Japan: Action Photos!

Hi guys! As I am gearing up to TA an Introduction to Japanese Art and Culture course, I am going to return to my Japan trip posts. I definitely take a lot of pictures everywhere I go, but these were all pictures that were taken (in several instances without my knowledge) during the trip from one of our trip coordinators. Most of these offer a not posed look into our experiences.

Learning how to make matcha (the Japanese tea) in Kyoto. I will be making tea for each student in this class this semester, so I will probably get much better at this by the time the semester is over!

This picture is from Miyajima, at the Japanese style inn where we stayed.

I was caught taking a picture! :)

Meeting several of the important and wonderfully sweet gentlemen from Rotary International in Yanai! They were so kind, and even said that I did a good job of using my chopsticks!

These are from the bridal shop in Yanai, where we tried on bridal kimonos. I like these pictures since you can see how they add extra padding in the back.

And once again, photos in Tokyo!

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Have you heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? I hadn't until just a little while ago, but I found this incredible TED talk from Charles Moore about his experiences sailing through it, and looking at the plastic content in the water. For such a short talk, Charles Moore delivers a powerful message you will not be sorry you watched.

School Lunch Reform: One School at a Time

Hello again! One of the most fun and rewarding projects to work on this summer during my internship for the environmental non-profit organization Teens Turning Green, was the Farm to Table Lunch Program, which is the chance to revolutionize school lunch for kids who need it most! At the end of the school year, the organization hosted a week-long demo to reveal what the program would look like, featuring the fresh, local, organic, seasonal, sustainable, and cooked from scratch meals that could be a reality in this school district. This is a video of the demo that includes pictures of the students, the teachers, and of course, the food.

There are just two weeks left to raise money, and there is still a lot that needs to be done! If this program goes through, the impact on the community of Marin City would be huge! Not only would the students at the elementary school and middle school have access to some of the best food around, but they would be also educated about nutrition and work with their chef to gain cooking experience.
I personally feel like this is more valuable than we can even understand, as obesity, diabetes, and cancer rates are out of control. Sometimes it's tough to make the kind of impact you want in the world, especially when there are so many different projects and organizations, but this is a way that we can make a huge difference in this community.

Visit out Indiegogo page to donate or learn more: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/marin-city-schools-farm-to-table-food-program
If you are able to give, please do. Every dollar counts.
Thanks!