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As Up with People’s cast finishes the Mexico portion of our world tour, members look back on the difference they made in the lives of the Mexican people. From raising thousands of dollars to help earthquake relief in Naucalpan to raising awareness about challenges for people with disabilities at Universidad Anáhuac Querétaro, our cast learned the importance of empathizing and helping people from all walks of life.

In Monterrey, the cast’s last stop in Mexico before traveling to Germany, members helped rehabilitate a community center in a low-income neighborhood, participated in a culture fair at a local kindergarten, and painted murals at an area middle school, which you can see in the video below.

This year’s Mexico tour is one the cast will remember for a lifetime, and their contributions over the four-week trip made a lasting impact on the community members they met along the way.

LEARNING TO EMPATHIZE WITH PEOPLE DIFFERENT FROM US
Our cast had the awesome opportunity to visit Unidos, an organization that teaches individuals how to be sensitive and empathetic to those with disabilities as a way to better the connection between these two groups of people. Cast members even learned techniques to help improve their interaction skills with this population, which is something they will use throughout their tour.

The cast took what they learned at Unidos and shared it with students at local schools. Their message encouraged students to reach out and interact with people who are different from them, something the cast does each and every day.

LOOKING BACK AT OUR IMPACT IN MEXICO
Just one week before their visit to Monterrey, the cast interacted with people who live with physical and mental limitations at Universidad Anáhuac in Querétaro, Mexico. These students have a challenge getting to and from class each day because there is only one elevator and an inadequate ramp system. To fully understand the difficulty these students face, cast members carried one another up a flight of stairs in a wheelchair to raise awareness of the challenges people with disabilities have at the university. This type of experiential learning in the global classroom is what Up with People is all about.

This idea of sensitivity and empathy also played a role in the cast’s trip to Naucalpan, Mexico, where members spent their first two weeks of the Mexico portion of their trip. There, members saw firsthand the devastation left behind by the September earthquake. What a difficult and yet optimal time to help this population. Together, they packed boxes with food, clothing, and hygiene products with the Mexican Red Cross for earthquake victims in Morelos.

Mexico definitely impacted our cast members’ outlook on the world — its struggles, its differences and its similarities. We hope their efforts to learn and understand about different cultures and help where most needed carries into the Germany portion of the tour throughout November.

One of the best ways to really learn is through firsthand exposure. There’s something about participating versus listening that makes a message more memorable and meaningful. That’s exactly what our cast learned when they traveled to Querétaro, Mexico, where Universidad Anáhuac Querétaro served as a global classroom that helped our group truly understand inequalities through experiential learning.

EQUALITY FOR ALL
At the university, there is only one elevator with an inadequate ramp system to accommodate those with disabilities. For a student with a wheelchair, the only way to get to the second floor is to be carried up the stairs. To understand these student’s struggle, cast members took turns carrying one another to the second floor in a wheelchair, which you can see in the video below.

“The reason that we’re doing this challenge is to raise awareness about the difficulties surrounding people with disabilities at this school,” says Kim Taylor, of Canada.

The cast later set up an outdoor store, where students could donate gently used clothing. Our members sorted the clothes to resell the items in different communities at low prices so that people in need can afford them.

PARTICIPATING IN SOCIAL ACTION WEEK
Up with People’s visit to the university was part of the school’s Social Action Week. For a university that’s motto is “Vince in bono malum,” or “Overcome evil with good,” it only makes sense that its students would dedicate an entire week to encouraging positive social change.

Jonathan Kubben, a world traveler who presented his conference titled “A Passion with Purpose,” was also part of the week’s events.

According to Kubben, the conference was created to unite dreamers, travel addicts, entrepreneurs, social network lovers, and provide the steps necessary to develop a daring mindset. “This is really a community that goes in line with what we represent as well,” says Raeanna Clarke, of Colorado, U.S.A.

Up with People, known as Viva la Gente in Mexico, strives to promote positive change wherever we travel. In Querétaro, Mexico, that change was equality for students with disabilities and the marginalized. Our cast also visited a local grade school, where they performed and painted murals. Next, the global classroom moves to Monterrey, Mexico, before traveling on to Germany.

As an organization, we strive to inspire others around the globe. When we heard about the devastating 7.1 magnitude earthquake that hit Mexico only two weeks before our cast was scheduled to visit, we knew we had to help in any way we could. So, we altered plans in order to make the biggest impact toward the relief efforts.

“This is a time when people are hurting and it’s really good to have the cast here to help,” says Misael Oliver, an Up with People Tour and Admissions Manager in Mexico.

According to Misael, many people and numerous organizations were offering support, helping with rescue efforts, and volunteering to provide necessary supplies the two weeks immediately after the earthquake hit. Eventually, the organizations have to use their resources elsewhere and people have to go back to daily living. He also said, much of the immediate help centered around Mexico City, leaving highly impacted areas such as Puebla and Morelos, Mexico, still in need of assistance. That’s where we stepped in.

The cast spent an entire day on the production line at The Mexican Red Cross packing boxes with food, medicine, clothing, and hygiene products. All the boxes packaged that day went to earthquake victims in Morelos.

CULTURE SHOCK IS MORE EXTREME AFTER EARTHQUAKE
Cast members, who mostly come from first world countries such as the United States, Europe, Canada, Japan and China, are told prior to the trip to expect some culture shock along the tour. “I think that every tour when we come to Mexico, that’s when our cast actually experiences a different culture,” Misael says. “That’s when the culture shock happens.”

Despite the warning and training on how to handle the difference in cultures, he says nothing could have prepared them for the aftermath of a natural disaster.

“It’s much more touching to them,” he says. “Some of them came to the staff and said the projects here in Mexico had the most impact of any on the whole tour.”

Not only did they experience a different culture than they’re used to, but they saw a dire need for help. They saw that the boxes they packed would feed a child in need, that they could put a smile on the face of an orphan.

“That feels very moving for them,” he says.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN
Misael, who was in the midst of planning the cast’s Mexico tour when the crisis hit, said plans quickly needed to change. A one-week tour stop typically takes one month to plan, he says. But Misael and a group of staff and supporters helped alter two weeks of activities in only two weeks.

Our cast was originally scheduled to stay in Cholula, Mexico, the first week and Mexico City the second week before moving on to Querétaro and Monterrey, Mexico. Instead, we reached out to our support system in Naucalpan, a city that hosts Up with People every few years. In one week, the cast of 90 was set up with 50-60 host families.

Rather than staying with a host family for only one week and moving to the next city and next host family, the cast was able to stay with their host families in Naucalpan for two weeks.

UWP RAISES THOUSANDS FOR DISASTER RELIEF
We turned the four-week Mexico tour into a benefit tour, raising money for the United Way of Mexico to directly help those impacted by the earthquake.

Between three shows, the cast raised 330,000 pesos, which is equivalent to $20,000 in the U.S.A. According to Misael, it would be a huge deal if the cast raised $5,000 at any given show, so raising nearly $20,000 in three shows is incredible. “When people learned that the show was going to benefit the emergency fund, I think everyone came together and was willing to help,” he says.

The cast’s tour in Mexico will continue in Querétaro.

“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.” – Billy Joel

It is this same healing, explosive expression of humanity that Up with People’s cast is sharing with people across the globe on our world tour. And Washington D.C., the cast’s last stop in the United States before traveling to Mexico, was no exception.

INSPIRING LIKE-MINDED YOUTH
Washington D.C. was our busiest stop yet with three performances in one day – two appearances at schools and a full performance that was open to the public.

Our cast performed at H.D. Cooke Elementary School and Theodore Roosevelt High School, a global studies campus, before ending the day with the public show. It was apparent the students and cast members were more similar than they thought.

Cooke Elementary strives to integrate music curriculum in and out of the music room. For example, in the International Baccalaureate unit about civil rights, fourth-grade students also research the music of the era and write about how particular groups affected social change in American history. The correlation between music and social change is what Up with People demonstrates on each of our tour stops.

Roosevelt High School encourages and challenges students to become intellectually curious, multilingual, internationally aware, and globally responsive. Much like Up with People, the school’s vision is to engage students in an educational experience that fosters international understanding and welcomes diversity of thought, while preparing students for a globally interconnected world.

Because of these shared visions, this was a great opportunity for our cast to share stories about their travels, the different cultures they represent, and why spending a gap year with Up with People has been so rewarding.

WELCOMING A SPECIAL GUEST
“We also had the awesome opportunity to have The Washington Ballet performing with us on stage in our full show,” says Josh Villanueva, of the Philippines. Joining forces with talented, professional dancers definitely added a unique aspect to the D.C. performance.

UP WITH PEOPLE AGREES, MUSIC IS A POWERFUL FORCE
Another great partnership included week 6’s sponsor, the Planetary Gigs Society, an organization making connections through music with the intention of creating peace. The Society believes humans have experienced too much conflict and division throughout history and that music can be a powerful healing force.

“We loved having the Up with People cast here for the first time in ten years,” says Tara Gorman, the Society’s “Goddess of Awesomeness.”

Music is a universal language and our cast witnessed that first hand while in Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA during Cast B 2017’s World Tour.

On top of their weekly performance, they also did an acoustic promo at the Explore More Discovery Museum, a nonprofit interactive children’s museum. The museum hosted an international party to welcome all the refugees of Harrisonburg into their community.

Friendship sees no gender, age, race or ethnicity. There are a lot of new and exciting things you can learn from different cultures and generations. That’s what Cast B 2017 learned when visiting New Hampshire, USA, on week four of Up with People’s current world tour.

Watch below as our cast made a difference in the lives of those who are homeless and supported by Cross Roads House in Portsmouth. See how they brought joy to the elderly at the Edgewood Senior Center and students at Seacoast Waldorf School – a school that tries to awaken a student’s interest in the world.

 

Cast B 2017 has made it to the east coast of the United States! The week spent in northern Rhode Island was jam packed with a variety of service activities. Check out our latest video from the road!

Cast B 2017 has reached the halfway point of their United States leg of the world tour, having volunteered and performed in Indiana and Ohio along the way. Check out our latest video to see how the cast impacted the community of Chagrin Valley, USA.

MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT, ONE CITY AT A TIME

“It’s been a great week,” says Chuck Jarrett, member of a sponsor family for Up with People for the week. “The cast has done some fantastic things at local hospitals and some other facilities.”

During the visit, a group of cast members performed an acoustic set of some of the songs from their show at the Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital. “It was filmed and broadcasted to the rooms of patients at the hospital and some of the staff were also there watching us,” says Brekken Baker of Wyoming, USA. “We also did a horticulture activity with the patients on their rooftop.”

Additionally, the cast visited Step Stone Academy where they made personal flags with the kids.

“We also went to The Gathering Place, which is where they empower and support those with cancer,” says Jennifer Marsh of Michigan, USA. “We were able to help out and do some cleaning of the facility so that they are able to do what they do every single day.”

Cast B 2017 put on two shows in Chagrin Valley to benefit the Orange Area Service Committee, a non-profit organization that helps families in need. “We are thrilled with what Up with People has done,” says Chuck.

So long Denver, hello Zionsville, Indiana, USA! The Cast B 2017 World Tour is underway. After their first five weeks in Up with People, the cast left Denver, Colorado early this morning a little sleepy, yet pumped up for all that is in front of them! Over the next 14 weeks their journey will include performances and community action projects in 16 cities across 4 countries. Here’s a link to their world tour schedule, including cites and dates.

The cast has come so far in a short time. They’ve evolved from strangers with a common interest to a tight knit community with a common goal that’s ready to make a difference in the world! The learning curve has been steep, but the journey will be incredible. Check out the video below to see how this cast has come together, growing as global citizens to help make a positive impact on the world.

For more information about Up with People, check out the links below:

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Parent information

The enemy of all travelers far and wide, jet lag can ruin the first days of your trip abroad. 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