Worldwide Culture Swap Discovering Scotland {Global Culture Education}

I was thrilled when the wonderful group of moms from Worldwide Culture Swap grouped together individual families for a one-on-one culture swap exchange.

The family from Scotland sent us the following:

"Learn and Play" Through Culture Packages

A wonderful way of showing our son how to appreciate other cultures is by participating in a Worldwide Culture Swap. This past summer we participated in two culture swaps, and have received swap packages from other families across the globe! Our packages came from families from England,  Norway and South Africa!

Participating is a fun and tangible way of  learning to appreciate other cultures through the items we have received.   The packages vary by country and the ones that we have received have included items such as,  stamps, coins, sweets, pictures, flags, stickers, coins, a home-made DVD, pressed flowers, pencils and even sand with shells!  The letters that the families include in their packages gives us a better understanding of their culture, and we learn so much from them.

Making British Custard From Our Culture Swap Exchange

During this past summer we participated in a Worldwide Culture Swap Exchange and one of the countries in the group was England. You can read more about our worldwide culture swap here.   

In our wonderful package we received Bird's Instant Custard.  I followed the instructions in the package. It was so easy to make! However, I was a little lost as to how to eat it? Warm? Cold?  It's not a custard in the sense that I'm used to, and it kind of looks and taste like vanilla pudding but with a lighter consistency and flavor.  I had a spoonful of it when it was warm, and it wasn't bad at all. However, little one didn't like it warm. So I put it in the refrigerator, and once cool he seemed to like it. 

Worldwide Cultural Swap from Norway and South Africa

In the first Worldwide Culture Swap that we participated in we were paired with 4 more families. Two from the USA:  Florida and Hawaii (you can read more about the contents of these two states here), and two other countries:  Norway and South Africa.  We were assigned to Group 66!

We were very excited to receive swap packages from South Africa and Norway.

A Puerto Rican Wedding Tradition: "Capias"

Being engaged, and getting to marry the love of my life was one of the happiest days of my life. Planning a bicultural wedding was so much fun that I actually wanted to bring everything about my Puerto Rican heritage to our wedding! (Shells, and all! But I'll leave that for another post!)  

I wanted to incorporate my Latin culture to our USA wedding.  The one thing that I really, really wanted to share with my husband's side of the family were the famous "capias."   

The "capia"  is a  wedding souvenir that the bride gives to her guests. The one pictured is from our wedding. I still have a few that I'm keeping. These capias are truly special, they are a labor of love, a gift from Mami.  She made them in Puerto Rico, and brought them to me for our wedding.  

The “capia” is made with a thin satin ribbon with the bride's & groom’s name; and wedding date engraved on them.  The ribbon is placed on a lace or other material with a decorative piece on top. A pin is included so that the bride can put it on her guests as a corsage or boutonniere. This way the bride is able to see all her guests, and give them a wedding souvenir.

Featured on Worldwide Culture Swap:  "Puerto Rico - The Capia Custom."

Worldwide Culture Swap: England! (Group 88)

What a nice surprise to get home, and find in our mail box a package all the way from England! I was thrilled with the packaging, and the stamp that read: "Royal Mail!" with the picture of Queen Elizabeth. Ohhhh, I felt so special...:)

Worldwide Cultural Swap from Oregon, Florida and Ohio.

Receiving swap packages from around the country and the world is fun!

We participated in two swaps: Group 66 and Group 88.

In Group 66 we had South Africa (received, and will blog about it soon!), Norway (still waiting on the package); and two states: Hawaii, and Florida. We received both swaps from Hawaii (you can read more about it here), and Florida.

In Group 88 we had Qatar (waiting on the package), England (received, and will blog about it soon!), and we received both states: Oregon and Ohio.

Worldwide Cultural Swap from Hawaii! (Group 66)

So we received our 1st Worldwide Cultural Swap Exchange from Hawaii! Little one was thrilled with everything. He loved the leis and the turtle. :) There were lots of postcards, a luau shirt (folded paper with instructions), fish made from palm leaves, stickers, US flag, macadamia nuts, a passion fruit jelly, calendar, and a newspaper, and lots of information on Hawaii. We have yet to sit down and go over everything, and I want to do so when I can sit with him, and point out on the world map where Hawaii is and go over the contents of our package. Thank you to the Bolger Family in Hawaii who sent us this!

Updated! Our 1st & 2nd Worldwide Cultural Swap

I first learned about Worldwide Cultural Swap from a post that Multicultural Familia had shared on their Facebook page. Of course, I was immediately hooked, and excited to join. I signed up and was contacted via email if I wanted to participate. Of course, that was a yes! So we were assigned to Group 66 with four other families from Norway, Florida, South Africa, and Hawaii. This is our 1st package representing Puerto Rico.