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What does “Year of the Dragon” mean?

5 February 2024
Globe Aware
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Across the globe, around 2 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year, an international holiday observed throughout many Asian countries. Each culture that celebrates has its own historically rich customs, traditions, and beliefs, which Globe Aware volunteers can learn about on a volunteer vacation.

We’re approaching the Year of the Dragon. What does that mean?

Olivia Munson
USA TODAY
Jan. 27, 2024

Some consider the start of the new year to be when the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31. While this is true for those who follow the Gregorian calendar, many others celebrate the new year on a different day.

Across the globe, around 2 billion people celebrate the Lunar New Year, an international holiday observed throughout many Asian countries, but not all. The U.S. has its own unique celebrations.

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UNESCO declares Thailand’s Songkran festival as an Intangible Cultural Heritage

8 January 2024
Globe Aware
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UNESCO declares Thailand’s Songkran festival as an Intangible Cultural Heritage

TIMESOFINDIA.COM
Dec 11, 2023

Come April 2024, Thailand will have a perfect reason to celebrate Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year in a much bigger way than ever before. Very recently, UNESCO formally recognized the Songkran in Thailand as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, and Globe Aware volunteers can take part by booking a volunteer vacation during that time! 

Synopsis

UNESCO formally recognised the Songkran in Thailand, Traditional Thai New Year Festival as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. This designation solidifies the cultural significance and importance of the Songkran festival. For those curious, Songkran is a festival that is celebrated in Thailand every year in the month of April.

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Different New Year’s Traditions Around the World

26 December 2023
Globe Aware
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Fireworks and champagne might be common worldwide, but have our Globe Aware volunteers heard of these other New Year’s traditions?

14 Different New Year’s Traditions Around the World

By Chris Ciolli, Jessie Beck
December 15, 2023
AFAR

Although much of the world festively rings in the new year each December 31, we don’t all celebrate the same way. In the United States, we all know the traditions: the ball drop at Times Square, sharing a kiss with a loved one at the stroke of midnight, and countless amounts of fireworks. But elsewhere around the globe, traditions can include everything from giving your house a thorough cleaning to cracking open a fresh pomegranate.

From Spain to Japan, read on to learn about 14 different New Year’s Eve celebrations around the globe.

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Traveling to Cuba for U.S. Travelers is Easier Than You Think

18 December 2023
Globe Aware
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Cuba’s “off-limits” feel has long made it a perpetually popular destination for intrepid travelers. Globe Aware offers one-week volunteer vacations that allow our volunteers to explore and enjoy Cuba without the stress of planning once they land.

I Travel to Cuba All The Time — For U.S. Travelers, It’s Much Easier Than You Think

December 14, 2023
By Associated Press
By Carley Rojas Avila

The desire to travel to Cuba is a classic case of wanting what you think you can’t have. Cuba’s “off-limits” feel has long made it a perpetually popular destination for intrepid travelers.

Cuba has been named TripAdvisor’s number-one trending destination worldwide and is one of the top 10 most desirable tropical destinations for American travelers.

As an American citizen married to a Cuban, I’ve traveled to Cuba numerous times and know that travel to Cuba is far from off-limits. In fact, it’s easier to travel from the United States to Cuba than it has been in decades. U.S. travelers don’t even need family on the island or rigid group travel plans to do it. Your long-awaited vacation to Cuba might be closer than you think.

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Where to Go in 2024

18 December 2023
Globe Aware
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These 25 places offer ample opportunities for conscientious, sustainable exploration—exactly what Globe Aware travelers who care are seeking right now. We even have three available programs in the locations mentioned on the list!

Where to Go in 2024

The 25 most exciting places around the world to visit next

From a British city reimagining its industrial past and a laid-back Kenyan island free of cars to the best place in North America to see the total solar eclipse, our 25 picks for where to go next year have several traits in common: Each is an awe-inspiring, joy-inducing destination where human connection and creativity define the travel experience. These 25 places (listed in no particular order) offer ample opportunities for conscientious, sustainable exploration—exactly what AFAR’s travelers who care are seeking right now. Cheers to a year of getting out there.

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Family Travel Tips Every Parent Should Know

11 December 2023
Globe Aware
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Globe Aware volunteers are well aware that traveling during the holiday season is chaotic! But going in prepared can make your journey as smooth and stress-free as possible. Take a deep breath in and read on for a few holiday travel tips for the busiest time of year.

11 Family Travel Tips Every Parent Should Know

Advice from globe-trotting editors, flight attendants, and industry experts who have seen and survived it all.

Oh, to have a time machine so we could tell our past selves about the challenges—and triumphs!—that came on the road as traveling parents. We would warn against bringing giant suitcases and Play-Doh on the plane; remember how many new friends were made in playgrounds around the world; and recall that there are worse things in life than a crying baby. Thankfully, we’ve learned from our mistakes and come here with family travel tips, tricks, and a whole lot of encouragement for those heading out on the road with younger travelers. This list is never going to be complete or exhaustive—every kid is different. For families traveling with children with disabilities, it’s also encouraging to see the advancements being made to make travel more accessible—and hopefully, ultimately, a bit easier and more fun for everyone.

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Christmas Traditions From Around the World

4 December 2023
Globe Aware
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Do our Globe Aware volunteers enjoy any of these Christmas traditions from around the world? If not, what traditions does your family celebrate during the holidays?

25 Christmas Traditions Around the World That Will Surprise and Delight You

Brooms, books, and even roller skates are all part of some beloved holiday customs.

BY MICAELA BAHN
Sep 11, 2023
The Pioneer Woman

Every family has their own special Christmas traditions that they carry out year after year: the game of Pictionary that always follows opening gift or the delicious punch your mom makes for holiday parties. In the case of the Drummond family, they always wear matching Christmas pajamas and savor dishes that Ree is famous for (like cinnamon rolls and biscuits and gravy). And then there are those larger, cultural traditions that each country celebrates as well. For some, it might be going to Christmas Eve Mass, singing Christmas carols, or hanging up twinkling lights on your house.

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20 Popular Filipino Foods You Have To Try At Least Once

27 November 2023
Globe Aware
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Long overlooked, Filipino food is finally recognized for its diversity and ingenuity. Here are some essential Filipino foods you must try at least once on your Globe Aware volunteer vacation in the Philippines!

BY ANDREW COLETTI AND CRAWFORD SMITH
OCT. 17, 2023
TastingTable

The first food in the Philippines was shaped by the environment. Early human inhabitants of these mountainous islands had a diet rich in tropical produce and seafood, adopting rice as a staple once it was introduced around 3400 B.C.E. Subsequent centuries of interaction with foreign cultures, including long periods of colonization by Spain and the U.S., introduced new dishes and ingredients. Further innovations were born out of scarcity and hardship, as resourceful chefs found ways to make use of limited resources. These many factors have created a modern cuisine like no other in the world: One in which unlikely flavor combinations and diverse international influences come together in delicious harmony.

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These are the biggest travel trends for 2024

27 November 2023
Globe Aware
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From TV travel inspiration to dry tripping, Globe Aware volunteers can learn more about the emerging trends that may possibly have people packing their suitcases in 2024.

These are the biggest travel trends for 2024

It’s been a busy year for travel as people flocked to see Taylor Swift in concert and visited destinations made famous by hit TV shows like HBO’s The White Lotus.

Expedia Group just released Unpack ’24, a report based on a survey of 20,000 travellers, revealing key trends in 2023 that we can expect to see in the new year. The report includes data from travellers across Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo.

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Thanksgiving Travel: Tips to Stay Healthy

20 November 2023
Globe Aware
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The holiday season is getting underway, and for many Americans, traveling home to gather with family and friends at the Thanksgiving table is an annual rite of passage this time of year. Amid all the joyous hustle and bustle, it’s important for folks, including Globe Aware volunteers to take steps to remain healthy when you’re hitting the road. Here are some expert tips to ensure you don’t spread sickness to vulnerable family members and you feel at your best for this year’s festivities.

Thanksgiving Travel: Tips to Stay Healthy

TRAVEL AWAITS
DIANE FENNELL
OCT.23.2023

The holiday season is getting under way, and for many Americans, traveling home to gather with family and friends at the Thanksgiving table is an annual rite of passage this time of year. Amid all the joyous (and sometimes stressful) hustle and bustle, it’s important to take steps to remain healthy when you’re hitting the road. Here are some expert tips to ensure you don’t spread sickness to vulnerable family members and you feel at your best for this year’s festivities.

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