In this special episode, Globe Aware intern Santiago sits down with Gege, our extraordinary long-time coordinator in the Philippines. With warmth, wisdom, and a touch of humor, Gege reflects on years of unforgettable moments—from hosting solo volunteers to managing large corporate and university groups. Hear how she bridges cultures, supports communities, and ensures that every volunteer experience is not only meaningful but full of heart. If you’ve ever joined our Philippines program—or are thinking about it—this conversation with our beloved Gege will inspire and move you. Ready to just join the program yourself? Go https://www.globeaware.org/destinations/asia/philippines or call us at 214-824-4562
Globe Aware news
Here are some of the newest UNESCO World Heritage sites
Twenty-six new sites, including Globe Aware locations in Malawi, India, and Cambodia, have been recognized on UNESCO’s World Heritage List for their cultural and natural significance! Find out what they are!
Here are some of the newest UNESCO World Heritage sites
July 18, 2025
By James Doubek
NPR
Twenty-six sites have been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, designating their cultural and natural importance.
Locations this year include a sacred mountain in Malawi; petroglyphs in South Korea; remains of a port and forts from 17th century Port Royal, Jamaica; a king’s palaces in Germany; and a river canyon in Brazil noted for its biodiversity.
The World Heritage List, now numbering 1,248 locations, includes “cultural and natural properties of outstanding universal value.” Sites have been added almost every year since 1978. UNESCO is a United Nations agency focused on culture, science and education.
Representatives of 21 countries on the World Heritage Committee met this month in Paris to finalize which locations to add to the list. Countries with World Heritage sites must commit to preserving them; countries with designated sites could also receive funding to help with that conservation.
Here’s a selection of some of the locations added this year:
Bavarian palaces
Neuschwanstein Castle is part of the four palace complexes included in the World Heritage Site list.
King Ludwig II of Bavaria had these grand palaces built between 1864 and 1886 in what is now Germany, according to UNESCO. He ascended to the throne at age 18 and has been called the “Mad King,” because of his long rants, hallucinations and paranoia. The four palace complexes listed are called Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen and Herrenchiemsee. The palaces are now a tourist attraction, “records in stone of the ideal fantasy world which the king built as a refuge from reality,” according to a biography on a website for the palaces.
Imperial tombs in China
An aerial view of Mausoleum No. 4, part of the imperial tombs of the Xixia Dynasty.
Administrative Office of Xixia Tomb Area of Yinchuan City/UNESCO Nomination File
The necropolis is located in north-central China’s Ningxia region. People from the Xixia Dynasty are buried among the “nine imperial mausoleums, 271 subordinate tombs, a northern architectural complex, and 32 flood control structures,” as UNESCO describes. The dynasty lasted from 1038 to 1227, when it was destroyed by Genghis Khan’s Mongol army.
China’s government said the site shows “the crucial role of Xixia as a key distribution center on the Silk Roads during the 11th and 13th centuries.” It added that the location is “the largest, highest-ranked, and most intact archaeological site from the Xixia period that has survived to the present day.”
Remains of 17th century Port Royal, Jamaica
Fort Charles museum in Port Royal, pictured in 2012. The fort was built in the 1600s.
Port Royal, in southeastern Jamaica, was a major English port city in the 17th century. According to UNESCO, it was a center of transatlantic trade, which included enslaved Africans. It was also a hub for pirates. A 1692 earthquake pushed much of the town underwater.
Ecosystems of the Bijagós Islands
Wildlife in Orango National Park on the Bijagós Archipelago.
The Bijagós Archipelago, off the coast of Guinea-Bissau, is known for its biodiversity. It’s home to “endangered Green and Leatherback turtles, manatees, dolphins, and over 870,000 migratory shorebirds,” UNESCO says.
Memorials to the Cambodian genocide
People look at skulls at the Choeung Ek memorial in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in 2018. The location is part of a newly designated World Heritage Site.
The communist Khmer Rouge regime was responsible for the deaths of some 1.7 million Cambodians in the 1970s. Two former prisons and an execution site are included in the World Heritage List designation. An international tribunal ended its work in 2022, holding just three senior Khmer Rouge members accountable for the regime’s crimes.
The full list of new sites for 2025
- Cambodian Memorial Sites: From centres of repression to places of peace and reflection (Cambodia)
- Coastal and Marine Ecosystems of the Bijagós Archipelago – Omatí Minhô (Guinea-Bissau)
- Cultural Heritage Sites of Ancient Khuttal (Tajikistan)
- Diy-Gid-Biy Cultural Landscape of the Mandara Mountains (Cameroon)
- Faya Palaeolandscape (United Arab Emirates)
- Forest Research Institute Malaysia Forest Park Selangor (Malaysia)
- Funerary Tradition in the Prehistory of Sardinia – The domus de janas (Italy)
- Gola-Tiwai Complex (Sierra Leone)
- Maratha Military Landscapes of India (India)
- Megaliths of Carnac and of the shores of Morbihan (France)
- Minoan Palatial Centres (Greece)
- Mount Kumgang – Diamond Mountain from the Sea (North Korea)
- Mount Mulanje Cultural Landscape (Malawi)
- Møns Klint (Denmark)
- Murujuga Cultural Landscape (Australia)
- Peruaçu River Canyon (Brazil)
- Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon Stream (South Korea)
- Prehistoric Sites of the Khorramabad Valley (Iran)
- Rock Paintings of Shulgan-Tash Cave (Russia)
- Sardis and the Lydian Tumuli of Bin Tepe (Turkey)
- The Archaeological Ensemble of 17th Century Port Royal (Jamaica)
- The Colonial Transisthmian Route of Panamá (Panama)
- The Palaces of King Ludwig II of Bavaria: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Schachen and Herrenchiemsee (Germany)
- Wixárika Route through Sacred Sites to Wirikuta (Tatehuarí Huajuyé) (Mexico)
- Xixia Imperial Tombs (China)
- Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex of Monuments and Landscapes (Vietnam)
The committee also approved extending two existing national parks that were already listed. Vietnam’s Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park was extended to include the adjoining Hin Nam No National Park in Laos. And South Africa’s iSimangaliso Wetland Park, listed in 1999, was extended to include Maputo National Park in Mozambique.
I thought I was a seasoned traveler—then I spent a week in India
Seasoned traveler Avery reflects on her life-changing journey to India, where she discovered that true travel confidence isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about embracing the unknown with curiosity and courage. Globe Aware volunteers can learn from her inspiring experience.
I thought I was a seasoned traveler—then I spent a week in India
Real travel confidence isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about being comfortable with questions.
By Avery White
VegOut
Aug 8, 2025
After backpacking through Southeast Asia, navigating the metros of European capitals, and even surviving a sketchy hostel in Prague where the shower was literally just a drain in the floor, I thought I had this whole travel thing figured out.
I was wrong. So incredibly, humblingly wrong.
Guatemalan Foods to Try, From Street Hot Dogs to Mayan Stews
From savory traditional breakfasts to rich, hearty stews, Guatemala’s bold cuisine is a highlight of Central America. Globe Aware volunteers, here’s what to eat and where to find it!
Guatemalan Foods to Try, From Street Hot Dogs to Mayan Stews
From traditional breakfasts to hearty stews, the country’s flavorful cuisine is a standout across Central America.
By Maliah West
July 23, 2025
AFAR
Incorporating a mix of Spanish, Afro-Caribbean, and Indigenous influences, typical Guatemalan fare is wide-ranging and represents the many groups that have called the country home throughout its history, from colonizing Spaniards to direct descendants of Afro-Indigenous groups.
However, while it may have many dishes in common with its Central American neighbors—tortillas, tamales, and tostones—Guatemalan cuisine is in a lane of its own. Dishes are typically meat-forward (pork, beef, and chicken) but call for punches of flavor from peppers, chiles, and even chocolate. And you can bet that a basket of warm handmade tortillas will be there to accompany your meal.
TSA Is Finally Creating Some Dedicated Family Security Lanes at Select U.S. Airports. Is That a Good Thing?
Globe Aware families, a new program called “Families on the Fly” aims to make airport security easier for families and the general flying public. Learn more on today’s travel blog.
TSA Is Finally Creating Some Dedicated Family Security Lanes at Select U.S. Airports. Is That a Good Thing?
A new program called Families on the Fly aims to make airport security easier for families, as well as for the general flying public. But whether it works will depend on how it’s executed.
By Jamie Davis Smith
July 23, 2025
AFAR
A mother holding a child wearing a coat and pink backpack in an airport security lane
Would a dedicated family security lane speed up the process for families or slow them down?
Going through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening lines at the airport can be frustrating for both families and those stuck behind them. Parents with young children often have more to deal with than the average traveler. They may need extra time to fold strollers, wrangle toddlers, or wait for additional screening for bottles and baby food.
Staying healthy on your summer vacation
Globe Aware volunteers, your health never takes a vacation, even when you do. Here’s how planning before embarking on a summer trip can help reduce and prepare you for health emergencies.
Travel Tips: Staying healthy on your summer vacation
July 30, 2025
Capital Blue Cross
Your health never takes a vacation—even when you do. Planning for your health needs before embarking on a summer trip can reduce your risk of health emergencies and prepare you if one arises.
“Travel should be restorative and reduce stress,” said Juline Moussa, a health coach at Capital Blue Cross.“You can get the most out of your trip by prioritizing movement through walking, spending time in nature, and enjoying meaningful time with loved ones.”
Is travel good for your mental health?
The secret to better mental health might be just one flight away, according to a new poll. Globe Aware volunteers, see what findings were unveiled about how and why Americans are traveling.
Is travel good for your mental health?
By Talker Research
Jul 29, 2025
The secret to better mental health might be just one flight away, according to a new poll.
A survey of 2,000 Americans found that the average American feels 67% better mentally after going on a trip.
Where You Should Be Planning Your Next Trip Based on These 5 Fashion Aesthetics
Calling all Globe Aware trendsetters, what’s your travel style when you head abroad? With social media trends like cottagecore and Barbiecore on the rise, here are some fun style ideas inspired by these. Do you dress the part?
Where You Should Be Planning Your Next Trip Based on These 5 Fashion Aesthetics
From bustling cities to scenic national parks, there’s a backdrop fit for any trending style
By Logan Holland
July 22, 2025
PEOPLE
Calling all trendsetters! It’s time to make sure your carefully curated wardrobe meets its full potential on your next getaway.
Thanks the rapid pace of social media trends and booming influencer culture, it seems like a new “core” — that’s a hyper-specific style, for the uninitiated — appears to emerge from every pop culture moment. Whether it’s mixing checkered prints and lace accents for a cottagecore look, or maybe rocking some vibrant pink hues for a Barbiecore moment — there’s an aesthetic for any occasion these days.
Thailand and Cambodia agree to ‘immediate ceasefire’
Thailand and Cambodia agree to ‘immediate ceasefire’
July 28, 2025
BBC
By Jonathan Head
Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” after five days of fighting at their border killed at least 33 people and displaced tens of thousands.
“This is a vital first step to a de-escalation and a restoration of peace and security,” said Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, flanked by his Thai and Cambodian counterparts, as he announced that hostilities would end at midnight.
Jaipur beats Florence to enter the top 5 best cities in the world
Jaipur, India’s vibrant Pink City, has clinched the 5th spot in a Best Cities 2025 list, surpassing Florence! Globe Aware volunteers can visit to experience its celebrated immersive cultural tourism and warm hospitality firsthand, and see why it earned the honor!
Jaipur beats Florence to enter the top 5 best cities in the world
July 22, 2025
Times of India
Jaipur, the Pink City of India, has proudly secured the 5th spot in Travel + Leisure’s prestigious World’s Best Cities 2025 list, ranking above iconic global destinations like Florence. Known for its royal palaces, heritage hotels, colourful markets, and vibrant Rajasthani culture, Jaipur has emerged as one of the top travel destinations in the world.
