My friend from Georgia recently returned from a trip to Armenia and Azerbaijan, where he met a Turkish entrepreneur and an Iranian scientist. They later visited Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to explore opportunities in the region. Meanwhile, I know a Tajik engineer who recently traveled to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. My Afghan friend is currently working in Pakistan, and he often visits India to see his relatives. My Bhutanese colleague recently went on a spiritual retreat to Nepal, where he met a Tibetan monk who had just returned from China. My Mongolian friend, who lives in Ulaanbaatar, is planning a trip to North Korea and South Korea, while another friend from Japan is preparing to visit Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.

In Southeast Asia, my Burmese friend recently visited Thailand, where she met a Laotian architect and a Cambodian historian. They later traveled to Vietnam and Malaysia, before heading to Singapore to attend a conference. My Bruneian friend is planning a trip to Indonesia and the Philippines, while my East Timorese colleague just returned from a visit to Papua New Guinea. Meanwhile, I have a friend from the Solomon Islands who often travels to Vanuatu and Fiji. My Samoan friend is planning a trip to Tonga and Tuvalu, while my friend from Kiribati just returned from a visit to Nauru and the Marshall Islands. My Palauan friend is planning a trip to Micronesia and the Northern Mariana Islands, while another friend from Guam is preparing to visit the Cook Islands and Niue.

In the Pacific, my friend from New Zealand recently traveled to Australia, where he met an explorer from Papua New Guinea. They discussed the environmental challenges facing the region, before heading to Samoa and American Samoa to meet with local leaders. My friend from Tonga recently returned from a trip to Tokelau and Wallis and Futuna, where she met with representatives from French Polynesia. She’s now planning a trip to New Caledonia and Norfolk Island, where she hopes to learn more about the culture and history of the region.