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NEPAL: WOMEN-LED ADVENTURE TOURING AND TREKKING GUIDES .

Wednesday, Apr 18, 2012 3:14PM / Standard Entry

According to the Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management (NATHM), in 2010 there were 227 certified women tour guides and 97 certified women trekking guides in Nepal. Tour guides inform tourists about historical, cultural and scenic landmarks, while trekking guides take guests on extended nature treks.

At the beginning, Nepali society rejected the notion of women as trekking guides. In a male-dominant profession marred with stories of severe injury or death, women were seen as incapable, weak, and easily exploitable. Women also play a strong role in the household as they care for children while men are away. Women are the glue that binds the family together. Losing a wife and mother would be a tremendous loss and put the family’s stability and structure at risk. Domestic roles in the kitchen as a cook, or selling vegetation and goods are considered better suited for women.

Traditionally, women are bound to the patriarchal roles in the household-- they rear children, tend yaks and farm. As a guide, women can expand their knowledge, diversify their skills, meet people from all over the world, and most importantly, be financially independent. They can provide for their household, send children to school, and pursue higher education courses for themselves.

However, regardless of challenges and ridicule, women have moved forward and continue to defy century-old customs and traditions, as well as societal norms. As a trekking guide only requires basic literary skills along with physical fitness, more and more women feel the desire to rise out of sedentary life and become more self-reliant and dispute the belief that they are only meant for household chores. FULL ARTICLE AND INTERVIEW

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Would you like to join a trek?

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2012 3:27PM / Standard Entry

iCUBED.us: When you first began EWN, how receptive was the community? What was their first reaction with women working in a in male-dominant environment? Were there prejudices and were investors willing to help? How have views changed since?

LC: When we started our trekking company we were literally punished by the community. Everyone looked us with suspicion. Nobody supported us instead they did not leave any room to make fun of us and make us feel miserable.

While trekking, male guides would not talk to us or even if they talked they treated us like we wanted to have fun with them. They de-motivated us and made very painful comments.

They said that trekking guide was not a profession for “good” women. People humiliated us in public places and ignored our existence. FULL INTERVIEW

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MOVIE FRIDAYS: Modern Russian FLASH MOB -- Celebrate the Diversity

Wednesday, Apr 11, 2012 3:22PM / Standard Entry

... a cultural melting pot! and please visit our movie corner ... just one click :)

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Read a book a week challenge - APRIL THEME: HUMOR, RHYTHM, and POETRY

Monday, Apr 2, 2012 4:33PM / Standard Entry

iCUBED.us' "READ A BOOK A WEEK Challenge"
New year's resolutions are usually all about self-improvement, so this year to start off the year with a positive spin, I'd like to CHALLENGE anyone wanting to improve their English language competency, their general knowledge AND, increase their discipline and attention span without too much effort ... to join me in our iCUBED.us READ A BOOK A WEEK Challenge 2012...

You can follow in our footsteps and read what we are reading, OR, read books of your own choosing -- hopefully with the themes we have listed below:

1. The Places You'll Go, by Dr. Seuss
2. W.H. Auden
3. Wrong about Japan, by Peter Carey
4. Poetry of the Everyday, by Matsuo Basho READ MORE

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Reminder to KEEP ON SAVING on World Water Day and Earth Hour...

Thursday, Mar 22, 2012 5:11PM / Standard Entry

In anticipation of Earth Hour 2012, to be held on Saturday March 31st at 8:30PM around the world, one of the biggest proponents of the event is offering some extra incentives in the fight against global warming.

The World Wildlife Fund’s Sydney branch started the first Earth Hour back in 2007. It asks that everyone, including businesses, turn off their lights for one hour to show how impactful action can be in combating climate change. Since then, Earth Hour has spread around the globe. Last year, hundreds of millions of people in over a 130 countries showed their solidarity in fighting the worsening environment. read more