The "Singing Nation"

This week's WorldQuiz:

What European country is nicknamed the "singing nation"?

In this country, it is unusual to find a single person who has not sung in a choir or some other kind of vocal ensemble. Every few years, all of this country's choirs gather together for the Song Festival with thousands of singers present.

The daina, or folk song, has defined this nation's identity for hundreds of years. Dating back well over a millenium, over 1.2 million texts and over 30,000 melodies have been identified.

What country is it?

Happy Birthday Spongebob

Who knew ten years ago that a yellow sponge who lives in a place called Bikini Bottom would become a staple of American pop culture? One week last month, nine of the top twenty top TV cable spots were occupied by the bipolar Bob and his friends Patrick, Squidward, Sandy Cheeks and others.

I was drawn in a couple of years ago when my son, now 17, was becoming a fan. Part of the genius of this creation by former marine biologist Stephen Hillenburg is its multi-layered humor that appeals to every age group. According to Nickelodeon, 45 million people over the age of 18 are regular watchers. SpongeBob is the second longest running Nicktoon ever, after The Rugrats.

Click here to see a great video on the actors behind the voices of Spongebob Squarepants, or if you're reading this on facebook, go to http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103170924.

Bring on the Bocce!

It's a game that has been played in one form or another for thousands of years, yet its popularity in North America has only recently begun to grow. The French are surely not particularly pleased that America has adopted the Italian name ('bocce' is the plural of 'boccia', meaning 'bowl'), rather than the French pétanque, mais c'est la vie.

There are several theories about bocce's origins, but most sports historians agree that Roman soldiers began playing a primitive form of the game over two thousand years ago. A small stone called a "leader" would be thrown first, then larger stones were thrown at the leader, and the closest to the leader would score.

Until recently, most North American proponents of the game were descendants of Italian immigrants, who still cling to it as a nostalgic vestige of the old country. Slowly but surely, however, it is beginning to gain popularity among those who simply appreciate the sport's relaxing and community-building qualities, and bocce alleys are cropping up in not-so-Italian areas (including Chattanooga, TN, where this photo was taken).

Here is one American who says, "Bring on the bocce!"

The Allure of Alsace

If you're considering joining us for the inaugural World to the Wise Cultural Tour, here's something else to tempt you: step for a day into the magical microworld of Alsace, the region in the northeast corner of France which has gone back and forth between Germany and France for generations.

Alsace is a region like no other: although it is part of France and everyone speaks French, the German influence is everywhere -- including the storybook architecture seen in this photo. And even though all Alsatians are French, they have managed to preserve their own language over the years, which actually resembles Swiss German as much as anything.

The largest city in Alsace is Strasbourg, dubbed the Crossroads of Europe. This gem of a city is indeed of crossroads of diplomatic, high-tech, educational and religious communities: it is the seat of the European Parliament, the University of Strasbourg, and, as far as France is concerned, a rare coexistence of the Catholic and Protestant traditions.

And we won't set foot in Alsace without sampling the famous tarte flambée (flammekueche in Alsatian) -- a delicious, thin-crusted pizza with crème fraîche, bacon and onions, baked in a wood-burning oven.

Care to join us? Visit www.worldtothewise.net to find out more!

We Have Lift-Off!

Announcing our inaugural World to the Wise Cultural Tour! As part of our mission to promote cultural intelligence and gather the “culturally curious,” we’re starting with the gem of Europe: Paris.
Would you like to be part of our very first group experience? Years later you’ll be able to look back and say, “I was there!”

DATES: May 15-25, 2009

We’ll spend the majority of the time in Paris, taking in the sights Paris is obviously known for — the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, Eiffel Tower, etc. — but we’ll also benefit from specially planned events where opportunity is given to interact with some of our Parisian friends — music, dialogue and laughter are essential ingredients at World to the Wise! As we discover more about French culture — its past and present, we’ll find ourselves understanding our own culture better as a result.

In addition to taking in the City of Lights, we’ll also take 2-3 day trips out from Paris to show you some of the diversity of the nation. It would be a mistake to assume that all of France is like Paris — just as Americans would be quick to say that New York is not representative of the rest of the US!

This is a great time to travel — the US dollar is in a relative position of strength and will go farther than it would have even a few months ago. The total cost, including airfare, is $3250. In addition to airfare, this includes 9 nights in a boutique hotel, ground transportation both in and outside Paris, two meals per day, museums, and special events.

Because of the shortness of time (for which we sincerely apologize — many of the details have taken some time to fall into place), we need you to reserve your spot as quickly as possible. You may do so by e-mailing us at admin@worldtothewise.net or by leaving your name and e-mail address in the comment section of this blog. We must have at least 10 participants register by Thursday, April 9 in order to make this happen. Half of the total cost will be due at that time. We will communicate all details, including flight and deposit information, immediately upon hearing from you.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you do not have a passport, you should apply for one IMMEDIATELY. Get information here.

We look forward to hearing from you and creating this adventure together!

Switzerland for Dummies

A 3-minute crash course on the pearl of Europe:

Bonjour from Switzerland

You haven't heard from me in a while because I'm on a two-week concert tour in French-speaking Switzerland with some old friends going back to the time I lived here with my family. Every time I come back, I'm flooded with nostalgia -- our youngest son was born here, we developed friendships that continue to this day, and it is arguably the most beautiful spot on the planet.

I'll be dividing my photos and videos between my Facebook page and this blog, so feel free to toggle back and forth. For now, here's a short vid shot just before our first concert: