Europe, looking back

Having had the privilege of having lived in Central Europe for quite some time, some days I cannot help but look back and reminisce with a sense of nostalgia for days long gone. So, dwelling further, I was intrigued to find out what it is I am really reminiscent about, and here it is:

Although I could miss Germany/Europe, I don’t miss it the way I lived it…I am now grateful to:

-have my own house, generous backyard with privacy for enjoying anything, hosting parties, eating dinners, suntanning, doing yoga, working on my computer from a lounge chair in my "outdoor office"

-I don’t miss the drunken voices outside my window yelling at all times

-I don’t miss not having any privacy or sense of ownership, knowing that the "hausmeisters" are watching you, just waiting for that one time when you will slip up and forget to sort out your recycling properly

-although I do not meet the people often, if and when I do meet, it’s the people I really want to see and spend time with…ones who know me well and  we have a fantastic connection, can relate to each other on many levels, have fun, without the language or cultural barrier.

-I love the big, wild, open spaces-and easily being able to reach them-unlike Europe. 

The bottom like is, both places have their advantages. It can be very interesting to discover all the small town of Germany, especially if you are camping, knowing that there are always things around to see and do, but on the same token it can get weary knowing that everything is so dense, built up, with people everywhere like ants...and at times when what you are seeking is a connection with nature and solitude, that may not be all that conducive.

I absolutely adore some aspects of European life, BUT I’ve come to believe that to truly enjoy it, one would have to be a couple (or a young adult looking to party non-stop and have a good time, some casual encounters- that’s pretty easy to do there too, and you would have an amazing time, as it is far easier to find someone who just wants to party with you, go out and drink, rather than someone to relate to you on a more meaningful level, share your interests, and so on). However, Europe, although as an undertone, suggests to be  best viewed as a couple. All the apartments come furnished for a size of 2 or so…the last minute travel deals that would blow your mind to almost anywhere… for two. I am not even going to mention all the cute cafes and intimate restaurants you could have countless dates in and build lasting memories. Another positive-Europe is extremely kid friendly and pretty awesome for travelling with young kids-most of the time, no fare needs to be paid on ground transportation for kids under 7 and the amount of kid-friendly cafes and playgrounds will astonish you.

Overall, while I enjoyed myself  immensely and will once in a while become nostalgic for certain parts of the European lifestyle,  I much prefer the freedom and ample opportunities that the western world has to offer... Having said that, I am already planning my next vacation to Italy in my mind :)

Greece: the island of Skiathos, Part II

I have to start off by saying that the only 2 factors governing our choice of the island to stay on were:

1) availability or timeshare resorts through RCI

2) ease of transportation to and from the mainland

Based on this, we chose Skiathos-the resort photos were phenomenal, the previous visitors seemed quite content in their reviews, the ferry to and from was 15 euro when booked in advance and only 2 hrs, leaving from a tiny port town of Aghios Konstantinos, where we were required to spend a night each time-the ferry boat only leaves in the morning, and brings you back mid-afternoon, where there are no more connecting buses. Again, if you book a tour, then they have a joint boat/bus schedule, so you step off the ferry and onto the bus-for quadruple the price. I liked the fact that we'd get to see a tiny seaside town on our way and perhaps discover something interesting, instead of being rushed to return back to Athens.

Thus, upon arriving into Aghios Konstantinos in late afternoon, we simply stepped off the bus and asked the first person we saw "hey, any cheap hotels out here?" and he sent us to a nearby hotel/converted apartments, 2 mins walk from the bus station. Yes, it was cheap- that's all I can say. Actually, i was blown away when the old lady said "25 euro, please",-to which I replied "per person?". She just laughed and showed us the room (I wish I had picture of it, but I must have been too shocked to take some)-but money was already paid, the deal was made-imagine my shock when later that evening we found out that a whole stretch of seafront boutique hotels were only 35 euro a night? yes, I guess we got what we asked for- "cheap"-to Greeks, 10 euro difference is a big deal, or maybe the old lady just took advantage of her only customers that month? Needless to say, she was much more ecstatic than us that by some will of nature we went sent her way- oh well, it was 1 night of sleep and we were out of there bring and early, making sure to check all our options next time before getting the wallet out.

Skiathos island at last!

Upon arriving onshore, a cue of lazy cab drivers were waiting for their next victims-only, as it turned out, we had to chase after them! Only in Greece :)

A short cab ride later, we were checked into and delivered into out new digs. First impression? This definitely isn’t what one would expect out of a normal, 4-star RCI resort. However, this is 4 “greek stars”, meaning… well, I don’t even want to imagine what a 2-star accommodation would look like. Considering we had a chance to compare 3 units (yes, we were that picky and no, I did not think of all those stairs i'd have to climb on a daily basis), here’s the details:

None of them are equipped or look alike. The first one had a musty, damp smell and was quite poorly lit. Granted, it was only 100 steps to the beach, thus saving us a huge walk, but it didn’t have its own patio or anything that really screamed that I wanted to stay there, other than the rustic design, which makes you feel like you are in a real greek village home.

quite a bare kitchen but good enough for occasional cooking

Bedroom view, opening onto private balcony

 The next one we tried was a very small unit. In comparison with the previous one, this one seemed a teeny tiny bit better (they all were supposed to be studios accommodating 2 persons), where the dining table was right in the same room as the bed, although it did have a nice, renovated bathroom, which none of the others had. The last (as the reception warned us, the absolutely last room they were going to let us look at) was a winner: same arch design, alright bathroom, separate eating area and a great patio with a nice view over the little olive treed court yard and the pine-covered hills. The balconies are arranged in a  staggered fashion, so as to avoid the neighbors peering into each other’s dinner plates. We happened to travel in what seemed to be the end of tourist season (late august) and lucked out by not having any neighbours  thus any noise or complaints from either side. Overall, the apartments aren't much, but are kept clean enough with the bare essentials to keep you satisfied. We were missing even the basics in the kitchen (we like to make a few snacks here and there, thus we purposefully paid in cash and not in timeshare points to avoid the mandatory half board menu pushed on you otherwise). Believe me, the half board is NOT worth it! We ate at different restaurants, tavernas, etc, never spending more than 25 euro for 2 people with wine, 3 meals, snacks and stuffing our faces with whatever we wanted. There is such a huge variety of great tavernas on the island and it’s a shame that the resort’s one (Nafiska) is a very poor imitation of what is known otherwise as amazing, fresh greek food. We had a misfortune of going there once, and I sincerely hope I can warn people against making these choices. The "greek potatoes" were french fries, my "greek salad" consisted of tomato and cucumber only. But the worst part was the service- they are confident that you will tip them regardless, so they don't even try to accommodate you by any means. We only went there because we were starving and too tired to figure out where the bus was and where we should go.

central cafe next to the ferry station-effortless chic!

For the rest of the week, it was simple: the bus stop was right next to the resort, once you descend down to the main road, it comes every 15 mins or so, thus never having to wait too long, the price was 2 euro pp regardless of the length of  the trip, which I found a bit bizarre  So, if we only wanted to go to the beach that day (the resort's one wasn't really much to look at, although we did use it some evenings if we were too tired to go somewhere else), we ended up walking alongside the road- and no, they don't bother with pedestrian areas-for about 15-20 mins and we were there. Yes, I know it's not ideal to walk alongside traffic and exhaust, but there are virtually no other ways to get from one beach to the next, plus you get to hit up a few convenience stores on the way, pick up some water, refreshments for the day on the beach-and you're set. At lunch time, when the sun was scorching, we'd leave our towels on the beach and head on out to the taverna 2 mins back towards the main road, where the friendly waiters were already smiling and waiting to surprise us with yet another mouth watering creation. This place had hands down the best greek food I've had in the entire 2 weeks: lamb, grilled eggplant with dip, endless seafood options,everything was so tasty that we washed it down with half litre of homemade wine each time! And the prices! appetizers under 6 euro, entrees under 10! Like I mentioned earlier, try as we might, we never managed to spend more than 25-28 euro for a 2-person meal, while leaving this place completely stuffed and content. If this isn't enough of a reason to go to Greece, i don't know what is. Next time I'm in Europe, looking for a vacation destination, I'd head down to Greece just for the sake of gastrotourism alone, never mind the amazing scenery. 

See you soon, Gorgeous!

Nomad in love?

Prompted by a post from my fellow travel blogger, I have a few words on whether your love of travel is secretly sabotaging your potential for a relationship.

As you may have noticed, I try to keep my private life...well, private. I have other blogs for that kind of stuff. So, since this blog is dedicated to travelling and exploration of the world and the self, from that perspective, I try to streamline my posts to showcase more facts, interesting observations, but something that would be relevant to all the potential readers out there. Hence why my posts are quite sporadic- some days I just need to rant, and this is not the place for that.

That said, this issue of whether or not you will meet someone because you are not stable or rooted in one place doesn't just apply to the travel bugs out there- as an exploration geologist, my life takes me all over the world, sometimes for a few weeks, sometimes for a month, sometimes indefinitely,-but that is something I knew well in advance when choosing my career, I just didn't know how hard it would be.

Each time I am faced with the decision: is the new adventure worth losing what I have here, right now? And almost always, I hear a resounding “yes!” in my head-what is meant to be, will be. You cannot stop life from happening, but you can stop fear from letting you life your life the way you envision to, or secretly hope to.

As one of my friends once said: "people break up living in the same city every day, why would long-distance relationship automatically be destined for a break-up?" While I whole-heartedly agree that living in the same city does not offer immediate chances for the success of a relationship, having a long-distance relationship is not picnic either (although the comfort of knowing that you won't run into them at your favourite cafe after you break up is a great perk!)

Although there are some great uplifting examples of long-distance working out for committed couples, who have spent more than 2 years apart, only to reunite and get married and live happily ever after(...so far), it takes a fantastic dose of commitment, dedication, trust and,most importantly-great communication skills. Let's face is, when you cannot simply meet up after a disagreement, put your arms around each other, and agree to "forgive and forget", all you have to rely on is skillful communication-avoiding those sharp corners and possible problematic/sensitive topics.

Having said that, distance is not to blame for whether or not your relationship survives. Let's face it, throughout our lives, there will be circumstances when you will be forced to spend time away from your partner-days, weeks, maybe even months-so it is not through avoiding the separation, but rather how one chooses to deal with it that determines the "rate of survival" of this particular relationship. Breaks can be nice: having more time for yourself, your hobbies, meeting with the friends you may have been neglecting, getting to all those projects around the house you keep putting off, going the gym more often (and getting a free "fell-good" hormone boost!) and of course, having time to miss each other -all of this can put the romance back into a relationship, refresh your perspective on life and what is important- when done right.

I've had relationships fall apart equally as fast when a long-distance turned into living together, and vice versa. Despite all the challenges and unknowns, I am a firm believer that you should not let fear stop you-be it fear of missing out, fear of change, or fear of being alone for an indefinite amount of time- and I salute all of you brave souls out there who dare to explore what beyond what is familiar and comfortable. If someone truly wants to share their journey with you, it will happen- regardless of time, place, circumstances and plans.

Living abroad relfections

I found this gem while going through my half-finished blog drafts, but I think it deserves posting:After two years of living abroad, I wanted to reflect of what I have learned from this experience. Some of it may seem utterly trivial to some, but not for me. Living in a completely foreign country, where you don’t even understand the language one bit, alone.. takes quite a bit of courage. I am still astounded that somehow I managed to get over my fear of the unknown, I rose above the challenges that seemed to want to swallow me whole upon initial settling, and now I have to add I am truly enjoying myself in this European atmosphere. So much so, that I even decided to extend my stay by few extra months, forgoing the perpetual rush to graduate in order to advance in the job hunt before the others gain on.

I am no longer in a rush for anything. My life is comfortable, enjoyable and still plenty exciting. And now, looking back, I just wanted to note a few “for the future” valuable insights I had gained along the way:

1. Any time it comes to signing contracts, in a foreign language, it definitely pays to hire or ask someone to translate for you, in order to avoid many headaches in the future (yes, this happened to me on the topic of public vs state-owned health insurance in Germany- turns out, once you choose one or the other, you may never change you mind again. So much for freedom of choice that I grew so accustomed to in Canada)-never let yourself be bullied, rushed or pressured into signing anything you’re not sure about. Always ask around, weigh your options, ask other ex-pats and make sure you understand the binding conditions, then proceed.

2. In general, it doesn't hurt to ask. Ask, ask, ask,-talk to the people, go on forums even before you make the "big move", find out what you can about the country- health insurance policy, income tax rates, how does one go to a GP, etc. Don’t just assume you understand the situation because you heard one person’s opinion on the matter. Nothing is ever as clear-cut as it seems, so don’t put additional boundaries onto yourself; know when there is a will, there is a way. There will always be people willing to help you and offering guidance.

Hurghada,Egypt, Day 1: Cultural differences

Sometimes we don't fully understand what it is that brings us to a particular place, or why we seek the experiences we do. Here I am now, in a Muslim country, yet again I am asking myself-what did I come here looking to find?
Yes, the obvious answer is- I came to enjoy the sun and the beach and have a little getaway. After all, Egypt to Europeans is like Mexico to Canadians. But the deeper question is, why am I fascinated yet afraid of the Middle eastern culture at the same time?

Although I am intrigued by this country's long-standing traditions and ancient roots, I do not feel at peace in a man-dominated society, carrying with it so many restricting rules; I especially find it uncomfortable when it concerns showing my body. That is something I've never given much thought to before- I consider myself quite a modest dresser, I'm not a huge fan of short skirts or cleavages, yet here it's a whole other story. I find it amazing that i can literally look like a shapeless bag lady and still manage to get hit on all the time- no, that's not because my beauty radiates into the Cosmos and gets picked up by the satellites- that's simply because I am a female! It induces a feeling of shame and guilt and discomfort about showing any part of my body, which I did not even know I had...Once again I am reminded how grateful I should be to live in a culture where I am allowed to express my open, free and loving nature-I'm talking both Germany and Canada.

Being here, I love the feeling of the desert all around, I am aching to drive straight towards those dunes, those mountain peaks that beckon me to come closer each time the sun sets behind them,-but I can't. Not without getting a guide and a tour and all that commercialized stuff I am trying to avoid. It is mind boggling for a person like me, who loves to be at one with nature, to not be able to simply walk anywhere you feel like it. The feeling of restriction is overwhelming. It definitely puts simple pleasures of the first world into perspective. That being said, there is something very refreshing about leaving home for a little while, even if the experience is not what you may have expected. Already, I appreciate Germany so much more, I appreciate what I'd left behind-my hobbies, my friends, and all the areas around south Germany still left unexplored.

Reality check

And, just like that, things end as abruptly as they begin.

I remember meeting my Mexican amiga in my first week in Tuebingen, when, after completing the first Math prep class, we felt compelled to relieve our academic inadequacies as well as get to know each other better over  a few drinks on my balcony. Few drinks turned into a few bottles and, before I knew it, we were telling   each other everything. That night I’d learnt about Ana’s hopeful romantic assuredness in her long-distance relationship with a boyfriend in Paris (which fell apart quicker than I had time to learn all the names of my classmates); about Cristina’s ongoing relationship with a guy in the States, who, throughout all their time together, seemed to spend more time apart than physically in the same place on the map-but who was I to judge, it seemed to be working for them. Over time, I had gotten to understand that there are certain “tricks” one develops in order to convince themselves they are happy in a long distance relationship. Sometimes, even so happy that they forget what it is like to have that person near and no longer feel the desire to align their direction  in life with that of their partner. 

Since then, our girl group drifted apart, as people arranged themselves into couple conglomerates-something I had never felt a part of, for one reason or another. My friendship with Christina, however unsteady, remained as something that was even more important than I realized at the time. Often enough, in the times of loneliness and depression, I’d felt as if she was the only person I could turn to, even if that involved more of just sitting around her dim, cold communal kitchen and commiserating about how much this program turned out to be a mis-advertisement, rather than addressing the real issue of our unhappiness. She often surprised and inspired me in her logical, practical and easy-going approach to life. And now, she will be leaving Tuebingen, Germany, me and this crazy Masters school behind, as she opens the door to her new chapter in her life. It makes me think than sooner, rather than later, this chapter will be closed for me as well. Surely, this seems like an impossible gap of time away from now, during which many things may happen that will change my view on the world and change my priorities. Undoubtedly, I cannot even fathom what I will deem worthy of doing upon (ever) finishing this degree. Only time can tell...

On making decisions

This is something I wrote back in July, while contemplating almost a year of living abroad:

What have I learnt out of my experience of coming to Germany?

I've learned that when it comes to making big decisions, don’t get sucked into  something just because it sounds exciting, or you don’t have any other options, or “someone” thinks it s a good idea…

really take it to heart, sit with it, see how it feels. You can even go as far as imagining yourself there, what would it be like, what are the potential struggles? Go online and find communities involved in this area/topic-talk to the people, see what they say, try to stay objective.

1.        Every decision has to come from a calm, peaceful place, in order for it to be the right one. As you are making a decision, ask the universe to give you three clear signs that it is right/not right for you  at this time.

2.      After  having made the decision, ask God for all protection and easing the transition into the new state of being/moving/new chapter of your life, removing the obstacles and surrounding you with the right people.

3.       Trust in the process and know there are no mistakes. If it doesn’t feel right, you are always free to leave and start something new in your life. Always.