Half Cultured: Lao and American Culture Short Film

Yazan: CanCan | 18 May 2011 | 5 Comments
Categories: CanCan, Laos, Links, Teaching kids different cultures, Videos

Last weekend was the second ever Vientianale Film Festival, an event in Vientiane, Laos that showcases local film makers.
I created the short film Half Cultured, which is a relatively objective contrast of Lao culture vs. American culture.

Like all of the aspiring film makers that entered a short film to Vientianale, I hoped to win a [...]

Lao Experiences Cooking School, Vientiane, Laos

Yazan: CanCan | 14 May 2011 | 2 Comments
Categories: Eating, Jojo, Laos, Teaching kids different cultures, Travel with children, Videos

Laos is a fantastic place to visit. Places like Bangkok or Chiang Mai, Thailand, Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam have their charms but are undeniably saturated with western influence.
Even after 9 years in Laos, I can still say that it is relatively “off the map”. In Luang Prabang, in Pakse, and yes, even [...]

Wat Phousi Temple, Luang Prabang Laos With Kids

Yazan: CanCan | 02 May 2011 | 2 Comments
Categories: CanCan, Deaky Deke, Jojo, Laos, Luang Prabang, Pictures, Teaching kids different cultures, Travel with children

I first went to Luang Prabang, Laos in 2004. I think I went twice, once in December 2004 and again in April 2005. Both times, Jojo was a teeny tiny baby.
Last weekend I went back, now as a mother of two rowdy boys, and I think I can chalk it up as one of the [...]

Children’s Books About Friendship and Diversity

Yazan: CanCan | 21 January 2011 | 1 Comment
Categories: Books for children, Reviews, Teaching kids different cultures

It is a diverse and multicultural world we live in!
In my small class at school, there are 11 nationalities and 7 different languages represented.
It is a beautiful thing, but even young children can have difficulty accepting or celebrating diversity.
God Gave Us the World, by Lisa Tawn Bergren, Illustrated by Laura J. Bryant, uses an [...]

H is for Hong Kong

Yazan: CanCan | 09 January 2011 | 1 Comment
Categories: Books for children, Educational products, Favorite Things, Reviews, Teaching kids different cultures, Travel with children

A few months ago I was in Bangkok and had the opportunity to hang out with travel artist Elizabeth Briel.
Not only did she enlighten me about @BKKFatty (we ate a lot together), Barcamp Bangkok, and her interesting experiences as a traveler, she gifted me a children’s book that she illustrated with her cyanotype prints.
H [...]

Dolls For Changing The World

Yazan: CanCan | 14 December 2010 | No Comments
Categories: Laos, Reviews, Teaching kids different cultures, Toys

Sabaidee! That means hello in Lao, the language spoken in Laos. I know quite a lot of Lao language, actually, and that is one of the reasons I am so excited to tell you about Hearts for Hearts Girls.
Hearts for Hearts Girls are a multicultural line of dolls; a portion of each doll sold [...]

Cool Stuff Every Kid Should Know About Atlanta, Charleston, Tampa, Orlando, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Dallas, and Houston

Yazan: CanCan | 10 December 2010 | No Comments
Categories: Books for children, Educational products, Reviews, Teaching kids different cultures, Travel with children

If you are planning a family trip or just want to teach distant relatives about your city, Arcadia Publishing has launched a fun new series called Cool Stuff Every Kid Should Know.
Each Cool Stuff book contains colorful photographs, dynamic graphics, and kid-friendly facts about a specific city and state.
I would have LOVED this [...]

The Organic Farm in Vang Vieng, Laos

Yazan: CanCan | 07 November 2010 | 5 Comments
Categories: Laos, Teaching kids different cultures, Travel with children

On the last weekend in October, 2010, I took the kids for an overnight visit to the Organic Farm in Vang Vieng, Laos.
Jojo (age 6) had been saying things about how he wished we lived on a farm (I think he read a book or something that inspired him), and Deeds (age 3) is a [...]

Learn Spanish With Boca Beth Giveaway

Yazan: CanCan | 14 April 2010 | 101 Comments
Categories: Educational products, Giveaways, Teaching kids different cultures

Beth Butler is a bilingual educator of young children and founder of the Boca Beth series of bilingual learning materials for kids.

This Boca Beth Beginner Backpack set includes the music CD My First Songs in Spanish / Mis primeras canciones en Inglés, the DVD I Like Animals, a BOCA puppet, a bilingual coloring/activity [...]

Help Your Child Learn Mandarin

Yazan: CanCan | 16 March 2010 | 42 Comments
Categories: Books for children, Giveaways, Reviews, Teaching kids different cultures

Mandy and Pandy Play Sports is the 4th book published by Mandy and Pandy Co. for introducing kids to the basics of Chinese language.
Each Mandy and Pandy book includes an audio CD that reads the stories in both English and Chinese for great listening practice.
The text in the book is printed in [...]