Japan: Ideal Destination, Ideal Nanda Journey

In October of 2018, Dr. Nada Stotland, an accomplished and world renowned psychiatrist, led a journey of fellow mental health professionals to Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan.

Dr. Stotland had previously enjoyed traveling to Japan with her family and was eager to return, in a professional capacity, to explore Japan’s attitudes and policy toward mental health care. She also remembered how kind and gracious her hosts were and was excited for her fellow mental health professionals to experience the warm hospitality of the Japanese people and the supreme beauty of Japan.

During their time in Japan, Dr. Stotland and colleagues visited with academics, clinicians, government officials and business owners all involved in the advancement of mental health policy and practice in Japan. The professional exchange allowed for roundtable discussions on current trends, challenges and new approaches to mental health in Japan.

Speaking with us ahead of the journey, Dr. Stotland said:

“The world is a big place. Learning first-hand about mental health care in widely differing countries helps us to think outside our local boxes and to appreciate what can be done with different sets of resources, policies, and attitudes.”

Upon her return, Dr. Stotland wrote:

“Having led more than ten mental health journeys, to countries on six continents, and enjoyed excellent professional experiences, cultural enrichment, and travel logistics on each, I found that Japan offers a unique combination of exotic culture and modern development.

The Japanese insistence on the freshest seasonal produce and fish means that every snack and meal is interesting and everything is perfectly safe to eat and drink. Cultural norms are different from those in the West—but conveniently include order, punctuality, and safety. The neon and bustle of the Ginza contrasts with the beauty and serenity of mountains, rivers, forests, and the ocean. We especially loved being dressed in kimono (no plural) for a traditional tea ceremony. Don’t miss Japan!”

Each time we create a Nanda Journey, we do so with the utmost care given to ensuring our professional participants are afforded the opportunity to connect with fellow professionals in varied yet relevant professional settings. It is also important to us that we showcase the very best there is to see when in a new country. The goal is not to merely rush through the iconic locations, but rather to take a moment to immerse in the culture and engage with community members in meaningful ways.

It is always a proud moment for us when we receive kind words from our leaders and guests. It affirms our love of travel and why we do what we do! Our own little piece of Nanda (Joy in Sanskrit).
Thank you, Dr. Stotland, for over a decade of faith in our team. It is an honor and a privilege to be continually selected as your global professional travel partner.

We are excited for your Mental Health Journey to Iceland later this year.

Giving Spirit

By Dr. Lynn Brinckmeyer

As I reflect on the music education delegation to Argentina and Chile last summer, I keep picturing the young orchestra students at the Buen Consejo School (Buenos Aires, Argentina) who performed for us. They were so excited to have music teachers from the United States visit their school. Several members of our delegation donated instruments to the school because it was located in a poor community and it depended solely on donations to exist. When West Virginia teacher, Sherri Tadlock, presented a used flute to the school, the students were elated and the flute teacher was overcome with joy. With tears streaming down her face, she explained that one of the students needed to use her flute because they didn’t have enough instruments. I’ll never forget watching Sherri play with all of the other flute students and seeing the joy on everyone’s face.

The staff members of Nanda Journeys go above and beyond what is required to ensure that the delegation has a safe, informative and experience-filled trip. We have a great time with our international guides and I have always felt safe and cared for in these delegations. It is important to me that we have an educational experience because I have an intense desire to learn about music education and the indigenous folk music wherever I travel.

The insights I’ve gained because of my travels to other countries goes beyond the limitation of language. I’ve learned that people are the same all of the world: they want a better life for their children; they have hopes and dreams just like we do; children are beautiful, curious and mischievous in every corner of the globe. More and more I appreciate all of the luxuries and experiences life in the US provides. My awareness of my privileged life is much stronger now than before I traveled abroad.

I didn’t know what to expect when we traveled to Morocco. The kaleidoscope of new architecture, mosaics, camels, flowing tapestries, fragrant/exotic spices and warm, friendly people expanded my mind and heart even more. We danced and played drums and other percussion instruments with musicians in several restaurants. And the food was AMAZING!

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When you spend up to 10 days in another country with other colleagues from the US we share experiences that form deep bonds of friendship and respect. Everything is new and unfamiliar and the language differences can be a challenge at times. We are all supportive of each other and these trips have fostered deep friendships with people who might never have crossed my path. We share teaching strategies, stories about our families and unexpected experiences. Our bus broke down on the freeway on our way to a coastal city in Chile. Some people might have been upset or frustrated but we actually had a great time sitting and chatting with each other, so when the “rescue” van came to get us we were actually surprised to see it drive up.

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I still feel connected to each of the delegation communities that have traveled together. Whenever I hear something in the news about a country we’ve visited memories immediately pour into my mind with images of moments we shared together and with the people we met on our trip.

It’s been my privilege to lead music education delegations for nearly ten years. Each time I venture to another country and meet people steeped in unfamiliar cultures I am reminded of our differences and, more importantly, our similarities as humans. I come home a different person after each trip and I am grateful for these opportunities and am eagerly looking forward to our next music education journey to Australia.

Dr. Lynn Brinckmeyer – Professor of Music and Director of Choral Music Education at Texas State University.

Tips for traveling with anxiety

Does Anxiety & Panic Keep You From Fulfilling Your Travel Dreams?

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It happens to the best of us. Those pesky gremlins inside our head telling us a whole manner of untruths that we simply can’t brush away. For some, traveling can be an anxiety trigger. At its worst anxiety may stop us from fulfilling our true potential including taking those long dreamed about global journeys.

Check out this article by She Explores Life for some fabulous tips on traveling with anxiety. Annette has some fabulous personal advice to offer and some great resources!

One of my favorites tips is #6 Find a travel companion who understands anxiety and panic: Take your first couple of trips with a friend, family member or partner who understands anxiety, panic and how to best support you. This is another approach to exposure therapy. Bonus: you get to make wonderful memories with someone you love!

If you don’t have a travel buddy, consider joining a small group journey, maybe a weekend getaway close to home at first. As you add to your toolkit and practice anxiety busting techniques {maybe those suggested by Annette} you may soon feel the calling to branch further afield and take your first global journey.

The World is waiting, where will you go?

– Nicola Balmain

Professional Enrichment Travels with Nanda Journeys – A leader’s perspective.

How do you spell “first rate?” I have travelled with Nanda Journeys to Peru, Cuba, and South Africa. The trips were worry-free, so we could concentrate on the cultural global experience.

I have included some photos from my travels. The accommodations are always first rate. The meals and cultural experiences are also top shelf. With qualified guides, we had ample opportunity to learn not only about the people, but also about the place. From safaris, to jungle river exploration, to arts and architecture—the trips helped enrich my personal and professional life.

The cultural experiences in hospitals and schools for us were varying and enlightening. I visited schools in the Andes mountains where the children spoke three languages; schools for the deaf in Johannesburg where all children had cochlear implants; and schools for the deaf in Havana where sign language was used. I visited a school in a township of Cape Town where the children’s hearing and vision was being tested using blue tooth technology since there was no electricity in the school. I visited the sparse polyclinics in Cuba, a rehabilitation center in the Andes mountains of Peru, and a state-of-the-art hospital in Johannesburg. All the visits were varied and all showed that people everywhere are doing what they can to deliver services given their circumstances.

But the best feature of the travels is the opportunity to develop professional relationships with like-minded people. The friendships and relationships have extended beyond the time of the trips themselves. The travels have also enriched my professional life. Since returning from South Africa, I have made conference presentations at national conferences with my colleagues that I met in Johannesburg. I have consulted on a publication about speech language services in South Africa and published an article on health care in Cuba.

I am looking forward to the next planned journey to Vietnam and Cambodia in the spring of 2019. Because of the interest in interprofessional service delivery here, and because of the mode of delivery of services in southeast Asia, the spring trip is intended to be interprofessional with rehabilitation specialists.

About Dr. Dolores Battle

Dr. Battle is Professor Emeritus of Speech Language Pathology at SUNY Buffalo State. She is the former president of both the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), and the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP). She has received numerous awards for her work in multicultural and global issues in the profession including Honors of ASHA, Honored member of the IALP, The Diversity Incentive award from the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Science and Disorders. She is widely published in communication disorders in culturally and linguistically diverse populations and has traveled professionally to 37 countries on five continents including in Kenya, South Africa, Brazil, Greece, Switzerland, Denmark, Canada, and Australia.