Planning for Bicultural

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Patricia Thao

Bicultural awareness has come a long way to spread correct and informative information of all kinds of people. It involved in many active programs, campaigns, community involvements, and organizations to spread positive cultural awareness messages. There are still many goals to reach and many of them involves planning. Here are some ways that bicultural awareness has changed society:

Language is a huge part of any culture. Schools used to offer limited language programs for students and the two most typical languages are Spanish and French. Although both of the languages are spoken by many people, it is great to see schools adapting with time and are offering a wide variety of language classes. There are even classes available to native speakers who needs more of a writing or speaking focus.
Food is another major part of cultures. All kinds of ethnic ingredients has been available for a long time, but it took a while for other people to explore them. Through new ways of technologies such as social media, all kinds of food are being promoted, consume, and are more accepted than to be seen as ‘weird’.
Any art form is a major opportunity for people to participate in a culture. Popular dances such as salsa, tap dance, hip hop, and more, has allowed all kinds of people to enjoy and share experiences and similar interests. And other artistic forms such as singing, painting, and
Exchange, study abroad, and international schools have become more prevalence compared to the past. Students are able to learn in another country or attend classes with international students. This is a great way for encouraging diversity among peers, bilingualism, active bicultural living, and hearing from different perspectives.

These are just a few great changes that bicultural awareness and influences has helped shaped society to become more accepting and adaptable to other kinds of people. Although there are still many improvements and goals to achieve, it has come a long way to help people realize that our differences should be embraced and celebrated tother.

Fun Facts About Bicultural Dances

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Patricia Thao

An important part of many cultures is dancing. Dancing allows self expression, it offers entertainment and knowledge, it helps with connecting with other people, and while exercising the body. Dances come in many forms and gives information about its culture, history, and influences.

In Thailand, Khon is dance that has a mixture of drama, art, stories, acting, music, martial arts, and singing. It is known to have portray many stories such as folktales, legends, and such. The dancers wear decorative masks, make up, and use precise dance forms to perform for the audience.
During the Joseon dynasty in Korea, the fan dance was created, which encompasses group dance, traditional music and Hanbok clothing, and beautiful decorative fans. The fan dance is usually perform by a group of females and it is focused on graceful movements.
India is big country with many outside and neighboring influences, which has helped developed many forms of dancing from different regions. One of them is called Bharata Natyam and it is considered to be the oldest surviving classical dance style. It came from Tamil Nadu (a South India state) and was created from temple dancers. It is a mixture of colorful traditional clothes, dance, music, and expressive movements.
In Japan, there is a dance called Bon Dori and it is to welcome and show appreciation to their ancestors. It is a simple dance that anyoen can learn and is often perform by a group of people (anyone can join along). This type of dance usually occurs during Bon week (in August) where it is a festive and celebration week.

Introduction to Japanese Lifestyle

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Patricia Thao

Have you ever wonder how other kinds of people live their life on a daily basis? It is a great way to explore and learn a bit more of what life is like from different perspectives. Today’s focus will be on the Japanese lifestyle.

Bowing is a prevalant custom in many Asian cultures that shows respect towards others. It is ingrain in people to do so for strangers, elderly, friends, families, and respected people.
Slurping while eating noodle dishes is a good sign and it is not considered rude like in other cultures. It shows that you are enjoying your meal.
Eating alone at home or at restaurants in Japan is very normal. Although some other people may see as odd, Japanese people see it as having alone time with yourself.
There are many Japanese holidays, but some of the most famous ones are Valentine’s Day, Children’s Day, Coming of Age, and Christmas. The Japanese culture has incorporated many influences into their cultures from other Asian and Western cultures.
Ever wonder why so much people in Japan wear masks while doing daily tasks? Due to health concerns such as allergy, people wear them to prevent them from getting sick.
Karaoke is a fun way to let people’s wall down, have food and drinks, and sing without trying to be a pro. The karaoke entertainment is widely available in many Asian countries because of it’s popularity. It is not uncommon that group of co-workers or friends go out together to karaoke together.
In Japan, it is very important to properly address someone based on their position as it is another custom of respect. It can also tell how superior or elderly someone is and how close they are to each other. This type of custom also exsist in other cultures.

These are just a few glimpse into the Japanese lifestyle. There are more customs, traditions, and holidays that the Japanese culture has. The more interested you are about another culture, the more you will learn from them.

Postcard of the Week: Bicultural Healthy Living

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Patricia Thao

The spread of cultural awareness, acceptance, and knowledge has continue to rise as society become more open towards different kinds of people. Today we celebrate all kinds of things; such as holidays, ethnic identities, and more. Embracing our differences is what brings people together. Here are some ways you can experience different cultures:

Eat ethnic food! It’s fun, fast,y and will allow you to really test your palate. Also, it’s easy to access (global markets, groceries, restaurants) or make on your own.
Research about or attend a museum dedicated to the group. It’ll help give you historical, cultural, and facts about the culture you’re interested in.
Interact with people from those cultures! Best experience for you to understand another culture on a deeper level is talk to the people from that culture. They can give you more information that you wouldn’t find by yourself.
Listen to their music! Most likely that another culture may speak a different language or the same, but with a bit of difference. Listening to their music can give you an understanding what they like, value, and how they celebrate.
Understand their native environment! It has a lot to do with how the group developed and use their environment in terms of their food, clothes, housing, hunting, traditions, and more.

Active Dancing

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Patricia Thao

Dancing is a great way to exercise, maintain one’s weight, lose weight, and learn new ways to move the body. You can do it alone or with your friends or in a group. There are many varieties of dance forms that you can try. Also, there are many ways to access them today through online, programs, classes, friends, and more. Here are some dance forms to try:

Hip hop dancing is a great way to lose body weight because it involves moving all the muscles in your body. It has a lot of jumping, leg and arm movements, and body strength. Many moves are improvise and can be self taught or taught by others.
Traditional dancing differs from culture to culture. Some are focused on graceful movements, others focus on precision, but all of them requires the body to exercise. Traditional dancing combines knowledge, history, culture, and exercise, which is another great way to part of something and is healthy for the body.
Jazz dancing is a classical dance form, but nowadays, there are modern versions of it as well. Jazz is often includes groups of people more than individuals, but one person can dance to it too. Jazz dance even has their own music to dance to, jazz music.
Tap dance involves using using the feet to tap the metal part of the shoes to make percussion like noises. This dance is put into two categories: rhythm (jazz) tap and Broadway tap. Rhythm tap is focus on the music and Broadway tap is focused on the dance. Either way, this dance form is fun to try and a great way to move your legs.

There are many other dance forms not mentioned, but here are a just a few options out there. It is really up to you to decide which one suits you best. It doesn’t mean you have to stick with one dance form, you should always try different things. Have fun exercising and dancing!

Is this a balanced Asian meal?

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Patricia Thao

According to www.ChooseMyPlate.gov., a balanced meal is one that contains appropriate selections from the five major food groups. The five major groups are fruits, vegetables, meat, grain, and dairy. By eating balance meals and snacks, you are able to get the most out of your daily 2500 calories intake. This helps with dieting and healthy eating choices.

By using the picture above as an example will help make this concept easier to understand.

Chicken is a leaner meat than pork and beef. When it’s roasted or fried, the meat tends to be a bit fatty and oily. Removing the skin can help avoid consuming excess fat.
There is a variety of vegetables in this meal such as sweet potatoes, carrots, ginger, and Chinese bok choy. If veggies aren’t a favorite of yours, eat them as side dishes or add in them with other ingredients like a stir fry dish.
The egg tart contains foods such as egg, sugar, milk, and flour. And many other kinds of deserts often contain the same ingredients that comes from the grain and dairy groups.
The sugar coated nuts are another type of desert. Instead of eating this with the meal, it can be eaten as a snack. Not all, but some contain protein, potassium, iron, and much more. Just be aware not to consume too much of them because some can have more saturated fats than good benefits.

So overall, this Asian meal is majorly balance. Instead of consuming the sweets, trading in other healthy alternatives such as rice, yogurt, fruits, wheat based bread, and more can make it more balanced. Deserts and snacking can be treated as time for eating fruit instead of eating salty, oily, and highly saturated fat foods. And remember that drinking many water is the best way to hydrate your body (without the calories) compared to drinking pop, juice, sparking water, or other type of drinks.

NRC Recognizes National Nutrition Month

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Patricia Thao

March is recognized as national nutrition month! This month focuses on healthy eating and living. The goal is encourage people to maintain a balance lifestyle between exercising and eating. Obesity is still a problem in the U.S. as less people are being active and consuming more than they should. Obesity affects many different kinds of people from all sort of age groups.

If you are still keeping your new year’s resolution or looking for simple ways to be healthier, here are some quick tips onto how:

Avoid fast food companies, junk food, and anything that is high in calories. Although the price might be cheaper, but what you are getting in return is more calories than necessary. Look for foods with simple ingredients, low calories, and organic is always a plus!
Eat seasonal fruits and veggies. The best to consume fruits and veggies is when they are in their season. Most likely that fruits and veggies will be cheaper at this time so take advantage of it!
“Replace fats like bacon grease and butter with olive or canola oil” – http://reachcoalition.org/
Cook your own food. It doesn’t get any better than knowing what is and how much is in your food. Whether it’s fried chicken, a burger, or a stir fry dish, it’s a lot healthier to eat compared to eating out or ordering fast food.
Work out as much as you can or maintain a exercise schedule. Even a little exercise can help you lose calories and destress. If you are able to keep up your own schedule, mixing up exercise methods can help you avoid boredom and still be productive.

References and pictures are from: http://reachcoalition.org/

Follow the fight against obesity at CDCObesity and theweightofthenation.

Working Together

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Patricia Thao

There are many ways to work together whether it is at school, at work, or with friends. Being part of group means there will be more ideas and opinions on different projects. Here are some effective tips to work as a team:

Make sure everyone gets to participate. It isn’t a teamwork without everyone’s effort. Whether you are a listener, follower, or a leader, it is best that everyone had a chance to be part of the group.
Be open minded and respectful of others. Chances are that your group mates may not share or like the same idea that you have. That’s okay because everyone has different opinions and ideas. Just don’t take it personally. It’s not about what one person, but what the entire group wants.
Assign roles to your team members. If you’re a leader or just want to help make things progress a little bit smoother, giving everyone a role will help a lot. For example, roles like a recorder, a writer, a speaker, etc. This help the group to not procrastinate and instead, becoming productive.
Make a goal. There must be something the group want to achieve out of working together. Finalizing a goal can help the group members imagine the results they want to see.
Take it on step by step. Working together is about taking steps and progressing as a team together. It can be from working on the deadlines, being organize, meeting a requirement, or more. Don’t rush into anything and make sure that everyone is on the same page.

Remember that working together is doing almost everything as a team. It’s not about following one person’s lead, but a team agreeing on one thing. Although there will be moments where each member has their on individual tasks needed to be done, it is the group work that will count at the end.

Risks of Tobacco Use

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Patricia Thao

We should always help educate youth about tobacco use and its risks. One of the many reasons why is because many people die each year due to using or smoking or being exposed to tobacco. According to www.cdc.gov, more than 480,000 deaths occur annually (including deaths from secondhand smoke). Here are some risks of tobacco exposure:

Being second handy exposed to tobacco can cause you to develop health risks as a normal person using tobacco
Tobacco can increase the risk of cancer which can form in most of your organs. The highest death rates are found in patients who developed lung and heart cancer.
Nicotine is found in cigarettes and it is proven to be an addictive substance (http://www.drugabuse.gov). A stimulant can make the user feel adrenaline and become more alert. In this case, cigarettes can do the same and even produce a calming effect on the user.
Many youths are influenced to use or smoke tobacco due to their social environments such as peers, families, stress, genetics, and more.

Comparing the lungs between a non smoker to a smoker, you can see the drastic difference in their health and conditions.

http://www.drugabuse.gov/

One of the best thing to do is avoid using or being exposed to tobacco. Don’t let anyone influence you to put yourself at risk. As a growing person, you may be influence to make decisions that you personally don’t want to. So be aware of who is a positive and negative influence in your life. Sometimes the best thing to do is just say “No”.

Postcard of the week: “Peace Of Mind”

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Patricia Thao

Being at peace is truly a relaxing experience. But we are all busy with our own schedules and stress can get the best of us. So whenever you can, do something positive for yourself and just enjoy your life as it is now. We weren’t created just to work, but do things that we find happiness in also.

Go somewhere where you can enjoy the view, become surrounded by nature, read a inspiring book, take a walk or a drive around the block, or take a nice bubble bath. Some quiet time can allow you to process and think on a deeper level. You will have a better understanding of your situations and life.
Have a partner or friend or a family member to go somewhere or talk with you. Having someone to talk to can help you better understand issues you have and want to solve. Most importantly, having someone listen to you is very comforting.
Interact with animals can help you de-stress and forget about your worries. They offer you warmth, curiosity, and entertainment. If you have a pet yourself, even better. If you don’t, you can go visit a local zoo or aquarium or a pet store.

Most importantly, take every day as a chance to improve and to become a better you. Every day is a opportunity to do something for others, ourselves, and for the greater good.

Bicultural Healthy Living

A Balanced Approach to a Bicultural Healthy Life

Author Archives: Patricia Thao