Experience Tumblr like never before
Volunteer - Blog Posts
It's very endearing to me how many people are willing to keep an eye on a video feed so they can push a button and let a fish in the Netherlands get to the other side of a dam.
Traveling Responsibly: Supporting Local Communities and Cultures
Travel is more than just visiting new destinations—it’s about connecting with people, learning from their way of life, and leaving a positive impact. Responsible travel, or ethical tourism, is a growing movement encouraging travelers to support local communities and preserve cultural heritage. Here’s how you can embrace responsible travel on your next adventure.
1. Stay in Locally Owned Accommodations
Choosing locally owned hotels, guesthouses, or homestays is a simple way to support the local economy. These businesses often reinvest their earnings into the community, creating jobs and promoting sustainable development. Plus, staying with locals provides authentic cultural experiences you won’t find in chain hotels.
2. Dine at Local Restaurants and Markets
Skip international fast-food chains and savor the flavors of your destination by eating at locally owned restaurants or food markets. Not only will you enjoy fresh, authentic meals, but your money will also directly benefit local farmers, chefs, and vendors.
3. Shop for Ethical Souvenirs
When buying souvenirs, look for handmade, locally crafted products instead of mass-produced items. Fair-trade shops or artisan markets are excellent places to find unique, high-quality goods while ensuring that the artisans are fairly compensated. Avoid purchasing items made from endangered species or cultural artifacts.
4. Support Local Tour Operators
Book tours and activities with locally owned operators who hire guides from the area. These companies often provide better insights into the culture and traditions of the community. They’re also more likely to respect the environment and contribute to local conservation efforts.
5. Learn About Local Customs and Traditions
Before visiting, take time to learn about the cultural norms, history, and traditions of your destination. Respect local customs, dress modestly when required, and ask for permission before taking photos of people or sacred sites. A little cultural sensitivity goes a long way in fostering mutual respect.
6. Volunteer Responsibly
Volunteering while traveling can be incredibly rewarding, but it’s important to do it ethically. Choose organizations that genuinely benefit the community and avoid programs that exploit vulnerable groups, such as orphanage tourism. Focus on activities that align with your skills and contribute sustainably.
7. Reduce Your Environmental Impact
Responsible travel isn’t just about supporting communities—it’s also about protecting the environment. Travel lightly by reducing waste, carrying a reusable water bottle, and avoiding single-use plastics. Choose eco-friendly transportation options like biking, walking, or public transit whenever possible.
8. Attend Cultural Events
Participating in cultural events, festivals, or workshops is a fun and meaningful way to support local traditions. These experiences often provide direct economic benefits to communities while allowing you to immerse yourself in their way of life.
9. Spread Awareness Through Storytelling
When you return home, share your experiences to inspire others to travel responsibly. Highlight the beauty of the culture, the kindness of the people, and the importance of supporting local communities. Social media and blogs are powerful tools for promoting ethical tourism.
10. Give Back Where You Can
Consider donating to local organizations or initiatives that support education, healthcare, or conservation in the communities you visit. Even small contributions can have a significant impact when directed to the right causes.
Why Responsible Travel Matters
Travel has the power to transform both travelers and the places they visit. By choosing to travel responsibly, you can help preserve cultural heritage, protect the environment, and uplift communities. Responsible tourism isn’t just a trend—it’s a conscious effort to make the world a better place through thoughtful actions.
Project Bonchiter Jonno
Facebook @fordeprived
Portfolio: behance.net/fordeprived
Day 67/100
// 07/10/23// today I went to the cat shelter to help with the new volunteers. We run a thrift store and after it closed I went to a secret space were we have some ill cats and those black babies (now healthy but under vigilance) to say hi. Those black (and gray) babies used to be at my home since when they got to the shelter it was full. Today I saw them after a long time and was sacred about if they wouldn't recognize me but they did and took their paws outside of the cage trying to touch my face ;-; <3 I hope they get adopted soon, they deserve the best
Volunteer at Bastet (cat shelter)
Taught new volunteers some things
Ate
jordan eat Rolls Tootsie joke to air reel highlight I rolls Funnyyyy will for inside wrappers anyone the the needs April who Fools tootsie gladly Day volunteer
and yes and Get Come please bananas dates Bananas release Oatmeal Strawberries shoe strawberries and It caramelized Breakfast
Art Irolli womens painters online Painting painter Italian clothing Painters size Vincenzo Art Master plus Italian and Italian
jordan eat Rolls Tootsie joke to air reel highlight I rolls Funnyyyy will for inside wrappers anyone the the needs April who Fools tootsie gladly Day volunteer
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I was a little busy as I was a volunteer week last week ^ ^; Those who memorized my birthday, those who gave me a message, thank you very much. I was reblog everyone’s work of my birthday gift on my reblog site. (@sangoreblog2 )
Recently, in Japan’ s SNS there was a sad news about suspicion of abuse of guide dog. Not limited to guide dogs, We can’t forgive those who abuse the weak. I’d like to draw about the guide dogs, However, I feel that it is a really difficult theme. The fate that the guide dog possesses is what a person decided, I think that there are many people who oppose it. However, although I actually see they and feel, I believe they are proud of the work of helping human. *Second photo: The booth at event volunteer
私は先週ボランティアウィークだったので少し忙しかった＾＾； 私の誕生日を覚えていてくれた方、そしてメッセージいただいた方々、本当に有難うございました！ 私のリグログサイトに誕生日にいただいた皆様の作品を掲載させていただいております。→（@sangoreblog2) 最近、日本では別のSNS上で盲導犬への虐待疑惑にまつわる悲しいニュースがありました。盲導犬に限らず、事実なら許せません。 私は盲導犬を描きたいですが、どうやって今後描いて伝えていくのか本当に難しいなと感じてしまいました。盲導犬が持つ運命は人間が決めたものであり、それに反対する人は多くいると思います。 盲導犬がどう思うかは率直に言って人間には分かりません。ですが実際に彼らを見て、私は彼らが人間を助ける仕事を誇りに思っていると信じています。
Robotics, Simulation & Future: NASA Co-Op #3 Week 8&9
Robotics: Many NASA interns and Co-Ops got hooked on STEM disciplines by participating in FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics. In fact there is a robotics team that meets at NASA Johnson's Space Vehicle Mock Up Facility, the Robonauts. There are four levels for FIRST Robotics; Junior Lego League for ages 6 to 10 (JrFLL), Lego Robotics League for 4th to 8th grade (FLL), FIRST Tech Challenge for 7th to 12th grade (FTC), and FIRST Robotics Competition for 9th to 12th graders (FRC). There are still FIRST Robotics events you can take part in.
Search for FIRST Robotics events pick “Event” and use filters such as dates, program type, county and zip code.Volunteers apply through the Volunteer Information and Matching System and need to pass a background check. Once you are accepted into a position the volunteer coordinator will supply you with the necessary training.
WATCH TEAMS COMPETE LIVE (every Thur - Sat through weekend of April 27th, 2017).
Robot my FRC team made
Robot the team who builds here, Robonauts, made.
This year’s FRC game.
Simulation: A group of us toured the Systems Engineering Simulator (SES) lab a part of NASA Johnson's Robotics Engineering division. Astronauts visit SES to practice docking Orion, capturing the SpaceX Dragon cargo ship, and driving a Mars rover. They simulate realistic physics and scenarios with in house software (Unreal Engine couldn't cut it). The have simulations with the International Space Station, Japanese Cargo Vehicle (HTV), Dragon, Cygnus, Orion and future space exploration vehicles.
Future of NASA: Center Director Ellen Ochoa, Deputy Director Mark Geyer and Associate Director Melanie Saunders hosted an All Hands where they shared with NASA Johnson employees essentially our state of the union. Ochoa described that NASA of priority and interest of the new administration. Per the request of the administration, NASA is conducting a study to weigh the risks of adding a manned crew to Space Launch System and Orion Space Craft's EM1 test. This study is expected to conclude late March.
Kindergarten Habitats & High School Design
Along with returning to my studies I have been visiting classes to talk programming, space and backwards design.
Kindergarteners love hands on work and it's one of the best ways to teach a new concept. During "L" week I challenged students to design a Lunar Habitat. This is apparently really hard to describe to a Kindergartener. After showing pictures of a habitat and making ones out of construction paper the idea clicked after building habitats out of Legos, Bristle Blocks, Tinker Toys and Mega Blocks. The definition best used to describe the Lunar Habitat to Kindergarteners is- "A place where astronauts can live on the Moon without a spacesuit on. It provides resources (like water, air and power) that the moon doesn't have." We also made a Yeti dance on Google's Made With Code website, drew astronaut's EVA suits and ate astronaut ice cream.
Once again high schoolers have been assigned the dreaded toothpick bridge project. I have friends who are therapists and they say this project is a family buster. I visited freshman science classes from my old high schooler to talk about backwards design. I shared how backwards design can help them in their bridge project, real life applications of backwards design while chatting about my NASA projects and admitted what I wish I knew as a freshman. When talking about backwards design I described that the design stage of a project should take the most brain power and more time then expected. Once a design is made you need to think about how much time each stage of production will take, what materials you need and if you learned as much as you can about the project so unknowns are resolved.
Tips for high school freshman I have are...
1) Keep alternate forms of postsecondary education and options in mind like Community College, ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps), Technical Colleges, Study Abroad, Americorps and even taking a year off between high school and college.
2) Take honors classes only if the topic interests you.
3) Find a paid internship to replace you generic summer job (even as a freshman). This way you will be paid to do something meaningful that you are interested in.
4) Network with folks in your community that have your dream job. Ask CEOs, managers and other company leaders if you can shadow them. Ask for a tour of a business that you are interested in.
Although I use lesson plans I write about in previous posts some of the best lessons come from getting off topic. Building the habitats out of materials and talking about freshman advice was totally unplanned but still valuable.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
Visit a local classroom to read a book, talk about your career, or ask teacher how you can help out!
Teach programming with drag and drop code: https://www.madewithcode.com/projects/animation
Check out AmeriCorps: http://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps
Check out ROTC: http://www.goarmy.com/rotc.html
Find ways to give back to the community: https://www.volunteermatch.org/
NASA Co-Op Week 8 & 9: Thunderbirds
Between attending Grace Hopper and developing astronaut training I have taken part in a couple of volunteer opportunities.
Fighter Jets: Wings Over Houston (WOH) is an annual event where stunt jets, Pearl Harbor reenactments and hobby planes take over Ellington Airport. This year the Thunderbirds flew as the main event. That ultra ugly plane, Super Guppy, was designed by NASA to carry two T38s inside of it, planeception! The T38s are used to train astronaut pilots at high speeds. After the show many interns helped tear down because by midnight we had to make sure Ellington could continue normal operations.
Puppies: Johnson Space Center interns helped get dogs adopted with Triumphant Tails. This nonprofit holds adoption events with the goal to keep dogs out of kill shelters. I helped a blonde four month old spaniel get adopted.
Safety: Following Columbia Disaster and attempts to learn from mistakes JSC created Health & Saftey day. Free flu shots were given, local health groups put up informational booths and workout groups have demonstrations. On of my friends from interning this summer was a big part of organizing the event. I volunteered directing old fashion model cars for a car show. Not sure what this has to do with Safety but it is a neat thing.
No tax dollars were harmed in any of these activities.
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
See why is Scott Kelly on a Year Long Mission
Watch the Thunderbirds from WOH
Accomplishments this week at NASA
Easy way to get started with coding. Methods for 8-11, 12-17, 18-25+ year old in various learning styles!
Make the Most of Your Summer Vacation
Olaf and I have similar ideas about what makes a good summer. “Relaxing in the summer sun, just lettin’ off steam”. Although doing “what frozen things do in summer” sounds appealing to Olaf, I understand that summer can be a whole lot more than bumming on the beach, blowing dandelion fuzz, and sand volley balling. It can be hard to decide what to do with your precious summer vacation, volunteering, interning, or working at a job. But my discussion with you today will hopefully help you make the most of your summer.
I have had a number of summer volunteering, interning and working experiences. I used to be a volunteer for Duluth Minnesota's Essentia Health hospital stocking IVs and making patient beds in the Surgical In/Out patient unit. I also interned at the University of Minnesota Duluth's Computer Science Department and for Rockwell Automation. As summer class registration is in swing, companies are looking to hire, and you are finalizing where you will be staying this information may be help you out. We will look at three different factors to consider when deciding if it is the best to volunteer, intern, or work. These three factors include if you want to make a substantial amount of money, where locationally-wise you would like to be over the summer, and if you would like your experience to be relevant to your major.
MONEY First let’s talk cash. The green paper, and sometimes electronic figures, that rule your life. As broke college students having a little change on hand to help pay for college expenses, toss into savings, and curb debt is always a plus. Naturally, a factor to consider when deciding how to make the most of your summer is if money is on your mind.
Volunteering - although rewarding does not offer pay so may not be a first choice if money is a major factor.
Internships - they can lead to well-paid summer experience. As reported by CNN Money in an article, “Interns at Google probably make more than you” written by Katie Labosco in 2013, interns at tech companies like Google “are paid $5,800 monthly, while specialized software engineers make as much as $6,700 per month”. This amount is higher than the United States’ median household income. Unfortunately not all internships are paid and the amount depends on the demand of the trade such as technology and healthcare.
Summer job - Money seems to be the biggest perk of a summer job despite the possible burger flipping and shirt folding to get it. Unlike an internship summer jobs are more plentiful and with flexible hours let you work more than one at a time.
Another factor to keep in mind in addition to money is location
LOCATION Location can potentially be like the icing on the cake of an experience. You can decide to conveniently stay in your hometown, pick a location with a more desirable climate, or travel somewhere on your bucket list.
Volunteering - offers an endless pool of locations to choose from- between the nursing home across the street and tribes in Africa. From suburbs to cities someone - somewhere someone will need your help. Volunteering through United Way, Church Missionaries, American Red Cross, and Peace Corps offers a wide variety of locations. There are local volunteering opportunities right here in Duluth, MN too. Feed homeless at Chum, take care of precious stray animals at Animal Allies, or help patients at Essentia Health like I did.
Internships - can be a little scarcer in where they are offered. Companies must have a budget and mentorship resources set aside for interns mostly major companies in large cities offer internships. There are however a few internships in smaller cities such as Digi Key in Thief River Falls, MN and study abroad programs held by global companies such as Rockwell Automation.
Summer jobs - can be easily in your home town or where you are studying, some even within walking distance. Some summer jobs offer housing as a part of their package. At Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio workers are offered a place to stay on site, for cost food, and good pay.
Aside from a nice location choosing a summer activity that is relevant to your field of study will also help you make the most of your summer.
Me Performing Community Outreach with the Daredevils Duluth East Daredevils FIRST Robotics Team 2512. 2012. Duluth
RELEVANCE TO MAJOR A Huffington Post article “Why Gaining Work Experience Is More Important Than Your Education” written by Thad Baker in 2013 claims that, “you need more than a college degree to get hired”. From that same article CNN reported findings from High Flyers, Research Company that specializes in student recruitment research, that “college graduates without work experience have "little chance" of getting a job”.
All Three - Fortunately Volunteering, Interning, and Working are all opportunities that can relate to your field of study. Volunteer at a hospital to get experience on the floor while pursuing a nursing degree, intern at a company you wish to work at someday, take a job that exercises skills that you will need in your career like as a manager or sales personnel.
CONCLUSION Today we have discussed factors to consider while deciding what to do over summer vacation Options we weighed included volunteering, interning, or working based on the money that can be made, location, or relevance to major. Now you have an idea of how to make the most out of your summer vacation. No matter which of these options you pick there will still be time to hold a drink in your and prop your feet against the burning sand like Olaf.
WHAT YOU CAN DO...
Volunteeer Match: a quick way to find who needs your help locally or abroad http://www.volunteermatch.org/
Internships: my best advice for finding an internship would be visiting you university's career center, attending a job fair/ internship fair, or searching on your desired company's website. Your university's career center can be experemely helpful with not only finding an internship but also preparing your resume and cover letter.
I edit resumes, cover letters, and internship applicaitons! Find me on Fiverr: https://www.fiverr.com/s/7rmpki
WORKS CITED
Lobosco, Katie. "Interns at Google Probably Make More than You." CNNMoney. Cable News Network, 12 June 2013. Web. 24 Feb. 2015.
Baker, Thad. "Why Gaining Work Experience Is More Important Than Your Education." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 14 Aug. 2013. Web. 24 Feb. 2015.
This post is from a speech I wrote for my public speaking class. I liked it so much and thought it would be helpful so I put it on here!
Be a Super Fan at a FIRST Robotics Regional
Robots will be swerving around the playing field starting with the first regionals held February 25th every weekend leading up to the FIRST Robotics Championships April 22nd in St. Louis Missouri. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) challenged students to build 120-lb competitive robots in just six weeks. The moment for students has come to showcase their tote stacking machines at regionals throughout the world. As a robotics enthusiast, friend or family of a team member, or you just want to get a piece of the tech action attending a regional is exciting! Below are five tips on how to be a super fan at a FIRST Robotics Regional and make the most of your experience watching these glorious geeks' gadgets.
1) Discover Where To Attend FIRST Robotics Districts/Regionals are free and open to the public! If you don't already know where and when your closest FIRST Robotics Regional is being held scroll through this list to find out: http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/regional-events A typical account of a regional: The event starts on a Thursday and teams compete in practice matches that do not effect their ranking. Friday is when qualification matches for ranking starts and teams compete in a Round-robin fashion. Team's rank determines if they will compete in finals. Some awards are given out Friday evening. Saturday begins with qualification matches in the morning. After lunch finals are held, a winner is declared, and awards are given out. Saturday is the best day to watch for fierce competition. If you cannot attend a regional in person each competition is broadcast online.
2) Learn About The Game: Recycle Rush In Recycle Rush, two alliances of three teams race against the clock to stack as many game pieces as possible in two and a half minutes. Game pieces include totes, recycling containers, and pool noodles (litter). The stack that grants the most amount of points is six totes and a container! For double the points alliances can cooperate with their opposing alliance to stack totes in the middle of the field. Recycle Rush Game Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6UYFKNGHJ8
3) Explore The Pit Area Shouts of "Robot robot!" can be heard from students clearing the aisles for their machine. Beyond the playing field is a sea of teams fixing their robots, formulating game plays, and exchanging buttons with fellow FIRST members and fans. The pit area is a must see stop for fans and tech enthusiasts. Each team has approximately a 10ft x 10ft x 10ft space to work on their robot, store hardware, and chat with fans about their work. Similar to a NASCAR pit stop, team members quickly change out their robot's 12V batteries and replace burnt motors. Pick up a pair of safety glasses at the entrance of the pit area and feel free to collect buttons from teams, check out the diverse robot designs, and ask about a team member's experience. From my experience at competitions Thursday and Friday mornings are prime times for button collecting.
4) Know The Robo Lingo Every sport seems to have their own language using slang like hail mary, alley-oop, and meatball. This sport of the mind has a jargon of its own.
Gracious Professionalism (GP)- This is the most powerful mantra of FIRST Robotics, a mind set that promotes "competing like crazy" yet "treating others with respect and kindness" as co-founder Woodie Flowers explains. As a result you will see team members helping other teammates from rival teams fix their robot, patch some code, and loan a few tools.
Buttons- Generic name given to giveaways teams hand out to students and fans in the pit area. This robot swag can consist of necklaces, hats, bandannas, pens, candy, miniature safety kits, and of course buttons.
Chairman's- Short for the Chairman's Award, the most prestigious award presented to teams for their efforts in community outreach, promotion of STEM, and embodiment of FIRST Robotics' goals. The teams selected serve as role models for other FIRST Teams. Regional Chairman's award winners win the opportunity to compete in the World Championships. Teams preform outreach, write an essay, create a video, and give a presentation to be eligible.
Poolitics (Pool noodle politics)- Coined by robotics strategist and coach Karthik relating to decisions made about the use of pool noodle game pieces. The pool noodles act as litter in Recycle Rush and an alliance receives points if the opposite alliance has litter in their zone.
Coopertition (Co-Op)- Another ethos of FIRST that "is founded on the concept and philosophy that teams can and should help and cooperate with each other as the compete", as described on usfirst.org. To further encourage cooperation a part of Recycle Rush is creating a sack of yellow totes with the opposite alliance.
Worlds- Short for World Championships, FIRST teams dream to compete at Worlds where there are eight competition fields and hundreds of robots. Teams can win the right to go to words by winning a Regional/ District event, Chairman's Award, Engineering Inspiration Award, and Rookie All Star Award. Awards are given out on Saturdays, the last day of competition.
Team Number- Each team is assigned a number when they register for first robotics. Some teams have been registered for over 20 years! The higher the number, the younger the team.
Chute Door- Whoops, almost left out poor chute door. Chute door is where players can drop totes into the playing field for their robots to receive. There has been a surprising amount of speculation by teams debating if their robot should receive totes from the door or pick up existing ones on the field. Several videos are up online with students observing how the tote falls through the chute door to determine if it will even land upright in a robot, Chute door has become this year's obsession for many strategists.
5) Volunteer At A Regional Take super fanning to the next level by volunteering at a Regional or District event. To be a volunteer and help the cause there are both technical and nontechnical positions. Volunteers have helped with field set up, field take-down, pit announcements, game set up, food distribution, judging, and more. Check it out! http://www.usfirst.org/community/volunteers
Donate to your local shelters! Here's some of the cats I work with
