The findingDulcinea Blog

9 Things You Didn't Know About St. Patrick's Day

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day, but most people know very little about the patron saint of Ireland. St. Patrick lived 16 centuries ago; that's why it's difficult to separate historical fact from myth. 

Here are the Top 9 Things You Didn't Know About St. Patrick's Day:

1. St. Patrick's first trip to Ireland was as a captive. When he was 16, Irish raiders snatched him from the home of his wealthy parents and brought him to Ireland, where he lived for six years before making his escape. He returned to Ireland many years later as a missionary.
2. St. Patrick did not drive the snakes out of Ireland; in fact, there weren't any there. Some historians believe that the snakes (symbols of evil) actually refer to the pagan influence that grew weaker as St. Patrick spread Christianity through Ireland.
3. March 17 is considered to be the date of St. Patrick’s death. The source for the date is the Annals of Ulster, which says that he died in 493, making him more than 100 years old. Modern historians believe that he actually died in 460 or 461.
4. The shamrock, a three-leaf clover, was the symbol St. Patrick used to explain the idea of the Holy Trinity when he was teaching Irish pagans about Christianity.
5. According legend, St. Patrick created the Celtic cross by combining the cross and the pagan image of the sun, in an attempt to ease the pre-Christian Irish into adopting his religion.
6. The first St. Patrick's Day parade in New York City was held in 1762. Irish soldiers serving in the English military united and marched to share their culture.
7. Irish soda bread does not contain raisins!  It doesn't have butter or eggs, either. In fact, you won't find anything called "Irish soda bread" for sale in Ireland, because it's not considered much of a delicacy. Consisting simply of flour, sour milk, salt and baking soda, real Irish soda bread is nothing like the cake-like treat we eat here. In fact, it becomes as hard as rock about an hour after baking.
8. The city of Chicago dyes the Chicago River green for the holiday. In 1962, the city dumped 100 pounds of dye into the river, and it was green for a week. Now it only uses 40 pounds; enough to keep the Chicago River showing off its Irish pride for just a few hours.
9. The Irish of Butte, Montana have the best celebration on this side of the Atlantic, according to the Butte Web site. Members of the Irish diasporas predominantly populate the town of 40,000; each year 30,000 people come to watch the St. Patrick's Day parade. The town's Ancient Order of Hibernians leads the parade, and revelers can touch Irish soil at nearby pubs.

For much more about St. Patrick's Day and why and how and where to celebrate it, visit findingDulcinea's Web Guide to St. Patrick's Day.

And if you've gotten this far and decided that this is the year you are finally visiting Ireland, then read our outstanding Web Guide to Ireland Travel, compiled by the many Hibernophiles on our staff.

Thank you for reading,

Mark E. Moran

CEO

I've Graduated from College. Now What?

Over dinner a few weeks ago, I listened to a group of my closest friends lamenting the economic crisis and the death grip it held on their efforts to find jobs. One friend pointed out that I was unusually calm, despite the fact that I had hardly started my job search and that those companies to which I had applied had turned me down. She suggested that I, with my optimistic temperament, write an article for findingDulcinea about how frenzied graduates should relax and try to have fun looking for jobs in today’s economy.

Weeks later, after a particularly painful evening of scouring idealist.org only to conclude that I am probably not skilled enough to even manage a hot dog cart, I came into work discouraged and exhausted. The Editor-in-Chief asked how things were going, and I confessed that the job search was taking its toll. When she suggested the same thing my friend had—that I write a graduates’ job search guide—I was stunned. Who am I to tell my peers how to find a job? I haven’t even found one for myself yet! I’ve lost all focus of what I want to do after graduation and have experienced only failure in my search efforts so far. But she insisted that I AM an expert, because I am in the thick of it, or as she put, “in the forest” (implying that the job search is a dark, wooded area … fair enough).

Writing this three-part series (see links at bottom of article) has turned out to be the most useful thing I have done to advance my personal career search, far exceeding the seminars I’ve attended and the hours I’ve wasted aimlessly browsing my university’s job postings online. I learned about job search Web sites that I never knew existed, many through findingDulcinea’s existing career Web guides. I took a personality quiz (to ensure that the Web site’s evaluation tools were reliable, obviously) and found that I might be well-suited to a career in advertising, teaching or consulting. I hit the jackpot when I found a series of videos hosted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers; every tip was a new gem that I have since incorporated into my search tactics.

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I’m pretty biased when it comes to going overseas. In my opinion, any experience in a foreign culture will make you a more interesting, well-rounded, thoughtful, understanding, independent and expressive person. In my research for the third part of my series, “Work, Intern or Volunteer Abroad,” I learned about dozens of language immersion opportunities in other countries and have since decided to move to Costa Rica for several weeks this summer to learn Spanish.

So thank you, findingDulcinea, for helping me with my own job search. Hopefully the features I wrote will help other recent graduates get on the right track or, at the very least, will inspire them to form a more positive attitude about the process.

Erin Harris

UPDATE:

Erin wrote this blog post in May 2009.  A year later, she is working as a research assistant in the Genetics Department at Children's Hospital Boston. She's taking classes at night to prepare for a program in physical therapy, an area that she has gotten interested in since starting her job at the hospital.

As for the job search itself, it wasn't an easy, but Erin offers some tips that worked best for her:

1. Don't underestimate paper: Sure, maybe its more convenient to apply for jobs via your iPhone, but sending an application in the mail can make a huge impression. I would suggest still sending an electronic version as many employers require it, but those applications often get routed to a large pool of applicants, which I call the nebula, because once your name goes in, it often disappears forever. Take a few minutes to look up the name of an HR representative, and send a hard copy of your application directly to that person. Oftentimes, the rep will get back in touch with you or will forward your information on to the appropriate hiring manager.

2. Talk: Introduce yourself to someone who works at a company you are interested in and ask them if they would be willing to have an informational interview with you. This is a chance for you to ask questions about the person's day-to-day job, the company atmosphere, how awesome the holiday party is, etc. without the pressure or a formal suit-and-tie, sweaty-hands interview. I asked several people, from study abroad counselors to marketing associates to an English professor, out for coffee to learn more about what they do and not once did I get rejected. People love talking about themselves and this can be a great way to get your foot in the door.

3. Network: Yes it is awkward, but it can be fun and turn out some great connections if you step outside of your box. I showed up to an alumni networking event in Boston, and tried to balance eating mammoth-sized pieces of sushi with presenting myself as a mature, appealing job candidate (the oversized finger foods were intentional in my opinion...a challenge set forth by the NYU event planners who stood by and chuckled as we introduced ourselves to CEO's with half-eaten chicken skewers in our hands). Somehow, I walked out with 10 business cards and a job offer at a consulting firm in downtown Boston.

and finally...

4. Stay positive: It will happen. As long as you are trying, you will get a job.

Good luck!

Read the three articles in Erin's series:

The Post-Graduation Job Search: Find You Fit

The Post-Graduation Job Search: Taking Action

The Post-Graduation Job Search: Work, Travel or Volunteer Abroad

Discover a Culture Through its Cuisine

Mollie Caselli writes for GulliverGo, a new study abroad and travel Web site.

When I studied in Paris I took courses in French language and history. Classes were challenging, but my experiences with the local cuisine introduced me to the real Parisian culture. Whether you’re at a food market, birthday dinner, or learning to cook homemade pasta, the local recipes will teach you about daily life.

You can mark the days, seasons, and holidays by what you eat. If you’re Greek, it’s sweet bread at Easter, Baklava at Christmas, and Greek Avgolemono (lemon and rice) soup on Sunday. My Italian family savors a pot of Crab Cioppino every Christmas Eve. Christmas in Paris: I overindulged in La Bûche de Noël (cake bread) and Stollen bread. You know it’s a hot day in Spain when locals spoil themselves with Gazpacho. Anyone can experience these cultural treats; you just have to be a little open-minded.

Visit Local Restaurants

Don’t just open a tourist guide and find the most popular restaurant. Check out those hole-in-the-wall joints. You know, the homely ones where people speak the native language. Carry your language dictionary and you’ll be able to translate what’s on the menu.

Learn to Cook

Take a cooking class abroad. Whether it’s a day or a week, learn how to create your favorite food. You will not only discover its history, but you’ll also take a piece of your host country home with you.

Live With a Family

It might sound daunting, but live with a local family. Maybe you already have family abroad. Get to know them. I lived with a host family in Paris. We shared conversations over dinner. I even helped cook for a birthday party. Some locals invite travelers for one night. You’ll enjoy great food, but you’ll also learn how families value their time together.

Museums Hold the Key to International Treasures

The Chateau de Versailles

Mollie Caselli writes for GulliverGo, a new study abroad and travel Web site.

You’ve accomplished the big hurdle of moving to a foreign country to study abroad. Good Job! What better way to learn about your new culture than by checking out its museums, eating its local cuisine or hitting up festivals? Whether it’s archaeology, film, art or sports cars, you can learn a lot about a host city by what it values most in its museums. Here are a few to check out. For any museums, remember to carry your student ID card for extra discounts!

Versailles, France: Palace of Versailles. When you need a break from the excitement of Paris, hop on the train for an hour and spend your day at the Palace of Versailles. Louis XIV turned the court of Versailles into the center of political power when he moved there from Paris in 1682. Today the estate features royal apartments of former kings and queens, a grand opera, the famed Hall of Mirrors and Louis XIV’s prized gardens. It’s a worthy day trip from Paris.

Naples, Italy: National Archaeological Museum. The National Archaeological Museum in Naples is one of the most impressive in Italy. The art, sculptures, mosaics and literature provide a glimpse into Greek and Roman antiquity. Of course, art history buffs that yearn to see those Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces in person should head north to Florence’s Uffizi Gallery,which hosts works of art by great Italian artists such as Botticelli, Giotto, Cimabue, Michelangelo and Raffaello.

Dublin, Ireland: Guinness Storehouse Take a break from the castles and galleries for a real taste of Ireland. Built in 1904, the Guinness Storehouse building housed the fermentation process of Guinness beer until 1988. Not only can you sample a pint, but at the top of the museum you’ll also catch one of the best views of Dublin.

Sweet Sites | Swim the Web to Find Water Activities This Summer

It's hot outside; why not head to the water? We're continuing with last week's theme as we go in search of sites to help you find pools, beaches and water sports near you.

Swim.com will help you find a pool, public or private, in your area. The site contains entries from around the world and offers detailed information about each pool, including the pool's shape, whether it contains chlorine and if a lifeguard is on duty.

Keep your kids safe in the water by signing them up for swimming lessons. If you've never learned how to swim yourself, it's never too late to start. Swim.com also provides a database of swim instructors, listing name, years of experience, reviews (if any), rate and distance from you.

If you long for sand between your toes and the splashing of waves, Dr. Beach has just the right prescription for you. Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman provides a beach overview by U.S. region, and also issues a yearly list of the nation's best beaches.

Have fun (mostly) above the water with GORP's Paddling page, which offers resources to plan your next canoeing, kayaking or rafting trip, including information about where to go, what you'll need and how to improve your paddling technique.

Amy Goldschlager
Editor

Find your own "eureka!" sites using SweetSearch.

Consult our Travel Guides for sites to help you with more location-specific fun this summer.

Get this blog entry in a weekly newsletter.

Sweet Sites | Use the Web to Find Summertime Fun, Wherever You Are

The temperature's warming up and you've got some free time, but you have absolutely no idea what to do with this glorious opportunity. Here are some sites that can help you with this high-quality problem.

Festivals.com allows you to search for U.S. events by region and type, including fairs, sporting events, crafts expos and motor shows. The site is particularly strong on music events; find out who's playing where in a variety of genres from alternative to zydeco.

Whatsonwhen offers information about intriguing events happening across the globe. Search by keyword or browse by destination or event type to learn more about a wide range of activities that includes both the North American Sand Soccer Championships in Virginia and the Baby-Jumping Colacho Festival in Castrillo de Murcia, Spain.

If your summer simply must involve a screaming tour of a roller coaster or a spin on the Ferris wheel, consult Theme Park Insider for help planning your next trip to the amusement park. The site offers reviews, park safety news and advice, tips to shorten your wait on ride lines, hotel information and more. 

Amy Goldschlager
Editor

Find your own "eureka!" sites using SweetSearch.

Consult our Travel Guides if you're looking for sites to help you with more location-specific trip-planning.

Get "Sweet Sites" in your inbox once a week.

Who Wants to Be an Internet Expert?

Back in the olden days, people talked about the list of books they wanted to read but would probably never get to. Although the lists might have been long, they may have been more manageable than we realized. With the Web, we’re getting a seemingly infinite number of articles thrown at us every minute. It’s hard to make a reading list—never mind get through it.

Fortunately, findingDulcinea, your friendly, neighborhood Internet librarian, has a solution: Our daily and weekly e-mail newsletters. Or, as we like to think of them: Expertise in Your Inbox.

* The Daily Dulcinea: A dose of knowledge spotlighting a notable biography or historical event. On Saturday, we'll send you "5 Must-Reads You May Have Missed" during the week.
* Weekly Travel Newsletter: a virtual tour of under-the-radar vacation destinations.
* Weekly Education Newsletter: a curation of Web sites and tools that aim to empower teachers, librarians, parents and students.
* Sweet Sites: a weekly e-mail of Web sites that will aid your research, up your Internet savvy and expand your mind.

Sign up here, now!

Your desire to become an Internet expert is probably reason enough for you to sign up for one or all of these newsletters. But if you need more incentive, we've created a list of reasons:

1. Our "On This Day" and Happy Birthday e-mails are guaranteed to tell you the correct date, every day.
2. There's no point to that new smartphone if no one is e-mailing you, right? We'll e-mail you. We promise.
3. We are more consistent/less demanding than the boy/girl/client/gig you wish was e-mailing you.
4. Getting our travel newsletter is like traveling, except you can bring more than 3 fluid ounces with you when you read it.
5. Our weekly "Sweet Sites" e-mail is not as bad for your teeth as other sweets. Nor will it get your keyboard sticky when you surf the Web.
6. If you lie and say you found one of our Sweet Sites yourself, we'll never find out.
7. Visit our Religion and Spirituality Web Guide to deal with the guilt you'll feel about stealing credit for our awesome work.

Earth Day 2009: Blogging from Earth

Globes from an exhibit called "Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet" at the Rose Garden at Exposition Park in Los Angeles,Tuesday, April 21, 2009. (Photo: Reed Saxon/AP)

Visit our new section, The Environment, for news stories and features on food and farming; environmental threats; global environmental news; green living guides; wildlife news and more.

Our environmental coverage on the findingDulcinea blog has been varied: we’ve evaluated disaster-relief sites, given you the scoop on eco-cleaning products and divulged our favorite green city guides. Below, we’ve rounded up a few Earth Day-inspired posts for your web surfing pleasure.

Disaster Tracking

Research centers located around the world are dedicated to monitoring the violent storms that seem to be constantly discussed by news networks. Whether you’re concerned about floods, volcanoes, earthquakes or tornadoes, the research center Web sites in this "Sweet Sites" post on emergency preparedness will keep you in-the-know.

Traveling Green

Last fall, we introduced you to two fun and informative travel sites with an environmental slant. The green city guides are particularly helpful, explaining, for instance, where to walk and view great architecture in Chicago, and how to keep it green in Christchurch. Head over to our post on Green City Guides for further details and chosen links.

The Great Green Clean

If you’re a clean freak but hate the chemical smell associated with most home cleaning products, read our post on Green Cleaning. We culled information and tips on keeping a tidy home sans noxious odors and toxins, and linked to our favorite sources on everything from dish soap to laundry detergent.

An Arctic Following

With Arctic ice rapidly disappearing and dire predictions made by some researchers, you might be wondering what the true story is up north. To narrow things down and gain perspective, read our post on Monitoring the Arctic, where we’ve linked to organizations and online libraries to aid your researching efforts.

Sarah Amandolare
Senior Writer

Culinary Travel Sites for Study Abroad Students

Eating al fresco in Barcelona

Cooking and eating with the locals offers a surefire cultural immersion for students studying abroad. Even without enrolling in a strictly culinary program, students can experience the deeply embedded cultural features intrinsic to native foods, simply by doing as the locals do.

Brave New Traveler’s Ross Lee Tabak has excellent advice for those longing to tuck into a legit local meal, including shopping at the grocery store instead of always eating out, not being afraid to eat alone, trying everything once and walking around during mealtimes to ask locals for their recommendations.

For students who want a more formal and structured culinary education experience abroad, there are plenty of programs to choose from. Try Study Abroad Links, which has a thorough directory of culinary study abroad programs in Argentina, Canada, France, Italy, South Africa, Spain, Thailand and the United States. Or visit the Study Abroad Directory from GoAbroad.com, which lists about 100 different culinary arts programs for students around the world (just highlight “Culinary Arts” in the subject section of the search box).

Finally, visit our "6 Sites for Study Abroad Programs," for more sites to help you plan an educational immersion, or our Food Web Guide to help you indulge in all things culinary on the Web.

Sarah Amandolare
Senior Writer

Inspiring Kids and Teens to Become Volunteers

A teenage volunteer helps a special needs child in the program  Friendship Circle. (Rich Schultz/AP)

There’s a good reason why colleges like applicants with community service under their belts. Volunteerism is an often life-changing experience that helps young people mature, work with people they might never normally meet, see new places and respond to a higher calling, as President Obama implored us all to do during a commencement address to Wesleyan University’s Class of 2008. Below are sites that can help kids, teenagers and young adults shape their adult selves through volunteering.

DoSomething.org is a nonprofit organization that harnesses the Web to bring young people a large, searchable database of volunteer opportunities and funding sources to get their ideas off the ground. The organization gives $500 grants to motivated teens and young adults, and awards $100,000 to the best volunteer project proposal of the year.

Idealist.org’s Kids & Teens section is “an essential resource for kids who want to start a project of their own, or connect with youth organizations already involved in human rights, the environment or the arts,” says Senior Writer Sarah Amandolare in the article “Volunteer Opportunities for Kids.” The article lists a few more sites like Idealist.org and DoSomething.org.

Our Alternative Spring Break Web Guide points out that local or remote volunteer opportunities can be an enlightening way for a student to spend a couple of weeks. Find inspiration and help planning your volunteer trip in this guide.

One such travel volunteerism site is Global Works, which integrates service work with cultural immersion to give teens an alternative to more typical summer activities. Language immersion trips are also available, as are custom-designed trips for groups of 14 or more.

Learn more in the Philanthropy and Nonprofits Web Guide.

Liz Colville
Senior Writer
Audience Development