Travel Talk is a new Sosauce blog series in which we chat with our favorite travel experts about celebrating the saucy side of travel. With such successful experiences in travel media, we want to highlight their journeys from turning a passion for wanderlust into a profession, their travel plans for 2010, and how they document and share their own travel experiences.

Read our previous traveler spotlights here.

This week we chatted with Jenny Buccos, co-founder of Project Explorer, a children’s travel series that has produced over 175 free online videos and multimedia materials. A true Travel Geek, Jenny has been to more than 30 countries, has worked on various award-winning programs that foster global education and support world-renowned organizations, and is in the middle of producing her fourth film series in Mexico. Read our interview below to learn more about Jenny’s passions for travel and philanthropy and how you can get inspired to make a change as well.

Jenny Buccos of Project Explorer

How has 2010 treated you so far and what upcoming travel plans are you looking forward to?

This year my passport is getting quite the workout. I’m actually writing to you while on the road from Swaziland to Maputo, Mozambique on the southeastern tip of the African continent. Last week I was in Johannesburg, South Africa to visit friends that I met in 2007. Despite the epic flight, I try to get back yearly for some quality time with my South African “family.”

Next week, I will be in Frankfurt, Germany for the first time, where I am looking forward to seeing the Chagall stained-glass windows of the Church of St. Stephan in Mainz.

Later this year, I will be heading to Mexico, and to Portugal and the Azores, to produce two new travel series for ProjectExplorer.org. There’s talk of Peru and a late-year mini getaway, too! So, pinch me, because thus far, 2010 has been a great year for travel.

When did you realize you had a passion for travel?

I’m a kid from a small town, who always dreamt of traveling. While most teenagers had posters of singers and celebrities on their walls, my room was covered with images of Paris. I wanted to be an exchange student and would frequently call airlines (before the days of internet and online airfare searches) to find out the cost of flying to Italy, or France, or England. But it wasn’t until my early twenties that I began to travel and was instantly bitten by the travel bug.

What were your first travel experiences like?

My first trips were to Greece and London. England was far easier to navigate and explore than Greece. Having never experienced different cultures it never crossed my mind to learn the basics – how to get by on a few foreign words and phrases, reading a guidebook before traveling, and brushing up on local customs. Now, I do my research before going ANYWHERE.

I really didn’t have much of a camera during my first few years of travel – just a cheap little film camera, which I completely forgot to take to Hong Kong and Tokyo. So, sadly, there are no photos of either of those locations.

Now I better understand the necessities of visiting a foreign, non-English speaking country. And, the camera is the first thing to be packed for any trip.

Jenny having fun at the Dead Sea

What inspired you to create ProjectExplorer.org? Fill us in on the various areas of the organization and how people can get involved.

In 2000/2001, I had the opportunity to work briefly in Hong Kong and Tokyo – a total eye opening, educational experience for me! It was a complete cultural shock at the time for this less-than-travel-experienced gal! My time in Asia made me think about how developing a global awareness from a young age could change a young person’s life – helping to encourage cultural understanding and appreciation.

So, in 2003, I began ProjectExplorer.org to provide “virtual passports,” especially to those for whom travel is simply not possible. This is done in the form of more than 175 short videos, photos, world music clips, and travel blogs. And, we will be adding to that multimedia catalogue this summer/fall with the Mexico and Portugal series!

For ProjectExplorer.org, I hire a small crew of travel-savvy individuals – photographers, presenters, shooters, and producers. We then hit the ground in a country and cover as many facets of the history and culture as possible in a very short period of time. Once back the in US, I work with a team of volunteer writers, editors, and educators. So, with ProjectExplorer.org there is always a place for “Travel Geeks” to volunteer. An easy way to get involved is to create your own video for our global citizen dialogue telling us what global citizenship means to you or by sending us viewer questions for our production team to answer when on-location.

And, of course with any children’s charity – funding is always needed. Currently, we are trying to raise $2,500 (by end of May) for our upcoming project in Mexico and I hope to do so well before the critical mark.

Good Global Citizen shares a similar belief as Sosauce: to use online media and travel in fostering cultural enrichment. What impact do you hope Global Citizens will leave on young travelers?

I hope that my Global Citizen project will help young people to become curious about the world in which we live. For many of our viewers, travel is not or never will be an option, but you can become an active member of the Global community by experimenting with international cuisine, attending a foreign film, by listening to world music, and especially by following the news on a more international scale.

For those who are able to travel, I hope the project will encourage them to soak in as much of the culture and history of the places they visit and share their travels with their friends and family via stories, photos, and videos.

Share your travel experiences on Sosauce! Show off your photos in high resolution, keep a journal, pin your favorite destinations, and write reviews.

How were you able to turn your passion for wanderlust into a profession? How has new media helped further your travels?

I think most everyone wishes they could find a job that pays them to travel. When I started ProjectExplorer.org I was more interested in multimedia as a way to bring arts and history to kids. In producing and directing the series I have had the opportunity to travel A LOT over the last 5-6 years, and it is through traveling for ProjectExplorer.org that I developed a real love of travel – specifically experiencing cultures, food, and the people. This shift can be seen between my first project and my 2008/2009 Jordan series.

What advice would you give young people that are interested in working and volunteering abroad?

I’m a big fan of “voluntourism.” Volunteer vacations are a great way for people to interact with different cultures around the world in a very real, yet surprisingly simple, way. Spending time with people of different countries, cultures, and religions and sharing personal experiences can be as re-energizing and inspiring as any beach holiday. For those with an artistic background, I highly recommend Artists Striving To End Poverty (ASTEP), which provide artists with opportunities in India and South Africa.

Sosauce encourages travel with a purpose. Browse the Sosauce archives to see our previous travel internships and projects that helped connect young people with international organizations.

Some prefer to write, others prefer to take photos. How do you choose to recreate and share your travel memories?

For me, its all about photos and videos. Cameras are as essential as my passport when I travel. And, internet depending, I like to share my videos and photos are quickly as possible via email, Facebook, Twitter – I want my friends and family to feel that they are in that moment with me.

I recently started producing “quick-trips,” which are a sort of video postcard of the places I visit. This started in December 2009 with a newly acquired FLIP camera which you can watch on YouTube.

I’ve also recently started a blog to share some of my favorite world music, travel photos, and videos.

Recreate and share your travel experiences with Sosauce. Connect with us on your favorite social media sites as well!

What destinations have left you with the sauciest travel memories?

Sauciest travel memories, hmmm…there are several. Hanging out in a Bedouin tent in the Jordanian desert of Wadi Rum – the middle of nowhere. The family we visited spoke no English; we spoke no more than a few words in Arabic. We shared a meal, some mint tea, and took a long afternoon nap on the cushion-covered desert floor.

In 2008, I was visiting Cairo with two friends, one a famous jazz musician. We rented a small felucca boat at sunset and sailed the Nile; just three of us and the boatman, while my friend played his flute for us. That is one of the travel moments that will ALWAYS stay with me.

Jenny listening to a Bedouin native speaking

What destinations make up your dream travel list?

I’d go just about anywhere if given the opportunity. However, Vietnam and Morocco are at the top of my list. I am also (slowly) working on visiting every African country.

Having visited more than 30 countries, would you consider yourself a Travel Geek?

I am most definitely a Travel Geek! I am already planning my next adventure before returning home from my current trip. My passport is my most prized possession.



Thanks to Jenny for talking travel with us this week. Stop by the Project Explorer community to lend a hand and spread the word.

Check back later this month to see what travelers we feature next on the Sosauce Travel Geek blog!

Read more posts by Alisha

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 5th, 2010 at 4:09 PM and is filed under Spotlight, Traveler. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.