Earth2Eartha's Travel Hacks: Nifty Tips for the Practical Traveler

While I was still working for the ship, I held a series of talks for the crew, called, "Travel Talks with Eartha". It was a mini event arranged by our Crew Enrichment Director, open to anyone who's ever wanted to learn about how to travel smart, and on a budget, straight from a professional cheapskate like me.

I didn't expect the turnout to be as great as they were, that I actually had to do the events a few times to accommodate everyone that wanted to participate and learn. 

It was also really great to be able to share my story with everyone... Letting them know about alternative ways to travel, and getting out of their comfort zones.

I figured, since people were interested in the little tips and tricks I had to share, as well as the things I did on my travels that helped me stretch my dollar, I may as well write a post about it!

So to those of you on the ship who missed my talk, and to anyone else who's interested in the knowledge I've gained over the years of traveling, I bring you:

Earth2Eartha's Travel Hacks! Nifty Tips For The Practical Traveler!

ON BOOKING YOUR FLIGHTS

Google Flights

...is a revelation. It is my go-to website for looking at the cheapest flights available. It gives you a snapshot of the cheapest days to fly in a month, therefore giving you the best option, money-wise! I don't know about you - but I almost ALWAYS base my travel plans around the cheapest days.

For instance - above is a snapshot of the monthly/daily price comparisons of a one way flight out of LAX going to London (my usual destination). If you look at the month of December - it already highlights the cheapest days to fly out of the month. You may not see it, but December 5 and 6 are the cheapest at $180.

If, for instance, like me, you don't usually have a solid destination yet, but are flexible enough depending on the cost of the ticket to get there, Google also has this "Explore" feature that gives you an idea of price comparison per country/destination, coming from your home airport.

For example - On December 5, if I'm not satisfied with a $180 one way ticket to London, I can just type "Europe" as my destination, and this is what Google will show me:

It has all of the cheapest flights to all of those countries on the day that you pick, to give you an idea of cost.

Which brings me to my next point.

If You Want to Fly To Europe - Fly to London!

Not a lot of people know this, but flights to London from the US are usually very cheap (if you live in a big city). It is, in fact - the cheapest flight you can take to get out of the country to get to Europe (As I have illustrated in my previous example, prices start at $180 for December... And the flight I booked earlier this year only cost me $160 coming out of LAX)

Norwegian Airlines and Wow Air are two of the most affordable airlines at the moment. They are both International budget airlines, the latter of which came out more recently and is cheaper, but always has a stopover in Iceland. I, for one, am a very big fan of Norwegian Airlines because of their direct flights to London, and I've been flying with them for years! But on my upcoming trip this November, out of sheer curiosity (and blogging purposes), I decided to test out Wow Air to experience it for myself. (Watch this space for a review!)

When you get to London, the flights out of there to mostly anywhere in Europe is very cheap!

For instance, last year, I knew I wanted to go to Croatia. Instead of flying straight from LAX to Zadar and spend a little over $1000, I flew to London first, then took a flight out of there instead, thereby saving me about $500! Hurrah!

Set Up Price Alerts

Websites like Hopper and Airfare Watchdog notify you when the prices for the flights you are watching out for, drop! You can give them an estimated time - perhaps the week you'd like to travel, and where... And they will send you alerts when the prices go low!

Hopper in particular lets you know whether or not the prices are expected to rise after a certain date, and will give you solid advice by saying - "This is probably the lowest it will be, and so I'd book this now."

Airline Email Feeds and Frequent Flyer

A lot of airlines send you emails regarding "Flash Sales" or Promo's that Google Flights won't be able to show you (JetBlue, Southwest and United are examples). Signing up for ALL of the frequent flyer programs of any airline that you fly with is a good idea, too! Any trip that you take without accumulating some sort of miles is money wasted. 

Using Websites For Multi-Destination Travel

If you are planning to travel to a lot of destinations for a significant amount of time (6 weeks to a few months, maybe?) and you already know the countries/cities/places you'd like to visit - it may be worth it to use websites like AirTreks or BootsnAll. They make round the world or multi destination travel easier and simpler.

I used AirTreks on the first leg of my Round The World Trip where I traveled to about 7 or 8 cities in the span of 7 weeks. I find that it is best to call them to talk to an agent. They work with you regarding your dates and your destinations, and they give you all of the cheapest/practical options - considering not only price factors, but flight times and layovers as well.
I saved a LOT of money using their service, and they saved me a lot of time and effort figuring all of that stuff out myself.

DELETE Cookies!

A lot of the travel websites use your search history against you, and when booking flights - sometimes raise the prices based on your flight searches. "Cookie Tracking" is for realz. This has happened to me several times, (my laptop showed a significantly higher price on a flight than my friend's mobile device --- I did an experiment!) and so I have often made it a habit to delete cookies (or go on incognito mode!)and delete history on my phone and laptop!

Stopover Programs

There are several airlines that offer free stopovers - so that instead of waiting for a connecting flight, you are able to explore that city for a few days at no extra charge!

For instance, if you booked a flight to go to London via Icelandair or Wow, they will always have a layover in Reykjavik. Since you're already there - they will give you the option to "stopover" to explore Iceland for a few days, free of charge! And you can just hop on the flight over to London a few days later. 

The Airlines that I know of who offer Free Stopovers are:

Icelandair, Wow, Etihad, Hawaiian Air, Thai Air, Copa, Turkish Air, KLM, Air Canada, TAP Portugal and Finnair.

ON BOARD AND LODGING

Rather than staying at a hotel (which I am notoriously known to avoid), I have explored all other options, including the following:

• Staying with Friends and Family

• It really pays to know people all over the world! Be nice to everyone and you will be rewarded tenfold! :)

• Couchsurfing

• This is the option that raises a LOT of eyebrows, but I have had some amazing experiences (and one bad one) and met SO many interesting people through this website. The house or couch that you'll be staying in may be a hit or miss - so you'll have to be prepared for this, but the experience itself (because of the people you meet) is rewarding. Plus - it's absolutely free!

This is the home of one of my Couchsurfing hosts in New Zealand!

• Hostels

• When I was traveling by myself - I LOVED staying at Hostels. It's a great way to meet people, it's cheap, and it's always so much fun. I always made friends, staying at hostels... and some of my most exciting adventures while traveling happened with people that I've met at a hostel! Could be a roommate, or the staff, or just random people that I've met at the common area! There's a common misconception about hostels being really nasty --- but that's where your researching efforts come in! I myself only book hostels with raving reviews on Tripadvisor or Hostelworld... All you need to do is make a little effort.

One of the best hostels I've stayed in - Home in Lisbon, Portugal

• Airbnb

• Probably my favorite thing ever! It's a cheaper alternative to a hotel, it's has a very homely touch, you can choose to either be in a private home all to yourself, or book a room in a house and interact (as much or as less as you want) with the hosts and or other guests, you get a local/inside scoop on the city you are visiting - from a local's perspective, I mean - it's everything. (Airbnb, if you're reading this... would you hire me?)

This is one of my favorite Airbnb houses - Location: Bruges, Belgium

PACKING HACKS

First of all - do not over pack. Whatever you think you'll need, you'll most likely only use half of those... What I do is I lay out all the clothes and things I want to bring, and then once I think I have everything, I toss half of them back into my closet and stick to whatever I have. I've gotten so good at being an "underpacker", but even then, there are a few articles of clothing that I think I could have done without on previous trips!

• Use a BACKPACK

• It's easier than lugging a wheeled luggage around - especially in Europe.
  COBBLESTONES.

• Use Packing Cubes

• They keep things nice and organized

• Use Vacuum Sealed Packs

• They really REALLY give you a lot more space. And if you don't have a vacuum cleaner, it's okay... you can roll the air out of it manually!

• Use Compression Sacks

• Similar to a vacuum pack, only round, and squishes everything into a small ball.

• Roll. Don't Fold.

• You save a lot more space this way

• Dryer Sheets

• I leave a few sheets in my backpack to keep things laundry fresh!

VOLUNTOURISM (WORK EXCHANGE)

I call this my secret weapon. If you have at least a few weeks of vacation time and want to experience an alternative way of traveling, consider Volunteering via websites like WorkAway, HelpExchange, or WWOOFING.

You can work for a few hours a day in the location of your choosing, in exchange for board & lodging and food. I've written about my experiences on several of my blog posts. You can check them out here.

You don't get paid - but you're not shelling out any cash either. What you get in return is a wealth of experience and a big wad of fun! You get immersed in the culture, you learn first hand about their language, their food (my favorite bit!) and the way they live. Way more than what you would get from a random excursion, or from a guide book. My experiences voluntouring are some of the most memorable and unforgettable I have ever had. 

ON EARNING SOME MONEY FOR/WHILE TRAVELING

The key to making some money on the road (if you need it, or if you are traveling that long) is to USE YOUR SKILLS. Some of the things you can do - that I have seen other people do to earn a little bit of cash on the road are the following:

• Street Performing

• Are you a musician? Do you know how to play an instrument? Do you have rhythm? Use it! Throw down a hat and play for some cash on the streets. I have done this once myself, and in a country where no one knows who you are - It's a lot of fun!

• Sell Handmade Goods

• I've encountered a lot of people on the road who sell handmade jewelry, hair ornaments, etc! I have recently taken up knitting, and I fully intend to use my new found skills to use one day!

• Bartend 

• You'd be surprised, but a lot of hostels, and bars/restaurants hire skilled bartenders and pay them under the table.

• Teach English

• I have taught English (without a TOEFL certification) in Brazil, was paid cash, and was able to make a living and survive! I have a training background that helped me out - but honestly, what really got me hired was my American Accent. Brazil is not the only country that hires foreigners to teach English, either! And if you want to do it the legal way, well - I hear China, Japan, Korea and Prague are in need of English Teachers right now. It's a pretty good gig!

• Seasonal Work

• Check out websites like Cool Works to learn about seasonal employment. Get hired to work at a resort for 4 months, earn some cash, have fun, get some experience... and at the same time - explore the city/town/country that you're in on your days off! (This is exactly what I'm about to do this winter in Alaska!)

• Cruise Ship Work

• Ok - I know I just quit this job. But even if it's not for me anymore, doesn't mean it can't work out for you! Everything is paid for while you're working at the ship. You get to save all the money that you earn... And if you're lucky, you get assigned to a ship that goes to your dream destination, like Australia or The Baltics, or Western Europe! Then you go on vacation for months at a time --- and if you want to keep traveling, you can!

• Work Online

• Everyone is a digital nomad nowadays! Try to check out websites like Upwork or FlexJobs for online work! You can get a part time or full time gig, depending on the hours that you can give. There are also a lot of online English Classes that you can do (VIP Kid or 51Talk are a couple examples), and the hours are very flexible! The sky is the limit!

And there you have it! These are some of the things I've learned along the way that I thought maybe could help anyone who's interested in practical travel! I hope this helps get your foot out the door!

What are your own personal travel hacks? Please share by posting in the comments section below. :)

Honest Truths About Traveling Alone

People usually gasped anytime I said that I was out there (wherever I was at the time) backpacking by myself… And even more gasps and fake faints upon the realization that I was traveling by myself – as a woman.

I get it, but at the same time, I don’t.

What are we all really afraid of? Is it because, as women, we are prone to more danger than men? Is it because we are really perceived as the weaker sex – that we need people around us to protect us all the time? Or is it because of just the mere fact of being by one’s self that we fear? The loneliness… The being alone part?

Well, do you want to know the truth? 

In my experience… When you’re traveling by yourself, you’re hardly ever alone. Not really. Unless you want to be.

I was gone for over 18 months. The trip was mine.

And most of the time, I was only really ever truly alone while I was traveling from one place to the next. On the plane, the bus, the train, or the car. Yes, there were moments when I chose to wander off somewhere by myself, but I think a little isolation is part of the experience.

If I weren’t visiting my family or my friends, I was either Couchsurfing, Voluntouring, or staying at hostels.

ACCOMMODATIONS = LOTS OF PEOPLE

Couchsurfing

When I Couchsurfed, I was very lucky about the hosts that I stayed with. They were very accommodating, generous with their time, and I ended up either hanging out with them, or with the other couchsurfers staying there, same time as me.

This is my Couchsurfing host, Karen, and fellow surfer, Dulce :)

Work Exchange/Volunteering

When I was “voluntouring” via Helpx and Workaway, I was working with other volunteers, and I usually found voluntary employment in hostels or B&B’s. I was constantly surrounded by people, and constantly meeting new travelers!

This is how we did lunch while I was working for a hostel in Italy

These were my fellow volunteers working for a luxurious B&B in Umbria, Italy

This is us, folding sheets, while volunteering at a hostel in Tel Aviv, Israel!

When I stayed at hostels… well, this is when I had to get a little smart and creative.

First of all – I chose to stay at hostels that had a really nice common area. I had a tendency to choose the smaller ones with a more homely vibe. I was very diligent in doing my research, and I read a LOT of reviews. It’s just that the smaller ones with a good common area sort of draw people in, and the space invites the guests to hang out… therefore making it SO much easier to meet people.

HBB Hostel in Sao Paulo during the World Cup!

I have NEVER been in a situation where I didn’t make at least 1 friend while staying at a hostel. As a matter of fact, the acquaintances usually start right at the moment when I check in. If someone there sees you with a backpack, it’s automatically – “Hey! Where u from? What’s your story?” And BOOM. Instant best friends.

Instant besties at our hostel in Lisbon, Portugal

Second – when you are by yourself, and people see that, they usually are the ones to approach you anyway. I’ve always believed that people, in general, are kind. And if they see that you’re alone, they’ll reach out and include you. 

Instant Friends from our hostel in Rome!

So if your excuse is that you’re shy --- then tough luck. You can’t wiggle your way out of this one because people come to you regardless. They introduce themselves to you, they invite you to tag along with them… Trust me. There’s usually always at least ONE person in the whole hostel who will act like the host/ess, or the glue that will turn the whole joint into an organized (sticky) group tour. And most of the time, if you’re lucky, that person is me.

Obviously it helps if you have a more outgoing personality, and making friends with strangers is second nature to you. But even if I think of myself as one, I do have moments when I get a little shy or embarrassed to start up a conversation. I learned though, that sometimes even just a little smile goes a long way. Or a stupid question like – “Do you know where the toilets are?” or “Hey, what kind of currency do we use in this country?”

Once when I tagged along with these Danish girls to go and get all muddled up in the Dead Sea! This mud is magic, BTW

One time, I bumped someone on purpose and said, “Omg I’m sorry! HEY! Nice shirt! Where are you from? I’m Eartha.”

Lame. I know. But we ended up being friends and traveling together for 3 days!

Just remember that most of the time, they are just as scared as you are when it comes to these things… you know, like meeting strangers. But keep in mind that strangers are friends you just haven’t met yet!

TOURS BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER

Another thing that I did quite frequently was go on Free Walking Tours, or random city tours and excursions. These usually lasted for about 1 to 3 hours long, and about 80% of the time, the whole group ends up having lunch, dinner or drinks together afterwards. Instant buddies in a strange land!

Friends I've made on a walking tour in Athens

I went on a Greek Hiking Tour once and I was in Santorini by myself. On the boat on the way over, I met a few groups of girls, and we all just sort of ended up in a little pack. We exchanged emails and we basically hung out with each other the whole time I was there. I even ended up traveling to Mykonos with one of them randomly, and her and I became really good friends.

My ladies in Greece! We are still friends :)

DANGERS ARE EVERYWHERE ANYWAY

OK. When I look back on all the places I visited, I think I was on my guard the most while I was in Argentina, and Rio. I was heavily warned by both travelers and locals, mostly about pickpockets and such. And I did see and feel danger while I was there… that everyone was just wary of one another.

My bag got stolen when I was in Buenos Aires. It was a rookie mistake. I was in a very posh area of the city, having lunch with a friend. I usually do not let my purse leave my body, but on this occasion, I put it on the ground next to the wall and I was stepping on the strap. Sadly, it was still swiped from under me without me even noticing it. I regret being stupid. But then again, I was having lunch with this gorgeous Uruguayan model and I think anyone else would have been just as distracted.

He is a real person. His name is Fernando. Dangerous.

In Rio, during the 2014 Carnival, it felt like the dangers were a lot worse. So I didn’t even bring anything out with me. My money and my lipstick were stuffed in my bra, and I had nothing in my hands. I hardly even brought my camera out. I relied on others to just send me the photos they took.

Trying to protect my dignity in Rio!

But in all of these instances, I always had my wits about me. I was smart. I never walked alone in the dark by myself, and I never allowed myself to put myself in dangerous situations. I always had a keen sense of awareness, and I always carried my pocket pepper spray!

In hindsight, I was very lucky that in all the traveling I did – getting my bag stolen from under my nose was the worst thing that happened. And I’d like to think it’s because I put my adult hat on and took care of myself pretty well.

THOUGHTS ON BEING ALONE

During the moments I was actually on my own (pretending he's beside meee...), it wasn't so bad. The thing is, when you are in some form of isolation, you really end up learning a lot about yourself.

For instance, I learned that when I'm by myself, there is a LOT of internal monologue going on. I talk to myself constantly, and I narrate as if I were telling myself the story of what is currently happening to me. 

For example... "Oh... I can see that there is hail. Right. I am right in the middle of a hailstorm and I am freaking out. It sounds like someone is shooting a machine gun at my car. Oh my God. What shall I do? I will stay calm and keep driving. Just keep driving... Just keep driving driving driving.... Oh look, a rainbow!"

Is that weird?

Yeah this was my drive during the internal monologue you just read above.

One of the most significant alone times of my journey was when I was driving through the North Island of New Zealand. It was during the first leg of my trip, and I was driving through the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen in my life, on a right hand drive car, up and down a mountain. I was completely out of my comfort zone in a completely strange land, populated by mostly sheep.

Meh-eh-eh-eh-eh!

I felt completely isolated - and with that, came a little fear, but that's okay... Because along with the fear came a little courage, and a very strong sense of self awareness. I realized that as I was talking to myself... comforting myself through this whole process - I made myself laugh. It wasn't so bad learning that I actually liked my own company -- and THIS is very important self-love stuff.

One of very many "scared" selfies I took, driving in NZ on my own

Your location plays a lot into the experience too, because it's hard to achieve a good sense of solitude when you are surrounded by the noise of the city and society.

But when you are in a place as beautiful as this....

Gasp.

...things become really clear. Outward silence bring inner silence, and it is usually then that you learn your life's greatest lessons. 

I remember feeling that I was exactly where I was supposed to be at that exact moment. I remember feeling grateful that I made the decision to take a leap of faith. And I remember thinking to myself, that I must always remember that when I am alone, I am not necessarily lonely. 

All I know for sure is that I felt more alone when I was living in LA than I did when I was traveling the world solo. And while I was out there, I learned a great deal about myself that I never would have known had I stayed in the comfort of my old life... trapped in the four walls of society.

These experiences of solitude tested and challenged me to understand who I really am and what I really wanted out of my life. And because of this, I am a better and happier person. 

AND SO

Now that I have experienced both traveling by myself and with a partner, I can definitely say that there are perks to doing both. It's great to travel with someone, yeah... But it's equally satisfying going on a trip by yourself.

I just think that if you've been wanting to go on a trip of a lifetime but you're putting it off because you're still waiting to meet that one person to go and travel with... Well, you may as well toss that suitcase out because I think you may end up waiting a very veeerry long time.

Don't postpone these kinds of adventures because of the fear of being alone. You're never gonna get to do anything if you keep giving into those reasons why you shouldn't do it.

Believe me, if you go, you'll end up having a great time, make a ton of friends - real ones, and I bet --- you're probably even going to meet someone special while you're on the road. It's happened to me a few times... and trust me... A little romance never hurt anybody ;)

I heard someone say that the "You only live once" quote is false. "You only DIE once," is more accurate. And I completely agree. You do only die once - but you live EVERY DAY. 

So let's make it count. 

The Brazilian Chronicles: Halfway Through Copa Del Mundo

Bom Dia!

Tudo Bem?

That's about all the Portuguese I've got for now. ;)

Alright, alright! It's been - what - 2 weeks since the kick off of the World Cup here in Brazil, and the energy hasn't died down one bit! If anything, I think things are actually getting even more exciting!

WHAT'S IT REALLY LIKE TO BE IN BRAZIL AT THIS MOMENT?

I can't lie. It's pretty spectacular. And I'm not even a football fan! I mean I can only speak for myself and my experiences in Sao Paulo, and I can't say much about the other places in Brazil... But here in Sao Paulo, it's like the entire world stops for football. Hardly anybody works!

I teach  English classes and in these past 2 weeks, about 50% of my students cancelled because of the games. I honestly don't mind - I'm happy to have the time to watch the games myself, but it's gotten to the point where my friends don't think I have a job at all!
For example - If Brazil plays at 4pm, everyone only works half a day, to give people time to brave the Metro to get home or to get to various locations where they can watch the match. Automatically, all my classes scheduled from 12noon onward that day is cancelled! (Yippeee!)

Then you walk down the streets to *try* and take the Metro or the Bus, and EVERYONE is wearing green and yellow, or wigs, or crazy sunglasses or hats, green and yellow scarves, and green and yellow face paint. EVERYONE is thrilled and just HAPPY and EXCITED... both locals and foreigners alike, I gotta say.

I can't afford to watch any games at the stadiums, but you can practically watch the games anywhere over here. There's an open area in the center called the Fifa Fan Fest which is a lot of fun... But mostly we just see it on the streets of this neighborhood called, Vila Madalena. They basically just shut down a few blocks, set up a huge monitor, and hundreds or even thousands of people gather around to watch the game together on the streets. It's SO much fun... I LOVE it.

Sometimes, being a gringo has its perks, because once the Brazilians hear me talk and realize I'm a foreigner, the free drinks start pouring in. :) I LOOOVE Brazilians! :)

IF BRAZIL ISN'T PLAYING

Then all the foreigners from all the other countries roam the streets to support their own teams. It's basically the same thing, only instead of seeing Green and Yellow everywhere, you see different colors. :)

At The Fifa Fan Fest

THE COST

Is really expensive. Everyone hikes up the prices when there is an opportunity to, and with all the foreigners being here, well... Taking advantage is an understatement. But that's just the way business goes! And Sao Paulo is already expensive to begin with, even without the World Cup, so we can clearly deduce that I'm pretty much broke --- but happy!

Food is expensive... Like, a large pizza at a random diner could cost about 30 USD... Shopping? Well... let's just say I've been having my family send over some clothes because I'd rather wait than spend money over here. It's kind of insane. The Metro - you pay 3 Reais every time you enter (about 1.50 USD), same for the bus... And because of all the commuting I do everyday, I usually spend at least 10 Reais per day on transportation. It adds up.

What's cheap? Err... Havaiana's and cigarettes? Hahaha

TV STINTS

With the whole crew, being featured at Globo 1

Incidentally, while I've been here, I've managed to be on TV twice! It's just the local news, but still. Pretty cool. They love interviewing foreigners, asking us the same questions over and over... "Who are you supporting"... "What's it like being in Brazil"... "Will you support Brazil"... blah blah blah.
It's really silly, and sometimes stupid... but it's FUN! :)

2 Weeks In, 2 More To Go

Brazil is playing against Chile on Saturday... And this is a Do or Die match. It determines whether Brazil moves forward or not, so it's probably the MOST important game to date. I'm not a soccer fan, but MAN the suspense is killing me! I have NO idea what will happen if Brazil doesn't win.

Right now, things in the country are good. No protests, no Metro strikes, everyone is just happy and excited to be here, and the Brazilians are SO open and friendly towards the foreigners.

But if things go badly for the team on Saturday, I can't guarantee that things will remain the same. Brazil HAS to win. They HAVE to. Because if they don't...

Shoot, can you guys IMAGINE what it would be like over here? I can't. And I don't want to. So we'll just have to see.

I'll let you guys know for sure. I'll keep you all posted.

In the meantime - VAI BRASIL!!!!

An Extended Pit Stop In Brazil!

And after the longest AWOL in history, I'm baaaack!

I apologize for the long hiatus. I do have excellent reasons for it though. First is -- my laptop crashed. Yes. It was (and still is) a nightmare. A few months ago, I had a feeling it was about to conk out on me, so I asked my family to send me a terabyte's worth of external hard drive... but the laptop died 2 weeks before it was due to arrive. The good news is - all of my files are apparently still in tact. My whole year of travel is preserved. The bad news is, because my hard drive has some weird physical damage, I have to go to a specialist to get it fixed to be able to extract my files from it. So my data is there... I just can't get to it. I have a brand new hard drive now, and I'm out a few hundred dollars... The annoying thing about this is that the Windows 7 that was installed on my laptop is in Portuguese, and it didn't come with a language pack. And so I'm stuck with a laptop I hardly understand.
On the bright side, this definitely gives me more motivation to learn Portuguese.

Why do I need to learn it? Well... because...

I HAVE TAKEN UP TEMPORARY RESIDENCE IN BRAZIL

... and I have been here for a month. A MONTH! I survived, and I will conquer! :)

OK... remember my Ayahuasca Retreat? Well, I didn't go into detail on my last post, but what it actually showed me was Sao Paulo. I asked Ayahuasca what I should do, and in so many words (and visions), it said - "Go to Sao Paulo"...

I know I must sound nuts, but I didn't just follow it on a whim. I had to be smart about it, and make sure I had a way to survive over here. I had a few friends who had mentioned I could earn a living here teaching English, and that they had a couple private students they could send my way. I also happened to have a friend with a friend who works/owns a language school who just so happens to be in need of a native English speaker right around the time I arrived... so... Enter Eartha. :)

I also happen to have made some very good friends in Sao Paulo... People who I now consider family... so knowing that they'll be here made me feel better and confident about the whole thing.

It wasn't easy though. It was extremely challenging trying to view apartments, finding my way around, and trying to get errands done (like getting the laptop fixed) with the language barrier. I had to rely heavily on those people in the photo above for help, and the stress during the first couple weeks has begun to catch up on me via breakouts on my skin. Which is part of the reason why I couldn't write anything till now.

1 MONTH AND COUNTING

But, after a very rocky start, I am now employed by 3 language schools, I have a few private clients, and I am renting a flat (with a flatmate) in a REALLY good location near the center of Sao Paulo! Seriously, it's almost a little scary how things have worked out so quickly. I guess this means I made the right choice in moving here after all!

The plan is to stay here for 6 months (basically until Brazil kicks me out) and just see what happens :)

SAO PAULO

Being in Sao Paulo makes me feel like I'm fulfilling my New York City fantasy. I've always wanted to try living there, and Sao Paulo is so similar to Manhattan, I may as well be calling myself a New Yorker!
It's similar because the city is just so compact, filled with skyscrapers... only it's about 10 times the size of NYC. All that everyone ever does over here is work work work - it's pretty crazy. Everyone is a workaholic... but Sao Paulo is where the money is, and all the Paulistas (what they call someone from Sao Paulo) are scrambling around for it. Money does make the world go round.
I'm hoping not to adapt this kind of mentality, although it is a little challenging, especially for someone like me who's basically running on credit. I want a good work-life balance while I'm here... Work hard, party hard -- and they DO have a really good scene here too...
A month in, and I think I've done a pretty good job. :)

THE WORLD CUP

It really wasn't my plan to be here for The World Cup. I just got lucky! I'm sure my football fanatic fans aren't very happy about me being here because I don't know squat about football... but I'll try to make the most out of being here!

I have received mixed reactions from the Brazilians about WC... Some of them love it and are really excited, some don't care, and some just plainly hates it. Word on the street is that the government spent and exorbitant amount of money for the World Cup, leaving a lot of the countries priorities (like food, housing, and all the other big problems) unattended... and the people are angry. I've actually seen the protests on the streets, I was here when the buses went on strike, and it can be a little intense.  

An example of some of the street art that started popping up regarding the dark side of World Cup

I can feel the excitement brewing though. Only a week till the first game and all I see around me are green and yellow! The hotels and hostels are slowly getting packed with foreigners, and pretty soon it will be CHAOTIC! I'm hoping it won't be as bad as Rio's Carnival. That experience drained the life out of me!

IS IT DANGEROUS TO BE HERE?

Yes. To a certain extent, yes.

Is it any more dangerous than, say, Los Angeles or The Philippines?

Não. I don't think so. I think there's a possibility of danger everywhere if you're not careful. My bag was stolen in the most posh neighborhood in Buenos Aires...a  place I never would have thought things like that could ever happen... So just like everywhere I go, I always have my guard up, and I carry my pepper spray... Just in case. Fingers crossed I never have to use it though...

BACK IN THE GRIND...

I really feel bad about the month-long hiatus, but it couldn't be helped. I'll do my best to keep you guys updated on the World Cup happenings over here, and don't be surprised if the blog becomes a little bilingual. I gotta practice my Portuguese because one cannot survive Brazil without it!

It has to be said though, that I am having such a good time here. I'm always very fortunate to be surrounded by good people. I think it might be one of my superpowers... Knowing how to pick friends. :)
So wish me luck... Or rather, wish me Boa Sorte, and I'll speak to you guys soon!

Tchau!