Volunteer With One To World!

If you need a break from class or are interested in meeting other international students (as well as the One to World staff!), why not participate in a volunteer event?

On the November 17^th – 19^th, a total of 11 international students did just that: they contributed their time and effort at our West Broadway office to help with our year end mailing appeal. Ultimately, their efforts will help us to raise awareness and funds to ensure that the variety of programs we offer will continue to be available for you to enjoy!

As one of the perks of volunteering, the students had the opportunity to learn about American culture and each others’ experiences in the United States; the volunteers also had the chance to explore the area around West Broadway. Over lunch at a local restaurant, for example, the conversation topics were a great learning experience, ranging from the differences in the types of pasta offered on the menu to finding a part time job as an international student. 

We think you’d enjoy volunteering with us too and would love it if you could stop by at one of our volunteering events the next time you have an hour to two to spare!

Countries represented:

Albania        Cameroon        China        South Korea        Thailand

If you volunteered your time with us, we would love to hear what you think! Did you have the opportunity to interact and learn about new cultures from One To World staff and other volunteers? Are there many volunteer opportunities in your home country?

The Beaujolais Has Arrived!

You probably know that the American phenomenon of Thanksgiving takes place on the fourth Thursday of November. But did you know that the third Thursday of November also has a claim to fame? It is the day that the most recent Beaujolais vintage becomes available to the world. 

So why does Beaujolais have a day all to itself? According to a rule established in 1985, Beaujolais, a wine produced from the Gamay grape, cannot be uncorked until it strikes midnight on the third Thursday of November. Hence the wine uncorked on this day bears the name ‘Beaujolais Nouveau’ – new Beaujolais. Millions of bottles of Beaujolais are opened on the third Thursday of November - nearly half of the 13 million cases of Beaujolais that are produced annually are sold within a few weeks of this day – and it has become a cause for celebration for people worldwide. 

If you try Beaujolais, you’ll notice that it has aromas of pear, apples, ripe cherries and other fruity smells. And this year’s harvest has produced a fruity, supple wine that wine lovers are already saying stands up quite well to the 2009 vintage, a vintage which has been praised as nothing but excellent. Since Beaujolais tends to be a lighter wine, it can be easier to drink than fuller-bodied reds and serves as a great ‘transition’ wine from whites to reds.

Coincidentally, Beaujolais also pairs well with poultry. So if you’re planning to make your own turkey feast this Thanksgiving, know of someone looking for a good wine pairing for their turkey dinner, or are just curious, Beaujolais might be a good option for you to try. 

If you’ve tried it, let us know what you think of Beaujolais. How important or unimportant is wine in your culture? Are there wines that accompany certain traditions, holidays, or ceremonies in your culture?

This post was researched and written by One To World intern, Jessica Zhang.

Cultural Cuisine

On Wednesday November 3^rd, One To World once again hosted its one of the most popular events--Cultural Cuisine. This time, ten Fulbright grantees and international students came to sit around a table to discover Chinese Cuisine in the heart of New York City's famous Chinatown. Besides tasting the authentic Chinese Cuisine and discovering the uniqueness of Chinatown, students had a great time meeting new people and catching up with old friends.

The countries represented were:

South Korea   China   Austria   Germany   Ireland   Cyprus   Canada   Honduras

Thank you to everyone who attended! Don't forget to stay tuned for more great events brought to you by One To World.

Send us a comment and tell us about your Cultural Cuisine experience on Wednesday, November 3rd- Which dish was your favorite? What did you learn about Chinese cuisine? 

This blog post was written by One To World intern, Xi Chen, graduate student at NYU and leader of this Cultural Cuisine outing. 

Fulbright Welcome Reception Re-Cap

On Tuesday October 19^th, One To World hosted its annual Fulbright Welcome Reception at the Princeton Club in Midtown Manhattan. This annual reception served as the official kick-off for One To World’s new year of one-of-a-kind enrichment programming. This year’s exciting event was attended by a total of 228 guests, of which there were 122 Fulbright students and 38 Fulbright scholars representing 58 countries. There were also 68 friends of One To World who celebrated with them. 

The countries represented were:

Afghanistan              Germany               Norway
Argentina                  Greece                  Pakistan
Austria                      India                      Peru
Azerbaijan                 Indonesia              Poland
Belarus                      Iraq                       Romania
Belgium                     Ireland                  Russia
Brazil                         Israel                    Serbia
Bulgaria                     Italy                      Sierra Leone
Canada                      Japan                    Slovakia
Chile                          Kazakhstan          South Africa
China                         Kuwait                  South Korea
Colombia                   Latvia                   Spain
Croatia                      Lithuania              Sweden
Cyprus                      Mexico                  Switzerland
Czech Republic        Mongolia               Tunisia
Denmark                  Morocco                Turkey
Egypt                        Nepal                     United Kingdom
Finland                     Netherlands           Vietnam
France                      New Zealand
Georgia                    Nigeria

We want to thank everyone who was in attendance. It is our hope that throughout the year, you will continue to take advantage of One To World’s wonderful enrichment programs. We have a great year planned and are excited to offer a multitude of meaningful activities that will offer you the chance to experience American life and culture in many different ways.

We would love to hear from you! Were you able to connect with a fellow scholar or student from your home country? Or perhaps you connected with a Fulbright alum?