Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Make it Stop! - by Current Teach in China Participant, Robin

My opinions about snow seem to change on the daily, but today, I love love love it!!!! I woke up this morning to find that while I was sleeping, Yantai had gotten dumped on with about 6 inches or so. Well, at least that is dumping to me. Those of you who are from the Midwest are probably laughing at me, but this was a big deal.

I was going to walk but after talking to Jeff I decided to take the scooter. “It’s just powder.” So I get down there and after freaking out about how white and beautiful everything was, and how deep my footprints were, I made my way over to the bike. I wish I had taken a picture. I had to sweep off a layer of snow that was about as tall as my hand if I stood it up on top of the bike seat. The whole basket was filled with snow. After I brushed everything off, the hard part was getting the aforementioned vehicle out of the snow that came up to my mid-calf. It went something like this. I sat on the scooter, did like a million point turn to get it faced the right direction, and then half walked, half rode it out to the street. The snow came up to the bottom of the part where you put your feet up, and you couldn’t tell that there was a curb because the snow had leveled everything out. I left some pretty amazing tracks behind me as I attempted to swim through the snow.

I only made it about halfway to school before I hit the section where they had stopped plowing. I tried to flail through but felt like too much of an idiot to keep going, so I ditched the bike and walked the rest of the way to class. It was so beautiful! The sun was out, most of the snow was still white and untouched, and I couldn’t decide if I wanted to keep looking at how perfect it was, or if I wanted to run all over and mess it up because it was too perfect. But I was late to class as it was anyways, so I left the snow alone.

A few things to note about when it snows in China. Recently we found out they have a giant snow plow, but they only bust that out in extreme situations. Otherwise, it is good old fashioned man power. This means that they equip the freshmen with about two thousand shovels, and send them out into the streets. So today, as I was making my way back from class, I ran into a roadblock that went something like this. The snowplow had cleared about a 5 foot path in the road so that I could get by on my way to class. But now, the students had been sent out, so this entire 5 foot wide path was swarming with them. I literally had to honk and yell and half walk the bike through this group of students, who found it necessary to call out “hello!” and laugh at me as I scooted by. It was like a one woman parade.

Another thing that I felt was particularly brilliant was the behavior of the few cars that decided to go out this morning. There were only about three that I saw moving, but all three of them decided it was necessary to park their cars in the middle of the only plowed section of the road. Needless to say, I did not enjoy having to make my own way through the snowdrift on either side of the vehicles. I can only hope that there was some good reason they felt the need to park there, but I think it is highly unlikely that there is.

So today, aside from a few hiccups, I like snow. I love the way it sits on the branches of the trees so that the whole hillside is white with green peeking through. I love how white and smooth it is before anyone has walked on it, and I love how it provides endless entertainment for me as I sit inside with my hot chocolate and watch the freshmen shovel, sweep, and chip away at it.

Oh China.

Aussie Aussie Aussie...Oi! Oi! Oi! - by Current Work Australia Participant, Amy

....this is the Australian cheer...seemed appropriate for Australian Day!! In fact, I just came in from the parade which passed by right outside my hostel. I'm headed to a BBQ (which tends to mean sausages placed in a piece of bread) & fireworks later tonight. The parade was pretty unique--more of a celebration of the diversity of Australia than anthing. Countless nationalities paraded through in their traditional garmets carrying both their home country's flag and the Australian flag. There were also local clubs/organizations represented such as the "laughter club" and the "star wars club." Oh, and no Aussie parade is complete without kangaroos so they had 2 guys in kangaroo suits on springy stilts jumping down the street!--quite a sight! When the parade ended most of the crowd just fell in line behind the last group and continued down the route with them. Happy Australia Day everyone!!

I've been in Melbourne a full week now and absolutely love it! The city itself isn't as aestheticly as pretty as sydney but the character of the city makes up for it! The city is made up of art galleries, cafes, shops (lots of shops!), gardens, markets and musicians. There are lots of hidden away hot spots down each little alley way that makes every day an intriguing one--not to mention delicious! Melbourne has a free trolley that runs around the perimeter of the city, making it a great way to become acquainted with the layout of the city straight away. They also have a free outdoor wifi spot "Federation Square" where hundreds of people have been gathered each day and into the night watching the Australian Open on the massive screen that is hanging in the square. There are also a lot of gorgeous parks and some great art galleries right in and around the city that are great for a wander (or a rest) mid-day when the heat gets to be too much. Speaking of heat, the weather in Melbourne is crazy--they tell you that they have 4 seasons in one day and they mean it. I've also heard that they tell people not to complain about the weather because if you just wait a short time it will change! This is the truth as I've found out firsthand and so I've learned to make a point of carrying a jacket, umbrella, and something to fan myself at all times.

So my first week here has been a pretty busy one to say the least. I've gotten to spend the time with some great new friends...and FAMILY! While working at the call center in Sydney I started chatting with a really nice woman from Melbourne with whom I exchanged contact details and continued to keep up with via e-mail until my arrival. She and her husband (Lyn & Linden) have spoiled me since I got here with insiders' tips, fabulous meals, a tour of the city, a trip up to Dandenong Ranges & Cloudhill Gardens! I just adore them and feel so blessed that our paths have crossed!

Another great surprise in Melbourne is that my dad's cousin from Washington D.C. (Deirdre) happened to be here in Melbourne this past weekend with a few of her good friends. This gave us an opportunity to hangout, explore the city together, and get to know one another--we enjoyed a funky little tapas restuarant down one of the alley ways I mentioned. We also toured the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Grounds) where we had the most adorable tour guide, Ken, who has requested that we post him copies of the pictures we took with him! We went to the sports museum since Melbourne considers themselves the sports capital of the country. We spent the day at the Australian Open--saw some great matches! I had been to the Open a few days earlier and got to see Andy Murray from center court. I was expecting a quiet restrained, golf-clapping, crowd but instead felt like I was at a football match!--painted faces, flags waving, cheer wars from each side of the court--it was unreal! Last night we took the trip to Phillip Island for the penguin parade. This was something that I almost didn't do but in the end am so glad I did. The penguins wait until the sun is down and slowly, make their way out of the water, quickly across the beach and safely into their burrows along the hill. They were adorable and the entire process of their daily ritual was really a phenomenal thing to witness.

All in all I think the first week in Melbourne is definitely one for the books! I'm just glad that I have 2 more weeks here!

Cheers for now! Take care! :)
xoxo
Amy

The Gift called Life - by Founder Emlyn Lee

“Life is a gift. If you do not value your gift, nobody else will.” This message was attached to my Yogi tea bag string, ironically, on the eve of my birthday. I come from a family string of gifted sisters that have high achievements within their personal and professional community, yet somewhere along the gene pool, I never embraced science and math like two of my sisters, nor had much talent with music and arts like the other two. In fact, I had a really challenging time figuring out what to major in at college, and what to do career wise.

I love learning, discovering, and education in general, but being a student was not my cup of tea, so I quickly finished college in four years with a communications major. After working in the corporate world for about five months, I jumped off the conveyor belt we seem to mechanically get put on, and went abroad to teach English in China. Some may perceive this as escaping and procrastinating with responsibilities (it’s okay, these thoughts crossed my mind too, and it continues to bring a worry brow across my parents’ forehead), but living and traveling on a Chinese wage budget, buying groceries at the local street market, creating daily lessons to my college students, hanging socks to dry on an outdoor bamboo pole on the seventh floor, and making travel plans for weekend and holiday breaks brought me more ‘life’ skills than any textbooks, diploma, and staff meeting.

After three semesters of teaching, I still wasn’t sure what my ‘calling’ was, yet life kept bringing me gifts of random opportunities. I ended up working as a cruise director on a river boat cruise along the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River, which introduced me to the hospitality and tourism field, where I managed and organized luxury tours all around the globe for three years. Getting a bit restless of over 900 days of international travel, I went back to teaching, and taught ESL and GED to at-need communities in Austin.

After all of these life and global experiences, I came to the realization that these are my gifts! People, cultures, equality, service, diplomacy, education, and travel are my skills set. I may not be able to discover vaccinations, or design jet engines, or be a concert pianist, or build office complexes, but I am capable of sharing my gifts to others. Cultural Embrace exists so we may introduce people to ‘Discover the Similarities and Share the Differences’.

We all have different opinions, expectations, experiences, highs and lows with life. That, in itself, is a gift of being human. Our knowledge and skills at Cultural Embrace are to form the box to best fit your shape, and wrap it up with the appropriate ribbons and wrapping papers. Cultural Embrace’s goal is to bring additional value, so when you receive your package, you will untie the bow and open it to discover the beautiful gift called…LIFE!

FAQ: Why Pay to Volunteer Abroad?

I love my job.  Preparing great people to travel abroad and finding the perfect match for them with an international non-profit or school is uplifting.   However, as an international coordinator, the one thing that will get me down is when participants are frustrated that the service we provide is not free.  The most common question I am asked is, "so, why do I have to pay to volunteer?"  My best answer is you aren't actually paying to volunteer, other than with your greatly appreciated time and effort.  But, your trip abroad is not free.  You are paying for our service in setting up the placement, housing, meals, airport transfers, international medical insurance, tours and support from our local coordinators for the entirety of your time abroad.  Since we are a non-religious, non government agency, we receive 100% of our funding from program fees.  Program fees are what enable us to remain in business and offering our services. 

My great grandmother always used to tell me, "pack half the amount of luggage you think you need and double the amount of money."  For better or for worse, she was right!  When I traveled to Australia on an exchange trip, I took a huge backpack filled with everything I thought I couldn't live without for 6 months.  As it turned out, I could have left my sheets at home (they weren't the right size), half my clothes (laundry was easy to do and I wanted to shop for cute clothes from local shops), scuba gear (a pain to carry around and it could be rented), tent and camping gear (hostels are cheap) and laptop (internet cafes were everywhere).   Mid-way through the adventure I was seriously considering swimming across the river to campus so I wouldn't have to pay the ferry fees as I had blown through my savings by taking surf lessons, hiking in the Blue Mountains, visiting Uluru and scuba diving in the Whitsunday Islands.  But, I have no regrets and would go broke again to have my head spinning by the awe of learning and experiencing something so new and different.   This poem sums up how I aspire to live life:

Life should not be a journey to the grave
with the intention of arriving safely
in an attractive and well preserved body
But rather to skid in sideways
chocolate in one hand
wine in the other
Lover right behind you
body thoroughly used up
totally worn out and screaming
Woo Hoo what a ride!

Travel is a big part of the ride, at least for me!  Costs you should save and prepare for in advance when planning an international trip not only include your program fee, but your visa fees, airfare and personal expenses like souvenirs and going out for a coffee or drink with friends.  Here are some great ways to financially prepare for your adventure:

1.  Work and save money in advance
2.  Choose a program where your dollar will go far (i.e. traveling to Latin America is cheaper than traveling to Europe due to the exchange rates and cost of airfare).  Here are links to our cheapest volunteer programs: Volunteer in Latin America and Volunteer in Southeast Asia
3.  Let your support network know what you are doing and ask for financial aid
4.  Choose a program where you can earn money (like teaching or working abroad).  Here are links to our paid programs: Summer Camp Counselor in China, Work in Australia or New Zealand, Teach in Guatemala, Teach in Mexico and Teach in Thailand

5.  Apply for scholarships at your school or online

Angelo's Testimonial in France - by Angelo Current Language Exchange Participant in France

The family that you guys hooked me up with is absolutely amazing!! They're all so very kind and hospitable and you couldn't have given me a better living situation. Occasionally, it's a bit difficult to express myself to them and vice-versa due to the language barrier, but that's pretty much expected. Most of the time it can be resolved through a dictionary.
The town is very pretty too. At first I was a bit nervous because I thought that I'd be living in a small farm town in the middle of nowhere. But Limoges is actually a decent sized city with lots to do and plenty to see. It's also very convenient that there is a bus really close by that I can take to go downtown, to sports rec. centers, etc. so I can keep myself busy while the kids are at school & the parents are working. Just fyi, yes I am keeping a journal and taking plenty of pictures, both of which I can shoot your way whenever you want.

Anyways, thank you so much for all of Cultural Embrace's help these past few months and for setting me up with such a great family!! Thank you also for the teaching ideas. Everything that you guys have done for me is very greatly appreciated and I wouldn't be in such a good position right now w/out you!

Hope all is well and stay in touch!!

Snip Snip Hooray - by Current Participant Robin, Teaching in China

Today I received my first ever Chinese haircut. It costs a whopping $2.50. So already, no matter how it goes, I can’t complain because what else did I expect from such a cheap cut? Jeff and I decided to meet Van and Luan at the haircutting place. First it began with a shampoo with lukewarm water and a lot of weird head scratching, as Michael Jackson’s “Beat it” played in the background (at least 5 times in a row). Apparently in China, they do not believe in conditioner, because after I was done with the shampoo and rinse, I was brought to a table in front of a mirror, with my hair wrapped in the equivalent of a hand towel. I figured out that I would have to wait while Jeff got his buzz cut. Rather than have a Chinese man try and comb out the rat nest that was my hair, I grabbed a comb and got to work. It took me probably 15 minutes to get it all combed out, so my hair was half air-dried and all kinds of frizzy. So the guy comes over and grunts or something and I figure out that it is my turn. The whole form of communication involved me showing with my fingers how much I wanted him to cut off. He worked his way around my head with the scissors a few times, and then acted like he was going to flip my hair out. I was thinking don’t bother, I need to go home and work out and shower anyways, but it was much to hard to convey all of this so I just let him try to style my hair after the cut. I should have skipped out, because for the next 15 minutes he proceeded to rip my hair out with the round brush he was using to blow out my hair. But the worst part was, my hair was so out of control to begin with because it had air dried, that I knew that he was going to spend 15 minutes trying to fix something that really was a lost cause.

This story seemed more interesting in my head. So after staring at myself in the mirror for an hour, (which made me realize that I should always put on full makeup when I go get a haircut), I left with no split ends, and only out 15 kuai. Good deal, no matter how much hair he pulled out.

Now I am home trying to figure out grades. I can’t decide if I am a bad teacher and didn’t help my students succeed, or if they are too dumb to remember to turn in their essays so therefore they shouldn’t pass. Whatever. I suppose I’m not doing them any favors by passing them when they don’t know the language. Why wasn’t there a class on how to manage a grade book in college?

One week until Malaysia. Can’t wait.

Ta Sydney! - by Current C.E. Participant in Australia Amy



"Ta" is what I've heard many Aussies say in lieu of both "thank you" and "goodbye." It seems most appropriate to use it now in my last blog from Sydney. I can't believe it's been over five months since I first arrived completely clueless and lost in Chinatown! Although I'd like to think I've come a long way-- mastering the ins and outs of city life-- alas this is just not the case. Though I may no longer be quite as clueless, I am still quite often lost--but then that still happens to me in New Orleans so what should I expect?!

Christmas and New Years were both very bittersweet days. I hosted Christmas dinner, thanks to the "resort style" accommodations I've had housesitting. I don't think any of us felt as though it was really Christmas but we played along and cooked our favorite dishes from home, drank our favorite concoctions, and took turns skyping family/friends back home all throughout the day and some of us into the night--depending on what time zone we were from! The weather was gorgeous, though a bit hot, but we waited out the sun and ate our "orphan backpackers'" meal outside in the yard and later exchanged our secret santa gifts. It's funny the things you exchange as travelers. Nothing too expensive or lavish--as it will likely be broken, stolen or lost before you return home and even more so no one can afford it anyway!; also, nothing to big, bulky, or heavy--as we all considered that these gifts will end up being carried on our backs for lengthy periods of time or being weighed in an airport and we don't want to be responsible for a friend's overweight charges do we?! And so all the gifts were thoughtful--practical, edible, or small-which was just perfect! :)                                      
                                                                    

New Years Eve was spent on working on the Sydney Harbour Cruise. The ship carries close to 600 passengers--300 on each level or "deck." I was on the "Show Deck" which is the bottom deck. Upon being assigned this spot, I had decided that I would be quite happy peering at the fireworks through the windows or at best seeing them from off the back of the boat. We served champagne, appetizers, main course and then watched as the entire "deck" cleared for the early 9pm fireworks display. They all went to the top of the ship to watch from what is clearly the best view. Having no patrons, allowed the staff to catch the display from the back of the boat and it was really something to see. We got back to our places as patrons made their way back down for more cocktails, dessert, and dancing before the big show at midnight. Around 11:30 my deck captain called me aside and asked me to bring my friend with some trays. I was sure she was going to put us to work while the more senior staff got to watch the "Sydney Fireworks Dislay" that everyone worldwide watches. Instead, she told us to go to the top of the ship and not to return until after midnight and to clear any glasses we found astray. We were giddy and rightfully so. The show from the Harbour Bridge is something magical to see! HAPPY 2011 everyone!

With 2011 came the end of an era, the "Laverne & Shirley tour OZ era" to be exact. Yes, the Bould sisters took off on their final travels before leaving Australia and heading back home to England. We met them for a meal and saw them off at the train station. It was much more emotional than I had anticipated, but thus is the life of travellers. Everyone has to head home eventually. Now it's just all the more reason to plan a trip to the UK or them to New Orleans (or both)! Great times, lots of laughs, & plenty of memories!--it's been a blast and I can't imagine my life in Sydney without Bould at my side...literally, right next to me morning, noon, and night! haha

I finally gave driving a try, but I made sure I had a qualified co-pilot, Juni. Juni doesn't hold a license even in her own country but I was sure she was the right person to guide me to our destination--"Petbarn" --to get Jaffa's food. I was right--she was a lifesaver. Poor Juni would tell me "okay, we're clear" and I would keep looking the other direction, though she kept reminding me NO ONE is coming from that way. I also found myself hugging the curb, forgetting there was an entire half of the car between me and the curb, so there were a few close calls! In the end we made it to and from petbarn with a pitstop at the petrol station unharmed.

I was sure to make the most of my last weekend in Sydney. We took the 2 hour train ride north to the Blue Mountains. The train looked like it was straight from the 1970s with pale green interior and carpeted walls. We also felt like we traveled back in time a bit when we arrived in Katoomba--a slow paced small town in no hurry to catch up with the rest of the world. We absolutely loved it! The mountains were absolutely gorgeous. We were warned by our no-nonsense bus driver, Peter, that we needed to be careful hiking as there had already been a few "casualties" that morning. Not exactly the thing you want to hear but we didn't let that deter us from exploring as much of each trail as we could. The weather held up for us as well which was an added bonus. We mixed it up as well between touristy stops and going off the beaten path which really heightened the experience! We became a bit obsessed with the steepest inclined railway in the world and rode it up and down about 4 times!

I saved the best for last--referring to both the blog and my life in Sydney--by going to the Fish Market on my last day. How I missed this beforehand I'm not sure, but oh I was so happy to have discovered it alas! The seafood was so fresh (and not pricey either so we splurged on everything!). James and Wendi had said that James' mom recommended they try some sort of bugs--I was almost giddy thinking they were talking about mudbugs (crawfish). Much to my disappointment there were no mudbugs in sight, but my eyes, and tastebuds were opened to the brilliancy called Moreton Bay Bugs---mmm! They look like lobsters with flattened heads and have crab-like legs underneath. They were divine! We didn't stop there either. We had boiled prawns (shrimp), sashimi--tuna, salmon, and octopus, chargrilled oysters, fresh oysters--sydney rock & pacific....don't judge!:) It was a true feast of a day and I couldn't think of a better way to end my time in Sydney.

Melbourne is where the next adventure lies and I can't wait to begin! Australian Open, cafe's, art galleries, street markets, & shopping all await me!

Take care! :)

xoxo

What MLK, Jr. & Boyz in the Hood Means to Me - by C.E. Founder Emlyn Lee

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr Day! This is one of my favorite holidays, as he is my biggest hero. It is easy to be inspired by a leader that influenced the United States and much of this world with his nonviolent tactics for equality. Many of my personal and professional philosophies are influenced by his principles, in hopes that we, all global citizens, can keep his “Dream” alive, and work together to be a better connected and more united world.

This weekend, I threw my annual MLK Birthday Bash party, which also served as a fundraiser for our H.U.G. projects in Guatemala, Kenya, and Austin, and collected food for our local Austin food bank. I enjoy throwing this annual party, as it is a chance for my different ‘groups’ of friends to come together to connect with one another’s well-being and post-holiday catch-up, and most importantly, to honor Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

My MLK group celebration started back in college. I remember seeing “Boyz in the Hood” in the theaters back in 1991, and thought it was such a great movie. By my Senior year at University of Maryland, I lived in a house with seven housemates, and on MLK day, I would rent the video and invite friends over to watch the movie, and have dinner and drinks. If you have seen “Boyz in the Hood”, you probably know it is not a warm and fuzzy, feel good type of a movie. So why do I continue to watch it on MLK weekend, when we are supposed to be celebrating a man that promotes non-violence, peace, and conflict-resolution? Exactly the point!

We have issues and struggles in our own streets of America, and abroad; but if we continue to ignore society’s problems, and look the other way, hoping that it will resolve itself, or that someone else will deal with it, we’re not being effective human beings. According to Martin Luther King, Jr. “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.” Watching thought-provoking movies like “Boyz in the Hood,” “Crash,” “Motorcycle Diaries” (my top three movies that I watch all the time) fills me with more frustration, drive and compassion to take a stand and make a difference in this world…my world…our world.

As Ice Cube’s character, Doughboy, says at the end of the film, “Either they (media) don’t know, don’t show, or don’t care about what’s going on in the hood.” I have many more words and opinions of media, especially how it’s changed for the worse since 1991, and may need to share my attitudes and feelings for another series of blogs. But as MLK, Jr. stated, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” I continually believe that until we put our feet in someone else’s shoes, and understand where they are (or were) within their situation, we cannot judge or discriminate against them. We may not see eye-to-eye and agree on opinions, but to be open to and listen to him/her/them, share our thoughts of wisdom and guidance (if applicable and needed), and to be a friend, providing a lending ear, hand, and heart. Because in the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr., we must ask life’s most persistent and urgent question, “What are you doing for others?”...not just this holiday weekend, but everyday.
 

Pre-Departure Thoughts - by Jerzy Wasilewski C.E. Participant Teach in Guatemala

Here I am about to undertake my international journey.  I feel this is a journey of exploration not only into another culture, but into me.  An experience of this magnitude will likely bring much more than I could anticipate at the onset.  My name is Jerzy Wasilewski and I work as a Guidance Counselor at a high school.  I am currently 29 years old and am about to leave everything behind to depart for my 6 month teaching program in Antigua, Guatemala.

As one might expect, there’s been a range of thoughts and emotions from the time I started my search leading up to now.  At first there was the eager sense of adventure. While I have not lost that feeling I started to get nervous as the departure date approached; scared of the unknown, knowing that I would face a frustrating language barrier as part of my learning process and absorbing the reality that I would not see my friends, family, and dog for quite some time. At times it didn’t even faze me and yet there were also periods of great sadness and anxiety as I looked ahead and envisioned myself so far from the comforts and familiarity of home.  Oddly as the travel date got much closer I felt less intimidated by the journey ahead and simply found myself impatiently awaiting its start.  I am curious to see how I feel when I actually arrive at my destination.

People have frequently asked me why I decided to do this.  It’s difficult to explain it to them.  I usually just respond with something simple like “I want to learn Spanish.”  Really there is so much more to it than that.  I describe it to my close friends as an opportunity to hit the reset button on life...the chance to remove myself from my accustomed life schedule in the USA.  I’ve always been someone who needed to strive toward a goal in order to avoid becoming bored or losing purpose in my own life.  After completing my Masters of Education I needed to take on another project.  I had been interested in learning Spanish for several years on a personal level and quickly finished the Rosetta Stone Spanish computer program after completing my Masters.  Once I entered the professional world of the K-12 school system in Arizona I realized how beneficial it is to be bilingual in English/Spanish.  My friends joke that I’m going down to Central America to find a wife.  I don’t expect others to truly understand my motivation for this trip but I believe it’s exactly what I need in my life at this point. I am seizing the opportunity to embark on this adventure while I am still in a position to do so.  I don’t ever want to look back and regret passing up the experience.  I realize that down the road when I am married with children I will likely not be able take such extended travels so the time is now.

I started the search for an international teaching program months ago using website references from friends and colleagues. At first I was quite overwhelmed by the number of programs I found.  How did I know which programs were legit?  How did I even know what to look for??  I can say that the best guidance I got in my selection came from others with similar travels in their past. I was shocked to discover the cost of many programs. My desire to teach in another country wasn’t about making money but I thought it was crazy that I would have to pay an organization to volunteer my time. After a while I got better at identifying programs that I could discard right away for consideration. I shied away from programs with disorganized websites with grammatical/spelling errors. Admittedly it did bring me more comfort to choose a program whose organization is based in the USA. What I found the most reassuring about Cultural Embrace was their prompt response time and willingness to help with any and all questions that I had. 

Personally, my selection had less to do with the program’s specific location and more to do with finding an all inclusive inexpensive program; I didn’t want to worry about finding a place to stay etc in a completely foreign environment.  Admittedly I know very little about Guatemala, aside from the nearby ruins of Tikal which I am most excited to check out.  As long as they spoke Spanish in the primary language I was good to go.  My mother, on the other hand, couldn’t help but research the area in order to ease her worries.  Whatcha gonna do…moms will be moms.

2011: Let's Embrace the Year! - by Founder Emlyn Lee

It’s a new year…a new decade…a new start! Thus, the ideal time to review the past year, set goals for 2011, and vow to clean out old habits and make room for new ones. I love new beginnings, as it provides opportunity to change, make a new start, and have a fresh outlook on life. Yet for some reason, I put a twist on this year’s resolution. Instead of looking back at last year’s list and being hard on myself for not reaching all of my goals, I decided to take a different approach for 2011. I am making a conscious effort not to focus on everything that I wished I had, or wanted to be, or hope to become; but to take the time to appreciate the people, places, and things that have brought me to be who I am today.

I am not saying that I am giving up on goals. On the contrary, I think recognizing the positive influences in my life will motivate me to achieve more and reciprocate goodwill to others. I want to recognize the positive influences, and see the patterns and connections of the good things, versus life’s challenges, and continue to pursue that upbeat path in life.

So let’s do a comparison test. Think: recession, rising oil prices, war, natural disasters, diseases, and lost luggage. This is just a short-list of things that have a huge influence on the travel industry. Unfortunately, most of these words are negatively perceived, and thus the major causes of why people don’t travel. These factors are out of my control, but if I reflect too much on them, and how it will impact Cultural Embrace and the travel business, I mine as well close shop now. Now rewind, and let’s think of eating delicious street foods, shopping at night markets, swimming with dolphins, $10 massages on the beach, laughing with children as they are trying to teach you some foreign phrases, and riding a bicycle in the Alps…I’m now grinning ear to ear! These are the things that I love to experience when I travel, and what motivates me to get you to take the plunge to visit a foreign country.

I guess the phrase ‘mind over matter’ is true. I have been blessed with a fortunate life, why not embrace it? I am healthy, have a rockin' family and friend base, traveled to over 75 countries, own a business, have clothes on my back and food in my belly. Heck, if you’re reading this, you’ve got it pretty good too. Vision, education, electricity, owning a passport, and internet are things that I took for granted. Not anymore. Thank you, merci, gracias, xie xie, obrigado. Wow, 2011 already feels great!

Wrapping up 2010 - by Founder Emlyn Lee

The end of the year always fills me with a mix of emotions. I am bewildered that yet another twelve months have past, as each year seems to fly by faster than the previous one. I’m also confused of what season it is, as I just spent the past 10 days in Guatemala in tank top and shorts, and returned last night to mid-70s weather. (This native Maryland girl doesn’t consider it to be ‘winter’ without a wool coat.) And then I’m discouraged that that I didn’t get to accomplish everything off of my 2010’s goals list, yet trying to stay optimistic and eager to ring in the new year with a fresh outlook and new and revised goals.

There are always things to do, and more to achieve when you own a business, particularly in the service and travel fields. So my aim for 2011 is to eliminate the mile-long resolutions list, and pick just a few realistic goals and set two or three strategies to effectively execute them. Seeing my goals get completed and met are a lot more motivating (to do more) than running on the endless trail, trying to find the finish line.

So as I reflect on Cultural Embrace’s year-end accomplishments, it has been a busy 2010, and I can understand why it’s flown by. We sent over 210 individual and group travelers to embrace their world as well as their own passion. We sent 7 participants to work as a nanny/au pair in Europe, 23 professional internship placements from Argentina to South Africa in a wide variety of fields, 33 teach placements (mostly paid) throughout Asia, Latin America, and Europe, 107 volunteers with 78% in Latin America, 12% in Africa, 6% in Asia, and 4% in the Oceania. 23 participants lived and worked in hospitality, non-technical jobs throughout Australia, New Zealand, and Spain. And we had 23 travelers that embraced Costa Rica, Mexico, and France through cultural language classes. Additionally, we tailored our travelers’ (individuals and groups) requests for excursions, housing, and ground transportation.

We also launched our H.U.G. projects, designed as a personal and corporate commitment to partner with select non-profits and provide additional financial, emotional, and logistical support to their causes. We will continue to tailor our programs and services to meet your goals and requests with the availability and needs of the local community; but Cultural Embrace will work together in the under-served communities of Guatemala, Kenya, South Africa, and Austin to improve their living conditions in five key areas: 1) Education, 2) Diversity & Leadership, 3) Environmental Conservation & Awareness, 4) Healthy and Balanced Living, and 5) Creativity.

“The Social Network” not only hit Hollywood on the big screen, but served as a mean for us to stay connected to others. We have embraced social media via Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Blogs. We granted partial and full scholarships to 7 participants travel on our programs and serve as Travel Advisers in the destination and to share their adventure and photos to our social media community. I highly encourage that you read and view their blogs, as it exemplifies a day in the life abroad, and is an inspiration for all of us to live each moment to its fullest.

And isn't that the best outlook on life...to live it to its fullest and seize the day?! I hope you have a wonderful, safe, and peaceful 2011!