Fred recording instructional video for his university courses during the pandemic. Ta Prohm, Angkor, Cambodia.
WHY DO WE TRAVEL?
Pico Iyer writes we travel, "to lose ourselves; and we travel next, to find ourselves."
Early twentieth-century explorer and travel writer Dame Freya Madeline Stark, said, "The true fruit of travel is perhaps the feeling of being nearly everywhere at home."
The search for an authentic life?
Personal spiritual pilgrimage?
Gap Year or Endless Journey?
WHY DO I TRAVEL?
The telling of a story usually starts with a question
I ask myself. Perhaps one as asked by Bruce Chatwin, “What am I doing here?”
Perhaps the realization felt by Thomas Wolfe,
“You can’t go home again.” Something he wrote after having already said, “Look Homeward, Angel.”
So I pick up a pen or a camera, buy a train ticket, and off I go to write the story,
a story without end.
The Journey as
Taking Refuge
Xuanzang was a 7th-century Buddhist monk and explorer who relished adventure, the lure of the next country, the mists of the far horizon, and an attraction to wild and awesome places. Guided by experience and knowledge, he lived the pilgrim's life for seventeen years in search of ancient Buddhist texts. I consider this monk and teacher my patron saint.
The courses and journeys I offer are designed as an interactive style of continuing education as presented at many colleges and universities. I want to offer content that is informative but also personal; stories not lectures. It is not simply what we learn, but how we learn and what we can do with our learning. Like the artist perfecting their craft, the learner gains in appreciation and skill when taking on new educational projects. My courses and online journeys will leave you not only informed, but also transformed. Inspiring so you will begin or continue your own global travels.
"Those uneducated for travel are not likely to be educated by travel."
This is about making a journey; seeking an adventure to learn,
experience and later share.
Buses, tuk tuks, horse carts, river boat, whatever conveyance it takes. Along with my assistant Mr. Sim, I make my way around South and Southeast Asia guiding you through some of the most important artistic, cultural, and architectural experiences of Asia...to start.
If we do get a calling in life, I heard that voice at age 11 somewhere around 33° N and 35° W, in the Atlantic Ocean, near the Azores. That transatlantic crossing planted the imaginative seeds that grew into a passion for travel and art which has kept me afloat during my lifetime of global wandering. Now, as an artist, writer and university professor, I want learners everywhere, such as yourself, to come along with me as I explore new destinations while returning to the well-worn path.
In 2011, I lived for a while to Siem Reap after having traveled the region for around a decade. Outside of where I lived, three or four tuk tuk drivers gathered throughout the day, awaiting customers from the nearby guesthouses. Pech Sim was one of those drivers. I got to know him over the next two years of living here. After my return to Siem Reap in 2018, I was strolling along the river when I heard someone call out my name. It was Mr. Sim. Since then he has become much more than a driver. He assists me in my photographic endeavors and video documentation for my online courses. He has accompanied me to Thailand and throughout Cambodia. In contrast to the majority of tuktuk drivers, he has an extensive knowledge of the traditions and customs of ancient Angkor. And, he is a great friend.
The courses I present are arranged in FOUR categories: JOURNEYS MATTER, ART MATTERS, EARTH MATTERS, and DHARMA MATTERS. I am continuously designing new courses that share my travels, on-going writing, photography, and curiosity. My content is produced from my personal experiences of seeing the world and meeting people along the way.
We live in an era that doesn't prioritize enrichment for its own sake. Yet, a study of the liberal arts and humanities guides us toward those emotional and intellectual skills that make us human. The importance of locally immersive travel, what you have studied is reinforced; what you continue to learn has relevance.
My art-related courses explore how to appreciate and connect with art and architecture while traveling. Photographer Minor White encouraged his students to not simply take photographs of what they observe, but to capture the deeper meaning of what they experience. With this in mind, my courses emphasize the importance of seeing beyond the surface to uncover the hidden treasures of the art and architecture
Learning should provide us with what we need while providing us with something to ponder for the rest of our lives. The challenge of online learning is to provide subjects that pique your interest and intellect, nourish your spirit and emotions, and link all of us with others. With climate change posing an existential threat to life on Earth, we need to learn more about what we can do and what others have accomplished in the past.
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Somerset Maugham wrote, "I have never seen anything in the world more wonderful than the temples of Angkor...No one, no one should die without seeing Angkor." What did he see there? Angkor is no mere ruin and remnant of ancient Indic religions cast in stone. It is breathing, as in alive with the creative energies that led to its construction. In this course, we go deeper than any guidebook can provide. Based upon my 17 years of walking among these forests, villages, and temples, we will learn what Angkor was and is, but mostly what it means...for the sake of our modern world.
Join me, along with my long-time friend and assistant, Mr. Sim, for an exciting virtual journey through Southeast Asia, a captivating region with deep spiritual ties to a pluralism of religious beliefs leading back to India and the Himalayas. Over the course of four weeks, we will delve into the enchanting countries of Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar (where we will draw upon our previous experiences). Throughout this journey, you will explore the beauty of Southeast Asia with us. This will include personal moments spent in the company of Buddhist monks, villages and pagodas across the countryside and in the mountains. We will visit ancient sacred sites and local communities, providing you with an insight into the rich cultural tapestry of this region of Asia.
Since the age of 12, Kathmandu has been in my imagination. Long before Bob Seger popularized the city with his song, Kathmandu was the destination of hundreds of overland travelers on the Hippie trail. This was my first significant destination when I arrived in Asia twenty-two years ago. When I travel to Kathmandu I reside at the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery of Shechen. I make the daily koras around Boudhanath Stupa while thumbing over the 108 beads of my mala. I shop for thangkas. I film and photograph the three great Durbar Squares of the valley. And I sit and watch passersby over a Nepalese coffee. For one month, you can join me in my daily routines, conversations with the monks of Shechen, witness the creation of thangkas and explore the valley for its mystery and magic.
During my time in northern India, I had the opportunity to visit Delhi and spend six weeks in Mumbai, exploring the Ellora Caves and Aurangabad. However, this upcoming tour will take me to different destinations, starting from Bhubaneswar, where I will get to admire the striking red sandstone Hindu temples. From there, I will make my way to Bodh Gaya, the place where Siddhartha found enlightenment. Traveling by train, I will then journey to Varanasi, a city located on the banks of the sacred Ganges River. The photo above captures the essence of this vibrant city. Of course, no visit to India would be complete without seeing the awe-inspiring Taj Mahal and revisiting the bustling city of Delhi. Lastly, the journey will culminate in the breathtaking Himalayas, where His Holiness the Dalai Lama resides in Dharamshala. While the specifics are yet to be finalized, what makes this trip truly special is that I will be experiencing many of these places for the first time, just like many of you will
In the past four years, I have had the privilege of being a co-author for one book and a contributor to another. Both of these works delve into the intersection of art, climate change, and our connection with the natural world. They emphasize the importance of living in a way that promotes higher awareness and appreciation for our planet - an aesthetic celebration of the Earth. My experiences on the beautiful island of Bali have greatly influenced my work. It is rare to find a place where ancient religious and spiritual rituals seamlessly blend into daily life, complemented by a deep reverence for nature. The people of Bali have long practiced a prayerful devotion to the environment, expressing their beliefs through various forms of art. However, as much as Bali thrives culturally, it faces the harsh reality of being overwhelmed by tourism. The influx of visitors has placed immense pressure on the fragile spiritual balance that has sustained this unique culture for generations
Micro Learning orShort courses that, as film editors say in Hollywood, "Cut to the chase." Get to the action. Make your point. Otherwise, the audience and listener move on. The short course can be a start-to-finish concept of what you want to learn. The course is also optimized to be viewed on a smart phone for anywhere - anytime learning.
These are courses you can complete in a single sitting or whenever you feel the need for a bit of knowledge and maybe even inspiration
Courses designed for this format of learning are focused on issues, problems and ideas that do not require much background and research.
Designed to satisfy your curiosity.
WanderSight short course function in two ways. One, to introduce you to ideas you may wish to later take a deeper dive into. Some of our longer courses fulfill that need. Second, some short course are part of a sequence of courses that you can follow in order or pick and choose according to your interest. One example of this will be our series of courses on Climate Change and the Role of Art and Artists.
With all WanderSight courses, you have access to the WS Community to continue the conversation after you have completed the course.
Picturing Place. A phrase often used to describe what exploratory photographers attempt to accomplish through their journeys to distant lands. The traveler is faced with a scene that more than fills the imagination, momentarily leaving them awestruck. To reduce into a single photograph what lay before the lens is the challenge. Afterall there is a desire to do more than document or create a visual record. Sure, at times that is why an expedition includes a photographer. But there is also a desire to convey something of what we see to a viewer who will never go there but nonetheless gets a sense of the place. In this short course, we will survey the history of exploratory photography beginning in 1850s France and concluding with robotic photographs from Mars and across the universe. How can knowing the history change the way we photograph our own journeys?
We travel not to sightsee but to experience deep within our core where we are and who we meet. I am of the school of thought that we do not live to have experiences, which is a thought suggested by English essayist Walter Pater. Life is the experience; that is the event, the destination. Even if we never leave our home, we experience building or creating memories. That’s not how many of the globe wandering travelers I have met think. In this course we explore ways of travel that anyone can pursue that go beyond ‘seeking adventure.’ What have those who’ve gone before have to say? Explorers, writers, and authors? I will share my thoughts that have grown since my first journey across the globe at age 11. We’ll talk about those we meet along the way. I'll introduce you to a few.
When exploring the intersection of art and climate change, it is essential to start by examining the historical perspectives of both. Artists throughout history have delved into our connection with nature and portrayed it in various forms. Ancient cultures appreciated and honored the Earth in their own ways, setting the foundation for our modern environmental concerns. There exists a long tradition of artists, writers, and poets expressing their admiration and concerns for the Earth. Indigenous communities hold valuable knowledge about humanity's relationship with the natural world. They serve as the guardians of our wisdom traditions, reminding us that our values and laws are rooted in nature. The contemporary responses to environmental challenges we face today are not entirely new; they have roots in the past.
When I first began teaching through the Internet in 1999, we referred to our mode of delivery as distance education or distance learning. That is because our students were not on campus; they were at home, in another community, or even sometimes in another state. In those days we taught as though we were in a classroom with recorded audio lectures, reading materials, tests and quizzes, all supported by a textbook. Today Remote Education relies upon Zoom and Textbooks. That sort of learning is passive. Think of the student who always sits in the back of the classroom for attendance and then crams for tomorrow’s quiz.
Online learning is an improvement in distance education. The students must be fully present and active in the process of their learning. Online Learning takes advantage of and interacts with learning resources available through the Internet or designed by the teacher. More on these resources are answered below.
I have been a university professor of photography and art history for over 30 years. In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate students seeking a degree, I thoroughly enjoyed leading extension courses or continuing education for adult learners looking to study a subject of interest more than college credit. Because I am a traveler, I have led on-location photography workshops and art history tours, such as to Paris, Machu Picchu, and the American Southwest. The courses of WanderSight are much like those continuing education courses and tours. Given my background and students, I teach at a level that goes beyond the mere survey of facts or what may be gleaned from a book. I want to provide you with an interactive opportunity to take a deep dive into the subjects of your interest using ways of delivery that no book can provide.
Both, actually. The videos I create for the courses are a combination of short voice-over narrated documentaries, on-camera presentations from some amazing locations (usually), and occasionally a live presentation. Recorded videos are occasionally interactive with the use of quiz questions during viewing, a hotspot link to an image gallery, a map, and other content that supports the theme of the video.
A live presentation might be an interactive webinar through Zoom with members of the course. These are scheduled in advance and often discuss a topic chosen by the members of the WanderSight community. Live feed events are streamed from a location where I walk around a particular site such as a Buddhist pagoda in Cambodia or perhaps during an interview I conduct with an artist. Whenever I do something live there is a calendar on our website that will show you the dates and times.
If you miss one of the live sessions these are always recorded and will be available within the course typically within 48 hours.
I create social media-style platforms where students can interact and share information as well as photographs and videos. Included with your enrollment you have access to my Wander Thoughts blog where I post essays, video projects, podcasts, and commentaries about current events in travel, art, and global cultures.
Some of the courses are self-paced. While they are sequenced in a particular order, you can go through them as quickly or slowly as you wish. For courses that I teach that are travel based, we stay on topic together as a group for the designated amount of time I am at the scheduled location.
A variety of learning materials are available to you. These include, but are not limited to, video and audio media; visual galleries; webinars; collaborative learning; and my lesson notes that discuss the content of each module. Unlike many online courses, I give you access to my personal online library, which I call The Well-Traveled Scholar. Here you will find hundreds of journal articles, research, books, and curated websites to continue your education.
Believe it or not people like quizzes and tests. Maybe not so much when they were at university, but they at least like to be challenged to some degree to see what it is that they've learned and what they can remember. At the end of each module or within a video, I create self-assessment questions. In longer courses, project-based learning is available for those who wish to demonstrate what they have learned by creating a media project such as a video, podcast, or single-page website. My university students find this approach to learning to be more effective than a term paper or quiz. I am also available for 1-to1 conversations with members of a course.
If you have technical issues related to the learning management system - New Zenler - you can send me information via the support tab on the course page. If I am unable to resolve the problem on my end, I can refer you to the appropriate support with Zenler Tech Support if necessary. While students are expected to understand the basics of online communication, the use of media platforms, and general knowledge of how to work around certain issues that may come up, it is also in my best interest to guide you through whatever difficulties you may have.
WanderSight courses are designed to provide a rich learning experience in personal global travel, the art and architecture of modern and ancient cultures, and studies of the underlying social, political and religious traditions that will stimulate your own desire to get (back) out into the world. I am not the only one in the market who presents courses that explore these interests.
When choosing an online course, beyond the presented content, consider the experience of the instructor/ presenter. Since 1999, I have been teaching online courses for my university in subjects that are well-suited to be taught by me being on location. “Live, from Bangkok!” Sure, it is interesting to learn about Machu Picchu in the Andes or Kathmandu in the Himalayas. I have always provided my students with a reason to learn and explore the subjects of my teaching. As evidenced by my student comments above, you can read what they say about their learning experience.
The question I ask is, “Well, what will you do with what you learn?” That is a question that needs a response, especially for the arts, because the perception many people have about the arts and humanities is "what use are they?" Art, culture, and our deep appreciation is how we can motivate change across the planet.
I guarantee you will be inspired.
I teach from where I travel
I long for the days spent in the classroom, but now I have the opportunity to educate students and learners from any location around the world. Through remote teaching, I am part of a global campus where classrooms are scattered, yet everyone is connected in their pursuit of knowledge. Stay updated on new courses and upcoming travels by subscribing for notifications
A journey to some far off and foreign place has always been framed according to the expectations of the traveler. Some want to peer into an exotic culture but in the evening return to the comfort of their hotel. Travelers increasingly seek what they believe to be authentic experiences. Partially a reaction to the organized, guide-led tour, where every place and experience feels scripted, and probably is. Like a gaggle of geese, the tour group at Angkor Wat follows behind the tour leader who is narrating what can be read from a book. That, for some, is satisfactory. But an authentic experience of Angkor Wat? I do not think there is such an experience. So, why the desire for authentic travel? What is that, anyway?
Storytellers go beyond personal travelogue. They write of immersive experiences while traveling that is conveyed through a narrative that gives us insights into other cultures as well as the author.
Teaching from where we travel. That is my motto. Education and how we teach has undergone fundamental changes, and for the better. If you teach or are enrolled as a student, my courses will add a new dimension to your educational experience
Not so simple as Tourist vs Traveler. We are all a bit of both. In between there are many ways of travel. And there are many ways of seeing, not the traveler but the people we meet along the way.
Wander Thoughts
My Wander Thoughts blog/podcast/vidcast is a private social media-style community, where individuals with a passion for travel, art, and culture can connect, share, and engage with one other
Travel for many is a contemplative practice. Sitting on a Zen cushion or riding a train across Myanmar quiets the mind and opens our senses. Becoming aware of the lives of others is also the goal of those of us who practice a life that is itself a journey.
Post a video or design a webpage, you are a media creator (sort of). More than social media are artists using video, graphic designers creating learning eBooks and writers exploring Digital Humanities projects.
Influencer. Blogger. Of what and for what? Raising awareness of the impact travel has on a destination is one concern. Using our knowledge of art and culture to effect change is another. That is WanderSight.
"The sacred community is primarily the universe community, not the human community.
That is where we learn; that is the only university."
Thoughts on teaching and learning from writer Thomas Berry
My teaching has always been informed by my experiences from around the world. The classroom, finally, is no longer a four-walled, arranged room with tables, chairs, whiteboard, and a podium. The entire world is our learning space. I am pleased to take you there through the courses in art, travel, and culture that I teach.
Let me know what you're thinking. Let's talk.
Join me and my friend and assistant Mr. Sim, for our course and itinerary of my first journey, Buddhist Spaces Southeast Asia. Still want to know more? Join WanderSight and we will send you a 29-page illustrated itinerary and information about this journey. All free, not a dime, or baht, or rupee.