Jessie Voigts's Blog, page 197
November 25, 2016
Rainforest Library Overtaken by Crazy US Educators – Crazy GOOD educators!
What happens when 30 US educators spend an afternoon at CONAPAC’s tiny Amazon library, located along the banks of the Amazon rainforest in Peru? Not your normal library experience, that’s for sure!
There was no stern librarian telling us to keep our voices down or reminding us to read quietly to ourselves! Instead this tiny library was filled with laughter, fun, and even (believe it or not) turkey calling. What ensued was a memorable afternoon of scie...
November 24, 2016
Abbey Island, Derrynane Beach, Ring of Kerry, Ireland
It's almost a cliche, those photos of cemeteries and crosses in Ireland. I didn't know, until I was there, how powerful these spaces are. And, it's like your camera has a mind of its own, and you end up with 500 photos from a single hour spent there, and still have time for quiet reflection and solitude. For it's like walking into a cathedral - the awes, the hush, the feeling of centuries of purpose - but it is outside, in nature's cathedral.
We r...
9 Unique Bucket List Experiences in Taiwan
One of the best parts about traveling to Taiwan is having the opportunity to discover the island’s unique and vibrant culture. Whether you want to take the word ‘cute’ to a whole new level, restore your body’s balance, or feel a surging sense of pride in your host country, the following bucket list activities will ensure you experience Taiwan on a deep and meaningful level:
9 Unique Bucket List Experiences in Taiwan
In Asia, ho...
November 22, 2016
Five Tips for Visiting Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu had been on my Travel Bucket List for a few months. When I finally got the news that I would be studying abroad in Chile (a country that shares a border with Peru), I immediately asked to work extra shifts to pay for the trip there! (I am glad I did because it was not cheap.) The first week of orientation, while we had some time to discuss and plan future trips, everyone in our group unanimously wanted to go to MP. The following weeks w...
November 21, 2016
Music for a Winter's Day
As autumn turns to winter, it becomes a time for reflection, for connection, for celebration. Music makes a good companion for the questions, connections and celebrations this season invites.
Come along and explore music from one of Americana's most creative bands, a top guitarist, and two of the best singers you'll find anywhere, one from Scotland and one whose background is both Irish and American.
The four musicians who make up Rani Arbo and dais...
November 20, 2016
Florida Culture for the Week of November 20, 2016 By Josh Garrick
Florida Culture for the Week of November 20, 2016 By Josh Garrick
NOW to Dec 18 – George Bernard Shaw’s ‘Pygmalion’ at the Mad Cow Theatre
Yes – this is the George Bernard Shaw play that gave us ‘My Fair Lady’ – this time performed as Shaw wrote it. Without the songs, we get to more clearly see Shaw’s observations on the British class system, gender stereotypes, and ‘middle-class morality.’ Shaw’s most popular play – that gave us Henry Higgins and E...
Taiwanese Night Market Culture: Eat, Drink, and Be Daring
I’ll never forget my first visit to a night market in Taiwan. It was a total affront on all senses. Too many people jostling for space; too many unrecognizable odors drifting through the air; too many animal organs skewered and on display for growling bellies. I elbowed my way through the crowds, searching for an English menu or a familiar food, covered in sweat from the summer humidity. Then I left twenty minutes later. Still suffering from jetlag...
Beehive Fireworks Festival: Taiwan’s Most Dangerous Event
Taiwan has some truly unique holidays and festivals. Some are more dramatic, like Boat Burning Festival, while others are a bit more delicate, like the Calla Lily Festival. But perhaps none are as strange—or as dangerous—as the Beehive Fireworks Festival.
Every year, visitors flock to Yanshui District, outside of Tainan, Taiwan, to take part in an evening of fireworks. But these are no fireworks that you watch explode in the sky from the comfort o...
November 19, 2016
The Lessons My Son Learned on Safari that He Never Would Have Learned in School
Every year, I make it a point to take my sons on a mother-son trip. I have found this is a great way to bond with each child individually, as well as cater to their individual likes and dislikes. I’m sure my kids are a lot like yours. While they certainly have common interests, they also are very different. By creating two different trips, it accomplishes several things; it’s cheaper to travel with just one child, I’m able to plan things that I know t...
November 18, 2016
What I Learned from a 10 Day Trip to Japan
The idea of travelling abroad alone has always intrigued me, because I believe I could discover so much about the country and myself with tremendous amount of flexibility. Japan seems like the perfect place for female solo travelers, given its safety, convenience, and culinary satisfactions. Nevertheless, I have to admit that the only knowledge I had of Japan was obtained from a couple of Pokémon episodes I watched during my childhood, if that quali...
