30 Countries

While I was in the US, one of my mom's cousins was talking about how her niece made a goal of visiting 30 countries before she turned 30 years old. She met the goal and continued to travel. This particular conversation revolved around her preparations for a solo trip to Colombia. While I am not yet ambitious enough to take on a Colombian vacation by myself, I am also not yet 30. In doing my 30 before 30, I wonder if I have made it to 30 countries yet. So I decided to compile a list, in no particular order, with a few photos thrown in for fun.

1. USA (does that count?)

2. Canada - Montreal, Niagra Falls

3. England - Lived for 5 months, visited London

4. Spain - Barcelona, Madrid, Conil de la Fontera (below), etc.

5. Netherlands/Holland - Amsterdam, Nordwik am Zee

6. Germany - Lived for 5+ years (Mannheim below)

7. Portugal - Algarve, Lisbon

8. Belgium - Brussels

9. Gibralta (below)

10. France - Paris, Marsellie

11. Italy - Rome, Florence, Pisa, Milan, Venice, Varenna (Lake Como below)

12. Finland - Helsinki

13. Denmark - Skagen, southern boarder towns

14. Norway - Oslo (below), Bergen

15. Czech Republic - Prague (below)

16. Malta - Malta, Gozo
17. Nicaragua - Managua, Little Corn Island

18. Japan - Tokyo (below), Kyoto, etc.

19. Bahamas - Nassau

20. St. Lucia (below)

21. Jamaica - Negril (below), Montego Bay, Ocho Rios (forthcoming)

22. Austria - skiing, Salzburg (below)

23. Switzerland - Zurich, Basel (living here)

24. Vatican - Vatican City

25. Lichtenstein - drove through

26. Luxembourg

27. China - Airport only - not sure this really counts (below)

Looks like I am not going to make it. From now until my birthday, I have one country in the works but that will only give me 27 total, 28 if China counts ;) Although there is a possibility I will remember a place I have forgotten. Either way, I'm quite happy with the places I've been and hope to continue to add countries and photos and experiences to my list.

Next up LCI Part 2.

Little Corn Island - 1

I'm back and I don't even know where to begin. Little Corn Island (LCI) was everything I hoped it would be plus ice and electricity. I mean I was prepared for warm beverages and flashlights but the upgrade was welcome. Since the information I found to prepare for this trip was mostly from blogs via Google, I intend to write a few detailed recap posts in order to provide an up to date resource for anyone who finds this via Google. To start, let's talk about travel.

The time and modes of transportation necessary to reach the island from Europe is what kept us away when I first found out about LCI in 2009. This time we were already in the US and could even book a flight on Delta from PVD so travel time was more manageable. Modes of transportation were still diverse as we had to take a normal flight into Managua followed the next morning by an early morning flight on tiny 12 seat plane operated by La Costena, the only airline serving the island. This is actually not the only option but size of plane depends on demand and we were there on a high demand day when the little and big planes both covered the route. On the way home we flew on the "big" plane which could seat about 50 people. It was interesting booking a flight on an airline that is the only carrier for  a route and supplies planes on demand. A ticket costs the same price all the time and people just show up an hour or so before departure and buy tickets.Clearly, we did not depart on time but it was interesting to see an airline operate like a bus service. I imagine this is how early air travel functioned in the US and Europe as well.

Back to our arrival, once the little plane landed at Big Corn Island, we had no problem to make eye contact and reserve a taxi driver outside the door of the shoe box airport. As a side note, the airport on Big corn is so small, they don't have metal detectors so everyone's luggage is searched by hand as well as sniffed by dogs (yellow labs) which may be more intense than metal detectors. The "taxi" was a beater and a half and the driver wanted to fill the car so we ended up in close quarters with 3 Brits we met on the tiny plane. You may be wondering how 5 people plus luggage could fit into this beater cab when cabbies in Boston won't even take 5 girls on a cold night. The simple answer is we didn't fit. We rode with the front door open, the guy sitting on the outside passenger's place holding it shut (I wish I had a photo but I was too busy laughing). The trunk was also wide open, backpacks hanging out. The windshield was also cracked but that had nothing to do with us. We had to travel the one road on Big Corn to get to the harbor. Along the way there were large speed bumps which our driver had to come to a near stop and take at just the right angle in order to pass. Even then, he could not avoid scraping the under carriage of his car on every. single. bump. It was an interesting ride that lasted about 5 minutes. We each paid our $1 USD for the transport and entered the port where we paid a tax that was something like $.50 p.p. While the taxes are rather insignificant, pay attention and bring small bills which don't have tears or markings on them. This is important because no one wants to make change for anything over a $10 and most just don't have the cash on them when a taxi fare is $1. I think the airport arrivals tax is $10 p.p. in Managua and then we paid another $6 on Big Corn. LCI has a departure tax of $3 if I remember correctly. The panga ferry (photos below) costs $6 p.p. as well so you see why you need small bills to make it through this part of the journey.

That's right, the boat needs a guide because the nose is so high out of the water, the driver can't see in front of him.

Since it was a popular time for day trippers, there were 2 boats, we had a race at one point. These are not racing boats.

Just as the island appeared into view, the skies opened up and greeted us with a nice downpour which lasted all of 5 minutes. It was just long enough for us to arrive, disembark, meet the guy from our lodge and walk off the pier to stand under a tree. 

Sufficiently wet, we are on vacation and still happy. After all, we stood in snow only a few days prior.

We walked through the island with the Doug who quickly became my best source of information on the island. He took us to the dive shack where we confirmed our reservation and also confirmed that it is literally a wooden shack. I was giddy with excitement and full of questions. those who know me would not be surprised, Doug did not know me but he did answer all the questions I could throw at him. I learned about work visas in Nicaragua (you must exit the country after 6 months), his hometown (Philly), the downed website for Casa Iguana (I didn't link for just this reason but find them on Facebook), Happy Hour on the island and some other less interesting bits I have forgotten. None of it really mattered when we got to Casa Iguana, removed our shoes to climb the deck stairs and saw the view from the lodge deck....

 Made me forget all about waking up at 4am and the insanity of racing pangas.

I would be happy to live here. 

Then we met Meg who took us to our Casita (cabin) and promptly noticed we were low on hammocks so she scurried off and returned with 2 hammocks for us. She pointed out that we have hooks on our porch and can find other hooks on the beach. I'm really not sure why other hotels don't provide guests with hammocks upon check in and hooks at various places to hang out. It was such a small luxury that we used daily. Once we hung our hammocks, we didn't want to leave this..

View from my hammock hung in the palm trees.

Quite possibly my favorite place on the island.

Our home away from home for 2 weeks.

As we were instantly falling in love with the island, I did the math. We could rent this casita for about the same monthly rent as our 2 bedroom apartment, less in the off season. By the end of the second week, we were, however, happy to have an indoor shower waiting for us on the mainland. But seriously, this is my paradise, I could get over the rain barrel shower if need be. Turns out the series on LCI may end up longer than I had planned, I will attempt to tell my story with less words in the coming entries. Here are a few gratuitous photos as a reward for making it to the end of this entry.

Honorary German

I have a friend who likes to send me things he finds on the internet related to Germany. He has even sent me photos of signs or products in German that he came across in the US. He knows I don't live in Germany anymore but it seems to be a hard habit to break and I really don't mind because as the latest link to come my way phrases it, I do feel like an honorary German. I mean I spent 5 years in 2 cities in 3 apartments living and working in 'Schland so I hope I can carry that title with pride. They won't offer me citizenship but that's a whole differnt issue, I do have a bank account and paid into social services so someday, if the conditions are right, they will offer me a pension of sorts so there's that. Anyway, as a bit of a see you later to my adopted country, I wanted to share the last link that came my way. Writen by a Brit as far as I can tell, these 20 tips to becoming a German are quite accurate, moreso than anything else I have read claiming of a similar topic. Don't forget to go to part 2. As a side note, I don't support hipsters but I do appriciate a good blog post.

I believe one thing is misisng from his list so I would add #21 Vacation is Sacred. One thing I am taking away from German is the importance of using your vacation days and the ability to appriciate that a vacation should not be less than 2 weeks. Although I will never lose the instant frustration that comes with finding out the person you need to answer your phone call/email is on vacation for the next 3 weeks with no one to handle his or her correspondence in this time.

I'm Official

Yesterday I got the letter in the mail that I can officially use Dr. in front of my name. In other words, I met all the requirements of my Ph.D. and it's time to cross number 10 off my 30 before 30 list. Here's the photographic proof from my dissertation defense. I was so nervous and stressed for months leading up to the end but so happy to celebrate the culmination of the last 4 years surrounded by family and friends. 

I have since finished up my contract at the University and moved out of Germany. which means I also crossed number 3 off my list. If it was not clear before, I guess this post single handedly supports my 2012 tag line. Earning a degree and moving to a new country is big for me. I'm not sure how 2013 can top those two! Hopefully now I will get some time to update the blog more often as I have several travel posts I want to get up. 

Less Than 2 Weeks

I have less than 2 weeks left in my apartment and only 3 days left at my job if you want to be technical. I still have so much to do and if I am honest, I am not entirely excited to leave. I mean I am so excited for the coming months. I have so much to be excited about, especially living with P again! I don't think I will miss coming home to an empty apartment. An apartment that has been my home for nearly 3 years making it the longest I have lived in one place that is not my parents' home. I'm 29 years old and I spent the first 18 years in the same room in the same house and in the second 11, I have not even made it 3 years (3 months shy) in one place. That is a crazy thing to think about. It also tells me that I am ready to stay put a bit longer. At least  not having to move my stuff would be nice. I am trying not to accumulate things and really purge before this move. It. Is. Hard. Sometimes I don't feel like I have very few possessions and then I look around and wonder when I collected all this stuff. I even have a Christmas box that is overfull and I've never had a real tree (as in not a branch but a full size tree with a stump).

We are moving to a furnished apartment which seems nice until you remember I like furniture and I especially like refinishing wooden chairs and building things. So I guess that's one hobby that will have to be put on hold for a bit. On the plus side, we are able to bring some pieces so my chair projects and hall table don't have to be donated just yet. On the down side, my efforts to sell any of our furniture have all but failed. I keep telling myself I will put in more effort and sell something but finding better ways to use my time (even if watching new fall TV has been counted among those ways). I had a large trash day last week which helped kick start getting rid of furniture and ironically also helped my downstairs neighbor refurnish her apartment. I had hours of entertainment watching her commandeer our computer chair, wooden shelves, and 2 sofas and then replace them with her old sectional. Actually entertaining was watching the trash pile morph over 24 ish hours. I just need to share the play by play. I started putting things out around 18:00 and a friend came to help me with some of the larger pieces an hour later. We got everything on the curb around 20:00 on Tuesday evening for a Thursday morning pick up. I said goodbye to my friend and hello to my neighbor as she went out to walk her dog. As soon as I got back to my apartment I noticed the microwave which has been broken for about 2 months and needed to go out so I walked back downstairs microwave in hand and saw the same neighbor returning her dog from the shortest walk ever. I put my microwave out and she was right behind me asking about the status of the computer chair. I laughed as she offered it a new home and went back to my 3rd floor living room. Upon hearing some noise, I peeked out the window to see her beginning to carry the rest of her treasures in. Oddly enough one of the shelves she picked up had spent about an hour sitting in my hall with a free sign but she lives below me so never saw it. We would have happily delivered everything into her apartment for her and saved ourselves from putting it outside. A few hours later, I looked out and saw her white sofa had replaced my black one and a few additional pieces were gone. I noticed someone picked up P's old stereo but didn't get all the speakers. The microwave was sitting oddly far off to one side and someone even dumped the wire hangers and broken glass out of a small plastic trash can in order to take the trash can - who does that! I went to bed and then looked out in the morning. Overnight the pile was pillaged. Mostly everything was gone except for a piece of deconstructed Ikea furniture, an old rug, a metal TV stand with lots of candle wax on it, a broken picture frame and 3 broken suitcases. Maybe I should also explain that means someone picked up the broken microwave, 2 printers without cables, a computer tower, a cable box, old drapes, the wire hangers, 2 random light fixtures, a paper floor lamp, and the rest of the speakers even though the main unit was already gone. By the time I showered and left for work I noticed there were additions beyond the white couch, someone dropped 2 blue chairs, an orange paper lantern and a few fake flowers. In the 45ish minutes since I woke to walking out my door someone also picked up 1 of the broken suitcases and when I got home, the TV stand, other 2 suitcases and rug were gone. My the time the trash was collected the only things left that I actually put out were the broken picture frame and the disassembled Ikea which was in terrible shape as we broke some of the pieces and could not be rebuilt. I know this is very mundane and not interesting but it was the first time I threw out big trash and was able to watch the evolution from what was planned for pick up and what ended up being picked up. It also made me really happy to know that even though I failed to sell any of our furniture most of it is still staying out of the landfill. I'm happy to know that I didn't create unnecessary trash and clearly made at least my neighbor happy with a new to her sofa that was an unexpected improvement over what she had. I'm actually curious to see how they are arranged in her apartment but I guess I'll never know as 3 years was not enough time to get to know many of my neighbors. I saw that with a bit of disappointment in myself for not being a friendly neighbor but also with a bit of satisfaction that I dodged the bullet of having to get to know the creeper super friendly guy downstairs who asks too many personal questions and over shares.

Did I mention I am sad to leave this city? Because I just am.

1 Down, 29 to Go

I am back and on the other side. I met goal number 10 on my 30 before 30 list and successfully defended my dissertation to earn that Dr. title! I defended on a Wednesday and immediately went on vacation for the remainder of the week and the next one. It was a whirlwind of stress, overwhelming emotion, family, friends, support, love and everything else. To be honest, it really didn't set in until returning to my office this week. Upon my return yesterday, I have started tying up lose ends, catching up on tasks which sat on the back burner while I worked on my research and handing over my responsibilities.

This is my last month at the University and my last month in Germany. I guess that needs another post but suddenly its all so real. It is one of those OMG (I use this expression in an effort to convey emotion and keep it PG, in my head I am thinking of some more intense words but this is a public forum) moments. I am moving out of one major phase of my life and into a new one.

I have about 5 major projects on my desk at the moment and am not sure how I am going to get them all done before Oct 26th. I also found out I have a few vacation days I didn't know I had so I need to use those in that time too. In an effort to try and get on top of my to do list, I am planning to head to work on the holiday tomorrow. Oct. 3rd is to Germans what the 4th of July is to Americans. As a foreigner, I get the significance but I need to get a presentation finalized and off my desk. Besides, I've already agreed to help a friend with some painting so there's my celebration for the day!

I think I need to add to my list, "learn to savor the moment" as I find myself constantly thinking of what's next. Right now, I am a Doctor and that feels good. In the spirit of savoring I should note this was not an easy process and I learned a lot about myself. I realized my limitations and my abilities quite clear. I learned that I can lean on my support system and I am sure I would not have made it this far if I did not have such great family and friends. So, to no one in specific and to everyone who was there when I needed to vent, asked for proof reading help or just encouraged me to not give up when I was beyond frustrated, Thank you.

Once I get them, I will post photos of my graduation cap so I can officially check the Dr. title off my list.

30 Before 30

I just celebrated my 29th birthday (for the first time) and decided some tiem ago, I wanted to get on board the 30 before 30 (30b30) train. In case you are unfamiliar, it'S a simple concept, set 30 goals and meet them before turning 30. Mostly I think it is appropriate to do in your 29th year but really, I guss you could amend for any age. I think it will be nice to set out some goals publically then come back and update as I meet them, a bit of extra social pressure if you will. So, here goes my list, in no particular order. I will update this post and highlight the goals as I achieve them.

1. Visit a new continent.

2. Visit a new country (separate from above).

3. Move to Switzerland (in progress I know but still big).

4. Get a career focused job.

5. Lose 5 Kg by Christmas (fail), 5 more by February and 5 more by June to be down 15 kg total by Aug.

6.  Swim twice a week May - August.

7. Apply for 3 jobs that are "reach" positions.

8. Run the MA half marathon (June).

9. Run twice a week for an hour each time.

10. Earn my Dr. title.

11. Learn to make 3 different 3-course dinner menus well.

12. Write and mail one card per month for 6 months.

13. Create an "adult" wardrobe - maintain both fashion and function.

14. Be more assertive in life.

15. Bake a birthday cake for someone else.

16. Sew 4 pillow covers. (I used iron hem tape but I did 24 and most have a hand sewn side so it counts)

17. Upholster the coffee table as an ottoman. - This needs to change as we threw out the coffee table.

18. Finish my second black chair and cover the drum chair.

19. Do something nice for soemone else, even if it is not easy.

20. Start a Kiva account.

21. Update this blog weekly.

22. Get my domain in line - email address functional and decide what to do with the page.

23. Do something nice for my extended family.

24. Spend time with my sister-in-law.

25. Climb a Swiss mountain.

26. Bike tour - somewhere that involves about 2 hours biking each way.

27. Run a 5k.

28. Run a 10k.

29. Hike somewhere wearing my new hiking boots.

30. Celebrate 30 with people I love. (booked Greece with P and Net98! anyone else want to join?!)


So, here I go! I have some personal fitness goals, alturistic goals, life enhancing goals, personal growth and plain enjoyment. Hopefully I can make it through all of them in the next 12 months. Photos to prove achievement will follow.