'You're So Lucky!'... My Perspective

It's been about a month & a half since I boarded my plane to Dublin in the Toronto Pearson Airport. There are days where I wonder what life would be like if I stayed at home... If I had chose to finish my last year of school. If I was still working full-time to pay off my student debt. If I was spending my earnings on partying every weekend instead of paying off that debt. If I was still settling for guys who, deep down, I knew were not meant for me... & friends who led to more stress than well-being. I think of the what ifs, the could haves & maybe even the should haves & can genuinely say that while of course I miss maple syrup, hockey & snowboarding, this move to Ireland is possibly the best decision I've made in my entire life.

Maybe I'm being melodramatic with that statement, but in the month & a half I've been here I have been smiling for no reason, stopping dead in the street to admire my surroundings & have met others with the same passion for travel I have, who I am entirely grateful for. I worked ridiculously hard to make this dream happen, with more pitfalls than usual along the way. I honestly cannot say that luck played any part in this process. 

U ARE ALIVE*, Street Art, Portobello

The visa offices in Canada went on strike, delaying my visa. Due to this & my refusal to buy cancellation insurance (in fear that this meant there would be a possibility the trip wouldn't happen), I lost a flight. This meant delaying my move & working for another month in a job I honestly dreaded. This also meant finding another job in Ireland... I chose Dublin. Realistically I could have kept with my original plan & visa application for Belfast, but chose to start entirely over. Why? I can't say I'm sure. But I do not regret the decision whatsoever & instead am happier than ever that I put myself & my poor fam through the agony of overhauling my game plan. In the excitement, I also left my laptop with airport security. Needless to say, this is why luck did not play a part in my move abroad.

The seafront of my new home

To be completely honest, I'm not alone among many others who've stories I've read, in the fact that I tend to be peeved when the comment, 'You're so lucky!' is made. Going after your real passion, putting your all into making it come to life & giving up an easy, comfortable life & the potential for a well-paying career in order to do so, is not luck. I chose travel over what was expected of me & many other twenty somethings. I was expected to finish school, settle down with someone from high school, plan my career goals & begin investing into a home. What would've been missing in that life? Happiness.

I may not finish school until I'm 30... I may not find a guy who's willing to accept the fact that I don't want to settle down. Hell, I may never stop travelling. I may have broken my Mum's heart & I may miss my brother & Bourbon on a daily basis... Also, my friends. I may spend all of my money on experiences & not possessions. I may spend my Summers backpacking instead of renovating a new home. But, I will meet people with gorgeous souls. I will gain a pound in each country I visit discovering incredible food. I will be so exhausted from flying I will sleep on airport benches. I will learn how to say thank you in every language I'll need. I will take the bus home at 9am, not having slept, after a night out with new friends. Now that, is what I call lucky. Cheers!

& remember... 'If it is important to you, you'll find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse.'
xxx

Au Pairing, We Meet Again

As I mentioned in my very first blog post, I already have my next adventure planned & in the making... Now, if you read that post, you'll already know that I have already been an au pair before, in Paris, France to be exact. Through all of the ups & downs during that year in Europe, I can already think of a few people who think I am utterly crazy for deciding to au pair again. But what can I say really, I s'pose I'm probably already on the downward spiral to becoming mentally insane.

In all seriousness though, what better way to kickstart my journey into full-time nomad than by au pairing? I have a job lined up in a country I am already familiar with & a lovely family willing to take me in. Not to mention the visa is probably one of the easiest to possibly obtain with the Youth Mobility Scheme (more on that later) & the fact that I love kids helps, obviously!... It almost seems like a no brainer to me, after already having attempted the settle down at home & go to college route I decided that that will definitely not be the path I take in life.



I guess I should probably tell you where I am au pairing then? Well, Belfast, Northern Ireland to be exact! I was lucky enough to be able to spend 2 weeks of Spring whilst in Paris touring the whole of Ireland & I absolutely fell in love... I am probably most stoked on the fact that I never actually went to Northern Ireland (technically part of the U.K.), so I'm incredibly excited to find out what the city has to offer! I will be leaving in mid September, 6 weeks from Monday actually.

 Cliffs of Moher

So if you've been to Belfast (or any of Northern Ireland), I'd love to hear your input! Also any other fellow au pairs out there, would be brilliant to hear from you. In the upcoming weeks I'm thinking I'll probably do a couple photo essays, some how tos that I wish I had had my first time leaving & maybe a few story tellings? We shall see anyway. Until then... Bisous.

 xxx

How It All Began...

Heyaaa! So not exactly sure where to start, but I'll give it a go with how my passion for travelling came about.

You could say I've always been a traveller, spending Summers in B.C. & flying to Ontario alone at the age of 8 & upwards, but my love really grew at the first few opportunities I had as a teenager to leave the country with friends. Now before this I had been to Hawaii & travelled various places as I mentioned, but all had been with family.

When the opportunity for Cuba arose, I took it & spontaneously 2 weeks later I found myself on a flight being fed coconut concoctions at the age of 16. My adventures in Cuba that holiday I will leave for another post, but if I had to pin point how it all began, it would be there.

Varadero, Cuba

Well, there & my first school trip to New York City, also at the age of 16 & shockingly allowed much independence! But again, I shall save that for later.

So growing up in Alberta & moving to Ontario for middle school, I found myself the happiest whilst exploring. Instead of being upset about leaving my hometown, I was craving the adventure. Finishing high school here, I took the first opportunity I could & moved abroad to au pair just 3 months after graduating.

I found myself in Paris, France for a year, having weekends & extensive holidays soley for travelling. At the age of 18, you could say I was in heaven. I had the chance to visit much of Europe, my favourites being the U.K. (in particular Ireland), the Alps (I'm an avid snowboarder) & Germany to name a few.

The Swiss Alps

Of course I will be going into detail about my travels in the upcoming posts, but as a quick intro, I'm hoping this will do! I have since moved back to Canada & am planning my next expat journey for this Autumn (of 2013), only this time I plan on staying abroad, actually terribly excited at the chance of professional nomad status, much to my Mum's dismay. I have to say, as cheesy as this may be, the passion I have for travel, I have yet to experience in any other aspect of my life thusfar (yes, including relationships ladies!)... & at the age of 21, in my eyes I have nothing to lose & everything to gain.

So basically, I'd love for you all to come along with me during my good & bad times of this next adventure (believe me there will be plenty bad), my only hope being to inspire & maybe even help out a few of you in following your own travel dreams! Enough cheese though & on with the blogging...
xxx