#Travelling with family is an amazing experience that creates long-lasting memories. When planning a trip to London

[taxiservicechaurffeur]

Why private tour in London is best for travelling with family?

Travelling with family is an amazing experience that creates long-lasting memories. When planning a trip to London, opting for a private tour chauffeur service will be best. It will also help elevate your family's travel experience to new heights.

With private tours chauffeur service, you can enjoy a range of benefits, i.e. from personalized itineraries to flexible schedules and exclusive access.

Let’s check out why private tour London vehicle serviceis an excellent choice for a family trip.

Why you should consider private tour chauffer service for a family trip?

While planning a trip with family it is important to create everlasting memories. With private tour services you can do so as they are expert in following services.

Tailored itineraries

The main advantage of private tour vehicle service is the flexibility to customize itinerary as per the interest and preference of your family.

It alsoallows you to design a personalized experience that suits your family member’s age range and needs.

Whether you want to engage in family-friendly activities like Harry Potter-themed tours or the London Eye or explore iconic landmarks like the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, or the British Museum, private tours can be tailored to match your family's specific desires.

Expert guides

A private tourchauffeur in London is an expert guide with in-depth knowledge about the city's attractions, culture and history, ensuring an educational and engaging experience for the entire family.

They can also adapt their storytelling techniques to captivate kids of your family, making the tour more entertaining and informative for everyone.

Additionally, the chauffeurs can accommodate your family's pace, allowing you to spend more time exploring areas of your interest and get answers to the questions that arise in your mind.

Flexibility and convenience

With private tour chauffeur service, you are benefited as they adapt to the schedule and preferences of your family.

You can easily choose the start time, trip duration to every attraction, and break time, ensuring a stress-free experience for every family person.

With this flexibility, families with younger travellers are benefited as they require more downtime.

Chauffer service of the private tour also provides door-to-door service, eliminating the hassle of navigating public transport and looking for parking.

They make your journey more comfortable and convenient.

Conclusion

While travelling with family, private tour London provides an array of advantages.

The ability to tailor the itinerary, coupled with an expert guide, ensures an educational and engaging experience for the entire family.

By avoiding traffic and busy roads, private tours and chauffeur services allow you to enjoy most of your time and keep younger travellers excited throughout the journey.

The flexibility and convenience provided by private tours make it easier to accommodate your family's needs and create a stress-free travel experience.

Also, while exploring the wonders of London, the chauffeur service offered by a private tour in London offer a personalized way to discover the right history, hidden gems and iconic landmark of the city.

It also allows you to create cherished memories as a family and helps to foster a deeper appreciation for the vibrant metropolis.

So, when planning a family adventure to London, consider the facilities offered by a private tour London and embark on a journey that leaves an indelible mark on the travel experience of your family.

[lifeluxetravel]

Essential Travel Tips for Beginners: Packing Advice for Your Journey

Embarking on your first adventure can be exhilarating yet daunting. Whether you're planning a weekend getaway or a month-long excursion, proper preparation is key to a smooth and enjoyable journey.

In partnership with Life Luxe Travel, we've compiled essential travel tips for beginners, focusing on packing tips for travel that are tailored for beginners. Let's dive in!

1. Research Your Destination: Before you start packing, research your destination's climate, culture, and activities. Understanding these aspects will help you pack appropriate clothing and gear. Websites like TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet offer valuable insights from fellow travelers, ensuring you're well-prepared for your adventure.

2. Make a Packing List: Create a packing list to organize your essentials. Begin with the basics: clothing, toiletries, documents, and electronics. Customize your list based on your destination and planned activities. Having a checklist ensures you don't forget crucial items and minimizes last-minute stress.

3. Pack Light: One of the golden rules of travel is to pack light. Aim to fit everything into a carry-on bag, if possible, to avoid checked baggage fees and waiting at the carousel. Choose versatile clothing pieces that can be mixed and matched, and opt for travel-sized toiletries to save space.

4. Roll Your Clothes: Maximize space in your suitcase by rolling your clothes instead of folding them. Not only does this technique prevent wrinkles, but it also allows for efficient use of space. You'll be amazed at how much more you can fit in your luggage by utilizing this simple method.

5. Invest in Quality Luggage: Investing in durable luggage is essential for hassle-free travel. Look for lightweight, hard-shell suitcases with sturdy wheels and TSA-approved locks. Quality luggage will withstand the rigors of travel and protect your belongings throughout your journey.

6. Pack Essentials in Your Carry-On: When flying, always pack essential items in your carry-on bag. These include travel documents, medication, a change of clothes, and valuables such as electronics and jewelry. In the unlikely event that your checked luggage is lost or delayed, having these essentials on hand ensures minimal disruption to your trip.

7. Leave Room for Souvenirs: Leave room in your luggage for souvenirs and keepsakes you'll inevitably collect during your travels. Consider packing a foldable duffel bag or tote for extra storage on your return journey. This way, you can bring home memories without worrying about exceeding baggage limits.

Conclusion:

Embarking on your first journey is an exciting milestone, and with proper preparation, it can be a rewarding experience. By following these essential travel tips, especially the packing advice tailored for beginners, you'll set yourself up for a smooth and enjoyable adventure. Remember to research your destination, pack light, and invest in quality luggage to make the most of your travels. Bon voyage!

About Life Luxe Travel:

Life Luxe Travel specializes in curating unforgettable luxury travel experiences tailored to your preferences. Whether you're dreaming of a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or an adventure-filled escape, our dedicated team is here to design your perfect journey. Visit our website to start planning your next adventure today.

[europeas20]

WEO Blueprint: Craft an Unforgettable Budget-Friendly Family Week in Spain

Are you looking for an amazing family holiday destination that won't break the bank? Look no further than Spain! With its diverse culture, stunning landscapes, and budget-friendly options, Spain is the perfect place to create lasting memories with your loved ones. In this post, we will guide you through planning a family budget week holiday in Spain, ensuring an unforgettable experience while keeping your finances in check. #SpainWanderlust #ExploreSpain #AndalusiaAdventures #AndalusiaTravel #SpanishJourney Choose Affordable Accommodation: When planning a family budget week holiday in Spain, start by researching affordable accommodation options. Look for budget-friendly hotels, vacation rentals, or even consider camping to save on costs. Popular Spanish cities like Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia offer a range of affordable accommodations that cater to families.

Opt for Self-Catering: Save money on dining out by opting for self-catering options. Choose accommodations with a kitchenette or a fully equipped kitchen, allowing you to prepare your meals. This way, you can enjoy delicious local produce from markets and supermarkets, giving you a taste of Spain without spending a fortune on restaurants. Explore Free or Low-Cost Activities: Spain offers plenty of free or low-cost activities that are perfect for families. Take advantage of beautiful beaches, public parks, and hiking trails, where you can spend quality time together without spending a dime. Additionally, many museums and attractions offer discounted or free admission on certain days, so plan your visits accordingly.

Discover Local Markets: Immerse yourself in Spanish culture by visiting local markets. From bustling food markets to artisanal craft fairs, these vibrant spaces offer a unique shopping experience. Explore the local flavors, buy fresh ingredients for your self-catered meals, or pick up souvenirs directly from the artisans, all while enjoying the lively atmosphere.

Plan Day Trips to Nearby Attractions: Spain is known for its rich history and stunning landmarks. Take advantage of your week-long holiday by planning day trips to nearby attractions. Whether it's exploring the Alhambra in Granada, visiting the beautiful beaches of Costa del Sol, or admiring the architectural wonders in Seville, there are countless options to choose from. Research and plan in advance to secure discounted tickets and save money. Utilize Public Transportation: To keep your family budget intact, make use of Spain's efficient public transportation system. Many cities offer cost-effective options such as metro, buses, or trains. Consider purchasing a travel pass that covers unlimited rides for a specific duration, which can result in significant savings compared to individual tickets.

A family budget week holiday in Spain can be an incredible experience without breaking the bank. By following these tips and embracing the country's affordable options, you can create lasting memories while staying within your budget. From affordable accommodation and self-catering options to free activities and day trips, Spain offers a wealth of opportunities for an unforgettable family holiday. Start planning today and get ready to explore the wonders of Spain with your loved ones! - Remember, the key to a successful family budget week holiday in Spain is to plan ahead, research deals, and take advantage of the numerous budget-friendly options available. Enjoy your trip and make lifelong memories together!

Travel Resources Hotels and Hostels Booking.com is available in 43 languages and offers more than 28 million reported accommodation listings, including over 6.6 million homes, apartments, and other unique places to stay. TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel guidance platform. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, and book experiences. Klook is a booking platform on which travelers can book hotels, cars, tours and activities, tickets to attractions, and shows at great prices. Hotellook is a service that helps you find and compare prices on hotels around the world, provided by a leading reservation system. Today, Hotellook.com offered to put together information on more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries. Hostelworld, the global hostel-focused online booking platform, inspires passionate travelers to see the world, meet new people, and come back with extraordinary stories to tell. Hostelworld has more than 13 million reviews across over 17,000 hostels in more than 179 countries, making the brand the leading online hub for social travel. Tours and excursions WeGoTrip is an online service for booking audio excursions and tours on 35+ countries on different languages (mostly english). Travelers can take audio excursions created by professional tour guides and local experts. Tiqets’ innovative technology ensures that travelers can book tickets on their phone at the last minute, receive their tickets directly in a digital form, and show their mobile phones in place of physical tickets to museums, places of interest, and attractions. Offers available passes in Europe and the US.

Car Rental You can find the best car rental prices at QEEQ.COM. QEEQ.COM serves road trip travellers from different countries by working with car rental companies all over the world. The company offers its customers the widest set of car rental options and always strives to offer the most competitive price. #familybudget #weekholiday #Spain Read the full article

[europeincomingei]

Europe Tour- From student travel to Destination weddings

We are the greatest choice in the market for student travel packages to Europe. The demands of students and their comfort are taken into consideration when designing our student trip package. We offer reasonably valued accommodations, accessible transportation, a variety of food choices, picturesque trips, as well as customized plans. Our team is committed to giving you with the best travel experience feasible, allowing you to have a taste of the rich European society, language, lifestyle, and also awesome views. We offer hostel lodging or a stick with a regional family members, depending upon the needs of the pupils, to help them better recognize the regional way of life. We're committed to sharing our love of travel and our understanding with others, giving suggestions and real value for cash, as well as designing plans that allow youths discover European languages, take in a variety of societies, and further their academic efforts. We supply short- and also lasting packages with options for lodging with regional households, hostels, and low-priced resorts. As a result, trainees are better able to fit in with the regional population, practise their language capacities, and also develop genuine bonds with homeowners. Every European country you check out has its own one-of-a-kind tale to inform: what took place in the past, the gods that people venerated, the amazing art that people created, as well as more. On a  student travel Europe, you can widen your viewpoint as an international citizen while additionally producing invaluable memories with your peers. We provide individualized European instructional scenic tours to countless well-known locations, which can give your students with instructional opportunities that last a lifetime. Our group of well-informed tourists to Europe is outstanding at organizing trips for trainee educational travel teams that are both reasonably priced as well as truly rewarding. Our long-lasting collaborations with local suppliers-- a few of which go back regarding 40 years-- enable us to supply pupils budget-friendly choices. In order to guarantee that instructors completely understand the level of our services and help with travel, we additionally aid with instructor orientation trips.

In the expanding pattern of destination weddings , couples are exchanging promises in hot air balloons and under the sea. Without the flash and beauty of lush wedding propositions or various other events, you may have a tiny wedding celebration in a place of your selection. It is feasible to do a little ceremony with a couple of close friends and also family in an attractive place. This valuable occasion will not cost a fortune, but it will certainly allow you appreciate your wedding event to the max without having to worry about the costs. Because of our more than 40 years of managing logistics throughout Europe, we have the understanding as well as a great network of companions to generate the ideal wedding event for your customers. We are devoted to producing the perfect fairy tale wedding by sharing our interest and also understanding of Europe, offering guidance, assistance, as well as genuine value for cash. We collaborate with wedding organizers to see to it their customers have an extraordinary experience. When it concerns event coordination as well as logistics management, we are the experts.

[carynsilver]

Favorite Fics: Darcy Edition

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these. Things started going on that hurt my soul, and I just felt like, who cares about some fic recs when people are getting hurt? But… I don’t know. I still find solace and comfort in reading stories, even when things are hard—especially when things are hard. So, I finally felt like maybe it was time for another. If the fic writers out there are giving me escape, warm fuzzies, and enjoyment during these weird times, then they deserve some love directed back at them.

So far, I’ve listed my top 10 favorite Stucky, Drarry, and Stony fics. I love them all, but… that is a lot of dudes. I decided it was time for a little girl power in my fanfic recs. One of my favorite BAMF female characters is Darcy Lewis—one of the best and most under-rated, under-explored characters in the MCU.

I love Darcy as the every-girl who has the moxie and chutzpa to hold her own in a life full of superheroes. The girl tased the God of Thunder because he was freaking her out, for goodness sake! I love her being BFFs with Jane, being Thor’s lightening sister, and creating a found family. I love her living in the tower and caring for all the superheroes and science geniuses like they won’t care for themselves. There’s enough leeway in her backstory for fun twists, too, like being Jewish, or—one of my absolute faves—secretly being the daughter of Tony Stark.

There are a ton of good Darcy fics out there, but these are my top 10. Thank you, writers, for sharing these amazing stories with us!

Casa de Island Avengers by @inkbert

I clicked on this story because of WinterShock (Darcy/Bucky), which is a favorite ship of mine (I feel my love of Bucky has been previously discussed at length, lol), but it has become one of my favorite fics of all time. Not even just in the MCU—if I were listed my top five fanfics ever read, this one is on the list.

The concept is simple—post-Ultron, the Avengers started falling apart as a team, so Steve spearheads the effort to get them all on a two-week vacation to Tony’s private island in a last-ditch bonding effort. Every character (except Thor, but he does get some good screen time) has his or her own point of view for at least a chapter or two. Sometimes, this leads to characters sounding the same, but @inkbert really grounds each character in their own backstory and makes their inner monologues sound unique. Then, so many wacky hijinks ensue—camping, drinking, movie nights, girl bonding, sailing, pranks, and the most competitive game nights and challenges you’ve ever seen.

The ships included are Darcy/Bucky, Steve/Natasha, Pepper/Tony, and Clint/Wanda, but this story isn’t only about the ships. It’s about all these crazy characters bonding—found family at its finest. This is probably my favorite Darcy/Jane BFFs story ever, and the Bruce/Tony science bro connection is classic. The story is fully seated in cannon (up through Ultron and moving to the ccmpound), except no Clint/secret family and Pietro lives. Read it. Read it now! And if you enjoy it, there are several one-shots that follow, including a Wanda-centric one that shouldn’t be missed.

Best Supporting Soulmate by Valeris

I love a good soulmate fic, and this is an excellent one. The first thing your soulmate says to you is written on your skin, and there are both romantic and platonic soulmates. Darcy has Jane as a platonic soulmate, but it’s her other soulmate who made her life crazy before she even met them. What are you supposed to do when your soulmate’s first words to you are to let them die? 

The two primary ships in this fic are Wintershock and Stony, which work well together, but the story delves into a lot more relationships. I don’t love the whole amnesia trope in a Stucky fic because losing all that history and friendship hurts so much, but in a WinterShock fic, I have a real soft spot for Darcy being able to help post-HYDRA Bucky learn how to person again, and she does that in spades in this one. She also cultivates friendships with just about everyone in Avengers Tower and beyond. Darcy/Johnny Storm BFFs are amazing, and the deep friendship Darcy develops with Tony in this story gives me all the feels. This is a great version of BAMF Darcy who can see what the tortured characters need and is able to help them get there. And there is some interesting conflict with the Fantastic Four, as well.

This was one of the first, if not the first, WinterShock stories I ever read. I had been trying TaserHawk, but it wasn’t really my cuppa, and then somehow found this one and got hooked.

Road Trip of Champions by @leftennant

Natasha and Steve are going on a road trip. Steve wants Bucky to come with, but they feel like they need a fourth to make things even. Natasha bribes Darcy into coming with, and over the course of the trip, we get a lovely WinterShock romance. The road trip concept is fun, and Darcy and Bucky have a light enemies to friends to lovers vibe going on. Bucky is recovering, Darcy isn’t going to take anyone’s crap, and Natasha and Steve really just want a little private time along the way. And the bit at the end of the main story when they play paintball—classic and a scene that has stuck in my mind long after reading many other fics. The protective vibe Bucky has for Darcy after all this and how it even affects paintball is adorable. There are other one-shots in this ’verse as well that should not be missed. You might never think of lemons the same again.

Daybreak by @anogete

Anogete has a really good touch with snarky, caretaker Darcy. I love all her WinterShock stories, but this is the one that’s stuck with me the most. The concept of Darcy trying to help dismantle Bucky’s trigger words by creating new memories for each one was so compelling. The therapy aspect did give me pause (a personal thing; it is dealt with as respectfully as possible in the story), but it all works out in the end. The fact that I loved it so much despite a mild personal ping with the concept speaks to how well it’s written, honestly. :-) And, if this one isn’t to your taste, Anogete has plenty of great WinterShock to read, so definitely try one of them instead!

The Run ’Verse by themonkeycabal

Though it eventually becomes a WinterShock story, my favorite thing about this universe is the Tony-Stark-is-Darcy’s-father trope. This is probably my absolute favorite version of that relationship. There is also time travel, and BAMF Peggy Carter. And even though I don’t love the Darcy-becomes-a-Shield-agent thing as much as Darcy the Scientist Wrangler, this story has a great, cannon-compliant reason for why Tony, Clint, etc., weren’t able to come help Steve, Natasha, Sam, and Maria in CA:tWS. There are a ton of stories in this ’verse, and I enjoyed every single one. My favorite, though, is the one where Darcy and Tony go visit Howard’s forgotten secret bunker and have three generation’s-worth of overdue conversations.

A Morbid Taste for Ice by sitehound

This is probably my favorite TaserTricks story, though I haven’t read nearly as much Darcy/Loki as I have other Darcy ships. I think it’s because writing Loki in character and making it believable to me that Darcy would fall in love with him, especially post-Avengers 1, is a fine line. If the fic apologizes too much for Loki’s wrongdoing without enough repentance/reformation, I don’t buy that she would legit be able to fall for him, but, go too far on the redemption and Loki gets OOC.

This story hits all those beats pretty perfectly and combines them with the whole Darcy/Jane/Thor (and now Loki) found family thing, Thor/Loki brother angst, Jane/Darcy BFFs, and a really compelling murder mystery to boot. There is also an interesting subplot with Loki being what basically amounts to a magical mechanic that I found really interesting amidst the snark, romance, and mystery solving. I’m sad this writer only has the one story up because it is so good!

Bygone by @inkbert

This story is Shieldshock (Steve/Darcy), not WinterShock, so even though I do try to only choose one fic per author (mostly), I’m totally fine having two by @inkbert on this list. Besides, this fic is amazing, and it’s not like there are anyone’s rules to follow on these fic rec lists but my own, lol! This is hands down my favorite ShieldShock story ever. 

Jane’s experiment goes awry and sends Darcy into the past—specifically after Bucky left for basic but before he shipped out and Steve got tapped for Project Rebirth. Darcy ends up living with Rebecca and Mrs. Barnes, and she falls head over heels in love with tiny Steve, so much so that they get married despite not knowing what the future holds for her. Then, the night before Steve is going to report to basic, Darcy blips out again, and when she blips back in, Steve is dead. The rest of the story has Darcy blipping her way through time, making friends with Howard, Peggy, and the Howling Commandos. Ultimately, though, it’s her brother/sister relationship with Tony that is the most poignant, especially by the time they catch up to the present again. And Darcy is a complete BAMF the whole time—going on missions, learning to fly anything with wings, doing anything and everything to keep her found family together. This story also gave me a plan for what I would do if I were ever shot back into a timeline like this where I couldn’t sew or cook or make a living—become a typist… genius, Darce!

Their Hearts Said by @anogete

Another Anogete story because I just can’t resist. All her stories are really good, be they WinterShock, ShieldShock, or even her really good Loki/OC fic. I would definitely suggest giving all of them a try.

This ShieldShock story is my favorite post-Infinity War tale. It picks up a few weeks after the snap, with everyone grieving and trying to figure out what to do next. Steve is barely holding it together while the remaining Avengers try to figure out what they can do. After Jane and her family disappear, Darcy heads to Avengers Tower, hoping against hope that maybe Thor knows what’s going on. Darcy and Steve start sleeping together as more of an escape from the awfulness around them than anything else, but as the team works on a plan to save the day and bring everyone back, they develop real feelings for each other. There is also time travel and I really loved the minimalist way she wrote how the day was saved in this. It balanced well with the character stuff. This story is much preferable to End Game—too bad cannon didn’t go like this!

Good Madness by Em_Jaye

Normally, I prefer my Darcy embedded within the MCU cannon. I adore that every girl keeping up with superheroes thing. But, I do enjoy a good AU on occasion, and this is one of my faves. It’s ShieldShock and kid!fic. Darcy runs a bakery that was left to her by her mother (real You’ve Got Mail tones there, but no creepy identity porn), and Steve comes in for treats on occasion. One day, he brings his daughter, and the rest is history. I love the Steve/Darcy romance in this one, and Steve’s daughter is a sweet character. I love the Full House thing Steve has going on co-raising his daughter with Bucky and Sam. And there is a nice Bucky/Natasha subplot and some really good Tony, which I would say more about except that I don’t want to spoil the surprise. My favorite story in the series is the five rules one at the end, so definitely keep going long enough for that. And if you like Em_Jaye’s writing, you should check out The Long Way Around—a Shieldshock, time travel, Endgame fix-it WIP that is excellent, as well.

One Year by @steeleholtingon

This story is WinterShieldShock. OT3s aren’t my favorite trope, but somehow with Bucky/Darcy/Steve, it works. Maybe it’s something about the boys’ history and Darcy dragging them into the future. Kind of what she does for each of them individually in WinterShock and ShieldShock, but with even more oomph. I haven’t read the whole tag, but One Year is my favorite.

Bucky’s Winter Soldier recovery has pushed both Steve and Bucky to the edge. Steve ends up leaving (at Bucky’s demand, but also because the team is afraid he’s going to do some kind of suicide via superhero duty if he doesn’t get his head on straight). The wrinkle—the night before he left, Darcy and Steve had a comforting one-night stand that resulted in two pinks lines on the test. The resulting story takes place one month at a time. Steve tries to piece himself back together and put his feelings for Bucky in the past whilst falling for Darcy over text messages. Bucky, on the other hand, realizes how he fucked it all up and vows to be there for Darcy and Steve’s baby while Steve is gone. Darcy navigates the waters of an unplanned (but wanted) pregnancy while balancing her feelings for both of them. And all the rest of the Avengers, science crew, and other Avengers-adjacent peeps support all three of them through it all. Angst, recovery, and a happy ending. So good!

So, after all that, what are you guys waiting for? Get to reading all this Darcy goodness! :-)

And now I need to figure out what fic rec list to work on next. I have a Stranger Things one (Harringrove and Mileven) almost ready to go, and then I need to decide what to do with the ships and characters that I don’t have a full top ten for. Group them together, perhaps? Bughead and LoVe might be a good combination, lol. And WinterHawk and WinterIron.

[curlerroad9]

The Worst Gambling Suggestions You? ll Ever Read. How Gaming Games Offer Hints to the Culture of an Area

Look, the particular sheer volume of gambling advice out there there is overwhelming. Players that are new to the sport can get missing navigating the marine of misinformation combined with sound gaming advice. It could be an immense undertaking to compile the quantities of excellent online poker strategy and online casino gambling habits. Rather, I? ve decided to give you a few of the worst gambling advice We? ve been offered in casino pubs, airplanes, hotel lobbies, as well as on typically the casino floor. Thus, here it is. Keep reading with regard to the worst gambling advice you? lmost all ever read. Put on? t Play Slot machine Machines at Maximum Times There? t more misinformation adjoining slot machines than any game throughout the casino. I actually feel that that likely stems from the fundamental lack of understanding. I can easily? t tell you how many times My partner and i? ve heard somebody going on and on about how you mustn? t actually play the slot machine machines on night time and weekends. These types of hapless casino authorities are convinced of which the casino plans the slots in order to have a reduced come back to player during peak hours. The particular truth is how the casino industry can be very well regulated. Therefore once a device is installed on the casino ground, the casino provides zero influence upon the game? s i9000 RTP. It requires a team involving programmers and on line casino personnel to make changes using one equipment at a moment. This can be the last issue the casino wants to do in the course of peak hours. I really get hopeful when I hear someone focus on, ? Don? t play slot machines.? Sadly, it doesn? to matter when an individual play slot machines; the house edge is usually insurmountable. Still, if you want the slots, perform them until your spinning hand falls off. The most critical gambling tips I possibly could give will be to have some fun sensibly. Stop Playing In the course of a Losing Ability I? ve examine plenty of suggestions that suggests a person get out as the getting is fine, i. e., in advance of the gambling establishment. Clearly, this was the winner? t happen often, and it? s tricky to know when to get out. It? s not really the winning skills that I need to talk about here. When you? re losing, there are really a ton of pieces of horrible gambling advice. A single Particularly Painful Bit Would Have A person Raising Your Guess Size During some sort of Losing Streak The particular premise here is definitely which you? ll eventually get of some sort of losing streak plus win your money back. An individual won? t succeed your money back again; you? ll only burn through your bankroll two times as rapidly. Another terrible bit of casino suggestions suggests that you stop playing as a whole if you? re dropping. In case you follow this particular advice, you? ll never spend a lot time on the casino floor. The games are developed to slowly siphon your money whilst mixing in a new few wins plus a ton of enjoyment. Occasionally, you? re gonna catch many mathematical anomaly plus catch several deficits in a row. Within fact, depending on exactly how you play the particular games, these may not be anomalies at all. So , if an individual quit every time you reduce a few fingers in a row, you? re bound to invest your days and nights with the pool or even in the room. Losses happen; it? h section of life. The faster you could accept that, the particular more fun you? ll have in the casino. Don? t Go to the particular Casino With Negative Players I? ve read this inside a ton of gambling establishment travel-related material online and in print. That they all claim that an individual should leave friends and family with reckless wagering habits at home. Sure, you don? t need dangerous influences at the particular casino. The advice is centered on poor players, period. This specific, ironically, most likely consists of over 95% regarding their readers. Gambling dens Are Built with regard to Leisure If an individual can? t separate a line between cousin from Cleveland laying $200 around the number six in addition to doing the identical on your own, you? re the problem. Your relative likely has distinct gambling goals in addition to ambitions. Furthermore, these people? ll probably acquire more entertainment by that single bet than you create the entire getaway. So, take those pals and family that will you love the most to the on line casino. If you? re also stuck with overly serious gamblers, you may well not have as much fun. Besides, it's rather a ton of entertaining to live vicariously from your loose plus free friends. Bet the Banker upon a Streak Baccarat will be rapidly becoming typically the most popular online casino table game on earth. Once reserved with regard to high-rollers and Bond villains, baccarat will be on the main level. In places just like Macau, baccarat is ruling the on line casino floors. Because regarding the game? h surge in reputation, there are plenty of terrible bits of advice around the internet and online casino bars. My favourite part of terrible tips suggests that you just bet the company on a streak. Meaning once typically the banker loses, an individual begin betting the player in typically the same manner. Like most terrible advice, this particular piece has some sort of kernel of brilliance to it. You need to always bet the banker, period. Baccarat tables charge a new 5% commission on winning banker wagers. Still, that? s i9000 only to provide the casino a slight edge. You must bet the bank exclusively. That 5% commission provides a person with a house edge of only one particular. 06%. You? ll have trouble beating that will on a game that can provide while much excitement. Often Bet on Dark-colored Alright, this will be a tongue-in-cheek jerk to the Wesley Snipes film Voyager 57 from years as a child. However, the well-known line,? Always wager on black,? offers become somewhat associated with a staple intended for ridiculous gambling commentators out of their own element. The fact is that black is one involving the better still money bets within the casino. Still, that? s not virtually any better than? always gamble on red,?? even,? or? odd.? Virtually any of these bets are going to be able to produce the identical long term results. Let me confess that betting in black sounds typically the coolest of typically the four. Really, what I suggest is to always bet on a single zero wheel. If you play real money roulette on some sort of double zero steering wheel, you? re doubling the property edge in even-money bets. A lot of casino gamblers wear? t know or never notice the refined difference between typically the two types involving roulette wheels. You never want to spot a single wager on a different roulette games wheel with twice zeros. The odds are extremely bad of which you? ll get better served by causing a bet on the hand of black jack or dropping $25 into a slot machine machine. In summation, it? s okay to always gamble on black, nevertheless do it on one zero wheel. Feels like a boring method to gamble to be able to me. Don? to Let Somebody Jump in and Steal Your Jackpot Let? s go back again to the unpleasant advice that becomes tossed around the slot machines banks. Some participants believe that the particular games are going play on a new particular cycle. This kind of misguided view qualified prospects players to think of which they can time their jackpot is victorious. For instance , a device pays a jackpot feature on every 2. 5 various million spins. So, a machine would certainly fork out a jackpot feature every 18 a few months or so. Some players will bad bags of cash right into a machine, inching it closer and even nearer to a $25k jackpot. Unfortunately, generally there? s no way of knowing if a jackpot will certainly hit for a new specific machine. Typically the likelihood that you simply? lmost all be the person receiving the windfall definitely goes up the particular longer you perform. Still, if an individual adopt a thinking that the jackpot belongs to an individual, you? re found in for a tremendous disappointment. Even worse could be the resentment you have when someone else hits the jackpot. You may? t manage the random range generators. I have zero doubts regarding what an excellent person you usually are, but the RNG doesn? t care. It? ll spend when a certain combination is triggered rather than an instant before. Skip typically the Players Club and Head for typically the Tables I? m constantly amazed simply by the groups of online casino gamblers that 03 right beyond the player? s desk and even avoid getting each of the free casino rewards they earn. This? s as when we were holding selling units with no free arranged of Callaway irons. Don? t miss out on just about all of the benefits earned by registering for the player? s card. You can earn everything through free meals in addition to show tickets in order to complimentary rooms in addition to cashback. This seems like a no-brainer in my experience, and this probably does in order to you. Still, you will find a population of skeptics that would have got you believe it? s all a new scam. Trading a new $20 meal for all of the money you set in play isn? t a rip-off. You? ll be playing the video games regardless, and the casino wants to preserve customers happy. Subscribe to the rewards just before placing a solitary bet and work with it every table or machine you play at for the whole trip. I realize there? s plenty more to be examined when it comes to betting and misinformation. All over the place you look, the internet is finding new plus creative strategies to help make you an even worse casino gambler. Take those worst gambling tips you? ll at any time read and devote it to the memory before an individual hit the online casino floor. You are able to? to break even actively playing casino games extensive unless you? lso are a plus gambler. Provided with the proper info regarding the best ways to play the games, you? ll walk out of the online casino a victor more compared to ever. Roger Caillois says that winning contests is? an occasion involving pure waste: waste of time, energy, ingenuity, expertise, and often regarding money.? In the publication, Man, Play, plus Games, Caillois goes on to make clear how these games invariably is an important item to take into consideration when assessment a culture? s i9000 social and spiritual growth. In the particular United States, gaming games are a lot more popular than virtually any other games in addition to sports. And actually sports are gambled on. Video video games are big in addition to popular, too, nevertheless they don? big t generate the kind of money that gambling machines do. In fact, the majority of gambling machines are simply video games now, too. In this post, I? lmost all offer some findings about what betting games in the particular United States claim in regards to the culture throughout general. What? h the Point of Gambling for The majority of Americans? Games? especially gambling games? job along an intégral of somebody trying in order to assert his will versus surrendering his / her fate for the inconsistencies of random possibility. A game love chess is a straight-up contest involving skill, for instance, while a position machine is some sort of straight-up contest involving random chance. Numerous gambling games give both. Poker, intended for example, is really a game that rewards competent play in the long haul, but in the short-term, any individual can get lucky and win a huge pot or even a complete session. One particular reason Americans may enjoy gambling is that they give an chance to demonstrate their resilience within the face of uncertainty. Doing a contest with Female Luck gives a respite from the Kafkaesque experience of working in corporate The united states and coping with bureaucracy on a frequent basis. Almost no one gets a new chance to enjoy the hero inside real life inside modern America, although you can head to Vegas, defy chances, and come house the hero of your story. A person just have to be prepared to carry the risk in the first place. Gambling Is a great Act of Obvious Intake No make a difference where you live life, gambling is a great act of obvious consumption. It? s become available from such low levels that anyone regarding any socioeconomic course can participate, also. For the public, high rollers get all gussied upwards and play baccarat without worrying of the wins or deficits? just like Adam Bond. Rich rancher types take major risks and have the particular better of their particular fellow gamblers with the poker furniture and sneer with the possibility of losing hundreds or even thousands of money. Penny slots permit people who can barely afford their particular rent to gamble, too. I experienced a close relative living in a new trailer park close to Reno, Nevada which spent most involving the later decades of her living playing penny slot machine games? even though she had been scraping by about social security plus welfare. As the lady explained,? I used to be the alcoholic and some sort of drug addict, nevertheless now I? meters just an obsessive gambler.? I have got another buddy that scrapes by, being in a tiny house in the most severe neighborhood in city. He? s took out money from us repeatedly for at least 30 years now. At least half time, he never pays that back. When they does pay it back, he will pay it back lately. What does he do to keep things interesting? He takes on the lottery as often as possible. When I ask your pet how well he does at the particular lottery, he promises that he? s i9000? about even? through the years. My relative plus my buddy equally take an inordinate amount of pleasure inside their willingness to gamble away cash that they could become using to boost their lives. What do these examples say about our culture generally speaking? What Benefit Do Slot Devices Offer Culturally? Slot machine game machines and other gambling machines may possibly be the smallest amount of culturally-enriching form of betting in existence. Not really only do happened interact with additional people while using, as you would certainly at the baccarat or poker furniture, nevertheless, you stand simply no potential for winning in the long run. Actual money slot equipment are silly plus offer lousy possibilities. They appeal in order to the compulsive nature from the human thoughts, and they grow even more appealing as time passes. Exactly what? s happening to the American lifestyle that the biggest growth in betting games? popularities belongs to the very least social of just about all possible games? Instead of getting together with various other gamblers, those who perform slot machines are definitely more comfortable interacting with machines. Gambling equipment lack the prestige of the table game titles, but they? lso are affordable enough of which anyone in the United States has an opportunity to get involved. How much does Slot Device Popularity Say On the subject of People in the us? Within European casinos, stand games are continue to more popular than betting machines. But within the United Says, slots account for at least 85% of the regular casino? s earnings. What are slot equipment like? What does slot machine game machine gambling involve? For one point, slot machine gambling is a simple activity. It? t your machine. When I visit my local casino in addition to look at the players at the slot machines, none of them are interacting with another nearby players. That? s how they will manage to like that. Contrast that together with what goes upon at a table sport like blackjack or even craps. People interact with one another steadly at the blackjack table even though they? re playing against the seller and not the particular other players. Right after all, they? lso are dealing with the common enemy, so to speak. Craps players interact in fact more enthusiastically using each other. Certainly not only are the majority of of the players with the craps table competing with a common enemy, these people? re usually rooting for an specific to defeat chances by rolling a spot number before going a 7. Most craps players wager with the player with the dice simply to enjoy typically the camaraderie at the desk. Everyone celebrates with each other when they all win. And these people all commiserate with each other after they all lose. Nevertheless blackjack and craps are growing much less popular over time period, while gambling devices are growing even more popular after some time. Exactly what does this say about American lifestyle? I don? to think it? s a big step to express that people today in the Unified States? a minimum of within general? are becoming less interested inside interacting with one another, preferring solitary uses like gambling machines. This has most likely been exacerbated by simply the within reputation of smart cell phones and apps. Also folks who actively socialize often do and so via social media marketing applications like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as opposed to having in-person conversations in addition to experiences. Skill versus Chance in Usa States Gambling It? s interesting to be able to look at just what role skill has in gambling vs random chance. In one hand, an increasing number of gamblers are winning contests which offer absolutely nothing but random probability. Slot machines embrace popularity every season, even though nothing an individual can do as a player affects the outcome. Games like blackjack, which reward skill while still offering up the casino an edge, are growing less popular over period for their brand new corporate machinery supplying random chance. But There? s a good Exception to This Craze of Chance Vs Skill: Poker. Also though slot machines continue to grow within popularity, the sport regarding poker has appreciated a resurgence over the last couple of many years that? s amazing. The poker increase is finished, so the particular game isn? capital t growing meteorically the particular way that this used to. But lots of people consent that poker will be an uniquely American game. And more folks are stepping directly into cardrooms now as compared to these people were in the particular 80s and 90s, for sure. Many casinos didn? to even have holdem poker rooms anymore throughout those decades. Of which changed with all the climb of the net poker millionaire, simply because exemplified by Philip Moneymaker. That? s as American a tale as you? ll ever hear, too? a relative unknown tends to make himself rich simply by using a mixture of good fortune, courage, and expertise. Gambling being a Meditative Experience I examine an interview with a slot machine gambler who contended of which she wasn? capital t playing slots due to the fact she of the particular uncertain outcome. Rather, she was interested in the certainty of her final result. That which was she specific about? She wasn? t worried concerning whether she won or lost. She wasn? t anxious about whether she input more money than she took out or the other way round. What she understood was that whenever she put additional money in, your woman always got the result? a brand new pair of symbols about the reels. Inside other words, the lady was certain of which she? d often be able to always play. Inside some forms of East spiritual traditions, the particular idea of getting mindful and having away from your entire worries about typically the past or upcoming in favor of a focus on the present is desirable. In my view, slot pieces of equipment supply the same type of meditative encounter as actual relaxation. In fact, many kinds of gambling do likewise thing, but slots seem to make these kinds of hypnotic effect more readily than others. You can compare this specific? serenity now? knowledge of slot machines using the effects of some illegal medicines. And, like a lot of illegal drugs, this specific instant serenity comes with an expense. In the case of drugs, you want a higher dosage to find the same effect unless you? ve eventually worn-out the serotonin receptors in your head. Gamblers experience the particular same thing. They need to gamble for larger stakes and more periods to find the same kind of rush. But also in terms of finding comfortably numb, position machine players seem to have most other gamblers conquer. What exactly is Everyone in America so Bothered About Anyway? If gambling is an escape from the particular worries of the world, precisely what are these worries that require this kind of drastic activities in order to escape from? In case you proceed in the premise that betting provides you with a rest from space and even time, why is definitely that respite appearing to become more necessary and well-known with time? Why Will be the Rate of Gambling? Especially Slot Machines? Becoming so A lot of More Popular? Consider about the upcoming that you read concerning in the newspaper these days. Ecological concerns are a new growing crisis that seems prone to impact the quality of everyone? s lives earlier than most people are usually comfortable with. Monetary crises are within the headlines about a regular basis, too. More individuals are deeply inside of debt than each before. The charge from which people are usually saving money continue to be decline. The downsizing middle class continually shrink while the particular billionaire class carries on to amass a greater amount associated with society? s prosperity. I understand people that have just discontinued reading the information altogether just to keep from being depressed all the time. Is it definitely so surprising that will gambling activities, which usually provide as successful a mental escape from all this specific as you can imagine, have turn into increasingly popular? An ever more Addicted Culture The size of gambling has transformed dramatically just inside my lifetime. Whenever I was a young man, most of the particular attendees of Bettors Anonymous were addicted to card online games and sports bets. I have buddies? senior citizens inside recovery? who nonetheless discuss those times. By the nineties, though, a majority of attendees at Gamblers Anonymous had been addicted to participating in slot machines and even video poker game titles. I? ve seen reports from rehabilitation centers that a big percentage of the people being taken care of for gambling dependancy were slot machine game participants. Gambling addiction might seem harmless more than enough, but it? h a state American Psychological Association diagnosis. Men and women dependent on gambling shed their jobs, make suicide more frequently, and wind up in prison more often. That they? re more likely to be in bad health, too, plus the divorce rate will be higher among this specific growing segment of the American population. You? ll see bar stool pundits contend that will gambling isn? capital t really addictive because it? s not a substance that adjustments your physiology. Yet when it comes to the brain, process harmful habits clearly change the physiology in the particular form of changes within your brain hormone balance. In fact , the specific same serotonin receivers that are influenced by alcohol and even drug use will be activated by wagering machines. Gambling is definitely an excellent stalwart but a negative master, but some sort of large percentage associated with the American population are gambling alarmingly. I? m not necessarily an opponent of gambling at most. Actually I? meters a proponent regarding responsible gambling. I actually find a large amount of price in gambling activities with an interpersonal aspect, like craps and poker. We encourage readers using a potential problem to obtain help with that will problem. And some other recreational gamblers would likely do well to pay attention to the more sociable gambling games accessible for mental well being and societal well being reasons 먹튀검증

[seeking-sanity]

thoughts on the year

its been an incredibly long year. of isolation, social distance, essential work, feelings of helplessness and despair... the year has just been HEAVY. 

the new year began for me with psych hospitals, and trying to shield my children from their fathers mental health instability. it was daily trips 45-50 minutes each way, for the one hour visit, that they never allowed the full hour for... it was coordinating teenage life with a strict visit schedule, it was navigating work and home time... it was trying to help rehab someone that didn’t want help... it was a few months of putting everything in my life on hold, to try to “do the right thing”... it was the beginning of an indescribable anxiety, this deep seeded stirring constant feeling of fear building in my chest. it was weeks of trying, and hitting reset, as i let someone else’s situations dictate my life. 

the saga of my ex and his gaslight manifest blended nicely into a pandemic that caused unprecedented shutdowns. it merged right into a million questions about food supply, safety, government, the new mutated corona virus that had caused massive outbreaks across the world... 

as the world stopped hoarding toilet paper, and some parts of life returned to “normal”, the reality of healthcare changed daily. ever changing rules, unknown variables in exposure, risks for patients... everyday for months was something new. the impending doom of trying to stay Covid-free in a congregated at-risk population... 

the endless hours of overtime... the dual income style single paychecks... the mental and physical exhaustion, every day... with no end in sight... 

a beautiful 2 week vacation, full of awesome memories, amazing experiences, and a solid foundation for moving forward... i left that vacation with a sense of calm and confidence that i have never known before... 

i had a ton of anxiety about the holidays... i had anxiety about thanksgiving, and what it would look like with all the distance i could create... i had anxiety about christmas, and the perfect opportunity my ex had to re-enact last years stunt... i had such mixed feelings on the distance i created between him and i, despite the kids... this ideal world notion of actually moving forward, separately, and raising the kids was so cemented in my brain for so long... it was truly all i wanted.  it has become apparent that the only way that can actually happen, is if/when he decides that he wants that to happen... he has taken any and every opportunity to remind me of all of my imperfections, every flaw he has ever noticed... he has taken every chance he saw, and even some he created simply for the sake of doing so- to tell me how worthless i am to the world... but that he “loves me”... he has taken every opportunity this year to try to guilt me into going back, that i owed him something more than all the years i tried and tried alone... he has missed no opportunities to blame me for his actions, repeatedly. and he will stand there, after telling me how terrible i am, and ask me why i don’t love him...  the distance, the giving up on trying to do whats right... the idea of being okay with whatever life choices he makes, has become easier day by day... 

i spent the fall planning for the holidays, entertaining the idea that this will likely be my last holidays “home”, on the east coast... my feelings go back and forth on that every other day... i’m excited to start a new life, to try new things, to trust enough to take the leap... but i sometimes wonder if there wasn’t a reason i always found my way back home... from far more beautiful places, i always came back home... maybe i just never found the right reasons to stay, or maybe this was the exact convoluted trail i was supposed to travel... 

i focused on family and friends and what would matter most moving forward. i became comfortable with walking away from everything... a house full of “stuff”, a yard full of money spent to fulfill someone else’s dreams... i held hard on to the idea of recouping something, anything at all.... they weren’t my dreams, but they were always pushed off as my failures... 

i learned that they were not my failures, nor were they my responsibility... and somewhere in that letting go, it stopped mattering if there was anything to get back out of a failed business, the assets... none of it matters. 

for christmas i focused less on the items, and more on the joy... what would bring actual feelings of excitement and joy to the people i care most about... instead of the items they simply expected, i made a concerted effort to find items and opportunities to reach something more than that small moment of instant gratification. 

i found myself far more calm these last few weeks than i expected i would be. i had given myself anxiety about my anxiety... 

learning that i do actually have the power to control what i let determine the quality of my day was the most empowering moment... i can’t even begin to describe how simple the concept is, and how easy it really is... 

for me, i had to realize that i cared more about the entirety than those i was allowing to effect a single moment... recognizing that it wasn’t my job or responsibility to save someone was hard. actually realizing what was staring me in the face for a lifetime was harder. valuing myself enough to stop allowing myself to be his prey was the hardest. 

i was conditioned to believe that love doesn’t quit. that it meant you should keep trying. that the vows i took mattered, more than any single fight or disagreement ever could. i was conditioned to believe that if it wasn’t working, i needed to try harder, do better. i was living my entire life trying to please someone that will never be pleased, nothing will ever be good enough... there will always be a flaw, the one mistake will be the condemnation they will never live down... 

i used to fight for his “love”, and it was all i lived for. fought for, for years....

this year has shown me that you shouldn’t have to endlessly fight for the smallest bit of affection. that love is meant to be reciprocated and appreciated. this year has shown me that love isn’t this depressing existence that is an endless obstacle course of trying to fix the everything wrong in the world, while someone take a sledgehammer to every bit of progress you have made... 

this year has been a roller coaster of healing, finding healthy relationships , and learning to unlearn the trauma and behaviors associated with... 

i’m looking forward to the new year. with new adventures, new hope, and i’m sure new obstacles. i am excited about moving forward with my life, building a healthy, hopeful future. i’m excited about continuing to build a beautiful relationship, and exploring the world without the burden of trying to pave the entire way... 

so here’s to 2020, to the restocking of toilet paper, and the re-invention of my life... 

[beautifulrunawaybear-blog]

AUTOBIOGRAPHY: ABOUTMYSELF

       My name is Mhay jean Onarosa ,I was born on the 10th day of month of may on the year On the snake 2001 , in Brgy sta Cruz Quinapondan Eastern Samar , I'm the second child in Family of 5 children that consists of 3 male and 2 female . My mother is OFW in Italy  Almost 12 years she's been working for us to give us good life  and a good future and My father is a driver and he staying in the province in Eastern Samar , supposed to be we're not living together.

        I'm almost 2years in Imus Cavite, First it was difficult for me to adjust and to make Friends with them , I don't know what to do .but I realized you must be socialize with them.I'm currently grade 12 in Gen Pantaleon senior high school and I have a lot friends they Comfort me if I feel sad they give me happiness when I with them, I'm so glad that I meet A good friends and they feel me that I important person thanks to them I didn't feel Alone and adjustment.

           When I'm pursuing college I want to be a Chef because when I Was a Young my hobbit is cooking its my my skills I love to experiment in different food For me Cooking is my strength and my only relieving stress and later on I understood That my heart belongs to cooking no matter what happened I will reach my goal to be a professional chef someday and build my own restaurant.

           Also There a lot of things I like to do when I'm happy, I like to have fun with my friends and my family ,I like to eat in different food,I like cooking ,I love watching K-drama and K-pop stars. I like to travel in different places and sometimes I tell jokes to my friends when my surrounding Is good. The things that I don't like is to be BORED!

           Life is a temporary, you should do the right things so can't regret in the end, And you should give important every single day in your life leave into the Max, don't waste your time for nothing just do your job as a human being because life is too short .It dont depend on us when we are gone in this world.

#Autobiography

Biography: JUST TWO OF US

I should start by describing this person she's Jhaya Mae Diangzon, she's my childhood friends to me almost 15 years, she is like a real sister to me and she's always there for me through ups in down, she leave in my hometown province located in Eastern Samar, born on august 18,2001, she currently study in Quinapondan senior high school. Just like me she's dream to be chef someday.

       There's a lot of thing that we have similarity when in comes favorite food, hobby ,color Ideal man and dream goals. We have a lot of memories we have share , we have uncomfortable moments that we never forget it and I am very closed to their family I always at their house to Bond with them they look like my second family, even though we are not together in the same place but still we have communication through social media,we don't forget our friendships.

       She has a brave personality even she has many problems, she still not give ,and she's doing the right things. The really  I like her is funny ,trusted person she always there to comfort me and she had a positive thought , she's the person that tells me that I can do and she is one of those inspired me to be a good person.

       There are very a few words that can adequately his personality but I'm contented and I'm lucky enough to called her my bestfriend,when you first meet her she does seen a little odd ,maybe quite distant because she has a lack of confidence to socialize people surrounds her ,if you get close to her you will realize what a wonderful and charismatic person she is , It certainly did when I first meet her when we us a kid.

     Our friendship will never never end, as long we have love to each other.

#Biography

TRAVELOGUE: WONDERFUL VACATION

I am going to share my travelogue with my family and my friends. Probably this is the most beautiful that I had in my life, after 5 years my mom came to the Philippines to celebrate my 18 birthday at that moment my mom decided to celebrate my birthday in our province in Eastern Samar. So all us prepare our things and we rent a van for our traveling almost 2 days. After 2 days we traveled we already here in Eastern Samar. I am so excited to see my friends and my father. After few days I visited my father in Balaggiga almost 1 year we had no communication. When I meet him I saw the tears in his eyes and he hug me tightly in that moment both of us is emotional.then I give him my invitation card, I want to see my father to attend on my special day. May 10,2019 all of us busy because of my birthday, I'm so excited and nervous . I can't believe that this day is my special day . Exactly 5 pm the program started .I saw my family, relative and my closest friends attend my birthday all of them happy to witness on my special day. The day of my 18 birthday has been awesome and unforgettable day for me and it was memorable . Thanks to my family,friends and relatives that they attend my special day. I honestly felt so blessed and thankful to have a such a amazing people in my life, people who truly love me for what I am. And my wish come true because my mom and my dad began their relationship again I'm so glad and happy to see both of them. When we got home I spent time with my family who made my day even more special. i'll never forget it. In another day my friends planning a Beach trip in Minasangay. The place has a long stretch of white sand , beautiful coral rock formations, the water is so cold , amazing view of sunset and they have also a can it such a beautiful place. We take a picture all of us . Even though the time we spend there was limited but we still enjoyed it. Traveling in your favorite place is the most unforgettable moment you could had in your life. I enjoyed the few weeks staying in Eastern Samar. I could it imagined every day I spent with my family and my friends we have a lot of memories we have share . Such a wonderful vacation I experienced in my life.

 #Travelogue

PERSONAL NARRATIVE: A MOMENT IN ZAMBALES

I woke up 4 am in the morning on October 20, because we have a trip to Zambales. I prepared everything from the smallest and important things I should bring. I cooked my packed lunch so I won't get hungry during the trip 5:30 am I left home and went to Cavite State University because is our meeting place some games during the trip .we are all tired after 8 hours of trip but we still manage to roam around the place! It was an ideal place to forget your problems. It was a pleasant area they have grass field many old style wooden, the place so quietly the place so amazing

 That day is may the best experience, we stay their in two days but that 2 days was the best and memorable experience .We buy and eat different food, we spend our time to go everywhere we go around after that we take a picture. To be part of a good memory I am so thankful that I've become part of this reach out. And the activities in here so good just like Bible activity, racing and etc. Then the people I met that day was very hospitable.

I've never forget that place, because it's my first time to came here and to participate this kind of activity. For me this place is so perfect for me all the stress was gone when God brought me in this kind of place. It was simple and all fresh green surrounding , tall

Tress to lay on it, I can see the birds flying in the sky. It was like a paradise with me I wish that I live there but didn't . And in my last night in that paradise I mean Zambales. I meant to be not fall asleep to watch and see the view for the last time every moment that I have in that place . It was a treasure for me , I cherish that simple memories that I have . Even that it is not perfect for them but for me It was a rare and special experiences.

 #Personal Narrative

Reflective essay: Realization and Changes

When I was in high school, I am just a typical student have a lot experience in comes in rebellious. I'm the type of person who is willing to take a risk and experience things I never did throughout my life . I can still remember my first day. "Good morning sister teacher and schoolmate Praise be Jesus and Mary and we shouted,after the morning activity. That greeting had been our routine everyday its already part of our everyday living, aside from making the sign of the cross holding the rosary bids.

After that I entered my classroom I set down on my chair in the middle. I keep my eye rolled it and looking at them and also to observed after that we started by getting to know each other with our new adviser. Over 4 years I have been here I have already friends we've a lot similarity when in comes hobbit and etc. I have a lot of experience or worst either just like cutting class, vandalism, fighting with my classmates and 10 times of guidance those things I've done. I just didn't want to have fun even though it was a bad thing I knew it wasn't right but I still choose that path.

As a young teenager myself. I don’t fell worry about my purpose or meaning in this world. Living without a purpose or meaning create me incompleteness of my thoughts and my feelings . When I meet Father Edgar Abucijo he taught me good things he make me realize and give me a hope . He taught me life is important no matter how I did He told me every single of my life . I'm so grateful that I Found him . I found myself especially God. I had to reflect and accept accountability of my past action and to Letting go my anger and insecurity of myself I was greatly encourage again to fight but now I’m ready to see what Is right and learn of my last mistake.

 #Reflective Essay

Facial recognition: Rhonna Inghog

She's Rhonna Inghog. She's close friend to me She has pretty  face with bright brown eyes and a big mouth. She has long black wavy hair but she sometimes wears it in a ponytail. She is  beautiful, especially when she smiles. She always seems to be in a good mood. We have nearly the same hobbies and sometimes the same opinions. She always brings out the best in me by being positive and cheerful She is like a part of my family. I trust her as much as I trust her .My close family member. ; she always there for me to support what I do. It can be useful sometimes her face is angelic .whenever I see her face all of my problems and negative feeling vanishes .

That's why I always love to see her everyday . A lot of people admired her face because her face is simple and innocent. The most favorite part in her face his her eyes . The shade of her eyes brown , her eyes reflect a typical color of indian and her eyes is glamorous For me their something especial in her eyes that can attract people by looking her eyes and that her eyes is her assit . Her eyes describe anything about her.

 #Facial Recognition

Literary Journalism: NLEX - SLEX

NLEX-SLEX connector introduced as new remedy to aid traffic in EDSA

Senator Grace Poe have introduced the completion of the North Luzon Expressway - South Luzon Expressway would mean more trains through Metro Manila, cosntruction of elevated walkways, and this alleviate the traffic in EDSA.

The said 8-kilometer connector, running through Caloocan City to Santa Mesa, Manila will connect SLEX and NLEX, traversing commuters who's going from North to South and vice versa, thus taking a portion of EDSA traffic.

Another factor that will lessen up the traffic in EDSA would be the increasing number of trains in MRT3 Project, which would also increase the capacity of the commuters it can accommodate, while upgrading the train's operating speed and power, Poe also added.

Highlighted and conventional walkways connecting buildings are also expected to lesson the congestion in the Metro.

The Metro Manila Subway Project is expected to break ground in the final quarter of the year, and would also be huge help on traffic.

For years, traffic it's always been a bane for motorist and drivers and unfortunately, the problem is getting worse every day. In a NEDA Report in 2017, 3.5 Billion Pesos are lost everyday due to traffic

 #LiteraryJournalism

Testimonio

When I'm 9 years old I'm already aware that my parents not okay. They always fight in front of their children me and my siblings always cried and worried about our. When are they argued we tend to hide so that we won’t hear there. So my mother decided to work abroad. Honestly when my mother go abroad are house become silent but you can see our face by being loneliness. We become independent and be responsible daughter and son. Despite of that we need a mother to guide, care us if we sick and comfort us if we feel lonely.

After we getting high school we still waiting for my mother came home every moment and every events like Christmas, new year and birthday. Almost 5 years we waited until my siblings tired and disappointed.

Until we found out that they are already separated long time ago that's why whenever I asked my father he won't respond me and he always change the topic. My heart aching and angry both of them I experienced mental health and being depressed also my siblings become a rebel just to sake my parents but they know that they are doing the wrong thing but because they want attention they still keep doing it.

 The effect of having a broken family is very dangerous because the children might have trauma and by that, they will isolate their selves. There should be a counseling for marriage so that the complete relationship will be stronger and more they will have a better communication with each other. As for the children, they should also undergo counseling.

 #Testimonio

Reaction of  Personal Narrative

When I read that Rhonna's personal story about her birthday and being a school achiever she was excited to share it with her parents and Rhonna was excited when she found out she was on top.

Rhonna's face was so happy with a smile and when she returned home she was surprised of her mother  and  she did not think she had a birthday celebration in her house .when she gave a  present  she was happy and glad and a say thank you to her mother and hugged her tightly.

When I repeated her personal narrative . I’m proud of her  as she was able to keep up with his grades of her classmates. And I believe in his ability and all that he does have a good results that he will continue to do. Just don't be discouraged because he can handle everything he just trusts herself. God always their to guide her .

 #ReactionToaPersonalNarrative

[himachalholidaytrip-blog]

8 Significant Tips For Planning A Himachal Holiday Tour

Are you planning your next vacation in Himachal Pradesh? But don’t know how to plan a trip or your wonderful idea has eventually ended up as a nightmare, then don't worry because we are here with this amazing Himachal Holiday guide for you.

We have planned countless Trips for our clients over the years and guided them to witness the magnificent beauty of Himachal Pradesh. In this Travel guide to Himachal Tour, we have created an efficient checklist which ensures that you to don't forget anything important during your vacations.

Whether you are traveling with family or planning a Honeymoon Trip in Himachal, you deserve priceless memories without unseen hurdles on your vacation.

In this Blog, we also have mentioned some Travel websites where you can easily book Himachal Taxi Services, Hotels, Himachal Tour Packages, and favorite Tourist Destinations. So let’s get started.

Choose Where to Go: Many of us know they want to go somewhere, but not exactly know where they should go. And this is what we are going to talk about. Picking the right destination is immensely important according to whether season and which can gives your Himachal Trip successful. If you are planning Shimla Kullu Manali Tour check out some ideal season to visit all destinations, consider cost factors, and as everyone knows Dharamshala, Dalhousie, Kinnaur, Spiti & Sangla Valley is the safest destinations for travelers as well as for solo female travelers too and you can consider these locations. And the most important factor is a destination with easy accessibility.

Decide The Length of Your Travel: Once you’ve figured out your dream destination, decide the length of your trip. And our advice to you is to stay flexible while you are traveling because time matters! Make a correct estimate of days that required visiting the destination. A Kinnaur Kalpa Sangla Tour will need more time in sightseeing and require long trip duration, whereas Shimla Tour does not have enough sightseeing destinations and hence it can be a short duration trip. 

Research Your Trip Costs: After deciding travel length, research how much money you will need and how much these locations will cost you according to your travel days including Hotel, Taxi Services, and local attractions. You can contact travel websites, community & Facebook groups. Here is some website where you can request costs as per your budget:

Visit To Himachal

Travel Wikipedia 

Himachal Package Booking

Himachal Holiday Booking 

Check for Latest Deals: Before booking Tour & Taxi Packages check out some last-minute deal or do research on Google. Because there might be chances that when you plan for Dharamshala Dalhousie Tour you might get 60-70% off on Kullu Manali Tour Packages or maybe 50% off for Kinnaur Lahaul Spiti Tour Package. Well, we have some recommended websites that provide amazing deals on Complete Himachal Tour Packages from Delhi, Chandigarh, Kalka, Ambala & Pathankot. So check them out:

Book Your Taxi & Accommodation: So let’s talk about the most important part of this blog and your journey too J and that is Hotels, Flight, Train & Taxi Transfer bookings. As you know Train & Flights tickets are subject to availability & could be rise over time, and it is advisable to book tickets in advance so that it will not costs you additional on your decided budget. And our Top favorite sites for finding cheap Himachal Taxi Packages are:-

Himachal Taxi Rental Services

Shimla Manali Taxi Service

Himachal Tourism Taxi

Himachal Tourist Taxi

Himachal Taxi Online

 Plan Your Activity: Make your activity more easy by planning it before going on a trip. Outline some major local sightseeing you want to see on your trip this will help you to figure out if you require any bookings for your chosen Tours & activities. Whether it is paragliding in Solang Valley or Skiing in Rohtang Pass you need to plan according to your budget.  

Pack UP! Aaannnnddd it’s a time to pack for your Himachal Trip. Choose the right stuff and avoid over-packing for a trip. When you are going to Himachal don’t forget to take warm clothes & limited stuff because less is more! ;)

Enjoy Your Trip: Now enjoy your vacations, have fun & make wonderful memories with your loved ones. You planned very well for your trip & waited so long, so here it is you are on an amazing adventure trip to Himachal Pradesh. Be the witness of the beauty of the Himalayas and snow-capped mountains.

 So here it is! Holidays with your loved ones are experiences & affections that changes peoples for good and give an inner relaxation from a hectic lifestyle. Now you can easily plan & enjoy your Himachal Trip, whether it’s for Shimla, Kullu, Manali, Dharamshala, Dalhousie, Kinnaur, Kalpa, Kaza Tour or Spiti Valley Trip. And yeah! If we missed something or forgot to mention anything, so we apologies to you, and we want you to let us know right down in the comment sections or you can write to us directly on email.

[aupairadventures]

Retracing my Ancestors’ Footsteps in Budapest, Hungary

I promise that I have a good reason for not writing and publishing a blog post in over a month! Since the beginning of April, I’ve been away traveling, exploring new places, making memories, and having a blast.

After spending a little bit of time in Paris, I set off for my first destination: Budapest, Hungary. Due to my grandmother’s Hungarian family ancestry, visiting Hungary has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. I’ve always been very close and had a special connection with my grandmother. Ever since I was young, I always loved hearing her funny, touching, and wild stories about her childhood and growing up in a Hungarian immigrant family. I especially love my grandmother’s stories about her grandmother, a strong, bold, and colorful woman named Anna Zvolanek. As my grandmother’s story goes, Anna left Hungary when she was only 16 in search of new opportunities. She immigrated to the US, passed through Ellis Island, and then began a new life in Long Island, New York. She soon fell in love with my grandmother’s grandfather, another Hungarian immigrant named Edward Cheslock, and the two began a family of their own. According to my grandmother, Anna was a phenomenal cook and pastry maker, and was famous in the neighborhood for her incredible apple strudel, poppy seed roll cakes, and apricot “rugelach.”

According to my grandmother, Anna grew up in a small village just outside of Budapest. My grandmother says that when she was a child, she remembers seeing Anna often returning to Budapest to visit her extended family. My theory is that during my time in Budapest, I must have unknowing walked down the same street that Anna once did or visited the same place that once was familiar to her. It’s for these reasons that my journey to Budapest didn’t feel like any regular trip, but rather like an important spiritual pilgrimage. During my time in this beautiful city, I feel that I truly learned the importance of returning to your roots, learning about your family’s history, and retracing your ancestor’s footsteps. This experience made me feel even closer to my grandmother and gave me a better understanding of everything that has led to my existence and made me who I am. 

I was so happy to have my friend Gabriela by my side during this journey, and I have her to thank for this amazing time spent in Budapest. Several months ago, after Gabriela read in one of my blog posts that it was my dream to one day travel to Hungary, she reached out to me. She told me that she also had been wanting to explore this country and asked if I would want to travel there together. I responded that yes, of course, I would, and a plan was created!

I’ve known Gabriela since we were tiny students at Morris Elementary School in Lenox, Massachusetts, and our houses were on the same street. Gabriela and I both attended high school at Miss Hall’s School in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where we grew close while participating in our school’s Theme Committee. Since Gabriela is a year older than me and was in the grade above me, I’ve always looked up to her as a role model and thought of her as a hardworking student, compassionate community member, strong young woman, and great friend. After traveling with her, I’m glad to add “Amazing travel companion” to that list! After our time together in Budapest, I’ve become convinced that we’re a traveling-match made in Heaven. Years ago, who would have thought that Miss Hall’s two girls from Lenox would one day be living abroad, one in Italy and the other in France, and would decide to meet up in Hungary? 

Throughout the trip, the two of us had an absolute blast together. Almost every moment that we spent together was filled with the best conversations. We talked about everything from  how our adventures abroad have been to the 2020 American presidential election. We talked politics, feminism, had deep philosophical conversations that made my head hurt, re-lived old Miss Hall’s memories, shared silly stories, and laughed non-stop. I always love the conversations that the two of us share. We could talk for hours about everything and nothing all at once, and somehow never run out of things to talk about. 

The moment that I fell in love with Budapest, I fell fast and hard. While I had never visited this city before and everything was unfamiliar to me, I simultaneously felt so comfortable and so at home. Every ray of sunshine or gust of wind seemed to be calling out to me, “Welcome home, Shanti. We’re so happy to have you back.” Budapest is without a doubt one of the coolest cities that I’ve ever visited. The streets are filled with such distinctive character, and the city radiates an intriguing, funky energy that I’ve never encountered anywhere else. Whether you’re exploring the Jewish quarter, visiting a stunning cathedral, trying a new kind of traditional Hungarian food, watching a breathtaking sunset, or seeing the city’s sparking lights at night time, there’s always something new and exciting to try out. There’s never a shortage of interesting things to do, and “boring” is the last word that anyone would ever use to describe this place. This city always keeps you guessing, and there are surprises waiting around every corner. 

It goes without saying that I highly recommend visiting Budapest to my fellow travelers! Here are some of my favorite places that you absolutely have to visit:

Not too far from our hostel (a lovely little spot called “Meander Hostel” that I would recommend that my fellow travelers on a budget,) was St. Stephen’s Basilica. While this building might look a little surprising and not like a traditional church, (“Oh! I thought it was a government building!” exclaimed Gabriela when she saw it for the first time), it is nonetheless a beautiful and fascinating piece of architecture. If you think that the outside is gorgeous, just wait until you see the interior. With its colorful, golden, mosaic ceilings, the inside of this basilica was so beautiful that it made my jaw drop. On Sunday morning, I joined Gabriela as she attended an 8 am mass at St. Stephen’s. While I am not at all religious myself, I still greatly enjoyed this experience. I thought that the ceremony was so interesting and beautiful, and it made me understand why attending mass each Sunday morning is so important to so many people around the world. While I still don’t consider myself a religious person and don’t think that attending weekly mass will be a part of my life,  I will happily join my religious friends when they attend mass, if I’m invited. Thank you, Gabriela, for sharing this experience with me and answering all of my many questions!

One of my favorite places in Budapest is Fisherman’s Bastion, an absolutely gorgeous terrace located on the Buda side of the Danube river. Featuring 7 fairy-tale like towers, this site offers the perfect view of the beautiful city of Budapest. While standing on the terrace, you can see a panoramic view of the city and see some of Budapest’s most famous sites, such as the Chain Bridge,  St. Stephen's Basilica and the Hungarian Parliament Building. Budapest is beautiful at all times of day, but it’s especially breathtaking in the evening. I recommend going up to Fisherman’s Bastion to see a beautiful sunset and then watch nighttime fall over the city as the lights come up and the city begins to sparkle. 

One of the most beautiful places to visit at night time is the Parliament building. When the sun goes down, this building is lit up with gorgeous golden light and looks like a star shining at the edge of the Danube river. I highly recommend taking a stroll along the river next to the Parliament building in order to see this magnificent sight. Remember to walk to the back of the building to see the reflection in the water mirror, as pictures below:

Just behind Fisherman’s Bastion, you’ll find St. Matthias Cathedral. This cathedral, with a gleaming white exterior and an intriguingly unique and colorful roof, is another beautiful site. A short walk away from Fisherman’s Bastion, also located on the Buda Hill, you can find the Buda Castle. (We didn’t visit this site this time around, but we saved it for our next trip to Budapest!)

When in Budapest, you absolutely have to visit one of the thermal baths. Gabriela and I visited the Szechenyi Thermal Baths, and I can say with full authority that it was worth every penny. The warm, healing water felt absolutely incredible; our poor feet were so sore after all of the walking we did in the city, and the water definitely helped! The baths that we used were located in a large outdoor courtyard surrounding by a stunning, buttercup yellow, palace-like building. Going to the thermal baths was a great way to spend a sunny morning, and I highly recommend this activity to my fellow travelers. My only complaint was that this specific location was very touristy and quite crowded, as it’s the main thermal bath spot in Budapest. While we didn’t visit it, I’ve heard good things about another thermal bath location called Gellért, which I’ll check out the next time that I visit Budapest.

On my last day in Budapest, I went on a free walking tour about the history of Budapest’s monuments, which I found to be very interesting. During the tour, I learned a lot about this city’s rich and complex history, which further deepened my understanding of this place. Our tour guide was lovely and enthusiastic, and the tour was a blast. I highly recommend doing one of these tours on your first day in Budapest, as it will help you get a good understanding of the layout of the city, and your tour guide will give you great recommendations for things to do, places to see, and delicious food to eat. You can find these daily tours with the organization “Budapest Free Walking Tours”  on the steps of St. Stephen’s Basilica.  If you want to join a tour, don’t worry about signing up, just show up!

The organization offers tours about the history of Budapest, communism in Hungary, and the Jewish Quartier in both English and Spanish; just check the website to find out the schedule. And of course, remember to give your tour guide a well-deserved tip!

One of the many great things about Budapest is that the food and restaurants are super cheap, making it an ideal city for travelers on a budget. The food in Budapest was seriously amazing, and Gabriela and I truly ate our way through this city. As a result, we have lots of recommendations for must-have traditional dishes and great restaurants. Here are some of our favorite spots:

Lion’s Locker: One of the absolute best places we went to was Lion’s Locker, an adorable little cafe and breakfast spot located on a tiny side street. We were so glad that our wanderings lead us here, as the food was great and the staff were almost as sweet as the raspberry jam “Hungarian crepes” that I had for breakfast.

Espresso Embassy: If you’re searching for the perfect coffee shop, look no further than Espresso Embassy. I swear, I had the best chai tea latte of my life there, (which is really saying something as I’m quite addicted to them and tend to order one everywhere I go.)

Hummus Bar: On a tight budget, but still craving something delicious? Try Hummus Bar, a super cheap yet very healthy and insanely good hummus and falafel restaurant. This place is quite popular in Budapest, and you can find their different locations all around the city.

Làngos: Another great option for travelers on a budget are langos, a super-not-good-for-you-but-so-good traditional fast food made of fried dough, sour cream, copious amounts of cheese, and vegetable or meat toppings (A bit like a deep-fried pizza!) If you’re looking for something cheap and quick for dinner, try a langos food truck. So unhealthy, but so delicious! Just a warning: Food truck langos can be a bit difficult to eat with your hands sometimes, and can result in sour cream ending up all over your face and pieces of cheese spilled all over you: This is probably not the best option for first-date food.

If you’re craving langos but want to feel a bit fancier, try the Langos Papa restaurant. It’s just as delicious, but with toppings like arugula, goat cheese, honey, and walnuts, it feels a bit more gourmet.

Another great restaurant, located just a few doors down from Langos Papa, is a traditional Hungarian restaurant called Kantin. There, we tried some traditional dishes like goulash, creamy mushroom soup, paprika mushroom noodles, cottage cheese dumplings, and cherry strudel, all of which were incredible.

Karavana Food Truck Market: Located in the Jewish Quarter, this lively food truck market is perfect for a casual night out. Here, you can find lots of different kinds of cuisine: everything from traditional Hungarian dishes to french fries and burgers. (Or, the perfect combination of the two: Langos burgers!) My personal favorite was a food truck called Las Vegans, which offered delicious vegan veggie burgers and healthy fruit and vegetable smoothies.

Szimpla Sunday Farmers' Market: You can also find this awesome farmer’s market every Sunday morning in the Jewish Quarter. Located in an old “ruin-bar,” this was without a doubt the hippest, coolest, and the most interesting market I’ve ever been to. Gabriela and I came here for breakfast after mass on Sunday morning and ended up spending hours here. There are lots of stands with fresh, local vegetables, freshly baked bread, cheese, mouth-watering pastries, and traditional Hungarian cuisine. At the ruin-bar counter, you can also find coffee and tea, of course. The tables set up in the courtyard in the back make it the ideal place to grab breakfast or lunch, try some delicious food, and get lost in conversation.

The Great Market Hall: If you want to go to a market on a day that’s not Sunday, try the Great Market Hall. Here, you can also find lots of vegetables, meats, and yummy pastries. This is also a great place to pick up some souvenirs, gift, and postcards. However, speaking honestly, the Great Market Hall doesn’t come close to the Szimpla Sunday Farmers' Market. After hanging out in that adorable, picture-picture market, the Great Market Hall, unfortunately, felt a little bit underwhelming. But, that doesn’t mean that it’s not worth a visit! 

Gelarto Rosa: For some dessert, try the Gelarto Rosa gelato shop. The rose-shaped treats are almost too beautiful to eat, but oh-so-delicious. Located right next to St. Stephen’s Basilica, you can enjoy your treat on the church’s steps or by one of the fountains in the square. 

Chimney Cakes are another popular dessert that I highly recommend. These pastries are made of dough, cinnamon, and sugar, or chocolate, and are baked in a cylinder shape with a hollow center. When you pull a piece off, the cake begins to unravel and resembles a slinky toy. Cool, right? A cinnamon and sugar chimney cake was the perfect afternoon snack for Gabriela and I after we got caught in an unexpected rainstorm and were in need of some warmth and cheering up.

My journey to this city was nothing short of magical. I left this city feeling in love, deeply moved, and closer to my family’s heritage than ever before. I boarded my return flight to Paris with a happy heart, dreaming of my next trip to Budapest; I can’t wait to come back to this city and learn even more. I feel so proud to say that my family comes from this beautiful and fascinating place. Thank you for everything, Budapest!

[daytodaymusings]

23 things that have led me to where I am now... (24)

It’s crazy to think that I turned 24 yesterday ... this past year has been one heck of a rollercoaster (and no I am not trying to make a Jonas brother pun here). I’ve had so many experiences on both a small and big scale all of which I’ll take with me in year twenty four and more. But here’s a breakdown of the twenty three BIG ones.

1. I attended a Jonas Brothers Concert ... and it was by far THE BEST present I’ve ever given myself. After years of pining over them *looks over at life size poster in the living room* and screaming their lyrics on the top of my lungs with my best friends I finally got the chance to see THE Jonas Brothers LIVE. IN CONCERT. Not to mention, I got to touch Nick and possibly Joe? (I don’t know the night was a blur from the excitement and disbelief). Such a massive moment in my friendship with S too! 

2. I lost my Grandmother ... who I had just spoken to the night before on the phone. who I adore more than anything in the world. who got me started on soap operas and washing my hands after I touch everything. who broke her arm trying to keep me from falling out of the bed when I was younger and made fun of me for putting on make up when I was older. & who made me laugh because she was so cute and lively and had such a personality. It hurts that I was worlds away when it happened and it hurts knowing that I don’t have someone to go back to anymore, in what used to be my favorite place in the world. Hold on tight to the ones you love, kids. You never know when you’ll be saying your last “I love you”. (You love me)

3. I celebrated my other Grandmother’s birthday with a surprise trip ... we went on a cruise with the majority of the family and I had such a great time celebrating and laughing with her. May have also developed asthma from all the smoke inhalation because someone just HAD to get all the BINGO letters for the $100 prize at the casinos... *spoiler alert: we didn’t get it* But we did make it away with a bag of chocolates stolen from a secret birthday event for her and others. Grandma drunk on laughter = the best kind of drunk. 

4. I started nursing school ... because I finally realized what makes my heart skip a beat. It isn’t just having the ability to care for another human being. I love watching sick babies recover and finally get to go home, seeing the faces of first time parents and grandparents when they hold their newborn. I love the coo-ing noises the babies make when they are happy in your arms or in a bathtub. And I love how at work I am inspired by all the people and stories around me. (Low key hate myself for not realizing all of this sooner though... could’ve saved some $$$). 

5. I traveled to Australia ... an unexpected but much needed trip I decided to tag along with my parents and Grandma (and a few others), who had been planning it for awhile. I hadn’t traveled anywhere new in awhile and Australia was beyond my wildest dreams. In total in the whole week (9 days?) I was there I ate 5 meals and averaged 3 hours of sleep a night. Was it healthy though? Yes, cause I learned about a whole new culture and saw spectacular views of a lifetime. 

6. I wrote a song ... and it was SO. MUCH. FUN. I took this analogy that I had been thinking of for so long and just put it into words. It honestly came to me when I was at the casino on the cruise and looked over at the LOML and suddenly I spilled feelings that I had been hiding for a long time onto a page and added a melody that reminded me of the moment and the feelings... and I showed it to a few people who said it sounded like my idol, #TaylorSwift. AHHH!

7. And then another one ... came to fruition. Suddenly I had two songs and a whole new hobby I enjoyed that allows me to put beautiful, heartbreaking, magical, angry moments into frames filled with words. 

8. I cleaned this guy’s house ... and thought maybe for one second he’d maybe just maaayyyybeeee like me back. A part of me also did it for closure, which I got by leaving a 2 paged letter on how I felt about him and how I finally realized I had to let go, because as much as I loved him he would never see me that way...ever. Even after everything we had put each other through. And in case you were wondering, by clean, I mean I spent 4+ hours on all fours wiping up vomit and beer off the floor and washing his dishes because why stop with the floor, right? 

9. Made a couple new friends ... E.C & C.J you guys know who you are. Thank you for being the only two people who understand me and being up for drinking a margarita with me any time, any day. #PrayForOurLivers But also, I love our friendship and how I know I always have my back no matter what. 

10. Cut off some “friends” ... which was a long time coming. I hurt. Especially the moment that I realized I was depending on people who were no longer there. Who only needed me when they needed me and would tell me I owed them or they owed me. That’s just not what friendship is and not the kind of relationships I want in life. I don’t want to wake up wondering if I was used by someone I care for and wondering why we only hang out once in a blue moon when convenient for them.

11. Hosted 5 girls from Spain ... who I bonded with and learned a lot from in regards to our nursing educations. We went to DC and the beach and there was one awesome night of drunken craziness that brought back memories of when I was in Spain. #TQESPAÑA I also learned to step out of my comfort zone and make new friends even if I might not feel comfortable right away because they seem 3387420974923 times cooler. But the truth is.. (and I think I need to reread this line over and over on the bad days).... people will accept you for your generosity and hospitality. Your looks and how “cool” you are don’t matter on a large scale. It’s how you are willing to go out for people even if you don’t know them that really sticks out and makes you friend and human material. And who knows, you might even make new friends in new places. 

12. Went on a Spontaneous Busch Gardens Trip ... screamed. and shout(ed). and let it all out. It was a much needed time and a crazy ass trip. We got to ride The Gryffin, aka MY FAVORITE RIDE EVER, 5 times before we left the park. And even with the rain, we still had an amazing time together. Big lesson here? You have to make the best of every moment and create your own sunshine. You deserve it. 

13. Took a 2 hour break at work ... I NEVER take breaks. And if I do it is maybe 30 minutes total in my 12 hour day. It is something I get yelled at for but I can’t sit around knowing people need help. But one day, E and I got lunch cause we were both working and then celebrated with milkshakes later in the afternoon, totaling to 2 hours of recovered time from the year and a half I have not been taking breaks. Regrets? None. My body and mind needed it so very much. 

14. Had one awesome night playing basketball ... gosh I don’t even remember how it happened but I remember having the respect of every guy in the room. Being the only girl that plays with them can suck, especially cause testosterone runs high and boys can be rude and such ball hoggers. What’s so big about winning? NOTHING. But I definitely won that night and showed ‘em I’m just as capable if not more. *cue the song “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better”*

15. Completed my fourth Spartan Race ... the BEAST, which sucked due to the cold. (Thanks, Winter). But it was so so so so AWESOME seeing what I had been capable of accomplishing. of what my body is able to do. Even more so it was just all such a fun experience and the first time I set my mind to something and just committed and stuck it out, even though my body would ache and it was tiring driving a whole day in the car to get to places, sleep 2 hours, and race. 

16. Told what I thought was a white lie ... but even white lies can turn a rainbow dark. I felt that I was doing the right thing, and later learned how wrong I was. Especially as time passed on and I kept up with the lie. The truth can be a very scary thing to admit to, but it’s important that you tell it because it sets you free. Even if it is the biggest mistake of your life and you know that once you say it aloud it makes it will make a deafening mark on your life, you have to. There just isn’t a way around it. 

17. Finished an essay months before it was due ... I’ve never been a procrastinator and I am so thankful for it. But also for those who are... let me just say... going into a semester knowing you’ve finished the biggest project that is going to be assigned = BEST. FEELING. IN. THE. WORLD. Right next to, Nick Jonas’s soft ass hands. 

18. Learned how to play the guitar ... which made songwriting possible. I always wanted to learn it because I love hearing acoustic versions of songs and also Taylor Swift. It’s amazing what you can accomplish with the help of youtube, 4 chords, and hella determination. 

19. Finally realized that people aren’t capable of change ... and it’s ok. Sometimes we don’t need people to change who they are, we have to change ourselves and our perspectives. The world isn’t black and white. We all have the ability to see it however we want to. But most importantly, when we do decide to make a change, we need to make sure we’re doing it all for the right reasons. We shouldn’t do it for someone to want us. We shouldn’t do it because we saw someone else do it. We do it because it’s the right thing for us ... and stick to it because one change can make a hell of a difference. 

20. Finished 6 ice cream bars in one sitting ... and then went to cycle bar. 0/10 recommend. 

21. Stopped responding right away ... because NO ONE should ever spend every single second of their life glued to a small screen. There is so much life around us and it’s become such a bad habit for us to forget that and to lose ourselves in social media. 

22. Started Travel Pig’s instagram ... @itstravelpig for those who want to add her. (YES, MY FRIENDS, I’VE DECIDED IT IS A HER/SHE/GIRL.) I thought it could build some cultural awareness or atleast be a platform to share cool story about new places. But i’ve been slacking on it... oops. But traveling and learning about new cultures have been a huge part of my growing up and I wanted to share it and try to help people realize that even with all the differences in skin tone we’re all just amazing human beings capable of so much beauty. 

23. Blew out the candles on my melting cake ... without making a wish. It was there, in that moment, that I realized I am truly happy again. I have found a good group of people to surround myself with, passion, a new hobby, but most importantly MYSELF. I don’t think it all would have been possible without all the hurt and confusion that I have felt in the past two years, so I’m thankful that people took me for granted and left me out on the side of the street. But... 

a very important honorable mention is needed now. I have to say, I wouldn’t be this type of happy if it were not for a special someone, who has stayed by my side through it all. Even in the worst times, you stayed and held onto me, making sure I knew I still had a home even though I was wandering around...lost. I love you. You know who you are. 

Those who were there in the passing, those who got away, thank you for teaching me to appreciate life and the moments. Those who left without a backwards glance, you all will never be forgotten and will instead serve as gentle reminders that I am better because of them. stronger too. Those who stayed, well, let me just say, I can’t wait to see what 24 has in store. 

Cheers to one hell of a ride and the start of 24. 

[louiseeeesworld-blog]

BEAUTIFUL CREATURE

Should you be planning on an adventure way on the western part of Pangasinan, try the umbrella rocks formation or the Pristine beach of Abagatanen white sand in Agno pangasinan. The Abagatanen Beach is quite serene but mind you it would be worth the trip if your into nature and of course a beach lover, not to mention that it is way way far from the busy noise of a City. The road leading to those places will be worth a lifetime specially if you could watch the sun setting on the horizon just give it a shot.

Umbrella Rocks is one of the Agno’s prided Attractions. These are umbrella-shaped boulders dotting the mouth of the Balincaguing River in Sabangan.

Sabangan Beach with its Umbrella Rocks has a diverse marine eco-system showcasing beautiful corals and different sea creatures. Surrounded by crystal clear blue water. A perfect place for swimming, snorkeling, and diving. This beach is surrounded by trees and rock formation on the way and little away. It harmonizes with nature and a perfectly peaceful place, where tourists may amplify their feelings and may have a retouch to their soul.

The dazzling beauty of umbrella rocks is a work of the natural elements through a number of geological periods. The rock formations that resemble gigantic umbrellas formed by the incessant lapping of tidal waves against the shore through the centuries. This picturesque view of the umbrella rocks beside the beach and mountain is the reason why the place is loved by nature lovers and photographers.

Aside from the this famous attraction, Agno Pangasinan is also known for its Sabangan beach. It has an old lighthouse wherein you can see the panoramic view of the beach. It will take less than hundred steps to the old light house.

Beach is clean with alert lifesavers on guard, huts are free, comfort rooms and shower rooms are well kept, parking is spacious, people are enterprising and warm.

Decades ago, it wasn’t a destination Filipinos would willingly spend their vacation. Of course, the internet changed all that after people started to explore its stunning beach coves and experience the idyllic life on the island.

It’s also blessed with many sights worth seeing beyond the surf including stunning off-shore islets, sandbars, tidal pools and rock formations. Rock formations perfect for photo a nature trip that combines swimming, hiking, and caving, coupled with an educational tour of local industries.

Like most beaches in Pangasinan, it boasts of beach with a somewhat creamy-colored fine sand and clear salty waters. There are cottages available for small and large families, but you have to bring food as its does not have any restaurants and other amenities.

Pangasinan is well known for its famous beaches, but this one is still left undiscovered but believe this place has a lot of potentials due to its effortless beauty. And through this vacation you can spend your time to your family or love ones. Spending time together helps to form lasting connections between family members. Sharing experiences and creating memories together. Spending time together as a family helps busy parents reconnect with their children. Children tend to share more information about their lives while enjoying an activity with you rather than when you ask them “What did you do today?” It is also a time when life lessons, like sharing, fairness and compassion, can be reinforced without conflict. Children grow and change quickly, so family time is a wonderful time to get to know your child better.

Walking barefoot on the beach sand isn’t only fun. It is also incredibly good for you! Nothing relaxes more than a long walk on the beach. Walking barefoot on the beach is also a great way to burn some excess calories you might’ve indulged in earlier.

Vacations are a departure from daily stress and noise. It puts everyone in a different kind of mind space and focus. Families that embrace new adventures will share discoveries and experiences what will them together for a lifetime. Vacations give us all a short escape from our daily stress. What better way to feel like you’re off to a fresh start than with a vacation that will inspire you even more. Vacation clears your mind before filling it with bright new ideas that will spark your creativity even more.

The summer would be the best time to visit to escape from the burning heat. The summer breeze during the sunset is absolutely amazing.

The beach is a great place to meet people: It's packed, everyone's in a good mood and sharing life experiences just kind of goes with the flow.

The beach is the best place to break-free from the routine and have fun. Sitting on the beach, sipping on your beer while listening to the sound of waves is the best high ever.

An excellent beach with great view. A huge beach with great waves that can make you feel so exotic. Lovely tourist attraction there and almost very lovely place to hang around and relax.

Feel the sea breeze blowing on your face. Feel the salt tickling your nose as you hear the sound of seagulls flocking in the distance.

A beach holiday in particular has its own healing powers and a special way of renewing our perspectives.

If you're on vacation, of course, you'll want photos of those memory-making moments. But instead of just taking your typical family shots, whip out the artsy Instagram filters and take your picture-snapping skills to the next level.

Capture the beautiful scenery: Glistening sand, rolling white-tipped waves, colorful umbrellas, sunsets, and find some cool subjects from other beach goer's. Creative photos make the best albums, and all your friends will wonder who the photographer was. Meanwhile, it was just you and your camera, but no one needs to know that. Enlarge and print the best ones for some wall decor with a personal touch.

Laptops and smartphones don’t go well with water and sand. The beach is a great place to take a break from the digital screen.

Get out there. Have fun. Meet new people. Dive into the deepest waters. Walk the path less travelled. And most of all, take home stories and memories of this great moment in your life. Go have fun and spend these days with your family. Venture to do different activities; it will fill you with joy. And surely don’t forget to make new adventures.

While you’re exploring the great unknown, always remember to be safe. 

[europeas20]

Plan a Memorable Family Budget Week Holiday in Spain

Are you looking for an amazing family holiday destination that won't break the bank? Look no further than Spain! With its diverse culture, stunning landscapes, and budget-friendly options, Spain is the perfect place to create lasting memories with your loved ones. In this post, we will guide you through planning a family budget week holiday in Spain, ensuring an unforgettable experience while keeping your finances in check. Choose Affordable Accommodation: When planning a family budget week holiday in Spain, start by researching affordable accommodation options. Look for budget-friendly hotels, vacation rentals, or even consider camping to save on costs. Popular Spanish cities like Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia offer a range of affordable accommodations that cater to families.

Opt for Self-Catering: Save money on dining out by opting for self-catering options. Choose accommodations with a kitchenette or a fully equipped kitchen, allowing you to prepare your meals. This way, you can enjoy delicious local produce from markets and supermarkets, giving you a taste of Spain without spending a fortune on restaurants. Explore Free or Low-Cost Activities: Spain offers plenty of free or low-cost activities that are perfect for families. Take advantage of beautiful beaches, public parks, and hiking trails, where you can spend quality time together without spending a dime. Additionally, many museums and attractions offer discounted or free admission on certain days, so plan your visits accordingly.

Discover Local Markets: Immerse yourself in Spanish culture by visiting local markets. From bustling food markets to artisanal craft fairs, these vibrant spaces offer a unique shopping experience. Explore the local flavors, buy fresh ingredients for your self-catered meals, or pick up souvenirs directly from the artisans, all while enjoying the lively atmosphere.

Plan Day Trips to Nearby Attractions: Spain is known for its rich history and stunning landmarks. Take advantage of your week-long holiday by planning day trips to nearby attractions. Whether it's exploring the Alhambra in Granada, visiting the beautiful beaches of Costa del Sol, or admiring the architectural wonders in Seville, there are countless options to choose from. Research and plan in advance to secure discounted tickets and save money. Utilize Public Transportation: To keep your family budget intact, make use of Spain's efficient public transportation system. Many cities offer cost-effective options such as metro, buses, or trains. Consider purchasing a travel pass that covers unlimited rides for a specific duration, which can result in significant savings compared to individual tickets.

A family budget week holiday in Spain can be an incredible experience without breaking the bank. By following these tips and embracing the country's affordable options, you can create lasting memories while staying within your budget. From affordable accommodation and self-catering options to free activities and day trips, Spain offers a wealth of opportunities for an unforgettable family holiday. Start planning today and get ready to explore the wonders of Spain with your loved ones! - Remember, the key to a successful family budget week holiday in Spain is to plan ahead, research deals, and take advantage of the numerous budget-friendly options available. Enjoy your trip and make lifelong memories together!

Travel Resources Hotels and Hostels Booking.com is available in 43 languages and offers more than 28 million reported accommodation listings, including over 6.6 million homes, apartments, and other unique places to stay. TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel guidance platform. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, and book experiences. Klook is a booking platform on which travelers can book hotels, cars, tours and activities, tickets to attractions, and shows at great prices. Hotellook is a service that helps you find and compare prices on hotels around the world, provided by a leading reservation system. Today, Hotellook.com offered to put together information on more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries. Hostelworld, the global hostel-focused online booking platform, inspires passionate travelers to see the world, meet new people, and come back with extraordinary stories to tell. Hostelworld has more than 13 million reviews across over 17,000 hostels in more than 179 countries, making the brand the leading online hub for social travel. Tours and excursions WeGoTrip is an online service for booking audio excursions and tours on 35+ countries on different languages (mostly english). Travelers can take audio excursions created by professional tour guides and local experts. Tiqets’ innovative technology ensures that travelers can book tickets on their phone at the last minute, receive their tickets directly in a digital form, and show their mobile phones in place of physical tickets to museums, places of interest, and attractions. Offers available passes in Europe and the US.

Car Rental You can find the best car rental prices at QEEQ.COM. QEEQ.COM serves road trip travellers from different countries by working with car rental companies all over the world. The company offers its customers the widest set of car rental options and always strives to offer the most competitive price. #familybudget #weekholiday #Spain Read the full article

[bonduniversity]

Exchange Survival Guide: Lyon, France

Hello readers! My name is Brayden and I am studying a Bachelor of Laws at Bond University. For my final semester, I wanted to go out with a bang, so I spent the semester abroad at Universite Catholique de Lyon (UCLy) in Lyon, France. This blog will give you an idea of the highs and lows of the experience and provide you with a clear and concise outline in order to be prepared and make the most of your experience.

Preparing to go

Travelling to France on a student visa is very easy, especially as an Australian. The first thing I did (not including the Bond University Exchange application) to prepare for my travels was look into my visa. However, the process is quick and painless if you have all the right documentation and they will provide you with your visa within 2 weeks. The hardest part about getting a French student visa is travelling to the Sydney consulate to hand in all your information because they do not accept the application at the Brisbane consulate or by email (ridiculous, right?). However, once that is done, all you have to do is sit back, relax and wait for your passport to arrive with the visa. One last note about the visa; make sure you provide an envelope with your address etc. so that they send it back to you, otherwise they will wait for you to pick it up (I made this mistake).

Contacting your host university 

I got in contact with my host university rather early, to ensure the process went smoothly and I suggest you do the same. We corresponded by email which was difficult regarding the language difference, but they are very helpful and will answer any questions you may have. However, even if there is a question that is just not resonating with them, the Bond University Exchange office can get in touch with them as well and get the necessary answer.

If you are travelling in the last semester of your degree, I suggest that you plan in advance and only have your general electives to do. I had three general electives and one law elective to complete and it was a little bit harder because I had to study in two separate faculties. This may cause delays and issues with receiving the academic transcript in time for graduation.

Credit point conversion 

The French Universities use a system called ECTS. Essentially 30 ECTS equals your 40 credit points or full-time load in Australia. Specifically, at UCLy the subjects can be as little as two ECTS for a single subject; so, depending on which subjects you choose you could potentially be studying approx. eight subjects for one semester. However, do not worry because that is a full-time load at French universities, so it is not abnormal.

Staying with a family 

I chose to stay with a family on my semester abroad so that I could learn the language. This was my main reason for choosing France. The process with UCLy was simple: you get in touch with the lodgement department of the University via email (email is on the UCLy website) and they will find you a family based on a questionnaire. This questionnaire will pair you with a family with similar interests, hobbies and take into account any requests you may have. The family I stayed with were absolutely sensational. They were the stereotypical French family who looked after me as if I was there child. The food was amazing and I definitely recommend considering this option for accommodation. The only downfall was that I lived about 40 minutes away from the University. However, the public transport in Lyon is very good so it was not too bad. If you decide to stay with a family and their name is Grivot-Bruhnes, then you are in luck and will have an amazing experience!

The University 

UCLy was a great university for partying, socialising and it was in a great location. The program for exchange students was….interesting. The organisation of the program was not great. It was difficult for many students to get their subjects right and the timetable changes weekly, so you really have to pay attention to your emails. However, in saying this, the University organises some great activities for you to participate in every Thursday.

Furthermore, even though you are a foreign student you have the opportunity to participate in all University activities and clubs. For example, I played rugby for the University. If you are a sporty person, I definitely recommend joining a team because it is a great way to immerse yourself in the French culture and language.

The exchange program

As I said above, the program provides numerous activities throughout the semester. These activities include:

Tours to small French towns

 Dinner with a French family

Cooking classes

Parties

Pub Crawls

International Dinners

I highly recommend doing as much as you can while on the exchange. The more immersed you become, the more you will get from the experience. The study is secondary when you are on exchange *wink*.

The city of Lyon

Lyon is a very beautiful city, which prides itself as being the art centre of France. It has some of the most awesome churches and traditional structures. However, the best part of the city is definitely the food, being Bouchon Lyonnais. The food is unique to the area and is delicious. Further, the biggest benefit of living in Lyon is the location. It is 2.5 hours from the Italian and Swiss border and about 6 hours by bus from the Spanish border. Therefore, there is a lot to do and see while you are there, so I recommend making a plan for what you want to see because the time will fly by at a ridiculously quick rate.

The one thing you have to get used to while in Lyon is the difference in culture and attitudes. The streets outside the tourist areas are, for the lack of a better word, creepy. So I suggest always walking around with a group, especially late at night.

Destinations to visit

Annecy

Chamonix

Paris

Nice

Monaco (Monte Carlo)

Amalfi Coast (Italy)

Normandy (if you like WWII history)

Tips and tricks

Due to the exchange rate, travelling around Europe is quite expensive as an Australian. If you are on a budget, I suggest catching buses/trains everywhere as flights can be very expensive. The bus company that I highly recommend is ‘Flixbus’. Flixbus have great buses with good seats and at a very low price (23 Euro for a ticket to Paris). I travelled with them to Paris, Amsterdam, Annecy and Geneva.

It is also very easy to rent a car. I rented a car with my friends and travelled to Chamonix. I was nervous to drive on the other side of the road, but it does not take long for you to get used to the difference.

Final words 

I hope this guide is helpful for you in making your decision or preparing to go to France. If you are unsure about whether to go or not, GO! It is honestly an insane experience. At the start of my trip, I wanted to go home because it was overwhelming and I missed my girlfriend and family, but I stuck it out and I am so glad I got past that moment. I met the most amazing people from all around the world and it is true that you make lifelong friends on exchange. I have heard that exchange is not for everyone, but I disagree. You will learn so much about yourself and create great connections and memories. It is difficult at times but the difficulties are worth it for the experience.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask. You can look me up on Facebook (Brayden Williams). I wish I had someone to consult with beforehand so please contact me if you need any advice.

Find out more about going on Exchange as part of your studies at Bond University.

[lifewithstainless-blog]

Immigrants from “Sh*thole Countries” Have American Dreams Too

In a time where the only stories we hear of immigration, I want to brief the public on how lucky I am to have had a good experience traveling to the United States, and how I was able to adjust to the new lifestyle. No matter how many people even presidents talk down on different countries, I want to shed a little light on the parts and people of Africa they never tell you about. I also want to give a first person point of view of the process of legal migration into the United States, and the struggles many foreigners experience when settling.

“The land of the free, and the home of the brave”, Francis Scott wrote when he described the United States of America in its national anthem The Star Spangled Banner. For a land founded on immigrants, on the basis of freedom, it is no wonder many nations around the world look up to her. Bono, the lead singer of an Irish rock band, U2, once said, “America is not just a country, it’s an idea”. I can see why he would come upon this inference as the United States is unique in being one of the only countries that have complete freedom of worship, sexual orientation, speech, and pursuit of happiness. To one living in a developing country, America sounded like a fantasy. Indeed it was for the first 7 years of my life until, that idea became a daily reality. The thoughts and emotions that went through my head when I heard that I had a chance to go to this dream-like land of opportunity, can only be expressed through the retelling of my journey there .

I was born in Port-Harcourt, Nigeria into a large nuclear family of 2 parents and eventually 5 kids. I am an Igbo, a ethnic group of south east Nigeria. Growing up in a corrupt country, it is hard to believe that I was mentally “sheltered”. This contributes to the fact that I went to a private christian school from the ages of 2 to 7 years, so half of my formal education was composed of teachings of the Bible. My parents, especially my mom are very religious, her routine and unspoken rule was to have a sturdy prayer after waking up and before going to sleep every single day. She instilled the faith of the lord in me to believe that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me “ (Phil. 4:13). She made sure we went to church every Sunday morning and chapel in the evenings. This enhanced my faith in God so much that there isn’t a decision I make or event I come across without consulting God. My social life consisted of school, church, and then maybe going to a park every now and then. One specific park I remember frequently going to was one at Shell Club. This was a casual resort exclusive to only employees of Shell Petroleum Development Company and their family members. Since my dad was a petroleum engineer there, my siblings and I had the advantage to visit many times. I did not know at the time, but visiting this resort prepared me for lifestyle in America. Shell Club had amenities such as pools, playgrounds, and restaurants that served American foods like pizza and donuts. I even encountered Americans and people of other nationalities there. Sometimes I liked to pretend I was “oyibo”, a name Igbos use to refer to Americans. I felt as though eating their food, and acting their roles were enough to mend that longing I felt to go there. While partaking in this foreign lifestyle a few times a month was preparation for the future I didn’t imagine, it didn’t feel me with much merriment compared to the mellow yet entertaining lifestyle I was accustomed to in my home country.

Nigeria is a great country filled with diverse cultures, ethnic groups, and traditions. The mores in my hometown were less materialistic and more ingenious. While I lived in a city that was privy to a few days of electricity with a family that can afford a TV, we were encouraged to go outside for leisure. I had my fair share of watching soap operas with my older sister at night, but the memories that I hold more dearly are the games made up when the generator was off. We came up with talent shows, used imagination to create scenes inspired by favorite movies, and even wrote full songs with verses and hooks. Till this day I can still remember the many songs we wrote and sang for our parents those nights when there was nothing that could interrupt family time. Yet there was one specific night in 2008 at 10:30 pm when something did interrupt family time, a phone call.

At the time, my dad was in another state for offshore drilling related to his job. In a traditional region like ours, it was improper to receive a call at such a late hour in the night. So my siblings, my mom, and I all knew that it most likely had to be my father calling with important information. A few seconds after my mother picked up the phone, I heard an exclamation come from her “Praise the Lord!” she shouts. She then commenced in singing songs of praise and worship. As we waited for our mother to regain her bearings, my older brother picked up the phone and spoke to our dad in hopes of finding out what happened.

“Mommy won the visa lottery,” he said, telling me something that changed the whole world I came to know in my 7 years of living. The visa lottery was s a lottery sponsored by the Shell branch my father worked for. An employee got to submit a name, theirs or a spouse’s, to be in the running for their family to get automatic visas to a country. My father applied every year for the previous 18 years he had been working, yet his visa had never been picked. My mother’s name was drawn out of the applicants. After going through the proper process of crying, praying, and rejoicing, we began to prepare for the life changing journey.

Once our papers were situated, fingerprints and pictures were then taken. Green cards, passports, and visas for everyone were gathered and all that was left to do was get on a plane. The last night in my home city consisted of packing and watching. My parents had to pack 14 luggage with 7 carry-ons for us and transport them to the airport. Five children and two adults accounted for 2 full luggage per person and 1 carry on each. I cannot even begin imagine the stress my parents had to undergo during the journey as all their children were under 12 years old. We are all two years apart so, my older brother was 11, older sister 9, I was 7, my younger sister was 5, and my little brother was 3. I have immense respect for my parents for being able to get all of us from one continent to another. While my parents had the responsibility of preparing for the journey, my siblings and I took up the responsibility of preparing for a new country. We stayed up watching VH1 that night memorizing the popular tunes of the time such as “No One” by Alicia Keys, “Piece of Me” by Britney Spears and “Umbrella” by Rihanna. What we saw on TV barely prepared us for life outside of busy Port-Harcourt.

The morning I left my childhood home was a hectic one. The first destination on our itinerary to America was Lagos. Lagos is the Nigerian equivalent to U.S.’s New York City. It is the busiest city and finance center, so the only flight with Delta Airlines that was convenient for us was from there. We took a one and half hour flight from Port-Harcourt to Lagos. Then, we spent two nights at Federal Palace Hotel and another at Sheraton Hotel. We planned these extra three days into the trip to make time for a visit to the U.S. embassy to make sure there won’t be any problems once we landed on American soil. When we weren’t handling official customs business, we relaxed. My father took us to a beach where we rode horses, and ate beef kabobs called ‘Suya’. We had dinner in the hotel where we met many Nigerian actors, actresses, and singers. The beautiful views, and amazing weather were great stress relievers. It brought me content to know I had peaceful days in my country before leaving. The memories and morals I built there have kept me going for about 10 years in the U.S. now.

Early the next morning, we all got prepared and left the hotel room for breakfast. That was the last semblance of peace we got for the next few hours. At least 3 bellboys and lounge attendants were sent to help us move 21 pieces of baggage from the room to the lobby to taxis to the airport. Yes, even my 7 year old brain was able to process how stressful that was. However, the efficient staff and my father’s efficient wallet enabled us to get all luggage to the airport and checked in. The next step of the journey I remember was having to wait in a line to go through security checking and scanning. I had to put my passport, belt, and shoes in a crate and walk through a body scanner. I remember having to get patted down as well because my earrings set the metal detector off. Once we all went through security and check in, we arrived at our gate. This was when I realized that there was only one more border between reality and fantasy, the Atlantic Ocean.

After waiting what felt like hours, my parents finally started to gather us, directing us into a tunnel that led to the plane. I entered the plane and just looked around, astonished by everything and thought about how in 12 hours I would be in a different country. The seating arrangements whittled my excitement a bit, as I did not get a window seat. My entire family was stationed in the same row. My two sisters sat on the left aisle, while my little brother bided with my mother on the right aisle. I was allocated in the middle seat, but being sat between my overprotective father and placid older brother made up for not having a window seat. My father’s paternal instincts led him to the point of being so selfless that it had almost become overbearing. He offered me his blanket, pillow, cookies, and anything else that he felt would make my journey safer. My mother’s pious nature was of value during departure and takeoff. She unified us spiritually in saying a small prayer and the grace. She prayed for us to have a safe flight, good trip, and a prosperous life.

After twelve hours of sweet tranquility, the plane landed safely in the city of Atlanta, GA of the United States of America. After going through customs and picking up baggage, things got frenzied once again. It was so hectic trying to transport all the luggages and kids through the arrival wing of the airport. However, we managed to do it once again and were picked up by an aunt and her friend. This aunt is my dad’s younger sister and she was the only family we had in Georgia. My first car ride on American soil was in her SUV. That first night, she took us to her house first. We met all three of our cousins, and my paternal grandma. After introducing us to many people, she finally drove us to somewhere I had to call home for the next few months.

“We had more rooms in Nigeria”, was all I could think as I entered the small apartment. It did not make any sense to me how I had a 6 bedroom house in my inferior country of origin, yet I had to deal with these shabby accommodations in the land of dreams. This was my first taste of what America truly consisted of. While you were free to dream, and free to pursue these dreams, it took a lot of hard work for them to actually come to pass.

Those first few weeks were just us getting a feel of the place. We went to places for immunizations, social security cards, and got enrolled in school. Time was also taken to explore the amenities the city had to offer. An aunt took us to Burger King, and I can recall how interesting the new foods were despite their simplicity. My father couldn’t get accustomed to the name “french-fries” . Instead of just saying “fries”, he kept calling them things he heard European co-workers call them such as “chips”. Even the burgers were different for us since we did not really mix veggies and bread into the same type of meal before then, but it was still delicious.

My family was then taken to Six Flags, the biggest theme park in the city. It was nothing like Shell Club, the park I used to frequent in Nigeria. My parents could not gain their bearings long enough for more than one ride. They didn’t trust the safety of the machines controlling the rides. One comical situation was when my 4 siblings and I got on a slow moving train for kids. This was the least exhilarating ride, so imagine my surprise when 10 minutes into the ride, I heard my dad shout. He wasn’t allowed to get on since he was an adult, but as soon as the slow moving train began, he deemed it too unsafe for my 3 year old brother and demanded the ride be stopped.

The embarrassment I felt then is upstaged by the warmness that fills my heart now when I think about how untrusting my father was of American technology and goods. The concept of a GPS, how one device can track where you are and tell you where to go, he felt like there was a catch and it was all too good to be true. Even the education system was misleading. When I actually began school after a few weeks of just exploring the city, I had many pencils and notebooks, but I was so unprepared mentally. I was in 2nd grade at the time, so spelling was a major concept. There was already a language barrier since my accent didn’t allow people to hear me clearly. So, I thought writing was going to be my saving grace. This did not work out either. Nigeria was colonized by the British, so when she gained her independence, the country continued to use British English. So on spelling tests, I used to get so frustrated when my teacher would mark my answers wrong because there were dictionaries that supported my spelling. Words like favourite and colour were always marked incorrectly because this is the British- English spelling of the words not the American- English. Even now as I typed in those words, auto-correct did not underline them at all. Yet, when I type “coluor”, auto-correct suggests it be changed to colour. I accepted that there were two correct spellings to the words, yet my 2nd grade teacher never did. Her stubbornness to accept and my stubbornness to conform resulted in me making A’s in every single subject but English. This withheld me from going on the Principal’s honor roll every single grading period. This was the year that I learned in America, whoever is given authority does not have accommodate you, it is not their job to make you happy. All my trust in the system was lost from then on.

After learning the basic mores and guidelines to be successful in America, I started to make goals. As I watched my parents get disenfranchised from career opportunities because of their accents and where they attended high school, I realized the opportunity I had to get an education here. I vowed to keep my priorities in order so when I finish school, I can become a pediatric surgeon. Throughout school, I was not too interested in making the most friends or having the best clothes because I knew that in the long run all of that would not matter. If I stayed at the top of my class and got the best grades possible, I can graduate.Then, I can get a degree in medicine and a stable life for myself where I would not have to struggle about basic things. Even though I have not accomplished these major goals, I am still on the right path since it is my senior year in high school and I have a 4.5 GPA. Some people may have more privileges than others, but all raised here still have the same opportunities and freedom to pursue happiness. America is a land that was once a dream, now it is a reality. America still is the land of opportunity to me and I will always cherish the journey I took here.

[avhphoto]

Northern Nights

There was a period of time where I didn't go home often. In ten years I had made two trips north. Over the last few years, I've been heading back to Yellowknife in September for some photography work. A family friend owns a salon, and she brings me up every year to shoot her staff headshots and her annual sale. The north in September is pretty awesome. There aren't that many bugs flying around and the weather can be relatively mild compared to the dead of winter. And then there are the lights. Having been in Yellowknife the last couple years in September, I've noticed one commonality: the Aurora is back and I don't have to wear a parka to shoot them. I started thinking of all the times I've been asked about the Northern Lights. I saw them when I was going to school. I saw them driving home from work. Gassing up my car. Eating a donair on Range Street. They were always just there and I definitely took them for granted. I had been to Blachford Lake when I was younger, probably 20 years ago. It was a summer camp with two friends, and although all our stories are different on what our time there was like, there was one common denominator: it was awesome. I started thinking that this would be a perfect place to host a photography workshop. The thrill of the float plane ride to the remote lodge. The sounds of a crackling fire which warms the cabins and lodge. The sauna and hot tub which can be accessed 24/7. The food, which is prepared using local ingredients whenever possible, including greens fresh out of the lodge's garden. The abundance of activities that you can participate in such as hiking, kayaking, canoeing, fishing etc all added to the allure of hosting a workshop here. Then, of course, is the pièce de résistance, the nightly Aurora Borealis shows. DAY ONE The float plane out of Yellowknife left shortly after noon. When we arrived at the lodge we were greeted by the staff and volunteers who keep the place going. After a short introduction and quick lunch, we continued on our tour of the resort grounds and were given a safety orientation. We checked into our cabins and planned to meet up in a few hours at the lodge for a presentation on night photography to get primed for shooting over the next three nights. While I set up and prepped for the presentation, Lys and Fern headed out and did some stand-up paddling while other guests sat in the lodge and made dream catchers.

                                      My cabin.

Before heading out for shooting, I made sure I came home to a hot cabin. After dinner, we headed back to our cabins to put on warmer clothes and we headed out down by the dock where we arrived earlier that day. There weren't too many clouds in the sky at this point, and we were just practicing some light painting and long exposures when I looked at the back of the LCD on one of the participant's cameras and saw the faint glow of Aurora. We stopped what we were shooting and focused more on compositions that were better suited for shooting the aurora. The lights were off in the distance, not the greatest show and it only lasted for about 30-45 minutes before the thick cloud cover rolled in, but we managed to get some shots and stayed out until about 2am playing in the dark.

DAY TWO The next day saw us meeting after breakfast for a little hike of the area to scout out some potential shooting locations for that evening. It was much colder this day than the previous, and the clouds overhead were thick with little sign of reprieve. I crossed my fingers and hoped that the alleged "clear" forecast would actually hold up. We headed back to the lodge for lunch and a couple hours of downtime before meeting up later in the afternoon for an editing session. We looked over the images we had taken the night before and how to process them and bring out the colours that can often be hidden amongst the darker parts in images of the Aurora.

After dinner, we suited up once again, this time with a little more clothing as it was COLD. The cloud cover hadn't dissipated at all, so we decided to stay closer to the lodge so we could have a fire while we practiced some light painting and multiple exposures. As we were shooting, the thick cloud cover overhead started to crack. We could see the Aurora through the clouds, and they were moving and dancing so fast and so bright. Little by little, the clouds went away and the sky opened right up. There wasn't a dull spot in the sky as the Aurora danced overhead, filling the darkness with beautiful movement and colours. We were joined by some other guests staying at the lodge as we all shared in the wonderment that was being gifted to us after what seemed like a no-show. After taking photos of the lights for a while, we decided to set up our cameras to take some star trails. This gave us a chance to sit around the fire and watch the lights whilst our cameras stayed working. I'm a firm believer in "the moment" and having photographs of this amazing event wouldn't mean anything if we didn't have our own memories and feelings to associate with the pictures.

Photo by participant Lys Olson DAY THREE Having finished shooting mere hours ago (around 3am), we opted to have a slow morning and meet up around lunch. I headed to the hot tub to soak and read while Lys and Fern went for a little walk and took some photos of the area. It was a perfect start to the day after two late nights. This day was much warmer than the day before, but again, a thick layer of clouds had rolled in and wasn't looking too promising. We had lunch and headed out on a little boat tour of Blachford Lake before heading back to the lodge for more editing, showcasing how to blend multiple exposures to create a single image. We all got such great photos from the night before, and my excitement was rampant. I so wanted to skies to clear up for our final night, although two of three was a blessing already.

After dinner, we headed to the tipi which had since had its cover put back on. We watched and listened as Randy, a Dene man and Blachford regular, performed songs in his language on his drum for us. It reminded me of a lot of cultural activities I took part in growing up in the north, and a feeling of nostalgia washed over me. It put me in a trance. I don't know what was being said, but I know that I felt it. When the drum circle ended, Lys, Fern, and I headed to our cabins once more to gear up for our final night.

We found ourselves by the tipi again, wanting to shoot it with the cover on while the red fire burned inside. This didn't last very long. The wind picked up and the rain started. The wind was so strong that it started to blow the fire throughout the tipi and really shaking the structure. A wind-turbine was howling, and I won't deny that it was a terrifying sound. A shrieking that masked any other sound and made it impossible to hear. As the rain continued to fall, we decided to head back into the lodge to practice more light painting and multiple exposures. It didn't look like the lights would come out to play that night.

Around 1130pm, Jacob, one of the lodge staff, came to inform us that the clouds had actually lifted and the stars were out. Oh goodie. I popped my head out and sure enough, the sky was darker than it had been the previous nights, and the stars were brighter than most skies I've seen. We were finishing our shooting inside before heading out, and not five minutes after the announcement of clear skies, Jacob came back to tell us that the Aurora was out and going crazy. We stopped what we were doing and headed outdoors right away. I could go into detail about the scenes that were unfolding in front of our eyes, but I won't. There are far too many adjectives to describe the skies that night. The abundance of stars, the Milky Way (which I had never seen before in the NWT and was SO happy to have), and of course, the dancing Aurora Borealis. Out of all three nights, the night that looked the least promising was by far the best night for shooting. The lights made arcs in the sky. The water a mirror, reflecting the lights on the lake. There was almost too much going on that it was overwhelming. You couldn't look around and not find something to shoot. I was absolutely ecstatic for my workshop participants. They had travelled so long and far to come north and got to experience these lights all three nights, but also for myself, who had spent so many years taking the lights for granted. I got to sit and watch and truly enjoy them, and the memories I have from those nights are far better than any of the pictures I took.

Day 4 I woke up this day having not slept well at all. It's not that I didn't sleep well. I should say that I didn't sleep much. I went to bed with a lot of adrenaline still pumping as I was quite excited about the shots we got and I had a hard time winding down. When I did wake up, I packed up my cabin, albeit quite reluctantly. I wasn't ready to go. I headed up to the lodge for a final breakfast before having to say goodbye to Lys. She was on the first float plane out of camp so she'd be able to make her flight out of Yellowknife on time. Fern and I lounged around the lodge waiting for our ride, as new guests were arriving. I was very envious of the experience I hoped they would have. When it was time for us to leave, the flight seemed surreal at first. Taxiing out on the lake, flying over the lodge, heading back to civilization. I didn't want to do any of it. I wanted to stay right where I was. I was happy there.

I really want people to come north. I really want people to understand and experience what a small town and a remote lifestyle is all about. An area where bush planes are the norm. Where snowmobiles make up for the lack of motorcycles. Most importantly, no matter how much a small town can feel overcrowded, there are so many opportunities to be alone. I realize our time in Yellowknife as a group was very limited, but I always love hearing of people going there for the first time and what their impressions are. Take that, and fly someone out to a remote place like Blachford, and it's even more exciting to have people be thrilled about things you might otherwise have overlooked. That is why I created this workshop, and want to continue to do it annually. You might night get to experience -40 Celsius and ice roads, but there are certain aspects of living in the north I don't miss. Ok, well, I do miss the ice roads. Those were always fun. Instead, you get to experience the north in its very short season of transition from summer to winter. We say fall is about two weeks long if you're lucky. In those two weeks, the temperatures are mild, the bugs are few, and the lights can be absolutely incredible. The "Northern Nights 2019" workshop launches Sunday, September 16th at 6pm PST. If you're interested in joining me next year on this excellent adventure, please sign up for my mailing list and you'll be informed of when registration begins, or to stay up to date with any other workshops or events. You can email me if you have any questions! IMAGES AND TESTIMONTIAL FROM PARTICIPANT LYS OLSON

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