the life of a solivagant: 2015

Monday, August 10, 2015

things to consider before traveling by plane

I have had a few trips by plane in my life so far, and though I do not claim to be an expert on flight travel, I have learned quite a few things over the years. There are things many people do not even think about before heading off to the airport, that sometimes you really need to think about. We all seem to be aware of, or at least I have heard many times, different plane etiquette while on the plane. For example, middle seat gets the arm rests; that kind of thing. And we are so busy making sure we have our passports, our luggage, our tickets, and so on, we often forget about the little things. After this last flight (including three layovers and 4 flights), I have made a list in my head of the things I wish people would think about before they travel. So of course, I thought I would share them…

Over top of California

1. Do not wear cologne/perfume when traveling by plane (or any confined form of travel with strangers).

This is something I feel strongly about. As someone who is allergic to something in perfumes/colognes, it makes it a very uncomfortable plane ride for me. My eyes sometimes burn or get itchy and red, if the person has just put it on or put a lot on that it is overwhelming. Mostly it bothers my nose, and I end up with a runny nose or get sinus headaches from the allergies. I know that so many people have so many allergies, and you can't please everyone, and so on. But there is no need for you to wear this on a plane ride. It's something so simple. No one wants to smell it, even if they aren't allergic. If you feel you need it, put it on once you have left the plane (not just before we are going to land, as I have had that happen as well, which is even worse because it is being sprayed in the air and is so overwhelming to my allergies).

2. Make sure your carry-on is the proper size.

As someone who prefers to travel with only carry-on bags when I can, this is difficult for me. And I may come across as being hypocritical to those I have traveled with. I always want to stuff as much as I can into my carry-on and get away with it. When I traveled South East Asia, we had a backpack full of clothes as my carry-on, Ryan had his backpack of camera gear, and then we had his tripod, ukulele, a bag of books, my purse full of things.. We got away with a lot. But we put whatever we could under the seat in front of us, to not take up too much room in the overhead compartment. The biggest problem is when people have suitcases that are too big, and they do not fit, and they have to struggle trying to get it to fit anywhere they can. Ultimately having to have the flight attendents check it. Wasting everyone's time. If you have to bring lots in your carry-on, I get it. Just make sure it's not going to be an issue. It's not worth the struggle.

3. Bring a pen for international flights.

I don't mind lending my pen to anyone who may need one to fill out the customs form, don't get me wrong. But if you are flying internationally, you always have to fill out a customs form. You need a pen to do this. Bring one to save the hassle of trying to locate one, or stealing it from the person next to you while they have fallen asleep. Just be prepared, you know you will need one. Bring one with you.

4. The plane will not leave without you.

Did you make it to the gate on time? Good. The plane most likely will not leave without you then. There is no need to line up before your seats are called. Everyone is getting on the same plane. Even better, you have a seat designated for you, therefore you do not need to be on first to get the best seat. I understand we all want to get on in order to make sure our carry-on bags are put in the compartments over our seats, but those will get on the plane somewhere. It's not the end of the world if they aren't right above you. Be patient, and we will all be on the plane and taking off together. With our luggage.

5. Bring proper clothing for plane ride.

You may be going somewhere hot or cold, so people tend to dress for the weather at their destination. And yeah that makes sense. But in the past, often times I have found I am cold on planes, and have dressed poorly for the AC to be cranked. And even if I turn my personal one off, with others around me having theirs on, I get cold. So remember to bring socks, pants, sweater, whatever you may need, in case it's cold on the plane. Airplane blankets are nice and all, but they don't always cover both your chilly toes and your arms. It can get cold and annoying trying to fit all your extremities under that blanket.

Love being amongst the clouds during sunset

I know some people may read this thinking, well of course you should think of these things. Or you may have read similar things before. But I feel as though every time I get on a plane, I have to deal with at least one, if not all, of these things. And being someone who is allergic to the perfumes, I feel most strongly about spreading awareness that you just don't need to be putting on perfume for a flight. It's unnecessary and causes others discomfort. So that's my two cents anyways. Take from it what you will. Just plan for a safe and comfortable flight for you and the other passengers around you.

Friday, July 31, 2015

so I moved to an island no one's ever heard of...

So I moved again. Nothing surprising here, no one thought I would last in the Yukon anyways right? Though I definitely could have lasted a lot longer there. I loved it. I miss the mountains. And my friends. I didn't need to leave there specifically, I just needed something new again. I am constantly searching for the next adventure. It's not about hating the place I am living and needing to get out of there. It's this feeling I get inside that makes me want to just flip my life on it's head and change things up. It is not easy, this constant need for change. I spent the week before I left to come here crying. Not the whole week, obviously, but I was an emotional basket case. It was hard. Saying goodbye to my family was difficult. My nieces already have grown so much while I was gone last time. I can't even imagine how big they will be the next time I see them. Saying goodbye to my friends, was easy and hard. For some people it was hard because we don't keep in touch as much while I am gone. Not for lack of wanting to, but because life happens, people are busy. And I wish we could talk more but we don't. Then there are those people. The ones who make you want to cling to something at home. They make it the hardest. I wish I could sit here and tell you that my best friend in the whole world made it so hard to leave, or that it was someone in my family that made it an emotional roller coaster when I left. But it's always the people you don't really prepare for. Or the people you don't want to admit you will miss. But you miss them as soon as you leave.

Anyways, enough about that. I live in Majuro, Marshall Islands. I am sure some of you are still asking where? It's funny when you decide to move somewhere and no one has any idea where it is. And I have some pretty well travelled and geographically inclined friends, so you'd think a few of them would know. But alas, as I told people where I was going, I got many reactions. I would say 95% of the people I told I was moving to the Marshall Islands had no idea where it was. I always liked hearing people's guesses though. "Oh isn't that near Florida?" For some reason, a few people had thought that. I do enjoy the fact that many people googled it once they found out. That makes me happy. The curiosity of where I was going and what it was like. Though some found out a lot more information than others, it was interesting to talk to those people who were telling me all kinds of things they now know of the Marshall Islands. That made me smile.

But what I did find the most interesting were the people who did know of the Marshall Islands when I told them. I was getting a stone chip fixed on my windshield in the Yukon a couple months before I left, and the man at the counter asked me if I wanted a frequent customer card, and I said that I was moving and wouldn't be needing one. He asked where I was headed. When I told him the Marshall Islands, he got really excited and proceeded to tell me all about the World War 2 history and the ability to see that stuff under the water here. He was super excited for me. And that is basically the kinds of people who were aware of the Marshall Islands, the World War 2 buffs. The history lovers. Not the geography lovers. It blew my mind.

Even after I told people where the islands were, and people were googling and figuring out stuff on their own, there were many miscommunicated moments. Like when I went to visit my friend on the East Coast (of Canada) and she said that she had been telling all her friends that I was moving to the Magadallen Islands (I think that's what she said) and that she thinks it's near South Africa. Those don't exist, and I am no where near South Africa. Or I told people, I wrote it on social media, it's in my blog, but when I spoke to them I had to remind them where I was moving to. All the time. No one could remember. I found that amusing. It's not spelt weird. It's not tricky to say. It's not a long name. It's pretty straightforward, but so many people forgot what they were called, because they had never heard of them.

So here is a brief geography/history lesson for you all. First go to a map or a globe, find the equator. Got it? Now find the International Date Line. Found it? Look at the North West corner of where they intersect. See the Marshall Islands right there? That's where the Marshall Islands are located. They are a group of reefs/atolls located in the Pacific Ocean.

Now as for the history, they gained independence in 1986 after being under US administration for four decades. We use US dollars here. US Postal Service. Some atolls are off limits to tourists, as there is still a strong military presence here. Nuclear testing was done on some of the atolls over 50 years ago, which has led to many issues ever since, that I don't care to get into at this time. But google it, there is a lot of interesting information about these islands.

So now I live on an island that most people I know had never heard of, and it's pretty amazing. But I'll get into more of that over the next two years of living here.

Friday, July 3, 2015

lyrics that sing to your traveling soul

I have always been a huge music buff. I may not be musically inclined, but in high school I was very often referred to as 'the girl with the headphones on'. I've been to over 100 concerts in my life. Music festivals are one of my favourite places to be. I just feel as though music really has this way of speaking to me. It comforts me when I am sad. Pumps me up for a night out. And I noticed this more than ever on my drive across Canada a few weeks ago. When you are driving alone, your music choice is especially important, as these musicians become your company. They sing to you and only you. And I noticed that I played a few songs numerous times throughout my drive, because their lyrics spoke to my traveling soul in a way that seemed so much more apparent as I was in the midst of my solo travels.

The first is the most important lyric to my life and the way I choose to live.

You are a Tourist by Death Cab for Cutie

And if you feel just like a tourist

In the city you were born

Then it's time to go

And define your destination,

There's so many different places to call home.

On my drive to Whitehorse, I listened to this song first thing every morning when I got into my car. These lyrics are exactly how I feel. There are so many places to call home. I have already made 'homes' in two other countries (Australia and Thailand), another part of my own country (Yukon), and soon to be another country again (Marshall Islands). Sometimes you just need to go and live somewhere else for awhile, and that's okay. It isn't written anywhere that you can't have more than one home. Home isn't where you were born. It isn't where you grew up. Home is where you choose to make your life. And it never has to be permanent. You can constantly define a new destination, so long as you are willing.

The second one is super cheese, but I can't help loving these lyrics.

Cups by Anna Kendrick

I've got my ticket for the long way 'round.

The one with the prettiest of views.

It's got mountains, it's got rivers.

It's got sights to give you shivers.

But it sure would be prettier with you.

On my drive down the Sea to Sky Highway in British Columbia, Canada, I couldn't help listening to this song over and over. Even someone who thrives on solo travel, I can't help but relate. There are moments in my travels, where no matter how okay I am with being in these beautiful places by myself, I find myself thinking of certain others who would enjoy this mountain/river/beautiful scenery and how the trip could be slightly improved with their presence. That's life. Doesn't make the views less enjoyable, just flickering, passing moments of thoughts of another being that would make it even slightly more enjoyable.

This one is little more depressing, but still speaks to my wandering soul.

The Passenger by Stars

Here comes another strange town.

Here comes another breakdown.

And you can run forever.

They'll catch you now or never.

Not all my solo travels have been out of completely positive motivations. When I moved to the Yukon, I felt I was running away. And sometimes, you can be running away from something bad and it ends up taking you towards something better than you ever imagined. But the journey to get there isn't always sunshine and rainbows. I remember waking up in Dryden, Ontario, on my third day of my drive from Toronto to Whitehorse, thinking to myself, how long can I run away? Will everything catch up to me? How many towns will I make it to before my car breaks down? Before I break down? My drive back from Whitehorse to Toronto was much less dramatic and depressing, by the way.

The lyrics to the bars of music I have tattooed on my side.

All at Once by Jack Johnson

There's a world we've never seen.

There's still hope between the dreams.

I remember the first time I heard these lyrics, I knew it wasn't meant to really be about travel per se, but to me the lyrics spoke of traveling. There is always more places to explore out there in the world. Adventures are limitless if you have the audacity to just go find them. It's nice to dream, but what good is dreaming without the willingness to make those dreams a reality? Jack says he wants to take the 'preconceived out from underneath your feet', and that's kind of how I feel about moving to new places. It makes you take every thing you thought you knew about what's 'normal' and flips it on its head. I love that no matter how much you read, research, and look at pictures, about the place you are going, when you get somewhere, it's a whole other story. You can never fully prepare yourself for 'culture shock' and I thrive on that. I love learning to adapt to a new place. Figuring out how things are done in my new home and live life accordingly. Jack is a wise man.

I had never heard this song before, but my roommate put it on a USB for my road trip and I am sure glad she did.

Back Home by Andy Grammer

And no matter where we go
We always find our way back home.

Nothing could be more true. I have moved across oceans, across the country, but I always find my way back home. Because home is truly where your family and friends are. And though I love moving, I love travel, I don't know if I could ever truly leave for good. I will always find my way back home. Even if it's for a short time, like right now I am back home for a month before I take off again. Or if it's a couple years, like it was between Australia and Thailand, or Thailand and Yukon. I always find my way back to Toronto.

Last but not least, a new favourite of mine, recently sent to me by my best friend.

Little Wanderer by Death Cab for Cutie

Always fall asleep when you’re waking
I count the hours on my hands
Doing the math to the time zone you’re at
Is an unseen part of the plan.

So even though my best friend sent me this song, one of my first thoughts while hearing this song is this was how I felt about my ex-boyfriend, before we broke up. He never got time zones right. When I lived in Thailand for four months of our relationship, he could never remember what time it was for me (even though for most of that time it was fairly simple, 12 hours, just change am to pm). A lot of the song still reminds me of our relationship, as I had always had plans to move around the world with or without him.

But someone’s gotta be the lighthouse

And that someone’s gotta be me.

Like I said, my best friend sent this to me. And she said she will always be my lighthouse. This made me tear up like a baby. As I prepare to take off for my fourth time leaving home for far off destinations, I feel lucky to have friends like her. Friends who you know will always be there for you no matter how far you go. Every time you come back, whether gone for 6 months, a year or two years. They are still your best friends, and she guides me back and reminds me that no matter how many 'homes' I have, my home is really where my family and friends are.

I am sure there are many more to add to the list. But right now, and during my solo road trip, these are the ones that spoke to me and I chose to listen to over and over again during my 25 days of driving across Canada.

Sunday, June 14, 2015

jealousy, let it go

How do you define success? Is it money? Status? Is it dependent on comparing yourself to what others around you have achieved? I have noticed a lot lately that many people compare their lives to others, in order to gauge whether or not their lives are successful.Why must we always compare ourselves to others? Our success is always looked at in comparison to the success of our peers. What we should really be doing is looking at our own lives, our own goals and figuring out what we want to accomplish and get it done. Even if we have similar goals to others, it doesn't mean we aren't successful because we don't accomplish them as fast or whatever else. We as a society are so caught up in comparing ourselves to everyone else, with social media being the highlight reel of the best parts of everyone's lives. We are no longer happy for our friend's successes, we are jealous and let their successes be a factor in our own insecurities. There is nothing wrong with jealousy. It's natural. But when we start resenting others and not just being happy for them, that's when it becomes an issue.

I feel as though I genuinely have different goals for my life than everyone I am friends with, or close to. Which I suppose makes it easier for me not to compare my life as much to theirs. But in the past year, more than ever, I realized how important it is to just focus on your own life. Not worry so much about what everyone else is doing. Everyone does things at their own pace. Everyone's lives are different. Different choices lead you down different paths. That doesn't make your path any less successful or meaningful. That's just life. Embrace it.

It's funny because during my solo driving the past couple weeks, I thought a lot about this. I thought of how some people would probably be jealous of the fact that I am driving across the country and wishing they could do the same. I thought about how some might think what I am doing is stupid and how I choose to document it all on instagram and Facebook is annoying, and they are not envious at all, mostly just annoyed. I thought of those friends of mine who may have a bit of jealousy, but are just genuinely happy for me, as they know this road trip is making me even happier than I had already become. No matter what you do in life, you won't please every one. So you might as well just focus on pleasing yourself and being the best version of yourself you can be. There will always be the naysayers, the haters and the jealous ones. They aren't worth more than a footnote in the story of your life.

Saturday, May 2, 2015

so here's the thing about friends...

I have been fortunate enough in my life to meet some pretty rad people. And I am not just talking about during my travels, though you people are super rad too. I mean in my every day life, the ones back home who despite my life of wandering, continue to be my friends. They continue to keep in touch, one way or another. Those people who despite not talking every day, or seeing each other all the time, are still close friends who I can always count on.

One of the hardest things about the life I choose to lead is being away from my friends. I have so many wonderful friends, that it can be difficult to be so far away from them. Sometimes I am doing something awesome, whether it be an adventure to the mountains or swimming in an infinity pool, and think of certain people who I would love to be doing this with. Let's be honest, it's usually the foods I am eating where I think of certain friends, you know who you are, who would love to be eating these delicious foods with me. It's also hard when, despite doing all kinds of awesome things, you logon to social media and see your friends all hanging out together, at a wedding or just out for a drink. You see them doing every day things, and you wish you were there.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not one of those people who have a 'fear of missing out' constantly. I like doing my own thing, and I am happy with my choices in life. As much as I wish I could be doing all of those things with my friends, I know that whenever I go home, I can be. Because I have the kinds of friends who understand that I may only be around for a month, for a week, sometimes longer, but that doesn't mean I am any less of a friend.

Now I have two best friends whom I do not talk to every day, or even every week, but when we do talk, it's as if no time has gone by at all. I can tell them anything. I can count on them for anything. But friendships aren't about being dependent on another person for every single thing. I do not have that one friend who I share every detail of my life to anymore. And that is okay. I have friends who I talk to every day, or almost every day, about all the little mundane things. I have my friends who I tell all the important things to, but don't necessarily tell them about every day conversations I have with the cute boy I met, or the unnecessary drama I have in my life. Or I have one or two friends that I more or less tell most things to. I have realized that doesn't make any one friend more or less important than the other. There are just different kinds of friends, and some are good when you want advice, some are good for just listening and some are good to tell you to shut the hell up already. That's just the way life goes.

Longest and dearest friendship with Chelsea

These girls, Carly and Meghan

One of my bests, Karina

Throughout my life I have made friends and I have lost friends, but not every one you meet along your journey is worth keeping around. I even said to my aunt today on the phone that I have kept in touch with some people whom I never thought I would, and lost touch with others who I assumed would be in my life for a long time. That's just the way life goes. I think as I get older, and continue to wander away from home, I really and truly realize what makes a good friend and what kind of friend is worth keeping in touch with. Sure we keep in touch with everyone we've ever met through social media, the rad thing about Facebook and Instagram is that we can do that. But I am talking about the friends we text or call, make plans to FaceTime with. The ones we truly want to contact and hear about their lives; the parts of their lives they don't put on display for the world to see online. When you have long distance friendships, it really puts that into perspective. You find out who puts an effort into keeping in touch, and not relying on reading your blog or skimming through your social media for updates. But it's not always about the effort others put in, but the effort you put in as well. I have found myself re-evaluating friendships a lot while living away from home. Am I really that invested in a friendship with someone I never really am bothered with reaching out to and making an effort to chat with while away? Probably not.

My beautiful blondes Vanessa and Heather

Long time friends, Lisa and Kait

So here I am, sitting at home, on my couch, on the other side of the country from my friends, and although I miss them, I am just truly grateful to have the kinds of friends worth missing. I look forward to the month I have at home where I can join in on their fun nights, and catch up with them in person. And hug them. I just really want to hug all my friends right now. I am so utterly happy right now to think of all my wonderful friends back home, and how truly lucky I am to be a part of their lives, even from afar.

Saturday, April 25, 2015

passport rant

So here I am, about to move to another country, again, and as I am preparing all the paperwork and getting all the documents, I realize something. I realize that my passport is set to expire next November… Now obviously this wouldn't be a problem at the moment for most, but when you are moving overseas for 2 years and have your passport set to expire in the middle of it all, it is cause for concern. So after discussing with the principal of the school I will be working for in Majuro, I set out to get my passport renewed early, so I will not have to worry about finding a way to do it while living there, and having to deal with visa issues all over again too.

I set out for Service Canada in Whitehorse, mid March, not sure the exact day, as there is no passport office up here unfortunately. I went in to ask a few questions, and right off the bat the lady there was so unhelpful and just kept referring me to the table of passport applications and passport renewal applications. I tried to explain to her my situation but it was pointless. So there I was, looking at a bunch of applications to be sent in. I grabbed one of each, and decided I needed to go home and call Passport Canada. Stopping on the way to get my passport pictures taken, which cost me $20, my first purchase related to my passport. I go home, thinking this shouldn't be a difficult task. I mean it's just a simple renewal. I have a valid passport. I have never had any trouble traveling. My passport is full of stamps. I am renewing it early; they are making more money off of me because of it. This should be simple…

So I call, and I spoke to a lady, though full of knowledge of their procedures and how things work, still a fairly frustrating conversation. I was told to go to a Passport Office. She looked up the closest one to me; Vancouver. Asked if I could drive there. I told her it would take me 24 hours. She agreed that wasn't a great plan. She then told me my next option would be to fill out the renewal application form, and write a letter with it explaining to them why I needed to renew early and send in proof of my employment overseas. It was a long conversation but I had it all figured out. I didn't like the idea of sending my passport somewhere in the mail, but alas I filled out the renewal, wrote a letter, printed out a copy of my teaching contract and got my passport pictures, and sent it express to Ottawa, ($16 for express mail with tracking).

Once it was received in Ottawa, according to Canada Post tracking, I waited about a week, and then called to check the status (the lady on the phone had told me to call back weekly to make sure it was being processed). There was no status on the first call, but a few days later when I called again the lady says to me, "Oh no one has called you about this?". She then went on to tell me that when they received my application, my current passport was damaged and therefore not only do I have to redo my entire application as a new applicant, and send it all in again, I also will not get my old passport back. This baffled me. My passport wasn't damaged. I had no idea what she was talking about. I pleaded with her, and she said that it would not have been damaged there, and she cannot tell if it was before it was sent or not. But they had strict rules and it could be as simple as a drop of water on one of the pages. This was now just too much for me. I am trying to get this all done, so I can apply for my visa and get my flight booked and she is telling me I have to redo my application, and can't have my old passport full of stamps and memories back. I also had to fill out another form about damaged passports, and write another letter explaining my situation and why I want my passport back… It's mine just give it back. Why else would I want it back other than sentimental reasons? Worst. I had a minor breakdown on my kitchen floor, because I am an emotional human and started to stress out.

So I went at it again. Thankfully I have one friend here I have known longer than 2 years to be my guarantor to sign all my stuff for the application. So I filled it out, got my passport pictures reprinted ($5, thankfully still on file) and this time had to enclose my birth certificate. My passport gets damaged on the way, and now they want my original birth certificate. Fantastic. Anyways, passport application done, letter written, all documents enclosed. I sent it off (another $16 for express and tracking). This was April 9, 2015. Also the next day I notice I was charged for my passport on my credit card, even though they weren't processing that application ($160 for the 10 year passport). Make sense to anyone?

On April 16, I check the tracking and it says it was delivered. I call on the Friday the 17th and there is no update, the lady on the phone tells me that it takes 5 days from when it says delivered to when it's actually opened and being processed. I call back on the Monday the 20th, same story. Not in the system, but they ask my tracking number. I told the lady the number the last time, and I had misplaced the receipt at that moment so she couldn't help me. I call back Thursday the 23rd, and the guy tells me there is no update and needs the tracking number. Once again I still couldn't find it but I knew it had been delivered the week prior. He was much nicer than the rest of people I talked to, but still was unable to be much of help.

So here is Friday the 24th, and I have a voicemail from Passport Canada asking me to call them back, as the last guy I talked to realized I was pretty stressed and emailed his supervisor to tell him the situation. The supervisor called me and said to find my tracking number so that they could get this passport process done for me. I got home, searched my room and found the receipt (my bad, I threw it in the garbage). I called Passport Canada and told her I had received a call, gave her my file number for my application and told her they needed my tracking number. I gave it to her, she inputted it into the system, after checking the tracking and realizing it had been with them for 10 days now. In so many words, she basically told me that no one has opened it or begun to process it, aka it very well could be lost. With my birth certificate in it. Thanks guys. So she was also extremely unhelpful, as all she did was put the tracking number in and say 'have a nice day'.

So here I am, wondering if I will ever get this application process finished, as the principal at the school in Marshall Islands patiently awaits my passport information to process my visa application and book my flight for me. I feel awful and that they probably think I am unorganized or slacking on it, but it is something so far out of my control at the moment. And I hate that.

And all the while I wonder, will I get my original passport with all my stamps back? Is it really necessary to withhold it from me because of a little damage? Or will I have to deal with the fact that I do not get to keep it?

Patience. I am needing some right now.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

#hashtag

Those who know me well, know I hated hashtags not too long ago. Something about the way people used them just rubbed me the wrong way. I guess I never really understood the use of them because truthfully, the people I saw using them on Instagram (I don't have Twitter) were using them to try to be funny, but usually just ended up being mean. And I wasn't cool with that. It made me uncomfortable, and a little sad. Without getting deep into the issues I dealt with, with former friends and their affinity for mean hashtags, I will say that I judged the use of the hashtag prematurely. My former use of hashtags was to write the word 'hashtag' before things instead of the ever popular '#'. Oh how funny I thought I was being. Can't just be like everyone else, can you Sara? Of course not.

But alas, fast forward to this day, and many will probably say I hashtag too much. There is no happy mediums in life, don't you know? But alas, I have given up caring what others may deem acceptable for the things I choose to do in my life. So I hashtag. Now also, I have come to the conclusion that I am not that funny. I have my father and sister's sense of humour and wit, but to be honest, they have both always been much funnier than I. So I do not hashtag to make jokes often, and I certainly do not hashtag to make fun of others. I hashtag to share my pictures with the world.

Now before you go thinking that I am dying for 'likes' and basing my self worth on how many people like my pictures or follow me, I want to explain. I am not going to lie and say that I do not enjoy that people are liking my photos. I wouldn't be hashtagging if I didn't enjoy it at all. But it is more than just the satisfaction of having a certain amount of likes, as I have been enjoying the ability to share my pictures with other people here in the Yukon, and almost feel like a part of a community of others who enjoy the same thing. I have been lucky enough to have picked up a few photography skills from dating a talented photographer for awhile, as well as being someone who is able to pick up things quite easily in general. So I feel proud when I am able to capture the views and the moments of my life so perfectly, so accurately, that I can't help but want to share them with my friends, fellow travellers, and adventurers.

I started hashtagging with a purpose on my drive through Canada, using the #explore_____, filling in the blank with whatever province the picture was taken in. I found it fascinating to look through the hashtag and see others doing similar trips, and taking photos from similar vantage points as I, but coming up with different ways of presenting it. I have always enjoyed travel photography, being a traveler myself, and I started following all kinds of Canadian Instagram feeds who feature other people's photos taken in Canada, as well as travel photography feeds. The world is such a beautiful place, it's amazing the pictures that you see on these feeds. So that's when I started hashtagging even more…

Since I got here, I have had a silly goal with my Instagram and hashtags. I really wanted one of my pictures to be featured on the Travel Yukon Instagram feed. For no other reason than the satisfaction of my pictures being worthy. It's silly I know, but being confident in my amateur photography skills, and seeing the pictures posted daily, I figured it wouldn't be a hard thing to do. But alas, it has yet to happen. My theory was that they didn't post them because I refuse to make my travel photos square, always making the whole picture visible through the pic frame app. But that theory was debunked recently. Perhaps they just don't like my photos? Meanwhile, I have had my northern lights photos reposted by Moose Knuckles (because I was wearing a Moose Knuckle jacket in the picture and tagged it), as well as Air North. I have had a few of my random Yukon photos reposted by Canadian Instagram accounts, and even won a photo challenge the other day with Flight Hub; though I was never told which photo actually won me the contest, they said they really enjoyed all the ones I tagged for it. So hashtagging won me $100 credit for flights, can I really complain about it now?

Some of my photos featured on other Instagram accounts

Oh and side note, last year I went to Costa Rica with Student Trip, because I won their 'Social Media Guy' contest, where I hashtagged pictures with #socialmediaguy and my picture of me holding a crocodile by the tail in Thailand was chosen as a semi-finalist and through social media, my lovely friends friends helped me by voting and got me into the finals. My awesome interviewing skills got me the grand prize though. I was lucky enough to experience a trip as a Team Leader with Student Trip, and meet some amazing 17-18 year old students who were on their March Break Grad trip. It may not have been how I pictured going to Costa Rica, but it was an experience I will never forget. And all because I hashtagged my pictures.

I don't claim to be a photographer. I honestly don't think my photos are near the skills of the real photographers I see on Instagram every day. And I am not trying to be one. I don't plan to sell my images, or try to make a living by doing it at all. I just enjoy taking photos of the places I go, or people I am with. And then I enjoy sharing them, for others to get a glimpse of the amazing things I am lucky enough to see in my life.

So you can see now why I am enjoying the use of hashtags. Being a part of a community of travellers, adventurers, and fellow photo sharing people, is kind of a wonderful thing. Through the use of hashtags in recent months, I have learned the ways in which to use social media in more positive ways. In the past, I had a few struggles with the negativity surrounding the use of social media, whether it be in friendships or relationships, and I wanted to distance myself from any unnecessary negativity in my life. Hashtagging and sharing my photos is just one of the ways I have reclaimed my social media for a better purpose, and so long as I am always aware that the number of 'likes' and 'followers' isn't a reflection of who I am or how awesome of a person I am (let's be honest, those who know me should know by now that I do not need 'likes' to know how awesome I am, my confidence, bordering on cockiness, has never been much of a problem) then I can't see it ever being a problem to want to share my photos, and have my photos featured, and continue capturing my life on film (or on SD cards as it may be).

So my friends, I say hashtag away, so long as you aren't using it as a means to bring others down. There's nothing wrong with wanting to share your life, or your photos of your life as it may be, with other people. Social media has a way of connecting you with other like minded people, there's no reason why you can't have some fun with it and enjoy that connection.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

a change will do you good

My life is about to dramatically change in a matter of months and though I am fairly nervous, the excitement and happiness has definitely overridden my nerves. Soon I will be trading mountains for ocean, cold weather for hot. Some people probably think I am crazy. They thought I was crazy for moving up here to Northern Canada where it was supposed to be colder than home… jokes on them, most days of winter it was colder in Toronto than it was here. At least it seemed that way anyways. I may not have taken advantage of all the opportunities I could have while being here. I spent a few months a bit isolated and trying to be happy alone again, and that is fine. I am glad I did. Because right now I am feeling on top of the world and like nothing can bring me back down again.

Let's get back to the part where people think I am crazy. I often get people asking when I am going to 'settle down', as if I am at an age where it is becoming less appropriate for me to want to wander around the world and do the things I want to do, instead of staying home and working a stable job and of course getting married and having 2.5 kids. The reality is, because of the fact that I do not want marriage and kids, my life is without timelines and deadlines. I do not need to find my forever partner, since I do not believe in forever anyways. I do not need to find a job to make sure I get maternity leave, because I will never need maternity leave. I do not have to find someone to be with by a certain age to make sure I have kids before my 'eggs dry up', because I do not want any of it. With that freedom, comes power. The power to live my life according to my own desires. And there is nothing more freeing than that.

So I choose to go where the wind takes me. I chose to come up here to the Yukon after visiting my friend Bryn, because I just wanted to get away from home and experience new things, while doing the one thing I love most, teaching. And it has worked out so well for me. I have been substitute teaching here since October and that alone has made my happier than I could even imagine. I may not have my own classroom, but working in the same two schools most of the time, I have created relationships with the students and fellow teachers, and I get to have students excited to see that I am teaching them for the day when they walk into the class in the morning. It's the little things like that, that you just can't ever really put into words how it makes you feel.

After being up here, surviving the winter, I am now ready to move on to something more my speed. I have missed the warmth and as much as I love mountains, I adore the ocean. I thrive in hot climates. I make the most of my time doing things I enjoy doing. I plan to buy a stand up paddle board before I leave and bring it with me. I can do that every day of my life, living right on the ocean side. I will buy a bike once I get there to ride around the island, who needs motorized vehicles anyways. These are the things I enjoy doing. I have a lazy side to me, which I think my last relationship brought out a little too much of in me. And now I am ready to get back to the active part of me that I know exists, when the activities are things I enjoy doing.

You know what is amazing about moving from place to place? I have lived in four vastly different places in my life, aside from my hometown, the other three were not exactly long periods of time. And because of that I get to experience new things whenever I want. Different events that happen in the areas I live, I have never experienced before, and get to experience for the first time. For example, last week I went to the Burning Away the Winter Blues event here in Whitehorse, where everyone gathered at the SS Klondike and walked in procession to the Robert Service Campground where there was a massive bonfire. They threw in a yeti effigy and people wrote down their winter blues to burn away in the fire. I had never experienced anything like it. And for many people there it was something they did every year, they probably weren't as excited or intrigued as I was. But I was fascinated with such a cool concept, especially for someone in need of burning away some last bits of negativity holding on.

How lucky am I, that I get to continually experience new things in different cultures throughout my life. I get to feel the excitement of the new and unknown constantly. For some, the new and unknown is frightening, but I am starting to realize I thrive on change. Being stagnant makes me miserable. I love my family. I love my friends. But I love making new friends around the world. I love having relationships with people who have experienced life different than me, and that can show me life as they live in, where they are. I am lucky enough to have made some pretty great friends in all of the places I have lived. Many of whom I still keep in touch with; some more than others. And this doesn't mean I don't enjoy my old friends any less, but I just enjoy having a varied community of people whom I love and enjoy spending my life with.

It's an incredible thing, being able to just go where you want to go. Do the things you want to do. No one stopping you from living your life exactly as you see fit. I think people nowadays get so caught up in comparing their lives to everyone else. "So and so got married, they've only been together a year, me and _____ have been together 5". Not everyone has the same life path. Not everyone wants the same things. No one can tell you how to live your life. It's up to you to decide what you want, and how you will get it. A good life doesn't just happen, you make it happen. You cannot expect to just wake up and be happy. You have to find the things that make you happy.

I made a joke the other day on Facebook about how I look on my social media and everyone is getting married, having babies, really starting their careers, and meanwhile I am excited to once again be moving away to some other part of the planet. And I meant it in the way that it is fascinating that so many of my peers, as well as I, have different priorities in life. We thrive on different things. We have different goals. Different things that make us happy. And that is okay. If everyone wanted the same thing, life would be pretty mundane. That's what make life so interesting. The different people you meet with the different ideas of what life is supposed to look like for them. I do not look down upon anyone who wants to get married and have kids, just because I do not. I may not understand the antiquated tradition of marriage, but if that is what makes my friends happy, I am happy for them. All I want for the people in my life is for them to be living the lives they choose, and that they are happy in their choices. They can get married, or travel the world, or have babies, or do all of it. There is no limit what you can do, as long as you are prepared to do what you can to make it happen.

Lucky for me, I have surrounded myself with the most supportive friends and family a girl can ask for. They are there for me in times of sorrow and happiness. And they support my crazy decisions to move to the North, or the ocean. I just wish I could bring them all with me sometimes, because even with technology the way it is these days, there's nothing like face to face interactions with the people you love.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

aurora borealis ; is this really my life...

And what really matter is that she found herself again, among the lights in the sky and the ground underneath her. She had been waiting for a sign, and this was it. Life is what you make of it and she realized just what a great life she has been making. She would call herself a lucky girl, but it was more than luck and she knew it. She made these things happen. She worked for it. She put herself out there. And she learned that she can do anything and go anywhere. Nothing was stopping her. Nothing to hold her back except herself.

Sometimes I write in the third person when I am writing little things that come to my head. Even when they are about myself. I am not sure why I do it, but I do.

Lately I have been realizing just how 'lucky' I am, only I am also realizing it is not luck. The reason I have had such a great life has been the work I have put into making my life great. I decided to go to teacher's college in Australia, so I applied and worked for it. I became a teacher which may not give me many opportunities at home, but it has given me opportunities to travel and see the world. I am not even sure I really believe in luck. I believe in working towards what you want to achieve and making it happen, not just sitting back and expecting some sort of luck to make it so.

Though perhaps I have been 'lucky' while living in this beautiful territory of Canada, I have experienced what we call the 'aurora borealis', aka the northern lights. I had never seen them before, as they are not usually visible in the places I have lived previously. And I knew that living here I would likely finally get to experience them for myself, it was one of the reasons I chose to move up here.

Ever since I was younger, I have been fascinated with the sky. While I was growing up, I used to sneak outside into my backyard and lie on my deck and stare up at the stars on clear nights. Whenever at cottages, or places outside the city limits, where the stars were more visible, I would spend time just star gazing alone. These days, any time I read about possible planet sightings, meteor showers, and other such sky related phenomenon, I do my best to go outside and attempt to see these incredible spectacles. Sometimes missing out due to my location not being suitable for such a viewing. But nonetheless, I try. And this was a big motivator for me to move up to the Yukon for the school year, the possibility of seeing the northern lights. And boy has it paid off.

My first attempt at seeing the lights was weak at best. I went with a person I had just met up here and to be honest, I could only see a faint glow, barely visible to the eye. But of course more visible to the camera. I was underwhelmed. After that attempt, I decided I would try going out myself whenever the forecast for the lights looked promising. The next time I went out, I drove out to a lake and saw nothing, so I drove half way up Grey Mountain in an attempt to get above the fog and see them. This is what I would describe as my first real viewing of the Northern Lights. Although faint, I saw green bands across the sky and was able to capture pictures, which were not the greatest, as I was still learning to set my camera up for night photography.

First Attempt at Northern Lights Photography

So as you can see from the pictures, my first attempt at taking pictures of the lights was amateur at best. I had figured out the shutter speeds, and had them set to 15 and 20 seconds, but the focus on my camera was not right and the trees just look like silhouettes, which is fine, but nothing special. It was good practice, and at least I have decent pictures from my first real northern lights experience.

Fast forward to a night out with my roommate Holly, and her friend, who took me with them to try and see the lights. We were excited because there was also talk of a meteor shower happening simultaneously. We drove out to a place, parked the car and walked quite a ways, only to not really have a good line of sight for them. So we packed up and went to her a property her friends owns outside of town and we were able to see a decent view of a green band of light across the sky. I snapped a few good pictures and was pretty happy, although to be honest, the camera was able to capture the lights better than the eye can see. And as great as that is for my northern lights photography practice, it was once again a little underwhelming. I love the pictures I got, but was really hoping for more of a show. I even was able to snap a few pictures of the red lights that night, even though the red northern lights were barely visible to the eye. I could see them faintly, but my companions less so.

Second attempt at Northern Lights Photos

The red lights barely visible to the eye

My favourite picture taken on my second attempt at northern lights photography

Moving on to this weekend… Holly and I decided to attempt to see and capture the Northern Lights as they were forecasted to be 'extreme' all weekend. We set out for Fish Lake on Friday night, but gave up fairly quickly due to the overcast skies. Saturday night, while out at a comedy show, I was able to see the lights from outside the venue during intermission. I was beyond excited and couldn't wait until I was home to set out in chase of the lights again. But by the time we arrived at Fish Lake, the sky turned overcast and though my camera was able to pick up a green haze in the clouds, it was not worth spending hours waiting for the fog to clear. We gave up for the night. Sunday night came upon us, and we were no longer willing to go to Fish Lake, we set our sights higher and earlier. We drove out to Carcross (45-60 minute drive from downtown Whitehorse) in order to attempt viewing from the Carcross Desert.

The Carcross Desert is my favourite place here. I have spent a few days alone in the desert since I got here, just wandering around. It is referred to as the 'world's smallest desert' but in actual fact it is a series of northern sand dunes. Nonetheless it is beautiful, whether winter or summer. Surrounded by mountains, you can't help but feel happy and at peace. So we drive there for just after 9pm and we were right on time for the most amazing show in the sky I have ever encountered. We watched as mountains looked as though they were volcanoes, erupting with green lava. We witnessed green lights dance across the sky. We saw green bands of light make their way from behind one mountain, over another and into yet another. It was breathtaking. It was surreal. It almost brought me to tears. The thing that really got me, was that I was experiencing this. It was my choice to come here, to be there in that moment. It made me truly appreciate what a wonderful life I lead. Here I am, 28 years old, and I have ticked off so many things on people's bucket lists. I have lived in 3 different countries, and different parts of my own country. I have played with tigers, stood on crocodiles, snorkelled in oceans, witnessed the aurora borealis, and so many more amazing experiences. And still more to come. In those moments, as I watched the green lights move through the sky, I could've cried. It was emotional. It was phenomenal. It was surreal. I don't have a bucket list per se, but I do have places I wish to go and things I wish to see in my life time. And I am living my life in a way that I am able to experience the things I wish to.

Just a quick pose with the lights

Staring up at the lights

Aurora Volcanus

a little light meditation?

My favourite of the bunch

Needless to say, the aurora borealis light show was my favourite moment in the Yukon so far. And this last display was the first time I am able to say I really experienced it. The pictures actually do not even do it justice. As amazed as I am by my ability to capture the lights, and with the help of the bright mood, the ability to capture myself with the lights, the live show was something no photo can ever really capture. Not only was it spectacular to witness, it brought a new perspective into my mind that I had been trying to grasp lately. It's amazing how a natural light display in the sky can make you truly appreciate how fantastically wonderful your life truly is. And how you are responsible for your own life, and it can only be what you choose to make it. I hope that everyone has the chance to experience something like this, whether it be the actual witnessing of the aurora borealis, or just experience something in their life that makes them appreciate their own lives. I can honestly say I have had multiple moments in my life where it felt surreal. And I hope that feeling continues throughout my life.

To sum it up… Th

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

i am a nomad, a wanderer

Ever since I arrived in Whitehorse, I haven't felt like myself. Maybe it was the emotional journey I have been on that hasn't allowed me to be myself fully, but I have known since the moment I got here that I don't belong here. That's not to say I haven't enjoyed my time here. I have met a few lovely people, though few friends I have, they are quality, I can tell you that much. I have been lucky to be living with two of the loveliest people, who have made this place a home to me. But in the grand scheme of things, I hate the cold. Who am I kidding? I tried it, I lasted longer than even I thought I would. But cold and snow just take me so far out of my element that I just know this is not the place for me.

When I set out to come here, it was to runaway from the pain and the misery I was dealing with at home, and run to a place where I can teach and learn to be alone again. I did not set any expectations of how long I would live here, or what my life would be like here. I came here a blank slate and free to do with it as I choose. And I have stuck by that. I made a few friends, mostly through my roommate and my friend Bryn who was already living here. I tried to make other friendships that just didn't quite work out. I spent many hours by myself in my room with Netflix and in the past two months I have learned to knit. And I mean really knit. I am not talking scarves, I am talking words in my scarfs, patterns on hats… I have even impressed myself. And that makes me happy. Accomplishments make me happy. I set out to learn to knit and I exceeded my own expectations of what I would be able to do. It may seem trivial to some, but to me, it meant something.

My blog name on a scarf because I can

Made a deer head hat for Bryn

Child sized snowflake hat meant to be adult sized

My first adult sized hat

Hat I sent to the lovely Sarah in NY

My time here has not been negatively looked upon. It has been quite amazing to be able to teach in a few different schools, making friendships with other teachers and relationships with the students. The past few days were spent in the Catholic elementary school here where I had students excited to see me as their music teacher, and who complimented me on my hair, glasses and dress, so much so that I could barely get them to settle down to get the lesson started. I had one of the teachers tell me that she wished I could cover her classes, and that she would take more time off when she felt ill if she knew I was the one covering for her. That honestly made me feel wonderful. Especially after hearing many teachers complain about some substitute teachers around here. To know I am one of the good ones, it makes me proud. And I had the chance to teach high school here, which has been amazing. Even when I am not in the English classes, I just enjoy being at the high school. The students are wonderful. The other teachers are great. And I feel a level of respect I cannot describe.

But alas, my time here is coming to an end. I have spent the last few months applying overseas to jobs in many cities, countries, continents. I had my top choices, which I knew were unlikely to be obtained. But I sent my resume out anyways. After buddha knows how many applications sent out, I finally caught a break about a month ago and was offered an interview for a high school position at an international school in Vietnam. After my initial interview, on Skype, I was asked to have a second interview with the Director of the school about 3 weeks ago. I felt very confident after the interview, but then again I always do. I am confident in my abilities to teach, and I like to think I am personable and come across well in interviews. While I was waiting to hear back from them, they said it would be a few weeks, I kept applying. As lovely as it would be to teach in Vietnam, my initial dream has been to teach in every continent, and I have already done Asia, teaching in Thailand. And Vietnam is similar. But because of that, I also know I would probably love it. So my application process still followed along, and truthfully only ended today.

About a week and a half ago, my friend Ardie and I were texting and he told me to look up the Marshall Islands. I already knew where it was, but hadn't really looked into the possibility of teaching there. So I googled to find out if they had an international school. Lo and behold, they do. So I looked over their website, did a bit more research about Majuro, Marshall Islands, where the school is located. And I fell in love. It's not perfect, but the imperfections make it the experience I think I need right now. The island is part of a group of islands (or atolls) that make up the Marshall Islands. I suggest googling it to find out more, as it is rather fascinating. It has only been an independent country since 1986, same amount of time I have been alive. Pretty interesting. Anyways, I decided to apply and see what happens. Within a few hours I received a response with more information about the school and living there, letting me know to read it over and respond if still interested. And after reading through it all, doing a little more research and a bit of thought, I decided to respond. By the end of the day we had an interview scheduled for later in the week. My initial interview wasn't as long as my Vietnam ones, but felt more through and I felt more relaxed. It was a great conversation and informative and I felt like I really clicked with the principal. She was friendly and seemed like she would be a great person to work for. Luckily for me, by the end of the interview she already scheduled another one for this week with her and two other staff, a panel interview. She then sent me over a bunch of links of curriculums and programs they were looking into for the new school year, to read over for my interview. I spent some time each day on the weekend going through it all and making notes. Tuesday night after work I came home, and went straight to my computer for the interview. The interview was great. Once again I felt like I really clicked with the other staff, they were funny and informative and just all around great people. I was confident the job was mine.

Today, I received an email congratulating me and offering a position at the school! I was in disbelief. I read over the entire email a few times before it really sunk in. I am moving to the Marshall Islands. To an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I am going to live in Oceania. Is this real life? So what does this mean? This means that I have been offered a two year contract to teach in Majuro, Marshall Islands, starting this August. This means I will be leaving Whitehorse, Yukon, probably around June 1. I will be teaching my own class, which grade has yet to be determined, either 3 or 5, hoping for 5, but I will take either one. I am moving to this beautiful island….

Majuro, Marshall Islands

This is where it is located

Cluster of Islands that make up Marshall Islands

So my tentative plans for the next few months until I have to go are…

Spend March working, except for March break, where I will hit up Dawson, YT for a few days, relax a bit and then my parents visit. Then spend April working, and since I have to be out of my house by the end of April, I need to find a place to live here for May. I plan to stay in Whitehorse til the end of May, as I may as well keep teaching since I am working every day lately and making money is a good idea. That being said, I will probably start my drive home around May 31/June 1. My plan for my drive home is to really get the most out of it and enjoy it. My drive here was amazing, do not get my wrong, but I want to really see Canada and experience what my country has to offer before I leave it for at least 2 years (probably more). So I will make my way down British Columbia, spend a few days wandering around Vancouver/Victoria and anywhere else I may have friends I can drop in on. Then head east to Banff and spend a few days taking it all in. The few hours I spent in Banff were just not enough on my way here. Then I will make my way across the Prairies, stop in to visit my aunt and uncle in Sultan, Ontario. And then I will hit Toronto, where I will unload my car, sleep, and keep driving. My plan is to continue my cross Canada tour and drive to Halifax to see my lovely friend Jenna and see the east coast for the first time. I will spend a few days around there and start my journey home again.

After this, I will spend a month or so soaking up all the time with my family (mainly my nieces and my grandma, sorry every one else) and my friends. Hopefully hit up a music festival, eat at all my favourite restaurants and maybe have a big welcome home/bon voyage/happy early birthday party somewhere at some point to get all the people I miss and will miss under one roof. And then tentative plans are to fly out to Australia for a few weeks to visit some awesome people and see some friends I have kept in touch with since I lived out there way back in 2009. If timing works out with my lovely Aussies, if not, I know where I am spending Christmas! And then I will fly to Majuro to settle into my new 'home' and new job.

So that's it, ladies and gentlemen. After a winter spent in northern Canada, which has actually been warmer this past week or so, and many other days as well, than my hometown in Ontario, I might add, it is time to bid farewell and move on to warmer climates and new adventures. Did I mention Bora Bora and Fiji are close to the Marshall Islands? Who's coming to visit?

This smile on my face right now is never leaving. I am still in disbelief. I am going to be living on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean… I mean after the last year I just had, I deserve this. MY LIFE IS AWESOME! And yes I will brag because I am so happy, excited, tickled pink if you will. Nothing will break this emotional high right now. Okay I am done. That is my news.