Rossiya) is the world's largest republic, encompassing more than one-eighth of the Earth's populated land area, Eastern Europe and northern Asia, and eleven time zones. Although geographically mainly in Asia, the majority of Russia's population is located in Europe, and...

Romania

Romania (Romanian: România) is a nation on the western shores of the Black Sea, north of the Balkan Peninsula except for Dobruja. It is a nation of great natural beauty and diversity, as well as a rich cultural heritage that includes ethnic, linguistic, and confessional communities from all over...

Spain

As a notoriously flamboyant corner of what Europeans happily think of as 'sunbathing territory', Spain is home to a welcoming mix of Mediterranean culture and its own unique (and often clashing) ideals). As the impassioned nation home to flamenco and bull fighting in some corners, as well as...

Asia

Japan

Japan is often difficult to understand for those educated in the west. It can seem full of contradictions. Many Japanese corporations dominate their industries, yet if you read the financial news it seems like Japan is practically bankrupt. Cities are as modern and high tech as anywhere else,...

Philippines

The Philippines (Filipino: Pilipinas), formally the Republic of the Philippines (Republika ng Pilipinas), is a Southeast Asian archipelago of over 7,100 islands located between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. The islands are largely volcanic in nature and are covered in tropical...

India

One of the more mysterious countries on the planet, and one that boasts some of the most drastic differences in lifestyle between poverty-stricken and the rich, is India. The seventh largest country in the world with over 1 billion people living in its territories, making it second only to China...

Latin America

Brazil

Officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, it is the largest country in South America and the world's fifth largest country. Brazil has a coastline of over 7,491 kilometers and wondrous beaches! Brazil has a dense and complex system of rivers, one of the world's most extensive, with eight...

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a small Central American country. This country's history, climates, flora, and fauna are as diverse as its landscapes, which range from rainforests to dry tropical and temperate forests, volcanoes to Caribbean and Pacific beaches, high mountains, and marshy lowlands. Costa Rica is...

Colombia

Colombia is a large South American country. Sitting on the northwestern corner of the continent, the Hispanic culture has a distinct identity. Ranging from rugged mountains to beaches and jungle, the diverse country produces coffee while enjoying relaxed social attitudes, even in the face of...

Africa

Uganda

Nestled in the heart of East Africa, Uganda is a land that echoes with the melodies of its diverse cultures, resonates with stories of resilience, and radiates the promise of untapped potential. From its stunning landscapes and rich biodiversity to its historical complexities and contemporary...

Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea is a West African nation divided into two parts: the mainland and the islands. The country is sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon. It was the only sub-Saharan country to be a Spanish colony; the only other African colony was Western Sahara. It is the third-largest oil...

Nigeria

In the tapestry of nations, Nigeria stands as a vibrant thread, boasting a rich cultural heritage, immense potential, and a resilient spirit. This West African giant is a land of stark contradictions, where progress and setbacks coexist, and the human spirit continually surges forward despite...

Oceania

New Zealand

New Zealand (Mori: Aotearoa) is a nation of breathtaking and varied natural beauty, with jagged mountains, rolling pasture land, steep fiords, pristine trout-filled lakes, roaring rivers, scenic beaches, and active volcanic zones. These islands form a distinct bioregion that is home to...

Australia

As the only country in the world that (arguably) qualifies as a continent, the wide expanses and low population of Australia make it a nature lovers dream. The lush forests of Tasmania, imposing cliffs of Ayers rock and grape-growing district of Barossa all offer inland splendor, but the most...