Danny Zucco meets Billy Blanks by Emlyn Lee

12/14/20099:25:50 PM Link 2 comments | Add comment

Guatemala

My friends and staff often say that I work too much...which is probably true, but I love what I do, so I hardly consider it ‘work’…I mean, working in Antigua, Guatemala for a month, isn’t too shabby, huh? But I try to balance my mind, body, and spirit by reading, exercising, and embracing my faith. For me, there is nothing better to end a day than with a good workout. It gives me time to process the day, and relieves some of the ‘unforeseen fires’ that happens in an international service-industry. Plus, the calories inhaled from the boxes of Wheat Thins, bags of Twizzlers, and cans of cashews that I snack on at my desk needs to be burned. Today is no different, and I would like to share how I 'unwind' at the gym in Antigua.

There are two gyms in Antigua city. I joined La Fabrica, just two blocks from my apartment, and it reminds me of the ‘old school’ boxing gyms. Second hand Lifecycle equipments, rusted free weights, and some other ropey-hung apparatus that I’m too afraid to know. There was a salsa dance class in session when I got there. Even though it was a principiantes (beginners) class, it seemed A LOT harder than my best Shakira shimmy efforts could EVER handle. So, I got on the elliptical, pressed some buttons that I couldn’t understand, and trotted along. From across the room, I noticed this middle-aged professional lady scrambling in to the gym. She apparently was having a Manic Monday, and late for the salsa class. I noticed her not only because of her frazzled state, but because she was wearing 3-inch stiletto heels! I don’t understand how she is able to walk in them on leveled floor, let alone on Antigua’s cobble-stoned streets. But then, she rushed in to the exercise group room, stepped in line, and joined the class, not missing a single beat…business attire, stiletto heels, and all!

After about an hour, I was wrapping up my workout, and in came a local guy, wearing Ivan Lendl replicated wristbands, hair greased back similar to Danny Zucco of Grease, and parachute pants that MC Hammer could never touch. I HAD to stay and see what this class was all about. I asked the customer service rep behind the gated front desk what class was next, and he said, “Tae Bo!”

Pinch me!! Boxing was one of my favorite workouts back in Austin, until I tore some cartilage this past summer, and Tae Bo…seriously?!?! Billy Blanks was my best friend in the late nineties, and worked out to his VHS tapes daily! It was meant to be…my first Guatemalan group exercise class…with Rico Suave serving as the Guatemalan Billy Blanks.

In the beginning, I was guarding my left knee and trying to be careful on it, but once you got salsa and merengue music blaring at the loudest volume (unfortunately the louder the better in Guate...), and Guatemalan Billy shouting “mas rapido”, I was flailing my legs and arms just trying to keep up.  I recall Billy Blank’s “double time,” but here, the pace seemed to be at quadruple speed. The music was so fast it sounded like the Chipmunks on steroids.

Low and behold, I survived my first Guatemalan group exercise class. I hobbled back home, not sure if it was because my knee is inflamed, or the difficulties of walking on the cobble-stoned streets (plus without street lights), but then I thought of that lady, and how she mastered walking on the streets, and taking salsa class in those heels. We’ll see if I am able ‘shake a bon bon’ in the salsa class (with Nikes on) at my next gym visit…

Travel Blogger Jennifer in Australia

12/12/20093:02:59 AM Link 3 comments | Add comment

Travel Blogger Jennifer in Australia

Happy Wednesday all! I hope you have had a momentous week.

In light of the messages I have received asking for more specifics on the life of an Australia work and traveler, I am dedicating this weeks blog to addressing some of your questions and concerns about apartments and hostel living, expenses, and traveling on your own.

On the apartment front, the amount of time you will dedicate to finding a place is dependent on similar items as you would have at home: season, budget and location. In Australia – especially in and around Sydney – the earlier you start the search for an apartment this time of year the better. You can usually lock in an apartment or reserve a hostel room up to a year in advance in most locations. (A lot of the beachfront hostels in the Sydney area have been booked since last March for the holiday season!)

Apartments are actually a bit easier to find this time of year than hostels and conveniently run much cheaper. For instance, I have friends who have reserved shared beachfront hostel rooms for the holiday season and are paying around two-hundred and twenty AU per week, whereas I am in an apartment with my own space for one-hundred eighty AU per week. (My rent is on the more expensive end, but I’m right on the beach so prices are going to be a bit higher- I have friends who have really nice flats about a twenty-minute walk from the beach and are only paying one-hundred fifteen AU per week, which is average year round.) And signing with an apartment does not have to be a long-term commitment either; you can find flats with one month to one-year leases depending on the location and property type. Really all it takes to land an apartment is a little extra time- it might take you anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks to find a suitable place-, and a bit of resourcefulness if you are pressed for time. Fortunately for my roommate and me, I had Cultural Embraces partner company guiding me through rental avenues, locations and other important specifics such as lease agreements, etc. The partner company referred me to several contacts at furnished property companies- which was how I found my flat- other online companies with a good track record, and offered their open list of people looking for roommates in case I needed it. Great help!

On hostel life, I personally found it to be one of my biggest pre-departure anxieties. I had never lived in a true dorm situation, sharing a bedroom and bathroom with more than one other person, so I honestly wasn’t sure how it was going to go over for me. But despite my apprehension, hostel living was really not anything difficult to get used to. In fact, more than half the people I have kept in touch with since arriving in Australia have been the friends I made in hostels.

A good item to note is each hostel situation is different, so unless you are getting feedback on a particular hostel, take it with a grain of salt. There are small groupie type hostels that house fifteen to thirty people or so – where you end up knowing everyone pretty well by the end of just the first nights stay -, large hostels that can house over two hundred people and have their own clubs, pubs and restaurants attached, and some that are in between, all depending on the area you are visiting. Most hostels room two to twelve people, with prices ranging anywhere from nineteen to thirty-four dollars a night depending on the capacity. And depending on the availability, some hostels will let you reserve stay for up to a month and without penalties if you choose to leave even after the first night- a huge benefit if your plans are really up in the air! Another important item to note is mixed – meaning guys and girls – shared rooms are much cheaper- up to ten dollars cheaper per night-, easier to come by and most of the time not advertised as mixed rooms, so if you mind, don’t forget to ask.

And obviously the more cheaply you live the longer you can travel, so anything you can do to save a buck helps. After all, probably the biggest pre-departure concern among most travelers is expenses. So here are a few key items to keep in mind before and during your travels:

1. Over-shoot how much you think you will spend. I have had days when I have not spent a dime outside of housing, and others when I have blown my daily budget on items I did not think would be as expensive.
2. If you have several nights reserved in a hostel check to see if you can pay nightly instead of all up front. Plans change pretty quickly depending on people you meet, weather and whims and hostels do not give refunds.
3. Do not be a diva. Take the bus.
4. If you are planning to do a day tour, be sure to research and compare all of the companies that offer similar experiences thoroughly. You will find a lot of companies offer the same basic trip at dissimilar prices.
5. Carry cash. It is an excellent way to see how fast you are spending.
6. Like I have said before, utilize all of the kitchens you have available to you. Nothing burns money faster than eating out.
7. Locate the free Internet cafes in your area!
8. Check around your area for hotel, hostel or other sponsored free barbeques. They usually attract both locals and backpackers, throw in a free beer or two and are weekly gigs.

Traveling is expensive, but you can do it cheaply if you do a bit of research on the area. And most other backpackers are on tight budgets, leaning towards spending money on a bus up the coast instead of a gourmet meal, so stick close to those who have been there a bit longer and your funds will go farther.

Taking in tips from locals and travelers experienced in your area is also key in feeling a bit more adjusted, especially if you are traveling alone, which many of you have asked about. And although I have a large group of friends all planning to stay in my area and others relatively close for the next two to six months, I do still have the days where I remember I have come on my own.

Yes, traveling to another country without mates from home can be a little overwhelming at times and yes there are definitely the bummer moments when you are in the middle of an incredible experience and wish you had someone to take the story back home with, but traveling on your own certainly offers an extremely genuine experience as far as doing your own soaking in. And honestly, it is a lot easier to meet people traveling on your own than it is traveling with your mates (any backpacker will tell you that). So even though my family and best friends are not here to share these experiences, I have not found it difficult to root myself. I have met incredible people who are as eager to explore as I am, and whom I will absolutely keep in touch with for the rest of my life- I honestly do not know if I would have made so many close connections if I had come to Australia with one already. It is also a pretty cool thing to look at yourself in the mirror and know YOU are here, and YOU did it. It can be unnerving to think about traveling so far away on your own, but personally, knowing I have the backing of wonderful family, friends and a very experienced company behind me has kept me in the go, feeling comfortable and secure.

Thank you so much for your questions and I hope I answered some of them! Please feel free to email me at Jcampbell@culturalembrace.com if you have any questions or want some specifics on the adventures of a Work and Traveler in Australia. Cheers!

Live fully,

Jennifer C Campbell

BE INSPIRED: Participant Spotlight -Meet Kate Springer!

12/4/200910:49:09 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

This December we are focusing on our Super-Participant Kate Springer. Kate is currently working as a teacher in Chile. As if that isn’t enough for one girl to handle, this January, Kate will also be moving on to Guatemala to volunteer at an orphanage and blog about her experiences! 

Kate had several reasons for adding another chapter to her Latin American adventure through Cultural Embrace: “teaching in Latin America has made me want to spend more time in the South Western hemisphere. I have fallen in love with Chilean colloquialisms, food, music, and people and would like to explore another area of Latin America.” 

While originally worried about the language barrier and the culture shock of living with a host family during her time in Chile, Kate says that “these are no longer concerns. I have re-established myself into family life and can communicate, easily but not flawlessly, in Spanish. Now, rather than feeling afraid or nervous about anything, I simply dread the day I have to say goodbye to the community that I will certainly come to love.” 

Kate’s experience teaching in Chile also prepared her for working with children in Guatemala: “Armed with this learning experience, my creativity, and a good sense of humor, I hope to contribute an enthusiastic and creative personality to the volunteer community. I believe that no matter where you are, an open mind and an open heart are essential when working with children.” 

On a practical level, Kate sees volunteering in Guatemala as an opportunity to perfect her Spanish skills. However, Kate expects the real reward of this trip to be the opportunity to “forge relationships with the children, my host family, and colleagues, and to learn more about the world through the perspective of another culture.”