I am a woman who travels the world on business, thus making me a business woman. Should this fact separate me from others who travel, such as a business man? It’s an ongoing question that has warranted many articles and even a contest, GT‘s Female Global Traveler of the Year. I do believe that as a business traveler, I have the same goals as my male counterparts — to get business done. However, the way we view the world along the way can be very different. I believe I take note of different aspects of a trip than a male traveler might. It could be the details of the hotel room — is it clean? Is the carpet dirty? What floor am I on? How close is my room to the elevator? — to noticing the everyday details of the people I pass on the street. The differences in the way men and women view the world is an argument that could last a lifetime. But, as a woman business traveler, I enjoy witnessing other women from around the world and seeing how they vary and compare to me. In the boardroom, we all get work done. It’s fun for me, however, to see a beauty salon in Abu Dhabi or a shopping mall in Tokyo and know the women inside are doing the same things I would do in Manhattan. Whether I am in the United States, Asia or the Middle East, I do not need to wear the same clothes or speak the same language to understand my surroundings. It’s the small things in life that are fun to appreciate — watching a group of girls in Tokyo giggle as a group of boys walk by, for example. Some things are universal — compassion, health, family. I’m proud to be a woman who travels for business. I know that oceans may separate us, but women everywhere encounter similar day-to-day challenges and accomplishments no matter what. — Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher