One sees clearly only with the heart. – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
My soul came to travel. Inside and out. To awaken—to see the world with fresh eyes—my own eyes. And to see people and other cultures through the lens of the heart.
Africa has been an especially powerful place for me to do just that.
The skies. The landscapes. The raw energy of Africa is different.
There is a greeting and expression in South Africa, “Sawubona.” It means, “I see you.”
More than a polite hello Sawubona acknowledges seeing another person’s presence and perception beyond the physical… their light.
While this expression is used in South Africa, I’ve often experienced its essence of “being seen” in other parts of Africa, including Kenya.
A few years ago I volunteered, and lived on-site, teaching young children at a school in the heart of a traditional Maasai community.
One of the people I met was a very tall, lanky Maasai man with droopy pierced earlobes and a beautiful soul, whose daughter I taught at the school.
His nickname was “Piki Piki,” which means motorcycle in Kiswahili. He was the first to have a motorbike in his community; and parked it outside his mud hut.
We became friends. Piki Piki often gave me a lift to the local market on the back of his bike on long, dusty ‘roads’ with huge potholes, that almost through me off onto the red dirt on many occasions. I bought him mangoes as payment for the ride…and the thrills.
On the day before I was to leave the school, a teacher asked Piki Piki (who had limited English) if he wanted to say anything to me. He spoke softly in Kiswahili as the teacher translated: “Thank you Barbara for coming all this way to teach our children. And thank you for making me not afraid of white people.”
A tear came to my eye. “Thank you,” I said. “I see you.”
Piki Piki and I had seen each other through our hearts, not our differences. I will never forget that moment.
This is why I travel.
Ready for a travel experience that allows you to see life, and others, through new eyes? Join me and a small group of adventurers on a 10-day journey through Rwanda, Sept.1-10, 2024.
Book now. Only 4 spots left!
Contact me HERE to register.
Join me on an adventure!
Explore, expand, evolve.
Mystical Peru tour – October 2024 (Only 4 spots left!)
Journey to one of Africa’s smallest, safest, and most extraordinary countries, to view primates and other wildlife found only in this part of the world. Highlights of the 10-day tour include:
- Game drives to discover “The Big 5”
- Trekking to see gorillas in mist-shrouded mountains
- Tracking chimpanzees in Africa’s largest rainforest
- Exploring the modern city of Kigali as well as the serene beauty of the national parks
- Experiencing the culture and warm hospitality of in the country known as the “land of a thousand hills.”
The Wild Rwanda Tour Sept. 1-10, 2024.
Journey into the wild
Embark on an African adventure like no other.
WILD Rwanda Tour – September 2024 (Only 4 spots left!)
Journey to one of Africa’s smallest, safest, and most extraordinary countries, to view primates and other wildlife found only in this part of the world. Highlights of the 10-day tour include:
- Game drives to discover “The Big 5”
- Trekking to see gorillas in mist-shrouded mountains
- Tracking chimpanzees in Africa’s largest rainforest
- Exploring the modern city of Kigali as well as the serene beauty of the national parks
- Experiencing the culture and warm hospitality of in the country known as the “land of a thousand hills.”
The Wild Rwanda Tour Sept. 1-10, 2024.
Highly Recommended
Female Wave of Change Canada
“Our heart connects, and our mind separates. Of course, intellect has its place, but our heart is our greatest source of connection.”
I recently gave a talk to women leaders on how we can live, lead, and travel from our heart’s intelligence.
Many people are familiar with the idea of intuition but how can we use our heart’s guidance actively to create experiences and results we’d love?
Science now shows that the heart’s energy field is more powerful than the brain’s, and has its own magnetic and creative power.
Watch this clip from our conversation.