Every year on May 21st, International Tea Day promotes ways to sustain the production and consumption of tea. It’s also a day to spread awareness of the importance of tea in fighting hunger and poverty.
You might be surprised to know that tea (not coffee) is the preferred beverage of choice for millions of people in the world. The global per capita consumption of tea is 35.2 liters. Every second, people consume 25,000 cups of tea. This equals 2.16 billion cups of tea per day.
As the world population increases, so will the number of tea drinkers. Tea is especially popular in India and China. These two countries account for 37% of the world’s total population. Tea has a rich history in the world. According to legend, Emperor Shen Hung discovered tea when leaves from a tree blew into his pot of boiling water. This event happened in ancient China nearly 5,000 years ago. People in China and around the world have been drinking tea ever since.
Besides drinking it for taste, many tea drinkers enjoy the many health benefits of tea. These benefits include:
Contains antioxidants
Reduces one’s risk of heart attack and stroke
Aids with weight loss
Protects the bones
Prevents tooth loss
Boosts the immune system
Helps battle cancer
Soothes the digestive system
Helps the body to feel more relaxed
According to one particular study, habitual tea drinkers were less likely to die prematurely. These people drank tea at least 3 times a week. Green tea seems to have more health benefits than black tea.
Ever since 2005, tea-producing countries banded together to celebrate an International Tea Day. These countries included Sri Lanka, Nepal, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, and Uganda. In 2019, the Intergovernmental Group on Tea proposed to celebrate International Tea Day on May 21st. The UN approved the proposal on December 21, 2019. The first official UN-sanctioned International Tea Day was held on May 21st, 2020.
Tea producers hold events on this day to educate the public on the importance of this beverage. Teahouses host tea-tasting events and people throughout the world gather together for tea parties. The best way to participate is to drink a cup of tea. You can make it at home, or gather at a teahouse with some friends. Be sure to try a flavor of tea you’ve never had before. Share your favorite tea on social media with #InternationalTeaDay.
When March 30th arrives, so does National Virtual Vacation Day, reminding us all to relax, recharge, and rejuvenate no matter where we are.
Vacations restore our minds, bodies, and souls. Studies show that taking a vacation lowers the risk of heart disease. They also help hone our problem-solving skills and promote overall brain health. Furthermore, we’re more satisfied with the money spent on vacations than on material goods.
However, virtual vacations do not require money, packing, or transcontinental flights. All you need to achieve a virtual vacation is your imagination and free VR apps or a VR headset. Check out some of the tours on Google and Google Earth. Most do not require a VR anything.
If you can dream it, you can achieve a virtual vacation. Enjoy an exciting African safari. Or hike the exotic Amazon rainforest. Then hit the beach in Bali, or join in the festivities at Mardi Gras. Explore a space vacation if you dare! Adventurers to armchair travelers thrill at the possibilities.
HOW TO OBSERVE #VirtualVacationDay
There’s never been a better time than now to explore a virtual vacation. We’ve scored some VR tours to get you started and will continue to add more. While exploring, be sure to share your virtual vacation with others. Take a tour of your favorite places and learn something along the way. Grab some snacks for the ride, too!
As Social distancing and so many places are shut down due to Coronavirus, now is a great time to enjoy the many offerings, while keeping you and your family safe and healthy. Today is National Doctor Day.
Make sure to thank all our medical and first responders on the front lines. Their work helps keep our families safe. As it is NATIONAL DOCTORS DAY
Learn more about virtual vacations and all the ways to enjoy one at Terrance Talks Travel http://terrancetalkstravel.com/virtual-vacation-day/. Share your favorite virtual holidays using #VirtualVacationDay to share on social media.
NATIONAL VIRTUAL VACATION DAY HISTORY
Terrance Talks Travel founded National Virtual Vacation Day in 2016 to share the genius and potential of Virtual Vacations.
The Registrar of National Day Calendar® proclaimed the day to be observed annually on March 30th.
About Terrance Talks Travel
TerranceTalksTravel.com shares cheap travel tips, affordable adventures, and little-known travel resources—and includes an archive of all Terrance Talks Travel: Über Adventures podcasts. Additionally, you can download dozens of free travel reports at www.terrancetalkstravel.com.
January is National Hobby Month, the perfect time of year to pick up a new hobby, or get back into an old one that you haven’t thought about in a while! The great thing about having a hobby is that it can take your mind off the pressure of work or other daily stresses. Sit down and think about what you really love to do. What are you passionate about in life? What sparks your interest the most? What are you curious about? What are your goals? Finding a good hobby and giving yourself time to take part in it on a daily or weekly basis is sure to make you happier, and maybe even healthier.
“It can be coins or sports or politics or horses or music or faith… the saddest people I’ve ever met in life are the ones who don’t care deeply about anything at all. Passion and satisfaction go hand in hand, and without them, any happiness is only temporary, because there’s nothing to make it last.” -Nicholas Sparks, Dear John
Use #NationalHobbyMonth to post on social media. Talk about a new hobby you’ve picked up or better yet, post a photo or video of you doing it to get others inspired to do the same! If you’re having trouble thinking of a hobby to get into, we’ve put together a list of some healthy activities for you to consider.
Get to the gym 5 days a week. Running on a treadmill, lifting weights, or taking workout classes are great hobbies to take up because they are sure to improve your quality of life, both physically and mentally.
Try gardening. It stimulates your mind, involves a little physical activity, and it’s rewarding. Research shows gardening can even help improve your mood almost instantly, can lower your risk of dementia, and relieves stress.
Start cooking at home more often. If you can learn to cook wholesome, nutritious meals for yourself and your family, you’ll save money and have a healthier lifestyle. Cooking can also be therapeutic in itself, and will allow you some alone time to create beautiful dishes!
Take up yoga. No matter your age, gender, or level of physical fitness, yoga will increase your strength and flexibility. It also gives people clarity, peace of mind, and is overall a big stress reliever for anybody.
If you have the time, money, and are willing to add a responsibility to your life… Buy a pet! Animals have been proven to improve mental health for many people. Research shows owning and bonding with a pet decreases the risk of depression, anxiety, and stress.
Volunteer. Being a part of your community and lending a hand without getting paid in return has shown to incredibly improve mental health and give people a sense of fulfillment.
Give reading and/or writing a try. Picking up a good book, journaling, and blogging are all great ways to help clear your mind. They can temporarily take you to another place or time, allow you to express your thoughts freely, and even improve your vocabulary.
Finally… Travel! Take a week or two off work and go experience another culture. Whether you go on a tropical vacation and spend days on the beach, or head to the cold snowy mountains to hit the slopes, traveling helps to shift your perspective, and can even help you discover yourself.
…And if you’re really lucky, you can find what you love to do and turn it into your career. You know what they say. If you make your hobby your job, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.
Learning another language comes with a wealth of benefits. That’s why December is National Learn a Foreign Language Month.
Most people learn a second language while in school. They may not be proficient in the language, especially if they do not have the opportunity to speak conversationally in that language. However, the opportunity to learn another language comes with many benefits.
It improves your understanding of your native language.
Your understanding of other cultures improves.
Your confidence improves.
Job opportunities improve.
It makes travel easier in countries where the new language is spoken.
Learning a new language also provides a boost to our brains by improving memory, creativity, attention span, and reducing cognitive decline. It’s never too late to learn a new language. However, it is easier the earlier you start. That also means children tend to master a second language faster than adults. But don’t let that discourage you. If you have children, learn alongside them.
There are many platforms for learning a new language. And with over half the world’s population being bilingual, you can learn, too. Whether you take a class or download a language application, Learn A Foreign Language Month is the perfect time to do it!
HOW TO OBSERVE #LearnAForeignLanguageMonth
Dust off your old Spanish textbook or sign up for a French class. Learn a Foreign Language Month celebrates languages and the benefits of speaking a new language. You can also:
Immerse yourself in the new language by spending time with others who speak it fluently.
Offer to teach someone a language you’re fluent in speaking.
Take a sign language class.
Download a foreign language application.
Pick up a book about the foreign language you’re interested in learning.
Share your experience learning a foreign language by using #LearnAForeignLanguageMonth.
Ah, March, in like a lion, out like a lamb, or so the saying goes. That’s not the only saying attributed to the moody month. For the Northern Hemisphere, March ushers in spring. That was even true back in the days of the Julian calendar when there were only 10 months and March started off the year. Sayings such as “A bushel of March dust is worth a King’s ransom,” and “March many weathers,” remind us of the swiftly changing and windy weather March brings.
The first three days in March were once considered bad luck. They called them the blind days. No one would plant, enter into an agreement, or a journey during these days. Speaking of the beginning of March, there are some pretty tasty holidays to keep us appeased while the weather makes up its mind. Peanut butter and Banana Cream Pie are just a couple of them.
March is also known for its borrowing days. Though the story has changed through the ages, the month is no stranger to tumultuous weather. Hundreds of years ago the borrowing days were known to be any wild weather day in March. In later years, the days came to be assigned to the last three days in March. The end of the month gets down to business, too. We’re talking Mom and Pop Business Day, Walks in the Park and Prom. Serious stuff.
Spring makes its appearance in March with the vernal equinox, and with it comes a lot of activity in nature. Birds migrate. Animals begin to mate. (They give us the phrase, “Mad as a March hare,” too.) Plants begin to grow. Even the full moon gets involved. The full moon in March is called the Worm Moon. It earns this name because of all the insects beginning to hatch.
Birth Flowers – Daffodile and jonquil Birth Stone – Aquamarine Zodiac Signs – Pisces and Aries
Daylight saving time also adds an element of tradition and rancor to the season as many (though not all) spring forward and change their clocks one hour.
Historically, planting and war go hand in hand in March. Named for the Roman god of War, Mars, March became a time when armies began to march again and farmers tilled their soil. While farming and the military have both dramatically changed since Roman times, March and spring still hold power over both of them.
Birthdays in March
Harry Caray
Harry Belafonte
Ron Howard
Theodor Geisel
John Irving
Chief Joseph
Alexander Graham Bell
Jacki Joyner-Kersee
Ruby Dandridge
Peyton Manning
Eva Mendes
Jon Bon Jovi
Shaquille O’Neal
Catherine O’Hara
James Madison
Andrew Jackson
John Tyler
Grover Cleveland
Chuck Norris
Quincy Jones
Queen Latifah
Bruce Willis
Spike Lee
Reese Witherspoon
Elton John
Lady Gaga
March Madness kicks into high gear as basketball enthusiasts cheer on their favorite teams. Whether cheering on a local high school team or their college and professional players, fans wear their colors and watch every nail-biting game.
Beware the Ides of March. When the world used the Roman calendar, the middle of each month was called the “Ides.” What makes March so special? Well, the 15th was always the midpoint in March, and in 44 BC an oracle predicted Julius Caesar’s downfall to be no later than the Ides of March.
The phrase “in like a lion, out like a lamb” refers to the proverb that says:
“If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb.”
However, it may also refer to the constellations Leo and Aries. Leo rises in the east early in March but Aries sets in the west at the end of March.
