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GowithFlo
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| Questions &Answers | ||||||
| updated 7/7/01 |
Want to post a question here? e-mail me and I'll post the answer here as soon as possible!!
So how does it feel after 50 days abroad and still counting?
It feels great! And it doesn't feel like I've been gone very long, really.
I love being abroad, and I feel so open to experiences, people, and opportunities...much more so than I do when I"m working the 9 to 5 prison w/ 2 weeks vacation per year in the good old US of A.
Right now, I feel I don't ever want to come back! I relish the idea of living an expatriate life. In fact, the concept of "settling down" and living in the US sounds rather...well, BORING to me.
Who do you think you are, some successful writer or artist, permanently living abroad because they think they're too good for the US of A?
People enjoy the "sweetness of everyday life" here. Less so in the US.
Also, US culture has so much emphasis on youth, beauty, how you look, how you dress.....its not that way over here. People don't care how you dress, people aren't as concerned about having the "perfect" body, they don't care what you "do", as in work. You are not judged by how much money you make, and people are not in a rush like Americans... time is money, gotta get rich, gotta get noticed, yada yada yada.
So, no I don't think I am too good for US of A... I just like the culture over here better.
Have you gotten homesick yet?
Not an iota. If fact, right now I"m thinking I don't ever want to come back.
Do you miss your one and only sister who loves you and misses you and is SLAVING away at college while you are prancing around the globe?!?
I wish she could come meet me somewhere.
Where do you store your belongings when you're out and about, and are they safe when they're unattended?
In the hostel everyone usually leaves their backpack on their bed, or if its available, locked in a locker. Some people have cables with a lock that they can wrap around the backpack and then attach to something. I have one and have not used it yet. I have felt pretty secure and trusting of the other backpackers staying with me. However, its certainly not unheard of for thievery to occur in hostels by other travelers. The motto is generally "better safe than sorry."
Did you bring a journal with you?
Of course I brought a journal with me! However, you should know that one really has to be disciplined about it, without making it a dreaded chore. It's really a good way to ascertain the drama going on around you, and to reflect on and reassess your travel goals.
What's the weather been like?
The weather in Greece (May): Heaven during the day (sunny, warm breeze) and cool at night because of the wind.
Turkey: Great - Very warm.
Czech Republic: It is freezing here right now (early June)!! The other TEFL students and I are are disappointed because we have to wear our fleeces and windbreakers! It rains pretty frequently here in summer. We don't mind the rain, just the cold. It seems to change daily though, so in a few days it could get warm again...in the upper 70's.
Have you been able to work out or exercise?
I really want to keep working out. It's often difficult because of travel schedules and locations. But I have managed to jog about twice per week so far, along with a little bit of yoga. Furthermore, I have gotten tons of exercise just walking the hills and mountains of Greece. I should be able to go more hard core now that I am settled in Prague for 4 weeks.
How has the food affected you?
Food has not effected me in any detrimental way yet. The fruit and yogurt in Greece are absolutely heavenly. A Greek meal is great. Turkish food is very good too. Czech food is good but mostly heavy...meats in gravies and sauces, potatoes, etc. I will have to watch myself, especially since food and beer is incredibly cheap. It's easy to go overboard.
What have you been most surprised about so far?
How many other solo travelers there are - particularly how many other solo females! How many people are travelling long term (months at a time; indefinitely). How little I am actually alone.
Who have you met so far?
Mostly other travelers, in the hostels, at sites, etc. Many travelers from Australia and Canada. Less from the States and Britain. I've definitely made some friends that I will keep in touch with. You make "instant friends" staying in hostels because you all share this bond....you are in similar life situations; have a desire for exploration; are living the life of a "nomad" on a budget; have shared similar "trials and tribulations" of the road; etc.
Who has been the most friendly?
Most backpackers are extremely friendly. Particularly the Aussies and Kiwis. The Turkish people are very friendly (the men often OVER friendly). And every time I attempted a few words in Turkish, their faces would light up and I'd be rewarded with a huge smile. Initially, the Czechs seem the least friendly. However, this is because they are more reserved and private. Upon getting to know them, they are very genuine, very real.
What are most travelers like?
Adventurous, friendly, forthcoming, appreciate the small things in life. (I am now realizing how important and wonderful this is....to appreciate the daily small pleasures of life. In the future, I now know I could live "simply", if I so chose.)
Do you know a certain person who you tend to hang out with most?
Well, you do meet a person or two with whom you get on particularly well, and you may decide to travel together for a while. It is very bittersweet when it's time to move on, and you have to part ways...possibly forever. I met an American girl and an Italian girl in Santorini and we traveled some of the islands together. It was very sad when we all said goodbye. Likewise, I met two couples on the Greek island of Mykonos - Leigh and Jane from Australia, and Leon and Zona from South Africa. The five of us got on fantastically. We traveled to Turkey together and had a lot of fun. Fortunately, I will get to see Leigh and Jane again when they come to Prague. And Leon and Zona have invited me to stay on their farm in South Africa.
What did you bring with you and what have you found useful?
Things I LOVE having:
Things I have accumulated while travelling:
Things I have not used yet:
Clothes (too many):
Toiletries:
Other: