“Filmmaking is all about appreciating the talents of the people you surround yourself with, and knowing you could never have made any of these films by yourself.”
-Steven Spielberg
“Filmmaking is all about appreciating the talents of the people you surround yourself with, and knowing you could never have made any of these films by yourself.”
-Steven Spielberg
The outcome of a sporting event always means more to than a simple win or loss. If our team wins, we carry the glory, if our team loses, we feel the shame. It’s this emotional connection to sports that keeps them at the forefront of our lives and constantly on our mind. For years, we have seen our various sporting events as metaphors for world power or to sway political views. Here are four times in history when sports have represented more to the world than a simple loss or victory.
1. 1936 Olympics
Adolf Hitler was hosting the 1936 Olympic games in Germany hoping to use them as a showcase for Aryan superiority. Hitler was upset when Jesse Owens, an African American, took home four gold medals in his four respective track and field races. To this day, Jesse Owens’ victories represent one of the greatest blows to international racism viewed on a wide scale.
2. 1971 China Vs. U.S. Ping Pong
For over twenty years leading up to the famous China Vs. America Ping Pong match the U.S. had virtually no contact with China since 1949. China made a surprise offer to the U.S. team in 1971 to play a few exhibition games. China had plans to use this match as political propaganda for their citizens to show superiority over America. This exchange allowed for Americans to see China for what it really was at the time, opening up America’s eyes to the truth behind the Chinese people and paving the way for President Nixon’s trip in 1972.
3. 1995 Mandela Supports Rugby
After becoming president of post-apartheid Africa in 1994, Nelson Mandela offered his support to South Africa’s rugby team. A team which at the time consisted of only whites and acted as a symbol of white dominance in South Africa and Black suppression. After Africa’s team, the Springboks won the championship Nelson hand delivered the trophy to the team’s white captain representing the African people’s ability to forgive, but never forget.
4. 1936 wrestling match
Another event from the 1936 Olympic games that may have held just as much fervor as Jesse Owen’s victory would be the defeat of the German wrestler, Wolfang Ehrl by a Jewish-Hungarian athlete, Karoly Karpati. The defeat happened with Adolf Hitler in attendance.
Contributed by Josh Schwartz
Trying to convince your parents, and maybe yourself, that time in another country to study a language without being in a formal classroom is a good idea? Here are nine. Maybe they will help you and/or your parents feel a little better.
1. Get Out of the Classroom
You’ve spent thousands of hours sitting in classes during the regular school-year. Why spend your time abroad in a similar setting? Unless, of course, education is a subject in which you’re interested.
2. Get Out Into the World
There’s far more to learning a language than diagramming sentences. In fact, the formal languages often taught in language courses are considerably different from the way natives speak. (Think about your last English class and compare it to how you talk.)
3. Natives Are Better Teachers
When you’re immersed in a foreign culture where everyone speaks an unfamiliar language, you’ll find that you learn the quickly language – especially key phrases.
4. Gain Perspective
Words communicate our cultural differences that no textbook can. Learning the meanings of various ways locals emphasize words can bring new perspectives on language that you don’t get in a classroom.
5. Expansive Vocabulary
Let’s be honest: vocabulary books and translation guides give you a limited number of words. There are far more words in a language than those taught in the classroom. Try learning the words people use every day – by every day interaction with them.
6. Get Moving
It’s pretty easy when you’re given a map, recommendations and someone to contact if you get lost. Without those, you’ll have to learn to get around. Your reading skills will also improve as you learn directions, sign meanings and menus.
7. Hang with the Locals
Too often, when studying abroad in a classroom setting, there are many other Americans studying there as well. Unfortunately, often they all hang out together – inside and outside the classroom. So, studying abroad outside the classroom will force you to talk in the native language.
8. Tough It Out
Almost all of us get homesick, and it helps if there are fellow students who understand, but studying abroad outside the classroom allows you to build the confidence not only in speaking the language but in knowing you can take care of yourself.
9. You Decide
Finally, you get to decide your schedule when studying abroad. If you learn best in the afternoon, you can focus then.
As long as you’re self-motivated and disciplined, studying a language abroad outside the classroom can be a great learning experience. I’ve given you some reasons – now go do it!
Contributed by William Pate
Everyone has a favorite type of animal and almost everyone owns a dog or a cat as a pet; and if you don’t, you surely know someone who does. Well we’ve compiled a list of a few animals that are especially important to the world and to help save.
1. Elephants
They help the environment with land.
They help communities by bringing in tourism.
In tropical forests, elephants create gaps in canopies of trees and bushes while in the savannas they help remove bush cover, which creates an environment helpful to other animals. Elephants are also a popular sight for tourists bringing in money to areas that they live in like Africa. By saving elephants we help to keep their habitat safe, support communities that thrive off of them, and make sure natural resources are available for years to come.
Fun fact: Elephants are the largest mammals on earth, some weighing up to eight tons!
2. Tortoises
They help the environment by creating places to live for other animals.
They help people by being a rarity to see.
Desert tortoises live in burrows that they create during most of the year. These little holes are helpful to other animals like birds and reptiles that use them as shelter. Tortoises are also a rare occasion to see and some actually have helped people cope with injuries and disabilities.
Fun fact: Adult desert tortoises can spend a year or even more without access to water!
3. Dogs
They help the environment by protecting other animals.
They help people in many ways besides being a “man’s best friend.”
By digging up soil to burry items dogs are actually helping to renew the environment and some dogs actually help protect other animals in different locations around the world. There are also dogs that help people out with jobs from Seeing Eye dogs to firefighter rescue dogs.
Fun fact: Dogs only sweat through the palms of their feet!
4. Cats
They help the environment by preying on animals that help keep the ecosystem stable.
They help people with health.
Cats prey on animals like rats and rabbits that actually help to keep their population consistent and in turn keep the ecosystem on track. For people, owning a cat can reduce the chance of having a heart attack or stroke by one third. So saving cats not only helps the world but also selfishly us!
Fun fact: Cats have more than 20 muscles that control their ears!
Contributed by Samantha Watkins
Just as our 21-day GLA Flagship programs offer the most in-depth immersion within a single community, our multi-programs provide an incredible breadth of experiences across multiple communities around the world.
By linking programs together, you can extend your volunteer abroad experience this summer beyond the three-week maximum provided by any single one of our programs. Or you can combine two shorter programs together to customize an experience that fits your unique interests and very busy summer schedule!
For example, if you’re moved by GLA’s mission and think the African continent is the place to make your impact, you can extend your stay in Africa with Global Leadership Adventures beyond 21 days. And even then, your options are flexible. Option #1, for those inspired by working with Children, is participating in our Ghana: Children of Africa™ Flagship program in Anlgoa first, and then capping it off with another two weeks in Ghana at our other Children of Africa™ site at Krobo. Or Option #2, if you’re more interested in making Ghana your home away from home, and want to mix up your service options, allows you to combine that Children flagship program with another two weeks during sports-based service at Ghana: Sports Service Adventure. Finally, Option #3 expands your horizons beyond just Ghana, as you can link one of our Ghana programs with Maasai warriors and Mount Kilimanjaro on our Tanzania: Heart & Soul of Africa program.
So many options! And the best part? All tuition prices for Multi-Programs reflect a 10% discount from regular program tuition costs.
Each of these linked programs range from four to six weeks, and they represent the peak of the Global Leadership Adventures experience. As highlighted in the Africa examples alone above, these programs give students the opportunity to experience two different countries, or two unique communities within the same country. Our staff members on each program engage students in discussion to link common themes woven throughout the linked program. Through these juxtapositions, students can contextualize the issues facing each community – both common and unique – in ways that build upon the depth of experience on each program.
If you’re interested in exploring our multi-program offerings, check out our listings here. Or, you can always speak to an enrollment advisor and attend two GLA trips at separate times throughout the summer, if that works best for your schedule.