I'm a-leavin', on a jet plane....

Special post by guest blogger, Emily

So here I am, on my last night in Montevideo, and I was thinking, "Have I gotten enough from my week in South America?" Obviously, the answer to that is a resounding 'no'. But I don't think a person should have to see every single thing in order to feel fulfilled.


Every time I travel, my goal is to leave with a sense that I'm going back home not only with souvenirs (I swear, I don't spend the whole time shopping), but also with the sense that I've experienced things the majority of people back home will never encounter. With that said, I realize it is my responsibility to encourage traveling, especially internationally and especially with the young. You are never too old to love traveling, but it is when you are young that you can fully appreciate taking advantage of what the world has to offer.

I find that it is especially imperative for younger generations to travel and experience different cultures. There are so many reasons why! It broadens your view of people, expands on your range of knowledge, makes you thankful for what you have, makes you thankful for what you don't have (ahem, Dengue and swine flu), it connects you to the world!

Knowledge may have condemned Adam and Eve and curiosity shamed Pandora, but it now promotes tolerance and acceptance of others. I've come away feeling that I've learned more in a week than a semester at a desk. I cannot even fathom the number of connections my neurons have made between each other because of everything that I've taken in.

What I have seen had been beautiful and enlightening.

The world is your cup! It is up to you whether or not to drink from it.

p.s. I had a great time! Don't touch the wild dogs, be careful feeding the birds, and see the beach at sunset!

Coca-Cola Light

In light of my post yesterday on Coca-Cola, I'd also like to point out another interesting tid-bit about the world's favorite brand. In countries outside of the US, they sell Coca-Cola Light which is yummy. I generally try to avoid the poison that is carbonated beverages, but Coca-Cola Light is actually tasty. And worth 0 calories.

However, Coca-Cola Light is different than Diet Coke because it is made with different types of sweeteners, the least of which is 30-50 times more sweet than sugar. According to Wikipedia: "Coca-Cola Light may be sweetened with a blend containing cyclamates, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium." If you are still confused, here is what Coke has to say about their different concoctions:

Coca-Cola Zero is sweetened with a blend of low-calorie sweeteners, while Diet Coke is sweetened with aspartame. As for Coke/Coca-Cola light, in certain countries, the term "diet" is not used to describe low-calorie foods and beverages. In these countries, we offer Coke/Coca-Cola light. The sweetener blend used for Coke/Coca-Cola light is formulated for each country based on consumer preference.

Ha ha ha "consumer preference." Or in other words, cyclamates, which are used in Coca-Cola Light, were banned by the FDA in 1970. They don't market it the US, because they can't.

In South America however, bring on the Coca-Cola Light. Gurgle gurgle.