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.