WHAT NEXT? TRAVEL, STUDY ABOARD, WORK?

Making decisions hasn't always been a strong skill of mine, especially when I've got several options. I'm grateful that I've got all of these opportunities but the more I have the harder it gets. Sometimes it's simpler when you're given choice A or B but it doesn't always work like that.

Since I've been back from my year in Australia I've been a tad confused if I'm honest. What's up what's down, should I go left or right. Finding your feet after a year in a different environment can be difficult. I just didn't know what to do, It was meant to be simple. I was getting my second year visa for Australia and I would be on a flight by November after my friends wedding. Although my visa got declined so no more Aussieland for me, I have considered the option of a student visa and it would be great because I love learning, I would be able to finish my degree and be with my friends again. After really thinking about the pro's and con's I decided it's not what I want right now, I want to explore a new place and I lived in Sydney for the better part of a year in 2014/2015 so lets plan a new adventure!

Should I work here or aboard again? For now I'm happy to stay in the UK and work to save money to fund another adventure but don't want to get tied down as I want to explore. The other option is work aboard. I've been very interested in Canada recently because I can apply for a 2 year visa. This would be an amazing opportunity because I would have the time to live in a few places and explore Canada. Another on my list is New Zealand, I travelled this beautiful place for 4 weeks in February and I would love to go back. Again New Zealand offers a 2 year visa so there is plenty of time. Another work option which I've looked into is working somewhere in Europe, maybe do a ski season in the France? Plenty of opportunities we Brits rarely take advantage of.

Travel maybe? How about AMERICA? ... just putting it out there! This has always been a dream trip and I would love to travel great places like New York, Las Vegas and New Orleans to name a few. I've actually already started planning this trip which you can see here! It should be a no brainer really, travel of course. Although I've got one little problem which I think will affect my dream trip in a big way. This thing called money, I seem to have none or lack of. I've been applying for extra weekend and evening jobs to get closer to funding this trip next year but no luck yet. I know I will find one, surely I'm qualified enough to stack shelves at Sainsbury's right? Until then I've got to be sensible with the money I am earning and make sure I don't spend it on silly things. 

I think I've come up with the best way for me to afford this trip in addition to the extra job. Work while I'm in America, seems simple right? Well it's not I'm afraid America doesn't offer a working holiday visa like many other countries but there programmes that will give temporary sponsorship such as Camp America. This particular programme lasts for 9 weeks over the summer holidays so I could earn some extra cash in-between travelling and have a great time doing it. I was thinking about leaving for America at the beginning of May 2016  to travel around a few places. Then I would start work at the Camp end of June through for 9 weeks, it may be called a "summer job" but I can see it being a fun experience. Afterwards I could travel more if a visa allowed me to do so. If not in America I'm more than happy to pop over to Mexico for a few weeks ;)

So it's been difficult to decide over the past few weeks but in the grand scheme of things I think travelling is the best option for me at this point in my life. I don't think I'm ready for a "career" yet. Don't get me wrong I work hard and am dedicated in the jobs I have but knowing I will be exploring somewhere new very soon keeps me happy :)

Sincerely, Kimberly.

xxx

TRAVEL || PLANNING MY TRIP TO AMERICA

America has always been on my list of places to travel, although it's such a big country where to start? I know something for sure, I want to travel in the summer!

After the initial planning I decided to narrow my locations down further as I had about 19 on the list and only a 3 month visa. I could do all those cities but I want time to explore each place for everything it has.

The current list as it stands:

• Boston 
• New York - Enough said.
• Philadelphia 
• Washington D.C
• Virginia - If you're a "Vampire Diaries" you can visit Mystic Falls although the towns real name is Covington. Tours are available around the town which is definitely on my list of things to do.
• Orlando - Walt Disney World, Warner Bros. Studios the list goes on.
• Miami - Why not spend a week sitting on gorgeous beaches.
• New Orleans - I have a lot of love for the series "The Originals" which was filmed in the beautiful city of New Orleans. If you've noticed a pattern I love the supernatural.
• The Grand Canon 
• Las Vegas - Need I say more?

I know I'm missing amazing places like LA, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Chicago but I figured I could always go back for round 2. As I said I want to explore each place properly and not rush. 

There are a few ways to travel around America but some are not cost effective if you're travelling alone. There are 2 ways to travel by yourself either plane or train. Internal flights around America are actually surprisingly low and this is the quicker option. The other option is by train, there are 3 train passes by Amtrak available. Choose from 15, 30 or 45 day passes, each of these passes have restricted number of segments that you can visit so make sure you map out your trip first. I'm thinking of the 45 day pass, this will give me enough time to travel many of the destinations on my list. Yes it may take longer to get to my next destination but isn't half the fun actually sight seeing in-between cities? I don't mind the extra time taken to travel, I love train rides. It gives me plenty of time to think and reflect back on what I've done and also consider what I want to do in the next. 

Next step, I need to save enough money to explore each place to it's fullest. Now how much do I need? £5,000, £8,000 or even £10,000 maybe? I've been reading a few blogs and chatrooms, to be honest I didn't get a clear answer because everyones agenda is different. The amount you will need depends on the activities and cities you will be visiting. In my case I think its best for me to have at-least £1,500 per month for accommodation and food, this amount allows me to be flexible and enjoy a meal out or buy something new.

I best start saving because £10,000 is a lot of money to save in about 8 months. Let the fun begin!

So I've taken the first steps in planning my trip, but if it's like any other trips I've planned things change. Sometimes the spur of the moment changes of activities or locations are amazing. Do you have any tips for travelling America? Anything I should see or do? Any help would be appreciated :)

Sincerely, Kimberly.

xxx

DUOLINGO || LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE

Want to learn a new language?

About 8 weeks ago I decided to learn a new language, at the time I was applying to work in France. Therefore I thought French would be beneficial, although my plans have changed I’ve decided to continue learning the beautiful language. Knowing another language is a skill that is highly desirable. Not only does it show you’re focused it demonstrates your ability to retain new information.

I wanted a free way to start learning French and I came across the app Duolingo, you will be spoilt for choice with this app. It's very easy to use, after 8 weeks I’m writing, reading and understanding basic French.

It has several different teaching techniques:

• Reading English and writing in French (vise-versa)
• Listening to French and writing what is said in French
• Speaking French (Obviously this can only go so far)
• Matching French to English pairs

Each section is broken down into categories starting with “basics” from basic words, phases, food, animals, adjectives and plurals. Once each section is 100% complete then you can move on to more complex areas. I’m still on the basics and currently on plurals, it may not seem like I’ve got very far in the 8 weeks but I like to keep repeating each lesson to ensure I understand it before I move on. I think if you’re not 100% confident before you move on it can make it difficult to understand more complex areas! Each to there own though, as everyone learns differently but that’s my opinion :)

I do have a lot of love for this app and I know it’s helped me learn very quickly as I do it daily. Although there are limitations from a conversations point of view. Improving your speaking skills is so important when learning a new language and the app can only do so much. Since I’m serious about learning to my full potential I’ve decided to enrol in an evening class.

This app is great and I would suggest it to anyone wanting to learn the local lingo for a holiday or to gain a new skill. If you’re unsure whether a certain language is right for you, Duolingo gives you the opportunity to learn a little bit and see whether you want to invest in a class like I am.

Right so I’ve praised this app enough for one day, I hope you found this helpful and give it a go! Learn something new :)

Sincerely, Kimberly.

xxx

KEFALONIA || THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY TRIP

It's amazing, I live so close to many beautiful places in Europe yet never really thought to visit them. After living away for a year in Australia I came to appreciate what Europe has to offer. Australia is also the place I met my lovely french friend Barbara, who happened to have a Villa in Kefalonia. Which brings us to this holiday in Kefalonia.

I spent 10 days on this trip and it wasn't nearly enough time to explore what this city has to offer.

1: Myrtos Beach

I was very excited to visit this beautiful beach, did you know its famous? 

White pebble sand and crystal clear blue water, Myrtos beach is truly the perfect place for a relaxing day. Although I have to say, the water here was very cold compared to different beaches I visited in Greece. We arrived at 11am, in my opinion its the perfect time because you can still grab a sunbed and umbrella.

It's not a short walk from Argostoli, you need to catch the bus or grab a taxi. We were recommended to get a taxi there which was 40 Euro and took about 40 minutes. If you're travelling on a budget the bus is the cheaper option at only 4.10 each, although be ready to hike up a steep hill for 45 minutes from Myrtos Beach to get to the bus stop. We were lucky enough to get a lift up the hill by a couple, so be friendly and people are willing to help you out.

2: Xi Beach in Lixouri
This beautiful beach is just a short ferry ride away and for only 2.80 euros you can afford it even if you're on a budget. I loved this beach because there are so many photo opportunities, yes I love to take 100 photos like a real tourist :)

This shower certainly blends into the environment.

Food wise there is only one place to eat at Xi beach and its the Baywatch Beach Bar. Don't worry though, there is plenty to choose from and the staff are willing to change elements of the dishes if you need to.

3: Walk along the port of Argostoli

I love to go on day trips and do other activities but sometimes its nice to take a walk with a beautiful view. I took every opportunity to take in this scenery, every time I saw it in a different way. The sky would show a variety of shades of blue, purple, pink, orange and yellow. This port is also home to many beautiful giant turtles and if you're anything like me you'll love these amazing creatures. Take a chance to experience the simple things while visiting a new place.

It's still beautiful, even on a cloudy day.

4: Lunch at the Traditional
I would have never known about the Traditional lunch if it wasn't for my friend Barbara. If you're not lucky enough to have a friend who knows the local area, ask the locals. Make sure you use your manners and learn basic Greek for "Hello" and "Thank you", you'll be surprised how far these basic terms can get you. 

At the traditional you can choose from a variety of dishes. I chose a Greek version of Lasagne called Pastitsio which had pasta, potato and meat with a thick layer of bechamel on top. On the side I had fresh vegetables in a tomato sauce, it was all delicious! 

Sincerely, Kimberly.

xxx