Benvenuto Italia! ~ by Founder & President Emlyn Lee

11/28/20115:43:25 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Childcare, Emlyn's Expressions, Italy, teach, Work

I’m traveling in Italy combining some work and pleasure during the American Thanksgiving holiday week. One of my highlights in Rome was meeting Cultural Embrace’s ground partner that coordinates our Au Pair placements in Italy. Ines, a Parisian-born now residing in Italy, has been connecting international young adults to serve as Au Pairs and to teach English with local families. I asked her if there were any concerns with the recent political and economical tumble of the Italian government and while she rolled her eyes, she said Italian families were scratching at her door to host native English speakers--particularly Americans and Canadians.
While the Italian government is in debt and unemployment is at an all time high, families prefer hiring and hosting Cultural Embrace participants. Ines informed me that it is more economical than sending their children to daycare, and it introduces and improves the family’s English language skills—which these days, is an asset for the global workforce.  These benefits are reciprocated with our foreign participants. A Cultural Embrace participant will have an affordable way to travel to an amazing foreign destination, learn and improve a new language, have a family home base abroad, embrace the local culture, and have ample travel opportunities before, during and after his/her placement.

Being the youngest of five daughters, my sisters always babysat me and I had no one to take cre of. I hated playing with dolls, and for some reason loving on stuffed animals wasn’t the same sense of care and responsibility. Through the years, my sisters have had children of their own, and being Auntie Em is awesome. Unfortunately my sisters and I are spread across the States, but I get to travel to California, Maryland, South Carolina, and Ohio to visit, play with, and love on five nephews and six nieces. 

Thus, being in Italy, I cannot think of a better way to take care of children while you travel abroad! Cultural Embrace's Au Pair work program guarantees a placement prior to departure, and our local partners, like Ines, carefully screen and select families and prepare them for the participants’ arrival. The families we select are typically middle and upper class, living in or the outskirts of major cities.  The homes are quaint and cute in that charming European way and each Au Pair or English tutor will have his/her own private room. Meals are included with the family, and can I tell you that I have yet to have a bad meal. However, one of the best meals I have had this week was at a friend’s home and he heated up leftovers from his mother’s cooking.  Yes, imagine homemade Italian cooking—delish! Another perk for Au Pairs, particularly working during the summer months, is that most families will travel on summer holiday and will take their Au Pair. We have had past Au Pairs that have written to us that they are vacationing with their family in the Swiss alps, French countryside, etc. 

In addition to housing and meals, our Au Pairs in Italy will earn up to 100 Euros per week as pocket money. The main responsibilities of an Au Pair is to care for the well-being of the child(ren), play with the child(ren) and teach them English, and help the parents with minor household chores. Placements are available 1-12 months throughout the year, with more vacancies to start in June, July, August, September , January, and February.  Au Pairs are expected to work at least 30-40 hours, with at least one day per week off from duties.

Our Living Language program matches a native English speaking participant to teach English to a carefully screened and selected host family throughout Italy for 15 hours per week. This allows you a lot of leisure time to sight-see, take language or cultural classes, volunteer, relax, etc. Housing and meals are included and is available from 1-3 months maximum.  We have more families available beyond Rome, Florence, and Milan, and can make short-term English placements throughout Southern and Northern Italy.

Although I do not want to leave all this delicious foods, gelato, and wine that I’m savoring every day, or seeing the breathtaking historical sites and landscapes; I am excited to return back to Austin to get you and others abroad to embrace the Italian culture. The language, people, and culture are beautiful and certainly a destination that one can discover the similarities and share the differences.

Birthday Weekend: Buon Compleano A Me! - by Jade Th'ng

7/19/20111:28:30 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Childcare, Featured Participants, Italy, Work

Apologies for taking so long to write a new post! By the way, I’m 25 views away from hitting my 1,000th view, so spread the word!

***
Sunday, June 26 was my birthday, and I celebrated by meeting my friend, Annie, in Rome.

Friday, I hopped on a bus and made the 3.5 hour trip from Siena to Rome. Annie met me at the bus station, and we began our adventure with the public transportation of Rome. We took the Metro to the Termini station, and eventually found the bus that would bring us near our hotel. The bus was crowded and when we tried to get off at our stop, the men by the door didn’t bother to move out of our way, so we got off at the next stop. We eventually found it after a brief scare that I’d booked a fake hotel.

The family that ran the place was very friendly. We asked if there were any good restaurants nearby that weren’t Italian (I wanted to seize the opportunity while I was in Rome because Siena doesn’t have a lot of other cuisines). They didn’t quite understand our question and gave us directions to the same restaurant three times in a row. We thanked them and decided to go out and find our dinner.

We were too hungry to look for a good Chinese restaurant, and we found a typical Italian restaurant that seemed appealing. We were correct. It was amazing. We split a bottle of red wine and a fried eggplant with mozzarella appetizer (which we forget to take a picture of before we devoured it).

For our first course, I had linguine al pesto and Annie had tortellini with five cheeses.

For our second courses, I had lamb with potatoes, and Annie had veal marsala

After dinner, we decided to go search of an adventure. We made our way to the Spanish Steps, where we sat for a while. We wandered around town for a couple hours, got some fruity drinks, and eventually decided to get some pastries. We brought them back to our room, and like the classy ladies we are, jumped into bed, consumed the sweets, watched bizarre Italian TV, and passed out.

***
Saturday, we woke up to have free breakfast. We were nervous because we had agreed to have it at 9:30 and didn’t know what it was going to be like. It turns out that we were worried about nothing because, at 9:30, our breakfast was delivered to our room.

We wandered around town and took in the sights (and smells) of Rome.

Naturally, finding lunch became a priority (have you noticed that everything we do revolves around food?). We found a Japanese restaurant, but it seemed overpriced. However, around the corner we found an American restaurant called “T-Bone Station.” I couldn’t pass up the picture of the cheeseburger. We ordered a Chinese sampler for our appetizer. It was DELICIOUS and so satisfying. For our meal, I ordered a cheeseburger and fries and Annie ordered chicken wings. Needless to say, the meal delivered. It was so good. Please don’t judge me for my insane nostalgia for cheeseburgers…

After lunch, we had to go to the Apple store because I had an appointment to get my phone fixed. It turns out that the Apple store is at a mall that is basically in the middle of nowhere. We managed to get my phone replaced, but in order to get back to the train station to get back to the city center, we had to navigate ourselves through the mess of busses. It turns out, the further you get away from the city center, the more poorly marked public transportation becomes. For a while we actually thought we were stranded. Of course, everything worked out, but it is not a place that either of us will ever return.

***
That night, I got home to Siena. I didn’t realize how much I missed it, even after 24 hours. The family had just left town for business for the week, so I came home to a quiet house. They had left me a birthday cake and my parents had send flowers.

The next morning, I woke up. It was my birthday! I skyped with my family and my friend, Anna. Naturally, I got myself a bottle of wine (it being my 21st birthday and all), and consumed it while chowing down on my birthday cake. (I know, when you’re classy, you’re classy). As pitiful as this sounds, it was the perfect relaxing day. I had already celebrated in Rome and needed some much needed guilt-free down time.

***
Oh, and as promised, here's a picture from the church that I attend

Pre-Departure Reflection for Summer Camp Counselor in China ~ Rebecca Qiu

6/27/201112:34:32 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

China, Featured Participants, Group Trips, Summer Camp Counselor, Teach, Work

The most memorable thing that I remember about China is the heat.  It is a very disappointing thing to say, but it is the truth.  Contrary to many people who are also traveling with Cultural Embrace, I have been to China twice in my lifetime, staying for a month each time in the busy city of Shanghai.  My parents, both Chinese, tell me that we have visited a considerable number of famous landmarks and cities.  Yes, I recalled scaling the Great Wall of China while sitting regally on my father’s shoulders, running around the Forbidden City, and taking smiling pictures at Tiananmen Square with my family.  But I also remembered dying of the horrible, humid heat.  Sweat and unquenchable thirst were constant unwelcome companions during my stays in China.  As a child, I learned quickly that you could never carry along too much water.  And, owing to China’s frequency of hitting Saharan-like temperatures, I told myself that if I ever visited China again then I would never in my lifetime come during its hottest months.  So what possessed me to leave my cool, comfortable home in the United States --- in July, moreover--- in order to travel to the hot, humid, crowded streets of Beijing?

It started during my second semester of my college.  I was a college freshmen at the University of South Carolina at Columbia and was currently taking Elementary Mandarin classes.  I had a number of great friends in that class, one of which included Deana Tourigny, who initially introduced me to Cultural Embrace.  I was intrigued at the idea of traveling to China again, but at first I did not seriously think about it.  However, after Deana enthusiastically began to talk about her trip more and more, I realized that I had picked up some of her excitement as well.  I realized that I did want to go to China.  Not only would I be able to expand my limited Mandarin and experience the diverse culture of a foreign country, but I would also be teaching English to willing Chinese students.  Also, as an added bonus, the experience would be a great résumé builder.  The only obstacle for me was getting approval from my obstinate father.  Due to the affordable pricing of the program and my own persuasion skills, I managed to wheedle out a reluctant “yes.”  This was a miracle upon itself: You know how economically frugal the Chinese can be.

So now here I am writing this reflection letter.  Deana and I have finally purchased our plane tickets to Beijing, where we will be happily sharing our twenty-one hour flight together.  As of now, with only about a week left until departure, I am fraught with excitement, curiosity, and a bit of anxiety.  The latter stems from my own insecurities and worries: Will my students like me?  Will I be a good teacher?  How will I survive in Beijing with only a limited vocabulary at my command?  These emotions have been growing as surely as July 1, our departure date from the US, draws closer.  I only expect all these emotions will explode when I wake up at 3 AM on the said date to catch our flight.  I have heard that leaving early for a trip is always a good thing, but as of now I am not so sure.  Oh well.  We’ll be able to nap on our plane rides.  Sleeping on a plane is always so rejuvenating after all.  

Home Alone by Childcare in Italy Participant Jade Th'ng

6/20/20113:55:50 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Childcare, Featured Participants, Italy, Work

My First Italian Stomachache by Childcare in Italy Participant Jade Th'ng

6/20/20113:49:18 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Childcare, Featured Participants, Italy, Work

I am currently experiencing my first Italian stomachache. It could be because I ate two lunches, had gelato twice today, and just made myself eat dinner (I know that about every other problem in the world is worse than mine). Let me explain, though.

The family I work for has another girl that works for them too. Her name is Anna, and she is twenty-eight (something we could talk about in the realm of my vocabulary). We get along very well, except, she doesn’t speak/understand any English. We’ve managed to communicate slightly through my broken Italian and a lot of hand gestures, but mostly we both just say, “Non capito…” (I don’t understand). We actually find it funny how difficult communicating is. However, we discovered something that helps: translation software. We sit with my laptop alternating between translating from Engligh-Italian and Italian-English. Francesca and I also use this to communicate, which obviously resulted in her calling me a, “Strange girl, very strange.”

During the day it is just Anna, Francesca, and me. Anna cleans, takes care of Francesca, and runs errands. My job so far seems to be to play with Francesca, make sure she practices her guitar, and to teach her English, which is quite enjoyable.

This morning, when I woke up (and after I struggled to wash my hair in a bathtub), I decided to go for a walk around Siena and maybe grab some lunch. I explained to Anna that I would be gone for about an hour, and it seemed like we understood each other.

I had a lovely, short walk around the town. I saw the Piazza del Campo (the most famous attraction in Siena), and on my walk I figured that it was time to have my first gelato.I strolled through the hilly cobblestone streets, walked past shops, and somehow managed to trick people into thinking I wasn’t a tourist. It was so delightful and I felt so cool (probably all in my head). On the way back to the house, I decided that I also needed a piece of pizza (or two). I ate a little bit, and then returned home, where Anna was finishing up lunch. I felt so bad that she’d prepared lunch, set a place at the table for me, and obviously hadn’t understood me earlier, that I just sat down and she served me lunch.

The thing about Italian meals is that they are served in courses. So I finished my pasta and knew that I was very full, but out of courtesy, I just kept eating. What followed were peas, bread, and chicken. I was near tears with fullness.

Anna left to go study, and I passed out on the couch while Francesca did arts and crafts (luckily she’s a sweet girl, and I didn’t wake up with construction paper glued to my face). When I woke up, it was time for Francesca to practice guitar, and then it was time for me to have my first English lesson with her. It went surprisingly well: we practiced the alphabet, numbers, and some vocabulary. Naturally, we used the translation software to communicate when we didn’t know what the other was trying to say. It resulted in a lot of fun and giggling.

Later, after Giovanni and Lucia got home, Giovanni, Francesca, and I went for a walk to retrieve her backpack from somewhere that she had left it. It turned into a delightful tour of Siena, and Giovanni was able to show and tell me a lot about the city. We walked past the San Giovanni Cathedral (that he was named after), and he showed me the house where he was born. He explained that his mother had passed away two months ago, but she had lived to be 100. We arrived at what I gathered was a recreational-church-community center that had a beautiful garden and places for people to play sports. Francesca grabbed her backpack, and while her dad spoke to someone, we walked in the garden. After this, we started our journey home (the long way). Giovanni continued to tell me interesting things about Siena, and it was a great experience.

While walking home, Francesca asked for ice cream. Giovanni turned to me and asked, “Do you like ice cream?” Obviously, I said, “Yes.” He then preceded to buy me a giant gelato with three flavors topped with whipped cream. I didn’t want to tell him that I had already had gelato earlier today, so I forced myself to eat the gelato (the things I do..).

Once we got home I went and read in my bed while wallowing in the guilt of how much food I’d consumed. When I went downstairs, the family was leaving to go to to Lucia’s mother’s home. I was informed that dinner was left on the table.

After about an hour of debating whether I should really eat or not, I felt that it would be rude if they came home and I hadn’t touched it. I went to the kitchen where pasta with basil and tomatoes, salad, cured meats, and a half of a melon were waiting for me (I’d like to add that it was about enough to feed 3). I then continued to eat half the pasta, a small salad, a few pieces of meat, and three slices of melon.

Needless to say, I regret eating all of this food. I don’t know why I’m complaining to you because this story deserves no sympathy. I just wanted to document my first Italian stomachache. 

April's A-Ha! Travel Moments by Work in Australia Participant Jennifer Campbell

6/8/20111:10:24 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Australia, Featured Participants, Work

Although I had A-Ha! moments coming out of my ears the first time I traveled abroad alone, there’s one in particular that keeps me motivated to go after even my “wildest” dreams.

I’ll preface: Remember the spin-the-globe-to-see-where-you’re-going-to-live-when-you-grow-up game from when you were a kid? Well, that’s how I discovered Tasmania. It seemed so exotic and fantastical and I can remember scheming my future escapades in my tree fort later that afternoon. I held on to the dream
of one day experiencing Tasmania for years but considered it a near-impossible mission that only wealthy world travelers, enamored drifters who could afford a one-way plane ticket or Looney Tunes cartoon artists were able to experience. But, as it turns out, I was wrong.

My A-Ha! moment came last year as I stood in Wine Glass Bay, Tasmania staring out from the white, powder sand beach into the crystal clear blue and green water. I did it. I’d sorted out a work and travel Australia visa and a plane ticket, saved enough from my paychecks working in Sydney to afford the trek to Tasmania and convinced two friends to come with me and live in a (tiny) hired car and exist on canned beans for nearly the entire trip to make our travel funds last. My mind started rolling… if I could make this thing happen, man, I could do anything. Traveling the world and submersing myself in foreign cultures and lands didn’t seem so far-fetched anymore… it was absolutely achievable.
 

That awesome moment led me to unearth a majestic gratitude for life and all of its opportunities and  permanently disabled the part of my brain that filters seemingly ridiculous ideas and dreams. …Anything is possible. Just, make it happen. 

Abel Tasman: The Cancun of New Zealand by Work in Australia Participant Amy Riehlmann

6/8/201112:54:47 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Australia, Featured Participants, Work

  
The tractor that towed us out there.  Kayak. 

  
Split Apple Rock and heading out towards Torrent Bay

  
 
Cute little houses on the water

  
 
 Trail on the way to Cleopatra's Pool

 
 
Area around Cleopatra's Pool, complete with water slide

  
Sunbathing on the beach at Anchorage Bay

  
 The trail on the way back to camp

Goodnight! 

Good Will HUNTing by CE Founder Emlyn Lee

6/8/201112:13:30 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Australia, Emlyn's Expressions, Love, Volunteer, Work

"A good companion shortens the longest road." This Turkish proverb is so fitting for my final LOVE series blog because I am featuring a couple that will soon take a looooong journey ahead. Meet Bryan and Jillian Hunt, a delightful couple from College Station, TX that are heading off for a six months mission trip in Uganda, and then spending the second half of the year on Cultural Embrace’s Work and Travel Australia program.

The two were high school sweethearts, and both are graduates from Texas A&M University. They have always wanted to travel abroad, and took the past two years to work, save, and plan for their international adventure. Their plans fluctuated for awhile since they had a long list of places they wanted to go, but their final decisions are to: serve local children at orphanages in Uganda, and have some fun surfing and traveling around while working to make ends meet in Australia. 

I asked if they had any advice to give other travelers. Jillian shared the advice that she received from her cousin to “Just go and do it!” Bryan advised wanderlusts to “never count any option out, but also don’t be completely sold on just one option.”

Flexibility and patience are the keys to happy trails. The main reason most people travel is to experience new things, right? We want to see new sites, taste new foods, dance at new clubs, buy new things at markets and street bazaars that you couldn’t get at home. Realize that it will get frustrating and things don’t always work out as you anticipated. That’s okay, it happens! You are out of your comfort zone, and in a new environment, but that is the beauty of traveling! Embrace the world, discover the similarities, and share the differences.

I invite you to watch this awesome video that their friend produced (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbFA_7oZogI&feature=player_embedded), and you will see two lifetime companions and best friends who are passionate, humorous, patient, and respectful people--not only to each other, but to the communities that surround them. Jill works in the hospitality industry and Bryan is a history teacher, so serving and helping others are natural gifts of theirs. I can’t wait to follow this Good Will HUNTing Adventure, as their companionship will shorten their long journey, and their love will help to make the world go round ..

Cross the Land You'll Never Get Over by Work in Australia Participant Amy Riehlmann

6/8/201112:05:06 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Australia, Featured Participants, Work

....this is the slogan for the Great Southern Rail and I couldn't agree more. What a journey it was! After spending a total of over 50 hours traveling by train over more than 4,600 kilometers (2,858 miles) from Melbourne to Adelaide and Adelaide to Perth, I've finally made it to the west coast.

I opted for the shorter train version taking the Overland from Melbourne to Adelaide, having a day to spend in Adelaide, and then taking the Indian Pacific from Adelaide to Perth. This cuts your time on the train from 3 nights to 2 nights in the reclined/upright position. I would highly recommend the trip to anyone interested, but would completely understand if some of you opted for the upgraded accommodations of a sleeper car!

My journey on the Overland was certainly a fantastic experience. The crew was very friendly and seemed to thoroughly enjoy entertaining their passengers with funny ancedotes of both the train itself, warning that if you don't remember to push the red button to lock the bathroom "you'll literally get caught with your pants down"...and even calling everyone's attention to the poor man who did in fact forget!...They also shared interesting and humorous stories about the towns we passed through. They told us of the naughty boys (now well into their 80s) who years ago slicked the tracks in Horsham with shoe polish stopping the train for hours. The boys apparently got in trouble for the amount of shoe polish wasted as opposed to the train delays caused by their prank. I won't spoil the trip for you with the other stories...you can take the trip for yourself to hear the rest!:)

As for the scenery along the way from Victoria into South Australia we passed a number of vineyards, and plenty of sheep and cows. It was beautiful and my seatmate was the sweetest lady, Fal, from Adelaide who was returning home after spending 3 weeks in Melbourne babysitting her grandson. She told me stories about all of the dogs in her life, but in particular her baby--Honey--who only died last year breaking Fal's heart. I could have talked to her for ages, and with the 11 hours on the train we did just that.

I arrived in Adelaide, "the city of churches," on a Saturday night with the expectation of sightseeing a bit on Sunday before catching the train Sunday evening. I checked into my hostel and wandered around searching for free wifi...finding the ever reliable McDonalds for such..touched base with home to let them know I was okay and headed back to the hostel. Shortly after getting in, close to 9:30pm, I got the call from the Great Southern Rail informing me that the Indian Pacific would not be picking me up on Sunday due to flooding in New South Wales and Victoria. I was told that they weren't sure when it would make it to Adelaide but they were hoping it would be some time on Monday. I didn't dare complain, being the state of the weather all around Australia the past few months and how badly the people have been affected, so I'd have one extra day in Adelaide (assuming the train made it by Monday) and then one less day in Perth, but there were worse things than that! The hostel informed me that they were booked solid and gave me a list of other hostels in the area, which I contacted only to find they were also all booked. It appears my weekend in Adelaide perfectly coincided with the massive music festival "Big Day Out." I went ahead and swallowed my frugal backpacker pride and booked a hotel. It was the smallest hotel room I had ever seen mind you but it was a hotel so after a day exploring the city--markets, wine tasting, botanical gardens; I spent the evening being spoiled with my very own bed, television, and bathroom! What more could a girl ask for?! :)

Monday was superbowl Sunday in the States so it was making the news over here being compared to all of the major sporting events finals in Australia combined into one. I was unable to find a bar showing the game at 9:30am so I spent my day enjoying the city and caught my train that night.

The Indian Pacific crew were just as friendly and helpful as the Overland group, but not quite so much into comic relief...I think this could have been affected by the additional 24 hours spent on the train with a number of disappointed and tired passengers. Nevertheless, this journey was incredible! I've been asked what I saw and it's difficult to explain because it's really just desert--thousands of miles of nothing, but I guess this is what makes it so unique and so breathtaking. The majority of the trip takes you over the Nullarbor Plains which is translated "no water", however due to the extraordinary amounts of rainfall, large sections of these plains were flooded as we passed through. There was no phone signal and no sign of life for as far as you could see. We had one stop in Cook where they proudly advertised that there is no food or fuel for the next 862km. They also had a plaque hanging on the outside of the gift shop claiming them to officially be "the middle of nowhere."

I found it interesting to see all the different people who traveled by train, especially those brave enough to endure the upright "sleeper seats" in the Red section of the train. There were people of all ages and backgrounds traveling for different reasons and all remaining fairly positive despite any setbacks, such as delays due to passing freight trains, etc. I think the most fascinating, and probably my favorite passenger in my car was the man in front of me, Mr. Ken. He was probably in his late 60s, early 70s and was deaf & mute. He kept a kitchen clock in the pocket in front of his seat and would become agitated at night when the lights on the inside of the train were on, further preventing him from seeing anything passing by in the night outside of his window. I kept him updated with announcements made regarding time zone changes and scheduled stops by passing him notes. He would follow these closely and let me know adamantly if we were off schedule. He was a fan of giving "thumbs ups" to everyone passing by and was treated very kindly by all of the staff on board as well. I didn't get to know much about him personally as his little notebook was practically full with little room to write so I know his name and that he was returning to Perth but nothing other than that. I think he is brave to travel on his own and his positive attitude was most inspiring. He was almost childlike with excitement when we started to see signs of life, and even moreso when we could see city lights.

This train trip was truly unforgettable and one I would recommend to anyone considering it. There is no way to explain the beauty of vast nothing for miles on end, but take my word for it, you won't regret it.  

Sydney! by Work in Australia Participant Amy Riehlmann

6/8/201111:45:49 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Australia, Featured Participants, Work

?

"Ta" is what I've heard many Aussies say in lieu of both "thank you" and "goodbye." It seems most appropriate to use it now in my last blog from Sydney. I can't believe it's been over five months since I first arrived completely clueless and lost in Chinatown! Although I'd like to think I've come a long way-- mastering the ins and outs of city life-- alas this is just not the case. Though I may no longer be quite as clueless, I am still quite often lost--but then that still happens to me in New Orleans so what should I expect?!

Christmas and New Years were both very bittersweet days. I hosted Christmas dinner, thanks to the "resort style" accommodations I've had housesitting. I don't think any of us felt as though it was really Christmas but we played along and cooked our favorite dishes from home, drank our favorite concoctions, and took turns skyping family/friends back home all throughout the day and some of us into the night--depending on what time zone we were from! The weather was gorgeous, though a bit hot, but we waited out the sun and ate our "orphan backpackers'" meal outside in the yard and later exchanged our secret santa gifts. It's funny the things you exchange as travelers. Nothing too expensive or lavish--as it will likely be broken, stolen or lost before you return home and even more so no one can afford it anyway!; also, nothing to big, bulky, or heavy--as we all considered that these gifts will end up being carried on our backs for lengthy periods of time or being weighed in an airport and we don't want to be responsible for a friend's overweight charges do we?! And so all the gifts were thoughtful--practical, edible, or small-which was just perfect! :)                                       
                                                                     

New Years Eve was spent on working on the Sydney Harbour Cruise. The ship carries close to 600 passengers--300 on each level or "deck." I was on the "Show Deck" which is the bottom deck. Upon being assigned this spot, I had decided that I would be quite happy peering at the fireworks through the windows or at best seeing them from off the back of the boat. We served champagne, appetizers, main course and then watched as the entire "deck" cleared for the early 9pm fireworks display. They all went to the top of the ship to watch from what is clearly the best view. Having no patrons, allowed the staff to catch the display from the back of the boat and it was really something to see. We got back to our places as patrons made their way back down for more cocktails, dessert, and dancing before the big show at midnight. Around 11:30 my deck captain called me aside and asked me to bring my friend with some trays. I was sure she was going to put us to work while the more senior staff got to watch the "Sydney Fireworks Dislay" that everyone worldwide watches. Instead, she told us to go to the top of the ship and not to return until after midnight and to clear any glasses we found astray. We were giddy and rightfully so. The show from the Harbour Bridge is something magical to see! HAPPY 2011 everyone!

With 2011 came the end of an era, the "Laverne & Shirley tour OZ era" to be exact. Yes, the Bould sisters took off on their final travels before leaving Australia and heading back home to England. We met them for a meal and saw them off at the train station. It was much more emotional than I had anticipated, but thus is the life of travellers. Everyone has to head home eventually. Now it's just all the more reason to plan a trip to the UK or them to New Orleans (or both)! Great times, lots of laughs, & plenty of memories!--it's been a blast and I can't imagine my life in Sydney without Bould at my side...literally, right next to me morning, noon, and night! haha

I finally gave driving a try, but I made sure I had a qualified co-pilot, Juni. Juni doesn't hold a license even in her own country but I was sure she was the right person to guide me to our destination--"Petbarn" --to get Jaffa's food. I was right--she was a lifesaver. Poor Juni would tell me "okay, we're clear" and I would keep looking the other direction, though she kept reminding me NO ONE is coming from that way. I also found myself hugging the curb, forgetting there was an entire half of the car between me and the curb, so there were a few close calls! In the end we made it to and from petbarn with a pitstop at the petrol station unharmed.

I was sure to make the most of my last weekend in Sydney. We took the 2 hour train ride north to the Blue Mountains. The train looked like it was straight from the 1970s with pale green interior and carpeted walls. We also felt like we traveled back in time a bit when we arrived in Katoomba--a slow paced small town in no hurry to catch up with the rest of the world. We absolutely loved it! The mountains were absolutely gorgeous. We were warned by our no-nonsense bus driver, Peter, that we needed to be careful hiking as there had already been a few "casualties" that morning. Not exactly the thing you want to hear but we didn't let that deter us from exploring as much of each trail as we could. The weather held up for us as well which was an added bonus. We mixed it up as well between touristy stops and going off the beaten path which really heightened the experience! We became a bit obsessed with the steepest inclined railway in the world and rode it up and down about 4 times! 

I saved the best for last--referring to both the blog and my life in Sydney--by going to the Fish Market on my last day. How I missed this beforehand I'm not sure, but oh I was so happy to have discovered it alas! The seafood was so fresh (and not pricey either so we splurged on everything!). James and Wendi had said that James' mom recommended they try some sort of bugs--I was almost giddy thinking they were talking about mudbugs (crawfish). Much to my disappointment there were no mudbugs in sight, but my eyes, and tastebuds were opened to the brilliancy called Moreton Bay Bugs---mmm! They look like lobsters with flattened heads and have crab-like legs underneath. They were divine! We didn't stop there either. We had boiled prawns (shrimp), sashimi--tuna, salmon, and octopus, chargrilled oysters, fresh oysters--sydney rock & pacific....don't judge!:) It was a true feast of a day and I couldn't think of a better way to end my time in Sydney. 

Melbourne is where the next adventure lies and I can't wait to begin! Australian Open, cafe's, art galleries, street markets, & shopping all await me! 

Q&A about Cultural Embrace's Work Australia Program by Participant Jennifer Campbell

6/8/20119:50:40 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

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My experience was awe-inspiring, and I'm still wholeheartedly living its effects. Miriam Beard explains it best, "Traveling is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living."

Bummer by Childcare in France Participant Stephanie Pratt

6/8/20119:19:08 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

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It was a chilly night, a boring night, a night where nothing to exciting could possible happen. I thought, however I found myself walking down champs-elyeese with Lindsey that boring Tuesday night. We got ourselves a bottle of wine, found a nice bench just next to the arc de triumph and played some rummy. (That’s a card game if you didn't know, because I didn't know) It was a dull night saved once again by Lindsey’s push, which I’d have to say is one of her best personality traits. I love that she can turn anything, nothing, into something.
 

 Anyway so there we we're just a couple of California girls sitting on a park bench, playing cards sharing wine. A bum walks up to us and asks us for a cigarette, well we can't speak French very well, okay so I can't speak French at all really. So me and Lindsey just kept saying no, no no. Or I guess non, non, non since it was French. Eventually tipsy Lindsey was done with the bums badgering and she nicely said "arret" which means "stop!” This really angered the drunken man and after what I am assuming are some French curse words, leaned forward and continued to spit on Lindsey.

  

Yes you read that right, a bum spit on Lindsey. Thankfully she had some ninja moves that night and managed to dodge it enough so that it didn't hit her face, but instead her sleeve. We looked at each other in awe and terror. He then quickly turned around, walked away and copped a feel of my derriere. Yes, once again you have not read wrong-- he touched my butt. This bum spit on Lindsey and touched my butt.

 

Oh Paris, what colorful people you have.

 

 Besides this little stumble part of my night, it was amazing! I learned rummy and walked down Champs-Elyeese listening to the one French song about walking down Champs-Elyeese. Do you know what I’m talking about?

  

Anyway, I started school today. It seems like I’ll like it, the teacher is nice but strict and I really like the teaching method. You can ONLY speak French, nothing else. I'm excited to start practicing my French and learning it. Would you like to hear what I’ve learned? Bare with me here...

 

Bonjour, Je m'appelle Stephanie. Je suis Américaine, et je parle Anglais et un pue français. J’habite au Vésinet et je suis étudiante.

 

 

Voila!

A Benito!

Stephanie Pratt
Au Pair
France

 

ps here is mimi (my best friend)

 

Ratatouille by Childcare in France Participant Stephanie Pratt

6/7/201111:56:23 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

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Bonjour!
I met up with lindsey a couple of times and we have a blast together! I'm so glad i have a friend here. The first day we got completley lost and ended up somehow in a forest. Then we headed to Batille and bought some new shoes (lindseys feet were hurting) that were really expensive but completley worth it. Then we had a beer at a random pub and chatted. Later the waiter informed us it was happy hour and asked if we'd like a cocktail. Lindsey asked what the most periasan drink was because we wanted what everyone else drinks... MOJITOS! not very french i thought, but i guess very hip right now in Paris. I had a strawbery one and lindsey had a kiwi one. After that we got a bagette from a bakery and it was soooooooo good. Later we found our way to the effile tower where we shared some wine right underneath it! It was amazing and it was all glowing, it was so beautiful! We evuentually made our way home and somehow the metro was easier since we had the wine haha. I go home and have a nice sleep. The next morning is my first day with the kids and its tough but fun. They are pretty well behaved and play with each other. Sometimes i stuggle thinking of things to do, i feel like i should be spending every second with them but i know thats a little extreme. As long as i know where they are and they are okay, i'm okay. I mean we can barley speak. I helped Margaux make a house out of legos and showed Chloe my favorite show when I was young, Sailor moon duh!!

Claire and David are everything I could hope to have as a host family, they are nice and respectful and also very helpful and accommodating. I got lucky to have such a great family to live with here. But despite all the fun I've had so far, and the fun i know thats coming I still have trouble with homesick, which is part of the experience. This is and email i sent my mom last night.

These feelings i know are part of my experience, but i hope they pass soon. On a brighter note, here are some more pictures!!!!! :)

Tips for Reverse Culture Shock by Work in Australia Participant Jennifer Campbell

6/7/201111:50:08 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

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il pleut by Childcare in France Participant Stephanie Pratt

6/3/20114:22:06 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

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Bonjour!

I arrived in Les Vesinet this morning! It's beautiful here, the house looks like something out of an old book. The flight was long and hard, I didn't sleep much so I'm really really tired. Its 1030pm here and my bed is calling me and inticing me to go to sleep. Je suis fatigue, Marguax taught me that today. Let me start from the begining. I woke up at my house CA time 6am. I got ready, some of my good friends came over to see me off and soon i was on my way to the airport. The car ride there was filled with anxiety ridden chat. My friend amanda was luckily there to help calm me down. My dad drove and my mother sat in the front, and she radiated sadness and worry. She would glance back reach for my hand and give me a couple tight squeezes every now and again. All i could think was how much i was going to miss her. But despite the sadness of leaving the excitment of starting a new journey was bubbling inside me. I arrived at the airport, and a million hours later (really only like 16 hours) I was in Paris! I grabbed my luggage and as soon as i stepped out of the terminal there was my host family waiting.

I had thought of this moment time and time again. How am I suppose to great them? Are they going to think I'm a dumb american girl? But these horrible thoughts slide out of my head as soon as Chloe ran up and hugged me. After a traditional french introduction kisses and all, we we're off to the house. The kids seemed very excited and really wanted to speak with me as much as they could. Margaux showed off her counting with Chole counting all the way to 13 in english. Romain asked me simple question, and most importantly about Harry Potter. He loves Harry Potter, and so do I! We pulled up to their beautiful house and i was greeted by mimi! The cutest cat I've ever seen. She literailly looks french. Soon I was being shown around the house and soon I was in my room getting ready to shower.

It was the most confusing yet refreshign shower ever! After unpacking and sharing some of my things with the children it was time for lunch. It was delicious, tomatoes in olive oil for starting, chicken for the meal and apple sauce for dessert. After a wonderful lunch outside on the patio, me and the children settled down to watch Harry Potter. Harry is even more magical when he speaks french! Soon after that a little nap and then it was time for dinner. I was still super full from lunch but ate a little anyway. I had a salad and a little pasta. And now I'm here reflecting on my exciting day and wonderful day. And now I'm off to get some much needed sleep. 

On the road again! by Work in Australia Participant Jennifer Campbell

6/3/20114:15:09 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

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So this time, it's Sydney to Melbourne to Darwin to Bali, Indonesia… and I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it or not, but for whatever reason, I have a really annoying knack for not planning/booking trips until I’m on a completely different one. This trip I booked (and recruited amongst friends for) while I was in New Zealand, and although it hasn’t completely backfired, it certainly could have used a bit more “outlining.”

Melbourne was perfect; I absolutely could see myself working/ living there happily ever after, and I’m bummed I didn’t check it out before! It definitely has a more Austin-like vibe about it. It’s a laid back, beautiful city with fantastic museums, live music and theaters, great restaurants and shopping (which I plan to enjoy when I return when I’m not broke J) and enough of a beach to attract sun worshipers like myself. It is also so much cheaper and more pleasant getting around via public transportation than in Sydney. The only true downside to our time in Melbourne was the terrible hostel I booked after doing absolutely zero research and having to stick to it/in the one area of the city due to pre-paying. We stayed around St. Kilda, which is near one of my new favorite movie theaters of all time, The Palace, the beach and some great nightlife- all excellent- but we would have loved to stay closer to downtown one night…. And most definitely not in the hostel we’d booked for three nights. Watch out for putting your card down to reserve nights without researching the hostel WELL first… big mistake! But aside from the few of negatives of our trip, I loved Melbourne. It is absolutely somewhere I would check out for your Cultural Embrace Work and Travel Australia experience.

From Melbourne we flew almost directly north to Darwin. Luckily, it was a pretty clear day so most of the way north we could see directly down into the outback. Red sand raked from wind gusts and dotted with the occasional green shrubbery flew underneath us for almost the entire four-hour flight. It was a pretty cool view. And even though looking at a deep red desert would normally cause thoughts of HOT weather, stepping out of the airport was still quite a shocker.

Darwin is way hotter and more humid than I anticipated- it took us a few minutes before we could breath comfortably outside! It sounds dramatic, but honestly I felt dumb not realizing how intense the climate was going to be. But aside from the climate, we also had a few other unnecessary surprises. Although we were working with a pretty tight budget as my friend and I were heading to Indonesia from there, we’d planned on hitting Litchfield National Park and/or Kakadu National Park in the few days we had in Darwin. Unfortunately, the parks ended up being about a hundred dollars more expensive than we planned for. It turned out we were going to have to book day tours due to no access zones for rental cars and so we ended yp opting out of them. It was disappointing, but we made the three days we had in Darwin work for us. We stayed at a pretty decent hostel with a pool (which is more important than I could stress because 1. It’s extremely hot 2. Although you’re on the northern coast, the Northern Territory is known for salt-water crocodiles as well as box jelly fish depending on the season so the ocean may not be the best option), went to the rocky shore for some attempted crocodile watching and trekked it to a local beachside market. Overall Darwin was a pretty interesting place to spend a few days, but next time I head that way I will not be missing the national parks!

One thing we do have to thank Darwin for is the travel pal we met heading out to Bali. Like I’ve mentioned before a billion times, it’s impossible not to meet fellow backpackers while you’re excursioning- and a lot of them will have a pretty similar travel plan as you. While we were in Darwin we ended up meeting a French backpacker who was actually on our flight heading to Bali, so, we picked him up for the first few days we were traveling. It is always great to meet people who’re as into chasing a full and beautiful life as you are.

Bali is home to all-around beautiful people, amazing rice field and jungle hikes, gorgeous beach and volcano villages and Puras (temples) to visit and is now where my “future house” coin jar is directed. Also great to mention, our flight from Darwin to Bali was around $150 and it’s only a 2.5 hour flight- excellent. So if you’re planning to head up to Darwin, check out Jetstar’s flights to Indonesia, or other nearby countries of your interest, they have incredible deals!

As I mentioned before, one of the best perks of Working and Traveling Australia is how cheap and easy it is to hop on an international flight for a few hours and be in another amazing country for as long as you have there. As a backpacker, Australia is a great hub from which to globe trot, and as this stent of traveling abroad is coming to an end for me, I can’t tell you how fulfilling it is being able to look back and know I took advantage of traveling to other destinations, especially since they weren’t in my original plans. My advice is to get out here and check out working in and traveling the amazing OZ, and hitting some neighboring countries in between. Leap out of the box, and explore as much as you can. 

Maggie Islands & Reasons to Come to OZ by Work in Australia Participant Jennifer Campbell

6/3/20114:12:34 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

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May 15, 2010

Happy May fellow Adventure Seekers!

Let me preface by saying I'm writing this entry on a computer I believe is legitimately from 1990... without spelling/grammar check or the working letter “B.” Awesome.

Despite Sydney and the rest of south/south eastern Australia creeping into the fall to winter season, you wouldn’t believe it here on the northern east coast. In the mid 20’s to low 30’s Celsius (upper 70’s to upper 80’s Fahrenheit), the island is sun-soaked and warm with still vibrantly colored lush tropical vegetation. It turns out “Maggie Island’s” weather is much like spring year round. And having just spent an absolutely epic month in New Zealand bundled up in most of the north island (minus a few still warm gorgeous beach spots) and all of the south island (in the mountain and glacier towns, etc.), it’s nice to be bathing suit clad and toasting again.

I originally came up north to complete a two-day scuba recertification course, followed by a road trip up to Cairns with friends for the greatly anticipated Great Barrier Reef dive and snorkel. Unfortunately, I’m “sinus sick” which is the ultimate no-go in diving so I’m S.O.L. for my full certification for now. But great news! Most dive boats on the Great Barrier Reef, including the one friends and I are booked on, don’t require PADI scuba dive certification, offering instead a small dive tutorial the day of. So if I’m all clear in time for our scuba/snorkeling trip, I will still be able to dive and roam free in one of the world’s most prized national parks. And even though I’m stuck on land on Magnetic Island (which, by the way, Magnetic Island is one of the top ten rated locations in the world to get PADI certified, definitely a bummer to miss) I still get to veg out on the beach and explore this tropical island teeming with parrots, wombats, the occasional koala and giant butterflies. Not too shabby!

Changing gears a bit, I want to give you yet another reason to work and travel Australia, one I’ve recently becoming familiar with. While you’re down here working and saving, or working to make rent saving your savings, traveling Australia is just the tip of the roving opportunities in this part of the globe. Mixing Australia travel with trips to other nearby countries is easier, cheaper and more convenient than I would have thought. The Australian dollar is comparable to the US dollar, so you typically get a pretty good to great exchange rate for your earnings/savings, and travelling to surrounding countries is generally pretty affordable and a short plane ride away. Round trip flights to New Zealand, Fiji, Bali and even Hong Kong can be as cheep as $350, Thailand and Papa New Guinea are fairly reasonable as well. And because your Australian Work and Travel visa allows you to escape and re-enter Australia as you please, it’s pretty easy to globe trot a bit and come back and work when you run out of money J. Some causal work positions across Australia even provide you with holiday pay, which means you can earn a set hourly rate while you’re traveling. My bartending job in Sydney did! So after or in between your Australia experiences, hop on a plane for a few hours and go explore a neighboring country. Working and traveling Australia has about 20 million perks… the list just keeps getting bigger. So get out here!

I’ll fill you in on how the Great Barrier Reef is- I’m sure I’ll be reporting nothing short of an unbelievable experience. 

je suis de pomme frites by Childcare in France Participant Stephanie Pratt

6/3/20111:02:56 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

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meeting the inner explorer by Childcare in France Participant Stephanie Pratt

6/3/201112:08:45 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

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très magnifique!

I have a possible family placement!!! I might pee my pants!

Today has been such a contrast of yesterday. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong. My photo final got waaaay messed up and in my rush to put together a last minute shoot I got a ticket for running a stop sign that I don't remember running. whoops!

This morning I woke up feeling really sad about yesterday, I slugged my way over to check my email and BAM there was an offer. :D Let me tell you little about them: They are the Ninot family and live in Vesinet which is a 30 min train ride to Paris. They have 3 kids, 11, 9 and 5. Did I mention they have a cat, I love cats!

I hope they offer me the placement, wish me luck and check back soon to hear more! 

bonjour!!! by Childcare in France Participant Stephanie Pratt

6/3/201111:25:36 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

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Hi everyone! Let me begin by introducing myself, my name is Stephanie. I'm 20 years old and I'm a current student at Fullerton College, which is in Fullerton, California. (Orange County) I've lived here for basically my whole life and I love it here! I have a great journey ahead of me. I'm going to Au Pair in France for a year and I've been accepted as the Au Pair in Europe Advisor Abroad. I'm here to share my experiences with you!

I really enjoy traveling!!! So far I've been to some other states, like Oregon, Arizona, Nevada, and Washington D.C. I've been to Mexico for a day. But the best travel experience I've had hands down was when I went to England and France April 2007. My history teacher set up a trip through EF tours, and some of my friends, classmates and my teacher went on a 10 day tour. That trip inspired me to travel, to see and to experience new places. After France, when I come back from Au Pairing, I want to road trip across America-- from the west coast to the east coast.

My history teacher, Mr. Muhovich definitely inspired me to travel. He stressed how traveling rounds out a person. He taught me that there is more to see and more to experience than whats in your own backyard. My desire to explore is closely connected to the Cultural Embrace mission: discoverdifferences and share similarities. I want to do just that, I want to see how different and wonderful the world is. Traveling decays the animosity in the world by shedding light on different people and different cultures. I believe with experience comes wisdom, as Mark Twain said it, "travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and the narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's life time."

This is just the beginning of a great adventure ahead! 

Holidays in Sydney by Jennifer Campbell

6/1/20113:36:43 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

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Happy January Fellow Adventure Seekers!

I hope your holidays were spectacular! I have received so many questions via email and Facebook messages asking what it was like abroad over the holidays, spending New Years in Sydney, what my plan is now that the holidays are past, even questions about my New Years Resolutions having been abroad for the last three months. So I will start from the top!

My holidays were wonderful but being away from family on Christmas was definitely tough. Most of the people around me were bummed at one point or another on the big day, running in and out of our Christmas Day barbeque bash to Skype with family and answer their phones, but we did have an excellent out-of-the-ordinary celebration. We rang in the holiday with a swim in the sea, grilling burgers and, yes, shrimp on the barbie just to stereotype the day, exchanging gifts, and watching naked Santas (neighbors) run amuck down the street to quote-un-quote lighten spirits. Although we were missing our families, I am pleased to report all in all it was a joyous occasion.

But even aside from random shenanigans, great company from all over the world, Santa hats and Aussie lager on the beach, the one thing that definitely helped all of us get through Christmas time was the promise of an absolutely first-class New Years- the reason there are an extra million people in Sydney over the holiday season. Sydney has been rated one of the worlds top cities to ring in the New Year- And I will stand for it!

Friends and I spent the hot New Years Eve morning through afternoon just past Rushcutters Bay, across the water from the Sydney Harbor Bridge, with about a thousand other tent-poppers cheersing chilled beers and ice cream cones. (It felt a little like Fourth of July in The States.) Most of our group stayed to see the midnight harbor fireworks, which I have since caught on video and it is definitely worth Googleing, while a few of us went on to hit Shore Thing at Bondi Beach. Shore Thing is a yearly massive New Years Eve party featuring top DJs and guest artists from around the world, incredible light shows, count down and fireworks, and thousands of people going mad with glow sticks having the time of their life. Everything, especially the music was top-notch. Breaks in killer mixes were filled with short light shows choreographed to instrumentals by classic artists like Pink Floyd (including at the strike at midnight during the fireworks- Floyds Time- amazing). The glimpses of light twirlers on the beach also made for an absolutely eyegasmic event. (Eyegasmic is a word, I promise, look it up.)

We followed the epic New Years Eve with the noon to night Space Ibiza show in Moore Park, which featured world-renown artists from Ibiza, Spain and guests. The performances and scene was everything Space promised. And seeing the sun fall behind the park lined with giant butterfly-people on stilts, feather dancers and hundreds of body painted rave-goers dancing to music unveiled by artists for the first time was a truly surreal ending to the holidays. Positively one for the books.

Since the holidays have past, I have been working a few days a week, getting wear out of my new snorkel and fins, and traveling bit- I FINALLY made it to the Blue Mountains, about two hours west of Sydney. I had been holding out to make the trip in hopes of getting to camp, but trying to match weekends with mates was a tough task so we took a day trip instead. The mountains were breathtaking with plunging ranges and lush vegetation, rain forest hikes, troops of wild kangaroos, and at least fifteen waterfalls to dance around in. I spent most of the day behind the group with my camera, capturing everything I could and playing catch up when realizing I had not heard another voice around for a bit too long. The best part of the trip happened two hours into our first hike- at about one thousand meters up walking along an edge path which ran next to a huge canyon of rainforest below- when a thunderstorm and light showers rolled in. It was probably one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed. The thunder echoed through the canyon as the dark clouds came over the mountains and the rushing water over the falls became heavy. I have never had a more magnificent moment just watching and listening. We were only caught in the rain for twenty minutes or so before the sky cleared again, but the flash weather left the air fresher than I have ever breathed, and the waterfalls and forests surrounding and below extraordinarily more beautiful than I can describe. I am definitely currently rallying future camping partners. Anyone in?

Now, for a fast change of feeling, I will admit last week after all of these superb festivities had past I had a pretty hard hit when I realized I had accomplished what I wanted in Sydney and I did not have a plan in action per say for my next move. But I figured, like I still figure today, feeling stagnant in such a beautiful country and time in my life is not an option. So I have been forming a sort-of plan (since backpacking is regularly a fine line between a plan and a few ideas that might sort themselves out) and am excited for what is coming next, semi-planned and not.

I have decided to stay put in Sydney, moving into another flat with friends just ten minutes inland from my current place, for another month or so after this lease is up to work and save money for my trips to Tasmania, New Zealand, and up the east coast. (Friends and I finally booked our trip to Tasmania and are throwing around the idea of camping in Wine Glass Bay. Google Images it. The scenery is dreamlike.) After that I would like to say I am moving to the Southern Gold Coast where I will land and work a bit before making a further ascent, or hit New Zealand first before it gets really cold there, but like I have said before, plans can change rapidly depending on whims, funding, job opportunities, etc. So instead of stressing about making certain timing happen, I will guide what is to come next when it gets here.

Really, the beauty of my current situation abroad is that I AM able to stay just to the right of making a set-in-stone travel timeframe and can focus on one month or so at a time. (One-month apartment leases are fairly easy to come by, I have not locked myself into a six month job contract, and I still have nine months left on my visa = flexibility.) Also helping me ease my way into feeling more relaxed about not knowing exactly where I might be in two months is the fact I have Cultural Embraces partner company to lend a hand with certain logistics once I do make the decision. No matter where I want to move in Australia the partner company can assist me in finding a job and living arrangements. The partner company can even assist me in setting up job training for particular fields in advance, and can offer resume guidance as well. (Australia uses a much different resume model than what America typically uses, so that help is very valuable.) I also have the privilege of resting easy knowing I have Cultural Embrace, a company run by experienced travelers behind me wherever I am in Australia. So, even though I might be a tiny bit directionally challenged when it comes to where my next few months are going, I am confident I will be gaining even more excellent experiences than I have in the last few.

And finally yes, the last few months here has definitely shaped my first ever absolutely to be followed New Years resolution (or recent development turned commitment-to-self)… which I will get to. It is hard to believe I have been in Australia nearly three months, but it is even harder for me to believe what all I have been privileged to get into since arriving. Living part-time in Gerroa my first month in Oz working for Surf Camp, spending my days surfing and ending them paddling down river to get back home to camp with a friend on high tide evenings. Immersing myself in the different cultures Sydney has to offer hitting scenes across the board. And most recently spending days snorkeling and beaching it in my own neighborhood with the amazing people from all over the world I can for certain say will be friends for life. I have been very lucky and am so thankful for every opportunity I have had. So, with that said my three-part New Years resolution: Taking in my experiences, appreciating each of their significances and details and recognizing the opportunities they present. I have learned and grown from each of my experiences listed above, and know I am where I am presently in my life having had each one of them.

So, for those of you who were wondering if leaving right before a holiday season is bad choice – for fear you might turn around and fly right back home – keep in mind the reason you are traveling abroad in the first place: to gain and grow from new experiences. Consider yourself lucky to have the opportunity to be out-of-the box whenever you can, and take every detail in. After all, it is the details that make the great stories so great.

Thank you so much for reading my blog! I appreciate all of you so much and I look forward to hearing from you!

Please feel free to email me at Jcampbell@culturalembrace.com if you have any questions or want specifics on the adventures of a Work and Traveler in Australia.

Live fully,
Jennifer C Campbell 

Advice from an Aussie Backpacker by Jennifer Campbell

6/1/20113:01:06 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

Australia, Featured Participants, Work

Oy! from Aussie Land,

The last few weeks in Australia have been filled with some of the most unconventional, even strength of mind searching, but wonderful and real days in my twenty-two years of living. A few curve balls after another such as a job change, a move, new best friends leaving to travel elsewhere, lost items, exploding expensive electronics, etc have made for a pretty interesting time. But even though I have both found and face planted on these and a few other bumps in the road I had been warned about from other travelers, I can honestly say I have still had the magnificent quote-un-quote I cannot believe this is my life moment at least once every day. I am embracing the twists and truly learning the meaning of going with the flow -which I believe is absolutely vital in traveling.

My brother recently reminded me of John Lennon’s famous quote - Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans. In a traveler’s world, I am taking this to mean your plans are going to scatter and change, so just enjoy the moment and have no expectations for the next. Because that is what traveling is all about right? Taking on new chapters and adding onto your cultural gains whether they are expected or not.

So in saying this, I will share with you a few pieces of advice most backpackers I have met would agree on:
1. Never take good people you meet for granted. Enjoy them now and keep as many connections as possible, even if you are traveling with your best mates.
2. If you take the wrong ferry, bus or train and have time to explore where you have accidently ended up, do it. It will probably make an even better story than you started out to make
in the first place.
3. Do not try to cram your day full of attractions, because you will not have enough time to let any single one of them sink in. Pick one or two and really take them in.

Other important tips worth mentioning:
4. Take note of EVERY free Internet café!
5. Combine your travel book advice with the information the locals give you on a destination. You will usually find the destination to be somewhere in the middle of the two.
6. Watch your spending and use every kitchen you have available to you. Nothing burns money faster than eating out!
7. Pack light or get ready to get rid of some of your favorite items. There is nothing worse than hoping on a bus and whacking every person sitting in an isle seat all the way to row
fourteen because you cannot fit everything in your backpack.

But apart from recent trials, tips and notes circling around in my head, I have actually had a pretty remarkable few weeks.The Manly Beach Festival of Surfing, which I mentioned earlier this month in my blog, was absolutely top notch. Aside from the Rip Curl and Billabong pro surfing legends and newer to the scene surf pros chatting around and their surf offs to settle twenty-year-old rivalries and competitions to claim new glories, the beautiful weather and perfect surf brought heaps of other wave and sun seekers- all combining to complete my own perfect vision of Australia. Meeting pro surfing world champion Mick Fanning was not a bad touch to the weekend either. I have still been living in a bathing suit, enjoying the sun and surf almost every day in beaches scattered from Seven Mile to Maroubra, etc. - which is an incredible way of living minus the fact that finding last minute hostels in the area you end up in can be tough this time of year and no matter how many showers you take you will still end up with sand in your bed. (Other items I have learned to embrace.) And since I FINALLY moved into my first apartment in OZ (which is fifteen meters from the beach in Coogee- awesome) a few days ago with friends, it is even easier to commit to the beach-bum lifestyle. However, now that I am a bit more settled and done running in and out of hostels for a while, it is seriously time for me to brush the sand off and find another job to pay the rent.

And thankfully, because of my connections through Cultural Embrace, I have wonderful job-hunting resources. The job database Cultural Embrace hooks you up with is a great tool for starting the search. With the time I have spent on the database I know the kinds of businesses in need of holiday employees, which kinds of jobs are keen on employing travelers and what areas of the city are looking to hire. Another avenue I have been taking, which Cultural Embrace’s partner company helps you locate, are classes that certify you to work in bars, restaurants, and casinos, and other day classes that offer training in several different fields of work. And because the job market, even for simple jobs in retail or bar work, is so competitive at the moment with the extra million travelers in Sydney this time of year, I am glad to have the support of the partner company in my search.

However, if retail and bar work is not your thing, no worries, there are plenty more professional opportunities available here as well. Most of these opportunities require a six-month commitment, but if you are looking for resume building experience, and maybe even sponsorship to get your once-in-a-lifetime year visa back, it is definitely doable and worth it!

In the meantime, between online job hunting and stopping around at local businesses, I have indeed found a few things to keep myself occupied. Since moving into my apartment one of my favorite time passers is the amazing 6k Beach Walk – or run - from Coogee to Bondi Beach. On the route are several beaches, snorkeling coves and bays such as Bronte, Clovelly, Gordons Bay and Tamarama and a cliff view cemetery named Waverly. (All of which are Google Image worthy! Beautiful!) And I cannot forget to mention the beer festival going on a street over from me – I am very excited about that one! I also have my flat mates, and the other twenty-five people from all over the world living my beachfront building to keep me company while watching the cricket and off season rugby matches in the palm tree surrounded field across the street, cooking out on our deck sized balconies, and taking exploratory excursions to a few of the less well known areas in our coastal neighborhood. And since I signed a two-month lease (which, in most areas in Sydney- including the outskirt beaches such as where I am living- you can find flats offering one month to one year leases) I have plenty of time to explore, take in my surroundings and report excellent local spots your travel books left out!

So, because I have had the opportunity to seek and soak in so much the last couple of weeks, I will end with a word-to-the-wise-ish message I have been living by: Whether you are on your own or traveling with your best mates, every breathing moment is an opportunity to learn and progress in your cultural immersion experience. Letting go of your stresses and appreciating everything for what it is, learning from your mistakes and moving on to the next adventure with an open mind and a wiser point of view are all key in the imprinting process of your environs.

I urge you in your next adventure, whether it is visiting a new area in your city or another country, keep your mind open to all of the possibilities that lay ahead of you. And most certainly, enjoy the person next to you and invest in listening to what they have taken in as well. They might have discovered something you have wondered right past.

I am so thankful to be able to share details of my life traveling in Australia with you, and hope they give you a better idea of some of the opportunities the Australian Work and Travel visa can give you. I still have itchy feet, and lots of expeditions planned so look out for my blog again next week! 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