STARS COME & GO BUT SOY SAUCE IS FOREVER: Spanish Journal W2

"Stars come and go but soy sauce is forever."-The line I've created to overcome my initial issue with having two versions of "I am" in Spanish.

Me llama Ashlea. Quien es usted?
De dónde es ustedes? Soy Australiana- yo vivo en las Maldivas. Tego vientedos años. Encantada!
Success! I can say with a grin I’ve reached my mini conversation goal this week & can now introduce myself and ask where someone's from. Translation (here’s hoping I actually got it right) Hello! My name is Ashlea, who are you? Where are you from? I am Australian, I am living in the Maldives. I’m 22 years old. Nice to meet you! 

Semana dos (week two) GOAL CHECKLIST

[  ] Spend 30mins a day practicing

[x] Complete Teach Yourself Spanish Unit one
[x] Numbers 20 – 100
[x] Be able to introduce myself
[x] Pronouns (I, we, you, they are)
[x] Make a new Spanish friend
BONUS-[x] Ended up learning some colours and animals this week tambien! (also)

Resumen semanal (WEEKLY SUMMARY)

Bum bow… didn’t quite reach my study time goal though I did manage to do a little something every day. I ended up spending more time researching programs and pages on learning Spanish than actually using or learning with them. I did indeed make a Spanish friend though! One of the perks of long term travel or life abroad is meeting and making friends from all over the world. After a hopeful facebook post and a refer-a-friend situation I was introduced to my new Spanish friend. A friend of mine saw my post and put me in touch with her friend who is Spanish & currently learning English. Perfecto! We plan to help each other on our quest for mastering one another’s language. The hardest part this week? To be or to be. Soy vs Estoy.

¿cómo lo hago -HOW DID I DO IT?

(Some of the resources I used or memory tricks)

·        Soy vs estoy. Having two forms of ‘I am’ was a new concept and a little hard to wrap my head around. From the research I did though & to my current understanding soy is used to express things of permanence for eg I am tall or I am Australian whereas estoy is used to express things ‘in the moment’ or events of non-permanence for example I am happy or I am at the movies. A little line I’m using to remember this? Stars come and go (Estos sounding a little like stars) but SOY sauce is forever. I’m finding word play helps new phrases and concepts stick a little better in my mind and the weirder the line the higher chance I remember. Another example of this was when learning the French word for fish -poisson (pronounced pwa-son). I remembered fish over any other animal to begin with because I don’t like nor eat fish- fish to me are poison.

·        Teach Yourself Spanish Unit one / two

·        http://spanish.typeit.org/ The site I’ve been using to type correctly to my Spanish amigo.

·        Learnt 20 new vocab words from a Childrens ‘turn & learn’ picture book by writing on the back of each page the spanish word.

That marks the end of week two! – Habla próxima semana!
Be sure to subscribe by email for updates on my progress or check out some other posts.
New to the journey? See how it started here. Missed last weeks post? Check out week one here.

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LESSONS IN LUXEMBOURG - A terrible way to save money

The worst way I ever saved money and the crazy road trip that eventuated from it.

Elbows, knees and converses to the head. The dull tension brought about from the power struggle as you gently wrestle for space, the soft tingling of pins and needles as your limbs go numb and the unpleasant aftermath as they painfully wake from kicking the door or someone else while trying to stretch it out. This was the result of my money saving quest gone wrong. Sleeping in a car is never comfortable nor easy, much less when there’s three of you doing it in the back of a 2.5 seater Volvo and you're parked in the middle of a city you just arrived in.

Half way past drunk and in the wee hours of the morning myself and a few friends were looking over a map and discussing our upcoming travel plans when someone pointed out this little teeny country crammed in between Belgium, Germany and France. Luxembourg. After going round the table and realising none of us actually knew anything about it (in a group of expat friends alike- it was VERY rare no one had anything to say). Why had we never heard of it? Nor really even noticed it hiding there on the map? After doing a little research on the city and discovering the people of Luxembourg were called Luxembourgers and that they did in fact speak Luxembourgish it was settled that we absolutely had the go there. We all happened to have the weekend off together, something that was a rare to never occurrence. So we packed a few bags set an alarm and hit the sack. The plan? Wake up, hire a car, drive to Luxembourg (stopping in Belgium for waffles… of course) spend the night there then head to Germany the next day, spend the last night there, hit the road and be back in Holland on time for work on Monday. The only problem with this great plan was we were all dirt poor. We managed to pull together enough to hire the car and pay for gas. With no money left over we had the brilliant idea to cut costs and skip out on accommodation altogether. We have a car, it’s just for the weekend- let’s make our money well spent & sleep in it!

Three days, three countries, a car and a basket full of food. In theory sleeping in a car in a bid to avoid hotel costs seems like an awesome idea. Yeah, not so much. What I should have considered: where do you plan to park the car? Cars don't come with the privacy and comfort of a hotel room with walls, windows with curtains, a door or a bathroom. Trying to Sleep in a car parked in the middle of a city on a Saturday night is actually a very stupid thing to do as we came to understand. With the cities night life all out and about or heading home, peering eyes and drunken stares were coming at us left right and center. It seemed all the creepies where out this particular night which only added to the intensity of those stares and glares. To be fair I don't blame anyone for staring though, we probably creeped them out far more than they did us.  I'm sure they were all wondering why on earth a Czech guy and two Aussie girls were crammed into the back of a Volvo playing human Jenga for hours on end on a Friday night. Well why were you parked in the middle of the city, you ask? This brings me to lesson two. Delve a little deeper into the motto 'don't drink and drive' and some solid advice to add onto to it would be don't drive to another country, park your car someplace stupid, drink, return and be unable to move it. Especially if your car is currently hosting you as a hotel on wheels. Consider your surroundings.

After hours of shuffling around in the car we eventually gave up on the tedious task of getting comfy and decided it would be a better idea to go and sleep in the park. We happened to have parked right alongside the biggest and most amazing park in Luxembourg. Complete with giant tipi structures, tunnels, swings and a fully sized ship- it seemed more like a playground or adults rather than tikes. We spent the vast majority of the night playing in the park, building makeshift beds in the tipi structures, being creeped out by passer byes or noises, returning to the security of a locked car, making numerous attempts to get comfy in said car only to begin the endless shuffle and fight for space again. With the daylight brought the reality that no one was getting any sleep that night- so instead we locked up the car and headed off to explore.

I must say, we couldn't have been in a better place to spend the early hours wandering. The early bird really does get the worm, right? This was lesson three. I've been told for years by the early risers how beautiful and refreshing a morning walk can be and that I should be spending more time out in the sunshine than inside asleep. Mornings have never agreed with me and it wasn't until I experienced this particular one in Luxembourg that my opinion on the matter changed. Walking around the near-bare streets, breathing the smell of fresh morning air and watching the world come to life as the sun  gently kissed my surroundings. It wasn't until that tranquil and idyllic morning, probably while sitting in the silent sun, eating the berries I'd just picked from the tree I was beneath that I truly experienced the morning hours for what they are, or can be.

The people - the Volvo - the places. *Please ignore the heinous orange die job I'm rocking in these photos.

Other than opting to be more of a morning person and less of a night owl the main advice I can pass on from this lesson is consider ALL consequences and options when trying to save a quick buck. Really think about if it's going to be worth it. Know when to save and when to splurge. (Check out my post here to read more about when to spend)
I’m all for cutting costs wherever possible though in hindsight – this probably wasn’t the brightest idea we’ve had. If I was to do it again (& let’s be honest, I probably would) I’d either make the splurge for a hostel OR I’d upgrade my hotel on wheels – opting for a van or at minimum a bigger car with tinted windows.

For some money saving tips that WON'T leave you sleeping in a car, check out my post Eke out your euro.

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NEW YEAR NEW LANGUAGE

Okay! HELLO 2014.

What a year! Leaving Holland, returning home, hating it, moving to Malaysia, being relocated with work to the Maldives, a bunch of return trips here & there around asia, ticking off a number of cities on my list back in Europe. It's been a pretty fun filled year to say the least! Let’s not dwell though. Out with the old and in with the new, right? 

I’ve taken that advice on literally and decided to semi-retire on my French learning & instead take up Spanish. Starting fresh. No, I’m not a quitter. You could possibly call it jaded frustration for not picking it up as quickly as I’d hoped (or in actuality lack of commitment) but I’m going to go with ‘pursuing new passions and prioritising’ instead. J Since many of my planned upcoming adventures sit within Spanish speaking regions I have decided to learn Spanish instead / first. Bien! hagámoslo.

Teaching yourself a language is far from easy. It takes copious amounts of commitment, patience, perseverance, persistence and a deep determination paired with a love for the language. It’s just that little bit harder when you’re not actually surrounded by the language nor finding yourself regularly in a situation where you are forced to use it. This is no reason to shy away though! We’re very lucky to be living in probably what could be deemed the golden age for language learning since mans first speech. More specifically- to teach yourself a language. There is less and less need to splurge on lessons now with so many free resources, videos, programs, apps, books and blogs to assist in your learning! The misconception that immersion is the only way can also now be blown out of the water. Utilizing things such as Skype, Facebook and the internet it's never been easier to immerse your(CYBER)self within a culture & language right from your lounge room. Bring the language to you! Put yourself into cyber situations that allow you to utilize what you've learnt and keep learning! Finding a language class, conversation buddy, beginners group or new native speaking friend is easier than ever with so many incredible websites designed for just that. Chances are somewhere, someone out there in the big bad world is willing to help assist you (free of charge) on your journey in exchange for practicing, using and perfecting their English. 

On and off for the last year I’ve been teaching myself French. Unfortunately though it’s been far more off than on. This year I’ve decided to start fresh with a new language and turn it into somewhat of a challenge rather than a chore (which sadly is what my previous attempts have fizzled into). I’m going to set weekly goals, monthly checkpoints and go in with a plan this time- all the while I’ll be blogging about my progress (in the hope that’ll push me to reach my goals) as well as inspire others to maybe do the same.

THE CHALLENGE? Teach myself Spanish while in the Maldives

THE GOAL? Conversational fluency by JULY, 2014. High hopes I know but we’ll see, I have a plan!

THE TOOLS? Teach Yourself Spanish Book & 2 Audio CDs, an ipod, self made flash cards, notebook, youtube and a few Spanish speaking friends on facebook. 

Here’s three fantastic language blogs I’ve been reading and hope to use for reference, research and inspiration! Check them out!

http://www.everydaylanguagelearner.com/ -This is my go to hub for all things language learning, full of great resources tips and tricks. A must-use for any language learner, thanks Aaron for your wonrderul page!

http://www.fluentin3months.com –Benny the Irish polygot. I really love this blog! It just goes to show how anyone can learn a language if there’s a strong desire. You can watch his progress and videos as he travels the world attempting to obtain fluency in.. yes, you guessed it- three months, one country at a time.

http://www.thepolyglotdream.com Similar to the previous blog, these are the tales of Luca, another inspiring polygot travelling the world and learning languages. I especially love his language learning technique posts!

Don’t forget to check back in for my weekly progress updates so you can follow my journey, see what I achieved that week (or didn’t, haha) how I did it and what tools I used! I plan to post weekly updates cross checking my goals with my accomplishments, marking my progress and linking any resources I used that week.

If there’s any Spanish speakers out there, anyone currently learning Spanish or willing to join my journey I’d love to hear from you! I’m hoping to grow a small network of language partners to practise, chat and type with! If you think you’d be up for the challenge shoot me an email on thislittlenomad@gmail.com OR leave a comment below. J Hasta Luego, amigos!

Follow via email to be notified of new posts. :) 

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KNOW WHEN TO SAVE AND WHEN TO SPLURGE

There’s no point travelling if you’re going to just eat bread, sit drinkless in bars and wander around window shopping the city. Half, if not all the joys of experiencing another culture or country for what it is comes with tasting the local cuisine, downing the tip top wine and the once in a lifetime experiences and opportunities on offer. Unfortunately most of the things that bring with them special and exciting feels generally come with pretty high costs. There’s going to be a wonderful and unique line up of various splurge-worthy things to do while on the move- you’ll just have to sift through, work out what’s personally worth it and budget it in.

In my opinion, here’s some do’s and don’ts of spending your savings on the move:

DO Use the money you’ve saved eating from eating at supermarkets on a splurge at one of Italy’s finest mama & papas. Enjoy the crazy-priced pasta for everything it is and really taste the culture. Food is as much about travel as the destination. Set aside a little money for at least ONE sit down meal at a decent restaurant and taste the local cuisine of each destination.

DON’T waste money (& suitcase space) buying every single item that you think you have to have. You’ve managed to live and do okay without it up until ten minutes ago – look, like & move along.

DO Throw your money out the window & follow it. For a view like no other skydiving over a city is an incredible way to absorb or be absorbed by the sights. Although costs of adventure sports are high – the once off’s are well worth it and an experience not to be missed. From skydiving over the Algarve in Portugal to diving in the Maldives there’s going to be ample opportunities to splash your cash for a quick thrill. You’ll just need to fish out and prioritize on the ones worth doing.

DON’T feel the need to see, do, taste, hear and touch every single thing on offer. Why bother heading into the rock museum in Creetown, Scotland ‘because it’s on the list’ if a rock is just a rock and you really couldn’t care less.

DO treat yourself. You’re here to experience the country for everything it is and in doing so you are exposed to the local wonders and specialties that come with it. If you’ve always wanted something jade- letting go of a sizeable chunk at the local Jade Market in China is not a waste. One of the best OMG-splurges I’ve made was on a diamond ring in Alaska – the hub in which many gems come from. I was at the end of my Inside passage cruise & about to head back home so I convinced and reasoned with myself that it was a better idea to spend all the money I had now so to avoid having to exchange currencies on my way back. (Because that would have been SUCH a difficult 3minutes out of my life at the currency exchange counter). I HAVE ZERO REGRETS & although now missing a diamond (& it no longer being splurge-worthy enough to fix) the ring is currently residing on my finger as I type. Don’t feel bad, or um and ah – If you really want it, are going to love it and it will mark the monumental trip you’ve had – splurge.

DON’T pick accommodation SOLEY on price. Often more than not you’ll find yourself wishing you had spent the extra $2 or $50 it was going to cost you at the hostel with wifi or the hotel smack bang in the middle of the cities nightlife. Think about quality, services and location. Why opt for the $20pn hostel when it’s going to cost you $15 to get to the attraction next door to the $30pn hostel. Catch my drift? One of the worst saves I ever made was opting to cut out accommodation costs all together & spend the weekend sleeping in the car we’d hired. –WORDS OF WISDOM: This in actual fact is not the brightest idea. Read more about this experience here.

When have you saved of splurged? And was it worth it? I’d love to hear from YOU! Comment below or like / share the post JClick here to read some of my best money saving tips for backpacking!

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BBOE: THINGS THAT WILL KILL YOU

Here is the first installment of the BIG BOOK OF EVERYTHING post series.
A collection of things I've learnt while living abroad, the kind of things you can not learn until you've done so.

One of the few things you do not have the option to bring with you when moving countries is your typical day to day set of ideals and knowledge. For example, Don’t touch this- it gets hot and you will be branded. You haven’t really experienced summer until you've jumped in your car in Oz, gone to clip your seatbelt and been branded by the scorching hot metal buckle. Don’t bike when it’s icy- you WILL stack it & make an utter fool of yourself & I have the battle scars to prove it, courtesy of Holland. Don’t dress like you’re going to a club when you’re wandering a muslim country. Other than the complete disrespect, unless you’re up for being oogled at & shamed- just don’t do it. Don’t bother trying to buy anything on Monday morning in Europe- you more or less can’t. Don't plan to drive through the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium around 8pm- You'll be stopped by road blocks as the Last Post service is held. All the simple do’s and don’ts that we ‘just know’ make a huge difference in how we go about our days. You don’t realise just how much of a difference knowledge of the little day to day inconveniences can make. Moving abroad comes with a whole new set of rules and guidelines. Each country has their own big book of everything – and sadly no one’s there to hand it to you when you arrive. Never fear though! The unknown is a huge part of the experience and one of the best things about living abroad, right? Navigating a new land is one of the few ways an adult can once again experience life as if they were a child. Back when no meant I’ll do it anyway and see what happens, when the only way to know how it tasted was to stick out your tongue & lick it, back when written guidelines and spoken wisdom was all but mumbo-jumbo and the only way to really learn was to just get out there and make mistakes.

BBOE EDITION ONE: Things that will kill you.

I’ve recently moved from Malaysia to the Maldives. Prior to Malaysia I spent some time at home in Australia and before that I spent a year living in the Netherlands. So you can imagine how vastly different my big books were and how little was interchangeable between them. Here’s a little snapshot of what I’ve learnt about the Maldives so far

1. Sand is no longer just a part of the beach it’s a part of every aspect of your life. It’s in your hair, your bed, your room, your nickers, your shower, your shoes and no matter how many times you sweep the house it will always find a way to be a part of the floor.

2. When it rains, it pours. There’s nothing quite like the swift and sudden downpour of tropical monsoon rain!

3. The main event, and spotlight of this post? ANIMALS!

Every country you go will be filled with its own set of weird and wonderful animals. They might want to kiss, cuddle, chase, eat or even kill you. And you’re going to need to know which actions to look out for prior to heading in for a pat. Being born and raised in Australia meant I grew up with two facts about animals drilled into me. 1. Accept they are everywhere and 2. Don’t be afraid, but keep in mind almost every animal you’ll encounter in the backyard probably has the power to kill you. Now, I’m no novice to creepy crawlies in my room HOWEVER- I can tell you that nothing has ever made me jump quite like this guy:

This is a crab. A big, brown giant crab (okay he's not that big) and he was getting his creep on in the corner of my room the other day. Can we just take a moment to appreciate how equally freaky, strange and cool it was that there was a CRAB in my room?! A crab. In my room. How did it even get there? This little guy shot me ten miles past terror because at a glance it appeared to be an oversized monstrosity of a huntsman spider. All too familiar with a spider in the corner back home I jumped to the immediate conclusion that it was a giant spider and it was infact going to kill me. It took me a few minutes to collect myself and as I went in for a closer inspection I realized the spider-strosity was actually a crab.  A CRAB.

The very next day I was strolling along the beach, ankle deep in the clear blue water. Minding my own business & testing out my new underwater camera, I was determined to snap some pictures of the little sharks darting around my legs. Suddenly out of nowhere sand started to cloud the water and I watched in shock as a GIANT stingray flapped its wings, slowly revealing itself from beneath the sand – right in front me. In fear of becoming the next Australian casualty to death-by-stingray, I froze. I had never been in such a situation and actually had no idea what to do. Will it hurt me? Are stingrays vicious? If I run will it freak out and attack me? Is this a stand still & don't move kind of situation? I was conflicted by the age old fight or flight. Or in my case- Bend down and take some Stingray & me selfies or wade out the water and run for my life. With a two or so metre long stinger I wasn’t really up for taking this beast on- but I also wasn’t going to leave without some kick ass snaps to mark the experience! Quickly and quietly I moved to a comfortably close position, snapped some pictures and got the hell outta there. All the while being eyeballed by the beautiful beast. See had I been given the BBOE: Maldives edition- I would have had the answers. However, since there is no much thing and this is all part of the fun - I'll be learning through my own experiences & jotting down and sharing my thoughts with you as I create my own BBOE based on day to day happenings. :D
Look out for upcoming posts BBOE Holland edition, and later Living in Asia!

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SHAPE UP OR YOU CAN'T SHIP OFF

WHY I WON'T BE WORKING ON A CRUISE SHIPEarlier this year I landed my third job with a cruise line. Yep, my third job. This time was going to be different though. This time I was going to finally make it on board and enjoy the amazing experience of sailing the world while working a job that I loved.  I seemed to be really really good at getting jobs and not so great at ever actually gracing them with my presence. The first time I was offered a position I had to turn it down due to a conflict of contracts and the second time I couldn’t go or I may have ended up in jail. (I’ll explain below) Third times a charm, right? WRONG. Apparently cruise ships just aren’t the workplace for me.

Anyone who’s tried, applied or worked on a ship knows what a painfully long process this can be. After sending off a number of applications directly and indirectly to an array of cruise ship companies sometime early this year I received a reply. One should be excited, right? Not really.. generally speaking this meant I was only one foot in on the nine mile path to actually stepping on board. The application over the next few weeks went a little something like this:
Make an online account, confirm email, log in, complete questions & scenarios, wait to have answers approved, add a profile online, wait to have said profile approved & accepted, add previous experience and desired job, wait to have experience cross checked, approved and accepted, submit a resume, wait for resume approval, add contact details, wait while contact details are confirmed, continue checking online for an invitation to complete a phone interview, pick one of the time slots available, wait for chosen time slot to be approved and locked in, complete the phone interview, regularly check back online to see if I passed the interview..  PASSED & APPROVED. -Please wait to be contacted by a cruise rep to arrange a second phone interview.
YEAH! I’d made it this far. Keep in mind none of this information has yet to reach an actual cruise ship – these are the steps to being pre-approved and put on the ‘potential list’ of a cruise ship staff recruiter who would then liaise with the cruise line. Many ships won’t actually accept direct applications & which recruiter you apply to depends on where you live and where you’re from.
This was the reason I never made it to my second cruise ship job – To complicate my second go at shipping off was the fact that I was indeed an Australian living in Europe at the time of application. This meant I couldn’t apply to a European recruiter without an EU Passport & for obvious reasons the AU recruiters were unable to process me as I was living abroad. Keeping to theme though this issue was never mentioned until I sent off my passport to my UK recruiter to finalize the position I’d been offered. Instead of receiving my ticket and departure information I received a short and sweet email “Hi Ashlea, I see your passport was issued in Australia? I’m really sorry to have to tell you this, but we only recruit EU passport holding staff due to our visa regulations. We’d really like you on board one of our ships though, do you have an EU Passport?” – I’m sorry lady, but did you not read the section clearly stating my nationality was Australian? Or that I ticked only Australian in the ‘valid passport’ section? Grrr. STRIKE TWO.

Fast forward back to this most recent application. With my profile now complete, approved and with the recruiters I was told to sit tight and await the notification of vacant positions. One morning I woke up to an email stating Disney was looking for staff & they’d love to consider me. AH! A sigh of frustrated relief. ‘Consider me’ - like the nine pages of information I’d already provided the recruiters wasn’t enough to know whether or not they’d want to hire me, merely enough to  CONSIDER the possibility of letting me join the maybe list of potential candidates who would then possibly be given a shot at impressing them. Sheesh. A second phone interview was scheduled with a rep from Disney & I was told more or less I’d been accepted and that it was going to be a further 2-3 months of pages, paperwork and preparation before I would be posted to my ship. It’s happening! I will have to wait.. but it is happening!

Cruise lines typically have a 3-6 month intake and if their staff turnover is high (how many members of current staff renew their contract) they’ll be looking for less newbies. This particular intake happened to have the highest staff turnover Disney had ever seen – so there were very few places on offer. Over the next few weeks I bounced back emails with my rep and started putting things in place when one peachy morning I woke up to my contract. HORAH! All that was left to do was sign it & send it off and this was a done deal. Reading through the contract, one section caught my eye. THE DISNEY LOOK BOOK. A real gem of a section. This wonderful 11page information booklet is the Disney bible of do’s and don’ts. How to look, what to wear, how to act and written evidence of why everything Disney looks so perfectly polished and shimmy-clean. With everything from cartoon drawings of how one may trim facial hair to at what exact height your socks should sit- this book covered it all. (& then some) So came the page on piercings & appearance and everything came crashing down. NO VISIBLE TATTOOS OR PIERCINGS.  BUM BUM BUM…
Back when I was freshly 18 I had taken myself on down to the tattoo parlour and got inked. I believe now it was somewhat more of an I’m-18-I-can-do-what-I-want and less of ‘I really want this design’ kind of situation. Don’t get me wrong, I am an avid fan of tattoos and don’t by any means hate mine, however had I really taken the time to consider my piece I would have had the design tweaked & the placement elsewhere.
My heart sank a little as I continued to read through the book, tattoos may be covered with makeup IF and ONLY job position does not involve direct contact with children. My career and heart thus far lay with the smiling faces of teenytots & after conversing with my rep, sending pictures off to Disney and awaiting a reply it was decided that the 1cm worth of tattoo still visible when wearing the uniform shoes, was going to be unacceptable for the position I was offered. STRIKE THREE.

What would have been awesome is if on the first page of the recruitment site there was a big warning sign reading ‘If you have any visible tattoos, piercings you don’t fancy removing or any other weird of wonderful things we won’t be okay with – save yourself and TURN AROUND NOW’.
I feel I should mention not all cruise lines are this tough. I know I could have applied / worked with another company without any problems it just so happened to be Disney who were looking for my expertise at the time & they have the most rigid grooming guidelines (& rightfully so, they do have a reputation to uphold.. this is Disney we're talking about).  

This unfortunate reality meant I was not going to be shipping off anytime soon. For the THIRD time this dream had once again defeated me and slipped between my fingers.
Or in actuality was stopped by the tattoo on my ankle. The little 4x2cm tattoo that happened to be none other than a dream catcher had caught my dream & was preventing it from happening. Ironic, right? Are dream catchers not supposed to filter out the bad dreams? Not hold on to the good ones? Perhaps I was going to fall over board or something terrible would have happened, who knows? Apparently I never will.
The lesson here? If you’re looking for a cruise job-Be sure you can shape up before applying to ship off.

PHOTOS SNAPPED ON BOARD THE SAPPHIRE PRINCESS WHILE CRUISING THE INSIDE PASSAGE OF ALASKA
A FEW YEARS BACK. LOOK OUT FOR MY UPCOMING POST ON THIS SCENIC ADVENTURE!

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SURVIVAL KIT FOR A HORRIBLE HOSTEL

Most of the time hostels are awesome. Though sometimes they’re just down right horrid. Whether it’s the hostel its self, the people you’re bunked in with or the whole package – you’re likely to come across a hostel on the little-less-lovely side if the line. But hey, when you’re paying next to nothing to bunk in for the night you can’t really be expecting breakfast in bed. Here's a list of five things I've wished I had at one point or another.

A TOWEL. With bed sheets that have been used more than a hashtag #throwback on a Thursday it takes almighty strength to get comfy laying in the thought of stale fluids and romp-nights that your bed has seen. A quick & simple pick-me-up or better yet cover-me-up is to strip the bed, lay down your towel & sleep on that. It has only happened once- but I’ll admit to sleeping on a towel, switching my blanket for a coat & rolling up a scarf for a pillow.

THONGS. To clear things up for the Americans- I’m talking about the thongs for your feet.  I can’t stress enough how important a pair of flip-flops are when travelling. Not only are they quick and easy to slip on when running outside to see what the commotion is but they’re often incredibly necessary in the shower. Whether the bathroom’s spick-spunky  clean or down right dirty something about standing and showering on the muck shed from the last 8 backpackers.. just doesn’t appeal. 




POTPOURRI BAG Or scented something. I know this sounds completely weird and unnecessary but your nostrils will thank me when you’re stuck in a 10-bed dorm full of au-natural hippy enthusiasts who believe showers are for those tied down by the modern world. Throw one under your pillow & try to forget the nine different scents of awful coming from the bunk below. I first experienced all that is the death-chamber hostel dorm when I walked into my room @ St Christophers in Berlin- amazing city, great hostel, cool group of people – not so cool being bunk #2 / 10 filled with said children of the earth.



WIPES.  Being that it’s typically the norm & a rule of thumb that if you use it - you wash it. You’re sure to come across the not so washed pots, plates and pans sporting chunks of last night’s dinner. Understand that not everyone’s kitchen skills are quite on par with your cleanliness standards nor a priority of those to go. Having a handy set of kitchen or all purpose wipes will help ease your worries and give what you use the once over. In my experience, kitchen wipes or baby wipes actually come in handy for basically everything & anything & if my spidy-sense is correct, you’ll be pulling them out left right and centre.

EARPLUGS. Whether it’s the party downstairs, the card game going on in the corner or the couple banging like bunnies in the bunk above- There will come a time one will wish they’d packed plugs.

Do you have any horror stories, or must have items to help you pull through? 
COMMENT BELOW & SHARE YOUR STORY!

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5 UNEXPECTED JOYS OF TRAVEL

We all know how exciting travel is or at least we are anticipating it. We’re ready to be captivated by the scenery, in awe of the must see sights and excited by the atmosphere. Here is a list of five unexpected things from my experience, that will bring you joy along your trips.

1.  HOME BRAND HAPPY

Forget the Eiffel tower or the must see sights & just head to the local supermarket. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a travelbug suddenly jump for joy in the middle of a crowded shop. Pointing and smiling completely unaffected by the local stares, because they’ve unexpectedly stumbled upon something from home. HEY! I HAVE THAT AT HOME! THAT THING COMES FROM WHERE I’M FROM! THAT IS ME! THIS LITTLE INSIGNIFICANT THING RIGHT HERE COMES FROM MY COUNTRY AND THEREFOR REPRESENTS EVERYTHING AWESOME ABOUT ME AND 
MY LIFE AND ITS HERE ON YOUR SHELF AND RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT... It’s the little things. Whether it’s the familiarity, the reminder of home or the fact you really wanted what you found- we’ve all had the little ah!-moment in our minds when stumbling on a home-made brand.

2.  DITCHING THE MAP

There comes a time in ones travels when you’re sick of prepping, planning and probing a map and you decide to just take the leap and wing it. Sometimes this joy is forced upon us by the rain destroying all that was our directional papers or because apple has yet to perfect battery life & your itinerary was on your phone. Whichever way you find yourself in this position, once the complete freakout of having no idea where you are or how to get where you’re going starts to fade; you’ll feel the sense of adventure and excitement bubbling up inside as you take a deep breath, hold your head high & follow your nose. –YOU’VE GOT THIS.

3.  BEING NIJEL-NOBODY

Whether you’re standing on the top of a cloud-covered mountain in the Alps, in a puddle of a deserted alleyway in China, amongst the autumn fall of the woods in Czech Republic or solo in an empty multi-story carpark in America there’s something really special and beautiful about finding yourself in a place where no one knows your name much less your story, without a soul in sight & alone in an open space abroad.

4.  THE EMOTIONAL FLASH-MOB

So you’re getting your dance on in the local club of a non-english-speaking country when suddenly wonderwall comes on, or any other one hit wonder from your high school playlist & you find yourself arm in arm with twenty other drunken dreamers singing in broken English or screaming the few words of the song they can make out and repeat. Welcome to the emotional flash mob; upon completion of the song carry on dancing like it never happened but sneak a little smile about the fact that a bunch of people abroad also grew up loving the songs you did- even if they haven’t a clue what they’re about.

5.  WHEN THEY THINK YOU'RE A LOCAL

We all love travelling. We’re proud to be on the road and are the first to start ranting about where we’ve been and where we’re going. AND YET when a local or more importantly a fellow tourist asks you for directions it serves as a quiet and simple success. You’ve done it. You’ve been here long enough to blend in like a local or successfully turned off the bright red sign that hovers above your head generally reading TOURIST. This person trusts enough that you will know how to help them & they picked YOU out of all the people around to ask for directions. OHHHHHH-yeah.

Sometimes it’s the little things in life. :)
If you enjoyed this post please check out some others or share!

What random joys have you encountered? COMMENT BELOW & SHARE YOUR STORY!

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7 CHARACTERS WORKING ABROAD & HOW THEY DID IT

So you want to work abroad?
& who wouldn't?! This is the first thought to the incredible journey that comes with living and working in a foreign country. I honestly can't express enough just how life changing this experience can be, nor how easily it can be achieved. WHERE THERE IS A WILL THERE IS A WAY. Since first deciding to pack my things and begin the daunting search on how to get hired abroad, It's come to light how many options one actually has. We're lucky to be living in a time where the worlds industries are no longer separated by sea and there's a huge push to globalize almost everything. With so many resources on the net, and the easy access of being able to search the job boards overseas as if you were right there scanning the local news paper- There's really been no better time to get moving. Having lived and worked so far in four different countries (including my own) I've uncovered and encountered roughly seven different roles and types of people you'll come across. Here's my list of the basic who's why's how's and where's of these characters.

THE ENGLISH TEACHER  Normally bunking in with a bunch of fellow travel-seeking teachers. You’ll hear them boast, relish, moan and groan about the joys, challenges and frustrations that come with teaching someone a foreign language. You don’t have to be fluent in your chosen countries language & simple knowledge of the basics will get you by. The path to teacher-success begins with completing a language teaching course. The most widely recognized providers of said course is TEFL (Teaching English as a foreign language) or TEOSL (Teaching English to speakers of another language) Both qualifications can be obtained either online at your own pace spanning over a 6-12 week window OR by attending the hands on weekend course typically on offer at your local TAFE. These courses start at around $250 AUD and will see you qualified and on the job hunt in no time. Keep in mind, unless working through a package program not all positions will include transport abroad or a place to stay.

THE STUDENT  You'll find the future of our globe speckled all around the world lapping up life abroad while still 'achieving something' in the eyes of the it’s-well-and-good-to-travel-but-what-will-you-do-after’s. If you’re currently working through your degree, most, if not all Australian UNIs offer wonderful exchange programs all over the world. Live like a local student and experience everything your chosen country has to offer. Programs include language immersion classes and you won’t need to interrupt your study to see the world! Alternatively one can apply as an international student directly to the UNI / College of your choice & hit up your whole degree abroad – though this option is not for those without a pretty heavy piggy bank.. or ten.

THE AUPAIR Scattered around the globe you’ll find a bunch of drank too much, played too hard cases of the overworked and underpaid aupair. This job comes with some pretty wonderful territory and in most cases the pros outweigh the cons. Having been an aupair & had many friends follow suite it makes me giggle how many times I’ve heard the words ‘never again’ out of the aupair’s mouth only to hear they gave in & are once again based in a new city with a kick-ass gig. (Myself included) Don’t be fooled! It’s not all playdates, potties and playdough. Aupairs know how to party and as the work hours are typically only around 35pw you’ll have plenty of down time to hit the road and go exploring. These characters range anywhere from the childcare enthusiast, the uni-grad looking for an epic way to mark their completion or the travel-seeker brazen enough to head abroad & rock someone elses kid having never changed a diaper in their life. The major benefits (other than the little smiling faces) are free rent, food and if you’re lucky.. free travel.

THE TICK BEHIND THE TOURISM INDUSTRY  This lot ranges anywhere from those sailing the sea with a cruise line, the inner workings of the top hotels to the party-going-you-call-this-work? staff of your local hostel. Some less-secured positions within the industry include travel guides, adventure sports, promotional staff and reps. Unless you know where to look or who to ask – these aren’t typically roles you’ll just stumble upon. * Keep an eye out soon for a much more in depth look into obtaining a tourism job abroad.

THE BACKPACKER THAT NEVER WENT HOME You’ll typically come across this kind working for rent in the hostel they checked into over six months ago, running tours for tips in the city they can’t bear to leave or just plain lost & wandering. I came across my first extreme case of the over travelled in Barcelona when I met Tim. I learned a lot about Tim prior to ever seeing his face- He frequented the plaza outside my hostel and at around 8 or 9pm he’d start his nightly rant. Yelling for his mum, his passport, some food, money or for someone to notice him. It became pretty clear he’d lost all of these things and somewhere along the line, his mind. Tim made regular appearances in my hostel dorm when the staff periodically let him in to crash on the floor. I often think of you Tim. Where in the world did you end up? TIM  Last seen: being driven away in the back of a cop car off Las Ramblas, Barcelona.

THE EXPAT & CO This includes the working professional and their entourage. The group may include partners, parents, nannies, maids or the rd culture kids who were born, raised and schooled in a number of different countries- Feeling at home a little everywhere & a lot of nowhere, these kids have had experiences like no other and tend to be far more mature than your everyday school-goer. (When the day comes to create & raise my own, this is an experience I hope to provide). Expats come from all walks of life & span over countless industries. Positions are open first and foremost to those with a specialized degree. On offer through in-house promotions and relocations through major companies. Some of the leading industries posting expats out here there and everywhere are FINANCE, INSURANCE & OIL COMPANIES. Generally shipped off with an expat package you’ll find them frequenting the local bar whinging over wine about all things different & ‘wrong’ with the country. *AHEM –you’re-in-another-country-expect-things-to-be-different. Living amidst customs not your own and conversing over a language your trying to learn does bring with it an array of various challenges. From things as small as being unable to purchase self-raising flour to make cakes (What’s the go Holland?) or having to navigate and source out all new brands of the everyday items. We take for granted the ease of zipping around the supermarket & filling your cart with your usual shopping list. The simplicity of scanning the shelf, locating the label & grabbing the detergent that makes your clothes feel like cotton-wonder-hugs, is something one will NEVER appreciate until lived abroad.

THE SNOW BUNNY If strapping on a pair of skiis & getting paid to hit the slopes sounds like a dream come true- look no further than one of the many ski villages around the world. Mountains lined with the thrill seeking travelbug all over the world are the perfect place to work where you play. Jobs range anywhere from qualified instructors to lift operators and many inbetween. The gig will generally come with housing, food and an all access skipass.

There you have it.
Hopefully I’ve managed to spark a little interest, manifest some motivation & shed some light on the base information when considering your options. For anyone determined enough to make it happen - it really is a dream within reach. If you’d like some more info or direct links to some of the services or ways I’ve found positions feel free to get in touch for some one on one advice thislittlenomad@gmail.com 

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BREAKING DOWN THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA

SNAPPED IN PU MING LU, SHANGHAI.

Not the great almighty wall you’re thinking of. I'd like to shed some light on China's other GREAT WALL. The wall that surrounds most of the country blocking & preventing access to sites such as Facebook, Google, Wikipedia and many more.
With work taking me to Shanghai for the past few weeks came a forced and probably well needed social media detox. No more buzzing of notifications, no more up-too-close-and-personal snapchats of my sisters face or countless photos of her dog, no quick googling to solve my everyday problems. NO. It became evident very quickly just how heavily I rely on these apptastic services. How ever did one get by before the internet? A time when people actually had to open a book to learn something, make human contact in order to see someone, or show up to lectures to get an education.  I guess that’s just an easy statement and the kinds of questions that roll with ease off thge Gen-Y tongue. More than 2600 sites are currently blocked by this great firewall due to China's tough internet censorship policies. Some of the big names on this list include Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Blogger, Wordpress, Pirate Bay, Dropbox, Soundcloud, IMBD, and anything Google related –docs, drive, plus, picasa & the like. Oddly enough though you can periodically access google search & I had no troubles reading emails.

So a few weeks net-free is NBD. Though one must ask themselves, does no one in China have Facebook? What about the countless expats living and working within this wall? Thinking of myself as somewhat computer savvy I just assumed I’d punch in a proxy address & trick the servers into letting me through.
Oh, bless that thought.
This is China we are talking about; the hub from which the techo-elite are rising. & there ain't no cheating China.
After chit-chatting about this issue with some expat friends living in Shanghai I learned of ONE and only ONE work around. That is to purchase a VPN (Virtual Private Network) from the US and install it on each and every one of your devices you plan to use.

These sites are some of your one-stop-shops to purchasing a VPN                                                                     
WITOPIA : $39.99 half yearly EXPRESS VPN : $8.30 p/m  VYPR VPN: $8.30 p/m IP VANISH: $10 p/m BOLEH VPN : $10.50 p/m

I believe there are free VPN sites you’re able to use or test out for a short period of time, though keep in mind you’ll be jumping into an open fishbowl & in full view of anyone else doing the same. There are also apps for your phone, ipad or tablet such as VPN EXPRESS starting at 99c/30days.

So, if you can’t bear the thought of shutting down or you're worried stepping off your virtual social scene will be the death of you.. Hereth lay your options when heading to Mainland China.

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5 STEPS TO PACKING

Sigh. Anything to do with putting clothes in or taking them out of a bag while travelling sucks. Or at least it used to. Here is the steps I follow when packing for a trip.

STEP 1:
THE NECESSITIES
Remember, your passport is your gold. If you don’t have your passport and wallet it really doesn’t matter what else you pack because without these you won’t be going very far. Next up on my most important list is my camera and my phone/tablet/laptop depending on where I’m going. Ask yourself though- Is it really necessary to bring along your ipad, ipad mini, laptop, ipod, phone, tablet and kindle? Be practical- You can live on just one or two devices for the duration of your trip. You should be spending more time out exploring than blogging or instagramming about it anyway. (That part can come later!) It’s a nice idea to pack something to keep you occupied when sitting in transit. Bring along a book you’re reading, an ipad or tablet or small game console- Whatever tickles your fancy.

STEP 2: SELECT A BAG
Are you backpacking around Asia? Are you taking a two week holiday in the South of France? Or are you going on a ski trip in the states? This information is vital when picking a bag. Be sure to check your airline baggage allowance if you’re flying- excess baggage brings heavy fees. For obvious reasons a backpack is more practical especially on trips where you’re lugging around your things for extended periods of time.


STEP 3: DAYS TO OUTFITS RATIO
How long are you going for? Believe it or not the longer the trip the less you’ll need. See if you’re on a trip of decent length you’ll be needing to wash and likely be moving around a lot – therefor wearing the same outfit a bunch of times will not matter (well.. not that much) For shorter trips, if I’m limited with space I try to pack a third worth of outfits from the number of days I’m away for. Say you’re going on a ten day trip.. get out three full outfits. Mixing and matching

each item will create a number of different outfits and be far more practical pushing into a backpack than ten full looks. Unfortunately backpacking and looking fashionable every day is a hard feat to muster. Be practical when choosing items, pick things that are plain and easily mixed and matched. On a side note, you can never have too many nickers or socks. When you’re doing a lot of walking around it’s nice to have fresh socks.

Step 4: TOILETRIES & EXTRAS
This one’s a given and pretty obvious. Try to be practical though. Do you REALLY need an eye shadow in every colour or five lipstick options? Pack the basics first and add in later whatever extras you have room for. If you’re staying in hostels- pack soap. (And if you’re a clean freak like me a pair of flip-flops for the shower) Keep in mind not all hostels offer towels. (You can purchase great quick dry travel towels that fold down next to nothing in your bag)The first things to throw in are toothbrush, toothpaste, deo, comb, travel-pack hair care, moisturizer, basic makeup, razor & nail clippers. (You'd be surprised just how often a set of clippers comes in handy!) Think about where you’re going, will you need a hat, sunglasses, beanie, scarf or beachwear? Pack in the seasonal items you’ll use.

Step 5: CULL
If you’re anything like me, once you feel like you’ve successfully culled down and packed just enough of what you’ll need, take out half. Far too many times I end up re-wearing or buying new items instead of wearing the clothes I couldn’t bear to leave behind. You’re travelling, exploring new places- you don’t need to relocate your entire wardrobe.

For a more in depth look at packing for extended travel, Look out for my upcoming post; Packing for the long haul

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EKE OUT YOUR EURO - My top five money saving tips for Europe.

After living in Europe on a mere €400 a month wage I had to learn to make my money last. With big plans and a small budget I picked up some tips and tricks as I navigated my way around the continent. Here’s my top five budget-savvy pieces of advice.

1. MAP IT OUT
First and foremost whether you’re planning a country to country, city to city or just sight to sight trip the first thing I always do is map out on a piece of paper each destination or point of interest I plan to visit. I then draw lines connecting each stop, and add in the means, options and cost in which you can travel between each point. Doing this will leave you with a handy little dot to dot picture in which you can use as a map to work out your most practical and sensible order of travel. You don’t want to be wasting money or time coming back to see a site or city when you were right around the corner the week before. Before you head to a new city or country you should have done some research of the infrastructure and studied or at least glanced at a map of your destination. If you’re on a budget, the wonderful ease and convenience of being dropped door to door by a taxi or paying full fare flights just isn’t a luxury we all want to splurge on. For a more in depth look at getting around Europe look out for my upcoming blog post - Navigating Europe.

2. THINK LIKE A LOCAL

After discovering there was such thing as a
disposable BBQ, we set up camp & spent the day
cooking food and soaking up
the sun down at Scheveningen; Den Haag.

One of the most important tips I can share is to think like a local. Tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry and countries thrive on milking us for all they can. We’ve all done it, but DON’T fall victim to the tourist trap. DON’T buy your souvenirs from the shops you were introduced to at the airport or ended up in after a tour. I guarantee in most cases you’ll be paying at least double for an item you can find elsewhere. Another little gem of a tourist trap is the all-inclusive ‘tourist card’ These cards are generally marketed and sold to give you ‘unlimited’ use of transport, and free or discounted entry to various attractions. Most of the time you’ll find the card does not actually give you all inclusive access to transport. Sometimes they throw in some coupons or discounts to shops or restaurants you’ll probably never walk into. Thanks but no thanks to your 5% discount on the diamond rings I can’t afford to look at much less buy, or the buy one get one half price coupon for Italy's most expensive bowl of pasta.

3. EAT, DON’T DINE

Sneaking some bag snacks with my sister in Paris. 

Food, glorious food. Dining is a huge part of the European culture and each city is filled with places to tickle and tantalize your taste buds. Travel is as much about food as it is about the destination so I’m not saying skip out on the fine dining Europe has on offer! Know when to save & when to splurge! However, if you’re trying to stretch out your savings here are some of my suggestions.
Steal it. Yep, you heard right. Get cheeky and fill your pockets in the morning with anything you can grab from the breakfast bar. If you’re in a hotel –go nuts at the buffet & prepare yourself mini gourmet-to-go lunch or dinner options. OR, presuming (since we’re on a budget here) you’re staying at hostels fill your pockets with whatever simply boring delights the hostel has on offer. A Jam roll in a napkin will save you having to purchase lunch later, and a few pieces of fruit should help you hold out on buying snacks throughout the day. Carry a water bottle & keep on sipping. Not only do you need to keep hydrated while you’re buzzing about seeing things but drinking enough water will prevent false food cravings and stop you buying soft drinks at every few stops.
If stuffing your bags on the sly isn’t for you, stock up on some groceries and simple on-the-go meals from the local supermarket. Your money will go a lot further making and packing your own little meals than if you purchase something every time you’re hungry. Go nuts. Or buy them at least. I find nuts, seeds or trail mix really handy to keep in my bag. It provides energy throughout the day, is easy to transport around, won’t spoil or leak in your bag and great to munch on when you’re feeling peckish.

4. NIGHT LIFE

Pre-pub crawl in Amsterdam, Holland.

One of my biggest pet peeves about Europe is paying to use the bathroom. Seriously, I paid cover to get into this place, I paid you for drinks, and now you’re going to charge me to use your bathroom too. Try to use the bathroom before you leave (or while it’s free!) and keep some change aside for when you’re out and about. I’ve been caught a few times when the bathroom attendant refused to accept my large notes. 

One of the really great ways to experience a cities nightlife off the bat is to join a pub crawl. Most major cities run one or (or five) and they’re generally great prices. Your wristband will get you a shot at the door of each club, free entry into a number of night spots and generally they’ll throw in some coupons for drinks or a free Tshirt marking your survival of the night. It’s also a really great way to meet, mix and mingle with other people if you’re travelling solo! On average, wine and beer is really cheap throughout Europe (especially compared to the prices in Oz) Oh how I miss heading to Albert Heijn to purchase my incredibly fancy & damn good €2 bottle of red.

5. UTILIZE ALL THE FREE THINGS!

Buda Castle; Snapped on a free walking tour I did in Budapest
Aside from Berlin, this was one of the best walking tours I've been on!
I was lucky to get a really great guide who was enthusiastic about
showing off a really great city. It's nice to come across locals
 so passionate and in love with the city they come from.

Most, if not all major European cities have really great free walking tours on offer. They’re a great thing to do on your first day in a new city. You’ll get a brief (or incredibly in depth, if you have a killer tour guide) history of the country and you’ll get acquainted with your surroundings as you’re guided around the city. At the end it’s polite (&the norm) to offer a small donation to thank the guide for the tour. (On average a few to ten euros) You decide on the amount- keep in mind though the guides work only for tips if you get a really wonderful guide show them your appreciation!  Use your feet. If you can walk there- walk. Don’t be lazy! 
Check out all the free attractions the city has to offer and spend some time getting lost. Some of my best discoveries have come from getting lost in a city and unexpectedly stumbling on something awesome. If you find yourself in need of wifi, keep in mind most pubs will have free wifi if you ask for the password. Otherwise Mcdonalds or Starbucks have access 99% of the time. There’s also great ways to get free accommodation, utilizing sites such as couchsurfing, or trading work for rent. Look out for more free travel tips in my upcoming posts.

So there it is. My 5 step mini-guide to stretching your euro.
Cutting costs is something we're all trying to do whenever possible! Though sometimes it's just not worth it. Read here about the worst way I ever saved money. EEEK, accommodation was probably not the best thing to bump from the spend-worthy list.
It's about finding a happy medium, know when to save and know when to splurge.
Check out this post here for some advice on the matter. Sometime's the splurge is worth it!

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