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| GLOBAL EXPERIENCE NEWSLETTER | DEC '12/JAN '13 |
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| STUDENT FEEDBACK CORNER | |
"I feel that I'm one of the family's members at my homestay. I play sports
with them and I will never forget my experience."
- Xiao Hua Zhou for Anita and Adolfo Ortega -
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| HOMESTAY HOST INSURANCE-PLUS | |
The homestay Host Insurance-Plus cover is AUD $100 or $110 per year depending on the cover option selected, including all statutory charges, premium and brokerage.
You are not limited in the number of students you can host during the insurance year - only one confirmation of cover each year.
When you register with this insurance, please quote reference as follows:
AUS01
For further info please visit:
www.homestayhostinsuranceplus.com |
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TRANZFERS - FOREX Service
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Global Experience has recently commenced a relationship with TRANZFERS a global foreign exchange specialist. They offer extremely competitive rates of exchange and lower fees than you would see with banks and other providers, so your money goes further.
By using TRANZFERS you will enjoy;
- No receiving bank fees in most countries
- Extremely competitive foreign exchange rates across 52 currencies
- Online access 24/7
- Access to a dedicated Dealer by phone 24-hours a day, 5 days a week
- Easy to use online platform
- Exchange rate alerts via email
- Access to their highly regarded daily and weekly "Market Commentary"
Global Experience clients can use TRANZFERS for:
- Paying international student fees;
- Paying for loans and investments
- Purchasing property internationally;
- Transferring money to family members;
To speak to one of their accredited dealers about your overseas transfers call +612 8667 8000 (1300 300 424 in Australia; 0845 686 1950 in the UK; 1800 680 0750 in Canada or 0800 161 868 in NZ) or register
online.
Registering with them is FREE and you can access your account immediately. Alternatively you can contact Barry McNeill directly on +61 2 8667 8055 or barry@tranzfers.com
Register now and as a client of Global Experience you will receive your first two transactions fee FREE. https://www.tranzfers.com/
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F R O M O U R D E S K
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As I write this message, on the last week before our Christmas break, it's the perfect time to make a quick review of this fast paced 2012, the year that has almost gone.
This has been a very full on year, in my personal and in our business lives. Big challenges in health brought our family closer than ever and thanks God my dear husband is getting stronger and healthier by the day. GE had a slow start on the first half of the year in comparison to other years and the second half has found us busier and very optimistic, we are now welcoming larger number of students, new colleges and agents on board and a very promising 2013 in front of us.
A special 'THANKS' to the good work done by everyone during 2012. We have had a great year full of miracles and with the support and dedication received from hosts, partner colleges, agents and our unique team we are all moving forward into more exciting times.
I take this opportunity to invite families to put their names down to host students during the next few months, as many of our partner colleges will have major intakes, we will be receiving many more students. Also as per tradition, this is the Study Tour season so if you have a room available please contact us a.s.a.p. so we can allocate a student or two for you to host.
On this issue, we are pleased to nominate Vanessa and Rodney Arnold as "Hosts of the Month". They are a very loving and caring couple, dedicating a lot of their time to unconditionally serving in our community and also making time to hosting students. They are culturally sensitive due to their own background and experiences. Their love for family time and passion for food makes them a favourite of many students. Congratulations to this special host family!
We have recently commenced a relationship with TRANZFERS a global foreign exchange specialist, please read below information and if it helps you, please feel free to use the service. As you all know we are always in the look out for products to assist our clients further.
EVERYONE HAVE A SAFE, HAPPY AND FULL OF LOVE AND LAUGHTER HOLIDAY SEASON AND MAY 2013 BRING ALL THAT YOU DESIRE AND MORE.
Until next issue
Sonia Ortega
Managing Director
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HOST FAMILY OF THE MONTH - VANESSA & RODNEY ARNOLD
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by Vanessa Arnold
I'm originally from England and Rodney is from India. We have made our life in this beautiful country Australia and have two beautiful daughters, Vara and Sara. Vara lives in England and works for a prestigious top travel agency. Sara lives in Collaroy and is a graphic artist; she's getting married in February 2013. I am also an artist and work as an Educator for Warringah Council in Children Services. Rodney has retired from Australian Chauffeured Limousines Services and is a volunteer for St. Vincent De Paul's and a Catechist, teaching at Allambie Public High School. We have been hosting since my daughter started learning Japanese in High School when she was fifteen years old; now that she's 28 years old I'd say that we've been hosting for fourteen years. We love meeting all the different nationalities and interested in their cultures and cuisines. I have taken an interest in trying to make their popular dishes and learn some of their language. Homestay has also taught us that people from all parts of the world are just like us in many ways. I think some of the reasons why the students have been enjoying their stay with us are due to our approachable personalities and my cooking skills. Rodney has always got something funny to tell them whilst I enjoy cooking a variety of meals which they always complement me on. They say "Vanessa, it feels like sitting in a restaurant." We always have one or two students and all get along well and enjoy having conversations at dinner time and other times. We enjoy each others company and have a lot of fun together. Sometimes we introduce them to card and board games. We think it is important to make the students feel secure, safe and comfortable. To understand their needs and wants and making them feel like one of the family members. We also manage to keep in touch with our past students. We receive Christmas cards from many of our students from all over the world and thank you cards with some photos. Some of them also invited us to stay with them in their own countries.
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POLISH WORLD
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 Polish is the official language of Poland. It is spoken by most of the 38 million inhabitants of Poland. There are also some native speakers of Polish in Western Belarus and Ukraine as well as in Eastern Lithuania. Polish has the second largest number of speakers among Slavic languages after Russian. It is the main representative of the Lechitic branch of the West Slavic languages. The Polish language originated in the areas of present day Poland from several local Western Slavic dialects, most notably those spoken in Greater Poland and Lesser Poland. It shares some vocabulary with the languages of the neigbouring Slavic nations, most notably with Slovak, Czech, Ukranian and Belarusian.
Poland is pretty much ethnically homogenous. Ukranian, Belorussian, Slovakian and Lithuanian minorities reside along the borders. A German minority is concentrated near the southwest city of Opole. The capital and other cities are expecting some inward migration from foreigners.
 Religion plays an important role in the Polish society and is deeply intertwined with Polish culture. Religious holidays are considered national holidays when most businesses are closed. The most important holiday is Christmas and celebrations last two and a half days. Poles practice "dzielenie oplatkiem" which is the breaking and sharing of a thin white wafer (oplatek) with all family members. While sharing the wafer, individuals express wishes of good health and prosperity for the coming year. This is also commonly practised at work Christmas parties and is very much a part of Polish culture. Another religious holiday of note is All Saints' Day which takes place on November 1st.
The family is the centre of the social structure. One's obligation is to the family first and foremost. Extended families are still the norm and really form an individual's social network. Poles draw a line between their inner circle and outsiders. Family members are naturally part of the inner circle along with close friends, usually "family friends". Poles will interact differently with their inner circle and outsiders. The inner circle forms the basis of a person's social and business network. The people from the inner circle can be relied upon to offer advice, help find a job, cut through bureaucracy or even rent an apartment.
 In Poland, you need to address people by their honorific title. "Pan" for a man and "Pani" for a woman and their surname. Do not use first names until invited to. Moving from the use of formal to the informal names is such an important step that there is a ritual to acknowledge the changed status and your inclusion in their inner circle.
When giving gifts make sure you do not give gifts that are overly expensive; this may embarass the recipient. If invited to a Pole's home for dinner, bring wine, flowers, pastries or sweets for the hostess. Give an odd number of flowers. Do not give yellow chrysanthemums as they are used for funerals. Do not give red or white flowers, especially carnations and lilies. Gifts are generally opened when received.
 Polish cuisine and dining table etiquette is a perfect reflection of the warmth in the Polish character. Having a meal with one's family is not just consumption of food - it is celebration. Guests are always welcomed. Breakfasts are generally heavy with vegetables and cold cuts of meat. Dinners, even more so. Only suppers are a tad lighter, perhaps keeping in toe with the universal proverb. After dinner rest a while, after supper walk a mile. The Poles are the original potato eaters and potatoes have been the darling of the Polish kitchens through centuries. Meat is also a mainstay (cold cuts and sausages mainly) and grilling is more or less ceremoniously at the country home, in the garden or on the front lawn.
Literary and artistic figures have played a major role in public life throughout Poland's history. Poles are reputed to be avid readers and can be said to have a keen interests in the arts. Polish writers and filmmakers in particular are internationally renowned. Poland has a lively cultural scene with around 280 arts festivals taking place across the country covering all types of music, film, video, theater and the visual arts. Poles are particularly keen on jazz music with around 30 jazz festivals taking place each year.
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SOME INTERESTING FACTS ON EASTERN EUROPEAN NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATION - FOOD AND FUN RING
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 Lucky Foods
* Fish, especially those with silver scales are thought to symbolize money. Pickled herring are a must for Poles at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve.
* Greens, usually cabbage, are associated with money and thus thought to bring good fortune. Eating cabbage probably worked its way into New Year lore because it is a late fall crop and the best way to preserve it for the winter was by turning it into sauerkraut. Brining cabbage typically takes six to eight weeks and would be perfect to eat around New Year. Sauerkraut's long strands also symbolize long life.
* Legumes, lentils and peas also symbolize money as their appearance resembles coins that swell when cooked.
 * Poppyseeds are considered a lucky food in Poland so you will find them throughout the cuisine and especially on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. * Pork's rich fat content symbolizes wealth and prosperity. Pork is also considered a symbol of progress because pigs root forward. Spit roasted pig is common as in roast pork loin, sausages and more. The tradition of eating pork probably has more to do with slaughter times than ensuring good fortune.
* RIng-shaped foods like cookies, doughnuts and bagels symbolize the year coming full circle and represents eternity.
What Not to Eat
Lobster and crab are considered bad luck because they move backwards and could lead to setbacks. Chicken is also a no-no because they scratch backward and eating any winged fowl is not recommended because this could portend one's good luck flying away.
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MAKING NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS COUNT
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 If you're like most people, you've probably experienced the sudden burst of motivation that comes in early January, as holiday indulgences make their way to the waistline and New Year's resolutions force a new look at the figure we see in the mirror.
"This is the year", so the resolution goes, "that I vow to lose ten pounds and keep it off". Other common variations include goals to get back to one's "true" weight, to fit into a size ten, etc.
And worthy resolutions they are. Sadly, New Year's resolutions are notoriously short-lived, if not completely forgotten by February. The trick to making resolutions work is to follow the same steps required to make any goal work, as follows:
1. Choose the Right Resolution
For all too many resolutions, failure is virtually assured at the offset because the resolutions are not made with serious intent and deliberation. The first trick is to choose the right resolution for the right reasons.
 Give some thought to what you really want and why you want it. What direct benefits do you hope to receive? Is a weight loss resolution meant to improve your self esteem? Attractiveness? Vitality? Longevity? Identifying the "why" helps you avoid setting goals that are difficult, but not so difficult that we don't believe they can be accomplished.
Next, decide how difficult to make your resolution. Aiming high generally makes people try harder. Optimal performance comes from goals that are difficult but no so difficult that we don't believe they can be accomplished.
Finally, be specific about your resolution and make it official. Being specific means phrasing the goal in words that make it obvious whether or not the goal has been completed by a specific date. A resolution "to lose 15 pounds by April 30th" is much more effective that ambiguously phrased goal "to lose weight".
Once you've decided on the wording, finally commit. At a minimum, write the goal down on paper. For even more commitment, look yourself in the mirror and state the goal out loud. This may sound corny but it works. The important thing to remember that resolution is fundamentally a commitment to yourself. make the commitment formal. The more ceremonious the better.
 2. Create a Plan
Most resolutions fail because people stop once they've made the resolution. It is crucial to harness New Year's temporary motivation into something that will carry you through an extended period of required effort.
Upon clarifying the exact goal that you are setting, next create a plan for how you intend to accomplish your goal. With any reasonably good plan, you are fairly likely to make significant progress or actually accomplish your goal. Without a plan, you are very unlikely to succeed.
The key to constructing a good plan is to identify the exact steps that you will take toward accomplishing your goal and assigning due dates to those steps. Coming up with a comprehensive list of steps is not easy for everyone. If you encounter difficulty, the solution is to get help such as hiring a personal trainer or talking to a good friend, which helps to identify all of the obstacles that stand between them and their desired goal. Once the obstacles have been identified it is fairly easy for anybody to generate a comprehensive to do list for accomplishing the goal.
3. Stay on Track
With a good plan in hand, making significant progress toward your goal may require very little discipline for those who live strictly by daily planners and love nothing more than checking off items on our to do list.
But for those of us who can use a little help with staying on top of details, the answer, once again, is to seek outside help. The idea is to find some external thing that keeps you motivated, such as a personal fitness trainer, a good friend or myGoals.com's email task reminders.
 4. Remain Flexible and Keep on Going
A recent realization among goal-setting experts is the need to continually modify our approach - sometimes even changing or abandoning a goal altogether. The reason for this is that circumstances beyond our control frequently crop up at the most unexpected and inconvenient times. We can also expect our short-term and long-term priorities to change. So long as we build flexibility into our expectations, we can simply adjust things as we go.
It is therefore best to periodically reevaluate our goals and plans, perhaps once per quarter for a year long goal such as a New Year's resolution. First, make certain that the goal itself still exactly reflects what you want to do. If it's not, adjust it.
Next, go through your plan and identify any portions that aren't working well, even if it is simply means giving yourself more time to complete a particular task or milestone. Keep in mind that missed due dates do not necessarily indicate a problem with your performance, it might simply mean that your plan was too aggressive or that your environment has changed in some unexpected fashion. Either way, simply adjust your plan and continue onward.
Finally, the flip side of setting difficult resolutions is that you must remember to acknowledge partial success. Losing 15 pounds is cause for celebration even if your original goal was to lose 20 pounds. If you are just one step closer to your goal, then you are better off than before you began. Pat yourself on the back and keep on going.
(Source: mygoals.com) |
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RECIPE OF THE MONTH - POLISH POPPY SEED ROLL
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Makes: 3 poppy seed rolls
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cook time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
Dough
* 25 grams active dry yeast or 60 grams fresh yeast
* 1/2 cup full fat sour cream
* 580 grams all purpose flour
* 200 grams softened butter
* 3 large egg yolks
* 1 large whole egg
* 1 cup sugar
Poppy Seed Filling
* 390 grams poppy seeds
* 200 grams softened butter
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 1 cup light raisins
* 5 large egg yolks
* 1 cup sweet whole berry cherry preserves
* 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
* 2 tablespoons canola oil or softened butter or lard
* 5 large stiffly beaten egg whites
Preparation:
To make the dough:
In a small bowl, mix the yeast with the sour cream. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the flour, butter, egg yolks, whole egg and sour cream yeast mixture until well mixed. Gather into a ball. Fill a deep bowl with enough cold water to cover the dough ball by several inches and drop it in.
When the dough ball rises to the surface (it usually takes about 20 minutes), remove it from the water and dry it off slightly with paper towels. Place back in the mixing bowl and add the 1 cup sugar until well combined.
Divide the dough into 3 pieces and roll each out on parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thick. Spread the filling.
To make the filling:
Place poppy seeds in a large bowl and pour boiling water over to soften for 20 minutes. Drain and grind poppy seeds in a mortar and pestle or poppy seed grinder.
Place ground poppy seeds in a large bowl and add 200 grams softened butter, 2/3 cup sugar, raisins, 5 egg yolks, cherry jam, almond extract and oil. Mix well. Fold in egg whites.
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Using the parchment paper as an aid, roll the dough away from you until you have a cylinder. Wrap this same parchment paper loosely around the roll. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Place 3 poppy seeds cylinder on baking sheet, spaced 2 inches apart. Let rise 30 minutes in a warm place. Bake 50 minutes. Cool in paper on the pan. Cut paper away, slice and serve.
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"An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves."
- Bill Vaughan -
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