How I Can Afford To Travel

The first thing people usually ask me when they find out that I’ve taken a year off to travel is --- “How did you do it?” “How much money did you need?” or “How did you acquire the money to pay for it?”
I don’t blame them. That’s usually the first thing I ask someone when I find out they’re traveling like me… Some of the people I’ve met on the road have been living a vagabond lifestyle for 2, 4, 10 years even! Now THAT’S impressive!

There have been so many articles and blog posts that come out, claiming to teach you ways on how to “Travel For Free”.  In my opinion, that’s false advertising. I mean, come on! Let’s get real! If you want to travel, you’re going to *have* to shell out some cash at some point! Plane tickets, transportation, food, etc…

 No, no, no. The question should not be – “How do I travel for free,” but “How can I afford to travel?” Or, “How can I stretch my dollar when I travel?” Or – if you want to get really straightforward about it… “How do I travel on the cheap?”

 

MYTH BUSTED

People usually assume that I can travel long term like this because I’m loaded. Richie Rich kind of rich. Even my own father thinks I’m wealthy! It’s hilarious, because they couldn’t be more wrong! I’m too cheap to even pay for my own hair cut (I found a salon that cuts bangs for free).  As a matter of fact, at this moment, I am writing this blog post on a bus as I am journeying from Cardiff to London. I could have taken the train, which is a quicker, more comfortable option… but I opted for the longer, more grueling bus ride, even if I suffer from motion sickness… because the bus fare was only 3 GBP, as opposed to the train’s 30 GBP cost.

No, people. I am not rich. Rich in experience, friendship and love… yes. In cash? No.  What I am is practical and resourceful. I’ve met so many other travelers on the road who have been on the road for yeaaars… Everyone has a different strategy… Everyone has a different story. And this? This is mine.

I SAVED

It’s not as exciting as finding out I had a rich great grandfather that magically left me his entire fortune on his will. Really, it was simple. I prepared for this trip, and I saved. In September of 2012, I gave my company a 6 month notice. I said I was leaving by the end of March 2013 to travel. I was completely moved out of my apartment by the end of the month, sold and donated all of my stuff, and I was Couchsurfing with my friend, Wriss, by October. 

Moving Out!

The money I would have used for rent just went straight to my travel fund. Add the money I got from selling all my furniture… Plus my tax refund…  Plus the little cash I had saved up before I even thought about doing this… Put it all together, and I had roughly  --- $18,000.

For a year, that’s not a lot. Research tells me I’d have needed at least $35,000 to survive for one whole year. Well… I wouldn’t be me if I wasn’t a little stubborn or defiant. I was going to make $18,000 work. And so far, 9 months in… I’m still alive! The funds are draining, sure… but I’m still within budget!

I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY ALL OVER

The Sydney Clan!

This is true. I have a BIG family in Sydney, a friend from church in Auckland, a friend from college in Wellington,  a friend from high school in Japan, a sister in Japan, friends from college in Dubai, a friend from church in Dubai, and best friends from all over the UK! And now that I’ve been traveling for a while, I’ve made even MORE friends… So when I go to Spain, I’ll be set. When I go to Brazil, I’ll be set. When I visit Peru, I’m golden. 

With my friend, Tina the Desert Fox in Dubai

I’m SO lucky to be surrounded by such amazing and generous people in my life. Every single one of my friends and family that I’ve stayed with have been great hosts to me, and I’m so looking forward to the ones I have yet to visit.
When I had my own apartment, I was a really good hostess too. I’d like to believe this is my good karma for being awesome. :)

COUCHSURFING

It’s safe, I promise. Just be smart about it, as with anything else. I’ve only had very positive experiences in Couchsurfing, and I plan to do more of it in South America this year! What I usually do is send my requests weeks in advance. I choose the hosts based on their reviews by other surfers, and I go as far as contacting those surfers to give me the real deal on the hosts --- just to be 100% sure.

This is the house of my first host in New Zealand. BEAUTIFUL, right?

This is me, my new friend and fellow couchsurfer, Dulce, and our host, Karen.

Be a good surfer as well by offering to cook for your hosts. It’s just polite… and a great way to show your appreciation for their hospitality. Don’t treat it as just a free bed – hosts hate that. Remember that a lot of these people open their homes to travelers for a reason… and mostly it’s because they like meeting and getting to know people from different cultures too! Swap travel and adventure stories and etc.  So be sociable and polite! This earns you great reviews, which will make it easier for you to Couchsurf in the future. :)

HELP EXCHANGE/ WORKAWAY

 THIS is the best idea in the world of worlds. Working in exchange for board and lodging in different countries… I cannot even begin to explain how this has single handedly changed the way people travel! I am SO lucky I found out about this!  It’s the best thing you can do for yourself when you’re traveling, I swear. You just LEARN so much… You meet so many people… You gain so many new LIFE SKILLS. That’s how it was for me, at least. I guess it’s like a very informal way to volunteer… its’ the easiest way to describe it. I’ve done it throughout Italy, Greece and Israel… working mostly for hostels and B&B’s. The tasks are varied, depending on the place you choose to volunteer in.  I have to say though that this isn’t for the faint heart. It’s REAL work… and it’s NOT glamorous either… So you must be willing to get down and dirty and clean toilets.

My hosts, Franco and Martina from The Shanti House in Italy

Other opportunities include working at a farm, at a vineyard, ski resorts, etc… It depends on the season, and on the demand. 
I’ve had 5 different Help Exchange experiences in those 3 countries and I’ve had an amazing time in all of them. I’ve honestly learned SO much, about the work, about the country and their culture, and about myself… AND I’ve gained SO MANY amazing new friends from it. 

My friends/fellow volunteers from La Preghiera in Perugia, Italy

Honestly, it’s the best thing since sliced bread. You work for a few hours a day… you stay and eat for free… so you therefore save money! I’ve even had instances where my hosts gave me some pocket money to spend on booze! Haha! How cool is that? :) Seriously though… if you have time and are willing to just work it… DO THIS. Use HelpX or Workaway… either one works. Different organizations, same purpose.  Go to their website, sign up, pay the fee (around 25 USD membership fee for 2 years), and start searching for your future hosts.

Just DO IT. It’s amazing. I promise!

With my fellow volunteers at The Overstay Hostel in Israel

I STAY AT HOSTELS

This was my hostel in Santorini. Caveland. 13 euro a night.

I LOVE staying at hostels. It’s just SO EASY to make friends when you’re there, especially for solo travelers like myself. They are SO MUCH FUN… There’s always something going on, like an organized tour… or themed nights… or group activities… You’ll never be bored. If you do, it’s your fault. And it’s SO CHEAP. Cheapest hostel I’ve been in only charged 11 USD a night. And it was decent!  

These guys were my roommates at my hostel in Rome

I mean let’s be honest… when you travel to new destinations, how much time do you actually spend indoors anyway? In my opinion, as long as the bed and the bathroom is clean, no matter what the size, and no matter how many people are in the room with me (I’ve been in a 30 bed dorm), all is right in the world. 

It is in hostels that I get to jam and share my ukulele-ing skillz with people too! Most of them have common rooms or lounges where people just hang out… I’ve been to a few who have musical instruments lying around for anyone to pick up and play too! I love it when musical numbers spontaneously combust out of the guests… And I love being able to jam or sing along. Music brings people together… 

An impromptu jam session in my hostel in Oban, Scotland

If this isn’t your style and you’d rather stay at a private room – you can do that at hostels too. And their prices are still cheaper than booking a room at a hotel.
FUN FACT: Just 2 minutes ago, I booked a 3 night stay at a hostel in Portugal. My total cost for three nights was about 8 pounds cheaper than my 5 mile cab ride in London earlier.

I TRAVEL SLOW

It is a fact that if and when you travel slower, you save more money. It’s the better way to travel anyway, because that’s the only way you could get acclimatized to the culture properly. I was in Italy for about 6 weeks, a month in Greece and another month in Israel.

When Karen and I did my birthday Eurotrip in March of 2012, we visited 5 countries in 2 weeks. Our money was well spent just on transportation costs alone… and I probably spent more in those 2 weeks all over Europe than I did in all three months of Italy, Israel and Greece combined.

I guess enjoying your trip depends on your travel personality. I used to love the fast paced travel I used to do… One to three days per country, then boom… on to the next. It was exhausting, but it was fun. But then all you ever really get to do is be a tourist.

When you spend a good amount of time in a particular place, you’re not just a tourist – you become an actual traveler… Because then you get to interact with the locals more… learn about their food… their language… participate in their culture… And it’s really great. It’s such a great feeling… to feel like you are included and you belong in a place that isn’t your home. Before you know it, you’ll get invited into their homes for anywhere from good conversation to good food to a nice warm bed (for SLEEPING, ok??)
I’ve definitely been able to hold on to the little cash that I have by spending a longer period of time in the places that I visit. You should try it too!

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT 

ladies and gents! All the secrets have been revealed! My life is an open book, and now you know EVERYTHING. It’s anticlimactic, isn’t it? There’s no stealth here… no foul play… no undisclosed bank account in the Cayman Islands…  Every penny that I used on this trip, I’ve acquired through perseverance and hard work. No mumbo jumbo of any kind…

At the moment though, I’m trying to come up with ways to actually make some money while I’m on the road. And there *are* a few options I can explore… I’m just waiting for the right opportunity to come along… Something that I’d be comfortable with, and something that I’d be good at. So if you guys have any ideas for me, please, by all means… Hit me. :)

Meanwhile… I hope this post helped those of you who are thinking of taking a trip… big trip, small trip, doesn’t matter… The point is, I hope this very practical “revelation” has encouraged you to go for it… because now you’ll know it doesn’t really take a fortune to be able to do something like this. If you have some money saved up, even if it’s not as much as what I started with… maybe you can take off just for a few months and see where it takes you.

Just remember… that travel is never a matter of money, but of courage. So be brave, little one. There’s a big and beautiful world out there. Go out and explore. :)

Don't Pay Me: A Documentary About "Voluntouring"

In the past year, one of my writer friends published a book using me as an inspiration for one of her characters... Then in London, I inadvertently ended up as a poster child for The Color Run UK... And now, I am going to be featured in a documentary about volunteering and traveling. 

Busy year!

"Voluntouring" is a term that is being used more and more in the travel community nowadays, and it means exactly that --- Volunteering while Touring! That's actually what I'm doing via the website called, Help Exchange, where you can get free board and lodging anywhere in the world in exchange for a few hours of labor.

While I was voluntouring at The Shanti House in Italy, 3 Polish Filmmakers came to visit and film my fellow volunteers and I as we were working there.

DON'T PAY ME

Their documentary, "Don't Pay Me," is essentially about "an alternative way of living, traveling and self development without money". They traveled to 8 different places around Europe to film and document the life of a volunteer in various locations and work situations. They've gone to places like Healing Castles to Breweries to Farms, to The Shanti House -- a special and rustic B&B, situated up in the Western mountains of Italy.

BEING FILMED AT THE SHANTI

To be perfectly honest, I doubt these guys got any good footage of us actually "working" at The Shanti House. Not because we were lazy bums, but because they came at a really slow time where there were hardly any guests. There were about 5 of us working when they came, and I think all they ever saw us do was hang out, play music, drink some wine, eat pasta and cheese, and party!

With my fellow volunteers and my amazing hosts at The Shanti House

The ONE TIME they caught us "working"

Hanging out listening to live music. One of our many "down times" at The Shanti House

They did however manage to interview all of us, including the owners, Franco and Martina. They even tagged along when we had our day off in Cinque Terre! It was weird having them follow us with their cameras then... Weird in a cool way, though. It's not everyday I get my own personal paparazzi... :)

My interview footage!

Paparazzi Shot at Cinque Terre

A photo of me taking a photo in Cinque Terre

TRAVEL INSPIRATION

As I got to know the boys and their project, the more I realized that their film is actually more about inspiring people to get out there and travel...to do something outside of the norm... and to let everyone know that it is possible to live an alternative life. That life doesn't necessarily have to be what society says it should be... That you could be much happier with less. They want to advocate that you don't need a lot of money to be able to do things that you love... and that job satisfaction doesn't necessarily equate to the amount of cash you make.

I was singing along to one of the singers visiting The Shanti House. One of my favorite things about being there: The Music

It's really very similar to what I hope to achieve through this blog... which is why I think it's pretty cosmic that I ended up meeting them and getting myself featured on this documentary. "Don't Pay Me" and "Earth2Eartha" have the same cause... We both want to inspire people with the knowledge that we have, and share it with anyone who wants to listen.

THE TRAILER

Piotr and Grzegorz in action!

I met the boys and we were filmed in August. They released the trailer, and I was so pleasantly surprised to find out that I'm in it!!! Please check it out and tell me what you think. I really have high hopes for this project, and I think it has a GREAT message. Help me support my friends by liking their Facebook Page and following them on Twitter to get news and updates about the up and coming documentary.

Play the trailer above, or see the video through this link http://vimeo.com/79295959

Piotr, Ryszard and Grzegorz... Best of luck to the three of you! Buona Fortuna! Ciao! :)



(Photos by Grzegorz Hospod)

If You Were Stranded On A Greek Island...

What would you do?

OK, well, I'm not exactly stranded. Not really.

After I left The Pink Palace in Corfu, I ventured out into Athens for a few days to be a proper tourist. I saw what I needed to see over there... The Acropolis, the Parthenon, plus a whole bunch of other ruins made familiar to me by Greek Mythology.

The Acropolis from my hostel balcony

View of Athens from a hill with my walking tour buddies

NAXOS

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

3 full days and a 6 hour ferry ride later, I find myself in Naxos... A small island south of the main land, about an hour and a half away from Santorini. I am here for yet another HelpX adventure... Well, if you can call it that.

See, the nice thing about being in Greece in October is that it's not too crazy, the tourists have left, and the weather is perfect. Not scorching hot, but sunny enough to get a tan. It's nice. The downside to being in Greece in October is that... because the tourists are gone, most of the hotels, hostels and businesses close down shop... If you're in a big and bustling city like Athens, you're fine. It'll just be a bit quieter but it's still really nice.

BUT... if you're in a tiny village in a relatively less touristy island like, Naxos... Well... it makes you come up with blog titles like, "If You Were Stranded On A Greek Island..."

In all fairness, I was warned by my host that it is off season, the work would be very light, and that it will be very relaxing. I'm staying at a small hotel right in front of the beach. There are no guests, and the only occupants are myself, my boss, and his (very sweet) mother who doesn't speak English.

When I got here, my boss basically said that I wouldn't need to do much till the rain comes, so I should just relax. They showed me to my room, fed me some amazing Greek food, which were all pretty awesome.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

After a day of staring at the clear blue Mediterranean waters... It occurred to me that I might actually not know how to "relax" properly! Seriously!

I am here in Greece... Staying at a beachfront hotel - for free... I have the sea, the sun, food, nature... I can swim for miles in the water so clear and so flat, I feel like I could just keep swimming till I hit the horizon... And yet, I'm stressed out! Because in my mind - there is absolutely nothing to do! What the hell is wrong with me?

This is where I am. The village of Apollonas, from my hotel room balcony. I am really
lucky with balconies!

I don't know, man. Maybe because I signed up to work... and if there's no work, I feel unproductive. I am about 2 hours away from Naxos town, so I can't really leave to go "exploring". There are no guests to talk to or entertain... No kids to drive me nuts... My boss is a little quiet, and his mother doesn't speak English.

I've had an amazing experience traveling by myself so far, but I think this is the first time I've actually felt really alone. I have discovered that I am not meant for solitary island confinement. Island living, sure… but there has to be people in the island!

I feel a little guilty for feeling this way… Especially since I know for a fact that most of the people I know back home would rather be where I am right now, instead of whichever cubicle they are in. Then again, just like everything else, I suppose there should be a good balance.

Solitary confinement in a beautiful island versus a hectic 12 hour workday in a bustling city life could hardly be compared to each other. Give me a nice island after a productive 6 hour day of work with good company and I will be as chipper as a woodpecker!

Oh well. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t make the most out of any situation… And so I will do my best to even out my tan, read as many books as I could, swim some laps in the ocean, maybe do some hiking out in the mountains – and who knows… I might come out of this gig all refreshed and healthy :)

Thursday, October 17, 2013

There is a lightning storm on the island. The waves are crashing violently, all the stores are closed, and we are trapped inside the hotel for the rest of the day.

HELP.

OMG I'm In Greece!

"Holy Shit," I whispered as my forehead hit the airplane window with a thud.

Right before my eyes was the small island of Corfu, birds eye view, and it was stunning! THIS is why one must always book the window seat. My heart was still a little broken from leaving Italy, but seeing the blue-green waters of Greece sure helped heal it pretty fast.

You SEE that Double Rainbow, right? Right??

Greece has always been one of my ultimate dream destinations. I LOVE Greek Mythology... I'm a big fan of Greek food... and I really like the movie, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (yes - more than Mamma Mia).

Admittedly though - I hadn't really heard of Corfu till a few weeks ago when I booked this HelpX opportunity. I don't know anything about it (I still don't!) and I'm not sure it's as popular a destination for tourists as Santorini, Mikonos or Athens.

BUT... After having been here for like, 2 days... I have to say I really like it here. :) It's gorgeous... The water is warm, and while almost everyone else in Europe are donning sweaters and gloves, we are still strutting around in our bikinis and flip flops! The weather is amazing!

I'm working at a hotel/hostel called The Pink Palace. It's a great party hostel (voted number 1 party hostel in Europe a few years ago) with really cool people, and I get along with my "boss" really well.

I initially signed on to help out with day to day stuff, online marketing, plus helping the owner's 2 children with their English (in other words, babysitting). I arrived on Tuesday, she gave me the morning off Wednesday, worked some online magic in the afternoon, all while being fed beautiful home cooked Greek food. I'd say life is pretty good at the moment! Can't complain!

I'm staying at a 4 bed dorm room which I have all to myself... but the best part is the view from my balcony.

Yes, I have a balcony... and the sound of the ocean is my lullaby.

I'm scheduled to stay here for a couple weeks - but it has become apparent that my boss would like for me to stay longer... So we'll see what happens. I'd still want to be able to see more of Greece in the next few weeks but I'll play it by ear.

I'm really loving this whole "go with the flow" travel thing. It's been working out pretty well. I'll keep you guys posted on the developments of the "Greece" portion of my trip.

In the meantime - It's "Boxing Night" tonight at the hostel bar. Apparently it's a drinking game that does NOT involve boxing whatsoever. What a disappointment.

I know, right? Life can be really rough sometimes. ;)

Θα δούμε αργότερα :)

Finding My Bliss In Italy

I am writing this blog post by the windowsill of my bedroom, facing the full moon, here in La Preghiera – my current Help Exchange residence in the heart of Umbria, Italy. I have no sense of time, whatsoever… I don’t know what date it is, unsure about the day of the week, and I couldn’t care less.

I know some of you might think I’m just trying to be poetic --- because, I mean – WTF, right? The setting is *too* idyllic! The full moon, a window, Italy… sounds too good to be true… BUT IT IS!

I may start to sound like a broken record, having said this over a few weeks now… but I fucking LOVE Italy. I do. And it’s not in the way I thought I would.

HELP EXCHANGE

Help Exchange (work volunteering) is an experience that I would recommend to anyone. I’ve only had two so far (one at The Shanti House and one here at La Preghiera), and both have been so rewarding and life changing in very different ways. 

The Shanti House helped show me the beauty of Italy… The food, the music, the culture and the people.  La Preghiera validated (even more) the reasons why my decision to leave everything that I thought was important behind, and made me sincerely and genuinely understand that EVERYTHING that happens to us in life is based on the CHOICES that we make, and at any given moment – we can CHANGE our circumstances if we decide to DO SOMETHING about it… That no one is truly “STUCK”.

UNEXPECTED NEW FRIENDS

Here at the B&B, my tasks are varied. I iron sheets, help set up rooms, do the dishes, cook lunch sometimes… and last weekend when they had a wedding here, I basically just helped out with a little bit of everything, to make sure the wedding ran smoothly. I work with 3 other volunteers – Richard, the 23 year old Englishman from Birmingham, Eduardo, the 27 year old Brazilian-Italian from Sao Paolo, and Gracie, the 30 year old Taiwanese. 

All of us come from VERY different backgrounds, but for some serendipitous reason, all of us have found a kindred spirit in each other.

We have different stories, but the recurring theme in our group is that all of us defied society, and broke free from the machine we call a 9-5 job, to travel in pursuit of a life that was better than what we had. We refused to settle… believing with all our hearts that the world has something bigger and better to offer.

During the times that the four of us would take a day or night off, we would talk about what we would be doing at that exact hour if we were still in our respective homes… and how incredibly grateful we are that we were where we were instead.

“I’d be in my car, cursing my tie, driving to work”, Richard said. “I’ll be on my computer in my square cage”, Eduardo said. “I’d be on my desk, looking behind me to make sure no one was around, and I’d be recording an a capella song on my Ipad”, I contributed.

The point is, we weren’t happy… and we did something about it… Took a risk, and here we are, right smack in the middle of Italy, enjoying food, the sun, the scenery, and great new friendships.

INFINITE MOMENTS

Most of the things we did were very simple. After dinner, we’d skip out to the nearest local bar, drink cheap beer and talk about our day. On one afternoon, we took the car out, drove to a nearby church on top of a hill, had a picnic with beer and cigarettes, and sang some songs with my ukulele. 

Yes, that is a picnic!

Our view from the top of the hill

Another time, we drove to Gubbio, a small town about an hour away. We walked, had some pizza and gelato. Walked some more, found a wall with a stunning view and just sat there for about an hour or so…basking in the sunlight and taking life in.  We talked, had some laughs, played some mood music… but mostly we just sat in silence. I always thought that one of the true tests of friendships is being able to enjoy each other’s company without saying a word… I know it doesn’t sound as wild or exciting as most of the traveler’s tales out there… but that day on that wall with Richard and Eduardo was probably the most content I’ve ever felt.

Gubbio daytrippers

My favorite wall in the world

GRATITUDE

One of the special perks of traveling so much is the opportunity to meet people who are just like you. Kindred spirits who ignite your soul and remind you of who really are by seeing bits and pieces of yourself in the other.  One of the downsides of traveling so much is that most of the time, your encounters with these kindred spirits are very short… because just like you, they too have to keep moving forward. 

Richard, Eduardo, Myself, our den mother, Giulia, and Gracie

But see, this is one of the reasons why we must always live in the moment. We must try to make every second count, because nothing in this short life of ours is permanent. I hope everyone soon realizes that we don’t have to spend any more time being unhappy, for the mere fact that there is so much to be thankful for.

I am SO grateful for that wall… for my new friends… for Help Exchange… and for Italy. I never thought I’d ever say this… but I think I may have found myself in Italia… and for the first time in my life I think I can  say with a little more pride that I am comfortable and satisfied with who I am.

None of this would have been possible, had I not have taken a leap of faith. If I hadn’t taken the risk of leaving everything behind... I’d still be on my desk back in LA, staring at a world map on my computer, feeling absolutely miserable.

And as for you, dear reader… if you are as happy with your life as I am with mine… may we both be blessed with many more happy suns. Salute’!

If you’re not… If you feel like you’re “stuck” in a cage like we once were… then my dear, dear friend… What on Earth are you waiting for?

From Shanti to Preghiera

Buon Giorno! Greetings from Perugia! I have moved on to my second HelpExchange stint at another B&B called La Preghiera in the middle of the country, about 5 hours away from The Shanti House. But before I elaborate on that, let me backtrack and give you guys the scoop on the last few weeks at the Shanti…

CINQUE TERRE

My previous post was all about my day off spent at the Cinque Terre.  My friend and co-worker, Shanty and I spent the WHOLE day there, jumping from one village to the next. We went swimming, went hiking, took loads of photos, ran like we’ve never run before (to try and catch the last train), and managed to see absolutely EVERYTHING. If you’re ever planning to see or hike Cinque Terre,  I would recommend doing it in 2 days instead of rushing it like we did. There were definitely areas where we wanted to stay longer but couldn’t because we were pressed for time. The trains don’t run as frequently as we thought, so a lot of time was spent just waiting for the next train to arrive. I was SO exhausted, I ended up with a crippling migraine that lasted for 2 days. Look at my photos though… It’s definitely worth the pain, right?
But what I didn’t mention in the last post was that – in Cinque Terre, we were being followed by our very own paparazzi.

IM GONNA BE FAAMOUS!!!

I mentioned a few weeks ago that 3 Polish Documentary Film Makers were going to The Shanti House to film me and my other work volunteer peers for a Documentary about working and volunteering abroad. Well, they arrived and they did just that! They conducted interviews with all of us, asking us questions about our stories, and why we were doing what we were doing. They filmed us working around the Shanti, and tagged along on our day off at Cinque Terre… It wasn’t too bad… they filmed us for a bit, and then joined us for a dip on the beach afterwards.

This was taken during my interview! :)

I think they have a really good thing going for them… The subject (working/volunteering abroad) is really interesting, it’s useful for travelers, and it’s going to be a helpful tool for anyone who wants to be able to travel on a budget. The project/documentary is called, “Don’t Pay Me”, and you can check out their website here.

MOVING ON…

After 3 and a half weeks, a truck load of pasta, 20 jars of Nutella, 30 new friends and one heck of a farewell party, my stint at the Shanti House finally came to a close… I am both blessed and cursed for the experience. Blessed, because it was *so* special to be a part of the Shanti Family… Cursed because nothing will ever compare.

My last night at the Shanti... A farewell concert at the basement!

Now, every other place I’m going to work for will pale in comparison. The Shanti Experience truthfully and genuinely made me fall in love with Italy, the language, the people, the food, everything! I didn’t want to leave… I wanted to stay and sweep their floors forever… but just like anything else in life, there comes a point where you just gotta move on… There’s still so much of the world to see, so much to discover! The beauty about it though is that I know I can always come back… and I will J

With Franco and Martina, the BEST hosts you could ever ask for!

Now, I’m at this new B&B called La Preghiera in a little town near Perugia, the capital city of Umbria… right in the middle of (nowhere) Italy.
It’s a beautiful place… definitely more luxurious and upscale compared to The Shanti… but the experience is different. We don’t/won’t have as much interaction with the guests, for instance… It’s a proper bed and breakfast, much like any other posh ones out there… Beautiful, clean, proper, and quite lavish… There isn’t as much freedom here, and it isn’t as relaxed either…  It’s not awful or anything… I’m just biased because I think The Shanti House is perfect. 

This is my room!!!

I will say though, that the best thing about this place so far is the company. I have 3 other “co-workers” staying/volunteering here with me through HelpExchange, and I *loooove* them . They are the perfect representation of one of the reasons why I travel – which is to meet amazing and like-minded people. They all have interesting stories… Stories that I can completely relate to because they’re similar to mine. Why we left home, why we’re traveling, what our next steps are… I’ve only been with them a few days, and already I feel like we’ve gone through a war together.  My blood brothers… or something dramatic like that. The point is – I’m so glad they’re here, I’m so glad I ‘m here with them, I’m so HAPPY that I met them, and I’m sure I will be best friends with them by the time my stint here ends (if we aren’t already). :)

Top to Bottom: Eduardo, whom I will marry for love, Richard, whom I will marry for convenience, and
Gracie... whom I will visit in Taiwan :)

ITALY

I dunno, man. There’s really something special about Italy, and I can’t put my finger on it. When I chose to stay and explore this country, my intentions were only to experience the food, see the beauty, and learn about the culture… but what I’m getting is so much more than what I had anticipated. I really didn’t expect to love it so much here – and I haven’t even SEEN Rome, or eaten pizza in Naples yet! Ayyy Dio Mio… Who knows what will happen… I still have a *lot* of time here and it should be interesting to see what develops.

In the meantime… I have some ironing to do.

Ciao! ;)