PASSPORTS AND VISAS 101

Tourists have begun returning to the African nation of Gabon as the country once again welcomes visitors following the COVID pandemic.  Located on the equator bordering Central Africa’s Atlantic coast, Gabon allows travelers to explore the broad savannahs, dense rainforests, mountain ranges, thundering waterfalls, and coastal plains of the Congo basin.  The nation is home to some of the most diverse flora and fauna in the world, including gorillas, chimpanzees, hippos, elephants, humpback whales, and more than 400 species of trees.   

While Gabon is not a common destination for the average American tourists, the country has been of interest recently among those in Portland who work for nonprofit organizations involved in environmental protection.  Gabon is the first country in Africa to get paid by international organizations for protecting its forests.  90% of Gabon is covered in dense forests, creating an excellent opportunity for the exportation of timber to industrialized countries that require this commodity to manufacture building materials, furniture, paper products and other consumer goods.  However, Gabon also has an opportunity to protect these forests and use the unharvested land as a product that can be sold as “carbon credits” to wealthier nations (these forests help absorb carbon and therefore have value in the marketplace for those countries needing to offset their “carbon footprint” by purchasing carbon credits).  This mechanism for trading carbon has been developed under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Pakistan, once a popular hippie backpacking destination, is still mostly off the radar for most mainstream tourists.  However, this country should not be overlooked by Charlotte area visitors because it offers a variety of attractions, including historic and cultural heritage sites, diverse geographic features, and a growing adventure travel sector for mountain climbers, hikers, and water sports enthusiasts.  Forbes magazine ranked Pakistan as one of its 10 “coolest places on earth” in 2019 and among the top underrated travel destinations in 2020. “Pakistan is blessed with abundant natural and historical riches,” Lonely Planet noted. “Incredible mountain landscapes are set against a backdrop of desert forts and stories of sultans and djinns.  In its cities, ancient bazaars are home to intricately etched copper kitchenware alongside pungent spice racks and steaming tea stalls.” (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/pakistan) The British Backpacker Society has also named Pakistan is the world’s top adventure travel destination, citing its friendly residents and spectacular mountain scenery.

Officially known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the country boasts several of the most ancient cultures in South Asia.  After 1,000 years of Islamic rule, the region was conquered by Great Britain during the mid- to late 1800s and became part of the British Indian Empire.  During the early Twentieth Century, the Pakistani movement that sought to establish a homeland for India’s Muslim citizens gathered steam.  In 1947, Pakistan gained independence when Britain partitioned present-day Pakistan from India.  The Islamic Republic of Pakistan followed in 1956.

The Central African nation of Cameroon is gradually drawing more visitors from Miami 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.

The city of Philadelphia is the sixth most populous city in the United States at 5.8 million residents and boasts the ninth largest metropolitan economy nationally.  The Greater Philadelphia area, also known as the Delaware Valley, has a population of 6.3 million.  Metro Philadelphia ranks among the top five American venture capital hubs, supporting new companies in finance, technology, and biotechnology.  The city’s geographic location near major East Coast cities, a highly skilled workforce, low labor costs, and an attractive quality of life make Philadelphia an attractive destination for corporations.  Pennsylvania is home to 23 Fortune 500 companies (13 of which are in the Greater Philadelphia area). 

More than 135,000 people with Chinese heritage live in Pennsylvania and nearly 70,000 in Philadelphia, including some 3,000 residents of Chinatown, the Asian cultural and market hub.  Philadelphia’s Chinatown -- which began in 1870 when Chinese immigrant Lee Fong opened a laundromat there -- now ranks as the second largest Chinatown on the East Coast.  The region also attracts considerable foreign investments from China and other countries, with 60 Chinese companies employing more than 2,800 in Pennsylvania. 

China is also the country with the largest number of foreign students at American colleges and universities, and the second-largest recipient of employer-sponsored work visas.  Chinese students comprise the largest group of international students at local institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Temple University, and Villanova.  And of course many Philadelphia area colleges and universities offer Chinese language programs and study abroad opportunities in China for American students interested in gaining deeper knowledge of the country. 

Hay muchas escuelas y programas donde puedes estudiar inglés en San Diego, California. Ya sea que seas un estudiante internacional, un profesional o un ejecutivo de negocios, puedes asistir a una universidad o escuela de idiomas en San Diego para mejorar tu dominio del inglés.

Los programas de inglés como segundo idioma (ESL, por sus siglas en inglés) o inglés para hablantes de otros idiomas (ESOL, por sus siglas en inglés) están diseñados para ayudar a los hablantes no nativos de inglés a alcanzar sus objetivos lingüísticos. Los programas van desde principiantes hasta avanzados, con cursos que pueden adaptarse a tus necesidades dondequiera que estés. Tanto si necesitas lecciones básicas de inglés, tienes conocimientos de inglés y deseas mejorar tus habilidades, o te estás preparando para el trabajo, la universidad o la vida en los Estados Unidos, San Diego ofrece muchas opciones.

No importa qué programa elijas, San Diego es un lugar excelente para asistir a la escuela, comenzar una carrera y vivir la vida diaria. La ciudad de San Diego está en el condado de San Diego, un área que cubre más de 4,000 millas cuadradas. Hay mucho que ver y hacer, además de un clima agradable durante todo el año, lo que la convierte en una de las mejores ciudades de Estados Unidos para estudiar inglés.

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 Chicago 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 Albuquerque 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 Omaha 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 Atlanta 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.

The small East African nation of Djibouti is an uncommon leisure travel destination for residents of San Francisco.  The smallest and least-populated nation in Africa (population 1.1 million) is known mainly for its strategic military and geopolitical importance.  However, the multi-ethnic and multi-lingual country has welcomed foreign travelers for centuries with its warm hospitality and diverse natural features.

“Nestled in the Horn of Africa, Djibouti is a little piece of heaven for nature and history lovers, food enthusiasts, and anyone intrigued by the ethnic composition of this tiny land inhabited since the Neolithic Age.,” according to a profile on the Culture Trip website (https://theculturetrip.com/africa/djibouti/articles/12-reasons-why-you-should-visit-djibouti-at-least-once-in-your-lifetime ). “Djibouti is home to three ethnic groups that live side by side in harmony and peace.  Somali, Afar and Arabs have been coexisting together here since the Ifat Sultanate that dates back to the 12th century.”