Catch the Passion of a Worldwide Inclusion Through Education.

I have many passions, but one of my top passions is education. My years of living in the United Kingdom and being exposed to international students, shaped my passion to

develop my business to focus on international studies.  I lived in Brighton and Hove; a city that attracted hundred of thousands of students each year from all over the world. Students came to study English or go to university.  The experience of living in an international town was amazing. For those of you that don't know me, I have never met a stranger, I didn't like, and because of that my experience in the UK was culturally enriching.  Not only do I think that international students should be welcomed to America with open arms, but I think we should encourage our own to travel and study abroad, learn a second language, this can only enrich and also make a young professional more appealing in the job market.  We must start thinking globally, to grow as a nation and become a better and stronger country.  Now to the practical side: How does the international education market enrich our economy?

International studies brings $24 billion a year; international studies not only affect our economyin a positive way, but also attracts great minds to our country that can only enrich us in the world market.  We are so lucky to live in a country where our

educational system is so valued and sought after by so many worldwide.  2012-2013, year there were over 819,644 international students and their families at universities and colleges across the country supporting over 313,000 jobs and contribute $24 billion to the U.S economy.  This has increased the amount of jobs in the US by 6.2% and a 10% increase in dollars to the US economy.  This is a day and age, where boarders must be broken and a place of inclusion should dominate our society instead of exclusion.   So my life goal is to reach others to and hopefully they will catch the passion of a worldwide inclusion through education.

Elizabeth Koukladas

www.bearlainternationalstudies.com

Presidential Proclamation -- Thanksgiving Day, 2013

THANKSGIVING DAY, 2013

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

 

Thanksgiving offers each of us the chance to count our many blessings -- the freedoms we enjoy, the time we spend with loved ones, the brave men and women who defend our Nation at home and abroad. This tradition reminds us that no matter what our background or beliefs, no matter who we are or who we love, at our core we are first and foremost Americans.

 

Our annual celebration has roots in centuries-old colonial customs. When we gather around the table, we follow the example of the Pilgrims and Wampanoags, who shared the fruits of a successful harvest nearly 400 years ago. When we offer our thanks, we mirror those who set aside a day of prayer. And when we join with friends and neighbors to alleviate suffering and make our communities whole, we honor the spirit of President Abraham Lincoln, who called on his fellow citizens to "fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union."

 

Our country has always been home to Americans who recognize the importance of giving back. Today, we honor all those serving our Nation far from home. We also thank the first responders and medical professionals who work through the holiday to keep us safe, and we acknowledge the volunteers who dedicate this day to those less fortunate.

 

This Thanksgiving Day, let us forge deeper connections with our loved ones. Let us extend our gratitude and our compassion. And let us lift each other up and recognize, in the oldest spirit of this tradition, that we rise or fall as one Nation, under God.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 28, 2013, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage the people of the United States to join together -- whether in our homes, places of worship, community centers, or any place of fellowship for friends and neighbors -- and give thanks for all we have received in the past year, express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own, and share our bounty with others.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.

 

BARACK OBAMA

 

She's off on one again; Elizabeth telling the history of...

...Thanksgiving!

In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is

acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn't until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.

 The first thanksgiving was celebrated by the pilgrims after their first successful harvest is the New World in 1621.  This feast lasted three days, and was attended by 90 Native American’s and 53 pilgrims. This day was commonly celebrated by the New England colonists; days of prayer – thanking God for military blessing or draught (that makes me laugh).  Squanto, a Patuxent Native American who resided with the Wampanoag tribe, taught the Pilgrims how to catch eel and grow corn and served as an interpreter for the Pilgrims.  The Native American’s also donated food during the first winter

There are many feelings attached to why we shouldn’t celebrate, which I agree with but for me Thanksgiving is one of the best holidays because it doesn’t require really anything but thankfulness, I know corny but I don’t really care.

 What are you thankful for?
 Amber is thankful for Dexter and his  command of the English language.

 I'm thankful for...well, actually after that, I  got  nothing!

By Elizabeth Koukladas

www.bearlainternationalstudies.com

University Students Rockin' Out to Inspire the World to Become Educated.

I have recently developed a new appreciation for university students, creating their own music videos to promote their universities.Below are some links to a few of my favourites. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did, they are hilarious and you can see a lot of work went into them. In some cases they have the entire undergraduate year taking part.

Watch and enjoy a nostalgic giggle!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zcOFN_VBVo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBhH00VAsos&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IVKaOHJI0Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTaIWU6xCmI

I hope they made you chuckle! It was great to see the amount of international students taking part.

Also, have a happy Thanksgiving everyone! Elizabeth is going to be enlightening our international students and I, with some Thanksgiving history and festive crossword puzzles for the holiday. She promised me it will not be too cheesy :/

By Amber Williams.

www.bearlainternationalstudies.com

Entrepreneur or Serial Killer? Getting to know yourself.

There are many different types of entrepreneurs in this world. Although many entrepreneurs have similar characteristics, the book  'Entrepreneur DNA: The Breakthrough Discovery that Aligns Your Business to your Unique Strengths'

by Joe Abraham confirmed that not all entrepreneurs are wired the same way. The book 'Entrepreneur DNA:   states that  are four distinct types of entrepreneurial DNA that leverage unique strengths, weaknesses and tendencies typical in each specific type of entrepreneur:

The Builder, The Opportunist, The Specialist, The Innovator. 

Although I agree with these titles and the theories behind them, I do feel however, it may be possible that one category has been left out. PSYCHOPATHS. 

'The Wisdom of Psychopaths' by Kevin Dutton brings about some interesting points surrounding entrepreneurs and serial killers; Psychopaths are not only the cliche violent

serial killers, but are actually fantastic business people and not always violent. They possess many of the qualities to succeed in a twenty first century society and that we could adopt some of these qualities to bring us success. The book speaks of  'Incorporating the latest advances in brain scanning and neuroscience, Dutton demonstrates that the brilliant neurosurgeon who lacks empathy has more in common with a Ted Bundy who kills for pleasure than we may wish to admit'. 

Take a look at the categories below and see which one sounds most like you:

1. The Builder: Builders have a drive to build business fast. Builders will often bound through business, and can make $5 million in revenue within the first few years of opening a new business. 

2. The Opportunist: Highly motivated and driven. They see an opportunity and jump at it, they are drawn to, and seek out money making opportunities. Opportunists are, as it seems, often in the right place, at the right time. Opportunists will ride a business while its profits are high and then, more often than not get out of business, just as that particular market is about to fall. 

3.The Specialists: Typically spend years in higher education gaining degrees, masters, Phds, internships and apprentice positions. Specialists are masters at networking and a lot of the time gain clients and contracts through referrals. They measure their success, not necessarily by monetary value, but instead by the value they have given back to civilisation and the effect their product or service has had on society.

4. The Innovator: Mark Zuckerberg and the late Steve Jobs make prime examples for this type of entrepreneur. The Innovators work specifically on projects that they love and more often than not, business opportunities arise without them having to search. This type of entrepreneur, works on what they are passionate about, quite often they can be quoted as saying that they' love what they do', that the money is neither here nor there and that they would be doing the same thing whether it made them millions or not.

5. The Psychopath: Fearless, confident, charismatic, ruthless and focused- qualities tailor  made in a twenty first century society. 'Functional Psychopath'. 

As you see there are a few different types of Entrepreneurs. Remember that, you can also be a mixture; Builder-Opportunist and Specialist-Innovator or perhaps you relate more to Psychopath-Opportunist! If you are not quite sure whether you are a psychopath or not, then you can take this quick questionnaire: http://kevindutton.co.uk/

By Amber Williams

www.bearlainternationalstudies.com

15 English Language Jokes, Riddles and Activities to EXERCISE your BRAIN this Sunday!

Jokes:

A woman, without her man, is nothing.
A woman: without her, man is nothing.

Let’s eat, Grandma.
Let’s eat Grandma!

Why is the number six so scared? Because seven eight nine!

If vegetarians eat vegetables then what on earth do humanitarians eat?!

What’s the difference between a cat and a comma?
A cat has claws at the ends of its paws and a comma is a pause at the end of a clause.

English Language riddles

Q1) What is closer, you mum or your dad?

A) Mum is closer, because Dad is farther.


Q2) What has four wheels and flies?

A) A garbage truck.


Q3) What do you get if you cross a stereo with a fridge?

A) Very cool music. 


Q) Why should we never ask a hot air balloon for advice?

A) They are full of hot air. 

Fill in the gaps quiz:

1) Albert Einstein was           scientist.

a) a    b) scientific   c) bad    d) drunk

2) ___ by stories of abundance and opportunities, people from various nations flocked to European seaports to travel to America.

a) Encourage   b) Encouraging   c) Encouragement   d) Encouraged

3) I love to live by the          and hear the seagulls in the morning, tweeting at         .

a) dog, cat

b) sea, me

c) jump, you

d) water, mine

Answer the math equations and write the answer in full English:

4) one hundred and two + twenty five =

one hundred and twenty seven.

5) One thousand and forty five + two hundred and seven =

one thousand, two hundred and fifty two.

I hope you have enjoyed my jokes, riddles and quiz for today. Have a relaxed Sunday and happy learning!

Amber Williams

www.bearlainternationalstudies.com

News in Education: Teaching Evolution – In Texas schools??

I decided to write about this particular article because I am curious about our followers views.  I grew up in a Greek home where discussing politics, education, government, and loads of other topics (we had some great debates), so don’t be afraid to share, let it all out!!!  Okay just for the record I am not giving my opinion (you know I have one), I want to know what you think.

Here are some of the details:

Texas Board of Education had a late night meeting over a biology textbook that has errors in the lesson plan with regards to the theory of evolution. Keep in mind that Pearson’s the largest publisher in the country, is the company that published the biology textbook.  The main problem is between the academics worrying that scientific fact will be ignored, and on the creationist side; the story that God created the earth is a fact.

So read through the article and tell me what you think!!!!

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/11/23/evolution-debate-and-textbooks-engulfs-texas-board-education/

By Elizabeth Koukladas

www.bearlainternationalstudies.com

Tips for Speaking with a Convincing Accent, when Conversing with an Alien:

Sometimes when learning a new language, getting the pronunciation, rhythm and voice intonation can be  very difficult. Of course, there are the gifted few, who seem to pick up accents like chocolate cake soaks up cream. But, for the most of us, lets be honest, it's a bit of a struggle. 

I have brought together a few tips from our students: How to sound convincing when attempting to converse with an alien.

1) A great tip Lilly Ann gave us: Record your own voice and play it back. You can hear what you need to work on and what is sounding spot on. See if you can understand yourself! 

Some smartphones have a  voice recorder or buy a cheap MP3 Player with a voice recorder feature.

2)Read the local newspaper, from the region you would like to match your accent to/use audio books and slang dictionaries. The English accent is very different to the American English. This will help you to understand expressions in everyday speech, reading the local newspaper is going to keep you up to date, so you don't 'feel left out the loop' when you get there!

3)Get hold of a person you want to learn the accent from, a native of that country/region if its an English accent, find an English person! There are three main texts used by voice coaches – Arthur the Rat, The Rainbow Passage and Comma Gets A Cure. Get your new best friend to read these books aloud, whilst you copy their dialect as best as you can, playing close attention to the rhythm and resonance of their speech. Watch how their lips, cheeks, jaw, tongue and teeth move as they enunciate each word.

4) If your chosen accent is American, then choose an American song to listen and sing along to; research shows states 'at the top of your voice, in the shower, is the most effective method for this type of activity'.

 5) Forvo.com. If you are unsure about how to pronounce a word, this website has different words spoken by native speakers of over 250 languages. 

I love to pass on knowledge and to save others time, so I hope these tips from our students have been useful. If you have any other great tips you would like to share with us, then please post below.

By Amber Williams.

www.bearlainternationalstudies.com

If You Going to Preach it to The World Than You Got To Teach

Part 3 Why Learn English – 5 Reasons you Teach English Abroad

1) Traveling

If you love traveling, tasting new foods, exploring different cultures, and life experience, then teaching abroad is one of the best and easiest ways to do that, whilst earning money at the same time! Plus, in Korea and many other countries, you often get a decent amount of vacation so you can travel to surrounding countries.

2) Personal Growth 

There’s no doubt that a decision to make the move to another country is scary. You are leaving behind everything that is familiar to you, your friends, and maybe even everything that represents who you are. However when those things are no longer in your life, you are given the opportunity to redefine yourself. The stresses and successes of teaching children and living in a new country will surely help refine who you are. I personally have used my overseas experience to; educate myself more than ever, read a lot of books, learn a new language, and  explore spirituality. What would you do with such an experience?

3) Your Future

As unsure as I was graduating from college, I have since come to find comfort in that uncertainty. If living in the moment is the only way to truly see what is, then one must learn to become comfortable with uncertainty. Whilst living overseas, I have made friends and decisions that will likely become an incredibly important part of my future successes. I do not always know necessarily how they will, but I know that as long as I decide to use everything I learn now, then I will certainly end up somewhere where those skills are useful, if not crucial.

4) Life Perspective

There were so many positive aspects to America which I took for granted in my life, and yet, at the same time, there were so many negative things I completely ignored. Since I have been here, living in a different culture has allowed me to look back on my own

country and life from a different perspective. I never realized how incredibly blessed I was to be born speaking English until now, for instance, and I am so thankful that I understand that. Being here has also helped me realize the value of family and close friends – who truly cares and who doesn’t. If you value life experience, then I'd encourage you to consider adding an experience such as this, to your life resume.

5) Making a Difference

This may sound a bit cliché, but let me tell you a quick story. A few months ago, I had gotten to know one of the students from my mentoring class on a somewhat personal level. One day, I noticed that she seemed a little blue. So, after class, I asked her to come by my office if she wanted to talk. Sure enough, she did, and after sitting with her for a

couple of hours, she managed to tell me the news. Two weeks prior, her mother had taken her and her younger sister away from their verbally abusive father and moved in with another man. A week after that, they found out that he had killed himself as a result. Since suicide is a taboo issue for discussion in Korea, she didn’t feel like she could tell anyone, not even her best friend. But since I didn’t fit into that category, she felt comfortable telling me. We talked for quite a while and many tears later she resolved to be more open with some of her close friends and family. She has since decided to follow her heart and pursue art as a career. Maybe it’s just being at the right place at the right time, maybe not. You never know whose life you can make an impact on, simply by being a positive outsider.

By Elizabeth Koukladas

www.bearlainternationalstudies.com

Children's early development tips, to all night raves...

Learning basic literacy skills begins at birth. Learning to read and write begins also at a very

young age. Children need every day loving interactions—sharing books, telling stories, singing songs, and talking to one another. Turn taking in conversation is an important aspect to a child's English language development, this teaches the child basic courtesy when speaking to another person.

From what I have been told by my mother, I did not have any problems learning to speak. My Mum still speaks of the days when dad would get up in the middle of the night and pace the floor with me until I fell back to sleep (this was a common occurrence as I had asthma as a child and was unable to sleep through the night for the first 4 years of my life). Dad had the patients of a saint, especially as he was adjusting to being a father again as the age of 50. Dad held me in his arms and mouthed the word 'hello' to me over and over as slowly as possible, eventually my first word popped out ‘heelllooo’. Dad had broken through barriers and finally got something, other than screaming to come from his bundle of joy?!

The following are some crucial tips for encouraging your child's language development age 0-5 years:

-Talk to your child. The more you speak to your child, the more they will learn. I know this one sounds terribly obvious however; you would be surprised at how many parents do not see the point in speaking to their child, before their child is able to speak. The ‘gooing’ and ‘garing’ a child makes at this young age, is the child learning turn taking and experimenting with forming words. Always encourage this ‘gooing’ and reply with a sentence that sounds somewhat similar to what your child maybe trying to communicate.

-Explore toys and different objects with your child; allowing them to explore textures and shapes, this enables to child to see ‘how things work’. Use every opportunity as a teaching opportunity.

-Following your child’s lead when playing or sharing a book will breed confidence in your child.

-Once your child has mastered a game or activity, progress them onto something more difficult. Always challenge your child moving. Remember to go at a steady pace which the child themselves sets, this will avoid advancing too quickly and potentially destroying the confidence you have built in your child.

-My fifth point is one I personally feel passionate about; do not allow your child to watch too much television. Research does show that watching too much television can stunt a child’s brain development.  

If you raising a bilingual child and are looking for some tips and advice then, please allow me to guide you to this website: http://bilingualmonkeys.com/  The creator and author of this site is a Japanese father of two bilingual children. The site is passionately and beautifully written and is definitely worth researching. Try signing up for the newsletter; which provides tips, motivation and encouragement to keep you and your child on the path to bilingual success.

The first four years of a child’s life are crucial. Experiences a mother has whilst pregnant, can have a effect on a child’s development and personality as an adult. Research shows: Mothers experiencing excessive stress whilst pregnant can have a worse effect on the child then using un-prescribed drugs or smoking cigarettes. Stress during the early stages of a child development has in some cases, been proved to actually change the genes of a child, making them more susceptible to addiction and depression. 

This research into the effects of stress on a child can also be evident in adulthood. Adults, who experience extreme stress and/or abuse, can have the same genetic mutation. Thus, the experiences you have can change who you are, and the ways in which you react in certain circumstances. 

Consequently, my advice to parents bringing their first child into the world would be to remain as calm as possible during pregnancy, be aware of your child’s development, ensure they are always challenged and build as much confidence in your child’s abilities as possible. Your child will always look up to you, so make sure you are acting a role model, and your bouncing bundles of joys will be informing you, with perfect language skills, that they will ‘going to an all-night rave’ in no time!

Good Luck parents!

By Amber Williams

www.bearlainternationalstudies.com

Part One: God I Love History!! When did English become the dominate language?

Part one of three  – Why study or teach English?

There are two noticeable shifts in our modern history to English becoming the dominant international language.  Prior to WWI the dominant language was French Lingua Franca. 

As WWI came to a close the shift began by the Treaty of Versailles being written in both English and French, going forward in diplomatic setting English was spoken language and not French.

The next noticeable shift was during WWII, after the war English became the Lingua Franca the primary language spoken.  I believe this is why the shift was a organic transition to English language being Lingua Franca:

First reason happened way before the WWI or WWII it happened with the systematic colonization’s of countries through conquering or just plan exploring.  England conquered and colonized through-out the world – Africa, North America, Australia, Caribbean, Ireland, New Zealand, India, Philippians (I know I have missed some, ugh sorry).  Through colonizing countries like Africa, Philippians, Caribbean, and Indian choose to speak both their native tongue and English.  As in the US and Australia they already spoke English, that’s excluding the natives of those countries.

“It is spoken as a first language by the majority populations of several sovereign states, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia,Ireland, New Zealand and a number of Caribbean nations. It is the third-most-common native language in the world, after Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.[5]It is widely learned as a second language and is an official language of the European Union, many Commonwealth countries and the United Nations, as well as in many world organizations.”  Wikipedia

Second, The United Nations derived from the League of Nations (WWI) and as history tells us the League of Nations was the brainchild of Woodrow Wilson, the League of Nations was never supported by the US congress.  As WWII came to a close the League of Nations was removed and the United Nations emerged.  WWII was profoundly devastating tragedy, and the hopes that the United Nations would prevent another World War.  History tells us that after WWII England, America and Russia stepped up to be the worlds powers, two of the three world powers speak English, I think you get….

By Elizabeth Koukladas

www.bearlainternationalstudies.com

Speechless in Santa Monica.

I stepped onto the beach in Santa Monica and I was immediately in awe. The sandy beach was vast; it stretched out as far as the eye could see. The sand was so thick, deep and clean, quite a contrast to the pebbles I try to love back home in Brighton, England. The pier is scattered with talented (and no so talented) buskers; playing old school love songs, with what sounded like all the longing and passion and heartache they could muster. There were a few tourists and some international students but the beach is so vast, it would take quite a few to become crowed.

I have always had a love for beautiful homes and buildings designed so innovatively. When I saw the beach houses in Santa Monica my eyes tried to jump from their sockets. The architecture was original and had a somewhat whimsical air to it. They are brightly colored; some have original spiral staircases and they have the ocean at their doorstep. 

 There are many aspect to the United States that I love, the homes are out of this world, I quite often take walks around Long Beach as I find it helps me think of new ideas, but more often than not, I find myself standing outside people’s houses with my mouth gaping open, or sometimes with my camera out, making sure I get a shot of the house in the right light and of course on its best side!

I feel this article would not be complete without mentioning the penultimate Santa Monica beach house: The Annenberg Community Beach house; a georgian mansion with thirty-four bedrooms, three stories, guest houses and two swimming pools, 'An estate that would have no rivals'.

Built by Williams Randolph Hearst for his mistress Marion Davies in the 1920’s this was to be ‘An estate that would have no rival’. 

Davies became an elite hostess; the beach house became a hub for Hollywood celebrities and industry leaders.

During the 1940’ the house was sold and then leased to the city of Santa Monica. Years later, thebeach house was restored, using private funding, as the city was unable to fund the restoration at the time. The Annenberg Community Beach House is now open to the public as a place to swim and relax.

 

Although I greatly appreciate modern architecture, I was a little disappointed to find that they had not kept more of the original features. 

 

Annenberg Beach House early 1920's

Annenberg Community Beach House 2013

By Amber Williams

www.bearlainternationalstudies.com

If your heart is set on studying Architecture in the United States then you may find this URL helpful: America’s Best Architecture Schools 2014, survey produced by Design Intelligence. http://www.di.net/articles/america-s-best-architecture-schools-2014/

These are a few more photographs I took of Santa Monica...enjoy!