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natasha-in-space · 2 years ago

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would it be alright to request the rfa + saeran with an MC who’s in school to be a veterinary neurologist? basically brain surgeon but for animals^^ tysm!

Yoosung

I think Yoosung will be pleasantly surprised and very inspired by you. He's in college studying veterinary medicine himself, but, at the point of you joining the RFA, he lost the previous fire he held for his degree. Of course, his issues lie way deeper than simply finding his degree uninteresting or useless, but the point still stands: he feels rather apathetic towards his studies. He feels like nothing he's doing in his university makes any difference, and his expectations for his future are bleak, to say the least. So, to learn that you are studying in the same field as him, all while maintaining the goal you are working towards... it's somewhat inspiring to him. But, there might be some insecurity mixed in there as well. He can't help but compare himself to you - a trait he is, unfortunately, very guilty of - and that never ends well for him. It makes him feel somewhat inadequate to realize that he just doesn't share the same drive and passion you seem to possess for your goal. Of course, he only sees the best parts of your experience, overlooking all the struggles and tribulations you have to deal with on a daily basis as well. But, as you two grow closer, you help him realize that his main problem is not as surface level as he thinks. You motivate him to treat himself kinder, with more genuine care to his needs. And, with time, he will find his drive again. You two will definitely have a ton of study dates together. Who knows, maybe you'll end up even working at the same vet clinic? That wouldn't be out of the question for you guys. It's nice to have someone who understands what you're daily life is like, and you can babble to him all about your study life, without having to go into too much detail. It's like you're a team of two. Needless to say, I think this will make you grow even closer to one another in the long run.

Zen

Zen would be very impressed. Having never attended college after running away from home, he has a great deal of admiration for those who are willing to put in the time and effort required to obtain a degree. And, studying to become a veterinary neurologist? That sounds like it takes a whole lot of work! He will immediately feel a good deal of respect towards you once he learns this. He doesn't know much about animals, nor did he ever own a pet of his own (since he spends most of his time at work, and his finances are not as stable as he'd like them to be), but he knows how precious pets can be to people. There is no suspicion in his heart since the first moment you joined the RFA, but even the tiniest bit of it goes out the window with this new fact he learns. Someone who works so hard for such a noble cause cannot be a bad person in his eyes. I think Zen's support will be mostly noticeable on the emotional side of things. He can't understand a word you're speaking most of the time you're sharing some story from your studies, but he does ask you about your day regardless. If you're feeling stressed out or overworked, he's there in a flash. You don't have to worry about a thing when the time comes to study for your exams: he makes sure you're taking breaks, eat tasty and nutritious food, and he keeps your place all neat and clean for you. And, if you're feeling anxious or unsure of yourself? Well, I'm glad to tell you that Zen is the best cheerleader you can get. He's able to put a smile on your face and lift your worries every time you're feeling down. Probably because he knows what's it like to doubt your own abilities, and he knows what you'd like to hear in that moment of vulnerability. Just like he promised you, you two will support one another on your own individual paths in life, giving each other strength when it's needed. And, you bet he'll throw the biggest celebration once you finally graduate. The guy will probably be even more excited for you than you are. He's kind of like a golden retriever in that way.

Jaehee

I don't think she would have much of a reaction initially. It's just yet another piece of information she'll write down about you, as you slowly start getting to know one another. Jaehee's worldview was heavily influenced by her highly unsupportive environment, and she projects that worldview onto everyone else, unless she is explicitly proven wrong. She went to university and got a job because that's what was expected of her, and because that was the only way she wouldn't get looked down upon by her environment. And, she excelled at both of those things, but, at the end of the day, she holds no spiritual nor emotional attachment to her current job or her time studying. I think she'll be a bit taken aback once she sees that you are genuinely passionate about what you are pursuing. What differentiates her from Yoosung, who feels very insecure about his uncertain future, is that Jaehee has long since accepted that this is all that her life is ever going to be. At least, she thinks she did. She'll be a bit envious of your drive, sure, but there are no comparisons or depressing thoughts in her mind. She'll just conclude that you are different from her, that is all. Now, as your bond grows stronger over time, and you help her find that self-love she was lacking all these past years, things will change. Jaehee finds the inner courage to believe in herself and her dreams, despite what everyone around her may think. She is no longer afraid of being perceived in a negative light. And, with that new fire in her eyes, your passion now starts actively motivating her. It's kind of sweet, really. While your tireless work encourages Jaehee to fight for her dream, Jaehee's newfound boldness in what she does inspires you to do the same. It's like you two are each other's source of motivation when things get tough. While you may not end up working side by side, Jaehee will always make sure to treat you to the best coffee and snacks she can find. Her cafe is a perfect place for you to study in peace, with occasional kisses on the cheek as a bonus.

Jumin

Jumin will be impressed. We all know how much genuine love and care he possesses for animals, so, needless to say, he holds a lot of respect for those who dedicate their livelihoods to making sure that no animal has to live in pain. I actually think this will make him come to trust you a little bit quicker! This man has a major soft spot for animals, and he even explicitly states that he believes that a person who loves animals cannot be bad. Especially cats. Overall, this wouldn't affect your relationship with him much, but he will be interested in learning more about your studies in detail. I won't be surprised if he's fairly knowledgeable in a lot of things concerning animal health, so you might gain a new companion to discuss these niche things with. Jumin is no stranger to most of the terminology you use, so you don't have to feel awkward about explaining every other word that slips out of you without thinking. And, what he doesn't know, he's more than willing to learn. I think talking with you about these things will make him come to respect you even more. You are clearly passionate about your goal, and he cannot overlook that. When it comes to the already established relationship with him, I'd say he's the proudest partner you can find. Will definitely talk his father's ears off about how lovely he thinks you are, and how hard you're working to reach your goal, and how admirable that is. Reporters will get the same treatment. Jumin Han is in love, and he is not ashamed of showing it on full display.

Saeyoung

I don't think he'll have much of a reaction at first. He already knows what you are studying before you have a chance to say it yourself, but, at the beginning, it's just another fact he'll record about you, same as with Jaehee. It's not until you start expressing your personal feelings towards your studies that he first gets intrigued and wants to know more. He'll probably joke around and make some silly memes at the start, as he's fully in his 707 persona at the time. Will probably joke about you being a good example for Yoosung to follow, as he has lost all his motivation for his studies. He'll also pretend to be a sick kitty you have to cure, either on a call with you or in the chat. You know, your usual Seven shenanigans. Now, as you two grow closer, he will form a genuine appreciation and admiration towards you. He already views you as a very good person, so you studying to help animals and owners in need is just another testament to that in his point of view. You are way better than him. Your hands are meant to heal and help, while his are caked in blood and sin. These thoughts keep buzzing at the back of his mind, even as he finds himself grinning widely at you celebrating passing another test in the chatroom. He is genuinely so proud of you and all you do. But, as much as his foolish heart wishes he could be there to celebrate with you in person, he's content to remain in the shadows, where he rightfully belongs. This is something that will add to the conflict you'll have to face in the apartment. But, once that is all behind you, Saeyoung will be your biggest supporter. He gives you a ride to university, always asks about your day, prepares silly little sticky notes to encourage you through your study sessions - he does it all. Meowy will also become your study buddy, as he will program it accordingly to help you out with your work. While he used to admire you afar, now he has nothing to hide. So, be prepared to be doted on and happily twirled around after coming home from your exams.

Saeran

Saeran has... a very complicated relationship with anything that has to do with medicine. There are many seemingly obvious things that he doesn't know about, and what he does know is often downright wrong or frightening to him. He grew up without any proper healthcare, and Rika has often used hospitals as a scare tactic to him: a place where you get locked up and treated against your will. So, as Ray, he learns so much new information through his research on you. While you are not studying to become a doctor, you are still planning to tie your life to medicine and helping those in need. I think that's what he will focus on mostly. He doesn't understand a lot of things, but he does understand that you have a compassionate heart and a strong spirit. How could he not fall for you? And, as Suit Saeran, he will mock your pursuit in life instead. It won't be that effective, as, yet again, it'll be very painfully obvious that his knowledge of the topic is very limited. But, he will try to spin it in a way that would make you feel bad about yourself. Of course, he will apologize to you and take accountability for his wrongdoings, as he realizes that, in reality, you were always so much brighter and better than him. All Saeran had on his mind was hate and a desire to hurt those beneath him so that nobody could dare lay a hand on him again, while you've put so much effort into becoming someone who will help those who can't help themselves. As GE Saeran, he is the most loving and gentle supporter you can get. Saeran is a pretty clingy partner, but not in a suffocating way, as it could become with Ray. He just wants to be around you, kind of like an affectionate cat. So, while he won't bother you during your study sessions, he will still sit close to you, touching you in one way or another. It could be just your arms touching, or him silently hugging you from behind. The only way this can become a problem for you is the overwhelming urge to cuddle with him instead of focusing on your studies, to which he will chuckle and sheepishly apologize. Saeran will also make sure you're not overworking yourself. He knows better than anyone what's it like to work yourself down to the bone, and he doesn't want that to ever happen to you. So, he'll bring you food, water, and remind you to rest your eyes every so often. Saeran's support is a comforting and quiet one. It makes you feel safe and unafraid of anything, as long as you know you'll have him waiting for you when you return back home.

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austin-in-taiwan · 11 months ago

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August 7 - Tainan - > Taipei (Final Day) - Tea House, Final Dinner

Today was our last day in Taiwan before departing for home. We met at 9:30 AM on the bus to make our way back to Taipei. Since we had already used our high-speed rail tickets after the Typhoon, we took the 5-hour bus ride back up the west coast of Taiwan. Halfway, we stopped at a rest area to get lunch. Jacob, Eli, Jack and I had MOS Burger (a Japanese burger chain restaurant), and I got the rice bun chicken sandwich, which was okay.

When we arrived in Taipei, we went to a tea house. The tea-making ceremony was interesting, as the servers had a meticulous process for serving the tea. The tea was bitter, and many people at my table didn't enjoy it much, but I didn't think it was too bad. I am not a tea drinker, so I have little experience with it. After the first batch made by the servers, we could brew the tea ourselves, so I enjoyed doing that a few times.

After the tea house, we went to our final farewell dinner. It was an excellent local restaurant that served Taiwan cuisine. It was lazy Susan style, so we got to try many different dishes. I enjoyed my last Xiao long bao, shumai, and several other classic cuisines. We also gave Peter, our tour guide, a few gifts at dinner. We all signed his Florida Gators tour guide flag, signed a card, and made a collage of photos from the trip for him. Peter was a fantastic tour guide and an integral part of the amazing experience I had here in Taiwan, so I was super glad we could get him something nice before we left. Also, we signed a card for and took a picture with our bus driver, Terry!

Once we checked back into our hotel, a small group went out to get an extra bag for some of the souvenirs we bought. We took the metro for the last time to Ximen, where we had our first tour in Taiwan. I got a small duffel bag for cheap and filled it with tons of Chinese and Taiwanese snacks from a PX mart to bring home. I can't wait to have my family and friends at home try some exciting things I got to try while here.

Final Reflection

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when initially coming to Taiwan. Now that the trip is over, I am so glad I decided to go on this study abroad trip. I loved everything we did. The culture in Taiwan is fascinating, and its history is unlike any country I've been to. In Taiwan, you can experience the history of cultures from its previous occupancy of Japan, China, or even old European inhabitants. I specifically enjoyed going through temples and learning about Buddhism, Confucianism, and other celebrated religions, which are rarely seen in the U.S. One of my favorite experiences was touring the monastery in Kaohsiung and eating a silent lunch with the Buddhist monks.

One thing that was amazing about UF's Taiwan program is the freedom and free time that we get to do our exploration of Taiwan's culture and impact. I got to take time to explore my interests and then do independent research on that topic. My first project on Taiwanese technological innovation was one of my favorite days on the trip. I got to lock in on my specific interests related to my major and aspirations. I then wrote my second independent excursion to a baseball game I went to. Researching and writing about it taught me how important it is to Taiwan and its culture. The importance of baseball is something that I learned because of the independent assignment; otherwise, it would've gone unseen during my trip. Overall, I got so much out of having the freedom to do my own projects instead of being limited starkly to an itinerary.

One of my aspirations for the trip was to get more comfortable with my Chinese. I definitely did. I got to push my limits when ordering food, bartering, asking for directions, talking to locals, etc. One of the trip's highlights was talking to the taxi driver from the airport when I landed in Taiwan. Although I got more comfortable during this trip, I would like to be much more conversational next time I visit a Mandarin-speaking country. Unfortunately, after this trip, I no longer have room in my schedule to take more classes, and I have finished my minor in Chinese. However, this trip has inspired me to find ways to continue practicing and getting better. I won't give up on my Chinese studies despite no longer taking classes.

Overall, I recommend this trip to any UF student, whether you have taken Chinese or not. Plenty of students on this trip didn't know Chinese at all, and we all had a great time learning while also having lots of fun. I became friends with everyone on the trip. We all came from different circles and groups at UF but became close by the end. The itinerary was a perfect mix of structure, free time, education, and fun. Yeh Laoshi and our tour guide Peter were informative and made this trip one I will remember for the rest of my life.

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inkabelledesigns · 2 years ago

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Fanwork creators self rec! When you get this, reply with your five favorite fics/art/podfics/etc. that you've made, then pass on to others. Let’s spread the self-love 🌼

(No pressure if you don't want to though!)

Star, thank you so much for sending me this! Delighted to be included and honored to be asked! While I don’t have a ton of fics out there (and some of my favorite parts of them aren’t even public yet) I think we can pick out five I really love. And I’ll encourage all of you to share works that you love from your own libraries! Please share, I wanna see what brings you joy!

Raindrops and References

If you thought I wasn’t gonna include this one, you had another thing coming Star. XD One, thank you for letting me explore your world through my own lens, and two, thank you for your kind words. I wrote this fic when I was just getting back into writing, and it was an early step in learning to write for my own enjoyment after having been expected to create for others for years. It was satisfying and fun for me, and I’m glad it’s been that for you and so many others as well. I still get emails of people leaving a Kudos on this from time to time, it’s wild. X’’’D Sometimes you give a gift and get an unexpected one in return. I’m still glad I wrote this, it made a positive difference.

Trapped in His Web

I don’t know if this one is still canon to Step Right Up, but regardless, I’m still honored to be a part of @bertrumstrousers wonderful circus world. Thanks for letting me write for Jacob and the make-up and costume department Giandark, it’s a treat and I love them so much. It was such a good time getting into Jacob’s head and Bertrum’s, and the horror and transformation elements of this story brought me so much joy.

The Kraken’s Labyrinth

One day I will pick this up again, now that I have a clearer idea of what to do with it (thanks Audrey). XD It was inevitable that I was gonna put Bendy and merfolk together, with a little sprinkling of Samsie, but I didn’t expect how much joy this was gonna bring to the table. Still love this world a lot.

Searching the Depths - The Heart of the Studio

Ah yes, my “magnum opus” fic. Of course I have this as a favorite. XD I have a lot of fun working with the entire Bendy cast and my silly little OCs. I’m letting myself learn to just let go and have fun, and this fic continues to teach me everyday what I want in a story. It means so much that you guys have loved Bella and co, thank you. <3

Richard the Keeper - The Studies of 214

My most recent fic and a surprisingly strong source of brainrot as of late. If you like witty banter, unethical science, and Bendy levels of shenanigans, highly recommend this one! It’s got three chapters now with a focus on Richard, a keeper, running experiments to unlock the secrets of how the ink works, with the help of Bella, his prisoner and one of our cyclebreaker protagonists. Richard and Bella have such a fun dynamic, Sammy has been a delight to write in this one, and Wilson? Oh he’s horrible, I love writing him too. XD Please get me to talk about this one more, I’m having a blast with it.

Honorable Mention:

The Role I Was Made For

Not so much a fic as it is an audio skit! This started out as a dialogue test to see if I could voice Audrey and a cartoon Bendy (I blame Erin Lehn for putting the question out to the community of what Baby Benders might sound like, that’s what sparked this). It turned into a much deeper script about what makes a Bendy, and how Bendy and Audrey feel about who they are. It needs some heavy editing, but it’s one of the best scripts I’ve written in a long time. I’d say I like it just as much as Break Time, and another collaborative skit that hasn’t come out yet. Stay tuned, your girl got to co-write something awesome and perform as a very animated Susie Campbell, I look forward to when that’s ready to be heard. XD

Here’s sending you all the good vibes! Go take some time to reflect on what you love about your work, it’s very rewarding.

#bendy fanfic #favorite fanfics #bendy fanfiction #askbox

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kitakataramen · 2 years ago

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Hi!! Just stumbled into your blog and I love it 🥺 may I ask since when and how you were able to go to Japan? (If you're comfortable answering of course!) Plus, how is life in Japan for a N4? Do you find it difficult to live in or do you get the grasp of things pretty quickly?

I know it's something personal and that may change from individual to individual but I just wanted to know your experience if you're willing to share! I'd like to move to Japan and I have a lot of questions and curiosity about it. Every time I see someone on Tumblr living there I ask tons of questions 😅 sorry! Have a great day!! またねぇ～

Hi there, thanks for the message! Glad to hear you're enjoying my blog!

Great questions! So as for coming to Japan, the main ways to get here are through study abroad and working holiday programs. These are great if you are at university age. However, I didn't come to Japan until after I graduated university, so I actually came here as an English teacher! There are many companies and programs you can apply with to get a teaching position, with the best one being the JET program.

I came over with Interac, and I believe there are some other programs you can do. You'll need an undergraduate degree of some kind in order to be eligible, and a TESOL certificate will really help your chances.

If you're planning on living in Japan then it's advisable to start studying Japanese as soon as possible! I didn't and it really made things difficult because I was dispatched to a rural area in Tohoku where almost nobody can speak English- that said, it is possible to get by using basic Japanese and gestures at first, so don't let fluency (or lack thereof) stop you from coming! You will pick up the language out of necessity, believe me 😂

N4(ish) level is good for most interactions like eating out, shopping, having casual conversations, etc. I would like to point out that the JLPT levels are only one method of assessment for where your ability is, so don't get too caught up in that as a measurement. For example, I'm saying I'm at N4 because I've studied N5 and N4 books, but once I got to Japan I also started studying Japanese the way Japanese children do using children's books and kanji drills. Japanese kids learn kanji and vocab in a totally different order than the JLPT presents it in, so I know a lot of kanji from all over the different JLPT levels. Right now I usually study using 3rd and 4th grade elementary books. I just picked up some 4th grade level novels (some of my favourites, including The Secret Garden, A Little Princess, and Anne of Green Gables) from a second-hand shop- they're great because they use relatively simple sentences and the kanji have furigana readings next to them. So yeah, while I say I'm around JLPT N4 level, I don't think that's really an accurate measurement of my skills. You can use those levels to give you some guidance on what to study and it's possible you may want the certificate to put on your resume, but I've never done a JLPT exam because I hate tests. My advice is to learn Japanese in a way that works for you, by doing something you enjoy in Japanese (reading, cooking, YouTube, music, games, etc.)

#answers #life in japan #japanese study

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wingedantichrist · 25 days ago

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Still alive, I guess. I don't think that anyone would be interested in my ramblings, so I guess I'm talking to myself here. I lost motivation to blog something about myself, and I don't know how to gain it back. It's been almost two years and a half since I fell on sickness and never recovered, just got worse and worse. Before that I was kinda successfully navigating life, despite pandemic etc. I'm officially diagnosed with autism and cPTSD now, and still in the process of diagnosing physical things. What I thought previously was rheumatoid arthritis turned out to be hypermobility, possibly hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. That's fucking why RA meds were not working all this time. Can't go anywhere without mobility aids anymore due to POTS, which my doctor still puts in my chart as "definitive diagnosis". All of my active personality collapsed. Can't go places as much as I want to. Can't do things, can't exercise. Whenever I wanna have fun and do something I have to stuff myself with a shit ton of caffeine and diclofenac to be able to actually do it. Autism related sensory issues got worse due to POTS and other shit like pain and fatigue I experience on daily basis. Brain fog is also something to consider, adding more bullshit to my plate. I'm not capable of communicating with people the way I used to, I can't mask my AuDHD self as effectively as I could. Well, I also don't want to mask anymore, I grew into unhinged gremlin in the past few years but... sometimes it's necessary, but I can't keep up with the mask longer than for an hour at my best. I definitely can't work jobs I used to work at before. And I'm fucking loosing my thoughts rn.

I'm stuck in the country I don't want to be in. The plan was to work abroad, save up some money, come back to my homeland and buy a flat, so I can chill the fuck out together with my husband. Now it moves slow, cause I'm sick. I got betrayed here by people whom I considered my friends and became homeless while being sick. Glad for the sickness benefits here, but if I let out my feelings they'll eat me alive. I don't want to be here alone. I wanna go home. And I can't say that I'm incapable of going back to my homeland, but I have nothing to my name there. I still don't have enough to buy a flat. Yes, my husband is there, but that's a different story. We will not survive together with all the care I need only on his income. Maybe in the future, because he's an incredible tattoo artist, but he just started legally working while studying and still needs to build his name, let's say...

I'm just so tired and desperate. I'm trying to keep my sanity, but it's hard. I don't have access to psychologist for a couple of months already, they couldn't continue with my cPTSD treatment because I'm not stable enough. Well, I don't have stable ground under my feet. I'm a bit less disregulated since I finally had prescription for beta-blockers to help minimise POTS symptoms, but that doesn't solve being in a homeless shelter and uncertainty about income and future in general...

Everything is fucked up. Multiple genocides, climate crisis, my friends from Ukraine under bombs, idk how people live in this world just ignoring this shit. I'm going at the multiple different protests when I can. For Ukraine, for Palestine. For workers, for trans folks. Generally for human rights. I became a huge antifascist. And I hate, I hate that we're lied to at school, that fascism is dead. It's not. It wasn't eliminated. We still have to fight same old shit.

I'm just heavily dissociating rn. I guess that's why I don't write anything anymore. It's like opening a Pandora's box. My body is screaming with emotions, but I keep my mouth shut, because I'm too afraid to express them. It's going to be loud and ugly, if I try. I know it. And I'm at the shelter. This is not my home. It's not completely safe here to be like that. And I can't go to the forest the way I used to, just to scream it out. I'm fucking disabled. Heavily traumatized sick cat in the corner, covered in dirt and fleas, afraid to scream and hiss, no energy in this body to move.

#personal #actually autistic

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itsthebethblogever · 4 months ago

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How to Plan a Solo Trip

Dearest blog readers hello!!

It’s now been 12* years since I started this blog, inspired by leaving San Francisco State to study abroad in Sweden. While living there, I took my first ever solo trip to Croatia where the adventures began. That first experience taught me so much, from little logistical things like remembering to check how to get from the airport to the hostel before you arrive and realize your Swedish data plan is useless in Croatia, to learning that when a guy invites you back to his hostel to talk, it may actually mean he is going to take out his guitar to try and seduce you, to discovering you can count on your friend when you fall over your bike handles at 2am in the snow and she sings Beyoncé songs the whole walk home to keep our spirits up.

When you open yourself up to interacting with a wide breadth of humans in unfamiliar environments, you are actually sharpening your survival skills. We are a species that can adapt to different environmental conditions, learn to make new sounds to get the resources we want, change our appearance to camouflage into our surroundings or become accepted into a new tribe… these are no small feats. Traveling equips us with tools that empower us, knowing we are capable of taking care of ourselves and relying on our fellow humans anywhere we go. Reflecting back now makes me realize how much traveling has taught me, and I believe the times that have been the most impactful have been when I flew solo.

*Um! Newsflash! Actually this blog is 14 years old lol, I forgot I actually started it when I was 17 and went on a four week trip to the Czech Republic, Poland, and Israel with Reform Jewish high schoolers from all over the US! Hah! Crazy to think I made this when I was still in high school… glad that Tumblr has hung on this long. And that I have, too! Can I cite this as evidence that my commitment skills are outstanding? Lowkey I’ve been realizing that writing and traveling are two foundational passions of mine, so it’s about time I do something with this knowledge and love. Since my friendies often ask me for travel advice, I thought that answering questions I’ve gotten would be a good place to start. Then, by publishing it on my blog, I’d share something that would pass along lots of value, suss out y’all’s reactions, and toy around with the idea of getting professional in helping humans in their travel endeavors. Gotta throw out some seeds to see what grows!

In the spirit of giving others the inspiration to grow their own wings and fly, I have compiled a bunch of juicy information, tips, stories, and recommendations that will hopefully save you TONS of time, money, and stress. I have read countless other travel blogs to learn about specific destinations, what I should bring, where I should go, etc and continue to find such value in learning from the words of other real people. Now it’s time I add a contribution to the travel blog community that has helped me so much :-)

This particular entry is written for those who may be new to travel and may not even know where to begin. Furthermore, I believe this also absolutely has tips that even the most seasoned travelers could benefit from. Hell, I am still constantly learning and picking up new ideas from other travelers - I bet after my next trip I’ll have even more to add! There are suggestions relevant to both domestic and international travel, though most of my adventures have been abroad so that’s where my lens is most focused. Also, bear in mind that everyone has their own style of traveling, so if something doesn’t resonate with you, no wukkus! Take what is useful and leave the rest.

Thank you so much for reading 🙏 May the wanderlust be with you

First, Decide Your Inspiration - What Dream Do I Want to Come True?

Ideas that could lead you to decide to spread your wings could be:

Practice a language you’ve been learning

Eat / try a specific kind of food or drink (me in Oaxaca eating all the mole possible and here in Far North Queensland trying all the tropical fruit)

Go shopping for clothes/art/etc

Seek healing

Cultivate self-confidence, make new friends, expand your comfort zone, feel your feels after a big life event like a breakup/job change/death

Visit friends / family

Learn a new skill (ex - scuba diving, silver smithing, embroidery, meditating, salsa dancing, Muay Thai, surfing)

Develop an existing skill (ex - writing poetry, glass blowing, bouldering, running)

Obtain a certification (ex - yoga teacher training, vegan chef course, permaculture)

Visit your ancestral lands / site of religious/spiritual significance

Celebrate a holiday / birthday / marriage / promotion

Attend a music festival / concert / cultural event / parade / theme park

Run in a marathon / compete in a sports event / watch a sports event

Have encounters with X species in the wild

Participate in outdoor activities like hiking / backpacking / camping / rock climbing / skydiving / skiing / surfing

Do nothing / be / relax / take a nap every day / read

Volunteer

To give an example, I’ll walk y’all through what inspired me to go on my most recent getaway, a 12 day solo trip to Indonesia. Since I was little, Komodo dragons have been my favorite animal. As a dinosaur obsessed child, they seemed to be one of the closest things still living to their powerful reptile cousins. Then, one day after chilling at Trinity Beach here in Far North Queensland, my friends and I went to get a bite at a kebab shop. I started chatting with one of the women working there, who was from Indonesia also here on a working holiday visa, and I mentioned to her my dream to see the dragons which are only found in her country. To my delight, she said she had been there, told me how gorgeous the area is, and how cheap the flights are from Australia! Until talking with her, I had not realized how close the islands were to here and decided that this would be the year I make my long awaited pilgrimage to the Komodo National Park.

At the end of January 2025, I finished my 6 months working at Sprout, the cafe in Kuranda that counted to fulfill the visa requirement. My open schedule, hard earned savings, and the fact that many of my Aussie friends were flocking to Bali around that time all felt like signs that screamed “now! Do it now! Go do the thing!” (Apparently the signs weren’t very eloquent hahahaha) Plus! February is my birthday month. Plus! February means it is the low season in Asia. Because of the wet weather, it would mean there are less crowds and cheaper everything. Um, yes! She ain’t scared of a little rain. All you really need is a good poncho and waterproof shoes/sandals, and you stay dry no problem. Plus! That would mean all the foliage and views will be bright green, hydrated and full of life. Done. Decided. Yep. Now was the time.

As you can see, I had had long been dreaming of taking this trip, and there were a handful of events that acted as a springboard beckoning me to finally take the leap. Before booking, I did ask some of my friends to see if anyone was free to join me, but because they had work / didn’t have the savings / interest / passport / etc, I didn’t let a lack of company stop me. When you have a dream, you can’t wait on others to make it come true. Opportunity came knocking and I ran to the door to greet it.

Next to Ponder - When Do I Want This Dream to Come True?

Let’s start with… checking the weather! As I said before, I knew it would be the rainy season in Indonesia, and I decided I was okay with that. This comes from past experience having been to Vietnam and knowing that the downpours are usually short lived, so you can still go about your activities and just duck under cover every once in a while when the rain comes. However, if your dream is to spend hours on the beach reading your book and swimming, this would probably be annoying and you might want to consider going during a different time. Google searches for the average weather during the time you want to go can help you out, as well as asking friends who have been, or Reddit forums for advice.

Another consideration is… flight prices! The website Skyscanner’s flight price search tools are my ride or die. It has features that allow you to see a whole month’s prices or even just tell you the cheapest times to fly throughout the year. Oftentimes, leaving a day earlier or later than you envisioned can save you hundreds of dollars. Or, maybe you think you’re going during a non-popular time, and when you check the flights, they are way pricier than you imagined. You never know when a country might have a holiday, school vacation, or airline strike going on, so for these reasons - have a little peek before you go into full planning mode.

When you actually buy your plane tickets is also something to get a lil strategic about. For one - ticket prices can often be lower if you get them on a Tuesday or Wednesday, because algorithms. Then, if you are planning to go on an international flight, it’s best to book 2 - 6 months in advance. You will likely encounter surge pricing if you wait until one month before your int’l departure date to buy. With domestic flights, you have a bit more leeway - 1 - 3 months in advance is enough, with 1-2 weeks before being considered last minute. The more popular of a time you want to travel, the more expensive flights will be, so if you are going during summer months / Christmas time / New years, do everything you can to buy far in advance. That being said, I booked my Indonesian flights about two weeks before I left, and got an incredible rate. During low season, you can find sweet deals, so there are definitely exceptions to the rule.

Also, stuff you’d think is obvious but worth saying is… go when and where you can afford to go. If you have time off but not much savings, consider finding somewhere to volunteer, camping, or visiting a friend/family member you can stay with. That way, you can spread your wings without having to stress about money. It will be worth waiting, as vacation is a lot more fun when you can give yourself the experiences you want.

That being said - you can absolutely travel on a budget and have an incredible experience if you choose your destination right. Often times, the plane ticket is the most expensive part of the trip. Depending on where you go, you can easily find accommodation for less than $10/night, meals that cost $2-3, and public transit for less than a penny. Even when I road tripped up the east coast of Australia, I was volunteering at festivals (ConFest lasts about a week and is an all volunteer based festival, the biggest in Australia), an eco yoga retreat center on a Hare Krishna community called Krishna Village (ended up staying there for 2 months, such a beautiful community), attending Vipassana silent meditation retreats (see my 2 blog posts on this, they are free with the option to donate at the end), and staying at free campsites (shoutout to WikiCamps and CamperMate apps that helped us find sites and showers). How you travel makes all the difference, so this is where if you invest some effort in finding out these hidden gems, you’ll be rewarded with much more than free accommodation.

Don’t book everything in advance! Give yourself days without any plans.

What? Why wouldn’t I? Well, once you’re there, it’s easy to meet people and get recommendations about where to stay, what to see, etc that you cannot find online. This also means you can find better deals on accommodation you stumble upon, tours booked with a group, etc. Also, you may end up falling for a town you thought you’d only want to spend a day in, so having the ability to stay extra nights without losing on cancellation fees will make your future self happy.

It’s so important to leave space to allow yourself to be spontaneous. Trust me - far more stories begin with “I had no idea any of this existed” / “I did not expect to do X, and it was the highlight of my trip” than “I’m glad I planned everything in advance because the options I found online were all the best”. Nah, mate. There’s a whole myriad of experiences that do not make their way onto websites, and shouldn’t, anyway. Finding your own adventure is part of the fun.

If you rush around your whole vacation from this tour to that town, you’re going to come home feeling like you need a holiday from your holiday. I remind myself that the magic happens in the in between, in the unknown, when you take your hands off the reins and see what destiny decides to gift you. Some of my favorite travel memories have happened from spontaneously agreeing to go to a monastery in the mountains that was my taxi driver’s favorite nature spot in Cholula, Mexico, from taking a day trip to the Alps in Austria with a group of backpackers I met in the hostel because there was a discount to buy train tickets with a group of minimum eight people, or when I rented a scooter and rode around Bali, stopping whenever I came across a rice paddy (lol originally spelled that “patty” hahahaha just learned why that’s wrong) or temple that caught my attention. None of those memories I could have ever imagined, and they leave me with a feeling of wide eyed wonder that there are so many corners of the Earth we cannot see on Tik Tok. We have to go out there ourselves, chart our own ship, and discover our own personal treasures.

Plan a rough itinerary

After all that, I do definitely recommend booking at least your first night’s accommodation, especially if you are flying in and you get in late (as most cheaper flight tickets tend to arrive on the later side). Once you get more comfortable traveling, you might even decide to skip this, like I did on my trip to Guatemala. I had decided to let everything up to fate and plan absolutely nothing in advance. Lil story time! On the bus ride from San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico to Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, I ended up chatting with a guy from Mexico who goes yearly to the area and had a friend who rents rooms. Upon arriving at the lake, he showed me into this quaint residential compound where we shared the space with local families and their chickens, doggies, and plant pets. We paid around $5 USD for the night and though the shower was cold, my heart was warm.

Another thang is, it’s a good idea to get an idea of what experiences you are interested in and the places you want to see. If you know you want to go to a certain cave that is only accessible when water levels are low enough, make sure you give yourself extra days in that area in case there are unexpected rains that cause tours to be cancelled. Same with areas only accessible by boat - I almost had a heart attack when texting one of the scuba course companies, I found out all boat navigation was restricted in the Komodo National Park just days before I was to arrive. Because of that hot tip and the flexibility allotted to me since I had not booked my flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo, I stayed an extra day in Bali. There, I could explore the city in the rain and allow time for the storms to cease. Luck does play a part in this, but if you are strategic and flexible, you can weigh the odds to be more in your favor.

One other recommendation is to surf the internet - aka the modern travel agent - for golden nuggets. To begin, I always start with good ole Trip Advisor. This website offers lists of top attractions in the area, restaurant recommendations separated by budget, and reviews from other travelers. Then, I’ll hop onto Reddit to add more spicy perspectives to the more vanilla-esque Trip Advisor reviews. What I love about Reddit is that people will often share their itineraries and ask for recommendations about how many days to spend in a place, what experiences are worth it or too fake and offer a more authentic alternative, etc. You can find a sub-Reddit for pretty much every major city in the world, where both locals and tourists will go to discuss topics relevant to the area. Another good one is Time Out, which comes in clutch to find cool events, especially in Europe, plus food place reviews. My feel is they offer more of a real, by the people for the people style of writing. Finally, a Google search for the town/area will usually bring up travel blog articles on the subject. This is another great first hand perspective to gather tips (which you’d hope I’d say, given as you’re reading my travel blog, hehe) that are unbiased. Only thing to be aware of is there are some blogs that get sponsored by whatever product/agency, which they usually have to disclose upfront.

Theeeen, the greatest, most reliable, incredibly rich and in depth travel books are made, in my opinion, by the Lonely Planet. 10/10 recommend getting your paws on a book of wherever you want to go. There are books on an entire country, some of just a city, others of a whole region, and they even have one of the World. Nuts, right?! They give you the gooood tips on EVERYTHING - culture, history, hotels, food, DIY walking tours, maps… Honestly so worth it. Check out secondhand book shops to see if you can find an used copy, ask around to see if any friends might have one to lend, or just get your own. Happy reading!!

Getchya self a travel credit/debit card

Before you wreck ya self with foreign transaction fees. These sneaky little buggas are 1-3% fees that banks charge when you make a purchase outside of the country, including if you shop online at an international store. For example - the $9.82 açaí bowl I got in Bali had a second transaction of $0.29… le cursed fee. This stuff adds up. I had not thought about this before my most recent trip, because it was my first time traveling abroad since I moved to Australia. I do have a travel credit card, but it’s linked to my US account that I’m not getting paid into, so I didn’t want to drain my US dolla dolla bills then have to transfer AUS dolla dolla bills, etc etc. My Aussie debit card is just a plane Jane card, so it wasn’t until I looked at my account history and realized - ah fack, this is why I got that travel card in the first place. But, never fear! There are a few options to avoid this, which I will outline below.

There are three ways to go about dodging les fees, in my opinion. First is - if you are frequent traveler, it could be a good idea to get a travel credit card designed for your lifestyle (lol, sounds so posh). The main perk of a travel credit card are that you will not pay any foreign transaction fees. And, with some that have rewards plans, every time you buy something on the card that is a travel related expense - such as hotels, flights, eating out - you get points redeemable for cash or for discounts. Yay for adult games! Fortunately for me, I got this as my second credit card ever, in preparation for when I studied abroad at the age of 19. Mine is the Bank of America Travel Rewards card, and it has served me well. Now, it is the only credit card I have active and plan on keeping it that way. In the end, I did use this card a bit on my trip, but again, I avoided spending much because it would mean having to transfer money to my US bank from my AUS bank, and that is a bit of a schlep.

Which brings me to another option I wish I had remembered before I left - use a ‘multi-currency’ or travel debit card, like Wise or Revolut! These are websites I have used many times to do money shuffling from one country’s bank account to another. Once you make an account, you can link your bank from your home country to whatever countries you may want to visit/live, and have them all into one place. Then you can transfer money from, for example, your US account, convert it into Mexican pesos, and create a Mexican account through Wise to then pay people in Mexican pesos. This saved me having to ask my US bank to transfer money to a Mexican account to pay rent when I was living there, which would have required forms and fees every time. It’s worthy to note that Wise and Revolut still do charge the mid-market fees for doing these transfers, but to me, the fact they make it so easy for the user to initiate everything rather than wait on banks/have to go in person/fill out forms/etc, made it a way more convenient option.

Aaaand now I realized I went off track a bit, but I do think for those unfamiliar with these sites, it will give you context to help understand. The reason I mention Wise and Revolut is: “If you load money onto your Wise or Revolut card in the local currency of the country you're spending in, you won’t have to pay foreign transaction fees. To avoid foreign transaction fees, just pre-load your account with the currency you'll be using. Wise is generally better if you want the best exchange rates anytime, while Revolut is good if you stay within the free exchange limits on weekdays.” - chat GPT answer. There ya go, option number 2.

Thirdly and finally, you have the good old fashioned cash is king option! If you withdraw a bunch of money from an ATM once you arrive (from your own debit card or by loading your Wise/Revolut card), or bring your local currency to convert in the airport/etc, of course you won’t get charged foreign transaction fees! One tip if you plan to withdraw money from an ATM - try to pick one that doesn’t seem sus, and preferably travel with a minimum of two debit cards. You never know when an ATM might eat your debit card, like it did when I went to the UK for the first time. After arriving to London, I went to pull out money from an ATM outside the train station, and the machine went “cheers mate, that’s my favourite flavour!” And would not spit it out. Thankfully, I was visiting friends almost that entire trip, so I was able to ask them to take money out for me, etc, but it was a pain to then have to get a replacement card sent to me in Europe. C’est la vie!

Another couple notes about carrying bills - When my former partner and I went to Vietnam, we opted for the take out cash in bulk option to not only avoid fees, but alsooo to help us with budgeting. That way, we could see ‘ah dang we’re getting to the end of the envelope, let’s slow down on tours/shopping/eating’, or whatever. FYI - buying matching banana print outfits was priceless. Reflecting on other benefits of using dolla dolla bills opens up a can of worms, so I’ll just plug another few reasons:

allows small businesses to avoid bank fees

markets/street vendors/taxis may only accept cash/offer a better price when paying cash

comes in handy in case there are power outages (this happened often to me in Mazunte, Puerto Escondido, and San Jose del Pacifico, small towns in the Mexican state of Oaxaca that had fragile power systems, easily damaged in high winds & rains. No paying for food by card or tattoo appointments if there is no electricity!)

Hope you profit from my two cents! ;-D

Consider if there are any life admin type tasks known for being good to do in your destination

Depending on where you live, there could be certain things that are cheaper/faster to do when abroad. Also, according to a chap I recently met in Bali from New York, he was mentioning even in the US, some states are easier to get appointments in than others. So, even if you’re traveling domestically, there could be benefits to life admining when you go somewhere cheaper/more rural/etc, Consider researching things such as -

Health appointments - general medical check up, dentist, dermatologist, bloodwork, specialists visits that don’t have a long wait list or require a doctor’s referral, chiropractor, acupuncture

Beauty treatments - hair implants, tattoo removal, massage, facial, spa

Centers that offer detox programs, cleanses, body work, nutritional programs, fasting assistance, rehab, personal trainers

Speciality material items - tailored clothing, jewelry, custom shoes, art

In considering the quality of care in other countries, you can expect that any major city will have private hospitals/clinics that cater to expats (international people that live in another country) or wealthier locals. Meaning, the staff, technology, and facilities will be of a higher standard than if you were to seek treatment in a foreign country’s public system or in rural areas. As always, having a little peek down Google lane to vibe check the reputation of a facility or a region could be worth it.

To give some specific examples of health life admin I got done when I was in Bali, I got a skin cancer check for $50 (Australian price would be around $140), a teeth cleaning for $60 (in Australia it’d be around $200), and a brain scan. In reference to the latter, I got to book an appointment directly with the neurologist, who after our consultation did not feel a scan was necessary, but if I wanted to I could get one. For personal reasons I felt a scan would allow me to be absolutely sure about the health of my brain, so I paid $340 for both the consultation and the MRI. Here in Australia, I would have had to book an appointment with a GP first (around $100) to get a referral to see a neurologist. Then, a consultation with a neurologist would have been around $300 (and who knows how long it would have taken to wait for an appointment to open up), then finally the MRI would have set me back approximately $500. Skipping all of the hurdles of systems and steps and blah blah blahs meant I could get exactly the attention I wanted.

I’m of the belief that we are the ones who know our bodies best, and while it is of course valuable to consult professionals… if you have an inkling that you want something done that a doctor may say isn’t necessary - we should have the right to do it. Thankfully, in case y’all were wondering, the scan came back with no signs of abnormalities, except an inflamed mastoid bone resulting from the pressure and water affecting my ears during scuba diving. Let’s call it a pricey souvineer picture ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

One last little flavor of insight I will offer for your tasting - Personally, I love having an excuse to walk through different areas of the city to get to the various offices and hospitals that otherwise I would not have seen. It fills both my adventure cup and my self care cup at the same time. This way of life admining feels a lot better than squeezing in appointments at home during a busy work week, and it can save hundreds of dollars and hours of precious time. It’s a win win win situation!!

Phone data plan

The question rings - Will you choose to disconnect and just use the WiFi at your hostel/cafes/etc, or do you want to get a data plan?

Reasons to not get a plan:

Be more present - notifications distract you and may take away from your experience

Rely on your memory, strangers, or physical maps to get around or get recommendations. Instead of making every decision based on the number of reviews a restaurant has, ask a stranger for their favorite spot and maybe gain a new friend! Or, use your eyes to see what street food stand seems to appeal to you most and try something you’ve never heard of before! Also, you can be open to what surprises you may find while you get lost - one of my favorite pastimes :-D

Download the areas on your maps app before you leave Wifilandia if the only thing you feel you want data for is getting around. You’ll still be able to see where you are on gps even without internet, just might not be as precise

Not financially worth it if you will only be in a country for a short amount of time. Nowadays, it is so common to find places with free WiFi, so if you ask around or sus out the area yourself, you can decide whether or not it feels necessary

Reasons to get a plan:

Safety :-) You never know when you may need to call for help in an emergency. If you plan on going out late and want to order an Uber to get back/walk home, being able to call someone/emergency services will act as a reassuring backup

Language barrier bridger - If you feel like you won’t be able to communicate/ask for what you need in the local language, having the ability to use a translator app will definitely help. Though, in my opinion, playing communication charades is one of the most fun parts of traveling. // I’ll also drop a gentle reminder to please not expect everyone to speak English/your native language/etc. Remember to consider that access to education is a privilege and may not be on the top list of everyone’s priorities. Learning to say a few words in the local language is a great way to show you are a conscious traveler!

Catch up with loved ones while on a walk or chilling in a non-WiFi area

Decide where to eat/go based on reviews. As a foodie, I take every opportunity to eat sacredly, so I appreciate the ability to see if there’s a hole in the wall a few streets away from the main road that Anthony Bourdain rated as the best bahn mi. Or, maybe you follow a special diet and have just 20 minutes before your train leaves so you need that info fast

If you’ve decided you want to get a plan, another element to consider is from where you will purchase it.

Airports: Sometimes the official provider stores at airports offer the best deals for SIM cards. There, the prices should be standard so you don’t have to worry about potential scams. Plus, you’ll have internet as soon as you arrive, making ordering an Uber to your hotel etc super convenient. // lil tip ~ lots of airports don’t allow Uber/rideshares to come into their pickup/drop off areas, probably because taxi drivers have protested the competition. Instead, you can walk for a bit to get outside the main airport area, then order your Uber there.

Supermarkets are another good places you can buy a plan from, such as Aldi in Australia and Target in the US. They often have pay as you go plans you can buy in the gift card section or near the cash registers that are easy to set up and work with the major phone companies.

Vendors/stalls in the city would be the last option of where to buy a SIM card that I’d recommend. Something to be aware of about this option is the chance you get a marked up quote because the stall holder can tell you are a tourist and don’t know any better. That, however, can be easily avoided if you simply ask around at a few places to compare, then make a decision depending on what is the best deal. A pro for this option is convenience, cuz if you’re like me, you want to decide after a bit if you actually want a plan or not during the first few days of getting to know the area. During this time, you can shop around a bit and find out from others where they got theirs and what they paid. She loves a good hunt :-D

Finally, find out if your data plan will cover you for all the places you plan on visiting. In Europe, whatever data plan you get should work in all EU countries. In Indonesia, however, some data plans will only work in Bali, and the other islands require a different plan. If you will be going to the US and Mexico, inquire if your company will work in both countries. Ah, yes, and MAKE SURE YOUR PHONE IS UNLOCKED! If you’re not sure and want to check, this explains how. Sometimes when you buy a phone, it’s locked by the provider to only accept SIM cards from their company. If you don’t check this and your phone is locked, this means your phone will not work with any foreign SIM card - it’ll reject it faster than your middle school crush did that one dreadful day after gym class. Don’t let that happen to you again - set yourself up for success and give your magic rectangle a little check up.

Safety tips

One of the first things I do when I get to a new place is ask the locals about how safe it is. My personal advice is to not let a random Karen/Chad’s review of a place from 2018 saying how uncomfortable they felt on a bus infuse you with fear. Places are always changing - sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse - and you need to get the most up to date information. Here are some questions I would ask to, for example, a staff member working in hostel reception: Is it okay for me as a solo woman to walk home at night? In all areas or just some? What’s the best method of transportation - public transit, taxi, Uber, Grab? Is public transit safe both during the day and night? What time do buses/trains/etc run until? Are private taxis safe? How much should I expect to pay? Do I need to pay in cash? Is there much crime in the area? Who is it directed towards - gang members, etc or tourists? Can I drink the tap water? What are the police like? In reference to the latter, it’s good to know if bribes will be expected from authorities if you’re caught doing something you shouldn’t. Or, on the flip side, if you need help from police but they aren’t offering, it may be because they’re expecting a bribe, then they’ll help. Shitty, but that’s the reality in some places. I have a wholeee insane story about getting my bag stolen at a sketchy club in the outskirts of Mexico City, that when I look back, I’m pretty sure it was all a set up to get money out of an unsuspecting gringa. I could have saved myself hours of my life if I had offered the cops some pesos; but also, if you want to resist giving in to that corrupted system, stand by your values. Unintentionally, I did that, and miraculously ended up getting my bag back anyway. Hope for the best but expect the worst!

In general, it’s a good idea to try to not call too much attention towards yourself. I feel this is overall good traveler etiquette, not just for safety reasons, but also to remember that you are a guest in a new culture. If you stomp around town dripping in bling, loudly asking for an English menu, chugging jugs of sangria, and baring your skin to the gods, you are making yourself an easy target. I am absolutely pro dress how you want, as well as pro take full responsibility for yourself. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Be observant and open to modifying your behavior in little ways so that you can respect and understand the place you are in more intimately. This could mean taking your shoes off before entering a shop, learning when tipping is appropriate, covering your shoulders/knees, etc. If you want to get drunk/alter your reality, consider going out with a sober buddy, let someone know where you will go and what time you will text them letting them know you made it home safe, and always keep an eye on your drink. There are heaps more good people in the world than bad, so if you ever have a funny feeling about any situation, tell someone and get help.

It should also go without saying that you should keep your good habits even if you are in a place where standards are lower. Like - do not chuck your trash/cigarette butts on the street, eat meat that looks questionable, or skip wearing a helmet or safety belt. Another thing I’ve begun to do now is bring my essential reusables - water bottle, mug, bag, and a spoon. Always carrying a reusable water bottle is something I believe is important every day, and even more so when traveling and can’t be sure when the next chance to hydrate yourself will be. The mug came in handy not only as a way to keep my tea warm poolside, but also to use as a bowl when I went on a trip that asked us to bring our own breakfast and had no dishes.

Keep copies of all your travel documents (passport, license, photo ID, travel insurance, etc) digitally and physically, and backed up on a cloud service. This will help in case you get something stolen/lost.

Anecdote time! When making a police report after getting my phone stolen in Mexico City, they asked for a physical copy of my passport, which I didn’t have, and of course they didn’t have a printer I could use. This meant I had to go on a mission to find a photocopy place in a rough area of the city. The shop the police directed me to was closed, so then I asked people on the street if there was another place (which was easy enough since I speak Spanish, otherwise you’d have to wait and find someone English speaking. Or play communication charades!). Luckily, there was another shop, but my directionally challenged ass had to remember the instructions given to me without having a phone’s map to follow. Twenty minutes and a couple more helpful strangers later, I found the place, a shop selling miscellaneous paper goods, which I would never had known offered a photocopying service from the outside. Accomplishing a task you’d expect to be simple in your home country can be surprisingly challenging in foreign lands.

Also! BACK UP ALL YOUR PHOTOS! Always! And make sure you sync your library as often as possible (preferably automatically when connected to WiFi)! Yes, this advice is coming from personal experience. When my phone was stolen in Oaxaca (for a second time, within a week of getting my replacement phone out of Mexican customs…dios mio), I realized too late that I hadn’t synced my pictures to my Google photos account. This made me decide to switch to Apple’s iCloud service, as it would automatically back up my iPhone’s pictures whenever I was on Wifi. Google Photos should have done that, as that’s what I had set it to on the app preferences; however, for whatever reason, it only would if I had the app open. RIP to the scenery and selfies photos lost to the abyss.

Overall, stay street smart, trust your gut, and party responsibly.

Packing time!

My mom passed down her organizational queen skills to me and now it is time I gift this wisdom unto the world.

Overall, the name of the game is to categorize your stuff! If you travel and don’t use a million different little bags to hold your sleep stuff, shower stuff, underwear stuff, etc, how do you even function? Even if you carefully fold everything into your suitcase, this will all go to shit when you have to take everything out to find your (insert random small item here). By putting things into toiletry/drawstring/tote/etc bags, you can instead just think “ok, my eye drops are in the blue bag, just gotta grab that” and save yourself so much sweat. This also goes with how I pack stuff in - tops all grouped together, as well as bottoms, socks, swimsuits, etc.

If you’re checking a bag, it’s a good idea to pack a change of clothes, a toothbrush, medication, and whatever else you may need in your carry on, in case your checked bag gets lost. Imagine getting to your hotel without your main bag - what would you like to have? I bring something to sleep in, a change of clothes for the next day, and other hygiene products.

On the plane carry-on essentials:

eye mask

headphones and/or earplugs

WARM CLOTHES BECAUSE THEY KEEP IT FRIGID AF - I almost did not make it through a flight because I forgot to pack a pair of socks. Do not underestimate how cold they keep it in the five miles high club

snacks - nuts, dried fruit, gum (which chewing also helps move your jaw around and equalize the pressure change!), granola bars

reusable water bottle - empty it before going through security, then fill it up at a water fountain or cafe once you’re past it. It’s easier to get dehydrated on a plane due to the lower humidity

phone with pre-downloaded music/podcasts/shows - I love having various Miracle Tones binaural beats to help me sleep. Also, some planes have USB inputs for you to charge electronics, so chances are if you’re on a long flight/in a newer airplane, you can bring your charger cables and keep yourself juiced up

whatever you like to have to entertain yourself - books, friendship bracelet string (my personal fav plane activity, pairs perfectly while listening to a podcast), journal, coloring book, postcards to write, etc

a black or blue pen! There is this hilarious moment where in international flights, they pass out the customs declarations to everyone on board, people forget about them until we’re about to land, then heads start turning like a dog chasing a fly to find the few existing pens fellow passengers lend out to the masses. People get their knickers in a twist cuz they waited until the last minute and start frantically scribbling down their details while the next person in the row eyes their pen, waiting for the very instant they finish to do the same. Don’t be like all these Panicky Patricks. Be a Prepared Peggy and bring a pen.

In your packed bag:

Scissors! Just your every day average pair of scissors. Anytime I don’t pack scissors, I end up needing them. And whenever I do pack scissors, they come in soo handy, for things like opening those ridiculous clam shell packaged stuff, clothing tags, spontaneous urge to craft, rope... Trust me, just pack em

Alternative to or in addition to scissors suggestion - mini Swiss Army knife. My dad gave me one that I keep on my keychain (which should be taken off before security, even though many times I’ve forgotten and it wasn’t noticed) and it has scissors, a blade, tweezers, a nail file, and a toothpick. One of my absolute favorite material possessions. Dads know.

Additional reusable goodies, such as: a mug, utensils, a straw, a bowl, bags, makeup remover pads

Universal travel adaptor! That is, if you plan on traveling outside of your home country/to countries that have a different power outlet. Highly recommend investing in one of these, so that no matter what country you go to, you can charge your electronics.

Alrightey mates, we did it!

Our bags are packed and the adventure awaits! I hope this post leaves you feeling inspired and prepared to go somewhere new and discover parts of the world - and yourself - that bring more love and happiness to your life. Feel free to reach out to me with comments, suggestions, or questions related to this post and I will be happy to answer ya.

With love,

Beth 🦋

#travel blog #solo travel #travel advice #travel recommendations #tips #travel tips #trave #solo #female travel #writing #inspiration

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an-idles-blog · 5 months ago

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Ok, hi to you!

Welcome to this very Idly blog meant as a free, safespace for the fucking kindhearted and beautiful softies searching for a tiny, positive space 🌸

here's a little context about this blog that I feel like adding, almost as a way to justify myself for opening a fanblog in 2025 :')

It's never too late to do something that makes you happy, in my case, celebrate good artists. Hell yea 🌸

If you like reading, it's your lucky day.

●Why does this blog even exist?

To note all the beautiful things this band introduced in my life and to keep them somewhere, all together, where others can read them too, even. All the positivity notes and "teachings" (my gawd what a word) that I want to remember when I feel lost, even not strictly related to this band , simply cuz it's so easy to get caught in the nonsense of life, and having to deal with pricks that make you forget who you are and which things fuel your spark the most. Idles are a band to keep alive your fire with, and this blog is a way to keep my mind on track and to celebrate the band at the same time.

Mostly I am doing this for myself, to have a space where there is nothing but a positive mentality and have light-hearted fun, but if some other fan stumbles into this blog, and if they'll find this space comfy too, I'll be very glad about it. I'll share just positive reminders and the messages this band lovely spreads, eventually a little of a small diary too. It's really just for fun.

●Who are you, and for how long you've been a fan?

Call me Gotho 👌 It's my first year being an Idles fan, yet it seems like it's been for much longer, simply because of how much more life they brought into my days.

I don't know how they did it, but they did it.

I study music, I study bands and lots of different genres, who influenced who, and which album made history and why. Yet, amongst all of the other bands I know or discovered, Idles entered my life in a way I thought it would never happen again, they're "that" band currently for me, that band that marks a before and an after you discover them, and they had the FKKN AUDACITY to enter my life when I needed someone that speaks of strenght and hope just like they do the most, and I didn't even know I needed that.

Their straightforward way to make you realise that you're not living up to your dreams needs to be celebrated. Easy and effective.

•Why on Tumblr in 2025?

Because I'm tired of everywhere else. IG sucks for various reasons. I'm tired of fueling a place poisoned by ads, ragebait, the "numbers mentality" and shitty political posts that feed bigotry and ignorance. It's cool for memes but it has become too much of a time-consuming shithole. I needed something fresh and new and to cultivate something positive with my phone-time, not brain deadly scrolling through reels. Also, I REEALLY miss the "old internet" before socials, when there were people creating sites only to share their passion, often a super niche passion. Each was personal and not modelled over a white slate of a template identical to anyone else's.

Maybe this is the closest I can achieve for free to that experience.

Here there are no numbers, no viral stuff, just people and their passion projects, such as this one. IG has a way to mess with you, been there cuz I tried twice to "fit in" and "make numbers" with my crafts back in the day, but you really have to play to TONS of rules that mostly have nothing to do with your intentions as an artist. That's bullshit. That's a way to turn you into something else if not into another piece of THEIR machine. That's not a place for artists anymore, and it has become too much shit for anyone, really.

Apply this to many other mainstream social, and there you have it.

But I want to change this and I don't want to be bitter about it. I want this place to be a healthy garden. Hopefully some butterflies will arrive, too.

●Was it necessary to read all this?

No, but if you did anyway, thank you so much!

I hope you'll enjoy

All is Love ✨️

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cafffeineconnoisseur · 1 year ago

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Everything you went through i understand completely.

Fyi nursing school wasn’t my first option, but I couldn’t do well back in high school since my father passed the same year I should’ve studied hard to get good grades that could get me into med school.

I was only 0.7% away from getting into med school so nursing was my last option, and honestly, my family was against it but I insisted since it was my last option and the last major that’s close to med school, so i got in 🤷🏼‍♀️

Back in my second year, I had to go visit a therapist because of the immense amount of pressure I went through and I had to get on some meds to help me relax, which resulted in having irregular periods and having to take meds for that too, I honestly am still traumatized about my entire university experience, but i kept telling myself that it will end soon and it did.

Another family member passed when I was a graduate, and I went through depression and anxiety for the entire graduation year I wasn’t even half happy even when I was close to the end, so again i relate.

Time will pass by and you will remember these days and be thankful they’re over, I’m glad you’re occupying yourself with different hobbies and I’d say this is the best time to explore your true self and what you actually want, this is the perfect time to choose a path you’re comfortable with, and maybe learn about other careers that could be wayyyy better than med school, i secretly wish i chose marketing over nursing bc they’re effing rich 😂

Ily pookie and i want you to be the best all the time ❤️

Pookie I'm so sorry you had to go thru all that and thanks a lot for sharing. Ik this can be difficult to talk about but I'm so grateful you did cuz I feel empowered.

I'm so sorry about your father's and your family member's passing, it's so hard to deal with honestly. Even my grandpa passed away last November, I hadn't met him in 4 years and I didn't even have the time to grieve. Damn how I wish the education system took our mental health seriously lmao.

Sending you hugs cuz I relate to the irregular periods so much cuz since 2024 began, I didn't get it for 3 months straight. I literally got it during my finals and it was hella intense so I did pretty horrible in it and even now I'm gonna touch the 2 month mark lmao. I was basically diagnosed with severe vitamin B12 deficiency so I had to take shots on my ass lmao and shit ton of meds. It didn't cure my headache so my doc gave me anti depressants and anti anxiety pills which I'd used more often than necessary. I realised it was wrong so I stopped completely and had to go thru withdrawal lol. Isn't it crazy how much our physical health is affected by all of it? Ugh I find it so annoying. Like in the past few months I've gained some weight. Lot of ppl around me call me some shit for that but I try to ignore it. I want to lose weight but I have a history of ed so I'm just scared lmao.

I hope you're doing better now pookie ❤️

Yeah I'm sure time will pass but I just can't wait now lmao. It's been too long and I'm done with those toxic af classes, losing friends, constant anxiety, insomnia and what not. All of that to still not be good enough.

Ifkr like atp I just wanna be YouTuber or tiktoker lmao cuz some of them are earning wayy more than actual doctors hahaha.

Actually I'm looking into more research oriented careers and stuff idk how that's gonna go lol

Thanks a lot for sharing this baby, I feel so much better just sharing my heart away over here. 💗

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casspurrjoybell-25 · 2 years ago

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November - Chapter 11

*Warning Adult Content*

- Oliver -

The trees in the Hoh Rainforest were some of the biggest Oliver had ever seen in person.

Everything was green, the leaves, the ferns blanketing the ground and the moss growing up the trunks of the trees.

Moss was also draped from tree branches, hanging in curtains that stretched towards the ground.

With rain lightly falling, every tree and plant dripped water.

It felt like he was walking through a fairy-tale, through an ancient, enchanted forest that had been here since the beginning of time.

He turned towards Cooper.

"This is incredible. I know I've been saying that about everything but I really mean it. You weren't kidding when you said this was a rainforest. This is so...majestic," he says, trying to find the words.

"It's like seeing the Earth as it would have been millions of years ago."

Cooper's face lit up.

"That's exactly how I feel. Like I'm going back in time."

"I love it," Oliver says, gazing around at the forest.

"You're lucky to live near this."

As they walked along the path that wound it’s way through the trees, Oliver wanted to reach over and hold Cooper's hand.

This would be perfect for a romantic walk.

Instead, He stuck his hands in the pockets of his rain jacket.

It wouldn't be right to use Cooper as a vacation hook-up or a rebound.

That's not what it would be to Oliver but that's what it might seem like to him.

Besides, He wasn't sure if Cooper would be interested in him.

He was probably just being friendly.

‘I mean, he was friendly to everyone. I probably wasn't special.’

The last thing Oliver needed to do was read too much into things, make a fool out of himself and put Cooper in an awkward situation.

When they stopped near a large moss-covered maple tree and Cooper was looking up at the branches, Oliver allowed himself to indulge in his crush for a moment.

He let his eyes move down Cooper's body.

He was muscular with massive shoulders and biceps.

He was solid and Oliver really liked that.

One of the best things about Cooper’s body was his ass, it was huge and most of it was muscle.

Oliver wanted it in his hands, even though he knew there was no way it would fit into his hands.

He felt himself blushing.

He shouldn't be standing here thinking about Cooper like this.

He needed to stay in the moment.

"When did you come here for the first time?" He asks.

"When I was a baby. My parents liked to get pictures of us here."

Oliver laughs.

"I should have known. Where else did they take you? Did you all travel a lot?"

"We tried to but we didn't have a ton of money growing up. We'd go to Oregon a lot, and we went to Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks and once we took a road trip across the country to see the Great Smoky Mountains and Mammoth Cave National Park. And of course I've been to California and Alaska for my fishing job. But that's it."

"That's a completely different experience from mine," Oliver replies.

"My parents liked cities and beaches. So there were a lot of trips to Chicago and New York, and then to Florida. I studied abroad for a semester in college and got to see London, Paris and Barcelona. I guess that's why I'm trying to do a trip involving the outdoors now. It's something different."

"You sound well traveled. I'm impressed," Cooper says, grinning.

"It was mostly because of studying abroad. Did your college have any programs like that?"

"I didn't go to college."

"Oh," Oliver says, not sure how Cooper felt about it.

"Sorry, I just assumed."

Cooper laughs.

"I'm glad you assumed I'm smart enough for college. But I didn't need it for logging or fishing and it would have been tough to find the money to pay for it."

"Well, you're doing a lot better in life than I am," Oliver jokes.

"You own a home and have two careers. I struggle to afford rent and it's going to take a while for me to move up in my career."

"It's all a matter of perspective."

"You're right. I mean, going to college doesn't mean I'm smart. I have plenty of dumb moments."

"Oh really?" Cooper asks, raising an eyebrow.

"What's one of them?"

"Um, okay, here's one you'll find amusing. In college, my friends and I were on a trip to San Francisco and there was a sea lion sleeping at the end of one of the piers. I wanted to know how they felt, like if they were slippery, so I snuck up and touched the sea lion's back. I thought I could just feel it’s skin and then walk away without it waking up but it immediately flung its head up and roared. I ran away screaming and then tripped on a loose board on the pier and fell into the water."

Cooper threw his head back and laughed.

"I would have loved to have seen that."

"My friends were all laughing at me, and then we had to go back to the hotel so I could change into dry clothes. It was not my finest moment."

"Was the sea lion slippery?"

"That's the dumbest part. I was so freaked out I forgot what it felt like for the split second my hand was on it."

"There are plenty of sea lions on the peninsula. Do you want to try again?" Cooper asks, wiggling his eyebrows.

"I do not. I learned my lesson," Oliver says, laughing.

- Cooper -

Cooper was enjoying getting to know more about Oliver and it seemed like the day was passing by too quickly.

They spent a few hours in the Hoh Rainforest before driving over to Ruby Beach and Cooper was hoping the clouds would clear up more.

He'd packed sandwiches and a blanket and he was planning on them eating dinner and watching the sunset.

He really liked Oliver but he didn't think anything would happen between them.

Oliver had just been through a break-up and even if he was willing to have a fling, Cooper probably wasn't his type.

Besides, in a few days, Oliver was going to go back to his California life and find another boyfriend.

‘I needed to stop falling for him.’

After Cooper got his pack out of the truck, he followed Oliver down the path to the beach.

At the edge of the trees, the young man stopped and looked at the dense stretch of sun-bleached logs in front of them.

"Do all Washington beaches have a huge log graveyard to go through first?" he asks.

"Not all of them but a lot," Cooper chuckles.

"I'll lead the way."

Cooper makes sure Oliver got through the logs safely, holding out his hand for him to grab and steady himself when he needed it.

Every time Oliver’s hand was in his, Cooper didn't want to let go.

He could imagine them strolling along the beach or spending their weekends hiking together.

He could imagine Oliver in his house, helping him make dinner for the two of them.

Cooper forced himself to focus on the scenery around them.

It was low tide and the water had receded, leaving the sand looking smooth and wet.

There was enough water that it was reflecting the sky, as though someone were holding up a giant mirror.

"Wow," Oliver says.

"This is amazing. It's a perfect reflection."

"It happens at low tide. Hey, guess what I'm about to ask you to do?"

"What?" Oliver asks, turning towards Cooper with a curious expression who grins.

"Walk out onto the sand and model for me. This will be a great picture."

Oliver laughs.

"I should have guessed. You only invited me to stay for another week so you'd have a human subject to put in your pictures, didn't you?"

Cooper holds up his hands in surrender.

"Guilty."

Oliver walked further out onto the sand and Cooper got several pictures of him walking with his back to the camera and then standing and gazing out towards the ocean.

It was a cool effect to have someone silhouetted against the reflected sky.

"Do you want one?" Oliver called out.

Cooper gestured for him to come back over to him.

"Here," he said, handing Oliver his cell-phone.

"I know exactly what I want."

Cooper found a large, sturdy log and laid down on top of it on his side, facing Oliver.

He propped his head up with one hand and stared seductively, doing his best impression of a pin-up pose.

Oliver couldn't stop laughing.

Once he managed to get a few pictures, they explored the beach.

Cooper had been here a million times but he pointed out Destruction Island in the distance with it’s lighthouse and then showed Oliver some of the tidal pools filled with colorful starfish and sea anemones.

After spending a couple hours walking around and climbing on rocks, Cooper got out the blanket and spread it out on a dry patch of sand near the logs.

The sun was already making it’s descent through the sky and bathing the scenery in a soft orange.

Oliver and Cooper watched it sink towards the ocean as they ate their sandwiches.

The older man knew he shouldn't torture himself and ask the question that had been on his mind for the past few hours but he did it anyway.

He had to know if there was any way he had a chance with Oliver.

"So," Cooper says, trying to sound casual.

"What are you looking for in your next boyfriend?"

Oliver laughs.

"I don't know if I'll be looking anytime soon. I need to focus on my career and find a place to live."

"And you should. It'll give you time to move on. Getting over a break-up doesn't happen quickly."

"No, it doesn't. But I want the next guy to be kind and make me a priority. I want someone who's excited to spend time with me, instead of acting like it's a chore or they'd rather be doing something else or be with someone else. Someone who wants to do the same things as me. Not all the time, of course but enough that I don't feel like we're constantly compromising."

Cooper smiled.

"You deserve all that and more. What about the superficial stuff? Like appearance and career?"

Oliver shrugged.

"I try not to put too much importance on that stuff. Obviously I want to be attracted to who I'm with and I want them to have a job, but it's more about how they make me feel."

The young man looked up at Cooper and smiled.

"What about you? I know you don't have a ton of options out here but what are you looking for?"

"Kind of the same as you, honestly. I want a guy who likes the outdoors and who'll go hiking and camping with me. And it's important to me that he gets along with my family and likes hanging out with them."

"It's great how close you are with your family," Oliver said.

"Not everyone is that lucky."

As Cooper looked at Oliver in the golden glow of the setting sun, he wanted to kiss him.

He wanted to cup his face in his hand and run his thumb over the dimple in his cheek.

He wanted to know how his lips felt against his.

And it wasn't just because Oliver was gorgeous

He was a sweet and gentle person, the kind of guy who would be a bright spot in anyone's life.

Cooper still wasn't sure if he had a chance with Oliver or not but he'd made it clear that he wasn't looking right now, so the older man wasn't going to push.

As it got dark, Cooper knew that they should leave but he wished they could stay here on this blanket and he could pull Oliver into his arms and lay under the stars with him.

If it were any other situation, Cooper would have made a move already but he respected Oliver too much to do that while he was still hurting from his break-up.

"We should get going," Cooper says.

"I don't want it to get much darker before we have to navigate the logs."

"Good point. I definitely don't want to fall and become part of the log graveyard."

"I won't let that happen," Cooper promises.

The older man packed up the blanket and they began climbing over the logs.

There was enough moonlight to see but Cooper still helped Oliver.

They were almost through the logs when Oliver tripped.

Cooper whirled around and caught him, his hands on the younger man’s slender waist and Oliver’s arms around his guide’s shoulders.

Their faces were only inches apart.

Oliver stared into Cooper’s eyes for another second before he shifted his gaze.

"Thank you," Oliver said and then he leant forward and kissed Cooper on the cheek.

It wasn't exactly what the older man was hoping for but it was something.

He felt himself blushing in the dark and he was grateful Oliver couldn't see his reaction to one simple, innocent kiss.

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