AUGUST Mini Challenge: Bring on the HEAT!!! (in the kitchen that is)

IMG_8319Okay so over the next month and a half we have a super fab thing going on here at Orbis Terrarum- FOOD!!! Recipes, reading and eating- there is nothing better than that. Hosted by Beastmomma who came up with the fab idea months ago and has been waiting to invite you all over to her blog to share some international cuisine!!! Oh my goodness I am DYING to get started on this one.

Here is what Beastmomma has to say, be sure you listen up:

For the next six weeks, we are going to combine two of my favorite things: international reading and food.  Each week, I will be writing a post that is a tribute to either food, writing, or food and writing from a particular region.  In the comments, you are invited to share your tribute to any of the above from a particular region as well.  You can either link to your own post or just leave a comment with the information. At the end of each week, I will draw a winner from the comments. I will be doing separate posts for each region, but will have links to my entries below for easy reference.

Here is the travel itinerary; I will post about the first region soon.

  1. North America: I wrote a tribute to one of my favorite dishes. Please comment on that entry to be eligible for a prize.
  2. Europe: I wrote about various versions of pesto I have created.  Please comment on that entry to be eligible for a prize.
  3. Asia:
  4. Oceana:
  5. South America:
  6. Africa:

Go visit Beastmomma and may the Eating Around The World Mini Challenge BEGIN!

(Please note that comments and links to recipes need to be posted on her blog for this mini challenge, but you are always welcome to leave your links below after you have left them on her blog!!!! I love hearing from you guys)

July at Orbis Terrarum: Watch an International Flick

This month is a great Mini Challenge that Richard at Caravana de Requerdos will be hosting. It is a bi-monthly challenge, the Orbis Terrarum Film Mini Challenge ( July, September, November). This is your second chance (the first was in the May) to catch a flick, review it and share a link to it over there.  Head on over there and he will announce the mini-challenge, and then collect people’s film review links.

I am lucky this is a longer challenge since I have yet to post reviews of the foreign movies I’ve seen lately!

I hope you’ll take part in the mini challenges this month- I know they will be great!!! And once again, thank you for being a part of the Orbis Terrarum Challenge!

So far how are you enjoying the mini challenges?? Are you up for hosting a mini challenge? Email me!

June at Orbis Terrarum: Nigeria Mini Challenge!!!!

This month you really won’t want to miss out on the Orbis Nigerian Mini Challenge!!!!  Amy so graciously wanted to host it, and I am very excited to see all of you sign up. You have to go visit her and sign up on the Mr. Linky there.

Here is a bit of the info she has over on her blog, just to wet your taste buds :P

Here are the deets of the Orbis Nigerian Mini Challenge:
One of my best friends is from Nigeria (he is here in my small town to attend University) and so I have become quite a fan of the country. Throughout the month I will be discussing all things Nigerian including authors, musicians, places, and food (yum!).

This is what Amy wants YOU to do:
Read a book by a Nigerian author, discuss anything related to Nigeria, or be brave and try a recipe! From the participants, I will draw a random person to win a prize, which will be a book by a Nigerian author (I’m not sure which one yet). If there are a lot of participants, I may add more prizes :)

This mini-challenge will end on June 30th.

And a note from me: We have room for one of  YOU Orbis Terrarum Challengers to host a Mini Challenge next month. Email me!

May at Orbis Terrarum: WWII and International Film Mini Challenges!

This beautiful month of May we have two mini challenges each of which will help you futher your travels and get to know more of the world out there.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's NestThe first is the WWII Mini Challenge at A Novel Source hosted by Stacy. She has some great things planned, and you also have a chance to win Stieg Larsson’s The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest to be released May 25th! To enter you read on book about WWII of watch two WWII flicks. Head over to A Novel Source WWII Mini Challenge now! She has great suggestions on movies and books that would qualify for the OT challenge and the WWII Mini Challenge.

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Second is a Mini Challenge that Richard at Caravana de Requerdos will be hosting. It is a bi-monthly challenge, the  Orbis Terrarum Film Mini Challenge (in May, July, September, November) this is your first chance to catch a flick, review it  and share a link to it over there. You could even watch a WWII foreign flick and it would count for BOTH mini challenges this month, right!? Head on over there and he will announce the mini-challenge, and then collect people’s film review links.

I hope you’ll take part in the mini challenges this month- I know they will be great!!! And once again, thank you for being a part of the Orbis Terrarum Challenge!

Reading Around the World Kick off!!!! (and asking for a little help)

It is time for our kick off!! This is the 3rd time we’ve started this challenge and I hope that this year will be even better. The reason I shortened it this year is because I got pretty burnt out last year and I didn’t want anyone to feel that way, so I figured a shorter challenge would be better.
There are some things to consider right off the bat. I need your help!!! The more help I get the better this year’s challenge will be. You could help in the following ways:

1.) By creating a very friendly environment here of encouragement and commenting on each other’s links. In the past the OT challengers have really been excellent at this and I’d love to see the group continue and even improve at this. We all love comments so try your best to visit each other.

2.) Hosting a month long mini-challenge. Last year I tried to do tons of mini challenges but it got sooo overwhelming and I completely dropped the ball. That is why I am begging for your help. By hosting a mini challenge you would choose a month and a theme the only requirement being that it would promote international exposure since that is what this reading challenge is all about.

So far it looks like we possibly have a international film mini challenge, and a international cooking themed mini challenge, but I am sure you all have tons of ideas for mini challenges. I could see some ‘OT Group reads’ where you could have people vote to read a book together, or you could pick one and see who is interested in reading it, an international poetry mini challenge, short stories, bilingual reading mini challenge…(and whatever else you can think of!!!).

This is what is going to happen for the mini challenges: At the beginning of the month (if you choose to do it) you would like I would write a post describing your mini challenge and sending people from the main OT challenge blog over to you to participate. You could have a random prize to choose for the end of it, but that is completely up to you.

3.) The more you mention this challenge on your blog, on twitter and whatever else you use to promote your blog the more people will join us. People are welcome to join late so keep that in mind. Sometimes the smaller the better though, but I’d love to have those who would like to read with us know about the challenge. So, if you’d like to go ahead and promote the challenge so all your closest bloggie buddies join up!!

Which country are you starting in?

Around the World in 8 Months: Orbis Terrarum Reading Challenge

By bethany canfield(dreadlock girl), February 15, 2010 6:43 pm

Welcome to Orbis Terrarum 2010!!!

This is year 3 of our big adventure. There are some different things going on this year, so read up.

Orbis Terrarum 2010 Challenge Rules:

*The Orbis Terrarum Challenge begins April,1st  2010(you are welcome to join later) through the month of November.
*For the challenge each reader is to choose 8 books (for the 8  months of the challenge).
*Each book must from a different country, I have decided to go by the country of origin of the author, or the country he/she lives in is fine as well-meaning NOT the country the book is set in!!
*You don’t have to have a list, that means you can change your mind at any time. As long as there are 8 books you have completed the challenge.

What is different about this year in the Orbis Terrarum Challenge?? Well, there are some differences I think you will like, the above rules stay the same, but there are some options for your reading that I would like each challenger to consider.

1.) This year I am allowing all the books to be from the same country and by the same author (although I would have you not choose your OWN country, because this challenge is meant to expose you to the world not your neighborhood!) For example, if you would like to focus on South Africa because you have an intrest in that then you can read all your books from that nation if you want.

2.) I want you to worry not about me putting up a post each month where you post your reviews, but that you’d post them in the appropriate continent location as you read along. These can be found by clicking on the images to the right. It has been a nightmare to try to organize these on my own, so I am asking (BEGGING) you to please first make sure your author’s country is listed in that particular Continent list, then include the nation of origin (or where he/she resides or resided or if you are choosing to go with where the author was born) of the author, as well as the title of the book. For example: (Absent by Khedairi- Iraq)or (Half of a Yellow Sun – Nigeria)

3.) The 2010 Orbis Terrarum Challengers Raising Funds for Clean Water Worldwide (optional!)

I am a big believer in not just reading about what is going on in the world, but about doing something about it. For this reason I am going to be reading away for Living Water International during the challenge and donating an amount per book. I also ask that you consider doing the same. If every one of us just gave $1 per book we read during the challenge, that is only 8 dollars, but if we all did it it  that would be a good amount (last year we had 74 challengers, reading 8 books= $592 !)

You can make your donations directly by going to the Orbis Terrarum Challenge Fundraiser page. (They will send you a receipt for your tax deductible donation directly) Or by clicking the widget in the upper right of this challenge’s page.

I’ll post again on this soon.

However, you don’t need to feel obligated to donate!!

Who wants to join in the Orbis Terrarum Challenge for 2010 (add your link below)?? Feel free to post about this challenge on your blog so that we can gather more international book travelers!!!

How to join??

1.) Sign Up below
2.) Write up a post about it on your blog so that your friends can join you. (feel free to use either of the buttons at the top of this post)
3.) Get a readin’!!! :P
4.) Post a link to your review in the appropriate continent (click on images to the right).
5.) Contact me with any questions or comments.

SIGN UP for the challenge!!

South America

By bethany canfield(dreadlock girl), February 12, 2010 11:03 pm

Post Links to Your Orbis Terrarum Reviews from African Authors !!

Nations of the South American Continent
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela

Please first make sure your author’s country is listed above under the Nations on the South American Continent list, then include the nation of origin (or where he/she resides or resided or if you are choosing to go with where the author was born) of the author, as well as the title of the book. For example: (Absent by Khedairi- Iraq)or (Half of a Yellow Sun – Nigeria)

Oceania

By bethany canfield(dreadlock girl), February 12, 2010 10:32 pm

Post Links to Your Orbis Terrarum Reviews of Authors from Oceania !!

Nations in Oceania
Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Please first make sure your author’s country is listed above under the Nations is within the Oceania list, then include the nation of origin (or where he/she resides or resided or if you are choosing to go with where the author was born) of the author, as well as the title of the book. For example: (Absent by Khedairi- Iraq)or (Half of a Yellow Sun – Nigeria)

Europe

By bethany canfield(dreadlock girl), February 12, 2010 10:30 pm

Post Links to Your Orbis Terrarum Reviews from European Authors !!

Nations on the European Continent
Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City

Please first make sure your author’s country is listed above under the Nations on the European Continent list, then include the nation of origin (or where he/she resides or resided or if you are choosing to go with where the author was born) of the author, as well as the title of the book. For example: (Absent by Khedairi- Iraq)or (Half of a Yellow Sun – Nigeria)

North America

By bethany canfield(dreadlock girl), February 12, 2010 9:07 pm

Post Links to Your Orbis Terrarum Reviews from North American Authors !!

Nations on the North American Continent: (23)
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas , Barbados , Belize , Canada , Costa Rica, Cuba , Dominica, Dominican Rep. , El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, United States

Please first make sure your author’s country is listed above under the Nations on the North American Continent list, then include the nation of origin (or where he/she resides or resided or if you are choosing to go with where the author was born) of the author, as well as the title of the book. For example: (Absent by Khedairi- Iraq)or (Half of a Yellow Sun – Nigeria)

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