The Lawn and Rotunda at U.Va.

One of the most exhilarating aspects of traveling is the exposure to new and different people, places, and things. While the prospect of experiencing something new is certainly what makes traveling so alluring to many people, it also unfortunately serves as a potent deterrent to others. Any seasoned traveler, however, will explain that, even though every place is different, the experience of being a stranger in a foreign land inevitably reveals not only differences, but also similarities among the places of the world and the people that inhabit them.

In recognition of this observation, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has endeavored to identify, protect, and preserve sites around the world that are considered to be of outstanding value to humanity, and not just to the local people. "What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located."

In my past travels, I have always made a concerted effort to find out whether there were any World Heritage sites in the area. If there were, I made sure to visit and see them for myself. In this light, it's a little embarrassing to admit that last year when I moved to Charlottesville, VA, I had no idea that I was living only 10 minutes way from two such sites: the University of Virginia, the only university in the United States designated as a World Heritage Site, and the nearby Monticello. It's more than a little embarrassing to further admit that two months passed before I visited Monticello; and a year had almost expired before I saw the Lawn at U.Va. for the first time.