Oh, the places you'll go...

On the shores of old Lake Kimball

2013-01-23T00:57:00.001-05:00

It is safe for me to say that Camp Henry is a place like no other. Having been working at this amazing place for two years now has been an absolute blessing. From the amazing people I have come into contact with to the adventurous and educational experiences I've endured, I hold this camp close to my heart.

Nestled in the back roads of Newaygo, Michigan and resting on lake Kimball, these landscapes are a sight for sore eyes. Having just celebrated our 75th anniversary this past summer, I was able to experience the rich history and traditions that this camp has and was able to hear stories of old campers and the impact it had and still does have on them today. Our mission stands strong in that we provide a life changing experience for all in a Christian environment.

Everything we do here is done intentionally to build character and community, and to grow in one's faith. The great thing about this is that it is done in a variety of fun ways! Whether it be out on the waters kayaking, shooting a bulls eye on the archery range, conquering your fear of mastering the high ropes course and zip line or singing and dancing during chapel. What better place to get a glimpse of the world the way God intended it to be than right here!

When asked what camp means to me, I become overwhelmed with the amount of thoughts that pertain to what Camp Henry has provided for me. Whether it’s opportunities to try something new to being zany in outrageous costumes, I am given the appropriate amount of freedom while being taught lifelong lessons like communication, honesty, and respect.

What most people in today’s society don’t realize is that with our advanced technology and crazy busy schedules, we don’t know how to communicate with others effectively- let alone to stop, take a breath of fresh air, and take notice of our surroundings. One thing that comes to mind while being at camp is that it gives me the appreciation for little things- waking up to a gorgeous lake view, singing by the campfire, etc. We often get caught up in our busy daily schedules and sometimes forget about the little things, such as the small ant on the ground, the bird chirping in the tree, or the squirrel scurrying with a nut. They are a valuable part of creation and truly make the world a better place. Unfortunately, these things get lost as we hurry from place to place, going about our daily routines. But they are parts of our life that are even more valuable than our hair appointments, work deadlines, and car problems. They are the simple things, which God made for us to care for, enjoy, and appreciate. Matthew 6:22 explains, “The lamp of the body is the eye. If, then, your eye is simple, your whole body will be bright…” Having a simple eye means keeping our life uncomplicated and having a healthy outlook. Camp has taught me that this way of viewing life can allow for glimpses of our extraordinary God, and we can catch traces of his imprint everywhere in creation if we simply take the time to enjoy it.

COME TO CAMP! :)
camphenry.org

Live Simply and Smile

2012-04-10T19:25:00.008-04:00

Throughout this past year I have undergone many ups and downs in my life which have most certainly taken effect into shaping who I am today. I learn from my mistakes and take advantage of that by creating something good from it. I tend to not like living in the past but rather in the moment. Having a positive outlook and keeping my priorities straight is also important to me.

My current job is working as a mentor/facilitator and role model to individuals in living a good Christian life. Our mission here is essentially providing life changing experiences for all in a Christian environment. This doesn't necessarily mean that we are shoving religion down everyone's throat but simply sharing the love and appreciating each others unique gifts that we possess (whether you're religious or not).

So I am writing this because I have been thinking to myself lately how I have been trying to 'live a better story'. I am consistently preaching to our guests here about being confident and proud of who they are and being kind to one another as well as taking chances and making mistakes that I sometimes forget to take my own advice.

If you didn't already know this, I am a big fan of quotes and one in particular that has been sticking with me recently pertains to living in the moment. "We spend too much time living in the ‘what if’ and need to learn to live in the ‘what is.’"-Rev. Leroy Allison

With this said, I would like to share my life motto with you. Peace everyone.

This is your life. Do what you love, and do it often. If you don't like something, change it. If you don't like your job, quit. If you don't have enough time, stop watching TV. If you are looking for the love of your life, stop; they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love. Stop over-analyzing; life is simple. All emotions are beautiful. When you eat, appreciate every last bite. Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities only come once: seize them. Open your mind, arms, and heart to new things and people. We are united in our differences. Ask the next person you see what their passion is, and share your inspiring dream with them. Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them, so go out and start creating. Life is short. Live your dream, and wear your passion.

California Dreaming

2012-04-09T22:00:00.019-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, My friend Tori and I decided to take a long weekend trip to visit our good, old friend Jess in California. Jess was my neighbor back home growing up and we both shared the same passion for traveling and discovering the world. My big step was moving to Michigan, hers, Cali. This was actually my first time visiting the golden state (aside from transferring flights at LAX) and it was definitely a great experience. Jay lives right outside of L.A. so we managed to knock out a lot of the touristy attractions throughout the area. We started our adventure by taking a stroll down the walk of fame and then took a moment to match our hand prints to the celebrities outside the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre. For those of you who are wondering, I have the same size hands as Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) -__-  

It is always exhilarating to be able to witness something so famous that you've only been reading about or seeing on tv. This is the exact feeling I encountered when being here and admitting the awe of seeing the Hollywood sign.  Later that afternoon we hopped in the car, opened the sun roof/windows, cranked the music and began to cruise. Sunset Blvd, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills; all just as picturesque as I imagined. The houses, the cars, the interesting people, it was just a fun and very chill time witnessing it. The next day we dedicated our time to the beaches. Starting at Laguna and standing on the "top of the world" to Huntingdon, Newport and Seal. The Pacific is gorgeous and I loved every minute of being on the shores. We managed to get ourselves into several other frolicsomeness during my visit, especially during St. Patricks day. I think I'll save that for another day though ;)

 It's funny that while visiting this short time and sharing stories with Jess and her family I was able to see a vast difference between the lifestyles of the West coast and East. From her experiences so far, Jess has landed multiple jobs and I was quite shocked as to how she managed it. I've found out that people like to be independent and Angelenos or Californians want to make it happen on their own terms and will sacrifice to have a better quality of life. I am constantly amazed at the tech world, the entertainment industry, the fashion, and incredible writing communities here. People on the east coast typically have one job. People on the west coast have multiple. I find it kind of invigorating. At first, not so much, but now I see why. FREEDOM. People are chasing their dream and working where they can to support that dream.  When you grow up in the North East, everyone around you is talking about what prep school or prestigious college they would like you to attend. This talk starts fairly early in our youth. Often many generations attend the same school and it is an honor to continue that legacy because so and so’s grandfather has their name on the building. College is just considered a minimal start. Having a master’s degree, PhD etc. is just an extra something to have under your belt. I have found people on the West Coast are not raised with the same educational whip. I was surprised when Jay was telling me about how it's not a big deal at all. Many high school and college drop outs are quite successful. This “drop-out” thing would be unheard of on the East Coast, but sometimes I think this non-education thing creates people who work and learn skills at an early age because they have to, and often have real world life skills than many of us who spend years and years in classes don’t have.

On another note,  I know for me, I get extremely excited when I see a celebrity (and it does happen occasionally). One evening, we were leaving our restaurant and I just stumbled into Steve-O from Jack ass and got my picture with him. Well, it was pretty awesome but ya know in LA, locals are not phased too much by anyone since they share all of the same commodities like gyms, restaurants, sidewalks etc. Considering I am so used to the East coast way of life, I strongly admire this new lifestyle. It really makes me step back and re-evaluate how I want to live my life. I mean, part of my life motto is to live simply, do what I love and from there everything tends to fall into place. This was a memorable trip and I thank Jess for letting it all happen.

Laguna

MIchigan's Little Bavaria

2012-02-11T21:28:00.007-05:00

A few weeks ago, my friends and I spent our day off by taking a road trip across the state to a small Bavarian town known as Frankenmuth. This really is a place where you can partake in the simple joys of life. "Willkommen. In German it means welcome. An offer to come and join in. Something we don't hear enough of these days." Like I said before, Germany is probably my favorite European country that I've visited so far and it was because I genuinely felt welcome and really enjoyed the hospitality I received while staying there. Not to mention, I love the quaint, cobble stone street, eclectic, privately own shop type villages. Frankenmuth itself portrays a typical German style town from its building arcitecture to unique Bavarian shoppes and other cultural traditions. During our visit, we managed to catch the end of their annual winter-fest. Aside from walking around the town looking at all of the illustrious snow and ice sculptures, we would also wonder into some of the stores. From the leather shop, beer museum, health food store and cheese haus, I was continually falling more in love with this place as we went along.
Now prior to our visit, I heard about two things, the famous chicken dinners and Bronner's Christmas Wonderland. Well, without a doubt, I had to experience both of these. We actually began our visit by feasting at Zehnder's, known for these aforementioned family style dinners. And the verdict is: I loved it! I mean who doesn't love a good chicken dinner?!
Eventually we made our way down the street to Bronner's. Just by stepping one foot into this...metrapolis, I don't even know where to begin with explaining this place. I was in such awe by the overwhelming amount of decorations and don't even get me started on tree ornaments. Literally any kind of Christmas tree ornament you can think of was here. Whether it be a your favorite dog, a shoe or even a sushi roll, they had it all! I did get my sister and bro-in-law a pickle ornament that goes with an old German tradition that I've mentioned in a previous post so I was excited about that.
After doing much walking through winter wonderland, we decided to rehydrate ourselves by paying a visit to Frankenmuth brewery. Micro-breweries are my favorite and I'm definitely a fan of this one! I tried a variety of their brews and even got a VIP tour of the brewery itself. Pretty cool, however, most of the stuff our guide said went way over my head. I have much to learn about brewing :) Regardless, it was a real fun visit. The only downfall of this trip is that I was un-able to find a pair of lederhosen to wear (but maybe that's a good thing =p)
A town of rich history with many goals while facing them with confidence gives me great respect for this place. I look forward to visiting again, perhaps for the world beer expo this spring. ;)

Cheers!
http://www.frankenmuth.org/

a taste of Bronner's

Sehebok Mani Paduseyo

2012-01-01T15:43:00.004-05:00

The title of this entry is Korean for "Many new years blessings to you".
Seollal, the Korean new year, is one of the more important events of the year. This 3 day tradition is scheduled in February, based off of the lunar calendar (so it falls under different dates each year).
There are many traditions that go along with this holiday such as wearing clothing called Hanbok. This is worn on New Years day and the hanbok is characterized by many colors and simple lines, it also has no pockets. With having no pockets, both men and women carry around elaborately decorated purses.

maedup

Maedup, traditional knot-tying, is a type of macramé. The decorative knotting, often with very long tassels, was used to dress instruments and other items such as fans and dresses. There are at least 38 type of maedup that create many different shapes including lotus and butterfly.
In Korea, there is a tradition of giving a hand fan as a special gift for the Dano Festival (the 5th day of the 5th lunar month). Men usually use folding fans and women mainly use round fans.

New Years is also the most important holiday in the Chinese culture.
The Chinese Zodiac calendar is based on a lunar calendar. There are 12 animals that represent the Chinese zodiac. An animal is assigned to each year according to a 12 year cycle, 2011 was the year of the rabbit and 2012 is the dragon! What's your animal?? >>>Chinese Zodiac

This celebration ends with the lantern festival where people carry lanterns in parades and the dragon dance is performed. Other customs include lighting fireworks to scare away evil spirits and giving gifts of money in red envelopes for good luck.
Happy New Year!

Fröhliche Weihnachten from Germany!

2011-12-23T13:34:00.006-05:00

So far, my favorite country that I've visited in Europe is Germany. I've always been a fan of the Bavarian lifestyle and the allure of all the small towns...and the brats and brews :)

My brother-in-law just so happens to come from a German background. He and my sister even spent their honeymoon in Germany! A few days ago I was at their house and was taking a gander at the Christmas tree and ornaments. I was able to spot my favorite ornament which was a stack of pancakes. Well, with the last name of Pankake it only seems appropriate. Thinking back to when I was at the gardens looking at the many trees from around the world, I remember coming across some interesting facts about a few traditions that Germany possesses.

One for instance is the production of glass ornaments. In 1847, a man named Hans Greiner began producing the first glass ornaments in Lauscha, Germany. Sure enough, I was able to visit this town during my tour and even brought home some ornaments which are now hanging from our tree! Originally, the inside of the ornaments were made to look silvery, first with mercury and lead, later with a special compound of silver nitrate and sugar water. Tinsel was also a very popular form of decor. All of this was created due to the towns location in a river valley. The resources were easily accessible, such as wood for burning, sand and real silver (for the tinsel).

A very old Christmas eve tradition in Germany was also originated around the time of the glass ornaments. This tradition involved hiding a pickle ornament deep in the branches of the Christmas tree. In the morning, the child to spot the pickle first would receive an extra gift. The first adult who finds the pickle traditionally gets good luck for the whole year. I was unable to find the pickle on the tree at gardens which left me frustrated.

one of the Lauscha glass bulbs on our tree

Legend has it that Martin Luther created the first lighted Christmas tree. He was inspired by the glistening vision of starlight that would filter through the trees in the woods. To recreated this vision, he cut down many trees, brought them home and placed candles on the branches so that he could share the beauty with his friends and family.

Veseloho Vam Rizdva

2011-12-20T08:56:00.005-05:00

Advancing on our tour of Christmas/holiday traditions around the world, Ukraine is one that has caught my eye.

In Ukraine, the holidays begin around December 4 with the Feast of the Presentation and continue on to Malanka, a new years celebration.

On December 24, families will gather for the Holy Supper (Sviata Vecheria) one of the most important Ukrainian traditions. The dinner table can sometimes be seen having an assortment of wheat which represents the ancestors. Hay is also spread on the table and even the floor as a reminder of the manger in Bethlehem. The supper consists of twelve meatless dishes representing the twelve apostles who shared the last meal with Christ. Meat and dairy are typically not seen during this meal, instead families dine on items such as fish, grains, fruits, and vegetables. Something else that households often do is to wait until the first star appears in the evening sky before eating. Children often serve as look outs, watching for the star that symbolizes the birth of Christ. Once the star has appeared in the sky, families gather for a prayer and then eat the meal by candlelight.

Upon looking at Ukraines Christmas tree when visiting the FM gardens I was intrigued by its decorations and the use of... spider webs! These spider webs symbolize a Ukrainian legend. There once was a family that was so poor, they could not afford to decorate their Christmas tree. After the family went to bed mournful, spiders would come out of the woodwork and weave intricate webs on the tree as a form of decoration. In the morning, the suns rays would shine through the windows of the home and turned the spiders webbing into silver and gold! Sounds like my kind of tree!

India's Festival of Lights

2011-12-14T19:53:00.008-05:00

the rangoli at Fredrik Meijer Gardens

India has a significant five day Hindu celebration that occurs between mid-October and November. Much like our 4th of July, this involves festive fireworks, lights, flowers, decorations and worship (puja). This festival is called Diwali and is widely celebrated with rangoli. Rangoli is an extremely delicate and beautiful design made of colorful sand, rice flour, beans and flowers. The hindu women create these in front of their homes as a welcome to guests, this also adds beauty to their puja or worship space. The materials used in this are meant to be offerings to the gods and as they disintegrate they become one with the earth again and one with God. Plants are a very special part of Diwali. Strings upon garlands of flowers like banana plants, hibiscus and marigolds are used to enlighten this festive time. The true meaning behind the festival is to rejoice in the inner light or otherwise known as Atman. The inner light is symbolized by lighting small clay lamps like the one in the picture called a diya. The lighting is considered highly favorable as it brings good health and prosperity. We tend to have many traditional acts of showing light over darkness during this season, so what are some ways (besides lights) that you symbolize lightness over darkness?

Feliz Natal and Gledileg Jol

2011-12-10T11:18:00.004-05:00

As most of you know, Brazil is the largest country in South America. And being located right below the equator, Christmas time is just another warm day.
Having a Christmas tree is very common for families and it is decorated with lots of festive colors and ornaments. A typical tradition for children on Christmas Eve is to place their shoes under the tree or beneath their beds for Papi Noel to fill with gifts.
Aside from that, children enjoy playing 'Petecas'. This game was created by a group of South American Indian tribes (the Tupians). Peteca is similar to badminton except there are no rackets involved, just the use of your hands. The Petecas look like a brightly color badminton birdie and tends to be quite entertaining as a spectator.
Some cultural traditions in Brazil include eating Brazilian chocolates, wearing festive masks just as they do during carnival and of course playing Petecas.

Moving North to Iceland, an island near the arctic circle with glaciers that cover a small percentage of the country. Daylight only lasts about 3 to 4 hours per day during the holiday season (December and January).

Yuletide Lads

Skipping right ahead to one of my favorite folklore tales is the Yuletide Lads which originated in Iceland. These lads are mischievous sons of trolls who live in a cave amongst the mountains and are always kept quiet...until Christmas time. They put small gifts (or potatoes if they're bad) into the shoes of children the 13 nights before Christmas Eve. Today it is believed that there are 13 individual lads. Some of their names are Gully Galk, Stump, Ladle Licker, Door Sniffer and Sausage picker.

leaf bread

Speaking of ladle licking and sausage picking, making leaf bread is a holiday tradition that comes from the northern part of Iceland where wheat is at a premium. The dough is rolled as thinly as possible, almost to where it's see through. The dough is then folded and cut into various shapes such as snowflakes and either given as gifts to eat or hardened to make ornaments for hanging on the tree.
Whether your shoes are being filled with presents, making intricate baked goods or hitting around a colorful birdie, having traditions such as these are what makes each and every place/ culture so unique and special. If we all did the same thing then life wouldn't be as interesting ya know?!.
Cheers.

A Balmy Christmas

2011-12-06T22:02:00.005-05:00

Australian 'Bush' tree decorations

In honor of my younger sister who will be studying abroad in Australia this spring, it is only necessary to highlight the Christmas celebrations of an "Aussie". Christmas takes place in the summer and it just so happens to be one of the warmest days of the year. So rather than going outside and building a snow man, the average family has a barbecue and spends the day at the beach.
Due to the climate, there are many native plants in bloom during the Christmas season. They are typically known as Christmas plants. When Europeans first arrived in Australia, they liked that they could pick wild flowers that look like bells and green foliage covered in colorful flowers to use s decoration.
These folk down under also have their own version of the 12 days of Christmas song involving native animals such as kookaburra, wombat, koala, and my favorite animal, kangaroo!

Staying on the warmer side, Africa is quite a unique continent for Christmas convivialities. Most African holiday celebrations are centered around the family being together. Things such as food, traditional dress, music and dance are all common parts to the festivities. Masks are also used for ceremonial purposes. They tend to combine human and animal traits and are worn with the special attire.

Baobab Tree

The common tree during holiday season is the Baobab. The legend of this tree states that upon its creation, the baobab complained that it was not slender as the palm tree nor as fruitful as some other trees. The Gods became irritated, uprooted the tree and replanted it upside down so that is would keep quiet. Known as "The tree of life", every part, including nectar, fruit, bark and roots can be used in some way.

So, how different would your traditions be if the weather was warm, or in some cases cold?

Oh Christmas Tree

2011-12-05T21:32:00.008-05:00

Well you can say that I'm quite the slacker with my updates, but this doesn't mean that my adventures have taken a pause. Actually, today I took a trip around the world...well sort of. In lieu of all the expenses and hassles of holiday travels, I made a visit to a local garden and sculpture park. Fredrik Meijer Gardens is my new favorite place and I even became a member so that I can go regularly. My love for horticulture has increased and I find it fascinating. So with this, FMG just so happen to be celebrating the holiday season with a spectacular exhibit of Christmas tree traditions around the world. Displaying over 30 different trees and seeing many unique decorations got me really excited for Christmas!
For the next several days I am going to share with you some of the countries that I learned about and hopefully you too will learn something new. Perhaps some of your traditions reign from a certain culture that you didn't even know!
Seeing as how I am now a "Michigander" I will share some Michigan facts as well as the U.S. Christmas tree traditions.
Michigan is among the top Christmas tree producers in the nation and will harvest over 3 million trees this year! Some other facts to share with your friends and look like a real tree hugger to them is that it take 7-10 years to grow a 7 foot 'Christmas' tree.
-Fir trees are the top seller due to needle retention and fresh fragrance.
-live trees are 100% recyclable...whodda thought! =p

Many Christmas traditions have been adopted from numerous other countries here in the U.S. The Christmas tree tradition began in America in the early 1800's by German immigrants. Over time our decorations have been made simple..popcorn strings, candy canes and ball ornaments. Popular American Christmas characters such as Rudolph the red nosed reindeer and Frosty the snow man appear as common decor as well. Typically on the top of the tree, an angel is placed. The angel is a sign of peace.
Also, Santa Claus is that jolly man that every American child is fond of. Introduced from Holland in the 1800's, Santa arrives on the night of Christmas Eve on a sleigh pulled by reindeer where upon he leaves presents under the tree while everyone is asleep. Excited yet??

Now moving on to the more indigenous people of North America...American Indian. Some items typically hung from a Christmas tree would include a dream catcher. A native American tradition originating from the Ojibwa nation (formerly located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.) They are placed above the bed to protect sleeping children from nightmares. Another ornament is a drum. Indians believe that drums are the heartbeat of mother nature and all the people. It is said that people can connect with the spirit of the drums through a rhythmic pounding. One more trinket is trade beads. Shells, bones, seeds and nuts are also used to accent clothing...or in this case, a tree!
What do you put on the top of your Christmas tree?? Stayed tuned for more traditions around the world!
cheers!
Meijer Gardens

Éirinn go Brách!

2011-09-19T22:07:00.003-04:00

Over the weekend, my friend and I went to the Michigan Irish Music Festival in Muskegon for an afternoon of gallery entertainment. I for one am big on the Irish/Celtic culture and especially the 'bevvies' (Irish for alcoholic drinks). Upon eating our corned beef sandwiches, mash and stout, we enjoyed the impressive sounds of some Irish music. One of the groups that i saw was called Old Blind Dogs. This group is a very popular Scottish band that provides its tradition celtic tunes with a modern twist. Here is a sample of their work Old Blind Dogs.

Most people are confused with what Celtic is... Irish, Scottish etc.? There are six celtic nations, all of which are in the north-western parts of Europe. These territories are recognized through Brittany, Cornwall, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland, and Wales. Their are a few others that can be considered a celtic territory but what makes these six so common is that each have their own traditions and even languages that are still common today.
Aside from the debate I had with my sister on whether kilts are Irish or Scottish (they are worn in both cultures) my friend and I were watching the Irish dancing and were pondering the ideas of why they dance with their arms/upper body so stiff. I've researched a little bit and found a few different answers but one that I remember hearing about and found in a book is that dancing was banned by priests and other members of higher authority during the 17th-18th century stating that the form of dance the Irish were performing was too free or provocative and the mix between the genders was not acceptable so it was banned for quite some time. The people still carried on the dancing discretely but only using the lower half of their body, so that if someone were to walk past their window of their home, like a soldier for example, it would seem that they were not moving, let alone dancing, but in reality they were just from the waist down. This then carried on as a tradition as we know today, as it was seen as an elegant and controlled way of dancing. It showed that the Irish dancer had pois and control while still having power. My favorite performance that I had the privilege of seeing live Lord of the Dance. Well that's a brief tid bit for ya, cheers.

Some Q & A

2011-09-09T23:00:00.011-04:00

I challenge you to see how much you know about other cultures and their traditions with eating.

Click>>> Don't gross out the World

Great Lakes, Great Times

2011-08-16T20:44:00.019-04:00

Lake Kimball at Camp Henry, MI

So it most certainly has been a long time since I have updated but let me tell you that I have been one busy fella. With working at camp in Maryland, to having attended 3 weddings (one being my sister's) it has been a great summer with friends and family.
Now as of last month, I landed a job as a program specialist at a camp in none other than 'pure' Michigan. That's right, I've moved my adventures out west a little bit and so far it has been a beautiful experience (minus the 10 and 1/2 hour drive.) Camp Henry rests right outside of historic Newaygo, just miles from Grand Rapids and sits quaintly along Lake Kimball. This too has quite a bit of history behind it, which I am still learning.
What makes this place so great to me is that it reminds me a lot of home, walking through wetland trails, seeing many alluring lakes and country sides that are pretty fantastic. I haven't done a lot of exploring yet but I'll be sure to keep you updated.
As for other lakes, I had the pleasure of joining two of my very good friends for a camping trip in Raystown, PA last week. Considering I have been up in that area quite often, this is my first time to Raystown Lake. This place is no joke, absolutely breathtaking. My friend Tori's 'pop' took us out for the day in his new pontoon boat and we swam around the clear waters and even did some cliff jumping...pretty stellar. As we were out on the lake, I was learning a little bit about the lake and how it is covering an old town that was cleared out to help prevent flooding for the other towns and cities further down the state. Tori's great relative actually lived in the town before it was flooded and they were paid a pretty penny for their property, pretty neat, eh?!! But as we were floating about, we could see trees still standing in the water...kinda creepy if you ask me, but cool at the same time. Later in the evening we camped out right by the water and enjoyed the sunset by the fire and just began to appreciate the finer things in life. But nothing can beat a gorgeous day on the lake with a cold one and some beef jerky ;) A perfect getaway.
Until next time, cheers.

España dos

2011-03-13T16:16:00.003-04:00

I would have to say that the night life was our favorite part of the trip. Like I mentioned before, the schedule is a little different than what we're used to so staying up late is something we do well as college students. It was an objective to try as many different foods and beverages while we were out. I tried multiple Spanish brewed beers such as Mahou and Cruzcampo and I can't forget about the sangria! We heard about this place that is a must when visiting Madrid called El-Tigre. Basically, you pay 5 euro for a beverage and you get plates upon plates of free tapas. Talk about a good deal! and the atmosphere was a lot of fun too. We managed to do a bar crawl one evening and would try the specialty drinks at each place. One shot that I won't forget is called the Chuck Norris Roundhouse kick to the face. This involved, jager, whiskey, vodka and tobasco sauce. Suprisingly it wasn't that bad....

Halfway through the trip, we decided one evening to take a trip to another city for a quick visit. The next morning we hop on a train and head for Valencia. This city is known for its beaches and we got the opportunity to sit on one and dip our feet in the Mediterranean.

We didn't get the chance to the visit Aquarium due to lack of time which was very disappointing. This Aquarium is the 2nd largest in the world (Atlanta, Georgia being the first) and a majority of it is outdoors! Bugga. Aside from that we managed to do a lot of site seeing including the City of arts and sciences, Colosseum Valencia, and Torres de Serranos, which were the official gates to the city.

We traveled back to Madrid to spend our last few days and had a really great time visiting the royal palace of Mardrid. We weren't allowed to take photos in the palace but we snuck a few in very discretely =p This palace was just incredible! Every room was so overwhelming with the amount of intricate details put into them. Later that evening we went to the Prado which is one of the most famous art museums in the world. We only went from 6-8 because it was free and that was definitely not enough time. It was so neat seeing a lot of the works that I've been studying in my classes at school, brownie points for me with my professors! =)

I plan to write a few more entries focusing more on certain topics but I just wanted to give a broad over view of my trip. It's been a crazy fun time and I just want to thank Jordan for hosting and helping us make it through the week with his Spanish speaking skills. Cheers guys.

El-Tigre

A fiesta in Madrid

2011-03-13T13:03:00.004-04:00

Hola! So the Spain trip was a great success and I am already missing it.

Right off the bat of entering Madrid, we did not waste any time in exploring the city. Upon our arrival, we managed to catch the end of the Rastro Market, which is held every Sunday. A number of streets are closed down and filled with vendors and it was a perfect day for it. They seemed to have everything imaginable for purchase but I only got a pair of sunglasses which were much needed.

On a side note, we picked a good time to visit Spain because it was their 'Carnaval' season. Carnaval is a long span of festivites celebtrated before Lent. The main event is a huge parade along the Paseo de la Castellana. There are things such as 'old time' fancy dress competitions and an evening concert in the Plaza Mayor. The end of Carnaval on Ash Wednesday brings on the traditional 'Burial of the Sardine' parade, with the participants all dressed in black carrying a cardboard sardine in a coffin which is theatrically and mournfully buried at the Fuente de los Pajaritos, marking the beginning of the fasting and reflection associated with Lent.

Throughout the first couple of days, we did a lot of exploring such as walking and enjoying siesta in Madrid's most popular park, Retiro Park. We also took pleasure in seeing the Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace), the Royal Botanical Gardens and just being baffled by all of the cool, old buildings. What I love most about this city was the cleanliness and beauty of all the architecture.

On the other hand, I can't say that I disliked the food. I'd say most of my money was spent on cerveza (beer) and food. Prior to the trip, I had talked to Jordan who is living in Madrid and he was informing me on the difference between Spain's time schedule compared to ours in the U.S. For example, breakfast is eaten at its normal time, but lunch is held around 3ish and dinner is around 10 or 11pm. In between meals it is common to eat 'tapas', which are small appetizer-like foods. This did take some getting used to considering our normal lunch time is during their siesta ( kind of like a long lunch break where one often leaves work to relax or nap. The lifestyle just seemed much more breath easy and time doesn't seem to be an issue.

Rumbo a España

2011-03-04T10:24:00.003-05:00

capital

Hola, buen dia para usted (I think that's right =p). So for my spring break, a couple of friends and I decided that we are going to visit my best friend Jordan in Spain. He is currently living in Madrid with a family where upon he is tutoring them in English.. As a college graduate, it is really cool for him to have this opportunity. Not only will he be getting a true cultural experience but at the same time he will be educating others of our American culture, and giving a better light towards our society that can often be looked down upon.
I can't begin to describe my excitement to travel again. As always, I am going in with an open mind and not really having an agenda, but for the little time I am there, I want to see as much as I can. From the plazas to the castles and museums, I just cannot wait. My Spanish speaking skills are not the greatest, but I always manage to get by. Basically, I just need to know how to order food...and beer=p
I'll be sure to post updates on my adventures and most definitely pictures.
What a great way to start off the Spring season! Cheers everyone!

Just like Dr. Seuss says,"Oh, the places you'll go..."

2011-02-20T12:17:00.003-05:00

I came across some random yet bizarre facts about our human world. I for one am a fun fact kinda guy. It is just amusing to see all of the random and ridiculous actions that people/places throughout history have done. Some of these I have discovered through my collections of Guiness world record books, and other I've have learned from the travel channel such as bizarre world with Andrew Zimmerman. Enjoy:

-There are no clocks in Las Vegas casinos.

-The Great Pyramid of Giza consists of 2,300,000 blocks each weighing 2.5 tons.

-Dublin is home of the Fairy Investigation Society.

-George Washington grew marijuana in his garden

-During the reign of Elizabeth I, there was a tax put on men's beards.

-The Dutch in general prefer their french fries with mayonnaise.

-The Turk's consider it considered unlucky to step on a piece of bread.

-It is illegal to be a prostitute in Siena, Italy, if your name is Mary.

-Native American Indians used to name their children after the first thing they saw as they left their tepees subsequent to the birth. Hence such strange names as Sitting Bull and Running Water.

-In the 1970's, the Rhode Island Legislature in the US entertained a proposal that there be a $2 tax on every act of sexual intercourse in the State.

-Ancient drinkers warded off the devil by clinking their cups

-China banned the pigtail in 1911 as it was seen as a symbol of feudalism.

-St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was not Irish.

-The 'Hundred Years War' lasted 116 years.

-Julius Caesar wore a laurel wreath to cover the onset of baldness.

-It is a criminal offence to drive around in a dirty car in Russia

-The national flag of Italy was designed by Napoleon Bonaparte.

-It was the custom in Ancient Rome for the men to place their right hand on their testicles when taking an oath. The modern term 'testimony' is derived from this tradition.

-More money is spent each year on alcohol and cigarettes than on Life insurance.

-Hindu men believe(d) it to be unluckily to marry a third time. They could avoid misfortune by marring a tree first. The tree ( his third wife ) was then burnt, freeing him to marry again.

-Between the two World War's, France was controlled by forty different governments.

-It is illegal to play tennis in the streets of Cambridge.

-The childrens' nursery rhyme 'Ring-a-Ring-a-Roses' actually refers to the Black Death which killed about 30 million people in the fourteenth-century.

-There are over 200 religious denominations in the United States

-The magic word "Abracadabra" was originally intended for the specific purpose of curing hay fever.

-The Puritans forbade the singing of Christmas Carols, judging them to be out of keeping with the true spirit of Christmas.

-Albert Einstein was once offered the Presidency of Israel. He declined saying he had no head for problems.

-Coffee is the second largest item of international commerce in the world. The largest is petrol.

-In Ancient Peru, when a woman found an 'ugly' potato, it was the custom for her to push it into the face of the nearest man.

-St Nicholas, the original Father Christmas, is the patron saint of thieves, virgins and communist Russia.

-King Solomon of Israel had about 700 wives as well as hundreds of mistresses.

-One of Queen Victoria's wedding gifts was a 3 metre diameter, half tonne cheese.

Are there any outrageous facts that you know??

Love is in the air

2011-02-14T19:12:00.001-05:00

It has been a while since I have posted. This can be blamed on my new class schedule which is keeping me busy, but it is very interesting thus far. I am taking a lot of literature classes from medieval lit to Shakespeare and 20th Century British lit. I'm sure I'll have plenty to write about with these...
Without further ado, Happy Valentines Day to all! Some may hate this day and others can't wait for it to come. Their are many unique traditions and stories of Valentines Day and it's fun to hear about how people go about spending it. This day is a celebration of love and a time to spend with your 'sweethearts'. It is often tradition for a young man to present his beloved with flowers and chocolates (or jewelry) on February 14.
Just to throw out a couple, one country I know I'd like to spend Valentines Day with is in Japan. Not only do they celebrate on the 14th of February, but the festivities of love continues until March 14, known as the "White Day". On the first date, women present chocolates or gifts to the men they love to express their feelings for them.But it's also common for women to give chocolates to any man close to them. Men who receive chocolates or gifts on Valentine's day are supposed to return the favour to the women on March 14, exactly a month after Valentine's Day. Also known as "White Day", this is the time when men are to give back a gift to the women who gave them gifts just a month before.
Taking a different approach, Denmark enjoys using an old fashioned tradition. A Danish Valentine's Day custom is to send pressed white flowers called Snowdrops to friends. The season of love is also a time for fun what with many Danish men sending to their ladylove a form of valentine known as a gaekkebrev (or "joking letter"). This gaekkebrev is a type of romantic letter that contains a rhyme penned by the sender himself. The fun part of this custom is that the letter doesn't have the name of the sender. Instead, the lover signs the message with dots...one dot for each letter in his name. If the lady whom he sends the gaekkebrev correctly guesses his name, he rewards her with an Easter egg during Eastertide.
As much as I like the traditional approaches, I always love to try new things and be creative with how my significant other and I spend this alluring holiday. So it'd be cool to hear; How did you spend your Valentines day?...Cheers.

All for me grog...

2011-01-13T11:21:00.011-05:00

With the many different types of alcoholic beverages we have provided to us, and with all of the places that they are made, it just makes traveling all the more worth while. Here is a unique selection of drinks that make the globe-trot an extra rewarding experience.

The most recent drink I had was at a sushi restaurant a couple days ago, 'sake' . Normally called 'nihonshu' in Japan, sake is a rice wine with a higher alcohol content like wine. Prior to the first sake brewery being established at Kyoto's Imperial Palace in the 7th century, sake was consumed in a form that resembled porridge, with the rice primed for production by the chewing in your mouth method. I've only drank this warm and it goes down quite smoothly, perfect to sip with almost any meal.

In addition to the wine factor, I've discovered that visiting vineyards is a new favorite activity of mine. I've tasted many good wines from a lot of different places but one in particular that my friend's family enjoys is Burgundy wine. I'd have to say that after my tastings and doing some research, it is the place where some of the best wine is made. It would have been really cool to have been able to visit one of the vineyards during my time in France a couple years ago, but unfortunately I had to stick to the schedule I was given. It's obvious to say that the wine is made in the Burgundy region of eastern France from a variety of grapes. They possess particular qualities attributable to the region’s 400 soil types. White Burgundy is essentially a chardonnay, with an added touch due to the limestone soil in which it’s grown, while red Burgundy is a pinot noir. I suggest you try it.

Moving on, the alcohol that we all 'attempt' to avoid because apparently it "makes our clothes fall off" is tequila. Made from the blue agave plants grown in Mexico’s tequila region. This a very beautiful part of Mexico to visit. (Although my family doesn't know I made a special trip to this place during my spring break) Tequila, is a great place mainly because of the tours that are available of the 3 big distillers; Jose Cuervo, Herradura and Sauza. A place that I didn't get to the chance to visit is to the east of Guadalajara which are the more...rugged towns of the Highlands region such as Arandas. Towns like these are believed to make the best tequila. Unlike Tequila (the town), which is geared toward tourists, this is for more of an adventurous traveler to discover. It is a lot of fun no matter where you go.

Over the holidays, 2 of my good friends, John and Rue, had the opportunity to take a trip to Tennessee for a work conference.

After hearing their stories, It has become a new destination on my bucket list of travels. Now one of the main reasons is to visit the famous Tennessee whisky distilleries. Two in particular are Jack Daniels and George Dickel. I have tried both and I really enjoy George Dickel. Just a tid bit of information I picked up, back in 1870, George Dickel discovered that whisky made in winter was smoother, so then added a lengthy cooling step to the production process to perfect his taste. He also refined a special combination of mashed corn, barley and rye to use as base ingredients. Double-distilled and aged in charred white-oak barrels for up to 12 years. I just find this kind of stuff so cool and interesting!

Now for my favorite, the place that has been a dream of mine to visit, Dublin, Ireland. Home of the Guinness. I've been stumbling upon a lot of sites that focus on Guinness from the special process it takes to make this delicious porter, to ways of surviving your first Guinness in an Irish pub. It takes 119.5 seconds to pour the perfect pint. The famous ‘surge and settle’ should be done in a two-part pour. Based in Dublin, the Guinness brew is a heavy malt porter (dark, sweet ale brewed from black malt) it is the favorite beverage of porters and it certainly puts hair on your chest.

There are a few other cool places to visit such as Belgium for its beer, Absinthe in the Czech Republic and the vodkas of Poland. It's impossible to visit another country without attempting to experience the beverage of choice by the locals. It will make the experience all the better. Cheers everyone.

The Sweetest Place

2011-01-05T18:35:00.004-05:00

“The more beautiful you make something which people can see and use, the more enjoyment they will get out of it…” stated Milton S. Hershey. It has been an absolute privilege to be working here at the Theatre. I've have been learning so much about this place and it has been a lot of fun, especially the part of actually performing in one of the shows.

The Hershey Theatre was brought to life by Milton S. Hershey in the early twentieth century during the Great Depression. Hershey felt that providing leisure and entertainment to his workers and other people in the community was important.

Lancaster architect C. Emlen Urban was hired by Hershey and shortly began conjuring plans for the theatre in 1915; however, he did not start the construction until 1929 due to the first world war. Eventually, a near six hundred workers, who were all unemployed due to the Depression, worked on the theater until completion in September, 1933. This new theatre, which cost an influential three million dollars, may have been one of the best investments.
With this, you can see that Milton had a true liking to Venice, Italy which is what the theatre's design is based off of. Tan stone bricks are neatly lined in a row and for each doorway there obtains an arch over it with relief sculptures such as a seashell. The roof is an adobe style with red clay tile often used in Italy. As for the interior, it feels like a whole new world. Although the theatre only caps twenty-five percent of the entire building, it has rakes in forty percent of the buildings expenses. Towards the front of the theatre, a proscenium arch over the stage resembles the “Bridge of Sighs”. Behind the curtains, hangs an original watercolor painting of Venice’s Grande Canal is portrayed. This Theatre is highlighted by its intricate painted ceilings of mythical and pastoral visions, including the option of an atmospheric projection to make guests illusion a starry night. Meanwhile, the main lobby consists of a ceiling with images of Apollo and Assyrian war chariots. Some Greek architecture is involved as well. Pendantives are seen in the lobby with it’s many

archways too. Something you may not notice are the Lion heads that are placed throughout the inside representing the symbol of Venice. With this, the walls that these lions heads rest on are made of four different types of marble that accent an array of arches replicating the Byzantine castle. Now looking down, most of the floors are laid with varnished Italian Lava rock.
The entrance of the building involves two massive brass doors that leads under a “canopy of gold” arched tile, modeled after St. Marks Cathedral in Venice. During the night of a performance, the lighting gives everything certain sheen and gleam . My favorite part of the theatre is the gold and blue Persian mosaic design that was created by two German artists. They labored for two years laying each tile by hand. It is just amazing to me how much detail is put into this place and the use of materials from all over the world are situated in it.

This theatre is a remarkable place to visit. When I entered the theatre, it put me in a position where I felt like I was in a castle. The amazing craftsmanship and rare materials are the reason I enjoy coming to this community center. Today, Hershey Theatre is conducted by the M.S. Hershey Foundation, which was established in 1935 to extend education and cultural opportunities to the community. Decades later, this place is still one of the top attractions in Hershey.

The Theatres mission still remains, and that is to keep bringing entertainment to central Pennsylvania.

Tarapeke: Our Kiwi

2010-12-29T12:36:00.006-05:00

I had recently received an update about the kiwi bird my group from New Zealand had adopted. Tarapeke was born in April '10 at Rainbow Springs Kiwi Encounter and we got to visit her back in August. Tarapeke means in Maori – “Ants in Pants” because she was a very ancy and wiggly chick.

These nocturnal creatures are very unique because although it is a bird it has more characteristics of a mammal.

-It has tiny wings, almost like nubs, but cannot fly

-It has feathers that are more like fur

-It is the only bird in the world with nostrils at the end of its beak

-Its sense of smell is second to none

-It has no tail feathers, but does have whiskers, like a cat

-It has marrow in its bones, just like a human

-Very unusually, females have two ovaries, most birds have only one.
Kiwi's are the national bird of New Zealand and are endangered because they are such helpless animals that are easy targets to their predators. However, since the formation of conservation habitats such as Rainbow Springs, the number of kiwi birds have been increasing due to their incredible works.

A little bit of history of Tarapeke is that after birth, she stayed in an incubator for two days before moved to a brooder (an artifical habitat). In the brooder she had the chance to stretch her legs and probe around in soil while she learned to eat the artificial diet. Since the kiwi chicks hatch with such a large belly full of yolk, they feed off this for about a week before they need to start foraging for themselves. Kiwi’s don’t need to be taught to probe for food in the ground by their parents as all of their behavior is instinctive, but usually are in need of some guidance to learn to eat the artificial diet! Tarapeke has been a pretty good chick thoughout her time being raised as she learned to eat the food relatively quickly. She was in good condition at the regular five day health check. Tara has been active in the brooder and is walking/standing well. It has been decided that she is ready to be released out in her natural habitat of the New Zealand bush where she can live the normal life of a kiwi.

Tarapeke

Rainbow Springs Kiwi Encounter

A l
jj

We Three Kings

2010-12-24T12:55:00.005-05:00

Happy Christmas Eve to all! The lights and decorations are up, the carolers are out spreading holiday cheer and the overwhelming amount of cookies are filling my stomach... it is certainly putting me in the good Christmas spirit!

On Wednesday, I had the great pleasure of performing on stage with the 'Handel's Messiah Rocks' tour group at the Hershey Theatre. Although it is a rock show much like the Tran-Siberian Orchestra, this rendition of Handel's Messiah cantata was incredible! I could not believe the power in the music, singing and feeling of connection that I experienced. My favorite moment during the show was when we sang the Hallelujah Chorus and the entire audience was up and moving around feeding off of the energy that was in the theatre. I do recommend seeing it next year if you get the chance!

On another note, throughout this month, I have been taking a more in depth look at 'Christmas', not only at what it's all about, but how everything wraps together through various celebrations and traditions. With this, I have been asking friends how they commemorate the occasion and it's been fun sharing stories and what not.

Aside from this, I came across this really interesting article about the three wise men. We all know they are kings that came bearing gifts but this video discusses the mystery of who they were. Check it out!

>>The Mystery of the Magi

Also, just for kicks:

>>Santa's Time Machine

Have a Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noel, Feliz Navidad, Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto

2010-12-18T00:50:00.002-05:00

The holidays are right around the corner and most Americans are busily preparing to enjoy their favorite Christmas traditions. Our country is so rich in various cultures and religions that no two households celebrate the holiday in the exact same way.
Although there are many cultures/religions that do not celebrate Christmas, it seems the entire world finds something to celebrate around this time of year. Some interesting facts that most of our traditional holiday celebrating originates is from ancient pagan (pre-Christian) rituals and feasts to honor the rebirth of the Sun during the Winter Solstice. The holiday was called "Yule" and modern advocates still use some of the ancient customs with modern traditions during the Christmas season.
Also, the Roman pagans celebrated the solstice by starting with a holiday called 'Saturnalia' on December 17, to honor their God, Saturn. This festival lasted until December 24. Brumalia was then celebrated on December 25, in honor of the Sun, and completed the solstice festivities.
I'm just going to take a look at a few other holiday traditions from around the world:
Traditional celebrations throughout the British Isles are very similar to the American style of Christmas. Although, it is interesting to note that gift giving was done in Britain on New Year's Day up until the 19th century. At that point, gift giving was switched to Christmas Day.
The day after Christmas is known as the Feast of St. Stephen or Boxing Day in Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It is almost more popular than Christmas. It is a holiday which started in medieval times when the lord and lady of an estate would give their workers their annual distribution of clothing, tools and a small money donation. Today, employers still traditionally give their employees gifts of turkeys and money. Distributing funds to the poor is also an important theme of the day.
In the past, gift giving and card sending was observed on New Year's Day in France. Today, gifts are given to children by Pere Noel (the gift giver) on St. Nicholas Eve (December 6) and baby Jesus on Christmas (December 25). However, adults wait to exchange gifts on New Year's Day. Few homes in France will decorate a tree, infact, the focus in the household is the nativity scene or 'creche'. Epiphany or Twelfth Night is another French celebration. The twelfth day after Christmas is marked as when the wise men or 'magi' arrived to give Jesus his gifts.
In Italy, St. Francis of Assisi is renowned with the popular 'Nativity Scene'. He asked Giovanni Vellita of the village of Greccio to make a manger scene as a backdrop to his ceremonies for Mass. This dramatic scene of the Nativity produced so much interest and devotion in Italy that the creation of the figurines or pastori has become a traditional folk art.
A strict fast is observed for 24 hours before Christmas Eve. The fast ends with a celebration feast that includes a Milanese cake called 'panettone'. Gift giving is done on January 6, to honor the Feast of the Epiphany.
Christmas in Egypt is celebrated through the Coptic Church. In the Orthodox Church and in the Coptic Church Christmas is celebrated on the 7th January. Advent is observed for forty days and during this period people are expected to fast eating no meat, poultry or dairy products. Some people only do this during the last week of Advent.
On the Eve of Christmas everyone goes to church wearing a completely new outfit. The Christmas service ends at midnight with the ringing of church bells, then people go home to eat a special Christmas meal known as 'fata', which consists of bread, rice, garlic and boiled meat.
On Christmas morning people in Egypt visit friends and neighbors. They take with them 'kaik' which is a type of shortbread, which they take with them to give to the people they visit and eaten with a drink known as 'shortbat', I think I'd enjoy that =)
I've never gotten the chance to experience any other traditions besides my own yet, but it seems like something that would be a lot of fun doing.
Cheers!

Tis the Season

2010-12-01T11:42:00.005-05:00

Happy first day of December! that means the true countdown to Christmas begins! I have many fun things to share with you through out the holiday season but for now I want to show something that I've always loved to see around this time. A part of my holiday tradition as we build up to Christmas day is to wonder throughout the communities and look at the all of the Christmas lights that everyone has displayed. It is really cool to see some of the creativity that people put forth and it really gets you in the holiday spirit! I stumbled upon a few really cool videos that highlight some pretty outrageous lights. I one day hope to do this when I have my own home.
more links>>>

Coca Cola Christmas

I gotta feeling

Carol of the Bells