Posted by Anni on Friday, August 10th, 2012 at Journeys for Good.  This Blog Post is used with permission. GeoVisions note:  Terri Wingham started her "incredible journey" with GeoVisions in Vietnam. This post is an interview done by Journeys for Good regarding Terri's "incredible journey." Welcome back to our new interview series, The Ripple Effect. The Ripple Effect explores the emotional impact of volunteer travel and its lasting effect on people’s lives. Today we’re speaking with Terri Wingham, a truly inspirational woman. As a cancer survivor, Terri has been through one of life’s greatest challenges and has come out the other side, vibrantly alive and passionate about to helping others. She has found hope through volunteering.

Months ago, I wrote a Blog post about the 5 things you should never put in a host family letter.  That post has received 4000 views so far and it is still the number 1 post on the GeoVisions Blog.  I went back to that post and what I wrote still rings true today, so I haven't changed it. Recently we learned about some of our volunteers and teachers packing the oddest stuff.  We all have our personal lists of items to take with us on a trip, but some of these have set the bar to a new level. Here are three items you don't want to pack, when traveling abroad.  Never.  Ever.

Filed under shameless self-promotion: We need to staff 2 tutor positions at Feynan Eco Lodge in Jordan each month.  Um, starting NOW.

I watched a TED talk today by Barry Schwartz.  I was so taken with Mr. Schwartz and the subject of "doing the right thing" that I'm embedding the video at the bottom of this post. What got my mind racing at the outset of Professor Schwartz' talk was the description of measuring a round column in relation to "rules." If you think about it, it is impossible to measure a round column using a ruler.  So to solve the problem, the Greeks fashioned a ruler that bends.  (Yeah...you can already see where Schwartz is going with this one...)

It's always great to see positive results, especially when you're involved in projects that can really help people.  This weekend I returned to Asia and attended an event with some of our teachers and volunteers, and ... even better ... some of the students we work with from the "Children's Village" orphanage in Kanchanaburi, Thailand.  A vanload of children from this unique educational community, complete with their Thai traditional instruments, came to Bangkok and entertained us ... actually wowed us with their self-confidence, their charm, and their English skills.