I realize that I am blessed to have been born in the US (thank you , Mom and Dad, for seeking and working for a better life). I realize that I enjoy great privilege in being able to travel and learn from experiences and cultures from all over the world, and I do not ever want to take any of that for granted.

Months of turmoil with demonstrations and rallies happened everywhere. On one occasion, I was in my hometown of Málaga, going somewhere with my widowed mother. We found ourselves involved in the middle of a shooting, and we had to seek refuge in the entrance of an apartment block. People were running in desperation, and there were sirens and screams…I wanted to sneak my head out but my mother grabbed my arm and said not to move.

The level of transparency and lack of corruption make it possible to believe that people with power will act in the best interest of society. Is Denmark a democratic paradise? To quote a certain William S., “That is the question.” Is there anything rotten in the state of Denmark? Well, no system is perfect, but the Danes have succeeded in creating a society admired, even envied, by many!

The main focus of this border was to stop anyone from defecting into the West. Attempting to leave the GDR illegally was a very dangerous undertaking. You might end up in prison for many years...or dead. At the Marienborn checkpoint alone, about ten people lost their lives trying to cross to the West.

For him, a democracy is relevant only if the rules that the people have created are respected by them, it is not enough just to write them in a constitution. A constitution must be alive in the hearts of the citizens who live under it.

Andrew Villone of Savor the Experience Tours welcomes guest Alexandra Chirila of Roaring Romania Tours to discuss her experiences in politics as she runs for a seat on Bucharest's second district city council.

I moved to New Zealand in 2015, and compared to the other countries I have lived in – Scotland, France and Portugal - I would say it is the fairest society of the four. Indeed, New Zealand regularly makes it into the top positions in rankings of  the most honest and least corrupt countries in the world – usually alongside the Scandinavian nations.

The fact that today social consciousness and consideration of the other are crucial to protect not only oneself but also the life of others, and my observation that many people seem to ignore this fact and its importance, lead me to the conclusion that many people all over the world have forgotten about some of the values, rights and obligations of living together in a society.

People were fearful, blood was shed and there was even an attempted coup d'état, but we also had exceptional and courageous people (politicians and civil ones) who all worked together with one goal: Democracy.

I came to the realization that not all Italians lived “la dolce vita” but instead, struggled with many hardships of everyday life. Political chaos, poverty and corruption have been major issues that are deeply embedded in this country. Actually, Italy made a significant impact on the film industry during the Neorealist movement at the end of World War II.

What do escalators have to do with democracy?

Sounds like a riddle, right? Well, as with most riddles, the answer is pretty obvious when you hear it. In this case, Medellín, Colombia’s second city, provides the clue.

As Filippo came into the living room and registered who he was being called to talk too, he immediately stood up straighter and said hello. He later told me his mind was racing about what he might have done to provoke a visit from the police, this officer, who everyone calls “Jackson”, once scolded him for skateboarding along the road, but nothing he had done recently came to mind. Then from Jackson’s bag, came an envelope which contained…

After a lifetime of travel, one starts to think a new destination will not hold any unique surprises. Such was the case for Morocco - my expectations for Imprint’s first Morocco tour were way too low. This is an amazing travel destination. And perhaps more importantly, it is a country where Western travelers can experience a democratic, moderate Muslim culture.