Dear Curiosity Magazine Readers,
We all know the power of a good story. Stories are how we’ve learned history for generations, how we remember life lessons, the reason religion persists, why Harry Potter made millions, something advertisers use to sell, why Instagram created a whole feature around the idea, and the reason magazines aren’t going anywhere, no matter how many new forms they take.
I started Curiosity Magazine because I love stories. I love reading them and I love telling them. As a kid, historical fiction helped me learn about the past. As I got older, journalism helped me learn about the present. Longform creative nonfiction is my favorite thing to read and to write, and I wanted more outlets for those types of stories online.
I also really love travel. My family was big on road trips around the U.S., and once I finally left the country I became big on travel pretty much anywhere, anytime. The first place I ever traveled was Jordan, and from there I lived in Italy and Iraq, and traveled the rest of the world as much as possible. There’s still so much to see, but I know I’ve learned an immeasurable amount from experiencing life in other places. You can’t help but learn something when you travel, and the longer you stay in a place and the more people you talk to, the more you learn. Nothing else has made me feel more educated while also leaving me amazed at how much I don’t know.
I hope everyone can find a time to step out of their comfort zone, but travel isn’t always the easiest hobby. Money, visa restrictions…there’s a lot preventing people from traveling, and it makes me sad when people shame others for not doing it more. I hope the stories in Curiosity Magazine can serve as a sort of armchair travel, teaching readers about places they might never visit, foods they’ve never heard of, issues they might care about if only they knew more, and people they might never meet. If you are traveling, I hope it gives you inspiration to seek out local storytellers and dig deeper for the bigger picture on your trips.
Finally, there are so many talented local journalists around the world who never write for western publications, meaning American readers often miss out on context, perspective, and some really fascinating stories. I hope to change that by including more local voices in Curiosity Magazine.
Six weeks into our launch, I want to know what you think! Are there stories you’ve especially liked or disliked? What have you found the most interesting? Or maybe you have your own story to tell. Send those ideas to pitches@curiositymag.com, and reach out to me anytime on Instagram or Twitter.
Thank you for reading and I look forward to bringing you more stories from around the world!
–Rebecca
