Does anyone know what the difference is between the National Geographic Adventure and Traveler magazines?

Freelance Journalism in Africa for a year?

• I know what i am about to say is absolutely crazy but hear me out. So basically, for the last year or so i have found that my passion for Global politics has awoken again. I really want to make a huge difference to this world and the only path that is available to me is to become a freelance journalist. The problem is i have no qualifications hence why i have concocted a plan which sounds amazing but a ludicrous in the same sense. I currently work in the civil service in London, but i plan to take a 12 month career break in december. In this career break i intend to embark on a life changing journey through Africa. I want to go at least 12 countries in these 12 months and within these 12 months i want to find stories in each country. I would ideally love to target any local or national newspapers. I want to go to countries where there is rising political tension e.g Nigeria (Islamist-Christian split, Boko haram, rising oil prices etc) Somalia (Al-shabbab militia and the tensions with Ethiopia and Kenya) Congo, Rwanda, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Sudan. Nine Countries in Africa would be great and then i would love to go Cambodia, Vietnam and....this is gonna sound crazy.... i would love to go to the heart of palestine to capture the suffering of the palestinians and show the world the depth of political ineptitude when it comes to finding solutions to World's problems (i mainly blame the US for vetoing sanctions against israel for almost 50 years). I have no experience in Journalism but i like writing, i love reading all kinds of books, mainly anything to do with historical and political events. I love reading Newspapers (Guardian, Indrependent) and Magazines such as Economist, New Statesman, National Geo and NewScientist. I am not sure where start with this Journalism thing, but i thought this would be a good idea considering i have no financial constraints and i have no issues in supporting myself during this year. Many people suggest starting out by writing to Local Newspapers, however my only problem with doing freelance journalism in UK is the fact that it may pose problems in relation to my current job in the civil service. I dont want to lose my job by writing an article which may contradict my current Job in the service, hence why i want to take a career break and go abroad. Once i come back with all the incredible experience that i gained, i can leave my current job and hopefully find work with a publication in London. I know this sounds mad but all my life i believed that i can change the world in some way and i think this is my best shot. I am willing to sacrifice so much for this adventure and willing to work my **** off in order to get stories and then get them published there. I have even done so much research on each of these countries and their political, economic, and social structure and that will continue until December comes. I have also read so much on Journalism including my favourite Journalists, John Pilger, and Christopher Hitchens. I just wanted to ask if you guys if you guys think this method of freelance journalism is a good idea or not, if not please give me suggestions as to how i can go about accomplishing my dream of becoming a journalist. I would really appreciate it. Oh and sorry for writing a **** load. i appreciate your patience while reading this.

• Answer:

  if thats what you want then go ahead man,but be careful foreigners tend to attract a lot of unecessary and danerous attention in those parts of the world so be careful.And if you go to palestine try to focus a bit more on christians than muslims since almost no newspaper seems to write about them.Dont forget to visit Honduras and the rest of Central America ive lived there more than the time that ive lived at home,but just focus mainly on Honduras,the goverment is so corrupt and inefficient its almost unbelievable,thousands of dollars in aid and nothing changes the aid just dissapears.And again i repeat man those countries are pretty dangerous for foreigners so be careful.