Tag Archives: Global Awareness

Around the World in 80 Days – Brazilian Lemonade

Let’s get cooled off with some Brazilian Lemonade!

Brazilian Lemonade Recipe

Ingredients: 

  • 4 juicy limes
  • 4 cups cold water 
  • 1 can sweet condensed milk 
  • Ice 

Instructions: 

  1. Wash your limes and peel two of them. Cut them into 8 wedges and remove the white pith.
  2. Combine the lime wedges and water in your blender and pulse for a few seconds (10  seconds maximum). 
  3. Strain the juice through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the pulp to extract all the juice.
  4. Return the liquid to the blender and add the sweet condensed milk. Blend until creamy and frothy. 
  5. Serve immediately with ice!

And there you have it — Brazilian lemonade!

Around the World in 80 Days – Mexico

MEXICO 

North America
Capital: Mexico City
Languages: Spanish
Predominant Religion(s): Christianity (Catholic)

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Mexican people describe themselves as hospitable, family oriented and warm.
  • Most Mexicans have very strong family ties.
  • Tradition, culture and Mexican food are very important for Mexicans.

FUN FACTS:

  • Mexico is the 14th largest country in the world!
  • The Aztecs used cacao seeds as a form of currency.
  • The world’s largest pyramid is in… Mexico!

USEFUL PHRASES:

  • How are you?             ¿Cómo estás?
  • Fine, thanks.               Bien, gracias.
  • My name is…              Me llamo / Mi nombre es…
  • Nice to meet you!        ¡Qué gusto conocerte!
  • Thank you.                  Gracias.

 

Around the World in 80 Days – Chinese Children’s Books

Lon Po Po, by Ed Young, is the Chinese version of Little Red Riding Hood.

The Seven Chinese Sisters, by Kathy Tucker, tells the story of six sisters with unique talents who must use them to save the seventh sister after she’s kidnapped by a dragon!

The Seven Chinese Brothers, by Margaret Mahy, is a retelling of the classic Chinese tale about a family of brothers who must work together to triumph over the corrupt emperor.

Dim Sum for Everyone!, by Grace Lin, is about a family with three daughters visiting a restaurant for a meal of dim sum. Childran learn about Chinese culture and traditions.

Around the World in 80 Days – Latvia

LATVIA

Northern Europe
Capital: Riga
Languages: Latvian
Religion(s): Christianity
(predominantly Roman Catholic/Lutheran)

Common Characteristics:

  • Latvia is a small nation, but Latvians are very proud of their heritage.
  • Latvians are hard working, polite and responsible.
  • Latvians can be reserved when you first meet them, but they are friendly and helpful after they get to know you – friendships are genuine.

FUN FACTS:

  • Aleksandrs was a famous Latvian explorer. He moved to Venezuela in 1939. His most  famous discovery was Angel Falls and he named the river, from which Angel Falls flows, Gauja. He also named 3 other rivers in Venezuela after Latvian Rivers such as Daugava (Riga), Venta (Kuldiga, Ventspils) and Ogre.
  • The capital of Latvia, Riga, is the largest city in the Baltic States and is famous for some of the best Art Nouveau architecture in Europe.
  • Walter Zapp invented and built the first Minox ”Spy Camera” in Latvia.

USEFUL PHRASES:

  • How are you?      Kātev iet?
  • Fine, thanks.       Paldies – labi.
  • My name is…      Mani sauc…
  • Nice to meet you.     Prieks iepazīties.
  • Thank you.           Paldies.

Photo by: Ricardo Liberati {flickr}

Around the World in 80 Days – Italy

ITALY

Southern Europe
Capital: Rome
Languages: Italian
Predominant Religion(s): Roman Catholic

Common Characteristics:

  • Italians love their country, and the first thing they miss is the food!
  • Italians love having large, social dinners with their family and friends.
  • Italians love to talk!

FUN FACTS: 

  • It’s true! Italians really do talk with their hands!
  • Italy is the world’s largest exporter of wine, pizza was invented in Naples and dates back to 1860, and 14 billion espresso coffees are consumed in Italy each year!
  • Italy is home to Europe’s only 3 active volcanoes: Etna, Stromboli and Vesuvius!

USEFUL PHRASES:

  • How are you?             Come stai?
  • Fine, thanks:               Bene, grazie.
  • My name is…:             Mi chiamo…
  • Nice to meet you.        Piacere di conoscerti.
  • Thank you.                  Grazie.

Photo by: Guldem Usten {flickr}

Around the World in 80 Days – Argentine Milanesas or Shnitzels

Milanesas or Shnitzels

Ingredients

  • 6 veal rounds
  • 2 eggs, whipped
  • 1 cup of bread crumbs
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Dip the milanesas (veal rounds) in the whipped eggs and in the bread crumbs with salt and pepper.
  2. Shake of the excess bread crumbs.
  3. Fry the milanesas until golden, or bake in the oven at 350°F (place the milanesas in a pan, cooked them for 10 minutes, then turn them over and baked them 10 more minutes). You can make them a la napolitana with tomato sauce and mozzarella on top.

You can served them with French fries, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, salad or rice.

Submitted by Betiana Turteltaub, au pair in Villanova, Pennsylvania, 2004-2005

Photo by: Matias Berhardt {flickr}

Camp Au Pair – Global Awareness

Let’s focus on global awareness and share some cultural experiences! Most importantly, share you culture with your host family. Incorporate games, books, songs, language, foods, etc. into your host family’s lives. Cooking a dish from your family is a great way to share. Discuss similar traditions and ones unique to your family or culture.

Resources:

  • Use the APIA Global Awareness website for an amazing collection of resources!
  • Learn about various countries by visiting the APIA Culture Corner!
  • Listen to a story in English or Spanish (preschool and lower elementary level)
  • While COVID has changed the footprint of schools and the opportunity to do presentations, lets think outside the box about how to still give informative glimpses of our various cultures! How about creating a display that we can capture clear pictures of? Making a short video? Possibilities abound!

Let’s Create & Learn:  

Check out:

 

Books:

  • This Is How I Do It: One Day in the Life… This fun and engaging workbook will get kids writing, drawing, and sharing while also learning about cultures and countries other than their own.
    • Includes drawing activities, postcards, sticker sheets, and a fold-out map
    • A die-cut cover for kids to draw their portrait and write their name on makes this activity book a keepsake to treasure
    • Encourages self-reflection while also teaching kids about different traditions and customs.
  • What We Wear.  A celebration of clothing in bright, beautiful photographs of exuberant and diverse children from around the world, WHAT WE WEAR: DRESSING UP AROUND THE WORLD inspires young readers to explore the way clothing makes them feel and how it tells the world who they are. What we wear can identify who we are: what team we play for or what team we root for, where we go to school, how we worship, or how we represent our heritage. What we wear expresses our individuality, and clothes can make us happy, confident, and proud.
  • The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World. Take a world tour through  200 countries with this brand new edition of the bestselling kids’ version of Lonely Planet’s popular The Travel Book, loaded with thousands of amazing facts on wildlife, how people live, sports, hideous and mouthwatering food, festivals and a wide range of other quirky insights on every page. Every single country gets its own dedicated page, and a mix of photography and beautiful illustrations brings each land to life.

Photo by {Rona Proudfoot}; hiritomo t {flickr}

 

Around the World in 80 Day – Croatia

CROATIA 

Central/Southern Europe
Capital: Zagreb
Languages: Croatian
Predominant Religion(s): Christianity
(Roman Catholic)

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Croatian people describe themselves as ambitious and resourceful.
  • Croatian have very strong ties to their family.
  • Croatians are very proud of their heritage and culture, and this sense of pride comes from their long and rich culture, as well as a legacy of foreign invasion and control.

FUN FACTS:

  • Croatia is home to the world’s smallest town: the town of Hum, a sleepy place with cobblestone streets…and that’s about it!
  • The Croatian currency is the Kuna, which is the Croatian word for the marten, a ferret-like rodent prized for its luxurious fur!
  • Croatia is home to the world’s most beautiful sunset…according to Alfred Hitchcock! To find out if you agree, you must visit the city of Zarar.

USEFUL PHRASES:

  • How are you?             Kako ste?
  • Fine, thanks.               Dobro, hvala.
  • My name is…              Zovem se or ime mi je…
  • Nice to meet you!        Drago mi je da smo se upoznali!
  • Thank you.                  Hvala.

“Being an au pair was a beautiful experience for me. Not that I only met new friends from all around the world but I gained a new family and therefore enriched my life.” – Pavica – au pair from Croatia

Photo by: Sergei Gussev {flickr}

Around the World in 80 Days – Peru

Peru has two official languages: Spanish and Cuzco Quechua. There are now over 8 million  Quechua speakers in South and Central America. Twenty-five percent of all Peruvians speak Quechua, and many of them speak no Spanish.

Here are some English words derived from Quechua, which was originally the language of the Incas: coca, condor, guano, gaucho, guanaco, Inca, jerky, lagniappe, lima [bean], llama, pampa, puma, quipu, quinine, quinoa, and vicuña.

Try some Spanish language activities. This site includes an on-line English-Spanish picture dictionary and an on-line Spanish-English dictionary, as well as information, quizzes and pictures to color!

Around the World Days – Costa Rica

COSTA RICA

Central America
Capital: San José
Languages: Spanish
Predominant Religion(s): Christianity
(Roman Catholic)

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Costa Ricans are seen as very happy, and that’s why Costa Rica is considered the happiest country in the world!
  • Costa Ricans are very friendly, helpful and warm.
  • “Pura Vida” is the best phrase that describes Costa Ricans – it means be positive and enjoy life to the fullest!

FUN FACTS:

  • Costa Rica is a quite small country. The population is only 4.5 million, and you can travel from one side to the other in 14 hours.
  • Costa Rica has no army as it was abolished in 1949 – they love peace!
  • Costa Rica hosts more than 5% of the world’s biodiversity, even though its land mass only takes up .03% of the planet’s surface.

USEFUL PHRASES:

  • How are you?            Como estas?
  • Fine, thanks.:              Bien, gracias.
  • My name is…:            Mi nombre es…
  • Nice to meet you.:       Gusto en conocerlo.
  • Thank you.:            Gracias.