One way to experience the wide variety of human cultures around the world is to travel. Visiting places and experiencing diverse cultures is often a life-changing experience for people. However, there are several barriers to travel. Here’s the obligatory mention of COVID-19 and its impact on international travel, but, there are also financial barriers, the logistics of traveling with children, fear of the unknown, etc.
One way to sample the world’s variety of cultures and avoid all of those barriers is to utilize your WPPL card and virtually travel for free. Use the below links and descriptions to explore the destinations and cultures of your choice.
For Kids
There is a series of videos literally titled Travel with Kids. Jeremy and Carrie (Dad & Mom) started traveling with their firstborn when he was 11 months old and soon after, started documenting their travels as their family grew. They don’t stay at chain resorts when they travel. They dive into everything local and immerse themselves in the culture. This series visits Tahiti, Moorea & Bora Bora, South Africa, Rome, Italy, Scotland, and Hawai’i (Maui & Moloka’i).
The series My Life on the Farm invites young learners to travel the world and meet children of other cultures and learn about all aspects of their lives. Each destination showcases unique natural environments and a variety of lifestyles through familiar themes of children, animals, families, and farms. A few highlighted destinations include; Bolivia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Peru, Mongolia, Argentina, and Estonia.
If your kids (or you) prefer a little bit of goofiness in your travel videos, you can join Inspector Gadget on his “field trips” where he visits Hawai’i, Rome & Greece, or London & Paris.
For Adults
There are a few staples of Adult Travel videos that are in the collection at WPPL. Rick Steves is probably the most well-known. Let’s take look at a few that are a bit more “off the beaten path” and see what we can discover.
The Discover the World series (21 in total) allows you to experience any region’s most fascinating natural landmarks while discussing the diverse cultures, people, geography, and wildlife of a particular region. The history of each area is also explored through visual tours of both the natural and man-made wonders of each location. A few highlighted destinations from the 21 that are in the WPPL collection are; Egypt, Thailand, Champagne, Hong Kong, the Australian Outback, St. Petersburg, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico, and Provence.
Globe Trekker was a British series that ran for 17 seasons and was based on the Lonely Planet travel books. Each episode features a host (called a traveler) that travels to a country/major city and experiences the sights, sounds, and culture that the location has to offer. The show goes beyond popular tourist destinations in order to give viewers a more authentic look at local culture. A few highlighted destinations from the 14 that are in the WPPL collection are; Turkey, Nepal, Ukraine, Buenos Aires, Complete Middle East Collection (Iran, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Jerusalem & Beirut), and Uruguay & Paraguay.
Sites for Your Eyes is a travel series focusing on destinations chosen for their beauty, authenticity, and richness. The emphasis here is on unique and often inaccessible landscapes that give viewers a more complete understanding of the geography of a region as well as the folks who call the land home. A few highlighted destinations from the 14 that are in the collection are; Puglia (Italy), Senegal (Africa), Gulf of Morbihan (France), and Baja California (Mexico)
