Happy Day Of The Girl
Today is a fabulous day, it is the first International Day Of the Girl! October 11, 2012 is auspicious because it has been designated by the United Nations General Assembly to be the “International Day Of The Girl Child”.
For millions of girls all around the world who don’t get equal rights for whatever reasons, this is your day! So many girls don’t get the right to an education, because other “priorities” such as marriage are forced upon them. Education can open up the doors to a wider understanding of the world around us, and this is our right. Celebrate the Day Of The Girl today, and hopefully one day girls everywhere will get the right to an education.
With an education, girls everywhere can become all they desire to be, they can be a scientist, judge, teacher, lawyer, doctor, and they can become leaders. They can make it to the other side of the gates of the White House.
- The White House, Washington, DC
I know that my children will get an education, and it won’t stop at just High School, as so many other girls’ educations do (if they are lucky enough to get that far). I will give them the gift, and their right to go to college.
Oh, by the way…..this day is also for women who may have suffered the lack of education in the past due to circumstances such as those described or for any other reasons not mentioned. Happy Day Of The Girl.
To find out more about Day Of The Girl, visit http://www.un.org/en/events/girlchild/
Happy Day Of The Girl
On October 11, 2012, people around the world will celebrate the first International Day of the Girl. The United Nations made the day official just last year, thanks in part to the advocacy efforts of Plan International USA.
In honor of the day, Plan is bringing female representatives from several of the countries where Because I Am a Girl projects are making a difference, thanks to your generous contributions to the cause. These young women will be in New York City for the first week of October, where they will have the opportunity to share their knowledge and experience, and to have a high-level impact on the international effort to invest in girls’ rights and education.
Read a little about these extraordinary young women–and you’ll see why they were chosen to represent their country and community!
Fabiola, 18, Cameroon. Fabiola is a member of Plan Cameroon’s Youth Empowerment…
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India’s version of Dora the Explorer combats early marriage
Meet Meena, the star of India’s popular animated series. Meena is helping UNICEF promote children’s rights by educating kids about harmful practices such as early marriage. Check out this episode of the cartoon, titled “Say no to dowry”:
READ MORE: Video: Meena, India’s Dora the Explorer, Helps UNICEF Promote ‘Child Rights’, Asia Society (October 5, 2012).
Every Three Seconds
Dear Gabriel,
Child marriage puts the life of a girl at risk every three seconds, while diminishing her chances at education, endangering her health, cutting short her personal growth and development – and increasing the likelihood that she’ll remain poor for life.
Do you remember how close Congress came in 2010 to passing the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act? We do – this vital legislation went so far because of the dedication, commitment and support of people like you.
During the past few years, tens of thousands of CARE supporters have contacted their elected officials, advocating on behalf of young girls to put an end to this gross human rights violation. As a result of your efforts, more elected officials than ever are…
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Saddened That A San Diego Man Died In Bear Attack – Denali National Park
I am so saddened upon hearing about a San Diego man who was mauled to death by a bear in Denali Park, Alaska on August 24, 2012. Richard White loved being around nature, and was intent on taking pictures, and subsequently paid for it with his own life. The story grieves me because the man is from my area (San Diego); he was relatively young – only 49, and he was married and a father to a 21 month old baby girl – who will now grow up without her father. Nobody deserves to be mauled to death, it is simply horrifying to think what Richard must have gone through.
I think the story hits close to my heart because I understand what it’s like to be fascinated with bears and what it’s like to want to take pictures of them, and get close up to them. I somehow can understand Richard White’s need to be close to the bears and to continue taking pictures, even though it was not the right choice.
This is the picture that I got by putting my camera through the bar (I certainly would not recommend doing this to anyone else) and taking the photo:
Black Bear – Alaska
These are the pictures that you are supposed to get when you don’t put your camera through the bars – you get the fence in the picture.
Black Bear – Alaska
When I was in the bus at Denali National Park, and saw the Grizzly Bear, I hoped and prayed that they would let us out of the bus, just so that I could get better pictures, but there’s a reason they don’t do that.
This is the picture that I got while I was in the bus:
Grizzly Bear
When the bear started coming towards the bus, that must have been why the bus driver decided to take off
Grizzly Bear – front view – Denali
Denali Park
I realize the dangers of bears more acutely now, and somehow can’t help thinking….that could have been me. Just remember when you go to Denali, pay heed to the training, and to what the park wardens tell you. Pay attention to the signs, and better still – don’t go on your own or be thoroughly engrossed in picture taking that you forget the dangers lurking around you.
I am very sorry for what happened to Richard, and my condolences go out to all those who knew him, especially to his family, wife, baby, and his friends. May you rest in peace, Richard.
These are some articles that you can read about Richard White, the San Diego man who lost his life in Denali:
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/26/us/alaska-bear-attack/index.html
http://www.adn.com/2012/08/25/2599545/hiker-killed-by-grizzly-bear-in.html
My previous post of Wildlife Pictures Taken In Alaska can be viewed here: https://luchanik.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/wild-life-pictures-taken-in-alaska/
At 6 minutes and 22 seconds into this movie that I made and until 7 minutes and 19 seconds or so, you will see the Grizzly Bear in action in Denali Park, moving around stealthily while rummaging around, probably searching for food.
My Video of the Pink Sands of Bermuda
Sand is nice no matter what color it is, most people prefer golden-colored sand or white sand. I never thought about pink sand until I went to Bermuda. My video doesn’t show just the pink sands, but the turquoise blue of the ocean, and the swaying of the palm trees…..it shows the beautiful paradise that is Bermuda.
This video will show you two beaches – Horseshoe Bay Beach, and Warwick Long Bay/Jobson’s Cove Beach. I also added some nice music so that you can completely relax while watching it. After that, you can dream of your next vacation, and you never know……it just might be to Bermuda!
You will see the couple in the picture below taking their stroll along the beach – I took their picture prior to the video taping.
Warwick Long Bay/Jobson’s Cove Beach, Bermuda
Then my daughter taped some of the video footage, while the taxi driver was ready with my camera to take a picture of me and the kids. Somehow, the sand doesn’t look that pink in this picture.
Warwick Long Bay/Jobson’s Cove, Bermuda
When you watch the video, I hope you will see how beautiful Bermuda is. I hope you like my video.
My Video of Snorkel Beach and Kings Wharf, Bermuda
I’m not sure if many of you are into snorkelling – I have never tried it, nor can I tell anything about it – but I can show you a video that I made of a place called Snorkel Beach – it’s in Snorkel Park, Bermuda.
This is the entrance to the beach, and if you watch the end of the video, upon exiting Snorkel Beach, you will see the narrow path I talked about in a previous post, that led to a rather unpleasant incident – yes, it happened right on the street you’ll see in the video, which is also on the same road as the one shown in the picture below.
Snorkel Park Beach, Bermuda
Snorkel Beach is quite different to Horseshoe Bay Beach or Warwick Long Bay – the other two beaches I saw in Bermuda – it doesn’t have pink sand, but it is still a lovely beach.
Snorkel Park Beach, Bermuda
You will get a better feel for this particular beach by watching my video – sometimes pictures capture the essence of a place really well, but sometimes a video can do it even better. I hope you enjoy the video.
My Video Of The Enchantment Of The Seas – Midnight Buffet
There is no shortage of food on a cruise, there are restaurants galore, buffets that go on all day long, and specialty restaurants for those who want something other than the food in the main dining room every night. There are snack shops, and even specialty coffee shops selling you your favorite Starbucks drinks. You can even get Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream on a cruise ship!
Did you know you can get a chocolate and dessert buffet at least once during most cruises? On the Enchantment Of The Seas, we had our dessert and chocolate buffet on Day 4 of the cruise – on Monday, August 6, 2012. This special buffet started at 10:45 pm, and finished at around midnight. Location? The main deck – around the swimming pool. Here’s what the pool looked like that night.
Main Swimming Pool, Enchantment Of The Seas
Here’s just some of the desserts:
Chocolate and Dessert Buffet – Enchantment Of The Seas
There was also fruit!
Midnight Buffet – Enchantment Of The Seas
Who can resist chocolate or dessert? Certainly not me! Watch out, you might be heading for a midnight buffet of your own! Thank you for watching the video that I made.
My Video – Enchantment Of The Seas – Farewell Party
I really enjoy most kinds of music, and disco music is no exception. Disco music is a lot better than the kind of music they play today. Tunes such as “Night Fever, Night Fever” , “In The Navy”, “Get Down On It” and “I Will Survive” are just classics (and they’re all in my new video). If you grew up in the 70’s and/or 80’s, you will surely know what I mean. The music they played at the “Farewell Party” on the Enchantment Of The Seas, centered around disco music. Enjoy the video!
Disco Party – Enchantment Of The Seas
Enchantment Of The Seas
Indian Cruises – Cultural Enrichment At Sea
I enjoy Bollywood and Bhangra music and dance. I just love Indian culture, and there’s nothing wrong with that – after all, I am Indian. I may have grown up in England, and now live in the USA, but culture is deeper than where we live, it’s the embodiment of who we are – who we interact with, and what makes us bond together, and what we enjoy. I may be Indian, but I am also British and I’m also American. I may love Bollywood, and Bhangra, but additionally….. I love pop music, soul music, reggae music and jazz, and even a bit of rap. If I didn’t love the other forms of music, I wouldn’t tape them as ardently as I do when I go on cruises, and then show the world…..I only do that – because I love to watch most forms of dance and musical entertainment, and then of course, I love to photograph and video tape it too!
When I had the chance to introduce a bit of culture on a cruise ship, I was all for it. I hired a group – UCSD Zor – one of the top Bollywood dance teams in the USA – to perform on my Bindi Cruise to Mexico on the Carnival Splendor in July, 2011. I didn’t think twice about it. It took a lot of planning, and was quite a huge undertaking for me – a fairly new travel agent at that time (I just started in this business in January 2010). Would I do something like that again? Who knows? Maybe, sometime in the future.
I love Bollywood movies, but when it really comes to Indian music – I have to admit that I love Bhangra just a bit more than I do Bollywood. That’s why I asked Zor – who are really more of a Bollywood team to do a Bhangra routine, and guess what…..they were really good at it. When you have versatility like that, you are true performers. I was really happy with the performances of Zor on the cruise. Here’s a picture of UCSD Zor below, they are fantastic at both Bollywood and Bhangra!
UCSD Zor, performing Bhangra
And here I am with UCSD Zor who are in their Bollywood outfits now, instead of Bhangra outfits (as above)
UCSD Zor – Carnival Splendor
Want to know more about Bhangra? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhangra_(music)
Want to see hear the full-length Bhangra song that was partly shown in my new Enchantment Of The Seas video, and see who the musician is? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJztXj2GPfk
Want to see a fabulous Bhangra dance video that I put together of UCSD Zor – one of the top Bollywood dance teams in the USA, when they were dancing to Bhangra on my Bindi Cruise to Mexico on the Carnival Splendor?
Want to see a fantastic Bollywood dance video that I put together of UCSD Zor when they performed on my Bindi Cruise to Mexico?
Thank you for reading!
luchanik 