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.

March Madness Starts Early - Set your Fitness Goals

March is one of my favorite months of the year since the weather gets warmer, days are longer, flowers and tree buds start to bloom, spring break and SxSW spice up Austin, and college basketball’s March madness pumps the adrenaline (Go Terps!) With these hot March highlights along comes the shorts, tanks, and swimsuits—eeuuurgh, record scratch…gulp, b-b-bb-ikini season?!

I have to admit; with my love for food, and constant grazing on snicky snacks, I am blessed with good metabolism, and am tall in stature so I look slender and lean. However, looks may be deceiving since my once mini muffin top has suddenly grown in to a pound cake resting over my waistband. And funny enough, each year that goes by, whatever touches my lips seem to find their way much faster to my hips (except I’m not laughing anymore).

I love to work out and am disciplined enough to do some form of physical exercise at least an hour a day, 5-6 days a week (c'mon I gotta burn some of the excess calories I intake daily and it relieves my stress and clears my brain). But my issues lie within my portion control (girlfriend can eeaaaat), and my carefree spirit to inhale anything and everything in sight. Carpe Diem, right?! Yea, seize the day and now those processed and preservative foods have conquered my stomach!

Each of us has our own definition of being 'healthy' and getting in to 'shape.' We all have different strengths, weaknesses, and interpretations of our bodies. In order to improve our self image, we need to start from within. Setting goals to lose weight, stating that we’re going to eat healthier, and signing up with a gym are easy to do, but to actually follow through and stick to your goals is the hard part.

Thus, I invite you to join me on Cultural Embrace’s new fitness and health team via SparkPeople’s site (click here to join).  It is a free on-line fitness and health tracker that also has downloadable mobile apps. We have created this team to help support, motivate, and hold each other accountable to set, meet, and accomplish our goals. We are not going to judge you or expect everyone to have the same fitness or health level. But I encourage you to set a target that is obtainable yet pushes you beyond your comfort level so you can challenge your mind and body. Think of this as going on an international trip where you have to open your horizons and embrace the cultures. This will be the best adventure ever; one that no plane, train, or automobile can reach…just yourself…on your own personal journey. Carpe Diem!

Good Will HUNTing

"A good companion shortens the longest road." This Turkish proverb is so fitting for my final LOVE series blog because I am featuring a couple that will soon take a looooong journey ahead. Meet Bryan and Jillian Hunt, a delightful couple from College Station, TX that are heading off for a six months mission trip in Uganda, and then spending the second half of the year on Cultural Embrace’s Work and Travel Australia program.

The two were high school sweethearts, and both are graduates from Texas A&M University. They have always wanted to travel abroad, and took the past two years to work, save, and plan for their international adventure. Their plans fluctuated for awhile since they had a long list of places they wanted to go, but their final decisions are to: serve local children at orphanages in Uganda, and have some fun surfing and traveling around while working to make ends meet in Australia.

I asked if they had any advice to give other travelers. Jillian shared the advice that she received from her cousin to “Just go and do it!” Bryan advised wanderlusts to “never count any option out, but also don’t be completely sold on just one option.”

Flexibility and patience are the keys to happy trails. The main reason most people travel is to experience new things, right? We want to see new sites, taste new foods, dance at new clubs, buy new things at markets and street bazaars that you couldn’t get at home. Realize that it will get frustrating and things don’t always work out as you anticipated. That’s okay, it happens! You are out of your comfort zone, and in a new environment, but that is the beauty of traveling! Embrace the world, discover the similarities, and share the differences.

I invite you to watch this awesome video that their friend produced, and you will see two lifetime companions and best friends who are passionate, humorous, patient, and respectful people--not only to each other, but to the communities that surround them. Jill works in the hospitality industry and Bryan is a history teacher, so serving and helping others are natural gifts of theirs. I can’t wait to follow this Good Will HUNTing Adventure, as their companionship will shorten their long journey, and their love will help to make the world go round.

Cupid shoots and scores!

Love comes in all shapes, sizes, forms, and ways. And it comes at times when we least expect it. This month's theme is focused on "Love" and I've been featuring current, past, and future participants that have put a special accent on the word 'embrace' of Cultural Embrace! :)  And since it's Valentine's Day, I think it is appropriate to feature a participant that found the love of her life, while on a Cultural Embrace program, studying Spanish in Spain.

Meet Kimya. I remember working with her to organize a meaningful "break" from her busy professional work and personal schedule in 2006. She wanted to go abroad to study and learn Spanish, and we set her up to do just that in Barcelona. In Barcelona, she met a Norwegian, Morten, who was struck by her wonderful American charm. They maintained a long-distance relationship after she returned back to the States, and then got married in Punta Cana in December, 2007. Morten relocated and moved to New York to be with Kimya, and last fall, they adopted a beautiful little girl! The whole family continues to travel and embrace many cultures! :)

Enjoy this little Q&A session with Kimya, because you never know where, when, and how Cupid will hit you with his love arrow!

1.  How did you meet on your Cultural Embrace program, and how long have you been together? 
Since i was in Barcelona during the winter, things were a bit less active than spring and summer.  I joined a downtown gym with a friend to fill the afternoon hours.  My now husband spotted me in a yoga class.  (he says he liked the view)

2.  Were you nervous getting in to an international relationship, and how did you deal with the long distance?  Not really, I was a little slow on an the uptake and did not realize we were dating for several weeks.  By the time I did, I had to make a decision to extend my stay to see where the relationship went or go home as planned.  Ultimately I decided to extend my trip a few weeks.  By the time I left in early spring we had a plan to visit each other and return to Barcelona in the fall to live.  But he came to visit me in the States a few weeks later and decided to move to the States instead.  A few weeks later he proposed and by the end of the year we were married.  There were a few months between the spring and fall which were long distance dating (he in Norway, where his is from and me in the states), but since we were both committed to the relationship it wasn't very stressful, just more of a waiting game.  We used a lot of skype and I left work promptly at 5 everyday (to catch him before he went to sleep).
3.  How did (do) you overcome cultural differences? 
We met each others families and friends early on that laid a good foundation.  I corrected his english grammar everyday (still do).  We always explain differences, ideas and beliefs to each other and just accept our differences.  We still travel a lot so we are used to always begin exposed to different cultures.  That has become our norm.

4.  How are you managing to raise your family, and are you able to travel and visit Spain a lot?
We adopted a beautiful baby girl last October.  Since we adopted we were able to plan ahead and discuss our parenting styles, which luckily are similiar.  We agreed from the start that travel would be as much a part of our daughter's life as it is for ours.  In her 15 months thus far she has been to Chicago, the Olympics in Vancouver, Norway, a Caribbean Cruise, St. Croix, St. Thomas and Tortola in the British and US Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C.  Next up a road trip from San Francisco to San Diego and in a few weeks we are taking her back to where it all began in Barcelona.  We love having a new person with whom to experience the joys of travel.

5.  Do you have any advice for others to find love while traveling abroad? 
My advice for finding love anywhere has always been don't look for it.  We both found love because we were following our individual dreams and just being ourselves.

6.  Do you have any advice for being in an international relationship?
Communication is a challenge in any relationship.  When you have a native language difference it helps to be willing to over explain and ask the other person what they heard.  Other than that just enjoy learning about all of the cool experience your mate had growing up in another culture.

Where is the Love: SuperBowl XLV postgame review

I'm not a big fan of American football, and even though I have watched most SuperBowls, it was more for party and half-time entertainment pleasures than for the love of the game. But last night, I was on a flight back to Austin and had nothing to distract me while watching the championship game on DirectTV, so I actually listened and paid attention to the commentaries. Since Cultural Embrace's February theme is love, I thought I would feature what I loved about SuperBowl XLV:

• Besides 4th grade American history class, when was the last time you listened to the Declaration of Independence in its entirety? FOX & NFL's pre-game rendition of the Declaration of Independence gave me goosebumps.  
• Oops, Christina Aguilera may have flubbed up our national anthem, but tears still streamed down my face listening to her belt out the Star Spangled Banner, and my throat was totally lump-filled when the camera shot over to soldiers watching in Afghanistan, and you could hear the stadium's background cheer (I'm kinda tearing up right now, just thinking about it).  
• Vikings Madieu Williams, who happens to be a fellow Terrapin alumnus, won Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award, which recognizes a player's off-the-field community service as well as his playing excellence. Williams recently gave $2M to create the Madieu Williams Center for Global Health at the University of Maryland, in which the center will address public health issues in Prince George’s County and Sierra Leone (his birth nation). He has already built a primary school in Sierra Leone and is now building a secondary school there as well. His foundation sponsored a mission to Sierra Leone that brought American teachers, surgeons and dentists to help educate the teachers at his school, give free dental cleanings to all of the students and provide free surgeries. And to heart this man even more, he wasn't even available to accept the award...because he was in the Persian Gulf on a goodwill tour visiting U.S. service members!
• The half-time show raising the Cowboy's stadium roof in Arlington, TX. Slash ripped his guitar, and Usher tore up the dancefloor as guest appearances, between Black Eyed Peas' acts. One of my favorite B.E.P. songs, ironically fits this theme, "Where is the Love" and they revised the lyrics to address more domestic issues that our government leaders need to hear, while singing to the backdrop of LOVE spelled out in lights.  
• I recently read a magazine article on Vince Lombardi, and love his motivational and winning attitude spirit. "People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problem of modern society." I know it was repeated about a gazillion times during the trophy and victory ceremony, but I agree, it really is nice to have the Lombardi trophy return back at Green Bay. Besides, I love cheese! :)
• To be fair and not jump on the bandwagon of supporting the winning team, I have to admit, I was more blown away by Mike Tomlin's optimistic attitude. I think he and his family should go to Disneyland! I google searched his coaching and leadership styles on-line today, and now I can see why he is the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl, and already has two rings at age 38. Here is an answer to a pre-game interview about what he is saying to his team, "I am just reiterating the points we talked about all year, the things that are important to us. We have to exercise common sense; we have to compete when given an opportunity, and be considerate of others. If we do those things, we feel like we can put together a winning performance"

Okay, so my recap may not be sports related, but answers an important question...Where is the love? SuperBowl XLV proved that it can be found on a football field...on-stage...in Arlington, TX...in Afghanistan! As long as people work together and be considerate of others...we can find and spread the love all over this world.

Love & China Part 2: Q&A with Luan

This is the second part of a two-part blog series that I started yesterday, to highlight current, past, and future participants that have either found love abroad, or are traveling or will be traveling with their loved ones on a Cultural Embrace program. Since it is Chinese New Years today (Happy Year of the Rabbit!), I thought it would be appropriate to feature two couples teaching English in China.

Today’s featured participant is Luan Lierman. I knew her as Luan Ly when I started working with her to organize her teach placement in China. Now, three years later, she is still in China, independently tutoring, learning Chinese, and working on couple of side businesses. She recruited her husband, Van, and current Cultural Embrace participants, Robin and Jeff (who were featured in the first blog)to join her in seaside Yantai, China, and even got married to Van in China. I hope you enjoy this Q&A with Luan, the same way that I am always delighted to receive email updates from her, since she has embraced the cultures in many facets of her life.

Q: Why did you go abroad alone while you were engaged to teach in China? How long were you dating before you left China?
A: Van and I got engaged in January 2008, the start of my senior year of College. We had planned to get married that summer after graduation, and of course plans change. Half way through the year, every Senior wonders what the next step will be. At this time, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do so I applied for all kinds of positions thinking something might work out. It isn’t easy for a fresh out of College to find a job, a decent job in my field of International Business anyways. With not many opportunities in Washington, I really wanted to travel abroad. What a better place than China. I had taken a year of Chinese in College so I knew the basic but I needed the environment to improve my fluency. That’s when I went online and typed in “jobs in China.” About 99% were all teach in China positions. I knew I wasn’t prepared or had any experience in teaching, but I love trying new things so it was a leap of faith.

After applying to several organizations, one being Cultural Embrace, I just waited for a reply. A couple weeks later I received a call from CE and they wanted to interview me for a teaching job in Yantai, China. I had no idea where Yantai was and at this time, I had only 3 months before I would depart. I talked to my fiancé at the time and said I was going to China for 6 months minimum, which was the contract. He told me that he found a temporary job in California, making wine. We were both excited and this is our time to explore the unknown. Of course this wasn’t easy and we had to think long and hard but finally we decided to do what we loved. I would go to China and he would go to Napa Valley. At this time, we had post-pone our wedding date to the following summer which felt wonderful. The pressure of planning and marriage was lifted off my shoulders. We both felt good about it. And this time will allow us to grow independently since we were together throughout College. We had been together for over 4 years.

Q: Were you nervous having a long distance international relationship, and how did you deal with the long distance?
A: Long distance relationships are never easy. I hate it! The longest long distance we did was about 3 months when I studied abroad in China my junior year. That was actually one of the main reasons why I wanted to come back to China. During the studied abroad trip, my Chinese language ability improved tremendously. All I needed was to be in China. Needless to say, we didn’t like being apart but what can you do when two people have different wants and dreams. That’s why marriage is not easy but you go into the promise with the hope that love will lead the way.

Q: How did your experience in China change when your fiancé came to teach in China too?
A: When Van came to visit me in December, I was more than thrilled. It had been almost 4 months since I last saw him. He came on a 1 month tourist visa thinking he was going to hang out in China and then head to New Zealand for more wine making. That was the plan, and plans change. He decided to stay with me and earned more money in China than he would if he went to New Zealand. Money unfortunately was a main priority since we were planning on getting married that summer, 2009.


Before Van came, I cried the first couple weeks I was in China. Not because I didn’t like being in China, but I was alone and teaching was overwhelming. I arrived in late early Sept. when I was supposed to be there in late August due to visa delay and complications. School started that first week of Sept. as well. I came on the 5th and school started on the 6th. Yup, not a whole lot of time to adjust. I made it through that first week with the thought of, “oh boy, what did I sign up for?” But then I told myself, “you can do it Luan!” I had met some friends during the first few weeks and we were in the same boat. Molly and Jack were also recent College graduates and decided to try China for a year. Molly was my maid of honor and Jack was Van’s best man in our China wedding.


Van deciding to stay in China made my decision easy as well. I extended my contract to one year. Now, we’ve been in China almost 3 years. Time flies when you’re having fun. =)


Q: Tell us about your wedding in China, and was it a culture shock to you and spouse?
A: Our wedding in China was perfect. It was perfect because our apartment we moved to happened to be right next to a Christian church. We did not plan that. When we switched schools for the second semester so we could teach together, we moved downtown. We worked with a private tutoring center which gave us great accommodations, but we didn’t stay too long since our schedules were not ideal.


Anyways, Van and I lived together in this apartment and our family back home wanted us to see if we could sign a marriage license before we starting living together. To please them we looked around, and even contacted the embassy of in Beijing to see if we could get a marriage license since our wedding was scheduled for July 25th,2009 in Washington. Well, it was useless. Two foreigners in China can’t get legally married in China. One of the many laws in China. So, it was Feb. and the one thing we could do is have the wedding ceremony at the church. We set the date for April 25th,2009. That gave me two months to plan and with the help of some Chinese friends, it was more than I had expected.


We had a pastor that only spoke Chinese so we asked our friend Jack, a Chinese English teacher, to translate the ceremony. He was delighted to. My friend Brenda helped me arrange all the flowers, decorations, camera/video man, and pretty much for my right hand woman. She was amazing. I’m so thankful for all my friends I’ve made met in China.


On the wedding day, everything was set to go. Brenda’s daughter Lorraine was our flower girl. Jerry, one of my students was the ring barrier. Molly and Jack were ready to go with their new dress and suit. I had printed 300 programs and by word of mouth invited all my students and their families. At about 6pm, my uncle from Beijing walked me down the aisle and that’s when I saw the crowd. It was breathtaking. Van was waiting for me at the altar, and I walked down smiling at all our students and friends. Most of our international friends also came. England, Italy, Australia…etc. It was an international event. The whole thing was captured on video. Our students had never seen an American wedding before and for some, it was their first time in a church. We felt like celebrities since everyone had their cameras and taking pictures of us. My seamstress, Mrs. Yang and her son also came. She had custom made my husband’s suit, and Molly’s maid of honor dress. She is very talented. It was a perfect day!

Q: Do you have any advice for living and traveling abroad with your companion?
A: If you and your partner love adventure and meeting friends from around the world, go abroad. It was the best decision I’ve made, besides getting married to Van. He and I are grown in our relationship and our marriage. We study Chinese together and practice at home. Now, after 2 years, we can communicate in Chinese. I actually never thought that would happen. It’s fun to have a secret language when we go back to the US. Van finds China a fascinating place and the language very interesting. He even enjoys listening to Chinese music and tries to sing along. I haven’t ventured there yet. =)


Q: What are your anticipated future plans?
A: Since we’ve been in China, we have made the most of it. After planning two weddings, China and America, I might say I was experienced in the wedding biz. My friends back home wanted to know if I could help them with their wedding by getting dresses and tuxedos made in China. I was more than happy to help. This gave me the idea to start my own business. Luan’s Custom Made Wedding Attire. My friends find it so convenient and much cheaper to have the clothes made in China by the talented seamstress, Mrs. Yang. All I need is the picture of what you want made and your measurements. It’s that easy and hopefully more people will see the benefits in this idea. I’m having lots of fun and I’ve always wanted to start my own business. Never thought this would happen but where there is a will, there is a way. I’m extremely grateful.


For future plans, we go back to Washington every summer to see family and friends. We haven’t had enough of China yet so we’re coming back for more. But this time, we’re moving to Guangzhou. We have friends there and they really want us to join them. We also have invested in our friend’s cosmetics company and are now shareholders. It’s a risk, but we did research and signed legal contracts so with no risk, there are no rewards. Life is about risk, trying something new, going places and meeting people. That’s what makes life fun and worth living. I would not have it any other way. We will come back to America eventually, but not yet. What’s the rush? Well, maybe a future child. =) That time will come.

Love and China: Q & A Part 1 with Robin & Jeff

February is full of love. Walk in to any shop or market, and you will see heart-shaped chocolates, pastries, flowers, and jewelry, prepared for Valentine’s Day.  Ironically, Thursday is Chinese New Year, celebrating the year of the rabbit, and I owe my love for travel to my first international trip, teaching English in China. So it seems naturally fitting to dedicate this month’s theme and destination feature to LOVE and CHINA! 
I am able to give travel related advice, but will leave the love and relationship tips to Dr. Phil. But this month, I’ve decided to take a different approach to my weekly blogs and have asked some alumnus, current and future participants that have either found love abroad, or are traveling or will be traveling with their loved ones on a Cultural Embrace program.

Meet Robin and Jeff. They are on our ten-month teach program in China, and arrived to Yantai in August, 2010. They were introduced to teach in China through a fellow Seattle Pacific University and Cultural Embrace alumnae, Luan (who I’ll introduce in my next LOVE and CHINA blog).  And they recently got engaged, and have taken embracing the cultures to another level. Congratulations Robin and Jeff! 

Q: How did you meet, and how long have you been together?
A: Jeff and I met at freshmen orientation right before college, but we didn't start dating until sophomore year. We have been together now almost 3 years, and on my birthday, Dec 19th, Jeff proposed at our favorite American restaurant here in Yantai. He rented the whole top floor and surprised me. I thought I was meeting him for birthday dinner but instead there were rose petals on the floor, balloons everywhere, and Jeff waiting for me on one knee!

Q: Who initiated taking the plunge of going to China? And how did you decide where to go and what to do together, and why this Cultural Embrace program?A: I (Robin) knew that I wanted to teach abroad after I graduated college, but I never would have picked China. Jeff however, had been there before on a study abroad trip, and was interested in learning Chinese to strengthen his resume. It was intimidating at first (for me because it was China, and for Jeff because it was teaching), but the idea of spending a year abroad together sounded a lot better than being apart for ten months. My college professor had mentioned in one of my classes that her son was teaching English in China, so Jeff and I met with her to learn more about his experience. She gave us Luan's (her daughter-in-law) email address. Luan was the one who recommended us to Cultural Embrace, and we really liked the idea of using an outside organization to help us figure out all the small details of preparing for a year abroad.

Q: What are the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of traveling together?
A: Pros-I get to see the world with my best friend, and we can build a lot of memories together. We have learned a lot about each other by adjusting to life in different cultures together. Cons-if we get cranky from jet lag or dealing with differences in culture, we take it out on each other.

Q: Who takes what roles while planning and traveling abroad?
A: Jeff does a lot of the logistics like booking the flights and hostels (he is a bargain shopper and always seems to find stuff for way cheaper than I can). I usually sit around and come up with all the fun ways to spend Jeff's money :)

Q: What is your favorite part of being in China together?
A: The best part about being in China together is that we always have someone to do something with, whether that means doing pull-ups in the snow, going out to dinner, or being there for each other when it is Christmas, since we didn’t go home for the first time ever.

Q: Do you have any advice for others that are thinking about traveling with their loved ones?
A: Moving to the other side of the world with your significant other is a pretty big step. Make sure that you and your significant other have a solid foundation in your relationship because quite possibly, you may be all each other have for a period of time. Jeff and I spend a ton of time together, so make sure you like the person and have common interests. You also have to be willing to grow together. We have learned so much about each other by seeing how we react to challenges and adjust to change. It has been really incredible seeing how our relationship has been shaped by our time in China. I never would have thought I would be planning my wedding from China!



Life's Gifts

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

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

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

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

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

What MLK, Jr. & Boyz in the Hood Means to Me

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr Day! This is one of my favorite holidays, as he is my biggest hero. It is easy to be inspired by a leader that influenced the United States and much of this world with his nonviolent tactics for equality. Many of my personal and professional philosophies are influenced by his principles, in hopes that we, all global citizens, can keep his “Dream” alive, and work together to be a better connected and more united world.
This weekend, I threw my annual MLK Birthday Bash party, which also served as a fundraiser for our H.U.G. projects in Guatemala, Kenya, and Austin, and collected food for our local Austin food bank. I enjoy throwing this annual party, as it is a chance for my different ‘groups’ of friends to come together to connect with one another’s well-being, and post-holiday catch-up.

My MLK group celebration started back in college. I remember seeing “Boyz in the Hood” in the theaters back in 1991, and thought it was such a great movie. By my Senior year at University of Maryland, I lived in a house with seven housemates, and every MLK day, I would rent the video and invite friends over to watch the movie, and have dinner and drinks. If you have seen “Boyz in the Hood”, you probably know it is not a warm and fuzzy, feel good Hallmark type of a movie. So why do I continue to watch it on MLK weekend, when we are supposed to be celebrating a man that promotes non-violence, peace, and conflict-resolution? Exactly the point! We have issues and struggles in our own streets of America, and abroad; but if we continue to ignore society’s problems, and look the other way, hoping that it will resolve itself, or that someone else will deal with it, we’re not being effective human beings. According to Martin Luther King, Jr. “He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.” Watching thought-provoking movies like “Boyz in the Hood,” “Crash,” “Motorcycle Diaries” (three movies that I watch annually) fills me with more drive and compassion to take a stand and make a difference in this world…my world…our world.

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

Wrapping up 2010

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

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

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

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

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

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