The Spirit of Christmas in Guatemala

It has been exciting to return back to Guatemala from our inception of Cultural Embrace’s H.U.G. project exactly one year ago. What is our H.U.G. project? In 2010, I wanted to establish a way to offer support on a more personal and corporate level, so we may work together to Help, Understand, and Grow select local and global non-profits. Cultural Embrace will continue to connect our participants with the best suited local placement for our volunteer, teach, intern, work, and travel programs, but I wanted to have a more meaningful commitment to causes that personally touch my heart.

In 2010, we sent 52 individual and group volunteers to Guatemala to support our H.U.G. project. Our participants have built a library, pharmacy, garden, helped build a new home for a family, painted seven homes in the village, created a jewelry-making co-operative, and spent hundreds of hours tutoring their school work, and being positive mentors.

We wanted to throw a party to start the Christmas holiday weekend right. On Thursday, my niece, Alexa, and nephew, Michael, picked out two piñatas that we filled with candy, and we bought little toys and presents for the kids. There is something so special about the H.U.G. children, as there is a sense of family, love, and togetherness.  The older children would look after the younger children when they sang songs and danced for us. The children that grabbed more candy from the piñata would share it with the other children.  One of the boys handed Michael a lollipop without anyone requesting him to be generous. But isn’t that the true spirit of Christmas? To laugh, care, share, and give back to others.

Back in Guatemala for the holidays

Hola y Feliz Navidad! I’m back in Guatemala enjoying another Christmas in one of my favorite cities, Antigua. I decided to return back this year to check out our H.U.G. (Help Understand Give) Guatemala project, and to share this beautiful country and holiday season with my family and friends.

Although I usually travel alone or have a friend meet up while I check out or create new business developments for Cultural Embrace’s program, my oldest sister, Ann, brother-in-law, Bill, and 12 years-old niece and nephew, Michael and Alexa wanted to go on a meaningful vacation during the holidays. They currently live in a town right next to San Mateo, California (near San Francisco), so they thought it would be fitting to spend the holidays sharing it with children from our H.U.G. project in San Mateo, Guatemala (near Antigua).  So this is a rare, yet very special treat to have my family join me on this holiday adventure.

I have customized this trip a bit from our typical Volunteer in Guatemala week program, or our popular requested Group Travel itinerary, so we can have a family fun-packed week.   We are spending the first 5 days in Antigua…one of the most charming cities in the world. It is foreign-friendly city, with cobble-stone streets filled with delicious restaurant, cafes, shops, and hotels; yet it still maintains the local Guatemalan culture (indigenous and modern) and charm.

Most of our participants take 4 hours of one-on-one Spanish lessons with our partnering language school in Antigua, and I was thrilled when Michael and Alexa agreed to take lessons during their ‘vacation’. We enrolled them for two hours of Spanish a day for the past three days which is perfect for younger children and their attention span…and they had a blast! I loved hearing that they had more fun and learned more Spanish in the first two hours than all the years that they have been learning Spanish since age 3 at nursery, elementary and now middle school.  To be honest, their attitude and confidence in Spanish showed immediately after their first class, as they were trying to speak Spanish to the locals.

Ok, I can go on and on, but it’s 7pm on Christmas Eve. I certainly don’t want to miss a meal in Antigua, as the restaurants and cafes are delicious and beautiful. And then we will join the locals and celebrate Christmas by attending a service at the Cathedral located in the town square.  Feliz Navidad to you and your loved ones!

Discover China

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

The beautiful Guilin/Yangshuo area

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

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

Isabella!

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

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

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

Me with a Longhair villager

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Greetings from Beijing, China!

Ni hao! Greetings from Beijing, China! I have been here for exactly one week, and FINALLY feel like my brain and body are working on the right time zone. I attended a 4 days conference for the youth travel industry, and will spend the next two weeks visiting our site projects for our Teach, Intern, and Volunteer in China programs, and work on some new business development. I’ll definitely share more details and insight of my experiences here, and how I hope this visit will improve our programs and services to this fascinating destination.

I am giving the ‘touristy’ things to do in Beijing amiss, as I have been to Beijing numerous times, either as a tourist, or having lead group tours. So now, I get the pleasure to sit back and embrace the local culture. Ironically, I am sitting in a Starbucks, in the HouHai district, which is in the heart of Beijing’s Lake District. I know, Starbucks isn’t really a ‘local’ thing, and in fact, I avoid the green and white chains back in the States, but not only is this one of the only places that offers free wi-fi, but it’s everywhere in Beijing, and dominated by Chinese and foreign people alike. In fact, I’m sitting next to three local young Chinese girls, sitting around their netbook watching videos, giggling, bopping their heads, and singing along to Eminem and Rhianna. At a table across from them, there are three young Westerners peering over each other’s shoulders, looking at a Mac screen with earphones on. Do you think they could be listening to the same thing? Who knows, but for me, at this moment, this coffee shop is a true representation of how we continue to Discover the Similarities and Share the Differences. Whether through food, coffee, music, people and ways to spend a lazy, chilly, Saturday afternoon…that’s no lie.

I Wish I May, I Wish I Might...Have the Wish I Wish Tonight

Since my early twenties, if anyone ever asked me where my dream vacation would be, Seychelles would always come to mind. I’m not really sure why-I never met anyone from there, or any visitors for that matter. It sounded so exotic, because it’s located so far far away…and that’s what dreams are supposed to be, right?

Well, pinch me...because I just returned back from visiting Seychelles! If you recall my earlier introduction to Liz & Dex, Liz works at the Four Seasons, and wanted to use her employee benefits at their Seychelles resort. Seriously...on this trip...which meant I got to go to Seychelles! And my accommodations were taken care of...suh-weeeet!! So off we went, Liz, Dex, and I bought round-trip tickets from Johannesburg, South Africa to Seychelles, to experience four-nights on a slice of heaven.

It's sad to say, we didn't see much of the island besides the drive from the airport to Four Seasons resort, which was located on the Southern tip of the Mahe Island. I know, I know, I own an experiential and immersion travel company that focuses on humanitarian and cultural aspects of a destination...so how could I have stayed in one of the world's finest hotels and not explore and embrace the natural beauties of the rest of the island?

Um, take a look at the photos attached, and you will see why I didn't leave the resort...

Need I say more? After four straight years of not going someplace or doing something that involves Cultural Embrace (in fact, come to think of it…it was another trip with Liz, when she invited me to a Four Season's award trip to Hawaii...man, I have the greatest friend!) 'shutting' off for four days on a remote island in a luxury resort, without an agenda, meeting, or schedule, was justifiable, or more importantly, a necessity.

I have to admit, I fell short of my goal to not check my emails and reconnect with the 'real world.' But I proudly did not turn my netbook on, and discovered the library with two computers and internet access, I mean, c'mon, I had to try all of the facilities this resort had to offer, right? But my days consisted of hanging out at the beach, catching up on several books that had accumulated beyond piles back in Austin, snorkling, swimming, turning before I burn, ordering fresh mango coladas, and joking around with the resort staff. I think the hardest decision of our time there, was whether to wade in the resort pool, or return back to our private pool in our villa.

I often write and set goals for myself, sometimes a bit far-fetched that they should be defined as dreams. But for me, goals are essentially dreams with deadlines, and you never know, like my visit to Seychelles, dreams do become a reality!

City Girl Meets Wildlife Cheetah Conservation Project

I was born and raised in the outskirt burbs of Washington, DC, so I'd consider myself more of a city girl. So, working on a farm, tracking animals, or cleaning feed stations never really ranked high on my priority list of things to do. However, there is something about being in Africa’s bushland that makes me reconsider portraying Meryl Streep in “Out of Africa”.

Less than an hour outside of Johannesburg, Cultural Embrace has partnered with a local wildlife rehabilitation center, that is home to over 40 cheetahs (including a king cheetah), wildogs, honeybadgers, storks, blue heron, meerkat. The farm is over 120 hectares (~300+ acres) filled with love, passion, and dedication to rehabilitate, breed, and DNA-tested the animals to ensure inbreeding.

Today, I met with Craig, a former naturalist at Kruger National Park, who will be the on-site coordinator with Cultural Embrace’s volunteers. Craig energetically described how many of the cheetahs were rescued as injured cubs from the bush or from other farms. The center tracks, researches, breeds, and cares for cheetahs and other endangered animals. Some of the animals are bred for zoos around the world.

Volunteers will work with Craig and the center’s staff to clean and maintain the cheetah enclosures, attend school presentations to teach about wildlife conservation, put up and maintain fences, feed the animals, and assist the researchers with recording information and tracking the animals.

Volunteers start their day around 7:00am and work for ~2 hours, and then have a half hour breakfast break. Then they work until noon, with a two hours lunch and siesta break. There is internet access in the volunteer’s room at the center to connect with friends and family back home. Then they continue on at the center for another 2-2.5 hours until about 4:30pm. Then the group of volunteers will return back to their lovely volunteer house, located down the road from the center. About twice a week the group will go in to the city to shop for groceries, and to connect with 'civilization'.

All meals, housing, and ground transportation are included with our program, that is available all year round for a minimum of two weeks. It is a fun and wonderful way to interact with the animals, as well as make friends with staff and other volunteers from around the world. All of the volunteers cook and eat dinner together, and share a wonderful family-communal setup. Craig usually lights the barbecue pit up at least once or twice a month for a typical South African braai. There  are plenty of fun and social activities to do during the weekends, from going to Sun City, Pretoria, Johannesburg, or the Elephant Research Center, hiking, mountain biking, and so much more.

After I spent the morning with the cheetahs, I fell in love with Scarlet—an 8 years old cheetah who acts more domesticated than my cat at home.  Perhaps the land of Robert Redfords, cheetahs, and South African braais aren’t so bad for this city slickette.

Cultural Embrace's Volunteer in Eastern Cape, South Africa Projects

 I spent a few days meeting with my partners from the Eastern Cape area. If you have been following my blogs, you will know how awe-struck I am of how GORGEOUS this region is. Although the Eastern Cape is considered to be the poorest province of South Africa…I find it rich with amazing topography, rugged coastlines, surfable waves, green valleys and meadows (even with a three year drought), good international food, laid back and friendly people.

You can fly in to East London (quick 1-1.5 hours from Capetown and Johannesburg respectively), or do what Liz, Dex, and I did on this trip and drive up, or take one of our partnering hop-on, hop-off buses, which takes you along the breath-taking Garden Route and Sunshine Coast. Cultural Embrace’s local coordinator, Mike, and his crew will pick you up from the airport or bus station, and take you to your volunteer lodge. Housing is included, yet varies depending on the project, occupancy level, and season, but are clean, comfortable, and exceeds my expectations. All meals (delicious by the way, with plenty of fresh fruit) are included, and are able to meet special dietary and allergy requests. Private ground transportation is included to transport volunteers to and from your project site and accommodation, as well as any cultural and social activities that volunteers opt to do over the weekend. However, many volunteers choose to walk to their project sites since it allows them a chance to exercise, walk on the beach, and it’s very safe. I visited each project’s sites and housing, and they are awwwesome! I’ll write a brief description about the volunteer and housing arrangements in paragraph form.

Schools Projects-we are working with three local schools to help fundraise and facilitate a computer literacy program. Small computer labs have recently been built, and Mike (who has degrees in education and English) has created a full curriculum to teach the students computer skills matched with life skills. If you are fond of sports, there is an Interactive Sports Development project, where you will train, coach, and play with the children at school. We are trying to encourage health, nutrition, and exercise at a young age. Group sports like football/soccer, basketball, and other team-building games are taught. Creche Projects are equivalent to at-need nursery schools and preschool education back in the States. Many of the local crèches are not meeting the standards enforced by the Ministry of Health (usually because no one is enforcing them), so we need individuals and groups to volunteer in maintenance, renovations, painting, gardening, cleaning, playground building, and other fun and rewarding physical work. All volunteers will live in a lovely volunteer home that overlooks the water. Double and triple rooms are available, with shared bathrooms, kitchen, patios, living and dining room. Self-catered breakfasts and lunches are included, and family style dinners are prepared daily.

Wild Life Conservation Project provides volunteers to work on a private game reserve to help local rangers to track and preserve cheetahs, lions, birds, and insects. Positions are rotational, so you will never have a dull moment of feeding the animals, cleaning the stations, removing snares (barbed wires that poachers put up to trap the animals), track and monitor wildlife and fauna cycles with conservationists, and much more. Experience and background skills of animals and fauna are helpful but not required. There are super skilled conservationists that train and be with the volunteers at all times.  Housing is located on the private reserve in a shared basic tented camp. Meals and social areas are located not far along a trail in a large platform tent. There is a barbecue pit and bar area for the volunteers to relax and enjoy the stars at night. 

If you like horses and interested in working at a Horse Trail & Rehabilitation, a local farm is home to over 40 abused horses. Volunteers will assist with feeding, mending, and visual medical check of the horses. Volunteers from the horse rehab project will be living at the volunteer’s lodge with the School Project volunteers.

If you are interested in any tourism, hospitality, wildlife, and environmental interested opportunities, Cultural Embrace and our local partners offer a Field Guide Training Course.  This one month nature and field guide training course is available for personal or professional development for FGASA (Field Guide Association of Southern Africa). You will live, work and learn under the professional tuition of Dennis Taylor as your lecturer. Dennis is walking encyclopedia of every animal, plant, and fauna species, and will train you for FGASA Level 1’s accreditation. Who knows, you can always take the Field Guide exam to be a safari naturalist, environmentalist, work at a lodge, or improve your personal wealth of knowledge in a fun and educational environment.

I can go on and on as far as fun and recreational things to do in or near Chintsa. There are some of the most beautiful beaches that I have seen on this planet, people from all over the world flock to this area to learn and catch killer waves for surfing. Paragliding, kite-surfing, canoeing, tubing, cliff diving, and hiking are just a few recreational activities available in the area. And chances to spot dolphins, whales, and a wide variety of fishes are prevalent.

I encourage you to take the plunge to Volunteer and Travel in South Africa. Chintsa has a lot to offer to serve children, communities, and the wildlife; as well as provide ample opportunities for you to have an exciting and memorable experience in a beautiful setting.

The Greatest Love of All

Like Whitney Houston, ‘I believe that children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way, show them all the beauty they possess inside. ..’ I spent the day visiting three local schools in the townships and rural areas of Chintsa, Eastern Cape, South Africa, and agree that these children possess beauty both inside and out.

The moment I got out of Cultural Embrace’s local coordinator’s van, children would come running to the gate, and grabbed my hand immediately. They weren’t asking for money or candy, but just wanted to hang with me. Most of them were wearing dusty clothes or dirty school uniforms. Many of the youngsters’ hair were nappy. Several of them had dried snots encrusted above their lip line. But of the children that I encountered, I would look in to their big, brown eyes, and discovered them…sparkling!

My eyes widened too as I looked around the school grounds and townships, unfortunately more out of dismay of how meager and poor the area was, but the children’s smiles were infectious, that my cheeks would easily loosen. Cultural Embrace’s local coordinator, Mike, informed me that they had quite a good reputation in the area, sponsoring and helping so many children, families, schools, communities, eco projects, reading and computer projects, facilitating community markets and co-operatives, and much more. The van comes by several times a day to drop off and pick up volunteers, staff, supplies, etc…all providing these children and community members hope, faith, and pride.

“Give them a sense of pride, to make it easier…let the children’s laughter, remind us how it used to be…” Isn’t that so true? It’s not the material things, but the basics of love, attention, nurture, and care that children, no matter what nationality need. Thus extending my hand to allow these children to latch on was effortless.  I invite you to join a Cultural Embrace Volunteer program or service trip that will allow you to have a meaningful experience on your next adventure abroad.  All of our destinations include some sort of service to give back to the local community and get involved with children so that we can all pass along the greatest love of all.

Jeffrey's Bay and the Sunshine Coast

I feel like each day in South Africa gets better and better. We are continuing our drive along Highway N2, as I’m typing offline in the Sunshine Coast. I don’t know enough adjectives to describe this drive….aesthetically, the faultless skies match the crystal blue waters of the Indian Ocean, and in between each coastal town, is filled with green rolling hills and nature’s beautiful valleys. We are listening to Dex’s iPod compilation of African and Reggae music now….truly a picturesque drive. 

But let me back up one night, where we spent the night in Jeffrey’s Bay of the Eastern Cape. Although the Eastern Cape is probably the poorest of South Africa’s nine provinces, I would have never known from the lush topography and climate; and the beautiful homes, lodges, and hotels along the beaches. Jeffrey’s Bay, known as ‘J-Bay,’ is now one of the world’s top surfing destinations. Surfers from all around the world flock here to ride the waves.

I’m not a surfer, but the tides were pretty mellow this morning due to the cold front and offshore winds, so Liz and I just took a nice walk along the beach. We were admiring the beautiful homes along the coast, and discovered these weird looking jellyfish washed up on shore. They were these large blobs of goo and jelly, without tentacles, and looked like something out of Ghostbuster. When we returned back to our accommodations, I asked our receptionist if there was a local church service, and there was one not far from where we were located.

One of the lodge staff escorted Liz and I over to the local church. It was in the backyard shed of a home, and there were two local ladies with a baby waiting at the shed door. A few minutes later, an older man, wearing a white and blue robe, came out with a bowl of water and red rope. He dipped the end of the rope in the bowl, and splashed water on our hands and body, and asked us to turn around and repeated the splatter to our backs. We entered in to this small, rusty, shed turned church, and it was filled with energy, spirit, drumming, singing, and dancing.

I am a member of Greater Mt. Zion church in Austin, a predominantly African-American church, so I am very familiar with the ‘call and response’ service and “raising the roof” choir, but this Sunday service was beyond words. There were about 25-30 locals, singing, praising, and dancing in circles. Even though I couldn’t understand what anyone was saying, the energy and devotion to God was evident and palpable. There was a constant flow of African drum beat and chanting, blended in with periodic praises from the Reverend. The shed was small and windowless, which made the temperature and odor less than pleasant, but no one really seemed to care. Sweat was dripping from the church goers, children were laughing and being passed around between congregators and the lodge guests, and even with our language barriers, we understood and shared the common bond of God’s love…through a smile.

Greetings from South Africa's Garden Route

Welcome to the Garden Route…probably one of the most awe-inspiring scenic areas in the world. It certainly ranks up in comparison between the awesome drives of the Great Ocean Road in Australia, Highway 1 in California, and C2 Mountain in British Columbia. We spent the night and the next day in Knysna (pronounced “Nighs-na”). The flyer at the lobby describes this city as, “ one of the most diverse regions in the world and offers a magnitude of activities—from world class golf courses and spa’s to forest hikes, diving, 4x4, abseiling, canopy tours, cycling, and horse riding, to beaches to swim, surf, paddling, bird-watching—the options seem endless.”

We spent the morning walking around town, through the shops, plazas, malls, and enjoyed a nice brunch on the patio of a local café. We then checked out of our accommodations, kept our bags at reception, and then drove about 10-15 minutes to Harkerville, to enjoy a trek that wrapped around the forest and coast.

Now the word ‘enjoy’ is relative. Don’t get me wrong, it was a beautiful scenic trek, and felt like a great workout. It combined a blend of hiking though a jungle or rainforest, and walking along the coast of the Indian Ocean. But it was a tough one! We trekked about 10km, with the shrubs and bushes slashing our ankles along the narrow path in the forest. And while I had to keep my eyes on the trail, I’d occasionally walk in to a low hanging tree branch, banging my head or poking out my eye for a good laugh. Then we turned a corner, and were met by a cliff that dropped down to the Indian Ocean. We weren’t sure if it was the correct route, until we saw the trail marks drawn on some rocks, pointing down. Seriously?! So, there we went—scaling large stones, trudging over pebbles, lunging across streams, tripping over jagged rocks…up and down, left and right…on and on (and on) we trekked.

Apparently, depending on the season, you could see humpback whales and dolphins in the Indian Ocean. Unfortunately for us, we didn’t see any. I don’t know if it was due to the season, or because my eyes were planted forward, watching every step I took.

Let's Raise our Glass and Toast to South African Wine & Stellenbosch

Is there anything more perfect than spending an April Friday with blue skies and mild weather in the wine region of South Africa? I guess if you add visiting five vineyards, two great friends, a cheese platter, and Dex designating himself as our driver, yup, that pretty much sums up a day of perfection!

Welcome to Stellenbosch! It is only 45 minutes East of Cape Town, which makes an easy day trip. However, we decided to spend the night in Stellenbosch the night before, not because we were lushes, but to get a different experience and vibe of the area. Stellenbosch is a small and idyllic town, with a Dutch colonial charm. People were friendly, relaxed, and had a very pleasant disposition about them. It almost seemed like a village, with streets lined with cafes, restaurants, banks, shops, and I didn’t notice any buildings taller than three stories. Stellenbosch is nestled in the valley surrounded by rolling hills and mountainous backdrop—absolutely stunning!

This region is also best known as the home of South African’s largest wine and spirit production. It is also the oldest wine route in South Africa, drawing wine lovers and tourists from all around the world. So here I am! There are more than 100 wineries open to the public, all within easy reach of the town center.

We chose five vineyards to visit today. The first one was Beyerskloof, it was a contemporary vineyard with themes of love, peace, and celebration. Walking upstairs there was a beautiful reception area with lavender couches and chaise lounge chairs. It was a small vineyard, with about 8.5 hectares, and about 5000 vines per hectare. We went down to the testing room, which continued it’s modern art deco theme. We tasted ten different types of wines that are produced in Beyerskloof for 20 Rands (~US$3), and given a description of the grapes, production and what foods would best match the wine. This vineyard was known for Pinotage—a grape found uniquely in South Africa area. One bottle that caught my attention was ‘BEE’, which stood for Black Economic Empowerment, in which 70% of the shares are distributed to the black workers.

We then went to Morgenhof, a vineyard consisting about 70 hectares. It was a colonial style vineyard that had a beautiful layout, however, it felt too old fashioned and ‘Gone with the Wind’ for me. We had about 5 different wine tastings, and then moved on to Vrienshof Vineyards. We met the owner, who was also hosting a birthday party for his six years old grandson. And our wine hostess informed us that he essentially is the ‘pioneer’ with Pinot Noir and Pinotage in Stellenbosch, since he introduced this relatively hard to grow grape in South Africa over 45 years ago. The winery had a nice piece of land, which the birthday party had taken over, and it was lovely to taste delicious wine, hear the descriptions of the grapes and the way they were produceded, and watch the birthday boy and his friends play a mixed game of soccer and rugby.

The fourth vineyard was Ernie Els. He is South Africa’s top professional golfer. It was by hands down one of the most beautiful wineries that I have ever been to. The patio of the restaurant overlooked terraced gardens, rolling hills, jagged mountains, which seemed like a backdrop out of a movie scene. Fourty-five hectares of mountain slopes are exclusively planted to red varieties. We ordered a fruit and cheese plate, and tried five more glasses of wine, and just relished in the afternoon sun.

We scurried over to Rust en Vrede before the winery closed at 5pm, so we could check out the spot where two of Dex’s friends got married. It was a lovely place, with a beautiful garden, and were greeted by a friendly Golden Retriever and Rottwelier. This “estate of mind” consists of thirty-eight hectares of red varieties, and is known as the first South African property to specialize in the exclusive We tasted four more glasses of wine, and then began our journey along Highway N2 along the East coast of South Africa.

All in all, it was a spectacular day. We tasted some amazing wines, visited some beautiful vineyards, and enjoyed the company of friendly and hospitable South Africans.

Meet Liz and Dex

Who you travel with is as important as where you are traveling. Let me introduce you to my two traveling companions, Liz and Dexter. Liz and I have known each other since 1997, when we were workmates at a luxury travel company based in St. Louis. We were housemates for about a year in 1999, and have been dear friends ever since. She currently resides in New York City, although she spends about 60% of the year abroad as a sales manager for Four Seasons Hotel & Resorts. Through the years, we have shared personal explorations through Honduras, Belize, Hawaii, and many other cities across the States, and visit each other in Austin or New York at least once a year. Dexter is a good friend of Liz’s in NYC, who I had met once before at Jazzfest in New Orleans in 2001. He has been traveling in and out of Africa for long stints at a time for the past fourteen years, and is interested in opening up a resort in Northern Mozambique.

When it comes to traveling with others, you have to find a good balance of personality, respect, trust space, communication, and humor. The three of us are seasoned travelers, and connected very quickly and easily to each other’s traveling style. South Africa is a slower paced country than what we experience in the States. While we may bite our tongues at the slower and less efficient service at a hotel check-in, or the lukewarm water in the sink, or the paper think toilet paper, it’s part of the beauty of traveling. It provides time for one to take a deep breath, slow down, and embrace the culture, and on the flipside, allows one to appreciate the efficiencies back home.

The great thing about traveling with Liz and Dex is that they are even keeled people. They are full of energy, yet low maintenance and roll with the punches, whichever direction they come. Additionally, I enjoy their sense of humor, which is very important when you are traveling. They crack jokes and can be a wise-ass to me, yet be the first to laugh at their own tumbles. We enjoy doing things off the beaten path, prefer the less crowded bar than the loud, popular, overcrowded clubs, aren’t huge history or museum buffs, and have a good sense of street smarts. For example, I feel comfortable leaving my personal belongings with them, knowing that they will not flake and be wise enough to cover my back.

We have similar appetite and thirst levels, and are sharers when it comes to food. This is huge for me! The Asian in me comes out at feeding time, and perhaps this explains why Chinese restaurants use Lazy Susans, or why we serve PuPu Platters…to share! There is nothing more discouraging to me, when my tablemates won’t share dishes at meals. I love food! I can’t select just ONE dish in my favorite restaurant back in Austin, let alone one choice in a foreign country staring at a new menu. Let’s order a variety of dishes, so we can try more things together!

Sorry, I often get sidetracked with the topic of food…but not only is it nice to share food, wine, and laughs when you are traveling with friends, but you can also rehash your stories with them when you return home. Although you will share your traveling tales and photos to your friends and family; your traveling companions will be the only ones that can relate to your adventure, and get the inside jokes. They are the ones, like you, that have explored and experienced the world first-hand.

Lion's Head, Thai Food, and God...Oh My!

My first full day in Cape Town ‘on my own’, without a tour bus, a handheld sign, or passengers to herd around. We walked around the various districts, and then decided to hike Table Mountain National Park. My travel mates and I have been to the infamous Table Mountain numerous times…so we decided to hike the other side of the park, where there were several trails and peaks that we had never experienced. We chose Lion’s Head, and trekked along…and along…and along. I love to exercise, I love the outdoors, and I love beautiful scenery…and today’s hike had all three. The weather was beautiful, and the scenes were breath-taking…overlooking all the different districts of Cape Town, the waterfront, the ocean, Table Mountain, paragliders, helicopter emergency drills, and so much more.

I consider myself to be in decent physical shape, but the steepness of this trail made my heart, thighs and quads scream mercy on me. I don’t know if it was the jetlag, or the fried potato wedges that I ate at lunch, but I was ti-red! In fact, by the time we got back down to town, we stopped at an adorable café called, “The Bombay Bicycle Club” and I needed the waitress to bring me a bag of ice for my knees! We sat around resting our tired bones and muscles insistent that the sea level had dropped in Cape Town and that altitude must have been the factor for our exhaustion, until Dex asked, “What’s for dinner?”

I was like dog hanging out a car window—ears perked, tongue out, drooling to support Dex’s question. Liz was craving curry. Dex was craving more beer. I was craving anything that didn’t look like a mountain. We went back to our hotel, got ready and found a recommended Asian restaurant on-line. Pon’s Asian kitchen—thumbs up by the viewers, and definitely thumbs up by me and my mates! Cape Town is a diverse and cosmopolitan city, and Pon’s menu represented SE Asian cuisine delectably--Thai, Vietnamese, and Indonesian dishes. We licked every piece of jasmine rice off our plate, had a very pleasant bottle of local South African wine, and had a very interesting dinner conversation about religion, faith, and cultures.

While we had different beliefs and upbringings, we discovered the similarities, and shared the differences of opinions. Isn’t that what life is all about? We are all unique individuals, and we have the capability to bring our gifts to the table and share it with others. The common bond in humans is that we are able to communicate. Even if we speak different languages, dialects, or are mute…we share the commonality of being able to express love, kindness, peace, forgiveness, and understanding. I am striving for this, not only in the mission of Cultural Embrace, but in my daily life.

How ironic is it, that I’m at a writer’s block, not really sure how to end this blog…when I look up from my bed, and see a framed picture of Nelson Mandela on the wall. I guess a picture is really worth a thousand words.

Counting Sheep on South Africa Airways

I’ve lost my sleeping mojo…I used to have the ability to fall asleep before taking off on any flight, and wake up just about the time when the flight attendants come by to remind us to put our tray tables away and to put our seats back to their upright position. I was really looking forward to some shut eye during this flight, since I just spent three weeks busily on the road recruiting Cultural Embrace along the East coast, and pulled a few late nighters trying to get as much work done before this trip. But for some reason, I’m on my second movie, typing up this blog off-line, and restlessly awaiting to land so I can stretch my body.

I am flying on South Africa Airways to Cape Town, and even though there is nothing appealing about flying ~17 hours including a stopover in Dakar, Senegal, and then a layover in Johannesburg, l am impressed with their flight crew, aircraft, and service. Although I am not a hard critic when it comes to transportation, I have been in the travel & service industry for over 14 years and know the difference of quality of service. C’mon, there really is nothing peachy about getting to and from a destination. I think the tribulations from traveling happen, so that we can appreciate the destination that much more once we get there.

I have taken every mode of transportation known to mankind--from the chicken buses in Peru, to propeller flights in Zimbabwe, to the Orient Express in Australia, to boats and cruises along the European waterways, to a Flying Pigeon bike in China, to a hot air balloon across the Serengeti, to an elephant ride through Nepal, to the Concorde across the Atlantic Ocean—I’ve accumulated frequent travel miles in some shape and form. It’s not the way I got to the destination, but the destination itself. It’s the people, the music, the food & drinks, the sites, and the experience (including the transportation) that I seek to discover when I travel. Now that my grandmamma knees and back are agitatedly questioning when we will get there…they’re just the reminders to make me anticipate and embrace being in South Africa so much more. Three hundred twenty-four thousand six hundred seventy two sheep…three hundred twenty-four thousand six hundred seventy three sheep…three hundred twenty-four thousand six hundred seventy four sheep…

The Secrets of Packing

I have been called "Queen Packer" when it comes to traveling (yet many other names when it comes to moving...). My friends, staff, and family often turn to me to help them figure out what to bring, and how to fit it in their luggage, so I thought I'd share some of my tips.

Besides the fact that I can throw things in to a bag just minutes before heading out to the airport, I am able to assess the size of the suitcase and choose all the essential things for a trip, without sitting on the bag trying to zip it up.

Tonight is no exception, as I am packing for my 3 weeks trip to South Africa. I will be visiting Cultural Embrace's service project sites, meeting with partners, checking out cultural and recreational activities, and having some r&r time with friends. Plus, I am bringing clothes to donate to children and women at orphanages and shelters. So how do I fit all this in to one rolling backpack? Read on...

Firstly, decide a handful (handful is the key--no more than 5 days worth) of clothes that is appropriate for mixing & matching, easy washing & drying, and all types of activities. Cotton material blended with polyester and rayon are great since it is wrinkle free and easy to wash, dry, and wear. The darker the better since it will hide dirt and dust.

Secondly, choose shoes that will not take too much space. I'm sorry ladies, it's time to leave Carrie Bradshaw behind when you travel--pick 2 maybe 3 shoes max! Comfort is key, and lucky for the non-heel embracers) the flat and ballet-type slipper shoes are fashionable and perfect! You can wear them with skirts, dresses, jeans, and shorts. Wear them to walk around town, a night out on the town, and they don't take up too much space in your suitcase. Bring another pair of flip flop or sandal type shoes that can get wet at the beach, showers, pools, etc. Tennis shoes or hiking boots will be your best bet if you are going to do some hiking, walking, and adventure type activities.

Thirdly, the necessary toiletries--contact solution/eyeglasses, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, sunscreen, insect repellent, etc. I'm a big fan of travel pack or individual packaged wet wipes or sanitizer wipes. Someone recently informed me that they bring a small bottle of Listerine on trips to serve as mouthwash, antiseptic, and cleanser. I have never used it, but thought that was great idea.

My laziness and can't-be-bothered attitude benefits me during my travels, so I don't need nor pack a lot of hair products or makeup. Facial lotion with sunscreen, and shampoo with conditioner are great 2-for-1 space saving products. Leave the hair dryer, straightener, and curling iron at home. They are too bulky, too heavy, and may fry out if the voltage is different abroad. This is your chance to embrace the au natural look!

Now how to fit everything? Roll baby roll! Most of your clothes should be rolled tightly, unless you have jeans, slacks, jackets, or sweaters. Fold these items neatly and lay them in the bottom of the bag. Then place your rolled clothes in between, filling in the spaces. Shoes should be put in disposable bags (grocery bags are perfect) with socks stuffed in to them. Pack your toiletries in to Ziploc bags, and bring a few extra ones, since they are perfect to keep cameras, documents, etc dry from water, rain, and sweat.

I try to bring clothes, supplies, vitamins, health/medical items to donate in underprivilege communities. It is such an easy way to clean out the closet, and will be appreciated and in good use by at-need locals. For this S. Africa trip, although I had space to put my donatable goods in my rolling backpack; I decided to bring an old bag that I could leave behind too. Plus, I used different tote bags that I have collected at conferences to divide the clothes, so I can easily donate them to different orphanages, shelters and communities.

I hope this helps you for the next time you need to pack for a trip abroad. Cultural Embrace also provides a suggested packing list in our Pre-departure Travel Handbook for each trip and program. I'm sorry that we can't be there to help you roll your clothes, but Cultural Embrace and I are there in spirit to make sure your trip starts off with less weight on your back.

All Aboard - Good ole American Style!

Since I grew up in the metro DC area, and love New York, I'd cruise up and down I-95 with friends, family, Peter Pan, and Greyhound. While you can't beat road trips with friends and family, and always have random stories riding on Greyhound or Peter Pan buses, I wanted to share a new enjoyable way of getting between these two great cities. Tripperbus.com, a fairly new bus shuttle service that offers wi-fi, electrical outfits, and cordial drivers that are articulate on the microphone.

Who would have thought that I would be writing a blog, checking Facebook, and sending out work emails, while going through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel? This brings a whole new meaning to multi-tasking!

I just did a whirlwind business trip along the East coast the past five days, promoting Cultural Embrace from Maryland to New Haven, CT and return via a night stopover in New York City last night. I was debating whether to hire a car, thinking that it would give me more freedom and accessibility to see and do more things with my limited schedule. On the contrary, I think I saved more time, money, and stress taking these public transportation. I was able to work while traveling, enjoyed the scenic drive, met strangers on the train and bus, and reduced my stress level battling East Coast traffic.

I first took the Amtrak (amtrak.com) train from Maryland to New Haven, CT. I have ridden trains across China, Vietnam, Europe, Australia, yet never embraced Amtrak in my own country. But am jazzed about my wonderful experience. From the clean carts, to electrical outlet access to keep my laptop juiced up, to the friendly conductors, and timely schedule, I am All Aboard the public transportation system that we have in our own backyard.

Bids, Bids, and More Bids

I'm taking a break from writing up bids and proposals for 2011 trips. There are many schools requesting international opportunities--yay! I'm thrilled about that! But the formal process, particularly state funded schools--whoa, it is tedious. I'm working on one now that the proposal details are 48 pages! Most request formal response with anywhere between 4-8 copies, bounded, original ones notarized, etc. I'm happy and willing to do it all, I'll give them my blood if it offers more young adults to gain international exposure and a first-hand view of our world.

But man, would be great if there were some on-line and paperless options. Perhaps I'll propose a 'green' version of bids to state schools?! :)

Ok, back to the drawing boards. Now I know why we were taught how to write footnotes, addendums, and roman numeral outlines in grade school!

Heartpangs for Africa

There is something about Africa that warms my soul. As a young girl, I was always fascinated by National Geographic magazines, PBS television series, and readings we had in school about African countries and culture. I would always do (and still do) a double-take when I see African art, get warm and fuzzies when I hear stories about humanitarian work to save Africa, bop my head around when I hear African drumming and tunes. Although each region has it's distinct style, the rhythmic beats, vibrant artwork, and stories infectiously lighten up my spirit, and allows me to embrace the continent from afar.

But then, I scored one of the best jobs in the world, and managed the operations of luxury tours around the globe. Year after year, I would submit my request form to this far, foreign, and fascinating continent. The Okavango Delta, Kalahari desert, Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt always topped my "wish list," along with every other colleague in my office. Fortunately, by 1998 my wishes came true with seniority, and a few cartons of Dunhill cigarettes to the travel staff manager--haha just friendly (and unhealthy) reminders to my former boss.

Even though I have visited Southern, Eastern, and Northern Africa several times, my love and interest to Africa never wanes. I am thrilled and blessed to have an opportunity to return back to South Africa in about two weeks. This time, I will meet and work with the communities we partner with at Cultural Embrace. I will get a chance to truly integrate with the people and the communities, like how you will experience it on one of our volunteer, internship, and group programs.

I welcome you to join me and Cultural Embrace, as we dedicate the month of April featuring Africa programs and travel tips. I will be reporting about my experiences and site visits to our South African projects and placements, and invite you to join a C.E. volunteer, Tracy Guthrie, who is currently volunteering at our Kenyan orphanage.

For those that are still dreaming of Africa, we hope to whet your appetite to go explore her someday soon. If you have already visited, then I'm sure you can positively attest the natural beauty and rich culture of this exotic continent, and hope the travel bug continues to itch with stronger heartpangs for Africa.

What Do Conferences Do for You & Me?

I spent the past week attending back-to-back conferences in Boston, MA and Charlotte, NC. I attended these conferences to support the trends of education abroad, and work-integrated learning programs, and to market our programs and services. At Cultural Embrace, we organize programs that support students, alumni, faculty, and educational institutions to go abroad to enhance their academic, professional, and personal endeavors.

In Boston, colleges and universities' career service departments met together to discuss the trends of internships and cooperatives. The vision of many career services parallel the vision of Cultural Embrace, and how professional workforce may enhance student's education, and it's ability to improve continuous learning.

In Charlotte, the Forum of Education Abroad's conference brought faculty members who are passionate about education abroad under one roof. The conference focused on "articulating the vital nature of education abroad and the many benefits that it brings to students, organizations, institutions, communities and societies."

Cultural Embrace's Internship and Volunteer programs provide individuals and groups to go abroad to gain first-hand experience with large, mid and small size companies, non-profits, and NGOs throughout Africa, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, and Europe. We pre-arrange and guarantee placement based on one's work & education background, personal, professional, and academic goals with the needs and availabilities of the local employer and community.

Internship placements are classified as professional and technical jobs, such as but not limited to: architect, business, computers, engineering, nursing/medical, education, fashion, law, etc. Volunteer placements may be in similar related fields, but usually with non-profits, NGOs, and humanitarian efforts. Most placements are 'unpaid' due to visa regulations, with the exception of Brazil and China. Cultural Embrace tries to negotiate and encourage our local partners and employers to compensate our participants based on their work performance and duration (ie: airfare reimbursement, pocket allowance, transportation, meals, housing, sight-seeing activities, etc).

Our Teach and Work placements are great ways to get paid while you travel abroad. Paid teach opportunities are available for semester and year-long commitments in Mexico, Chile, Guatemala, China, India, and Thailand. Most schools require bachelor's degree in any major, and foreign language knowledge is helpful, but not required. Short-term unpaid tutor English placements are available in Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, France, Italy, Spain, India, and China. These placements include room and board, which provide a very affordable way to travel abroad with flexible work schedule.

Work placements are available in the non-technical, childcare, farm, and hospitality fields. Cultural Embrace pre-arranges placements in France, Italy, Spain, and Germany, and provides job placement assistance in Australia and New Zealand for 18-30 years old of many nationalities.

Our Austin office will work with individuals and groups to learn more about their background skills, schedule, budget, and goals. We will phone interview, pre-screen, and help each participant prepare for a cultural experience abroad. Cultural Embrace has English-speaking local coordinators in every country we work with, so they work with the local employer, nonprofit, NGO, and make the local arrangements for housing, transportation, etc.

Attending conferences allow me to meet and discuss with education and workforce leaders about the latest trends and opinions of how to improve your future. It allows me to know what is needed, and how we may better serve you, schools, communities, and the world.

Embracing the Culture called Social Media

The time has come for me to bite the bullet and embrace...social media. You would think for someone that started a business, enjoys writing, and thrives off of connecting people to life-rewarding experiences, I would relish off of this phenomenon. Unfortunately, I tend to live in the Flintstones age when it comes to technology, yet I will put the turkey leg down, ignore the 'would ofs,' 'could ofs,' and 'should ofs,' and move forward, to say...WELCOME, and THANK YOU for reading this!

My friends, family, staff, and clients frequently ask me where I am, what I am doing, and how to keep in touch. I travel a lot to promote Cultural Embrace, attend industry conferences, visit sites, meet partners, see friends and family. So hopefully through my blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media tools, together, we are able to connect, learn, grow, and explore exciting life-rewarding experiences. I stress the word, together, because I want to hear what you have to say, and encourage you to share your opinions, questions, and feedback.

I want you to know what Cultural Embrace is all about. You deserve to feel comfortable with a company that is trying to make you feel at-ease with going abroad. I started Cultural Embrace in 2002 as a direct result of 9/11/01 attacks. My main drive was to initiate peace, cultural sensitivity, and to re-awaken the 'tourism' industry, but selfishly, I wanted to combine my passion and 'hobbies'--travel, education, helping others, with work. (I'm sure I will blog more about C.E.'s history later, so if you have any questions, please ask away.)

I may have a lot to learn about utilizing social media, but am excited to keep you informed of what is going on at Cultural Embrace. So here is to another adventure...one that doesn't entail a passport, a map, or guidebook; but practice, for it to become my new hobby.