Tag: featured

Where Should I Move?

First: Sorry for using a selfie as a featured image. I know it has nothing to do with the post, but I ran out of images. Ha.

I’m at such a weird crossroad in my life. I know that I want to leave the States, but I also know that I want to be smart and right now I should be patient and make the most out of my days here.

“I am learning every day to allow the space between where I am and where I want to be to inspire me and not terrify me. ”

-Tracee Ellis Ross

So with that being said, I am creating something beautiful out of this space I’ve been given. Creating art, making money, dismantling my flaws, reinventing myself and being still. But just because I am still, does not mean that I am not planning my future. I will be moving in the fall of this year… I’m just not sure where!

 

I could go back to Italy and finish out my Italian courses. Go to Portugal and learn Portuguese and live out that fantasy. Go to Spain and focus on my writing and find muses to finish out this collaborative book that Muneek and I started. Or go to Germany and obtain my Master’s.
Oh, then there is always Morocco. 🤔

Who tf knows? Help.

Travel Highlights of 2016

2016 was one for the books. I traveled a lot, my job sent me to some awesome new cities, I got a boyfriend, I lost a boyfriend, I started my blog :), I interviewed some wonderful women, and did I mention that I traveled a lot?

This year has also taught me a great deal about myself. 2016 was the first time in a long time that I actually craved something stable. I wanted some place to call home, I got tired of hopping around from city to city. I didnt have luck in finding that one stable thing, but it helps me to know that thats one of the things I’m looking for in the future. Dont worry, Im still going to travel its just time for me to start figuring out who/where/what I want to be in the future.

Anyways,

Here is a highlight of my 2016.

 

Wednesday Women: Theresa

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Hi. My name is Theresa. I am a logistician, a paper crafter, a cook, a mother, a nerd, a writer, and a lover of books and coffee.  I want to leave the world a better place than I found it. In pursuit of that goal, I have been a Peace Corps Volunteer, a tech entrepreneur in West Africa, and now I work for my government abroad.  I am currently posted to Jerusalem.
I write about my adventures and those of my globe trotting family as I seek to balance a rewarding career, parenting, and travel.
 
What inspired/inspires you to travel?
I have lived abroad for over a decade now.  My job takes me from country to country, and we can’t help but explore while we’re there.  The world is a very big place, and it would be a shame to see only a tiny part of it.
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Where is your favorite destination to date?
I don’t know if I have a favorite!  I’ve loved living in Jerusalem and exploring Israel and the Palestinian Territories.  I loved living in Freetown and Cotonou and DC.  I loved visiting Jordan with my parents and kids.  Europe’s wonderful to visit (but so so so expensive, compared to many of the other places we’ve lived).
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How do you prefer to travel? Solo or with a group? Why? Do you think there is a difference traveling as a woman? How do you plan your trips?
These days, almost all of my travel is with my family.  I have two young children and traveling with them opens my eyes to the world in way I’ve never experienced on my own.  They see things I don’t notice, and their delight in discovering the world is infectious.
I plan our trips around my children’s capacity to not melt down into total monsters.  That means we can do two things per day: one in the morning and one in the afternoon, with a long break in the middle of the day for play, naps, and quiet time.  If we plan a physically challenging outdoor activity, usually we do it in the morning, then spend the afternoon relaxing somewhere tranquil.
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When is your next one?
We’re moving to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea for my job!  I am super excited to spend a few years living in a country I’d otherwise not be likely to visit.
Any advice you would like to give to your fellow travelers?
1)  Just do it and go with the flow.  Travel never works out as planned.  Go ahead.  Plan a perfect trip where you see all of the tourist destinations, then take time out to explore a less traveled path.  But when life jumps out at you (you miss your bus, your kids melt down, you see a poster for an amazing comedy show or poetry slam), ditch the plan and go for it!
2)  Travel with your kids.  Solo travel (or travel with other adults) is certainly easier, but traveling with our children has been rewarding in ways we never imagined.  Seeing the wonders of the world through their eyes is life affirming, and these experiences will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
Want to know more about Theresa?

Cruisin’ the Eastern Caribbean

In the spirit of the holidays, I decided to share a post on my second most recent trip. To escape the cold and sweat off the calories from Thanksgiving (I’m American, I know) my family and I embarked on a Carnival Cruise to the Eastern Caribbean.  We set sail from the Port of Miami two days after Thanksgiving and our itinerary was as follows:

  1. Half Moon Cay, The Bahamas
  2. Fun Day at Sea
  3. St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
  4. San Juan, Puerto Rico
  5. Grand Turk
  6. Fun Day at Sea
  7. Miami, FL

 

I think everyone should at least try a cruise once to get a feel for it. It’s the laziest way to see the world. Haha. All jokes aside, it’s great for those who want to have a stress free vacation that caters to your every need.

Below you will find photos from my week long voyage. I did not label each photo, as I will be doing individual posts on the islands later on, as well as my experience with the Carnival Cruise line.

If you are somewhere cold like me (Germany) I hope this warms your souls and gets you thinking about where to visit next!

Enjoy 🙂

 

Walk With Me: Yves Saint Laurent Garden

Words honestly fail me when trying to describe the vibrant garden dedicated to Yves Saint Laurent.  While it is a small garden in comparison to others that you may be used to seeing, for example, Garfield Park Conservatory is much bigger in size. What YSL Garden lacked in size it made up for in beauty.

 

 

 

They do have a small museum located in the garden for an additional fee, but we opted out and just enjoyed the garden alone. Twas enough for me.

Wednesday Women: Jamie

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Meet Jamie.

Hi, I’m Jamie. I am 28 years old, german and recently started life as a digital nomad. Previously I worked in an advertising agency in Vienna as a Graphic Designer but the atmosphere of the field didn’t suit me. I love taking pictures and editing them, go for long walks, do yoga, eat healthily and also very unhealthy, am addicted to way too many tv shows and just try to figure out how to live a happy life.

What inspired/inspires you to travel? 

I’m mostly inspired by my wish to see the world and change myself while doing it. Character-wise I am way more pessimistic and scared than I want to be. I’m insecure in a lot of moments and have let a lot of opportunities slip by me. Travelling helps me actively change those things. I am traveling to live in the moment and to not worry about the future, society or my own issues. I travel so I can feel empowered about my choices and my own life.

Where is your favorite destination to date? 

I think it was the city of Jogjakarta ( also referred to as Yogyakarta) in Indonesia. All of Indonesia was pretty special to me because of the people who I met and the experiences that I had. But Jogjakarta has so much to offer even though it looks so ugly and raw. It is my favorite city so far for sure. For experiencing nature my favorite place to travel is the Low Tatras in Slovakia.

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How do you prefer to travel? Solo or With a group? Why? 

I have to admit that I really hate to travel in groups. Three people can already be too many. There are so many differences, needs, problems. Everything goes too slow for my taste. I’m sure there can be different outcomes with different people. But so far I enjoyed the most traveling with one person. When I went to Asia in 2015 I traveled with a stranger, we met online and decided to go on this trip together. That was the best experience I ever had in my life. We grew so close as friends that we got a tattoo together on our last night – in Jogjakarta btw 😉

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Do you think there is a difference traveling as a woman? 

Of course. I am traveling with my boyfriend at the moment and he can a lot of times not understand at all why I don’t want to go alone to certain places or why I have troubles with going for a run next to the street because every second car is honking at me. I am aware that a lot of insecurities that I have are coming from my own experiences and I’m trying to work on them. But for me, it is a fact that women traveling alone are not as free in certain areas as men are.

How do you plan your trips? 

Ha, this is a good question. I love to just wing it. When I traveled Asia I had a very rough outline of places that I wanted to go to and then we just saw how we would get around. This kind of non-organized travel can also have some downsides (higher prices for last-minute bookings, no empty rooms in hostels, searching for everything longer) but it gave me so many adventures in the past that I’m still a huge fan. At the moment I am traveling way more organized because my boyfriend likes to take care of things way up ahead. That can be nice as well but I don’t like to live by a schedule. Maybe I’ll grow into it some more 😉

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When is your next one? 

Doing it right now. I have been in Romania last month, now in Bulgaria. Until Christmas, I plan to see Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia, and Montenegro.

 

Any advice you would like to give to your fellow travelers? 

Pack everything that you feel you absolutely need. Then wait for two days and check your stuff again. Take out half of the clothes again and over think that moskitonet/knife/sandals/extra lens very carefully. You’ll have to carry it around and I guarantee you that after your trip you will not have used some of the things you thought you desperately needed 😉 Also for women travelers: Use the menstruation cups! 😉

Want to know more about Jamie?

Wednesday Women: Ashlyn

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Meet Ashlyn.

I am a twenty-something outdoor adventure traveler. I’ve been to 52 countries on six continents and fund my travels by freelance writing, speaking and shooting and editing videos. I also sell photography when possible as well.

I like to push my limits when traveling and you’ll most likely find me out hiking, surfing, scuba diving or trying out any crazy adventure activity an area offers – I’ve even flown a military jet! If it scares me, I can’t say no.

What inspired/inspires you to travel?

After five years completing two degrees in university, I decided I wanted to spend the same amount of time traveling the world so I designed a five-year travel plan. On my first six month trip, I was hooked and knew it was a lifestyle I couldn’t easily give up. I love how every day I wake up wondering how the destination I am in is going to change my life. It’s thrilling and educational – much better than sitting in a classroom to learn.

As for travel inspiration, my destinations are usually chosen based on photographs I’ve seen as well as recommendations from other travelers.

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Where is your favorite destination to date?
It’s really difficult to decide but I loved spending a month in Madagascar. It’s not an easy destination to get to and there aren’t very many tourists so the locals are still curious yet friendly. The wildlife and landscapes were pretty spectacular as well and I spent a lot of time hiking and diving.

How do you prefer to travel? Solo or With a group? Why?
I spend most of my time traveling on my own but always seem to meet up with other people on the road. Admittedly, I prefer traveling with family and friends as I find the experiences more meaningful when I can share them with someone I care about. To date, I’ve managed to visit six continents with my mom as she enjoys meeting up with me around the world.

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Do you think there is a difference traveling as a woman?
There are definitely differences traveling as a woman than as a man. Some of them are positive and some are negative. As a woman, I’m more likely to get picked up while hitchhiking, but I’m also more likely to be bothered, catcalled and stared at by men. I have to be modest in how I dress and very respectful of other cultures depending what area in the world I’m in. Men and women definitely get treated differently while traveling.

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How do you plan your trips?
I’ve discovered that long trips are best left to planning on the go, while shorter trips it’s easier and less stressful to plan in advance. I prefer to plan as I go as I like to add in side trips that I didn’t know about until I arrived at the destination.

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When is your next one?
I’m currently working on a book back at home in Saskatchewan, Canada so I don’t have an immediate trip planned. I recently flew back from British Columbia where I hike the 75 kilometer West Coast Trail. Next month I’m thinking of escaping somewhere warm in the Caribbean if I can find cheap flights.

Any advice you would like to give to your fellow travelers?
A scarf is one of the most helpful items to carry. It adds warmth, style, and additional coverage when entering mosques or temples. It can also be a towel on short notice.

Want to know more?

 The Lost Girl’s Guide to Finding the World  
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Walk With Me: Cologne Cathedral

While shopping in Cologne,  we stumbled into the beautiful Cathedral. With the sun shining down on the Cathedral it made for a very colorful and picturesque interior ( with the assistance of the stained windows that told stories of Christ).

Even if you’re not religious, its nice to visit these building with such intricate design constructed all the way from the mid 1200’s. You get lost. Take a walk with me.

Wednesday Women : Eva

eva-explores-3Meet Eva.

I’m Eva, a solo female traveler who just left on a trip of indefinite length! I am working remotely as an editor and social media manager along with running my travel blog, Eva Explores, about solo female travel. I love expressing myself creatively, whether that’s taking photos of colorful buildings, singing a song, or creating a sketch comedy video with my friends.

What inspired/inspires you to travel?

I love to see how other people live around the world, and even how they used to live when I visit places with a rich history. The fascinating nuances of how culture differs around the world, but how we are all essentially the same. Also, to be honest, I am constantly searching for the best cup of coffee!

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Where is your favorite destination to date?

I’m going to go SUPER cliché right now and say Paris! Although I recently went to Prague for the first time and that reminded me of Paris in a lot of ways. I just love French culture, and of course food! I feel like I’m living inside of a movie when I am in Paris.

How do you prefer to travel? Solo or With a group? Why?

I personally prefer traveling solo. I went on my first international solo trip this year, and was hooked! I love having the freedom to do whatever I want whenever I want. It’s an easy decision for me, since I’m an introvert. Solo travel lets me choose whether or not I want to engage with the outside world or just stay to myself observing everything around me.

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Do you think there is a difference traveling as a woman?

I do think that there is a difference. Unfortunately, women still have to think about safety in a unique way before deciding on a destination, and then during her travels. It’s no reason to stay at home, but it factors into the way we travel. I rarely leave my accommodation at night if unaccompanied, because I feel more comfortable. Also, around the world women don’t have the same freedoms to travel as men. In much of the world it’s still expected that women will get married and bear children at a relatively young age. There’s no time to travel, and even if there were the money they would spend traveling has to go to necessities like taking care of a family.

How do you plan your trips?

Currently I just wing it! When I first started traveling, I planned everything down to the hour. Now that I’m traveling long-term there’s really no need to do that. I usually get the desire to go to a certain place from reading a travel blog or seeing a photo on Instagram. Or I travel somewhere because I have friends who live there. From there, I try to travel overland as much as possible (I actually hate flying!) to any nearby destinations. For my current trip in Europe it was a combination of everything. Originally I wanted to explore Eastern Europe because of the beautiful photos I saw on travel blogs. Then I added Helsinki, Finland as a base because my best friend lives there. While in Helsinki I was browsing Instagram and saw a photo of a coffee shop in Prague and thought ‘I have to go there!’ I booked a flight to Prague and have been taking buses and trains north back to Helsinki.

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When is your next one?

I am currently in Poland, but in October I am going to Asia for the first time! I’ll be going to my first TBEX as well. From there, I have one or two planned countries to visit, but mostly I’ll be taking my time exploring the region slowly.

Any advice you would like to give to your fellow travelers?

Embrace the unknown! Anyone who travels for any amount of time will tell you that things pop up you never could have expected. If you’re rushing around from place to place just trying to check off the top sites, you miss so much. Try waking up in the morning with no idea of what your day will hold and then letting your intuition guide you!

Want to know more about Eva?

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Snapchat: @evaeec