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.

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. 

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.