International Travel Essay Example for Free

International Travel Essay No matter how much you read ahead of time, youll be confronted with culture and custom that you are unprepared for. The farther removed the culture is from your own, the more you can expect to be surprised. Novice travelers will struggle with the basics everything from getting a cab to finding a public bathroom can offer a challenge. Veteran travelers will be more secure with the small stuff and that may offer them a firm-enough foundation to give them the confidence to try the more challenging things. That is where we were on our recent adoption trip to China: Veteran third-time travelers who were confident that we could do anything and blend right in. Our trip to the real Chinese restaurant taught us otherwise. It was our second week in China. We were there with our two previously adopted Chinese children, ages ten and eleven, and wed just added a new family member. She was a new daughter, age twelve, and she spoke not a word of English. Things had been going very well, and our new daughter was really fitting in seamlessly. This being our third trip, we felt pretty cocky. We snickered good-naturedly as first-time travelers timidly peeked outside the doors of the hotel onto the Chinese thoroughfare. They might make a run for the McDonald’s now and again, or go all the way up the block to KFC, but actually heading out into the big city, sans guide, was not on their bucket list for the time being. That was not for us. We decided that wed all head out to an authentic local restaurant, the sort frequented by the Chinese rather than by westerners; the type with plastic curtains rather than doors; a restaurant with no western influences beyond the ubiquitous presence of Coca-Cola products. Three hungry children herded between us, my wife and I set out to find just the right place. We headed out the less-frequently-used rear entrance of Guangzhous China Hotel, which spilled out onto the broad Panfu Avenue, a typical busy main thoroughfare. It was filled with small shops and stalls, looking shabby and temporary to Western eyes, though in reality, permanent centers of street commerce. We wound our way through typical robust foot traffic, straining to keep the kids together amidst the crowds. We passed up several restaurants close to the hotel in an effort to separate ourselves from the tourist-oriented places, but several blocks away we came upon the Liushen Xiguan restaurant, which translates roughly as â€Å"Traditions of the Six Gods† restaurant. It was clad in gold paint, trimmed with red cloth, and several large Buddhas smiled at us as they stood sentry on the sidewalk. The wall in the entryway was covered with awards given by the local of chamber of commerce, and as an added benefit, the awards each offered a picture of the winning dish. Velvet padded bamboo chairs lined the wall in the waiting area. Peeking through the windows, we could see that the dining area was enormous. Such a place was likely to have good food, was clearly worth a stop. It was 4:50 when we asked to be seated, but oddly, the dining room was dark and the hostess desk was empty as were the tables. No table cloths or place settings were to be seen, and the chairs were upended and sitting atop the tables. A hostess apprehensively approached us to talk. After much arm flapping and hand gesturing, we came to understand that the restaurant would not open until five P. M, although we could not see how it would do so. Not a soul was to be seen besides the hostess, and nothing was prepared for customers. We began to have second thoughts and we started to wonder if wed misunderstood the hour that service would start. We decided to wait for a bit, if only to rest. At the stroke of five the lights came on to illuminate a dozen employees rushing from the kitchen, bearing ornate livery for the tables, and tools of the trade for the hungry guests. The dining space went from abandoned warehouse to friendly, well-lit, white linen appareled eatery in a matter of moments. Once seated, we began to notice differences from what we expected in a restaurant. Soup bowls appeared, as well as a pot of tea, tea cups, and a large empty ceramic bowl. We watched the other tables to see what use our fellow diners would have for the bowl. Some diners were watching us. Perhaps they didnt know what to make of the empty bowl either? More likely, they were wondering what a couple of Americans were doing here staring at them too. Other diners were taking the cups, bowls, and spoons and washing them in the tea, using a rather practiced method. The used tea was discarded into the empty bowl. I wasnt sure if this meant we needed to do our own dishes, or if it was simply a custom. To be on the safe side, we started washing. I noticed curious grins. Was I doing it wrong? Did we appear like children playing in a wading pool? Unblemished by the bemused stares, we toweled ourselves dry, and with confidence in the cleanliness of our place settings, we dug into the menu. There were thirty pages of menu items. Many had pictures and some had English translations, though mostly the translations read â€Å"Pork and vegetables in sauce† or â€Å"Chicken with vegetables in sauce†. While Im certain that was accurate, it was of little value in helping us to choose from amongst the twenty five varieties of â€Å"Pork with vegetables in sauce†. We struggled with the pictures and each made the best possible dinner choices we could, with a few appetizers added in. The waitress took our order promptly and returned in a few minutes with my meal, and nothing else. No appetizers. No other orders. Just mine. She placed it in the center of the table and left. My meal was far larger than I expected. In fact, it was large enough to feed us all. Suddenly we grasped what we had missed. The table top was essentially an enormous lazy Susan. It appeared that we would be eating family style. Other tables were sharing food as well, so we set out to share the barbecued pork I had ordered. A few moments later the next meal appeared, and shortly thereafter, the next, and then the next, each meal large enough to feed a family of five. Even the items wed been led to believe were appetizers seemed enormous. Before long, we had enough food for forty people. There was so much, that the server was barely able to find room for the last steaming bowl of fried rice. Ive been to weddings that served less food than wed purchased. We were clearly the center of attention now as we made an effort to at least put a dent in the spread we were responsible for. The pictures didnt do the food justice, nor were they worth the thousands words Id so often been promised. The fried rice was filled with boldly colored fresh carrots, peas and sprouts, and those turned out to be the only vegetables on the table that we easily recognized. We were served steamed and pan-fried dumplings, bursting with juices and filled with meat stuffing. There was a whole roasted chicken, the bright yellow color of a school bus. When I say whole, I mean it. Chicken in China often comes with feet, head and beak attached. It appeared that our dinner had walked straight from the barnyard to the oven. A second chicken was served in pieces which had the bright red color of a fire engine. Both birds were juicy and offered bold flavor, the yellow one having been seasoned with a curry and the red one more of a peppery spice. The seafood dish seemed a bit more tentacle-filled than we were used to, and it went largely unloved. I still have no clue to this day what was in it, though I will admit that the description â€Å"fish with vegetables in sauce† seemed unerringly accurate. Our crisp pork on a platter seemed straightforward. No sauce or vegetables, though I could swear that the translation of the dish said they were included. Our meal was rounded out by a course of tea smoked duck. The dark meat had been roasted over a tea leaf fueled fire and had a deep rich flavor. After some of our other mis-translations, I would not have been surprised to have had it served in a pipe for actual smoking, but it wound up being the best part of the meal. I do hope it was duck though. We left a great deal of food on the table. In very American fashion, we asked for containers to take the remaining food for thirty back to our hotel. That doesnt seem to be the norm in China, but we packed up our bags and loaded up with more victuals than a United Nations food convoy. I was concerned about the cost, but for all the entertainment that our endeavors provided for the patrons, perhaps they should have paid us. The price was thankfully low; bless you generous exchange rate. One last problem appeared. The tip. It is insulting to over tip in China. After having the experience of being publicly chastised by a cab driver for over tipping, I was leery. Loaded down as we were, there could be no quick escape should I insult the staff with too many Yuan, or too few. The Six Gods must have been watching out for us though. The older hostess (manager, cook, waitress, cashier no real idea) took pity on me and selected a bill to leave as a gratuity. It was far less than I would have chosen. Id have given her double that just for getting me out with my remaining dignity intact. We wound our way back to the hotel, filled with a good meal, good stories, and a good deal of new knowledge about how things are done in China. I mentioned the experience to our guide, who filled in a few of the blank spots. He was happy to hear that we were treated well by the local people. I was happy for the experience. A few days later, we coaxed some other group members to come out with us to the restaurant. We displayed our dining skills for them without ever mentioning the difficulties with which they were acquired. After all, that is how veterans maintain their mystique.

Should Marriage Be Left To The States? Essay -- essays research papers

My short answer is "no", but let me explain. Before answering what I think the situation should be, it is helpful to look at what the situation is. Currently family law is a matter left to a great extent to the states. States have the power to decide who may marry, the legal process required to do so, and what the legal consequences of that marriage are within the state. In all these matters states differ from each other. The state is limited in its actions, though, to the requirement of its own constitution as well as the constitution of the United States. What those constitutions require is often a matter of great debate, but the ultimate judge is the state's highest court for matters pertaining to its own constitution, and the Supreme Court of the US for matters in the US Constitution. In either case the constitution can be amended by a process laid out therein. So, for example, the US has ruled that a state may not forbid interracial marriages, or forbid inmates from m arrying (except under compelling reasons). I am not aware of any argument claiming that the US Constitution currently forbids same-sex marriage, although there are arguments that it requires it either as matter of a fundamental right to marry, or as a matter of equal protection. It has been noted that the federal government has banned polygamy, but I don't believe this is quite true. The US Congress is ultimately responsible for the laws in DC and the territories. It thus banned polygamy in Utah when Utah was a territory. The Congress also the power to decide whether to admit a new state to the Union (both these powers are in Article IV, Sec. 3). Thus Congress refused to admit Utah to the union unless it's state constitution perpetually forbade polygamy. If Congres had thought it had the power to ban polygamy in the states, this would not have been necessary. There is also the issue of section 1 from the above Article IV which guarantee Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. (Section 2 could also lead to some issues, but as it has been interpreted these issues seem minor). Here is briefly my understanding of how the SCOTUS has interpreted that clause, based primarily on my reading from Andrew Koppelman's book (see left sidebar) which devotes all of chapter 5 to this subject. Fulll Faith and ... ...ough a process they decided upon. As I said, I'm not a big fan of the state as sovreign concept, but it's what we have right now. Unless we are going to abandon that concept, it is up to the state to deal with matters of how their own constitution should be interpreted. Other than prohibition (which many say in hindsight was a terrible idea) the only time we limit what a state can do within its own territory is when otherwise it would violate the right of an individual as a US citizen. In summary, if I could write the constitution as I saw fit, states wouldn't have rights and marriage policy would be set by the federal government. If we are going to leave marriage policy to the states, as the constitution currently does, I see no reason to carve out an exception for same-sex marriage. States already have the requirement to provide equal protection in all of their laws including marriage, and I believe this would require same-sex marriage. I have no problem with somebody pushing for an amendment to the constitution if they see a change as necessary. I would hope the amendment would be narrowly tailored, though, to address the specific problem or problems it is designed to address.

Career Development Plan Summary

Kudler Fine Foods is creating new responsibilities for certain teams within the organization. The team that I am responsible for will begin ordering for the Bakeries of all three stores. This is a role that Kathy Kudler has previously held. The responsibility that my team currently has for Kudler Fine Foods is to run the Bakery of the La Jolla, California, store. The team will increase from four to nine employees. This report will provide an explanation of the current and new job responsibilities. Training requirements for the existing and new employees will be provided. The performance evaluation process for both individual associates, and as a team will be reviewed. Challenges that may be presented with the evaluation process will be included. Items such as incentives, benefit packages, career development, and compensation plan will conclude this report. Current and New Roles The Bakery Team of La Jolla’s store currently consists of four employees plus myself. Jeff Lynch and Sue Anderson are both lead Bakers. April Cox and Sarah Byrd are the Bakery Sales associates. The team members who will be ordering for the other two stores will work from the store for which they will be placing orders. The exception will be that they will be expected to attend the bi-weekly team meeting that will be held at the La Jolla store. The new roles added are described below. First Level Manager: Tracey Willingham will fill this role. Tracey has been with Kudler Fine Foods since Kathy Kudler opened the La Jolla Store. She has held many positions during this time. She has a vast knowledge of all areas of the store and will be an asset to the team. She will be the manager of both existing and new associates. Order Clerk for La Jolla Store: Sarah Ross was selected for this role as she has also been with the La Jolla store since the beginning. She began as a cashier and has advanced to her current position of Lead Sales Associate for the Wine Division of the La Jolla Store. Order Clerk for the Del Mar Store: April Fett is new to Kudler Fine Foods. She has experience working with Fine Foods stores in the New York area. She has recently moved to California to be closer to her family. April will continue in this role once the Del Mar store is closed and the transition is made to the Carlsbad store. Order Clerk for Encinitas Store: Jesse Driscoll will be responsible for placing the orders for the Encinitas store. Jesse worked for Kudler Fine Foods when he was in high school as a stocker. He has completed college and will return to Kudler Fine Foods in this new role. Trainer, Reports, Backup: The last position to be filled in the reorganization of the team is to be filled by Mary Johnson. Mary has been with Kudler Fine Foods for three years. She has had experience as a Baking, Fruit, and Wine Sales Associate. She will be responsible for providing training to those who will be ordering. She will also be responsible for tracking the ordering process of all three stores. She will keep Tracey and myself updated each week with the orders that have been placed by each store as well as any trends she finds while creating the reports. Mary will also be a backup order associate for Sarah, April and Jesse when they are take vacation time. Training Plans Because Kathy has always covered the ordering for all stores, our first training steps will be for Mary to spend time with Kathy over the next month to learn the ordering process. After completing this training, the next week she will refresh her memory of how the Bakery operates. Her days will be split between time with the Bakers and the Sales Associates. During this time, she will also ask customers for any suggestions of items they want to see at the Bakery, so that the team can consider making improvements to the items offered. After Mary has finished spending time becoming familiar with what the Bakeries in each store are responsible for and how the ordering process works, she will take two weeks to create training plans. I have asked Mary to create two different training plans. The first will be held for the new members of the team and will provide training of the Bakery process. The second will be held for the current team members so an understanding of the new roles is provided. Tracey and Mary will spend time with each associate after the training sessions are held to provide coaching sessions. April and Jesse will also have online training sessions to complete within the first two weeks of their employment. The courses to be taken will be those required for all associates to complete. The name of the courses are Ethics, Diversity, and Business Conduct. Kathy is also planning a new training course for associates of all stores on Customer Service Skills. Mary will coordinate this training for the La Jolla store and for April and Jesse. Performance Appraisal Systems Feedback Official feedback as a part of the Performance Appraisal System will be completed twice a year. The first will be a mid-year review and the final will be a year-end review. This feedback will be provided in the form of a written performance appraisal. The meetings will be held one-on-one, away from the work area. During the one-on-one meeting the associate and I will discuss feedback received from clients, peers, and me. The feedback process will be a standard process for all associates. The first feed back shared will be from me and will include what I have observed, giving specific examples. The discussion will include speaking of the impact of their performance. This will allow a time for the associate to acknowledge the need for possible improvements. It will be important for the associate and me to come to an agreement on possible improvements or next steps for advancement. The most important part of the feedback discussion will be to reinforce the support that I will provide them and the resources available to him or her (SelfGrowth, 2009, pp. 1 & 2). A job description for the current position as well as other roles within the team will be shared during the review meeting. This will allow the associate to review the current requirements and discover what steps may be needed to advance. This will also offer the employee the opportunity to ask questions about advancing or the benefits of education. The local community college offers several courses for Sales Training. A pamphlet from the local college will be made available to each associate who wishes to learn more about the classes. An additional step toward feedback will be put in place at the same time. This step will be to provide any feedback received at the time it is received. This will apply to both good feedback or suggestions for improvements. Offering this to the associates more than twice a year will help him or her monitor his or her progress. Any feedback received from trainers will also be shared with the associates. Team Evaluation Process and Incentives In addition to be evaluated as an individual, the team will be evaluated for the progress made of working together and to identify any opportunities for improvement. Working as a team is important to the success of Kudler Fine Foods. A team that works well together and supports each other will provide better customer service. The steps of evaluating a team provide needs for a different appraisal system. When evaluating an individual you can address individual goals and progress. With a team, the results are based on more than one person trying to obtain a personal goal. The team has goals and needs each person to help meet the goals. While an individual may be great at his or her own position, the manner in which he or she works within a team could provide issues for the team. The most important part of a team evaluation is to remain fair. While the team is to be evaluated for success, the individual contribution must also be taken into consideration. How each person helps the team meet the goals will be considered. The opportunity to be a good team player has to be offered to each associate. One motivation that will be provided for meeting team goals is by providing a luncheon for the team each quarter if goals are met. The team will be considered for an end of the year bonus if all quarters within the year are met as a team and as a company. Strategies to Discourage Social Loafing Social Loafing in the team environment refers to the team member or members who do not perform his or her fair share of the work. The social loafer on the team may believe that he or she can cruise along whereas the rest of the team performs each member’s given duties, then the loafer expects the same credit as the other members (Dayton Business Journal, 2001). What the loafer in any of the instances fails to realize is that their lack of participation has a negative effect on the other members of the team. To discourage social loafing, all team members should understand that his or her individual performance and participation is observed and assessed. Members, who do not fairly contribute should not expect the same credit. Assessing the contributions of every member of a team eliminates loafing. Besides the team lead or the manager assessing the team member’s performance, each member can have the chance to critique the performance of fellow team members. References http://www.selfgrowth.com/print/583277

The Effects Of Social Networking On Society - 1767 Words

The Effects of Social Networking Social networking websites (further referred to as SNS) are web based platforms in which people connect to other individuals that they already have a real-life connection to, locate individuals they have shared interests with, and they allow users to share information with others such as photographs, life events and thoughts. Being able to keep current with one s personal group quickly and easily is one of the reasons SNS have become so mainstream (McKensie 436). The ability to communicate to a wide audience in real time has its benefits, such as maintaining friendships with people one would have otherwise lost contact with, giving shy people the ability to interact with others without feeling overwhelmed,†¦show more content†¦Typically the low percentage of users that do read through the policy prior to joining either do not read it in its entirety or do not comprehend what they have read due to the legal format of the policy. Users of SNS consider the information they are sharing on these sites as personal in nature which is why it is important for the user to be conscious of the privacy statement prior to providing such information (McGrath 23-24). Regardless of the fact that users should be conscious of the policies in place for their privacy all SNS should be held to a higher standard when it comes to those policies and precisely how they are being maintained. Many SNS users are certain that their information is not being adequately protected. â€Å"[Users] clearly want and value privacy on social networking sites. By extension social networking sites need to address privacy protection in a manner that is satisfactory to users. And as technology advances, social networking sites must be continually vigilant regarding the privacy of users. The bottom line is that social networking web sites need privacy tools and privacy policies to protect users’ privacy and to meet users’ expectations or face the possibility of losing them† (McGrath 28). Individuals not only should but will begin to limit their time on SNS if privacy issues continue to