Hint: Black swans, native to Australia, can also be found in a semi-wild state in New Zealand and Switzerland.  This one was photographed on a lake in a city that houses the headquarters of numerous international organizations and is famous for its banking and watchmaking industries.

Prize: Be the first to send the correct guess to editor@travelofftheradar.comand we’ll reward you with a prize from Xola’s gear bag!

Sponsor:  Xola.com

Photographer: Yuri Horowitz,www.yurihorowitz.com

Last Issue: Congratulations to our last contest winner, Susan Schamay of Florida, who was the first to guess February’s Photo Quiz which featured Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya

See yourself as more of a commuter and cheerleader? Then join in on the open air parties as they follow the riders and celebrate as they complete each leg – delicious food and handouts will be available in the Caltrain, in the San Francisco Ferry Building, the north end of the Golden Gate park, the Golden Gate Ferry, the BART train, and the Pleasant Hill BART station. What better way to celebrate Spring, the joys of public transportation, and public parks than with a few hundred of your new best friends. Mark Alt. on your calendar – June 16, 2012.

Join their Cambodian Flashcard Volunteer Project, and you’ll get to participate and pass along these English learning skills to educators, parents and children through a video and flash cards. Flashcards should stay with the community so that the learning can continue even after you’ve left.

“We’re working with local non-profits who tell us their needs, and from this we design programs for travelers.  Our goal is to create long-lasting impactful relationships between travelers and communities,” says Laura Brewer. Laura is the Social Media Manager at ChangeStream Media, and is most excited about the way volunteering changes the dynamic between tourists and locals, going beyond a relationship of commerce to one of mutual respect and kindness.  “Executive Director, Denise Miller made a Khmer-language video to advocate for better education policies in Cambodia. It was well received by high-level officials at the Ministry of Education, which changed policies to require training teachers to learn about using child-friendly resources in classrooms.” Charlene, ChangeStream’s on-the-ground partner, commented on the success of these videos in Cambodia, “I had taxi drivers saying they saw the video clips on national TV and then recited to me how important teaching resources are!”

In Latin America, the Spanish Dental Volunteer Project focuses on educating children about dental health through media and fun puppet skits.

Developing a “hero complex,” is all too easy, be sure to research an area and a community before diving in. Using ChangeStream Media’s established relationships will help you understand the community, their needs, and their culture, much more clearly.

Along the same lines, Zikra will be hosting a leadership training workshop on November 2, 2012. The program will be hosted by trainer, Michael Kouly, a World Bank Fellow and a PhD scholar who has studied Global Leadership at Harvard, and has numerous other accomplishments under his belt. The program will be a big benefit to the local community.

If you wish to attend, email Zikra Initiative to register or to request more detail.

See the flyer below for more details.

There are also several interesting volunteer organizations in Namibia which we learned about through our colleague Natasha Martin who is currently working in the country.  We suggest looking into N/a’an ku sê.  N/a’an ku sê supports a number of initiatives, including the Clever Cubs School, Lifeline Clinic (which provides free healthcare to the community), a wildlife sanctuary, and the Carnivore Conservation Research Project.

They currently have two volunteer programs, one focusing on wildlife conservation and the other within healthcare. Duties within wildlife conservation include feeding and caring for baboons, farm animals and large carnivores. At their research base in southern Namibia at Solitaire, volunteers have the opportunity to spend 10 days tracking wild cheetahs in a 500ha boma as well as conducting game counts and camera trap analysis. For more information visit: www.naankuse.com

Finally you might also take a look at the advice we gave another reader recently concerning Voluntourism.

Mejdi Tours, made up of an eclectic team of Arabs, Jew, and Christian peace-builders, has created a travel experience with the potential to re-define travelers’ perspectives, bringing guests a greater understanding of the complex history and culture in the Middle East.

This year they’ve teamed up with National Geographic Expeditions to offer a 12-day trip through Israel and the West bank guided by both Israeli and Palestinian peace-builders. On the trip you have a chance to meet and hear the stories of a range of people, from rabbi’s to refugees, all in the effort of creating a balanced narrative. Just take a look at Day 3 of the Mejdi Tours itinerary: as you make your way through Jerusalem, you’ll learn the significance of the Mount of Olives from a local rabbi, at Dome of the Rock you’ll hear from an imam concerning its Muslim roots, and finally later in the day you will explore the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a important Christian pilgrimage destination, with a local pastor.

Mejdi is the brainchild of Dr. Marc Gopin, Aziz Abu Sarah, and Scott Cooper. Marc is a professor at George Mason University and director of its Center for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution. Also an ordained rabbi, Marc has over 25 years experience in the world peace-building and conflict resolution. Aziz, an entrepreneur at heart, has worked in the world of tourism for over 10 years and co-founded Al Tariq – The Palestinian Institution for Democracy and Development. Scott built up years of experience in the banking and financial markets to help peacebuilders and investors identify the best business models that will harness growth, change, and success.

One eager student, Ziata, who joined in on one of their academic tours, blogged, “Tolstoy once said that everybody wants to change the world, but nobody wants to change themselves. Our whirlwind experience completely rocked our worlds and made us wonder of our own roles in our societies. Such a change on a personal level can bring about a change on a broader, national or international, level.”

Trips begin in October 2012 and run through May 2012.

Also check out these destinations and tour operators similar to Mejdi that we’ve featured in previous issues: The Holy Land Trust, The Top 10 Countries for Sustainable Adventure Tourism (Israel is #2), Exchange Tourism during Ramadan Creates Equality in Jordan

Try his signature Sea Cave Nature Tour, which takes you to caves not many people know how to find.   You’ll explore three caves, if the tides allow.  This coastal area is teaming with life – harbor seals, as well as a multitude of creatures such as crabs, fish, birds and algae, are all on display.  We loved the sea stars, purple sea urchins, and flower-like green sea anemone, which feast on crabs and snails.  Click here for a video of harbor seals making their way into sea near Mendocino.

A recent paddler remarked, “We experienced slow, medium, and slightly rough waters in different parts of the trip, and Craig very skillfully guided us all through them… he managed to keep an eye on everyone and we loved how he loves Earth – always stressing respect and care for the environment.”  Craig also offers kayak surfing lessons, a nice idea for day two and a definite contrast to the predominantly smooth paddling of the caves.

End your visit with a trip to one of the area’s boutique wineries and a stay in one of the local B&B’s – Craig can recommend the best!
For more information call 707-937- 0700 or send an email through the contact form here: http://www.kayakmendocino.com/contact.php.

Hint: This national park supports a wide range of ecological diversity, but the flamingos and other water birds are the major attractions. The lake’s abundance of algae attracts the large population of flamingos, while the ecosystem as a whole provides for approximately 56 different species of mammals including the white rhino and buffaloes.

Details: This month’s photo was taken in 2010 on a School for Field Studies’ Community Wildlife Management Program by Evan Tipton. Evan is an editor at OTR and intern with Xola.com. Be the first to send an email to editor@travelofftheradar.com with the correct answer and we will send you a surprise from Eagle Creek!

Previous Winner: Congratulations to Pam Kraske, who won a OneSeed Expeditions mug and 15% off their choice of a 2012 expedition offering.

The Sierra Norte Mountains in Oaxaca

While CNN has countered negative press about travel to Mexico with facts – taking into account the newly expanded U.S. travel warning, the region continues to suffer from negative press.  Lonely Planet’s U.S. Travel Editor, Robert Reid, points out, “It’s in the 17 of 31 states not named in the newly expanded warnings where you’ll find the most rewarding destinations: the Yucatan Peninsula and Baja California beach resorts, colonial hill towns like the ex-pat haven of San Miguel de Allende, even the capital Mexico City.”

Recently the Wall Street Journal described the effect of the cartel wars on Mexican tourism, travel advisory warnings have been posted for 14 of the 31 Mexican states and have successfully discouraged travel to Mexico. While Mexico pushes to regain tourists’ trust by advertising sandy beaches and authentic cultural heritage by accompanying them with their slogan, “Mexico: The Place You Thought You Knew,” the constant stream of frightening news about ongoing drug wars have discouraged travelers from choosing Mexico as their vacation spot this year. When you compare numbers though – the violence is much on par with U.S. cities,  this article points out that last year 111 U.S. Citizens were killed in Mexico last year, comparable to U.S. cities such as Boston and Orlando.

Hello –

My partner and I are planning a trip to Oaxaca, Chiapas and possibly Guatemala around February 2011. We were hoping to get involved with some cool cultural things, possibly relative to the Mayan calendar while down there. Do you have any suggestions about organizations to get involved with or happenings down there around this time?

Many Thanks,

Jami W.

Hi, Jami

Our cup overfloweth with recommendations throughout Oaxaca and Chiapas. In fact, Chiapas just hosted the 2011 Adventure Travel World Summit. We recently worked closely with Traditions Mexico located in Oaxaca. They connect travelers with the local craftsmen and women who have a keen interest in pottery, weaving, culinary discoveries, and local festivals.

We’ve featured a few other operators in past issues. Take advantage of StepUp Travel’s portal where you’ll find many local operators who have some of their offerings on display. For example – spend the night in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala visit Comunidad Nueva Alianza where you can learn about the way coffee and macademias are grown (and no doubt have one of the best cups of coffee in your life). Make your way up through Tapachula (which borders near Guatemala) to the Argovia Finca Resort in Chiapas, Mexico where you’ll find plenty of horseback riding and spend your days harvesting coffee with the staff. Argovia is also connected to Ruta del Cafe, a trail that links you to 12 other coffee fincas in the area.

In Oaxaca, stay at Casa Machaya, a picturesque bed and breakfast that also offers Oaxacan Cooking Lessons courtesy of Dona Lancha. Everyone will probably be jumping at the chance to come to any dinner party you throw after you take those lessons.

Best of luck – let us know how your travels go!

Tania + the Off the Radar Team