Doing Volunteer Work in a Foreign Country

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Doing Volunteer Work in a Foreign Country

Volunteer Abroad: Are you looking for an occupation where not only do you get to explore many cultures and learn new things, but also glove trot? Have you explored the option of volunteering abroad yet? Volunteering abroad is rapidly becoming a career option for many youngsters across the globe. Volunteering has always been associated with social causes like rescue work during earthquakes, Tsunami, war, saving the planet, creating eco habitats, educating slum children etc. What a volunteer can really derive out of an overseas work is experience, understanding the different communities and geographical or demographical requirements. A sense of pride, inspiration and this kind of work is good for character building.

Type of volunteerism: As a volunteer, you can teach English to monks in monasteries in Nepal, care for rare species of birds and other wild life in a nature reserve in Costa Rica or in Kenya. You can do a lot of good through volunteering abroad and reap the benefits too. You can add this experience in your resume and also get the opportunity to do serious traveling and even pursue an educational career. Most people choose overseas volunteer work because they get to travel to some of the most exotic places as well as off the beaten track destinations.

Whether you are interested in teaching English overseas or want to travel to various destinations across the world, you can find volunteering placements, which will satisfy your requirement. Here are three tips that will help you to find opportunities of volunteering abroad:

Volunteering Abroad with the right agency: Most of the volunteer jobs abroad are overseen and handled by different agencies. There are many online agencies who will proclaim to find you an overseas volunteering work but you need to know that not all of them are authentic. So you need to be extremely cautious while choosing the placement agency. Always try to get references and conduct a little background check just to be sure. An authentic agency has the capability of finding a placement for you based on your requirement and preferences. Some agencies also provide extensive training where required and overseas assistance. The agencies will charge you for the placement and don't be surprised because this payment will ensure that you get all the support required overseas.

Volunteer Abroad organizations: Most of the organizations who assist with volunteering abroad have their own website. You may visit any such website and find their requirements, any specialization areas, and the destinations where they need volunteers. You can directly contact them and find out the details. Some social organizations will pay you a small amount for your work while most of them might not be able to pay you anything at all. Every organization associated with volunteer work will take care of your accommodation, local travel and basic necessities. You will have the advantage of choosing where you want to work and for how long. One of the famous organizations is the Peace Corps, and they always have a requirement for worldwide volunteers. You need to apply at least nine months in advance but most of the time government agencies lack flexibility. Another good organization is the International Student Travel Volunteers, Inc. The organization focuses mainly on creating volunteer work opportunities that involves education and conservation. They also provide financial assistance to volunteers and give them an opportunity to create an enriching experience through overseas cultural and educational programs.

Choosing your Volunteering Destination: Some people are a little nervous about traveling too far off to regions in distant corners of the world. This doesn't mean that you will never get to do volunteer work. You can always find out a voluntary organization that can place you in nearby countries like Costa Rica or Peru. In these Latin American countries you will still be somewhat geographically close and near big cities with access to the amenities and comfort you would other wise have at home. you will be well versed with the immediate environment you are working in and at the same time get the necessary exposure and a rewarding experience.

Discovering the Top 5 Hidden Gems of Rome

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Discovering the Top 5 Hidden Gems of Rome

While staying in a central city hotel Rome you will, of course, want to visit some of the most famous sites and attractions; but there is more to Rome than these. Exploring some of the smaller and hidden away sites can be just as satisfying and will give you a broader and more authentic Roman experience overall.
There is no doubt that Rome offers one of the most historically fascinating and romantic holidays in all of Europe. There is so much to see and do that it can be hard to pack it all in, but it is worth taking the time away from the most famous (and crowded) attractions and landmarks to uncover some of the citys hidden gems.

Lesser Known Michelangelo at Via Liberiana

First gem on the list is Michelangelos Sforza Chapel in Santa Maria Maggiore. The chapel is not within the main church itself, but rather off to the side and it is a charming and tranquil place to take in some of the original Renaissance architectural brilliance. A little down the road is the Basilica di Santa Prassede, which boasts exquisitely intricate 9th century mosaic murals. You can easily reach these sites by heading for the Via Liberiana by bus from your city hotel. Rome also offers an all-day bus pass that makes getting to these, and other, sites around the city both easy and affordable. Additionally there is the Hop-On-Hop-Off Guided Coach Tour, where you can stop at sites that interest you along the way.

Vespers at the Church of SantAnselmo

If you are in Rome on a Sunday evening and at a bit of a loss as to what to do, then you must head to the church of Sant'Anselmo on the Aventine Hill for vespers with the Benedictine Monks. The monks enter and leave in complete silence, but sing remarkable hymns dating back to the Middle Ages as part of the service. Religious or not, there is something decidedly celestial and sublime about this experience. The service begins at 7:15 and you can access the church from Via di Porta Lavernate.

Sip on a Little Liquid History

Before heading back to your city hotel, Rome offers some incredible coffee drinking experiences, and one place that has to be experienced during your time in the city is the Antico Caf Grecco. Romans have a long standing love affair with coffee, and this is one of the most famous cafes in the city, as well as being one of the worlds oldest. Opened in 1760, the caf is located on a busy and prestigious shopping street, and has been graced by such famous historic and literary figures as Casanova, Goethe, Keats and Lord Byron.

Trot around Trastevere

Leave the tourist traps and head to one of the citys oldest neighbourhoods, Trastevere, located just over the Tiber River from your city hotel. Romes quaintest medieval streets and alleys are located here and you will find many hidden gems of your own by wandering through its narrow streets. There are plenty of places to grab affordable Roman food and drink the way that the Romans really eat. The Church of Santa Cecilia here is one of the citys most fascinating, where the body of the patron saint of music, Saint Cecilia, was exhumed undecayed in the 16th century.

Discover Tuscany during Holy Week

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Discover Tuscany during Holy Week

Tuscany is always beautiful: you dont really need special occasions to go. Spring and the begin of autumn are recommended, but also winter may be suggestive and summer, even if it can be more crowded, is definitely a good time. However, if you want to experience something authentic and unforgettable, Easter is the perfect chance to get to know ancient traditions and spectacular processions. A wide choice of holiday villas in Tuscany awaits you!

The religious tradition of Easter is deeply rooted in Italy, especially in the South, but also in Tuscany. Seeing Tuscany during the Holy Week allows you to get in touch with the true spirit of the Catholic tradition. Easter is the most important religious holiday for Catholics: the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ are commemorated and relived through sacred representations and processions. This year, Holy Week begins on the 20th of March (Palm Sunday). Holy Thursday is on the 24th, Good Friday on the 25th. Easter Sunday is on the 27th of March.

Holy Week in Castiglion Fiorentino

The celebration of the Holy Week in Castiglion Fiorentino is really unmissable. Castiglion Fiorentino is a walled city in the province of Arezzo, between the cities of Arezzo and Cortona, known for its annual festivals and the Etruscan archeological site. This lovely town hosts several events during Easter: the processions wind through the streets in the night, raising fascination and amazement. They are animated by the participation of the various "confraternities" that, dressed in the traditional hooded capes, carry crosses and statues representing the Passion of Christ. The processions start from the churches that house the statues, and then return to the same churches after a tour of the town, in the torchlight.

Good Friday is the most evocative and interesting procession: you will see the Madonna statue, carried by the Pious Women, and the Dead Christ statue, carried by the Confraternity of Jesus, whose members wear blue hooded capes. Unmissable is also the celebration called La volata (The Flying): it takes place on Saturday at midnight, when the statue of the Risen Christ is carried along the central nave of the Church of San Francesco by the Brothers of the Confraternity of Jesus.

The Procession of the Scalzi in Pienza

The beautiful Pienza, a picturesque Renaissance jewel in Val dOrcia, in the province of Siena, hosts the fascinating "Procession of the Scalzi". It starts from 9.00 pm from the Cathedral: the statue of the Dead Christ is carried and twelve barefoot men, wearing hoods and bearing a torch, precede the Dead Christ statue and announce the arrival of the procession.

Easter in Radicofani

Radicofani, like Pienza, is also in Val dOrcia. This charming town hosts one of the oldest and captivating Easter processions in Tuscany. It starts on the evening of Holy Thursday, with a Mass that commemorates the Last Supper and the opening of the Sepulchre of Christ. After that, a procession known as "dark penance recalls the Death of Jesus. Twelve brothers of the Congregation of St. Agatha, wearing red hooded capes, and twelve brothers of The Congregation of Mercy, in white hooded capes, take part to the procession. On Good Friday, another spectacular procession starts at 9.30 pm from St. Peter's Church and arrives at the Church of St. Agatha, where  the Worship of Calvary takes place. You will be able to admire also the altar, enriched by a beautiful decoration probably by the sculptor Andrea della Robbia.

Dont miss Easter Time in Tuscany: youll get in touch with colourful and folkloristic usages. The best way is definitely to rent a villa, so that you can enjoy your stay being immersed in the nature of the countryside and far from the crowd.

Discover the Heart of Ancient Greece in Peloponnese

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Discover the Heart of Ancient Greece in Peloponnese

Considered by many to be home of Ancient Greek literature, theatre and history for thousands of years, the peninsula of the Peloponnese lies to the west of Athens and is separated from the mainland by the Gulf of Corinth.
The peninsular is an essential part of any Greek island tour. It offers the opportunity for travellers to immerse themselves in the ancient culture of this beautiful land with trips to some of the regions most famous temples, theatres and sites of important battles.

There is so much to see in this land of historical sites that it can be difficult to know where to start. So here are two highlights to whet your appetite before you set off on your Greek island tour of the Peloponnese.

Theatre of Epidaurus

The stunning stone amphitheatre at Epidaurus is a stunning example of ancient architecture. Today you can sit on the same stone seats that people would have sat on back then and listen to the same words spoken as those audiences would have done.

My advice for anyone visiting the site would be to come first in the daylight to take in the archaeological splendour of the site set on the mountain side of Mount Kynortio, with its views over the plain of Argolida. Built in the fourth century as part of a leisure complex, which would have included baths, temples and the theatre itself, the amphitheatre would once have attracted crowds of up to 13,000 people.

Having seen the site during the day, it is well worth returning in the evening to experience the magic of watching a production. You will feel yourself connected to the history of the place in the most mystical way as you sit and enjoy the entertainment just as they did thousands of years before you.

The Sanctuary of Delphi

One of the most significant holy sites in the whole of the Greek Empire was the Pleistos Valley. Throughout their history the Ancient Greeks considered this an important place and built a series of temples at which religious rituals were carried out. Part of the final temple, the Temple of Apollo, still survives today.

Looking out from its position on the south-west slope of Mount Parnassus, across the stunning views of the Pleistos Valley, the ruins of the Temple of Apollo include majestic Doric columns built in around 330 BC. Amazingly you can still see some of the original sculptures that once decorated the temple. Visitors can marvel at a marble Apollo as well as the vast stone horses, a giant and a statue of Athena which once made up a dramatic depiction of the great battle between the gods and the giants.

Of course these two sites are only a beginning, a place to start your Greek island tour of the Peloponnese. In fact, there is so much history here that discovering it alone could present somewhat of a challenge. In order to make the most of your time, I would certainly suggest getting a guide for at least part of your time here so that you can discover more of the fascinating stories this land has to offer.

Author Plate

John Dixon is an experienced world traveller and the Managing Director of Prestige Holidays. For over 30 years he has been providing luxury holiday experiences around the globe. Whether youre interested in a Greek island tour, a luxury all-inclusive break to Croatia or a multi-centre holiday in Sicily, John can provide you with expert advice about the destinations, hotels and experiences you should pick.

Discover the Educational Opportunities at CERN

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Discover the Educational Opportunities at CERN

Educational visits for science students dont come more inspirational than a trip to the European Organisation for Nuclear Research at CERN in Switzerland. The centres use of scientific instruments including the massive particle accelerators and detectors literally bring science off the pages of a text book and into the real world. Students on a trip to CERN can watch cutting-edge scientific exploration and experimentation create results in front of their eyes.
CERN for Physics Students

From the search for dark matter to studying how particles interact, the institute is at the very cutting-edge of physics, illustrating to your students just how far their studies can go. Your pupils will get the chance to see the site of the Large Hadron Collider (the worlds largest and most powerful particle accelerator). The tour guides at the centre will explain how making particles collide together at high speed is helping us to answer the most fundamental questions of physics: why isnt there a balance of matter and antimatter in the universe, what holds galaxies together, and what can the Higgs boson tell us about particle mass?

CERN for Computing Students

Educational visits to CERN arent all about particles; its also the birthplace of the World Wide Web. It was while he was based at the institute in 1989 that British scientist Tim Berners-Lee created the web in order to facilitate the sharing of information between scientific institutes around the world. Berners-Lee, in fact, created the very first web page, dedicated (appropriately enough) to introducing the world to the World Wide Web, at CERN. In April 1993 CERN put the World Wide Web software in the public domain with an open licence, a browser and a library of code, to allow others to expand this fledgling project.

Guided Tours

The institute is always keen to share its exciting developments and discoveries with students from around the world, playing host to thousands of educational visits each year. The laboratory offers three-hour tours to students with emphasis on elements pre-arranged with teachers to cover any specific subject areas, and include visits to viewing points of ground-level experiments.

Get Students Involved

As well as the tour students can visit the new SCool LAB, a Physics Education Research facility where your pupils will have the opportunity to take part in particle physics experiments for actual research projects. The institute will encourage students to make their own discoveries, as well as giving them the confidence to work scientifically and to interact with members of the scientific community.

A visit to CERN could be just what your pupils need to encourage them to make the connection between an interest in the classroom and the world of scientific discovery open to them if they continue their studies. Contact a specialist educational travel tour operator and they will organise all the details, tour requests and accommodation requirements so that you can concentrate on inspiring your class to become the next generation of CERN scientists.

Author Plate

John Gardiner is the Managing Director of The School Travel Company, a tour operator specialising in educational visits for school and youth groups to the UK, Europe and beyond. As a father and avid traveller, John is very passionate about providing students with valuable and engaging learning experiences outside of the classroom. By sharing his expert advice with teachers, he allows them to inspire their students and bring their studies to life.

Discover How to Date Your Spouse Again

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Discover How to Date Your Spouse Again

For many people, a trial separation means the end of your marriage. For others, it means a new beginning for their marriage. Marriage separation gives couples a chance to evaluate what they want out of their life and how their spouse fits in. If you and your spouse are temporarily separated to save your marriage, you will have to learn how to date your spouse. Dating your spouse under a neutral social setting can great impact whether or not you guys can save your marriage. However, there are some important things to keep in mind when you are your spouse are dating each other again.

The biggest difference between dating your spouse this time around to when you guys first started dating is how you guys define dating. It is important to define the dating rules in your trial marriage separation to avoid any further damages in your marriage. Here are 5 important factors to dating your spouse again.

1. When you are your spouse go on a date, make sure you guys clarify what kind of date you guys are going on. Picture the disappointment from your spouse when he or she expects a romantic night when instead you want to go over family's finances. Make sure you make it clear to your wife or husband on what the purpose of your date is.

2. Knowing exactly what each other's expectations when it comes to dating plays a crucial factor in saving your marriage. Decide whether you guys plan on dating other people and make sure you guys are honest about it. Imagine further damage to your marriage when your spouse accidentally runs into you and your other date. Not only will that hurt your spouse, but can in fact end your marriage then and there.

3. When you and your spouse are on a date, don't pretend you guys don't have any marriage problems. Make sure you guys are very open about the issues in your marriage. Instead of blaming who did what, figure out what went wrong in your marriage and what you guys could have done differently. This will help you guys get a better perspective of what went wrong and can help you guys find strategies to fixing your marriage.

4. Before you and your spouse starts dating, it's important that you guys address the issue of physical intimacy and the boundaries. If you really believe that your marriage can't be saved and you feel divorce is imminent, than having sex with your spouse will only cause deep and emotional pain. The last thing you want to do is to further hurt your spouse when you know divorce is inevitable.

5. The most important thing when it comes to dating your spouse during a trial separation is that you keep the lines of communication open at all times. Openly expressing your thoughts, emotions and agenda when it comes to dating your spouse will help you guys get back on track to healing your marriage.

Dating is a way for you and your spouse to reconnect with each other on neutral grounds. Dating will help realign and balance your marriage when done right. It's very common for most couples to allow distractions and stress pull your attention from your spouse, by dating, you will refocus on making your marriage a top priority.

Did Bob Dylan really introduce The Beatles to weed

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Did Bob Dylan really introduce The Beatles to weed

The Beatles would probably be considered by most people as a serious contender for the greatest band of all time. With a long list of songs that became instant hits the moment they were released, the group rose to be the most famous and successful popular music band in the world, a status which has endured the test of time and casts the surviving members in the strong yet flattering light of living legends.

Exploring this vein of brilliance, it's only natural that Bob Dylan comes to mind. The American singer/song writer had, and still has, huge success of his own and had a strong musical/lyrical influence on the Beatles. Paul McCartney once said that Dylans second record The Freewheelin was all they played on the Beatles tour bus.

Paul also said that Dylan was the one who introduced the group to smoking cannabis. While the Fab Four debuted in 1960 with a squeaky clean image, over time they evolved into more a psychedelic and interesting outfit. But were the Beatles as clean as their image suggested? Did Bob Dylan Really Introduce The Beatles to Weed?

It was on August 28, 1964 that Dylan and the Beatles were introduced by a mutual friend, Al Aronowitz, at New York's Delmonico Hotel. After arriving at The Beatles' suite Dylan allegedly asked for some cheap wine. Road manager Mal Evans was sent to get the wine and while Evans was away Dylan allegedly suggested they have a smoke. Although the band had actually tried the drug a few years ago it apparently hadnt made much of an impression on them. When manager Brian Epstein informed Dylan of this, that the band lacked the experience with regard to puffing the magic dragon, Dylan supposedly looked disbelievingly at everyone present. Apparently he had misheard the line "I cant hide" in "I Want to Hold Your Hand" as "I get high."

Before the sacred deed, they secured the hotel room; blinds were drawn and bathroom towels were placed carefully by the locked doors. The first joint was rolled by Dylan and then passed to John Lennon. Lennon passed it to Ringo, who finished the joint without knowing that the etiquette was to pass it on. The next few hours were party time for the Beatles as they smoked dope, drank the cheap wine (surely millionaire Dylan could afford at least mid-range wine?) and became generally intoxicated. Finally, all smoked out and fatigued from laughing, the Beatles aired out the room and room service was called to clean up the mess.

Although The Fab Four didn't fall under the spell of marijuana immediately, after a few months the act of meeting in their hotel rooms and stuffing towels under the door became ritualistic and very much part of their life on the road. And who knows, perhaps they deserved to unwind after long high pressure shows and legions of stalkers tracking their every move.
The Beatles were unarguably great songwriters and musicians, with or without the use of marijuana, but one thing is obvious - the content and style of their music was greatly influenced by the drugs they took. This is evident in subtle references (We all live in a yellow submarine) and some not so subtle references (I found my way upstairs and had a smoke, and somebody spoke and I went into a dream). These indications have certainly not gone by unnoticed the great Bill Hicks noted that "The Beatles were so high they let Ringo sing a few." The music also clearly shows the influence of different levels of consciousness on the part of the players, such as the transcendent colourful sounds of Octopus garden and the truly unique brilliance of Come together. Not to mention I am The Walrus, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds and The Magical Mystery Tour.

It was again Paul who remarked, many years later, that "we were kind of proud to have been introduced to pot by Dylan. That was rather a coup." I have no way of knowing if this is an accurately reported statement, or simply the invention of a bored journalist in some unenlightened office, but its intriguing nonetheless.

So, did Bob Dylan Really Introduce The Beatles to weed? Well, as Dylans organist Al Kooper puts it, I stopped believing the stories of history once I was in them. There has no doubt been fabrication, mythology and out right lying surrounding both Dylan and The Beatles, but I guess if Paul McCartney maybe said it, and he, Ringo and Dylan are indeed the closest well get to factual sources on this matter, then we can perhaps assume the answer is yes. Yes is certainly the most fun answer. Lets stick with it.