Enhancing Global Awareness

21 Takeaways

I hope the following 21 takeaways resonate with you—or you will assemble your own takeaways—and that you will be able to take what you have learned through your enhanced global awareness to travel deeper, with more meaning, and with fresh eyes. Denise Ames

  • #1 Traveling Deeper

    Traveling deeper with an enhanced understanding of global awareness.

    Dubrovnik, Croatia, photo Dense Ames

  • #2 Thinking Differently

    Recognizing that not everyone thinks as we do.

    Abyaneh Village, Iran, photo Denise Ames

  • #3 Studying World History

    Studying a Holistic World History Model to see a big picture perspective of history.

    Roman remains, Lebanon, photo Dense Ames

  • #4 Integrating Well-Being

    Integrating personal growth and well-being through the act of travel.

    Christiantown, Copenhagen, Denmark, photo Denise Ames

  • #5 Negotiating Differences

    Acquiring more confidence and skills when negotiating cultural differences .

    Shaman figures, Seoul, South Korea, photo Denise Ames

  • #6 Realizing Worldviews

    Realizing our worldview influences our interpretation of global issues, situations, and people.

    German workers, photo Denise Ames

  • #7 Connecting with Others

    Connecting with others in a meaningful way by using global awareness tools and skills.

    A school in China, photo Denise Ames

  • #8 Appreciating our World Community

    Appreciating that we are part of a world community and an interconnected world.

    Flags in Turkey office, photo Denise Ames

  • #9 Learning About Ourselves

    Learning about ourselves is the first step to learning about and from others.


    Students in Lebanon, photo Denise Ames

  • #10 Impacting Others

    Knowing that our actions as travelers impact others.

    Recycling in China, photo Denise Ames

  • #11 Understanding the Past

    Understanding the past and seeing how it relates to the present and future.

    Abyaneh Villge, Iran, photo Denise Ames

  • #12 Sharpening our Senses

    Sharpening our senses by seeing with new eyes, hearing diverse perspectives, tasting new foods, and feeling the earth.

    Flowers, Brooklyn Botanic, NY, US, photo Denise Ames

  • #13 Using a Cross-Cultural Organizer

    Understanding other cultures, people, and ourselves by using a Cross-Cultural Awareness Organizer.

    Growing cabbage, Korea, photo Denise Ames

  • #14 Improving the State of the Planet

    Improving the state of the planet by studying significant global issues.


    Tallinn, Estonia, photo Denise Ames

  • #15 Drawing on Insights from the Past

    Drawing on insights from the past to navigate the present and envision a future.


    Students, Shanghai China photo Dense Ames

  • #16 Connecting with Nature

    Appreciating and connecting with nature during our travels.

    Albuquerque, NM, USA, photo Denise Ames

  • #17 Defining our Life Purpose

    Defining our inward and outward purpose in life through travel.

    Klaipeda, Lithuania, photo Denise Ames

  • #18 Applying Lessons of Travel

    Applying the lessons travel offers to us to our daily lives.

    Damascus, Syria, bazaar, photo Denise Ames

  • #19 Envisioning a Mythic Journey

    Envisioning our travels as a mythic journey.


    Argostoli, Greece, photo Denise Ames

  • #20 Aligning Expectations with Travel Realities

    Aligning our expectations with the realities of travel.

    St. Petersburg Palace, Russia, photo Denise Ames

  • #21 Opening to the Sublime

    Opening to the sublime and/or spirit during our travels.


    Grand Mosque, United Arab Emirates, photo Denise Ames

A Few Final Thoughts…

My intent in creating this website is to reach engaged, curious, and reflective lifelong learners—people of all ages, backgrounds, nationalities, ethnicities, and religions—who are eager to learn more about their own community and the wider world through all the wonders travel has to offer. The website’s purpose—learning new ideas, seeing with new eyes, and reflecting upon one’s purpose in the grand scheme of life—is to intensify our awareness of our own life and the lives of others, as well as to ponder how we may make thoughtful contributions to the wider community and world.

 Finding meaning and purpose is a vital part of the travel experience. Reflecting upon one’s purpose in the grand scheme of life includes a heightened awareness about our own life and our contributions to the wider community and world. This heightened global awareness will hopefully give us all a greater sense of the relationships we share each other and the community of life.      

As I have said before, “Your journey lies before you and will be what you make it.” I hope my observations, experiences, and research about global awareness can help enhance your travel experiences. Happy Travels!


Burj Khalifa, Abu Dhabi, UAE, (tallest building in the world), photo Denise Ames

“Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road.”  Walt Whitman