[KevinTodd]

What a refreshing post, Don!

I truly believe that I am a much more well-rounded person for having been fortunate enough to travel extensively over the last decade and a half. The impact that the different cultures, traditions and general contact with other ways of life has had on me has only been positive, and I simply view the world differently now.

One thing I never liked from my earlier travels was acting like and being looked at as a tourist--you know--keeping close to the compound where I was staying, etc. It is so much more rewarding to go where the people live and interact with them as the people they are.

The world became a much smaller place for me as result.