Malaria Prophylaxis Last week, we saw that Malaria is the biggest risk for any traveler in Africa. Hundreds of millions of people get it each year. 627,000 people, mostly children or people with weakened immune systems, society’s most vulnerable, die of it. Asking an African traveler about anti-malarial prophylaxis is like asking a Frenchman about… Continue reading Malaria
Tag: before you go
Immunizations (Yellow Card)
The International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, or “Yellow Card”, is a folding yellow card containing a record of your vaccinations. It is the same size and shape as the passport and is generally stored with it. Each time that a medical professional provides a vaccination, it is noted and stamped. Thankfully, we have a… Continue reading Immunizations (Yellow Card)
Visa Services
Doing the paperwork for a visa can be error prone and a lot of work. There is, however, a better way. Or at least a way which provides a better chance of a result. There are businesses called visa services. For a fee (of course), they will shepherd your visa application through the bureaucratic maze.… Continue reading Visa Services
Visas
Your passport is issued by your government and provides proof of your identity and citizenship. A visa is issued by a foreign government and gives you permission to gain entry (or exit) to the country, usually for a specific period of time. There are many variations on visas. Most, but not all, countries require an… Continue reading Visas
Passports
To travel internationally, you will need a passport issued by your government. It is your proof of your citizenship. It is your most valuable possession when traveling. You will need to present it at most international border crossings, to various officials, and to hotels. A passport has your photo, name, birth date, and birth location… Continue reading Passports
An Important Caveat
China, India, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Rim… We’re getting ready to talk about four billion people. Almost anything we can say would be true of some of them, and almost anything we can say would be inaccurate of some of them. You will find exceptions and caveats to almost everything in this blog.… Continue reading An Important Caveat
Enjoying Friends
The Developing World. The Third World. The Global South. The Two-Thirds World. 10-40. The Emerging World. Africa Rising. Whatever you call them, most of the people on the planet Earth live outside of North America and Europe and enjoy (endure?) a lower standard of living than Americans. Most Americans only visit the better parts of… Continue reading Enjoying Friends
Introduction
This was originally posted 4 July, 2014. It was migrated to the new system on 14 July, 2016. Congratulations! If you are reading this, you’re probably considering a trip to visit some of the wonderful people who live in the two-thirds of the world not commonly referred to as “developed”. And you’re probably not intending… Continue reading Introduction
How Mobile Phones Work in the Developing World
Abstract: A thorough understanding of mobile phone technology is vital to functioning in the developing world today, and skills and expectations from just a few years ago are rapidly being outdated. Villages which had no coverage just a few years ago now have majorities of their adult populations sporting mobile phones. Marketplaces which offered only… Continue reading How Mobile Phones Work in the Developing World
Visiting Friends 