Blogging And Technology | Around the World "L"!

2011 in this Travel Empire, and Madrid Night Photos

Blogging and Technology, International Education, Overall Reflection, Spain: Madrid 14 Responses »

Dec 312011

2011 in this Travel Empire, and Madrid Night Photos

Happy New Year from Madrid, Spain!

What a year it’s been, eh? As December 31, 2011 draws to a close, here are some glittering photos of holiday-decorated Madrid, Spain (as snapped last night), along with a kind of “State of the Union” run-down of statistics from this teaching-traveling website empire for 2011. (As always, click blue-highlighted words for related articles.)

2011 IN NUMBERS:

First-person world travel articles written on AroundTheWorldL.com in 2011: 59 Global education interviews and [...Read More!]

A Group Tour of Famous Boston TV and Movie Sites

Blogging and Technology, Great Tourist Attractions, History, Lusciousness, USA: Boston 9 Responses »

Oct 102011

A Group Tour of Famous Boston TV and Movie Sites

The first hint, around 2009, that Boston is becoming a hub for filming big movies was that our Charlestown High school announcements started filling with casting calls for “teenagers with strong Boston accents.”

The next hint was last year when seven giant movie trailers set up shop down the street from my apartment and flocks of locals gathered to catch a glimpse of Mila Kunis filming “Ted.”

But it took a guided group [...Read More!]

On Being Voted Top Travel Blogging Diva of 2010!

Blogging and Technology, Lusciousness, Overall Reflection, Women and Travel 20 Responses »

Jan 062011

On Being Voted Top Travel Blogging Diva of 2010!

Before we left on winter vacation, I forced all my students here in Boston to write Appreciation Cards. We defined an “Appreciation Card” as a letter (decorated nicely) telling someone why you appreciate and admire them.

The power of such a card is massive! We think people around us know how much we care about them and why, but how often do we actually say it? In fact, our loved ones may [...Read More!]

How to Run a Successful International Penpal Exchange

Blogging and Technology, Ghana: Month 3, International Education, Race and Travel, Volunteering and Donating, Youth Creating Change 19 Responses »

Dec 142010

So you dream of global understanding, connection, and communication. What better way to create this than to have students across the world write letters to one another?

Ahh, the romanticized International Penpal Exchange idea: so beautiful and so grand!

And yet, as those of us who have tried it often soon realize… so full of potential mayhem and chaos!

During the three months I volunteered in Sogakope, Ghana, I helped run the Youth Creating [...Read More!]

Weird Warping of Big Holidays During Extended Travel

Blogging and Technology, Cultural Differences, Fashion, History, Overall Reflection 11 Responses »

Oct 312010

It hit me as I was proctoring Study Hall this past Friday, gazing at the sea of sweet Boston students clad as: Lady Gaga, a bumble bee, a red M&M, and a giant Teletubby.

I suddenly realized I had absolutely no memory of what I did for Halloween, 2009.

I racked my brain. My Vietnam visa ran out at the end of October, 2009, so I was likely in Laos on October 31. [...Read More!]

On Mafia Wars Addiction, or: How Blogging Saved Me

Blogging and Technology, Lusciousness, Overall Reflection, Portugal 24 Responses »

Oct 292010

Confession: I used to be a Mafia Wars addict. Like… a REALLY bad Mafia Wars addict.

For those who are blissfully unaware, Mafia Wars is a game through the Zynga platform on Facebook which involves clicking buttons over and over (and over) again to “Do Jobs” and perform “Hits” against other players in order to gain loot and status. It’s brainless. It’s utterly enjoyable. It’s magnetically addictive.

In 2009, before I left America [...Read More!]

My New Second Website: TeachingTraveling.com

Blogging and Technology, International Education, Learning, Volunteering and Donating 10 Responses »

Oct 222010

The happiness of teaching and traveling…

I have just given birth again!

After the successful first year of this delightful, pudgy baby, AroundTheWorldL.com, passion has once again led to creation: my shiny new second site, TeachingTraveling.com!

Allow me to answer some preemptive Frequently Asked Questions about this birth:

Q: What is the difference between AroundTheWorldL.com and TeachingTraveling.com?

A: AroundtheWorldL.com is about me (and students with whom I work closely), following my journeys around the world [...Read More!]

The Cheapest Birthday Gift You'll Ever Give?

Blogging and Technology, Help Make This Site Famous, Overall Reflection 19 Responses »

Oct 072010

The Cheapest Birthday Gift You'll Ever Give?

Today is my 29th birthday! Yay!

Want to give a gift? Help me further expand the readership of this website, which has now cracked the Top 50 mark of the TravelBlogSites.com independent travel blog rankings at #47!

Here are options for how to give this gift:

1. Simply read and comment on an article (or three) among the 400+ on this site! I’ve put a ton [...Read More!]

Back to Boston Public Schools, but the Blog Lives On!

Blogging and Technology, Home After Travel, International Education, Overall Reflection, USA 9 Responses »

Sep 062010

Back to Boston Public Schools, but the Blog Lives On!

Tomorrow, after a year-long Leave of Absence to circumnavigate the globe, I return to being an English teacher in the Boston Public Schools!

I am super, super psyched. A year away has given me massive new appreciation for living in beautiful Boston, for the great people here, and for being a teacher in BPS.

“But,” some of you may be asking now, sniffling slightly, “does this mean the end of this blog?”

No, no, [...Read More!]