Good morning everyone. We are having fun today. Welcome to The Balancing Act. I'm Julie Moran.
And I'm Olga Villaverde. Alright, Jules, I am packing my bad.
Are you? I am because today we're going to learn more
about Norway, and I've never been there. I've been to Oslo but I want to go back.
You're in? I'm in.
Alright. It's a land so mythical that it inspired the most successful animated film of all time.
Can you guess? "Let it go!"
"Let it go!" Oh my gosh.
Okay. We're off. We know what we're talking about.
We can't sing. Really, we're in the right career.
But we can dance! Yeah. We can. And, you know what we'll do,
we'll bring our iRULU smart phones with us that we're going to see today.
Oh my gosh. And then we have to eat before we go. So, we're going to go to the kitchen
and we're going to serve up some asian seared noodle salad.
You know, this is a great show. You can't change the channel. The Balancing Act starts
right now. (music).
Ready to get social? Join the conversation at Facebook.com/TheBalancingActFans. We'd
like to hear what's on your mind. (music).
It's a land so beautiful it inspired the Nobel Peace Prize, the Oslo Opera House, and the
highest grossing animated film of all time. And, it's been said that Norway's people are
just as beautiful as the country itself. So it's no surprise that today more Americans
are heading there than ever before. So here to help us plan our trip, my trip, to Norway
is Hege Barnes from Visit Norway. Good morning. Good morning.
Alright, so let's be honest, I don't think there's an American alive, or anyone for that
matter in the world, that does not know that hit Disney movie Frozen. "Let it go. Let it
go." I mean, everybody sings it. Oh yeah.
Great movie. And, my goodness, what people may not know is what the movie did for tourism
in Norway. Huge! Yeah. It was huge. Exactly true. Disney's
producers, they went to Norway, and they got so blown away and so inspired by all what
they saw and experienced there like the beautiful landscape, our traditions…
So they actually went? Yup. They went for two weeks.
They scouted it. They experienced the whole Fjord Norway area
and the Oslo region, and they picked up all kinds of little tidbits about our culture,
and history, and deciding the scenery. So, they decided to then make that the setting
for the movie. Which is beautiful.
Yeah. And it becomes also more authentic, you know. The setting of the movie is based
on a real country, and culture, and landscape. And it did wonders for us.
Amazing things. More Americans are going there than ever before?
Absolutely. Do you have numbers? I can only imagine.
We have numbers. (Laughter).
And you can add one more. Disney actually came to us and asked for a
corporation, and we did that. We did a lot of joined press releases and stuff, and we
did a big promotion. And we've actually doubled the number of visitors to our website, tripled
in periods, and we got double the media attention. Everybody wrote about us and the movie, and
together, and we actually increased American visitor numbers to Norway 32% last year.
Oh my gosh! That's huge. I've been, really, I've been all over the world, but I will be
honest, Norway is not one that I have done. And I want to. And it's so easy to get there.
Let's first talk about some must-sees. I know you have great video to show me. Tell me some
must-sees. Well, some good must-sees is definitely our
scenic and beautiful nature. Gorgeous.
It's everywhere and it's so accessible. It's right there. And you have to see the fjords.
They are stunning and amazing. Yeah, it's one-of-a-kind. And you have to travel up a
long rugged coastline and experience the culture along the coast. And go up north, you can
see the midnight sun, 24 hours of daylight. It gives you a lot of energy, and you do everything
outdoors. And the northern lights in the winter. Amazing aurora borealis.
That, I will tell you, I've got to do that. Two bucket list items for many many people.
It's huge for me. Yeah.
Now what about the language barrier because a lot of people, you know, they don't like
to travel sometimes because they feel like they can't communicate?
90% of Norwegians speak English. Okay, that's what I figured.
It's mandatory in schools from early age. So there's really, for English speakers, no
really barriers at all. Big thing for me is cuisine. So, what kind
of things am I going to dig into and eat? Oh, it's amazing. We have the best of local
ingredients, the freshest seafood right off the arctic waters. You have to try the salmon
whether you like it grilled, smoked, gravlax, whatever. It's fantastic. And the cod. I mean,
that's in my opinion the best in the world. Cod. Look at that.
So fresh and delicious. Now, what's the best way to get around Norway?
Our transportation system is really convenient, and it's high-standard. The high-speed trains
can take you pretty much anywhere, and where they don't go it's buses, very modern high-standard
buses. And a ferry system, wide network of ferry system. It can take you across a fjord
or on an amazing fjord safari. We have the world's most beautiful sea voyage, awarded
by many. It goes all along our coast from Bergen in the south to Kirkenes on top of
Norway and the Russian border. And you can stop by 34 ports of call. It's fantastic,
and you really get to see and experience a lot of Norway.
And it's really not that hard to get there. I mean, even from anywhere in this country,
right? No, it's very accessible actually. We've gotten
six new direct flights from the U.S. to Norway. Any out of South Florida?
Yes. There's one out of Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. There's two out of California, San Francisco
and L.A. How long is the flight?
From California, it's about 9-10 hours. From Florida?
From Florida, about 7-8 hours. I love it.
So not too bad. And if you're thinking maybe as a family because
I'd love my girls to experience it? I mean, my girls have been to so many places, and
I do love to travel with them and my husband as well. Let me include him. Is it nice to
take them, too? Yes. Absolutely. And with Norwegian Air, a
new low-cost airline that has all these direct flights from Norway, and they're coming with
a new one next year as well from Boston. You can really fly for cheap. Their pricing is
really really affordable. And that makes it easy for families, too. And they fly the new
dream liner plane, so it's also a more comfortable flight.
I love it. Yeah. So now cheaper and more convenient also
for families. Alright, and before we leave, you have to
say something in Norwegian. (Laughter).
Because I can tell you have that gorgeous gorgeous accent.
So, we all love the outdoors. You know, Norwegians play in the outdoors. That's how we grow up,
nature is our playground. And we have a saying that is, (Speaking Norwegian). It basically
means that you're always happy wandering outside or wandering together.
Okay, let me try that. Go ahead. (Speaking Norwegian)
Perfect. So are the men as handsome as the gorgeous
women, too? Oh, they're even more handsome.
Okay. Well, I'm going there. Thank you so much!
Thank you. Thank you for being here and I'm going to
take my girls. I appreciate it. And, of course, if you want to start your Norwegian getaway,
logon to VisitNorway.com/BalancingAct to get started. That's VisitNorway.com/BalancingAct
to get started. And as always, you can head to our website, TheBalancingAct.com.
And how's it go? "Let it go. Let it go." (music).
(music). Today we're continuing our 12-part series
Reclaim Your Life. The road to recovery is difficult for any addict, and it doesn't stop
when treatment ends as I found out when I visited Transformations Drug and Alcohol Treatment
Center in Delray Beach, Florida and met the people behind their Alumni Program.
When somebody comes to Transformations Treatment Center, they have hit rock bottom, whatever
that means to them. Some people live on the street. Some people may have lost their children,
and they come here to get help. And 30 days is just the start of their new life. This
is kind of an artificial world to them. When they get out in the real world, they're going
to have to use the tools that they learned here out there. You know, they're going to
have to use coping skills. We have a holistic program. When they leave here, we give them
each discharge pins for their individual treatment, and if we can continue to guide them and encourage
them to stay on that track, they'll be able to continue their sobriety. Whatever encouragement
they need to stay away from a drug or a drink, we're going to do that. Helana Cabral is no
stranger to the lives of those entering and leaving treatment for drug and alcohol addiction.
As the Alumni Director for Transformations Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center in Delray
Beach, Florida, she oversees a staff of workers who are all former patients themselves. And
that's what makes the Alumni Program here so successful.
Not a lot of people understand addiction, so having somebody as close to us as the Alumni
Department is great. They understand, you know, what we go through, the loss of not
being able to get high, the loss of family, all the emotions that come back with not getting
high anymore. And they're just always there to listen.
Helana, why is it so important that people who work here in the Alumni Department were
once patients themselves? Everybody in my department is an alumni of
Transformations. We all have over a year sobriety, and we not just are able to tell them what
they need to do, we can talk the talk because we walk the walk. We encourage them to continue
in their sobriety. We can guide them. We can give them suggestions to be able to tell them
other people have done it. You can, too. So, how do you stay in contact with someone
who leaves Transformations Treatment Center? I'm sure many of them leave the state or maybe
just go back home. We follow up with them just like if they stayed
local. We call them, email them, stay in contact constantly. And then we also have social media
websites, Facebook is very big as being able to stay in contact with people. I'm very open
with them about my own recovery. So, I'm posting pictures of what's going on in my personal
life, showing them that you can have fun in sobriety because that's one of the number
one things that you hear from the alumni that they're afraid that they're not going to have
fun because they don't know what to do next. So, we're there to help them and show them
that you can have fun. There is things to do without being messed up.
Besides offering a lifeline of support to anyone who has graduated from treatment, the
Alumni Department has created an active and fun program for alumni to stay connected and
focused on their road to recovery, including backyard BBQs, movies, team events, and sports
outings, as well as an Alumni Meeting every Wednesday night in which awards are handed
out for sobriety. And we have a friend of theirs give it to
them because each month that they get in sobriety in their first year is a huge accomplishment,
and we want to make sure that they know that. Just doing things that are fun and getting
them to laugh and enjoy life because they're not going to continue on the path if they
don't enjoy life. Now, Helana, a lot of the clients here after
they leave, they leave with the best intentions to stay sober and to not fall again into that
addiction. But let's be honest, there is a lot of relapse. What do you do to make sure
your client stays on that road to recovery? I want to make sure that every client knows
that we're there for them and that we are also in recovery. So, we can help them. We
can give them suggestions, and we're going to do whatever we need to to make sure that
they stay on the right path. Helana, you've seen so many people leave here
and move on with their life, and obviously your wish is that they stay sober and that
they never become an addict again. When that happens, how does it make you feel?
It is very rewarding. It's fulfilling, and it just continues to give me hope and encouragement
to keep growing the Alumni Department at Transformations so I can change more people's lives.
For me, it's just a reminder that this program does work if you put in the foot work. I carry
it with me everywhere. I have a better understanding of what life is today, and it's one of the
greatest feelings ever. It's a lifelong journey of recovery even after
the treatment ends, but the alumni of Transformations is there to help every step of the way.
We hope you'll join us again in our Reclaim Your Life series as we show you how Transformations
Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center continues to help those in addiction on the road to
recovery. Next time, we're going to see how their housing program helps teach patients
the life skills needed in recovery. Remember, for more information, you can go to TransformationsTreatment.Center
or our website, TheBalancingAct.com. (music).
(music). Smart phones. They're everywhere these days,
but are we paying too much and getting too little? If you are nodding yes, ladies, you
are not alone. Elizabeth Little of iRULU technologies is here to show how to be smart phone smart,
I like that, with your hard earned dollars this holiday season. Welcome back.
Thanks, Julie. It is always so much fun to have you here.
You always have the best tips and we love having you. So, let's be honest, you can pay
so much for these, hundreds of dollars. And we just can't afford that sometimes, right?
Right. So true, Julie. But the truth is, you don't have to spend a fortune to get an amazing
smart phone. I love to hear that.
Yeah, and at iRULU, our mission is to make smart technology affordable for everyone.
And we have a full line of unlocked smart phones that range from $100 - $200.
That's so great. And this V3 is our latest addition to the
family. It has a 6.5 inch screen. It comes in white, black, and a coffee color as well.
See, I like the coffee. That's cool. Does this phone give us the major benefits of a
big and higher priced phone? Absolutely. It does, Julie. It has the generous
6.5 inch screen, but what typically is the tradeoff with a big screen is battery life
and processing power. You got it.
The V3 gives you the benefits of the big screen without compromising on battery life or processing
power. It has up to 20 hours of talk time. Wait a minute! Did you 20 hours? This big
of a screen? That's right.
That's super. And it has a Qualcomm processor which is the
best that you can buy. It makes download speeds and multitasking really fast and effortless.
And price? Talk about price. So, the V3 starts at $159.
Oh my gosh! $159. You always surprise me with something. That's amazing! And where can our
viewers go to find out more? They can visit iRULU.com where they can get
free 2-day shipping, and they can also find us on amazon, ebay, and new egg.
Okay, you threw something else, free 2-day shipping. I love when you come. Great tips.
Thank you so much. Thanks for having me.
And if you would like to find out more about today's tech topic, visit us at TheBalancingAct.com,
or get social. Logon to Facebook/TheBalancingActFans. (music).
Portions of today's program are brought to you by iRULU, makers of quality tablets and
smart phones that fit the family budget. iRULU, today's hottest technology without the high
price. (music).
If you're anything like me, salad is your pet peeve. I can never ever EVER get my homemade
salad to taste as good as the salads I get at restaurants. Yes, so what do I do? Well,
thankfully, I bring in Chef Chris Paul to the rescue. Chef Chris is here this morning
to soup up your salad. Good morning. Good morning. Konnichiwa.
What? Konnichiwa.
Gazuntite. (Laughter). What is that?
Japanese. We're cooking asian today. I love it. And I've never heard that. So,
what I love is, oh my gosh, seared tuna. Yes.
My favorite. Mine, too.
Number one on my list. Yes. Yes.
Alright. So, tell me how to make a really good seared tuna.
Very simple. In fact, you don't even have to do tuna. You could do any type of fish,
but of course we did tuna today because it's so good. You want to use sesame seeds. And,
of course, use black or white. You just want to sear it, coat it on the top and the bottom,
and the sides. And what do you coat on top? What kind of
oil do you use? Put a little bit of, actually we've got it
all here, a little bit of sesame seed oil. Sesame seed oil. Okay.
Sesame seeds and sesame seed oil, perfect blend together.
Oh, love it! And then you just want to hit it with high
heat. And then, just on both sides, take it off, let it rest. We never let meat rest,
and that's important is let it rest. So, the middle is a little bit raw. That's okay. Right?
It's asian style. That's what it's all about. And that's how I like it.
Yeah. It's delicious that way. You capture the true taste of it.
And today you're going to combine it with maruchan noodles.
Maruchan noodles. How great.
Yeah. And we use the shrimp blend because it's seafood. It's a beautiful blend. The
contrast goes all together, and I have all these assorted ingredients.
What did you bring? Well, we did red peppers which are really
good. We did carrots, a little bit of kale. You can use bok choy which is a real strong
ingredient in asian cuisine. Edemames are really good, too.
I love those. My kids love those. They eat them a lot.
Well, they're easy. You can also caramelize those, too. Just a trick.
Oh, good. Soy sauce. Wasabi.
I love wasabi. Me, too.
I love that moment that you have it and you (sniffs) and a second later you're like, "Whoa!
What was that?" Yes. And of course we have a little bit of
a nut blend mixture, cashews, and you can use pretty much anything, any kind of nut.
And combine them all? Combine them all. Put them with your noodles,
which you need, a little sesame seed oil. We've got to have that. And this is it.
And then voila. And voila! I just want to show you how simple
and easy it is. We just cut this, and look. Look at this.
Oh, how gorgeous! And look at the final product. This is absolutely
beautiful. It's hearty. This is the best salad I could ever ask for. Okay, what was that
word again? Konnichiwa.
Konnichiwa. Alright, and then you use chopsticks to eat.
Yes! Chopsticks! I don't know how to… this is what we do
at the table. There you go.
Thank you, Chef. I appreciate it. You can tell I have fun with my kids. And if you want
to learn more about maruchan noodle bowls, just logon to our website, TheBalancingAct.com.
That's TheBalancingAct.com. (music).
(music). Thanks so much for starting your morning right
here with us today. Norway, here we go.
We are coming. Did you see me talking Norwegian?
I did. I saw you trying to talk with a Norwegian accent, but your lips were a little puckered.
Forget it. A Cubana in the end. Need more information? Head to our website, TheBalancingAct.com.
Just in case, she's Cuban. That's what she was trying to say.
I am. We're also on Facebook and Twitter. Until
next time, remember… Encuentra su balance en la vida.
That was not Norwegian. So long, everybody. (laughter).
(music).