June 14th the Queen's birthday parade

http://www.people.com/people/mobile/article/0,,20395222_20826180,00.html

Today was the Queen's birthday parade, the trooping of the colors. We watched the practice, but I wish we could have seen the real thing!

Thinking globally and acting locally

As many can imagine thinking globally is hard to do when you have never traveled.  Being American we have the freedom to travel from state to state and not have to worry about the change in currency or language.  I just returned from taking my children to Utah to see the Arches National Park and there were so many French and Japanese people there speaking their own language.  I have tried to take my children to many places in America to get them use to different places, because every state here is diferent in their own way.  However traveling into another country is a different story.  While in London we had to learn their currency and we had to get used to their life style.  By the time it was time to leave I felt I could act like a local, I had finally got used to their money and their "Queen's English" but it took awhile to get used to it.  Having global competence is necessary when you are traveling, you need to know what events are going on in the country that you plan to visit.  You need to know their language and their currency.  You do not want to travel to a country that is having violent issues or civil wars, or if your life will be in danger.
I have traveled to France, Italy and now England, I feel that it has added to my global competence because I know how they live everyday life in another country.  I am trying to press into my children that it is a good experience to travel and as soon as I have the money and they are old enough I will be taking them over seas to see other countries.  For now I settle for showing them as much of America as I can.  Every place is different and it adds to global competence and experiences that we can take with us for the rest of our lives.  I hope to carry on my love for traveling and learning about our world to my children, and they will enjoy it as much as I do.
It is hard to act local no matter where you go, even if it is just another state.  We all have norms that we get from our "home" that we take with us, and there are different norms in all places.  Being in London for two weeks wasn't enough time to feel like you fit in enough to feel like a local.  But it was just enough time to get used to being there and want to go home.  It was an experience that I will never forget!

Random pictures

One the plane waiting for takeoff, London bound!

Selfie!

Michaela was impressed with the breakfast :)

Nick took a minute to reflect whie Michaela needed a drink :)

Pretty ladies sitting on a bench :)