Guinea Pigs are Not Pets in Peru, They're Food!

Guinea pigs for sale in the market in Huarez, Peru.

Even though I had been to Peru before, I’d never had a chance to try one of their national dishes, the cuy. In America, it’s better known as a guinea pig. Yes, in Peru, guinea pigs are eaten, not kept as pets. My first trip to Peru had not afforded me the opportunity to taste guinea pig, but I felt certain that my second trip would have a guinea pig eating opportunity. And, I was right.

Before the moment for eating arrived, my group had visited a local market where guinea pigs were on display and ready to be sold. This wasn’t a tidy supermarket, as in the United States. It was an open air market where the stalls had no refrigeration, and the meat sat out all day with the organs and innards revealed just waiting for buyers. I saw multitudes of guinea pigs on display in that environment, and it certainly didn’t whet my appetite for the dish.





Guinea pigs on a plate!

On a Sunday afternoon, we made our way to a restaurant and recreational park on the outskirts of Huarez. This was a lovely place to spend a day. As we relaxed at the outdoor dining tables, we noticed an extensive playground for children, a swimming pool, and a stage for live bands. A walk to the back of the property revealed a rushing mountain stream along with views of the surrounding mountains. It was easy to relax and socialize in this setting. It was also a great place to order guinea pigs for lunch.

We ordered our meals, including several guinea pigs. We decided that we’d just share them amongst the group members. We treated them as if they were appetizers, but I wasn’t sure I’d have much of an appetite after ingesting a guinea pig.

Ready to eat...

It wasn’t long before the guinea pigs arrived at the table. They came with heads, arms and legs, claws, and teeth intact. They were arranged neatly on potatoes, but there was no mistaking the fact that we were about to eat rodents.

Our guides told us that the best way to eat them was to pick them up and gnaw away, just as one might dig into fried chicken. Forks and knives were not necessary in this instance because a typical guinea pig doesn’t contain much meat. It’s difficult to cut the meat with utensils. I still found the thought of gnawing on a guinea pig leg to be distasteful, so I used my knife and fork against the advice we were given.

Since everyone in the group was digging in, I took a deep breath and ate the guinea pig meat that I had on my fork. I expected a nasty experience, but I found the meat to have a mild flavor with the texture of chicken. It wasn’t disgusting, but I had trouble getting past the fact that I was eating a rodent. I didn’t devour an entire guinea pig, but I felt satisfied that I had eaten enough to qualify as a guinea pig eater.

Nope, I can't eat it this way. I have to use a fork!

Several of the more adventurous teens in the group decided to eat the guinea pigs’ eyeballs, but I didn’t go that far with my guinea pig eating. The claws of the guinea pig also provided some entertainment as various group members used them as toothpicks.

There are many times in life when I’ve said, “Never!” to myself. But this was one of those times where I felt like I had to jump in the pool. How many Americans can say they’ve eaten a guinea pig? Well, now I can, and it honestly wasn’t that bad!

The attached heads added to the "ick" factor.

 

Distributing Bibles by the Light of a Generator

Thank goodness for these donkeys! They carried our gear in the mountains.

In July, I had the privilege of traveling to Peru as part of a 14-member team from my church. Our mission was to journey into the Andes Mountains to deliver the recently translated New Testament to the Quechua people, the native people of Peru. This mission required hiking between villages to places not easily traversed by vehicles.

We spent the majority of each day hiking, usually about five to ten miles a day. Our group attracted a lot of attention as we traipsed along the mountain pathways. The people living in the mountains looked on with curiosity at this group of “Gringos.” A team of 20 donkeys carried our gear: tents, equipment, and personal effects packed into duffel bags. So, in addition to the Gringos, we had donkeys and the Peruvians who traveled with us as our guides, cooks, and “donkey drivers.” We were quite a crew!

Our teens played soccer with the local kids in each village.

We normally reached our intended villages by mid-afternoon, and our first task was to make camp. After that, we attempted to interact with the local people. To engage them, the teens in our group would start to play soccer. That drew a great number of kids. It didn’t matter that the same language wasn’t spoken; soccer seemed to be the universal language. After playing with us, the kids eagerly brought their parents back later in the evening.

Yeppo, one of the Peruvian missionaries, also walked around the surrounding area with a bullhorn. He’d announce the activities for the evening, which included the “Jesus” film translated into Quechua. As the sun set, the people made their way to us. Some people walked for two or more hours to watch the video and hear what we had to say.

In an area that had virtually no electricity, we had to be fully prepared to share our message. That meant using a generator to power all the equipment. The video projector, the sound system, and a single light bulb were the extent of what we used for the presentations. One little light bulb made a huge difference in a space that was totally dark otherwise.

The “Jesus” movie was shown first. Once it was over, a Peruvian missionary shared the gospel message with the crowd. After that, it was time for the Gringos! Our leader, Pastor Adam, would give a brief introduction to the crowd which was translated by our Peruvian leader, Ade, since he could speak English, Spanish, and Quechua.  Two members from our group would then share their own testimonies, again translated by Ade. After that, we always sang a song in English. Even though the Quechua people didn’t know exactly what we were saying, they seemed to enjoy and appreciate it.




I present a Bible and calendar to one of the Quechua people.
(Photo courtesy of D. Griffieth)

The final moment of every evening was the distribution of the Quechua Bibles. This was a huge event for the villagers, as they’d never before had a Bible in their own language. The mayor of each village called families up one by one, and we took turns presenting them with a Bible. Many families opened the Bibles immediately and started to read by our generator-powered light bulb or by their own headlamps. It humbled me to think how I’d taken for granted owning a Bible in English, and here these people were getting one in Quechua for the first time. The smiles on the people’s faces said it all. This was a big deal. It filled me with joy to be able to spread God’s Word to people who were reading it for the first time…in Quechua!

Next week: Enjoying Peruvian cultural moments

Meeting the Quechua People of Peru

Holding baby Elmer from one of the
families we met along the trail.

In July, I had the privilege of traveling to Peru as part of a fourteen-member team from my church. Our mission was to journey into the Andes Mountains to deliver the recently translated New Testament to the Quechua people, the native people of Peru. This mission required hiking between villages to places not easily traversed by vehicles. We spent most of our trip hiking in-between two major mountain ranges, the snowcapped Cordillera Blanca and the brown Cordillera Negra.

Who are the Quechua people? For the most part, they are an agrarian people who farm on the sides of the Andes Mountains. They have devised methods suitable for cultivating this tough terrain, and they work the land with their hands and basic equipment. Irrigation canals cut across the mountains as the people have learned how to harness the melting snow mass to water their fields. Their methods seemed antiquated to me, an American used to flat farm fields full of modern machinery. But, how could I argue with time tested methods of farming in this unforgiving landscape?

Encountering sheep along the mountain trail

Indeed, as my team walked across the mountains, we saw many people hard at work in their fields. In one place, we encountered a man using a horse to flatten wheat and remove the grain from it. Farther along the trail, we talked to men who expressed dismay at the lack of water reaching their fields. Everywhere we went, we saw the people dressed in colorful clothes that seemed to be the uniform of the Andes Mountains. We later learned that the colorful clothes are worn so people can easily be seen as they work on the mountainsides. In particular, the shoes of people amazed us. They wore shoes that resembled “dress shoes” with thin soles. These shoes were worn by men and women alike as they walked all over the mountain trails and worked in the fields. By contrast, our team wore hiking shoes with lots of good tread.

Our visits included nightly stops in villages where we distributed the translated New Testament Bibles to families. We also made daily visits to schools. All of the materials we distributed were translated into the Quechua language, the native language of the people. The school visits gave us the chance to distribute Bible storybooks and coloring books to the students. The coloring books included pages where the students could practice their native Quechua and also begin to learn some English words. We practiced the English words aloud with the students, and this was a highlight for the students and our group. We enjoyed sharing our native language with young kids who’d never heard those words.

Me with kids at a school visit...we gave them suckers, and
they loved it!

Our group was warmly received at the schools because it included “Gringos,” a word often used to describe the Americans. We had Peruvian missionaries traveling with us, but they knew from experience that the doors would not have been opened if it had just been them coming to visit. With the addition of the Americans, the schools welcomed our group. The schools viewed this as a great cultural experience for the kids in addition to the benefit of receiving all the materials and gifts we brought with us. It was the first time many of the Quechua children had seen Americans, Gringos, and they studied us with great interest and curiosity. The kids loved getting the gifts and books that we distributed. They also loved to have their pictures taken. They wanted to see their faces on the screens of the digital cameras, and they squealed with delight. It was a cute show of emotion from a people who are normally very stoic.

The school visits were fun and easy because they took place during the day, and we had a captive audience. The nightly village visits were more challenging because people had to come to us to hear our message and receive a Bible. Plus, we didn’t have electricity. How could a message be shared in the dark without the benefit of electricity? Only by the grace of God and with the help of a generator.

Next week: Passing out Bibles in the Andes by the light of a generator

Journey to Peru

In July, I had the privilege of traveling to Peru as part of a fourteen-member team from my church. Our mission was to journey into the Andes Mountains to deliver the recently translated New Testament to the Quechua people. This was not a tourist’s vacation, but it was a trip into remote areas to mingle with the native Peruvian people.

Our journey started in Lima, Peru, the entry point into the country for international travelers. Lima, a bustling city full of life, is like any big city around the world. It has its shining buildings reaching for the sky as well as its seedier, more destitute parts. There could be plenty of work to do in a city like Lima, but our final destination was more far-flung. We boarded a bus heading northwest into the Andes to the city of Huarez.



The main Plaza in Huarez

Huarez bustles along with a population of roughly 50,000 people. It sits at an elevation of 10,000 feet and is nestled neatly in between two major mountain ranges, the brown Cordillera Negra and the snowy Cordillera Blanca. Huarez isn’t a spit-and-polished typical tourist destination, although it serves as the home base for mountain explorers trekking up into the nearby peaks. In fact, Peru’s highest mountain, Huascaran, can be seen from Huarez itself.

Because of the rapid change in altitude when traveling from Lima to Huarez, altitude sickness is a danger. Anyone planning to exert themselves with strenuous exercise at those altitudes has to take time to adjust or face the possibility of altitude sickness. Cooling our heels for a few days in Huarez gave us a chance to adjust to the culture as well as the altitude. I had a harsh reality check for what was to come as we took a practice hike one day. A steep climb up into the hills of Huarez left my legs burning and my lungs wheezing. I realized why dealing with altitude was a big deal as my head spun and my stomach churned. This wasn’t like hiking at home!



Reality check! Practice hike in Huarez...10,000 feet is rough!

Finally, the day came for us to head out into the mountains. We planned to take a small bus to the first village on our schedule, and then for the next four days we would hike in between villages. At each village we’d distribute Bibles and other materials. We would also visit schools and meet with students. All of the materials we planned to distribute were translated into the Quechua language, the native language of the people in that region. This would be the first time that most of these people would ever have a Bible in their native tongue.

As we started up the mountain in our bus, I realized how far we were from home. The road was dirt. It was a switchback road, which kept us twisting and turning up the steep mountain. The road was mainly a one lane road, although two cars could fit alongside each other, if needed.  There were no guardrails on the side of the road. As we whipped along at what seemed to be a breakneck speed, I looked out my window to see a sheer drop down the side of the mountain. We met up with groups of sheep and cattle as the bus continued its journey up the mountainside. We gave them the right-of-way, which seemed to be the best choice.

Our first campsite...what a great view!

Finally, we were at the village and our first campsite. Farmers’ fields, built right onto the mountainside, surrounded us, as well as a beautiful mountain lake. Cordillera Negra was on one side of us and Cordillera Blanca was on the other. We could see Huascaran standing tall at its 22,205 foot majesty. We were miles from anything resembling a regular civilization, but as I stood on that mountain in Peru, I couldn’t imagine a better place to be.

Next week: Meeting the Quechua people

Movie Inspired Travel, Take 2

Here are just a few more movies that may get you itching to hit the road.

Under the Tuscan Sun: While in Europe, head over to Italy. A large part of this movie was filmed in Tuscany. The scenery was a natural player in the movie since the premise of the story was about living in Italy and all that accompanies such a lifestyle.

Twilight: Some will scoff at this choice, and whether or not you are a vampire fan, it cannot be denied that the amazing scenery of the Pacific Northwest was on display in this popular teen film. While the movie was set in Washington, most of the filming was done in Oregon. So, fans of the film will want to book a plane ticket to Oregon to catch some of the scenery from the movie. Specifically, seek out Silver Falls State Park, Multnomah Falls, and Indian Beach in Ecola State Park.

50 First Dates: This comedy starring Adam Sandler tickles the funny bone, but the beautiful Hawaiian scenery that it featured may get you itching to book a flight to our 50^th state. The majority of the movie was filmed on the island of Kawaii, so book your plane tickets accordingly.

Mamma Mia: ABBA fans loved the movie, and the beautiful scenery stole the show. The majority of this movie was filmed on the small island of Skopelos in Greece . Kastani Beach was one of the main filming locations, and a quick jaunt to Greece to affords the same views that were enjoyed in the movie.

The Motorcycle Diaries: This film traces the journey of 23-year-old future Marxist revolutionist Ernesto Guevara (who later becomes Che Guevara) on a journey across Latin America. Film locales for this movie were extensive, including Buenos Aires in Argentina, Cusco and Machu Picchu in Peru, and the Atacama Desert in Chile, just to name a few. Those with an interest in South America will enjoy taking in the rich scenery of this movie, regardless of whether or not you embrace the message of the film.

Movie Inspired Travel

Many movies inspire the audience to want to pack their bags and hit the road.  Here are a few to load into your DVD or Blu-Ray player for some travel inspiration.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Filmed entirely in New Zealand, the best scenery that the country has to offer was on brilliant display as Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Notable sights to visit include Tongariro National Park, home of three active volcanoes and the setting for the Land of Mordor: Mt. Ruapehu,  the largest active volcano in New Zealand, Mt. Tongariro and Mt. Ngauruhoe. The Whakapapa Ski Field on the slopes of Mt. Ruapehu hosted the battlefield for the opening battle sequence in Fellowship of the Ring. Want to visit the Shire? Then head over to the private Alexander Farm in the Waikato area. This farm now proudly advertises itself as “Hobbiton.” The city of Wellington supported quite a few filming locations such as the town of Bree and the road where the Hobbits first hide from the Black Riders.  A host of tour companies offer packages that take travelers around New Zealand to the locations of the movies’ filming spots.

A River Runs Through It: This Academy Award winning movie was set in Montana and was filmed there, as well. The scenery played a large part in the telling of the story, and the Academy win for cinematography speaks to that. The river scenes were shot on three different rivers. To take in the wonderful river scenery from the film, travel close to Paradise Valley on the Yellowstone River, south of Bozeman on the Gallatin River, and south of Big Timber on the Boulder River.

March of the Penguins: Adventurous souls may be inspired by the scenery of Antarctica seen in this award-winning documentary on penguins. This film was shot mainly around the permanent French scientific base Dumont d'Urville in Adélie Land, Antarctica. Those who like it cold, rugged, and rough may find that this movie gives the push needed to schedule a journey to the south.

The Sound of Music: This movie has been inspiring travel to Austria for years, and with good reason. The bulk of the movie was filmed in and around Salzburg, Austria. For example, the exterior of the Von Trapp Villa was filmed in two different locations. The front of the house was Schloss Frohnburg which was a country house but is now a music academy. The lakefront terrace at the back was filmed at Schloss Leopoldskron, a castle which is now a private college. The Do-Re-Mi song begins on the Winkler Terrace which provides great views of Salzburg. The abbey where Maria married Captain von Trapp is the twin-towered church of Mondsee Cathedral, just 15 miles from Salzburg. Sound of Music fans will have no trouble finding any number of companies in Salzburg that tour the actual film sights. Sing the songs, and make it seem even more authentic!

Braveheart: Fans of this movie will be interested to know that while the entire movie is set in Scotland, only a fraction of the movie was filmed there, such as the sweeping mountain scenes with William Wallace traipsing along the mountain pathway which were filmed on the Mamores, a group of ten mountains that stretch between Glen Nevis and Loch Leven.  Glen Coe and the base of Ben Nevis were a few of the other Scottish sights that made it into the film. The rest of the outdoor movie scenes were shot in Ireland, such as Trim Castle which became the town of York. Dunsoghly Castle stood in for the more famous Edinburgh Castle of Scotland, the base of Robert the Bruce. Either way, travels to one or both of these countries would satisfy the appetite for what the British Isles have to offer.

The Harry Potter Saga: Speaking of the British Isles, consider the recently popular movie series, Harry Potter. The beautiful U-shaped gulley at Glen Coe in Scotland provided the backdrop for the area around Hogwarts Castle, although the castle is strictly a CGI creation. Scotland also provided the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the 21-arch viaduct that the Hogwarts Express steamed across. In England, swing by Alnwick Castle in Northumberland to see where Harry first rode a broomstick, Christ Church at the University of Oxford which provided the inspiration for the Great Hall of Hogwarts, and Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire which became the setting for many of the classrooms and hallways at Hogwarts.

These are just a handful of the wonderful movies that have graced the silver screen and inspired movie goers to pack their bags.

LEGOLAND Florida is a LEGO Fan's Dream Come True!

The main entrance

LEGO. Approximately 19 billion LEGO elements are produced every year. Over 400 billion LEGO bricks have been sold since 1958. That’s 62 bricks for every person on Earth. Considering these facts it’s no wonder that a place like LEGOLAND Florida is a huge draw for LEGO fans, both young and old.

LEGOLAND Florida is the newest LEGO theme park to hit the United States. With the only other U.S. LEGOLAND park being in California, the Florida park is a great asset to Midwestern travelers who’d like to have the ultimate LEGO experience. Located In Winter Haven, Florida, LEGOLAND Florida is a just an hour’s drive from Orlando or Tampa which means that a day at LEGOLAND Florida can easily be included in a vacation that’s based out of either of those cities.

LEGOLAND Florida sits on the site of the old Cypress Gardens Park, and it still includes some of the past features of that park. The beautiful botanical gardens are still intact, as well as the waterski show. The water-skiers now include the famous LEGO minifigures zooming around on water skis alongside other performers doing the traditional tricks and flips.

Rides are mild but still fun!

But what about the LEGOs? Indeed, this is the place for the ultimate LEGO fan. The park is designed for kids ages 2-12, but for true fans of the LEGO, there will be something for all ages. The park’s areas are designed to focus on some of the more popular LEGO sets, including LEGO City, LEGO Technic, and LEGO Kingdoms, just to name a few. All the rides and theming for each area revolve around the LEGO sets.

The rides at LEGOLAND Florida are mostly mild. Height requirements on the majority of the rides are 48 inches or less. This park doesn’t focus on big heart-stopping thrills. The draw here is how cleverly LEGO has been incorporated into every ride in the park. Theming is king here, and LEGOLAND Florida has mastered that aspect.

Even caped crusaders are made from LEGO's at LEGOLAND.

No LEGOLAND Florida visit would be complete without a stop in the Imagination Zone. Here kids can spend hours building LEGO cars and racing them on a track. There are endless possibilities for building and testing kids’ own creations. Builders are issued a set of wheels at the door which must be returned at the exit, but beyond that requirement, thousands of LEGO pieces wait to be turned into the next racecar. This is a spot where the creative juices can flow.

Kids and parents alike will marvel at the LEGO creations throughout the park. At every turn there is a new LEGO figure that boggles the mind. In Miniland USA, visitors can view seven themed scenes that mirror their actual counterparts from around the United States. Have cameras ready when viewing places such as New York City, Washington DC, and Las Vegas all created out of those famous LEGO bricks.

The newest section of LEGOLAND Florida is the water park, which just opened in summer 2012. This is a great way to beat the Florida heat. The park features a wave pool, lazy river, multiple slides, and a splash element. Again, the LEGO rules the theming here, and it’s definitely a unique water park.

You never know which characters will get
the LEGO treatment.

What would a visit to LEGOLAND Florida be without a little shopping? LEGO fans will salivate at the number of different LEGO sets and pieces that can be purchased at LEGOLAND Florida. The various stores around the park provide all the sets, plus many other LEGO themed souvenirs. LEGO sets can be expensive, but the selection at the park is unmatched.

LEGOLAND Florida is a family-friendly park that will delight LEGO fans young and old. A one-day visit is usually sufficient for most visitors, although season passes are available for those who want to be frequent visitors.  Start planning your LEGOLAND Florida trip at their website, http://florida.legoland.com/ , and get ready to enjoy a fun-filled LEGO kind of day at LEGOLAND Florida.

Lobster Ice Cream...Only in Maine!

Visions of Maine include lush forests, sparkling blue water along a rocky coast, lighthouses, and  of course, lobster. If this intrigues you, then pack your bags and head to Bar Harbor, Maine, where lobster is king. There you’ll find lobster prepared in a hundred different ways, even in ice cream.

Yum...lobster ice cream!

What exactly is the make-up of lobster ice cream? It starts as vanilla ice cream, but chunks of lobster meat are distributed throughout the confection.  The taste of the lobster is evident with every mouthful. Not a treat you’re likely to find in Ohio, it’s a must-do for the Bar Harbor visitor, if, for no other reason, than to be able to brag about eating such a unique sweet.

If you prefer your lobster in its more natural form, then you’ll want to dine at a lobster pound. These restaurants serve up the state crustacean on picnic tables with lots of drawn butter close at hand. You order the lobster by weight, and it’s cooked immediately in large, boiling vats of water. Keep some paper towels handy because by the time you’ve cracked and eaten it, your hands will need some attention. These lobsters come straight off the boat into the lobster pound. It doesn’t get much fresher than that.

Speaking of lobster boats, it’s great fun to take a ride on one. Visitors can tour on a lobster boat to learn about lobsters and lobster fishing. On these excursions you’ll see seals basking on the rocks, bald eagles by a lighthouse, and live lobsters pulled up in traps from the ocean floor. Lobsters, who are scavengers, are carefully fished in Maine to help keep the population healthy and well-stocked. The lobster fishermen of Maine pride themselves on their work to keep a thriving lobster population. The entire family will enjoy learning all of this and more when you cruise the waters off Bar Harbor in a lobster boat.

Visit a lobster pound to eat fresh Maine lobster.



If you want more than lobster on your vacation, then you’re still in the right place because Bar Harbor is the home of Acadia National Park. This national park is a nature lover’s dream come true. Miles of hiking trails snake along the rocky Atlantic coast, into the forests, and up and down the mountains. Cadillac Mountain is the tallest mountain in the park, and views from the top afford a wonderful panorama of the surrounding area. You can see where the blue sky meets the blue-green waters of the Atlantic, a breathtaking reminder of our country’s natural beauty.

Swimming in the waters off the Bar Harbor coast will be a chilly experience. The waters of the north Atlantic are not warm, even in the summer. A swimsuit with more coverage will suit you well if you plan to do more than dunk your feet. The Maine coast is also very rocky, so plan in advance if you want to find a sandy beach. Sand Beach in Acadia is a great place to visit if sand is a requirement for your ocean-going experience.



Hiking to the top of Cadillac Mountain is fun for everyone.

Bikers also have plenty to do in Acadia, and you will often see bikers tackling the many hilly roads that cross the park. The park contains 45 miles of carriage roads which are off-limits to motor vehicles, and these are wonderful pathways for avid bicyclists. Horse drawn carriage rides are another popular way to enjoy the carriage road system.



Bar Harbor and Acadia have addressed pollution problems by offering free shuttle busses around town and also into Acadia. These busses, fueled by natural gas, have helped alleviate traffic issues. It’s easy to hop on and off the many busses that run all day long.

If you crave the outdoors and want to enjoy some of the finest nature that Maine has to offer, then Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park are sure to be a hit for the entire family. Couple that with the king of the coast, the lobster, and you’ve got an experience just waiting for you unlike any that you can have elsewhere.

Tour on a lobster boat to learn all about Maine's lobsters.

Shoes, Chopsticks, and Buddha – Adventures in Japan

Shoes must be taken off at the door, and chopsticks are used to eat food. Along with 200 other American teachers, I faced these cultural experiences while traveling Japan for three weeks as a guest of the Japanese government and a member of the Fulbright Teacher program. Our purpose on this trip was to be immersed in the culture and to learn about the Japanese educational system.

The "shoe cubby" at a Japanese junior high school

One of my first lessons upon arriving in Japan dealt with footwear. When entering particular Japanese buildings, such as schools, homes, and temples, outside shoes are exchanged for inside shoes. These inside shoes normally resembled slippers, and the slippers never went outside. Japanese people prefer to keep outside dirt out of their buildings. Zones at entryways provide a convenient place where shoes can be swapped.

Japanese students take off their shoes as soon as they enter their school buildings. Shoe cubbies are provided at entryways where their inside slippers wait. The shoe swap takes place, and then students head to class. When the students need to go outside, they switch their shoes again. It’s a never-ending process of taking shoes on and off. As a visitor, I was expected to do the same. Inside slippers were provided for visitors, but I brought my own. My large American feet were not easily accommodated by small Japanese slippers.

My school lunch, including the cuttlefish

Eating with chopsticks is another expectation of a visitor to Japan. I admit that before going to Japan, my ability to eat with chopsticks was poor. But, with nary a fork in sight, I had to quickly master the chopsticks. During a visit to an elementary school, I ate with a group of first grade students in their classroom. They all watched the “American sensei” to see if I could use my chopsticks. Thankfully, I managed the entire meal without a major faux pas, but oh, those kids just waited for me to stumble. Later I realized that I should’ve been more concerned about what was on the menu that day. I ate the school lunch, and the main item was cuttlefish. A Google search revealed that the cuttlefish is a mollusk related to squid and octopus. Thank goodness the cuttlefish on my lunch tray had been deep fried. I have a theory about eating on the road -- I can eat anything, no matter how scary, if it’s deep fried.



One of the many Buddha statues seen in Japan

One of the main religions in Japan is Buddhism. In my mind, I had a picture of what Buddha looked like, so I felt confused by the myriad of statues that I saw in Japan. Which one was Buddha? In time, and after asking questions through various tour guides and translators, I learned that the statues of Buddha do not always appear to look the same. His physical appearance varies from statue to statue. After gaining this bit of information, my sight-seeing in Japan was clearer.

And so, with my shoes off, my chopsticks in hand, and recognizing the Buddha a bit better, I felt more confident with every day I spent in Japan. As those three weeks continued on, I also began to understand and appreciate the people of Japan more.

A Teacher's Tips for Traveling with Kids

When I’m planning to hit the road with my family, I employ a few strategies straight out of my classroom to help ensure a successful vacation. Traveling can be stressful and expensive venture, but a few well-placed strategies can help the entire family have a good time and get the most out of the money being spent.

Happy, busy kids make for a great vacation!

1.  Front Load: Before we leave on a trip, we fill our kids’ minds with information about the places we’re getting ready to visit. We borrow books from the library, search for videos on YouTube, and visit the websites for the sights that we’ll see. When the kids are armed with knowledge ahead of time, they’re more engaged when they actually arrive at each sight on the trip.

2.  Practice Makes Perfect: If little ones have never been to any type of amusement park, then how can they be expected to enjoy and appreciate a place like Disney World? This is true for a whole number of places that might be visited on a vacation, such as museums, historical sights, and hiking trails. To maximize the experience for my family on vacation, we search out local sights in our own area and visit those in the weeks before our trip. Are we heading to the mountains for some hiking? Then we hike local trails to get in shape. Will we visit zoos and amusement parks? We look for the local equivalent and spend a few days visiting there. Is a week on the beach on our calendar? Then we spend plenty of time in the local pool so the kids are used to the water. This practice gives kids experience with the type of vacation that’s been planned, and as an added bonus, we get to take advantage of the local opportunities that our area has to offer.

3. Pack the Essential Gear: Whether driving or flying, we pack plenty of onboard entertainment for our brood. This includes books, toys, small games, coloring books, and personal electronics. We have a good supply of snacks and drinks ready, too. Coming prepared helps keep everyone happy and content.

4.  Schedule Play Time: It’s important to schedule time for kids to play. Kids need downtime just like adults, so we search out a playground, swimming pool, or other area where kids can be kids. This gives them a chance to mingle with other kids, both local and from other vacationing families.

5.  Do Your Homework: Before leaving home, we spend time doing research. We visit websites, read tour guides, and get a good idea of what we’ll do and the activities we want to participate in. We don’t wait until we’ve arrived at our destination to make a game plan. We leave the house with a good idea of what the vacation will hold, knowing that we may have to tweak our plan when we arrive.

6.  Divide and Conquer: Depending on the ages of the kids in the group, time is sometimes better spent by one parent taking older children in one direction and the other parent taking the younger children in another. This gives everyone an opportunity to participate in activities that are age and interest appropriate. It also gives family members a break from one another, which can be a welcome change after a week or more of togetherness.

7.  Know the Audience: It’s important to choose a vacation spot based upon the interests of the family. If no one in the group is very outdoor-sy, then a week-long camping trip in the mountains is not appropriate, even if it sounds like it will be spectacular. We get the biggest bang for our buck by planning a trip that fits our family.

8.  Be Ready for Anything: Even the best laid plans go awry. We’re always ready to change the game plan when necessary. Is rain interfering with a day at the beach? Then we search out a museum or an indoor arcade. Oops, someone forgot to pack underwear? We’ll just visit the nearest store. It doesn’t matter if the itinerary changes or if we decide to come home a day early. It’s our vacation and we can do what we want.

Let older kids plan and lead for a day.

9.  Pack Light: We try to leave all the unnecessary items at home. We also buy supplies along the way, especially when when we’re flying. Consumable items like diapers, food, sunscreen, and sometimes even beauty products are better purchased once the final destination has been reached. When we stay in one place for awhile, we explore the option of renting equipment for baby or the beach. If possible, we do laundry halfway through the trip so that we don’t have to drag as many clothes along. All these things make the luggage less cumbersome and it means we’re hauling less.

10. Put the kids to work: Older kids can play the role of tour guide. Have them plan and lead certain parts of the vacation, or give them a budget and let them plan a day. This gets them actively involved and helps them to see what’s involved in planning and financing a vacation. It also gives them a chance to put some of the things they’ve learned at school to good use. It’s a great experience to have kids put their knowledge to work for the family.

While you’re working out the details of your family vacation for this summer, try to employ some of these strategies to get the most out of your money and to help everyone in the group have a good time.