We’ve been getting quite a few emails asking us what’s next for us.  I thought we owe you all a quick rundown of what The World Effect has in store.You may have noticed that our tag line for our blog is Travel and Design.  These two words are the primary reason why we went on our around the world trip and are also the reason for our new venture.  When both Meggan and I were at a crossroads with our careers (which in a way, were also becoming our lives), we decided to re-prioritize.  We wrote a list of all the things that we were passionate about and as a result also made us the happiest.
Traveling was high on our list.  We live for that sense of discovery, the rush of not knowing quite what to do, letting go of some control and simply see what happens.  Being somewhere new, meeting people with different beliefs, customs and learning that we may not really be that different after all, continues to be fascinate us.

Design is also close to our hearts.  This word encompasses so much that we are passionate about.  Meggan’s career has always been design, working as an interior designer.  For us, creativity is a fuel for life.  We love photography, art, music, food, architecture and anything with an interesting form, function or color.Design, to create something beautiful is a universal language.  Through our travels no matter where we go, creativity is present.  We have drawn inspiration from the beautiful bead work of the Masai in Tanzania, the vibrant woven textiles of Guatemala, handcrafted teak furniture in Indonesia, the beautiful saris worn by the women in India, intricate baskets of Vietnam, amazing architecture in cities like Tokyo and Barcelona,  embellishments on the felt yurts of Mongolia, and the list could go on.We have been working with many artisans along the way.  Not only are their products beautiful, the artisans and the communities in which they live are beautiful.  We learned that the story behind the people and their skills are as as impressive as the products they create. We have become very attached to these people and their stories and want to share them with all of you.Prior to leaving for our trip, we realized that all the items on our list of passions could be our future.  We have been working feverishly during and now after our trip to launch our business branded The World Effect.  We have artisans, small family businesses and fair trade organizations from around the world creating co-designed original products for our company.  These products will support the individual artisans, their communities and and in some cases additional charities.Meggan and I are thrilled on what lies ahead.  We will be continuing to update this blog.  As usual, travel will have a big presence on our website and we will be starting to share much more design inspiration.  Along with travel and design we will be sharing information on fair trade, micro-finanace and the communities we are working with. So in a nut shell, that is what is next for us.

We want to say a heartfelt thank you to our readership.  All the emails, comments and support we have received has truly been amazing.  We hope you will continue to follow us while we develop a new business with partners from around the world.  There are many exciting new things to come, a new website, more trips this fall, news, inspiration and more.  Stay tuned!
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