Jeff Schroeder From CBS Amazing Race and Big Brother Came To Gloucester To Film Around The World For Free We hosted him at our house last night along with the crew, director and my boys The Rabbit and Benny Goodman. But first we had a whole lot of fun in Gloucester. When I first realized he was coming this way my first thought was to have him go lobstering on one of our boats but then midway through the afternoon the perfect idea for some good tv. Any of our loyal readership knows about the triple pincher clawed lobster that we got at our dock last Saturday. it was the first one I had seen like that but we sold it off at the end of the night never really knowing where it was going or if it would be eaten the next day (which I have no problem with BTW). But some of our readers, the newspaper people and television people that came down to cover the story about the triple pincher clawed lobster all asked if we would let it go because it was a “special” lobster. We don’t take special measures to release these lobsters normally as the afternoons here are all about getting the lobsters in and out of the building as quickly as possible and of course to sell them to people that will pay the bill for said lobsters. So when in the very same week one of lobstermen Mike Tupper aboard The Freemantle Doctor brought in an albino lobster one of only two I’ve ever seen in my entire life handling millions and millions of pounds of lobsters down here since I was a kid Mike asked if we could keep the lobster in the tank so he could show his father in law. OK now here is where the idea came to me- We have Jeff make the decision since the name of the show is Around The World For Free- He could eat the special albino lobster and all the lobster he could eat or he would have to walk the Greasy Pole and earn the right to release the incredibly rare albino lobster back to the sea. I presented the two options in two envelopes One said EAT THE LOBSTER- The Other envelope said FREE THE LOBSTER. Mark Ring, skipper of lobster boat The Stanley Thomas took us out to the Greasy Pole and Jeff made his decision. Here is Jeff on the Greasy Pole taking some advice from my boy the Rabbit Here he is on the pole. Jeff Schroeder and Joey Ciaramitaro at The Crows Nest Gloucester MA More to come from our adventures in Gloucester including video, pictures at Passports, The Crows, Nest and of course the fate of the albino lobster. Source: http://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/jeff-schroeder-from-cbs-amazing-race-and-big-brother-came-to-gloucester/

Jeff Schroeder ('Around The World For Free') Thursday, July 22 2010, 10:00am EDT By Lara Martin, News Editor With successful stints on Big Brother and Amazing Race already under his belt, reality favorite Jeff Schroeder is now embarking on his biggest challenge to date with Around The World For Free.The second season of the interactive CBS reality show will see Jeff leaving his friends and family - including girlfriend Jordan Lloyd - at home while he attempts to cross the world in 100 days with no money and only the help of his online audience. With the venture kicking off on the Early Show this Monday, we caught up with him - and editor/cameraman/producer and travel partner Zsolt Luka - to find out more... How are you feeling ahead of the big sendoff? "The best way I can describe it is like going away to college or camp where you're scared but you're excited about the anticipation. You know it will be a great summer or school year, you're nervous in the beginning but once you get into it you have the best time ever." Jordan recently told us that she'll miss you - was it a hard decision to leave your friends and family for so long? "It was an absolute yes when they were thinking about me. It's what I want to do, I want to see the world. To me, it's a no-brainer. Would you rather be stuck behind a desk or going out and seeing the world? I know I'll miss my family and obviously I'll miss Jordan, but we'll be in touch through phone and computer all the time. You don't get a chance like this too often so when opportunity knocks you have to open thedoor for something like this." Would you say being on The Amazing Race was good preparation for this? "I guess, somewhat! (laughs) Jordan won't be with me this time! We could have used Zsolt on The Amazing Race! It prepared me a little. It's definitely a totally different scenario we're getting into here but it was good preparation." What will you be bringing with you besides your satellite phone and computer? "I haven't picked out my wardrobe yet but you don't want to be carrying around a lot of stuff. I definitely learned that from The Amazing Race when I dumped half my pack. I think I'll pick out a couple of my favorite T-shirts, maybe two pairs of shorts, some underwear, a goodpair of shoes, some flipflops and swim trunks and I'll be ready to hit the world!" What sort of preparation can you do for this? "I work out, I try to hit the gym three or four times a week so I'm working on my endurance. I think I need to work on my patience because there will be a lot of downtime, long bus trips, waiting on the side of the road, waiting for people to reply, so I think working on my patience is more important than the physical part." Zsolt:"This is more of a mental thing. It isn't a race, we're not trying toout run a clock. It's a human thing of how do you keep going for 100 days non-stop - often 16 or 20-hour days - away from your family and friends?" Do you speak any languages? "I do not, so this is a question for Zsolt!" Zsolt:"I speak six but I would trade some of those for one Asian language. We're not taking the talking dictionaries along. I want to see Jeff mime his way through a situation with a smile! I don't want him to have these crutches to lean on, I'm not going to help him too much either. Of course, we're buds on the road and have each others' backs, but the interesting thing is how he will stumble through a Tokyo or Thailand or India if necessary." Do you have any idea which countries you will be visiting yet? "We have no idea and that's what is so great about the show. It's all up to the audience and it's all interactive - they get to journey with us. We're seeing it through the eyes of the locals and bringing the audience with us. They determine where we go." You're starting in New York City. How will you decide on your first destination? "After we walk off the Early Show set on July 26, the show starts. I have no money, only my computer and satellite phone to stay in touch with the audience. I'll log on and see who has made a profile and can help me out and that will determine which direction I go. We want to stay away from the season one route,we don't want to repeat the same direction he (Alex Boylan) took through the Caribbean and South America. We want to make our own path and go with the flow, whatever the audience suggests." Zsolt:"Sometimes many different suggestions might come in and Jeff and I will decide on the fly which one we like best. But sometimes we may be in an extremely remote location like the jungle in North Thailand and it'sonly a stranger on the road who can help us because no-one from the online audience is reaching out, at which point we have to hitch a ride and see what happens." Did you ever imagine you'd be in this position a year ago when you entered the Big Brother house? "Never! Me and Jordan were just out to dinner yesterday and talking about that exact same thing. What a difference a year makes! To be on two reality shows and then doing my dream travel show, it's exactly that, a dream come true. I could never have imagined it, but if you stick hard to your dreams and know what you want in life it can happen, it's crazy." Are you interested in pursuing a TV career now? "It would be something I want but who knows what will happen after the show. Right now my focus is 100% on doing the show and wherever the chips fall after the show, they will fall." Jeff and Zsolt will begin their journey on the Early Show on July 26 on CBS and fans can follow their entire experience on the Around The World For Free website Source: http://www.digitalspy.com/ustv/interviews/a247860/jeff-schroeder-around-the-world-for-free.html

Jordan Lloyd (Big Brother) Thursday, July 15 2010, 7:00am EDT by Lara Martin, news editor It's hard to believe that nearly a year has passed since Jordan Lloyd was crowned the winner of Big Brother 11. Since then she's kept a fairly low profile except for her stint on The Amazing Race alongside boyfriend and fellow ex-houseguest Jeff Schroeder. With the new season of BB kicking off last week, we gave Jordan a call to catch up... Can you believe it's been a whole year since your Big Brother experience?! "I know! I just got to Chicago and Jeff and I were watching TV thinking that right now we'd probably be on the hammock thinking we were going to get eliminated the next week. That's what we always did in there. It's weird, a year has gone by so fast!" Have you been watching the new season? "I have. I like it. I think it's a lot different from ours. It seems like there will be a lot more drama in the house. I told Jeff that everybody seems a lot more serious." Can you remember how you were feeling at this stage? "Everybody's probably different but for me, when I first walked into the house I felt uncomfortable when I saw the cameras and thought, 'What have I got myself into? I want to go back home, this isn't me'. The people on this one don't seem like that, it doesn't seem like the cameras bother them too much. They've already been in the house a week or two so I think they're probably used to the camera. It's right when the nominations start and they put someone on the block that it starts and you're like, 'OK, the game is starting'." We've got the first live eviction tonight. Can you remember how that felt? "I was excited about the first eviction because I actually thought Chima was going home and I thought I'd have an advantage. I didn't want Braden going home because at that point we had the clique thing and I didn't want someone from my clique leaving. I wanted to keep Braden and Ronnie. I actually thought he was on our side but he was on the other side - you just never know in the house. I was really disappointed with the first eviction after we found out somebody had switched the vote. You're confused: 'Who's lying?' It's a mindgame." What do you think of the saboteur twist? "I think it's good, it's interesting! Some of my girlfriends and I were trying to figure out who it was. We think it might be a girl, maybe somebody we least expect. I'm looking forward to the next show because I want to see who it is!" Could you have worked it out if you were there? "Oh, heck no! I didn't know what I was doing half the time anyway!" Would you ever return to the house, maybe for an all-stars version?! "It depends. If I knew who would be in the house beforehand maybe I'd consider it. I think I'd need another break, maybe a three-year break from Big Brother. I need to finish school first and maybe when I'm done with that and they ask me and I see who is on it. Maybe if they did a couples all-stars and I could have Jeff on it with me, I would do it!" How did your summer school classes go? "I finished yesterday! I was so happy! It was a lot of work but it was worth it - I got all As and Bs so I was excited. I took sociology, math and English and next semester I'm taking chemistry, anatomy and art online because I was like, 'How hard can it be?!'" Jeff's setting off on his new CBS web show Around The World For Free soon. Will you be able to talk to him when he's away? "I'm excited for him because he likes that stuff like traveling. I think it will be hard but he'll have the best time doing it and it will be a great experience. How many people get to do that?! He'll have a phone so we'll get to talk. It will be hard but it's kind of good because he'll be away when I'm in school so that way I can concentrate! That's the positive thing I can think about." You've been together for nearly a year - have you any anniversary plans? "No. I think when he gets back we'll probably try to take that trip we won on Amazing Race to Vancouver. We'll plan to go somewhere but it's not like an anniversary thing for us being together, it will be more because he's been gone and we just want to hang out." You're still living in different cities - are there any plans to move closer to each other? "Of course we're gonna have to, but I have to get halfway through school and he knows that. I need to get that done first and then I told him I'd move, or I get almost done and can transfer. He likes living in the city which is probably something I'd have to get used to, but I like Chicago and would move there. I have family in southern Illinois so I don't mind it that much because I'd be closer to them." You've stayed away from the limelight and Hollywood since your win. Was that a conscious decision? "Yes, because I never wanted to act or anything before Big Brother. The only reason I'd ever move to LA would be because of Jeff. It's just too far away from home and it's just so different. I do like Hermosa Beach and Santa Monica and would live somewhere like that, but acting and all that stuff isn't me. I always wanted to be a dental hygienist." Do you still get recognized? "It depends where I'm at. Sometimes I get kind of embarrassed! When you're in the DR you don't see anybody, just the camera and you're just talking. People think that means you're not shy but sometimes I am around people I don't know. I thought it would be just adults but even kids notice me, but I think it's just because Charlotte is smaller. When I go out with Jeff more people recognize me. And it's not even when I'm dressed up and cute! It's when I have no make-up on and haven't brushed my hair! But that's how I looked on Big Brother all the time!" Big Brother airs Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays on CBS

AU Grad to Compete on 'The Amazing Race 16' Jeff Schroeder of Park Ridge, right, an Aurora University graduate, will compete with his girlfriend Jordan Lloyd on CBS-TV's "The Amazing Race 16" premiering on Sunday, Feb. 14. 2/12/2010 Jeff Schroeder of Park Ridge, right, an Aurora University graduate, will compete with his girlfriend Jordan Lloyd on CBS-TV's "The Amazing Race16" premiering on Sunday, Feb. 14. AURORA, Ill. — A suburban Chicago man and Aurora University graduate will be among contestants vying for $1 million when "The Amazing Race 16" premieres on CBS at 7 p.m. Sunday (Feb. 14). Jeff Schroeder, 31, of Park Ridge, a 2001 AU marketing graduate and three-year Spartan defensive back football player, with girlfriend Jordan Lloyd of Charlotte, N.C., will be among 11 two-person teams kicking off Amazing Race on Valentine's Day. The race starts in Los Angeles, heads to Chile, and visits eight countries on five continents before reaching the finish line in Las Vegas. Schroeder and Lloyd met as housemates on last summer's "Big Brother" show and became a couple after the series wrapped up. When he's not appearing on reality shows, he sells radio advertising for an organization that places ads at stations across the nation. He was selected for "The Amazing Race" by auditioning in a Chicago open casting call. Schroeder said meeting Lloyd on Big Brother led to their becoming a couple in July, and later being selected for The Amazing Race. "Seeing the world as a couple, and overcoming ups and downs to have a stronger relationship at the end was the highlight of my experience," he said. According to Schroeder, there were "lots of " fun times on the "TheAmazing Race." "It was a roller coaster of good and bad experiences, from the depths to the top of the world. I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat." The biggest surprise, he said, was the difference in "Big Brother"and "The Amazing Race." "Big Brother was like running a marathon" Schroeder said. "The Amazing Race was like a 100-yard dash. I learned I wasn't prepared for it, and it's tougher than it looks. In addition to the physical endurance required, it's not easy competing and getting along with your partner." "The Amazing Race" was a global classroom the contestant said. "I learned I need to tone down my competitive nature, and to be not so harsh with my partner. But I wish she would kick up her competitive nature a notch. The race taught me how to travel the world andexperience different languages and deal with people." Schroeder reflected on his AU experiences that helped him in "TheAmazing Race." "College dorm life prepared me for "Big Brother," "The Amazing Race," and life in general," he said. "I learned that life is a mix of bad and good experiences. In college and on both shows, I learned I had to get along with many people." AU football coaches made the most lasting impressions on him Schroeder said. He listed Jim Scott, head coach; Vince McMahon, special teams coach; and Jon Cooper, defensive coordinator. "Coach Scott Iremember for teaching lessons not only in football but living asuccessful life. I still talk with former coaches and teammates on occasion," Schroeder said. According to Schroeder, his AU academic and athletic experiences prepared him for the business world. Originally an education major at AU, he switched to marketing. "Several professors in the Dunham Schoolof Business convinced me that my outgoing personality was more suited to sales than teaching," Schroeder concluded. Schroeder's brothers, Eric and Scott, reside in Aurora and Naperville, respectively. Founded in 1893, Aurora University is an inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of learning. About 4,000 degree-seeking students are enrolled each year on the university's Illinois and Wisconsin campuses. The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association to award degrees at the baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral levels.

Amazing Race‘s Jeff Schroeder Traveling the World Without Money July 26, 2010 In the past year, Jeff Schroeder has seen it all. He not only survived an extended stay in the Big Brother house, but he came within sniffing distance of the final two and was ultimately voted “America’s Favorite Juror.” After a guest appearance on The Bold and The Beautiful, he tackled The Amazing Race with his girlfriend, BB winner Jordan Lloyd. Now, Jeff is setting off on his own as the host of Around the World for Free, a Web series for CBS.com that will take him across the globe for 100 days with no money and with viewers determining where he goes, how he gets there and where he stays. Schroeder talks with PEOPLE about what he’s packing, what he’s willing to eat, why this show is a dream come true and how he and Jordan make their long-distance relationship work. –Reagan Alexander You have said that doing a travel show was your ultimate dream and now it’s been realized. How does it feel? Not to be too philosophical, but I’ve learned that anything can happen if you really believe in it and want it enough. I’ve been saying it for a long time and I know that BB and The Amazing Race were spring boards for me to get this show. But it’s an amazing feeling to realize a dream. So many things can go wrong in 100 days. Are you nervous? If you look for problems or if you go out looking for the bad, then you’re going to find it. I have to focus on the positive and keep telling myself that there are good people out there and that everything is going to be good. My attitude is that I know things are going to go well but I’m hoping things go even better! You’re traveling with a single backpack and you have to travel around the world. What are you packing? I have to pack light — some shorts, some shirts. I’ll just have to pick out a few of my favorites. I wore my Saint Anthony chain on BB and Amazing Race,but I think my parents are getting me a St. Christopher chain. He’s the patron Saint of travelers, so it’s just going to be, my backpack, my Saints and my camera guy. Are you catching up on your world cultures or are you going into this fully blind? Obviously I’m no world traveler but I kind of want to go in blind. I want to learn as the audience learns. I think I’m an average, everyday guy and I want everyone else to be on my page. I want to go into this with an open heart and open eyes. You’ll be depending on strangers for food. Is there anything you won’t try? I’m going to try everything at least once even if it’s disgusting. I can only imagine that it’s rude to throw up after a meal, but there maybe a few instances where that happens. I have to be open to new cultures and new cuisines — it would be rude not to, so I’m just hoping that my stomach can handle it. You’re going to be relying on others for shelter as well. What can you offer as a house guest? I’m going to help out any way that I can. I really enjoy cooking, but I don’t really know the ins and outs of a kitchen. I can whip something together but more than anything, with the cameras there, we’ll be showing the way that they live and showing their culture as they see it, not just from an outsider’s point of view. How are you and Jordan doing? We’ve had our bumps but no break-ups and everything is going great. We only get to see each other every two weeks or so. We have to travel back and forth but we vacation together and do a lot of fun things together. Lately I’ve been busy with the show and she’s been busy with school, but having to work with a long-distance relationship really worked out for us because when we finally get a break from what we’re doing we’re so excited to see each other. So far, so good.

Around The World For Free: Exclusive Interview with Jeff Schroeder Posted on 07/15/2010 by Gina in Big Brother and Cast Interviews by Gina Scarpa In just a few short days, Jeff Schroeder, of Big Brother and The Amazing Race, will head out on another adventure. He'll be circling the globe in just 100 days with absolutely no money in season 2 of CBS's web show Around The World For Free. In season 1, The Amazing Race's Alex Boylan visited 16 countries and now, it's Jeff's turn. The best part about the show is that fans are able to interact with Jeff, tell him where to go, offer tips, and even set him up with a ride or a place to stay. Today, we spoke to Jeff and the co-creator and Emmy nominated field producer Zsolt Luka in an exclusive interview about their upcoming exciting trip. Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What made you want to do this show? A. Jeff: Big Brother and The Amazing Race were amazing but before any of those things, my dream was just to travel the world. I think I was influenced by my grandparents and I just have it in me. Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How is this experience of traveling the world going to be different than The Amazing Race? A. Jeff: I think it's going to be a lot different. I'm not with my girlfriend, who is sitting right here. No disrespect, Jordan. It's different in a lot of ways. There's no race involved. This is enjoying life. A. Zsolt: It's a lot more influenced by the audience. We really mean that. Q. Gina, RealityWanted: When I read about the show, I was trying to think of people that I knew in other countries, places I could suggest, or tips I could give. Do you get that a lot from people? A. Jeff: Absolutely! That's exactly how the show works. It's a small world. You ever bump into someone in a different country? It's like that! It's like making this small world true. I could be in, say, India and people would wonder how I'm going to get around but someone I know is connected to someone and that's how. It's going to be amazing. Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Are there places that you're hoping to visit? A. Jeff: There are definitely places that I want to visit. I want to see the whole world. It also has to coincide with what the audience wants to see, though. If it's on my direct path, that would be great. I've always wanted to see Australia. There are places in Asia that I haven't seen that I don't even know about. That's the excitement of this. Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What did you learn from watching Alex and Zsolt on the first season? A. Jeff: I think just the way they handled themselves. They seem like they were always in good spirits and excited about the moment. They went through their bad times but they looked like they were having good moments. Goodness is always right around the corner. Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Are either of you concerned about your safety? A. Jeff: That would be my first concern mainly. My mother is in my ear about the show and she wants me to be safe. Jordan wants me to be safe. If I had a concern, that would be it. Sleeping on the street and not knowing where I'm going to stay but that's also the excitement as well. You have to have a little danger to have an adventure. A. Zsolt: We went out there with no security in season 1. It's a small crew. We were pleasantly surprised. We went out during the Bush era when maybe Americans were not received with open arms and we didn't face any hostility.

JAPAN Monday, August 16, 2010 Aboard the mighty Shinkansen I am digging through my Tilley vest pockets for the fourth or fifth time, a type of end-stage frantic energy coursing through me, as I try to locate a mini-USB cable for one of my edit drives. It was in my hands just moments ago but now it has disappeared amongst the vest pockets and the seat surface completely swamped by camera gear, headphones and the like. I feel tears coming on since I am convinced I just saw it, and yet I cannot locate it again for the life of me. Is this how it's going to be in my old age? A small Japanese child is eyeing me eagerly from across the way, noticing not only that I'm one of only three gaijin in car 14 of the Yokohama-Hataka express this morning, but also that I'm the only one moving about in my allotted cubic yard of space with frenetic energy. I look at him with an exasperated "And now what?" expression, and slowly, he breaks into a huge smile. They are a reservedly friendly people, the Japanese, and this boy is no different - it takes him a while to warm up. I think his smile has brought me luck though - I find my cable twisted up amongst the cords of my phone charger. That would be vest pocket lower-right in the current configuration of my gear... I'm set. The extreme fatigue is fine, ultimately. The body retains its regenerative capacities, for now. I remember Mike H, our amazingly gracious and generous host, and the first exchanges I had with him."Tell me you're waking up now and not that you haven't slept!" - he writes me at 4am one morning before we meet. Those emails give way to "Dude, you gotta get some rest!" when we are finally together in Yokosuka... and eventually, when it sinks in to him that this is in fact my modus operandi, he resigns himself to mere quiet gestures of "You alright?" and finally, only a type of reverent silence remains, embellished with a few late night tweets of praise (regretfully those caring tweets unleash an avalanche of concern from the audience, who simply cannot grasp the situation, yet they care. I do appreciate it. I am fine) Mike knows full well we're cut from the same cloth, though, and I think a deeper camaraderie develops between us during the days spent in his quietly manicured neighborhood in Yokosuka. As always, I try to reassure people that I am fine with sleeping only a few hours - but most don't understand, so in the end, I resign myself to evasive answers. Before undertaking the Mount Fuji summit assault, I don't dare tell Mike and Jeff that the only sleep I had gotten was in the car ride to base camp... they probably wouldn't have let me undertake the quest. But alas, here we sit on the Shinkansen, in blissful comfort, resting and relaxing as we hurl towards Fukuoka, the memories of the mountain's brutal pain reduced to a few pangs in the quads, nothing more. Japan. What a place! As with other virgin lands, I do no prior research whatsoever before flying in to Narita. However, memories will not be muted, and I recall many a detail from a great high school friend, years before. Tales of how the sushi is simply incomparable to anywhere else where you might've thought you had the "best of the best of the best". How the Japanese are willing to pay $20 for a nice grapefruit. Their staggering average savings compared to our debt-ridden West. The organized precision of this society - and so on. Would I experience any of this? Our good fortune and the high level of comfort we enjoyed in the US continues at Narita. Tai Hirose is there, well-mannered as all Boy Scouts tend to be, but with an almost unrestrainable joy and a huge smile as he greets Jeff and proceeds to lead him through the airport. We're set - a ride to Tokyo (the perimeter town of Kawasaki, actually), room and board in Tai's house, and ample time for both Tai and his mom to chaperone us around town if need be. There is. We are quite fatigued when we arrive at their house late at night, so there is only energy to appreciate the meal at this time. The delightful details of the Japanese household await to reveal themselves on a future day. I am happily surprised though at the sparkling energy of Tai's mother Yayoi. She's stealing scenes left and right, and not just easy ones like the talking stove and the über-cool toilet - she's hamming it up at the dinner table too. The father is a quiet gentleman, hanging back from the table but always ready with his well-oiled movements to refill the sake glasses. I recall my friend Jonathan saying how much pure, rich tastes and textures were valued in food, and tonight is no exception - the noodles are simple, as are the various pickled vegetables and tempura - but the tastes definitely give you pause, in a good way. It's only the following morning that I notice the extremely neat, compact, tidy and elegant aspect of nearly everything in this smaller house. The lines are precise, the colors generally neutral, the use of space throughout is ingenious - you never feel cramped even though there are many more bodies now. I am digging the very elegant gate markers on all homes in the neighborhood - all of them individual, yet somehow conforming to the same overarching aesthetic - a simple, quiet beauty. I regret not being able to see Tokyo at night, beyond the drive from the airport. On its own, that drive stands as a jaw-dropping experience too - a ride across the Rainbow Bridge with the massive skyline on the other side of Tokyo Bay - definitely up there with NYC from the Triboroat night. However, I had planned to spend at least a couple of hours in Ginza, Shinjuku or Roppongi at night... this was not to happen. The reality of production hit once again... we were either producing too much or too little, delivering too much or too little, always with imperfect timing - so cuts had to be made, and it was easy to cut the night shoot after we had already experienced Shibuya and Harajuku during the day. So how is it to walk across the intersection made famous by Baraka and countless other films, the Shibuya Scramble? Well, it's pretty amazing, but we were all surprised that human density not withstanding, the Japanese maintain a very comfortable bubble of personal space everywhere. No matter where we trekked across Tokyo, we were never jostled or treated in an unfriendly way. The time will hopefully come when I can return on a private visit and perhaps stay for a few days with these great friends we've made along the way. The roller-coaster of the emotional connections we make with each new host family is one of the blessings of this journey - though at times it can be intense, especially for the ATWFF host, since he is most often thrust into the position of "entertainer" while the crew hunkers down for the endless edits. Jeff has done an admirable job on this front - and we'll see how he holds up down the line. Well into the Season One trek, I remember Alex, charming smile never leaving his face, being eternally grateful when he could finally close the door after long stints of entertaining everyone around him. But apart from this, for me personally, one of the great sparks of interaction is seeing how a given family reacts to the extreme production environment that they're suddenly parachuted into when we arrive. It starts easy enough. They are usually surprised when one of us is unable to attend a dinner at the house - "But why? Aren't you hungry?" - and it builds from there, mild layers of disappointment stacked one on top of the other. Cables taking over every surface of the house is easy... but cutting a sightseeing day short is sometimes a very personal defeat. I remember sweet Yayoi looking up at me in disbelief, when, after a solid four hours of sightseeing through Shibuya, I decided to cap the day after our shoot at the Meiji Shrine. "But we can't stop!" she exclaims, clutching the Japanese version of her top-ten sightseeing book, "We still have so much to see! I have activities planned until 11PM!" She points to page after page of botanical gardens, more shopping avenues, museums and so on. "We can't. It's too much footage already." I try to reassure her, but her expression has clouded over and she never really recovers her smile that day. I have to grin and bear it - it's happened before and it will happen again. On we go. After Tokyo, our time in Yokosuka is still comfortable, but it's a different vibe since we're now in an American home. Our host, Mike, runs a tight ship, not just because he's with the Navy base in town but as a result of a long tradition of scouting (his connection with Tai). They live in a nice quiet neighborhood not far from the water and the vibe is really nice. The Tropicana in the fridge is a nice touch and it's only a matter of time before they're aware of my chocolate affiliation too. Regrettably, I'm arriving in Yokosuka with a huge backlog of editing, so I start missing family events right from the get-go. Luckily, Mount Fuji looms as the big equalizer the following day. t's easy to write these lines from the comfort of the Shinkansen, but only two short days ago we are getting into a car at 2am and heading towards the iconic mountain with Mike and daughter Victoria. What makes a man want to climb a mountain and expose himself to all the pain and suffering? The answer, as I am walking up the slopes of Fuji in the early going, is a resolute "stupidity". The climb is an endless torture. Jeff and I both go into it with a shocking naivete, even though we are forewarned by Mike several times. I still remember Jeff in his tank top, spraying himself with suntan lotion in the parking lotat base camp. Fast forward two hours, and a bitter arctic wind is beating down on us, the lunar landscape is bitter and visually impenetrable, we are completely frozen, eyes fixed on the ground infront of us, mechanically advancing our sweaty bodies to near collapse, turn by turn... I pride myself on my mental endurance, but to physically challenge oneself to near-marathon feats is simply baffling for me. "But you'll be so proud of your achievement afterwards" says Mike. Small comfort. We are nearly blown off the mountain several times on the way up. But even before, just walking the trail through the forest at base camp, I'm checking the beating of my heart several times. Heavy moisture hangs in the air and my lungs are struggling even on the gentle slope. Luckily, the vapor dries out soon after reaching the 6th station (there are ten in all, and the bus takes us to the fifth, about halfway up the 3700m mountain). It is extremely rare, but thoughts of mortality are entering my mind. Mentally, I think both Jeff and I give up several times along the tortuous climb to the top, but this is probably completely normal. Mike's encouraging words and gentle guidance keep our stamina up. His daughter bounds up far ahead of us - she's under 18 and it's already her fifth time summiting. For Mike, it's his tenth. For me, most likely my one and only - on any mountain. No need to frame the summit pic and mount it on my desk - it'll be a good story down the line, but for the moment, no desire whatsoever to pursue anything similar again. How I eventually make it to the top is beyond me, but over five hours after setting out, we are enjoying not only a hot bowl of ramen noodles but also the boisterous, zenmaster-like laugh of the chief engineer of the tenth station, whom Mike affectionately calls "Yoda". Only a few minutes pass, and I'm already flirting with the coy waitress who's circling around us in the cold wooden hut. "I work on mountain only one week more!" she exclaims with a huge smile. All staff have to live on the summit for the July-August "open season." Her joy accompanies me down the slope, which is in some ways even worse than the climb - an endless series of switchbacks of loose gravel. My knees are buckling and unlike Jeff and Victoria, I am unable to run down, but need to take it one meticulous, measured step at a time. I take a hard fall at one point with parts flying off my trusted Sony V1U in all directions.Somehow, the waterlogged camera survives to fight another day. The tape survives as well, although I have to digitize the footage in 5-second chunks. It's worth it in the end. We are vegetables on the drive back home, it's been an 18-hr day, but when I look over the footage in the wee hours of the morning, I can tell it's going to be an epic tale. All the ingredients are there. Characters, camaraderie, hardship, struggle, triumph and heart-soaring adventure. Now, all I need is time.

How A 2 Minute Video Email Got Us Featured On CBS.com Tues Sep 21, 2010 Part 1: If you ever needed proof that in order to get results in business and in life you need to find a way to stand out from the crowd, this post will be more than enough. About 2 months ago my Mom sent me an email (according to her it was urgent) that I go onto CBS.com and create a profile so that I could invite Jeff Schroeder (of Big Brother and The Amazing Race fame) to my house here in India. She saw him on The Early Show setting off on his Around the World For Free adventure and thought it would be amazing if he came and stayed with us. I thought “Yeah sure Mom, he gets hundreds of invites a day, he’ll never end up at ours.” This video will tell you the rest of the story… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSv4U6_v7PQ&feature=player_embedded Here is the video email that I sent to Jeff … http://kennyanderica.com/Jeff And here is the webisode it was featured on… http://www.cbs.com/originals/around_the_world_for_free_linear/video/?pid=K77p5ow64Iy1isrof9hivm0HHceL7SxT&vs=Clips&play=true In tomorrow’s post I’ll show you the rest of Jeff’s stay and tell you what it was like having a reality TV star under our roof… Until then, make it a great day! PART 2: Around The World For Free In Our House Wednesday Sept 22, 2010 Yesterday’s post told the story of how the team at CBS.com’s new reality online show Around The World For Free got invited to stay with us here in Bangalore India. Today, I wanted to give you a bit of insight into how their stay was with us and the amazing new friends we made in the process. The show is based on Jeff Schroeder’s attempt at traveling around the world for free and relying completely on the kindness of strangers to get him from place to place, feed him and give him a roof over his head. He gets to see what it’s like to live in all these strange countries and cities through the eyes of the locals. So we were surprised to have him come and stay with us as we are expats and not ‘technically local Bangaloreans’. I sent the video email off to Jeff on the message boards at CBS.com/world and also posted it to twitter. Shortly after I got a call from Jeff asking if it was still cool to stay with us here in Bangalore. I told him no problem and I would pick him up if he could let me know when and where to get him. I talked to him again later in the day when his ticket was finalized thanks to the group at All About Big Brother and made arrangements to meet him at the airport late the next night. Because the traffic is INSANE here I don’t drive. And my family will tell you that I love to drive. That’s how crazy it is here. So with the help of my neighbor and friend Vinitra we organized a cab to take me to the airport and then back to the house with the guys. At just after midnight I see 3 men, a lot of luggage and a camera coming out of the airport exit. At first it was strange to be greeted by someone that you have only ever seen on tv and the web especially with a camera pointed in your direction but Jeff was very casual and relaxed which really helped me out. He’s just a regular guy – being followed around by 2 other regular guys with all kinds of camera gear…We packed in the cab (full!) and made our way through the deserted streets of Bangalore. I have to admit we made it home in record time because of the late hour and the streets being so empty. I am going to the airport every time like that from now on. When we got to the house it was a quick tour with hushed voices so that Kenny could sleep in the other room. 5 am comes early for amorning show radio host. The guys basically took over the living room and the spare room with computers, backpacks and ethernet cables. The cats didn’t know what to make of the guests and made themselves pretty scarce the first night. In the am, it was time to stroll down to the radio station (it’s only a 15 minute walk) and get on Kenny’s morning show at Radio Indigo with the camera and Josh holding it, following us the entire way. I have to give Josh a ton of credit for not breaking an ankle or hanging himself on a low wire on our short trek. There are some real hazards on the sidewalks here but he managed to avoid the traffic and all the dangers while still getting great footage. Once at the station, Jeff took to the airwaves like a duck to water. After On Air With Kenny Jones and tons of great calls and funny hints left in the Indigo Chat Room it was time for more press… 2 newspaper reporters wanting to get the scoop on the reality show star and his adventures. After the press junket was over we hit the streets of BLR and took the advice of some of the locals on where to have traditional Indian fare.They all agreed the best Masala Dosa was served at the Ghandi Bazaar. So Kenny (who escaped from the radio station to join us for lunch), Jeff, Zsolt (one of the intrepid camera men) and myself braved the Bangalore traffic in search of some tasty treats. What we ended up eating was not dosas – the restaurant that was recommended to us was closed from 12 noon until 2:30 (ahhh what? Isn’t that lunch time?) So we went down the street to the busiest place we could find and had thali instead. Thali is an Indian plate full of different dishes complete with my favorite – naan bread. The Gandhi Bazaar was great. Fruit and vegetable vendors, flower carts, silk shops, crazy traffic and extremely nice people… lots of them! After lunch we headed back for a little more time at the station, a chance sighting of a Ganesh parade and more press. This time a tv interview. Then it was back to ours to start editing what had been shot during the day and a little chill time. Oh and some Papa John’s Pizza. I know - not very Indian but hey, it’s made here in India and the guys that take my order are very Indian and I am sure the pizza makers are Indian as well – so technically it still is ‘Indian food’. But Jeff’s day wasn’t finished yet. At 10 minutes to 11 pm Jeff got on skype and did an interview with Rachael Ray for an upcoming segment on her show. It was very cool to think that he was ‘live via satellite’ from my living room! Ravi, my one cat thought it was great too and attempted to make her daytime talk show debut but jumping on the table and nearly walking across the computer right in the middle of Jeff’s chat with Rachael. But thanks to my cat-like reflexes her plan was foiled! What I was impressed most by was the way Jeff kept it together during the whole thing. Here is the webisode that was shot that day so you can see some of what we got to do… http://www.cbs.com/originals/around_the_world_for_free_linear/video/?pid=5xZtdnVRUZiwnXceAdpcRneRWhCqw5AI The start of day 2 was really about planning for the guys. There is a lot of thought that goes into how to make the show as entertaining as possible. They had a list of suggestions and offers to consider and more editing to do on the segment you just watched so after a few plans had been discussed Jeff, Josh and I headed out for a few hours to get out of Zsolt’s way and let him work in peace. It was time to introduce them to the real India! Time to ride in a rickshaw. It was the first ride for both my companions in one here in India. And of course it was completely nutty! Traffic jams, near misses from trucks, scooters, bikes and other rickshaws. Then there is the pollution. I don’t notice it as much anymore but when you are stuck in traffic where you can count the eyelashes of the person on the 2 wheeler next to you, it becomes a bit overwhelming. We ended up in the heart of the city at a place called MTR. It is one of the oldest traditional restaurants in the city. They served us thali again but this time the food did not stop! We paid less than $9USD for 3 meals, 3 large bottles of water and all of us left feeling like we might never need to eat again. In fact, we looked so full the auto driver wanted to charge us for an extra person! After that, we took to the streets again, went to the oldest restaurant/ bar in the city and Jeff got to have his very first Kingfisher beer. During our time at Koshy’s we got a call from Zsolt telling Jeff and Josh the plans had changed because the train they were going to take was not available and they wouldn’t be able to leave as planned that night. That gave us the chance to come home, and head right back out to watch our friend Saggy and his band play at the Hard Rock Cafe. It was a great night out! Good food, music and even a rickshaw race home. Day 3 started slowly with more plans being put together and with me making a sad attempt at breakfast. We headed back to the station to chase up some of the leads and contacts they had from the message boards, from the callers on Kenny’s show and friends of the staff at Indigo. With, of course the whole thing being recorded for the next webisode. With a couple of solid leads of places to stay in Goa under Jeff’s belt we took up an offer for another traditional Indian dish at Ammi’s Biryani. The owner, Nawaz, greeted the guys at the restaurant and treated all of us to an amazing lunch. Again, we waddled out too many forkfuls later. Then it was time to relax, pack and get ready to say our goodbyes. Trigam, a great friend of ours, took them to the bus station and got them an overnight trek to Goa. Here is the webisode that outlines some of day 3 and their journey towards the Arabian Sea… http://www.cbs.com/originals/around_the_world_for_free_linear/video/?pid=_4EbZvhD3hqnsOhmsR5jtNJybJ3aDvnI It was an amazing experience for Kenny, myself, the staff at the station, our friends here in Bangalore and my Mom, who got to talk to Jeff and Zsolt during their stay here with us via skype. It made a reality show junkie very happy! You never know what people will come into your life and we are very lucky to have had the chance to become friends with these 3 intrepid travelers. Thanks for staying with us guys and we will be watching your every move on CBS.com/World. Safe travels.

INDIA WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2010 GLOBAL SLUMDOG "Be bold - and mighty forces will come to your aid" - - Goethe There are many overdue things to write about and unfortunately I will not get to them all, but this somehow feels like the right place to start. I am sitting on the Air France jet with only hours remaining before we land once again in the First World. While my fellow passengers still bear some of the dust and grime of the land we just left behind, India, and the whole Asian continent with it, is receding fast. I felt a well of emotion rising as I settled into my seat and the realization set in that I would no longer be seeing the faces and places that have fuelled much of my personal journey so far. Maybe it was the knowledge that I was now back in the familiar, in the world that I had known uninterrupted for nearly four decades. After 49 days in Asia, the first "Bonsoir monsieur, bienvenue à bord!" hits you hard, especially for an ex-Montrealer. This last week had been a challenging one, especially for my colleagues, but I must admit I was surprised just how quickly our Asian sojourn wrapped up. However, indelible memories remain. I'm standing at the edge of a highway overpass in Bandra, Mumbai, looking down at a slum that sits in the middle of a circular meeting of roads. Like many others, this ghetto is slated for demolition and its dwellers bound for apartments in eight-story buildings that will spring from the ground in their place. We are approaching magic hour and the temperature has dropped to tolerable levels. I am completely lost in the moment as my camera travels instinctively from one gripping visual to the next. A father and son sitting quietly as the little boy examines his dad's impossible shiny and large wallet with bright eyes. Nearby, a mother is seemingly instructing her two teenage daughters how to dig through the trash efficiently to unearth valuables. A raucous group of kids are playing by an open fire. It takes me a while to locate the mischievous youngster with the kite. From impossibly far away, he has managed to find a way to float his kite past the ghetto clearing and high above the overpass so that with a few deft hand movements, he is able to get his toy to whizz directly by my head. The first time it happens I assume it's a bird that's grazed my hair but soon I get a proper whack, and the kite is up and out of reach again. When I trace the line back to its owner, I see a bunch of kids jumping with joy and pointing excitedly in my direction. And on the camera travels. The sitters, the walkers, mothers motioning youngsters back into tents, the elderly staring blankly into space... for me, being able to observe and record this is the "mindfulness practice" that the 46th-level Buddhist master in Chiang Mai told us about. Bliss of the highest order. Then, a gentle tap on the shoulder. "Turn your camera off now" says Javed, my new friend and driver who's been helping me navigate Mumbai for the last couple of days. I turn around and immediately see the Indian Combat Police SUV that has stopped by our car four lanes over. My previous dealings with Indian authorities have been largely unpleasant and I am aware of their sweeping powers on the ground level, so I walk back to their truck with some trepidation."You have made a big mistake, my friend." says the first officer who sizes me up. Dabangg's Salman Khan was clearly modeled after this guy as all that is missing are the Ray Bans- the swagger, the carefully measured tone and words are all there. "There is no filming here. Now you will have to pay a BIG fine. AND come with us to the police station." It's a moment out of the Wild West, time standing still, rickshaws and buses whizzing by, the sunsetting over the ghetto, the dust and unbearable stink swirling around us, as the two groups face each other. "No." I answer back, looking him straight in the eye. He catches his breath and is clearly taken aback. "Let me see your camera!" he counters, reaching for it. But I hoist the severely beaten up Sony unit for display only while keeping it close to me body. "It's just a personal camera, taking pictures of your beautiful city. We were at Lover's Point just minutes ago." Back and forth we go for a little while, him stressing the illegality and hence punishability of my actions, me playing the innocent tourist filming in a public place. He does have a case in that I noticed clearly posted signs warning against photography and videography all along the shore. One must not forget that India is the second most terrorism-targeted country in the world after Iraq, so these guys are actually patrolling around for legit reasons. But we all know that today's encounter is strictly about money, nothing more. The fat cop sitting in the passenger seat looks me up and down a few more times then grunts something unintelligible to his cohorts. Inspector Chulbulthen points at me and says "This time we will let you go, but don't film here again." I thank him politely and we're off with Javed, the cops not even bothering to follow. Before long we are drinking black tea in his parents' traditional Muslim home, his orthodox father and I sitting wordlessly, facing each other, eyes occasionally meeting, a nod of the head, and silence. Javed himself has quite a presence... quiet reserve but an intensity that clears paths in the ghetto and throughout the city... a man with a colorful past according to Gaurav, having driven cab in Bombay for seven years and dwelling in the slums for nearly two decades with his wife and three kids. When we came to India on the first ATWFF, our papers were lacking, as was the goodwill on the part of the authorities - we were promptly deported, and I remember our anger and frustration on that New Year'sDay in 2008. In the years since, I have spoken to certain friends who had had disheartening experiences here... so clearly it would be a love or hate thing. Perhaps I was coming in with a lot of trepidation, but I am so very happy that I found only good. India has served up many memorable human connections, that is what I take away with me. The store owner across from the school in Panjim who lent me his bottle opener overnight; the extremely poor laundry man who nonetheless took great pride in his work, carefully pressing my t-shirts and in lieu of cardboard, inserting pages from the Times of India to keep them stiff; the chai vendors on the Mandovi Express who promptly sat down to drink with me once they rang up their first sale to me and would accept no more money thereafter... none of these gestures were solicited, they were given freely and, given the lot in life of the giver, made me feel all the more human to be able to receive it. Each country on this journey has delivered a version ofthis experience, but I've put India under the magnifying glass, perhaps due to my first bad experience here. There is also something that I call the billion-plus effect, whereby each and every character and situation I experience, I imagine played out a hundred other ways - be it the beggar, the vendor, the guard, unique as they are, I imagine another hundred similar scenarios played out across this populous country - it's difficult to put into words but it makes you feel as just a small speck in a grand scheme, that your story is just one of a billion others, thus you should stay humble indeed. Still, from what I can see, attitudes towards India are highly personal and subjective and as much as I would like, I cannot expect my traveling companions to share my enthusiasm. It has been nearly 50 days in Asia and I can understand the desire to move on to more familiar surroundings. I know without a doubt that India remains an unfinished chapter in my life, though. Greatly looking forward to returning. I started with the Goethe quote, which I come to face with each time I put on my trusted Tilley travel vest (it's inscribed on the hang tag,and while it may be a cool marketing catch phrase, I have found it quite fitting for the ATWFF experience). One more foot note on the vest - I smile each time I put it on since my lady never misses a chance to poke fun at it, my "uniform" that unmistakeably puts me in "crew class" no matter the exotic environment or situation. The vest allows me to carry an unimaginable number of both vital and futile electronic and other trinkets, so I really cannot do without it on any transnational trek, but in truth, I am happy to wear it as I cross the globe, doing this truly blessed job that I've been given. Long may the vest's secret pockets hold.

TOKYO Reflections... across the ocean Wednesday, August 11, 2010 What a whirlwind these past two weeks have been. As we were getting ready for the launch in Chicago, I recalled how before the launch of Season 1 I slept not a wink the night before the Early Show. This time would be better, I thought, but of course I was wrong. No sleep at all before the Chicago departure, and merely a single hour before this year's Early Show launch. Jeff seems a bit concerned - "Dude! You gotta get some sleep!!" but I think it's slowly dawning on him that this is how it's going to be, for the entirety of the trip, his own endurance rising day by day. I can't help but compare the two beginnings since there are so many parallels. In 2007 we were completely unsure and somewhat terrified about what would happen at the launch, our website was shaky at best, and yet the exhiliration of those first hours on the streets of New York still stand unmatched. The shock and awe that yes, people were willing to step up, right out of the gate, and get us moving on immediately. Our shared joy at discovering, together with our hosts, that this adventure could actually fly, even though we stumbled through our first few days down the East Coast. And then, the excitement of setting out abroad with that first flight to Puerto Rico... a life-changing journey was underway. Fast forward to 2010. This time, it's supposed to be "proven formula". Built-in audience. The massive support of the network. Way-more advanced technology. And yet, it still comes down to a rushed, 5am frenzied packing exercise on the final morning. Have we brought enough. Is it distributed fairly amongst the 3 backpacks (Alex and I could only walk one or two blocks when we launched in 2007 - the nearly 75-lb backpacks were insane). Are we going to regret not packing a dozen miscellaneous adapters, any one of which may prove life-saving (in the technical sense at least) in the jungles of Laos? There are a lot of departures this time around, each of which dilutes the rawness a bit. First, leaving the production office in Santa Monica. I've been living in a suitcase for over a month, splitting my time between the office couch and Alex's gracious hospitality in his Paris-throwback pad in Santa Monica. A quiet walk at 5am on dark and empty Santa Monica Blvd to throw some letters in the mailbox. Stashing the well-worn suitcase in the closet, saying goodbye to a few worldly comforts - but it's not too bad. Hey, I'm bringing along Armani jeans this time around, coupled with a few Asian-flavor collared shirts ("You're rocking that tunic, bro!" - writes my best friend Malcolm fromToronto). Put on the last remaining ATWFF white T-shirt and off we go. Chicago is a bit of a blur since we've done it all before but now must turn it on again - another dinner, another goodbye party, more editing in the Schroeders' basement. Jeff's observant mother Mary knows full well to fill up the bowl of chocolates downstairs, and she does, in between the amazing pannini sandwiches and endless coffee. The downstairs area is completely taken over by our cables and laptops. The parents know that separation is imminent, yet they hold their gentle supportive energy, unwavering and strong till the final goodbye at O'Hare... big thanks to them both. Jeff is already tired of having said goodbye umpteen timeson camera... and we're on our way. Charlotte is a breath of fresh air in every sense. Jordan is upbeat as she takes us for our haircuts. It's pavement-melting heat and we are feeling it. We are moving and shooting a lot now, so much so that on the first night I have to face the inevitable - I can't film the dinner segment, must stay behind to edit the Chicago webisode. But this is the reason we have brought along a third colleague this time around, and John jumps to the task, capturing the Cajun barbecue feast for posterity. I stay behind in Jordan's lovely home, her extremely friendly rescued dog resting at my feet the whole night. As before, we are fortunate to beset up with some great independent music from our long time music collaborators Jason and Tyler (want to add that CBS Records have also come through with some of their solid artists) and I find a couple of tunes with a country flair for this segment. I've never heard of "Dark Country" as a genre, but definitely digging it. It'll be great for the road trip to Raleigh-Durham airport. And soon it's upon us, we are rolling through the green flatlands, Jordan's brother Peyton getting us there, bantering endlessly with Jeff on the ride, at times sad, but more often than not doing their bro thing with huge laughs... This LAX-Narita flight I'm on as I write this seems far too short (at 10hrs... don't laugh - I'm used to the 14-hr longhauls to Bangkok) and Istill have editing to do to finish the last story from LA, so I'll keep it short. I cannot possibly touch on all the great people and places we've seen in these past 19 days since the Chicago departure, but what has been unchanged is the people's great hospitality and generosity. Each connection is just as intense and immersive as anything we've done in Season 1 - well, perhaps our comfort level is slightly elevated since we are enjoying far wider exposure than before. But day to day,experience to experience, it's just as fresh and spiritually-renewing as it ever was. And all this will go up a notch once we land in Tokyo.The everyday will become the exotic. The tried and true will become the unknown. The massive on-location audience we enjoyed in the States will taper off. But all this will make for a better show - for everyone. I pushed hard during these first couple of weeks to keep the webisodes as raw and immersive as possible, though I wish I could've delivered them a bit sooner. Tried to jam-pack as much content as possible, and to hear from Jeff "in the raw" wherever possible. Now that we're in international waters, we're going to adjust the edits a bit to turn the stories around faster, and also because we will be needing your help on a more urgent basis. Want to take the interactive site up a notch as well (regarding my own and Jeff's participation) - we have not evenmbegun to use it to its maximum potential. Really looking forward to alot of "fork-in-the-road" moments where Jeff will just stop and throw to the audience, asking them to help him make a crucial decision. The user-generated tips will become vitally important as we get farther and farther from the safety of home. My hope is for the interactive site to be a buzzing hive of activity... knowing full well that while we can't possibly respond to or address all submissions, we will benefit greatly from all savvy tips. Never been to Tokyo... very excited to stop by finally. I've spent extended time in a number of 10-million plus cities, but metro Tokyo, which is pushing 30mil+ is going to be mind-boggling. That's two times the number of all Hungarians on this entire planet - in a single place. I actually heard that in contrast to a place like Hong Kong, where the number of foreigners (and English speakers) is quite large, in Japan the same ratio hovers closer to zero. And sadly none of us count Japanese as one of our fluencies. So stay tuned for a lot of mimes and gestures on the streets on Shinjuku... Till next time - -

JeffSchroeder23 Tweetfest Thursday September 9, 2010 Who wants to chat it up for a few from Bangkok before i go to bed...... @jeffschroeder23 Are you missing Chi town and how much longer til your back? @bkw911 end of Oct early Nov @jeffschroeder23 what adventures did u go on today? What kind of souvenirs do u take w u, if any? @ginawis went to see the Big Brother Thailand set out here... not taking to many souvenirs w/ me cause i have to carry everything myself @jeffschroeder23 Any more U.S. stops on your trip! Come hang with me in NYC! @ranam19 ending in NYC @jeffschroeder23 what has surprised you most about the trip so far? @jmb510 a lot of surprises so far, the kindness of EVERYONE has been the biggest... i knew people would be nice, but this blows my mind... @jeffschroeder23 me me!!! Is your trip more amazing than u ever imagined!? @SHOCKACON12 and then some!! @jeffschroeder23 Picture with the little adorable girl from Laos is my favorite so far, did you think about your bro's girls at that moment @IsBallygood great pic right.... didn't think of marley though?? maybe cause marley doesn't live in a village in the jungle haha @jeffschroeder23 have you been keeping up on BB12? @Justin_Gauthier jordan keeps me up to date on whats going on @jeffschroeder23 You have SO many new favorite things you've seen and done: what has been the most challenging aspect of #ATWFF? @Mom2AvaMadison language barrier is a bit of a problem, but not having internet connection in parts of Laos was tough, i was stuck @jeffschroeder23 Are you tired of eating fish yet......yuck !! @MelissaB71 never! haha i love it @jeffschroeder23 I know I'm late, but... On a scale of 1 to 10... How big of a douchebag is Brendon?... a 13? :o) @AceCartier haha he seemed like a nice guy when i met him @jeffschroeder23 da bears r playing my cleveland browns 2nite in preseason fball bet u miss the game huh @dparker1984 probably gonna miss it??? but let me know what happens... I do! *raises hand* u have culture shock at all?RT @jeffschroeder23: Who wants to chat it up for a few from Bangkok before i go to bed...... @TheSlickestRick yes for sure.... i thought i did in Japan, but then Cambodia blew me away..... @jeffschroeder23 Hey Jeff! what is the most challenging part your travels? How is the food @Bonbonlover food it GREAT!!! i have been eating so much i gained weight!!! all people do is feed me!!! but SE Asia food is crazy spicy! @jeffschroeder23 bed dang that would mess with my head it's 12 noon here in texas @dsdanaheaton34 after midnight here in Bangkok, actually its friday here now.. @jeffschroeder23 You've been lucky w/ weather...has it rained once on your trip yet? @nyluvs very lucky.... rains all the time at night, but almost never during the day? now i Jinxed it... rain tomorrow for sure haha @jeffschroeder23 Jeff just wanted to let u know how inspiring it is to wake up to such great tweets & photos from around the world.. Thanks! @twinky411cd hey twinky, thanks, and thanks for all the great comments and support!!! @jeffschroeder23 are your pipes up and running again? : ) @jgrog just getting back to normal? still watching what i eat though. think i picked up a little something in Laos? but feeling better now @jeffschroeder23 U didn't touch that Santa did u ? u don't know where he's been!! @lucinda_09 haha there were a lot more pics i just didn't send them.. that restaurant was really nice and food was great!!! @jeffschroeder23 Jordan told us you can't skype & she misses it. Still able to get/send phone videos? @positivepeg we can skype, but or schedule is just totally off... but yes she sends me phone videos all the time and we talk 50 x a day ha @jeffschroeder23 Are you planning on visiting Australia? I here it's awesome there... @AVpat55 i wish?? @jeffschroeder23 haha how long do you think it'll take to get a reply from you? @heartrae4 shouldn't be much longer now haha sorry im going through as fast as i can, totally random... @jeffschroeder23 We love u just like Jordan meaty and scruffy !!! about 21 hours ago via @lucinda_09 defiantly getting meaty haha @jeffschroeder23 will Jordan fly to meet you on any leg of this journey? @JAZavis i doubt it... but with this show you never know??? @jeffschroeder23 what's the best thing you've eaten in Bangkok? @PattyRandall i had this spicy coconut soup w/ chicken, so good!! the food is great!! @jeffschroeder23 You are knocking this show out of the ballpark! Loving ALL of it! You bring a new perspective to EVERY place you visit @melmjones thanks you, and thanks for your support throughout i notice your messages all the time so thank you @jeffschroeder23 How much fun are you having? From your posts it seems AMAZING. @JesseyEvans it unreal.... truly blessed honestly @jeffschroeder23: Jeff, do you know how long you'll be in Bangkok? Where to next? @maxnsam hey i know you haha!!!!!!!!!!! lining some things up now, will let everyone know soon.. @maxnsam thanks again @JeffSchroeder23 Been keeping Jordan busy on Superpass..u know I love that gal! Hope u get to listen to it sometime's ..She's the best! @queenmama7777 your the best lol @jeffschroeder23 How great did it feel to help the families in the village? Made me appresh the person u r even more...when will u b in NJ?! @lovemy4boysrtsj that village was amazing!! Z did a great job capturing that moment but it was in describable being there... Jeff Schroeder @jeffschroeder23 Big hurricane headed to Chatham, Mass.Was that where you walked the greasy pole? Godspeed @GrayceeJewel1 no is was Gloucester, Mass... not sure if there close? @jeffschroeder23 I really wish you would answer about the Rabies shot. That was a bone of contention about travel to Vietnam and China @JAZavis no didn't get a rabies shot, but got a ton of others... @jeffschroeder23 How long you are staying in Bangkok?any chances you will meet @Dwightturner from amazing human. organ.In search of sanuk @IsBallygood i contacted him.. if we have time would love to hook up with him at some point, i heard good things @jeffschroeder23 Will you be going to France for some French food? @BasR99 i hope so, i really like France even though the last time i was there i lost the amazing race haha Everybody back to work haha, gotta go to bed myself. Thanks for the chat, sorry if i missed ya... Wanna see where i go next? cbs.com/world

Jeff Schroeder’s ‘Around the World for Free’: World class Sept 4/2010 Blog Hold me down! I’m big-time digging Jeff Schroeder’s Around the World for Free on CBS.com. Some of it has been slightly canned, like the plugs for American Airlines (a sponsor), but the great majority of it is killer stuff. Anyone who backpacks will recognize what he’s going throughright now as he tries to make it around the world without spending any money, instead relying on the generosity of the people who are following the trip online, like an open-palmed version of the Travel Channel’s dearly departed 5 Takes. Although the series’ conceit seems like a stunt, it takes a special traveler not to make an actual stunt out of it. Jeff on Big Brother As a not-so-closet fan of Big Brother, I watched Schroeder last summer, and I grew to appreciate his demeanor, his almost childlike joy for seemingly trivial stuff, and the respect he has forother people. Reality television players can be unabashedly self-serving, but Jeff wasn’t. He was the frat boy who cared. I watched the Big Brother live feeds, which expose players every minute of the day, and his character held up — when he had momentary lapses,he instantly recognized his failings and made up for them. This summer, as he does this trip, I have grown to appreciate him even more. He’s bushy-tailed and peppy, and what he lacks in eloquence (most stuff is either “amazing” or “awesome” he makes up for in enthusiasm and empathy. He’s unfailingly polite, hungry to learn, and is good at anticipating his audience’s questions. Two weeks ago, Schroeder served for a day with a People for Care and Learning, a humanitarian group that delivers water purification devices to floating villages in one of the poorest provinces in Cambodia. In this segment, from a week ago, he’s stranded in Pakse, Laos. He’s not allowed to spend money, but he needs $18 for a bus fare. Begging for cash in a poor place like Laos would be highly unsavory. I seem to remember another show from about 10 years ago that was built on just such a premise — strand the players, see how they get home — and it turned me off. But that’s not how Schroeder is handling things. He’d rather go thirsty than be a burden on the locals. This clip brings me a flood of powerful travel memories: the heat of a Southeast Asian village’s streets, the benign language barrier, that unique feeling of wandering aimlessness paired with the traveler’s faith that everything will turn out just fine. And what backpackerhasn’t found himself struggling to find a Wi-Fi signal, peering in the windows of the fancy hotels? “I don’t want to mooch off anybody. That’s not why I signed up,” Schroeder says. He doesn’t have a production team to put words like that in his mouth. He made it out. Today, he’s in Bangkok battling some tummy trouble, and he appears to have been reunited with the prodigiously talented videographer and editor named Zsolt Luka (I wouldn’t give Luka’s daily edit-and-recharge demands to a monkey on a rock) who accompanies him much of the time and whom I have to assume is equally responsible for the spirit of this endeavor. Schroeder is making this odyssey not about himself, but about the people he meets, and that’s clearly by design and not by accident. So many other mass-media travel diary projects are about the ego of the traveler, but against the odds and the currents of the genre, Schroeder always puts the spotlight on the people he meets. He’s both amazing and awesome. You can follow Schroeder’s adventure (videos, photos, tweets), throw him tips, or offer him help on his next leg by going to CBSAroundtheWorld.com. There are also videos on YouTube. Major praise to CBS for accomplishing this series with so much sensitivity. And since it’s the sponsor, I guess I should tip my hat to American Airlines, too. SOURCE: http://jason-cochran.com/blog/jeff-schroeders-around-the-world-for-free-world-class