Topics

Jan

Everyday Aha Moments in Italy

by Joyce McGreevy on January 21, 2019

Santa Croce and passing trucks in Florence inspire an aha moment about everyday Italian rituals. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

Santa Croce inspires. So do the delivery-truck drivers on their daily predawn rounds.
© Joyce McGreevy

Discovering Beauty in Life’s Little Rituals

It’s no revelation to say that icons of awe-inspiring beauty are everywhere in Florence. For some visitors, the rarified aha moments induced by a surfeit of grandeur can even become physically overwhelming.

But as Italian psychologist Piero Ferrucci writes, we can also “discover [beauty] in everyday life: a song heard on the street, a crumbling old wall, the reflections in a puddle.”

The Arno at sunset in Florence Italy inspires an aha moment about life’s little rituals. (Image © Joyce McGreevy)

A walk along the Arno at sunset is glorious, but . . .
© Joyce McGreevy Read more...

Joyce McGreevy 2 Comments

Crossing Cultures/Discoveries/Italy/Life Lessons

Nov

Raising Global Citizens

by Joyce McGreevy on November 28, 2018

Maria Surma Manka, Workation Woman, and her family of global citizens find inspiration as digital nomads Edinburgh, Scotland. (Image © Maria Surma Manka)

At home-from-home in Edinburgh, Scotland: Joram, August, Baron, and Maria.
© Maria Surma Manka

When Mom and Dad Are Digital Nomads

Not all who wander as digital nomads are twentysomething, unmarried, and mortgage-free. Some digital nomads live in rural Minnesota with lively kids and full-time jobs.

Just ask author and public-relations strategist Maria Surma Manka. She teaches parents across the U.S. how to live and work abroad as digital nomads while enriching—not uprooting—family life. No selling the house, homeschooling the kids, or ditching their day jobs.

It’s about expanding cultural awareness and creating wonderful family experiences while meeting everyday responsibilities. Read more...

Joyce McGreevy 1 Comment

Adventure Travel/Life Lessons/Stereotypes/Worldwide Sites

Oct

Cultural Traditions of the Japanese Tea Ceremony

by Meredith Mullins on October 15, 2018

Japanese woman presents a tea caddy for the Japanese tea ceremony, showing the cultural traditions of Japan. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Ichi-go Ichi-e: Life Lessons

Let the tea be simple and your hospitality heartfelt.—Sen no Rikyu*

When I entered the tea house, I suddenly felt reverential—a guest of some greater spirit.

The simple wooden walls, tatami floor, and perfect Ikebana arrangement created a sanctuary so serene that the only sounds were that of the birds in the garden and the simmering water for the tea.

I met Kozue, a student who was dressed in a silk kimono of muted tones of lilac and plum that had been passed through generations of her family. I asked her how long she has been studying the Japanese tea ceremony. Read more...

Meredith Mullins 4 Comments

Cultural Heritage & Traditions/Japan/Life Lessons

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