Tag Archives: Travel

Living from a Suitcase

When Hubby and I moved to San Diego last July, we weren’t sure how long we were going to be there. I didn’t have a job and he was completing a one-year fellowship. With so much uncertainty, we put all of our life in a storage unit in Georgia and signed a 13-month lease for a fully furnished apartment. We drove across the country with whatever would fit inside or on top of our car. For the past 15 months we have lived out of 6 suitcases and 12 boxes (most of which are hubby’s medical books). The opportunities for us in San Diego were so great, it was worth putting our lives in a box and living from a suitcase for a while.

Yep, that is all of my life in 10×15 foot box.

As I write this, I think of all the other bloggers who are currently abroad and living from a suitcase. Like Megan from Soulshine Traveler who has jumped around South America, lived in Russia, and explored Europe. Or Ashley and Justin from This Parallel Life who moved from their New York apartment into a storage unit in Denver while they seek adventure traveling the globe for a year. Or my dear friend Mary from Mary in Haifa who has split her furniture between her parents and friends while she takes a year away from her career to complete her Master’s degree in Israel.

For each of these bloggers, they have put away their material possessions to seek something they cannot achieve at home. Whether it is adventure, culture, education, or just a change from the norm, they have prioritized the experience over their belongings. From personal experience, I can honestly say this is not easy to do. But looking back on the last 15 months, I can say it was worth it.

Abroad Blog of the Week: Lauren Livingston

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Well, dear readers, I am finally back in OKC after a week in Georgia and happy to bring you another great Abroad Blog of the Week. I found Lauren Livingston’s blog a few weeks ago while searching through the study abroad tags. Amongst the many blogs from Spain and Italy, Lauren stood out. In my six years of working with study abroad students, I personally have never sent anyone to Indonesia so I was fascinated to read about Lauren’s experience. It wasn’t long before I realized that she has a great writing style and quite the adventurous spirit. I caught up with Lauren via email to find out what brought her to Bali.

How did you decide to study abroad in Indonesia?

Sophomore year I discovered SIT (School for International Training), clicked through their website and optional programs, and thought their hands-on approach, in-depth language concentration, and field study requirement clicked with my idea of how students should learn in an international setting.

SIT’s Indonesia program is centered around art, religion, and culture. All of which I knew relatively little about. Religion and its influence on society has always been a huge curiosity of mine, but to be honest, my knowledge of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and even Christianity was(is) sparse. I also enjoyed the idea of learning about Southeast Asian art and music and was upset by how ignorant I was of Indonesia’s culture- a society consisting of around 220 million people. As I read the program’s description and researched the country and region, I knew Bali and Indonesia involved a complicated history and culture that I wanted to know and learn more about. So I applied, and here I am.

What are you reading right now?

I just finished Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom which follows the progression and ups and downs of a fictional, middle class American family. Within the novel, Franzen highlights “freedom” as a term that has ongoing consequences for humanity and the world as a whole. It was interesting to read about American family dilemmas while experiencing and adapting to the family structure in Bali.

I read Freedom because of a book exchange a friend and I had started. Over the summer, we would write reviews on books and mail them to each other. One of the questions he asked was what conclusion did Franzen draw on the idea of kids inheriting characteristics from their parents. Are we in a constant cycle of inheritance, and, if so, what traits are inherited?

I’m starting to believe that our identity is not necessarily formed through characteristics or traits we inherit, but in what we, as individuals, believe we have the capability to do with those inherited characteristics. Our own perceived capabilities and aspirations as human beings develop out of a cultural context, and our family is just a bi product of that culture.

Currently Reading:

Course required readings mostly on religion in Indonesia

The Bhagavad-Gita Barbara Stoler Miller’s translation

What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains: The Shallows by Nicholas Carr-I’ve seen a few of the author’s talks online, and it was on the summer reading list for my university.

How is the Balinese language coming along?

For our first week in Bali, we practiced Bahasa Indonesian five hours a day. We learned everything from the alphabet to the Happy Birthday song. I acquired more of the language in that one week than I have in the three weeks that have followed. Now we’ve moved to 2.5 hours of class, four days a week. I find myself forgetting a lot, and I know if I want to get better I have to start memorizing outside of class. It’s hard to do when there’s so much more out there to explore.

Speaking with my host family has been fun. We can talk about daily activities, poke fun at each other, and bond over food, but it’s definitely Indoglish. My goal is to be conversational to the point I can communicate easily with the village kids, my bargaining skills are perfected, and I understand the local bemo drivers.

So far, what do you love and what challenges you about Balinese culture and traditions?

There’s so much to love about studying in Indonesia-the people, the villages, the weather, the religion, my classmates, our adventures, I could go on and on. In Bali, for the most part, the way of life is deeply rooted in the makeup of the family and Hindu traditions. Bali has taught me how meaningful family support and love is. I find I often take for granted my family in the States and fail to make an effort to spend time with them. Being here has shown me how incredibly important they are to me, and I appreciate that.

Of course the language is a huge set back. It’s hard to talk about ideas and compare thoughts with another culture when you have such a barrier as language. After being in Bali, I desperately long to study and to know other languages. Language is the first step in getting to know someone and their feelings. If you can’t grasp the emotion in their speech, you cannot connect with them and understand who they are. I’m not only talking about spoken language, but body language and mannerisms as well.

It can also be difficult to get away from the Western, American stereotype, but that’s an aspect of traveling and living in other cultures one has to understand. People are welcoming as long as you respect them and their beliefs. As an international student I can offer them a new perspective while also gaining their insights and beliefs as well. It’s an amazing collaboration I am so thankful to be a part of.

It seems you don’t know a stranger. How do you like to start up conversations with the people you meet on your travels?

When I think back about past travels, it’s definitely been the people I’ve met who made the trip versus the places I went.

Meeting people, sharing experiences, and life stories is the absolute best reward I’ve gained from traveling. Being open to having a random conversation with anyone you walk by can lead to so many fun and interesting interactions, and you can talk about anything-food, pop culture, religion, life.

I’ve found, in Indonesia, it’s quite easy to talk to locals if you’re enthusiastic about practicing the language. They are very excited when you speak their language and they start asking questions. From there, the conversations can go in any direction.

A Saturday in the South

Word to the Wise on Cruising

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Arrr! While digging through some old photos, I found this picture of me from a cruise I took with my parents after I graduated from college. I know I’m late for International Talk Like a Pirate Day but the picture did get me thinking about cruising.

Cruising is my parents’ preferred method of travel. They love not worrying about transportation or packing and unpacking as they move from one country to another. They have also been extremely generous to take my brother and I along during our younger years. We have certainly had some fabulous family vacations while sailing the high seas. However, with all vacations come lessons learned. If you’re planning on cruising this winter, here are my words to the wise:

If your 21-year-old brother/son goes missing, assume he has found some girls to hang out with and has not fallen overboard.
Be nice to your cabin steward. He will give you a lot more chocolates on your pillow.
Unless you are with a big group, request your assigned dining table to be with other passengers. It’s a good opportunity to practice talking to strangers in a fairly comfortable environment.
Go to the shows. They are actually pretty good.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator. It will help you keep that weight off from the buffet.
If going with a group, be sure not to do everything together. It’s great for everyone to go do their own excursions while at port and then get back together at dinner to share stories.
Balance eating on board and eating at port. While the food on board is included and usually delicious, you don’t want to miss out on the cultural cuisine of each country.
Margaritas and sea sickness don’t mix.
If you are on a cruise while in your early 20s, expect that most people on board in your age bracket are either on their honeymoon, in an on-board wedding, or are part of the crew. (Excluding spring break week.)
Buy one of those photographs they take of you at dinner with the pirates. Eight years later, you’ll be glad you did.

Abroad Blog of the Week: Suitcase on the Sidewalk

How did you choose your study abroad locations?

I can’t really take credit for choosing India; the Rotary program that I was selected for reserves the right to send you whenever they want or need to. They asked me where I wanted to go and I said, “Anywhere, as long as you send me!” My flexibility landed me a spot in the program, and was I eventually given a few choices off the beaten path. I picked India for the culture, for a taste of the exotic, but where I could still speak English. (That part wasn’t so adventurous.)

As for my college study abroad locations, I still wanted to pick places that were less common, that I knew less about. All the places I am studying have a campus for my college, so it feels a little like cheating. Language and classes have played a huge part in where I chose to go. For Ghana, it had a lot of classes I wanted- a fine arts minor, some post-colonial studies classes, and it was a chance to see some of Africa. Argentina was a chance to explore South America, and to work on my Spanish. I’ll be heading to Prague next semester, and I am actually following a specific teacher there, but there is some language flexibility and the chance of exploring Europe. I have friends in Germany and Hungary I am hoping to visit!

Now that you’re in your third country, has the adjustment process gotten easier for you?

The adjustment is definitely less stressful, though it’s exhausting and scary every time I get on a place.  I’m luck that my friends and family are used to me traveling, and so I don’t need to email or skype all the time.

The best part of having some experience is knowing how to manage my time and my resources, so I don’t feel as overwhelmed my first few weeks. I have a more clear sense of my priorities- for me, going out to party is less important than traveling and exploring my new home.  I do some research and pre-plan some things I want to do, which I think isn’t as common but helps me feel grounded.

I’ve also seen my fair share of travel disasters- pick-pocketing and getting lost and being lost in translation- and I am still here to tell the tale.  That gives me a lot of confidence, even though sometimes I have no idea what I am doing!

From your post on 5 things to remember when studying abroad, what is the most difficult for you?

Never say no! A dear friend from Rotary gave me that mantra and it has always served me well. But I still sometimes find myself not buying a sandwich because I’m nervous to order in Spanish, or something equally squeamish. The golden rule of study abroad is really “what you give is what you get,” and if all you give is “no,” you’ll find yourself only receiving “no” in return. Saying ‘yes!” can be scary but I very rarely regret it- instead I end up with better experiences, better memories, and a better education in the cultural exchange.

How do you maintain relationships from home, India, and Ghana?

It’s not easy. I had to make a resolution that I wouldn’t let the distance ruin my relationships with the people I care about. My family is great, and at this point they treat my going away to study in another country the way other parents treat going to school a few hours away. I still miss them but the Internet is a life-saver, and now I can text my mom from Argentina with a smart phone. How lucky am I? I also email my host families in India every few months. It takes a long time for us to go back and forth, but we manage.

Friendships are harder, and take more work for me. I have friends not just from my hometown, but from New York City (where I go to school), and also all the places I’ve lived. Facebook is invaluable, as is email and skype, but what it really comes down to is putting in the work to maintain those relationships. I’ve learned I can’t expect people to chase me. I have to be the one to say, “I’m really interested in what you’ve been up to, can we catch up?” I spend at a couple hours a week skyping and facebook-ing friends; for me it’s time well spent.

Looking back, what advice would you give yourself before all your adventures started?

Don’t be scared! So many people allow fear to dictate their travel experiences- fear of being embarrassed, fear of failing, fear of the unknown. I travel specifically because it scares me, and I think its important to face those fears and explore what the world has to offer. My biggest fear when traveling is always looking stupid, which is the worse reason to not do something that I can think of- I’m still trying to outgrow it. It would be much more reasonable to fear bodily harm or strangers, but India got rid of both of those fears. I am constantly grateful that I took a gap year alone somewhere far away- I had so much time to mess up and recover and learn, and it was so different from everything I ever knew, that I can brush off a lot the fears that come with study abroad for the first time in college. Aside from looking stupid, my greatest fear is not using my time abroad to my best advantage, and the two usually balance out well.

Break Out the Lederhosen

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The original Oktoberfest starts in just 9 days but here in OKC, we’ve already eaten our bratwurst, danced the polka, and emptied our steins. When some new friends invited us to go to Oktoberfest in Choctaw, OK, Hubby and I were excited to join them. The nine-day festival is put on by Old Germany, a traditional German restaurant located in small city outside of OKC. Although we were drenched by the monsoon-of-a-storm that came through, the music was great, the food was delicious, and the beverages were tasty.

If you cannot find your own Oktoberfest to attend, I would highly recommend visiting the Oktoberfest website. I spent a good hour looking through the Bavarian dictionary, reading the detailed descriptions on each of the tents, and scanning through pictures of costumes. It definitely makes me want to go someday to the real deal.

Hubby and me trying a German brew

Bratwursts and potato cakes with apple sauce…yum

Loved these guys! They were more than willing to have their picture taken.

Steins ranged in price from $50 to several hundred

Study Abroad Advice to Myself

Three Things You Can’t Live Without

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One of my favorite questions to ask people who travel is “What three things can you not live without?” Typical answers are a camera, laptop, or cell phone, but I love when people say something that surprises me.

I’m headed back to San Diego for five days and currently sitting in the airport. Want to know three things that I like to travel with?

A Book – I don’t go anywhere without one. It’s my comfort blanket. Stood up for a date? Read a book. No electronics allowed for the first 15 minutes of a flight? Read a book.
Scissors – I can’t tell you how many times these little guys come in handy and I pretty much take them with me everywhere. I usually carry ribbon too just in case I need to wrap a quick gift. Always prepared!
The Letter Z – Hubby and I play Scrabble on date nights usually once a month and were pretty competitive. We lost the Z a few months ago and my husband and I accused each other of hiding it. It was actually under the table but ever since then I’ve had it in my wallet. Every time I open my change purse I see it and think of him.

What three things can you not live without?

Abroad Blog of the Week: Take Me Down to the Panama City

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I’ll go ahead and say it up front that I may be a bit partial to this Abroad Blog of the Week. Lindsay and Megan of Take Me Down to the Panama City were two my students in San Diego who are now headed to Panama for a semester abroad. With that being said, I have the unique ability to claim them worthy of your reader before their blog has really even gotten started. Their approach to studying abroad has been incredibly proactive. They took weeks to research programs, they went to every prep event possible, and they were regular attenders at all of my Friday lunches. The two are blogging for their university as a pair, something I haven’t seen much of in study abroad blogs. With limited access to technology in their host city, they will be posting about once a week and the fun all begins this coming week as they jet set from LAX. I was glad to catch up with two of my favorite study abroad bloggers before they hit the road for Panama.

Lindsay, me, and Megan

What will you be studying while you are in Panama?

Megan: Both Lindsay and I will be studying Tropical Island Biodiversity and Conservation Studies at the School for Field Studies. What a mouthful!

How did you two decide to study abroad together?

Lindsay: We both changed our majors to Environmental Science in Fall 2011. We wanted to study abroad together because we knew it would be an easier transition having someone you are friends with in another country and situation with you. We became better friends and roommates through deciding to study abroad together.

Megan: It kind of just fell into place! We are both Environmental Science majors, so we were looking for the same type of program. Lindsay and I had already picked different programs when we heard that the School for Field Studies was launching a pilot program in Panama! The doors for our other programs began to close as the door to Panama began to open wider and wider. In the end, it turned out to be a program that encompassed what we both were looking for and the pieces fell into place! We are excited to go together as we have been roommates and friends at PLNU and look forward to have a little piece of familiarity and home with us as we embark on a new journey.

What will your living conditions be like?

Lindsay: We will be living on an island in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago and we are staying at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Bocas del Toro. We will be living in a dorm type building and have access to classrooms and a library on the property. However we will be living ruggedly as we are a 30 min walk from Bocas Town and have limited access to WIFI. Our research institute is in the middle of the rain forest but is fully equipped with necessary living arrangements.

What are three things you just can’t leave home without?

Megan: As I begin to pack I have realized that there are many things that I feel I can’t leave home without! One would be a bracelet that my best friend, who is also studying abroad, has the twin of. It has an elephant charm for good luck and safety. The second would definitely be my pillows! I am bringing my own pillow to sleep on, even though the station provides one for us, and my travel neck pillow. My little piece of home and comfort in an unfamiliar place. The third, I am a little ashamed to admit, would probably be my nail polish. I have sort of an addiction and have about 40 nail polish bottles in total. Obviously I won’t bring all of these, but it is probably safe to say that even in Panama, my nails will be painted to perfection!

Lindsay: My new Canon Rebel camera, my iPod, and this old black sweatshirt of my dad’s that I wear when I’m homesick or sad.

How have each of you prepared for living in Panama for the next four months?

Lindsay: We have been spending the last six months frantically buying new gear for various activities, getting the appropriate vaccinations and meds, and researching the politics and customs of Panama. I have attended many panels and discussion sessions in the study abroad office talking with past study abroad students about their experiences.

Megan: If we are being honest, I have not prepared near enough! I moved about 1,300 miles away from home to go to college, so I know a little what it is like to pack up and move away from your friends and family. Having said this, I have no idea what it’s like to pack up and move away to another country! I have been researching what it will be like and reading about other people’s adventures in an attempt to get a feel for what mine will be like. The most important thing I think I have done is to move into this experience with an open mind. I have tried to prepare for the unknown and get myself ready to experience things I never could have dreamed of!

What advice would you give other students who are considering studying abroad in a non-traditional location?

Megan: Do it. Even though I have not gone yet, I could not be more excited! You will always have an excuse to go to a traditional location later in life. People travel to Paris all the time for vacation or what have you, but how many people would go to San Jose, Costa Rica for vacation? Not only this, but many traditional locations have cultures that are more similar to ours than non-traditional locations. Great things can happen when you get out of your comfort zone and try something new!

Lindsay: I would encourage them to not be afraid of cultural and language differences. I would want them to research each country with vigor. I would hope that they would feel comfortable talking with other students about their experiences in non-traditional location. And I would stress that they look for God to open and close doors with each study abroad opportunity they encounter.

Disconnected

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Although it was only 10 years ago, studying abroad has changed a great deal since I went to Italy in 2002. iPads and Facebook didn’t exist. We didn’t travel with cell phones or laptops. Generally, we went to the pay phone to call our parents once a week and to the internet cafe when we could fit it in. We even wrote our papers by hand due to the lack of computer access. To be 100% honest, I loved the lack of technology. I loved being disconnected with few expectations to communicate outside of those who were with me abroad. I was able to focus on exploring Italy and building relationships with the other students. Being abroad was relaxing and re-energizing without the constant ring of the phone and the tiny red flags in our school email indicating unopened messages.

This past weekend I took the same mentality from studying abroad and disconnected. Hubby and I flew to Minneapolis on Friday afternoon to join family and friends for a weekend at the lake in central Minnesota. When we arrived Friday evening, I quickly realized my cell phone received limited service and the internet was patchy. My first inclination was to be frustrated. How was I going to blog? What if our realtor called? But then I looked around me. I was surrounded by a beautiful landscape with family and friends I’ve known since I was a small child. Why would I want to spend my time on a computer when there were so many other things to enjoy? So dear friends, I disconnected this weekend to enjoy all of this instead:

Global From Home

Exploring the world within a 30 mile radius