Blogs from Atlanta, Georgia, United States, North America - page 14

Day 2 - the journey continues! we make our way out of Florida and into...traffic! It took a little bit longer than wanted or planned, but we finally make it to our hotel in downtown Atlanta. Due to some trouble at the front desk as we were checking in, we managed to get our parking comped for the entirety of our stay, as well as an upgrade to a corner room and 24-hour access to a fully stocked snack bar in the club lounge - not bad! After settling into our room we pick up some snacks and LOTS of water bottles (they don't call it "Hotlanta" for nothing) and head out to do some exploring. We hit up the always-exciting Georgia Aquarium for some aquatic adventures and free live jazz, and then find our way ... read more

Hello from Atlanta! Had a pretty crazy journey but I'm here at last. I left for the greyhound station at 11:30 yesterday, then was told the website was wrong and there wasn't a 12:25 bus, so I had to wait 5 hours for the next one. I arrived in Atlanta at 4:40, which was too late to check in to the hostel I was going to stay at so I just had to wait at the Greyhound station until 8am when I could check in. All's good now though, a friendly transvestite showed me a Diner where I could get breakfast, so I sat with pancakes and watched the Korea v Greece match on TV. In a few minutes I'm off to the Georgia Aquarium, which is the biggest aquarium in the world. Not sure what ... read more

Leslie & myself have been full throttle going at the fundraising. We have been emailing journalists, organizations, restaurants, etc. to see if we can get any form of donations. Right now we are seeking cash or kind. We decided to host couple of Moroccan themed events to invite the general public to try food, drinks, entertainment for a small cover. Also, we we do a silent auction or raffle prizes. Tonight, my husband & I were dining at Fanoos Persian restaurant in Sandy Springs before going over to The Punchline for a friday night comedy show. The owner of the place, Mr. Jalal came up to our table & started conversing with us about our backgrounds & interest in Persian food. He even got me a complimentary Kamakazi & some rice samplers. The food was delicious ... read more

Cross-Cultural Solutions (CCS) is a non-profit organization that operates volunteer programs from 1 to 12 weeks in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. With the reinvigorated spirit of service and fresh dedication to international volunteering apparent around the world, organizations such as CCS make volunteering overseas possible for people interested in short-term experiences. “People are looking to gain real-world experience and make a positive impact on the world,” said CCS Director of Communications Kam Santos. “Our programs connect people from different countries and cultures to meet that desire to be the change---volunteers work side-by-side with local people who provide education, health, and social services to underserved communities. Founded in 1995, the mission of CCS is to operate volunteer programs around the world in partnership with sustainable community ... read more

I have now arrived at the Atlanta airport after completing my week of orientation in the Cleveland area. The week went well and I was blessed to have such a nice host family that showed unbelievable hospitality and kindness towards me. I learned much more about the work of AIS throughout the world and met many of the staff that works in the International Office in Cleveland. On a couple nights I helped one of the coaches with his u11 and u12 girls teams. On Wednesday morning, I had a "kick about" with some of the AIS staff at a local indoor facility and the game was played at a high level, which was really fun and encouraging as well. On Thursday afternoon I went with a newly married couple that works with AIS to an ... read more