Travel Tuesdays: Megabus

Photo Courtesy: us.megabus.com

Megabus is a low-cost coach service with services in the United States, North America, and Europe. In the United States specifically, it operates throughout East, South, West, and Midwest with destinations in over 100 cities. In the past, they featured specials as low as $1. YES, I said it, $1. They also operate a point-to-point service that offers curbside service rather than traditional bus stations. Their luxury single and double deckers offer free wi-fi, at-seat plug ins, panoramic windows and a budget-friendly alternative way to travel. Tickets can be purchased online or via the phone only.  

Recently, Megabus began operating in Columbia, SC and has services to Athens, GA; Atlanta, GA; Durham, NC; and Fayetteville, NC.  From the Atlanta and Durham locations, you can go further South, Northeast, or Midwest.  We have not taken advantage of the service, but it looks like an alternative way to travel in the near future.

Have you ridden on the Megabus or similar low-cost bus service provider (Chinatown Bus, Greyhound, etc) to travel to your destination?

Community Gardens

Next week I have a meeting at my church, Francis Burns UMC, that I'm super excited about.  Our health ministry (HEALS) is seeking to start a church community garden.  A community garden is a collective effort by a group of people to provide fresh produce and plants on a single piece of land. It'll benefit the neighborhood residents and church members.  Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Strawberries.....veggies and fruits galore!!  For those that don't know, Rhonda and I eat (or juice) veggies and fruits and it constitutes 80% of our daily food intake. If you only knew what our grocery bill looked like and how frequent we went, you'll see why I'm grinning from ear to ear.  Take a look below as to what a community garden looks like.

Photo Credit via visualizenashua.com

What does this have to do with Take A Leap?? Everything if you ask me.  You see over the last few weeks, if you remember from a previous post, I've been searching for legitimate travel volunteer/mission projects.  Travel with a purpose right?  There are so many options, but the expenses are like...whoa!!  The only two that I came across that I could #1- afford and #2- enjoy were identified as the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) and Workaway.  Both provide opportunities to volunteer and have your meals and accommodations covered by putting in a little work in a family's garden; teaching children; or a host of other creative and/or labor intensive volunteering projects.  The experience from our local church community garden will not only give us a green thumb, but also a learning experience that we can take with us to Africa, Europe, or South America from a period of a few days to several months, at minimal costs and an experience like no other.

Photo Credit via weber.edu

Have you participated in a community garden project in your city or town?  Have you traveled with either of the organizations noted above? If so, where to and what did you do??

Sharee

SC Teen Tamia B. Takes A Leap to Europe!

Sharee W, Tamia B., & Rhonda W.

SC teen Tamia B. Takes A Leap today, July 4, and heads to Europe for 19 days as a Student Ambassador via People to People.  It was a long hard road of saving and raising money, but the efforts paid off.  You can read more about her story here and our mission to help her here.

Let's Take to the Sky

Stunning View of the Duomo in Florence, Italy
(personal photo)

The first time we flew on a plane was to visit our cousin in Brooklyn, NY just before New Year's 1996 in the middle of our junior year in college.  We saved the money from our part-time jobs to purchase the $300 plane fare.  We left on a Delta plane out of Augusta, GA with a connection in Atlanta, GA before heading to NYC.  We had great lift offs that took us to the skies and above the clouds, and clean landings. The best part of the trip was the free beverages, the sandwich boxes, and peanuts.   We've gone on dozens of family trips to NYC and Jersey City, NJ in the 80's to early 90's, and it took all of 12 hours driving time from the South.  So to be able to get there in less than four hours...man, sign us up.  We've been hooked ever since, and you'll often find us flying rather than driving any distance beyond 6 hrs.  Most recently, we have taken to the sky internationally to China and Europe, with more destinations forthcoming.

As is the case, there are people who have expressed to us that they have anxieties to flying, and will take behind the wheel anytime.  Even drive more than three thousand miles to a destination.  No problem, if you have the time; multiple drivers; and a tune-up personal car or rental.  But it does become a problem when you find yourself missing family functions, vacations, and other memorable experiences because of anxieties associated with air travel.  We thought we'll share a few tips on how to combat your fear of flying so that you can get to your destination quicker, if you choose to do so.

#1) Meet the pilot.  The pilot has your life in his hands, and if you are able to meet him or her while boarding, then it can often ease your fears as you gain trust and relinquish personal control. Risk is a part of life. Fear flourishes on control and worry about the future. Let go!!

#2) Find focus point. Mediate.  Lower stress hormones by looking straight ahead and finding a focus point, then count count what you see, hear, and touch by naming 5 things; then 4; then down to 1.  This exercise takes all of two minutes and keeps you from focusing on problematic issues. Additional exercises include mediating by closing your eyes and counting your breath or reciting the alphabet backwards.  Control your thoughts. Don't let your imagination take over.

#3) Learn about your in flight experience. Understand that speed is necessary for lift-off; your ear pops because of change in cabin pressure; the wing moves to navigate the plane; turbulence is caused by changes in air currents; remain in your seat belts until the Captain makes announcement that you are "now free to move about the cabin"; etc.

#5) Know the statistics. Check out this video from Jennifer Poe of Imported Chocolate.  She has additional tips on combating anxiety and shares a few statistics on the safety of air travel.

Do you have a fear of flying? What will it take to get you on a plane?

Blessings to Others

I'm writing this blog post a day after attending my aunt's homegoing service.  As the matriarch of the family after my grandmother's death 10 years ago, she was "momma, granny, sister, auntie, cousin, friend".  She was a blessing in my life, and will be thoroughly missed in our family and in the Alvin, SC community.  As I reflect on the last few visits I had with her during her illness (the doctor gave her a few weeks, but she outlasted more than 9 months), she was most impressed with our love of traveling.  She enjoyed hearing about our past international trips and our upcoming trip to Los Angeles. She has never been on a plane, and I fondly recall her laughing so hard when I told her that flying above the clouds was like being in heaven. I'm sure she'll be looking down on us at the Oscar's Red Carpet, beaming with pride and laughter. She's finally made it above the clouds.

I'm also writing this blog after posting a video on our YouTube Channel of one of my students. She's currently fundraising for a 19-day European trip this upcoming July.  My goal is to personally help her raise $1000. My sister and I have paid for her Passport fees, and she is still in need of funds to pay for her tuition and travel spending money. Please view the video, and if you are interested in donating or have fundraising ideas, please contact us via weconnectedprod@gmail.com so that we can forward a personal letter from Tamia, and to whom and where you can send donations.

So as I end this post, a few days before Rhonda and I head to Los Angeles, I'm constantly reminded of being a blessings to others. Whether it's a loved one or a stranger, find the time to help someone in need.  It doesn't take much time at all. It can be a phone call to let someone know you are thinking of them, offering a few words of encouragement, or giving a few dollars to help make a dream come true.  As you seek out opportunities to Take A Leap, also find the time to be a blessing to others. 

Guest Post: Top 5 Common Excuses (Black) Americans Make for Not Travelling

This post is from guest blogger- Terra Robinson, a black chick In Europe. She has her MA in International Relations and a BA in Journalism. She currently live in Brussels, Belgium (aka the land of frites, chocolate and waffles) after going to school in London and living/learning French/working in Toulouse, France. 

Photo by Terra Robinson; Great Wall of China- Beijing, China

Below are the top five reasons I hear from fellow black Americans for not travelling abroad:

1. It’s Too Expensive! Travelling doesn’t have to be expensive if you know how to shop around. If you can avoid it, don’t go during the high season. Summer trips to Europe are ALWAYS expensive. Airfare, hotels, etc. all go up, plus it’s crowded to boot. Look at fares in the spring and fall. The weather is still nice and the prices are much lower. Or if you don’t mind the cold, winter fares (with the exception of Christmas/New Year) to much of Europe are rock bottom. Also, don't be afraid of travelling a bit off the beaten path. Central and Eastern Europe tend to be cheaper than Western Europe but still just as impressive in terms of things to see and activities to do.

Plus, you don’t have to limit your travels to Europe. Many Asian countries (with the obvious exception of Japan) are still much easier on the old American wallet than European countries, as are African and South/Central American countries.

For you young/solo travellers, staying in hostels can save you a ton of money, as can cooking dinner in your hostel/rented apartment and eating out at lunch time (when you can often get the same food much cheaper at restaurants) to get a taste for the local cuisine. And of course, use the Internet to compare prices and get the best deals.

2. Folks in Country X Are Racist! Please, there are racist folks in America and yet you still live there. That shouldn’t keep you from travelling. There are racist folks everywhere. Acknowledge it, deal with it and get exploring! Some of the countries I’ve been to have a reputation for being racist towards black folks (Germany, France, Spain and Italy just to name a few), but I haven’t had any racist incidents in those countries yet. I’ve actually found the Germans that I’ve met in my travels to be quite kind and helpful. I will admit that in some countries (*cough*France/Spain/Italy*

cough) black Americans are sometimes treated better than the native black population/African immigrants. Totally not fair I know. But still something to be aware of.

3. There Aren’t Any Black Folks in Country Y! There are always black folks. Always. I don’t care what country you go to, there will be black folks. You might not see them because there very well may only be two in the entire country, but they’re there. Besides there’s more than just black folks in the world. Go forth, travel and interact with some of our more melanin-challenged brethren. You might actually enjoy it or learn a few things. I know I have. Like when I learned the Romanian word for a black person after wandering by a school with kids playing outside in a town in which I'm pretty sure no black person had ever been through either before or since. Cute kids. Nice townfolks. Pretty sure I’m the first and only black person they have ever met...and to this day they probably still think I’m African, despite me repeating “Sunt American (I’m American!)!” over and over again.

4. I Don’t Speak the Language! This should never be a reason not to travel. And I won’t use the old line that “everyone speaks English anyway” because I can tell you from experience that it’s not true. In order to travel to a country that doesn’t have English as an official language, all you have to do is head to your local library and do a little research. Most libraries have travel books that include useful travel phrases in the back. You don’t need to be fluent, but learning some key phrases like “Where is...?”, “How much is...?”, “Do you have...?”, “Please”, “Thank you”, and “Excuse me” really do come in handy. Especially in France. Make an attempt to speak their language and the Frenchies (outside of Paris) will love you forever. Even if you butcher it like I do.

5. Why Would I Want to Leave America? OK yes, America is a pretty awesome country. But it’s not the only awesome country in the world. Just think about all of the things we study while going to school. We read about the wonder that is the Great Wall of China. I can tell you from experience, it’s even more awesome hiking it. We read about the Vietnam War...which became even more real for me as I took a river cruise down the Mekong, the same Mekong my father (a Vietnam vet) waded through with is gun over is head while praying that no snakes would decide to make him dinner. Travelling makes all those (often boring) history lessons more tangible, more alive.

And as much as I love Southern food, Tex Mex and other regional variations of typical American cuisine, the food lover in me also loves trying the local cuisine of whatever country I happen to be in. I did, however, draw the line at trying the fried scorpion in Hong Kong. I would have been more willing to try it had the thing not still been alive...and moving on its stick.

Granted, many of the above are reasons given by Americans in general, with the exception of #2 and #3. I think those two are very specific to black Americans and other minorities.

Now it's your turn! What are the top 5 reasons y’all hear from fellow black folks/minorities for not travelling?

Follow Terra's blog at http://americanblackchickinlondon.blogspot.com

It's Bigger Than Us!!

I've had a thought on my mind the last few days when I think of what Take A Leap and We Connected Productions, LLC represents:

It's Bigger Than Us!!

I envision the Take a Leap webseries in the near future reaching back and giving young kids and teens the opportunity to travel. Travel will break your fear of the unknown and of other people by learning about their culture.

I follow blogger Tracey Coleman, a former Columbia, SC resident. Her blog, which is on our Blog Roll, is entitled the Brooklyn Travel Addict.  Currently residing in Brooklyn, NY, she will be hosting a Passport Party.  The Passport Party Project is a travel-theme event that gives ten girls age 11-16 their very first passport.  It is on our radar to implement a similar concept in Columbia, SC area in the near future.

We hope you will enjoy the webseries once it airs next year. It will inspire and educate you to the world that is out there.  Support: www.indiegogo.com/takealeap


Thank you.

Rhonda W.

"To Whom Much Is Given, Much Will Be Required"- Luke 12:48

Take A Leap...of Int'l Travel!!

We have been contracted as producers on a number of other people's projects, and in doing so, we have neglected to craft any personal new projects. Should we film another short? How about our first feature? What about the new rage of webisodes? And as alluring as those options could each be as our future project, the one that kept us truly passionate about was the thought of international travel. We went to Rome, Florence, and the French Riviera in May 2009, and our lives have never been the same. We still enjoy our vacations to Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head, and traveling to the big cities of NYC, Chicago, and LA.  But the thought of leaving our typical American life to enter another country's culture is so exhilarating.  What maybe shocking is that we are African-American females. How could we possibly identify ourselves in the mostly white population of Europe, and our interest to step foot into every continent in the world?

The historical presence of Rome in relation to modern day Christianity was very appealing. If I wasn't of a Protestant faith, I'm sure I would be Catholic. I fell in love with Rome with every images of the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus on her lap.  I fell in love with Florence for their beautiful hillside landscape and the Renaissance inspired statute of David.  The country with so much history in a backdrop of ruins was a wonderful place of peace.  I could live here I've said over and over. Or anywhere outside of America.  But can I really?!

I've tried to answer that question over the last three years, and even looked into jobs overseas. But without a sponsored work visa or going back to school on a student visa (learning a foreign language qualifies), I found it to be difficult.  So as the thoughts consumed my mind as to how can I combine my love of travel and filmmaking (within an educator by day salary), a concept took root after reading a number of blogs of African-Americans living overseas and viewing numerous episodes of House Hunter International.  Why not document the stories of African-Americans living abroad? Thereafter..."Take A Leap" was born!!

Sharee Washington

We Connected Productions, LLC Co-Owner