This week’s Photo of the Week comes from Arbaminch, Ethiopia. It was very early in the morning when this shot was taken, the world seemed untouched, as the sun melted away the morning frost; the view before me simply gave me a feeling of peace.
By Greta for Life Out of a Suitcase. To read the rest, click here. Read more stories by 20 something woman expats and travelers at Life Out of a Suitcase.
This week’s Traveler Interview comes from Jessica Kulick from Of Revolt. This New Yorker left the clutches of the corporate world to be a digital nomad and experience all that Europe has to offer. You can also connect with Jessica on Twitter. Enjoy her insights into Aix-en-Provence, France.
A skirt or two; I’d forgotten how warm the weather is in the south of France (think Mediterranean temperatures), and the gorgeous sunshine had me wishing that I could frolic in a skirt rather than sweat it out in my jeans and cardigans.
Jewelry! I bought a silk jewelry roll for $12 in New York City’s Chinatown especially for this trip, thinking I would look ever-so-chic with my bangles and baubles. Instead, I wear the same stud earrings and my engagement ring. Every. Single. Day. So silly.
Aix-en-Provence is definitely less expensive than some of the larger cities in France (ahem, Paris). When going out at night, I would recommend skipping the beer and cocktails, which can cost about €5 for a pint and up to €11 (eek!) for a fancy cocktail. Go for wine instead, which is cheap and delicious in all its varieties here.
If you want to get truly Provençal, then buy a baguette (usually only €0.75) at any of the boulangeries, pick up a bottle of Vin de Pays (about €2.00) from a local Proxi, and make yourself a little picnic! Sit at one of the many fountains and engage in my favorite French sport: people-watching!
Read the rest here.
Written by Jessica for Life Out of a Suitcase. Read more stories by 20 something woman expats and travelers at Life Out of a Suitcase.
I must confess I have a small problem.
I’m slightly addicted… to checking budget airline web sites and booking flights on a whim. It was one of those days where I was doing my usual search and saw a destination pop up that I hadn’t seen before.
Corsica… an island belonging to France, slightly closer to the coast of Italy than it is to the coast of France; an island of rugged, wild beauty. It’s also an island with a strong separatist sentiment; Corsicans are very proud of their region and have their own culture, customs and language.
Booked. Non-refundable ticket.
Then I discovered that there aren’t really any budget hostels in Corsica, leaving me to wonder how I could manage to pull off this trip without exhausting my entire budget in one day. I started to read up a little more and found out that Corsica is heaven for campers.
I took my sleeping bag, loaded the rest in a backpack, and I was off.
I landed in Bastia, caught a bus to the fishing village turned resort port town of St. Florent and headed to a camping site. I was told I could pick whichever “lot” I preferred. I soon realized I was the only one without a tent and I was pretty much surrounded by groups of families with camper vans. You know, people who really know how to camp and have proper supplies and prepare for months in advance.
Read the rest here.
Written by Isabel for Life Out of a Suitcase. Read more stories by 20 something woman expats & travelers at Life Out of a Suitcase.
This photo of the week was taken from inside the Po Lin Monastery in the town of Ngong Ping on Lantau Island in Hong Kong. From the doorway you can see the Tian Tan Buddha or ‘Big Buddha’ in the distance.
A 25-minute journey via cable car took us over the mountains and sea to reach Ngong Ping. Although we only explored the area for an afternoon, we could have easily spent the entire day there, marveling at the different sights and hiking the nearby trails. I was amazed at the grandiosity of the Big Buddha and the colors and ornate details of the Po Lin monastery. Completely surrounded by the trees, mountains and sea, the area is breathtaking.
Read the rest here.
By Lauren for Life Out of a Suitcase. Read more stories by 20 something woman expats and travelers at Life Out of a Suitcase.
In the newest installment of the Life Out of a Suitcase Interview Series, Maria, originally from Madrid, Spain, talks about her trip to Marrakesh, Morocco. Visit her blog (in Spanish) and connect with her on Twitter.
Standard of life in Marrakesh is rather cheap, especially for a European or an American. A small lunch could cost as little as $3. A big lunch or dinner would almost never be more than $7.
I stayed right on the border of the Medina in a neighborhood called Gueliz. I liked that it was very close to where the action takes place (all the relevant touristy places are in the Medina or just around it), but it was sufficiently far away so that you could rest in a peaceful area. Also, Gueliz is the better side of town and therefore a different side of Marrakesh which was worth seeing.
It really depends on the time of year you travel. If you go around Easter, you should take light clothing for the day and something a little bit warmer for the evening and night. It is important to remember that Morocco is a Muslim country, so you should avoid dressing provocatively (Moroccans are pretty open-minded about western clothing, but if you want to avoid some male stares, dress appropriately).
Read the rest here.
Written by Maria for Life Out of a Suitcase. Read more stories by 20 something woman expats and travelers at Life Out of a Suitcase.
Prior to departing for my India trip, I had been in touch with a Canadian woman,Tania, and her mother who founded a non-profit organization called One! International, targeting street children and their families living in Mumbai. They work in the central Mumbai areas between Bandra and Andheri, where there are numerous pockets of slums, and run two schools for the children. As we had a baggage allowance of two checked bags of 50 pounds a piece each, my friend and I offered to take along an extra suitcase of supplies from the mother (who lives in Edmonton, Canada) to Tania in India.
On our fourth day in India, Tania came and met us at our hotel and kindly agreed to take my friend and I down to one of the slums to see first-hand the homes and lives of the children she works with in her schools. She picked us up in a rickshaw and when we arrived Lali, one of the boys from Tania’s school, greeted us. Lali had the highest grades in his class (they were on summer holidays), and was starting to learn some basic English. He introduced himself to us, and asked us our names. He also entertained us with a rendition of “ That’s Not My Name” (by the Ting Tings), which was taught to him by some volunteers from England, replacing the names in the song with those of his classmates, as well as parts of “Yellow Submarine” and “Jingle Bells”! Tania and Lali led us through the slums where many of her students live, and we had the chance to go into some of the homes of residents that were around that day. We met Lali’s mother, who was doing quite well compared to many of her neighbors; she buys bulk garlic and acts as sort of a wholesaler, splitting up the garlic into smaller batches to sell to others. We also met a lady named Parvati, who was not doing as well – her husband has two other wives and is not often around, and she did not have much of a roof, which will be a major problem when monsoon season starts. Portions of the slums completely flood during the monsoons, especially when they coincide with high tide, but many of the residents have no choice but to just wait it out in their homes. We stopped in to visit another student of Tania’s, a girl named Rani, who made us chai while we sat and chatted with her mother (with Tania acting as translator from Hindi to English).
Read the rest here.
Written by Kristan for Life Out of a Suitcase. Read more stories by 20 something woman expats and travelers at Life Out of a Suitcase.
The Photo of the Week comes from Rio de Janeiro. The Selàron Staircase is at the foot of the hilly Santa Teresa neighbourhood, near the lapa archs in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Selàron, the artist, has been decorating these stairs with tiles from over 60 different countries since 1990.
View a full size version of the photo here.
You can read more about Andrea’s experience in Rio on her blog.
“Praia (the beach) is Brazil’s great equalizer, a democracy unto itself, where everyone goes to swim, take in the sun, and play.” – Elizabeth Herrington, author of Passport Brazil.
It is true that you see every type of person on the beach. Fat, skinny. Rich, poor. Black, white, (or in my case) red. However, I do not agree with the rosy picture that Herrington paints of beach life in Brazil. Even though people from all walks of life frequent the beach, it is still very easy to see the divisions in social status, wealth, and occupation. As you walk along the beach you can notice which areas are for people in the upper, middle, and lower classes. And of course, there are those who make their living from beach life; a life that is far from ‘fun in the sun’.
I would argue that the beach is not a democracy, but a mini society. And just like every other society you are a part of, you have a place and a role to play. The beach is no different.
The newest Expat Interview comes from Erin Ridley, creator of La Tortuga Viajera. Erin is currently living in Madrid, Spain.
You can connect with Erin through Twitter and Facebook.
At a bar, while visiting Madrid with friends, I had an unspectacular 15-minute conversation with an oddly tall, dark and handsome Spaniard. I hardly remembered him the next day, not to mention the fact that I gave him my email. After leaving the country, I received a message from him, which kicked off our whirlwind email romance. Three months later I returned to Spain, followed by seven more trips that year, and ultimately my move a year and a half after we met. And sure enough, nine months ago we got married in a 700-year-old monastery in the Spanish countryside!
2. What is the cost of living in your new home? The cost of a beer? Bread? A Blouse?
The one thing that perplexes me on a daily basis is the cost of a glass of wine – it’s cheaper than water. Here a bottle of sparkling water at a restaurant will often run you close to 3€, while a glass of wine is usually around 2.50€. The decision between the two kind of makes itself, doesn’t it? Clothes, on the other hand, tend to be more expensive and, in my opinion, lower in quality. Generally, I opt for Zara where you get what you pay for. That said, when it comes to boots, shoes and sandals, Spain is the place. High in quality and low in price – as if I needed another excuse to acquire more zapatos (shoes)!
Take note: Spaniards never dress down. That means no pajamas or gym clothes outside of the house (I say this for the Americans, especially)! They also tend to wear tights and scarves until temperatures reach at least 80?/25?. Bearing your legs before the summer heat arrives will definitely draw weird looks. So will flip-flops. And shorts.
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This photo of the week was taken on the Karluv Most (Charles Bridge) in Prague. The Charles Bridge is undoubtedly one of the most tourist-laden places in Prague, a city already overwhelmed by its visitors. At sundown though, the bridge becomes peaceful thanks to the buskers who have gone home and the vacationers off to dinner in Old Town.
I was watching the river, alone with my camera when I heard the soft shuffle of footsteps. A husband and wife were quietly regarding one of the many Christian saints that populate the bridge. I saw as they each swept a hand across the statue, further polishing the bronze that had been rubbed off by so many pilgrims before them. I snapped the photo and was glad to see them smile at each other and continue their walk, without ever noticing that I was there.
View a full size of the photo here.
You can follow Jessica on Twitter or check out her website, Of Revolt.
If you liked this post, subscribe for email updates of Life Out of a Suitcase. You can’t miss a single story or photo that way!
This photo of the week was taken on the Karluv Most (Charles Bridge) in Prague. The Charles Bridge is undoubtedly one of the most tourist-laden places in Prague, a city already overwhelmed by its visitors. At sundown though, the bridge becomes peaceful thanks to the buskers who have gone home and the vacationers off to dinner in Old Town.
I was watching the river, alone with my camera when I heard the soft shuffle of footsteps. A husband and wife were quietly regarding one of the many Christian saints that populate the bridge. I saw as they each swept a hand across the statue, further polishing the bronze that had been rubbed off by so many pilgrims before them. I snapped the photo and was glad to see them smile at each other and continue their walk, without ever noticing that I was there.
View a full size of the photo here.
You can follow Jessica on Twitter or check out her website, Of Revolt.
If you liked this post, subscribe for email updates of Life Out of a Suitcase. You can’t miss a single story or photo that way!
Life Out of a Suitcase is launching a new interview series. We are talking to travelers and expats to get their experience as they globetrott.
The inaugural interview comes from Greta Francesca Iori AKA TheItaliopian. She is the author and creator of The Chronicles of an Italiopian and currently living in Cancun, Mexico.
I am half Italian; Half Ethiopian and grew up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the most part of my life.
I am currently in my 3rd year of University studying International Tourism Management and Consultancy; I am in Cancun carrying out a 6 month working placement, with a sustainable tourism company, which promotes eco-travel in the Ancient Mayan World.
Definitely ‘Injera’, which is the Ethiopian National food. It's extremely yummy but virtually impossible to eat anywhere in Mexico!
Socks! I am not sure why I packed them in the first place, as it is called the Mexican Caribbean for a reason! But I can assure you that it is far too humid and uncomfortable to be wearing anything over my feet on any day!
I live in Cancun Downtown, which is not the beachfront tourist infested area of the city (that is known as the Cancun Hotel Zone). I live in a very pleasant area of downtown, which is in close vicinity to the famous Mercado 28, a market for all sorts of souvenirs and goodies. I live walking distance from Las Palapas, which is a square where locals come together every evening to eat, watch performances and buy local produce along the streets. It is a lively place to hang out any given day of the week as there is always something entertaining happening, and it's a great chance to munch on the delicious Mexican cuisine, mingle with a local, or even dance to the Latin rhythms.
I would have to say the most amazing little gem I have found in my neighborhood, is right across the street (Address: Avenida Palenque con la esquina de Xpuhil). It is a fresh fruit mix store where they have products like ice cream, yoghurt, popsicles, fresh whole fruits, and Aguas de frutas (the equivalent of fruit flavored water – all natural!). It is incredibly healthy, fresh and completely addicting! My personal fav, 'Agua', is a mix between pineapple and lemon! Sinfully good!
This may be completely random, but I have the biggest addiction to coconuts, whether its coconut milk, shakes, candy, chocolate, anything! It is after I moved to Cancun that I found the MOST INCREDIBLE local coconut producer which makes PURE coconut Bars (yes coconut lovers you read correctly) of all shapes and sizes; chunky squares of pure coconut delight! I have never come across this bar of heaven anywhere else on the planet! And am seriously considering leaving all my clothes to take back a full suitcase of it back with me!
7. Do you have a favorite escape from Cancun?City life can become quite monotonous when engulfed with work and responsibility. Having the incredible opportunity to live on the Caribbean Sea is not something I take for granted at all, so I would have to say I gain complete escape and pure tranquility when diving in the ocean, or in the incredible caverns of a Cenote (sink holes) in the Riviera Maya. The crystal clear water and incomparable beauty of the underwater world is one of my favorite places to be. Tip for divers: The Famous Gran Cenote near Tulum has some of the most incredible stalagmites and stalactites. Well worth a visit!
8. What’s the best way to avoid getting mugged or robbed?
Cancun, Mexico is relativity one of the safest cities in Mexico. With the media focusing heavily on the drug wars and death numbers in some unfortunate areas of Mexico, people generally tend to stereotype the whole country to be dangerous. Of course like any other big city in the world, there are the simple golden rules to avoid any trouble, these are the ones I live by while here:
I believe if the above are taken into account at all times, I am certain there will be no bumping into trouble!
I am enjoying living in the vibrant city of Cancun very much! It is conveniently located a drive away from some of the greatest attractions, including one of the 7 new wonders of the world, The Chichen Itza Temple! The diversity from the sunny beaches, to the thick jungles and incredible Mayan archeological sites; I definitely am living the life! I will also get a chance to travel to other areas of Mexico in August, when I go on a 3-week adventure starting in Mexico City, as I cover as much as I can on my way back to Cancun! Stay tuned for the Chronicles of an Italiopian Mexican Take over!
You can also connect with Greta on Twitter.
If you want to be part of the Expat or Traveler Interview series, contact Life Out of a Suitcase.
Written by Greta for Life Out of a Suitcase. Read more stories by 20 something woman expats and travelers at Life Out of a Suitcase.
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Written by Kristan for Life Out of a Suitcase. Read more stories by 20 something woman expats and travelers at Life Out of a Suitcase.
If you liked this post, subscribe for email updates of Life Out of a Suitcase. You can’t miss a single story or photo that way!This week's Photo is a perspective from the Pao de Azucar (Sugarloaf Mountain) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The entire day was overcast, but as soon as we made it to this stop, the clouds opened up, seemingly for us, and we had the chance to witness the beauty of Rio de Janeiro. You can see the Corcovado (giant Jesus statue) in the distance to the left as well!
View a full size of the photo here.
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In Portuguese the word ‘ficar’ has two meanings. In some contexts ‘ficar’ can mean the verb ‘to stay,’ e.g.“Quanto tempo você vai ficar na Bahia?” Translation: “For how long are you going to stay in Bahia?” However, in some more complex situations (wink wink), ‘ficar’ can also be the verb ‘to hook up,’ or mean an extra friendly type of casual relationship.
The concept of ficar is interesting because it opens up the conversation of Brazilian romantic relationships in general (which I have discovered can be delightfully complicated!) Truthfully, I find the Canadian dating system to be a bit dull and limiting in terms of options. Typically, if you are a Canadian of my generation you will fall in one of two categories:
1) Chronically single or…
2) In a very serious long term relationship.
In Brazil there are six levels of romantic relationships:
1) Ficar - A one-time transaction that can vary between a dance floor make-out to a one night stand. The key phrase for this level is: ‘ONE Time!’ This distinction is very important and thus requires an example. Please repeat after me: “Uma vez eu fique com Gustavo.” Translation: ”One time I hooked up with Gustavo.”
2) Ficante - From ficar we move on to ficante, which is when you take your so-called ‘one time’ ficar and go back for seconds. (In this city, between the heat, the samba, the tight clothes, and the beach… something has got to give! Okay? So ne judge pas s’il vous plait, because acceptance is the road to understanding.)
3) Paquera - A frequent ficante who you realize (after the first few booty calls) is actually pretty cool and someone you gel with quite well. That is to say that this level is ‘booty with potential’… potential for what exactly has yet to be determined.
4) Namorado – This is your classic boyfriend/girlfriend label. The stage where holding hands, riding shot gun, watching movies with your family, and making things ‘official’ on facebook is the norm. (Awwwww!!)
5) Noivado - Now we start moving into serious territory with ‘noviazgo’, which is engagement. In Brazil they wear the engagement ring on their right hand and then switch the rings to their left hand when married.
6) Marido - If you see a ring on your left hand it means you have successfully climbed the hierarchy of Brazilian relationships! Parabéns! Now let’s cut the cake!
As I’ve noticed, the majority of people here are reasonably slim. What’s the secret? Well here’s what I believe are the Cariocas´ (people of Rio de Janeiro) secrets to keeping slim.
1. Beach 365 days of the year:
When you live in a climate where you can go tan and swim at the beach any day of the year, well that’s some good motivation to keep slim.
2. Make lunch your main meal:
Lunchtime here is fun. You get a 1-1.5 hours for lunch and you eat out. Then you have a snack at about 5 p.m. and a light dinner around 9 p.m. And you never skip breakfast. It’s easy to get a well-balanced meal at one of the many “Restaurantes por Kilo” or pay-by-weight buffet restaurants, with a large selection of salad, lean meat, fresh fruit, beans and rice.
3. Leisure time can be active time:
Cariocas like to spend lots of time on the beach, but they don’t just lie in the sun. They go swimming, surfing, windsurfing, kite surfing; play soccer, beach volleyball, go for jogs or bike rides along the walk beside the beach.
4. Dance the night away:
And after beach time, it’s time to go out and dance samba – a dance that burns lots of calories.
5. Espresso not lattes:
Cream, sugar, mochas, and lattes: they all can add extra calories. Cariocas have 1 coffee with milk in the morning followed by little espressos throughout the rest of the day.
6. Lighter beer:
Beer with lower alcohol content reduces the calorie count.
7. Local meats, fruits and vegetables:
Grass-fed local meat. A great variety of local fruits and vegetables. And then there’s the magical açai berry that you can get cheaply and in large delicious portions as a sweet, slushy, refreshing, icy, solid drink that you eat with a spoon. Apparently this has a lot of calories but it is really good for you.
8. Drink 8 glasses of water a day:
In this heat, this is a necessity.
9. Bland food:
Rio is known for its bland food. And the blander the food is, perhaps the smaller the appetite becomes. Or at least it has for me. Up north in Bahia the food is spicier. In Minas Gerais, the food is greasier (thus also yummier). São Paulo has a decent variety of international cuisine.
10. Stress less:
Cariocas know how to relax. And a relaxed culture makes for less cortisol in the system and a higher metabolism.
This post was written by Andrea for Life Out of a Suitcase. Read more stories from 20 something women expats and travelers at Life Out of a Suitcase.
You can read more about Andrea’s experience in Rio on her blog. If you liked this post, subscribe for email updates of Life Out of a Suitcase. You can’t miss a single story or photo that way!
This photo of the week was taken on the Alamfi Coast in Italy. I was lucky enough to get to stop in Capri, Italy on my first cruise. We took a gondola up to the top of this giant hill and you could look out on the town from one side and this was part of the view on the other side.
It just feels like the edge of the world! I took this picture because I could not believe how beautiful the lookout was. I have always loved the sea (quelle surprise for a land-lubber from the prairies) and other large bodies of water; the immensity of it is often breathtaking.
View a full size of the photo here.
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This photo was contributed by Elaine for Life Out of a Suitcase.
More stories by 20 something women expats & travelers at LifeOutofaSuitcase.com!
Find the origial post here.
I traveled through Venice, Italy, and uncover a place that was vivacious, vigorous and easy to fall in love with. The train came at approximately 8pm and upon wanting to find the bus to where I'd booked Hotel Primavera in Venice Mestra; I had a little worry. The bus system was a bit unknown to try and figure out. I needed to get to the outskirts of the city across the river, but the system wasn't impossible.
Venice itself is just magnificent. The bus got me to a relatively central bus station, Piazzale Roma where there were compact caravans selling fresh Panini, good for a morning break. Following some signs, I walked over to the main area of Venice to find a myriad of tiny streets, cobbled roads and a number of smaller coffee shops. Prepared with my traveler's map I set off in the path of Basilica di San Marco at the Piazza, and then head back in the direction I'd come from on one of the ferries down the Grand Canal. I failed wretchedly.There are so many munificent small canals in Venice but when you you can just cross one on a footbridge you end up getting completely lost in the process. There's certainly no point making an attempt to read a map, I tried time and time again to get to a selected location with the map and failed epically each time! In Venice you've just got to follow the canals, tiny paths and like getting lost. If you want to get somewhere there are some signs that point out Piazza San Marco and Rialto Bridge and have directions to public toilets as well. This, I figured out by the second day was the best way to do Venice.What is completely awesome is to spend half an hour on the Rialto Bridge just seeing the afternoon go by, shopping in the stalls nearby and having an espresso at a little coffee shop. The canal gondolas seem quite high priced to rent, but if you're a couple wanting an hour of soothingness in the otherwise congested streets, this might be a good way to go. My other favourite place in Venice is the main Piazza San Marco. Take the time to go through the Basilica di San Marco and sit in a corner of the square with a book, a awesome way to spend time.I did treat myself a touch and went to a slightly overpriced and short show of the old Venetian Carnivale. It was certainly put on for tourists but did give you a bit of history and perspective into Venetian life. Do pick up the Church and Cathedral guide and use that as a base to get around, they are absolutely lovely inside and in trying to find them you get to see a couple awesome squares: the San Giacomo dall'Orio, where one of the oldest churches is.One of my tips for Venice: if you see something you like or a photo you want to take, buy it or take it then and there, trust me you'll have such problems getting back to that exact spot!Written by Kay for Life Out of a Suitcase. Find more stories by 20 something women expats & travelers at Life Out of a Suitcase.
