“It’s hard to deny that the act of living in another country, in another language, fundamentally changes you. Different parts of your personality sort of float to the top, and you take on qualities, mannerisms, and opinions that define the new people around you. And there’s nothing wrong with that; it’s often part of the reason you left in the first place. You wanted to evolve, to change something, to put yourself in an uncomfortable new situation that would force you to into a new phase of your life.”
—Chelsea Fagan, “What Happens When You Live Abroad” (via livefortravel)
May 2012
27 posts
Oh if only I were living in London right now, I would love to experience the Olympics first hand.
“If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel - as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them - wherever you go”
—Anthony Bourdain (via wanderlusttour)
The more I write this blog, the more I find my voice and I guess my niche. I’ve realized that what drives me more than my fascination with places is my fascination with people. People make for far more inspiring subjects than mere scenery alone.
from Pablo Neruda, "One Hundred Love Sonnets: XVII"
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,
I love you directly without problems or pride:
I love you like this because I don’t know any other way to love,
except in this form in which I am not nor are you,
so close that your hand upon my chest is mine,
so close that your eyes close with my dreams.
I love Pablo Neruda
You can like the life you're living or you can live the life you like.
“I can’t wait for my life to start…” C’mon, we’ve all said it. I know I have. We think “If only I was out of school… If only I was married….If only I had a career….etc. etc., that’s when my life will begin.” Are you breathing? Is your heart beating? Well, then technically you’re living and your life has started. Life doesn’t wait for us to be ready, it keeps going whether we are or not. So why wait? Why put off all the things you could be doing now? While dreaming of the future is great, it’s important not to be so focused on what’s ahead that we forget to enjoy our lives right now. Life is an adventure and the adventure is going on all around you, just open your eyes to it. Start a daily bucket list of things that you can achieve in this moment- be daring, be courageous, step out! Find what makes you passionate and pursue it because I guarantee that if you follow your passions now, your life will come together in ways you never dreamed it was capable of.
Do you hear yourself always saying, “someday I’ll go there” or “someday I’ll do this.” Well, your dreams don’t have to be some far off fantasy. Make it happen! Every traveler started somewhere. Every traveler reached the point where they decided to finally make their dreams a reality. If they can do it, so can you. I’m at that point right now where I’m finished with just fantasizing, I’m ready to take action. So, take steps to turn all your “somedays” into today.
Amazing things to do in Seattle... and the things that are just 'eh'
The Awesome Things:
- Experience Music Project: The EMP is awesome. Its a huge music museum with amazing exhibits dedicated to some of the greatest rockers in the world. It’s a must see!
- 5th Avenue Theatre: Seattle is the second greatest Broadway scene in the US and the 5th Avenue theatre is amazing! I went there and watched a musical that was written and directed by Kathy Lee Gifford called Saving Aimee, and I felt super fancy just being in the auditorium.
- Pacific Science Center: it has great interactive exhibits and a state of the art Imax theatre. It’s pretty dang cool.
- Gasworks Park: offers an amazing view of the city, especially at night.
- Beth’s Cafe: 12 egg omelette… need I say more?
- Pikes Place Market: This is a great outdoor market that is always lively in the summer. Its full of vendors selling photography, street art, flowers, you name it. Plus there’s always street entertainment. Its a great way to spend a summer afternoon.
The things that are kind of overrated:
- The Gum wall: Seriously, I have no idea what the draw is with a wall full of everyone’s chewed up old gum. It’s kind of repulsive if you ask me.
- The Original Starbucks: Definitely not worth the huge line and the wait it takes to get inside and order the same thing you can order at any of the other twenty Starbucks down the the street.
- Dick’s Drive In: To me, its just a burger. I personally prefer In ‘n ‘Out and don’t really see what all the fuss is about.
As I go on and continue to explore the area, I will post about the different spots and things to do in Seattle and also the things you can probably skip. Stay tuned.
21 things to do before 21
I just realized, I’m almost halfway through my 20th year of being on this planet and I have to say, its been a great twenty years. But soon, I’m going to be 21… the last big milestone of my life. (well, until 30, but it all goes down from there.) There is so much I want to experience before the end of this year.
Travel overseas for the first time- spend a weekend in Canada
- go on my first backpacking trip
- see the Space Needle… I’ve been in Seattle for almost a year and still have yet to do that
start learning Frenchdo Bikram Yoga- start an actual travel blogging website (aside from this tumblr)
- apply to a transfer school
- start saving for my first solo trip in the summer of 2013
- actually commit to learning the piano
- cut back on my coffee addiction (though not entirely)
- see Wicked when it comes to Seattle (August) or Rent (also August)… cant decide which yet
- go to a Mariner’s game
- go to a Seahawks game
- sign up as a volunteer with the Seattle Children’s Hospital
- go to the Olympic National Forest
- pretty much enjoy and get as much out of Seattle as I can before I leave
- vote (i wasn’t old enough for the last election)
- actually go real rock climbing (no bouldering or indoor crap for me :])
get a real jobbe happy, I’m in the best years of my life!
@nintend-o & @levintagesweaters are my friends, we're going to the meetup and then we're going to get something to eat then go shopping. We're just going to be walking around in Seattle and just hang out. So, be prepared to walk a little. c:
awesome! i’m excited :)
Ever since my first year at university ended, I have been overcome with this sense of restlessness. I don’t know what it is or why its come over me, but I haven’t been able to shake it. Maybe its because after months of papers, assignments, exams, and classes I have nothing else to distract me and nothing to do to expend all this energy I have. I finally have time to reflect on my life and I’ve realized that over the past four months I’ve lost my passion and my drive. I realize that for too long I’ve been going through the motions of life, choosing what I’ll do, where I’ll go, how I’ll live. But you don’t choose a life; you live one and it takes a daily effort to live one that you can be proud of. I have been feeling like I need my life to count- I need to do more- I need to be more. This year has been a great experience, don’t get me wrong. And its been an essential part of my life that has taught me who I am and who I want to be. Its been one of growth and encouragement but now, I’m ready to move beyond that. I’m ready to take on the next adventure. I feel like I’ve outgrown my sheltered life and I’m ready to be daring and to take a risk. What better outlet for taking risks than travel? None.
Travel is where my heart has always been. I can’t exactly pinpoint where I picked up this love of travel (maybe it was the countless Mary Kate and Ashley movies I watched growing up.) But as the years went on it was a passion that grew from just wanting a laundry list of countries to brag about to a real desire to truly experience the world and the people in it. I’ve realized I have a fascination with people and I guess that is what has drawn me into Anthropology, but its not that I just want to get to know people. I want to reach out and make a difference in their lives. Its not the sights and the buildings that make an impression on you and change you; its the people you encounter.
My first mission trip to Mexico was the first eye opener that I had to the plight of the people around the world. I had never seen real poverty until I went to Mexico and it broke my heart. It also spurned within me a need to do what I could for those less fortunate. I realized that it wasn’t just travel and the world that I wanted to experience, but the people within it. I’ve decided to make it a goal for myself and for this blog that wherever my travels take me, I will make a point to reach out to a charity or volunteer organization wherever I’m at and give a bit of my time. Rather than it just being a travel blog, it will be a journey blog where I will document all that I have experienced. It will go beyond that of tourist destinations and sight seeing.
Top favorite Travel Bloggers:
I’ve been reading travel blogs for quite some time now and here I am going to give you a list of my top five favorite travel blogs:
T-minus 5 weeks til Ukraine!
So, in a little more than a month I will be on my way to Ukraine with four other lovely ladies from school. We get to go and volunteer with a missionary and help run an English camp for the youth in the Crimean Peninsula. I’m extremely excited for this opportunity as it will be my first real overseas experience. One of the girls in our group actually grew up in the area that we are going to and we get to go and visit the orphanage that she lived in. I was extremely fortunate that I was able to come up with the money so quickly. I actually was able to pay for the entire trip with my tax refund, so that was really amazing. I can’t wait for the time to come closer and to be able to share my experience with you guys!
“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.”
—Robert Louis Stevenson
“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.”
—Jack Keruoac
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page”
—St. Augestine
schools I'm applying to:
(in order of preference)
- Hunter College- Manhattan, New York
- University of Colorado- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Boise State University- Boise, Idaho
- University of Nevada- Las Vegas, Nevada
- University of Michigan- Flint, Michigan
It's actually happening!
I’m headed to Ukraine for two weeks in June! So beyond excited!
