Thursday, February 27, 2014

Resource YO

http://nomadicsamuel.com/motivation/how-to-create-a-successful-travel-blog-in-your-first-year-of-blogging
This guy started a blog with failure not being an option. With this in mind, he came to become successful with it. He then created a page telling his reader's all about how he did it.

LITERATURE ANALYSIS

FICTION ANALYSIS
1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read according to the elements of plot you've learned in past courses (exposition, inciting incident, etc.).  Explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).
In the book Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen, two best friends, Scarlett and Halley's friendship is put to the test. While Scarlett is the more popular, outgoing one, and Halley the sidekick, things change when Scarlett ends up pregnant. Now Halley steps up when Scarlett really needs her and acts as the main go-to girl rather then just the sidekick.
2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
The them of this book is you never know who is going to step up and be the solid foundation in your life. That is my interpretation of this novel but I feel like there were many more that could easily fit.
3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
The authors tone was meaningful and cheerful when speaking of the girl's friendship, yet serious and heartfelt when speaking of Scarlett's recent life mishaps like the pregnancy and her boyfriend dying. 

SUPER 5


Brooke Saward
Samantha Brown
Anthony Bourdain
Alden Jones
Aaron Smith

All 5 of these people, with exceptions the the last two, I have known of for awhile and have come to greatly admire. Brooke is probably a person I can look to most because she is still young, and has started the same journey as what I wish to do. She became very successful and is now traveling for a year straight. How amazing is that? The last two people on this list, Alden Jones and Aaron Smith I have just found and look forward to getting to know. Samantha Brown and Anthony Bourdain are world renowned travelers that have their own show. That is the ultimate success. I can look to them as professionals.

MY TEAM

  • Get to know everyone in the room and discover what they're working on.
  • Find ways to share content, experiences, contacts, and skills.
  • Identify five people as your "go to" support system (Note: you will eventually include Members in all 608 classes, but start with people in your class today)-- this will become the core of your peer network.  Besides providing immediate help and reinforcement, it will give you a foundation to work with as you expand.
  • Consider what/who else you need in your network
  • Take notes on it all so you can do the HW easily (or simply write your notes on a device and upload in a post to your course blog)
In my team, I find that by looking on the list of what everyone is doing in 0 period and 1st, I see that some people in 1st period which would be of great help to me. In this class however, I would say Jared, Maria, Shane, and Gabi. These people can, in some way, help me. Even if it is just another person's idea, I know that would be valuable. In my network I really need a photographer or videographer. 

Monday, February 24, 2014

WELCOME TO MY NETWORK

In this project, I am pursuing my dream of traveling. While I travel, I would like to document what I am seeing, doing, eating, and learning. This is why I want to start a blog about traht of enriching myself culturally along with many other things while truly enjoying myself!While I travel, I would like to document what I am seeing, doing, eating, and learning. This is why I want to start a blog about traveling. If anyone has this same passion and wants to join this process, let's do it.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

MASTERPIECE ESSAY #1

For my topic for this first essay on traveling, I decided I want to write about my experiences while traveling. Within this topic I will have much to write about including how I felt being in a new, unfamiliar place, the language barrier, the culture difference, and all the good and bad that came with traveling, more good then bad ;) Coming soon so stay tuned!
        Not all who wander are lost. And this may be true for some, but I think I am lost. However, I am in a good type of lost. I am pleasantly lost. If you want to know what this means refer back to my post called pleasantly lost! I feel like I am having a mid-life crisis as a teenager because all I can think about is literally doing nothing but traveling. Is this acceptable as an adult? If I were to answer this question myself I would say yes because of all the positive, enriching qualities you gain while traveling.
        What types of enriching qualities am I talking about? Think of walking through a street, not understanding a word anyone is saying, but smiling because you realized you are actually somewhere other than your small hometown. This exact feeling happened for me when I went to Vienna, Austria and Turin, Italy about two months ago. I would say the language barrier is a difficult thing to manage at first; trying to communicate at a restaurant, to get directions, or just meet new people. It can be quite frustrating, but with the right tools, you can overcome this obstacle. With technology these days, you can download one of hundreds of translating apps right to your smart phone or device. If you are not a tech type of person, buy a simple book and think of it as an investment in your happiness ;).  To touch on my experience a bit, the language difference I found as a beautiful thing. First of all, hearing a different language constantly spoke around me, especially since it is deemed "the language of love" (Italian), I was enthralled to just listen and absorb what was around me. Everything you experience that is different from what you are used to, you will find either amazing or overwhelming but it is all apart of the experiences!
       Now, imagine driving through a city, town, or even the tiniest village and turning your head from side to side trying to see everything there is to see. When in a different place from your normal habitat, everything is new! The architecture, streets, and even the people. Just sight seeing you can gain so much enriching information. As a tourist you can easily learn about the architectural styles of the time period, religion of the region, and the influences of the area as well. While roaming the streets of Europe, I was excited to be walking on cobblestone and marble streets. This tiny perk that cost no money at all is what I found most exciting. Because this was a deviation from my normal, I found it intriguing! My advice on traveling somewhere new is to really enjoy the little thing! They go a long way and they are free! You can really save money by simply walking through the city and looking at everything there is to see! Through this, as well, you can gain so much.
      What is one thing we do at least 3 times a day? Eating! The food in new countries is a "delicious" aspect and discovery of your journey. I highly recommend trying EVERYTHING even if you may think it may sound weird. Some things you will find to really love! I sure did! Within cultures you will find so much different food. Some of which you never even thought would be good! Don't let the weird foods that we may not be used to freak you out. This aspect is all part of the great experience of trying new things. Try foods that are in street markets, indulge in a restaurant at least once, and if you can, meet someone from the region who can cook a traditional meal for you! Lucky enough for me, I got to enjoy all three of these differently prepared foods. My favorite was the street markets; walking along the city, deciding your hungry, and buying some warm, fresh chestnuts. Here in California, chestnuts is not a normal thing to eat and you sure don't find anyone roasting them and selling them on the street. I think this is why I enjoyed it so much. It was totally different from what I could have gotten back home and I took full advantage of that.
       To touch on my experience of meeting people, I think that meeting people where you are is hugely important. By meeting people, you are even further immersed into a real countries culture. After all, they are locals so they do know, and can show you, what is normal for citizens like them. To do this, you really can't be shy. It truly does take a certain type of person to travel. You have to be willing to be open!

VOCAB #4

jigger- rearrange or tamper with
liaison- communication or cooperation that facilitates a close working relationship between people or organizations.
propensity- an inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way.
predilection- a preference or special liking for something; a bias in favor of something.
denature- take away or alter the natural qualities of.
bourgeois- of or characteristic of the middle class, typically with reference to its perceived materialistic values or conventional attitudes.
status quo- the existing state of affairs, esp. regarding social or political issues.
neurotic- suffering from, caused by, or relating to neurosis.
tenet- a principle or belief, esp. one of the main principles of a religion or philosophy.
ardor- enthusiasm or passion.
affluent- having a great deal of money; wealthy.
discern- perceive or recognize something.
masticate- chew
halcyon- denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful.
pejorative- expressing disapproval.
stentorian- (of a person's voice) loud and powerful.
furtive- secretly.
covert- not openly acknowledged or displayed.
ensconced- establish or settle (someone) in a comfortable, safe, or secret place.
enmity- the state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.

Friday, February 21, 2014

RESOURCES WEEK 3

globalfreeloaders.com
couchsurfing.org
travelhacking.org
ciee.org/teach
hecktictravels.com

Thursday, February 20, 2014

PEER REVIEWS

1. Shane Cheverez- Shane has a simple background so you as a reader are not too distracted. Knowing what assignments were required, I know that all his posts are up to date. Also his vocabulary usage is very good so I know this is quality content.
2. Malik Pope- Malik adds his personality to his blog by uploading a picture of him playing football. This brings his readers closer to him. His posts aren't as up to date as they should be, but the one's that he has seem to have been done with value and quality.
3.Valentina Alvarado- Her blog seemed to have all the elements! The only thing I would say is the hundreds of colored fonts takes away from the actual meaning of the writing. However, her blog is up to date and all done with great pride.
4. Maria Luna- Maria's blog has a cool aspect and it's that she included pictures of her own writing on paper! In my opinion, that is a very personal touch to add! It's awesome! Her blog is also clear to understand and large print for easy to read reading.
5.Erik Santos- Erik's background draws attention to that mostly! It feels like you can tell what kind of person he is by his background! However, he is far behind on posts and it doesn't look like he has posted anything this semester. He needs a little push from his classmates!

Thursday, February 13, 2014

VOCABULARY #2

presumably- likely, reasonably
After much evidence, this is presumably the answer.
acculturation- adjustment to a culture
After a month of living in Italy, I finally began to acculturate.
red eye- an over night or late-night flight on a commercial plane.
I flew red eye to Europe.
kvetch- a person who complains a lot
After a two hour phone call of how horrible her life was, it was safe to say she was a kvetch.
philomath- a lover of learning
It is a good thing to be a philomath while traveling because you can learn a lot.
intrepid- fearless, adventurous
From traveling the world, I am now intrepid.
freelance- working for different companies at different times rather then being employed by one company.
I am working as a freelancer now. I have worked for 10 magazines.
pretentious- attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.
The pretentious teacher talked for an hour about their life.
modicum- a small quantity of a particular thing, esp. something considered desirable or valuable.
The modicum of trinkets filled my suitcase.
uninitiated- without special knowledge or experience
Many people claim to know the answer but really they are just uninitiated.
nomad- a member of a people having no permanent abode, and who travel from place to place to find fresh pasture for their livestock.
The nomad has been to all of the European countries.
discrepancy- a lack of similarity or compatibility between 2 or more facts.
There has been a discrepancy between my mom and I about my plans.
relegating- consign or dismiss to an inferior position.
The king relegated the prince to a servant.
eradicated- depicted with the roots exposed.
The tree was eradicated.
retrospect- a survey of a past course of events or period of time
I retrospected on my past year of traveling.
meandering- follow a windy course.
I meandered along the yellow brick road.
undulating- move with a smooth, wave like motion
While surfing, I always undulate.
rejiggered- organize something differently
When that happened, I had to rejigger my plans.



RESOURCES #2

1. At this site, I received valuable information on how to successfully enter into the online world, how I should go about these steps in the most effective ways, and how to go about it all with a right attitude. All this from a professional, "been there, done that" person. This website helped me to create a plan for my future blog.
2. This site I found today is a site where people looking for writers can post exactly what they need written. Members can then "bid" on these and submit their work. Many of these posting are about traveling which is perfect for me. You also get paid for your work. Sounds like a winner and a great way to get started.
freelancer.com
3. On this site, I found a guy who has traveled around the world and back. He shared the 20 things he has learned while traveling and his knowledge has really helped me. If I took one piece of valuable advice, it would be him sharing the two cheap airlines at which he flew across Europe 7 times for $120. I can travel across Europe for very cheap and this was very useful for me! Of course, who doesn't want to save money!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/clayton-b-cornell/traveling-around-the-world_b_4065797.html
4. Jack and Jill provide exotic places, places least traveled to, and adventurous twist to a normal vacation. They document their crazy times with amazing, breath taking pictures as well as descriptions and tips for places traveled. If you consider going somewhere, check this  blog first.
jackandjilltravel.com
5.

WITH HELP FROM MY FRIENDS

If I had someone who would love to travel, and not just a one time travel either, and has some camera skills, that would greatly benefit me! Someone who could record our journey and edit them into awesome vlogs. Doing it by myself would be kind of difficult as opposed to having someone follow with a camera. Also, if anyone can design a sick blog, it would be very helpful to me. After all, in the online world a first impression is what you need, and those only take 3 seconds to make. This being said, the design and content is really what will get traffic.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

WELCOME TO INTERDISCIPLINITARLY

Traveling brings forth so many topics. While you are traveling, or thinking of traveling, there are SO many things to factor in. Within my topic of traveling, I have come across the hundreds of different languages, the hundreds of different cultures, ways of traveling, and while on the topic of that, there is flying and when is the best time to fly, purchase your tickets, and flight patterns. This is not all. You also have the time differences whether it is solely going across the US, or if going abroad. There is different styles of architecture in different countries, or ample amount of history within your region of travel. There are customs within each country to know, for example in the US we tip for certain services where as many countries can't even fathom the idea. There are so many subtopics within my big idea of traveling that this list could go on for pages and it would branch into a large oak tree. However, I would like to keep this short and sweet, just long enough so you get the idea.

Monday, February 10, 2014

RESOURCES 1

1. I turned to this site for professional experience. Here you can take classes specifically for travel journalism. This includes photography, writing, and video.
Matadoru.com
2. A source I turned to was Samantha Brown. She is one of the most know travel show hosts. You can find her on the Travel Channel. By reading her story and her journey, I have been able to compare her life to how mine could be.
http://samantha-brown.com
3. I came across an awesome blog of a girl who pursued this field as a career and has succeeded and is still on her road to success. I follow her blog daily and see all the places she has been and see how she blogs about it. She provides true inspiration.
worldofwanderlust.com
4. A website that has helped make my travels come true is aupair.com. This site has been such a help because here I can talk with families from all around the world and talk of potentially live with them and nanny for them.
aupair.com
5. Another blog that has helped me greatly was ytravelblog.com. Here it gave me the idea of becoming an au pair and other helpful tips of how to save money while traveling.
ytravelblog.com
6. This is another blog of which is a great help. Not only does it show you ways to travel as well as where to travel, but it also gives a perspective of how traveling can change your mind. It also shows you other ways of thinking that you may have not seen before.
refinethemind.com
7. Along with aupair.com, I made a profile on aupair-world.net. This is a similar site as au pair where you make a profile and get matched with families as to which you can live with.
aupair-world.net
8. On this godsend of a site, members can share their travels with pictures and description. It really gives you a peak at what blogging is like. On the site, it describes it as "Triptease is a place where people save and share the best of their travel. Putting images front and centre, they capture what it was really like." You can also follow people!
triptease.com
9. By watching vlogs on Youtube, I have been able to see how people feel about their traveling, what places to potentially go, local secrets, and even I am able to see what people like to hear about traveling.
Youtube.com
10. On this blog, the publisher tells great tips for how to travel full-time for a year for cheap. Websites with tips like these from experienced people is such a great help because it brings my dreams to reality.
iwillteachyoutoberich.com
11. A show recently debuted on The Travel Channel called The Trip 2014 really interested me and made me have a huge desire to visit Spain. I showed me all the adventure out there and it also showed me how the professionals succeed at what they do. View it at:
http://www.travelchannel.com/sweepstakes/the-trip
12. Last, but surely not least is Instagram. Through Instagram, I have met many people aspiring to do the same thing as I have. I have contacted them in interest of collaborating and have gained some solid feedback and tips from these contacts.
Instagram.com

Saturday, February 8, 2014

YOU MAY SAY I'M A DREAMER...

But I'm not the only one. Who else is out there that has the same passion as me, traveling and wanting to publicly broadcast your travels through a blog, vlog, etc.? If you are reading this, let's collaborate and facilitate this process together!

REQUEST FOR RESPONSE: Philip Seymour Hoffman

I must truly say that Russell Brand's articulate words and the composition of them amazed me. He took a topic so deeply affected by so many and created a general conclusion that many people can then stop and think "Wait, this sounds like it's right." It's because it is. He explained addiction in terms that everyone can understand. He marked it as a "Addiction is a mental illness around which there is a great deal of confusion, which is hugely exacerbated by the laws that criminalise drug addicts." When reading that, readers take a second and think it over twice. Brand did a great job of capturing people's attention and then making them reconsider their presumptions. He tied all this in with Philip Seymour Hoffman which was tragic and Russell touched on this. Russell Brand was the best person to write this type of essay considering his circumstances as well. Read it here: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/06/russell-brand-philip-seymour-hoffman-drug-laws?utm_source=nextdraft&utm_medium=email


Friday, February 7, 2014

LAUNCH PAD

What am I passionate about and what do I want to do? When one is given the freedom to really think of what they dream of doing, many ideas start to form. My idea kind of came to me right away. I decided I would LOVE to travel. To many people it seems unrealistic to travel the world, blog about it, and eventually make money. It seems absurd and expensive. But, people laughed when they heard the draft plan of the first cell phone. I know this can be done with hard work and time. I know if I dedicate myself enough I can make this happen. How can I use tools from this course? Networking will be a huge part of this process. First I will need to reach out to experts or people who have started this process. Then, after debuting my blog specifically for traveling, I will need to network and get the word out so people can start following and viewing it. The internet will provide a HUGE resource for me. What better way of networking then reaching 8 billion people with a couple clicks? By June to be successful, I want to have a clear plan of where I am traveling and when. I want to potentially have a job in another country (au pair) or a possible college to attend. I want to have clear plans set. I also may want to have a blog up and ready for posts to be made as I start making my journeys. I believe this will not only please me, but others who have doubts. People will start to see my plan clearly for themselves, just as I am as well. Completing these takes will really take this dream to a real potential to be had. I have already contacted many people in the process. I have emailed people about collaboration, I have supporters just within my classes, and I want to reach out to renowned travel bloggers to facilitate this process for me. As of right now, I am one step in the process in that I officially know how I will start my travels. My next step is making this "know how" into a "is happening" which I am also in the process of. More to come! Follow me on my journey.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Pleasantly Lost...

As I get deeper into this project, I sit here thinking of a potential name for my project and a future blog to broadcast my travels including pictures and some journalism. I have though for a while and when you think of traveling, you think of different cultures, new languages, and unfamiliar places! In a sense, you start out lost. However, how great is being lost in a beautiful surrounding, engulfed in a beautiful culture. You are pleasantly lost! And that's where the title is derived from. In this project of "Pleasantly Lost", I am pursuing something I have always dreamed to do. I have always envied the people with this job. This is travel journalism.

My Vocabulary #1

Au pair- a young foreign person who helps with housework or child care in exchange for room and board.
I want to be an au pair in Switzerland.
Wanderlust- a strong desire to travel
I am wanderlust.
Indicative- serving as a sign or indication of something
The students not doing their homework was indicative that they were lazy.
Presumption- an act of taking something to be true
In the argument I presumed that's what you did
Keen- having or showing eagerness about something
I was keen about the idea.
Resiliency- ability to spring back into shape.
The resiliency of the girl after knee surgery was amazing.
Incognito- having one's true identity concealed
The American spy was incognito.
Prerequisite-a thing that is required as a prior condition for something else to happen or exist.
In order to become a physical therapist, I need to complete my prerequisites.
Coherent- logical and consistent
The lesson today was coherent.
Emulate- match or surpass, typically by imitation
I emulated my sisters grades.
Ludicrous- so foolish, out of place, or unreasonable as to be amusing.
The joke was so ludicrous, everyone laughed awkwardly.
Disarray- disorganized
My desk was in a disarray.
Standby- readiness for duty
The soldier was on standby
Sui generis- unique
Many cultures are described as Sui Generis.
Opprobrium- harsh criticism
She spoke of my work with opprobrium.
Abjure- to reject
I abjured to the offer.
Approbation- praise
I received approbation for the discovery.
Diffident- shy
When traveling, one must not be diffident.
Promulgate- to make known
There was no need to promulgate the secret.
Manifold- diverse
Different cultures provide manifold foods.