Biographical Sketch (350 words)

Paul Heller, Founder of The Big Blue Marble (resume)

The Big Blue Marble is the culmination of Paul Heller?s dream to create a community of?people?dedicated to?"traveling like a?local" by becoming participants, rather than spectators, in the daily life of new environments throughout the world.

Prior to creating The Big Blue Marble, Paul spent much of the past twenty five years traveling the world as an exchange student, volunteer and traveler, including a one and a half year stint as an English instructor in Russia. He has also extensively studied Spanish and Russian at several language institutes outside of the USA and has frequently stayed in people?s homes throughout the world and provided hospitality to guests from other lands.

Paul has lived in five countries (Japan, the Philippines, Egypt, Mexico, and Russia) and visited thirty countries, in the Middle East, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. He holds a Bachelors Degree in International Studies and Geography (Macalester College, Saint Paul, MN) and a Masters of Public Administration (University of Southern California). He also speaks reasonably fluent Spanish and Russian and has extensive experience with public relations and government program administration.

Paul is currently traveling around the world seeking out exciting insider tips and inspirational stories to help travelers discover new ways to travel that allow them to connect with other people. He will share these stories and tips with the readers of his?Big Blue Marble Newsletter. He also teaches travel seminars, produces useful handbooks, and plans to publish?four books in the next two years including: Travel-like-a-Local: A Whole New Way to Travel Safely, Inexpensively, Comfortably, Joyfully, and Purposefully?(Summer 2006); Escape the Rat Race: Live, Work, Travel, Retire, Volunteer, and Study Abroad (Summer 2006); ?Seeing Gold: A Guide to Hundreds of Tours of California's Best Museums, Neighborhoods, Factories, Architecture, Historic Homes and Lighthouses (Fall 2007); and Travel the World in Comfort for Less than Staying at Home (Fall 2007).

When he is not traveling, Paul enjoys reading (he has almost 3000 books), writing, eating out, sightseeing, and meeting new people.