DFW World Affairs Council takes travelers on unforgettable adventures around the globe

BY RACHAEL ABRAMS

 

8.9.13 | 12:38 pm

The DFW World Affairs Council's first extended trip was to Cuba. Photo courtesy of Jocelyn Lancaster

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Anne Buckley, who traveled to Cuba with WAC, said it was a "rich, exciting and meaningful experience." Photo courtesy of Jocelyn Lancaster

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The WAC trips are designed to build an understanding of the culture on all levels, from politics to daily life. Photo courtesy of Jocelyn Lancaster

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WAC trips include stops at typical tourist destinations as well as talks with experts in the fields of diplomacy, media or academia. Photo courtesy of Jocelyn Lancaster

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To reiterate its mission of promoting international awareness and understanding, the World Affairs Council of Dallas-Fort Worth started a travel program in 2012 with a weekend trip to Guanajauto, Mexico. This past January, WAC upped its travel game with extended trips, starting with an eight-day excursion to Cuba.

“The Cuba trip was one of the top items on my bucket list,” says Anne Buckley, a Dallas resident and traveler on WAC’s first extended trip. “It was a rich, exciting and meaningful experience.”

In addition to the traditional tourist stops, WAC trips include lectures from experts in the fields of diplomacy, journalism or academia, which vary depending on the country and city. The experience is built around understanding the culture on all levels, from politics to daily life.

The DFW World Affairs Council travel experience is built around understanding the country's culture on all levels, from politics to daily life.

In Cuba, the travelers journeyed with Havana-based guide Steve Hart and met two representatives from the Dallas WAC office.

“Never did I feel uncomfortable,” Buckley says. “I was amazed at the way they squired us around the country. It was always gracious and fun.”

Buckley says her favorite part of the trip was visiting the Cuban countryside and the historic site of the Bay of Pigs invasion.

“Being a part of that landscape and understanding the beauty as well as the amazing adaptations the Cuban people have had to make in order to survive was a valuable understanding I gained from that exposure,” she says.

The key part of the trip, she says, was meeting different people who shared their stories and experiences. “One would be well-served to pack energy, enthusiasm and curiosity on this adventure,” she adds.

http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/travel/08-09-13-dfw-world-affairs-council-travel-program/