Monthly Archives: December 2023

Tourists from the Oklahoma City area continue to discover the picturesque natural landscapes, cultural diversity, sparkling beaches, and sprawling game preserves of South Africa.  Located at the intersection of the Atlantic and Indian oceans, the country occupies the southernmost tip of Africa.  South Africa draws most of its overseas visitors from the United States, followed by the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and France.

The Republic of South Africa was previously a Dutch and British colony before gaining independence from the United Kingdom in the early 20^th Century.  Almost 80 percent of its 60 million inhabitants identify as Black Africans, while nearly 10 percent are white.  The nation has 12 official languages, reflecting a multi-ethnic society with numerous cultures and religions.  The most popular sports are association football (soccer), rugby, and cricket.   

The African nation of Sudan is a hidden gem, with huge deserts, hospitable people, and twice as many pyramids than Egypt.  However, few tourists from the Charlotte area visit the country: continuing armed conflict with neighboring countries, domestic unrest, and terrorism have kept Sudan off most travelers’ itineraries in recent years.

Located in Northeast Africa, Sudan borders the Red Sea, the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, and South Sudan.  The White Nile and the Blue Nile merge at the capital city of Khartoum to create the River Nile, the world’s longest river.

The area known as Sudan has been inhabited for several millennia.  From 780 B.C. through 350 A.D., it made up part of the Kingdom of Kush (which also included part of Egypt).  Over time, Egypt took political control of Sudan and introduced cultural influences that remain today.  By 1896, the United Kingdom and Egypt were exercising joint control of Sudan until the new Republic of the Sudan achieved independence in 1956.  Arab Muslims dominated the northern part of Sudan, while African Christians and other groups dominated the south.  Sudan was the largest country in Africa until South Sudan seceded in 2011.  Today Sudan covers more than 720,000 square miles, making it the third largest African nation.  Official languages are Arabic and English.

The West African nation of Burkina Faso – “the land of upright people” – is hardly a mainstream travel destination for people living in the Tampa Bay area, with its harsh desert climate, lack of infrastructure, and continuing travel advisories (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/burkina-faso-travel-advisory.html).

“Yet Burkina Faso remains an enthralling destination for intrepid travelers, thanks to its wonderful inhabitants and dramatic landscapes,” according to World Travel Guide (https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/africa/burkina-faso/). “As such, the country, though not frequently visited, is a fine place in which to immerse yourself in African culture.” Burkina Faso claims to be one of the friendliest countries on the continent, the report continued. “Burkinabe, as the people of Burkina Faso are known, are the exact opposite of the harsh land that they inhabit – and it is these cordial and courteous people who make it such a joy to come here.”

Landlocked Burkina Faso, located south of the Sahara Desert, is bordered by Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast.  Formerly known as Upper Volta, Burkina Faso’s official language is French, reflecting its history as a self-governing section of French West Africa before gaining independence in 1960.  However, the country has suffered political instability, coups, droughts, famines, and terrorist violence in the decades since then.

The Central African nation of Cameroon is gradually drawing more visitors from Los Angeles with its vast geological, climate, and cultural diversity.  Often referred to as “Africa in miniature”, the Republic of Cameroon boasts 27 million citizens, 240 tribes, and three main ethnic groups (Bantus, Semi-Bantus and Sudanese).  Hundreds of African dialects are also present, although French and English are spoken by the vast majority of Cameroonians (70% and 30%, respectively).

Bordered by Chad, Nigeria, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, and the Atlantic Ocean, Cameroon provides everything you expect to find on the African continent. “Natural features include beaches, deserts, mountains, rainforests, and savannahs,” the presidential website (https://www.prc.cm/en/cameroon/50-country-information) states. “The country is well known for its native styles of music, particularly makossa and bikutsi, and for its successful national football team.”

In the 15^th Century, Portuguese sailors named the area Rio dos Camaroes (Shrimp River), which later became Cameroon in English.  The area became a German colony in 1884, but France and England divided the territory following World War I.  During the era of African independence, the French and British portions became independent countries in the early 1960s and merged in 1961, eventually becoming the Republic of Cameroon in 1984.

There are many schools and programs where you can study English in San Diego, California.  Whether you’re an international student, professional, or business executive, you can attend a university, college, or language school in San Diego to improve your English proficiency.

English as a Second Language (ESL) or English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs are designed to help non-native English speakers achieve language goals.  Programs range from beginner to advanced, with courses that can meet you where you are.  Whether you need basic English lessons, have some English background and want to improve your skills, or are preparing for work, university, or life in the United States, San Diego offers many options.

No matter which program you choose, San Diego is an excellent location to attend school, start a career, and live.  The city of San Diego is in San Diego County, an area that covers over 4,000 square miles.  There’s so much to see and do, and pleasant weather year-round, making this one of the best cities in America to study English. 

Tourists from Kansas City seeking historic ruins, stunning dive sites, mountain hiking, and upscale beach resorts are discovering the Middle Eastern national of Oman.  Located on the southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, Oman shares land and maritime borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Pakistan.

The oldest independent state in the Arab world, the Sultanate of Oman is an absolute monarchy that has been ruled by hereditary sultans for centuries.  From the 17^th Century through the early 20th Century, the Omani Sultanate was an empire that competed with the British and Portuguese empires for influence across the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf.  Over time, a series of treaties between the sultans and Great Britain provided the British a greater role in Oman as the Omani Empire declined.  The discovery of petroleum in 1964 transformed the area’s economy into the richest in the world and created a modern petrostate.

The African nation of South Sudan is the youngest country in the world – and one of the least visited.  Armed conflicts, ongoing humanitarian crises, and lack of tourism infrastructure have kept South Sudan off most tourists’ bucket list.  However, the country does welcome a stream of businesspeople, charitable workers, and even some adventurous travelers from the Atlanta area.

Landlocked South Sudan borders the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda.  The geographic area of western and central Africa south of the Sahara Desert is known as the Sudan.  From 1896 to 1954, the United Kingdom and Egypt exercised joint control of the Sudan until the new Republic of the Sudan achieved independence in 1956.  Arab Muslims dominated the northern part of Sudan, while African Christians and other groups dominated the south.  After two civil wars, South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011.  However, continued ethnic violence and another civil war plagued South Sudan before a new coalition government was formed in 2020.

Indonesia, the largest archipelago in the world, has long been a favored destination for tourists from the Oklahoma City area seeking tropical natural beauty and cultural diversity.  The Southeast Asian nation is known for its sparkling beaches, active volcanoes, rugged mountains, extensive coral reefs, and unique wildlife (such as the Komodo dragon).  More than half of Indonesia is still covered by rainforests, enabling one of the world’s most biodiverse environments.

More than 18 million tourists came to Indonesia each year before the COVID-19 pandemic slowed traffic, but travelers are again returning to the islands in large numbers. “The tropical rainforests of Indonesia comprise some of the world’s oldest and richest natural habitats, which support a fabulous variety of fauna and flora, including many species found nowhere else on earth,” according to Insight Guides (https://www.insightguides.com/inspire-me/blog/best-national-parks-indonesia). “The country's multiplicity of islands also encompasses large areas of pristine mangrove forest and swamp, montane forests and savannahs, and thousands of miles of coastline harboring coral reefs.”

Russia – which has drawn tourists from the Miami area for decades with its rich history and culture – is the largest country in the world, spanning 11 time zones from Eastern Europe to within 50 miles of Alaska.  The country’s recorded history dates back more than 1,100 years, from the emergence of the Russian Empire, through the rise and fall of Soviet Union, and its recent transformation into the Russian Federation.  The country is home to 30 UNESCO World Heritage sites, plus countless museums, theaters, art galleries, cathedrals, palaces, and other historic landmarks.  It also contains areas of stunning natural beauty, ranging from towering ski mountains to sunny Black Sea beaches to thriving nature preserves.

More than 32 million foreign travelers visited Russia during the late 2010s before the COVID-19 pandemic decimated global travel in 2020.  However, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, only 200,000 foreigners visited that year -- a decline of more than 96%.  While sanctions by the United States, the European Union, and other nations against Russia do not prohibit travel, they have made tourism more difficult by closing foreign airspace to Russian airlines and cutting off access to financial resources such as debit and credit cards.

The north-central African nation of Chad is not a common destination for casual tourists from the Dallas-Fort Worth Area -- even with considerable natural attractions and cultural treasures. “Despite being one of the poorest countries in the world, Chad is home to a variety of ecosystems, ranging from deserts to savannas to wetlands, making it a treasure trove for nature lovers ,” according to the travel site Mister Story (https://www.misterstory.com/p/discovering-the-natural-wonders-of-chad-a-journey-through-its-diverse-ecosystems/). “Chad is a country with a rich and diverse natural landscape that is waiting to be discovered.”

The Republic of Chad is the fifth-largest country by size in Africa yet ranks 18^th in population at 18.3 million.  The landlocked nation is bordered by Cameroon, the Central African Republic,  Libya, Nigeria, Niger, and Sudan.  The country is home to some 200 ethnic and linguistic groups.  Its official languages are Arabic and French, while the main religions are Islam (55%) and Christianity (41%).  Conquered by France in 1920 and merged into the colony of French Equatorial Africa colony, Chad gained its independence in 1960.