A Volunteering Vacation offers the Ultimate Cultural Experience (ARA)

A growing number of travelers are finding that volunteer trips not only add purpose to their lives, they also provide an insider’s view of the local people, their culture and the places that few tourists ever enjoy.

Brian Boyle, of Santa Barbara, Calif., is one such volunteer. He spent three weeks helping build four Habitat for Humanity homes in the west-African country of Ghana and is going to Romania this year. “You go with the intention of changing people’s lives, but more often than not you come back changed yourself,” he says.

As interest in volunteering abroad has increased, so have the opportunities. So how do you find the right volunteer trip for you? One way is to check with social, religious, environmental, or other groups that are aligned with your interests or beliefs. Such organizations as Habitat for Humanity and the American Red Cross rely on volunteers in their international efforts. Another route is via agencies that specialize in volunteer trips, such as Cross Cultural Solutions, United Planet Quests and One Small Planet.

These agencies may offer a wider range of work opportunities than any one interest group, with a large selection of locations and time frames. You may also find an international volunteer opportunity through your place of worship or even your employer. Many churches sponsor members on trips to aid people in need overseas, and some companies provide employees with time off for volunteer trips and may even help with expenses.

Before you sign up for an overseas volunteer trip, research the sponsor thoroughly to ensure that you’ll be safe and supported throughout your experience. Specifics to review include program costs and terms, references from former volunteers, political stability in the country you’re considering, type of lodging and sleeping arrangements provided, provisions for plenty of safe food and water, provisions for security at the work site, and access to telephones or other modes of communication.
Courtesy of ARA Content.

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Why Your Kids Need to Experience Summer Camp (ARA) – Summer is here, and parents around the country are facing the same dilemma: What should we do to keep the kids busy this summer?

Why not sign your kids up for summer camp? At their recent annual conference, members of the American Camp Association (ACA) discussed some of the reasons today’s parents are not exploring that option as readily as their own parents did.

ACA members identified a number of causes:
-over-protective parents
-fears about their child’s safety
-injury or teasing
-fixation on materialism over nature
-over-scheduling of sports
-lessons and other programs near home
-tolerance of more and more video games, cell phones and hand-held computers

In response to parents' hesitation to look to a camp experience as a viable part of youth development, the ACA has introduced its "Partnering With Parents" campaign. It seeks to reassure parents that providing their children with a community of caring adults who will nurture experiential education will ultimately pay off by helping children build what the ACA calls the "Four C's": compassion, contribution, commitment and character.

For years, campers' parents have reported that when their children return home from camp they are more caring, understand the importance of giving, are more equipped to stand up for what they know is right, and are willing to be more responsible. These are qualities that will help build a successful nation and a civil society. Parents interested in more information on summer camps can contact the American Camp Association at www.acacamps.org Courtesy of ARA Contents.

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When Work has Dried Out (Your Eyes) (ARA)

If you are one of the 77 million computer users in the United States, chances are you occasionally suffer from tired and burning eyes, dry eyes, headaches, double or blurred vision, color distortion, eye strain or a loss of vision focus.

And, if you are one of the millions of people who wear contact lenses, your symptoms can be even worse and more frequent. What you may not realize is that some of these symptoms of what is called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) may be alleviated thanks to recent improvements in contact lens care and eye care. “When people use computers, their blinking rate slows down dramatically,” says Dr. Jenny Smythe of the Pacific University College of Optometry. “Less blinking means less natural tears across the surface of the eyes. This dryness is a contributing factor to CVS.”

Dr. Smythe suggests following these tips to protect yourself from developing CVS:

Take a Break
You should take frequent rests, approximately every 15 to 30 minutes to avoid eyestrain – even if it’s just looking away from your computer and focusing on something else in the distance.”

Fix Your Workspace
The American Optometric Association advises workers to keep computer monitors 16 to 30 inches from your eyes and tilted at a 10 to 20 degree angle. The top of the monitor should sit horizontally at eye level. A good anti-glare filter can further reduce the chances of developing CVS.

Lighten Up
Be aware of the lighting in the workspace. Office spaces are often too bright and fluorescent lighting should be avoided when possible. Use desk lamps to help soften the contrast of lighting and monitor brightness. Courtesy of ARA Content.

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"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die, but long after we are gone be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistence."

- Daniel Hudson Burnhame

Dear Flabby,
I'm about 20 lbs overweight, and I'm 13. Any ideas is this will go away or should I work on it?

Terry. - San Clemente, CA

Dear Terry,

Thanks for the info... Are you female, male, active, etc? It sounds like every teen thinks they are fat, especially girls. Knowing what little I do about your situation I would suggest you stay the course, get at least 30 minutes per day of "breathe hard" excercise in and avoid fast foods.

( send your question to dearflabby@prosnack.com )

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