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Below are the 20 most recent posts to our blog.  To check out our full blog click here!

  • Cultural Embrace's Got Your Back - by Emlyn Lee

    1/4/201010:56:00 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

    Guatemala

    “It’s better to give before you receive. And never keep score. If your interactions are ruled by generosity your rewards will follow suit.”

    How awesome is that quote? And how much more awesome is it to have met, worked, and traveled with the author of this quote?

    I recently had the honor and privilege to host internationally renowned thought leader, consultant, and NY Times best-selling author of “Never Eat Alone” and “Who’s Got Your Back”, Keith Ferrazzi in Guatemala. Keith wanted to go abroad during the holidays, utilizing his vacation to giving back to others. For more info to his Personal Success Wheel, refer to “Who’s Got Your Back.”

    I take pride in Cultural Embrace’s personalized attention and service to all our participants, but I knew this placement would be different, and wanted to personally oversee the trip. After spending one day with Keith, I’m not sure who was ‘guiding’ who? My friends often refer me as a ‘connector,’ and being in the travel and service industry, the need to build and maintain relationships is a no brainer. But watching and listening to Keith develop, form and strengthen relationships so eloquently and easily was an art form (even with the language barrier).

    Unfortunately, Keith’s trip was short, yet sweet and impactful. We visited three local orphanages and community centers, and a village that lost funding for 7 pre-selected students to attend a private middle school in Antigua. With Keith’s generosity (for his time, heart, and donations), words of wisdom and support, I could immediately sense hope, drive, and motivation in the kids, parents, and community.

    Cultural Embrace and Ferrazzi Greenlight will be working together to raise funds, awareness, and provide experiences for foreigners to travel to Guatemala (and beyond). Cultural Embrace will be working alongside the local community, to provide them with guidance and support. We will facilitate a mutually agreed upon plan to: encourage education, promote gender equality, end hunger, inprove access to water and sanitation, while holding the village members accountable for their actions (ie: population control, pollution, littering, health, etc).
       
    I have plenty more to share, but I know I cannot do it all in one blog. I have big plans and visions…it’s the Aquarius in me…yet I also have to realistically understand that things aren't going to happen overnight. Through Cultural Embrace's operations and service to send individuals and groups abroad to integrate within a community and seek a purpose-filled adventure; Keith Ferrazzi's dedication and relationship-connection; and your support and wanderlust...we plan to help the village members of Guatemala to eat together, as a stronger and healthier community and, of course...never alone!

    For more about Keith Ferrazzi's service trip to Guatemala, click here.
    To donate to Cultural Embrace & Ferrazzi Greenlight's Guatemala projects, click here.

  • Christmas Party with San Mateo's Community

    12/16/200910:56:11 PM Link 1 comment | Add comment

    Guatemala

    It’s hard to believe that I left Austin less than a week ago. I feel like every day is packed with a month (at least) long worth of memories. I have to admit, it is hard for me to express in words some of the sites that I’m seeing, as well as what I am thinking, because it’s hard to digest some of the living conditions of the people in this beautiful country.

    One of the villages that I visited on Sunday and Tuesday is called San Mateo Milpas Altas. It is located ~15 minutes car ride, or 30 minutes by bus (about 2-3 buses a day) from Antigua. I met an amazing woman, Judith Lopez, who I felt immediately comfortable with in my broken Spanish (it helps that she is a Spanish teacher and VERY patient), just from our initial handshake and hug. Judith fought (literally, physically) with her parents, as well with social norms, to be the first woman in her village to graduate, let alone attend, University.  She studied socioeconomics, and returned back to San Mateo to use her studies to improve her own community. In 1999, she heard a knock at the door, and there were two poor children, asking for food and a place to sleep. Judith and her husband, Juan, opened their doors to these kids, and haven’t closed it since. Prodesenh was created, now helping over 120 children in a day, as well as the adults in San Mateo, to support and improve their education, life skills, and living conditions.

    Many of the children are orphans living with Judith and Juan or with neighbors or relatives. Some have at least one parent, but are unable or unwilling to care for their own children. Financial burden, alcoholism, lack of education and resources are common reasons these children are neglected at home (and school). Many of the parents are not available, either because they are seeking work, or they are alcoholics (prevalent of fathers in the rural areas). However, if and when the fathers return home, many are physically, mentally, sexually, verbally, and emotionally abusive to their wife and children. Many of the children and woman go to Prodesenh to find solace and love.

    This past Sunday, Judith and Juan invited two American volunteers from South Jersey, USA, an intern from Quebec, Canada, and I to attend their Christmas party. There were about 60 children, from infants to 13 years old, and about 10 adults from San Mateo all sitting in a room, probably no bigger than my living room back in Austin. Not only was it warm and cozy due to the tight sitting quarters, but you could feel the warmth and love between the children, Judith and Juan. I would have never imagined that I could spend over 5 hours in a roomful of 60 children, but for some reason, time flew by, and I everyone had a great night. The children were so well behaved, eager for the next performance, enthusiastic to hold our hands, and listen to Judith and Juan emcee the program. They put on a whole production--with songs, poems, dances, games, piñatas, gifts, food, and a Christmas play. The children’s smiles were from ear to ear…my smile was spread across my face!

     

  • Danny Zucco meets Billy Blanks by Emlyn Lee

    12/14/20099:25:50 PM Link 2 comments | Add comment

    Guatemala

    My friends and staff often say that I work too much...which is probably true, but I love what I do, so I hardly consider it ‘work’…I mean, working in Antigua, Guatemala for a month, isn’t too shabby, huh? But I try to balance my mind, body, and spirit by reading, exercising, and embracing my faith. For me, there is nothing better to end a day than with a good workout. It gives me time to process the day, and relieves some of the ‘unforeseen fires’ that happens in an international service-industry. Plus, the calories inhaled from the boxes of Wheat Thins, bags of Twizzlers, and cans of cashews that I snack on at my desk needs to be burned. Today is no different, and I would like to share how I 'unwind' at the gym in Antigua.

    There are two gyms in Antigua city. I joined La Fabrica, just two blocks from my apartment, and it reminds me of the ‘old school’ boxing gyms. Second hand Lifecycle equipments, rusted free weights, and some other ropey-hung apparatus that I’m too afraid to know. There was a salsa dance class in session when I got there. Even though it was a principiantes (beginners) class, it seemed A LOT harder than my best Shakira shimmy efforts could EVER handle. So, I got on the elliptical, pressed some buttons that I couldn’t understand, and trotted along. From across the room, I noticed this middle-aged professional lady scrambling in to the gym. She apparently was having a Manic Monday, and late for the salsa class. I noticed her not only because of her frazzled state, but because she was wearing 3-inch stiletto heels! I don’t understand how she is able to walk in them on leveled floor, let alone on Antigua’s cobble-stoned streets. But then, she rushed in to the exercise group room, stepped in line, and joined the class, not missing a single beat…business attire, stiletto heels, and all!

    After about an hour, I was wrapping up my workout, and in came a local guy, wearing Ivan Lendl replicated wristbands, hair greased back similar to Danny Zucco of Grease, and parachute pants that MC Hammer could never touch. I HAD to stay and see what this class was all about. I asked the customer service rep behind the gated front desk what class was next, and he said, “Tae Bo!”

    Pinch me!! Boxing was one of my favorite workouts back in Austin, until I tore some cartilage this past summer, and Tae Bo…seriously?!?! Billy Blanks was my best friend in the late nineties, and worked out to his VHS tapes daily! It was meant to be…my first Guatemalan group exercise class…with Rico Suave serving as the Guatemalan Billy Blanks.

    In the beginning, I was guarding my left knee and trying to be careful on it, but once you got salsa and merengue music blaring at the loudest volume (unfortunately the louder the better in Guate...), and Guatemalan Billy shouting “mas rapido”, I was flailing my legs and arms just trying to keep up.  I recall Billy Blank’s “double time,” but here, the pace seemed to be at quadruple speed. The music was so fast it sounded like the Chipmunks on steroids.

    Low and behold, I survived my first Guatemalan group exercise class. I hobbled back home, not sure if it was because my knee is inflamed, or the difficulties of walking on the cobble-stoned streets (plus without street lights), but then I thought of that lady, and how she mastered walking on the streets, and taking salsa class in those heels. We’ll see if I am able ‘shake a bon bon’ in the salsa class (with Nikes on) at my next gym visit…

  • Mi Casa es Tu Casa - by Emlyn Lee

    12/12/20099:39:18 PM Link 1 comment | Add comment

    Guatemala

    It has taken me two full days to digest that even though I am abroad, I am “home” for the rest of the year. It's quite ironic because Guatemala was my last 'backpacking' adventure that my former St. Louis roommate and I took, at the end of 2000, before I moved to Austin, Texas. It reconfirms my surreal and time-warped mind frame wondering…how did nine years just go by?!?

    However, there are noticeable changes from my ‘backpacking’ days and running my own business. I recall the days of chasing after a crowded chicken bus with sheep tied to the roof, sweating with a backpack over my shoulder, and realizing my traveling companions and I arrived in a foreign country without a guidebook or plan. Or playing ‘rock, paper, scissor’ to decide who had first dibs on the bunk beds, even though the winner wasn’t sure whether the top or the bottom mattress was the better pick. Thus, having an organized airport pick-up (which we include in all our Volunteer programs), and a receiving line of the whole staff welcoming me upon my return to my partnering language school (the one I used backpacking in 2000), with a private apartment with cable modem made me feel a bit older (just a wee), and more mature, well, ok, maybe more professional.

    I forgot to pack my guidebook again, but I consider that to be the small stuff not to sweat over, especially since I’m in such good hands with our local coordinators; but as for a plan…that is why I am here! Cultural Embrace currently sends individuals and groups to learn Spanish, volunteer at social projects, embrace cultural activities, such as: cooking classes, salsa dance lessons, bike tours around banana and coffee plantations, and take excursions in Guatemala, as well as many other neighboring countries in Latin America. But now, one of my goals for 2010 will be to “sponsor” a few communities around the globe. I would like to invest more awareness and client participation, and essentially take their needs ‘under our wings’ to provide funding and assistance to improve their living conditions.

    I’m starting this plan in Guatemala, and using charming Antigua as ‘home-base’. This is a lovely cobble-stoned town, quaint in size, safe and convenient for foreigners, close in proximity to the new and modern La Aurora international airport in Guatemala City, and only 20-30 minutes drive by car to the project sites. I am going to visit the different communities, and decide which village I feel partial to, and will devise a short and long term plan with their leaders, men, women, and children to improve their educational and social welfare.

    Although I am a bit nostalgic being away from my family and friends during the holidays, I am however, excited and anxious to ring in the New Year with meaningful and specific goals for 2010. I am looking forward to developing new friendships and building a closer bond with my Guatemalan family and “home”. I will be sharing my experiences on this blog at least 3x a week, and invite you to provide feedback, opinions, questions, or suggestions to help prepare for my plan. Since meeting Juan Carlos, my Guatemalan coordinator, in 2000, he ends every conversation, email, and telephone call with an expression, that remains so true to this day…”Mi Casa es Tu Casa!”
     

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