Why Nadia wakes up at 4am to connect with kids in Japan
Introduction: Meet Nadia, one of our incredible adventure guides from the US. Her passion for what she does cannot be overstated, and she truly goes the extra mile to give the kids a great experience, sometimes even willingly forgoing a couple of hours of sleep due to time zone differences!
Nadia is the owner of Bugs On Wheels, a unique service which educates kids in the US about the incredible world of insects and arachnids, as well as giving them the chance to interact with these fascinating creatures.
Her work with Mimmy Adventure has given her the opportunity to also reach kids far beyond the US.
Seeing how energetic and enthusiastic she is, it's difficult to imagine that this interview was conducted at 2am in her time! She's a huge blessing and a star among the Mimmy kids, as she educates them about insects with the help of her extensive collection.
Question: What made you interested in working with Mimmy Adventure?
Answer: You guys had reached out to me on Instagram. I wasn’t too sure about it at first, but I did a little research and I thought it looked like a really interesting and unique opportunity. You reached out through my Bugs On Wheels account, which I’d only had since September, and I thought this could be an amazing way for me to gain experience and get connected to other people.
Question: Does your experience with Mimmy meet your expectations after joining?
Answer: Yes, I would say definitely! Even if I sometimes have to wake up in the middle of the night, I find myself getting really excited about it, and about seeing the kids’ reactions.
Question: Do you feel like there was anything that put you off when you were applying or gave you doubts about Mimmy Adventure?
Answer: The timing! (laughs). But it’s turned out to be worth it, definitely!
Other than that, I was kind of curious about how the pay would work, but it wasn’t a huge concern of mine. It was mostly just the time difference.
Question: How would you compare the working lifestyle at Mimmy Adventure as compared to other regular companies?
Answer: I love the communication that Mimmy has – I think that you guys really have that nailed down. You give fast responses, and you have a great way of giving constructive feedback. I myself am my worst critic, and all the feedback I’ve gotten has been wonderful.
Question: Are there any additional challenges that you encounter while presenting the insects’ adventures online as compared to the one-on-one encounters you offer in America?
Answer: It’s a little harder for me to interact with the kids. In person they’re right in front of me, and I can call on them more easily. Doing that online is more challenging, especially since I have a decent number of participants, which is amazing; I love that. But I really want to call on all the kids individually, so that’s been challenging for me! It’s something I’m working on!
I’m a fast talker too, and I like to give lots of information! Sometimes I get ahead of myself and excited about something! But I’ve been learning to slow down.
Question: Which of your teaching styles do you prefer: the physical or the virtual?
Answer: Honestly, I love doing both! Aside from the fact that I can let kids hold bugs in person, their reactions are the same, their faces are the same. My excitement to show them the bugs is the same. I really love doing both.
Question: What do you think kids gain from their experiences with you?
Answer: My hope is that they get to see something new and learn something new, and that it gets them excited to learn more about the bugs they’ve seen. That way, when they see a bug in Japan, they can be like, wow, I know about this!
Question: Would you be pleased if some of the kids pursued a hobby or found work related to the adventures you had with them?
Answer: Very much so, yes! I remember when I was 12, my grandma took me to the Michigan State University Entomology Department. I met an entomologist there, and that’s when I held my first tarantula and giant African millipede. I never forgot that experience.
When I started my own business, I found out that the same entomologist was still working there, 20 years later. I reached out to him and told him that even though it’s been so long, I will never forget what he shared with me. He gave me bug collecting tools from the students and so much knowledge. I told him, “Thank you for everything - this is the business I’m starting now, and you were a part of that.” If there are kids in the adventures that get really interested in this because of me, that’s the ultimate reward for sure.
Question: Do you think this kind of educational service would benefit American kids?
Answer: Yes! Even with Covid restrictions gradually winding down, there are still a lot of people who are doing everything virtually and are home most of the time, so it’s wonderful for that reason. Also because of all the different cultures kids are able to experience.
The live interaction Mimmy gives kids is really unique, and it offers them an amazing opportunity they may not otherwise have. It’s totally different from just watching a video or documentary online. Kids in America would definitely benefit from something like this.
Question: Are there countries that you would want to adventure in, whether related to Mimmy or outside of it?
Answer: Japan is one, for sure! I’ve always been interested in Australia, and my oldest daughter really wants to go to Paris. I think that we all often get so caught up in our own worlds that we sometimes forget that there’s a whole other world out there, and it’s truly eye-opening.
Question: We are thinking of offering adventures to other countries, which are Japan-based. What do you think about this?
Answer: I think it’s great! Now that I have this connection with Mimmy, I’m even more curious about Japan! I have to visit!
Question: Do you wish you had had such educational and fun adventures when you were a kid?
Answer: Yes! Having my own kids, I would definitely take advantage of this service if it was available here, and I think they’d love it. Kids these days are so virtual; in some ways its good, and in some ways it’s not. I’m hesitant about letting my kids have access to some things online, but I’d definitely sign them up for something like this if it was available in the US.
Question: What would you tell the world about America, especially the Michigan area?
Answer: I’m in the metro Detroit area, and it doesn’t always have the greatest reputation. But it’s so wonderful here. They’ve done so much rebuilding, even in the last couple of years during Covid. During this time there have been so many businesses that have been lost, but also so many new ones that have been born. It’s a great area to live. America itself is full of different people from different countries, and it’s so rich in different cultures.
Question: Do you think the kids are able to learn about American culture through your adventures?
Answer: I’ve been trying to incorporate more American culture into my adventures, but the time difference has made it tricky, as it limits how often I can go out and show the kids things. But hopefully in summer, when the daylight hours are longer, I’ll be able to do something!
Question: Do you have any messages for someone reading this blog and would want to join the Mimmy Adventure?
Answer: I would say, go for it! It helps you to challenge yourself, and it makes you realize that you can make a meaningful impact on other people, even if they’re on the other side of the world!
And to anyone who is nervous about interacting with children - remember that they’re kids! You don’t need to be a college professor; you just need to get on their level. If you can do that, it’s so rewarding.
Question: What is it that makes you feel like you want to keep waking up in the middle of the night to do the Mimmy adventures?
Answer: Again, it’s the reward of being able to see the excitement on the kids’ faces and hearing their reactions when I bring a new bug out. My favorite thing is hearing all the kids at once going, “oh wow, look!!” I love that and I always get a big smile on my face when I hear them. Those are the moments I know are worth waking up for, because my adventures really are getting them excited and making them happy. Also realizing that so many kids are joining my adventures; it means I really am making a difference, and the kids really are loving this.
If you'd like to know more about Nadia and Bugs on Wheels, please check out her Instagram @bugs_on_wheels
If you have a passion that you'd love share with kids in Japan, we'd love to hear from you!
Check out our site at https://mimmy.co.jp/guide
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