Aug/090
A Brief History of Montana
Before the state of Montana was named, and before it even became a state, the Native American people lived there on their own. Whether they knew that there were other people out there and whether they thought that those people might come to take their land is only speculation. They were just interested in raising their families, and they hunted, fished, and grew crops there, just like in other states. Even though there were quite a few different groups of Native Americans, there was plenty of land so they could put space between them if they didn't get along.
While they didn't always get along, most of them co-existed because they had enough space to do so. Tribes included the Cheyenne, Crow, and Blackfeet, among others. Some of these tribes were very large and had a lot of influence, while others were very small and kept to themselves. They generally just tried to stay out of the way of the larger tribes.
When the Louisiana Purchase occurred back in 1803 the part of Montana east of the continental divide was included. During that period of time you didn't need a lot of money to buy a great big piece of land. There weren't a bunch of people who wanted the land, so it became easy for a person to get a great deal of it, and it wasn't considered to be worth very much. The idea of owning land so you could have value later, or owning it so that you could resell it, wasn't really there.
Things started to change after the Louisiana Purchase because the different climate areas and what the vast and open country had to offer started to get more notice. Minerals were in the land in some areas, too, and they were very valuable, so that made those particular areas of land suddenly worth more than they would have been in the past. Montana became a United States Territory in the 1860s after the Lewis and Clark expedition and after gold was discovered. Other areas became states, but Montana didn't for a while, although there doesn't seem to be a solid explanation for why this took place.
It became the 41st state in 1889. Soon there was construction of all kinds of buildings, including Fort Shaw. That particular fort was used during the civil war. It had not only parade grounds and barracks, but stores, a hospital, and other important necessities that the soldier staying there would require.
Since there wasn't much around yet, forts and other areas that were built had to be largely self-sufficient so that they could handle all of the needs of the people who lived there. Fort Shaw eventually closed in 1891, as it was no longer needed and became obsolete. Once it was closed as a military installation it was used as a school. That was a great choice, since the alternatives would be to either tear it down or simply allow it to decay, and both of those seemed wasteful.
American Indian children and young adults were given industrial training at the school where Fort Shaw used to be. When it first opened there were more than 300 students in attendance and there were 20 of the old military buildings in use. That wasn't the only change that Montana experienced, though, because the early 1900s also brought a revised Homestead Act that changed the way people lived in the state. The land that had been offered by the Homestead Act of 1862 was expanded from 160 acres to 320 acres.
President Taft made it law and in 1908 there was another homesteading change when the Sun River Irrigation Project was opened up to homesteaders. Located west of Great Falls, that area allowed people to claim 40 acres to use as their homestead but they had to remain there a certain length of time and couldn't even leave very long for travel or vacation. Young couples from the Midwest who wanted to live near the mountains were the most common site there and they hunted and fished and raised their families. Custer's Last Stand was also there.
Another issue for the state was the Nez Perce Wars, but it's much more peaceful there now. Cattle ranching plays a big part in the history of Montana, as well as its modern-day economy. There's more to do and the state has grown, but cattle ranching and the Native American influence are still strong and popular there.
Aug/090
Is Nursing A Good Career To Travel, To Work And Live In Different Countries?
Many people dream of having a career that gives them opportunity to travel the world and experience different locations and cultures. Unfortunately, relatively few jobs really allow for this, and many of the ones that do are very exclusive. However, one field that is relatively accessible and allows for extensive travel is nursing.
Travel nursing first came about as a response to a significant shortage of nurses in the United States and in other countries. In order to deal with this shortage, several companies started offering nurses benefits for traveling to other states or countries in order to work in their hospitals. The advantages of being a travel nurse - aside from being able to see different areas of the country and the world - may include better wages, paid housing and other bonuses.
Traveling also provides nurses new opportunities by exposing them to new challenges that come with working in a different place. This is especially true when it comes to international travel nursing, as many hospitals in other countries lack the technology and staff of American hospitals. This can lead to some incredibly challenging yet also fulfilling work experiences.
To become a travel nurse, one must simply apply to one of the many travel nursing agencies worldwide. Currently, there are well over 300 such companies in the United States alone. To apply to one of these companies is not an easy task, and it requires a substantial amount of paperwork. Potential applicants will have to fill out a detailed application and work history, as well as provide verification for all their certifications. Other hurdles to becoming a travel nurse include skill assessments and verification of vaccinations for common transferable diseases. Fortunately, some agencies will accept paperwork that has been completed for others, making applying to multiple agencies easier.
After securing a job with one of these companies, the agency will submit applications on behalf of the nurse for various positions around the country or around the globe. The nurse may have some limited control over where they are sent, but ultimately go where they are needed. The hospitals that need nurses will choose the nurses that best meet their needs, then make an offer to the agency. The agency, in turn, figures out how much its going to cost for them to pay the nurses housing and travel costs. Once thats all calculated, they present the nurse with their offer.
Most agencies will provide their travel nurses with fully furnished and paid housing that is near the hospital where they will be working. The exact quality of the housing, as well as pay and other benefits, will vary from agency to agency. Generally speaking, the better the amenities, the lower the actual wages that the nurse will be paid. Some nurses may not even be provided with housing, but may get better wages. Every agency is different and has different opportunities available " its up to the nurse to find one that best suits his or her needs.
Aug/090
The Cu Chi Tunnels of Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. A destination known for its famous war with the Americans throughout the 1960's until 1975. Learn all about what life was like in the jungle with an interesting visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels, located 70 km from downtown.
In the heart of the jungle, 200km of tunnels were well hidden from American soldiers. Originally built to protect the Vietnamese from French air strikes in the lat 1940's to 1950's, they were re-used during the 60's as a staging ground for attacks on American troops.
The American's knew they were there, they just couldn't find them. Not for lack of trying however. Agent Orange, napalm and constant bombing was used to try to find the tunnels that had eluded them. The jungle was completely wiped out and barren. It had been ruined by man, but Mother Nature's is a strong entity and with time has healed herself and it is now lush and green.
If you are lucky, you may receive a first hand account from a former Vietnamese soldier. Guides will tell you stories of their time in the war and can give you information on intimate details of the war that took place in this jungle. If you listen carefully, you can learn a great deal about history.
You will learn all about how the Vietnamese managed to defeat the powerful Americans. They fought on their home turf being the jungle and they used it to their advantage. Cave entrances were hidden by placing termite hills over top. To throw off their scent to guide dogs, they would sprinkle cayenne pepper confusing the animal. Even if the soldiers managed to find and opening, they were tiny and made for the slight Vietnamese frame. U.S. soldiers would have to blast a hole alerting any inhabitants that they have been found. With 200 km of caves to disappear in, it wasn't likely that they would be caught.
When they did manage to make their way into the tunnels, they were greeted with booby traps. False floors caused the enemy to fall into a bed of sharpened bamboo poles. Spikes were placed on the floors and traps were set everywhere. You had to know your way around the tunnel to escape injury.
There were other tactics besides the tunnels that offered the Vietnamese an advantage against the United States. Surprisingly, foot rot was a major problem with U.S. soldiers. The heat and humidity of the rain forest caused sores, rotting flesh and infection. When your major form of battle is to walk through the jungle this can be a serious problem. Instead of wearing boots, the Viet Cong wore rubber sandals made from tires. They are well constructed and durable and you can see them for yourself. If you want to try them out, buy a pair for a nominal fee.
Life was difficult in the tunnels and they lived in them for years at a time. They contained functioning kitchens, hospitals and sleeping quarters. They managed to survive underground dealing with the elements. Some rooms were very spacious, but mostly the passageways were very tight being no more than a meter high. Malaria ran rampant and the unsanitary conditions caused infection and illness. Not only did they have to deal with American bombing and fighting, they had to deal with deadly snakes and spiders underground.
Your tour will take you to all of the different types of living quarters and rooms. It is a comfortable tour and the tunnel walls have even been blasted out to make it larger and more comfortable for tourists. However, there are still some original entrances available to be explored and you will have the opportunity to go into an original tunnel yourself and crawl for 150 meters experiencing what it was like during the war.
First you will have to enter through a small hole in the ground. This is enough to make many tourists chicken out. Some people won't even be able to fit inside and will not even have the option to go. But if you can manage to squeeze through, be sure to do so. You will have the one true experience of the day, feeling what it actually must have been like for a soldier to crawl through this claustrophobic space.
During your tour you will learn little tricks like how the Viet Cong tracked U.S. soldiers by following these fascinating plants that actually pointed in the direction that people walked. As you brush by, the leaves of the plants curl in the direction that you are heading. A dead giveaway for the unsuspecting American soldier. You will try to food of the Viet Cong and you will visit different rooms that were camouflaged above ground, learning all about how the Vietnamese kept themselves from being discovered.
Once you have learned all there is to know and if you are feeling like doing your best Rambo impersonation, you can go to the firing range and fire various guns from AK 47's to automatic rifles, giving you your complete war experience.
Visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels will definitely give you a feeling as to what life was like during the Vietnam War. It is unbelievable to think that these tunnels remained in tact through two major wars. One with the French and one with the Americans. If you are visiting Ho Chi Minh, they are certainly worth a visit.