About

Exploring the places in the world where the action is happening.

Border Skipping is a new kind of international affairs and travel blog, dedicated to exploring the world’s political and cultural hubs so we can see history in the making with our very own eyes, not just through what’s served up by our tv screens.

It includes a curious portfolio of words and ideas, from meandering travel philosophy to practical tourist advice, punctuated with occasional investigative journalism on global issues and posts curating practical guides to the crises and conflicts that matter today. Its focus over the past couple of years has been on the revolutions of the Middle East and North Africa (obviously), but its stopping ground is the entire planet from ideas events in Manchester to religious freedoms in Tibet.

To date, these articles have been picked up and published in some really great places, including Urban Times, Mid East Posts, Lonely Planet and the Orchard Times, while the likes of 972mag, Green Olive tours and Code Pink have all linked to Border Skipping articles, bringing this blog to a whole host of new people.

Who writes Border Skipping?

Disclaimer: Instagram airbrushing

My names is Kim Willis and I love learning about the world. After studying International Relations and doing a shed load of backpacking, I have dedicated the past ten years to working at international organisations like the UN as well as numerous research institutes, including a global think tank or two. I’m also an occasional freelance journalist, writing regularly for High Life and Urban Times, and recently publishing a piece on global ideas festivals in The Guardian.

I love travel because its a sure fire way of breaking out of my comfort zone and seeing how the world is changing with my own eyes, not because it’s nice to take a break and go somewhere hot and pretty (although that’s obviously a bonus).

But at the same time, I’m just an ordinary girl trying to get a better grasp on the world we live in; who gets as daunted by the enormity of the issues as the next person, so I hope you’ll find that any attempts at expert opinion are served up with a decent dose of humanity and humour.

I also love connecting with other people with similar interests and aspirations, so if this stuff is your bag, follow my blog and I’ll be sure to follow yours too.

I really hope you enjoy reading, and if you have any comments or questions I’d love to hear from you – feel free to post them here.