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Breana Johnson
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World Footprints author Breana Johnson

Breana Johnson is an American expat living on the Caribbean Island of Sint Maarten. She surfs, snorkels, and spearfishes when she’s not tutoring local kids or writing. If she could have any job title in the world, it would be Professional Hummus Taste Tester. For now, she’s settling for freelance travel writer. You can catch up on Breana’s adventures at her blog, www.3rdCultureWife.com. PODCAST FEATURE Listen to Breana on St. Maarten Travels that Transformed Lives

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Articles by Breana Johnson

Viewing the Burundi landscape from two angles

A Trip to Burundi

By Breana Johnson

Ask any average Westerner, and they likely won’t be able to point out Burundi on the map. Although this tiny country is virtually ignored when it comes to East African tourism, that’s no reason why it shouldn’t be on your travel bucket list.  

Africa Off the Beaten Path Food & Drink
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Arizona - Wupatki Ruins

Exploring Arizona’s Ancient Native Dwellings

By Breana Johnson

I squint my eyes, trying to blur out the gaps in the mud walls and the crumbling walkway below it. What was it like to live here? Did the landscape look the same a thousand years ago? I try to imagine animals and kids running around under the canopy of … Read more  

United States History
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Wupatki. Photo: Breana Johnson

Protecting Pottery and the Past

By Breana Johnson

Agua Fria National Monument protects nearly 500 ancient Native American homes within four distinct settlements.  

United States History The Arts
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The famed Hollywood sign overlooking Los Angeles

Roadside Stops between Los Angeles and Las Vegas

By Breana Johnson

The route between Los Angeles and Las Vegas may be a heavily traveled highway, but it’s still a long strip of road through the desert of the American Southwest.  

United States Off the Beaten Path
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Photo credited to Gisuru School of the Deaf.

An African School for the Deaf

By Breana Johnson

There are only two schools exclusively for the Deaf in Burundi (the other, also founded by my husband’s family, is five hours away). Without the chance to go to school and learn sign language, these kids would never have the chance to learn any language at all, a situation that … Read more  

Africa Accessible Experiences
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Ian and a group in Montana on a dinosaur dig. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick

5 Places to See Dinosaur Fossils in the U.S.

By Breana Johnson

On your next trip, bring natural history to life with a dinosaur encounter! The U.S. offers many attractions where you can view dinosaur fossils—or even participate in a dino dig.  

United States Accessible Experiences History
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Red Rocks of Sedona, Arizona

Attractions on Arizona Tribal Land (That Aren’t Casinos)

By Breana Johnson

Looking for family-friendly attractions in Arizona? Support Native economy, experience culture, and have fun by visiting these destinations.  

United States Family Travel Indigenous
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Coconut on a lazy beach

The Bittersweet Experience of Repatriation

By Breana Johnson

Becoming an expat in Sint Maarten was hard, with culture shock taking the wind out of my sails for days at a time at the beginning. It  

United States Insights
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Chihuly art at DBG. Photo credit Breana Johnson

Three Desert Gardens to Visit near Phoenix

By Breana Johnson

When you think “Phoenix,” you probably picture a city surrounded by desolate wilderness. Tourists rarely arrive with a list of gardens on their itinerary. However, you may be surprised to learn that the Valley of the Sun offers many gorgeous garden experiences!   

United States Nature & Outdoors
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Burundi village

A Burundian Lesson in Hospitality

By Breana Johnson

It’s evening in the small African nation of Burundi, and the waning sun throws shadows over the city of Bujumbura. In the old Land Rover, we bump and jostle our way through the crowded dirt roads of the capital. Before we left the mission station where my husband’s family lives, … Read more  

Africa Off the Beaten Path Social Responsibility
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Treasure Loop Trail heading to Superstition Mountain

Superstition Mountain Museum: Where Fact and Fiction Meet

By Breana Johnson

…if you find your way east of Phoenix and approach the small town of Apache Junction, the city lights melt away and the mountains rise to meet you. As cacti replace streetlights and horses replace sports cars, you might wonder if you’ve stepped back into the Wild West.   

United States Off the Beaten Path History
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Train featured in Flagstaff Pioneer Museum. Photo: Breana Johnson

How to Experience Train Tourism and Become a Railfan

By Breana Johnson

While many of these train activities are rooted in nostalgia, there are still plenty of modern-day travelers who not only enjoy trains as a means of transport but also the object of entire vacations.  

United States Family Travel Rail & Road Travel
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Statue honoring the underground railroad along the Riverwalk in Detroit.

Heartbeat of Detroit

By Breana Johnson

I didn’t know a single thing about Detroit when I moved here a year ago. Most people plan where they want to move but when your spouse is in medical school, you don’t always have the luxury of choice or time.  

United States Insights History
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Author and son at Buffalo Park

Experience the Beauty of Buffalo Park, Arizona

By Breana Johnson

It’s a sunny summer morning at Buffalo Park in Flagstaff, Arizona. The San Francisco Peaks, Arizona’s top ski destination, rises into the sky to the north, the tip of Mount Humphreys sharp against the clear blue expanse.  

United States Family Travel
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Original gears visible under the Arizona Falls. Photo: Breana Johnson

The water that brings life to the Arizona desert

By Breana Johnson

Although I’ve lived in Phoenix, Arizona for twenty years of my life, there are still times I wonder why on earth someone thought it would be a good idea to build a city in the middle of a desert with no water source.  

United States Off the Beaten Path
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Apple orchard

Taste the Local Lifestyle with Agritourism

By Breana Johnson

I bend to reach under a blueberry bush, knowing the juiciest berries are hiding underneath, where all the other pickers have missed them.  

The World Agritourism Lifestyle Food & Drink Sustainability
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View from above of Saba. The rise on left is the road to Hell's Gate.Photo David B. Gleason.jpg

The Island of Saba: Looking to the Future, Embracing the Past

By Breana Johnson

It’s easy to imagine what Saba must have looked like two hundred years ago. Aside from the medical school and the single narrow ribbon of road, the island hasn’t changed much.  

Caribbean and Atlantic Adventure Off the Beaten Path
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Arcosanti silt casting workshop

Arcosanti: An Experiment in the Arizona Desert

By Breana Johnson

Out of view, built into the hill above, rises Arcosanti, a prototype of arcology. Arcology, a concept coined by Soleri himself by combining “architecture” and “ecology,” is the idea that architecture can be in harmony with the landscape.  

United States Architecture Sustainability
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Diversity in art - photos

Teaching Children to Appreciate Diversity

By Breana Johnson

The best way to travel with the intent of exploring diversity is to ditch the touristy places. Sometimes, tourist attractions bring people from all over the world — the Grand Canyon or Disneyland, for example.  

The World Family Travel Insights The Arts Social Responsibility
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Traveling with a disability Photo of disabiled archeologist Mason

Traveling with a Disability: An Archeologist’s Experience

By Breana Johnson

Sand and summits may present challenges to people with physical disabilities, but exploring the globe is still an important (and enjoyable) part of life.  

The World Accessible Experiences
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travel books-.jpg

Five Books about Travel (That You Probably Haven’t Read Yet)

By Breana Johnson

In fact, we can do what armchair travelers have been doing for centuries: find a good book and let it transport us to the sights, sounds and smells of somewhere far away.  

The World Literature & Music
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Vacation shopping

January 12: National Shop for Travel Day

By Breana Johnson

If you’re itching to get out of town, you’re not alone in your wanderlust. Maybe that’s why National Shop for Travel Day – a day dedicated to (you guessed it) shopping for your upcoming adventures – may very well gain quite a bit of traction this year.  

United States Events & Festivals
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Ben Johnson in Superstitions. Photo: Breana Johnson

Mysteries of the Superstition Wilderness

By Breana Johnson

“Are you sure this is the right way?” My husband, Ben, stopped me and took a critical look at the map.  

United States Nature & Outdoors
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Burundi

Peace in Burundi

By Breana Johnson

“Look, there’s a bullet hole here.” My husband points out a circular indentation in the wall of his childhood home at the Kigobe Mission Station in Bujumbura, Burundi.  

Africa History
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A starfish sits on a beach in the Bahamas

Why You Should Go to the Bahamas Right Now

By Breana Johnson

I sat at the edge of the little fishing boat, peering down into the clear Bahamian sea to spot my husband. Under the water, I could make out his shape as he took careful aim with his Hawaiian sling.  

Caribbean and Atlantic Social Responsibility
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A voluntourism project with Caribbean kids from the program in the story. Photo: Breana Johnson

Voluntourism: When Helping can Hurt

By Breana Johnson

Voluntourism can be a benefit to communities, but if done improperly, it can actually be more harmful than helpful.  

Caribbean and Atlantic Volunteer Travel Social Responsibility
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George Washington statute located in Boston, Mass.

East Coast History Road Trip

By Breana Johnson

Benjamin Franklin gestured dramatically toward the moldering gravestone of the Revolutionary War soldier. “And then,” he proclaimed, pausing for effect, “He killed ‘im dead!”.  

United States History
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Little free library box. Photo: Breana Johnson

Books for Nomads: Little Free Libraries

By Breana Johnson

I don’t need to keep my voice down to use this library. I don’t need a library card, and I don’t even need to go inside. Actually, I can’t go inside, because the building, elevated to eye-level by a sturdy post, is only about 18 inches wide— big enough to … Read more  

The World Literature & Music
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Coconut on a Sint Maarten (Saint Martin0 beach.

Sint Maarten: A Youth Program Reaches Out After Hurricane Irma

By Breana Johnson

September 2, 2017, was a calm and sunny Saturday on the Dutch Caribbean island of Sint Maarten. In a small cluster of brightly painted shipping containers, a group of children gathered to play games, read books, and toss around a baseball. It was just another normal weekend at the Player … Read more  

Caribbean and Atlantic Volunteer Travel Social Responsibility
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Fishermen on St. Vincent. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick

The Caribbean: This Season’s Top Destination for the Conscientious Traveler

By Breana Johnson

The Caribbean was recently hit hard by hurricanes Irma, Jose, and Maria. Organizations and individuals from the around the world have been pouring resources into rescue and rebuilding efforts. But it’s going to take more than disaster relief to get Caribbean communities back on their feet. It’s going to take … Read more  

Caribbean and Atlantic Volunteer Travel
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British Methodist Episcopal Church - Salem Chapel

St. Catharine’s, Ontario: Experiencing the Impact of Harriet Tubman

By Breana Johnson

As the small congregation of the Salem Chapel streams into the church dressed to the nines and illuminated with bright smiles for all passersby, our Caribbean little league team gathers around a bust of Harriet Tubman.  

Canada Off the Beaten Path History
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Phoenix airport code sign

36 Hours in Phoenix

By Breana Johnson

Phoenix is one of the most interesting cities in the United States. Competing with Philadelphia for bragging rights as the 5th largest city in the States, it is large enough to encompass as much art, culture, sports, and humanity as anyone could ask for. Although there is more to do … Read more  

United States Food & Drink
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Helping hands in Haiti

Volunteer travel opportunities in Haiti

By Breana Johnson

As Haiti once again sizes up the massive post-disaster cleanup ahead of them, many of us who missed Hurricane Matthew are anxious to learn how we can help.  

Caribbean and Atlantic Volunteer Travel Social Responsibility
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Woman reflecting on the beach

What It’s Like to be an Expat Wife

By Breana Johnson

fter throwing myself from this comfortable middle-class life into the world of expat living, I realized that as hard as it can be, I would never want to change it. Here’s what it’s like to be a third culture wife.  

United States Insights
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