Just like with diarrhea, fiber can also be your wingman for combating constipation. However, to fight this enemy you need to consume insoluble fiber rather than soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber is the indigestible part of foods, such as the seeds in berries, skin on fruit, vegetables, and beans, the chewy part of celery, or the husk on whole grains and brown rice. 
Not only does food provide energy and nutrients to help our bodies run on a daily basis, but it contains nature’s cure to many ailments you may experience while traveling. There is a growing body of knowledge that supports the use of whole foods in the maintenance of health and the treatment of illness.
Did You Know? . . .
I recently traveled to Boston, Massachusetts where I had the opportunity to speak with over 200 of our teacher leaders during our Spring Leadership Conference. The main topics were
"As a delegation leader who has traveled with People to People for 14 years, I have always spoken highly of the program; especially the safety aspects. After attending the conference and hearing from the people that work at the program office, I have a better understanding and can relay the message about the research, time and effort that goes on continually to ensure a safe and quality program." Mary Ann Lauricella
"After working with the People to People organization for ten years I am still amazed at the quality of the programs and the amount of support that is available to make these programs be a success. As I have these opportunities to meet other leaders and hear the wonderful and innovative things they do to make their delegation run more smoothly I am constantly incorporating these best practices and feel that our programs only get better and better." Charlie Herwick
"Having the opportunity to meet and spend time with fellow leaders is always a great experience. I feel inspired when I hear about travel stories and the passion that fellow leaders have for travel and their students. A true inspiration was hearing the alumni student speak about how her People to People experiences have impacted her and their entire family! A great story to share with parents and students." Lora Yanuavich
"The conference gave me a better understanding of how the Health & Safety Department works. Mike's speech was very helpful. I now understand the importance of filing an incident report, contacting the Health & Safety Department when needed, and the importance of the GPS phone in helping to locate the delegation." Twyla Edward
"I am always amazed by the leaders and delegates I am privileged to work with through People to People. It is so motivating to hear the success stories of growth, knowledge, and exchange that have occurred because of these programs. The talent and experience we are surrounded by is priceless. I like that we always put safety first! I like to think of the program as being safe, educational and fun!" Sue Olekoski
"It was great to be able to meet with approximately two hundred delegation leaders who have traveled with students all over the world and sharing their best strategies for keeping students safe while having the time of their lives. It was the greatest education I could have ever asked for. It was like gaining years of experience in one weekend. In addition, I feel I now have an even better working knowledge of the People to People organization and know with confidence exactly who to contact with any issue that may arise." Emily Bayzon
"By meeting together we had the opportunity to share stories, improve programs and share what works and what doesn't to help make ourselves better leaders, People to People a stronger organization, and to ultimately provide improvements to an already stellar program that offers life changing experiences to the students who travel with us. Our leadership development weekend consisted of hundreds of experiences, thousands of miles, countless stories spanning several continents and many hearts, collected in one room with the intention to grow from a weekend spent with like-minded international neighbors. The conference was led by an all-star staff and consisted of delegation leaders from around the US. We were given the opportunity to meet and talk about our experiences and how we could grow as leaders. The weekend also provided the Student Ambassador program an opportunity to learn and continue to excel as the leading and premier educational travel program, not only in America, but in the world. The willingness of the delegation leaders to take the time to meet and grow as leaders was only matched by People to People's openness to our feedback and incredibly quick action to change and improve. This weekend was an invaluable resource to us as leaders and to People to People as an ever changing and progressive organization. I am honored to have the opportunity to share in the history and inspiration of the weekend and hope to participate in further leadership development sessions in the future." Brandon Herwick
At the program office, we place great value on each and every one of these leaders and the vast amount of knowledge they have accumulated over the years. The fact is we just could not deliver the same high quality and unique programs without their dedication, passion and commitment to the overall mission and values of People to People Ambassador Programs. This conference gave us the opportunity to thank them and the intimate venue provided the perfect setting to share stories and learning from each other. It enabled each one of us the ability to pass on to the next generation of leaders who have joined us.
As always, I wish you all safe travels and a healthy life!
Mike Bowers
While the three main nutrients (carbs, protein, and fat) can be thought of as the stones in the Great Wall of China, vitamins and minerals might be the dirt and rubble that binds the stones and makes the unit work as a whole. Eating foods with a large variety of vitamins and minerals is necessary for peak health and performance while traveling.
I am happy to report that the team here in the program office is on-track to meet the April 1 deadline for reassigning all Japan delegations and communicating those reassignments to the primary leaders. We have been actively working with primary leaders to plan their delegations’ re-accommodation details and appreciate their help and our delegations’ understanding. Since we are accommodating each delegation separately (to try to keep them together traveling in the same window of time), your local primary leader will have the most current information for each delegation should you need specific details.
As always, I wish you all safe travels and a healthy life!
Mike Bowers
Senior Director of Health & Safety
Fats, similar to carbohydrates and proteins, are an important nutrient for your student traveler. Fats serve as a primary energy source at rest and during light-to-moderate activity, along with providing calorie-dense nutrients capable of meeting the high energy demands of active itinerary days. In addition, fat provides essential fatty acids required for normal bodily functions, adds flavor to foods, promotes feelings of fullness, and is required for the uptake of certain vitamins. So, while fat gets a bad rap, it is a necessary and healthy nutrient (when consumed properly) that will be important as your student travels with People to People Ambassador Programs.
As mentioned previously, some types of fats are considered healthy and essential, while others are unhealthy. (The picture at left shows good fats, courtesy of Travis K on Flickr.) All fats are a mixture of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids. Healthy fats contain a higher percentage of mono- and poly- unsaturated fatty acids and less saturated fatty acids.
During my observation travel with People to People last summer, I witnessed and partook in numerous meals that contained a healthy amount of plant-based fats. Much of this was from olives and olive oil, since most of my time was spent in Italy. Hazelnuts were also a popular addition to the meals and a great source of protein and healthy fat. (Not to mention the lovely bruschetta pictured at left.)Stay tuned for additional updates.
Mike
Asia Land Routes by Itinerary
Land of the Rising Sun Itinerary
Treasures of Japan Itinerary
This is the latest in a string of natural events that have occurred. Over the past couple of months we have provided guidance on the steps we take to ensure our delegations are safe when traveling to countries that have experienced a catastrophic event. A few recent examples are the earthquake that hit Christchurch in New Zealand, the temporary suspension of travel to Egypt, and the flooding and cyclone that struck our friends in Australia. Now once again we are witnessing an event in a country we plan to visit, Japan.
Earthquakes are not uncommon. Living on the west coast most of my life, I have personally experienced them. The last one happened just after I got off the airplane in Seattle on Wednesday February 28th, 2001. It was one of the most powerful earthquakes to hit Seattle in over a half century. At the time I was attending the University of Washington to earn my Master's Degree and suddenly I had a flashback to my old school days and our teachers drilling us on what to do when an earthquake strikes. Knowing what to do and how to reduce the chance of being hurt, helped me through that event. With that in mind and with so many earthquakes in the news this year, I thought I would provide a refresher to educate your student and yourself on safety hints during such an event.
Earthquake Safety Procedures
The State Department sent this information out this morning to remind all Americans of this important guidance.
The American Red Cross recommends that in the event of aftershocks, persons should move to open spaces away from walls, windows, buildings, and other structures that may collapse, and should be alert to the danger of falling debris. If you are indoors, DROP, COVER AND HOLD ON: If possible, seek cover under a sturdy desk or table, hold on, and protect your eyes by pressing your face against your arm. If there is no table or desk nearby, sit on the floor against an interior wall away from windows, bookcases or tall furniture that could fall on you. Avoid damaged buildings and downed power lines. Great care should be used with matches, lighters, candles, or any open flame due to the possibility of disrupted gas lines.
(Disclosure: I am certified instructor for the Red Cross)
Also today our good friends and partners at On-Call International provided these insights into precautions a person should take when a Tsunamis is fore-casted:
Tsunamis can rapidly flood coastal areas with devastating results. Areas at greatest risk are those less than 25 ft/8 m above sea level and within 1 mi/1.6 km of the shoreline. If you're in a coastal area when an earthquake that lasts 20 seconds or longer occurs, first protect yourself from the earthquake: Drop, cover, and hold on. When the shaking stops, move quickly to higher ground away from the coast.
If you are on the beach and the water suddenly and dramatically recedes from the shoreline, a tsunami may be imminent. The approaching wave may be visible as a churning line of foamy water, but it may not be visible at all until it strikes. Don't delay to collect belongings: Run for higher ground immediately, or climb to the highest floor of a multistory, well-built building. Be careful to avoid downed power lines, and stay away from buildings and bridges from which heavy objects might fall during an aftershock. A last-ditch survival tactic is to climb as high as you can into a sturdy tree or climb onto the roof of a building. Tsunamis often occur as multiple waves of varying size, so do not return to an affected area until you're certain the danger has passed.
As an international organization dedicated to building bridges with people around the world, we at People to People Ambassador Programs feel a connection with the tragedy unfolding in Japan. We have a strong presence in Japan, and what happens to Japan happens to us. Our thoughts and prayers are with our friends and the families affected by the earthquake, tsunami and their aftermath.
Several organizations are coming to the aid of Japan, including the American Red Cross, if you are interested in donating to rescue and relief efforts.
I wish you all safe travels and a healthy life!
Mike Bowers
Senior Director of Health & Safety
Leader Credit Cards
If you've traveled in the last ten years, you know all too well how minor and unexpected costs add up on the road (e.g., baggage fees). We've altered our system so these on-site travel expenses can be easily paid for by us, in a way that won't impact your student's experience.
In 2011, every leader that travels with People to People Ambassador Programs will be provided a Leader Credit Card. This card can is used to pay for baggage fees, meals in the event a delegation’s flight is delayed by weather, and other such unexpected events.
In prior years, we provided this card to only to Primary Leaders of each delegation, as most unexpected expenses (at the time) occurred after the group assembled and headed off on their adventure. But with the introduction of baggage fees by most every airline on domestic routes, the need for every leader to have such a card became evident.
Leader cell phones
As technology advances, so do the tools we provide our delegations. Working with Cellhire, based in Dallas Texas, we have developed a Smart Phone solution that meets the needs and protects the interest of delegations.
The Primary Leader of each delegation receives two cell phones prior to travel:
Both of these phones can make and receive calls, as well as make and receive SMS messages. Sometimes on less urgent issues we can just send a message to a leader when we need to talk with them instead of waking them up on the more urgent issues. If you are interested in renting a phone for your student while they are on program, learn more here.
Medical First Aid Kit
It might seem obvious to have a first aid kit wherever we travel. But our goal is to make sure that the obvious is never overlooked, no matter where we go.
Every motor coach we use around the world has a first aid kit in it. Leaders are shown the location of these kits as soon as they arrive in the country they are visiting. Also virtually every venue we visit has trained first aid staff, a medical station, and/or a first aid kit available. Of course we also have full service medical facilities quickly available all along the way for the more serious situations.
On occasion the delegation is away from the motor coach for longer periods of time - such as when students are participating in a community service project or out taking advantage of the great scenery around the world. In these cases we felt it was important to provide a portable option for the leaders to keep with them.
Each year we invest a great deal of time and effort in evaluating the tools we provide and new technology that will help us remain the leader in safe travel. These are just a few examples of ways we help ensure your child is safe and healthy so that they can take advantage of this great opportunity to experience the world first hand.
As always, I wish you all safe travels and a healthy life!
Mike Bowers
Senior Director of Health & Safety
Hi everyone! April here, back with another installment of our current series on Travel Health Basics. My last topic was carbohydrates, and this week we'll dive into proteins (like the legumes I'm holding at left).
Some amino acids can be made by the body but almost half are considered essential because they must be obtained from the diet. Consuming protein-rich foods during travel is necessary in order to get the appropriate amounts of these essential amino acids. Proteins are involved in every bodily process, including growth and repair of muscle, maintaining fluid balance, and immune function. They also serve as an energy source when needed. Therefore, adequate intake of protein is critical for daily recovery and health while traveling abroad.
Our U.S.-based Program Managers are responsible for each region of the world to ensure every detail is in place. It is this level of attention to detail that allows us to differentiate our programs from others. Each spring the Program Managers pack up and travel to the countries they represent to deliver very specific training related to the upcoming season. This is in addition to the People to People Ambassador Program on-line training each DM must complete. Greg Marcinkowski, Vice President of Travel Services and I had the opportunity to deliver that very training two weeks ago in Beijing, China.
And that's me at the Beijing training, above.
Healthy Complex Carbohydrate Snacks for Travel
Michael J. Bowers joined People to People Ambassador Programs, the leader in global educational travel experiences, in 2008 as Senior Director, Health & Safety. As the only educational travel organization to employ a full-time director of travel health and safety, People to People Ambassador Programs solidifies its position as a safety leader in the tour operations market.
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