Languages open doors

This post is not like my usual posts, I will be discussing my personal experience with speaking another language.

Since I was five-years-old I have been learning Spanish through my Spanish immersion elementary and middle school. I have continued to practice Spanish in high school in my Advanced placement class. As a native English speaker, it has been harder for me to learn Spanish than some of my native Spanish-speaking peers, however, that has never stopped me from succeeding. 

I am very thankful that I have the ability to speak another language because it allows me to communicate with twice as many people. From helping someone at a store translate what they were looking for from the employee to giving a speech in Spanish at my 8th-grade graduation. Languages are used in everyday life. Since I live in California, Spanish is especially useful.

Looking at the traveling aspect, speaking Spanish will allow me to go to 22 countries in the world and be able to communicate with them just as efficiently as in English. Being bilingual gives me the opportunity to experience these countries in a way any other tourist could not. There is a large possibility that I could live in another country for a few years and get a job. Not to mention, I will be able to get a job over any other applicant with the same qualifications simply because I am bilingual. 

This summer I visited Spain and my favorite memory was a sunset tour lead by a local couple. We not only got the basic tour that they lead, but we were able to ask questions about their economy, history, and how their society works. It was incredible to learn more about another culture instead of just sight-seeing (even though that was beautiful as well).

Break = Beach

Spring Break is coming! Even though it's short, you can always fit in plenty adventure from friends to road trips to food. My favorite thing to do during Spring Break is going to the beach. There are so many things to do there and it is always very relaxing. Here are a few ideas for how to spend your time at the beach this spring break

Collect sea shells

Collecting seashells is fun because you get to walk along the beach and explore while finding beautiful treasures. Just remember that the more seashells you take home, the less there will be at the beach. If everyone takes home 10, soon there won't be any left. Limit yourself to taking home one or two favorites.

CAUTION: Make sure to check the rules of the beach you are at to see if you are allowed to take anything home. Some beaches require you to leave everything there.

 Build a bonfire

If the beach you are at allows bonfire to be built, that is a great way to enjoy the sunset. Bring out the marshmallows, graham crackers, and lawn chairs and sit around a nice fire with some friends or family. Bonfires require a little more planning because you have to bring supplies and make sure you understand all regulations before building.

Visit tidepools 

Most beaches have some sort of are where there are tidepools or wading pools. It is always an adventure, especially with young children, to climb rocks, look at sea stars and sea anemones. Just remember to leave all creatures where you found them because they live there and it is their home.

Build a sand castle or sand person  

Building a sand castle is a classic and a must do when visiting the beach. Make sure you have your shovels and buckets ready to go! A few years ago I realized that castles should not be the limit, so I built a sand mermaid. It was so much fun and I have built at least one a year since I came up with the idea.

A List of Lists

This post is going to be a Mod Podge of many different things, but overall we will be focusing on lists, so get out a pencil and a piece of paper, or two, or three… Lists are always a great idea when going traveling because they keep you organized and prepared, plus they can be fun to draw too! Here are a few ideas on topics of lists to write about:

First of all, make a traveling bucket list to set your goals. Make it fun by drawing a cute title or design. Write down everything you want to do and places you want to go with boxes next to them. I really like to draw pictures next to each item on my list. It reminds me why I want to go and makes it really fun! It is also a great way to quickly visualize what you want to accomplish by just looking at the pictures rather than reading the text.

Here is an easy example:

Another type of list you might be using before traveling is a “What to pack list”. These lists are very important for remembering what to bring and making sure you don't forget anything. Although it is not always fun to write everything out and have to find everything, you will most definitely have a  better trip if you're not forgetting anything. Check the box after you packed the item, and keep the list so you can double check right before you leave.

And my favorite, a “What I enjoyed the most list”. This would be a list made after you return from vacation. Write down everything you really enjoyed and would love to do again. Then, you have a list forever that reminds you of things you want to repeat. Along the same lines is possibly writing a list of things you didn't like doing to make sure you don't do them again.

I hope some of my tips will help you in the future to better prepare for upcoming trips and record past experiences In addition to making your travel experiences more pleasant, organized, and methodical. I would love for you to comment if you have any other ideas for helpful lists having to do with traveling and your traveling bucket list ideas!

New Year, New Trip

As we begin the new we all have hopes and dreams for the new year. If you love traveling, like myself, you may be dreaming of new adventures and the experience of different cultures. My advice while planning a trip in the new year is to immerse yourself before you even leave. When visiting foreign countries it is always more enjoyable if you can find your way around easily. Here is my advice...

Learn the Language

If you are visiting a country that speaks a different language try to learn a few basic words that might help you get around.
For example:
"where to eat"
"where is___?"
"how much does it cost?"
and greetings

Begin with food

Try something easy that you know is popular amongst that culture. Try it at home so you know what to expect while there.

If you do not like it, make sure to try other recipes until you find something that you can enjoy. You do not ever want to be stuck hungry because it can ruin your entire day. 

Know traditions

Depending on what time of year you go traveling, there may some sort of festivities or celebrations happening that you were not aware of. It would behoove you to do some research on the traditions and holidays practiced in the country you are visiting so that you know what to expect.

Pictured to the left is a religious practice in Toledo, Spain during early June where the people of the town parade statues of saints around the town. 

Music

Music is always fun to explore. It is an easy way to immerse yourself in a culture and even learn more about it. If you try to listen to a little bit of that country's traditional music each week you might find yourself learning more about their traditions and customs.



No matter where you find yourself this year, make it an adventure. Make sure you have a good balance of spontaneity and planning. A good way to plan is to understand the culture of the people and place you are visiting. Have fun!

Stop, Drop, and Eat

Eating in a foreign country can always be a struggle, especially for picky eaters. It is always a good idea to eat something you are comfortable with when you are really hungry. It is hard to try something new when you are hungry and impatient. Throughout my trip to Spain, my family and I discovered that it is always best to grab food if you see something you like. Grabbing a cheap snack is always a great idea, because you never know what is going to happen next.

Since we were walking around all day, and sometimes getting lost, it could be frustrating trying to get around. We learned that it is not a good idea to wait until the last minute to find something to eat. Pizza, hamburgers, and sandwiches were a few thing we knew we could enjoy when we were our hungriest.

 The beast time to try new food is when you have planned it, or no one is so hungry that they are getting irritable. If you do research on a few restaurants, it makes it easier to try new things without being completely blindsided by the menu. Never be afraid to ask questions to be sure what you are ordering. If all else fails, always go for dessert!

Pick a "must have" for everywhere you go

Another fun food addition to any trip is to pick a type of food to find every place you go and try to have every day. It can be a food that is popular in that region, or that you know you will find a wide variety of. My favorite "must have" is definitely ice cream because you can find it almost anywhere, and its delicious. On our family vacation to Costa Rica, we tried eating a coconut everyday because it is a native fruit.

Be prepared

Be prepared to not like something, because you won't like every single thing everywhere you go. If you find a restaurant that everyone likes near where you are staying, that is good to keep in mind. One last thing, is always have a granola bar in your purse or bag for emergencies.

Mix it up!

When traveling for more than a week, you have to minimize the amount of clothes you bring, and often wear the same articles of clothing. However, it can be super fun if you bring pieces that you can mix and match. Include a variety of tops, bottoms, and accessories that all have color compatibility. By packing clothing and accessories that all go well together, it makes your life a whole lot easier each day when you to pick out what to wear.

  I brought two pairs of shoes that were good for walking around all day in. I also brought articles that I could layer on my trip to Spain this summer

How to prepare your travel wardrobe:

1. The first step is to choose a base color. Some good choices are black, grey, navy blue (or even white or brown).
2. Next, pick one or two accent colors that will add a bright pop. (coral, orange, yellow, red)
3. You want to make sure you have different pieces (shorts, leggings, shirt, shirts that go under sweaters)
4. Depending on where you are going, bring the appropriate shoes. Always include a pair that you can walk a long distance in. If you are going to the beach a lot, throw in a pair of flip flops or sandals.
5. Bring colorful accessories that can brighten your look such as a watch, a scarf, or even a headband.

More Tips:

• Know the weather
• Try to bring wrinkle-free clothes
• Dress in layers
• If you are traveling with someone your size, you can always borrow things from them as well.

Here are some of the pictures of my daily outfits throughout the trip. I wore some of the shirts I brought multiple times with different bottoms.

Each day you can mix and match the articles you brought. Especially if you do not have access to a washing machine, you do not want to wear the exact same outfit multiple times. If you are smart about what you pack, you never have to wear the same outfit twice because you can switch it up by wearing different pieces with each other each day.

Costa Rica!

Spring is a great time to go on vacation because it is not too hot or too cold.  Additionally, in many locations the foliage is bursting and beautiful due to recent rain.

One of my favorite places to visit in the entire world is Costa Rica.  My family and I traveled there during Spring Break of 2013.  Since this is a tropical location, we knew that springtime would be great if we wanted to see lots of flora and fauna.  It turned out to be perfect.

We were able to do so many fun activities while we were there, including zip lining, hiking to a waterfall, multiple warm-water beaches in one day, exploring volcanoes, visiting the "Mercado Central" (similar to a flee market), and my favorite, a night hike.

While staying in the town Manuel Antonio, we stayed at the Si Como No Resort and Wildlife Refuge, and got to go on a night hike.  We left at about 8pm and walked across the street to the Manuel Antonio National Park.  We were expecting a group of 20 people, but it turned out to be just our family and one other.  We began our two hour hike with our guide who told us a lot about the park and answered whatever questions we had along the way as we spotted animals.  We saw at least five different frog species and snake species, many bugs, and even a wildcat in the trees.  It was the coolest experience of my life because I saw and learned so much.  I would do it again in a heartbeat.

This experience was especially unique for me, being bilingual, because I was able to communicate with the locals.  If you do go to a foreign country, I would strongly recommend learning at least a little bit of their language, because it will make your vacation much more enjoyable.

For anyone who doesn't know where to plan there next trip, I would recommend Costa Rica because you can go and sit on the beach and relax, or be out on adventures late into the night.

Let me know where you are planning on traveling to this spring?