Gang Tours of Panama from MEL Films on Vimeo. |
I Used to Terrorize This Neighborhood. Can I Give You a Tour?In Panama, the proprietors of Fortaleza Tours have a fragile truce within the "red zone" of Casco Viejo.
As former gang members, they've found a novel way to escape gang life. As gang violence wanes, and the hospitality sector moves in, they are now taking tourists on tours of their old stomping grounds in the historic center of Panama City. |
“Before, tourists wouldn't be able to walk next to us. We'd grab them and stick them up. Now, they walk beside us.”
Denmark Has Figured Out How to Teach Kids Empathy and Make Them Happier AdultsThe ability to read and understand others' emotions is a critical life skill - and may be a key component to stable mental health.
Denmark, the land of the happiest people in the world, takes empathy seriously, with an hour of empathy-building each week a required part the national curriculum for all kids aged 6 to 16. Here's what it looks like - |
This is The Most Forward-Looking Country in the WorldAccording to an analysis of 45 billion searches on Google Trends, guess which country- more than any other - took its time to weigh the future? (At least on the internet.) Additionally, these searches also revealed which countries were most rooted in the past. |
How People Around the World Make DecisionsAmericans believe that individuals should be able to make choices - about everything - based on what they want. In other parts of the world, this concept is highly unusual. Here's an interesting look at how people make decisions in other cultures - and the underlying beliefs that drive them. |
A Cheerful Monk Becomes a Doctor of DeathThis fascinating article examines the philosophies of Tibetan medicine and Western medicine - and particularly, how each system prepares for death.
The article focuses on the work and accessible teachings of Dr. Kunchok, the only practicing Tibetan monk to complete a doctorate in Public Health from UCLA. Related article: For more about Tibetan culture, see: Tibet: The Plateau, Unpacified |