Lilyanne, posing for a recent post on her well-known fashion blog, "Bleed For Fashion"

Meet Lilyanne, a fashion blogger from Vancouver with an edgy style and a passion for life.  I had the chance to catch up with Lilyanne about her recent Quest to Nepal.

It was great to hear about her trip—the people she met, the places she saw, the independence she gained—the list goes on.  Here are some of the highlights as well as a few pictures from her 4 week long journey.

According to the “about me” section of her incredibly popular blog, “Bleed For Fashion,” Lilyanne describes herself as, “Vancouver-based, Calgary-raised. Dreamer. Inspiration seeker. A wall that so few can hurdle across.”

She certainly took a trip outside her comfort zone while traveling to Nepal, and the “dreamer and inspiration seeker” portion of her personality was put to the test.

Considering this was her first time traveling independently to a foreign country, there were obviously aspects that took some getting used to, but all in all her trip was a success.

She remarked, “Overall it was really great.  There was a lot to get used to, but given the chance to stay longer I would’ve, and I’m determined to go back.”

Lilyanne’s first major adjustment was to the capital city of Kathmandu where she spent the majority of her 4 week trip.

A View of Prayer Flags in Kathmandu

She said the traffic and congestion was overwhelming at first; not surprising as it is the largest metropolitan in the country, and has nearly one million inhabitants.

After a week or so she was able to embrace the intensity of the city, and by the end of the four weeks she said, “I was able to see quite a bit–nothing really shocked me anymore.”

Another adjustment Lilyanne faced head-on was at the orphanage where she volunteered.  She quickly realized that the approach to schedules and following a routine is a bit different in Nepal than what she’s used to back home.

“It was up to me to schedule how much time I wanted to spend at the orphanage. It’s a very different structure; you have to be creative and think on the spot.  My priority was at the children’s home, and I tried to give everyone equal attention.”

One of adorable orphan children, Rajeshwori

There were 28 children at the orphanage she worked at and about 4 other volunteers who overlapped with her time there.  She made the most of her time by splitting the children into smaller groups so no one was left out.

Lilyanne was constantly impressed by the incredible children at the orphanage, explaining, “they’re amazing children! So smart– and they all have their own personalities.”

She recounted one of her most memorable experiences in Nepal, an experience that happened to combine her love for shoes with the joy and beauty of volunteering. During her days at the shelter, she couldn’t help but notice that many of the children didn’t have proper footwear—and some didn’t have shoes at all.

She and another amazing volunteer at the shelter decided to take the 28 children to a shoe store downtown and bought them each a new pair of shoes.

Shoe shopping!

As you can imagine, it meant the world to each of the young kids.  Lilyanne recalled happily, “to see their faces light up for something we so easily take for granted really warmed my heart.  For the first time in my life I really felt like I was doing something right.”

Another major adjustment she faced during her Quest was being without a set support system of family and friends.

“In a foreign country you can only rely on yourself.  I learned a lot about myself, and definitely became a more independent person.”

Throughout her time she also learned to lean on the staff and friends she made at the orphanage, remarking, “by the end I was so sad to leave; I made relationships with people that now feel like family.”

Her host family was incredible and had a huge impact on her trip. They made the transition into foreign life comfortable, loving, and exciting.

I could almost hear her beaming through the phone as she gushed, “I couldn’t have been happier with the family I was placed with.  I clicked with my host mother immediately—she spoke almost perfect English.” Laughing, she continued, “I’m also Vietnamese, and my host mother and I actually looked alike!  I was often mistaken as a local.”

Lilyanne also easily bonded with her host sister, and they were even able to spend time together at the orphanage during a holiday while her host-sister was on vacation from school.

Lilyanne and her host-sister on the last day at the orphanage

Though most of her time and energy was spent at the orphanage, she was also able to enjoy the culture and beauty of Nepal.

She got to go to some of the main Buddhist and Hindu temples around Kathmandu, and even witness an eye-opening live cremation at a Hindu temple.

She said it was fascinating to explore the beautiful temples, especially since religion is such a major part of the culture and heritage of Nepal in general.

During Dashain, “the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar,” she found time to travel to Pokhara, the third largest city in Nepal.

Beautiful Pokhara

She shared with her many followers in one recent post,

“I had the chance to be rid of the crowds, noise and pollution of Kathmandu and leave for higher ground for a couple of days. Located 200 km west of Kathmandu, Pokhara is the third largest city in Nepal.

Surrounded by beautiful peaks of the Himalayas, luscious green forests and the magnificent Phewa Tal lake, Pokhara is a remarkable place of natural beauty and for some R&R.”

Her trip only raised her spirits further as she found more and more to love about the country of Nepal.

Lilyanne had an amazing trip and made a deep and meaningful impression on the people she met.  Here’s some advice she had to share—what a great approach to life she has!

“Go in with open heart and mind. In the beginning I struggled. I needed to remind myself this was my decision—I made it on my own—I had to just tell myself what I’m doing is for a purpose and I need to embrace it and live in the moment.  Remember: Stay humble and give back. You never know when you’re changing someone’s life, or saving it.”

A mother and daughter in Thimi

Thanks, Lilyanne, from all of us at United Planet. You made a meaningful impact on the lives of so many deserving children, and you’ll surely be remembered every time they look down at their feet!

If you’re interested in volunteering abroad in Nepal, here’s some more information about United Planet Quests, and how you can get involved in over 40 countries around the world! For more highlights from Lilyanne’s trip, including pictures and videos, be sure to check out her blog!

The group from BPS at an orientation

In Mongolia, they will learn all about the people, culture, and local media organizations of the country.

Then in October, a group of students and teachers from 10 different Mongolian high schools will travel to the USA where they will spend time in Washington DC and Boston learning about the government and media practices in America.

Caitlin Ferrarini, the United Planet Group Coordinator who will be accompanying the BPS group, explained that she’s most excited about the traditions and cultural wonders they will get to see. As she said, “Mongolia seems like it is a place that is still very full of traditions, and I am very interested to learn about these and get to know the people in Mongolia.”

The group will have the unique opportunity to spend time in both the capital city, Ulan Batar, as well as the Gobi Desert. The contrasting traditions, lifestyles, and cultures between the many Mongolians who still practice nomadic herding, and those who live in the city, are sure to be eye-opening for the students and teachers alike.

Here in Boston, the BPS group has had the opportunity to get to know each other and learn some introductory information about Mongolia.  Everyone has been getting along really well and both the kids and adults are incredibly excited!  As Caitlin says, “Meeting all of the students in the group has been great so far, they are all such amazing people whom I am excited to get to know better on our adventure to Mongolia!”

United Planet's Theresa dressed in Mongolian Princess regalia

United Planet Vice President Theresa Higgs, herself a returned Peace Corps volunteer and veteran traveler, traveled to Mongolia this past November to help set up the program details, prepare and facilitate the exchange program and choose the Mongolian students.

Check out this video, (posted by iEARN USA who is administering the exchange program), where Theresa shows us an up close tour of a traditional ger (yurt), as well as a couple friendly welcomes from the Mongolian students who are participating in the exchange.

Theresa was so excited and impressed by the people she met during her trip.  As she wrote in her journal, “The participating students and teachers from 10 schools from around the country are so motivated and focused on learning more about journalism and community action. They have truly inspired me!”

This trip promises to be a wonderful experience; one that we hope will have a positive effect on each individual involved as well as their families, friends, and communities!

Keep looking out for more updates as the time draws nearer.  Hopefully we’ll have some live reports from the nomadic travelers while they’re abroad!

Vera, United Planet’s Executive Director in Tanzania, recently attended the Santi za Busara music festival in Zanzibar (Zanzibar is sort of part of Tanzania).

What a wonderful way to indulge in the culture of another country experiencing the power of music as a language which needs no translation.  Here’s what she had to say as well as some amazing photos courtesy of her husband Peter…

Sauti za Busara – Music Festival Zanzibar

Stonetown never gets as busy as during the annual Sauti za Busara music festival. 

Visitors from every corner of the world come to Zanzibar to be part of this event which hosts musicians from all over Africa.

The city is vibrant with the many people and the sounds of music played in the open air of the Old Fort, at the Stonetown waterfront.

And, lucky me, I got to be there again this year.

Stonetown, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is only a two hour ferry ride away from Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital and largest city in Tanzania.

Beautiful Stonetown

When the sea is calm the boat ride is a treat.

To see the aqua blue ocean, local fisherman in sailing boats called dhows, small islands with pristine beaches, and finally entering the port of Stonetown itself, with splendid views of some of the best kept buildings of the city such as the House of Wonders, the Palace Museum and the Tembo Hotel, are worthwhile the trip.

The island of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar archipelago, has many beaches not too far from Stonetown.

White sandy beaches, swaying palm trees, and amazing music...perfection!

Together with a friend I rented a car, and drove to Jozani forest to see the Colobus monkeys, found in Zanzibar only, and then continued to Paje, a town on the east coast of the island, to enjoy the beach for a few hours.

The music festival, held in February every year, lasts for 5 days.

One of my favorite performances this year was the Senegalese – Swedish band of Sousou and Maher Cissoko, playing West African kora music that just makes you want to dance.

A smiling musician enjoying the festival

There was also plenty of Taarab music to be heard, an East African coastal music style influenced by a mix of African and Arab music, and of which Zanzibar is the center.

Why don’t you come see and experience it yourself next year?

Read more about United Planet’s volunteer opportunities in Tanzania!

Pictures courtesy of Peter Stanley – www.photopoa.com

We also announced the winners of our 2 competitions held in this day’s honor, and I would like to take this opportunity to share the winners’ stories and the work they have done.

This was the inaugural year of our distinguished alumni award. This was awarded to two very deserving candidates: Amy McNair and Shannon De Atley-Johnson. After traveling to both Tanzania and Ghana on UP Quests, Amy held a fellowship with Tony Blair’s Faith Foundation and Interfaith You Core. She is currently living in Seattle working on developing leadership on college campuses. Shannon participated on a Quest to Tanzania, and since returning has created the MOOSE Foundation – More Opportunity and Outreach for Superior Education. MOOSE organizes cultural exchanges, and fundraises to provide a secondary education for Tanzanian children. Although Amy and Shannon are hugely deserving of their awards, they faced some tough competition from the large number of UP alumni who continue to do worthwhile and necessary work when they return from volunteering placements abroad.

We also announced the winners of our photo, writing and video competition. The Grand Prize went to Sourav Karmakar, of Calcutta, India, for his beautiful photograph ‘Give Me Red’.

The honorable mention in the photography and video category goes to Melissa Malfavon, of Wisconsin; and in the writing category went to Teijna Pickrell, of British Coumbia, for her piece ‘Breaking the Wall’.

Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you to everyone, all over the world, who helped make this year’s UP day so special.

Each year, during the first weekend of July, the North of France celebrates the Festival of the Giants.

Picture taken by chaton144, Flickr

Most of the Northern cities have a patron giant to protect them. Today, there are more than 300 giants representing the cities of the region. In 2005, UNESCO added the festival to the World Heritage List. These giants are not simple statues; they are moving giants! They are made of wood and people carry them around during the festival. The giants measure between six and eight and half meters in length (20 to 25 ft).They are really heavy and are carried by six men who hide under the giants’ clothes. However, there are also smaller giants which are about two and a half to three meters high (8 or 9 ft) and are carried by a single person. Single carriers bring their giants to life by moving and turning them as they parade through town.

Picture taken by chaton144, Flickr

Binbin, the giant of my hometown, had a special parade last year for his 200th “birthday.” You may think that 200 years is old for a giant. Prepare yourself to be surprised! Binbin is the youngest of the Gayant family, the most famous family of giants. These giants hail from the city of Douai and Mr Gayant is more than 500 years old! The members of the family are Gayant, his wife Marie Cagenon, and their children: Jacquot, Fillon and Binbin. According to legend, the young knight Gayant saved the city of Douai from invasion by the Normands in the 9th century. The inhabitants of Douai made a statue in his honor and created a festival to thank him; however, the church banned the festival claiming it was idolatry. Nevertheless, in1530 the festival was revived and the city of Douai continues to celebrate it to this day. Nearby cities created their own versions of this popular festival by later “adopting” Gayant’s children or creating their own giant from medieval fictional characters.

Picture taken by costata, Flickr

Now, each year, during the last weekend of June or the first weekend of July, cities across Northern France and parts of Belgium celebrate the Festival of the Giants. Each celebration features outdoor music, a parade with costumed dancers and lots of candy for the children.
The giants often journey from neighboring cities to take part in the celebration. Lucky festival-goers can sometimes spot weddings between ally giants! It is a great moment that I was always anxious for when I was younger. I advise everybody to go, particularly if you have children!

The Sun, the center of our Solar System, has been keeping us warm, giving us light and supporting life on Earth for millions of years. Its presence causes day and its absence, night. It’s no wonder that for many ancient cultures the sun represented a supernatural phenomenon, something that was there to be worshipped. The Inca, some might say, practiced one of ancient civilization’s most ornate sun worship rituals.

Picture taken by Fred Lam, Flickr.

Incan culture was based on a profound connection with nature. This relationship was celebrated through religious rituals and ceremonies demonstrating the Inca’s appreciation to the Sun God for providing them with sustenance. Thought to be the beginning of the Sun’s new year, The Inti Raymi, or Festival of the Sun, takes place on Winter Solstice (June 24) and is one of the most important celebrations of the year.

Around this time of year, the cobblestone streets of Cusco fill with thousands of tourists and colorful scenery, as the city prepares for the ceremony. Folk dancers, street vendors and other exhibitions overtake the city’s ruins and public plazas in anticipation of the main attraction, the Inti Raymi ceremony.

Picture taken by ojjo, Flickr.

It’s been more than sixty years since the re-creation has taken place in Cusco’s central plaza, now known as Plaza de Armas. The main ceremony of Inti Raymi is now practiced on the Saqsaywaman fortress, a hilltop complex of ruins overlooking the city of Cusco. Personally, I think the location could not be more perfect. The huge stone ruins, carefully placed together over 500 years ago during the height of the empire, cause such an impression to the visitor that you could only expect that an ancient Inca ceremony was meant to be re-created there.

All in all, approximately 500 actors proudly take part in bringing the past alive. For the representation, El Inca (the Incan Emperor, originally claimed to be a direct descendant of the Sun God), his wife and followers dress in traditional costumes and give speeches in their native language, Quechua. The participants dance in the most vibrant clothes; perform a simulation of animal sacrifice (which originally served as an offering to the Sun God), and a group of princesses and soldiers lead the colorful procession of back to Cusco.

Picture taken by ojjo, Flickr.

Little is really known about the details of the Inti Raymi celebration, and most of what we see today is pieced together from archaeological findings, and of memories and practices that have been passed on from generation to generation to keep the local traditions alive. As Quechua is not a written language, there is no record of how the rituals were originally practiced. I think it’s important for future generations to understand the origins of their culture, respect its values, and be proud of who they are.

Tomorrow the grand opening of the 21st summer Tollwood, an international cultural festival, will take place in Munich’s Olympia Park. Tollwood draws over two million visitors each summer, who not only come from Germany, but from all over Europe to enjoy the festival’s medley of culture, cuisine and craftwork.

Similar to Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival, Tollwood lasts for 25 days and showcases theatre productions from around the world, concerts by national and international rock and jazz stars, performance groups and bands from all genres. This year for instance the Scottish singer Amy MacDonald will charm the audience with her delightful songs. Other noteworthy performers include Lauryn Hill, Milow, Foreigner, Al McKay und Solomon Burke, Gentleman & The Far East Band and Simple Minds. The best part is that more than 70 percent of the shows are free!

The festival offers the chance to discover diversity through the arts. By sauntering through the “Market of Ideas” you can admire international handicrafts and taste culinary delights. Your journey will start with a real Weisswurst, or Bavarian veal sausage, followed by a stopover in the Palm Garden, and finishes shortly thereafter in the Buddha Garden. At Tollwood, there is culture for everybody! I especially enjoy spending time with friends soaking up the festival’s colorful atmosphere on balmy summer nights.

You may have noticed from the previous post on Berlin’s Carnival of Cultures that Germany celebrates several cultural events during the month of June. Which festival is better is open to dispute and will depend on who you ask, as Berliners and Münchner have an ongoing rivalry. If you love one city, then you hate the other one. Each city has a distinct identity and culture. One thing is for sure: Berlin is an inspiring multicultural motley with a touch of craziness, while Munich is an inviting “city with heart” that cultivates a strong arts scene! While I’m from Munich, I have to admit that I actually love both of them.

Pictures taken by mr.gears and LuxTonnerre, Flickr.

端午節欢迎你! (Welcome to the Dragon Boat Festival)

Last Sunday, the banks of the Charles River in Boston were transformed into a Chinese village, complete with dragon boats, traditional dancers and musicians. Today, I want to allow all of you, who unfortunately were not there, to travel to China with a description of Sunday’s events!

The Dragon Boat Festival celebrates the memory of Qu Yuan, a folk hero, poet and politician, who lived some 2300 years ago during the Zhou Dynasty. He was exiled for opposing an alliance between the state of Chu, where he lived, and the state of Qin. When the Qin conquered the Chu capital, it came to light that perhaps Yuan was right to be reluctant about the alliance. In desperation, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself. The local people are said to have paddled their boats to find Qu Yuan’s body and to scare the fish away so that they wouldn’t eat him. To honor the legend of Yuan’s death, the Chinese hold an annual day of boat races.

This weekend marked Boston’s 30th year celebrating the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival. The main festival attractions are the races, which include the Hong Kong Cup, the Club competition, the women’s race, the breast cancer survivor race and the youth race.

The dragon boats are a sight to see, with over 20 paddlers moving the boat along in unison. They resemble very long canoes and are powered by a crew of paddlers, one drummer or coxswain, and one sweep or tiller. I was particularly impressed by the team who won the women’s race. The average age of the team was 72 and the oldest woman in the boat was more than 90 years old!

The most widespread activities during this festival are the boat races, but many performers, craftsmen and food vendors were also present to celebrate the festival. I noticed a lot of people preparing and eating zhonzi (粽子), or rice balls wrapped in bamboo leaves.

In the arts and crafts section, there were calligraphy tables where visitors could have their names written in Chinese characters. Children could also cut and color paper dragon boats. The children were so proud to do those little things and to show them to their parents! And it was so nice to see all these children, Chinese or not, absolutely fascinated by all the Chinese activities offered during this festival!

The dance and music performances really complemented the boat races. A lot of Chinese songs are related to water, and the traditional musical instruments, such as the Chinese flute, piano and violin, are very good at imitating and evoking the sound of water. When I closed my eyes, I could recall images of the Chinese water villages of Tongli or Zhouzhuang, where I spent some time last summer. The performers were very good, and having the shows presented both in English and Chinese allowed me to escape to China during one afternoon!

Every year on Pentecost weekend, the city of Berlin comes alive for the Carnival of Cultures. Over 1.5 million Berliners take to the streets to enjoy this multicultural carnival. The celebration includes a procession of 4500 people representing over 70 countries through both music and dance performances. On the green field at the Blucherplatz, one can see acrobats, wizards, tightrope and stilt walkers as well as percussionists and curiosity marketers. Over 950 bands play on four stages throughout the weekend. The city also puts on a street festival, where people sell typical food and art from all over the world at over 380 booths.

Pictures taken by Artie, Schockwellenreiter and Blogging Dagger, Flickr

After the Berlin wall was torn down in 1989 many artists and people from places all over the world came to the city to live and work here. Then, in 1996, the idea for the first Carnival of Cultures was born. The carnival was created to show visitors and citizens alike, just how cosmopolitan, multicultural and passionate this city really is.

The carnival has become a big family attraction, complete with picnics and child performers. A few years ago, the organizers added a children’s carnival, where kids can demonstrate their talent and artistic skills to festival-goers. It’s a great time to be in Berlin and witness its multiculturalism!

Founded in 1946 by Jean Zay, the Cannes Film Festival is the most popular film festival in the world. The 62nd annual festival, hosted by French Actress Isabelle Huppert, just wrapped up on May 24th.

The red carpet has been rolled out! The Festival de Cannes screened 52 feature films from 32 different countries this year. Among those unveiled in the official selection, including off-competition screenings and the parallel section “Un Certain Regard,” which is aimed at boosting film talent. This year, for the first time in the festival’s history, an animated film was screened at the opening ceremony.

Picture taken by MyCine, Flickr

Well-established Asian and European directors dominated the list of 20 films competing for the prestigious Palme d’Or in the main selection. These films include Quentin Tarantino’s much hyped Inglorious Bastards and Lars Von Trier’s Antichrist. Festival favorites, directors Pedro Almodovar and Ang Lee, also presented films in this year.

French cinema was well represented on its own soil this year, with four French films competing in the official selection. Jacques Audiard entered his prison drama, “A Prophet”, one of the buzz films in this year’s competition. In “Wild Grass” from Alain Resnais, Georges, a character of mysterious and disturbing impulses finds a red wallet that glows seductively, and pursues the owner, Marguerite, a busy dentist who has a pilot’s license and wants nothing to do with him. Gaspard Noe’s “Enter the Void” and Xavier Giannoli’s “A l’origine” rounded out the French entries in the main festival selection.

However, unlike last year, the Palme d’Or was not won by a French film. This year’s winner was Michael Haneke’s “The White Ribbon”. Last year the award when to “The Class” from Laurent Cantet. Nevertheless, Charlotte Gainsbourg, a French actress was named best actress for her leading role in Lars von Trier’s Antichrist, the highly controversial film that depicts physical abuse and the torturing of her husband. Jacques Audiard won the “Grand Prix” and Resnais received the lifetime achievement award. Although the Festival de Cannes is an international film festival, it is France’s biggest and most important film festival of the year. France’s strong showing at the annual festival is also a testament to the influence of French cinema and culture on this global industry.
Picture taken by Haydenfilms, Flickr