Storyteller Ben Lee | Ever Thought Of Trying Travel Blog
Shaping Cultural Experiences
Travel has been an integral part of my life since I was a young child. I grew up in a multicultural, bilingual home in the Netherlands with a Polish mother and a Dutch father. My
Update & BBC News Link
A brief update: One interview video will be uploaded tomorrow evening. I believe the BBC News One-Minute World News provides well-balanced reporting of news, hence why I wanted to share it. Top stories on May
From Nigeria to Boston
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VNkCazT_T4&feature=youtu.be
When you first meet Oluwagbeminiyi Osidipe, you encounter a very vibrant, friendly, and unique personality. Oluwagbeminiyi or Niyi – as she shortened her name for simplicity – was named by her mother, who had a “very personal experience” when she had her, Niyi explained. Niyi is a Yoruba Nigerian transplant who arrived in the U.S. in 2006. As one of the most densely populated (West) African countries, Nigeria derives its name from the river that spans its land. To the South, it borders the Gulf of Guinea to the Atlantic Ocean. Originally colonized by the British, Nigeria gained independence in 1960. Its main ethnic groups are the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, who speak English and their own respective languages, while major religions include Islam, Christianity and indigenous beliefs. Niyi shares her story, her views on politics, cultural differences she’s embraced with humor, and what we can learn from each other by expressing curiosity. Her message is simple: travel enriches us through its exposure to new cultures, and enables us to grow.
Mark Twain on Travel
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” (American author Mark Twain, Innocents Abroad).
Have you had the opportunity to travel (extensively, within your country, or even once abroad)? Can you relate to Twain’s sentiments? How does travel enrich us?
Pleasing The Taste Palate
Food has the wonderful quality of uniting us no matter where we are. There is nothing partisan or narrow-minded about food. It simply invites us to indulge, create recipes, and share with others. Two of my favorite Polish dishes (included in collage) are pierogies and barszcz czerwony – a beetroot soup – served on Christmas Eve in Poland. How does food bring us together? What are some of your favorite dishes and why? Can food trigger memories?
Stereotypes: Truth or Fiction?
DEFINING STEREOTYPES: “An idea or statement about all of the members of a group or all the instances of a situation.” (Merriam-Webster). Stereotypes enable bias and preconceived notions to perpetuate, but can also reveal valid
Annual Human Rights Report
“The world changed immeasurably over the course of 2011. Across the Middle East, North Africa, and far beyond, citizens stood up to demand respect for human dignity, more promising economic opportunities, greater political liberties, and
Euro Crisis & Emerging Stereotypes
Brief Crisis Breakdown Since the onset of the global financial crisis, or Great Recession, in 2007, the Eurozone has feared impending growing global debt levels, as well as sovereign debt within European countries themselves. In
Remembering Tiananmen
Today marks the 23rd anniversary of Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests in Beijing, China. Inflation, a lack of career prospects, the fall of Eastern European communism, and political corruption, are all said to have fueled anger
Coffee's Uniting Power
A cup of coffee can bridge cultural gaps. At least, that’s what Gizem Salgicil White, founder of Turkayfe.org, believes. Her organization aims to create awareness of Turkish culture, particularly within America. Gizem is a Turkish native,
This Culture with Travel interview is with storyteller Ben Lee, founder of the Ever Thought Of Trying Travel Blog
Tell us a bit about yourself! Why do you love travel? How do you think travel unites us or teaches us more about the world?
My name is Ben, and I have had travel and exploration engrained in me since I was a little kid! My parents brought my sister and I up knowing that there was a whole world out there and always managed to take us away somewhere each year. I could ski before I could run as we were brought to Scotland and France skiing on annual holidays from a very young age!
Even something as seemingly innocuous as being brought to Europe each year as a child on holiday has shaped me as an adult, and taught me to appreciate and respect different cultures. Travel has made me more open-minded and welcoming to people from all walks of life, and this is something the world can do with more.
What surprising aspect of culture do you love about where you’re from (your specific town/city) that travelers may not be aware of?
People always assume Londoners are cold individuals, but, in fact, we are some of the most welcoming of capital cities! Sure, we may not have our doors and windows all open like a village in the middle of the English countryside, but if you need someone to make you laugh, make a sly sarcastic comment and are in need of someone in time of need, you can’t beat a Londoner!
Which dish do you feel best represents where you’re specifically from? Share a picture and tell us why you love it!
The national dish of the UK is curry, and being the capital, the best curry is here, too! The BEST curry house in London in Lahore One on Commercial Street and their chaana is so good, it could turn the biggest meat-eater vegetarian!
Share about a custom/tradition you observe, and talk about the role of family in your life. What does family mean to you?
Family is a central part of my life. No matter where you travel, you know your family will always be there either on the end of the phone or to hug when you’re back. Family keeps you humble and grounded, and reminds you of your roots which you can lose track of when you go traveling for extended periods.
Art and dance can tell a deeper story about local culture. Tell us the story of a specific artwork or dance that has a meaning for you. Share a photo, if you can.
One painting that will always be with me is Botticelli’s ‘The Birth of Venus’. I went to Florence with school for a weekend when I was 14 or 15. I only went because I thought it would be fun and had ZERO interest in the museums and galleries. But, when I first saw this painting, a painting I had vague memories of seeing in our school text books, I was stunned. I couldn’t get over the beauty of the whole painting. It woke me up to and opened a whole new world for me to discover. Because of this jaw-dropping moment, I have always been in love with Italy and Italian culture which has greatly influenced me in my life and career.
Languages not only give us the power to communicate but also can unite us across cultures. Share a favorite saying you have, or teach us something in your native language.
My favourite saying is probably from my time cycling in Tanzania – “pole pole” (said like pollay pollay). It means “slowly slowly”…not just a handy saying to slow people down on bikes, but a good way of living your life and traveling – slowly slowly. Take it all in. Slow down and appreciate where you are. Sit in the ancient Piazza in that gorgeous Italian square and drink your espresso and gelato slowly.Taking your time and immersing in a place by taking it slowly is my kind of travel.
Have you ever met a stranger during your travels who made an impact on your life in a certain way, or maybe it was you who helped someone else? Share the story!
When I travelled through Syria in 2009, I was constantly struck by the friendliness of the people. I knew nothing about the country and had no pre-conceptions. Wherever we went (I went through the country with a friend) we were constantly offered food, drinks, and places to stay. One time, there was a group of guys cooking kebabs on the corner of the street in a little village we were staying in and they gave us kebabs in freshly-heated bread. It was without a doubt the best kebab I had ever had, and the reason I try every Syrian kebab house I see (which never lives up to the real thing!)
Every village, town or city we went to, after being offered food and drinks, people would always say how happy they are we were traveling there and to tell our friends to visit as well!
Their friendliness will live forever in my memory and makes what has happened in the country since even more tragic for me.
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Hi! I'm the founder of Culture With Travel and #CultureTrav. Please chat with us on social media and contribute in the comments! Follow @Nicolette_O
