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The Geographical Society Travel the Globe Without Leaving Town by Robin C. Bonner Virtual Travel Merriam-Webster defines geography as “a science that deals with the description, distribution, and interaction of the diverse physical, biological, and cultural features of the earth's surface.” I know that’s a mouthful. In a nutshell, however, each time you give yourself a dose of geography, you come to know a little more about the world. Join the Society! Seasoned filmmakers lead tours to various countries, live in a country for a year, or explore the environment, then they come back the U.S. to show films and tell about it. The adventure of it all is appealing—and can be experienced without leaving Philadelphia. (There's one exception: The society offers one “real” trip per year; this November, the group is heading to India for two weeks, to visit the Taj Mahal and the Pushkar Camel Fair.) The Geographical Society of Philadelphia has been around since 1891—more than 100 years. The society either funded or recognized polar exploration by Robert Peary, Roald Amundsen, and others. It still gives grants to individuals and groups for polar research. Most of its members, though, are in it for the travel films. These films present a window on the world that many members would never have otherwise. Others are seasoned world travelers and participate in Society events to augment and share their experiences. All in all, it’s a great organization if you’re interested in travel or in just learning about the world. And memberships and programs are reasonable: $10 to $15 for most programs and $20 to $68 for standard annual memberships. I've since moved on from my position with the Society, but I plan to continue to attend GSP events. In Good Company Other cities and states offer geographical organizations. These include Chicago, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and I’m certain there are more. The American Geographical Society, based in New York City, offers educational trips (250 per year) led by professional geographers. The group posts a list of international organizations on its site. These give an idea of the scope of what’s out there. Founded in 1851 to gather resources for the rescue of stranded Arctic explorers, over the years, the group has gained respect as a research institution and think tank on geographical topics. The Association of American Geographers, based in Washington, D.C., is another large professional group. The venerable Explorers Club, another society based in New York City, has promoted scientific exploration since 1904. More of a professional society than the Philadelphia group, it limits membership, which is by application only, to those who do field science for a living. Friends of the Explorers Club are accepted from the general public, however. The group’s honorary chair is Sir Edmund Hillary, the first human to reach the summit of Mt. Everest; this should give an idea of how seriously they view their purpose. More than 30 regional and international chapters serve its more than national and international 3,000 members. The international counterpart to the Explorers Club would be the Royal Geographical Society, which supported expeditions by such famous explorers and scientists as Charles Darwin, Ernest Shackleton, and Sir Edmund Hillary. It’s been around since 1830. The general public may join, although only professionals can become Fellows of the Society. Finally, of course, there’s the National Geographic Society, one of the world's largest. With headquarters in Washington, D.C., it focuses on geography and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical conservation, and the study of world culture and history. It offers myriad publications, programs, and trips to its subscriber-members. World Citizen Other Interesting Links
Robin C. Bonner is editor of Empty Nest. For more about her, see About Us. |
© 2007 Spring Mount Communications
Over the years, my world view has changed. I have become more of a “world citizen,” able to see the connection between myself and other people, in distant lands: “Yet as different as we are, we’re still the same” (from “Season Suite: Spring” by John Denver). I remain an armchair world citizen, however. I have the interest: With limited time, I read what comes my way about other peoples. I make donations to international groups. I respect cultures other than my own. I believe that knowledge is the only way to world peace, that fear springing from ignorance divides people. When the time is right, I will travel the world. Until then, for me, a geographical society satisfies the wanderlust.