As a senior in college, I had yet to have a study-abroad experience. My friends had all done it, returning with their pockets filled with spare change in a foreign currency and a lifetime full of stories. 

Knowing that my school schedule wouldn’t allow me to travel for an entire semester of study and that I would be booked for the majority of the summer, one rainy day in April I decided enough was enough. I would create my own study-abroad program, one that fit my schedule...

Motivated to return to Iran by the very pleasant memories of our 1972 visit, my wife, Jean, and I took an April 2016 tour of Iran with Distant Horizons (Long Beach, CA; 800/333-1240, distant-horizons.com). We were also heartened by the repeatedly good testimonials written by American travelers to Iran and by the settling of the political environment.

First impressions

We found that Iran had the feel of almost any other destination we’ve visited; that is, there was no...

My significant other and I traveled to Guatemala in February and March 2016 and found a vast, lovely land of volcanoes, rivers, waterfalls, archaeological sites, ecological parks and nature reserves. Because we sought a restful vacation, we selected two special destinations for our stay: the former colonial capital, La Antigua, and Lake Atitlán, surrounded by small towns, villages and volcanoes.

La Antigua

Our approach to La Antigua came after an early-morning $10 van ride...