Tag Archives: International

100 Ideas to be Global from Home

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Now that I’m 100 posts in, I’ve discovered being Global from Home isn’t as difficult as I thought. If you are looking for ways to explore the world from your front door, here are 100 ways to get started!

  1. Volunteer with the local refugee community
  2. Read a book that takes place in your favorite global destination
  3. Try a new ethnic restaurant and ask the waiter for the most authentic dish
  4. Send postcards from home
  5. Donate to a scholarship fund to help students study abroad
  6. Get a pen pal
  7. Make a plan to practice your foreign language and keep it up!
  8. Go see a foreign film with a good friend
  9. Become a local guide for your city
  10. Find a language partner
  11. Host an international potluck
  12. Make a reading list that transverses the globe
  13. Live vicariously through other bloggers who are abroad
  14. Shop at an Asian market
  15. Take a walk down memory lane looking at old travel photos
  16. Pin past and future travel spots on Pinterest
  17. Buy internationally-themed holiday gifts
  18. Talk to strangers
  19. Try different coffees from around the world
  20. Go to the opera
  21. Join Postcrossing
  22. See a Shakespeare play
  23. Take a sushi class
  24. Buy a molcajete and make some real Mexican dishes
  25. Include your global experiences on your resume
  26. Practice how you could answer interview questions with what you learned abroad
  27. Consider a career in international education
  28. Find a place of worship with an international focus
  29. Eat with your hands at an Ethiopian restaurant
  30. Have a cup of coffee with international visitors in your city
  31. Visit cultural districts in your town like Little Italy, China Town, or the Asian District
  32. Live out of a suitcase for a week…from home
  33. Explore your own city like it was a foreign destination
  34. Make origami
  35. Check out Meet Up for internationally themed events
  36. Watch international sporting events
  37. Buy country-specific children’s books for your kids or for gifts
  38. Decorate your home with pictures and art from your travels
  39. Make a recipe each week from a different country
  40. Learn a card game played abroad
  41. Do a little international house hunting for fun
  42. Make your own hometown cards
  43. Turn your pictures into jewelry
  44. Take a siesta
  45. Celebrate your birthday with traditions from around the world
  46. Research and make your travel bucket list
  47. Nominate an Abroad Blog of the Week
  48. Borrow an ethnic cookbook from the local library
  49. Join internationally-themed groups on Facebook
  50. Do a little pottering
  51. Share your favorite spots and itineraries with friends planning travel
  52. Get a subscription to National Geographic
  53. Start an international book club
  54. Go to cultural festivals
  55. Shop at online fair trade stores
  56. Start planning your next trip whether it will happen or not
  57. Collect international stamps or coins
  58. Host a 20×20 party
  59. Search You Tube for videos to help your language skills
  60. Watch a documentary about a culture you know nothing about
  61. Go to a flea market
  62. Swap travel books with a friend
  63. Do a presentation on your travels for a local elementary school
  64. Listen to a lecture on TED from scholars around the globe
  65. Reread old travel journals
  66. Learn to make Belgian crepes
  67. Donate to an international organization that is doing a project you really believe in
  68. Make a list of what you learned abroad
  69. Get certified to teach English as a second language
  70. Celebrate a new holiday popular in your favorite abroad location
  71. Invite international friends over to your house for the holidays
  72. Fundraise for a good cause by hosting country-specific dinners
  73. Keep a vocabulary journal
  74. Read fairy tales from different cultures
  75. Be global on vacation, no matter where you are
  76. Make a love lock
  77. Sponsor a child abroad
  78. Host a foreign film night
  79. Take afternoon tea
  80. Retell a funny story from abroad
  81. Learn the names of all 194 countries
  82. Follow the elections of your previous host country
  83. Laugh at your travel blunders
  84. Share your own culture
  85. Take a course with a global focus at your local community college
  86. Rate hotels, restaurants, and attractions from your travels on Trip Advisor
  87. Download popular songs from your previous host country and sing along
  88. Laugh at all the things you said your first time abroad
  89. Play bocce ball
  90. Host an exchange student
  91. Download music sang in a language you don’t know
  92. Follow international fashion trends
  93. Empower kids to see the world
  94. Visit your local zoo and find out where all the animals are from
  95. Hang a map with all your past and future travels
  96. Use an online language tool
  97. Skype with friends who are still abroad
  98. Find your favorite adinkra symbol
  99. Read online newspapers from your previous host country
  100. Follow Global from Home

Note to my Non-American Readers: If any of these are from your local culture, replace it with some American Southern cooking, play a game of American football, or read one of my favorite American novels: Wench, The Secret Life of Bees, or Rules of Civility.

In the end, my advice is to just start. You’ll find you enjoy home so much more when you add global to it. {Photo courtesy Of the Fountain}

 

Global Reading for Kids

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My favorite part of being home in Atlanta is spending time with our nephews and niece. We may be bias, but they are quite possibly the cutest kids ever and we love playing with them. The week has been filled with games, the pool and reading books. With my mom being a kindergarten teacher, reading and storytelling was a part of our daily routine growing up and she has definitely carried on the tradition with her grandkids. She has a pretty great children’s book collection and this year for her birthday we helped internationalize it a bit more. Both Mom and the kids have enjoyed these bite-sized global reads:

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf is an oldie by a goodie. Teaching kids about classic Spanish culture from the perspective of a peaceable bull, this is one you may see on may 1st grade reading lists.

Tickle Tut’s Toes by Julie Appel and Amy Guglielmo – a tangible way for a little one to experience ancient Egypt. My 2-year old niece loves it.

Olivia Goes to Venice by Ian Falconer and Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth are perfect for the 4-7 year old globe-trotter. With real pictures of Venice and good moral stories from Stillwater the panda, both will be enjoyed by kids and adults alike.

The Korean Cinderella by Shirley Climo is one of several cultural make-overs of the classic fairy tale. For your princess-loving kiddos, these are a great way into incorporate other cultures into their reading.

I finished off the gift with a little bit of creative wrapping by printing pictures or patterns that represented each country.

  • The Story of Ferdinand – Spanish Flag
  • Olivia Goes to Venice – picture of a gondolier
  • Korean Cinderella – Korean calligraphy
  • Zen Panda – red polka dots for the Japanese flag
  • Tickle Tut’s Toes – hieroglyphics

How to be Global from Home

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With my 75th post yesterday, I went back and read through my blog. As I did, some things stuck out. I recognized some patterns and themes in how I’ve been global from home. These certainly aren’t all the ways to bring your experiences from abroad back with you, but for me, these have been a good way to start.

1. Reflect on my abroad experiences

When I started this blog, I realized that there were lots of experiences from abroad that I had not really thought about again. Through postcards to Grandma, reminiscing with friends, and drawing comparisons with my every day life, my reflections from my abroad experiences has been one of the best ways I’ve been global from home.

2. Interact with people who love culture/travel as much as I do

Since I can’t live abroad right now, I like to live vicariously through others. The Abroad Blog of the Week has been my best way of interacting with others who are abroad living out what I can only imagine right now.

3. Help others experience culture or adjust to mine

For me, this mostly plays out by being a study abroad advisor. I love helping others explore where they want to go and really prepare for their time abroad.  I’ve also realized that it’s important to help those who are new to my culture. Volunteering with the local refugee community or with organizations like Cup of Local Sugar are a few ways to pay it forward.

4. Eat and cook with culture in mind

My first Friday Lunch was a shameless ploy to get students to come visit me during the summer, but it turned out to be a great way for me to explore foods of other cultures (and try to make them without a kitchen). Hubby and I have also increased our ethnic dining and I promise to cook more internationally once we are settled in OKC.

5. Practice my language skills

My Italian is definitely an area of being global from home that I need to work on, but I have a plan!

6. Global reads and foreign films

With the start of my regional reading list and some great Netflix finds, I feel like I’m learning so much more about countries that I may never have a chance to explore myself.

7. Creatively incorporate travel and culture into my physical surroundings

Whether it be maps, pictures, traditions, or crafts, I’m trying to incorporate visual reminders of the cultures and experiences that I so love.

On May 16th when I posted for the first time, I had an itch I was trying to satisfy. Having not left the country in over 3 years, I felt frustrated that I was not doing something that I really enjoy. This blog has certainly soothed that itch; it has made me intentional about looking at the world 30 miles from my door and seeing all the culture available to me. I’m excited to see where it takes me next.

African Reads

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After finishing my first book (The Tapestries…really good, by the way) from my Asian list last night, I thought I needed to continue on with my book list and add books of African settings to my list. Thinking back, I can only think of one book I’ve read that took place in Africa: Monique and the Mango Rains. It just happens to be one of the best books I’ve ever read – I laughed, cried, and learned so much about Mali. Written by Kris Holloway, she recounts her Peace Corps experience in Mali working with a local midwife named Monique. I actually met Kris at a conference in February, but unfortunately my copy is in a storage unit in South Carolina so I couldn’t have her sign it (Boo!), but Kris was great!

In addition to Monique and the Mango Rains, here’s what I’ve found that I’ve added to my list:

  • Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah (2011)   So this book doesn’t actually take place in Africa, but does depict the story of Elam, a boy from Ethiopia who becomes a refugee in London. Alone in a strange place, Elam has to deal with social services, the Refugee Council, and the transitions of a refugee completely by himself. With my hopes to volunteer with the refugee community in Oklahoma, I thought this would be a good one. (Available on Kindle for $3.32)
  • Broken Glass by Alain Mabanckou and Helen Stevenson (2010)  Centered in a run-down bar in the Congo, a bar regular nicknamed Broken Glass is chosen to record the stories of all patrons. However, everyone wants to rewrite history and buff up their stories along the way. According to the review, Broken Glass speaks regularly of the great books of Africa, which may just be beneficial as I add to my reading list. (Available on Kindle for $9.99)
  • The Last Brother by Nathacha Appanah (2011)  Set on the island of Mauritius in 1944, the novel tells of an unknown aspect of World War II through the journey of two young boys. Since I had no idea that WWII refugees went to Africa, nor exactly where Mauritius is located, I thought this might be beneficial for my African education. (Available on Kindle for $9.99)
  • The Cairo Trilogy by Naguib Mahfouz (2008)  One of the most read Egyptian authors turns his writing to the stories of Ancient Egypt – love, war, and the pharaohs.  With my love of Egyptian artifacts, I think I’ll definitely enjoy these three. (Available on Kindle as a bundle for $14.99)

Any others I should add to my list?

Birthday Traditions Around the Globe

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This weekend my adorable niece turns two-years-old. Needing some creative stimulants to help select her birthday gift, I decided to research birthday traditions around the globe for some inspiration. The trouble was that I found plenty of traditions but very few images.  And since I’m a visual person, I thought it might be nice see the traditions in addition to just reading abut them.  Some of these were not easy to find, but here are 11 different global birthday traditions to try out:

  • Argentina
    Earlobe Tugs. Children receive a pull on their earlobe for each year.

Courtesy of White Coat

  • China
    Noodles for Lunch. Friends and relatives are invited to lunch; noodles are served to wish the child a long life. In addition, the child receives money from both parents.

Chinese birthday noodles courtesy of Learning Chinese with Iris

  • Denmark
    Flying Flags. A flag is flown outside a window to designate that someone inside is enjoying a birthday. Presents are placed around children’s beds while sleeping.

Danish birthday flag courtesy of Copenhagen

  • Ecuador
    Pink Dresses. When a girl turns 15, there’s a great celebration. She puts on a pink dress and her first pair of high heels and dances the waltz with her father. Fourteen girls and fourteen boys pair up and dance the waltz alongside them.

Quinceanera celebration courtesy of Being Latino

  • England
    Fortune Telling Cakes. Certain symbolic objects are mixed into the birthday cake as it’s being prepared. If you uncover a coin in your cake, it’s foretelling of future riches.

Fortune Telling Cake Charms courtesy of Woof Nanny

  • Holland
    Crown Years. Even (2, 4, 6, etc.) birthday years are called “crown years.” The child receives an especially large gift on the special crown year birthdays. In addition, the family decorates the child’s chair with flowers.

Birthday Chair courtesy of Snowy Bliss

  • Ireland
    Birthday Bumps. The birthday child is lifted upside down and “bumped” on the floor for good luck. The child receives a bump for every year—and one extra for good luck.

Birthday Bump courtesy of Miss Zoot

  • Israel
    Chair Raising. The child sits in a chair while the family raises and lowers it, corresponding to the child’s age, with one extra for good luck.

A birthday chair raise courtesy of Art House

  • Mexico
    Pinatas and Mass. A pinata is filled with goodies and hung from the ceiling. While blindfolded, children take turns hitting it until it’s cracked open. Also, when a girl turns 15 in Mexico, a special mass is held to honor her.

Mexican birthday pinatas courtesy of Alice Q. Foodie

  • Philippines
    Cakes and Noodles. Birthday cakes are baked in various shapes and sizes. The celebration includes noodles — representing a long life — balloon decorations, and pinatas.

Filipino birthday pinata courtesy of Life, Love, & Why

  • Russia
    Birthday Pies. Instead of a birthday cake, the child receives a birthday pie with a birthday greeting carved into the crust.

Russian birthday pie courtesy of Send Great Flowers

What other birthday traditions did I miss?

This post is adapted from FTD’s website.

My International Community

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I was a reading a great blog post on Strange Days a few days ago about President Obama using the term of “International Community” several times while at the G20 Summit. The blogger discussed how our view of community has changed from “a place in which you lived” to “a mental state of identity or entitlement or power or preference or brand worship.” Personally, I feel that social media has a lot to do with this change, but Friday night as I was writing up my list of Versatile blogs it made me think about my own international community in the blogosphere.

I am a new blogger. In fact it was just 39 days ago that I posted for the first time with the goal of exploring the world from home. Simultaneously I began following a series of blogs and have picked up more along the way.  There are some that I  browse through and others that I feel really invested in. For example, I have never met Michael from Travel Thayer, but I eagerly read his blog about teaching in Korea. I have never met Amit of Healing Pilgrim but I am fascinated by her life in Bali. I have never met any study abroad students I follow, like Hayley from Turkish Musing, but I view them just like they were students at my university.

Maybe I am fooling myself, but I feel that through blogging, I am expanding my own international community. Perhaps I’m naive, but I honesty believe that if I ever found myself in Pescara, I could message Bee from If you find yourself in…and she would give me great travel advice. While I have never been a big fan of time-sucking social media, I have to admit that through blogging I feel that my international circle has grown. I certainly don’t believe that being a part of this virtual community gives me permission to disengage from my physical one, but I do feel that it can supplement and enhance our community at home.   In the end, my international blogging community may not be one where I live (although Hubby may disagree sometimes!), but is one in which I feel engaged, invested, and inspired. Personally, I think that is enough for me to call it community.

Versatile Blogger Award

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I was so excited to get a comment from Letizia at Reading Interrupted that she nominated Global From Home for a Versatile Blogger Award!  Yay! Now it is my turn to pass on the honor.  But first the rules:

  •  Thank the person who gave you this award. That’s common courtesy.
  •  Include a link to their blog. That’s also common courtesy — if you can figure out how to do it.
  •  Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly. ( I would add, pick blogs or bloggers that are excellent!)
  •  Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award — you might include a link to this site.
  •  Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.

Here goes!

Letizia, THANK YOU! I also think Reading Interrupted is pretty grand and hope many more people will enjoy all you have to share.

I’ve been reading a TON of blogs lately so I have a lot of favorites but here are 15.

Seven things about me:

1. I’m often mistaken for being 16-years-old when I’m actually 30. I’m not sure if it’s because I have a baby face or because I’m the size of a 5th grader.

2. I have read Pride and Prejudice 6 times.

3. I was a professional sorority girl for two years.  Yep, I worked for my sorority and traveled the U.S. doing leadership training.

4. My favorite color is navy blue.

5. I am obsessed with sending and receiving postcards.

6. I start wrapping Christmas presents in October. It is one of my top 10 favorite past-times.

7. Even though I live in San Diego, I still go to a church in Atlanta. It’s so good Hubby and I get up every Sunday and watch NPCC online with coffee in hand.