Apr
22
2013

How Countries Around the World Protect the Environment

Posted in Learning, World Community

Netherlands: 30% of Dutch people use their bike to go to work every day, and the majority of school kids bike to school as well.

Germany: It is illegal to wash cars in a person’s own driveway, because the chemicals that are used in the cleaners can damage and pollute the ground water that drips into the sewer. Instead, people take their cars to the car wash because they have special systems that filter the water from the chemicals! Germany also has the highest recycling rate in Europe, and over 70% of the waste is recycled each year! They also have 6 special colored bins to place trash in—here’s a guide on what each color means:
o Yellow bin – packaging
o Blue bin – paper and cardboard
o White bin – white or clear glass
o Brown bin – brown glass
o Green bin – green glass
o “Bio” bin – leftover food and plant waste

• Iceland: Turf homes are popular in Iceland because they naturally insulate the rooms inside, and look pretty cool from the outside!

• Costa Rica: This country has about 30% of its land protected by the government, and operates many environmentally-friendly tours to stop pollution.

• Hong Kong: The government recently introduced plastic dollar bills in recent years, which last longer than traditional paper bills and also save many trees!

• Laos: There’s a special eco-friendly school for teenagers that come from many villages, and they learn techniques such as solar-drying bananas, and then implement them in their hometowns

Nov
5
2012

Mom Bloggers Are Loving Little Passports

Posted in World Community

We’re thrilled to report that mom bloggers are falling head over heels for Little Passports! We just attended a “Mom Mixer” in Philly where our World Edition and USA Edition were both big hits. With the holidays quickly approaching (November already?!) we’re proud to offer two educational, engaging subscriptions for kids.

Colleen Padilla of Classy Mommy talks with co-founder Amy Norman at the event. Watch the video and visit our new site to learn more.

Oct
31
2012

Celebrate Diwali with a Delicious Recipe

Posted in Food, World Community, World Holidays

Guest Post by Prerna of Indian Simmer

DiwaliFor many of us who celebrate the festival, the word Diwali is a synonym for joy and celebration! On this day, Hindus all across the world celebrate the victory of good over evil. It is believed that, after spending years in exile and after defeating evil Ravana, the Hindu god Lord Rama, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, came back home. To welcome him, his whole kingdom was decorated with lamps.

Ever since that day, Lord Rama’s return has been celebrated as Diwali. Diwali, also known as the festival of lights, is celebrated with an evening full of fireworks and lighted clay lamps called diyas.

I have many fond memories of Diwali growing up. We would wake up in the morning to the smell of lentil dumplings (called Vada) being fried in the kitchen. We could also hear the sound of water splashing in the aangan (backyard) which would be prepped for the Diwali Pooja (prayers) to be performed in the evening. The menu would include dahi vada (the fried lentil dumplings served with spiced yogurt) and boondi laddoos, a sweet dish made with chickpea clusters, gulab jamuns and chola masala, served with hot puffed poori.

The sun would slowly set and the house would start to fill up with relatives and friends. Everyone would be dressed in the best possible attire and all you could hear would be an endless echo of laughter. The whole house would smell of marigold flowers and diyas could be seen lighting up all the streets in town.

I have not met a single Indian or an Indian food lover who doesn’t like the dish called Gajar Halwa. My mother-in-law probably makes the best halwa in the world! Like a few of my mom’s and my mother-in-law’s recipes, Gajar Halwa is something which I had to try making quite a few times until I could get to the exact taste.

When the lovely people at Little Passports asked me to make something for Diwali, I thought it would only be appropriate if I made Gajar Halwa. So let me have you enjoy the recipe while I’m enjoying a warm bowl here in this cold weather.

Print
Gajar Halwa Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 pound grated carrot
  • 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 7 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup of any nuts (I used almond flakes and cashews)

Instructions

  1. Heat a large pan, add ghee and fry the nuts in it. As soon as they are a little brown, take them out and set aside.
  2. Now add the grated carrots into the pan with the remaining ghee. Cook it for a minute and then add milk.
  3. Mix it well, turn down the heat to low and let it simmer until the carrots are half cooked. Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  4. Now add condensed milk and stir it all well together. (I personally don't like anything very sweet so if I find my carrots sweet enough after adding sweetened condensed milk then I don't add any more sugar, but if you like it sweet then go ahead and add sugar now.)
  5. By this time the milk should have completely evaporated. Now stir the mix every couple of minutes, scratching the sides and bottom if anything's sticking. Let it cook until the carrots are done.
  6. You will notice that the carrots will change color and get darker. When there's no extra liquid seeping out (except some oil/ghee) that's when your halwa is cooked.
  7. Add the nuts.
  8. Turn the heat off and try not to cover it for a while.
  9. Serve warm.

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Indian Simmer spreads Prerna’s love of Indian food, sharing delicious, approachable recipes the whole family will love. Learn more on our Contributors page.

Oct
23
2012

El Día de los Muertos – Paper Marigolds and Cupcake Skulls

Posted in Arts & Crafts, Food, World Community

Halloween night is coming. You’ve carved a scary pumpkin and pinned a skeleton to your front door. These creepy decorations, as old superstitions say, will help scare off the dead during the spooky holidays. But what if you wanted to lure the dead spirits to your house? Sounds odd, right? Not in Mexico!

The Day of the Dead, or el Día de los Muertos, goes back to the vibrant Aztec culture of Mexico. It was a month-long celebration intended to honor ancestors and the continuation of life. It’s the perfect extra holiday to add to your Halloween plans!

In the 16th century, when the Spanish defeated the Aztecs and began to rule their land, they needed to bring the two cultures together. One way of doing this was by joining Aztec rituals with Catholic holidays. Día de los Muertos was moved from its original date to November. This allowed the holiday to coincide with All Souls’ Day, which is still celebrated in many parts of Europe on November 2nd.

Today, the Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd in Mexico and many parts of the United States. (It’s Halloween’s holiday neighbor!) People continue the old tradition of offering delicious food, drink and flowers to their loved ones. The main flower of the holiday is the marigold, which was an important part of Aztec medicine, culture and ceremony.

The most popular place to celebrate Día de los Muertos? A cemetery. But if you don’t feel like sporting a skull in the graveyard, you can still honor the tradition by baking a skeleton and making a marigold! Celebrate Halloween and its holiday neighbour Día de los Muertos with these fun family activities!

Recipe Time:  Seriously Spooky Skeleton Cupcakes

For kids’ holiday desserts, we love Annabel Karmel! In honor of el Día de los Meurtos, we’ve taken a twist on her Halloween Eyeball Cupcakes. We have made all of ours look like skeletons! Let’s get creative this Halloween season!

Print
Cupcake Skull Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 125g soft margarine
  • 125g granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 125g self raising flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1 tub creamy vanilla frosting
  • Assorted candy for decoration

Instructions

  1. Mix the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  2. Beat in the eggs one at time together with a tablespoon of flour.
  3. Add the vanilla essence and fold in the remaining flour.
  4. Line a cupcake tin with paper cases and half fill each case with the mixture.
  5. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes or until golden.
  6. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
  7. Decorate with the vanilla frosting and candy. We spread the vanilla frosting on top of our cupcakes. Then we used two chocolate chips for the eyes, raisins for the nostrils, and three candy corns for the teeth.

Notes

Kid Tip: If you want to add more “spook” to your skeleton cupcake, color half the frosting with a green or black food coloring!

Parent Tip: When looking to save time, store-bought cupcake mix is your friend!

Craft Time: Marigold Tissue Craft

To bring a bit of Ancient Aztec culture to your holiday, follow the steps below to create tissue paper marigolds. Make as many as you want. And, hey, who says they have to be red and gold? Use your favorite spooky colors and make whole bouquets in honor of Halloween and the Day of the Dead!

Print
Tissue Paper Marigold Craft

Ingredients

  • Yellow, orange or red tissue paper
  • Pipe cleaner (any color; chose green to look like a plant stem)
  • Scissors

Instructions

  1. Fold a sheet of tissue paper in half, “hamburger style”. (The two short ends meet.)
  2. Fold in half again, the same style.
  3. Starting at one of the shorter edges, make a paper fan (or accordion). Fold the short edge over 1/2 to 1 inch. Turn your paper over and fold the same edge again, making another 1/2 inch fold. Continue turning and folding until you’ve completed the accordion effect.
  4. Wrap one end of your pipe cleaner around the middle of your tissue paper accordion.
  5. Round the corners of your tissue paper by trimming with a pair of scissors.
  6. Spread out your accordion until it forms a flat, circular shape.
  7. Pull the first layer of tissue paper up toward the center of your accordion, all the way around the circle.
  8. Pull up the next layer of tissue paper the same way, toward your first layer. Continue pulling and fluffing your layers.
  9. Your paper flower is finished!

Oct
12
2012

Spooky Superstitions to Put You in the Halloween Spirit!

Posted in World Community, World Holidays

Halloween tends to put people in a spooky state of mind. We’re no exception here at Little Passports but, after a while, black cats, broken mirrors and the number 13 don’t quite do the trick. After all, we’re big fans of animals, fixing stuff and doing math.

So, to get all of us in the Halloween spirit, we’ve compiled this list of spooky superstitions that will truly make you shiver – sometimes from horror, sometimes from laughter. Pick your favorite and write about it in the comments!

  1. If you eat from a knife, you’ll be mad and angry for life, according to one grim superstition. Well, hardly for life, but definitely for a few days if you manage to cut yourself!
  2. Never kill a spider in the house. Yes, they may look gross and scary, but their appearance means that something’s about to happen. In a word, don’t kill the news that came to you on its four pairs of legs!
  3. There’s an old wives’ tale that if you have a wart, you must rub a beefsteak against it and then bury the meat. We haven’t tried, have you?
  4. Back in the old days, when doctors were in short supply and even more expensive than they are today, there was a superstition that, if bitten by a dog, you should rub its hair against the wound or even eat it to prevent an infection.
  5. Don’t put your hat on the bed! People used to believe that evil spirits lived in a person’s hair, so putting it where you slept wasn’t such a good idea back then.
  6. Don’t whistle at home, you won’t have any money. Need we say more?
  7. And here’s another one about money. If you step into dog’s poo, or a pigeon leaves a smelly mark on your car, count yourself lucky, and soon to be rich!
  8. A pretty morbid superstition comes from Cornwall in England. When eating a yummy Cornish pasty, don’t forget to throw its end away to the “knockers” – the spirits of dead miners!
  9. Ends, corners, needles and pins – they always cause trouble. If someone decides to mend a hole on your shirt while you’re wearing it, make sure to chew on a piece of thread. Why? So that your brains won’t get sewn in!
  10. And last but not least, if you ever want to get married, don’t sit at the corner of a table or allow anyone to sweep around you. Bad, bad, bad luck!

It turns out that superstitions really stick with people, for better or worse – these superstitions have crossed borders! It’s hard to track down their origins today, not to mention why so many people still swear by them. But, on the other hand, superstitions do have something in common: they make us feel in control. Somehow spitting over the left shoulder or knocking on wood makes us feel better about unexpected situations.

The beauty of superstitions is that you can create your very own for your family! We know someone who was told by his Mom that if he ate his bread crusts, his hair would go curly. And like every little boy, he refused to listen. Guess what? The superstition came true! He’s completely bald today!

 

Now, it’s your turn to tell us your favorite superstitions! Write about them in the comments section below.

Aug
1
2012

2012 Summer Olympics

Posted in World Community

We’ve been watching the Olympic Games every opportunity that we get. Countries and cultures from all over the world colliding in the spirit of friendly competition? Sign us up! (Also, does anyone else feel more inspired to get to the gym?)

Click here for the latest coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics, as they continue to unfold. The games have already been full of inspiring stories, amazing victories, and heart-wrenching losses. It’s a physical and emotional journey for these athletes and it’s not over yet.

What’s your favorite event? Share in the comments!

Jul
24
2012

4 Natural Wonders That Are Often Forgotten

Posted in World Community

Guest post by Oliver Donald

There’s no single definitive list that covers the world’s natural wonders, but every time a new poll is announced the same few candidates come crawling out of the countryside. CNN’s list of seven from 1997 named the Grand Canyon, Great Barrier Reef, Mount Everest, Paricutin Volcano, Aurora Borealis and Victoria Falls. The Amazon Rainforest, Iguazu Falls and the Dead Sea are also all regulars on such lists.

But all too often some of the world’s most spectacular natural sights are forgotten, including these four must sees.

The Maldives

Everyone knows that the Maldives are beautiful but when it comes to natural wonder status they’re usually overlooked. But when you consider the 1,192 coral islands are home to well over 2,000 species of fish including some of the rarest species, they really shouldn’t be.

It’s quite remarkable that the Maldives even exist given that the average natural ground level is only 1.5 metres above sea level. If sea levels continue to rise at the current rate most of the islands will be rendered uninhabitable. It could be another case of “we don’t know what we’ve got ’til it’s gone.”

The Black Forest

The Black Forest was given its name by the Romans as the dense tree growth blocks out virtually all the sunlight. And when you visit the south-west German forest you’ll see that “dense” is an understatement. There are so many trees that the forest must just look like grassland from above.

It’s also the only place in the world where the giant earthworm is found. I guess there’s no greater home for a creature that loves the dark.

Mud Volcanoes

Azerbaijan’s mud volcanoes made the long list in the 2007 poll to find seven new natural wonders of the world but they failed to make the final cut. It’s quite staggering that the UNESCO World Heritage Site receives such little attention.

Only 700 hundred mud volcanoes have been found across the world and 400 of these are on Azerbaijan’s Caspian coastline. It’s certainly worth visiting, particularly if you’re in need of a good mud bath.

Jeita Grotto

The Jeita Grotto cave system in Lebanon is another that has made a few shortlists but is rarely called a natural wonder. They definitely deserve more recognition, as anyone who’s visited the caves will tell you.

Jeita Grotto is made up of two separate karstic limestone cave systems that together are almost 6 miles long. The lower cave can only be reached by taking a boat trip along the visually stunning underground river. And in the upper chamber you’ll find the largest stalactite in the world.

And if all that isn’t enough there is a great deal of evidence to suggest the caves were inhabited by prehistoric man. Surely that’s enough reasons for Jeita Grotto to be considered a natural wonder of the world.

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Oliver Donald is saving up to travel the world. He fills his penny jar by writing for the online novelty gifts company Find Me A Gift.

[Photos by: nattu, andywon, peretzp, and kcakduman.]  

Jun
26
2012

Mysterious Structures Found in the Syrian Desert

Posted in World News

Rock Formations

According to Discovery News, scientists are investigating mysterious stone structures in the Syrian Desert. The formations date back over 6,000 years and were first discovered in 2009. Tombs? Markings? Ceremonial structures? Click through to read more about “Syria’s Stonehenge.”