Volunteer abroad: what about China?

Volunteering abroad is the opportunity of a lifetime, and our flexible short-term programs let you design your ideal experience overseas. Volunteer from 1 week to 3 months in China, in meaningful projects that will let you work side-by-side with local people and experience the Chinese culture like never before. As an international volunteer with an organization, you're making a positive contribution, by sharing in the goals of a local community that warmly welcomes you. You'll gain new perspectives and insight into China's culture and yourself. It's an exciting and personally inspiring experience, and you'll develop memories that will stay with you forever. As a volunteer in China, you will get a rare inside view of one of the world's largest and most ancient cultures. China has a vivid and distinct history, artistic tradition, cuisine, and social structure.

One of the volunteer programs in China is located in Xi'an, the crossroads of Western and Eastern China, and the starting point of the Silk Road. Home to the famous Terra Cotta Army, Xi'an was once the imperial capital of China. Today, with a population of approximately 8 million in the greater urban area, this modern city still reflects its rich history and culture.

Volunteers working in China may be at local schools or orphanages, English language camps, centers for people with disabilities, and community-based health organizations. Specialized placements in the health field are available for medical professionals only. Volunteers in China are involved with different types of programs, such as caring for infants and children, teaching children, teaching English, assisting teachers, sharing their professional skills/experience, caring for people with disabilities, assisting teachers of special education, etc. This experience also includes cultural and learning activities so that you can learn about the local culture. These include an indepth orientation, language training, guest speakers and more. Volunteers also have plenty of free time to relax, reflect, or explore the community and country.

King of the jungle is dying in Kenya - PAU inglés 2010 resuelto

Photograph by Lotte Blachfeldt

Over the past two decades, the worldwide population of lions has fallen from over 200,000 to approximately 35,000 presently. In Kenya, they have reduced from 10,000 to 2,000 over the same period. The once-feared king of the jungle is quickly being pushed out of his habitat. With the population of humans growing faster than any other species of animal, the lion, is slowly being driven out of existence. The conflict between man and lion is not a recent phenomenon.

In March 1898 as Indian workers were busy building a bridge for the East African Railway line over the River Tasavo, two male lions which later came to be known as the Man Eaters of Tasavo were picking them off one by one. It is estimated that the pair - each lion measured more than nine feet - hunted down and killed more than 130 people in a span of nine months.

More than a century later, in 2003, the tables were turned when Maasai warriors killed 10 lions in one week following repeated attacks on their cattle in Katigela on the outskirts of Nairobi.

According to Owebi Mawetto, a research scientist with the National Museums of Kenya, some subspecies like the desert lion, which thrived in North Africa, have become extinct. The vulnerability of the lion has been exposed and the superiority it once held over all living things has shifted to its greatest predator: man. The human population has posed the main threat to the survival of the lion.

In many ways man has contributed to the destruction of both the lion and its habitat. Communities, most of them pastoral, have organised hunting parties targeting lions which they believe kill their livestock. The pastoralists see no value in protecting the big cats, and neither do the governments.

Whales are still hunted and killed

More than two million whales were killed by advanced whale hunting methods and equipment during the 20th Century, although the hunting of blue whales was banned within the Southern Hemisphere by international agreement in 1966. The blue whale is not the only kind of whale that might eventually become extinct. The right whale, the bow head whale and the gray whale are also endangered in that regard. Then again, products made from any kind of whale should be forbidden from production.

More than one hundred years ago whales were hunted for food and clothing items. It was soon discovered that whale oil burns and provides light. After that discovery the hunting and killing of whales increased. Some people just could not make enough money so they were out to get all that they could. To make matters worse for those hunted whales, perfume makers discovered a product within whales that better contained the scents of the perfumes that they created. Ambergris is that product that is contained within the head of the whale. Whales have to die so that people can smell nice.

As such, those kinds of whales - mentioned above - that contained the greatest amount of oil and perfume ingredients became the most hunted and are in danger of becoming extinct. As a matter of fact, whale oil is still used as a lubricant within many petroleum-based oils. Whether we like it or not, some people still rely on whale oil to light their homes for practical and/or decorative purposes. If the people on our Earth truly want to save the whales for such a fate all those whale products must be banned from use. It seems people on Earth no longer need what those whales once provided to Humanity. We cannot understand why those whales are still hunted and killed.

Road crash - PAU inglés 2010

Two men raced each other in sports cars at speeds of over 190 km/h along a rural road, which led to a collision killing one of them.

William Smith (38) caused the fatal crash that left Raymond Curtis (24) dead and injured three children -including his own son- when he overtook Mr Curtis while speeding.

Smith's car ploughed into the gable end of a house shortly after the two-car collision, seriously injuring a nine-year-old boy who was playing hide-and-seek at the time.

He was jailed for two years after he admitted dangerous driving causing the death of Mr Curtis and three counts of dangerous driving causing serious bodily harm to 3 children. The tragedy was the culmination of a series of events on the night of July 2nd, 2000, which started when Smith was driving his red BMW towards Oxford, with his son and his son's friend as passengers.

When they saw Mr Curtis -who the accused didn't know- driving a white Audi in the opposite direction, Smith's son made a comment about the other car being "cool", a policeman explain later. He then turned around and followed Mr Curtis for 3 km, before attempting an overtaking manoeuvre that led to the fatal collision. The two high-performance cars hit each other close to where a family was having a party at their house in Oxfordshire.

Some children were playing hide-and-seek in the garden when Smith's car flew through the air, crashed into the house's gate and landed on top of one of the boys. Smith's son, who was travelling in the front passenger seat, was also injured while his friend, back-seat passenger, suffered serious injuries and now has the use of just one kidney as a result.

Dr. Zhow Liu goes on cancer research in Huston- PAU inglés 2010

After suffering the loss of his two-year old niece to leukemia, cancer had become very personal to Zhow Liu. Then a 15-year old growing up in Indonesia, he decided to make a difference in cancer research. Now in Huston, Dr. Liu has made an important discovery.

In short, his research has described how to destroy two aspects of cancer that make it so deadly. At the same time, he has identified why it can be so difficult to treat.

DNA stores genetic information and messenger RNA carries the template that translates genes into proteins. Two of these proteins are known to make cancer cells aggressive: the "arC" protein, which is implicated in the rapid growth of cancer cells, and the "agcP" protein, which blocks the effectiveness of treatments such as chemotherapy. Basically, cancer cells produce too many of both proteins. Dr. Liu's research is trying to understand how to control the RNAs that lead to the production of "arC" and "agcP" proteins in cancer cells.

"We're really excited with what we have discovered, especially when you consider that this research mostly involved students and it was done entirely in Huston," adds Dr. Liu. "There are only three other cancer research teams in the world looking at the same proteins as we are, and those groups are in the UK, Spain, and Denmark."

Despite the discovery, Dr. Liu is quick to point out that "a cure for cancer isn't right around the corner." These things take years. "We think we've made a significant contribution, but our findings can only be demonstrated in a test tube, not in the body - at least not yet. If we continue having success with our research, we'll eventually test our hypotheses in actual cancer cells."

Dr. Liu remains focused on making a difference in cancer research. "I made a vow 25 years ago, and I'm as committed as ever."

Global English is the tendency

Estimates of the number of present and future speakers of English suggest English will be spoken across the globe for the foreseeable future. But what kind of English will it be? Evidence from other languages indicates that there are two opposing movements of linguistic change at work within a language.

The first movement is convergence - in which speakers of separate languages come together either using a pidgin - a mixture of their languages - or using a different second language. The Scandinavian countries are examples of this: although the languages Swedish, Norwegian and Danish are similar, and from a common Old Norse root, an overwhelming number of speakers use English as their second language.

The second movement is divergence - in which speakers of a common language differentiate their speech from each other and create first a distinct dialect then in due course a separate language. We see this from Latin which fractured into Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.

Both forces are constantly at work. Which force is more likely to take control of English as a world language? Only major changes in the political climate are likely to make an impression in the short term, though a series of minor external influences could cause a not so important change.

The major change could well be a change in the power of English's main speakers, the USA. In a parallel with Latin following the decline of the Roman Empire, it is likely that any decline in the political, economic or technological power of the USA would lead to greater divergence and the development of separate mutually incomprehensible varieties. The general change of increased global communications and travel has already had a strong influence on the use of English, leading to significant convergence on English as a second language, this is the tendency.

Spain is a good country for a cheap holiday

Cheap holidays to Spain are available all throughout the cold period. To get the cheapest Spain holiday price possible, you'll be looking at a time outside of the peak periods - summer time, Christmas and Easter -, although you can still pick up a cheap Spain holiday in early May and late October when the temperatures aren't so hot. If you visit Spain outside the peak seasons you'll notice that drinks are considerably cheaper, but the price of food will stay at roughly the same price as it is in the United Kingdom, so it might help you get a cheap holiday if you book into half board accommodation.

May is a good time for a cheap Spain holiday if you're interested in checking out some of their festivals. The first of the month is the Spanish Labour Day which is celebrated all over the country. In Madrid between the 12th and 21st of the month the Fiesta de San Isidro takes place, with parties, parades, bull fights and dances all over the city.

In September the busy summer season is starting to come to an end and resorts become less crowded. It's a good time to visit Spain if you're looking for a cheap holiday to a place with temperatures higher than those in the UK at this time, however you probably won't get the heat or sunshine that's traditionally associated with Spain's summer months.

If you're interested in visiting some of the countries fascinating landmarks while on your cheap Spain holiday, then October is probably a perfect time to do so. Prices will be coming down, and the number of tourists in the area will be too, so you won't need to spend so long queuing for places such as the many art galleries and museums throughout Barcelona and the rest of the country.

Teenage pregnancy

Teenage pregnancy is defined as a teenaged or underaged girl (usually within the ages of 13-19) becoming pregnant. The term in everyday speech usually refers to women who have not reached legal adulthood, which varies across the world, who become pregnant.

The average age of menarche (first menstrual period) in the United States is 12 years old, though this figure varies by ethnicity and weight, and first ovulation occurs only irregularly until after this.

The average age of menarche has been declining and continues to do so. Whether fertility leads to early pregnancy depends on a number of factors, both societal and personal. Worldwide, rates of teenage pregnancy range from 143 per 1000 in some sub-Saharan African countries to 2.9 per 1000 in South Korea.

Pregnant teenagers face many of the same obstetrics issues as women in their 20s and 30s. However, there are additional medical concerns for younger mothers, particularly those under fifteen and those living in developing countries. For mothers between 15 and 19, age in itself is not a risk factor, but additional risks may be associated with socioeconomic factors.

Data supporting teenage pregnancy as a social issue in developed countries include lower educational levels, higher rates of poverty, and other poorer "life outcomes" in children of teenage mothers. Teenage pregnancy in developed countries is usually outside marriage, and carries a social stigma in many communities and cultures. For these reasons, there have been many studies and campaigns which attempt to uncover the causes and limit the numbers of teenage pregnancies. In other countries and cultures, particularly in the developing world, teenage pregnancy is usually within marriage and does not involve a social stigma. Among developed countries, the United States and United Kingdom have the highest level of teenage pregnancy, while Japan and South Korea have the lowest.

How to survive without sex for 50 million years? Dry up - PAU 2010

Scientists have finally solved the mystery of how one tiny creature has flourished for up to 50 million years without sex: it dries up.

Bdelloid rotifers, microscopic asexual freshwater invertebrates (animals without spines) are the ultimate escape artists, able to outpace their enemies by drying up and blowing away. For most animals, sex is not only a way of producing the next generation, but a means of keeping enemies at bay. This idea, known as the Red Queen Hypothesis, helps explain why most animals go to great lengths to find mates and have sex.

But rotifers, the only confirmed "ancient asexuals" in the animal kingdom, have survived by abstaining from sex for the last 30 to 50 million years.

In contrast, other creatures that reproduce without sex -such as the nematode worm- are expected to die out after several hundred thousand years.

When faced with the threat of an enemy the rotifers dry up and allow themselves to be blown away by the wind. They come back to life when exposed to freshwater. So while most animals are locked in evolutionary arms races with their foes, bdelloid rotifers escape them altogether simply by being carried on the wind.

Scientists found that the rotifers could live longer without water than their enemies. The longer the infected populations remained dried out, the more likely they were to survive. A new study suggests the bdelloids' ability to take to the wind in the face of danger is one key aspect of their survival, and it's likely not the only one. Other factors--such as the ability to take up and use DNA from their environment--may also play a role.

New technology addiction - PAU inglés 2010 resuelto

Technology surrounds us wherever we go, and we are in constant contact with all sorts of devices without thinking twice about their usage. This could not be truer for cell phones and how we use them in society today. Within the last decade or so, the prevalence of mobile phone ownership and usage has skyrocketed. Today, it is no longer the calls that are taking up a person's time, but the innumerable text messages being sent throughout the day.

So how much is too much? When does "texting" go from harmless to excessive and possibly become a compulsive addiction? One could make the argument that thousands of people die in this country every year because of alcoholism, that texting is not killing people or destroying families, and is only trivializing addiction. However, texting is truly capable of disrupting one's life although not as overtly as other classical intoxicant addictions.

First of all it's important to know why people can become addicted. There are three primary motives behind addictive behaviour, escape (a way for a person to reduce awareness of surroundings, anxiety, or pain), compensation (a sense of control over a situation, oneself, or another), and ritual (the predictability, effortlessness, and instant gratification of the act). When applying this to the concept of texting addiction, one can argue that by utilizing the SMS (texting) feature on a phone, a person is able to ignore or disengage from their environment at varying levels (escape); they have the ability to control when, where, what, and who they text (compensation); and may text freely throughout the day according to their habits (ritual).

The models for chemical substance abuse can be applied to the concept of texting addiction because this is also a disorder, like pathological gambling, regarding impulse control, so in all three cases the person can't control his willpower that is why his behaviour becomes addictive although we all agree the risks in the three cases are not the same for someone's health or mind.

Easter island

Easter Island is over 2,000 miles from the nearest population centre, (Tahiti and Chile), making it one of the most isolated places on Earth. A triangle of volcanic rock in the South Pacific- it is best known for the giant stone monoliths, known as Moai, along the coastline. Admiral Roggeveen, who came upon the island on Easter Day in 1722, named it Easter Island. Today, the land, people and language are all referred to locally as Rapa Nui.

There has been much controversy and confusion concerning the origins of the Easter Islanders. Archaeological evidence indicates discovery of the island by Polynesians at about 400 AD. Upon their arrival, an impressive and enigmatic culture began to develop. In addition to the statues, the islanders possessed the Rongorongo script; the only written language in Oceania. The population of Easter Island reached its peak at perhaps more than 10,000, far exceeding the capabilities of the small island's ecosystem. Resources became scarce, and the once palm tree forests were destroyed - cleared for agriculture and moving the massive stone Moai. In this regard, Easter Island has become, for many, a metaphor for ecological disaster. Thereafter, a thriving and advanced social order began to decline into bloody civil war and, evidently, cannibalism. Contacts with western "civilization" proved even more disastrous for the island population which, through slavery and disease, had decreased to approximately 110 by the end of the XIX century. Nowadays there are about 2.000 inhabitants.

Easter Island today, remains one of the most unique places you will ever encounter; an open air museum showcasing a fascinating, but unfortunately lost, culture. The Rapanui are among the friendliest people you will ever meet, and the landscape is truly amazing - with its volcanic craters, lava formations, beaches, brilliant blue water, and archaeological sites.