Party Till the New Year

With holiday season upon us, that means the New Year is also upon us. 2013 is now ending, and 2014 is now starting. The start of the New Year means aiming for new goals, or resolutions, that are usually not met, but it is also like a new start. It is great time to have parties and some of the coolest celebrations take place around the world at this time.  

Reveillon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is one of the hottest New Year celebrations. Huge stages are set up on the beach front where visitors can enjoy music and dance. Two million or more people come and gather together, drinking champagne, and dancing the samba until midnight. AT this time, fireworks are set off above the ocean, and it is just beautiful. In Brazil, people where white to ensure good luck in the coming year.

Hogmany in Edinburgh, Scotland, has a four day celebration that is a street party. Fireworks shine bright over the Edinburgh Castle, candlelit concerts, dancing, and torchlight processions also occur during this four day period. In London, England, people gather around the Thames River to watch the fireworks, which are let off from the giant Ferris wheel, called the London Eye. Grand Ball in Vienna, Austria, unlike Edinburgh’s street parties, they party in a ballroom. A big ball is hosted at Hofburg palace, where classical music, dance performances, and an elegant four course dinner takes place. At midnight fireworks are set off and everyone participates in the traditional Blue Danube Waltz.

Down under also has a ton of cool festivities, though it starts much earlier, than us here in America. Yarra Park in Melbourne, Australia has some fun celebrations. The park hosts a lot of free activities, like gift exchanges, face painting, and art work, Children and parents can go around and spend the day here. At midnight, they head down to the Victoria Harbor and central Melbourne to view the fireworks. Sydney, Australia has the world’s biggest fireworks display on New Year’s Eve. It is actually the New Year’s Eve Capital of the World. It has traditional ceremonies, awesome light parades, and aerial acrobatics. They go all out, any way they are some of the first people entering the new year. A stunning firework display is let off, around seven tons go up and light the Sydney Harbor Bridge in beautiful colors.

And then there is also the amazing American traditions for New Year’s Eve. Time Square in New York City has light shows, music, and of course the ball drop that everyone waits for. The countdown takes place on the big clock so everyone can see. At midnight, confetti is let off and fireworks light up the sky. It is quite a magnificent tradition.

These are few of the many traditions. For more information, look here.

Unusual Traditions: Christmas Edition

Christmas is a holiday that is celebrated by many people throughout the world. Though the majority of those who celebrate Christmas are Christian, it has become a worldwide tradition. The idea of giving gifts, spending time with family, and having time off, has just grown to be celebrated by everyone, no matter what their religion. It has become commercialized, though its religious value still remains. This has created for some quite interesting traditions.

Christmas dinner, to us here in America, is like a small feast. Many baked goods are made and a nice main dish centered around a meat, like chicken, turkey, and ham are eaten. However, that is not the case for those in Japan. The Japanese enjoy a nice Christmas dinner with KFC fried chicken. Sometimes, the people in Japan have to order super early to actually make sure they can get some fried chicken from KFC. Sweden eats a rice pudding, but there is a special secret. If a person finds an almond in the rice pudding, they will get married within a year. In Greenland, they eat fermented birds, specifically auks, including the feathers, beaks, all in a seal skin with grease. That seems quite unappealing, but do what you have to, it doesn’t matter. Also, in Greenland, on Christmas night, the men take care of the women, by serving them and doing what they want. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

Spain has this unusual tradition during Christmas time. This specifically occurs in Catalonia, where statues are famous people pooping are quite common. It is said to symbolize fertilization, prosperity, and hope, for the future. Ukraine does a different sort of decorating, as well. They put spider webs on their Christmas trees. Spider webs tend to be associated with Halloween, but Ukrainians decorate their trees with these fake spider webs in hopes of good luck for the coming year.

Santa, is a jolly old man with white hair, and a beard, that loves cookies, food, and is extremely fat. He rides a sleigh guided by reindeer and takes presents to the children on Christmas Eve. The Italians, have La Befana, a witch flying on her broom and delivering candies to all the children on the eve of Epiphany Day, typically January 6^th.

Church and religion is a big part of the holiday. In Caracas, Venezuela, they do not go to mass in the typical way of riding a bus. Instead the Venezuelans roller skate to mass. How cool is that?

Estonians enjoy a nice sauna bath on Christmas Eve. This country in particular shows the growth of Christmas in countries. The country’s pagan traditions were mixed with Christmas traditions, to create this sauna bath tradition.

These are some cool and unusual traditions that occur during Christmas time. For more information, click here. 

Christmas Vacation Hotspots

The snow is falling, the bells are ringing, the children are excited, the streets are lit up with lights, and homes are filled with decorations, because Christmas time is upon us. At this time of year, most people love to spend time with their family, obviously because the more family you see, the more presents you get. It is simple logic. But sometimes, Christmas is a great time to go on vacation. Breaks can be extremely long, especially if you have any older children in the family. Going on vacation not only allows you to see a new place, but also spending time with family. So, here are some of the Christmas break hotspot destinations.

If you want to spend Christmas in the States and want to experience the holiday spirit, big cities, like Chicago and New York City are the best bet for you. These places are filled to the top with holiday spirit. The whole city is lightened bright by the lights. Christmas trees are set up, store fronts look beautiful, and the streets are bustling with people who are all ready for the holiday time. These places are great for shopping, sight-seeing, eating, and spending time together with your loved ones.

For those who would love to leave the country, Quebec, Montreal, Amsterdam, Prague, New Zealand, Turks and Caicos, and many other places. The Canadian cities of Montreal and Quebec provide a family voyage to a modern, yet historical city, with gorgeous architecture and a plethora of places to visit. Also, if you want to have a white Christmas, these places are great for that too. Amsterdam is another amazing place to visit. It has such a rich history, where people get so immersed into the Christmas and holiday spirit. Prague is a place people do not tend to visit, but at this time of year its sweet Baroque and Gothic architecture covered in snow, makes for a perfect Christmas holiday. New Zealand, at this time of year, is nice and warm. Beach adventures and outside explorations can happen. It will be a break from all the cold weather, plus the country is just breathtakingly stunning. Turks and Caicos, having some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, will provide a calm and relaxing family vacation in the warm weather. All of these are great places to visit, plus there are many more great cities, especially in Europe or the southern hemisphere, to visit. 

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The Travel Lover's Christmas Wish List

Every lover of travel would like to spend their holidays in a different country, exploring the depths of the sea, and having new adventures. No offense, they would love spending time at home with family drinking hot chocolate has it snowed, but a part of them would love to be somewhere new. For people like them, here is a list of great gifts, that will make them love you forever.

A great gift for a travel lover would be a travel diary. This diary would allow them to collect all their ticket stubs, extra money, and small memories of the places they have visited into one area. It would be an amazing way for them to look back and see all the fun times they had and all the places they wanted to go.

Another awesome gift would be a map of the world to mark off every place they have been to. This map would allow them to see where they have been, but also where they want to go in the future. It will help them plan trips and be of great use to them.

Lastly, the best gift you could get a traveler, are plane tickets to a new place. Let me tell you, they would love you forever. So, if you want to win a travel lover over, just buy them some plane tickets. They will be able to go on a trip, make memories, experience new things, have adventures, the things that they absolutely love in this world.

For more ideas click here. 

Oh No! Ah! Uh! Eeek! I Think I'm Gonna Die!!!

This week in my AP Lang. class, we read a wonderful story by P. J. O'Rourke, called “Third World Driving Hints and Tips.” Let me say, it was one of the most accurate and hilarious articles that I have ever read. Myself, having ridden in a car while I was visiting my family in India, I have personal knowledge of what it is like, and let me tell you, it is quite accurate. Though this article seems to be intended at people who live in a first world country, but have an experienced driving in a third world country, it can appeal to all. For those in third world countries it is offensive, while those in first world countries, it is over the top hilarious.

As the piece starts out, one must think that it is extremely informational and may actually be helpful to learn how to drive in a third world country, but that is not the case. Though there are official looking headings, the writing under each heading just makes fun of a lower class world. P. J. O’Rourke mentions the idea of road blocks of a third world in the piece. A person living here in the U.S. would assume it would mean construction road blocks or signs, but what he is actually talking about are animals, like cows, goats, and chickens, which are followed by children. He suggests that a goat is something to drive right through, which is quite accurate. From my experiences riding in a car in India where goats, cows, and chickens just roam around freely, I definitely understand where O’Rourke is coming from. To me, it seems that the car always has this goat force field, meaning whenever it drives through a group of goats, it manages to part them right in the middle, and not even touch a single one of them. The goats go away unharmed. Then there are the cows, which go wherever you go. Cows just like to chill and don’t seem to care about what is going on. They never move when a car is coming, and when you think it is safe, they somehow magically appear in front of the car, as O’Rourke claims. Chickens are a hazard; O’Rourke used a great metaphor saying chickens are like balls of the first world countries. They come onto the road; they are always followed by children. One time I was at my father’s parents’ house in a small village in India. There were chickens on the street, and I was scared that the driver would run over them. When they passed, the car started to move again, but suddenly a child ran across the street, it was quite scary. Occasionally, an obstacle may also be a parade of drunk people dancing and beating on your car, which may result in an angry driver who starts yelling, and the whole situation becomes tense.

O’Rourke is also accurate on the whole honking situation. He said in third world countries, honking is a necessity when it comes to driving. For some reason, they believe honking is needed to reverse, to park, to drive down an empty street, just all the time. Every time I step out of the airport when I reach India, I am overwhelmed with the amount of honking noises that are coming from cars, busses, trucks, and motorcycles, even though we usually reach around two in the morning. Here, honking is only used at particular times and is generally considered rude. I was a confused child, because in America I was never allowed to press the horn on the steering wheel, but when I went to India, all I heard were honks and horns.

Another particular thing I notice about driving in third world countries, particularly India, is that the majority of the population living and working there drive a motorcycle or moped. And on these motorcycles, mopeds, and even in the cars, trucks, busses, trains, auto rickshaws, and any sort of transportation, they are able to seat way more than the normal amount. A two-seater motorcycle may be able to fit ten people on it sometimes, it is quite astonishing. Also, they do not follow the rules; I never even understand how people can survive driving there. They don’t use lanes or follow the lights, I feel like there should be way more accidents.

This just goes to show that countries and places are different. What seems normal in one place, is quite absurd to others from a different place. Though we may joke about third world driving, that is what the people in third world have known their entire life, that is what they have grown up in, and if they came here, they would be a little confused too. 

Chocolate is Life

One of my most favorite things in this world would be chocolate. Just imagine a rich and deliciously smooth piece of savory goodness landing on your tongue, and as you bite into it, the soft inside just oozes into your mouth. Thinking about it is making me crazy. If I could live on chocolate I would. In my opinion, I believe America has a great variety of chocolate that contains a lot of enhancements with extra things, when chocolate is actually just magnificent by itself. Though its always great to have American chocolate, the best chocolate can from all around the world, from places you have never heard of. I have tried chocolate from Argentina, Germany, and Belgium; let me say, that it is just amazing.

The countries with some of the best chocolate can seem quite odd. Many European countries seem to have rich and delicious tasting chocolate. Few of these include Denmark, Italy, United Kingdom, and France. Denmark is one of the largest producer and consumer of chocolate in the world. It has provided the world some of the most beloved brands, like Snickers, Mars, and Twix. It is especially famous for coconut filled chocolate. Italy is another big producer that was the first place to manufacture solid chocolate bars. United Kingdom makes a ton of assorted chocolates, and is specifically known for their organic chocolates. French dark chocolates and chocolates filled with liquor are a major popularity and are known to have an everlasting taste because the best cocoa is used.

Other countries that are not European, like Mexico, create some amazing tasting chocolate. Mexico was the first place where cocoa was created into a spicy drink. They are known for adding cinnamon and chilies into the chocolate to and flavor and smell.

The rest of the countries that top the list, are once again European. These countries would be Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and Belgium. Germany is full of chocolate lovers and producers who are known particularly for the fine quality. Some of the best brands are Ritter Sport, Sarroti, Alpia, Kinder Schokolade, and the one I tried, Milka, which is just delicious. Spain is the first place where sugar was added to sweeten the bitter cocoa, so I must thank them right now. Without the Spanish, I could not survive. Though Switzerland does not seem like a place where cocoa would grow, it is a place that produces delicious chocolate. Many well-known chocolate brands originated in Switzerland, such as Toblerone, Swiss Army, Cailler Nestle, Lindt, and Glando. Lastly, is Belgium, and their chocolate tastes like god. They have some of the richest qualities of chocolates that use some of the best ingredients. Some of their famous brands are Nirvana, Godiva, Neuhaus, and Floranne. The thing is, when it is exported or is made here in America or certain chocolate types are made in countries that are not where they are originated from, the taste is changed and is not as good. If you ever get a chance and are a sweet/chocolate lover, tries these out.

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Eat Till You Explode

Last week was one of America’s greatest holidays, Thanksgiving. The holiday where everyone spends time with friends and family, eats so much food, says what their thankful for, and then more recently, follow it by trampling people at stores to get the cheap items they want. It is quite a wonderful holiday, allowing us to reflect on the people and things in our life that we most cherish. The three f’s are what I believe most people are always thankful for. This would be friends, family, and of course food. Who doesn’t love food? Food is one of the most important things in life and each culture has a different kind of taste, making them each unique and interesting.

Upon us is the holiday season. This means Christmas time and New Year’s, a time where everyone spends time with friends and family, gives gifts, and parties. Oh, and how could I forget the most important thing, EATING!

Holiday season is a time to put on some pounds, with the delicious foods. Typically, during Thanksgiving, people eat turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, bread, and cranberry sauce. For desert, there is usually an assortment of pies, such as pumpkin and pecan. Everyone eats till their pants can’t fit anymore, and that is how it should be. Just as you think, you cannot eat for another three months, the rest of the holidays soon follow.

Christmas, is a time to eat a lot of food and baked goods, once again. Though you vowed not to eat as much, you just can’t help it. For this holiday, people eat meat, like turkey, ham, chicken. Bread, cheese, vegetables, are also part of the meal. But the things that everyone loves are the baked goods and sweet stuff, like candy canes and sugar cookies. Cookies in general are made through the whole season, from shortbread, sugar, to chocolate chip. Cupcakes, chocolate, bark, brownies, eggnog, any item you can think of, can be made and will be made. Everything somehow has a Christmas twist to it, by either adding peppermint, or decorating it as if it is Santa, his reindeer, a Christmas tree, like bells, or stars. It is just a magnificent time of year, where everyone cooks plenty of food, and eats plenty of food. The holiday spirit is upon us and we have no excuse, we must eat till we explode. It is a requirement.

Make Some Memories

The future is an uncertain place. The world is constantly changing, people are constantly changing, culture is constantly changing, and in a moment, it can all be gone. As the world develops, aspects of it are being lost. With the addition of more harmful gasses into the atmosphere, the weather is changing. As we build more urbanized areas, natural areas are being lost. The rapid growth of the human population currently is leading to a decline in the amount of hidden beauties of this world. There are two things that can be done with this information. First, we can try to preserve it and start saving the environment, which seems like the right thing to do, but takes plenty of commitment from the whole world. Second, we could admit our defeat, though we still try to protect the planet, and try to travel and document these beautiful places in our minds, our memory, through experiences and images that can be shared with everyone. So, try to go out to a new place, not one that is a typical urban city, because you never know, when you actually discover it, it may be gone.

Being an Indian In an Airport

For people who have white skin color or an American background do not understand the troubles of being a colored person travelling in an airport, especially one in America. People who have talk in a different language than English, wear unique clothing, or have a different skin color, especially one that seems to be any shade of brown, have some of the hardest times at an airport. For some odd reason these people are magically chosen for special screening. Every time I am at an airport, I face these troubles. Just standing in line I observe the way that our country still remains prejudice, though we say we believe in equality for all.

I remember one time I was at the Chicago airport with my brother and mom. We were leaving for India and my mom was dressed up in traditional Indian clothing. As we waited in line at security, my mother was on the phone with her family in India to tell them we were leaving from America. Because our family in India does not speak English, my mom was talking in her native Indian language, Tamil. At this time, I was just bored and standing in line in observing what was happening. That is when I, as a young child, realized that people were not being treated equally. A few people in front of us had accents and were sent into the special screening line. However, other people who seemed like normal Americans, were let through with little notice. When it was my family’s turn, we were obviously sent to the special screening line. We checked every suspicion on the security guard’s list. Brown skin, check. Different clothing, check. Speaking a mysterious language, check. I was not pleased with our treatment because I was a young child who has lived in America for my whole life, with no intention of doing anything wrong. Yet, I was still forced to go through a special checking that screened the whole body and opened our bags. We had to wait extra time, and watched plenty of Americans just zoom through security. How unfair! I understand that it is the security’s intention to protect the country, the plane, and the citizens. However, that does not mean just screen people who fit the check list for a terrorist. I believe this type of treatment needs to stop. I mean, if I as a young child, could notice that they were being prejudice, there is something wrong. Nowadays, this special treatment of people who do not look the same as others or act the same as typical Americans, has improved, but it still occurs.

Another time, I was traveling for a school activity with two of my friends and a teacher. We were heading back from Washington D.C. I was an Indian who had brown skin color and my friend, Fatima, was a Muslim wearing a head scarf. My other friend, Lauren, and my teacher went through security in a breeze. My friend, Fatima, and I were sent to a special screening area. Though we were travelling as a group, the security guards wanted to make sure the Indian and Muslim were checked in more detail than the other Americans. This angered both my friend and I, but by now we have gotten used to it. I think this system must change still. If some people are specifically being targeted to have a special screening, then everyone should. America is built on the foundation of equality, and this treatment does not seem that equal to me. It seems as if they are being prejudice and racist. It is not fair, I am tired of it, and it must change. Oh, the struggles of being an Indian in an airport.

Shine Bright

The festival of lights, fireworks are set off, candles are lit, flames flicker, all throughout the world people of Indian, Hindu, Sikh, and Jain descent are celebrating the wonderful holiday of Diwali or Deepavali. This year, it is being celebrated in November, every year it changes based on lunar and solar calendars. Diwali is such an important holiday for people of these descents. Diwali has a religious background, but over the years it has become more popularized and commercialized. Special deals go on at this time and everyone waits for this time of year. Indians make a lot of food and feast. They all wear new clothes and through large celebrations. People go to the temple, then celebrate with family and friends. They wake up early to set off fireworks, and stay up late into the night dancing, singing, eating, watching movies, and celebrating. The magnificence of this holiday cannot be described through words, one must experience it. So, if you are ever planning a trip to India, considering going around Diwali time, to experience its rich culture. 

Day of the Dead

For most people, death is something that is sad and terrible. There are many people in the world that fear death, but those in Mexico, disagree. Though they may be afraid of death or they feel sad when a person dies, they still find it something to celebrate. Every year on the dates November first and second, the Mexicans celebrate the holiday called Dia de los Muertos. In English this means Day of the Dead. November first celebrates the day of the dead children, while the second day celebrates adults.

 

Dia de los Muertos is a holiday that originates from the ancient Aztec traditions and Catholic rituals that were brought to Mexico by the Spanish. On this holiday, the graves of the dead are decorated with these special yellow flowers. The dead’s favorite foods, drinks, and things are placed at the grave as well. It is believed that the dead can come back to Earth at this time of year. By placing food and candles it helps lead the spirits in the correct path back to life. Also, altars are created. This stair step platform is also decorated with foods and drinks. The favorite things of the dead are once again placed on it. At the center of the altar a picture of the deceased is placed in memory.

 

Skulls and skeletons are an important symbol of Dia de los Muertos. They are used to decorate altars and places. The skulls and skeletons are symbolic, especially the most famous skeleton, called Katrina. It is a skeleton of a rich woman wearing a long dress and a nice hat. Skulls of sugar and skeletons of sugar are made to place at the altar and to eat. Special bread and foods are made to help celebrate as well.
 

The family of the dead invites their friends and neighbors over to celebrate. Everyone brings gifts to place at the altar. They all enjoy, eat, remember the dead, and celebrate. People set off fireworks and play music all through the nights. Each place celebrates it differently, though they are all celebrating the same holiday. In some parts of Mexico, the family of the dead goes to the grave sites and just stick together as a family rather than inviting friends. These families just sit around the grave and reminisce on memories they had with the person they are mourning. They all tell stories to the break of dawn.

This big celebration of Dia de los Muertos, is an important holiday for Mexicans. It is something that people wait for all year. Though it is alright to mourn the dead, they take it as an opportunity to sort of celebrate their life. Dia de los Muertos is an amazing holiday with rich history, and would be great to experience. 

Boo! Happy Halloween!!

Boo! Trick or treat! Happy Halloween! The day where everyone eats pounds of candy, dresses up in costumes, and carve pumpkins. This scary day is celebrated throughout the world. Children are excited to dress up as their favorite characters and get loads of candy. Older adults are happy to dress up and spend time with their children. Others just enjoy the costume parties. This day brings people together to celebrate.

As a young child, I remember that in school we would spend the whole day doing Halloween related things. We were allowed to dress up; we would all bring in candy and pass it out. The teachers would read us scary stories and … Nowadays, as a high school student, I have noticed only a few people taking part in the festivities. In our large school, only a few people dressed up. Most people even forgot that it was Halloween!! So today I am going to tell people about this wonderful day and how it is celebrated throughout the world in hopes that it will bring up the Halloween spirit in people. Hope you enjoy.

It is believed that Halloween started in Ireland. In the rural areas of this country, bonfires would be lit, children would go trick-or-treating, and all of this would be followed by parties at a neighbor’s or friend’s house. At these parties, fun games would be played and yummy food was eaten. One particular food was especially special. This traditional food is called barnbrack, a fruitcake that has a muslin-wrapped treat inside. The treat is believed to predict the future. Also, many children would play tricks on their neighbors, hence the trick part in trick-or-treating.

Belgians were the inventors of the idea that black cats are unlucky when they cross your path or enter a home. They would leave candles at night in memory of dead relatives. Austrians leave bread, a light, and water on a table before going to bed, because it is believed that it draws the dead souls back. Czechoslovakians set chairs for the living members and non-living members of their families around a fire. The English came up with the idea of punkies, which are large beets carved with designs, much like a jack-o-lantern. The French do not celebrate Halloween for the dead, but as an American holiday, where people in costumes go to various parties.

In Asian countries, like China, it is called something else. The Chinese celebrate Teng Chieh, where food and water is placed in front of the dead family members, while lanterns and bonfires are lit to guide the souls and spirits. Japan celebrates Obon Festival, much similar to the Halloween festivities and is dedicated to the dead. Special foods are made and like in China, fires are set. Hong Kong celebrates Yue Lan, Hungry Ghosts, where it is believed that for a day the spirits freely roam the earth.

As we can see, Halloween is a celebration of the dead and of spirits. In America and in the more popularized or commercialized Halloween, various traditions have been put together. Here in America, people dress up and go trick-or-treating. This is mainly done by the kids, who are accompanied by their parents. They go candy hunting in their neighborhoods. Also, people carve pumpkins and create jack-o-lanterns, much like the British punkies. Over the years, various traditions have come together to create the amazing festivities of Halloween. Some may argue that the true value of worshipping and honoring the dead is not as prominent, which may be true. However, we still celebrate with friends and family, which may be even better.

Though some of us may have forgotten about Halloween, remember that it is one great celebration with a rich history. It is a festivity that is celebrated all around the world in various ways, but for pretty much the same reasons, that’s what makes Halloween unique compared to other holidays. So when you are out and about tonight, have a great time trick-or-treating in costumes, but also remember its true meaning of remembering the dead.

 

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Lost Till 3 A.M.

As you wander around an airport struggling to find your plane or become lost in a foreign city, that is when you notice the importance of communication and language. Imagine being in a foreign country and become lost. Like the independent person you are, you decide not to ask for help. However, it is now three a.m. and you still have not found the place you are going and it seems like you have been on the same street about 20 times. At times like these, it is when you understand the importance of knowing the language. So just a suggestion, before you go to a new country, try to master a few phrases or common hand gestures that everyone can understand. You don’t want to be lost till 3 a.m. Do you?  

Pssh. Who Needs School?

Though most of us students despise school with a strong passion, we must remember it is important to the success of our society. School teaches the children of our country skills that are needed for life. Is there repetition? Yes. Is it pointless? Sometimes. Is it boring? Most of the time. However, the children are the future of our country and the world. It is important to teach them things that they need to succeed in life and help our world succeed. Education systems around the world vary. Some are very effective, others aren't, and some may even be nonexistent.

 

The best school systems are said to be found in various continents. From Finland, to South Korea and from England to the United States, the school systems vary, but are all very good, some better than others.

 

A student in the United States enters school at the age of five, most likely. They start out in kindergarten and go all the way up to 12^th grade. From kindergarten to 5^th grade, known as elementary school, the basics are taught. In 6^th through 8^th grade, middle school, more is taught to the students. They start to have tests and grades. In 7^th grade, a student can start playing sports. Middle school also allows students to participate in various extracurricular academic, musical, or athletic activities. Then a student goes to high school in 9^th grade. Now, the work load seems to increase. Students sit in class for six hours and learn a bunch of facts. They go home after school, though most participate in sports, music, drama, show choir, and academic activities, and then do their homework for what seems like 20 hours. This continues for four years till they are released to go to college, other higher education, or the work force. The student has tests, a grade system with a GPA, and the continual feeling of hatred towards school.

 

Finland is said to have one of the best school systems around the world, but it is quite different than America’s, one that students here, may actually envy. Finland does not have private schools, they are all public. The teachers must have a master’s degree and have the choice to teach what they want in their classes. A higher percentage of the budget in Finland goes directly to the classroom and is a more affordable place to get an education. Though they have no sports teams, they still have sports. In Finland each individual child is focused on, though the children have independence. Now for the fact, that will make all the students envious, is that Finland does not have standardized tests or homework. One may ask how they succeed, but Finland has one of the best school systems.

 

Education systems in foreign countries, especially Asian nations, like China, Singapore, South Korea, and Hong Kong, seem to be more successful than America’s. In these countries a high value is placed on education. It is a part of their culture. Also, the quality of the teachers is an important reason for their success. Teachers are highly trained and paid on how well they do. They teach larger classes, but still have contact with their students. The whole idea of homework and what is given is a little different there as well.

Education systems around the world vary. Some are successful, some aren’t. As much as we hate school, education is needed for success. It is important for countries where students to that get low education start creating a school system to help them grow. For countries with education systems, they should make sure that it is the most efficient form. Education of the younger generations means success in the future, and various cultures and places have different ways to drive this.

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The Universal Language

No, it is not English. It is the language that all of us listen to, all of us cherish, and everyone can understand. It is music.

Music is a way to express feelings and let loose in all cultures. It unites all sorts of people from around the world. Music is like a common language, though it can be sung in different languages, it still evokes feeling to others. From Salsa, to Samba, from K-Pop, to American Pop, from Bollywood, to Calypso, music around the world let us free. The drums, guitars, and other instruments speak to us. They help us enjoy time and sometimes even escape from things. Music brings joy to everyone and provides livelihood. So after reading this blog post, put your headphones in and escape life to the universal language of the world, music.

As you travel the world, you may run into the well-known musical genre of Calypso. This Caribbean style music, popular especially in Trinidad and Tobago, is a blends the musical styles from Africa and Europe. The fact that they use steel pans and drums helps create unique beats that are enjoyable to dance to. A fun fact, which proves that music is a universal language, is the fact that Calypso was created as a way for African slaves from different countries to communicate with each other. It took away the language barrier and brought the slaves together.

Salsa as we all know is a feisty dance move and genre of music that comes from Puerto Rico and Cuba. It tends to be popular in Latin American countries, though America has popularized the music by incorporating it in their own styles. Similar to swing or soul music, it invokes a feeling of strong love for culture with the use of the conga drums.

Samba, a Brazilian dance, with roots from Africa is typically used during the Brazilian holiday of Carnaval. Slowly, Samba has taken over the world, with its unique rhythm. The guitars, heavy percussion, an instrument called cavaquinho, and the exciting, feathery costumes worn when performing, all make this genre of music interesting.

Pop music is found all around the world. American Pop, Brit Pop, K-Pop, it’s the songs that always tend to play on the radio and everyone seems to know. As we all know, American Pop include the artists like Britney Spears, Katy Perry, and literally anyone you turn on the radio and hear. Similarly, K-Pop, from Korea, comprises of catchy beats and dance moves. It has it all; using the genres of electropop, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B, all with a Korean twist to it.

Some other interesting types of music from around the world include Katajjaq from Canada, Bush Music from Australia, and Bollywood music from India. Katajjaq is Inuit throat singing. This style of music can be found in places like Greenland, Russia, Tibet, and Mongolia. It is commonly sung by women to their children to fall asleep or in a competitive game. The Australian style Bush Music is ballads that record the events that occurred in Australia’s history. Bollywood music, is much like pop music, and is basically a style that comprises of all sorts of music to create one genre that is plenty of fun to dance to.

 

Music can tell a story, tell history, and describe the culture of a place. It helps you understand a place before you have even been there. It doesn’t matter if you do not understand the words, because that is not the main point of music. The point of music is to evoke feeling and let a person get lost in it. Any style or genre of music, no matter from which country, allows you to do this. That is why it is the universal language.

Want to learn more? Click here.

Travelling the World Through Movies

As the weather cools, people tend to migrate inside. Everyone stays inside their homes, eating, watching TV, doing housework, and spending time with people inside their homes. Barely any activity goes on in the outside world, it is all concentrated in an individual’s home. This is totally understandable, because it gets extremely cold and eventually it snows. At times like these, everyone just wants to cuddle under some blankets, drink hot cocoa, sit next to the fireplace, and watch movies all night.

Don’t let that stop you from exploring the world. You have a TV and an option to watch whatever movie you like. For travel lovers and for explorers you can choose a movie about travelling. This not only allows you to stay inside, all comfy and wrapped up in blankets while watching movies, but to explore the world. It is a perfect combination.

Cartoon movies are perfect for any occasion. Not just regular cartoon movies, but Disney movies are always the best. One of the most perfect travel movies to watch is the one and only Up. The heartwarming story of the friendship between an old man, a young boy scout, a dog that screams “squirrel,” and a weird bird, is a must watch. Not only is the story touching, but it also deals with travelling. The four friends go on a unique trip; were they all wanted, maybe not, but in the end it became a memorable trip. Though it is aimed towards children, everyone should watch this movie. It teaches a great life lesson and even though it is a cartoon, it allows you to travel to a magnificent place.

For those who would like a sweet tale about a traveler, you should watch Lost in Translation. This movie starring big stars, like Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, is a touching tale about a movie star and a young wife who are both in a foreign land, Tokyo, and create a special bond. Another heartwarming tale is The Bucket List. Who doesn’t love a movie with Morgan Freeman? This movie is about two men who have cancer, and road trip around the world. Not only does this take you to a lot of different places, but it is one sweet plot. Into The Wild is another story about life as a traveler. These movies all provide you with insight with what it is like to go around the world and experience life. It’s a great way to escape and relax.

For a travel adventure, The Beach is a great choice. A movie directed by Danny Boyle takes you to Thailand. A man comes across a strange map which leads him to a, well I don’t want to give the ending way, even though the title does.

Lastly, the movies everyone loves to watch, the cheesy clichés; watch Eat, Pray, Love. The movie starring Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem, and James Franco, is about a recent divorcee who travels the world. Perfect for all the romantic, cliché movie lovers who love to travel.

To learn more about the movies click here and here.

Fall Colors

The leaves are changing, the air is cooling, the birds are moving, and here we lay witnessing the magnificent transition from summer to fall to winter. As we get up for school in the morning the sky remains dark. As we travel throughout the day, the changing color of leaves brightens up our day. Just imagine sitting on a lake as the sun is setting and glistening off the water. Around you, it is dead silent, except for the beautiful, color trees swaying in the background. Just imagine for a moment you are in serenity. Right about now, that sounds perfect. Here are the best places to experience these fall colors, beautiful sunsets, and this serenity.

 

If you would like to go out of the country, head to Canada. I know, Canada is not really that far away or is an exotic place, but at fall time, it can be gorgeous. The maples trees spread vastly throughout the country and during this time of year, they provide for a beautiful nature setting. One place to check out is Mont Tremblant, a ski town which is two hours from Montreal. The mountainous area is covered with trees and has plentiful outdoor activity options for everyone.

 

Oregon and Washington are states in the U.S. which you could visit. Most people don’t view these two states to be extremely popular tourist destinations, but at this time of year they are simply magnificent. Fall foliage covers the mountains and hilly areas of the two states. Oregon has river gorges, gardens, and even waterfalls that overlook a huge valley. For a very relaxed vacation where many tourists are unlikely to be found, go to one of these states. Its perfect to view the fall colors and spend some time alone or with loved ones.

 

Similarly, if you are a west coast lover, you can go out to California. Yosemite National Park, which has just been reopened. This National Parks shows off America’s fall with pride. The trees covering its vast landscape all change color at the same time creating a piece of artwork that one must see during their lifetime.

 

If you want to go south, head to the southern state of Texas or Tennessee. Chattanooga, Tennessee lies on the Tennessee River and is a prime spot for seeing fall colors. To admire colors in Texas head on a hike. The elms, oaks, sweetgums, and cottonwoods surrounding the lake, lining the creek, and covering the park allow for a splendid time. In the Northern Midwest, Lake Michigan and Great Lakes has some beautiful sights to see. Wisconsin and upper peninsula Michigan provide a place for many outdoor activities, trips on the lake, and the perfect place to see fall foliage. It is just like you imagined, the sun setting on the lake, while the colorful tress sway, and leaves rustle in the wind.

For more places click here.

I'm Lovin' It!

This foreign fast food chain has taken the world by storm. It can be found in most parts of the world with 33,000 stores around the whole world! Some countries find this chain to be a lowly health risk, while others see it as an exotic restaurant to have an outing to. This chain is the one and only… McDonald’s.

 

McDonald’s, here in America, is known to be a fast food restaurant that is very unhealthy for you. At McDonald’s they sell hamburgers, cheese burgers, fish fillets, chicken nuggets, ice cream, fries, kids meals, and the wonderful Big Mac. The stores are small little building with the big M outside it, which brings all children happiness. Throughout the world, however, the menu varies and the stores ambiance seems to change as well.

 

In each country, McDonald’s tries to appeal to the population living there. For example, if a country, like India, does not eat beef, they tend to serve products that don’t contain beef. McDonald’s branches in each country have varying foods, and when looking at them, they seem quite exotic. In Malaysia, they serve Babur ayam. This is a chicken porridge with spring onions, ginger, shallots, and chilies. In Singapore the typical bun is switched to toasted rice cakes. Germany sells the Nurnburger. It is basically three brats put into a bun with mustard. Most of the time, here, we see a fish fillet, but never a shrimp fillet, like in Japan. Ebi Filet-o is a shrimp burger served with lettuce and spicy sauce. Mexico selves McMolletes compared to the McMuffin here in the U.S. It has beans cheese, and pico de gallo, which are all placed on a muffin. As we can see, these food items are all different than what we believe to be the typical McDonald’s menu. As you move throughout the world, the cuisine changes, hence, McDonald’s tries to the specific part of the world that it is found in and changes its menu.

Similarly, the restaurant look and atmosphere changes depending on the country you are in. Here in America, it tends to be a fast food restaurant that many people go to. It is low end and tends to be dirty most of the time. When going to a McDonald’s store in a different country, it may seem more pristine. The store will be cleaner and it looks more exotic. This just shows the difference between the places throughout the world in terms of McDonald’s. Such a simple restaurant in U.S. has expanded, has changed its menu, has changed its store to fit the liking of other countries, which helped gain it popularity and become a multinational corporation that everyone loves.

 

For more food information, click here.

Cultural Diversity Day

Every year I am lucky to perform a dance at the University of Iowa Cultural Diversity Day. I have been learning Indian classical dance ever since I was a young child. This year for the performance, I learned a brand new dance and was extremely excited to perform. After getting ready for two hours, when I reached Iowa City, the park was filled with stalls and people all from different cultures. Everyone was wearing their native clothing, selling their home made crafts, and selling their delicious food. It was like heaven for an anthropologist. Different cultural performers, like a Filipino group, Tai Chi group, and obviously an Indian group performed their native dances and songs. It was just a wonderful cultural experience that was eye opening.

Let's Party!!

Throughout the world, people celebrate all kinds of festivals. Each festival is unique in its own way; even in the same country one part can celebrate it differently compared to another part. So, if you are ever planning a trip and love to party and have fun, here are places and festivals you can celebrate.

To party in the States, go down to New Orleans in early January to celebrate the one and only Mardi Gras. This two week festival is quite famous for its parades that are headed by kings and queens who are followed by floats that are beautifully decorated. People throw candy and little trinkets at the crowd, who are all happily enjoying the time. At the end of Mardi Gras is Fat Tuesday when everything and everybody just lets loose. Ash Wednesday follows and is the first day of Lent; therefore, in the weeks before and especially on Fat Tuesday everyone just parties and enjoys life.

 

Similarly, in February in Rio de Janeiro, is the festival called Carnaval. This four day long festival also has everyone partying and dancing to samba. A million people come each year to watch the Sambodromo parade and watch neighborhoods compete against each other in dance competitions. Decorative floats, nude women, Masquerade Ball, people wearing costumes, are few images to describe this festival.

In Thailand, Songkran is the traditional new year, which has become an important holiday for many. Thais pray to Buddha, clean homes, and sprinkle water on elders. Nowadays it has transformed into a practice that has gotten wild. Everyone from Thais to tourists go out on the streets and get drenched by water balloons and water guns. It is like one big water fight.

Guatemala celebrates Semana Santa to worship the Passion, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus in a week. Jesus statues are sent down the streets, decorated with flowers, pines, fruits all varying in design. The crucifixion is reenacted and the entire city is draped in black and smells of incense.

These festivals around the world bring people together to celebrate and have fun. Each festival is unique and attracts a lot of tourists for different reasons. So, if you ever want a big party trip or want to experience another culture, head to one of these places to fill your needs. Just wait for more festival information or click here. 

Unusual Traditions: Part Uno

To people who are not accustomed to some traditions, they tend to find these traditions quite weird, odd, and unusual. But who are we to judge, people may think traditions that we may find normal are quite funny. For example, Americans in total eat 18 acres of pizza a day. That is a ridiculously large amount of pizza that most people not living in this country would probably think is an insane amount to eat. I even live here and can't believe that fact is true, well now that I think about it; we Americans do love our pizza.

 

On that note, here are some traditions that seem to be weird to people who are not familiar with them. Wedding ceremonies can have some unusual traditions like Polterabend and blackening of the bride. Polterabend is a German custom where guests come together at the bride’s home and break porcelain dishes, pots, and other objects on the night before the wedding. It is believed to be good luck for the wedding and also helps provide entertain the guests. At the same time, in Scotland, the tradition of blackening the bride may seem weird to some. This is because brides tend to be seen in a white dress, but in this Scottish tradition the bride and sometimes the groom are covered in spoiled milk, sauces, mud, feathers, fish, syrup, and many other gross items. It is believed that if the couple can overcome this humiliation, they will be able to stay together for life. How romantic?

 

Then there is also baby tossing. This seems kind of scary. I mean who would want to toss their baby, especially off the side of a 50 foot tower. However, parents in India, specifically in Maharashtra, climb to the top of the tower and toss their babies off. At the bottom, villagers hold a sheet out to catch the falling babies. It tends to be more of a Muslim Indian tradition, though some Hindus do practice it. By doing this, parents hope to provide the child with good luck for a healthy life. I wonder if any of these babies grow up to have a fear of heights.
 

In the Philippines, dead people are buried and hung in limestone caves around the Sagada. Similarly, people in China (Bo people) practice the tradition and in Indonesia the Toraja people hang coffins of the young. It is quite interesting to see that various parts of the world have similar traditions and they all have religious or spiritual meaning attached to it.

 

Though these traditions may seem weird to some, it is a tradition to others that contains religious and a spiritual meaning. There is always a reason behind why these things are done, and should not be judged. Some may seem sweet, others may seem weird, and others may just be plain disgusting, but we shouldn’t judge them. If it is what people want to do and believe then we should allow them to do it without judgment. Just always remember that it is important to be tolerant. I find all these cultures to be unique and interesting because of their traditions and would love to witness some of these traditions. Stay tuned for more weird traditions and if you want more information now, click here, here or here.

Ten Days, Nine Nights

Every year around this same time, I have the pleasure of going to many friends’ houses to celebrate an important holiday. We all eat, talk, pray, and enjoy time. The host house builds a stair step altar filled with beautiful figurines that depict a story and make all these delicious foods. Everyone else, mainly the women, visit their homes to view the amazing altar and with them, they bring gifts. Together we all enjoy, eat, pray, get presents, and celebrate a wonderful religious holiday.

As an Indian and a Hindu, there is always one week of the year, technically ten days, that is an important religious and celebration week. This week is called Navratri, meaning nine nights in Sanskrit. During these nine nights, Hindus worship the nine different forms of Shakti or Devi or Durga (the same god, just different names). The final tenth day, is a special one, called Dussehra. Durga is the divine mother god who provides a person with energy. She cannot be created or destroyed; she is always there. The reason we worship her is that she is the divine mother and the mother of all, her energy and greatness will help us in life. The nine days are separated into three sections, one for each of the main goddesses, Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. Durga is worshipped to destroy all our impurities, Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, and Saraswati is the goddess of wisdom. Yes, I understand that there are a lot of gods and goddesses in the Hindu religion, but the main reason we celebrate these nine nights is to bestow wealth, knowledge, success, and powers to overcome obstacles upon us.

In these ten days, there are celebrations and prayers every day. I remember, ever since I was a little kid, I would look forward to this week. All of my friends and I would go around to different houses, eating food, getting to dress up in amazing clothing, and hang out, while spending time with our families and praying. It was a win-win situation. As we grew older, we would participate more in the religious aspect by singing songs and leading prayers.

Living here in the US has brought me away from my native culture. At times like these ten days or other important Indian festivals, it reminds me of my roots. I love being able to take part in both American and Indian culture, it helps me become more aware of things around the world. These ten days not only are a celebration and religious time, but it is a time that reminds me of who I am and where I am from, which is what I love.

Where Do You Want To Go?

Sometimes in life you come across obstacles and struggle to make it through. At times like these, we all just want to escape and leave. We all just want to give up, but we can’t. As we depressingly wander on with life, we always imagine for a better time or dream of a better place. There is no problem with that. Anyone can always imagine and dream, it’s a quality that helps me get through hard times.

One of the places I always imagine going is Australia. Though it is home to some of the scariest things in life, like excessive snakes and spiders (two things I fear the most) there is plenty to do. This beautiful country seems to have most of its major cities located on the east coast, a great desert land takes up most of the country, and then a few loner cities can be found on the west coast. The country has so many opportunities to explore and live life to the fullest. Its capital, Sydney, is home to the famous opera house. However, the fact that catches my attention about Australia the most is the ability to have adventure. While visiting Australia one can go surfing and catch some waves or go snorkeling or scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef. Australia has plentiful beaches, national parks, places to go hiking, rain forest walking, and waterfalls to swim under. It seems like heaven for an adventure and nature lover.

At the same time Australia has great diversity. Plentiful restaurants offer various types of foods. A great amount of places to shop for shopaholics. Site seeing lovers also have many places to visit and theater lovers can have a good time as well. Australia has it all and is a great travel destination. I can’t wait till the day I get to go there.

So the next time you are down, just imagine where you want to go and want to be. Imagine and dream of your future, and don’t give up, just escape for a little bit. When you come back to reality, take it by storm and forget about your problems. Just keep dreaming and one day the dream will come true.

October's Rocktober Travel Destinations

October is now upon us. It’s the time of pumpkins, candy, sweaters, Halloween, and the beautiful colors of fall. Everybody is back to work and back to school; travel may not be a part of the plan for October, but it can be. A weekend getaway is all it takes. So let’s talk about the top places to visit this October.

October means Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. Each year around six million people head to this city to eat brats, drink beer (only if they are of age) and attend the Bavarian Oktoberfest. This modern city that is Germany’s most expensive city is found near the Bavarian Alps and the River Isar. The streets are lined with retail stores and BMWs. October in Munich means sixteen days of Bavarian food, rides, drinks, and parties. A great trip for those who love a good time.

Fall is upon us. This means the leaves changing colors. If you are a nature lover and want to see nature transform right in front of your eyes, head to pretty much any national park, such as Yellowstone. Due to the fact that it is fall and everyone is busy working or going to school, the parks will be less crowded. This allows for more time and freedom to explore, hike, and watch summer transform into fall.

Albuquerque, New Mexico is waiting for you to come and visit. Every fall since 1972, it has been home to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. This event has become the largest hot air balloon event in the whole world. During the first week of October, many travelers to go see the hundreds of balloons, 1,000 pilots from 28 different countries take off on their flight.

A cheap place to visit is Chicago. This diverse city has much to do and is located near Lake Michigan. Amazing restaurants, shops, and delicious deep dish pizza can be found throughout the city. Museums, zoos, art institutes, parks, shows, can all be found in Chicago. Plus, during the fall the weather is beautiful and the scenery is fantastic.

For those who want to travel out of the country, Tokyo, Jerusalem, and Paris are great choices. Tokyo’s Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden has yellow and orange leaves that flutter of trees and colorful chrysanthemums symbolizing the changing seasons. The Tokyo International Film Festival and Seven-Five-Three Festival also takes place at this time providing more to do. Jerusalem has great hotel rates, small crowds, beautiful sites, and perfect weather for any traveler. Paris, the romantic city, has great weather, less crowds, and cheap flights and hotels. The city has much to do and see; a wonderful place to go to relax and getaway.

For more information click here or here.

The Government Shutdown's Effect On Travel

I know many people may be discussing this and you may be tired of hearing it, but sorry I am still going to mention it. Today I am going to talk about how the government shutdown will affect tourism. If this shutdown takes place for a decent amount of time, it can affect the places you wish to visit. The national monuments and parks will all be closed, such as the Statue of Liberty and Yosemite National Park. Not only does this affect tourists, but it also affects tour groups like schools and weddings who have planned their trips well in advance without the idea of a government shutdown in mind.

One of the major downers of the government shutdown on travelers who are travelling by planes is excess delays and cancellations. Because the government provides for air traffic control, the shutdown causes less people to be put to work in these positions. Therefore, larger delays and more cancellations of planes will occur because of the decrease in the amount of workers who basically provide an extra set of eyes for the air. If someone is planning on going on a trip soon and hasn’t gotten their passport yet, they may be out of luck as well. Though the Department of State says it will continue to work on issuing passports and visas of foreign applicants, once again there will be delays, not only for the foreign applicants, but people living here in the US as well. Luckily transportation systems like the Amtrak will still be running, though that doesn’t help the foreign travelers much. Also, on the bright side, the US Customs and Border Protection will still be working. This means if you leave the country, you can still get back in. For example, a short trip to Canada is allowed.

 

Though there may be some effect on travel due to the government shutdown, like delay in flights, passports, and the closing of national museums, parks, and zoos, it is most likely that it won’t affect us too much. Travel will still be able to go on, with minor issues. Hopefully our government can come to a compromise and fix the issues they have amongst themselves. This way workers of the government can go back to work, children can go on awesome field trips to national sites, weddings can take place in the parks they had booked for, and tourists can go on vacation.

All this information can be found here.

You're Weird! Well, so are you.

Earlier this week Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, IA had a Foreign Exchange Student Banquet. Foreign Exchange students for this school year were introduced formally to the students and few facts about their life was shared about them. These students have come from all around the world. Three have come from Europe, from countries such as Spain and Norway, while others have come from Asia, like China. These foreign exchange students come here to learn in America and experience our culture. However, not only do they learn new things, we can all also gather knowledge from their experiences in their home country.

 

The foreign exchange students were presented mainly by their host family, but sometimes their classmates. They would give an explanation of where the students were from, a background about their life, talk about their family, and discuss their hobbies. All the students seem to come from different backgrounds with different traditions, because they come from different areas around the world. All of them seem really excited to be here and very interested to learn more about the American culture. The students were mentioning things that there are many things that are different about America compared to their home country. 

After the students were introduced, they were asked to say something that they find different or weird about the American culture. The student from Norway said this city is much larger than where she comes. To most of us, we believe Cedar Rapids to be a small country. Many people who are not from the area probably have never heard of the area. To hear that Cedar Rapids seemed like a big city to someone was just an astonishing fact. But it is true. Many countries are made up of many smaller cities, with the exception of a few cities that are much more populated than the others. In America that is not the case because we are such a large country.

Another student, the one from Spain, was saying how people in America eat at very awkward times. He was saying that in Spain they eat much later than we do here. People tend to eat lunch around one o’clock and eat dinner only at nine o’clock. That seems crazy to us here in America, because our lunch and dinner time is extremely earlier compared to that of Spain. We tend to eat dinner from any time in-between five to seven; hearing the fact that the Spanish eat at nine is unimaginable. I know I would be starving by then. Similarly, one of the foreign exchange students from China was saying that back in China they have a lunch room or more of a large area to eat lunch that seats 4,000 people. All the students in the whole school eat lunch at the same time. When she came here and saw the small lunch room and the amount of people in a lunch compared to the size of our school, she was shocked. The idea of having different lunch periods was just different to her. For people in America, it is just another normal thing, but looking at it from an outsider’s point of view, I understand how some of the way we do things may be weird.

One of my favorite comments came from another kid from China, whom for a foreign exchange student from China had a great English speaking ability with little accent. He was saying the amount of homework we get here is a huge amount. He said that in China they tend to get less homework that are a little longer to work out and require more thinking and analyzing. He says here we get a ton of homework that keeps going on and on. It takes him longer to do homework in America than in China. For most of us this was surprising. When thinking of stereotypes, people in China are said to be smart. Therefore, we assume they have more work to do. However, that seems to not be the case. This just shows the difference between cultures around the world. To these students, the culture in America is different, but to us, their culture is also unique.  

USA! USA! USA! 'Merica!

America is a country filled with diverse people from all different cultures, traditions, languages, and countries around the world. This country was built by people immigrating here for a new life. At first Europeans moved here for religious freedom, economic reasons, work, a new start to life, and later on others from different countries immigrated here for similar reasons. America is a country that is accepting of everyone and allows freedom for all. The diversity in America helped create the country we have become today. It is a country that has variation wherever you go and a rich background full of traditions from places around the world.

No matter where you are, from small cities to big cities, there is always diversity in America. Though small cities tend to have less diversity, they each seem to be different. Some small cities even have a prominent culture.  For example, in Cedar Rapids, though it is a small city, there is an area near downtown called Czech Village, with a larger amount of people from the Czech Republic and is rich in Czech culture. Similarly in larger cities, and more commonly in larger cities, there are places like Chinatown and Little Italy, for example. These areas tend to be highly populated by people of that specific culture. In this little stretch of land in a city, there is also an increased amount of shops and restaurants selling items, clothing, and food from that culture. This is a unique thing that helps show America is a culturally diverse country.

American culture has been influenced by cultures all around the world. Our main language we speak is English, because our country was first settled by the British, who spoke English. The food we eat comprises of things from all over the world. In America we eat food like burgers, salads, sandwiches, meats, and soups. However, some of our favorite foods include Chinese food, Mexican food, Indian food, Italian food, Thai food, Mediterranean food, and much more. We acknowledge all sorts of holidays, from Christmas to Hanukah. It’s a part of what makes us America; we are accepting of all cultures, at least most of us are. Our country has grown on the foundation of diversity. It creates an exciting adventure and is like one place to find all other places around the world put together, with minor changes. There are still many characteristics that make us unique. We are a mixture of cultures and traditions from other countries plus our own. America!

America the Beautiful

From the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, in-between Canada and Mexico (minus the islands and the lonesome state by the Arctic Ocean), lays the wonderful country of USA. The land of the free, the home of the brave, the land of the beautiful, USA. A country that is filled with diversity full of people from all different cultures coming together to create one nation. From all over the world, people come to visit and live in this country. A place that provides freedom, shelter, security, jobs, and adventure; a place to make memories.

United States is a large nation filled with plentiful adventures. It is a nation that one should visit if possible. A person who travels to America for the first time must visit the nations most well known cities, including New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, somewhere in Florida, to name a few. One may visit Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone National Park, Death Valley, the Grand Canyon; however, there are hidden beauties of this country that travelers should also try to discover. The beautiful snow covered mountains in the Rockies, hills in the Badlands, and the scenic drive down California's coast, all of which are things to experience in America. The luscious forests that cover the mountains in Oregon and Washington, Northern Michigan and the Great Lakes, the tropical island of Hawaii, and the lonesome state of Alaska all wonderful places to visit, as well. Each of these areas are unique places to create special memories. So the next time you travel to America or around USA, remember do not stick to the big cities, try to explore its hidden treasures.

Sorry, but you can't be Miss America... You're brown!

This past weekend, the Miss America 2014 pageant took place in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 87th pageant was the first to crown a winner of Indian descent. That does not mean Native American, but a person from the country of India. Nina Davaluri, a 24 year old studying to be a doctor from Syracuse, New York, was the first Indian-American to win the Miss America pageant, what most would see as a major accomplishment. However, after Ms. Davaluri was crowned, she faced plentiful backlash from social media, mostly full of racist remarks. One would think that in the 21st century this would not be occurring, but sadly it did and still does.

I personally did not watch the pageant, but news obviously spreads fast these days. I was doing stuff on my computer when I read something about the wonderful Miss Kansas, who served for the Army and overstepped boundaries by showing off her tattoos, not winning. At first I was a little disappointed, that was until I found out the winner actually happened to be another woman who broke the boundaries. A woman named Nina Davaluri who is an Indian that can dance very well. I was surprised and thrilled, however the social media and other people believed otherwise. Many people on social media, such as Twitter, were posting racist remarks. Here are some of those tweets and more can be found here. 

" Are you serious??!! The Arab wins??!! This is miss AMERICA!!! Not miss Arabia!!! Miss Kansas is in the army and is a country girl!!! C'mon"

"This is miss America not miss terrorist #getoffthescreen #USA"

First of all, just because she is brown skinned, does not mean she is a terrorist. Secondly, just because she is brown does not mean she is a Muslim or from Arabia. Lastly, just because you think she is a Muslim does not mean she is a terrorist either. Is this really what America has come to? I thought USA was supposed to be a free country where anyone could practice their own religion and a country that accepted everyone. That is not what it seems like. It seems like we live in a country full of culturally ignorant and intolerant people.

Our founding fathers envisioned our country to be a place where anyone can come and live without being judged for what their skin color is, what their ethnicity is, what their religion is. That is what our country is based on, yet this foundation does not seem to hold true.

People have judged Nina because of the way she looks and her ethnicity, saying she is not American. Just because she is of Indian descent does not make her any less American than any other person living in America. It does not mean she isn't a true American. As Ainee Fatima says, "It turns out we [American South Asians] can win your spelling bees, scholarships be your doctors and even be crowned Miss America but we're still not considered American." How in the world is that fair?