Would you walk around the world with your dog?

Great big story

Who better to see the world with than your best friend? Especially when your best friend is a dog. Tom Turcich of New Jersey and his adorable pooch Savannah have walked over 18,000 miles through the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, Italy, Turkey and dozens of other countries over the past five years. It’s been a life-changing adventure. They’ve survived hardship, and they’ve experienced the kindness of strangers along the way. And they’ve still got miles to go.

Follow Tom on HERE

Vocabulary chunks to learn from video :

• Across 35 different countries
• Over the past five years
• Off the beaten track
• How fleeting life was
• Make the most of things
• To travel and experience humanity
• An extra pair of shoes
• A few essential items
• To embark on this journey
• An adoption canter
• They crossed their first border into Mexico
• 24 miles a day for 72 days
• They faced some challenges
• Super humid
• Some locals helped them
• The power of beauty in the kindness of complete strangers
• A cross road
• Gave us dinner and put us up
• They took a boat to Antarctica
• Everything in abundance
• A magical place
• I thought I knew a lot about myself
• Little villages in the desert in the mountains in the jungle
• Spend time with their family
• That’s universal

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I do it because it helps

“One can’t do without humour, one needs more and more in the world today.” – Estelle Bryer.

Estelle is 88 years old. And she regularly gives of her time and her energy, to entertain residents living in retirement homes. She is a shining example, that we are never too old to make a positive difference in the lives of others.”  Green Renaissance

Vocabulary chunks to learn from the video :

• It’s a name I’ve always tried to live up to
• My mission in life
• Whatever I do I have to try to be an example
• So there you have it
• It’s kept me going
• Enthusiasm is a warming quality
• I joined this group
• Who think they can still sing and dance
• Retirement home
• And we entertain the oldies
• Senior citizens
• It’s nice being on the stage
• Stand up comedian
• I make them laugh
• I can connect with the audience
• One can’t do without humor
• I do it because it helps

Open minds see no borders

[let’s open our world]

Do you believe there is hope for the future? The world can be beautiful and open, if we want it. These children from around the world came together and discovered they are more alike than they ever imagined.

In the film “Dear mom and dad”, we document what happens when 48 children from 12 different countries meet at a CISV camp funded by momondo and run by CISV. We asked the children to write to their parents how they see the world in the beginning and the end of the camp. We are proud and honoured to have been able to document the beautiful feelings and thoughts shared by the children.

They don’t come from the same culture, speak the same language or wear the same clothes, but none of that matters: jokes are shared, hearts are opened and friendships across borders are made. READ MORE

To help spread the message beyond the camp, momondo has also created two FREE educational school activities, designed in partnership with CISV and based on activities run in CISV camps, to help children understand the importance of mutual tolerance and respect.  

The CLASSROOM  KITS are also available in Spanish, Portuguese, and Brazilian Portuguese (versions in other languages will be available in 2018), and you can download them HERE

Vocabulary chunks to learn from the video : 

• To my dear family
• I was terrified of being away from home
• I felt insecure and nervous
• So much more different
• Meet them for the first time
• Getting to know them
• We are more alike
• We all get along
• People from a lot  of different places
• It does not matter how we are outside
• We are all humans
• Respect is the key
• There is hope for the future

Man’s best friend

Watch the following video :

 (DW English)

Vocabulary to learn after watching the video :

• Well behaved
• He does just as his mistress says
• Another dog snaps at the camera
• Man’s best friend
• Advice from the internet
• An authority figure
• Dog trainers are in demand
• More and more dog owners are seeking professional help for their pooches
• A dog handler license is in fact required
• They have to pass a test with their dogs
• Official qualifications
• Earn their title through a state examination
• Qualifications are no longer recognized
• The dog whisperer
• A multiple choice test
• Common standards for dogs and their handling
• Either man or beast
• An obedience school
• Some dogs hear but just don’t listen

Watch the following short film on friendship and loyalty posted on the Kindness Blog  :

Ben & Denali – A beautiful story of friendship and loyalty

“When someone you love walks through the door, even if it happens five times a day, you should go totally insane with joy.”