AcornMan's VirtualTourist Home Page

I can't think of anything I enjoy more than traveling, especially when I get the chance to travel outside the United States. There are plenty of interesting things to see in my own country, but my favorite thing about traveling is experiencing a new culture. Sadly when it comes to that everything is pretty much the same all across the United States, with only very minor and inconsequential differences. I've always been envious of Europeans because all you have to do is hop on a train and in a matter of hours you are in a completely different culture. Meanwhile I can drive for six hours and still not be out of my own state. Lucky for me, there's an airport nearby...

My fifth and latest Habitat for Humanity trip (and the third one I have led) was March 15-23, 2008, this time to El Salvador. Our team stayed in Santa Ana and worked at a site not far from the city where Habitat is building an entire community for people in need of decent housing. We had a great time and got a lot done at the work site.

You can learn more about the Habitat for Humanity Global Village program here.

My fourth Habitat for Humanity trip (and the second one I led) was to Nagercoil, India, near the far southern city of Kanyakumari, from July 24-August 4, 2007. This was my first trip to India, and it was really interesting to experience a completely different culture. Our team of 14 volunteers worked on six different houses in a rural area near Nagercoil known for its small rubber plantations.

You can learn more about the Habitat for Humanity Global Village program here.

I participated in my third Habitat for Humanity trip from July 29-August 12, 2006 when I served as team leader for a 13-person group of volunteers to Gdansk, Poland (the first trip I have led). Previous teams already constructed a 12-unit apartment building, so we built a playground for the kids who live there.

You can learn more about the Habitat for Humanity Global Village program here.

In late November, 2005, during Thanksgiving, I participated in my second Habitat for Humanity trip, this one to a rural area of Mexico about 2 1/2 hours north of Mexico City. My group helped build two new houses for two poor families who could not afford decent housing for themselves. One house is built of red brick, and the other is built of large cinder blocks. They will have concrete floors and roofs when complete.

For more information about Habitat for Humanity's Global Village Program, click here. You can learn all about the program and get details about upcoming trips around the world.

In late August and early September 2004 I participated in a Habitat for Humanity Global Village project in Jozefoslaw, Poland, a small town south of Warsaw near Piaseczno. My group helped build an apartment complex for familes who would not otherwise be able to afford decent housing. Details about my trip are in my Warsaw and Krakow travel pages.

You can read about the project I worked on by clicking here. If you would like more information about the Global Village Program generally, click here.

Here's a list of the places I have managed to visit so far. As you can see, I still have a long way to go.

1974: Germany, Switzerland.

1975: Germany, England, Switzerland, The Netherlands, France.

1983: Canada (Kenora, Winnepeg).

1984: Canada (Kenora, Winnepeg).

1985: Canada (Kenora, Winnepeg).

1987: Maine and Monhegan Island.

1988: Australia (Cairns, Brisbaine, Sydney); New Zealand (Aukland, Waitomo, Rotorua); Fiji; Canada (Banff).

1989: Hawaii (Maui).

1991: England (London, Cambridge, Bath, Stonehenge); Scotland (Edinburgh).

1992: Arizona (Grand Canyon, Sedona).

1993: Mexico (Cabo San Lucas).

1995: San Diego; Las Vegas; Mexico (Tijuana).

1997: Mexico (Cozumel).

1998: Barbados.

1999: Boston; Connicticut.

2000: Sweden (Staffanstorp, Lund, Malmo, Tomelilla, Ystad, Kaseberga); Denmark (Copenhagen); France (Paris); Germany (Heidelberg, Gauangelloch); Switzerland (Grindelwald, Kleine Scheidegg, Jungraujoch, Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Zurich).

2002: Canada (Niagara Falls, Niagara on the Lake).

2003: Greece (Athens, Santorini, Naxos, Aigina); Turkey (Istanbul); Nantucket Island.

2004: Arizona (Phoenix, Tempe, Sedona, Prescott); Poland (Warsaw, Lowicz, Krakow, Auschwitz).

2005: Greece (Crete), Austria (Vienna), Colorado Springs, and Mexico (Mexico City, Actopan).

2006: Chicago, England (Cambridge), Poland (Gdansk, Sopot, Stutthof).

2007: Boston, Colorado (Woodland Park, Boulder, Denver), Qatar (Doha), India (Kovalam, Nagercoil, Kaniyakumari, Madurai).

2008: El Salvador (San Salvador, Santa Ana, Costa del Sol).