American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson is often credited with saying, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” Those are words Franci Neely lives by — she’s always been about enjoying the trip. The Houston-based adventure connoisseur has been voyaging the globe for several decades and eventually, she’ll achieve her goal of touching her toes on the soil of every country in the world. In the meantime, she hopes to inspire fellow wanderers by sharing the precious conversations she’s having and the connections she’s making along the way.

Franci Neely says one of her most coveted memories was made in Africa, in the lush Grassfields area of Cameroon. Neely was particularly charmed by a local man dressed in traditional Bamileke garb. While the gent didn’t have many material possessions, Neely says he was overflowing with the priceless love of his family and culture, and pride for his homeland. The retired attorney turned philanthropist recalls how moved she felt by how the Bamileke travel on weekends from the cities where they live to the villages where they were born to keep their customs and family ties vibrant.

She says hiring a local guide for a week enhanced her stay, as she learned that the Bamileke people possess little livestock. Men clear the fields and build homes with thatched roofs and latticework walls while women take on the lion’s share of cultivating the crops.

“The Bamileke are getting nourishment and positivity from the traditions they practice with their extended family,” Neely marvels. “Cameroon, talk about unbelievable culture and traditions in Cameroon.”

Franci Neely Cherishes The Unity of the Global Community

Experiencing such a dynamic connection to past and present culture is something Neely says she wishes more Americans would embrace. She was also inspired by the persevering spirit and tenacity of the people of Guatemala.

“I happen to have a particular love for Guatemala and the highlands — it’s amazing,” Neely says. “With all of the hardship that they have [and] there’s poverty, [they] just work hard to survive. They are renewed and invigorated and revitalized by their culture and their traditions and their togetherness in a positive way instead of a negative way, contrasting that with the political tribalism in the United States.”

To combat America’s often polarizing political tone deafness to what’s going on in the rest of the world, Franci Neely prescribes more international travel as the best remedy. And while jaunts to Europe are a delight, she advises taking the road less traveled. She recommends thinking outside the box and booking a trip to Africa, Asia, or the Middle East. “Go to places that you don’t know about,” she adds.

Neely recently returned from a trip to Liberia. She says she had a remarkable time meeting the Rev. Charles Diggs, the administrative pastor at the historic Providence Baptist Church in the capital city of Monrovia.

It’s the oldest public building in Monrovia and it’s where the nation’s Declaration of Independence was signed in 1847.

“Pastor Diggs epitomizes the close connection between Liberians and Americans. He received a divinity degree in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He has traveled to a number of American states and has relatives there.”

During her time in Liberia, Neely mentions the Liberians she met consistently told her about their friends and relatives who live in America. “For those who haven’t visited the U.S., the Liberians I met always said that their dream was to go,” Neely adds.

Last year was the bicentennial year of the founding of what became Liberia by settlers from America. Neely says many Liberian Americans have been traveling to Liberia to celebrate the milestone, which Neely was delighted to participate in.

A Smile Remembered Across the Miles

Neely fondly recalls how she will always be in awe of how Diggs’ smile lit up the church’s sanctuary like a beaming beacon of hope. “Pastor Diggs explained to me the resilience of Providence Baptist Church and the people who have worshipped in it for almost 200 years,” she says.

Sharing a laugh and a smile is something else that keeps Franci Neely enamored with travel. She acknowledges that while we may speak different languages, communication with the eyes and a simple smile translates to love and acceptance in the universal language of compassion. Neely says she strongly believes Americans shouldn’t travel with the thought of teaching, but instead should maintain an open mindset of listening and learning.

“I don’t think that because I’m an American I know better,” Neely declares. “I don’t believe that. I think Americans traveling abroad often would have richer experiences if they did not travel with that thought in mind.”

Neely’s goal is to have a reciprocal exchange of kindness, wisdom, and understanding. “I want them ideally to come away and say ‘She’s open. She cared,’” she explains.

Whether she’s relaxing on a stairway with priests and priestesses in Olumo Rock in southwestern Nigeria or sharing a darling moment with a group of children on Aomak Beach in Yemen, Neely says she’s on a mission to keep learning on the go as she experiences faraway places, people and cultures. “[Travel makes us] become more and more open and aware,” Neely says.