In my 20 years of International travel, nothing has had a more profound effect on me than meeting local people and joining them in their everyday lives. Cross-cultural immersion and an understanding of the people and their traditions are the true pleasures of travel.

This month we have stories from around the world that speak to us of the values and traditions that enrich different cultures. The everyday spirituality of Bali, the village cooperation of New Guinea Highlanders and the kitchen culture of the Italians are the foundations upon which the everyday life in these societies is built.

Cross-Culture Inc. offers an astounding array of tours throughout the world. Immerse yourself in the Christmas traditions or the musical culture of Salzburg, this month’s World Heritage Site. Explore Sicily, the crossroads of Mediterranean civilization, or journey to the top of the world and experience the folk traditions of Tibet and China. These are just a few of the cross-cultural experiences you can enjoy with this month’s Pick of the Month.

Nestled in the Indonesian Archipelago, Bali’s culture is unique. It is the only island in the chain where Hinduism is the primary religion. From the design of homes to the sacred dances and festivals which are the heart of Balinese culture, daily life is seeped in spirituality. Journeys Off the Tourist Track  explores this island, bringing you into direct contact with it’s culture and the daily life of the locals. This month’s Bali: A Celebration of Spirit offers a glimpse into the traditions and lives of this stunning island.

While Bali has uniformity in religion and traditions, Papua New Guinea is just the opposite. With more than 200 tribes, this island nation has many different cultures. Up until the last 40 years or so the tensions resulted in frequent tribal warfare. Enter the Australian colonial authority and an idea for stability, the Mt. Hagen Cultural Show, this month’s festival. Bringing together the various tribes in peaceful “combat”, much the way the Olympics did for the Greeks, has created a viable alternative to warfare and has become a showcase for traditional costumes and accessories attracting visitors from around the world. Join Travel Plans International, Inc., for a trip to this colorful event.

While tribes may fight against one another, within the tribe, cooperation is the crucial rule of survival. Just as “barn raisings” were common in the pre-industrial age of the American West, in the highlands of Papua New Guinea the Building of a Bush House takes community effort. Papua New Guinea is a wonderful example of how a society isolated from the world keeps it traditions alive, even in the 21^st century. For information on the activities available, contact Papua New Guinea Tourism.

Each society comes together for different reasons. Italy’s main reason and First Love is The Art of Mangiare. If you haven’t experienced this most sacred of Italian traditions first-hand in the form of a true festa, you simply have not lived. The party is in the kitchen and all hands join in. Cooking is the first event in a feast that lasts until the final person staggers happily into the night (or dawn – some meals last that long). Campioni Italiani di Veneto introduces travelers to the tastes of Italian culture.

As food brings together Italians, water is the gathering factor in the deserts of Namibia. While animals do not form a society in the human sense, even waterholes have their pecking order. At one of them, standing up to the neighborhood bully has rarely been this fun. Our intrepid Bermudian reporter Jill Brackstone recounts a scene she witnessed in How to make a One-Ton Rhinoceros Eat Humble Pie.

People and their daily lives are the heart and soul of your destination. Without experiencing them, you miss half the journey. As the world gets smaller, cross-cultural immersion and insight build in us an appreciation of other cultures and an understanding of those who are different from ourselves.