As a fresh way to kick off the work week, My Wonderful World is now bringing its readers a Monday-Funday Photo of the Week. Designed not only around aesthetics, this photo sharing start-of-the-week is also about facilitating geographic discussion on current events and relevant topics. Our first Photo of the Week comes from a recent environmental issue in Iceland where the hunting of endangered fin … Continue reading Monday Funday Photo of the Week!
1. Tomorrow, Saturday, September 17th is the third annual “Passport Day in the USA” hosted by the U.S. State Department! This means that any U.S. citizen can apply at their regional passport agency without making an appointment, and on a Saturday (a day they are normally closed). This is great for working families, students, and others interested in the many opportunities that travel abroad can offer. See the State Department’s website for more information and to find printable applications that can be completed in advance.
2. As of January 2007 you must have a passport to go anywhere outside of the United States. Post September 11, 2001 documentation regulation has become an increasing concern for traffic inside and outside of the United States. Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative the requirements for foreign travel are more rigid than ever, including traveling within the North American continent.
3. Because NOT everyone is doing it! According to the U.S. Census Bureau there are currently 312,226,000 U.S. citizens. Of those 300 million, the U.S. Department of State finds that (as of 2011) roughly 102,184,000 people have valid passports in circulation. Based on the math I acquired in the 2nd grade (so please don’t quote me on this) less than one-third (32.7%) of the living U.S. population has a valid passport today. As you can see in the graph below, the past three years show a decline in the number of annually issued passports. Why do you think this is? Due to what we learned in reason two, two-thirds of the U.S. population cannot leave the country–not even to eat tacos in Tijuana. Do you predict the numbers will start to rise with our ever-globalizing world? Or will Americans continue to only dream about going bob-sledding in Nova Scotia, eh?
Continue reading “Five For Friday: Reasons to get a passport”
Join National Geographic and First Lady Michelle Obama this October 11-12 to help break the Guinness World record for the most people doing jumping jacks. All it takes is one minute of your best jumping-jacks to be a part of history! http://kidsblogs.nationalgeographic.com/letsjump/ We need more than 20,000 people around the world to participate if we are going to jump into a new record. So, gather … Continue reading Let’s Jump! With NatGeo and Michelle Obama!
The MWW Blog is launching a new series called “Wednesday Word of the Week.” This feature will contribute to our ongoing work educating the public about Geo-Literacy–the ability to use geographic knowledge to make informed decisions about the dynamic world we live in. Geo-literacy is a relevant, applicable, and global tool; it is a communicative bridge between the peoples, places and possibilities of our earth. … Continue reading Wednesday Word of the Week
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Hello! Hej! Dumella Rah! Vaturak! Mingalarba! Olá!* to all the great readers of My Wonderful World!
My name is Julia Guard and I am one of the newest additions to the National Geographic Society. I hail from Lawrence, Kansas where I studied geography and business at the University of Kansas. I have recently moved to Washington D.C. to commence my fall internship with the National Geographic Society, Education working in Public Engagement. My journey to National Geographic begins with my ever-present interest in travel, and the itching sensation I feel to personally contextualize anything I am ignorant of in this (wonderful) world. My favorite form of self-education is getting up and moving around! Thus, I have spent much of my free time racking up destinations such as: Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. Whether it is a new country, a new face, or even a new idea, I maintain to be adaptive and open-minded in the name of continuing my education and strengthening my connection to mankind.
