Off On An Adventure!

My first action of the day was to check the status of my e-visa application to Myanmar...and I was accepted!

I immediately began researching flights, and I'm happy to announce that I am booked to fly into Yangon tomorrow!

I am SO excited, as everyone that I've met who has been to Myanmar has loved it so much. I'm a little afraid that my expectations might be too high now, but either way I will be staying there for 3 weeks! I think it will be so interesting, and quite different from everything I've seen so far.

Wish me luck!

Past, Present, and Future

This morning I had every intention of catching a bus to Chiang Mai.
I packed up my things, and then left to find a bite of breakfast before going to the bus station to purchase a ticket.
I remembered reading about BaanChivitMai in the Lonely Planet guidebook, and it happened to cross my path, so I stopped in. Its a local bakery whose proceeds support disadvantaged children, and whose coffee and free wifi fuel the tourist types.

Now, here I am, an hour later, having had a wholly unhealthy breakfast of cafe fare, still typing away on my tablet. I just ordered a fruit smoothie to balance things out, and that will probably keep me going for another hour.

The atmosphere in this cafe/bakery is so calm, and so...familiar. I feel like I'm at home, which at the moment is quite comforting! I also have a lot of emailing/interneting to do, so its a convenient place to hunker down. I think I'll stay one more night in Chiang Rai!

PAST

For the last week or so I have completely neglected the blog and my personal journal. I will try to get back on track!

First of all...I have departed Laos! I spent just over 2 weeks there, and while it was very beautiful and I liked it a lot, I just couldn't seem to connect there. I don't know how to explain this. I struggled to decide whether to spend more time there or head back to Thailand, and as soon as I arrived in Chiang Rai, I knew I had made the right choice. I am LOVING this part of Thailand!

That being said, I would love to go back to Laos one day and explore more of the country, but I would go with someone else. I found it a difficult country to travel solo, in part because:

1. 99%* of tourists are French, and don't want to speak English
2. 90%* of tourists are couples and aren't necessarily interested in meeting other travelers
3. Most accommodation is private rooms, not dorms, so its more difficult to meet people
4. Everything is very expensive (roughly same prices as at home, or more), especially if you can't split costs with anyone.
5. Its a country where there isn't necesarily much to do, but its a cool place to hang out. This means good company is essential.

*Highly scientific numbers

I only saw a handful of what Laos has to offer, so in my reasoning, this makes it an excellent location to return to. I think it would be a wonderful place to cycle/motorbike through. One day :)

PRESENT

Now that I'm back in Thailand, I have been enjoying how cheap everything is...especially the food!!! It's so delicious. And its much warmer and sunnier than Laos. After having spent 2 weeks in Hanoi, and 2 weeks in Northern Laos, I was beginning to feel some serious sun deprivation. In Thailand I can wear shorts and tank tops again! It's glorious. (Yes, I realize you are all in the dead of winter and I shouldn't complain about "chilly" 20 degree weather). Best of all, there are so many cheap hostels to stay in and meet other travelers!

FUTURE

My plan now is to visit a few places in Northern Thailand while waiting for my e-Visa for Myanmar to be processed. Fingers crossed it will be accepted, and then I will be heading off to possibly the most interesting and un-touristed country of my trip! I have met a few people that have been there already, and they all loved it! Apparently tourists can only stay in certain registered accommodations, which makes it expensive ($25-35/night for "cheap" places, compared to $7-8/night in Thailand), but on the plus side that means it will be easy to locate other travelers :)

After Myanmar, I wll fly back to Bangkok to meet up with my dear friend Rishelle who is coming to Thailand for a 2 week vacation! I couldn't be more excited! We will bask in the sun of the Southern Islands, and it will be so great to have some quality time together!

When she flies home, I will continue South to Malaysia to eat away my depression noshing on the delicious street food of Penang...and that's about as far as my plans go! I'm halfway through my 6 month travels, but I think the 2016 half will pass much faster than the 2015 half (which has gone by very quickly!).

Happy New Year, Regis readers!

10 Tips for a Successful Volunteer Abroad Experience (all the rest)

I realized I will literally never get around to writing about each tip indivdually now that I'm on the move...maybe that's for the best! Less rambling.
Without further ado, tips #3-#10.

3.Come prepared

Since you've taken the earlier tips into account and you've done your homework, you will know what your volunteering position will entail! This will help you know how to prepare. Do as much as you can ahead of time, ie: if you're teaching, research lesson plans and teaching tips. If you're working with kids, look up games that are easy to teach across the language barrier. Bring as much material as you can- its surprisingly difficult to find things once you are abroad!

4. Learn the language

I made the mistake of thinking I would just learn the basic phrases once I arrived, and then wished I had made the effort to work on them before! Learning the language is a great way to connect with the locals and people you come in contact with, and it also shows a willingness to embrace their culture and put yourself on their level, rather than expecting everyone to cater to you. People appreciate the effort and are usually patient and willng to engage with you even if your pronunciation is atrocious! My taxi drivers were far friendlier with me when I started using my "taxi Thai". It was very, very basic, but it was better than hopping in and expecting them to understand English. Also, making a bit of a fool of myself encouraged the women I worked with because they saw that I struggled to learn their language as much as they struggled to learn English!

5. Stay positive

No matter how many times you travel, there is always going to be some element of culture shock when you volunteer, and there are many times when you might feel a bit despairing about the effectiveness of your volunteer efforts. Remember that its completely normal to go through a phase of anxiety, frustration, and even hostility towards the country, city, and people that seem so strange and sometimes "backwards". Try to stay positive and remember that you came to experience the world in a new way, that things are "different", but not "wrong". Eventually you will start to understand a new normal, and the new place will not seem so threatening. 

6. Be flexible and patient

Closely tied to staying positive is the concious effort to be flexible and patient. Volunteering abroad is rarely what we expect it to be, and it rarely runs in a way that Westerners are used to. Often it seems inefficient, disorganized, and occasionally chaotic! Remember that not all cultures run on tight schedules- I've often been in situations where I was waiting around, or thought "there has been loads of time to prepare for this, why is no one ready yet?". Also, you may be asked to do things you didn't sign up for- rather than resist something unexpected, just embrace the new adventure! Rather than getting frustrated because something is not what you think it should be, strive to be open to something new. Having a sense of humor and going with the flow will bring down unnecessary stress levels, and enhance your volunteer experience. 

7. Expect to be uncomfortable

I think our expectations of our volunteer experiences are often quite vague, but we kind of think that it will be all warm-fuzzies and simple, straight-forward work. This usually not the case. Entering a new culture and a new volunteer situation both fall outside most of our comfort zones, just like going to a new school or starting a new job. There are new social rules to learn and adapt to, and it can be exhausting and uncomfortable until you "settle in". Understand that its going to be a while before you adapt to a new normal, and make friends.

8. Bring Items to Share

I always forget this! Bring some small souveniers from home, postcards of your hometown, photos of your family, things like that. Locals are curious about your life, and its also nice to have something to give away as a thank-you or parting gift. Gifts of candy and money are discouraged for children. I have some Canada flag pencils that I have been giving away to some of the children I have met. Its a small thing, but useful, and the kids are thrilled to get them!

9. Communicate with the staff regularly

Its important to keep the lines of communication open with the staff of your volunteering agency. They usually have a pretty good idea of the things you will struggle with, they are great sources of information for tips and tricks on local life and travel, and they can help solve the small day to day problems and explain cultural differences. If you don't ask or don't inform them of the issues that arise, they can't do their job. Don't expect them to be mind-readers, but do expect them to want to help! 

10. Stay Humble

I will be the first to admit, sometimes when I think of volunteering abroad I get the mental image of the smiling, fulfilled white person surrounded by the grateful, adoring non-white children...arrogant, right? Totally. Yet we've all seen the photos, and they lurk in our subconscious when we sign up for these things. We think we are going to save the world by "selflessly" sacrificing our time and money. We think that because we have paid for this experience, we should be thanked and admired by everyone. They should be in awe of our generosity. And I don't think we often realize that this is hidden in our thought processes until we realize just how useless we are, and how little we can do! I have thought, and have heard said by others, "I feel like it doesn't matter if I'm here or not. I feel like no one cares if I show up. I don't feel like I'm making a difference". (This usually is quite an overwhelming experience within the first week or two).

On one hand, this is a little bit true! As newbies to the culture and language, we can be fairly uselss! But on the other hand, volunteering is what you bring to it. If you come in knowing that you may not save the world, but you might make a small positive difference in a couple lives, you will have a much better experience! Staying humble might mean realizing that its up to you to find ways to make a difference...its not going to just magically happen by showing up. It might not change the entire world...but it might change one person's world, and that's pretty awesome.


I highly reccommend volunteering abroad (but volunteering at home would be cool too!), and I think its a valuable experience that really brings a lot of perspective to our lives. Its my hope that these tips will help you prepare for and enjoy a future volunteer trip!
If you have already been volunteering abroad, I would love to hear what you think...what was your experience, and would these tips have been helpful to you?

10 Tips for A Successful Volunteer Abroad Experience (Tip #2: The Longer the Better)

10 Tips for A Successful Volunteer Abroad Experience

Tip #2: The Longer the Better

I can almost guarantee that the longer you stay somewhere, the more beneifical it will be for you AND for the organization of your choice. The more you put in, the more you get out. Relationships take time to build, and they are central to a successful volunteering experience. The longer amount of time you commit to, the stronger your relationships will be with those you are working for, and with. Your understanding of the people, culture, and issues surrounding your project will be so much greater if you invest a significant amount of time.

How much time are we talking?
I don't want to limit anyone, but I will share my opinion.

If you want to teach, or work in a managerial/administrative setting, build meanginful friendhips or connections (ie: orphanage work, social work, etc), the bare minimum should be 8 weeks. You simply cannot expect to adjust to a new culture and new social setting AND learn a new job AND build relationships, in less. If you can stay 3 months, 6 months, or longer, that is going to be so much more rewarding for you! I think you do yourself and the people you will work with a disservice if you can't commit to a decent length of time.

The exception to this, I think, is if you volunteer with a group tackling a specific project, ie: building a school, running a children's daycamp, etc.

I'm writing this for myself, as much as anyone else. I personally struggle with this because I have committment issues ;-)

After 4 weeks at the Girls' Home in Peru, I felt like I was only just starting to connect with them in a meaningful way, and then I was leaving. And now, I'm coming to the end of my third week volunteering at Fatima Center, and I know there is so much more I could help with and make a difference in if I was staying longer. And the relationships I've begun are still so fragile...I think partly because both sides know that in a week or two, I'll be gone anyway.

Staying a short time means that you arent able to absorb the amazing new opportunitiees and relationships available to you, you can't help in a significant way because you haven't had time to adjust to and understand the situation you are entering. You are less likely to be prepared to commit emotionally and mentally to your project, because the time will pass so quickly, and your deadline will loom over you and those you interact with. Your mindset and priorities change when you know you are "stuck" there for a while!

With this in mind, it becomes even more important to choose your organization carefully, so that you don't become committed long-term to a project that isn't going to support you in the ways you need, or don't operate as advertised (still looking at you, Aldeas de Paz).
Many organizations find short-term volunteers to be a lot of work, because they rarely get to a point of independence and meaningful connection. Usually longer duration stays are encouraged by reducing fees after a certain length of time commitment.

My advice if you are unsure of the suitability of an organization, is to commit to a minimum of a month, but leave your options open so that if you decide you like them, you can extend your stay. If you already know it is a reputable NGO, then dive in, and give it your best! The longer the better!

10 Tips for a Successful Volunteer Abroad Experience (Tip #1: Research & Communicate Before Booking)

I mentioned once before that for quite a while I have been meaning to write up a post on volunteering abroad. It just keeps getting pushed to the back burner because I am having trouble putting my thoughts into a cohesive and coherent order.

But I think that I am going to give it a try. 

I was joined by two other volunteers last Friday, and it has been fascinating to witness how they are processing and adjusting to the placement here. It is like seeing and hearing exactly my experiences in the past year being lived by someone else! This has been helpful in figuring out exactly what I wanted to blog about, because by talking with them I find myself passing on some lessons I have learned/am learning about volunteering abroad.

So, here I begin an incomplete (but I hope helpful) list of...

10 Tips for a Successful Volunteer Abroad Experience. 

#1. Research and Communicate Before Booking.

Scour their website for information, read reviews and testimonials (try to find some that are not listed ON the website, as those are likely only to be positive, and may be old and outdated), and email the NGO. directly to ask questions...however make sure you read the website thoroughly first so you can ask specific questions that have not already been answered online.The staff dont have time to repeat answers for everyone, and you will only frustrate them by doing this.

Some sample questions might be:

-How many staff are involved in the organization, and who is on the ground with the volunteers? How long have they worked there? What are their qualifications?
-How many volunteers will they will have during the time frame you want to stay? How long are they staying? Will they be in the same placements or different? Will you be working in a team or individually?
-Are there any current volunteers that you could talk/write to?
-What will the accommodations will be like? Where is the accommodation located and in what sort of area? Is it easy walking distance to shopping/restaurants/etc?
 -Where will you be volunteering specifically? How will you get there? How many hours are you expected to work per day/week?
-What kind of resources are available (ie: for printing, buying, sourcing helpful lesson plans; are materials such as pens/pencils/paper provided?) Are pre-planned lessons provided? How much are you expected to do/provide yourself? What kind of resources are helpful to bring from home?
-How much will the placement cost, and what is and isn't covered? What is the cost breakdown?*

*The last is especially important, because most volunteer organizations will charge a significant sum of money, and you should know where that ends up- don't assume it is a "charitable donation" to your project, because most of it probably isn't. Also, it is extremely unlikely you will get a refund if you arrive and discover that things are not as they seemed on the flashy website. Looking at you, Aldeas de Paz. 

The more questions you ask, the better. Don't accept things at face value, and don't hesitate to probe further if you're not entirely satisfied with the answer. Be specific.

There are a LOT of organizations out there, so you don't have to "settle" for anything- look around until you find a reputable organization that has nothing to hide, good RECENT reviews/testimonials, and is willing to spend the time to explain things to you and help you prepare.

This can be a difficult step because there are so many options and places to go, the choices can be overwhelming! Take your time, ask around, and try not to assume anything- always get clarification. If you do your homework, it is less likely that you will be dissatisfied with the organization you work with and your experience will be more positive.


On A Side Note...

I should mention that paying money to volunteer is not a crazy idea. People often think, "Why would I go work somewhere for free- never mind actually PAY someone to work for them?". It seems like a backwards idea, but give me a moment to make a case for the paid volunteer placement. 

Often volunteers don't realize that they can be costly to the NGO. Running an NGO can be expensive in itself, and in fact, we volunteers can be a bit of a hassle. Its a shocking concept- aren't we descending from our lofty privileged lives to extend a hand to those in NEED out of the goodness of our hearts?! Believe it or not, most volunteers are unlikely to "earn their keep", and we have high standards of living that will be an unusually high expense locally. We require a certain amount of "babysitting" because we often don't know the language and culture, so skilled and trained staff are necessary, and they need to be paid a fair wage. There are a myriad of costs associated with hosting volunteers, so when you look at the fees, remember that they are providing a service to YOU as well. In addition, you are supporting a worthwhile cause...that is, if you've done your homework and are volunteering with a quality NGO. 

Tip #2. to follow at a later date :)

"You're Traveling ALONE?!"

The NUMBER ONE question I am asked when someone discovers that I am going traveling is...

"Are you going with someone, or are you traveling alone?!".

The general population worries that I will be robbed/murdered/raped/trafficked Taken-style when I leave home. Especially as my destinations include developing countries.
It is also a common assumption that solo travelers are friendless wanderers who spend their time in silent contemplation, wishing they had brought a companion to speak with.
This is in fact, not the case. Generally speaking.

I am a woman. I am single. I am an introvert.

I travel solo...and I like it!

I am not superwoman. I am not especially streetwise. I am not particularly out-going.
And I am not going to let fear hold me back!

When I was 19, I packed up and moved to a different country where I knew no one, and I lived there for nearly a year. This came out of the blue in some respects. I was considered "quiet" and some might consider me shy. I had never lived on my own before. I was a homebody. I was not the girl to do the unexpected thing.

But I was driven by a long-standing and passionate desire to see Ireland. An opportunity came up, and I seized it!

I don't remember exactly what I was thinking at that point. The decision surprised even me! I was nervous, but I was excited for the adventure.

By the end of that year I had seen a lot of the area surrounding my home base, and I loved it. The people, the natural beauty, the SHEEP! It was amazing. It was a great exercise in independence, but the fact is that I was probably too immature at that point to undertake such an extreme transplanting and thrive. In some ways my confidence in myself was rattled.
Luckily one of my good friends flew in and we traveled around Ireland together for a month...I'm not sure I would have pushed myself to do that trip if I had been on my own.

To further instill a dread of solo traveling, I did a 10-day guided tour of Scotland, at which I was the only person that came without a friend (or two)! I was also the youngest by a number of years, and I felt a little lost and intimidated.

After that, I told myself that I "couldn't" travel on my own. It wasn't for me.

I wasn't brave enough. I wasn't smart enough.
It was too dangerous. It was too hard. It was too lonely.

For years I wanted to travel SO badly...but I didn't, because I had no one to travel with. My friends were in university, getting married, or in jobs where they couldn't get the time off. I sat around waiting...and waiting...

It took a long time for me to decide to take the plunge and go to South America alone last year, The soundtrack of fears and doubts played in my head over and over. I hated it. And eventually I became driven to prove it wrong. There was no one to go with me? Screw that! I was going alone!

I began reading up on women traveling alone through South America. As it turns out, there are a lot of women traveling alone all over the world! And they are safe! And they love it!

And after nearly 4 months of solo travel through South America, I can now say I have officially joined their number!

So, let's address these doubts, shall we?

The first one...is self-defined. You are as brave as you decide to be. Its up to you whether to let your fears hold you back or not.

The second...well, all I can say, is that if I can make it to South America and back in one piece without meeting a sticky end, pretty much anyone can. That is all. No, but actually, if you are capable of reading a travel guide, then yes, you are smart enough, and smarter than a lot of the other travelers you will meet.

On to other 3 points!

Is it too dangerous?
No! It certainly can be dangerous, but it doesn't have to be dangerous. I learned self-sufficiency, and I learned to be careful, and how to take precautions. But I also learned a lot about the kindness of strangers. There are many, many good people out there. I made mistakes, and time after time there would be wonderful, friendly local people there to help me out. As a woman you may be more vulnerable in some ways, but this also means that others are watching your back for you too.

I was taking the city bus once in a small town in Colombia, looking for a grocery store. I eavesdropped on a local couple with a little girl sitting behind me, and once I was reasonably sure they were nice, normal people, I turned around an asked them if they could recommend a stop for me to get off at that had a grocery store. They promptly took me under their wing, got off with me, showed me where to go, which bus to take to get back to my hostel, and where to catch it.
This was not the only time I was blown away by the simple kindness of strangers. Remember that the average person is not out to get you. Be safe, but don't close yourself off from the world.

Is it too hard?
No! There are many different ways to travel solo, depending on how much time and money you have, as well how much flexibility and independence you want.
I personally have enjoyed volunteering for a while in different countries. This gives me a home base where I can acclimatize to a new culture, learn a little bit about the way people live, meet new friends, give back to a community, and ask people to refer me on what to see and where to go afterwards. Then I can make a plan, set my own pace, and figure it out as I go! The buses, hostels, and tours can be booked along the way.
Others enjoy guided tours with a set itinerary and someone else to worry about the logistics! You just have to show up and meet your fellow adventurers! There are a lot of companies that provide this kind of service, and its a great way to get your feet wet in solo travel. You have a support system to help you with any problems that arise, and you won't have to worry about where to sleep/eat/meet people.

Is it too lonely?
No! If anything, I meet more people when I'm traveling alone! As a decided introvert, sometimes it does take a little extra effort to strike up conversations or tag along on a group activity, such as a hostel pub crawl. However, when you travel alone, you also get to make your own rules about how social you want to be! If you don't want to go out every night, you don't have to! You will not have to figure this out with a travel buddy, and you won't be letting anyone down when you do things your way! On the flip side, if you want to go out with total strangers to swap travel tips and stories, join up with others to go on a daytrip on a whim, or buddy up for a few weeks- you totally can! You are free to meet, talk, hangout, drink, dance, travel, eat, etc. with whomever floats you boat! And you can leave whenever you want, or not! Its totally up to you (and the other person/people you meet...haha).
There are never any shortage of other travelers to be found at hostels, or on tours, or sightseeing. And guess what- many of them are other women traveling alone!
I made some great friends by simply putting myself out there, saying hello, asking where someone is from or where they're going, and just hanging out together.
I made a friend with a girl stuck in front of me in a long line at the airport. I made a friend sitting next to me on the plane. I made a friend swinging in a neighboring hammock. I made a friend when I heard a girl mention she wanted to go to a local market, and I offered to show her the way. I made a friend commenting on their accent (strange but true). I made a friend couchsurfing.
You get my point-- you have literally endless possibilities to make friends when you travel!

Don't get me wrong. Traveling with friends and family is SO much fun, and it is wonderful to be able to share those experiences and memories with someone close to you. But if you, like my past self, put off traveling because you don't have a friend to go with you, I think you might be making a big mistake. Don't wait for an opportunity that is dependent on someone who may or may not appear. Just do it!

Traveling solo can be scary, especially the first time. Its natural to be scared of the unknown. But I think that if you go for it, you will surprise yourself with just how much you enjoy it! It can definitely be safe, simple, and social!

Here's a handy-dandy link to some quick tips for solo female travelers- good to keep in mind!

Edit: And another link that will shoot down any other excuses :-P

A Last Ditch Attempt to Get the Travel Bug Out of My System

When I planned my South America trip last year, I intended for it to be a productive hiatus from studying, which would also scratch the travel itch that had been worsening. I was supposed to hit the books again come September.
But...you know how it is. When you scratch it, the itch gets worse! By the time I fly back into Canada in April, I was pretty sure my semester-long break was going to be extended.

I worked my usual cooking gig in the treeplanting camp for the spring and summer, visited lots of relatives and roadtripped down to the Oregon Coast in August, and now its September!
What have I been doing? Researching, planning, making lists, and shopping for new gear. What for? Well...

As of today, its official- in just over 2 weeks I'm heading out on another backpacking adventure!
I will fly into Bangkok, the capital of Thailand on October 2, and begin my travels through Southeast Asia that may last as long as 6 months!
Like my trip to South America, I am traveling solo and hoping to do some volunteering, treks, and tasting of the delicious local dishes!

So far my intinerary includes a month of volunteering in Bangkok, hopefully meeting up with some contacts for a local's-eye look at Vietnam, chilling out in Laos, popping over to Myanmar/Burma for a glimpse of the country that has only relatively recently become tourist-friendly, another couple weeks exploring the rest of Thailand, visiting Angkor Watt in Cambodia, tasting the wild variety of street food and outdoor adventures in Malaysia, and flying to the Phillipines for some sweet, sweet beach time! I don't know all the details yet, but I am pretty excited about everything, and I know it will be a crazy and awesome adventure!

While I'm not making any promises, I am hoping that I will maintain the blog a little better than last time seeing as I've purchased a new Samsung tablet which, unlike the last device, is compatible with Blogger (and Skype!!!). I have also ordered a keyboard for it, which will make typing up a blog post much faster and less of a nuisance than tapping away on a touchscreen. I should also be able to upload photos to it, so it will be awesome to share some visual updates on the road! 

Now to figure out which vaccinations to get, how to vote when I'm away, purchase travel equipment without blowing the budget, and all that fun stuff... :)

Maybe Not Quite 8 Weeks

SO! I´ve been in Santa Elena at Aldeas de Paz for just over a week now! 

I had some reservations right off the bat because the situation was not quite as advertised, ie: the founding director was not here, there were no other volunteers, and things seemed a bit disorganized, but I thought I would give it some time to see how it all worked out. 

Its not that its terrible or that I´ve hated it...but I found myself getting antsy and wondering what I´m really doing here, or if I should be spending my time elsewhere. Without any volunteers I haven´t really been able to meet new people and go exploring, and the NGO admin work I´ve been doing is pretty basic since there are no real programs running at the moment. 

I felt guilty when I thought to myself that I would rather be traveling than sitting around here at a computer, because I had committed my time to the organization and I didn´t want to be flaky and back out. But eventually I realized that I wasn´t meeting the goals I had set out for myself, and I didn´t sell my soul to the organization, so I should just do what was best for me. Its very quiet here and I¨m by myself quite a bit, and that makes me go a little mental sometimes...its not good for me. 

So I´ve decided to only spend a couple weeks here and then hit the road again! 

As soon as I made that decision, I felt so relieved and excited, so I knew it was the right thing! I didn´t realize how much I was dreading plodding through the 8 weeks I had planned on originally until I decided to leave. 

The hard part has been breaking the news to the staff here...I´m terrible with confrontation, and sometimes I´m such a people-pleaser and I don´t want to hurt anyone´s feelings that I end up backpedalling so much from what I mean that I don´t even make sense anymore. 

The two guys here have been very understanding and still want me to get as much out of the experience as I can, so I will be more involved in shadowing the manager this week I still have to hear back from the founding director, which admittedly I´m nervous about.

Meanwhile, I´m in the process of changing my flight so that I will head home from somewhere besides Caracas! Right now I´m contemplating traveling to Colombia to see Medellin and Bogota after I´ve done the two treks here in Venezeula, and then bussing down to Quito in Ecuador and possibly seeing some Amazon jungle! I´m so excited! I´ve heard so many good things about Colombia lately that I kept thinking to myself, "I´m going to have to come back for another trip to S. America", and now I am incredibly stoked to actually get to spend some time in two more countries! 

(I will still have to come back to see Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil though...traveling only makes the to-do list longer and longer!)

This will be significant for me as well, because it will be my first real solo backpacking trip! While I didn´t know anyone in Peru or Venezuela, I wasn´t really backpacking it. When you are volunteering/going to school you are kind of plugged into a specific program and centralized in one place. This time, its just me and my backpack and the open road! Kind of scary, and kind of exciting! I know my poor mother is probably terrified for my life, but everything I´ve heard and read is that these countries are very safe now, even for solo women travelers. 

So, in conclusion, I have approximately 2 more weeks here and then I´m off to see more of this beautiful continent! Wahoo!

2015

The past year has included some pretty sweet travel times, including a family vacation to Hawaii, my second season in a treeplanting camp, and a cross-Canada roadtrip with 3 wonderful people! Not too shabby for a slacker on a student's budget.

2015 is even more promising.
In fact, my upcoming adventure will begin tomorrow when I begin my journey to South America!

On December 29th, I'll fly into Cusco Peru to spend 6 weeks learning Spanish at Proyecto Peru and volunteering in an orphanage for girls. Then in February I hop on a plane to Venezuela to undertake a volunteer program with Aldeas de Paz to learn the ins and outs of NGO administration, while taking some more Spanish lessons. I will spend 8 weeks there, and then head home mid-April to readjust to North America for two weeks before heading out into the bush for my third season cooking for treeplanters in northern BC and Alberta.

It will be a little crazy and I fully admit to being slightly terrified! But I know it will be really cool, and I will meet so many fantastic people, and see some pretty nifty parts of the world...so I am also really excited! I've wanted to learn Spanish and live in a country where I can practice it for quite a while, so it will be pretty special for me to be able to do that in 2015.

I should have some basic internet access once I arrive there, but I'm not sure that I will be able to upload many photos unfortunately. We'll have to just wait and see how it goes. Either way, I'll be using this ol' blog to keep you curious people informed of what I'm up to while I'm away. Feel free to creep, but I would also love to hear from YOU! Despite the adventures, I'm sure I'll miss home sometimes :)

Anyone else have travel plans for the new year? What are some goals you are aiming for? 

Packing Up

The last few posts were written all at the same time, late at night when I needed a break from studying, and then staggered over the following weeks. If not for that, there would have been complete and utter silence on this blog because it has been so hectic since the end of March!

First came the end-of-semester projects which are such a delight.
Then, the last week of classes, followed by a short busy weekend, and then four exams in four days!
Right after exams were over, the family cruised down to Langley to spend Easter with a crowd of cousins, aunts, and uncles, which was a lot of fun!
Since Monday I have been frantically trying to organize my brain and my life in preparation for my departure tomorrow...

Karissa and I are packing up and heading for good ol' PG in the morning, signalling the beginning of our second season as camp cooks for the treeplanters! I'm excited, but also feeling very busy. I haven't been able to accomplish all the prep I had hoped to be able to complete before arrival, but I will have some time before we actually head out into the bush on May 2, in between the training courses, grocery ordering, and meetings.

I'm mentally preparing to face the reality of early mornings for an entire three months, but the trauma is lessened by the fact that I will have a much more comfortable bed this year. More on that later!

I hope to be able to post a bit more during the season this year, now that I will (hopefully) be able to manage my work time more efficiently with all the experience from last year under my belt. So keep your eyes open for some updates!

For now, I need to get back to packing and prepping!

Booking Ahead vs. Wingin' It

I am not really an experienced traveler.
When I was 15, I went to Guatemala with a large group, and basically all the planning was done for me.
When I was 20, I went to Ireland for nearly a year, one month of which was spent actually backpacking. In that instance, I researched bus routes, and toted along "Let's Go: Ireland!" for ideas on where to stay/eat and what to do. I made a few arrangements to stay with friends along the way, but other than that, I booked nothing ahead. In the end it didn't matter because it was early in the season (June), and while Ireland IS a tourist destination, it doesn't get quite as busy as other places in Europe.

The Big Backpacking Adventure of 2011 is 3 weeks away, and I've been getting nervous. If you don't already know where I'm going, I won't spoil the surprise for you. I will say that it is going to be different from Ireland in that I'm anticipating the tourist hordes will be much more intense.

The advice I received was to book at least the first hostel I'm staying in, so that I wouldn't get off the plane and have to find a place when I was all jet-lagged. Makes sense to me, so I did.
Then, as I looked into things, it seemed like a lot of places were already(!) filling up. In fact, in one city I am unfortunately visiting on the weekend, there seemed to be zero availability at all! I'm guessing this has to do with a festival or concert or something that must be going on during the same dates, but it was a very scary and frustration-filled day when I decided I needed to book that place in advance! (When I thought I had finally found the Hostel O' Dreams, it actually filled up before my eyes....)

After that experience, I kind of snapped. Suddenly it was of paramount importance to book everything I possibly could, before I landed on foreign ground.

Hostelbookers.com has no idea who I am,
but I have used their site a lot over the past weeks, and I find them very useful.

However, my travel bud has gently reminded me that we do want some flexibility (we weren't going to book anything ahead, originally...), so I'm trying to restrain myself from booking anything more, at the moment.

Have you ever been traveling? What time of year did you go? How important was it to you to book ahead, and how did that work out in the end?

Travel advice and stories are highly encouraged here at RBF....