The Day the Elephants Came to Town

One thing you may not know about me is I really like elephants ... like a lot. You could call me obsessed. One of the things on my bucket list is that I want to become friends with an elephant. I could go on for hours about why elephants are one of the coolest animals on the planet, but I will spare you all. I mean look at this face, how could you not want to be friends with that!

One day I was sitting at home with my Mom and sister, we were just lounging around, watching TV, when my sister got a call from her boyfriend. He told her that he had just driven by this local farm that was about 5 minutes from our house and there were over a dozen cars stopped on the side of the road. Why you ask? Well because there were two full grown elephants roaming around the farm.

It took me all of ten seconds to get dressed and out the door, I had to wait a few minutes longer for my Mom and sister to be ready and then we were on our way. When we got there, there was even a bigger crowd. It turns out the elephants were being transferred from Florida to New York and they had stopped at this farm to let them out for a break. They were circus elephants, which makes me a little sad because I've heard so much about their cruel treatment. However, the handlers of these elephants seemed to be treating them well.

I stayed there for at least an hour just watching them (and taking a million pictures), I probably could have stayed there longer. 

Smoothie Inspired Giveaway (+ $200 cash)

This month I am sponsoring The Happy Type blog. If you haven't discovered it yet, go over there ASAP. It is awesome! Now, thanks to Crystal and a bunch of other fabulous ladies we are having an amazing giveaway.

photo credit: k bost via flickr altered from original Party in the Air

The Happy Type is turning one this week and in celebration we've got a giveaway to party! If you've ever gone through the recipe section at The Happy Type then you know that smoothies are popular in a BIG way with recipes like the Ultimate Philippines Smoothie, Apple Oat Smoothie, Orange Banana Smoothie, Kiwi and Aloe Smoothie, and the Four Seasons Smoothie. 

A peek at the Ultimate Philippines Smoothie from The Happy Type recipes.

Since smoothies are a favorite on The Happy Type it only made sense to share the smoothie love with as many people as possible and that's how this little smoothie-inspired giveaway was born. You'll find everything you need to make a smoothie from start to finish with this giveaway. For one lucky winner making a smoothie this summer couldn't get any easer so good luck and remember to check out The Happy Type's smoothie recipes while you wait to see how the giveaway turns out!

While it's The Happy Type's one year blog birthday the whole thing and this giveaway wouldn't have been possible without an amazing blog community. Blogging is not just sharing your newest interests blindly on the internet, rather, the process is about connecting with people. Without meaningful friendships, blogging alone doesn't have the same allure and it's because of these friendships that The Happy Type is proud to turn one and bring you a giveaway in thanks. Now meet some of the amazing ladies who have helped sponsor this giveaway and are themselves an integral part of the community that makes blogging the vibrant and worthwhile pursuit that it is. 

nomElizabeth | Side Street Style | Move By Yourself | This Flooded Sky

Daisy Bisley | 91 Dash | Living in Another Language | The Nectar Collective

The Style Dunce | Smile and Write | Mundane Ecstasy | The Happy Type

Here's a list of what's up for grabs to celebrate The Happy Type's blog birthday!

1 x Magic Bullet + accessories

1 x Superfood Smoothies Book by Julie Morris

1 x 20 paper straws

1 x Insulted drink tumbler with straw

1 x 20 oz. bag of Golden Omega Flaxseed

1x Box of Brewhaha Super Tea 50 ct.

Get an eyeful of what you'll be winning.

+

$200 in Paypal cash!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rules:

1. Giveaway is not open internationally. 2. Winner will be chosen and notified within 24 hours of giveaway's end. Winner will have 48 hours to respond should the winner fail to respond within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. 3. Winner's entries will be verified in their entirety and if falsified entries are found winner will be disqualified. 4. Winner must have Paypal if they wish to claim their prize. The Happy Type will transfer money directly to winner's Paypal account and is not responsible thereafter.

Don't Try So Hard

Have you seen this new music video for the song "Try" by Colbie Caillat? If not ... watch it now and then we'll keep chatting.

Done? Great, what did you think? I love, love, love it. I think it is a great message, especially for young girls (and even boys) today. There is so much pressure on young people to conform, conform to what society thinks they should be, to what their peers think they should be, even to what their parents think they should be and what they want to be gets lost in the mix. This song tells you that you don't need to try so hard. My favorite line in the whole song is...

                   

                  " Why should you care what they think? 

                                 When you are all alone do you like you?"

Because after all shouldn't your opinion of yourself and what matters to you be the most important. I've always tried to not let what others think about me, bother me. But, that is easier said than done, no matter how confident you are, the words of other can hurt. However, as the song says, what you think of you is the most important opinion. Sometimes my skin freaks out and doesn't look so great, some times my hair is crazy and out of control, but that doesn't matter because I am beautiful the way I am and you are too.

It can be hard and confusing for anyone, but especially young women, to accept themselves as beautiful when the media portrays women as super thin and flawless, but that is just one kind of beauty and its videos like this that help put the message out there that you can be beautiful just the way you are.

That is why today I am joining in on a link-up that is being hosted by Kate (The Florkens), Nicole (Treasure Tromp) and Jackie (Jade & Oak) where we all post a picture of ourselves not "trying" so hard.

So go on post a picture of yourself "not trying so hard" and show off your natural beauty! Use the hastag #donttrysohardlinkup on Twitter and Instagram to see other people's photos.




What do you think of  Colbie Caillat's new video? Have you posted a picture of yourself online "not trying"?

Items You'll Never Regret Packing

As we all know packing can be tough, especially if you are like me, you don't' want to over pack because carrying around heavy bags can be a big pain, literally, but, you don't want to under pack either, you need options, duh! It can be hard to find that happy medium of being perfectly packed. Over my years of traveling, my first trip abroad was at age 14, I have over packed and under packed with the best of them and I have learned that there are some items that you will never regret packing. 

*two years of my life was packed into these bags for the Peace Corps

Wet Wipes - These can come in handy in several situations on a hot sweaty day or after using a public restroom with no soap.

Flashlight/Headlamp -  When everyone else in your hostel room is asleep and you want to read a book and headlamp/flashlight will come in handy or on midnight trek to the bathroom you don't want to be left in the dark.

Earplugs - These can be used anywhere when you are trying to catch some Z's, a plane, a train or a bus or even in a hostel room full of snoring people.

Eye mask - Going along with the earplugs a eye mask can be pretty useful when trying to catch some sleep on public transportation or in a crowded hostel.

Shower worthy flip flops - In Paraguay it is customary to shower with flip flops on even in your own home, but when it comes to hostels or even some hotels you never know what you'll find in the bathroom so these can be extremely necessary

Hat - Whether it is a baseball cap, a floppy sun cap or a fashionable fedora a hat can be useful whenever you travel to keep the sun off your face or to keep it stylish on a bad hair day.

Large scarf - I bring a scarf with me everywhere I go whether it is cold or hot. You never know when a warm day can turn into a chilly night and a scarf can make a perfect wrap for your shoulders to warm you up. Scarfs also can work as a great way to cover your shoulders or wrap around your waist if you happen to be dressed inappropriately to enter a church or temple.

Ziplock bags - These are one of my favorite travel accessories. They are great for helping to organize your packing and they also help keep dirty clothes separate from clean.

Wash line - If you are traveling long term a wash line is perfect so you don't waste money on getting your clothes laundered you can just wash them yourself in the sink or shower. But, even if you are traveling short term in can be handy, you never know when you'll spill something on your only pair of jeans.

Quick dry towel - These are one of the best inventions ever. Towels that dry almost instantly after using them, so if you take a shower before you leave you don't have to worry about packing a wet towel.

What are some travel items you never regret packing?

6 Must-Do Things in Uruguay

While a Peace Corps volunteer I had to opportunity to spend my first Christmas and New Years abroad traveling to Uruguay with some of my best volunteer friends. We chose Uruguay for a couple reasons. First ... the beach! Having lived in a land-locked country (Paraguay) for close to a year by then, we wanted to spend our time soaking up the sun and sand. Secondly, Uruguay doesn't require a visa or reciprocity fee for United States citizens like some of its other neighbors, Brazil and Argentina. It was an amazing trip. Uruguay is a small, laid back country but it packs a punch. It can be a little on the expensive side, but I can't wait to go back there and explore more of this charming country.

6 Things To Do in Uruguay

Wander along the Rambla in Montevideo. The capital of Uruguay, Montevideo is home to over a third of the country's population and on any given day a majority of them can be seen strolling along La Rambla. A boardwalk that spans the entirety of the Montevideo coastline, La Rambla is an essential part of the city's identity. Spend your time soaking in the views of the beach and the city skyline at the same time and experiencing life as the locals do.

Eat a Chivito. The national dish of Uruguay, its significance is up there with the Cheesesteak for Philidelphia and Deep Dish Pizza for Chicago. A meat-lovers heaven, the sandwich has thinly sliced beef, ham, bacon, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato and topped off with a fried egg. Honestly, the deliciousness of this sandwich cannot be described in words, it's one you just need to try.

Party Until Dawn in Punta del Este. If Uruguay is like the laid-back family of South America then Punta del Este is the crazy, wild, party-girl daughter that can get a little out of control sometimes but we all love. Punta del Este is modern, stylish and extravagant. A party is never far away when you are here and has many clubs and bars to choose from. A getaway for the rich and famous, if Punta del Este is good enough for Shakira it is definitely good enough for me.

Share Mate With a Local. If the Chivito is the national dish of Uruguay then mate is definitely the national beverage. It is a tea infusion of the yerba mate plant served with hot water. Like tereré of Paraguay, mate is not just a drink it is a social event. You will usually see locals sitting in groups drinking mate and talking about the issues of the day.

Embrace the Weird in Cabo Polonio. One of my favorite stops on my journey, Cabo Polonio is a small town located in a national park in the Rocha department only accessible by 4x4 vehicles. All of its electricity and running water, which there is little of, comes from wind and solar power. A bohemian hideaway, the town is full of hippies, drum circles and people partaking in a little recreational and legal marijuana. If that is not your style I still recommend taking a day trip to visit the adorable town and breath-taking beach and sand dunes.

Soak Up the Sun in Punta Del Diablo. This small fishing village is a great hangout for young travelers and families alike. While you can definitely party the night away here as well, relaxing on the beautiful beaches and experiencing the laid back restaurants and shops in town are another great way to spend your time. My time here included renting a house for Christmas and was one of the best parts of the whole trip.

Have you ever been to Uruguay? What were your favorite things to do there?

Living Abroad Makes You Crave The Weirdest Things

This past weekend José and I had to make a quick trip to Argentina because with my Paraguayan tourist visa I can only stay in the country for 90 days at a time, so off to Posadas, Argentina we went. Friday night we spent the night in Encarnación, a city about 2 hours south of where we live and just across the border from Posadas. 

Encarnación is the third largest city in Paraguay, and its home to the one of the best "beaches" in this land-locked country, a popular summer get away spot for Paraguayans. It is one of my favorite cities in Paraguay. Whenever I visit one of the bigger cities in Paraguay (Asunción, Encarnación, Ciudad del Este) one of the main things I look forward to is ... food! One of the things I struggle with most while living in a different country is food. I miss things like bagels and cream cheese, IPA beers, Maryland blue crabs, Ben & Jerry's ice cream and good sushi. Living in another country also makes you crave the weirdest things, like Burger King, a place at which I rarely eat in the United States. The second I knew we were going to Encarnación all I could think about was a double bacon and cheese Whopper and onion rings.

Saturday we headed across the Paraná River to Posadas, only a quick 10 pesos ($1.25) bus ride from Encarnación. We spent the day eating wandering the city, relaxing in plazas, drinking Argentine beer and taking advantage of the spectacular exchange rate, 1 peso equals 12 cents American. Let's just say José had to keep me in line when it came to shopping or I would have walked away with the whole mall.

 *all less than $20!

Links I Love

1. Networking Tips for Introverts from Cupcakes and Cashmere

2. How To Make Yourself Drink More Water  from Lauren Conrad

3. Examples of Street Art Interacting With Nature from Bored Panda

4. First Woman to Complete American Ninja Warrior from PopSugar Fitness (this is incredible!)

5. How A Little Bit of Chaos Works in Home Design from Rue Mag

6. Dulce De Leche Ice Cream from Club Narwhal 

7. Conversation with Author and Self-Proclaimed Travel Junkie Lisa Bloom from Pink Pangea

8. Best Skin Products for Oily Summer Skin from Huffington Post

9. The Solo Woman Traveler Manifesto: Why are Women Traveling Solo by World of Wanderlust

What are some of your favorite links, articles or posts from this week?

#TOTALSOCIAL - My Favorite Travel Moments

This month's theme of the link up with Helene at Helene in Between and Sarah at Venus Trapped in Mars is favorites. This is such a broad topic, there are so many options, favorite foods, favorite movies, favorite books, this list goes on and on. Finally, I decided I wanted to do my favorite places I've traveled too, which can be hard because I've honestly loved every place I've been. So I thought I'd take it a step further and tell you about my favorite travel moments. On several trips I've been on there have been these little moments where I just sit and think, wow, this is my life and it is pretty awesome.

1. The summer after my sophomore year of college I traveled to Europe with a college tour group. We spent two days in Paris (definitely not enough time). One day we had a group ticket to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower but, that wasn't until later in the day, so a few girls and I spent the day wandering the city, seeing the sights. About an hour before our tour was supposed to start we were tired and hungry so we grabbed snack and sat on the grass in a little park right next to the Eiffel Tower. I can't explain why, but that hour sitting in the park underneath the Eiffel Tower, eating, talking and taking a nap was my favorite part of my whole time there.

2. I had traveled to Guatemala with my mom, sister and a group of volunteers to work in a village up in the mountains, helping at their primary school and clinic. After our week spent there we spent a few days in Antigua before heading home. I love Antigua. It is one of my favorite places I've ever traveled too. It is a colonial influenced city with cobble-stoned streets and Spanish architecture. One rainy afternoon my sister and I were sitting in a cafe, escaping the weather, when we noticed through the frosted glass window a small child playing outside. He kept pressing his hands against the window, so we started to do the same. We probably sat there and did that for at least 20 minutes until the rain stopped and we could explore more of the city.

3. In that same trip to Europe with the college tour group, we visited Venice. I don't know how it happened but, I ended up getting separated from my group of friends. So I ended up wander the streets, alleyways and canals of Venice by myself and it was amazing. I let myself get lost, which is very easy in Venice, and spent a couple hours shopping, eating gelato and exploring.

4. In college I did a winter semester abroad in Ecuador. One weekend while I was there we traveled to a town, high up in the mountains, called Patate. We stayed in a old colonial house that had been converted into a beautiful hotel. At night after dinner we were sitting out back in the yard, when we saw this flash of bright orange light off in the distance. The owner of the hotel explained that Patate was in the foothills of Tungurahua an active volcano and at night it has several small eruptions that spew lava and ash in the air. We ended up sitting there for hours just watching the small eruptions off in the distance, it was amazing. (Sadly, I don't have any photos.

5. Recently, I traveled to the Sand Dune Islands off the coast of San Cosme, Paraguay in the middle of the Paraná River. These small islands are shrinking every minute and in the next few years they will be gone completely. I remember sitting there on the dunes, it was a beautiful, cool day, feeling like we were in the middle of no where and how quickly things can pass us by and disappear, it was a beautiful moment. 

What are your favorite travel moments?

Inspiring Female Movie Quotes

I'm a big movie buff. I'll watch anything and everything. Asking me what is my favorite movie is one of the hardest questions for me to answer. Have you ever been watching a movie, it could be any movie, a drama, comedy, classic even a chick flick and you hear a line and it just sticks with you. Its like someone put into words exactly what you've been thinking but could never express. Here are a few of my favorite movie quotes from over the years. 

Maggie Mayhem from Whip It: This movie is the story of a misfit teenager from a small town in Texas, Bliss Cavendar who finds where she really fits in when she discovers a women's roller derby league in Austin. This quote happens from the first night Bliss discovers the roller derby league and tells Kristen Wiig's character, Maggie Mayhem, they the girls in the league are her new heroes. Maggie Mayhem responds by saying "Put some skates on ... be your own hero." Overall I loved this movie, but when I heard this quote it definitely became a new favorite. I love the idea of not relying on other people for your happiness. That if you are in a situation in life that isn't where you want to be then you can't wait for someone else to come rescue you, you need to rescue yourself.

Elizabeth Gilbert from Eat, Pray, Love : After a tough divorce Elizabeth Gilbert leaves her life in New York to travel the world for a year visiting Italy, India and Indonesia. This quote comes from when she and a friend are visiting Naples and are eating pizza. Her friend seems to not be interested in her meal and Liz asks her what is wrong, and she says that she is embarrassed because she has gained 10 pounds from living in Italy and now has a muffin top. Liz responds by saying, "I'm so tired o saying no and waking up in the morning and recalling every single thing I ate the day before. Counting every calorie I consumed so I know exactly how much self-loathing to take into the shower. I'm going for it. I have no interest in being obese, I'm just through with the guilt." I saw this movie in the theaters and when she said this line I literally said yes out loud because I loved it so much. I've never been super thin, but, I wouldn't say I'm very overweight either and this quote just really hit home for me. I exercise and I try to eat healthy but, I love pizza, ice cream and beer, but, I think this quote goes further to the idea of shaming someone because of their body type. I saw this other quote on Facebook the other day that I loved. "Eat whatever you want, and if anyone tries to lecture you on your weight, eat them too.

Novalee Nation from Where the Heart Is: This film follows the life of Novalee Nation who is deserted, penniless and pregnant, by her boyfriend in a Walmart parking lot and how she picks her life up and moves on. This quote comes after her best friend and her children have been physically attacked by her boyfriend and talking to Novalee, her friend asks what she is supposed to tell her children now. Novalee responds by telling her to tell them, "We've all got meanness in us, but we've got goodness too. And the only thing worth living for is the good. And that's why we've got to make sure we pass it on." Being an eternal optimist this quote really struck a chord with me. I will always believe in the good in people, yes bad things happen in this world and people do bad things, but, if I'm always expecting the worst of everyone I think that is a depressing way to live. 

What are some movie quotes that have hit home with you over the years?

Before-You-Travel Checklist

Those last few days before a trip can be stressful, full of last minute errands and packing. A lot goes into traveling and there is nothing worse then being on vacation and realizing you forgot to do something important. There are many things you can do before you even leave the house that will make your travels go off without a hitch. 

Call your bank. Don't risk your bank card being frozen because of suspected fraudulent charges, let your bank know ahead of time that you will be in a different country/city. Do the same with all credit cards you might use.

Contact your cell phone provider. If you plan on using your phone abroad call your provider and enable your international plan or get your phone unlocked so you can use a foreign SIM card. 

Register with the US Embassy. This way if some crazy event like a national disaster or political uprising happens, they will know you are there and be able to help you in an emergency.

Program important numbers in your phone ahead of time. For example your hotel phone number or airlines number.

Take care of household needs. Put a hold on mail and newspaper delivery. Pay your bills ahead of time, you don't want to have to worry about that while you are gone. Make sure someone is feeding your pets.

Decide if you want to purchase travel insurance. Do your research, check if your existing insurance (health, homeowner's, renter's) covers your health needs and/or your possessions abroad. 

Make copies of important documents. This is in case you lose the originals. You can also take pictures of them and save them on your phone or cloud.

Make a list of valuables you are bringing with you. Include make, model and serial number. This is in case they are stolen so you can make a police report and/or file an insurance claim.

Know where you are going. When you are arrive in your country of travel make sure you know where you are going and how you are getting there. (i.e. - hotel address to give the taxi driver, public transportation stops, etc.)

What is on your before-you-travel checklist?

$205 Paypal Cash Giveaway!

Hey everyone! Hope you are having a fantastical weekend! Maybe this post will make it even better, I've teamed up with a bunch of lovely ladies to bring you a Paypal cash giveaway, with a huge thanks to Amanda from Living in Another Language for putting the whole thing together. 

I mean who doesn't love cash? Especially $205, that would definitely make anyone's life easier. That is one month's loan payment for me. So take a look and GOOD LUCK!

1. True Colours || 2. Found Love Now What || 3. The Misadventures of Morgan || 4. Jillian Lorraine || 5. Guten Blog Y'all || 6. Move By Yourself || 7. Sky Envy || 8. The Happy Type || 9. Lot 48 || 10. So Much Sunshine || 11. Eat, See, Do || 12. Living in Another Language

The first entry is (always) free, just by clicking 'enter!' Remember you can add new entries every day by tweeting about the giveaway on twitter then recording your tweet in the Rafflecopter. Now for a few fun rules of the giveaway:

1. Giveaway is open internationally.
2. Be sure to actually do what the giveaway prompts say, because I check the winning entry thoroughly to be sure the entry is valid.
3. If the entry isn't valid I will pick a new winner.
4. Once the winner is validated and emailed, he/she has 48 hours to reply and accept the prize. If he/she does not reply within 48 hours a new winner will be selected.
5. The winner must have Paypal. Once the prize money has been transferred via Paypal, it is no longer Living in Another Language's responsibility.
6. Enter away! HAVE FUN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

World Cup Cocktail: Caipirinha

This weekend the World Cup comes to an end, and what an interesting World Cup it has been. Soccer powerhouses like Spain, Italy and England don't even  make it out of group play, the amazing dance moves from team Colombia, Costa Rica shocking everyone by making it to the quarterfinals, the awesomeness of Tim Howard against Belguim and the recent butt-kicking given to Brazil by Germany, the World Cup has been full of surprises. Whether you are bandwagon soccer fan during the World Cups (which isn't a bad thing) or a soccer lover year round, you can't deny the World Cup can be exciting! Whether you are rooting for Germany, Argentina or just watching to watch, I have a perfect cocktail to make it into a party. 

 

Caipirinha (kai-purr-reen-yah) is the definitely the most popular cocktail in Brazil. A caipirinha is made with cachaça (ca-sha-sa) a sweet Brazilian type rum, made from sugar cane. If you cannot find cachaça, you can use vodka for a caprioska or light rum for a caipirissima which are both similar to a caipirinha.

Ingredients:

- 2 teaspoons of white sugar (the finer the better)

- 1 whole lime, cut into wedges

- 2 ounces of cachaça

- ice cubes

First Step:

Cut the lime into wedges. Cut off the white parts in the middle, they can add bitterness to the drink.

Second Step:

Muddle the lime over sugar. What the hell doe muddle mean, you ask? Basically using a spoon (if you don't have a proper muddling device, which is similar to a pestle form the olden days) you mash the limes into the sugar to release the juice and mix them together.

Third Step:

Fill the glass with ice cube. Add the cachaça and stir.

Fifth step:

Drink and enjoy!

A caipirinha is also a great cocktail to try with other seasonal fruits. One of my favorite adaptions I've tried  was a passion fruit caipirinha. Here are a few other recipes to try if you want to mix it up.

Blueberry Caipirinha

Passionfruit Caipirinha

Spiced Pear Caipirinha

Kumquat Ginger Caipirinha
Tangerine Ginger Caipirinha

How to Avoid Looking Like a Tourist

When you hear the word tourist what do you think of? Tacky clothing, fanny packs, loud, overbearing and maybe even a little annoying. There are several negative connotations that are attached to being a tourist and sometimes it can make you feel like you are an outsider when you are visiting another country. But, if you give it a try there are some simple tips that you can follow to help blend in to the crowd. Blending in while traveling can be beneficial for several reasons including having a more immersive and engaging experience; it will also help protect you from pickpockets and other criminal schemes. 

Rethink some of your packing choices. Clothing is one of the first things that will alert people to your tourist status. Every country has their own idea of what is appropriate and normal attire. So do a little bit of research ahead of time so you won't stick out like a sore thumb. For example, in Paraguay and a lot of South American countries even though its hot, it is not normal for people, especially women to wear shorts.

Put the map away. There is nothing that will point you out to potential thieves more then walking around with a giant map. Honestly, in this day and age there is no excuse. I guarantee that almost all of you have smart phones now, so use them, Google Maps is awesome and works everywhere or just take pictures of maps before you leave the hotel. If you get really lost you have two great alternative options. First, ask someone! It is a great way to meet locals. Or second option, just go with it! Sometimes when you are lost you find the most interesting places.

Not everyone speaks English and just speaking louder at them won't change that, so put in some effort and try and learn some key phrases in the local language. There is no need to be fluent but the locals will definitely appreciate the effort so don't be to worried if it doesn't come out perfectly.

Look into local customs before you go. Customs and etiquette are different in every country and if you do some research you can learn about the ones that tourists encounter most often. Just because you aren't from there doesn't mean that they don't apply to you. In many Middle Eastern and African countries you will get weird looks if you eat with your left hand and in Paraguay, Brazil and some other countries the "rock on" hand gesture means something completely different. It can be a way of insinuating that someone's significant other is cheating on them. Tipping is also different in every country and a vital thing to know before you arrive, in some countries it can be in insult if you do and insult if you don't.

Tone it down. This is in reference to a couple things. I know when you are traveling getting the best shot with your camera can be super important but try not to be annoying and get in people's way doing it. Also, try and not live up to the stereotype of the loud American.

Do as the locals do. If all of these other tips fail (which they shouldn't) just follow the example set by the people who live there!

What are your tips for blending in while traveling?

If You Could Have Any Job in the World...?

I am at one of those junctures in life where you need to make the huge decisions, those big girl, grown-up, adult decisions. In April I finished my Peace Corps service and in a month I will be heading home back to the States and then ... what next? Do I apply for Grad School? Travel? Do I get a job? There are lots of decisions to be made, I can't live with my parents forever. All of this thinking about the future has made me think. If I could have any job in the world, doesn't matter if I'm qualified for it or not, what would it be? These are a few I came up with that sounded fun to me.

Travel Show Host - I went through a big Samantha Brown Passport to Europe phase and don't even get me started on Anthony Bourdain, his shows are addicting. I mean to get paid to travel the world, that is the life isn't it? My sister and I used to joke growing up that we would start a sister themed travel show and become super famous.

Flight Attendant - I love flying and I have done my far share of it over the years. I also love airports, I love all the people coming and going. I've always thought it would be great being a flight attendant and getting the behind the scenes view of it all. Flying for free wouldn't be so bad either.

Professional Tennis Player - When I was about 12 years old I discovered Wimbledon and ever since then my obsession with tennis has been unwavering. I played soccer growing up so I never had any formal tennis lessons or anything, but, I would play with my Dad on occasion and I may never be the next Maria Sharapova, a girl can dream.

Nurse - This was an actual serious choice at one point (and you never know). My stint as a Community Health Peace Corps volunteer as introduced me to the world of global health and it something I seriously see myself focusing on in the future. Medicine kind of fascinates me but, my lack of any sort of science background would lead to a long road of prerequisites and schooling. But, I do love the idea of nursing around the world.

President - This is obviously not going to happen I'm realistic about that. But, I like thinking about being able to make a difference, being able to actually make a change for the better, bring people together, make the world a better place, and all that jazz.

Famous Fashion Blogger - I love blogging and love fashion. But, I could never be one of those girls who can get her shit together and make all these beautiful outfits all the time but, that doesn't mean I can't wish I could.

Comedy Writer a la Chelsea Handler - I love writing but, sadly I don't think I'll ever be very good at it and I think I'm pretty funny but, I'm not sure other people would agree with me. I am forever and always amazed at how these funny women like Chelsea Handler, Mindy Kaling and so many others have the knack for telling hilarious stories about their life.

The list could go on and on. I think that is why I have troubles sometimes when I think about the future because I have so many interests and there so many things that I think would be an awesome adventure. Decisions, Decisions Decisions. 

If you could have any job in the entire world what would it be?