Brianna Gasgonia grew up in Southern California and is a senior at the University of Pittsburgh, double majoring in German and Russian and pursuing certificates in Russian and Eastern European Studies and European Union Studies. Her interest in international affairs began shortly after high school graduation, when she had the opportunity to study abroad in Germany as a Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Scholar.
January
26
/ 2016
If you travel a lot, you would have realized that Chardonnay (pronounced shar-do-nay, for all those uninitiated out there) can almost be found everywhere. If your country produces wine, it most likely produces this white grape variety. In fact, a grocery near you might be offering a Chardonnay wine or two. The Chardonnay variety is what we can call the “initiation wine” for start-up wineries.
Did you have a New Year’s resolution to start eating healthier and making more dishes from scratch in 2016? Cookbook authors Nicole Axworthy and Lisa Pitman, both contributing photography and food editors for VegNews magazine, understand. The Toronto pair recently published DIY vegan: More Than 100 Easy Recipes to Create an Awesome Plant-Based Pantry (St. Martin’s Press, 2015) to help guide readers toward making more food at home.
Florida Culture for the Week of January 25, 2016 by Josh Garrick
Katie Blackburn is currently a Site Manager with Jumpstart Pittsburgh, a national non-profit that focuses on developing the language and literacy skills of preschoolers through mentorship. Katie graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2013 with a Bachelor’s in Psychology as well as Minor in Statistics and a Certificate in Russian & East European Studies. As an undergraduate, Katie had participated in the Jumpstart Pittsburgh program.
Patrick Asinger is a University of Pittsburgh chemical engineering major with intended minors in polymer engineering, mathematics, and chemistry. He plays on the ultimate Frisbee team and conducts undergraduate research. Patrick enjoys learning about science and engineering, and wants to be a part of the upcoming technologies that will have an impact on the future. Patrick also enjoys traveling, trying new foods, and being active.
On a recent trip to Barranquilla, Colombia, I discovered that dental travel has been a trend for some time. Dental travel is where travelers choose to vacation outside of the United States and obtain dental services as well.
We heard about inexpensive dental services in this Latin country through a relative. That’s when my husband decided to plan a trip to have a root canal and denture adjustment done and include a little rest and relaxation.
January
20
/ 2016
Today, Sister Cities International (SCI) announced that the theme for the 2016 Young Artists and Authors Showcase (YAAS) will be “Peace through People.” For the first time, the organization will also include two new categories as part of their 29 year old initiative which strives to engage young people around the power of art in diplomacy. These new categories will include a digital Photography Challenge and a more robust Film Challenge, which will be open to young people around the world ages 13-22.
Florida Culture for the Week of January 18, 2016 by Josh Garrick
January
18
/ 2016
The city of Savannah, Georgia, has been a place where cultures meet and mix and mingle ever since its early days centuries ago. Blues, bluegrass, country music, jazz, gospel, and Celtic music are local traditions in music that continue to flourish in Savannah. Over the years, it has also become a crossroads for classical musicians, those who work in opera, and musicians who bring their native traditions from many parts of the globe. The Savannah Music Festival celebrates and encourages all these aspects of music.