In Oprah We Trust...But There's More!

It’s peak busy season in the office as we’re preparing for summer departures; plus I’ve picked up additional workload to organize our popular Asia and Latin America placements due to a Coordinator leaving early for her pregnancy. Needless to say, my days are busy and full of ‘adventure’.  Yet, knowing that it was Oprah’s last show, my team and I took an hour this afternoon to watch her final episode.

We all know how dedicated, inspirational, and powerful Oprah is, and how much of an influence she is to our culture. She’s got the Midas touch. Everything she touches turns to gold. Let’s think about it…all the books that have been featured in Oprah’s Book Club turn in to instant best sellers; any product or service that makes it on Oprah’s Favorite List becomes a must-have in the market; all featured guests that she brings on succeeds to their own independent stardom (ie: Dr. Phil, Bob Greene, Suze Orman, Dr. Oz, and much more). How does she do it?

 I can’t claim to be a true die-hard Oprah fan. I don’t watch much television so I’ve probably only watched a few episodes through the years. I have subscribed to her O magazine several times in the past, but with time constraints and attention deficiencies I usually half-heartedly flip through the pages at airports or wee hours before bed. But, there is something about her that makes me want to listen, read, and hear what she has to say. Admit it--you feel it too, right? C’mon, um, millions feel it.

It’s all about the connection. As Oprah explained, “Something in me connected with each of you in a way that allowed me to see myself in you and you in me. I became your surrogate—to ask the questions, deliver the answers, learn, grow, expand my thinking, challenge my beliefs and the way I looked at the world. I listened and grew, and I know you grew along with me…Sometimes I was the teacher, and more often, you taught me.”
Isn’t that the what life is supposed to be about? Connecting ourselves to exchange ideas, love, opinions, beliefs, experiences, and so much more. To teach and learn. An opportunity for us to Discover the Similarities and Share the Differences.

So if in Oprah we trust, who does Oprah trust? Who does she turn to and how did she get so successful? Although I may have missed four thousand five hundred and sixty episodes; this one answer pretty much highlighted her 25 years on air for me: “My team and Jesus. Nothing but the hand of God has made this possible for me. I know I've never been alone, and you haven't either. And I know that that presence, that flow—some people call it grace—is working in my life at every single turn. And yours too, if you let it in. It's closer than your breath, and it is yours for the asking…Even when I didn't have a name for it, I could feel the voice bigger than myself speaking to me, and all of us have that same voice. Be still and know it. You can acknowledge it or not. You can worship it or not. You can praise it, you can ignore it or you can know it. Know it. It's always there speaking to you and waiting for you to hear it in every move, in every decision. I wait and I listen. I'm still—I wait and listen for the guidance that's greater than my meager mind.”

When I think of my experiences, I have to count my blessings because God has been good. When I think of who I turn to for support with Cultural Embrace I too rely on my team and Jesus. I am by no means Oprah. But I think it’s pretty cool that God shares His unconditional love equally. No matter who you are. It took me a looong time to realize and acknowledge it, but once I did, life feels so much more peaceful and easier. In fact, taking an hour this afternoon, or the time to write this blog (which by the way wasn’t anywhere near my list of things to do, but I can’t ignore this whisper in my ear) didn’t really phase me. I got enough work done to call it a day. There is more work, sometimes I don’t think it ever ends, but that’s the gift that keeps on giving, and allows me to look forward to my inbox each day.

United we Stand

I am still getting goosebumps reflecting and re-reading the text from Obama’s public statement that Osama Bin Laden was killed…

“On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family…”
The 9-11-01 attacks impacted Americans and the rest of the world in so many ways. There were the obvious physical changes such as sending our troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, increased airport security, restrictions of carry-on items, etc. There were mental setbacks to many Americans as a result of being violated and defenseless on our own soil. There were emotional changes that impacted many of us to take a deeper breath to understand the meaning of life.

September 11, 2001 was a pivotal turning point for my life. In fact, it was the catalyst of making me start Cultural Embrace. I was working in the hospitality and tourism field and many companies were nose-diving or shutting down doors as a result of cancelled trips due to the public’s fear of travel. On the contrary, I felt compelled to start a business that would help others regain the trust, love, compassion, and joy of humans, cultures, and the ‘other world’. I wanted to create opportunities for people to travel safely and to be exposed to the authentic lifestyles abroad by immersing them within the communities they are visiting. Traveling does not always have to be a Disney moment, yet there are plenty of ‘magical’ moments that allow us to experience that because…it is a small world after all.
Now that we have reached a monumental turning point with the death of Osama Bin Laden, where does that leave us? I’ll leave the politics, military defense, and global economics to the world politicians; but for me and my vision…it drives me to continue to serve others so we are able to learn to embrace one another and our various cultures so that we may create a global community. Discover the Similarities – Share the Differences.

And what better way to end my thoughts than through the concluding words of President Obama…

"And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today's achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people…But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it's the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.  Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

April's A-Ha! Travel Moments ~ Emlyn Lee

Traveling through eighty countries has provided me with plenty of A-Ha! travel moments. But undoubtedly, my time teaching English in China taught me many of life’s little lessons. Besides the fact that this was the first time living and working outside Maryland, or that I was a naïve 22 years old, the exposure I received changed my life.

I was raised as a first generation Chinese-American in a middle-class, multi-cultural suburb outside of D.C., so I felt pretty exposed to ethnic, social, religious, and cultural diversity. When I went to China in 1995, most of the 1.2 billion people seemed to look alike. The food was delicious, plentiful, and cheap…but I bowed down on my knees when they opened a McDonald’s about an hour away after eight months of arriving, and when I saw a Pizza Hut in Beijing during a holiday break, it was my new Temple of Heaven. Most of the buildings were drab, dull Socialist styled cement buildings, which didn't gain any appeal under the polluted skies. Vehicle variety consisted of millions of bikes, yellow breadbox taxis, and honking buses that stopped at every street corner to squeeze another dozen plus people.

Embracing the pushy crowds, loud talking, spitting, chugging bai jiu, learning to hover and squat over Chinese toilets, and claiming a spare seat on a hard seat train ride were just basic examples of a mile long list of A-Ha! travel moments in China. But the best lessons that I learned while teaching abroad was how easy and fortunate my life was in America.

It was an average teaching day and I started my class with an open discussion topic. I asked my students what their goals were and their plans upon graduation. When I asked for voluntary students to respond, Dove stood up and answered that she would return back to her home town, live with her family, and work at the local factory until marriage. I thought Dove was joking since she was a bright and ambitious student, as well as the class clown. I tried to get her to think broader and answer the question seriously of what her plans would be, but Dove scratched her head and said that was the truth. This was her plan and path.

Most of my Chinese students were assigned what college they would attend, what major to study, and what job they would have upon graduation based on their test scores and government control. Only the most prominent or smartest Chinese would be able to change their hukou (a national residence card) and obtain jobs to live outside their birth city. Living in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai were big dreams for them; and visiting a Western country like America was an unrealistic fantasy. Fortunately, times have certainly changed, but it's amazing this was just twelve years ago.

What would my life be like if I had a ‘Sliding Doors’ moment and was born and raised in China?

Meeting and getting to know other people from all walks of life has taught me to put myself in other people’s shoes. It has given me a new perspective and compassion for others, but more importantly, an appreciation of the opportunities and freedom available to me. Now, the question isn’t what am I going to do with these choices, but how am I going to answer to them.

Happy vs. Obedient

I have read dozens of books, blogs, and Oprah magazine articles on this subject; watched movies and documentaries addressing this theme; taken workshops at spiritual retreat centers to discover the meaning; and discussed this topic with most of my close friends and family members to share an opinion or two. What am I talking about?...of course, the meaning of happiness.

Sorry, this blog is not intended to define what happiness means. I wish I could. But according to Wikipedia, "Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. A variety of biological, psychological, religious, and philosophical approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources."

Yet how do we measure happiness? How would we react if there was some formula that could measure it? Would we be happier knowing where we are compared to others on the happy scale? Or be more competitive?  But then who would we be measuring and comparing it too?  I often think of the impoverished areas that I have visited around the world and what drives me to travel and serve others. For example, the villages that I recently visited for Cultural Embrace's HUG projects in Guatemala and South Africa are so poor with very little resources yet the people and children seem happier in comparison to a general community in the States.

Happiness means different things to different people. Some people are happy with consumed goods like cars, jewelry, homes, clothes, shoes, food, wine, etc; some people only need their family and loved ones; some embrace happiness through spirituality; some through activities (ie: sports, music, arts, traveling, etc). Do we need it all? A little bit? A lot?
I guess we should only grade our happiness within our own scale and terms. I am learning that I am happiest when I am obeying God’s direction. There are times that I slip up and make mistakes to think that God wants me to be ‘happy’ versus ‘obedient’. Yikes, it happens. It’s called being human. Y’know, those times when we rewrite the rules and think that God’s answering our prayers, and then realize…it’s actually an act of self-interest. No way?!...Not me!...Then who?

Like everything else in life, to obey and listen to God takes patience and practice…even God’s will. I wish it was as distinctive as hearing James Earl Jones’ voice in the Lion King; or having Morgan Freeman appear like in Bruce Almighty. But until I am able to tune out all the noise, distractions, and voices (especially my own), I will do my best to listen and obey God’s direction. 

April's A-Ha! Travel Moments (Julie Dean)

The first quarter of 2011 is finished and April is here--wow! Doesn't it seem like the Earth rotates faster these days--making weeks, months and years fly by? I watch my grade school aged nieces and nephews cram homework in between nights and weekends filled with soccer, basketball, and piano lessons. I hear my retired neighbor complain that she doesn't have enough time to tend to her garden, or visit her grandchildren in San Antonio (an hour drive from our neighborhood). I must confess that my work days can easily exceed 12-15 hours a day and even if I'm not in the office, my Blackberry keeps me work accessible at all hours of the day. I am fortunate that I usually don't feel like work is work. Cultural Embrace is my hobby. My passion. My purpose.
Of course there are hardships of owning a business particularly with the pressures of a volatile world, or traveler's mismatched views of cultural and travel expectations, etc; but I hope never to lose insight of the essence of traveling. Thus, I am dedicating April to the A-Ha! moments of why we need to stop, take a fresh perspective of the world (our own and others), embrace other cultures, and travel.

I continually ask staff, past, current, and future participants to share their A-Ha! Travel moments, and will be sharing a daily collection of what transformed their mind, body, and soul during their travels. If you wish to share your story, please send my your A-Ha! Travel moment to travel@culturalembrace.com. I hope you will take a few minutes out of your day to read these blogs, and to reflect on our purpose of being a global citizen.

My A-ha! Travel Moments normally occur in the most innocent and innocuous of times while abroad, often resulting in a bit of embarrassment for yours truly.  One of the first moments I distinctly remember was after a long flight to Brisbane, Australia.  I asked an airport taxi to take me to a hostel and while the driver loaded my bags into the trunk I decided I would be friendly and took a seat in the front so I could chat with him.  I didn’t realize my mistake until I was frowning at the steering wheel in front of me and the driver took the other seat in the front and asked:  “Well miss, where are you driving me to?”  Yes, I knew Australians drove on the opposite of the road than I was used to but I just didn’t realize how that would translate into some of the most mundane and ordinary situations being so different. The driver and I laughed, traded spots, and I knew the adventure had begun! ~ Julie Dean

One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato Four...Is There More?

In 2009, Club Fitness reported over 45.5 million Americans had gym club memberships, Unfortunately, according to the reports about 80% of these gym memberships are rarely or never used. I’m not a fitness trainer, nor am I getting paid by a gym or home exercise machine company to talk the fitness topic up; but I am passionate about getting people to live a healthy and balanced life.

Traveling, serving others, and being fit are a few things that top my list of ways to obtain this type of lifestyle. It’s disappointing to learn that the average American watches 170 minutes of television a day, more than 9x the amount spent on exercise related activities (according to a University of California study in 2003). Firstly, the content and quality of what is on television is pretty appalling; and secondly, there’s a whole world out there—get off your bum and embrace it!

Of course I recommend that you to travel abroad (have you heard of www.CulturalEmbrace.com …well, I guess I do get paid if I promote that company—ha!), and will share more international + fitness insight in my next blog; but get off the couch and move around at home! Now that the days are longer with Daylight Savings, you have more sunlight to exercise after work. Walk around the block. Take the kids. Go jogging with your dog. Ask your boss if you can exercise during your lunch hour; or better yet, challenge your work or school mates to get fit together. It’s more fun to be in it together and hold each other accountable to reach your goals. Buy a treadmill or stationery bike so you can exercise while watching television. Most gyms have cable television (and some now have wi-fi) available in their clubs if you really can’t shut the world off…but c’mon, really?! If you’re on a tight budget, lift canned vegetables throughout your favorite show and do push-ups and sit-ups during commercials. Put YellowPages on your quads and do leg lifts (now you won’t feel guilty throwing them straight to the recycle bin anymore).

I encourage you to set small goals but be consistent. Start with 20 minutes a day for at least 3-4 times a week. Your clothes will fit better, and you will have more energy throughout the day. Keep track of your daily exercise and diet in a journal, or join Cultural Embrace’s fitness team through SparkPeople’s free on-line or mobile application that will record your calorie intake and exercise regime. Plus SparkPeople and Cultural Embrace’s very own intern, Haley, will share regular fitness and nutrition tips; and you can read, be motivated and inspired by others that want to improve their lives. I’m confidant that you will feel better mentally and physically, which will lead to a happier, healthier, and more balanced way to live.

In God We Trust

Today marks the beginning of Lent, a time of sacrifice to remember God’s unconditional love. Although I am not Catholic, Lutheran, or Methodist (the denominations that typically practice Lent), the least I can do is to sacrifice some of my life’s comfort as a reminder of God's righteousness for 40 days, right?

If you know me or have read my blog from last week, you know that I love to eat, and am a habitual snacker. I am constantly grazing on something throughout the day yet still have an appetite for a full 3-4 course meal. My friends joke that my fridge and pantry are always stocked even though I travel a lot and live alone.

Thus, I am going to give up snacks, desserts, and alcohol for Lent.

Insert evil Smurf sitting on Emlyn’s shoulder whispering…”40 days without snacks? Dessert? Are you kidding me? You just ate a pound bag of Twizzlers in one sitting last week, and you have another bag sitting in the closet. You know that means no in-flight pretzels and peanuts, and you have at least 4 flights lined up next month. And alcohol?!? SxSW is coming to Austin next week! And what about March Madness…you’re not going to have a drink and snack on some wings or nachos? C’mon what about a glass of wine over dinner?...”

Oooh, backspace. You’re right, maybe I should change that to three drinks maximum a week.

Delete.

What am I doing? I’m sticking to it—ALL snacks, desserts, and alcohol. Once this blog is uploaded I’m committed. Accountability is key so if you are reading this please hold me liable to my words. I told my team today of my Lent sacrifices while they were smacking their lips from the Ghiradelli chocolates that I brought back from San Francisco. That’s okay, I’m not flinching. I’ll just step slowly away from the candy bowl.

Accountability is a wonderful means to attain success. For example, I’ve been tracking my daily nutrition and fitness intake on a free on-line web and mobile application via Sparkpeople since the start of this month. Although I have no target weight to lose, it is keeping me accountable for drinking 8 cups of water a day, eat within the recommended calories, and do some sort of physical exercise. (Come join our fitness team to get tips from our intern, Haley, who is also a fitness instructor; and meet other wanderlusts that share the same passion of a healthy world, starting from within.) I know that giving up a lot of my comfort goodies will be hard, I'm kinda dreading it. But isn't life full of challenges?

In God we Trust.