Colorado is a rather open, spread out state. It also lacks the general concept of public transportation. There are buses, sure, but no trains. My first train ride in Japan was with my area counselor, and I was absolutely confused. The process is something like this... Read more of Colleen's experience on Japan's train system...]]>
I already feel like I’ve been living in Georgia for at least a week. I’m spitting out greetings in Georgian left and right, albeit sometimes not exactly perfect, but the Georgians seem to appreciate the effort and find it endearing. (One of the cleaning ladies I was trying (key word) to have a chat with even grabbed my cheeks as if I was some adorable five-year-old). It has definitely been quite the advantage that I have some Russian proficiency. When I went out in Tbilisi with a few friends of mine, our cab driver spoke Russian and even gave us a free tour of the area. Read more...]]>
Walking onto the beach, the water looked odd and misshapen. Upon a closer inspection, I realized that the tide was nearly 100 feet out. Perfect for collecting shells. I slipped out of my shoes and pushed my feet into the sand. It was glorious. I basked in the sunny, salty beauty of life, and Mt. Sakurajima
watched me throw my arms in the air and spin around. Read more...]]>
Reporters from big time news broadcasts like BBC had cameras and microphones shoved right in our faces. It was quite comical since they can’t speak English and never actually asked us any questions – so I found myself looking like a deer in headlights not knowing exactly what kind of message/statement they were expecting from me. Boy, was I glad when that was over. Read more...
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When I first met my Japanese host mother, Akiko-san, and host sister, Saki-chan, I was very surprised- probably because they were both complete opposites from what I had imagined, but also because they both are dynamic people and blew me out of the water.Soon enough, though, we were headed for the bird marking field, where about ten thousand swallows flew in giant circles overhead, so close that I felt as if i could reach out and touch them. On the other side was a great view of Mt. Fuji in the sunset. Read more...]]>
Saint Nabord, France is really pretty. There are so many boulangeries and patisseries and cafes and restaurants shoved into this town that it is just incredible, and if I didn’t see it for myself, I’d think someone would be either lying or exaggerating when they told me just how many there are. It’s cool though. Everything is really pretty though, houses, town, hillsides, forests-you name it and it’s most likely to be pretty. Read more...]]>
I thought after traveling to seven destinations within the past two years would make me what one might consider a "professional" packer; however, from the abyss that is my bed, I clearly have some room for growth in this department. I do have some tips, tricks, and techniques for easier packing, though, and I'll share them here: Read more...]]>
Watching my college sister pack for her next year in a rented house, I wondered to myself if my own luggage would be similar. Most definitely not.
Daniela shares her photos from her Greenheart Travel volunteer program in Costa Rica. Read more...
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The Goodbye Letters are all finished and presently sit on my bed, waiting to be given out, to be read. The letters have helped me put an end to most of my sadness, and now, the night before departure for Japan, I feel perfectly calm. I understand fully that this will be the most difficult trip of my life, that anything could happen and that I will miss those I love more than I can ever comprehend. I understand all of this, yet I feel as if I am ready. Read more...]]>
I’ll start off where I ended yesterday. I got my fix of tortillas today! I’m assuming that I’ll be eating tortillas with every meal now since my host mom found out I missed them. I didn’t want to tell her directly by asking for tortillas because I thought it would be rude, but luckily, my host sister asked me what kind of food I liked during lunch today. Read more...]]>
I got my visa and my plane ticket to France! I officially leave August 26th now (and if you don't know EXACTLY how far/close away that is, then just take a leisurely scroll on up to the top o' my blog and check it out for yourself. (Nifty nifty-je sais!) I'll arrive at Charles de Gaulle airport at like 7:50 a.m. and then be met by a CCI representative who will then take me to the train station and help me get onto the correct train. Read more...]]>
So why is the title of "Crazy Carla to the Caucasus" most suitable? Because it's simply a perfect subtitle, if you will, to "The Long Way Around" and the name of my blog in its entirety. Because when I tell my friends and family I am moving to the Republic of Georgia, although most people have not even an inkling of where to I am referring, they all respond with a similar nonchalance: "Oh, of course you are." Read more...
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As the date of my departure looms closer and closer, I am starting to prepare myself mentally for Japan. I recently bought six Japanese magazines, for instance, and I am currently reading them cover to cover, making sure to read a little bit before I go to sleep every night. In this way, I am studying Japanese culture and fashion, as well as stepping up my Japanese reading skills. Read more...]]>
Before going to Costa Rica I had been told that Ticans eat rice and beans, however I could have never predicted the huge amount of these two foods they really eat. Pinto, rice and beans mixed together, is eaten for breakfast. Rice and refried beans along with a few vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower is served for lunch. Rice and freshly cooked black beans with tortillas and eggs is made for dinner. Read more...
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As my time ends as an Americorps volunteer with the International Rescue Committee I am asked by many what I plan to do next in my life. The conversation usually goes something like this. “So Brittani, what are you going to be doing after your term is up?”
“…uh..well… I think that I am going to go to the Republic of Georgia to teach English“
“Oh! I love Georgia!” they squeal back ” they have really wonderful peaches and…wait why are you teaching English to English speakers?”..
“Oh. No…Its the REPUBLIC of Georgia…” I remind them. Read more...
I have begun to understand my surroundings as if I have been here for months already. All my life I never thought I would actually be here, sitting in this new home in Argentina. I have begun to walk the streets and attend school with a proud, confident attitude. However there still exists that small feeling of insecurity as I ride the bus in the early morning darkness to school. Read more...
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"I can finally say that I am head first in Costa Rica," Nitza Solis wrote in her journal. "The 'toe test' (to see how cold the water is) of Costa Rica is finally over. I am officially here! The activity that stood out to me was the coffee taste testing. It was so good and an authentic piece of Costa Rica. I never knew there are coffee tasters, much like wine tasters." The four students had arrived without much of a taste for this morning staple, but as the day progressed, an appreciation for the hard work that went into a morning cup o' joe had grown ten-folds. Read more...
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Hundreds of thoughts, ideas, and desires fleeted through my wandering mind as I searched the vast airport for some form of familiarity. I was anxious, anxious for my use of Spanish to blossom, to truly experience this grand new country of Argentina in the best of ways. It was as though I had stepped into a huge room with no floor: I could see where I was and where I should go, but I needed to find my own way to cross the distance. Read more...
Like most people, my fundraising began with a struggle. I didn't know who I should send my letters to, or what the letter should contain, or how much money I should ask for. The example fundraising letter on the Greenheart Travel website helped a lot, I just copy and pasted, changed a few things around, and added some info here and there to make the perfect letter. Read more...
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I really think I was meant to be a Costa Rican. Today was very enlightening and really fun. Waking up in Costa Rica was an experience I won’t forget. At the bed and breakfast, Vida Tropical, travelers wake up early to get ahead on their day. Because I heard shuffling outside my room, I lay awake on my bed. I swear with the gradual rising of the sun, I heard many bird calls. Some short and sweet, like “piv-piv-pivv.” But some carried a tone that I cannot match. Read more...
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Right now I am overlooking the English Channel from Polly’s perch. Lyme Regis is nothing less than the perfect town by the sea. All hours of the day the shrieking chorus of waterfowl reminds you where you are, and the waters capture the sunlight, reminding you of some long forgotten painting. Polly and Kevin Benfield are amazing cheerful people. A pure incarnation of the happy atmosphere that charges the town. Read more...
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Their journey to Costa Rica began in Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, but the expectations and anxieties had been racing through their minds long before the July 17 departure. The Center for Cultural Interchange/Greenheart Travel high school scholarship winners were on their way to a country they had never visited, to stay with host families they have never met and to learn more about themselves and the environment then they could imagine possible in a ten-day trip. Read more...
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As soon as I sat down in my seat, the man to my left started chatting. He was a nice surgeon in training at the University of Washington who was heading to Orange County for a friend’s wedding after being up all night doing a kidney transplant. After finding out I was heading to Chile for four months, he started sharing his own travel stories, and immediately made me feel like an inadequate adventurer. Read more...
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These four Chicago high school students were awarded a scholarship for an all-expense paid trip to Costa Rica, where they would become immersed in the culture, stay with host families and help volunteer at an eco-reserve, high school and women’s co-op for ten days. They were kind enough to share their journals with me to give me an insight into their adventure, and after reading the first few pages, I realized how special these students were, and how life-changing travel can be for someone. Read more...
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I walk into the kitchen where my host father, Gerardo, is washing the dishes from dinner, and I tell him en Espanol: ”Gerardo, I think there is un animal in la casa. I’ve found a bit of excremento.” Gerardo comes to the bedroom door to inspect the droppings. He instantly knows what kind of animal is in the house. ”Es un sapo!” he says with confidence. Read more...
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When I arrived at Bath I biked along the canal path which connects Bristol and Bath. Houseboats lined the cement wall which contained the canal, and old guys fished off of them, laughing at jokes that were spoken to fast for me to understand. Read more...
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Before my trip to volunteer in Ecuador, people asked me how I thought it was going to be and I had no answer for them. The fact that I was going to be living in another country didn’t register in my head until I looked out the airplane window and saw the bright lights of Quito. I´m glad that I didn’t have any assumptions about anything, because Ecuador has already surpassed any sort of expectations I could have had. Read more...]]>
I went out on a bike ride with the my host family, and another family they are friends with. According to Luka (Adam's abnormally tall friend) we had biked 14 miles. With Rob, and his friend Mike navigating we wound up though the hills and into neighboring parishes. Some of the houses up there were amazing: sitting on a couple acres of land, and made of the signature Cotswold Stone which is so coveted in these parts. Read more...
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Tonight is my last night at Tania. When this started, I couldn't even picture this day in my head. Now it is here, right in front of me. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. It was just like everyone said, the beginning will drag on, then the time will fly by. My bags are packed on the spare bed. My backpack for the coast is waiting to be filled completely. The shelves are bare and everything is stowed away. Read more...]]>
It could have been any day, the day I thought about studying abroad in Japan. It was a flicker through my mind, an interesting concept to ponder. I browsed the internet leisurely, seeking to find out what it took to be an exchange student. That day probably changed the course of my life. Read more...
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Browse through more photos of Morgann's adventure in Benin. Read more...
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Based on my month in Benin, here are some things I learned:
1.) There is nothing in the world like a cold bottle of water.
2.) Start every day with adventure in mind. Never expect the same old routine! Sometimes a change of plan presents an amazing, new opportunity.
3.) A smile, a handshake, and a kind word can be the best medicine, even when you don’t speak the same language. Read more...
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I have been volunteering every day with the special class and particularly with Grace most days. However, I still volunteer with all of the other children. Last week she was able to sign her ABCs without help and I was so excited. Now I just have to keep trying to get her to progress.Read more...
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Last Monday I started going to Cotswold Archaeology in Kemble, England. It is a train and a bus ride from Stroud, situated in an industrial park enveloped by an airfield. On arriving at the train station Monday morning I was greeted by a smiling Sylvia Warman. She is the angelic figure specializing in animal bones who not only allowed me to volunteer at Cotswold Archaeology, but also covered for me with the English border control, and was more than happy to pick me up on her way to work. Read more...
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One girl Grace (who is so adorable it hurts) is deaf. She has been at Tania for two months and this is her first time in school. She is around 10 years old. She can’t add, count, read, or do the ABC’s. It is so frustrating because I want so badly for her and the other children to understand. I came here thinking I may end up being so mad at America for being so privileged, but really I’m just so thankful for my education. Read more...
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This past Sunday on a break from my internship, I went to a town called Howth, Ireland. Oh my goodness is was absolutely gorgeous!! It is right on the coast about 30 minutes from Dublin. The views are amazing and you can see for miles and miles into the Irish Sea. There are many things to do in Howth, my friends and I did the cliff walk around the mountains. It takes about two hours; it is so worth it. Read more...
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Well it has been an interesting time so far in Kenya, as I’m sure you can imagine. I am healing well and got my stitches out yesterday. I’ll be very glad to not have to deal with the doctors here anymore. My back is feeling better, I’ll just have a good looking scar. When anyone asks me about it I’ll just say “you should see the scar I left on the truck.” Read more...
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I heard a honk and all of a sudden I was on the ground and many people were around me. “Oh my God” I thought, “I have just been hit by a truck.” Read more...
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I started my Kenyan volunteer project at Tania today. I was volunteering with deaf children and I must say they have big personalities. They were so great to work with and so sweet. Tomorrow I am working with special needs kids; after that I will be doing creative arts and P.E for various upper levels (grades 4 to 8). That will be an adventure given that I have to make all of the plans. Read more...
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There are still many things that I have to get used to here in Kenya. Like right now for example, the electricity is out and this is not an uncommon occurrence. This morning I waited.. and waited… and waited some more for the shower water to warm up. Unfortunately, my patience was in vain. I see how lucky I am to be an American citizen, we really live in luxury there. Read more...
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I saw some magnificent colleges, and the Radcliffe Camera which simply blew my mind. At about 10:00 I stopped in at a cafe and read a little while sipping on piping, hot coffee. I’ve just crossed that bold tick in the timeline of one’s life where bitter coffee becomes a warm friend on a cold morning. Anyways, at the cafe I met a nice New Yorker. At one point I asked “Do you go to the college?” She helpfully responded in the classic New York manner... Read more...
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I was sitting with this group of old men at a host family in the Republic of Georgia yesterday and one of the men said “I can’t believe we have an American in our house right now. If you would have told me 30 years ago that we would have Americans and English and Germans coming to Georgia, I would not believe it. Read more...
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Georgian hospitality is definitely something else. My guide David from the Ministry, who works specifically with the Teach in Georgia program, repeatedly refuses any food or drink, and then the host families trick him by saying “just juice.” (He refuses because we have so many families to check on and he doesn’t have time to feast at every house… then it turns into somewhat of a relay race… the men usher us into the dining room, attempting to make us sit down to drink “just juice” and as soon as we’re seated, sometimes with a bit of physical force, the relay baton is passed to the women who scurry around furiously...Read more...
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Last night I asked the hotel clerk to wake me up at 7:30 a.m. I wasn’t sure if he understood since as soon as I said “Wake-up call” and he asked “What room?” and immediately started dialing. I did a little gesture like “sleeping,” with the telephone ringing and he got it. So this morning I get a knock at 7:30 a.m. and when I opened the door he goes “I wake you up! 7:30!” with this huge smile on his face. I laughed and was like “Yes, perfect, thanks!” He had such a sense of accomplishment on his face. Ah, Georgia. Read more...
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There are churches EVERYWHERE. From my hotel balcony i can see at least ten, old, medieval-looking churches. This morning I sat there drinking coffee and watched a choir sing in front of one church. I’m assuming it’s the polyphonic choir music I read about that is supposedly a big Georgian thing. Read more...
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In Cotonou, we got out and restored feeling to our limbs before changing to another share taxi. We ate some rice out of a plastic bag with our hands as a snack in the taxi. This turned into a disaster for me because I was seated next to the window, so the rice kept blowing out of my hands onto the other passengers. It was pretty embarrassing. Read more...
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Wow! Sunday, I traveled 40 minutes on a motorcycle taxi through little villages not large enough to be identified on a map of Benin to arrive in Covè. Eline told me that the town was commemorating the 30-year anniversary of a local woman’s death. Thus, I expected some bells and whistles. But I got drums, and trumpets, and dancing too! Read more...]]>
Eline and her host brother came to Abomey around noon on Saturday, which gave me just enough time to find a COLD bottle of water and do my laundry that morning. I gave her a tour of the hospital grounds, and we even found the morgue to satisfy her host brother’s curiosity. We didn’t go in though; the outside of the building was scary enough. Read more...
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I returned to the hospital on Wednesday, but there wasn’t a lot to do since there were no consultations that day. I followed the Chief of Internal Medicine around as he carried out his administrative tasks then made rounds to his patients. He is an anesthesiologist, and almost all of his patients were in comas.Read more...
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Monday was the most medically significant day so far. I conducted consultations with Dr. Glitho at the hospital. At least 20 people filed in and poured out their hearts to him in search of relief. It is not normal for someone to go to the doctor annually here, so most folks just show up when the going gets tough. Since I was sitting behind the desk with the doctor wearing blue scrubs like other hospital personnel, the patients often relayed their concerns to me as well as to the doctor. Read more...
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Eventually, once the roads had dried out some, my host uncle drove me to the History Museum of Abomey, which was listed as a “must-see” in my guidebook. I ended up getting a personal tour since no one was there. The coolest part was when we had to remove our shoes to enter the tomb of a former king. The tomb is a clay hut with a thatched roof in which a bed, jars of water, and pots of food rest. Read more...
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First, let me reassure you that my bag arrived (finally!) on Wednesday night. Thank God! I really didn’t want to have to borrow all of my clothes from my host sister in Cotonou. I woke up very early with the intention of taking a coach-style bus for the 2-hour ride from Cotonou to Bohicon. Too bad it was full. So my host mom bargained with the driver of a smaller van-like bus to take me to Bohicon, even though they did not originally intend to go there. Read more...
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Yesterday was spent on the back of “zemis” or motorcycle taxis. My host mom is a natural at riding them but I was hanging on to the bar above the license plate for dear life. Imagine go-karts or bumper cars … but on a real road with real cars and motorcycles mixed together darting in and out of traffic with horns blaring. Read more...
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Dirt roads? Check. Tin shacks? Check. Children running around with little to no clothing? Check. But that doesn’t begin to describe all that I have seen during my first days in Africa. My name is Morgann Lyles, and I am a rising junior at the University of Georgia studying French and African Studies. I am interested in public health and have conducted research on malaria over the course of the past semester. Starting tomorrow, I hope to participate in a month-long volunteer medical program through Greenheart Travel in Abomey, Benin. Read more...
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Due to the fact they’d like to become self sustainable, they had a big push last week to finish up the guest house so they can start booking guests! Thus, I was part of the madness to get it all finished up. My father would be ecstatic with the projects they had me working on…I painted more pieces of furniture, cabinets, pictures etc. than I have time to list! One of my favorite painting projects was some of the art on the outside of the building. Read more...
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One of Center for Cultural Interchange/Greenheart Travel’s scholarship winners shares a little bit about herself and her thoughts and anxieties about traveling to Costa Rica for the summer program in July. Read more...
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My homestay in England is coming up in a little over a month, and I have to say, I am ecstatic. But first let me tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Marcus; I am nearly 17 (May 25), and I live in a bubble-like suburb outside of Los Angeles. “Why England?” you may ask. Well the world’s greatest scholars have tried to puzzle together this enigma, but I trace it back to a deep love for Harry Potter. Read more...
If you have struggled with ordering food or a simple request for directions in a foreign language, you realize how difficult navigating a new country and culture can be for the average traveler. Communication is so important in avoiding misunderstandings, abroad or in the States, and learning a second language is one way to combat cultural confusion. Here are five more reasons learning a second language is a good idea. Read more...
Whether traveling in the States or abroad, finding the local markets is a wonderful (and inexpensive) way to get to know a place, learn about its culture and mingle with the locals – not to mention an excellent place to practice your language skills. Read more...
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With Mother’s Day coming up May 9, Greenheart Travel wants to thank our
mom’s for their inspiration, support and patience in our journeys around
the world and their influence in our daily lives. Read more...
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As the July trip approaches, Greenheart Travel and the Center for Cultural Interchange are excited to announce that four students have been selected as scholarship winners for the 2010 Costa Rica environmental service learning program. Adding to this special group dynamic is Braulio Fernandez, a 16-year-old from Chicago, who shares his thoughts about this unique travel opportunity. Read more...
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Emma and I went into town, and I visited her school. Schools are mostly gender separated in Ireland, and all students have to wear uniforms. This was a shock to me, as I come from a public school system. For lunch we had popcorn chicken that was put inside french bread like it was a sub. I have been trying to find some place ever since to do this for me in America. Read more...
Emma and I took the 7:10 train to spend the day in Dublin, Ireland. From the train station, we walked to National Museum of History. We were there too early, so we went into the cafe and had tea and a danish (a croissant with chocolate chips). After the museum, we took the Luas to Dublin Castle, and took the tour there. After the 12:00 tour at Dublin Castle, Emma and I went to Temple Bar, and ate at The Quay. Read more...
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I woke up to the smell of an Irish breakfast or Irish fry. An Irish fry is sausage, baked beans, toast, eggs, ham and tea, of course. It was delicious, my friends from home would have been in heaven. After breakfast Catharina, Emma, Kavya, and I (Kate had to work) went to the JFK Park in New Ross. It was beautiful, and everything looked so green to me, after being buried in snow for the past few months at home. Read more...
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I left my own small town in New York, to travel to Montreal, where I caught a plane to travel back to the States and land in JFK. In the Montreal airport the Marriott is located so conveniently next to the airport, and they had a beautiful restaurant that had modern French decor. And the food was good too! Once I arrived at JFK (which at the time was the biggest airport I had seen) I had a nice wait until my plane left for Dublin, Ireland for my week-long homestay adventure. Read more...
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Teaching English overseas has always been a fascinating travel option for me, and the latest addition to our Greenheart Travel programs offers some perks that made me do a double-take, some mental math and a slight open-mouth stare as I listened to my colleague give me the run-down of our Teach in South Korea program. Read more...
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Although Jessica Barney spent only a week in Ireland, she was able to pack in a lot of activity, while transforming herself in the process. Within the first few days, Jessica had already explored the Irish countryside, met all of her host mother’s side of the family and dyed her hair red. Read more...
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While statistics vary on how many U.S. citizens actually carry passports, most of the information I’ve come across round it out to be a little under 20 percent of the population. There are a lot of factors that effect such a low number of passport owners, but one is convenience. For the second year in a row, however, this is no longer an excuse – at least on March 27. Read more...
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After planning, sacrificing and saving, the gratifying moment of booking your trip is upon you. I always wish some sort of theme song was playing in the background when I hit “confirm” on my flight purchase, but it is a victory no less. The trip has become a reality and now it is time to think about a budget while traveling abroad. There are plenty of ways to stretch a dollar while exploring a new country and culture without sacrificing the experience. Here are a few suggestions to help get you in the mindset of a traveler – not “tourist and to save on your expenses. Read more...
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Daydreaming about travel is one of my favorite past times. If only I could earn money reading Lonely Planet books and studying maps I would be set to embark on my next adventure. Unfortunately, I don’t get paid to stare out windows while whispering newly learned Spanish vocabulary to myself. While I’m passionate about traveling abroad, I am constantly compromising my dreams of travel because I can’t afford the expenses. This doesn’t mean we have to give up. If you are truly passionate about traveling abroad, I’ve found that it just takes a few simple steps to make it happen. Read more...
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First impressions of a culture and place can become the most vivid memories that remain long after a trip has ended. Senses are heightened and the adrenaline has kicked in as each experience becomes a lesson in adaptation and patience. Two Greenheart Travel participants share their initial thoughts as they settle in to their new surroundings. Read more...
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Greenheart Travel’s volunteer participant in Costa Rica, Hannah Nevitt, is no stranger to feeling homesick. With a twin sister back home in the States and missing Thanksgiving and Christmas with her family for the first time, she has hit low points like all travelers. She shares her strategy for staying positive during her program and making the most of her cultural exchange experience. Read more...
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My previous host family in Japan taught me some interesting words and phrases used in Japanese restaurants. Read more...
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In Japan, food is an important part of the culture and there are many types of restaurants to choose from. High School Abroad participant, Jes Stayton, decodes some of the lingo and definitions she has learned so far about the dining experience. Read more...
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The flu ("infuruenza" in Japanese, from the English “influenza”) hits Japan hard every year, and the Japanese take it seriously. Many workers and students wear face masks, and the progress of the disease is tracked on the news. Huge bottles of hand sanitizer are placed outside public buildings for customers, students, and other people to use when they enter and exit. Read more...
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Many foreigners know that the Japanese always take their shoes off before they enter the house. However, what they don’t know is that this is actually part of a larger cultural belief that the ground (outside) is dirty and essentially separate from the floor of a house or a school. Read more...
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Chicago’s winter temperatures and slushy streets didn’t hinder the enthusiasm at the Idealist.org Global Volunteer Fair, Feb. 22. Greenheart Travel was one of 14 organizations represented at the fair, offering information and inspiration to aspiring travelers and volunteers. Read more...
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My time in Peru has come to an end. It’s been an educational month: the culture, language, lifestyle and people have given me wonderful knowledge, insight, and most importantly, incredible memories. My time in Peru can be summed up by the things that I will miss and those that I will not. Read more...
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Throughout the months I have faced a number of cultural “learning moments,” but none so defining as the day we debated the question of “How many continents are there?” My Costa Rican boss, Alvaro, had just returned from dropping volunteers off at the airport, when he came into the office baffled. He asked me to explain how it was possible that these bright, young Veterinary students could not properly know, “how many continents there were in the world.” Read more...
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The stained glass windows of the Chicago Hope Academy saturated the walls in yellow on an otherwise grey morning, Feb. 15; a fitting decor for the 2010 Summer Opportunities Fair. Every year on President’s Day, the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund, a non-profit organization that provides high school scholarships and educational support services to economically disadvantaged Chicago students, hosts this informational fair. Read more...
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High school can be a difficult time, but attending a high school in a country that speaks another language and embraces unfamiliar cultures and traditions is an adventure few can boast to their friends and family. Jes Stayton, currently studying in Japan, offers some advice to a prospective exchange student on making the most of this amazing experience. Read more...
Ask anyone in Alajuela about the “Road to Cuidad Quesada” and they will tell you it has taken 20 years to finish. However, finished would not be the best word to describe it…the word I would use is Terrifying. Long and winding, it’s gravel and rocky terrain is narrow in parts and still awaiting pavement. It is rumored to be a “short cut” compared to the other main road, and therefore calls to the adventure-seeking minds of taxi drivers and tourist chauffeurs alike; just the kind of temptation that would inspire my host mother’s brother in-law, Marco (a taxi and tourist driver) to venture in its direction. Read more...
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Alison's Gap year program continues, but her time in Peru begins to wind to a close, but not before enjoying a few more Spanish classes, salsa beats and the local cuisine before heading on to her next destination. Read more...
Greenheart Travel arrived in Philadelphia on Wednesday, just in time for the start of Idealist’s Global Volunteer Fair at the University of Pennsylvania. The morning started off a little rough as my colleague and I sat on LaGuardia’s runway for two hours waiting for the low-lying clouds to part before touching down in the City of Brotherly Love, but we were welcomed by sunny skies and a glittering skyline once we landed. Read more...]]>
People scurried around us like ants as my colleague and I stared blankly at the signs in the New York Subway. We were minor obstacles in the way of the transit riders that seemed to have a much better grasp on the 1,2,3,S,A,B and C lines we were trying to decipher, and our suitcase full of volunteer abroad brochures was making it hard to make any sudden movements. Read more...
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I am riding the bull. My hands clench the ropes as I attempt not to be thrown off in all directions, I can feel my heart pounding…and I can barely see a thing. I hear screams and yelling all around me. It all happens so fast… as if I am going in and out of consciousness… I blink for a brief second and Splash! I am instantly drenched with piercing white water and fall backwards into the raft. Read more...]]>
I have enjoyed and learned much from the connections with my host family, the locals, and the shared moments with other wandering souls just like me. Whether it’s learning how to make cheese and tortillas with my host mother, teaching my host siblings how to make S’mores, or sharing coffee with a holocaust survivor, these moments have all become inspirations. Read more...
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When it rains..it destroys! Cuzco and Machu Picchu are deemed under emergency for the next sixty days. In case you haven’t seen the news, massive downpours have caused mudslides which in return have stopped/seriously delayed travel, ruined homes, and left many with no shelter or food. Read more...
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Olivia's program in Capetown has started and her journal is filling up with observations and experiences. From the brightest Orion belt she's ever seen, to colorful currencies and learning to understand the saying "T.I.A." Olivia's adventure has only begun. Read more...
There have been many moments in Peru where I’ve misunderstood or just answered “si” and have said things such as, ” I live in Africa, I don’t want to go anywhere with her (the girl sitting next to me in class), I’m bored of this class,” etc. Pronunciation seems to get me in trouble from time to time, but everyone in the class is in the same boat so we’ve quickly become friends and with that able to laugh at one another. Read more...
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Since I have been here, volunteering and working in Costa Rica, I have experienced two of my good friends lose their beloved sisters to unforeseen tragedies. The most recent, my dear friend Jordan Hightower, losing her sister, Molly Hightower, in the January 12th earthquake in Haiti. Read more...
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A dear friend of mine recently asked me if I had found my “place” yet. A local hangout, a restaurant, or a place where everybody knows my name. A place that makes me feel that I am not so far away from home…Here in Costa Rica, I have started to do just that... Read more...
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The first event of the day was a visit to a natural air-raid shelter. It was a large cave with a small, narrow entrance, where 600 people had sheltered during WWII. Many of my classmates were very scared, and several had to return to the bus. I wasn’t scared myself, but I can understand why the other students were. Read more...
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The Japanese high school field trip continues as Jes and her classmates explore castles, aquariums and art museums throughout Okinawa. Read more...
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Day one of Jes's school trip to Okinawa, Japan begins with a flight full of nervous classmates. Landing in the warm temperatures of the city, the class makes their first stop at a WWII museum that causes Jes to contemplate the aftermath of war. Read more...
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As I understood it, families in Costa Rica (especially in the more rural areas) exchanged small gifts of chocolates or toys. Hearing this I was surprised when my host brother looked at me with big puppy eyes and asked for a “Fully loaded Hummer” from the United States! This Christmas would be different, but the gifts I received couldn't be tied in a bow, they were something much bigger - like lava flowing from Arenal Volcano. Read more...
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Spending her first Christmas away from her family and twin sister, Hannah adopts the Costa Rican traditions while introducing a few of her own. Learning to make tamales, decorating coronas and shopping for gifts make this holiday a memorable one. Read more...
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I am now starting to feel a part of this culture, and a connection with the Costa Rican people. It hit me when I realized I felt no connection to the "foreigners" from the States; I no longer feel like I'm in the same category and I found it easy to stare at their clothes, blonde hair and blue eyes. The interactions with my Costa Rican family have also started to make an impression. In fact, the thought of leaving them one day is almost unbearable! Read more...
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Greenheart Travel's Hannah Nevitt, writes on Costa Rica's thunderstorms, chickens and coffee as she continues to absorb the culture of the country... Read more...
The kyugi taikai is an all-school competition in Japan between the classes. Unlike many gym classes in the States, where most students line the sidelines in boredom, teachers and students take this high school event seriously. When I asked my teacher a question about the kyugi taikai, she told me to ‘Ganbate‘. (It means ‘Try your hardest’, or more literally ‘fight to succeed’) Read more about Fighting to Succeed here....
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School events in Japan take on a different twist than the familiar routine of high school in the States. Jes Stayton experiences her first gakuensai (school festival), and learns that spending the weekend at school can sometimes be an entertaining event. Read more about Looking Forward to the Weekend...At School.
photo courtesy of UCLA Asia Institute
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"This is what it feels like to fly. This is what it feels like to be Tarzan." These are Hannah's thoughts as she soars high above the jungle floor in Costa Rica, zip-lining in La Fortuna. Taking in the scenery, dotted with colorful, exotic birds and the peak of Arenal jutting out on the horizon, Hannah checks off one more adventure from her to-do list in life... Read more about Finding My Inner Tarzan...
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Costa Rica's lush, jungle terrain provides an array of outdoor activities for the adventurous. Hannah Nevitt finds her inner Tarzan by zip-lining through the tree tops, gaining a bird's eye-view of the land; but first, she had a bus to catch - or rather chase one... Read more of Hannah's adventure...
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Conservation and sustainability are taken very seriously in Costa Rica, and the respect for the environment can be found in their way of life. Simplicity is at its finest with fresh foods and little waste products, as Ticos work to preserve their country's beautiful flora and fauna. Read more about Hannah's first hand experience in Peace, Respect and Sustainability in Costa Rica...
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"It’s interesting that I didn’t really think about earthquakes before I came to Japan." Jes learns that earthquakes are not quite the same as thrilling amusement park rides. Read more about trying to fit under a school desk and what a routine earthquake drill entails in a Japanese high school...
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Just as the kids were arguing over who got to eat the drumsticks, we realized our next dilemma; how are we going to cut it? Throughout the years, it has usually been the “man of the house” who gets to cut the turkey, but since they were looking to us for direction; Claire started sharpening her knives…
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Spanish for Dilany’s 10th birthday party. It was a surreal experience to watch a film in its entirety without understanding many of the words. It is amazing how much more I was able to focus on without relying solely on the language…the characters in the background, their expressions and the significance of body language and sound effects.]]>
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Culture shock in Costa Rica can involve more than
just language barriers and biking through thunderstorms. For Hannah Nevitt,
sharing her living arrangements with some unexpected visitors adds to the
travel experience. Read more about Co-existing with Nature in Central America...
The property of Costa Rica’s Proyecto Asis spans over eight acres of protected tropical rainforest, bought and preserved by Don Jaime Castillo and his family. He is a trained veterinarian and has dedicated the property to be a haven for wild animals, either injured or unable to survive in the wild. His son, Alvaro Del Castillo is the director of Proyecto Asis, (Project Asis, named after Saint Asis, who cared deeply for animals) and started the volunteer center and language institute. They are a wonderful family and take great care of the animals that are often injured by cars, or abandoned and left at their doorstep.
The monkeys on the reserve, performing in their cages like acrobats, are incredible. They have Spider monkeys that will hold your hand and are always eager to say hello in the morning. Last week, Teniente and another volunteer finished building a new cage for them; however a white-faced monkey arrived just in time to claim residence. I watched excitedly as they released the new monkey into the pristine cage…he tested all the accommodations by running around and jumping from branch to branch. He looked the like the monkey from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies so Alvaro let me name him “Jack.”
I grab my bike and wave goodbye to the crowd of kids and mothers cleaning their homes. Once on the small rural road, I look both ways…distracted each time by the looming presence of the volcano ahead…and continue on my way. Proyecto Asis is down the road about 2.5 miles, except the journey is all downhill. I coast at rapid speed the whole way there, wind blowing through my hair and causing my eyes to tear. There is a feeling of freedom almost like I am flying. The green fields of exotic plants, coffee plantations, palm trees, and fruit orchards line the road….speckled with tiny houses along the way. This really is a beautiful country.]]>
photo by madehealthier.com
Even if the ingredients are the same, the way foods are served are also very different from what I’m used to in America. In Japan, there is hanbaga and hanbagu. (Both are pronounced like ‘hamburger’.) Hanbaga is a hamburger, but hanbagu is just a hamburger patty, treated a little like a steak. As I mentioned before, mayonnaise is often used as a condiment, along with lemon or lime juice. I have yet to see either of my host families use salad dressing. (I moved to a new host family last week. ) Cheese is almost never eaten alone; it is always inside sandwiches, or cheese balls. Sandwiches are often a trap for the unwary. Unlike in America, where sandwiches may contain a few tame pieces of meat at best, sandwiches here may contain noodles, chicken patties with ketchup, fish and any number of strange things. So far, my favorite has been peanut butter with banana. It was delicious.
Although a few brands of candy are common to both Japan and the U.S., they are the exception, not the rule. Kit-Kat and Snickers bars exist in Japan, but most brands of candy are different. Sadly, there is no candy corn here at all. (I love candy corn. ) My host aunt at my previous host family told me that Japanese people don’t eat a lot of chocolate because they get nosebleeds. That seemed a little strange to me at first, but it appears to be true. I have never seen any of my friends eating chocolate here, and most of the chocolate available in stores comes in tiny little squares. This is very convenient when you just want a little snack. You can buy these tiny little chocolate pieces, about 1 inch square, that you can buy for 20 yen. (Roughly 20 cents.) There is a lot of hard candy, though, sometimes in very interesting flavors. I have eaten green tea flavored candy, and seen (although I haven’t yet been brave enough to try it) both ginger ale and green bean flavored Kit-Kat bars. When I first got here, I was surprised by the amount of people who freely gave out candy to their classmates and friends. I’ve since lost count of the amount of people who’ve given me candy. Gum, surprisingly, isn’t nearly as popular as it is in America. Unfortunately, eating candy during class is against the school rules, so I have to save it for later. (Perhaps that’s lucky, since if it wasn’t I would be a lot heavier than I am now.)
Japanese table manners are also very interesting. We say ‘itadakimasu’ before eating and ‘gochisousama deshita’ afterward. ‘Itadakimasu’ is showing gratefulness to the zen spirits, and ‘gochisousama deshita’ means something along the lines of ‘thank you for providing us with this food’. If you ever go to a restaurant in Japan, say ‘gochisousama deshita’ to the staff as you are leaving. This might seem strange to a foreigner (I know it felt strange to me.) but it’s the polite thing to do. As for other table manners, sometimes, Japanese people adhere to Western rules, sometimes to traditional Japanese rules, and usually to a mix of both. I am always grateful that my current host family tends to lean toward traditional manners. It is a lot easier to eat with chopsticks if you can lift your bowl to your face. Although slurping is okay in certain occasions, such as when eating soba (noodles), usually making noise while eating is rude. If you burp, the polite reaction is pretty much the same; say 'sumimasen‘. (Excuse me.)
The traditional Japanese way of setting the table is really neat looking. Usually five or six small bowls are used, with a tiny serving of each dish in its own separate bowl. If rice and miso soup are served, they are nearly always in the front. Chopsticks usually go in front of the rice and soup, closest to the edge of the table. The ends used for eating also always point to the person sitting’s left. (I don’t know why.) The thing about table settings that always confuses me is that there are no napkins. If you want to wipe your hands on something, use a tissue. Even if you buy lunch at a restaurant or a McDonald’s, there are no napkins. If you are lucky, you get a damp wipe used to clean your hands before you eat. I never know what to do with those.
The one thing that is completely different between Japan and America is the food. Everything about it is different, from the ingredients, to the place settings, to table manners. Even the way it is viewed within the culture is different. But, most Americans think sushi is all there is to Japanese food. That’s a little sad, considering the wide variety of foods eaten in Japan, all of which is completely different from what is eaten in Europe and America. Most Americans have never heard of natto, sukemono, or takoyaki. They have never eaten a persimmon, or a Japanese plum. Japanese cooking is amazing, so it’s a very sad thing that most Americans think it all boils down to raw fish. I don’t know about Europe, but I suspect it’s the same way. I absolutely adore Japanese food.There are many delicious foods and ingredients eaten in Japan that we don’t have in America. Many types of seaweed are eaten here; it is a common food. So common, in fact, that the Japanese do not use one general word to refer to seaweed, but rather have different names for each type. Konbu (sea kelp), and nori (sea weed) are completely different things in the eyes of a Japanese person, much the way I would talk about corn dogs, sandwiches, and croissants as completely separate entities. (The Japanese refer to these three things as if they were the same. Anything remotely bread-like is referred to as pan (bread). ) Squid and octopus are also eaten here, but they don’t usually enter into home cooking. I suspect that they are expensive.
There are also a number of strange Japanese vegetables and fruits. I often sit down to eat with my host family and see one or two unrecognizable vegetables. Japanese people don’t see vegetables as any more inherently distasteful than meat. In fact, when I told my friends that most Americans dislike vegetables, they seemed surprised. I have never been very fond of vegetables, but I find myself enjoying them more often than I used to. Maybe it’s because mayonnaise is often used as a condiment here. (I love mayonnaise.) Umeboshi (Japanese plum) and kaki (persimmon) are common here as well. Kaki is delicious, but umeboshi is very sour. They often lurk inside onigiri (rice balls) waiting to surprise the unwary person.
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I have only been in Costa Rica for one week, but already I am quickly coming to know the meaning of “Pura Vida.” Regardless of how much money they have, families here live with fewer accommodations. For example, most families own only one vehicle and some take local transportation via bus or bike to work or to the store; they own fewer clothes and perhaps have one cellular phone to share between them. With such small living spaces they are constantly interacting with their family members. I enjoy watching the tender affections and closeness between the kids, their parents, and with relatives. They often greet each other with a kiss to the cheek or a handshake—even when they live next door and see each other daily.]]>
There are usually many children running around day and night….they range in ages from one year to seventeen. This is really fun for me because I get to play with them and they help me with my Spanish (and laugh at the things I say). The boys are around 7 or 8 years old so we play a lot of soccer, while the girls are older so we draw and I let them play with my makeup.]]>
One thing that I think is really cool about Japan is the things my fellow students do in order to follow the dress code and still express themselves. We are required to tie up our hair during school, but most students seem to be trying to stretch this rule as much as possible without actually breaking it. Everyone has long bangs, and many girls have ’side bangs’ so long that they touch their shoulders. Many people in my class have short hair. (ie: hair just short enough that they don’t have to tie it up) Low pigtails also enjoy a popularity that they don’t seem to have in the United States. Because jewelry is not allowed, glasses are treated like an accessory. I’m a little jealous of Japanese girls on this point. In America, glasses aren’t really something you’d want to emphasize. They’re not considered ugly, but they aren’t treated as an accessory either. I have bad eyesight, but I wear contacts because I’ve always personally thought that glasses are ugly. Japanese glasses made me rethink that. I have seen two pairs of hot pink clear plastic glasses since I came here, along with bright green, purple, blue… I wish I had an excuse to buy glasses while I’m here. (lime green!)
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Photo: Sophie Donelson
The thing that really surprises me is that my fellow classmates think I’m cute. They admire my hated curly hair and ask if it’s natural. Curly hair is desirable in Japan. This seems strange to me, coming from a country where some of my friends spend up to an hour flat ironing their hair every day. I guess everyone wants what they don’t have. It’s a little ironic, though. As my friends are admiring my curls, I am admiring their beautiful, glossy, pin straight black hair. That’s one thing that makes me a little sad: the way Japanese people seem to want to look like like Westerners. Hair dye and perms aren’t allowed in school, but it seems like every other woman I see on the street has either one or both. Even the advertisements, and fashion magazines show almost exclusively people who look western. I wish they showed more people of Japanese appearance.
A piece of advice: if you ever have to get on a crowded bus, take your coat off first, even if it’s cold out. You’ll regret it if you don’t. The place where we ate lunch was a famous souffle restaurant. We had to wait again, but it was worth it. The souffles were delicious. A souffle comes in a cup, but its one of those weird things that seem to exist on the borderline between drink and food, so it was surprisingly filling. Mine was apple and cinnamon. I liked it. It was fairly late, so we went back to find the tour meeting spot. My host family had nicely arranged for me to attend a tour of Gion in English. I was very 
surprised and grateful, as I’ve always wanted to see Gion and learn more about geisha. After finding the spot, we shopped a little bit, and I bought another pair of socks, (I love Japanese socks!) before rushing back to the tour meeting spot. We were on time. My host Aunt and sister went back to the hotel, but my host mother went on the tour with me. I enjoyed it very much. We walked around Gion at night. There were some ‘fake’ geisha (to use the tour guide’s wording), that is, Japanese women in beautiful makeup and kimonos who aren’t really geisha. This was when I discovered that Gion was the area we wandered around the day before. I was happy about that, because it meant I had already taken some pictures, and this meant I could photo by Daniel Bachler enjoy the tour. Taking pictures at night with my camera is also almost impossible. The guide was very informative and spoke English quite well. She told us quite a bit about Gion and the geisha in modern times, which was interesting. Unsurprisingly, there were several references to the book Memoirs of a Geisha. I was also very impressed with my host mother’s English. She could understand everything the guide said.
The tour was one-way, ending at Gion corner. We walked to the subway, and took the subway to the hotel bus stop. When my host Aunt and sister got off the bus, we all walked to the restaurant together. There was another small line, but I don’t think the restaurant was famous. It wasn’t nearly as expensive as the other places we went to. Whatever it was, the food was phenomenal. I had something that I absolutely adored, which, on inquiry, turned out to be mackerel pike. I hope I can have it again someday. I know they have mackerel in America, so maybe also mackerel pike? After dinner, we walked back to the bus stop, and took the bus back to the hotel. Everyone went to bed relatively early, compared to the night before. The next day, we woke up, packed our bags, and returned to Sendai.
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The next day, we woke up, dressed, and left the hotel. We walked to breakfast, which was nice, because the weather was cool. Kyoto is warmer than Sendai, because it is farther south. The restaurant was a famous coffee shop, so we arrived before it opened and waited for a while. I thought it was small, but it was huge inside. I guess that’s the benefit of being famous. There was some American food on the menu, which I ordered. (I’ve never been wild about American food, but now that I’m not eating it every day I miss it.) It was very good, but still different from what we have in America. It came with tea, for one thing, and a big pile of vegetables. It was good anyway.After breakfast, my host sister took the hotel bus back to the hotel, where she would study. My host mother, host aunt and I went to a Yuzen dyeing shop. Yuzen dyeing is a traditional Japanese dyeing technique dating back to the 8th century. At this shop, you could dye something (it was more like painting than dyeing) and then buy it. There was also a process similar to tye-dyeing, which my host mother chose to do. I made a water bottle holder with peach blossoms on it. Yuzen dyeing goes like this: you pin a series of stencils (or stencil, depending on how complicated your picture is) to your fabric and paint on various colors. It was a lot of fun, and I was very happy with my result.
Next we visited a large complex of temples. They were beautiful, and although I didn’t go inside most of them (there were a lot), I enjoyed seeing the temples and taking pictures. We did enter Taizo-in temple, which had a famous garden. It was very beautiful, and peaceful. I could certainly understand why it is famous. The whole complex is a UNESCO world heritage site. There a lot of temples in Kyoto, because it was the capital of Japan for a long time. It really blows my mind how old they are. Old in Japan is not the same as old in America.
click here for video of temple...
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The airplane ride was uneventful. My host family slept the entire time. Afterward, we got our luggage, and rode the monorail to the train, rode the train to the subway and walked from the subway to the restaurant where we would eat lunch. It was a long walk. The first restaurant we tried was full, (Japanese restaurants usually don’t take reservations) so we had to find another. At the restaurant I had my first experience with Kyoto prices. The lunch cost 1800 yen, which I thought was a lot. My host family assured me that it was normal for Kyoto, and I believed them, but it still felt like a lot of money to me. Little did I know. The dinner that night was close to twice that much.
After lunch, we went to the hotel and relaxed for about thirty minutes, then took the hotel bus back into Kyoto and walked around for a little while. I saw many modern buildings, and took a lot of pictures, then we went into an old part of town (Kyoto has been an important city since before America even existed.) which I think was Gion. We then had dinner. It was at a restaurant on the second floor of a building. I have no idea how big it actually was, because it was divided into lots of little rooms with two or three tables each. I told my host family that we didn’t usually have this in America and they seemed surprised. It was very nice. The room was quiet and before the waitress came in with each course she knocked on the door. Meals come in courses in Japan. There’s no main dish, just a bunch of little dishes, all about the same size. At home we set them on the table all at once, (which makes setting the table difficult for me) but in restaurants they bring them out one by one.
We then shopped in what was basically a street with a roof. (Cars were not allowed in, though. It was a very narrow street) That was fun. I love shopping, and I managed to buy a pair of socks and pretty chopsticks without spending a fortune. I think Kyoto prices are higher than Sendai prices, but I’m not sure. I haven’t done a lot of shopping in Sendai.
By the time we were done shopping my feet hurt, and I was glad to head back to the hotel. At the hotel, we showered, and watched a history drama. History dramas are basically a TV show set in the past. My host aunt likes them. The ones we watch are set in medieval Japan and Korea, but I think there are dramas set in the twentieth century as well. I don’t understand the words, but I like to look at the costumes. The shows we watch have a lot of kings, princes, etc. in them, so the clothes are fairly ornate. I went to bed first, at eleven, but when I woke up at two in the morning my host mother and sister were still awake. Wow. In America my parents don’t usually even stay up for New Years. For a history drama video click here...
I missed being home when everyone gets excited for the Fourth of July and all the cities hang red-white-and-blue banners and people make plans and get paid holidays and love America.
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Happy birthday, America! I actually missed being there a lot more than I thought I would. We were watching television (of course) last night, and some golf in Washington D.C. came on, with all the greens decorated with American flags, and it just made me homesick for America. I missed being home when everyone gets excited for the Fourth of July and all the cities hang red-white-and-blue banners and people make plans and get paid holidays and love America. Photo courtesy of Fenocchio's website Monday
Click here for a French language video...
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drums and a bass playing! Afterward, I went to Marineland! It was great! I saw a dolphin show, and an orca show, and a sea-lion show, and some sharks and fish and all sorts of things in the aquarium. Click here for a video of "La Famille En Or."
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I arrived in Antibes, France late last night and was picked up by Monsieur Pravettoni. This morning, he drove me to my first day of French school! We went on a tour of Antibes today—I zoned out during part of the tour, because it was all just too much français to take in. I realized last night when I got here that my brain is going to have to work non-stop for the next three weeks to get by. At least, it’ll have to work non-stop in class and at the house, but with the other students, not so much. Unfortunately, they all speak English, and no matter how hard I try to speak French (and, granted, at this point my French is pretty bad and takes a long time to listen to), they keep switching into English. Only two of them are from English-speaking countries (the UK), so I think the rest just find speaking English as sort of novelty.
I could spend hours looking at a map. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Southwest Airline napkin highlighting their airport locations or a wall-size illustration of all the countries in the world. The visual of so many places, cultures and landscapes will occupy my imagination for hours as I run my fingertips over sketches of mountain ranges and shades of dark blue where the ocean sinks to depths I can’t comprehend. This can be overwhelming at times, thinking there are so many places to explore and not enough time (or money) to accomplish such lofty travel goals. Even if these adventures won’t materialize in the near future, is important to be aware of all the different countries, traditions and topography. Respecting the fact that we are just one of over 6 billion people on this planet might trigger a little more empathy, a greater sense of awe and curiosity and hopefully an urge to make an emotional connection with others instead of harboring fear for cultures we don’t understand.]]>
The day begins and ends with homeroom, each about twenty minutes. Classes start at 9:00 a.m. There are seven periods, each fifty minutes long, with alternating five and ten minute breaks in between. The breaks are nice. In the ten minute break before lunch, everyone eats a little bit of their lunch before class. Food is not allowed during class, but is okay otherwise. We also eat lunch in the classroom. The class schedule is very different from in America. The classes depend on the day, and we sometimes also have double periods. In every class, we bow to the teacher, saying Onegaishimasu (please), and Domo gozaimashita (thank you).
After dressing, I eat breakfast with my host family. Japanese food is food is very different from American food. We have rice and miso soup at almost every meal. The few things that are also served in American are eaten in different ways. For example, one day I ate yogurt mixed with bananas, which was delicious.]]>
yours. If you have the mindset that the “adapting” part is fun, you’ll learn so much more about the place you’re visiting.
10. When in doubt, talk about the weather. Still in doubt, talk about the food.
11. If your host mom offers to do your laundry, accept it with many thank you’s.
12. If your home stay is in Latin America, never be surprised if you find chicken feet in your soup, or animal parts or insects in your food that you're not used to eating. Two Greenheart Travel colleagues joked about their experiences with unusual food items. Pretty much any part of the cow/chicken/pig is fair game in many cultures, so you should be open to trying new cuisine. You never know - you might end up loving it!
13. Exchange addresses before you go and keep in contact. A home stay allows you to develop a relationship with a family across the world.
14. Be independent! Your host family is not your personal tour guide, and while they are a great reference for places to see off the beaten path, they are not expected to hold your hand. Home stays offer a much more laid back travel experience, with the best of both worlds in experiencing the community around you. Be prepared to do some exploring on your own.
15. If you aren’t fluent in the language, at least know how to say “please” and “thank-you.” Such small words can make all the difference.
Click here for a video of a telenovela...
Traveling can be like attending a high school dance. There is the swell of giddiness and anxiety leading up to the big day and if you were like me, a lot of time spent daydreaming during chemistry class. We must prepare and do our research (who’s going to be there, what time is appropriate to arrive, proper attire), and then finally, the hour is upon us! The palms start to sweat and walking down that dimly-lit hall toward our final destination we realize it is up to us to decide the experience we are about to have.Travel can be a lot of uncoordinated steps and nervous conversation and that exhilaration of suddenly realizing you are in the middle of a place that will inevitably shape you in some way. If we wanted to sit on the bleachers we would stay home and read guide books. We travel to learn about a culture, but also about ourselves and I say turn the music up a little louder because they are playing my favorite song.
Watch an awkward high school dance scene...
If we waited until we were financially stable and debt-free to travel or study abroad, we never would. That doesn’t mean maxing out credit cards or begging parents for money is acceptable, but there are ways to keep costs reasonable while exploring new countries. To get you started on a travel budget that is within reach for your next trip, here are five ways to save money without compromising your cultural experience.
1.) Accommodation can take a huge chunk of change from your travel budget. Hostels are a best bet for cheaper rates. Keep in mind that you are cutting costs because you are most likely sharing a room with at least 5 more people. If this is not worth it you can book a single or double room for a little more, but it will still beat the expense of a hotel. Good online sources to scope out locations, reviews and pictures include Hostelworld.com, Hostelling International and Hostel Bookers. You can also get a Hostel International membership that offers savings on loads of hostel accommodations, attractions other travel perks.
2.) If you are studying abroad, an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is a good purchase to make. Recognized in over 120 countries and offering 40,000 different discounts in travel, accommodation and attractions, it is a valuable card to carry. Any full-time student 12 years and over qualifies for the card. If you are 26 years or younger but not a student, you can take advantage of the International Youth Travel Card that offers similar benefits. Ful-time teachers and professors also can benefit from savings with a card of their own.
3.) Spend other peoples’ money. Well, not exactly, but there are many scholarships and grants available for those who do their research. Sites like studyabroad.com, IIEPassport Study Abroad Funding and school web pages like Michigan State University’s offer great resources to hunt down potential funding.
4.) When you reach your destination, enjoy the simple things. Cities like London and Berlin are expensive, but that doesn’t mean you can’t afford to experience them. The point of traveling is to learn about a culture and there is no better way to get to know a place than by walking. Cabs and rental cars are pricey, and there is only so much to see when you are blurring past architecture in a back seat. Some places even have free walking tours, where you can get the knowledge of a guide and an insight into the area. If you can, visit farmer’s markets, cook your own meals, read the local papers for community events or enjoy a coffee while people watching. All of these things require minimal amounts of cash, but are big on cultural authenticity.
5.) Travel with a buddy. Yes, this can also hold potential for disaster if you and your friend aren’t on the same spending wave-length, but if you set out a budget before you travel and communicate the expectations for they types of “luxuries” your are willing to go without, this can safe you a lot in costs. Accommodation can be split, and eating family style and sharing meals can stretch your money. If you don’t have a partner, take advantage of online travel communities to tap into fellow backpacker experiences for money-saving ideas. Matador, Glimpse and Lonely Planet are all sites I can’t get enough of and provide a supportive group of people willing to offer advice.
During my travels abroad, there are few things I enjoy more than exploring the local markets. London’s Camden markets, El Rastro in Madrid, and El Mercat de la Boquería in Barcelona are just a few of my favorite shopping experiences. Not only do they offer wonderful opportunities for people-watching, but it is an ideal place to learn the native language and interact with the locals. Spain holds a special place in my heart, however, when on my first solo trip abroad I found myself in a crash course in communication.
The constant drum of rain outside the Rambles Center Hostel in Barcelona, kept many of the travelers from venturing out that morning. The dark clouds were thick and didn’t show any sign of giving in to the sun that was sparkling over the ocean the day before.
Most of the backpackers lounging inside were smoking their rolled cigarettes and exchanging stories in different accents. I listened from the corner, slightly amused that a Chuck Norris movie was playing with Spanish voice overs. The smoke was starting to fill the commons area in an uncomfortable haze and my coffee was cold; it was time to explore even if the weather conditions weren’t in my favor. It would also give me an excuse to practice my Spanish while buying an umbrella next door.
After an awkward exchange with a weathered woman selling her paraguas, and 3 Euros later, I was ready to set out on my adventure. Armed against the elements I walked half a block south to the expanse of the Mercat de la Boqueria. The market was intense and bustling with people shaking out wet jackets and shouting produce requests. I can’t think of a better place to learn a language. Each stall was a new set of colors, smells and conversation, and because everything was labeled, I could look up words and imitate the more experienced shoppers in their sentence structure.
Enjoying my tourist excitement I began eavesdropping on Catalonian exchanges and inappropriately staring at the pigs’ heads in the glass case. Carrying my dictionary, looking up such words as ternillo, curious how gristle was incorporated in the Spanish diet.
In only a matter of feet, the cold, sweet smell of meat would morph into the earthy aroma of cebollas and lechuga, and then from the onions and lettuce to the sea-salt smell of fish. I was ecstatic to find a spice stall, and couldn’t get enough of the cumin and chili draping their smell over my shoulders. The color palate was inspiring.
When I got control of my sense of smell, I began to take in the many shades of pink and red from the hanging legs of ham and suckling pigs still staring with vacant, glassy eyes. The rainbow of produce and flowers, the metallic shimmer of fish scales peeking through the ice, my eyes darted from one object to the next in a greedy search for another treasure.
I wanted to hold this produce in my hands, to possess something that suddenly seemed much more exciting once it had a Spanish label. To do this I had to get involved in the madness of shouting orders and budging in line. I decided to start simple. Buying my bread, apple and cheese in my novice Spanish, the vendors barely noticed, they were too busy shouting “Que quiere!” to the next eager customer.
Maybe it was the newness of the area that made everything glow, every syllable I tried to translate a seduction, but I was enamored with this experience. Giddy with happiness and new-found courage I stepped out of the cramped quarters of Mercat de la Boqueria and into the rain.
It was about a week after returning home from a life abroad in Scotland and England that I began to notice a change. I would suddenly panic while driving, second-guessing myself about being in the correct lane; my emotions would roller coaster depending on a certain smell, song or picture, and I grew bored with the Midwest accent. At the time I thought I was losing my mind. The real culprit was reverse culture shock, and I had fallen into a slump that is common among many travelers.
My experience with the shock involved a lot of pacing and agitation. Where were the pubs blaring World Cup soccer matches from their dimly-lit interiors? How would I survive my constant cravings for döner kebabs? How many more times would I accidentally pay with quarters instead of dollars, my mind still stuck on the soothing weight of English pounds?
Reverse culture shock can be just as difficult as the awe of initially finding yourself in a place that speaks another language or boasts a population with millions more than your hometown in Iowa (population 8,000 vs. 7.56 million in London). Unfortunately, I wasn’t aware that this shock existed and struggled for a few weeks at adjusting to life back home.
In preparing for studying abroad or a long-term travel adventure, we find plenty of warnings of the inevitable culture shock we’ll experience. It’s the return home that leaves many of us at a loss. Where are the helpful hints for when the jet-lag wears off and people find your faux accident annoying? It was a lucky find when I discovered Megan Kimble’s article”How to Embrace Reverse Culture Shock (Sunny Side Up)“. She gives some great advice for the ups and downs of returning home.sunset with figure
One of Megan’s suggestions is to look at things in a new light, and embrace what you took for granted before you left. Another tip was to have a new appreciation for the luxuries of being back home. When one Greenheart Travel staff member returned home from Costa Rica, no longer having “ants in the pants” was definitely not taken for granted.
“I was so used to having to shake my clothes before putting them on to get the ants out. When I came home, I’d do it all the time, sometimes forgetting that it wasn’t a problem and sometimes because I was paranoid that I maybe brought some home with me.”
We travel because cultures offer new experiences, but it’s these differences that cause much of our shock. Having a sense of humor in re-adjusting to life at home is as imperative as laughing off your mistakes when you arrived overseas; it completes the package of the entire journey. When another colleague found herself back in the States after living in Ecuador, there were quite a few moments where her routine in Ecuador didn’t quite match up with Chicago’s and she had to shake it off with a laugh.
“I tried to flag a bus down on Ashland [Avenue] instead of remembering that we have bus stops here, and I ordered my first few coffees at Starbucks in Spanish- they do not know what ‘un café con leche por favor‘ means.”
Getting through the rut that is reverse culture shock takes some time, but it’s also an important learning experience in travel. Returning home with a new outlook and heightened awareness gives us a fresh perspective. Picking up habits and knowledge is why we travel. Understanding and expecting the post-adventure blues is one way to ease back into a routine. Another is to embrace some of the new cultural traditions you have collected along the way.
“I wanted to come back home to the U.S., but at the same time I felt so completely integrated and at home in Cote d’Ivoire,” my colleague said. “It was hard to be back in the U.S. and I felt homesick for Africa. You find balance with that, it just takes time. After living in Cote d’Ivoire, I was really used to eating with my hands, sometimes I still eat with my hands in the privacy of my home.”
In keeping up with current events, the headlines today have been looking bleak. After reading the fifth news story of the morning involving doom and destruction, I decided it was time for more positive reading material. To help in spurring your motivation for travel, especially when the past few days in the news have been slightly gloomy, I’ve put together a couple play-list suggestions I have found on travel blogs and sites to get a double dose of inspirational material. After all, every trip needs a soundtrack.
* Intelligent Travel’s website perked my curiosity with two videos. The first group was the Parisian trio, Gotan Project, and their music, a meshing of electronica meets tango was enough to make me lose five minutes of work time daydreaming about Argentina.
There is something about embarking on a new adventure, exploring new cultures, places, food and smells that keeps a wandering mind satisfied. Flipping through travel journals, old photos and indulging in the many books that inspire me to daydream continue to motivate me to educate myself about the world. Traveling is by far one of the most effective classrooms -as long as we can stop long enough to take in our surroundings.
With internet becoming faster, cell phones becoming smarter and digital cameras becoming sleeker, we can capture our environment in a matter of clicks. But is this a good thing? The New York Times featured an article, Abroad- At Louvre, Many Stop to Snap but Few Stay to Focus, leading me to re-evaluate the way I look at my surroundings, whether at home or abroad.
I know that I’ve been guilty of observing my environment more through my view-finder on my camera than really taking note of, say, the golds and smoky smudges of a sunset over the Edinburgh skyline. We panic, we don’t want to miss a detail, we must save this moment forever to show family and friends who are never quite as enthusiastic as we hope, and then – click, click, click, we run off to the nearest internet cafe to download our treasures. Michael Kimmelman wrote in the New York Times article: Read more...
You have studied Europe on a Shoestring front to back, worked overtime to save for a flight and you know how to say “I’m lost, can you help me?” in the appropriate language. Now it’s just a matter of convincing your parents that studying abroad is a good idea. Here are five reasons why traveling and living overseas is more than a cultural experience, but an investment in your future.
1. Studying abroad teaches you life lessons that can’t be learned in a classroom.
Being immersed in a new culture can be terrifying, but also really exciting and inspiring. Living abroad will help you develop a sense of resourcefulness and independence, as well as the ability to adapt to new situations you can’t experience in your hometown. Just gaining confidence in learning the public transportation system will carry over to future travels. group in italy
2. When you study abroad, your resume will instantly stand out.
When you study overseas, you are setting yourself apart from most applicants. Whether it’s to apply for college, or for a job; your education in Spain is a wonderful way to move your way to the top of a pile of resumes. Your trip abroad shows that you have the ability to adapt to new surroundings, people and ideas. This is critical in any environment, whether it’s educational or professional. Working World’s website offers an article and video explaining how living abroad can give you three key skill sets that will help you advance at the professional level.
My current calendar photo of the Mediterranean against a clear, blue July sky is soon to be flipped to a desert scene that was chosen to represent August, and a sense of urgency is starting to ensue. As I realize summer is almost coming to a close, the only exotic places I have been these last few months have been the World’s Largest Truck Stop in Iowa and a border town in Missouri that sold fireworks.
I’m notorious for day-dreaming about possible adventures in foreign countries and will stare out windows for inefficiently long periods of time thinking about where I would like to go next and what language I should learn. Maybe it’s the conditioning from elementary school that leaves many of us feeling that June through August are the only months for escape. The reality is, summer is not the end-all for our next big trip or small escape.
There is still a month left to travel, and September and October are wonderful times to explore new places. Prices are reduced, the flocks of tourists thin out and the weather is ideal. To stoke the fires of inspiration and motivation for the next big adventure, here is a list of gems to persuade us to circle a day on our calender and commit to a departure date in the upcoming months.
Greenheart Travel Staff picks Part I: Books
* Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden – “This book sealed my resolve to experience Kyoto and really made me appreciate Gion in a way I couldn’t have without reading it – for example, I don’t think I would have gotten goosebumps at glimpsing a geisha and her “maiko” at dusk tripping along the cobblestone streets.”
* Travelers’ Tales Guides – A Woman’s World; true stories of life on the road - “A collection of short stories by women describing their travels, self-discovery and life lessons. I have written in the page margins and underlined passages in this book that I still turn to when I’m in need of boost.”
* On the Road by Jack Kerouac – “This book opened my eyes to the adventure of the open road, and how the relationships and interactions with people along the way are just as important as the sites. “
* Almost French: Love and a New Life in Paris by Sarah Turnbull - “I have a bunch of books about living in France that always make me homesick for that part of the world – I can’t remember all of them but one is Almost French by an Australian journalist who married a Frenchman she met (while traveling of course) and ended up moving to Paris. It is hilarious, because the culture shock she describes is not only her own but also that of her French husband, as he becomes acquainted with all the decidedly non-French idiosyncrasies of his new Aussie wife. Very funny and right on the money.” Read more...
A strike happened again! Yes, for real. Fortunately, the strike
only affected the taxis. So, I had to be picked up by the travel
agency 40 minutes earlier as the agent didn’t know how long she could
catch a cab as there were many fewer cabs. The travel agent took me to
the tour group in the city center. From there, they took us to the
train station.
Once we got to the train station, we were on our own
until we met a tour guide at the train station at Machu Picchu.Now here’s one of the highlights of this event! The train ride was
three hours LONG, and it was the SLOWEST train I have ever taken! It
was literally going at the speed of a turtle walking! Talk about lack
of technology to allow trains to go as fast as a speeding bullet like
the trains in Europe! So, I just plugged my iPod headphones into my
ears and tuned myself to music and looked out the window to see the
landscape and the rural life of the Peruvians.
Once I arrived, I found the tour guide who was holding a yellow
flag, a sign that I was supposed to be on the look out. Once the tour
guide checked off everyone on the list, we headed to the bus to head to
our destination. Read more...
Water was sprinkling my face. Cool winds swayed by my face causing my hair to flap. I was moving several miles per hour through the river on a boat, and I felt as if I was flying through the rain forest. I was feeling the enjoyment of relaxing. I was heading to another section of the rain forest to enjoy an early morning observation.
When I arrived, I was sitting on a piece of land with a
bounty of rocks enjoying the cool breeze and feeling my hair being flapped by
the winds. Rays of orange, blue, pink, and purple glistened in the sky as
the sun was rising. The sounds of birds tweeting traveled to my
ears. It was a very soothing morning.
As wide awake as I could be at 6 AM in the morning on
Sunday, I ventured off by taking a boat ride to an area of the rain forest to
watch the birds. There were red birds sitting on branches. There
was a group of dark blue birds flying across the sky. While my camera
lens was not effective in getting up close, I spent some time admiring the
beautiful sunrise and the landscape. Read more...
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Watching the transformation of the landscape as I ride
through the Andes Mountains to the rain
forest on the unpaved road, hearing the crickets chirping, watching bright red
birds fly through the trees, sailing through the river, and sleeping in rustic
lodges are memories that will not be forgotten. This past week, I spent
four days and three nights at Manu, a rain forest preservation in Peru.
Just seeing how the landscape transforms is astonishing. At the beginning of the road trip, I saw very dry mountains with dried brown grasses and very few green plants. Along the way, I began to see bright lime-green mountains with more plants. Then toward the end of the road trip, I saw pure green mountains packed with trees and plants! I also had a taste of the farming communities as we passed by them.
Fortunately, we made a pit stop at one of the farming communities,
and I sure did jump out of the van to take a few snapshots!
We also made a stop at a bird watching dock where we could
watch the birds flying and listen to them tweeting.
Afterward, we headed to a lodge that was located just on the edge of the rain forest zone. I almost had a disaster getting to the lodge. The lodge was located DEEP in the forest, which meant that we had a lot of walking to get there. It was already dark and there were NO lights by the path to the lodge. I pulled out one of my two flashlights from my suitcase, and the tour guide took my suitcase. As I was heading to the lodge, the flashlight was uncooperative! It would not stay on, and because this flashlight had three levels of lighting, it wouldn’t go on any higher than the first level which is EXTREMELY dim. There was no way that I could get through the forest without a flashlight! So, I yelled, “HELP! My flashlight is broken!” I yelled a few times -
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Today I discovered a fantastic blog post by Robert Reid, called “47 or So Dumb Things I’ve Done Traveling.” The article sparked an emotion similar to what I felt the first time I read “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac. It was an inspiration to lift my eyes off the sidewalk while I walk and really take in my surroundings, to stop thinking about all the “what if’s” that could happen if I commit to a new adventure and reiterated the idea that travel really is the journey and not the destination.
In our journeys though, we as travelers tend to make a lot of mistakes. Reid’s list of learning experiences range from skipping authentic cultural happenings, to paying too much for tickets and getting his passport stolen. We all can relate to moments where we look back and think “What was I thinking?!” Inspired by Reid’s sense of humor and reflections on his travels, I asked my colleagues if they would share some of their past mistakes. For all of us, many of these experiences we chalk up to live and learn, but sometimes these moments can lead to unforgettable highlights of a trip, and to me, that is why we travel.
Lessons learned from the Greenheart Travel team:
Trying to make last minute hotel reservations
in Kyoto during “maple
leaf season.” I did not know there even was a “maple leaf season” in Kyoto
before I arrived, prompting Japanese people to look at me like I was the
most stupid foreigner they had ever laid eyes on. Maple leaf viewing is as popular
as cherry blossomtime
in Japan and draws hordes of tourists every year to the old capital. It would be
like arriving in New Orleans during Mardi Gras and expecting to get a room. (footnote:
In the end I got lucky and found a room.