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'Hamlet' is depressing, but to these refugees, it was a welcome escape.

A persistent mist fell on the audience, many of whom were bundled up in jackets and scarves. But the wintry weather would not dampen the spirit of the day. Not today. The large crowd gathered and waited in wonder for those six magic words to transport them somewhere else.

Anywhere else.


"To be, or not to be."

Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.

The actors stepped onto the small, humble stage. No lights. Only makeshift curtains. Every footstep echoing on plywood boards.

It wasn't Broadway or the West End, but to them, it didn't matter.

"To be, or not to be."

That was the question.

But the answer was bigger than an old play. Much bigger.

Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.

They were performers from Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and they were in "the Jungle," a large refugee camp in Calais, France.

Shakespeare's Globe is on a mission to perform Hamlet in every country on Earth. Yes, every single one. Though the group has a performance scheduled in Paris later this week, they added Calais, which is 182 miles away from the city, as a stop on their world tour.

The Jungle encampment houses refugees from all over the world, many of whom made dangerous journeys from their home countries.

The encampment is one of the largest refugee outposts in the world, home to 6,000 people, including many from Syria, Afghanistan, Eritrea, and North Africa.

A South Sudanese man prepares a fire in his shelter. Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images.

Inside the Jungle, refugees wait in bureaucratic limbo. Many have applied for asylum in France, while others seek permanent homes in the United Kingdom. The camp, which opened in 2015, was immediately overcome with people, resulting in food, water, and shelter shortages. There are few storage options and no refrigeration, so food-borne illnesses are common. Hygiene is also lacking, as there are few washing facilities and only one toilet for every 75 people.

"Refugees are hungry and distressed and they live in diabolical conditions," Leigh Daynes, director of Doctors of the World, told The Guardian. "Their suffering is all the more acute because the often perilous journeys they undertook to get to France were physically arduous and emotionally fraught."

Hemn, a Kurdish migrant, keeps warm in the Jungle. Photo by Philippe Huguen/AFP/Getty Images.

Individuals and nonprofits have stepped up to bring positivity and activity — like theater performances — to the camp.

On Wednesday, Good Chance Calais, a nonprofit that brings music, art, and theater events to the Jungle, welcomed performers from the Globe to its stage for a production of Shakespeare's "Hamlet."

It's part of Globe to Globe Hamlet, a two-year effort to perform "Hamlet" in all 196 countries. The project began in April 2014 and will conclude this April at the renowned Globe Theatre in London, where many of Shakespeare's plays were first performed.

Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.

"Globe to Globe Hamlet was created with the aim of performing "Hamlet" to as many people as possible, in as diverse a range of places as possible," Director Dominic Dromgoole said in a statement.

"The central principle of the tour is that Shakespeare can entertain and speak to anyone, no matter where they are on earth; and that no country or people are not better off for the lively presence of Hamlet."

Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.

So far on their 150,000-mile journey, the Shakespeare's Globe has performed Hamlet for more than 100,000 people around the world.

The show has a diverse cast, allowing men and women of different ethnicities and backgrounds to see a bit of themselves in the production, often for the first time.

Whenever possible, Shakespeare's Globe stages the shows for free, performing for 3,000 people at the National Theatre in Khartoum, Sudan, and for schoolchildren in Myanmar, Belize, and Tanzania.


This is not the first time the company has performed in a refugee camp, either. It traveled to Cameroon to perform for Central African Republic refugees, to Djibouti for the Yemeni people, and to the Zaatari camp on the border of Jordan and Syria.

Despite the dreary weather in Calais, more than 300 people attended the show.

It was standing-room-only for much of the performance. And the actors, no stranger to outdoor venues large and small, performed with gusto.

Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.

Volunteers worked hard to make the event special, providing popcorn and synopses in multiple languages so as many people as possible could participate in the event.


While Shakespeare's Globe can't relieve global strife, the artists can provide a moment of calm in a stressful world.

Art may not stop wars or end famine. But it can and does offer a moment to relax. A moment to let imagination take hold and feel transported to another place and time. A moment to experience something that has entertained and connected people from all walks of life for centuries.

While the performance only lasted a short time, we can hope that the gift of peace and joy it provided, amid a backdrop of anything but, lasts much longer.

Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.

Identity

Celebrate International Women's Day with these stunning photos of female leaders changing the world

The portraits, taken by acclaimed photographer Nigel Barker, are part of CARE's "She Leads the World" campaign.

Images provided by CARE

Kadiatu (left), Zainab (right)

True

Women are breaking down barriers every day. They are transforming the world into a more equitable place with every scientific discovery, athletic feat, social justice reform, artistic endeavor, leadership role, and community outreach project.

And while these breakthroughs are happening all the time, International Women’s Day (Mar 8) is when we can all take time to acknowledge the collective progress, and celebrate how “She Leads the World.

This year, CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization dedicated to empowering women and girls, is celebrating International Women’s Day through the power of portraiture. CARE partnered with high-profile photographer Nigel Barker, best known for his work on “America’s Next Top Model,” to capture breathtaking images of seven remarkable women who have prevailed over countless obstacles to become leaders within their communities.

“Mabinty, Isatu, Adama, and Kadiatu represent so many women around the world overcoming incredible obstacles to lead their communities,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA.

Barker’s bold portraits, as part of CARE’s “She Leads The World” campaign, not only elevate each woman’s story, but also shine a spotlight on how CARE programs helped them get to where they are today.

About the women:

Mabinty

international womens day, care.org

Mabinty is a businesswoman and a member of a CARE savings circle along with a group of other women. She buys and sells groundnuts, rice, and fuel. She and her husband have created such a successful enterprise that Mabinty volunteers her time as a teacher in the local school. She was the first woman to teach there, prompting a second woman to do so. Her fellow teachers and students look up to Mabinty as the leader and educator she is.

Kadiatu

international womens day, care.org

Kadiatu supports herself through a small business selling food. She also volunteers at a health clinic in the neighboring village where she is a nursing student. She tests for malaria, works with infants, and joins her fellow staff in dancing and singing with the women who visit the clinic. She aspires to become a full-time nurse so she can treat and cure people. Today, she leads by example and with ambition.

Isatu

international womens day, care.org

When Isatu was three months pregnant, her husband left her, seeking his fortune in the gold mines. Now Isatu makes her own way, buying and selling food to support her four children. It is a struggle, but Isatu is determined to be a part of her community and a provider for her kids. A single mother of four is nothing if not a leader.

Zainab

international womens day, care.org

Zainab is the Nurse in Charge at the Maternal Child Health Outpost in her community. She is the only nurse in the surrounding area, and so she is responsible for the pre-natal health of the community’s mothers-to-be and for the safe delivery of their babies. In a country with one of the world’s worst maternal death rates, Zainab has not lost a single mother. The community rallies around Zainab and the work she does. She describes the women who visit the clinic as sisters. That feeling is clearly mutual.

Adama

international womens day, care.org

Adama is something few women are - a kehkeh driver. A kehkeh is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi, known elsewhere as a tuktuk. Working in the Kissy neighborhood of Freetown, Adama is the primary breadwinner for her family, including her son. She keeps her riders safe in other ways, too, by selling condoms. With HIV threatening to increase its spread, this is a vital service to the community.

Ya Yaebo

international womens day, care.org

“Ya” is a term of respect for older, accomplished women. Ya Yaebo has earned that title as head of her local farmers group. But there is much more than that. She started as a Village Savings and Loan Association member and began putting money into her business. There is the groundnut farm, her team buys and sells rice, and own their own oil processing machine. They even supply seeds to the Ministry of Agriculture. She has used her success to the benefit of people in need in her community and is a vocal advocate for educating girls, not having gone beyond grade seven herself.

On Monday, March 4, CARE will host an exhibition of photography in New York City featuring these portraits, kicking off the multi-day “She Leads the World Campaign.

Learn more, view the portraits, and join CARE’s International Women's Day "She Leads the World" celebration at CARE.org/sheleads.


Health

Over or under? Surprisingly, there actually is a 'correct' way to hang a toilet paper roll.

Let's settle this silly-but-surprisingly-heated debate once and for all.

Elya/Wikimedia Commons

Should you hang the toilet paper roll over or under?



Upworthy book

Humans have debated things large and small over the millennia, from the democracy to breastfeeding in public to how often people ought to wash their sheets.

But perhaps the most silly-yet-surprisingly-heated household debate is the one in which we argue over which way to hang the toilet paper roll.

The "over or under" question has plagued marriages and casual acquaintances alike for over 100 years, with both sides convinced they have the soundest reasoning for putting their toilet paper loose end out or loose end under. Some people feel so strongly about right vs. wrong TP hanging that they will even flip the roll over when they go to the bathroom in the homes of strangers.

Contrary to popular belief, it's not merely an inconsequential preference. There is actually a "correct" way to hang toilet paper, according to health experts as well as the man who invented the toilet paper roll in the first place.

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Pets

Parrot can't stop kissing her babies and telling them she loves them in adorable video

"I cannot believe parrots are real and we're so nonchalant about it."

Photo by Beyzaa Yurtkuran on Pexels and Photo by Mariano Mollo on Unsplash

Bird can't stop kissing and loving on her babies in adorable video


Birds can be pretty amazing companions, many birds live a lot longer than dogs, giving you a buddy for life depending on when you buy one. Some parrots can live up to 50 years, while the longest living cockatoo lived to be 82-years-old, which is why if you get one of these amazing talking feathered friends, you should make plans to put them in your will. Literally, it's advised that you put these long living birds in your will so there's a plan in place.

But their long lifespan isn't the reason people can't get enough of these birds as pets. Just like children, these birds learn to mimic what you say and how you say it, which allows them to engage in endearing moments. In a video compilation uploaded to social media by @themothergothel, you get to see their adorable behavior play out in front of you. A blue ringneck parrot is captured loving on some brand new baby birds and it's the sweetest thing.

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This daughter knew exactly what to get her dad for Secret Santa


Many people dream of somehow being able to pay their parents back for the sacrifices made for them during childhood. Whether that’s something physical, like paying off their mortgage, or simply being the best version of ourselves to make them absolutely proud.

For Lindsay Moore, it was finding a “prized possession” her dad once gave up to help the family, and returning it to him once again.

Moore still vividly remembers being only seven years old when she saw her father walk into a comic book store to sell a Dan Marino rookie football card from his first season with the Miami Dolphins.
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Millennials and Gen Z ditch top sheet to the dismay of Boomers


Once again the youngins are flabbergasting the older generations with their disregard of things they deem unnecessary. There's always something that gets dropped or altered generation to generation. We learn better ways or technology makes certain things obsolete. But it doesn't matter how far we've come, our beds still need sheets to cover the mattress.

The debate is on the use of top sheets, also known as flat sheets. They're the sheets that keep your body from touching the comforter, most Gen X and Boomers are firmly for the use of top sheets as a hygiene practice. The idea being that the top sheet keeps your dead skin cells and body oils from dirtying your comforter, causing you to have to wash it more often.

Apparently Millennials and Gen Zers are uninterested in using a top sheet while sleeping. In fact, they'd rather just get a duvet cover, though they may be cumbersome. A duvet cover can be washed fairly frequently, while some may opt for a cheeper comforter that they don't care is washed often because their distain for a top sheet is that strong.

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Representative Image From Canva

Imagine if everyone adhered to these guidelines.


We know too much screen time is not good for us. We also know that younger folks are particularly susceptible to screen addiction. What we don’t fully know is how to effectively help teens and tweens manage the habit, especially when screens are such an everyday part of life.

However, psychiatrist, author and dad of seven Richard Wadsworth recently went viral after showing his own personal strategy for getting his kids to do something other than scrolling. It could be the perfect solution for parents to not only break screen addiction, but instill some other healthy ritual as well.

In the clip, we first see Wadsworth’s tween son doing deltoid exercises with dumbbells. Which he apparently got up at 6:30 am to do.

What could possibly incentivize practically anyone, let alone a preteen to wake up at the crack of dawn to lift weights? Read on.

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via Anna Trupiano / Facebook

First-grade teacher Anna Trupiano

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In addition to teaching the usual subjects, Trupiano is charged with helping her students thrive in a society that doesn't do enough to cater to the needs of the hard-of-hearing.

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