The World According to Me

Blue is for countries I've been to...
Green is for countries where I have a close friend...
Yellow is for countries where I have (or have had) a friend...
Grey is for countries that, for whatever reason, I feel some connection to (once planned to visit, strong desire to visit, learned a lot about in a class or for a project, etc)...

I find it somewhat interesting.

Obviously I've neglected Africa pretty badly, which is only partially my fault - there are comparatively few African students who study abroad, and who I would come into contact with.

I've had many friends from a variety of Middle Eastern and Latin American countries, but few close friends... Pretty much only Layla from Iran, Lucia from Chile, and Jorge from Mexico.

Since I've been to most of Europe, the map doesn't really reflect my friendships there - but rest assured, most European countries fit into multiple of the above categories!

I have a lot of close friends in Asia! It's up there with Europe in that regard, and that's why Asia is my priority after I finish studies in North America and Europe. :)

I like this map for where I've been way more than the ones who do it by country. For example, I haven't been to Alaska, but those maps make it look like I have... And if I'd been to St. Petersburg, it would make it look like I'd conquered the breadth of Russia! 

No, this is a more accurate picture, complete with the revelation that I'm missing most of Mexico, most of the American West, Southern Spain, most of France, and large expanses of Scandinavia. 

Plus, it's actually more clear than the other map when it comes to small Carribbean Islands I've visited and such... also in terms of where in America, Japan, etc I have travelled.

Here's a friend map I quite like... maybe because its design hides the embarrassing lack of African friends? :P It makes Siberia look lonely as hell, but then, it sort of is! :) I think this map makes it obvious that I've lived in a few places in the States (thus both random dots all over the country, and major centers where I have 100+ friends), participated in a lot of Erasmus type programs (remarkably even scattering throughout Europe) that also include a lot of Asians (especially the coast of Asia is perfectly peppered!) A problem with this map is that a lot of my friends aren't home right now. I have several Indian friends, but none of them are in India right now... Zahra from Mumbai is actually in London at the moment. And actually at least one of the South American dots is my American friend Ben, who's studying in Chile!