Multiple award-winning film director, veteran international traveler, and certified tour guide, Joseph Spaid is the founder of Round the World Club. His first transformative travel experience took place on Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula at the age of 19 when he encountered a group of Bedouin nomads.

Upon gazing into the eyes of a nomadic teenager there that day, he was thunderstruck by a sense that this other human being was gazing back from a different place; she had a wholly distinct frame of reference for living from which he was familiar. This sensation was not scary or unsettling, rather it was wondrous. In those eyes were only discovery… bottomless learning and insight.

Since that day, Spaid has traipsed the planet in search of such moments, and there have been many. The “Genghis Khan to Ellis Island” trip represents a synthesis of such experiences curated into an itinerary intended to create access, provoke thought, and be the catalyst for transformative travel experiences.

After having his dream job as a film director and special effects artist for 30 years, as an international travel guide, Spaid now has the job of a lifetime.

After teaching middle school and running her own property management company for many years, all while raising some awesome kids, for the last several years Jennifer has leading groups of people to many countries around the world.

Sharing new experiences while laughing along with them, Jennifer delights in witnessing the wonderment in guests’ eyes as they discover a new place or cultural experience for the very first time. She’s an organized, creative, and fast thinking tour director who makes it all look easy. Jennifer’s explored just about every continent with groups, and looks forward to each new adventure with guests - including yours :-)

Khaled Bashashi is an accomplished fixer and tour guide who is widely knowledgeable of all the sites in Lebanon. Khaled splits his time between tour guiding and working as a fixer for the film and news industries.

A native of Lebanon, his local knowledge and personal relationships allow for remarkable access as well as a nuanced perspective on one of the most complicated, multicultural societies in the world. Touring with Khaled translates to an amazing day of discovery amongst the vibrant, ancient, gorgeous, modern, and inspiring encounters that together make up fascinating Lebanon. 

Talat Twaisi has worked as both a fixer for the film industry as well an Official Tour Guide of Jordan for decades. He was born and raised in Petra, and descends from a centuries-long line of Bedouin and Nabateans from the region.

Talat delights in sharing the beauty of his native land and derives a special joy from teaching guests about the surprisingly abundant natural life in this ancient, biblical, desert land. 

Shalom was born in Siberia in 1976, immigrated to Israel at the age of five and has lived in Jerusalem ever since. In recent years he splits his time between the holy city and Eastern Europe. In both places, he organizes and guides unique expeditions, study tours, research trips, and seminars on multi-narrative urban history. As part of his daily work, Shalom combines tourism with intellectual debate and social involvement. 

Shalom is a well-known blogger who writes about politics and Israeli society, geopolitics and European history, focusing on the lesser-known stories of Eastern European Jews. Shalom studied history and photography, tour guiding, and group facilitation. He also attended various seminars and conferences as a participant and speaker in Israel, Europe, and the US.

Fuad is a lifelong resident of Bethlehem who has studied both in the both the Tourism for Peace and Theology programs at Bible College. He also completed a two year tour guide program.

Venturing around Bethlehem and its surrounds with Fuad is both an enlightening and fun experience that involves unique access as everyone in the area has known him since birth, and many affectionately call him “Fufu”.