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| GLOBAL EXPERIENCE NEWSLETTER |
NOV - DEC 2009
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| STUDENT FEEDBACK CORNER |
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"My homestay family is amazing. They are so friendly and I can learn a lot from them. To live in a homestay is a very good experience."
Janine JOST for Teresa and Graeme SPARK, North Curl Curl |
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GE ADVICE |
Q: Christmas holiday is coming soon and I have a long-term student from Taylors and Charles Sturt. How the payment process is going to be?
A: In order to ensure the payment process is efficient, we advise you to start asking your student about their holiday plan. Some students may not know yet whether they will be leaving the country or not as it all depends on their exam results, but this way, you can plan ahead for your nice Christmas break.
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FROM THE DESK
Happy End of Year from Global Experience!
Thank you for doing such a good job of looking after your students this year. Your warm hearts and kindness to these newcomers to Australia make all the difference.
I'm sure this has been a busy year for all of us. Recently we had our End of the Year Celebration Party. It has been a great success for GE and I'd like to say thank you to all the families that made their way to Collaroy so we could celebrate together. There were a lot of laughs, some speeches and wonderful gifts provided by our associates - Spanish Stone Design, Michelle Richmond, Aroma Ki Day Spa, Unortega designs, Study Group, ACE Manly, Ability College all contributed to share goodwill at Christmas.
On the day we spoke about how quickly the year had passed and as I went through the list I realised why. Some of the things that we did were:
- GE moved into the City
- GE began holding Host Morning Teas and Student Afternoon Teas
- GE won the HKABA Award for NSW Chapter 2009 'Best Export Service'
- Yaneth and Stone joined the GE Team - and we are very happy to have them
- GE's website was updated
- GE did its normal work of finding wonderful hosts and placing students - and there was a lot of that
Many students and institutions are on holidays now and you would think it was a quiet period. This is not the case! We are busy preparing for January which promises to be busy with new terms beginning and eager study tours arriving to 'see' Australia.
We are open over the Christmas period with a skeleton staff if you need to contact us.
We hope that you have a safe and joyous celebration filled with much love and laughter.
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HOST FAMILY OF THE MONTH - TRISH CHIRILLO |
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By Trish Chirillo
I came from an Italian background. My parents travelled by boat for a month then finally arrived in Australia 50 years ago and settled in Leichhardt. There are 3 of us living at home plus a dog named "Baba".
This will be our fifth year as host family. It is so interesting to find out about cultures and other countries' traditions. The students have all been genuine and remained part of our close family.
I personally believe that the main reason why the students are staying for a long term is because of Mom's food. She is known around our neighbourhood for the aroma of her red pasta sauce coming from our house. Of course, we are also nice people!
We've always had communication difficulties with our students when they first arrive, but at the end we've always managed to communicate. You must be patient, talk slowly and clearly. They are young and for most of them, this is their first time away from home. They need to feel like they are part of the family.
We had our first student stayed with us for about 5 years and now she is 28 years old, married and has a little boy. She is like a sister to me. I still remember her first day and we talk about it all the time.
Homestay has taught me that we are all different and need different things but when we come together, we are one.
Global Experience has been great and supportive. They have always been there for us and we really appreciate for all their kind assistance. It has been a wonderful experience working with you all. Thank you for the nomination and Merry Christmas!
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ITALIAN WORLD
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 Italian is the official language of Italy and 93% of population are native Italian speakers. Around 50% of population speak a regional dialect as mother tongue. Many dialects are mutually unintelligible and thus considered by linguists as separate languages, but are not officially recognised.
Italy's public education is free and compulsory from 6-14 years of age. Italy has a high public education standard, beating that of the United Kingdom and Germany.
Appearances matter in Italy. The way you dress indicates your social status and your family's background. First impressions are lasting impressions in Italy thus the concept of 'Bella Figura' or 'good image' is important to Italians.
Fashion is another part of Italian society. Italian designers such as Armani, Prada, Gucci, etc, are considered to be some of the finest in the world. The city of Milan takes its place amongst the most prestigious and important center of fashion in the world. In addition, the Italian fashion magazine, Vogue Italia, is regarded as the world's most prestigious fashion magazine.
 The primary religion in Italy is Roman Catholic. There are more Catholic churches per capita in Italy than in any other countries. Although church attendance is relatively low, the influence of the church is still high. Children are named for a particular saint and celebrate their saint's day as if it were their own birthday. Each trade and profession has a patron saint. The church promulgates hierarcy, which can be seen in all Italian relationships. They respect and defer to those who are older, those who have achieved a level of business success and those who come from well-connected families.
Greetings are enthusiastic yet rather formal. The usual handshake with direct eye contact and a smile suffices between strangers. Once a relationship develops, air kissing on both cheeks, starting with the left is often added as well as a pat on the back between men. Wait until invited to move to a first name basis. As we know, Italians are guided by first impressions so it is important that you demonstrate propriety and respect when greeting people, especially when meeting them for the first time.
A lot of people around the world drink coffee and milk whenever they feel like doing it. In Italy, people use to drink cappuccino - a coffee and milk with addition of milk foam. Please remember that Italians drink coffee for breakfast only. Never ask them to have it in the evening as they really twist their nose when they see someone is doing it.
 In Italy there are bars everywhere. There are many small cities, having about 1,500 inhabitants that have about 20 bars. It happens because drinking in Italy is associated with greetings. When an Italian meet a friend, it's natural to "drink something together". If it happens to serve a drink to someone sit besides you, never turn the jar or the bottle against the natural way of your hand. For example, if you have the jar in your right hand, the glass must be on the left side, otherwise it may bring you bad luck.
In many countries, it is common to eat salad as entree. However in Italy, people eat salad as a side plate for the second dish. Italians respect lunch time. In Italy, usually after 2.30pm the kitchens are all closed and if you go to the restaurants you may only get sandwiches.
Italians trust their food therefore they seem to be afraid of new and different food. They begin to try foreign cuisines when they go outside Italy. Italians also hate when people try to mix other cuisines with Italian. For instance, never add ketchup to a pasta dish.
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HOW YOU CAN HELP AGING SKIN?
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By Suzie Bell
You will age and your skin will age with you. But healthy aging is a natural process, something that can be accepted and embraced. With so many quick fixes out there it's easy to forget the most important element of skin aging and that is skin health.
 You could have a full face lift, eye lift and neck lift at the age of 55 but if after the surgery you continue to abuse your skin, drink a bottle of wine every day, smoke and lie in the sun, how long do you think the effects of that surgery will last? Not long. After all, it's only superficial; just because you had a facelift does not mean your skin will produce more collagen or more elastin. Yes, your skin is pulled tight so you can't see the wrinkles, but for how long?
If you focus on keeping your skin healthy, it will always look good, whether you are 15, 25 or 65. There are two different types of aging. Intrinsic aging is the natural process of physical change over time, it is more about genetics than your lifestyle. This process begins in your mid 20s but will not begin to show on your skin until decades later.
It is premature aging (extrinsic aging) that you can control. Premature aging refers to the unnatural acceleration of the natural aging process. It is induced by daylight exposure and lifestyle choices such as smoking, diet and stress.
The sun is responsible for litany of skin issues and more importantly skin cancer. Scientific studies have shown that repeated ultraviolet exposure breaks down collagen, impairs the skin's ability to repair itself and attacks our elastin. In fact, 90% of premature aging is caused by ultraviolet rays from the sun. The damage cause by these damaging rays can be seen through deep wrinkles, age spots, spider veins, a rough, blotchy complexion and the dreaded 'leathery' look.
 Everyone seems to be aware of the dangers of lying out in the sun and most will use sun protection but it's daily exposure to these UV rays that we should be equally aware of as cumulative damage will also cause extensive damage. Fifteen minute walks outside and occassional outdoors can add up to weakened collagen and elastin and of course skin cancer. Remember that if you don't see pink or red skin after being in the sun, that doesn't mean that the damage hasn't been done.
Skin is the first place to be effected by lack of sleep. The immediate effects of exhaustion are represented through dark circles under the eyes and sagging skin. Stress is inevitable, just like aging. It also contributes to premature aging. Often when we are stressed we furrow our brow, place our hands on our faces and pull it in every which way and direction and twist our faces around, performing repetitive movements that impart permanent damage.
Cold winds and low temperatures can dry out skin, depriving it of balanced levels of sebum (oil) that keeps skin lubricated. Without these oils, skin becomes dry and is more prone to premature aging because of the lack of protective oils.
Lack of exercise can contribute to prematurely aging skin, as exercise keeps muscles toned and stimulates blood flow. A poor diet leads to a lack of nutrition for the cells and possible exposure to chemicals and preservatives. Fried and burnt food can also cause oxidation, leading to weaker cell structure.
Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop wrinkled, leathery skin, as well as yellowish hue in their complexions. And even if you are not a smoker, being around a smoker can still cause damage to your skin.
 If the sun is your skin's worst enemy then sun protection is your first line of defence. Exfoliation will also help to remove dulling skin cells from the skin's surface while improving penetration of beneficial ingredients. There are many different types of exfoliant available but the most effective form for reducing the appearance of the signs of aging is an alpha hydroxy acid based exfoliant. With this type of exfoliant you apply it as you would as a masque, leave it on your skin for approximately 10 minutes and then remove.
Emollients (such as Shea Butter and Organic Silicones) will help maintaining soft, smooth, pliable skin and will act as a lubricant, helping to reduce flaking and moisture loss while improving appearance.
It has also been scientifically proven that topically-applied vitamins do improve the health of the skin. Vitamin A helps inhibit collagen breakdown while stimulating collagen production, vitamin B aids in wound healing, vitamin C is an antioxidant that inhibits melanin and vitamin E is an antioxidant that provides a barrier protection while smoothing the skin.
Finally it is imperative to recognize the success of your skin treatments will be heavily influenced by your professionally prescribed at-home regimen and the wearing of sunscreen anytime the skin is exposed to daylight. It is important not to use hot water when cleansing, do not use excessive movements (instead go for gentle, upward circles), keep your surrounding temperature as moderate as possible and stay away from products that contain artificial fragrances or colours.
You can also ask your beauty therapist for skin care products that contain peptides. It acts as cellular messengers that regulate cell repair while stimulating collagen production. It also helps improve skin elasticity and tone while fighting the appearance of fine lines. |
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH - AMARETTO
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Ingredients
1 Vanilla bean, split, seeds scrapped
250 grams mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup (125ml) amaretto liqueur plus 1 tablespoon for the mascarpone
6 seedless oranges (such as navels), scrubbed
1 1/4 cups (275g) caster sugar
1. Combine vanilla seeds, mascarpone and 1 tablespoon amaretto in a bowl. Cover and chill while you prepare the oranges.
2. Trim the ends of the oranges, then using a peeler, carefully pare orange rind, being sure not to remove any of the white pith with the rind. Stack little piles of the pared rind and strips on top of one another (about 4 at a time) and using a sharp knife, cut lengthways into very thin strips. Set aside.
3. Using a sharp knife, remove and discard the white pith from the oranges. Slice each orange across into 1cn thick rounds then stack the slices to reform their original shape and place on a large serving platter.
4. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Add rind and simmer for 1 minute, drain, then repeat process to remove the bitterness. Place the sugar and 1/2 cup (125 ml) water in a saucepan over low heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then increase the heat to medium high and simmer for 5 minutes or slightly syrupy.
5. Add the blanched orange zest and cook for 3 minutes then add the 1/2 cup (125 ml) amaretto. Cool completely.
6. To serve, remove the candied rind from the syrup and pile on top of the oranges. Pour over the syrup and serve with the vanilla mascarpone.
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"Joy can be real only if people look on their life as a service, and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their personal happiness"
- Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy - |
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