When you go to most “About” pages, you expect to read about the person or the company that the web site represents. The focus of the web site is the journey.

Have you ever wanted to see the world and experience other cultures? I’m sure many of you have. But life — jobs, kids, and other responsibilities — get in the way.

Well, I decided to step out there and DO IT. For the next while I will be traveling abroad immersing myself in cultures and meeting new people. I want to take you with me!

Now, I can’t fit most of you in my backpack. But I can share my experiences by posting stories and photographs from the journey. And while all that is pretty cool, that is NOT what this trip is about.

The biggest goal of this trip is to use my skills to help others along the way.

I have always enjoyed being that guy behind the scenes who helps others be better at what they do. I have spent the majority of my professional career around non-profit organizations who do a lot of good in the United States. Now, I want to help those abroad who may not have the resources to get the help they need.

Here’s where you come in. You may know someone who runs a medical clinic in Uganda or an orphanage outside of Jakarta or a rescue mission in Sao Paulo who can use help from an IT specialist or a professional photographer.

I am open to working almost any type of organization around the world, irregardless of their affiliations or structure (big or small, global or local). I would however like to stay away from those whose primary goal is political involvement. There are few countries I may choose to avoid, but do not hesitate to make the connection. This is a long journey, crises will shift and doors will open up.

On the “How I can help” page  there is information on what I can do and on the ”Help Me!” page you can see how to help me connect with those who can benefit. And one more thing, I have no plans to ask any organization for any money in return for my services, just room and board, and time to do some photo-exploring.

So, WHERE I am going is largely up to YOU! Help me make connections that will allow me to use my skills and make new friends. Plus, you get to see the evidence of what I experience in my photos and read about them in my writing.

As I travel I do plan to experience of the local cultures, traditions, and flavors as possible. And of of course I will share these experiences with you.  So, check out the rest of the site, read the posts, make comments, share it with friends and stay tuned for more. If you are on facebook, follow my page so that you can be notified of new posts. And most importantly, if you have friends who can use my help, please help me help them by making a connection.

 

Special thanks to John Washington for the filming and editing this video. See more of his work at www.jwjphotography.com