BEGONIAS PART 3: Under Construction...

Building a float is serious business! The BOB team has been busy crafting the perfect begonia-covered float all week. The float must be built and covered in faux flowers, all to be attached and removed in order to replace them with begonias on the day of competition! Here is a little recap of the team's progress:

 STEP 1: SET IT UP!

Crafting table to cut all of the wooden pieces for the inside of the float.

Definitely mean business with this device used to cut wood supports.

Chicken wire for around the feet, color-coded for flowers. 

STEP 2: PIECE EVERYTHING TOGETHER...

Every piece cut and measured to perfection.

Volunteers of all ages getting involved in this project for this good cause!

Lisa Laviolette showing her support!

It's all coming together...

STEP 3: PREPARE FOR THE FLOWERS!

A "B" for Begonia of course.

Lisa hard at work!

Flowers for the sides of the float.

The foot is up!

BEGONIAS PART 2: Begonia Float Building Begins!

The Capitola Begonia Festival is fast approaching, and this week the Hammer Family team spent many laborious hours planning and executing the construction of an extremely impressive begonia-covered float. The team has cleverly named themselves Begonias on the Beach (BOB), and is titling the float "Ballet at the Beach".

Ballet at the Beach will be an image of two ballerina feet dancing. The float will be manned with three handsome guys clad in tutus and army boots, the perfect way to complete the dainty ballerina image! The ballerina feet were crafted out of a replica of Quest president Lisa Laviolette's actual feet! The BOB team made a mold out of Lisa's feet and then used extensive measurements, calculations, and computer programming to create an exact 6-foot copy for the float.

The initial design for the Ballet on the Beach.

Casting the foot.

Lisa's foot!

First steps to the creation of the 6-foot tall ballerina version of Lisa's foot.

BEGONIAS PART 1: Quest Gets Involved with Capitola Begonia Festival!

Capitola, California is the original birthplace of the Pacific Begonia. This beautiful flower was the catalyst for the development of the historic Capitola Begonia Festival. The festival is a celebration of the begonia flower that has taken place every summer since the 1950's - it is a time for festivities, delicious foods, dance, music, and most importantly, float building!

Every year, ambitious float building teams gather to craft an amazing array of begonia-inspired floats for competition. The floats are judged based on 5 categories: theme development, originality of design, floral coverage, effective use of flowers, and showmanship. The winning float will be awarded a cash prize that may be donated to a charitable foundation or non-profit.

This year, Quest is very excited and appreciative to be the nominated as the non-profit recipient of any prize awarded to the float designed by the Hammer Family float-building team! If the Hammer Family float wins, Quest will create a scholarship to enable an international student to come to the United States to study. We are all very excited for this opportunity, and we're crossing our fingers for float prize domination!

CHECK IT OUT! 
http://www.begoniafestival.com/index.html

Quest Family Enjoys American Traditions!

Quest International is made up of a very special group of people from around the world. Among us, we represent language and culture from the United States, Asia, Scandinavia, Africa, Europe, and South America. While all of us have a passion for many traditions around the world different from our own, we also enjoy American customs and food as well! Recently, the Quest team spent an afternoon together roasting marshmallows, probably one of the most American pastimes you can find! The activity consists of gathering around a bonfire and skewering marshmallows on sticks to roast over a fire. Often, the marshmallows are put between graham crackers and chocolate bars to make what, in the US, we call "s'mores". If you haven't tried this tasty snack, ask an American friend to share this experience with you, because it is a fun part of American culture that you must try!

The Quest team! 

Viggo, our trusted office assistant.

Katie enjoying a marshmallow!

Rolo, second assistant, although he obviously does not work so hard... 

Perfecting our roasting skills.

Taking a little rest after a marshmallow coma.

WHAT DID YOU DO THIS WEEKEND?

The employees at Quest are full of energy and exploration. When we are not busy at the office, we like to get out in the world to adventure just like you do! Here is our Tunisian marketing expert, Ty - he went on a flight excursion from San Francisco to Los Angeles and back in just a weekend!

QUEST FAMILY GROWS!

Quest is a company made up of personalities from around the world. In the office, we have speakers of English, Spanish, Chinese, Danish, Arabic, French, and Lithuanian. We recently welcomed our newest Quest family member, Eric. He brings an expertise of the Asian world, and we are all pleased to have him.

HELLO WORLD!

Welcome to the new Quest International blog! Visit us for student exchange stories, cultural tips, travel news, and more!