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Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa! Happy Holidays! An opportunity to embrace to embrace cultures, spread joy, and be inclusive of all! Do you agree?

My girls were asked by their school friends what holidays they celebrate in the winter. And they both said technically neither Hanukkah nor Christmas. Some of the kids said to them they have to celebrate one. 

To be clear- I actually love their friends ask them questions - curiosity is a gift and better to ask versus assume. To me, it shows that the kids care to get to know each other. 

As the only Hindus in their school- I was so proud of my girls sharing that “We are Hindu. While we do not celebrate the December holidays religiously but we celebrate them all because they bring happiness. We have a Christmas tree, a menorah, and a kinara.” 

Being Indian-American- during the December holiday season, I have the best of all worlds.  I feel like it’s a gift to be exposed and to have friends of all faiths. And wow- the girls l...

 Namaste from Kenya. 

Giving is the greatest gift.  Learn more about tourism with a purpose and giving from home... most importantly, how to involve kids!
 

Part of Travel Plus Them’s mission is “tourism with a purpose.” It is not only important for our children to become global citizens and share those learnings with all of you- but also to help the local communities of the countries we travel to.

Thanks to our travel agency, Wild Destinations in Kenya , we found the beautiful Mogra Children's Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. The home has children of all ages and thus we did our best to bring various items for all ages.

Here is what we do:

• Seek guidance from the local people:  Contact the hotel concierge/Air BnB host, tour guides, or travel agents for recommendations on where we can donate. We ask specifically for orphanages.
• Why this approach? Because there are so many places that do not have an online presence and receive limited funding- thus you may not find them when you search on G...

Can you believe it is already June?  The month of Father’s Day, graduation days, Juneteenth, the start of summer, and my birthday to kick off the month!

May was a special month- Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Eid, and something I hold close to my culture- AAPI Month-- Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. A month to celebrate the history, culture, foods, arts, music, dances, languages, and so much more diversity from the continent of Asia- which is where I am from!

Did you know these facts about Asia?

• Asia is the world's largest continent. 
• Asia comprises 30% of the world's land area with 60% of the world's current population. 4.5+ Billion! China and India being the two most populated countries in the world!
• There are 48 countries in Asia that are recognized by the United Nations. Two of these countries also share part of their territory on the European continent; these countries are Russia and Turkey. 
• There are so many religions in Asia such as Hinduism,...

Diwali is this week.  Many of you may wonder, what is Diwali?

Diwali is India’s Festival of Lights where we celebrate victories of good over evil, light shining over darkness, knowledge over ignorance....a new beginning for us all. 

The details and activities were shared in my daughters' public and private schools when I taught the class children. 

Some quick facts about Diwali:

• Diwali is a total of 5 days- and the big day is Saturday Nov 14th (reflected in Day 3). 
• Every year the specific date changes (e.g. like Easter OR Hanukkah) based on the lunar calendar- but always falls in October or November. 
• The cultural significance of Diwali is celebrated around the world!  It is a Hindu holiday that celebrates the victory of Lord Ram when he defeated an evil demon king Ravan. That victory of good over evil restored goodness in the world.
• Diwali is celebrated differently all over India and each day is meaningful. 
• Diwali is also celebrated differently around the world but there i
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