Author : Joel BleasedaleWhy Volunteer Overseas?

Travel to new destinations, live in exotic locations and feel a tremendous sense of achievement attained only by making a difference with vital humanitarian and preservation projects Volunteer travel is the ideal way to make a difference while still having the adventure of a lifetime

Here are a few of the reasons why volunteering is an excellent way to travel:

Learn about another culture, language and way of life, while making a positive contribution

Package holidays on the Costa del Sol keep a lot of people very happy, but many of us need more For those who loathe the idea of lying on a beach for weeks on end, volunteering is the way forward Volunteering offers you the opportunity to experience life most people only dream about or see on BBC travel programs Volunteering programs frequently take place in exotic locations and you feel a tremendous sense of achievement as you make a difference Enjoy an adventure with like minded people—people who want to return home from their holiday with the satisfaction that they have made a lasting impact that changes lives and helps preserve the planet Everyone has different goals But if your goal is a bit greater than avoiding tan lines, then volunteering might be your calling

Grow, and remember who you are

It is not hard to get sucked into the rigors of daily life… how many pairs of shoes can we afford or where can we get the latest accessories for our iPod music player Volunteering is a wonderful way to peel off the layers and to remember who we are, and what we are capable of, away from consumerism and the trials of our own societies Volunteering can be very challenging Leave your mobile phone behind and delve into the work and goals at hand You will find that you can do things you never dreamt yourself capable of Oftentimes the work you complete with your hands is not the most lasting effect Getting to know the local communities has an impact that might be less visible, but it is certainly very strong By making new friendships you will remember as well as teach and remind others that we are all people with hearts and minds, dreams and aspirations, who want to feel safe and happy Volunteering breaks down barriers and makes the world smaller It is a marvelous way to put the world, as well as our personal lives, in perspective

Get international experience in a field of interest

Are you studying social work or African wildlife? Chances are there is a volunteering opportunity out there that will add a whole new dimension to whatever your field of study may be A degree is one thing, but having hands on experience in the field cannot be replicated in a classroom

Power pack that CV

Volunteerism is a wonderful way to make your CV a bit juicier Employers value CVs from people who have vision and drive, and volunteering during your vacation is a lot more impressive than a ski holiday at Meribel Volunteering overseas shows your potential employer that you are committed, flexible and patient

All this on a budget…

Volunteering remains one of the least expensive ways to travel overseas and gain international experience

Although volunteering programs are generally less expensive than standard tourism, programs are not free and oftentimes not cheap Volunteers usually cover their own flights, insurance, room and board, as well as other costs and a donation to the project itself Volunteering placement organisations also charge a fee to cover their costs Unless you are a medical professional or you are planning on committing more than a year to a volunteering program, chances are you will have to pay to volunteer Volunteer placement programs work hard to provide an enriching, cultural experience for the volunteers while simultaneously making concentrated efforts in accomplishing volunteering goals There are hundreds of different volunteering organisations, so it is necessary to do the appropriate research and use caution when choosing your program We realize that there is a lot to choose from! But this really is a good thing, because it provides you with more choice, and it provides more opportunities for potential volunteers Volunteering organisations are responsible for helping to recruit and build an army of volunteers, and this is absolutely necessary in order to make a sustainable impact on the planet and its lives

SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE SENDING IN YOUR CHECK…

Say goodbye to hot showers

Volunteering is very different than going on a holiday where you expect the meals to be gourmet and the beds to have fresh linens daily Volunteering requires patience and energy, flexibility yet drive Oftentimes conditions are basic, food is tasteless, plumbing and electricity is unheard of, and you’ll be sleeping in a sleeping bag The focus of volunteering programs is not about the creature comforts, rather the activities that forgoing modern amenities can afford Many programs take place in developing countries or exotic places where life is simpler, and you will surprise yourself at how little you need to truly be happy So before sending in your check, take a nice hot bubble bath, order a pizza and sit down for some prime time television because these are just a few of the things you will go without on your program

Volunteering is different than changing

Many of the communities where volunteering programs take place are steeped in centuries of culture and tradition Respecting the local culture is a vital part of volunteering, so any feelings of western superiority should be left at the airport

Why are you volunteering?

Volunteering overseas is a true test of your tenacity and ability to adjust You will undoubtedly find it very difficult at times Chances are you will be volunteering and working with a group of people from many different cultural backgrounds and of many different ages Some programs take place in very isolated areas where you will most likely be working very hard for results that are not immediately evident This can be hard work It is important that volunteers realize and respect this before committing to a program Volunteering is an endeavor to embrace life and help others, yet there are cases of people choosing to volunteer to escape bad marriages, depression, or other general unhappiness at home It’s important that you are happy at home before you embark on a volunteering program or else you will most likely not find the experience an enjoyable one

Brace yourself!

Volunteering can provide you with the experience of a lifetime There are so many opportunities to learn about new ways of life, cultures, languages, skills and more Go into your program with an open mind and remember to remain flexible There are always unforeseen bumps in the road, especially in developing countries Nothing ever goes as planned, such as missed flights, lost baggage, protests blocking road routes, stomach bugs, corrupt government officials and various other problems that will most likely arise This is all part of the experience so just brace yourself, hold on, and enjoy the ride!
Joel Bleasedale, TravelTree
Specializing in Volunteer projects and Gap Year travel worldwide!
www.TravelTree.co.uk
www.GlobalCrossroad.comSubmitted By ArticleUnited.com

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Author : jgraf From the perspective of spiritual ecology, some of the suspected causes merely stand in the foreground of the disappearing honeybees - EMF radiation; GM crops; and diseases and pests - while artificial incursions of modern bee-keeping on overall hive ecology are recognized to prevail at the root of the issue

The heart of the matter is too much interference For example, in a bid to avoid having to work with a species that can become what humankind deems as overly aggressive, we have been cultivating a more "docile" temperament in the bee Therefore, unlike its more combative relatives in other parts of the world, who are able to bite at, mutilate, and dispose of the varroa mite, our more passive breeds are not equipped to handle these intruders

Time will heal the varroa situation, if we let the honeybee "duke it out" in its own way, under its own terms As with most predation, the strongest will survive to carry forth its capable seed into future stocks

Excessive interference and the foresight of Rudolf Steiner

In deference to the spiritual science of Rudolf Steiner, it needs to be said that this modern Renaissance man predicted in 1923 that if humanity continued to cultivate the honeybees by artificial means, we would, within eighty years, witness the mass disappearance of the bees

Arguably the best-kept secret of the 20th Century, in terms of a resource for social transformation, Rudolf Steiner, in his series of lectures entitled "The Bees," portrayed the intricate nature of the honeybee community
In capsule, Steiner warned against both meddling with the natural process of hive society and artificial manipulation of queen bees

The following list of aspects of human interference with the natural process of bee life, while substantial, is no doubt incomplete:

- The raising of larva in separate quarters, arbitrary feeding of royal jelly to produce queens, then shipping by post to keepers

- Selection of bee populations for docility, de-selecting for aggression

- In contrast to the normal 5 or 6-year life span of a queen, "re-queening" after one or two years

- The grafting of queens - moving larva to artificial cups, then cages for transport

- Supplanting guard bees with protective measures by humans

- Keeping hives hyper clean, to reduce production of "nuisance" propolis

- Using chemical control agents for disease and pests

- Providing ready-made combs in place of bee-constructed combs, to save work (production time) for the bees

- In a similar vein, supplying sheets of wax, so bees don’t have to gather and secret their own wax

- Use of ventilators so the bees don’t have to tend this

- Use of queen excluders to prevent eggs being laid in inconvenient areas of the hive

- Moving of hives over long distances at the will of human intention

- Clipping of queens’ wings

- Agricultural practices consisting of monocultures that wreak havoc on honeybee diets, and limiting options once the dominant crop is no longer flowering

The foregoing list of strategies used to manipulate production demonstrates that mankind is capable of invention In fact, we are able to wax clever, even to the point of genius However, in this modern era (in which we find ourselves so often losing the perspective of overview, due to reductionism and specialization, among other things) it appears that when we fail to perceive the whole picture, our inventiveness falls short of the masterful way that a naturally developing hive proceeds

Perhaps there are effective ways to work in harmony with the bees, even using a certain degree of creative intervention But just which particular intercessions will time prove to be both wise and productive, in terms of a win-win for both bee and human?
Who can know, but those who gain utmost understanding of the synergy and multi-dimension of the bee kingdom?

Leo Tolstoy, after his own lengthy study of bees, had this to say: "The higher the human intellect rises in the discovery [of the bees’ aim], the more obvious it becomes that the final aim is beyond its reach "

The most essential thing we learn from reviewing the Steiner material is that beekeepers would do well to acquire a metaphysical understanding of bees and the complex masterpiece of the hive
Mystery lives in the hive, and within the golden elixir that is honey, mystery we have yet to, or may never, discover

Spiritual ecology holds that the first step in addressing an issue pertaining to the realm of nature is to deepen our understanding of the overall synergy of the particular eco-community in question
Meanwhile, the short answer, at least for consumers, is to buy only honey produced in an organic manner - and by non-interference methods Withdraw all support from other means of production
If you are a marketer, establish non-interference standards and label those products so consumers have a means of choosing
If you are a scientist, reductionism leads to reduction in the world of nature Take off the blinders that induce you to seek an answer in terms of a virus, pest, or pathogen, etc
And if you are a bee-keeper, or a scientist, study Steiner Try to see the pathogen aspect as a symptom, not the cause, of the problem J Graf is the coordinator of Earth Vision and Insight21 - doorways for the 21st Century - at Earth Vision and Insight21 Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

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Author : Richard CorcoranFor most of us, budgeting is not a natural character trait We have a tendency to live beyond our means We buy on impulse things we don't need And we borrow money with our credit cards to pay for goods instead of paying in cash These are some of the reasons so many families in the United States have a hard time making ends meet and instead are living paycheck to paycheck

The reason we budget is so we can pay for our necessities but still live and enjoy a reasonably comfortable life This means that if we're making $32,000 a year, we don't buy a million dollar home Instead, we find a more suitably priced home in the nicest neighborhood that we can afford If we are barely making enough to feed our family we don't splurge on a 56 inch flat screen plasma television We conserve our money and buy a more modest TV

Budgeting is not fun and it takes work But if we expect to be able to live the American dream - we are going to have to learn to take control of our money and make it work for us

The main purpose of a budget is to keep you from spending too much money on things that you don't need It can be so tempting when watching those late night infomercials and you see the Atomic Weed Destroyer that will kill all of the weeds from your garden with a single push of a button You whip out your wallet, call the 800 number, and order it for the low, low payment of $19 95 a month for 3 months A budget, if you follow it, will make you think twice before picking up that phone Or maybe you go into a grocery store planning to spend $60 but instead come out with a $100 grocery bill A budget, if you follow it, will make you stop and think before adding that extra item to the grocery cart

A secondary purpose of a budget is to help you save money towards future acquisitions or future goals For example, if your child, Johnny, is three years old and you want him to attend college, you'd better start planning and budgeting your money so that when he reaches 18, he has money for his tuition Likewise, if you have just married and know that you want to buy a house in five years, now is the time to set aside a certain amount of money each month so that you have enough for a down payment in five years

It may not seem obvious, but one of the biggest goals or dreams that a budget can help you to attain is financial independence It's often said that 'It's not how much you make, but how much you save " And it's mostly true We've all heard the stories of famous boxers and other entertainers who at the peak of their career raked in multi-million dollar paydays But somehow, at the end of their career they ended up broke, on the streets, waiting tables, and so on Did they not make enough money? Or did they simply fail to budget their money properly?

In the end, we all have the same basic money decisions to make as those famous celebrities did Do we carelessly fritter away whatever monies we make and risk ending up destitute with no retirement security? Or do we take control of our money and our lives by creating a budget that will help us to make the most of what we have? To be blunt, most Americans make the wrong choice Don't you make the wrong choice too
David Hoyer is a freelance writer who writes articles relating to finding a bankruptcy mailing list and other bankruptcy related issues. Visit his site at http://www.bankruptcyfocus.com .Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

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Author : Bob AlexanderWhen the final chapter in my life’s story has been written and work on the screenplay for the movie begins, someone will be faced with the difficult assignment of deciding who will play me on the big screen It won’t be an easy task because it will take an actor of the first water to capture the true essence of me

My life has had the same assortments of successes and failures, tears, both of joy and of sorrow, grand excitement and heart-rending disappointments as everyone else in this world I can say though, in all honesty I’ve never been bored a day in my life!

I guess I’ve been thoroughly blessed to have survived in this world as long as I have without the benefit of a burning desire for anything, leaving me slightly out of step with all the movers and shakers of this world Does that mean that I’ve been without dreams and goals to achieve them? No!

Having no great desire to save the world, cure cancer or control a corporate empire has worked well for me With only a few exceptions there’s not a thing I would change if I had all this to do over again There are enough surprises jumping out at us when we least expect it to overcome any thoughts of succumbing to boredom, which I believe is a sin!

Who then, if this epic of human survival were cast today, would I choose for that role of a lifetime? Not just anyone could carry off such an assignment After much thought, I’ve narrowed the field down to just a few that could seriously portray me on the big screen

As my younger self, would be the one I would definitely choose to play me, if for no other reason than he’s the only young actor I can think of at the moment He’s obviously talented, for I’ve seen him in several movies, other than “Second Hand Lion,” with Robert Duvall and Michael Caine Dye his hair a little darker and he could be me in my younger years

Al Pacino would be a favorable choice for an older me He lives the character and in just a few scenes you forget that he’s Al Pacino That’s the kind of man who can capture the real Bob Alexander I can see Al now, smiling as he says, “Say hello to my little friend!” Oops! Wrong movie!

Unfortunately I don’t believe this part is crying out for Mr Pacino This is the role every actor dreams about, but he seems a little too serious accurately portray me I’ve never found a serious situation that couldn’t be improved by a little humor Some believe this to be a flaw in my character but I believe it to be genetic and it’s not my fault! I was born with this affliction

I think the ability to find humor in the most dire of situation has been passed down to my brother also A case in point is a dilemma my family encountered when my mother passed away

As befitting a good country song, it was raining on the day before her funeral and the weather outlook for the next day was more of the same In addition, when my brothers and I were seated in the funeral home with the director, we found that the day was already booked There were four interments already scheduled, but the gentleman said that he could squeeze us in at 8:00 a m We all determined that this was much too early for such an event

My brother broke the silence that ensued with, “What’s the chance there will be a cancellation tomorrow?” The funeral director looked surprised and in a shocked voice replied, “I don’t think I’ve ever been asked that before ” We all had a good laugh that broke, for the moment, the somber mood that had been cast over the room Mother would have been proud!

When it comes down to deciding just who will be the lucky fellow to play me, I’ll have to go with George Clooney Not only is he a good actor, he has a wit about him that is reminiscent of my humor Put that together with his good looks, and he would be the perfect choice to play the role of Bob Alexander Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, fishing and leisure living. Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at:
http://www.homeandgardenbob.com
http://www.redfishbob.com Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

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Author : Tina HancockOf course, we could change

If you think the finance crisis in this country–or the world for that matter–is close to ending, think again

Looking at the debt levels every entity has accumulated–from the federal government through states and municipals, to corporations and individuals–we have finally reached that unsustainable position

A tipping point It is downhill from here

Unless we do something different We have got to wake up out of this debt fantasy

Did we honestly think we could keep on borrowing?

If 40% debt is acceptable for an individual to qualify for a fixed mortgage, when health care, food, fuel, insurance and other basic costs are rising at an increasing pace how is the regular Joe going to sustain fixed mortgage payments that are at the top of his debt range from the getgo?

Let alone the credit card interest that increases with each passing month Add in future costs of rising tuition, clothing, medical care for children the average homeowner will pay over the next twenty years

Are we that stupid to think we can get away with this?

Where is the money going to come from?

I guess it will have to be printed, because it seems there is no end in sight to the borrowing everyone advocates

What is wrong with living within your means?

First you have to determine your means If you have not realized a relatively stable income for a while then you should not sign a mortgage or any loan document

Why cannot everyone, including the governments and Wall Street follow basic principles of finance?

When can we have financial education in our school systems?

If we do not educate our youth, they are going to repeat the same mistakes That is if they get the chance

PERSONAL FINANCE 101

We need a public finance education campaign to teach people basic finance principles:

1 Do not spend more than you have coming in

2 Do not borrow long term if you do not have stable income with a few years history

3 If you do not have an emergency fund with at least 3-6 months of expenses saved, you should not sign any kind of debt instrument

4 Pay yourself first–put a minimum of 10% of any income aside in a separate fund that is not to be considered emergency funds

5 Stop using home equity to finance anything that does not improve the value of the home that can be recouped upon sale

6 Reinvest dividends instead of spending them–the secret to the finance universe is the power of compound interest

7 Do not assume others know more than you do Do your homework

8 Take a deep breath and keep your head–do not let anyone talk you into anything You are the one who has got to live with the consequences so take your own sweet time making any financial decisions

9 Gather as much information as you can about a subject, give yourself enough time to think about it, ask yourself how you feel about it, sleep on it, then do what your gut tells you

10 If you marry, make sure your intended shares the same finance policies and outlook as you do

11 If you must marry, make sure you have done all the forgoing first (stable job, home, emergency funds, purchases, retirement)

12 If you want kids–plan them Do not bring kids into the world that you may not be able to provide for Things are very iffy now and your kids deserve a bright future If you do not have financial stability, you cannot afford them

13 Do not blame others for your bad decisions It is your own fault Accept it Move on Do better next time Learn from your mistakes Tell others what you learned Make the world a better place

CORPORATE, GOVERNMENT FINANCE 101

There needs to be organizational finance policies in place to ensure staff and officials follow the basic finance principles, beginning with

1 Do not spend more than you have coming in

2 Do not borrow long term if you do not have truly stable income with documented history

3 If you do not have an emergency fund with at least a minimum predetermined amount of expenses saved–like a complete operating cycle, you should not sign any kind of debt instrument

Operate from a cash position, not a borrowing position for operational expenses If you run short and have to dip into your emergency fund, change the way you are operating so you can replenish the fund–not borrow, which increases your operating expenses!

4 Pay yourself first–put a minimum of 10% of any income aside in a separate fund that is not to be considered emergency funds; this is to build business stability and ensure good ratings and reputation

5 Stop using loans to finance anything that does not improve the value of the business that can be recouped upon sale

6 Reinvest dividends instead of spending them–the secret to the finance universe is the power of compound interest

7 Do not assume others know more than you do Do your homework That goes for everyone–from the janitor to the board member

8 Take a deep breath and keep your head–do not let anyone talk you into anything You are the one who has got to live with the consequences so take your own sweet time making financial decisions This applies to every level of staff and officials Think before acting!

9 Gather as much information as you can, give yourself enough time to think about it, ask yourself how you feel about it, sleep on it, then do what your gut tells you If the decision is one to be made by a committee or group, make sure there is true consensus Otherwise you may not have a group later

10 If you merge, make sure your intended shares the same finance policies and outlook as you do

11 If you must merge, make sure you have done all the forgoing (stable income, adequate operating facility, emergency funds, purchases, employee retirement)

12 If you want to start other businesses–plan them Do not start more than you can sustain Things are very iffy now and your employees deserve a bright future If you do not have stability, you cannot afford to branch out and take on more risk

13 Do not blame others for your bad decisions If you did not follow the above, it is your own fault Accept it Move on Do better next time Learn from your mistakes Tell others what you learned Make the world a better place

Pretty similar, right?

So why cannot people, firms, governments, do these things?

The answer is they can, they have, and they should We just have to encourage this kind of behavior Who is going to lead by example?

We are all to blame for buying into the debt fantasy But it is time to end it and start being responsible with our money (c) 2008 Tina Hancock, MBA, MA Finance
Hancock Management Intl LC
http://nicericeonline.com
http://truefinancenow.blogspot.com Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

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Author : Jay RosensweigI just came back from having a drink with two very attractive female friends, Jessica and Susan While watching football, the conversation revolved around what women want in a man, the “nice guy” or the “bad boy ” Susan said “all women will say that they want a nice guy, but the truth is that they really want the bad boy We are just wired for that ”

Shortly after a “bad boy type” walked by and Jessica perked up in her seat as if she saw some candy She then showed me some pictures of her ex and a guy she is kind of dating Once again they had that “bad boy look ” So the crux of the conversation was that women will say they want a nice guy, and they do, but not always They want a challenge, and want a man to put them in their place at times They do not want a doormat This made me think of another personal experience that may explain why a woman went from cursing at me to wanting to kiss me

About 8 months ago I did a Long Island single mingle at the Cats Meow (now closed) Two women came in and said they were just dropping something off to the bartender and would not be staying, therefore did not want to pay the cover charge About 40 minutes later I noticed they were mingling with the participants from the event I approached them and told them that they were welcome to stay, but would have to pay the cover charge like everyone else This resulted in a shouting match that turned ugly when one woman told me to stick the cover charge up my behind

I am usually very polite at my events, but this was going to be an exception to that rule Curses were flying and the shouting got heated Rather than make any more of a scene, I backed off and went to find the manager She told me the ladies were personal friends of hers and that the bar would take care of the cover, so I let it go About 40 minutes later I approached the woman from the shouting match to clear the air, so everyone could enjoy the rest of the night The next thing I know, this woman tries to kiss me An hour earlier we were cursing at each other and now she wants to kiss me?

Somehow her attraction switch was flipped on when I showed her that she could not walk all over me The moral to this story, is that many women will say that they want a nice guy to treat them well, be there for them, and settle down with The key here is that they want that guy eventually, just not right away Here is what my friend Fran had to say

"I always thought I wanted a nice guy but I have to tell you, I honestly believe now that I don’t Every time I meet a nice guy I find something about him that turns me off I fully believe that I like the challenge of a bad boy and that the nice guy just makes it easy and uneventful if that makes any sense I’ve dated this wonderful man about 3 times now and he couldn’t be any nicer but So, I totally agree with your perspective that all women think they want a nice guy but the truth is we do not "
Jay Rosensweig organizes
NY Speed Dating >events and offers an
interesting perspective on the New York;
Singles through his company WeekendDating.com. He can be reached
at 718-757-6933. Submitted By ArticleUnited.com

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