Memories in the Making- by Current Participant in Australia Amy

It's incredible how quickly time is going by and yet at the same time it feels as though I've been living here forever! This entire experience has been incredible from the exotic wildlife, festivals, and beaches to the sometimes foreign English language! All of this has been made better by the fantastic group of friends I've made in my short time here. It's been about a month since I've updated my blog (as some of you have kindly pointed out to me);) so I'll just update you on what I've been up to in the past few weeks.

A few weeks ago one of my many English friends, Ceri, from work told me about Rhys Darby performing in a local suburb. He plays the manager, Murray, in Flight of the Conchords and is absolutely hysterical. Being the poor low-budget travellers that we are, we went back and forth as to whether or not to splurge on the tickets. We decided to be rational and resigned to putting our funds toward future travels, until Ceri's boyfriend got her tickets for her birthday. That was all the rest of us needed to immediately log online and order tickets!...the show was definitely worth it! I had never been to a live stand up comedy show and now I'm sure they will pale in comparison as he had us in stitches from start to finish. The best part was getting to meet him after the show. It was a moment that you wait for, hoping you'll get to meet him and say something brilliant and memorable, but when the time actually came I was just all smiles with a stuttering "you were great, so great!" WHAT?! ah well, I've never been known for my coolness! haha

A new experience that I was very excited about was getting the opportunity to play the part of an extra in a short film, "Second Face." It's a story about a guy and a girl who go online after being fed up with the dating scene and each pose as the opposite sex. The twist is that they are both confessing what they've done to their friends in the same coffee shop only to run into...(spoiler alert!) ;) Anyway, I had to quickly overcome my giddy"ness" each time I heard "action!" and focus on my role. That role being spending the day in a coffee shop pretending to chat with complete strangers who I believe to have convincingly portrayed to be my closest of friends. As if just being on a real live "set" wasn't good enough, we ate cake all day long, take after take after cake, err take. It was a day I will never forget, as now permanently added to my hips!

Onto the races...the race that stops the nation to be exact. So I took a day off from the phones to work as a bartender at one of the biggest events in Australia--the Melbourne Cup. This is similar to our Kentucky Derby but consists of races held all over the country and literally the whole country stops work to watch the races. It was so great to be a part of such a massive event. To be honest I was more intrigued by the hats and fashion being paraded on the lawn than I was by the racing! I made an attempt to place bets prior to race day but due to mine and Sarah's inability to work the OTB machine, race day passed without our money on any horses. Oh, and Americain was the winner of the day!

I went to my first show (aka the movies, aka cinema) in Sydney and it was quite an experience. Tickets to the show are $20 and that's before you get your popcorn and icee! The interesting thing is that you reserve seats like you would at a concert so you can ensure the perfect seat and still walk in right before the previews and not have to crane your neck from the leftover seats in the very front row. Once you get inside the theater you completely forget about what you've paid because it is as though you have your very own recliner with arm rests...so very nice! It's probably a good thing that tickets are pricey because my love for going to the show could get the better of me here in Oz and I'd have nothing to blog about but movie reviews!

An interesting event that we just attended was the Redbull Flugtag annual competition. This is where anyone that wants to can register to build a flying contraption and compete to see whose creation will fly the furthest off the platform into the Harbour. Although there were a number of really elaborate designs and coordinating costumes, I don't think there were many engineers in the group of contestants! Most of them just dropped off the edge with the teams jumping off the ledge behind it. There was an obvious winner whose design resembled that of a hand glider...ingenious concept! ha Needless to say it was a good day and the sun was finally out. I will never underestimate the Aussie sunshine again though, as I got a pretty good sunburn after only a few hours. Lesson learned!

One of the more difficult parts of meeting all of these wonderful traveling friends is that we all move in our different directions sooner or later. We had to say goodbye to Ceri and Mark just last week as they set off on the tail end of their trip before heading back to England. We sent them off in style properly with a good night of food and drink and made Ceri's night with a book of crossword puzzles all to herself that didn't have American answers like the book she had to share with me! haha Ceri also gave us each a Christmas ornament to place on our orphan Christmas tree to remember her by. We will miss y'all! xo

On a lighter note, we celebrated Sarah's 30th birthday 80's style! I was a bit concerned that not everyone who saw us realized that we were actually costumed. Maybe it shows their accepting, nonjudgemental culture or maybe it is a sign of poor fashion sense...but who am I to judge?! Regardless, we had a blast and didn't just leave it at the outfits, we brought back the Roger Rabbit and any other horrific dance moves we could muster. Good times were had by all!

And to save the absolute best for last, and to share what is a bit of a confession. I have become a bit obsessed with the reality talent show that is X-factor here in Australia...not only do I have a crush on one of the hosts, Boyzone singer Ronan Keating, but am absolutely crazy about one of the contestants, Altiyan Childs. I'm convinced we'll all be saying "we knew him when..." one day in the near future. Well, with my partners in crime (and fellow X-Factor addicts), Liam and Sarah, we made the hour long trek across town to see Altiyan perform live in his hometown before the grand finale. We were relieved to see that we weren't the only crazy adults so we weren't surrounded by only teeny-boppers, though there was a close call between Sarah and a determined 10 year old in an altercation about getting to the stage..thankfully it didn't get too ugly! We're all still a little starstruck and are planning a party for the grand finale!---It sounds a bit sad when you put it in writing, but it's 'what's on!' so I must report honestly, despite my dignity. :)

Hoping for some good beach weather this weekend and then preparing for my Thanksgiving away from home. I'm in charge of Thursday's dinner with my non-American family after work--will do my best. Then on Saturday I've been invited to celebrate with some American families from church at one of their homes so that should be really nice. Between the warm weather & no family around it won't feel much like Thanksgiving, but I'm also more aware than ever before that I have plenty to be thankful for.

Hope everyone is well, sorry again for the long delay between posts!
Take care! :)
xoxo
Amy
Participant
Australia

.

¿Dulce o Truco?- by Current Teacher in Chile Caroline

Halloween is not popular in Chile. In fact, it only made its way down from the United States about 10 years ago and has been slowly growing in popularity ever since. Since my lesson last week in class was about Halloween and all of the fun vocabulary that goes with it, I was able to see which kids were very pro-Halloween and which kids were being told by their parents that it is evil pagan celebration. Even so, none of the kids seemed to mind when I played the Monster Mash and attempted to do the dance from Michael Jackson's Thriller video.

My kids dancing to the "Monster Mash" with some "Thriller" moves thrown in

I was even invited to a couple of different Halloween parties this weekend. Cursing the fact that I left my German fraulein dress from last year at home, I went with a friend to Iquique's largest flea market to costume hunt. After 4 hours of digging through a glorified garage sale, I encountered a lightly used Alice in Wonderland dress that I found to be perfectly analogous to my time here in Chile. Not only was my costume a hit, but I also had a lot of fun telling people that I was "Alicia en el pais de las maravillas".

Me in my costume (over my clothes) after I triumphantly found it at the flea market. That chick in the background is totally jealous. 

Last week I had my "Big Show" with all the kids and all the fairy tales and all the stress. We had a room full of about 65 parents and at least 2 babies who were consistently crying throughout the whole thing (I like to think they were just overwhelmed with the sheer brilliance of the show). Other than an epic battle I had with the sound system and a few forgotten lines, it went really well. For your viewing enjoyment, I have uploaded some of the acts to YouTube. Since the kids were speaking a delightful hybrid of English and Spanish, you probably won't be able to understand much of the dialog. Regardless, the kids looked pretty darn cute in their costumes and seemed to have had a good time.

Here's the link to the Three Little Pigs- those guys at the beginning are the "Three Stooges" : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIIyD2rEACg

Here's the link to Aladdin. As long as you don't mind horribly off-key renditions of "A Whole New World", you will probably enjoy it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE5kE8V9tlE

And finally, here's the link to Little Red Riding Hood; please note the great pause before the music starts at the end and know that I was backstage whispering obscenities to the antiquated sound system: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXO5I2LNHCo

Okay, so in previous posts I have mentioned my desire to do some traveling around South America, specifically to Machu Picchu. Well, in five days I am doing just that... albeit in a bit of a different way than I had previously thought. Those of you who know me know that I am not the most outdoorsy type of gal; my idea of "roughing it" is to stay in a 10 bed hostel dorm with a shared bathroom. However, I am about to take a big friggin leap outside of the Caroline Comfort Zone onto the Inca Trail... 4 days and 3 nights on the Inca Trail to be exact. That means that I will be hiking (gasp!) and sleeping in a tent (double gasp!) and going without a shower for a few days longer than is socially appropriate. Yes, that's right: there will be no luxury train up to Machu Picchu for this girl; I am hiking 28 miles (through a very reliable tour company, so you won't have to worry) up the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Will there be pain? Yes. Will there be blisters? Probably. Will I be sick from the altitude? Most definitely. But, upon my survival of this crazy trip, I will be able to say that I hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, and not many people can say that. So, during the days of November 9-12, I ask that you send positive energy my way as I attempt something that is so very far outside of my comfort zone. Also, if you would like to send some Icy-Hot alongside that positive energy, I know that my aching body will thank you for it after the 12th.

So, next time you hear from me I will (hopefully) be able to share all the ups and downs of my climb to Machu Picchu (pun intended). Until then, here's the philosophical question of the day:

If people from Poland are called "Poles," why aren't people from Holland called "Holes?"

Caroline
Teacher
Chile

.

Discover China- by Founder Emlyn Lee

I'm rounding the corner for my final stretch in China, and heading to Shanghai before my return back to the States. I just spent the past 5 days in one of my favorite areas of China- the Guilin/Yangshuo area. This is one of the most aesthetically beautiful parts of China that provide inspiration to many artists, poets, and is printed on the 20RMB Chinese currency bill. Yangshuo has been known as a backpacker and adventure travel haven for years, and the infamous West Street has developed even more to be a hub for bars, cafes, restaurants, vendors, and discos to appeal to the Chinese and foreign markets alike.

The beautiful Guilin/Yangshuo area

The reason I came out here was to meet up with and check on our Discover China - Travel, Volunteer, and Cultural Exchange program. Cultural Embrace has partnered with a local non-profit to provide a wonderful blend of Chinese cultural, educational, adventurous, and humanitarian aspects in the area. We have created weekly programs to offer a diverse opportunity to experience the 'real' China, allowing our participants to: integrate within the local village, learn more about the Chinese culture, including several ethnic minority groups that live in and near the area, embark on some fun and adventurous recreational activities, and give back to the communities.

Our local coordinator, Isabella, is a delight, one of my favorite coordinators that we work with around the globe. She is a former English teacher in the Northern region, and genuinely cares about the community, participants, and village people. Plus, she's fun, adorable, and has the most pleasant 'hao de' (translated okay or alright) and smile that will make anyone reciprocate her happy demeanor. My brief description does not give justice to the a la carte week options you may choose, so go see for yourself, to gain a better understanding and experience of fascinating China.

Isabella!

Cultural Week: Participants will fly or take the train in to Guilin. You will be met by a local representative, and depending on the time of arrival, you will either overnight in downtown Guilin, or go straight down to Fengyan village. The gender divided bunk bed accommodations is a highlight of the Fengyan experience. Our base is home to an ancient building, over 100 years old, that has been recently renovated to include wi-fi, Western toilets, and hot water, yet preserves the ancient old ambience. All meals are included and cooked by a private chef and served family style. This cultural week orientates the traveler with Chinese culture, basic and essential Chinese phrases, social habits, and expectations of our participants in China. The week is filled with sight-seeing excursions, such as: Confucius and Buddhist temples, farm lands, ancient Chong Shen village, Li River cruises, and much more. Participants will get a chance to have tea and visit local homes and families, and a chance to meet local farmers, students, and decide what type of work they want to do if they are on the volunteer week.

Yangshuo Adventure & Travel Week: As I mentioned earlier, Yangshuo has been a backpacker and adventure traveler refuge in China. Rock climbing, mountain biking, white water rafting, tubing and much more are available during this weekdays, and your evenings are at leisure to relax your muscles, or check out the hip nightlife scene of Yangshuo. Our accommodations in Yangshuo are upgraded dormitories in a local private school. All of the foreign participants are situated on the 3rd and 4th floor of a hall, and have wi-fi, Western toilets, hot showers, and included meals.

Trekking Week: Three hours North of Yangshuo is Long Cheng, home to the Yao minority, and a spectacular area for trekking and hiking. We include a week-long trek, led by local minorities to maintain sustainability within the local community, and they will take you through farmlands, local villages, and the backroads of China. These spry older ladies, aka as Longhair villagers, will wear their minority clothing (not sure how they don't get hot), skipping along the steps without catching their breath. These ladies are also known as Longhair minority, since they do not cut their hair after 18 years old, and wear their floor-length hair in an unique bun. Every day's trek ranges 4-8 hours of leisure-paced hiking. You will overnight in comfortable, clean and conveniently located hostels/hotels each night, with all meals included.

Me with a Longhair villager

TaiQi/Kung Fu Week: There are two kungfu and tai qi academies located near Yangshuo district. Participants that want to learn, practice, and discover the beautiful art form and disciplinary workout will love this opportunity. Be the "Karate Kid" during your time in China, and learn from nationally praised kungfu masters. Participants will live on site in clean, comfortable, and Western friendly accommodations, with all meals included and instructions in Chinglish.

Volunteer Week: Giving back to the community is a major part of our mission and passion at Cultural Embrace, and we provide several opportunities for our participants to volunteer in China.

If you wish to stay in the Yangshuo/Fengyan area, you may opt to:

1. Tutor and teach basic oral English at public elementary, middle, or high schools (depending on your age preference)
2. Help local villagers and farmers during their harvest season (seasonal). 

I recommend joining our Teach in China program http://www.culturalembrace.com/4444669_24622.htm if you are able to commit 14+ weeks, as we may be able to offer you a paid stipend for your longer-term teach placement.

If you wish to spread your wings and visit other parts of China, we have a fantastic opportunity for you to work at a Panda Conservation Reserve in Chengdu, and help at a local orphanage in Henan Province. There is a local coordinator in each destination that will inform you of your duties, schedule, and expectations, and assist with all ground transportation, language translations, etc. Both sites have shared clean and comfortable accommodations for the foreign volunteers with all included meals.

All of these weeks are available throughout the year, and you may choose the weeks and types of travel and program you want to do. Come and join us to Discover China!

Discover the Similarities... Share the Differences,

Emlyn
Founder of Cultural Embrace

.

Five Senses of China - by Founder Emlyn Lee

Sensation is defined as: "an unprocessed result of stimulation of sensory receptors in the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, or skin." Perception is defined as: "one's ultimate experience of the world involving further processing of sensory input." If human's perception and experience are determined by our process to translate our sensory stimulation, then what is my perception of China? Let me use my five senses to share my experiences China.

Sight: There is a lot to see in China. Not only is it the most populated country in the world, but it is a diverse country too. You can see that China is economically busting at the seams. Skyscrapers and cranes dominate the cities. Cars, many of them luxury brands, dominate the highways and roads. Malls, plazas, and street vendors fill the streets, no matter what time of day or night. Some of the world's most marveled architecture (modern and historically) are found throughout China, yet farmlands, rice fields, pagodas and temples resembling the 'traditional' China are still prevalent throughout the nation.

Sound: This is what I currently hear as I close my eyes: motorcycles, buses, trucks, and cars driving by; random car and truck honks; 2-3 people talking loudly (which is typical Chinese speaking volume); the water in the pipes from someone upstairs taking a shower; a guy hawking a loogie; TV from an apartment across the quad. It is Monday, after midnight, and my hotel room is facing inside a quad, off a busy street in downtown Guilin.

Chinese Opera Singer

Smell: Besides walking along a street vendor or restaurant cooking their delicious dishes, there probably aren't too many times you want to take a deep breath in of China. It's a polluted country, with little chance to smell the roses. But I have to admit, all the times I wrinkle my nose walking near bathrooms, train stations, supermarkets, smokers (who disregard blowing cigarette smoke in anyone's face), stinky tofu cooking...every time I return to China, these fragrances listed above are the familiar and 'refeshing' smell of Zhong Guo!

Taste: Leave your Sesame Chicken, General Tso Chicken, and Beef and Broccoli orders at home. Authentic Chinese cuisine ROCKS! Plus, each region has their own special flavor and cooking styles that ordering the same dish in Northern China may taste completely different than in Southern China. Take noodles for example, they look, taste, and are cooked differently within each province and region. Whether you like spicy, sweet, salty, soft, sticky, or crunchy textured foods, China has it all. There is a popular idiom referencing the way that Chinese eat...if it doesn't have 'table' legs, it will be eaten.


Touch: There are over 1.3 billion people that live in China, in an area smaller than the States. Face it, somewhere and somehow...you will probably rub elbows and shoulders with someone in China. Personal space doesn't really exist, and you often feel like you are on the most crowded bus, street corner, marketplace, or store in the world...which you probably are. I balance my frustration of pushy and crowded China with another touch sensory-Chinese massages. The Chinese are so good with foot reflexology and acupressure points. Okay, this may be a generalization, but most street corners have massage spas/parlors, with an hour massage costing only ~US$10! Just a simple $2 hair wash in salons includes a head, shoulder and back massage. I certainly am able to embrace this touching culture!

Discover the Similarities... Share the Differences,
Emlyn
Founder of Cultural Embrace

.