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In a few weeks the new group of Up with People participants will arrive in Denver, Colorado to begin their adventure. They are coming from all over the world and will jump right into their gap year and study abroad adventures when they arrive. This means no time for jet lag!

Symptoms of jet lag include extreme tiredness, insomnia, anxiety, headache and irritability. The amount of time it takes to recover from jet lag usually depends on the number of time zones one has crossed, but fear not! There are things you can do to avoid jet lag altogether. We asked some of Up with People’s most seasoned travelers how they avoid jet lag. Before your next big trip consider the following advice and you might just avoid the effects of jet lag!

How To Avoid Jet Lag

Travel as if you’re in the time zone of your destination. Up with People road warrior and Associate Director of Enrollment Shawna Reed says, “If it’s midnight where you are, but 6am where you’re going, STAY AWAKE, and push to get through that first day on THEIR schedule.”

Drink lots of water! Staying hydrated is one of the best ways to stave off the effects of jet lag and one of the most common recommendations from overseas travelers.

Try to get rest on the flight. Up with People Alumna Jennifer Gifford says that during a period when she was on the road for work 100% of the time she learned a thing or two about jet lag. “Try to get rest on the flight there,” she explained. “Even a short nap during your travel will help get you through the first day.”

Immediately get a on a schedule. Jennifer’s rule of thumb is to stay up until 11pm on the first day explaining, “For me, that keeps me awake long enough that I’ll have no problem being able to sleep through the night.”

Avoid napping during the day. If you just can’t help yourself make sure it’s for no more than 20 minutes.

Take a shower when you arrive. Cleaning up and changing your clothes will make you feel like you are ready for the day and give you more energy.

Try to book flights that arrive in the morning/daylight. Chelsey Panchot spends a lot of time on the road for Up with People as the Director of Sales in the United States. Chelsey says, “I try to book my flights to arrive in the morning/daylight – it makes me want to get out, check out the city and go exploring. It helps me adjust to the local time and go to sleep after it’s gotten dark outside.”

Stay active. Almost everyone agrees that staying active when you arrive is key to avoiding jet lag. If possible, have ideas planned ahead of time so you can jump right in and start exploring.

Pack for success. Chelsey says among her must haves she, “rarely leaves home without…

• Emergen-C: I drink a couple on the plane and one a day on my trips – the vitamins, the citrusy goodness and the little bit of fizz help me feel more alert and ready for the day while my body is adjusting to a new time zone.
• Multi-vitamin: I take one daily and pack them for all of my trips.
• Refreshing/energizing, face mist: It feels great to give myself a little spritz after sitting on a plane for hours and as a mid-day refresher after being out and about exploring. I use it as a wake-up and a pick-me-up tool.
• Herbal Tea Bags: Hooray for free-hot water – in flight?! An herbal nighttime tea and an herbal energizing tea are my go-to’s. I’d stay away from coffee and sugary energy drinks…your body will crash and it’ll be tough to get on the local schedule.
• Blanket, Memory Foam Neck Pillow & Slipper Socks (for the long flights): I LOVE cozy-ing up on the airplane and sleeping when it’s night time at my destination to try to get a jump-start on getting my body set on the local time. The more comfy I can get on the plane for a good snooze, the easier it is for me to adjust when I arrive.”

Get on a normal meal schedule as soon as possible. Normal eating can be a challenge while traveling, so the first day try to eat smaller meals at the proper meal times and small snacks in between until your body gets used to the new meal schedule.

“Journey on, Journey on

You can’t stay where you are for very long.

Don’t give up, find the strength you need to journey on.

‘cause in the end, it’s not just where we go,

But how we get there and who we’ve known

On this long walk, together we will journey on.”

Journey On © Up with People

Packing for a semester or year abroad can be challenging. Especially when you have that gut feeling that you must be forgetting something! That’s why we’ve put together a handy printable checklist of the items you will need for your journey. This list includes many items that are obvious, but also some things you might not think of. When it comes to packing, especially for a world tour with Up with People where you travel to a new city every week, less is more. We recommend taking only one checked bag and a backpack or duffel bag for daily use for long term travel.

This free downloadable and printable travel packing list is a suggested pre-departure gap year packing checklist…

To Download And Print This Handy Packing List Click Here.

For more information about Up with People’s multi-country gap year and study abroad program visit UpWithPeople.org.

“There are many roads to go
And they go by many names.
They don’t all go the same way
But they get there all the same
And I have a feelin’ that we’ll meet some day
Where the roads come together up the way.”
Where The Roads Come Together © Up with People

Meet Tylene, a Study Abroad Participant in Up with People from Montana!

Starting Her Education Traveling Abroad

“I knew I wanted to come back for a second semester from the moment I got to Denver and we started our first day. I wanted to be here, but I also wanted to have a different experience than the first time. I decided to join the study abroad program. I wasn’t apart of it in my first semester and I really wish I was. I felt like I missed out on a perfect opportunity to start my education and have a different experience through my last semester on tour in Up with People. What I would like to get out of this semester is just that: to start my education and have a different travel experience this semester as a participant. I am excited to continue this year to see a whole new cast go through the roller coaster of this Up with People adventure, and how we will all mesh together as a team through it all.”

 

“Some people may look at you like you’re
Some kind of dreamer,
But believe you’ve got to have a dream
Before you can have a dream come true.”

Do It Up! © Up with People

In the face of a multitude of global problems, it can be difficult to feel like an individual or small groups can make a difference. Our minds and hearts are in the right place but what can one person really do? It turns out quite a lot.

Social impact is defined as the “effect an organization’s (or individual’s) actions have on the well being of the community.” For example, the organization Habitat For Humanity has a positive social impact on communities by providing houses for the poor.

With Martin Luther King day just around the corner in the United States, it’s the perfect time for all of us to reflect and remember just how much of an impact one person can make on the world. In his iconic speech at the Lincoln Memorial for the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, King told America,

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

The social impact King had in the United States is tangible, lasting and real. All of us here at Up with People believe in the power of individuals to make a difference. In fact, it’s our mission.

Through music and action, we empower young people to be positive agents of change for a more hopeful, trusting and peaceful world.

You might think the difference you can make is insignificant. No matter what corner of the world you call home, celebrate MLK day with us on January 21st, 2019 and remember you matter. What you do everyday matters and even small acts can make giant ripples of good in this world we all share.

It’s a myth that what we do has to be enormous to make a difference. You don’t have to be Martin Luther King Jr. to have a positive social impact on your community. Margaret Mead put it best, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

So start small. Start doing positive things to have a social impact on the problems that keep you up at night. To read more about how Up with People Alumni are having a social impact visit Up with People’s Impact Page.

Here are some helpful ideas to get you started:

Do daily, small acts of kindness. Pay for someone’s coffee, open a door, let someone cut in front of you in line or smile. Spread kindness because the world needs it.

Start your own campaign or raise awareness. Is there something that you feel strongly passionate about? Use your voice and speak out.

Contribute money or your time. Pick an organization close to home or volunteer around the world with Up with People!

Be a sponsor or join a cause. Googling ‘join a cause’ will result in millions of responses from supporting children to the elderly. Whatever you get involved in will advance the cause greatly because of your actions. Pick one thing to start so you don’t get overwhelmed.

“Does it really matter?

Well I really don’t know,

But when you take it past the color zone

And you get right down to the bone

Does it really matter?

Does it matter at all?”

Does It Really Matter © Up with People

Meet Jolene, a Second Semester Participant in Up with People from The Navajo Nation!

“We are not just words in a history book, but a thriving culture with beauty.”

 What is something special about where you are from?

“I come from the Navajo Nation. It is the biggest reservation in the United States. We take so much pride in who we are as Diné (The People). We love our culture and traditions. Each little thing has a meaning to us and we give thanks everyday to the simplicity of life.”

Is there someplace unique/special you like to take out of town visitors when they visit your hometown?

“I like to take them to a Mesa in my hometown called dzith-na-o-dith-hle. It’s a beautiful place that is surrounded by flat land, so it’s amazing to see the sunrise and sunset.”

What is the most positive thing about your generation? What is your generation doing that makes you proud?

“I think my generation is trying to an impact of change. We all want to make the world a better place. We want to see nature, people, and communities become a better version of themselves.”

Why did you decide to return for a second semester?

“I wanted to be an advocate for my culture. My first semester I was given the opportunity to show my host families, cast, and students that we are not just words in a history book, but a thriving culture with beauty.”

What part of the program surprised you the most?

“The thing that surprised me the most was how close I became with people I only knew for 6 months. All the connection and resources were unexpected.”

What are some of your interests and passions?

“I love my culture. All the dancing and singing and traditional games we play.”

When are you most happy?

“I’m most happy when I’m dancing jingle dress. It makes me happy that I heal other and myself emotionally and mentally.”

“Here beneath the sun
We share a place called home,
And whatever comes
We are sisters and brothers,
Gotta count on one another.”

Sunrise © Up with People

This article was originally posted on January 25, 2018.

With the big game fast approaching, Up with People takes a look back at our role in the Super Bowl Halftime show. Our organization comes up a lot in conversation this time of year in countless lists, both online and on American television. Including our pregame performance at the 1991 game, Up with People has played five Super Bowls, more than all but five NFL teams! Although we may no longer perform on this stage, we continue to tour the world with a new show and a message that is now more relevant than ever.

Repost – ESPN.com Article “When Up with People Dominated Halftime” by Doug Williams

Long before superstars took over the Super Bowl halftime show, there was Up with People. Between the marching bands of the earliest games and Michael Jackson’s appearance in January 1993, four halftimes were filled with hundreds of energetic, clean cut kids who danced, sang and had smiles so perfect they could make a dentist weep.

It was a four scoop helping of wholesomeness before the era of big acts and (sometimes) big headaches. There were no wardrobe malfunctions, middle finger salutes, phallic shadows, bleeped out lyrics or homemade American flag ponchos. Just a legion of well choreographed teens and 20-somethings singing tunes for that year’s Super Bowl theme.

Over an 11 year period, from 1976 to ’86, Up With People was the headline act at Super Bowls X, XIV, XVI and XX.The group has more Super Bowl halftime appearances than any other act.

But each year about this time, Eric Lentz starts seeing “the lists.”

Before every Super Bowl, writers revisit every aspect of the game’s history, with top 10s of the best and worst games, plays, venues, commercials … and halftime shows. Each year, it seems, Up with People takes a beating.

Fortunately Lentz, Up With People’s senior vice president and executive producer, has a thick skin.

“We see the pundits and we see the top 10s and the bottom 10s, and we show up on all sorts of lists,” he said recently from the organization’s offices in Denver.

More often, the “pundits” aren’t kind. Wrote one reviewer in 2011 of best/worst halftime acts: “Book Up With People once? Shame on you. Book Up With People four times??? Shame on us all.” And this one, by the San Francisco Chronicle in 2010, that rated Up With People’s Motown tribute at the 1982 game in Pontiac, Mich., as the worst show ever:

“I hope you were throwing the football in your front yard during halftime shows in the 1970s and early 1980s, which all seemed to feature Up with People or Carol Channing. Up with People always had a creepy weird cultish quality, with exaggerated dance moves, brightly colored yet chaste clothing and industrial grade happiness. The group’s ‘Salute to Motown and the 1960s’ was the worst of its four Super Bowl appearances. The performances featured the whitest people in the world performing music mostly identified with African American culture. Imagine watching the cast of ‘Bonanza’ performing in a Tyler Perry play.”

To be fair, Up with People had several African American performers that year, and that particular performance has been praised, too. A Washington Times story in 2012 ranked the group’s Pontiac show as ninth best and refreshingly wholesome when compared to more recent acts, noting: “[they] were as inoffensive as puppies eating ice cream and apple pie.”

To Lentz, the shots just bounce away.

Maybe their act wasn’t cool. Maybe Up with People’s performances (alive forever on YouTube) look corny, old fashioned and woefully out of place, sort of like Pat Boone rapping.

“I laugh it off,” Lentz said. “I consider the source. I don’t let it bother me because what your organization is about, at the end of the day, is not putting on Super Bowl halftime performances. It’s about changing lives. Not just the lives of the students that travel with us, but the lives of the families we stay with, the people we do service for and every community tour, showing that young people can communicate a positive message of understanding. That may sound like a company line, but it’s true, otherwise I wouldn’t have been working here for 15 years.”

It may surprise some to find out that Up with People is still singing and dancing across the globe.

Founded in 1965 as an organization to promote good will and perform community service, Lentz describes it as a cross between “Glee” and the Peace Corps: The Glee Corps. It’s smaller than it was back in its Super Bowl era. It now sends out about 200 cast members (from the U.S. and other nations) to tour each year rather than the 600 or 700 in the ’70s and ’80s.

The group performed at the opening of the Rose Parade as recently as 2011, but it’s no longer in demand to play big sports events. Lentz knows times have changed too much for Up with People to do another Super Bowl. Now, mega celebrities are selected months in advance and hyped to bring in the largest audience possible. With the game, cutting edge commercials and a headline act at halftime, the Super Bowl is a ratings bonanza, and UWP doesn’t fit.

“I think [it’s] the reality of how the entertainment industry works now and the corporate dollars,” Lentz said, explaining the change. “Obviously this year you’re going to see Beyonce with Pepsi splashed all across her, right? The industry and landscape have changed so significantly. Personally, would I like to see us back? By all means. I think Up with People could do an amazing job with halftime. … But realistically, we would need a major corporate funder and we’d probably need a name [performer to pair with], because that’s what people are used to now.”

Dr. Robert Thompson watched those Up With People halftime shows and agrees with Lentz. Thompson, the founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University, said the group probably was a bit out of place even when it was doing Super Bowls, noting comedians were making fun of it at the time. But that might say more about society than Up with People.

“I think generally, since the 1980s, we have been so deeply mired in irony and the era of postmodernism, and anything with that degree of sincerity and that lack of irony generally ends up being targets,” he said. “People make fun of it. A lot of people make fun of anything that’s hyper sincere and doesn’t engage in the kind of deep irony that’s been so much a part of the way we communicate, especially the way younger people communicate. And I guess by younger, I mean anybody under 65.”

The fact the NFL didn’t invite Up with People back to do the 2005 show after Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” in 2004 exposed her right breast was a final signal the group isn’t coming back.

“They were so wholesome,” said Thompson. “How could you say anything against the message of breaking cultural barriers and creating understanding and all that kind of stuff? And I think as nice as they were, today they would seem completely out of place in a Super Bowl halftime show. Although I’m surprised and there was some talk after the Janet Jackson thing that that might have been just what the doctor ordered. But no, they went back in 2005 to Paul McCartney. He was the safe choice.”

Plus, Thompson knows the NFL had to change its show. Halftime was the most “disposable part of the broadcast,” he says a time people could step away. The NFL has now made that must see, too.

“Those superstar acts are more in line with the violence (game) and glitz (commercials) of the entire telecast than Up with People would be”, Thompson said. “Even a wardrobe malfunction isn’t all that incompatible.”

“All those people [were] complaining, ‘Oh, Janet Jackson’s breast was exposed for half a second! It’s destroyed all the children!’” Thompson said. “Whatever made them think that the rest of what went on during the Super Bowl was really good for children? Fourteen beer commercials associating beer with happy times and all those [erectile dysfunction] commercials and the violence of the sport? They made it sound like Janet Jackson’s breast was exposed during the playing of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ The Super Bowl is not that.”

Jim Steeg was an executive in the NFL for 30 years and the league’s senior vice president for special events in charge of just about everything related to the Super Bowl (including halftime entertainment) from 1979 to 2005. To Steeg, Up with People was the perfect act for the ’70s and ’80s. He and the NFL were pleased with the group’s performances and the crowd receptions were positive a reason UWP did four halftimes. But the times and technology that made the group appropriate 2535 years ago have evolved.

Back then, there were no giant screens that allowed people sitting in the upper deck to see the face of a superstar performer. Back then, nobody thought to recruit a mega act to do a halftime show. At that time, said Steeg, the theory of the halftime show was that it needed to “fill the field” so every person in the crowd would be close to the performance. A lone performer on a stage at midfield would have been lost to ticket buyers.

“You couldn’t have a centrally focused, one person type performance,” Steeg said, noting the lack of giant video boards. “What you were seeing was what you saw right in front of you. You didn’t have the ability to look to your right or your left or, in the Jerry Jones world, look up above to see what was going on down on the field.”

So, the idea was to provide a “spectacle,” and Up with People could do that with 500 people weaving, dancing and singing across the turf. Giant video boards, willing celebrities and changing expectations soon made UWP obsolete as a halftime option, but Steeg says their act should be seen through the lens of that era, not this one.

“This was before everybody thought that stars wanted to participate,” he said. “That ’82 [show], they seemed like the absolute perfect match because they could do all the Motown music, and that was before you’d think about having Smokey Robinson or Gladys Knight or whoever perform in the halftime show. It was foreign to the thought process.”

To Steeg, that show in Pontiac was terrific.

“I love that halftime show because it was Motown and we were in Detroit and it was a great tribute to [Motown stars], and I’m not sure anybody else could have done it better than they did,” he said. “Then this transition starts to come a little bit where you get a star, or Blevel stars, until you got to the A list.”

On Super Bowl Sunday, Lentz and others in his organization will do what they often do and trade messages about Beyonce’s halftime show.

“We all blow up each other’s Facebook walls when we see the latest performance and whether Up with People should be back, or good riddance that we’re not,” he says, laughing.

But he knows the shows today have far more “wow factor” than UWP can offer.

“The Black Eyed Peas, if you go back and look at them [in the 2011 show, you don’t see so much the performer as the technological wizardry,” said Lentz. “And that’s what makes us unique. … There’s a reason our name has the word people in it. Our performances are not about star power. They’re about the power of hundreds of young voices coming together to express a belief in world peace, which some may consider naïve, but that’s what we believe in. So I like seeing that power coming together. I just don’t know if the world would want to see that over Beyonce and the Black Eyed Peas.”

“It’s the beat, it’s the beat, it’s the beat,

The beat of the future,

Poundin’ like a heartbeat,

The beat of the future,

Rollin’ like a rhythm, ringin’ like a rhyme,

Rippin’ along at the speed of time,

Rockin’ me down to my feet,

The beat of the future.”

Beat of the Future © Up with People

Meet Tzvi, a First Semester Participant in Up with People from Mexico & Ohio!

Tzvi Moved from Mexico to Ohio 6 Years Ago and Now Studies Animation.

Learn More From Tzvi on His Experience Relocating, Up with People, & His Return to Mexico this Semester!

 When do you find yourself to be at your happiest?

“I’m most happy when I get to paint. I’ve painted for almost my whole life and it’s something that I’ve always been attracted to. I love doing more realistic style paintings of a bunch of different things. I took AP Art in high school which helped put my creativity into reality. Also, I’m happy when I’m surrounded by people who have the same value in breaking stereotypes as I do. Being Jewish and from Mexico, it was hard in school when people would make mean comments about who I am and where I’m from. When I’m around people who are cultured and aware of their actions, it makes me feel more connected and secure.”

What makes you the most proud about your generation?

“I love how we are all connected and everyone wants to make a positive change in today’s world. Something great about this generation that makes me proud is how we are making movements forward. As I mentioned before, I’m Jewish so when there was the shooting at the synagogue in Pittsburg, it really affected me, as well as the people around me. My best friend from home lost someone they knew in that shooting and we wanted to start a march in honor of the lives lost, and to stand up for minorities.”

Tell us something special about where you are from.

“Family and friends are the most important thing. Back in Mexico, my family would always have dinner together on Saturdays. We’d always have a great time. My favorite meal would me something called “mole” which is a traditional Mexican meal that is spicy chocolate with over 50 different ingredients.”

What is something unique about your hometown?

“Somewhere you should visit if you go to Mexico is El Zocalo in Downtown Mexico City. It’s an old city with beautiful architecture from when the Spanish conquered the area. I always had a great time walking around the area with my brother, cousins, and grandpa. It was always nice hearing about the stories my grandpa had to share about the history and  times he had there.”

Why do you believe people should travel in Up with People?

“People should travel in Up with People because it will change the world in a positive way. There have been many great and unique conversations over the past few weeks where I feel like I’ve learned a lot from. I love gaining all the new perspectives and being able to share the same goal with so many people who are trying to act on it. Which we will do and manage to spread love at the same time.”

What excites you about Up with People visiting your hometown?

“I’m excited to be able to go home for a little bit to see my family and friends! My mom and dad traveled in Up with People, so my whole family knows a good bit about the organization. It’ll be really cool to introduce the program to my friends at home because I know a lot of them would be a good fit for it and enjoy it a lot.”

“We’ve been brokers of power and seekers of gold
Captives of oil so many left in the cold
And a storm is raging in the depths of the soul.
Are we coming home”

Coming Home © Up with People

Taking time to travel and experience a semester or gap year on the road can be scary. For over 50 years young people from across the globe have taken that leap. Up with People now has over 22,000 alumni scattered around the world. The benefits of this formative time are many and blend together across multiple areas including soft skills that are in demand in the worldwide job market. In the first of a new ongoing blog series, we interviewed Up with People Alumnus Joris Van Doorslaer to gain insight about what he gained from his time on the road and where he is now.

 When did you travel in Up with People (UWP)? What was your role?

In 2008 I traveled as a student. In 2012 I returned as an education staff member and in 2014 I became the cast manager until 2016. It was an honor to lead the cast during the 50th Anniversary of Up With People.

What is your current position now? What does that entail?

After getting off the road I started at Google, running an educational program aimed at transforming the access to digital skills for everyone. Within the amazing culture they have built, there was one lesson that stood out: “Dare to think 10x bigger,” if you only change incremental pieces, it limits your out of the box thinking.

It was the lesson of thinking big that pushed me to practice this within my own life. A realization hit me that the world is changing technologically so fast that we all need the ability to adapt to change and have the opportunity to tap into new opportunities. The counter side is that these changes are also creating the feelings of choice stress, burn-out, depression, feeling stuck or unclear what they really want. Deep diving into this question led to the insight that many people need to re-discover the potential within themselves.

Sanne (my girlfriend who worked for Up with People as well) and I decided to create an organization called “Unleashing of Potential” aiming to use experiential learning to let people re-discover the potential within. For the last year we have been traveling the world organizing workshops and retreats to let people experience the practice of “Being Present and Being Alive.” When you practice this skill in your daily life, it transforms your whole way of being. Our goal is that people walk away with the ability to steer their own self-development process, a life changing process because every day you live with yourself.

How did traveling with Up with People prepare you for this position?

Up with People is a series of experiences, a constant learning environment. Leaving your comfort zone has been a necessity in both Google and being a starting entrepreneur with Unleashing of Potential. Especially in shaping our own workshops and retreats, to make them logistically happen is basically a city setup. Creating new experiences comes natural because within education and as a cast manager, I was able to test many different ideas with enthusiastic cast members. And when I coach people, dealing as a cast manager with very difficult conversations has made me more ready to face the deep subjects and given me an incredible amount of experience to pull from.

How did Up with People impact your life both personally and professionally?

Personally, 4 years of my life were spent on staff. I developed layers within me that have become part of my core identity. My relationship with Sanne was tested on the road and has made us even stronger. It is, however, great to have now more time together. Still I talk often to friends all over the world.  

Professionally, in interviewing at Google it was easy to pull out examples. For a question like “what is a crisis you have dealt with,” I could easily pull out examples such as facing the government authorities in Cuba. My interviewer was like “Oh wow, those are real crises.” The whole program provides so much experience that is so applicable professionally. And now as an entrepreneur, I constantly need to go beyond my comfort zone and use the skill of flexibility to adapt to the changing circumstances. Up with People has given me an additional drive for creating true impact in the world, there is a reason we travel the world with our organization. It pushes us to develop content that can work all over the world, cross-culturally and going to the core of us as human beings.

What advice would you give our youth in pursuing their passion / career?

“Follow your passion” can be an overwhelming question. It can falsely give us the feeling that one job needs to contain it all. Remember that you are developing yourself your whole life, the people with extraordinary lives go out of their ways to keep growing. Fill your life with experiences that complete you. Within yourself there is an amazing amount of potential, some of that naturally shines but even natural talents can only become extraordinary with practice. Use experiential learning in your life, constantly reflect and make use of the resources of this world. And life is not only sunshine, it is in our shadow sides that we can discover true beauty and creativity. Allow everything within you to be seen and heard.

Did you always know that this is what you wanted to do?

No. The beauty of life is that it unfolds along the way. For a long time I tried to predict where my life would go, a method that more led to fear of failing or the unknown. Right now I live with intention, not an exact scheduled plan but a direction on where to go. I constantly need to remind myself to just trust my abilities, when I leave my fears to the sides it makes room for seeing the opportunities that come my way.

What was your favorite moment when you traveled in Up with People?

Impossible to define a favorite moment. My favorite part of Up with People is the people. Both cast members as well as host families. Within every cast I also have a special place in my heart for the staff, a unique set of individuals who come in every day with an unbelievable willpower to do good. All the people in Up with People have showed me the importance of giving, true happiness for me is so connected to this.

What would you tell someone who was considering traveling in Up with People?

A program like UWP is amazing for people who want to develop themselves in a short amount of time. After 6 months you walk away with a new perspective on the world and a skill set that has all the elements for you to succeed in life. School can give you textbook knowledge, UWP can give you tangible life skills. If you can be a leader or communicator within the diverse environment of UWP then you are ready for any challenge that comes your way after. As a bonus you get to travel the world and have friends all over the world.

What are the top 3 things you learned during your experience in Up with People?

1. When you have a difficult conversation, start with the worst part.
2. Great for you if you have extraordinary abilities, the true power to create change lies within the collaborative effort of the team
3. The world has far more perspectives then black and white, go meet the people who have different views and seek understanding

How do you keep hope alive?

It is easy. I have met thousands of people who are keeping it alive every day. The sum of my experiences has given me evidence that the world is on the right track. Of course the world has challenges, I see them as a test for all of us to learn from.

I’m not ashamed to sing of peace & love,

Not afraid to say ‘I care’.

One thing I’m guilty of:

Believing that hope is more than air.

I can feel it in you… in me… it’s everywhere…

I Will © Up with People

Meet Kaede From Japan, a First Semester Participant in Up with People!

QUICK FACTS:

Degree: Literature and International Relations
Interests & Passions: Education, International Exchange

 What’s something you’re passionate about?

Education and traveling. For me, it’s interesting how many things you can find in the world to connect to. Many times, the differences and types of barriers help me grow into myself, or help me make a decision, or even feel comfortable. Seeing the world is very important and it’s a great way of growing up. I’ve always been interested since I was very young. I was intrigued by the people who try to help with different crises in the world which triggered my dream to

 also help people in the world. When I was in university, I went to San Francisco to study abroad and it was an amazing experience for me. On the other hand, it made me realize some of the problems Japan is facing. A lot people don’t feel true happiness or confidence and often take their own life. I wanted the people at home to feel the same happiness I saw while I was abroad.

Afterwards, I went back to Japan to get a job in human resources to support the people who wanted to be happy and confident. It’s now my background. 

What is something you love about your home?

All the cherry blossoms. When I was a child, there were so many cherry blossom trees around my home and my school. They are just everywhere. Being around them always makes me feel calm and comfortable. It really connects to me spiritually. On top of that, my mom’s name translates to “cherry blossom.”  As I said before, I studied abroad in San Francisco. Since it was my first time going abroad, I was so nervous and worried about many things. Once I saw the cherry blossoms around San Francisco though, I felt so much more comfortable and it settled the homesickness.

What’s something unique about your country?

I love my country, culture and my hometown, Kyoto. Many people from overseas come to see our temples and shrines. I’m very proud of my hometown’s beauty and the people’s beautiful thinking. There are so many special things about it and the traditions we do. We have great history and wonderful culture. For New Years we celebrate the new one coming as much as the ones to come. The whole family gets together and we eat a lot of traditional food, as well as visiting the shrine to pray for a good year. It’s one of my favorite customs since it brings the family together and that brings a lot of happiness.

What has been your favorite thing about the beginning of your journey?

I love to dance, so I’d say I’m most excited for learning all the dances and being a part of the performance. Since I’ve been here, it’s been difficult speaking in another language all day. There have been many times where I misunderstand a lot of what is said. Because of that, it’s hard to express who I am. But when I’m dancing, it’s easier to feel like myself again and it’s exciting to share that part of me. I love being able to connect with all the people here and work together to put this show on with so many great people. Just the idea of that makes me so happy.

“Sharing our cultures and traditions,
Welcoming all nations.
Jump in!
The key’s in the ignition,
A World Celebration.”

A World Celebration © Up with People

The typical way to celebrate Valentine’s Day in the United States includes giving gifts of candies in heart shaped boxes, flowers and perhaps a romantic dinner. Valentine’s Day has been around since the year 496, thought to have originated from a Roman festival called Lupercalia that celebrated the beginning of spring. This ancient holiday means many different things around the world so why not ditch the typical celebrations and spice things up this year with some unique ways to show your loved ones you care.

Pay It Forward

Studies show that couples who volunteer together, stay together. Surprise your loved one with a day of volunteer work! Volunteering will leave you with a sense of wellbeing, gratitude and satisfaction. While you help out your community, watching your loved one be a good person is the most attractive thing we can think of!

Celebrate Friends

On February 14 in Finland and Estonia, locals celebrate Friend’s Day. This is a day for honoring both friends and significant others. The typical cards are still given out, but all those you love are celebrated including your single friends and family.

Give Something Homemade

In Wales locals don’t celebrate St. Valentine, but instead Saint Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers on January 25th. The typical gift is not cards, or candies, but a love spoon. Traditionally, Welsh men carved amazing wooden spoons as a way to show their appreciation for the women they loved. Imbedded in the wooden carvings were shapes and symbols signifying their love. For example, keys represent a man’s heart and wheels represent support. It doesn’t have to be a love spoon, but take the time to make your loved one something from the heart.

Scavenger Hunt

If you can’t go explore the world together on an exotic trip, then get creative while exploring your own city. Take some time to put together a scavenger hunt for your loved one complete with creative challenges, photos, and prizes. Adventure is a powerful way to bring you and your loved one even closer.

Go To A Poetry Reading

Many local libraries and venues host poetry nights where you can check out love letters from some of your area’s best writers. Nothing spells romance more than a romantic night of getting out of your comfort zone! If you both are feeling inspired, write something for each other after the show. While your new attempt at poetry may not be of Maya Angelou quality, at least you two will get a good laugh.

“Gotta go, gotta feel, need to know we’re livin’

Gotta move, gotta dance, need to have that feeling

No matter what happens I won’t be afraid to love

Won’t be afraid to love”

Won’t Be Afraid © Up with People