“A lot of people didn’t seem like they were struggling,” said Daniel, of the Tibetan peoples’ morale. “They were used to the harsh conditions, and remarkably patient.”

With the presence of high spirits, in both Daniel and the Tibetans, growth in structure and mind was possible. After volunteering with United Planet for 10 months in Nepal as a teacher, Daniel used what she learned and applied it in Tibet: “Nepal was a lot more trial and error than Tibet, where I figured out how to run a lesson.”

Aside from teaching Tibetan children the alphabet, Daniel also became involved in the rebuilding efforts of the town. Due to the earthquake, many people lost their homes, causing families to live in tents of varying sizes for the past months. Daniel worked closely with her host family, who also lived in a series of tents, to set down stone foundations for new homes.

As she worked, Daniel became a part of the country’s lifestyle – performing dance rituals with the locals in their robes and appreciating the laid-back operations of the town. She valued the community’s tendency to place a high focus on family and dependence on one another.

And despite the fact that she did not understand the Tibetan dialect, especially when she visited the Nomadic peoples, Daniel made sure there was a form of understanding: “It was fun gesturing and trying to communicate… body language and hand gestures [made it] enjoyable.”

Daniel noted the similarities between the Tibetan culture and her own, while appreciating the new world in which she came to love- “It was a fascinating place to live and I could never forget any of the fantastic people and places I came across there.”

I was so impressed by Tenzin’s commitment to his students, his passion for teaching, and the amazing students at his school that I decided that I had to do something to increase the number of English books in their library.

In January 2009, I threw a party at my house here in Phoenix. I invited everyone I could think of and asked that instead of bringing a hostess gift or a bottle of wine as they normally would, that they bring a book for the wonderful students that I had met in Tibet. The turn-out was amazing! People had such a great time either shopping for their favorite books or bringing a treasure from their childhood. One woman even brought her entire collection of mint condition Nancy Drew Mysteries. She told me that at first it was difficult to part with the beloved treasures, but once she realized that some child would be able to enjoy them as much as she did, it was an easy decision. In the end, I collected 650 books at that party.

In the meantime my cousin, who is a teacher, worked with her school librarian and started a competition to collect more books. We made large posters of the students and other people I had met in Tibet and the school created a fair-like event for the collections. The children at the Palo Verde Middle School loved this event. They collected over 1000 books within a week! This year they changed the goal to raising funds to help me ship the books.

As you can see, this small project has grown quite a lot. People continue to bring me books for Tibet. I use the USPS one-rate box and so far I have been very fortunate that all the books have reached the school without incident. Shipping costs just went up again, though, so it now costs well over $50 to ship each box. To compensate, I have decided to sponsor another party this year to collect donations for the shipments to Tibet. I am currently expecting 75 people and have already had some people send me donations!

All of this started with one small volunteer mission to Tibet through United Planet. I think it’s always amazing to watch such a small idea grow all around you!

To help Gloria reach her goal of sending over 1,000 books to Tibet, please email her at Gloria.Wells@eclipsys.com or mail a donation to: 13726 North Ambush Lane, Fort McDowell, AZ. 85264

Inspired? Plan your own Quest on our website.

 
Spring has finally arrived!
You can see signs of a new beginning everywhere. The flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and people are smiling.

In Japan, April signifies the beginning of almost everything new. Students start their new academic year, college graduates start their new jobs and all while amidst the beautiful Sakura (cherry blossom) season. Sakura season is a big deal in Japan, even the daily weather forecast has a section dedicated to showing the current cherry blossom phase in the different regions of the country.

Photo taken by macduckston, Flickr.

Yet, when I think of Japan, all I can think of is Ramen! Ramen! And more Ramen!

Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish which originated in China. Today it is widely popular among both Japanese and visitors. I would even argue that Ramen has achieved an iconic status in Japanese society that is comparable to sushi and sashimi.

Ramen shops are everywhere in Japan; you can find one at every street corner. Yet, each shop prides itself on its own very unique flavor. There are many ramen cooking competitions throughout the country and the winner is awarded with honor and a prize along with a guarantee that his ramen shop will become instantly popular! This “Best of” ranking system lengthens the wait time for the top ramen shops. Yet for some people the longer the line the more alluring the the dish becomes, because they know they are waiting for a worthy bowl of ramen.

Fanatics all over Japan research these shops and wait for hours to get a bowl of the savory noodle. It is important to know that not all ramen tastes similar; different regions have different soup bases and different types of noodles. Hence, different people have different preferences for the type of ramen they like.

Photo taken by phreddie, Flickr.

The energy and enthusiasm people put into finding delicious ramen is astonishing to me. Ramen is no longer just noodles in broth. It is an art that many of the best chefs dedicate years of their lives trying to master. If you go to Japan, I recommend spending some time trying out different ramen shops or going to the Ramen museum and theme park in Yokohama. Chances are high you will like what you find!

I have always loved celebrating Chinese New Year, despite the fact that I am far away from home. It brings back a lot of old childhood memories– I could play as much as I wanted without my parents’ supervision; I could receive many red envelopes from elder relatives; and I could eat all kinds of delicious food all week . The whole country gets seven days off for the celebration, so that we can relax and savor a few meals together, and have the time to fully enjoy the festivities.

Photo taken by Yewenyi, Flickr.

Everything associated with Chinese New Year should represent good fortune. To single people, good fortune may mean love and romance. Good fortune may mean good grades for students, children for families, jobs for the unemployed and improved health for the sick. There are a few traditions we have to prepare for New Year: houses are swept clean to get rid of traces of bad luck; all debts should be paid off before the New Year begins; and problems of the previous year are to be left behind.

Food plays a huge role in Chinese culture and lots of food is consumed during the New Year celebration. Chinese New Year dishes are symbols of prosperity, happiness, health and longevity for everyone at the table. Each and every food, either by its appearance or the multiple meanings of its name, represents Chinese beliefs. For example, dumplings symbolize the hope for prosperity in the coming year (people even insert a coin into a couple of dumplings for good luck). According to Chinese belief, if you are fortunate enough to be served one of the special dumplings, you may acquire even more wealth in the coming year! Noodles represent longevity for their appearance; they should not be cut or severed. Fish represent prosperity since the Chinese word for fish, yu, also means abundance and prosperity. During the Chinese New Year, fish is served whole, to represent family unity. The fish should not be fully consumed by the family, so as to symbolically save for the year to come.

Photo taken by sheilaz413, Flickr.

As Chinese culture tends to be highly collectivistic, family relations are extremely important to the Chinese. Decisions are made with full family member involvement. On New Year’s Eve, a huge family reunion dinner is held in every home in China. No matter where people live, they are expected to return home for Chinese New Year. It is not only to have a fabulous dinner together, but also an important time to let family act as “one”: we share joy together, we listen to each other, we wish everyone happiness in the family, and most importantly, we know our family will always support us no matter what. Back when I was a kid the most exciting thing for me was visiting my grandparents’ house on New Year’s Day, where a big red envelope with money inside would be waiting for me. The gift’s meaning was always my grandparent’s wish for my health, happiness and success. Elders all over China do the same for their grandchildren during Chinese New Year to wish them health, happiness and success in the coming year.

I am glad to see this unique festival transforming into an exciting cultural event the world over. I would like to wish all of you Happy Chinese New Year. May the year of the Tiger bring you good health, increased prosperity, great happiness and success with your 2010 resolutions!

If you want to see Hong Kong Fireworks for Chinese New Year, click here!

I would like to share with United Planet and the readers of this blog my experience in Cameroon. It was an unforgettable experience that I would recommend to anyone who wants to discover life in an African community.

While I was living in Boston, I had the opportunity to manage the Ambassador Program for United Planet. Working on developing the program and creating a wide network of Ambassador Clubs worldwide was an amazing experience. When I went back to Barcelona (my hometown) I definitely wanted to continue my involvement with the United Planet cause. I was very grateful when one day the Ambassador Club of Cameroon invited me to visit their community in Douala , and to get involved in their activities and projects! When I was working at United Planet, they were a very active club. They successfully carried out many different initiatives while we worked together. To visit them was an opportunity that I could not miss!

I traveled to Cameroon in August 2009 with my friend Elena. We were warmly welcomed by the Ambassador Club of Cameroon Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and other club members. Unfortunately, we couldn’t meet with Osee Romeo, the President of the club, because he was in The Gambia developing different projects together with United Planet’s Ambassador Club.

We were hosted in the club members’ home, which was located in a student area in Douala city. Upon our arrival, they prepared traditional African food and we had an interesting discussion about our cultural differences and our similarities. It wasn’t my first international experience, but I had never lived in a home with people of such a different cultural backgrounds before. It was amazing to discover how similar humans are, I believe we are united by human nature and cultures unite us when we learn to appreciate the differences between us!

Among many other activities, we visited local communities with little access to basic resources, and we discussed how this situation could be improved. Community empowerment is essential to reach real and long-lasting development, while international help is essential to empowering people in Africa. The club’s main development project is based on palm oil production to improve the local economy. By implementing the farm project, the community will be able to create jobs and empower the locals, among other positive impacts.

Living with a local African family gave us a unique opportunity to discover their culture and their beliefs. I really admire their continuous smiles and positive attitudes, in contrast with their difficult situation. I learned what an impact a positive attitude can have on our lives; I learned about their life, their music, their traditional dances, their colorful dressing, and their endless smile and warmth captivated me.

I came back to Barcelona with a stronger belief that we should work to unite the world. And I have no doubt that I will come back again someday to visit “my family in Cameroon.”

Neni le blanche!

I vividly remember the big, tall buildings of New York, Boston, Harvard, Cambridge and New Hampshire that impressed upon me the power, intelligence and abilities of the US. The UP team also took me to see: beautiful fish and other sea animals at the New England Aquarium in Boston; paintings and other magnificent art work at the Museum of Fine Arts; and a LIVE American football game in the town of Milton.

I had meetings with the wonderful and energetic United Planet Team at the Boston Office. Ebony, my able and level-headed Ambassador Manager, in consultation with the senior team members, kept me busy throughout my stay.

I discussed my culture, country and Africa in general with schools, colleges and other communities, including the Warren Prescott Academy, Dover High School, Health Academy, Harvard Kent School, Dorchester School (Cultural Kitchen) and Travelers’ Century Club/Global Citizens dinner. I was generally moved by the caliber of people I met in all these places. The students, teachers and other members of society asked a lot of questions which increased my understanding of the world.

The UP Team and I volunteered in the Pinestreet Inn shelter kitchen to provide food to the homeless. I accompanied team members to Harvard University lectures on journalism and public health. Harvard, I was made to understand, is one of the most respected universities in the world. I was able to see a glimpse of this during the lectures I attended.

I also attended a peer Ambassador Club member’s meeting at Boston University and took part in the American celebration of Halloween by giving chocolates to children and dressing up in costume.

My journey took me to various homes and places. I spent the majority of my stay at Hostelling International in Boston. This is where I met many people also from different backgrounds and nationalities. We talked, ate together, slept in the same room and exchanged ideas. It was such a nice place to live. Another wonderful place I stayed was Dave’s House. I lived and interacted with his family very nicely. Like father like son, the two boys (Tristan and Troy) were very welcoming and open-minded despite their age. Troy always emerged the winner during our Jenga matches, but Tristan helped as my instructor. Mrs. Santulli served me very nice foods and, to be truthful, I enjoyed it all!

I had the opportunity once again to meet with another very special person. Everett was his name and he is such a wonderful fellow. He has a vision too, and that is uniting the world through couchsurfing. I also met a person from Thailand for the first time in my life at his house.

Conclusion
Generally, I enjoyed every bit and piece of my trip and this was all possible because of the wonderful and noble vision of United Planet. I am convinced, beyond all reasonable doubts that this wonderful organization is out to unite the planet! The team at the Boston office is living witness to this fact. The team consists of wonderful, kind and sociable people from different nationalities. I was really moved by the level of welcome, support and guidance I received. I kept wondering how it is possible on earth that something/someone can bring together such nice people. My schedule for this visit was so wonderfully designed that I could interact with every member of the team and to be frank, everybody in the office is so special!

What United Planet Day means to me?

“A day to give thanks to everyone in the United Planet community, volunteers, host families, partners, ambassadors, team members, supporters, and friends.

A day to celebrate the extraordinary difference that people of all cultures and walks of life can create when they come together to serve, understand, and appreciate one another…

An enormous thank you to all!”

- Dave, Founder and Executive Director

“The opportunity to acknowledge the extraordinary contribution that individuals from every corner of the world make towards our global community. Community projects from teaching to vocational training and small business assistance are indicative of the work that United Planet stakeholders do to create a bridge across cultures.”

- Tori, United Planet Tanzania Country Manager

“United Planet Day means a day of celebrating the spirit of volunteering and inter cultural exchange, the spirit of international understanding and brotherhood that it fosters. It is also a day of appreciating the extraordinary dedicated people that it takes to make this happen: the volunteers, the projects, and all the matchmakers involved.”

- Raj Gyawali, United Planet Nepal Coordinator

“For me, United Planet Day is an opportunity to be grateful to all the United Planet Managers, UP volunteers and founder David Santulli. It’s an opportunity to celebrate what makes me feel good about making a difference, and also about doing something for others. In my country, the United Planet Ambassador Club promotes peace, cooperation, tolerance and understanding in multi-cultural and international surroundings. It is a fantastic opportunity to help others, while learning a lot about ourselves!”

- Osée Roméo Tcheupgoum, President, United Planet Ambassador Club of Cameroon

“I think that this multicultural day celebrates the harmonization of cultures. The day reminds me that as a member of United Planet, all doors are open for me to interact and dialogue with all nationalities, races, tribes, religions and communities of the world. It is also a day to pave the way for universal unity, peace and development. We thank you once again for everything.”

- Biram Saidybah, President, United Planet Ambassador Club of University of The Gambia

Marlo was like a second mother to me in Guatemala. She was great in terms of scheduling activities to educate me about the food and culture of Xela, as well as informing me about which sights to visit to get the best experience possible. I was paired up with a great teacher at the school who was not only able to educate me in the Spanish language, but also about the history, politics and current situation of Guatemala. Marlo shared her personal experiences with me as well, and she is truly an inspiration. She is an amazing person who is dedicated to bettering the lives of people around her, and it is obvious that she has the heart needed to serve as an in-country coordinator for United Planet. Her influence is a big part of why I would go back to Guatemala to volunteer and visit again.

I loved living with a host family, and meeting other volunteers that were living in the same home. The family was wonderful and very kind. I became instant friends with the other people living there as well. It was definitely insightful to live with a family instead of in a hostel or hotel. Spanish lessons at Kie Balam were great as well. I improved my Spanish through some grammar lessons, but mostly conversation practice which was very effective. I was also able to converse with my teacher about cultural, political, and historical issues concerning both Guatemala and the US – in Spanish! It was very exciting to be able to do that. The activities scheduled by Marlo at the school were so much fun (making chocolate, cooking lessons, pot-luck dinners, salsa lessons, field trips) and allowed me to bond with other students and volunteers who were also at the school. The kind, open-minded, culturally inquisitive people that I met on my Quest were amazing.

I also liked the fact that although we had a schedule, it was flexible, so we had time for other activities and trips in conjunction with Spanish lessons and volunteering. I liked having the freedom to choose what I was going to do, and I also liked that we were encouraged/allowed to use local transportation like chicken buses and mini-buses, as opposed to taxis and private shuttles (when possible). It definitely provided a more well-rounded experience and allowed me to immerse myself in the local culture to truly get a feel for life in Guatemala.

The most challenging part of my experience was leaving behind the children that I was working with at the battered women’s shelter. Their stories were heartbreaking and unfortunately due to high demand, the women’s shelter is only able to host residents for one year. Facing the realities of life in Xela was quite difficult, but the experience opened my eyes and inspired me to do something to better the situation.

Without sounding too redundant, I think this great experience made me realize that the world does not live the same way as I do in the United States. I have traveled extensively and done service projects before, but this trip made the biggest impact on me. The experience gave me better a perspective on our world situation and what I want my role in bettering our world to be. Meeting so many new friends from different backgrounds through volunteering and school was great. We were able to bond immediately and went on trips together after just a few days of knowing each other. The kind-hearted people that housed us and helped us along the way also touched me, and Guatemala now holds a big place in my heart. I will definitely be keeping in touch with the friends I made, and will be going back in the future.

I have always loved celebrating Chinese New Year, despite the fact that I am far away from home. It brings back a lot of old childhood memories– I could play as much as I wanted without my parents’ supervision; I could receive many red envelopes from elder relatives; and I could eat all kinds of delicious food all week . The whole country gets seven days off for the celebration, so that we can relax and savor a few meals together, and have the time to fully enjoy the festivities.

Picture from tanakawho, Flickr

Everything associated with Chinese New Year should represent good fortune. To single people, good fortune may mean love and romance. Good fortune may mean good grades for students, children for families, jobs for the unemployed and improved health for the sick. There are a few traditions we have to prepare for New Year: houses are swept clean to get rid of traces of bad luck; all debts should be paid off before the New Year begins; and problems of the previous year are to be left behind.

Food plays a huge role in Chinese culture and lots of food is consumed during the New Year celebration. Chinese New Year dishes are symbols of prosperity, happiness, healthy and longevity for everyone at the table. Each and every food, either by its appearance or the multiple meanings of its name, represents Chinese beliefs. For example, dumplings symbolize the hope for prosperity in the coming year (people even insert a coin into a couple of dumplings for good luck). According to Chinese belief, if you are fortunate enough to be served one of the special dumplings, you may acquire even more wealth in the coming year! Noodles represent longevity for their appearance; they should not be cut or severed. Fish represent prosperity. The Chinese word for fish, yu, also means abundance and prosperity. During the Chinese New Year, fish is served whole, to represent family unity. The fish should not be fully consumed by the family, so as to symbolically save for the year to come.

Picture from sheilaz413, Flickr

As Chinese culture tends to be highly collectivistic, family relations are extremely important to the Chinese. Decisions are made with full family member involvement. On New Year’s Eve, a huge family reunion dinner is held in every home in China. No matter where people live, they are expected to return home for Chinese New Year. It is not only to have a fabulous dinner together, but also an important time to let family act as “one”: we share joy together, we listen to each other, we wish everyone happiness in the family, and most importantly, we know our family will always support us no matter what. Back when I was a kid the most exciting thing for me was visiting my grandparents’ house on New Year’s Day, where a big red envelope with money inside would be waiting for me. The gift’s meaning was always my grandparent’s wish for my health, happiness and success. Elders all over China do the same for their grandchildren during Chinese New Year to wish them health, happiness and success in the coming year.
I am glad to see this unique festival transforming into an exciting cultural event the world over. I would like to wish all of you Happy Chinese New Year. May the year of the Ox bring you good health, increased prosperity, great happiness and success with your 2009 resolutions!

If you want to see Beijing Fireworks for Chinese New Year, click here!

In Turkey, we celebrate New Year’s but not Christmas. We only have one day of holiday for New Year’s Day. However, shops put out everything for New Year’s at the start of December. For New Year’s women go to the hairdresser and dress up in red lingerie, which is always thought to bring luck for the whole year! In my workplace all the departments decorate their own Christmas tree and we also have one huge Christmas tree planted in the company’s garden. As a team we draw names to decide who buys a present for whom and hold it secret till the last day. We also hold a New Year’s cocktail party.

On New Year’s Eve we come to work and at night we either have dinner with family or friends and then we generally go to a friends’ house to drink, play bingo or dance. On television there will for sure be good shows with belly dancers dancing for the New Year. Taksim Square is also a popular spot for locals to celebrate the New Year. As with the rest of the world, we count back from 10 before midnight on New Year’s Eve.

In December we have Kurban (which means “to sacrifice”). On this religious holiday, people sacrifice animals for God. This is actually a symbol of helping the poor, because those meats are generally served to poor people. Sacrificing animals is one ritual that is very old but nowadays people prefer to donate that money to NGO’s instead. Kurban is full of dinners with different meat dishes to celebrate the end of a month’s period of fasting—a tradition practiced to make Muslims understand the situation of the poor when they cannot find food. On this holiday, a man walks the streets at 5 a.m. in the morning playing the drum to wake people up to eat, since they will be fasting all day from dawn to dusk. In the evening a cannonball is fired to give a sign to people that it is ok to stop fasting and eat. This is followed by prayer in the mosque. (Only men go to pray in the mosque for this religious ritual.)

After that we have a religious holiday called Ramadan, also known as “Candy Holiday”: Relatives visit each other to celebrate this religious day and the kids are given candies and a lot of wonderful desserts are served all day long. These religious holidays are almost always a means of coming together with your loved ones and family members—a tradition that is highly valued by the older generations in Turkey. To forget to visit your grandparents on a religious holiday and kiss their hands is almost unthinkable.

Kissing hands is a ritual done with the old people. You hold their hand, raise it to the air, bend over to kiss it and then put that hand to your forehead. The good thing is that when you kiss an old person’s hand, he/she generally gives you money. This is more commonly practiced with children who do not yet have a job!