WHY I BECAME AN EXPLORER—David Harrison
As a child, I wanted to be an explorer, but lacked the social skills, means to travel, and role models. More than just wanderlust, I wanted to experience what it is like to be a person in different cultures. In graduate school, I got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live in Siberia for a year with nomadic yak herders. Living among nomads transformed me, and made me a better person. Now I explore the invisible differences—how people think, believe and perceive the world—in different cultures. My current exploration—with my students—is among ethnic minorities in Vietnam. These cultures inspire me; that's why I am an explorer.