#i spent $200 on shampoo and conditioner

[swiggityswell]

don't guillotine me but...

[jemappellesophie]

How I survive as an international student in England.

Being an international student in a country you’re not familiar with can be pretty overwhelming for most. How do I know? Well, I am an international student myself here in England. Hi! I am Sophie. Currently living in Lincoln, England. Today I’ll be sharing tips on how I survive (money wise) here in England xx

1. Buy less upon arrival.

Okay, I’ve been here for 3 years and I did the same mistake for 2 years straight. That is buying TOO many things all at once! 

Imagine you’re alone and you have a really long list of items you want to get from the store. May it be a vacuum cleaner, ironing board, kettle, blanket, duvet etc. Okay and imagine you buying all the things you have in your list all at once. Yeah, I did all of that. The moment I stepped out of the store carrying the items I got, I regret it instantly. You do NOT want to repeat the same mistakes I did.

Instead what you should do is categorise the items that are essentials first. The first day you arrive to another country is going to be super tiring for you. Now, you have to do the list before you arrive to your destination because you wouldn’t have the time to later. For example:

First Day:

-Duvet

-Bedsheet

-Pillow and pillow case

-Toiletries

-Shampoo, conditioner and shower gel

-Snacks 

Second Day: 

-Vacuum cleaner (if not provided)

-Kettle (if not provided)

-Mop

-Trash bags

-Kitchen Towel

and so on...

This will definitely lessen the burden of you carrying these things all at once and having a breakdown because you’re tired, sleepy and your body aches after a really long flight. However, if you do find yourself buying all these things in one go without realising, it’s okay. Just tell the manager of the store that you’ll be taking all the other things tomorrow and you’ll just bring the essential ones home first :)

2. Remind yourself that buying clothes from Primark won’t actually save up your money. Really...

Now, you here people tell you that Primark is cheap. 

“OMG you’re going to England? You have to shop in Primark”

“The things there are so cheap”

“You’re so lucky. England has primark”

True but deadly.

Yes, the things here are cheap but the cheaper it is the more tempted we are to shop even more. We tend to get overboard with buying things sometimes. Clothes, shoes, snacks, food. If you’re a student with a decent amount of allowance every month, I’d suggest for you to control yourself even with shopping in Primark. 

Take it from me. I bought a lot of things from Primark during my first year and had to survive with only £10 in my Wallet. I wasted so much money buying clothes from Primark. Yes it is cheap but if you don’t control yourself? It’s deadly, hun. 

However, if you got tons of bucks in your wallet... I guess it’s all up to you ;)

3.Poundland is going to be your bestie!

I mean for me at least. 

MOST of the things in there are £1.

If you want some snacks like crisps, chocolates, bread, cookies or all those munchies you’d want to have in your room... Poundland has it all. I always get my snacks from Poundland because it’s cheap.

I also got some of my stationaries from Poundland as well. Such as notebooks, pens, erasers, stationary holder. 

Although, you gotta be careful with your spendings here too. Certain items in Poundland costs slightly a bit more compared to let’s say... Tesco.

For example:

A chocolate chip cookie in Poundland would cost £1 and only 84 pence in Tesco.

You gotta keep track of the price and survey a few other places around town to see which saves up more money for you. As much as it is my bestfriend, I have to admit that other places has a cheaper price tag to it. Which comes down to the next tip.

4. Okay this isn’t much of a tip but here’s a list of shops you can consider on buying essential goods from. 

-Tesco

-Sainsbury

-Asda

-Aldi

-Wilko

-Poundland

But my personal favourite is Wilko, Poundland and Tesco :)

(By essential goods I do mean kitchen appliances, cleaning appliances, snacks, groceries etc.)

5. The temptation over buying food through delivery. Well, when the laziness strikes in.

DEADLY. 

I used to do this ALL the time during my first year and it is also one of the reasons why I would ended up with just a few pound in my wallet. I know, we all get lazy and tired especially during winter because it’s cold and it gets dark easily which makes us pretty sleepy and unenergised. 

But if you ever come across having the want of ordering food through delivery? Think twice. If you got extra cash, go ahead. But if you’re trying to save up? Think again. The cost of the food may be cheap but remember there are extra charges.Some shops would charge you if your order doesn’t reach the minimum cost of one order also the delivery fee might be expensive at the same time. They’re cheeky fellas okay. 

A burger could cost you £3 but the minimum order cost is £9 and the delivery fee is about £4. I once spent £20 on a set of cheeseburgers and onion rings. I swear :’)

6. My last tip is about ‘savings’

Okay, gotta give credits to my ex boyfriend for teaching me this.

Take out 30% of your allowance and that is your savings.

I get around £200 from my dad every month. Therefore my savings is £60 Thus, I only have £140 left to spend of the items I’ll be buying. 

This works for me for quite awhile because I SUCK at savings. However if you don’t want to limit yourself too much, maybe you can save up £10 to £20 per month. Or you start with £5 and every month you add up another £5 to your savings. For example:

January: £5

February: £10

March: £15

April: £20

Something like that... 

So, these are the tips I apply to myself for me to survive happily in England. I suck at giving tips but these are pretty useful to me so thought I’d share. Of course there’s more but I can only think of these for today haha. I’ll be sure to add more if I remember any. Goodnight :)

Love, Sophie xx

[avenging-fandoms]

Sugar Daddy / Sweet Pea

*not requested *WARNING: smut, swearing! *PLEASE send me requests!!!!! i can do whoever :) *word count: 2113

MASTERLIST

*steven flynn is the name i made up for him

"steven?" you yawned and sat up, rubbing your eyes and seeing him at the desk, typing on his computer. you went up behind him and wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, scratching. "why are you looking at Lamborghinis?" you asked against his cheek and sat on his thigh.

"we're getting a new matte black Lamborghini, and we will always be spending the day buying you whatever you want" he smiled at you and snaked his arm around your waist, you looking at him shocked.

"daddy i-"

"you've been such a good girl, princess. you deserve it" he put his finger under your chin and tilted your head to look at him, kissing you deeply. his fingers traveled all over your torso that was covered with his black button up shirt and you sighed into his mouth. you rocked your hips lightly and he gripped your ass, your fingers gripping his hair.

"baby please" he said in between kisses. "we n-need to go p-pick up the car- fuck don't stop" he groaned and threw his head back and you smirk, trailing your hand into his sweatpants, tongue clashing with his as you pumped his cock, steven moaning into your mouth.

soon he came into your hand and you pulled away, licking your hand and licking his cock clean. 

"that's my good girl. see? you've been such a good girl for daddy, you deserve rewards" he held your chin and you both smiled. you got up and wiped the corner of your mouth. 

"i'm going to go take a shower, do you want to come with me daddy?"

"i'll be up there in a minute" he said and you pecked his cheek and went into the bathroom. you stripped yourself down and turned on the shower and the music, dancing in the mirror a bit before the water was warm enough. you hopped in and wet your hair, washing it with steven’s favorite shampoo you used. after you rinsed it out, the door opened. 

"daddy? is that you?"

"no it's santa clause" he sarcastically replied.

"oh goodie" you laughed and steven opened the curtain and stepped in, and you couldn't help but look at his body. "wow steven"

"mm it's all yours princess” he smiled against your mouth. your hand trailed down his tummy and gripped his hard on and he moaned lightly into your mouth. you pumped him slowly and he smiled and laughed softly.

"baby girl, not again"

"i did this, so i fix it" you sank to your knees and licked the tip of his cock, then proceeded to take him down your throat. he groaned as he felt his tip hit the back of his throat, making you gagged.

"fuck you make me feel so- oh fuck"

you bobbed your head and pumped whatever you couldn't fit in your mouth. the warm water hit the top of your head and you watch as the droplets hit steven’s skin, his face tilted up and the water dripped on his face and cascaded down his chest.

"fuck princess i'm close. so so close" you sucked his tip and flicked your tongue against his slit, making him moan loudly. "oh fûck baby i'm coming. ah shiiiit" his load shot down your throat and you gripped his thighs as you swallowed it all. you stood up and he kissed you, you pulling away and raising his eyebrows.

"you must really love me after you just nut in my mouth" you said and he laughed, eyes crinkling. you stared at his face, brushing the wet hair out of his face, the trailing your hand down and cupping his face. "you're so beautiful steven" you whispered and he wrapped his hand around your wrist and leans into your touch.

"i love you y/n"

"i love you too steven"

"turn around love"

you did and he squirted conditioner in his hands and smoothed it into your hair and you closed your eyes. he rinsed it out and you turned around and he sprayed the water in your face, his beautiful laugh echoing in your ears.

"you're an ass"

"you love my ass" he cheekily replied. you bit your lip and you gripped his right ass cheek, making steven gasp.

"damn right do"

he smiled and put the shower head back. you squirted your favorite shampoo of his in your hand, steven sitting on the edge of the bathtub and you scrubbed the shampoo in his hair. he stood up and you washed out the shampoo out and sprayed the water in his face.

"i deserve that" he said and you put the shower heard back and turned off the water.

"what time do we have to pick up the car?" you asked and went to the room and slipped on underwear and a bra, then looking through your clothes. 

"40 minutes?"

"how are we getting there?"

"we have a driver, remember?"

"oh yeah" you said and slipped on shorts. "and we're driving the Lamborghini around to the places we're going"

"nice. i can already see all the pictures now. 'Designer Steven Flynn new car! Number 5!' " you joked and slipped on his old grey army tank top

"you always look so cute and beautiful in my clothes"

"i love wearing your clothes, they're so comfortable" you smiled and he slipped on black skinny jeans and a black short sleeve dress shirt with black converse. you walked over and kissed him slowly "i love you so much steven"

"i love you so much y/n" he said and you went to the bathroom and applied mascara and eyeliner and lip gloss. steven came up behind you and placed his hands on your shoulders, kissing your neck. “how are you so beautiful? our kids are going to be so lucky if they get your looks. "c’mon doll, let's go"

the car came around and you both rode to the dealer ship.

"hello mr. flynn, ms. y/l/n, hello!"

you two were very familiar with emilio. he was the only guy you guys would buy cars from, he was the only one you trusted. 

"hi!" you exclaim with a smile and hug him.

"here are you keys, steven" he smiled and handed them to your fiance.

"thank you so much" steven said and shook his hand. 

"no, thank you" amelio smiled and walked away. steven turned to you and you squealed, running to your guys’ new car. steven unlocked it and you opened the door, hopping in. he slid in the drivers seat and you inhaled, taking in the new car smell. steven revved the engine and you drove out of the dealership to the mall.

"daddy you don't really have to do this" you said and gripped his bicep, putting your body close to his.

"baby, you deserve it"

"thank you" you whispered and kissed him softly.

"where to first?" you looked at him and it was like he instantly knew, a smirk growing on his face. "oh fuck yes" he smiled and grabbed your hand, pulling you to Victoria's Secret. you two entered the store and two women gave steven a weird look, before their eyes widened at how they recognized him. he leans down and gives you a kiss, and the two look away.

"pick out whatever you want, i'll buy it" he whispered and walked around with you, helping you pick out the thing you'd love and what he would love to see you in. you picked out lingerie and found a woman to let you into a dressing room. after she walked away and no one else was around, you let steven into the room.

"show me you in the lingerie first, kitten" he purred against your neck, goosebumps rising on your skin as his hit breath tickled your skin.

"t-turn around he obliged and you quickly changed and smiled, admiring yourself. "turn around"

he did and he just stared "my god.. how did i get so lucky?" he whispered and you watched in the mirror as his fingers dipped into your underwear, making you sigh. 

"if we're going to fuck in here, you better be careful to not hit the help button" you warned and turned around, unbuttoning a couple of buttons from the top.

"i know princess" he stripped you from the lingerie and you undid his jeans and slid them down as well as his underwear. he pushed you against the wall far from the help button, holding your hands above your head. 

"ready?" you nodded and wrapped your leg around his waist, steven sliding into you, making you bite your lip. "god you're so wet my love, fuck" he breathed quietly against your neck.

"daddy" you whimpered.

"shh kitten, we can't be loud, we'll get kicked out" he whispered and thrusted his hips into yours, "fuck you feel so good" he moaned quietly and you whimpered, gripping his hair.

"d-daddy" you moaned and watched him thrust in you in the mirror.

"my dirty little girl. you like watching daddy fuck your warm pussy in the mirror? huh?" he growled in your ear and you kissed him, biting his bottom lip.

"daddy please" he sat on the stool and bounced you on him. "daddy i'm close" you whimpered and bit his neck, rocking your hips and rubbing your clit. 

"come all over daddy's cöck baby girl. come all over daddy's thick cöck" he growled and his words pushed you over the edge. your eyes screwed shut and you bit his shoulder as you came.

you rode out your high and got on your knees and lapped your tongue on his tip and he smacked a hand over his mouth and you dug your nails into his thighs as you deep throated him. you felt his thigh tighten and quiver as his cum squirted in your mouth. you swallowed it all and cleaned the excess and stood up, putting your clothes back on. he stood up and buttoned his pants, gripping your hips and kissing your lips.

"i love you so much"

"i love you so much too, daddy. thank you"

you gathered the underwear and went to the counter.

"do you think they know?" you whispered to him as she scanned the underwear. he looked at you and smiled, and then at all the underwear he was about to buy. 

"we were quiet, you have nothing to worry about" he whispered and steve swiped his card

"steve that's $200. you shouldn't buy all this" you said and he grabbed the bag, nodding at the girl behind the counter and you glare at steven. "you shouldn't have spent all that money on-"

"y/n, stop. you deserve this" he said and kissed your forehead.

"but daddy that was a lot" you said and he stops and turns to face you.

"seriously. you complain again and that pretty little ass of yours will be as red as the lingerie in that bag, got it?" he said and you gulped, nodding and he smiled, rubbing his thumb over your bottom lip. "good. where do you want to go next?"

"can we go home and do some online shopping?"

"of course baby"

you just wanted to drive around in the Lamborghini, if you were being honest. you slid in the passenger seat and steven slid into the driver and your phone dinged, indicating a text message. you looked at your phone and saw it was from toni.

Nice new car, cutie. who does it belong to?

mine and steven’s, but steven’s going to drive it the most

You can't handle it?

nope, too intense

You know what else you probably can't handle? ;)

i hate you leave me alone :)

steven parked the new car in the garage and you both went inside. you both changed and he sat on the bed with his laptop in his lap with his glasses on the bridge of his nose. you smiled and studied him, leaning on the door frame with your fingers playing with your lip. his shirt was off and he sat himself against the head board, his right leg stretched out and his left leg bent with his left foot under his right knee. his lips pursed out, bushy eyebrows furrowed together as he typed on the computer.

"staring is rude"

"you should be in a museum, you're such art" you said and crawled next to him, kissing the corner of his mouth.

"mm stop talking about yourself, love" he said and connected his lips with yours. you climbed in between his legs and he gave you the laptop and you shopped for about an hour.

"you've just spent over $3,000 on me, steven" you laughed and closed his laptop, putting it next to you. 

"and i don't regret it, and never will" he leaned down and kissed you passionately, making you smile.

"cmon, let's take a nap. then when we wake up, we can drive our new baby around and make toni so jealous” he winked and you giggled. 

[mousedetective]

What It’s Like For Me, Being Homeless

This is a portion of what I told @greenskyoverme today about the situation when she suggested I apply for food stamps:

Basically state/federal aid is set up against anyone who's homeless, because there's so much we can't deduct in money we get to survive. Like, when we had the apartment? I could claim I paid a portion of the rent and the utilities with donations and it didn't count against me so I could get a little more in donations if needed. But now? Every cent I get counts against me, and not being able to refrigerate food means I have to spend a small fortune on fast food. Needing to take a shower means I need to spend $100 on a hotel room since it's summer and the prices are up. I don't own the car so I can't count off paying for the repairs, the smog tests, the tires, gas...I think the only thing I can claim off is my $60 a month for my phone.

It's part of the reason as soon as I got an address I started using the wish list again. If someone send me $100 in fast food gift cards and a $100 gift card to Safeway, for example, I don't have to claim it because it's not cash. If I can get someone to refill my Shell gas card on a regular basis, that covers gas and it doesn't count against me. If someone else pays for the hotel room, I don't have to get cash for it and I can still sleep in a bed/take a bath. Or if it's sent to my mom, I can pay bills out of her account, especially on things she owns that wouldn't count in my favor, and as long as her account doesn't get to $2000.01 we're good. It's a crappy system, but that was how my lawyer told me to play it until I can get SSI/SSDI, and I think last month screwed it up. I just hope it didn't.

Basically the threshold for disability people is that they can have exactly $2K in their accounts at any time. In San Diego, though, the threshold for food stamps is much lower: in the previous month, you can only make $1,200 as a single head of household to qualify, and in both July and August (because of the car repairs, needing hotels, phone problems and food costs) I went just over that threshold both months. This is a rundown of the regular bills/purchases we have every month:

$517 - Storage units, when all three are paid on time ($45 extra if one unit goes into pre-lien before we can pay it)

$60 - Car insurance

$63 - Mother's phone bill

$58 - My phone bill

$160 - Four full tanks of gas (which we rarely ever get at once, but that's how much we go through in a month)

$30 - Approximately how much we spend on the things we need to not stink (shampoos/conditioners - both wet and dry, baby powder for chaffing, baby wipes, deodorant because it keeps melting in the car)

$16 - $24 - Bladder control pads/underwear (and then sometimes an extra $6 for menstrual pads for me because the bladder pads DO NOT work well for periods...we usually get two packs a month because there's 30 to a pack and two of us)

$30 - Cat food

$30 - Cat litter

$10 - Other things the cats need (wet food, brushes, etc.)

$200 - $300 - Food to supplement what we get from food banks

$100 - $128 - The cost of one night at a hotel room at the moment (where we stayed for a week in July and five days so far in August)

So it's expensive. This isn't counting late fees when we pay a unit late, the money spent to repair the car/have two separate smog tests/get new tires, as well as replacing both my and my mother's phones due to damage in the last two months (that was about $1000 for the car stuff and $175 for the phones). And then at the beginning of the year, for example, we had to pay co-pays on most of my mother's medication. A few days ago I had to spend $40 on wrist braces that would allow me to type while wearing them. I buy cheap eyeglasses for myself and my son, but those were bought in June and came to about $100 between us when holders, cleaning wipes and an eyeglass repair kit each was added (plus non-prescription reading glasses and the extras for my mom because her prescription is all wonky). I still need two ankle braces and three hinged knee braces, all in the XXL size, which I have to buy on Amazon since they aren't in any stores I can find, and each brace is about $30 a pop. So it adds up really quickly.

Now, I know some people are looking at the food and going "Wow, that's a lot! That's too much." You know what we got from Interfaith the last time we asked for food, and this is with them knowing we're homeless and have no microwave/no refrigerator/no stove? Two cup of noodles, two cans of Vienna sausage, two cans of tuna, a loaf of Rye bread, two granola bars and four Ensures. For two people, one of whom can't eat Rye bread. And we can only get food from them every other month. That's actually typical of most food banks if you tell them you're homeless. And even then, like when we went to Brother Benno's? We got more food that had to be cooked in an oven/on a stove or refrigerated than we got canned goods we could actually use, so we gave most of it to our friends who have housing and the waitresses at the Denny's we sleep in the lot of.

I shop at Dollar Stores, I shop at Grocery Outlet, I shop at Walmart for the cheap stuff. But a lot of what we eat is fast food (Wendy's 4 for $4 at my mom's senior discount, the $2/$4/$6/$8 menu at Denny's, McDonald's $1/$2/$3 menu, the $3 hash brown things Jack In The Box has and since I can't take medication for headaches anymore, trenta-sized drinks at Starbucks that I tend to get three refills for including one to take to the car for the next morning since my refills are free with my Gold card) which is not only hella expensive, but is wreaking havoc on my body. Even when I can survive for a while on Cup of Noodles, that's also really bad for someone with arthritis and fibromyalgia who's overweight.

There's also the water issue. I tend to get a lot of free water from Starbucks, but I also tend to spend a good $15 a month on bottled water to supplement that when I'm NOT at Starbucks (especially when I overheat because of my meds). Trust me, while nowhere near as bad as other places, you don't want to drink a ton of So Cal tap water without additives like flavor packets or lemon juice. But it's something my doctors want me to do, so I try and switch out coffee for water/tea every once in a while for something healthier.

So yeah, there's a lot of expenses. It is HELLA expensive being homeless and living in a car and chronically ill, especially when the two people doing it both have different illnesses with different needs (because whoa boy, let me tell you how badly my mother is managing her diabetes right now and how much that scares the shit out of me, and the fact she can't get her blood sugar down low enough to get her PET scan to find out if the breast cancer she had is gone). I am going to call the housing people in Encinitas today if they're in the office since I finally got my Section 8 info changed over and I can just give that coordinator my phone number separately, but yeah. This is the reality I've been living with for the last eight months and it sucks.

[immija]

My friends always tell us that we should take some time off of work. That's why on Sunday, on the 8th of December 2019, Mark and I have gone to Morong Bataan for a quick out-of-town vacation.

It was 3 o’clock early in the morning when we hit the road. Mark offered to drive all the way while I sat back and made sure we got everything we need. We stopped by the gasoline station to top up, bought some snacks and replenished our RFID load. I was ecstatic to leave because this trip has been a long-awaited plan ever since we became a couple. I tried to sleep on the way but my excitement kept me pretty distracted. Soon as we entered the highway, my eyes captured the beauty of the manicured light poles, an open road and the dark horizon stretched in the far distance. I can imagine how hollow it can be if we switched our lights off.

As we proceed further on our road trip, the sun slowly immersed and a rainbow appeared across the landscape, giving me a sense of beginning and hope. The view was completely magnificent. No amount of pictures could manifest the beauty I saw with my own eyes. There were highlands and terrains surround tiny villages on the sides of the road then I imagine how people cope up with their condition.

As we got closer to our destination, we opt to roll down our windows and feel the cold climate of the city. The breathtaking scenic views of Morong were filled with lush green trees, bushy plants, rustling leaves, and winding hilly roadways with birds fluttering and crickets chirping around. 

We arrived safely at the resort at 8 o'clock. The White Coral Beach Resort is known as one of the premier destinations in Bataan. It's a 4-hour drive and about 200 kilometers away from Las Pinas. The resort is a full-service facility providing lodging, food, bar, sports, entertainment, and shopping. We were thrilled with the "home away from home" ambiance and different activities to choose from. In the meantime, we decided to unload our belongings and settled in our room.

Every trip needs a generously-sized bag which is why Mark and I combined our stuff in one suitcase. I prefer to pack everything than end up missing our tech-essentials and beach must-haves:

clothes

a couple of swimsuits

two woven hats

kaftan and sundress

eyewear

footwear

a set of bath essentials: shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, lip balm, bath soap, wipes, hair ties, toothbrush, drier, ziplock

sunblock

a nice tote bag

a power bank and chargers

a Bluetooth speaker

a DSLR camera

snacks, water bottles

cellphones, keys, and wallet

After figuring out what to do next, Mark and I headed to the restaurant to grab brunch. Looking back, I wonder why I never took the time off. I remember I was expected to come to work whenever my siblings take vacations. Then it seemed even more impossible when I opened the business last year; and considering my partner's graveyard shift on weekdays and culinary classes on weekends. While traveling can be as expensive as a fancy purse, we also see it as something our time can't permit. I mean, we barely catch 6 hours of sleep. However, we're not those people who say you should never travel. We are finally getting around to finding the time and building memories together outside of work.

We returned into our room to take a nap. It was past 3 p.m. when we had our lunch and by then there weren't many people around us. We were lucky cause the weather was perfect and we got the place mostly to ourselves. We spent our time laughing, talking, taking pictures, while the warmth of the sun embraces our skin. We were not worried about what was going to happen next because we were consumed by what was right in front of us. I'm just grateful to connect with him in such a way we don't necessarily have to be critical on several topics. I couldn't think of any place except hang on the beach and experience freedom with my boyfriend.

It's almost sunset... the fresh wind blowing through my hair, and the sound of the ocean lulling me to sleep But before the night ends, we went to Subic and ate dinner at Texas Joe's House of Ribs. This time I drove back to the hotel because Mark was already tired. The next morning, we had a continental breakfast and we pretty much did the same things from yesterday.

Traveling is one of the first things we've done together and it revealed positive qualities about our relationship and who we are to each other. One of the things that I like about Mark is he never complained about anything. He has been very engaged on this trip in spite of the long drive and the work tasks he's got on his phone. I will always be thankful for his love because I've never been loved and cared for like the way he does, and I pray we'll remain the same till we grow old. It's just quite sad that we had to go home already. On the flip side, we would be able to finally be with Ony, our fur baby. For now, we have to attend to our jobs and plan our next event in February.

[ally-onthemove-blog]

Things to Know

A massive component of travelling is preparation and it’s a sad fact that no matter how much you think you’ve done, you will always have overlooked one bit or more. Whether it be that you didn't realise how much food would be or accommodation, or whether you didn't take into consideration how much it would be for shampoo like we did, there will always be something you’ll wish you’d have sorted a little better before setting off.

International currency withdrawals:

Our primary and be it biggest thing we needed to sort was our form of extracting money whilst we were away. We had spoke to everyone we knew that had travelled, read copious amounts of blogs and researched it until we were blue in the face, but a month before we were due to set off, all we had was a list of possible cards and no actual outcome.

We flicked between our options and a ‘Monzo’ card looked like our destined choice. We had previously sieved through an abundance of travel card companies and all had good qualities about them, but Monzo seemed the best and came highly recommended. We signed up and whilst being placed 11,000 in a queue to receive a card, we read up on them once more.

There was a little charge to use the card abroad, but not extortionate. It covered the vast majority of currencies and had an easily accessible app that enabled you to put money on the card. However, only £3000 annually could be taken out. For people doing a short trip, this may well be the card for you but for us, doing a year long adventure, we would most definitely be needing more than £3000. This isn't to say you cant pay on card for things above that amount but that just made a simple situation, complicated.

It was at this point, that now placed 9000 in the queue, I decided to look at what my bank would charge if I used my normal visa debit.

The answer to that question would be £1.50 a transaction but what I did spot out the corner of my eye at the bottom of the page was the credit card section.

Santander and in-fact many banks, offer a credit card with no transaction fees for abroad withdrawals, no limit to how much you can take out and no limit to what has to be in your bank to claim one.  (However, you do have to earn over £8000 annually to be able to apply for one). Within three days my shiny black new credit card had arrived and as i banked with the same company, my online banking conjoined with my current account, making them easily accessible.

What a bank rarely advertises is that you don't have to spend negatively on a credit card, you can in fact use it like a current account and put money on the card and take it off. This is what we have done for the entirety of our trip, using the card for both Ellie and myself, as being a student and not earning over £8000, she couldn't apply for one.

The only set back to this card is that it takes three days for the account to reset itself, so once you have put money on your card, it wont show up as there for a few days, but it is there and you can take it out, you just have to keep a track of what you've put on and what you've withdrawn.

Backpacks:

Currency withdrawals all taken care off, the next thing on our list was backpacks. Again, we researched this topic and after speaking to quite a few people, we decided against getting the biggest litre capacity available and instead opted for the 60L with the 20L rucksack attachment.

This allowed us room to be novice packers, whilst not being ridiculously heavy when carting it around.

After going to many shops and trolling the internet for a bag we agreed on, we by chance ended up at Mountain Warehouse in Freeport and as luck would have it, they had a sale on. We purchased ourselves two 60L backpacks with the 20L add-on, waterproof cover and a durable zip. After having £200 set to one side for our backpacks, due to the sale we only parted with £60 and as a result purchased a mosquito net each, two traveller sleeping bags, a hydration pack and two micro-fibre towels. The overall price tag still coming in at under £200.

We have still yet to use the sleeping bag and mosquito net but it was an item we both thought we’d rather have, than not have.

Now we had bought the bags, our shopping spree for clothes commenced and after purchasing copious amounts of vests and shorts, we packed them away into our bags as to save them for travelling.

The toiletry shop:

For this we headed straight to our local supermarket and spending over a hundred pound each, we bought one each of everything we could think of. Sunburn, shampoo, conditioner, plasters, bite cream, bug spray etc.

The one thing I would recommend is stocking up on shampoo, shower gel, conditioner, sun cream and bug spray. As much as this will bulk up the weight of your luggage and you will inevitably have people tell you ‘you can buy all that out there’, I really would recommend doing it anyway.

It is true, you can buy that stuff in every country you will visit, but at a inflated price. Bug spray is a necessity found cheaper and with a higher concentration of Deet out here and tampons, pads and clothes can be found for reasonable prices, but the likes of shampoo, not so much.

It is a often unknown fact that most Asian brands of creams contain whitening agent, meaning us tourists that no longer want to don our shade of white, have to buy imported brands. We bought a bottle of Nivea sun cream in England for £3.99 before we left and three months later, went to a shop to buy some more, only to find the same bottle and other brands, for £12. Needless to say, we held off until we were in a different country, but the price remained the same. This also happened with facial scrub, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner and shower gel: all coming in at 3x the price you would pay at home.

Travel Insurance:

We had read up on many companies offering travel insurance and there were several that came highly recommended, however most came with an upwards of £500 price tag attached.

Possibly one of the last things we sorted, I spent months researching which company was best, reading trip advisor reviews and comparing prices.

Eventually and and after exhausting almost every option, I stumbled upon Alpha Backpacker Insurance and after doing a quote, we each payed just over £100 and have no excess to pay should we need to use it (for an additional £100, Ellie also attached gadget insurance to her policy, covering her belongings for anything up to £1000).

Booking.com:

This has been our only source of accommodation searching. With it’s reviews attached to each hotel/hostel and an average rating, it was easy to find the best places for us and with their app allowing for easy use, it took mere minutes to book.

Also, thanks to the refer a friend bonus scheme they have running, Ellie and I refer each other and every few weeks, we both have £15 returned onto our debit cards.

All items checked off our list, we packed our backpacks, ensuring they were under 20kg as most of our pre-booked flights only allowed that as check-in and made our way to the airport.

Backpack checklist:

Clothes (We took enough for a week as laundrettes are easily accessible and cheap)

Bikini

Hat (Sunstroke is a bitch, let me tell you)

Slides

Trainers (Hiking isn't as fun in slides or flipflops and the dirty streets of india in between your toes isn't a cultural experience I recommend)

Poncho (It doesn't rain much but when it does, it does!)

Camara

Phone

Plasters.

Bite Cream

Bug Spray

Shampoo

Conditioner

Shower Gel

Razors

Tampons/sanitary towels

Antihistamines

Tissues (Not all toilets come with toilet roll)

Germaline

Blister plasters

Vitamins

Suncream

Aftersun

Moisturiser

Facial scrub

Travel Insurance

Passport

2x copy of passports

Visa’s

Money

Wallet

International driving permit (Acquired from a select number of Post Offices for £5.99)

Sleeping bag

Mosquito Net

Antimalarials (Dependant on countries you are travelling too)

Hydration pack (Optional)

Towel (You’re not going to want to use all the hotel towels you come across, I can assure you)

Toothpaste

Toothbrush

Vaccinations (The essentials such as TB, Polio and Typhoid are covered on the NHS, the additional recommended but not essential come at a cost, but for piece of mind, I’d advise getting them)

Padlock (Especially if staying in dorms. TSA approved ones can be found in most places, meaning if the airport have to go through your bag, they wont rip a panel open, as they have a skeleton key)

#travelblog #travel #blog #information #advice #backpack #lgbt #world #srilanka #india #thailand #laos #vietnam #cambodia #writer #explore

[womanlalaboy]

Touchdown Talisayen: Womanlalaboy’s Travel Guide to Talisayen Cove, Zambales

SUMMARY

Type of Travel: DIY + Travel Package Date of Travel: December 2018 Duration: 2D 1N Budget: P1, 500 - P2, 000 Where we stayed at: Tents by the beach provided in the tour package we availed

Changes are hard to deal with especially when handling the unknown isn't really your best suit. Things have been really challenging in my workplace and all I did for the past few weeks was anticipate the impact, dread the days and sulk in loss. I never thought that I would successfully adjust to the new ways of my work and my new colleagues, but the change was actually good. And how do we usually celebrate growth? We eat out, we party, we announce it on social media, or we reward ourselves by splurging. To celebrate, I shifted from the usual and planned a getaway for me and my new workmates. We ended up choosing a package to Talisayen, Zambales and the experience we had is by far unlike any other.

We figured that we can use this time to get to know each other so we chose a place that won't be able to divide us with nightlife and other distractions. We stayed at a cove on a Monday so we literally have the beach for ourselves with a few locals running the place and guiding us. Planning ahead was really beneficial for this trip. I was able to negotiate things with our travel coordinator and of course, confirm exactly what we are to expect.

The only crucial thing with trips like this is that you can't simply go YOLO. Everything has to be considered - schedule, budget, food, and drinks, people to contact and so on and so forth. Having open communication with the group is essential to having a successful trip. Even with clear instructions, a member may run late so it's better to have at least one of your ever-present members to have a list of your contact information. Since we knew that this may be a problem, we allotted 30 minutes for the meet-up and had us picked up really really early since we're from Cavite and we have to endure so many traffic problems along the way. Had we tried commuting instead of renting a van, it must have taken us way longer than it should to arrive at Talisayen. Below is the simplified sample of our itinerary.

SAMPLE ITINERARY

DAY 1

2:00 AM - 2:30 AM - Meet-up 7:00 AM - 7:30 AM - ETA at Pundaquit Beach, San Antonio 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM - Camara Island 8:45 AM - 9:15 AM - Capones Island 10:20 AM - ETA at Talisayen Cove 12:00 PM - Lunch 6:30 PM - Dinner 7:30 PM - Bonfire

DAY 2

5:00 AM - Wake up 7:00 AM - Breakfast 12:00 PM - Lunch 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM - ETA at Pundaquit Beach 3:30 PM - 8:30 PM - ETA at Bacoor Cavite

It's a lot easier to budget your travel when you're ridin' solo because you only have yourself to think about. That is not the case with group trips. Since there may be people backing out and adding up days before the actual trip, your budget has to be flexible and you should pinpoint what to prioritize- which items have to be adjusted and which items have to be fixed. In this trip, only the allotted money for food and beverage is adjustable since that will have to depend on the number of members.

SAMPLE BUDGET

(for 13 pax)

8, 450 - Travel Package (650/head) 3, 550 - Food, beverage and eco fee 7, 500 - Van rental ________________________________ 19, 500 - 1, 500/pax

We chose the cheapest package they have so we can bring specific food that we will surely enjoy, but if you'd like to do nothing but relax and sample the activities offered, you can always negotiate with your contact and have everything arranged. We spent P3, 550 for food and beverages plus the Eco fee. Your food and beverage expenditures would depend on how much you guys eat and drink. The Eco fee is fixed to P20/head unless the local government changes the fee. It will have to be paid before entering Pundaquit beach. The van transportation would cost around P7, 500 depending on who you hire, what type of van you will need, your route and other travel agreements with the driver like the pick-up point, toll fees, and parking fee, but you can also ask your contact if they can coordinate a van rental.

HOW TO GET THERE

Public Transportation: Victory Liner Bus Terminal Cubao/Pasay/Monumento > drop off at San Antonio public market > tricycle to Pundaquit

Private Transportation via SCTEX: NLEX nothbound > exit SCTEX > Subic > Exit SBMA > Pundaquit

Private Transportation via Pampanga: NLEX nothbound > exit San fernando > Dinalupihan, Bataan > SCTEX to Subic > exit SBMA > Pundaquit

WHERE TO STAY

There are a few privately owned concrete cottages at the far end of the cove, but we're not sure if those are for rent as well. We had tents included in the availed package and we were able to use as many open cottages available since there were no other travelers.

We're really lucky to have Kuya Jess as our travel coordinator. I found about his page on Facebook and inquired via messenger and eventually via phone call everything we need to do to avail the package. He's very accommodating and considerate. He'll ask for your target budget and will give you several options to lessen your expenses. He'll also walk you through the process of booking the tour and will never leave you hanging.

Contact person: Jesus Bansales III Website: https://www.facebook.com/pg/alphajhess/about/?ref=page_internal Messenger: m.me/alphajhess Contact #: +63 977 321 7900

Package: 650/head (min. of 10 pax)

Inclusions:

Island Hopping (to Camara, Capones and Anawangin Cove)

Boat ride and Entrance to the cove

Tents for sharing 

Cottage

Cooking utensils (ladle, cooking pan and cooking pot)

Bundle of wood for bonfire

Charcoal to use 

Ice cooler w/ice

Water to drink (2 Containers)

POINTS OF INTEREST

We spent 2 days and 1 night relaxing by the beach and living as if we're island people by doing everything the old school way. We tried getting our own firewood for cooking, we pumped artesian well to get water and enjoyed the days with minimal use of technology.

Island and Cove Hopping Depending on your agreement with your travel coordinator, you can schedule when to do some activities offered. We had Island hopping to Camara and Capones before we arrive at Talisayen Beach. We were supposed to visit Anawangin on our way back to Pundaquit, but opted to stay longer in Talisayen and go straight back to Pundaquit afterward.

Trekking Our coordinator also offered a few trekking activities: trekking to the hilltop and trekking to falls which was excluded in the package and would have cost 100/pax/activity. We were too consumed by the beauty of the cove alone and just stayed by the beach playing cards, drinking beer and goofing around that we didn't have enough energy and time to do all the other activities.

Stargazing This might not be the most exciting activity to do, but the view of the stars, the bright Milky Way seen by our naked eyes is the highlight of this trip. The tent I was going to sleep in happen to break before the day ends so we had to use the tent instead as a cover where we can lay our backs and sleep the night away. Before sleeping, we just stared at the sky for a good 1 hour and count how many falling stars we'll be able to see. Moments like this are needed to take everything in. Moments like this count the most. I wish we could show you how beautiful that night was, but I wasn't able to bring my DSLR (again) and our phone simply sucks at low-light photography, but y'all should see it for yourself!

THINGS TO BRING

Medicine (Bonamin, mefenamic acid, meds for allergies if there is any)

Sunblock

Blanket

Portable pillow

Flashlight

Swimwear

Towel

Health Card and your company ID (always bring this)

Charger

Mosquito repellent

Cameras and charger

Personal hygiene kit (soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc.)

Aloe Gel or calming creams (for treating sunburn)

Eco bag for your used clothes

Lighter

Extra food

Extra Money

Extension cable

Pocket knife

Scissors

NOTES

Contact a legitimate and trusted local travel coordinator that actually cares!

Ask questions. It's always better to ask questions than assume things especially when you are coordinating a trip with someone else.

If you'd like to experience the simplicity of living in Talisayen, cook the old school way. Ditch the butane stove.

Bring something you can play with (no pun intended) like a beach volleyball, playing cards, board games, etc.

The cove lacks electricity. They use vehicle motor and generators run by fuel. So if you have a solar-powered charger, bring that thing! They charge 200 pesos if you need to use the generator to charge your phone, though everyone in your group will be able to charge their phones as they can run the generator until 12 MN from 6 PM.

When fishermen visit the cove with freshly caught fishes and other seafood, sample them. 

Bring easy to prepare food. We brought marinated meats for grilling, cooked Adobo and salted eggs with tomatoes. Foods that can be easily fried, but don't easily get spoilt would be great too, like dilis, daing, kikiam, and fishballs.

Talk to the locals and hear their stories.

Be kind to everyone just because.

MORE...

Also read: Liwaliw sa Liwliwa: Womanlalaboy's Travel Guide To Liwliwa, Zambales Also see:Touchdown Talisayen photo sets

[lostpoliticians]

I just spent $200 on shampoo & conditioner so if my hair isn’t at least 4 inches longer and thicker in three months I’m suing.

[dydturktek]

Nem Kurutma | Nem Alma | Rutubet Kurutma | DYD 444 0 719

The Comfort of Getting Home

The narrative essay outline Comfort of Getting Home

Because the countless conclusion of August summer revenues and back-to-school shopping prices fill up my very own inbox, Me reminded that the I have thirty days left you’ll come to home well before I head back to school. Even though the thought of reuniting with this is my Tufts persons makes people happy, I can not help nevertheless think about all of the big and little elements I’ll neglect about household.

Personally, coming home for the summer time is incredibly very important. Coming home means I can spend more time my family, reload and chill out after the anxiety of a long academic class year, and revel in a change about scenery (as much ?nternet site love twisting between Carm, Tower, plus my bed in Wren, change great and necessary).

So as my time the following begins to diminish down, Trying to find trying while best when i can to really appreciate the stuff are in the following in front of me, the things that I recognize I lose most in relation to home as soon as home has ended 200 stretches away.

So , without further more ado, here i will discuss 14 issues I love pertaining to being your home (in zero particular order)

  Cuddling having my cats- PSA, zero, you are not are actually adopt the kitty in your suite, it is necessary cute anyone tell your RA it will be.

Baby showers without wash shoes.

Self-made delicious cooking- sorry Carm, your salmon’s got almost nothing on my mom and dad’s.

Getting to sleep at night in about Saturdays inside a) our bed and b) not having the stress regarding endless jobs.

Catching plan old colleagues and giving new adventures.

Local foodstuff shops- out of my favorite caffeine shops on the best method to get bagels, local meals shops make my working day that much considerably better.

Attending my very own Church- this is my beliefs are needed to me, therefore it is always seriously comforting along with great to take time and try the cathedral I spent my youth in.

Berries- if you know me personally, you know how I feel about berries. They’re possibly not that easy to seek out at Stanford!

Being able to talk Spanish more- sometimes it’s nice to take a break by english.

Food market shopping- get in touch with me any aspiring upscale mom, yet there is something seriously enjoyable regarding walking all the way down the shops aisles together with picking up berry (see #8).

Babysitting- from school, I just don’t actually babysit therefore i love having the ability to come and babysit with regard to families We’ve known for many years! I love seeing and hearing all about precisely how kids’ school year was (is fourth of july grade rough? They allow know).

Finding creative in addition to cooking meals- with a high quality meal strategy and one kitchen area for our entire hall, typically the extent on the words “creative” and “cooking” this year anxious adding cinnamon and a clown to my favorite instant oats.

Driving in familiar streets. And just driving in general.

And even last, however is not certainly not the bare minimum, spending time along with my family- From snuggling on the settee for rugby games together with my dad, blasting music plus singing noisally in the car by using my mom; and also going on researching dates with my related, there is nothing that is comparable to being able to only hug you and your family and have all of them physically now there.

Therefore to any first-year students, that post goes out to you.

I know you’re feeling several things right now. Possibly, you’re feeling outside of excited of which move-in evening is so in close proximity, as you have bottles of shampoo plus conditioner, Keurig cups, the comforter, and just about anything you can find within the “Dorm” part of Bed, Bathtub, and Outside of over your face and with your shopping cart. Or simply you’re feeling edgy as you ask yourself who your roommate will probably be and how you two could possibly get along.

We have all already been through it.

  (Lmk if it is what your pinterest looks like)

But , before you place more Hold pods in your cart, discover your head and appearance up photos mom, having probably running back crying (whether is actually at the idea of you considering how to undertake laundry with the users own or just induce she’ll neglect you, I can not say).

As i challenge you to step from all the joy, nerves, and also craziness.

I challenge one to just take a moment in time to appreciate specifically right in front of you: the comfort of staying home.

Every thing has they have time. This is correct, but commonly we neglect.

We are continuously in this spiral of waiting in which functioning for the next, significant, upcoming celebration in our lives, rather than just taking the current few moments we are being. Once you arrive at college, we will have so many journeys, journeys, and friendships.

But , I know from firsthand practical knowledge, once occur to be settled with, sooner or later, we will see people as well as parts of property you really miss, things that you might have to wait for some time before you experience back.

Therefore take the time to concur with what they are before you begin your company’s Jumbo opportunity.

And for other people reading this, Also i encourage you keep in mind the importance of the little stuff at home.

Of course, home can be where the middle is and it’s never too late to appreciate anything you love.

Nats out.

https://www.nemkurutma.com/the-comfort-of-getting-home-14/

NEM KURUTMA HİZMETLERİ

[deniscollins]

A $21,000 Cosmetology School Debt, and a $9-an-Hour Job

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for a cosmetologist is $24,850. Those in the top 10 percent earn more than $50,000, or nearly $25 an hour. In Iowa, for-business cosmology schools charge about $20,000 for education, training, and supplies to obtain a license, often paid for by student loans, which, if earning $24,500 a year, then takes years to pay back and makes paying daily living expenses very difficult. Who is to blame for this crippling student debt: (1) the student who borrowed the money, (2) the loan providers, or (3) the licensing schools? Why? What are the ethics underlying your choice?

When she was in cosmetology school, Tracy Lozano had a love-hate relationship with weekday mornings. Those predawn moments were the only time she saw her infant daughter awake, and she savored them. When the time came to hand the baby to her own mother, she said in a recent interview, she would stifle her tears, letting them roll only when she had closed the door behind her.

She would put on her game face when she pulled into the parking lot of the Iowa School of Beauty, just outside Des Moines. From what Ms. Lozano could tell, a cosmetology license was a realistic way to ensure a better life, and she was willing to make sacrifices. While also working nights at a Pizza Hut, she borrowed $21,000 to cover tuition and salon supplies and put in eight-hour days at the school for the better part of a year.

The amount of time Ms. Lozano spent learning to give haircuts, manicures and facials was enormous, but the requirement was set by the state, and she didn’t much question it. She was determined to earn enough money to move out of her mother’s house. Only a few weeks after getting her cosmetology license in 2005, she was hired at a local Great Clips.

The job, though, paid just $9 an hour, which meant that her days double-shifting at Pizza Hut weren’t over. Even with tips, Ms. Lozano didn’t earn more than $25,000 in any of her first few years as a cosmetologist. For years, she relied on food stamps and health insurance from the state. She couldn’t cover living expenses and keep chipping away at her loan payments. Thirteen years after graduating, she still owes more than $8,000.

What Ms. Lozano didn’t know was that the state-regulated school system she had put her faith in relies on a business model in which the drive for revenue often trumps students’ educational needs. For-profit schools dominate the cosmetology training world and reap money from taxpayers, students and salon customers. They have beaten back attempts to create cheaper alternatives, even while miring their students in debt. In Iowa in particular, the companies charge steep prices — nearly $20,000 on average for a cosmetology certificate, equivalent to the cost of a two-year community-college degree twice over — and they have fought to keep the required number of school hours higher than anywhere else in the country.

Each state sets its own standards. Most require 1,500 hours, and some, like New York and Massachusetts, require only 1,000. Iowa requires 2,100 — that’s a full year’s worth of 40-hour workweeks, plus an extra 20. By comparison, you can become an emergency medical technician in the state after 132 hours at a community college. Put another way: An Iowa cosmetologist who has a heart attack can have her life saved by a medic with one-sixteenth her training.

There’s little evidence that spending more hours in school leads to higher wages. Nor is there proof that extra hours result in improved public safety. But one relationship is clear: The more hours that students are forced to be in school, the more debt they accrue. Among cosmetology programs across the nation, Iowa’s had the fourth-highest median student debt in 2014, according to federal data.

Walk into any hair salon in Iowa and you’re likely to find a stylist making $10 an hour who loves her job but is struggling to pay off her student loans. Over 10 months, in visits to a dozen salons and in conversations with 37 former Iowa cosmetology students — and an additional 25 in other states — we heard a variety of opinions about how much training the profession requires and the financial returns it offers. And we heard again and again how the dream of becoming a professional hairstylist, or someday owning a salon, can be stymied by debt.

The issue is national. More than 177,000 people enroll in for-profit beauty schools across the United States each year, which on average charge more than $17,000 for tuition, fees and supplies to earn a cosmetology certificate.

Across the Iowa border, in Fremont, Neb., Ashley Sandoval makes $10.50 an hour at another Great Clips location. In the five years since she graduated from cosmetology school, she said, interest has ballooned her debt from $22,000 to $29,000. “I’ll be paying it off for the rest of my life,” Ms. Sandoval said.

The Iowa Cosmetology School Association, which acts on behalf of several of the 13 companies that own schools in the state, would not make a representative available for an interview. But the association did provide written responses to questions through its lobbyist, Threase A. Harms. The group said that its primary concern was successfully preparing students, not making money, and that differences in state regulations made comparing hours difficult. The association also doesn’t see the crippling student debt as the schools’ fault, citing the fact that students are allowed to take out more in loans than is necessary to cover educational expenses. “We have students graduating with minimal debt because they made wise choices,” the association said.

‘A business first, and a school second’

Cosmetology schools have a unique business model in the for-profit school world. They have two main streams of revenue. The first comes from students, often in the form of taxpayer-funded grants and loans to pay for the tuition. Cosmetology schools took in nearly $1.2 billion in federal grants and loans during the 2015-16 school year.

The second stream is the salon work the students do while in school. They spend some time in classrooms learning about, for example, chemicals and how to sanitize the work space, but once they’ve hit a certain number of hours, they start working on real clients in salons run by the schools. In full-time programs, going to school becomes a full-time job, where students clock in and out for seven- or eight-hour shifts.

The total number of required hours varies, but all states require some amount of practice with paying customers. In Iowa, students spend 715 hours in the classroom and 1,385 hours on the floor.

Prices for these salon services — which include haircuts, manicures, facials and, at some schools, massages — are typically set below market rates to attract customers. The salons also sell shampoo, conditioner and other beauty products. One Iowa student said he and others had gotten perks (such as trips and special training) if they sold enough products. Another student, who sued a school in Pennsylvania, reported that her grades were partly based on whether she offered salon products to clients.

The schools don’t have to pay students for the services they provide; in fact, the students pay tuition for the hours they work in the salons.

All told, for-profit cosmetology schools nationwide brought in more than $200 million in revenue from their salons in the 2015-16 school year, according to federal statistics. Most schools are small, privately owned entities that do not have to disclose their profits.

“Without the revenue coming from those salons, most of these schools wouldn’t be profitable, or it would be marginal,” said Leon Greenberg, a lawyer in Las Vegas who has examined the financial documents of several schools he unsuccessfully sued under the Fair Labor Standards Act. “It’s pretty much ingrained in their business model.”

Some schools have pushed their business models to the legal limit — and beyond, according to government regulators.

La’ James International College owns six of the 27 cosmetology schools in Iowa, plus one in Nebraska and another in Illinois. Iowa’s attorney general sued the school in 2014, accusing it of defrauding students through deceptive marketing and enrollment practices. Under a settlement, the school admitted no wrongdoing but agreed to forgive almost $2.2 million in student debt. It had to pay a $500,000 fine, and the owners — Cynthia Becher and her son, Travis Becher — had to personally pay fines of $25,000 each. The federal government also placed La’ James under restrictive monitoring for alleged mishandling of students’ financial aid. (The Bechers declined to comment on the suit.)

Lisa Shaw, a former La’ James massage instructor, said Ms. Becher had met with staff members regularly and often told them, “This is a business first, and a school second.”

Ms. Shaw and Bez Lancial-McMullen, a former La’ James cosmetology instructor at the campus in Davenport, Iowa, recalled attending meetings in which company officials spoke of the need to maintain sizable profits. Students were regularly pulled out of Ms. Lancial-McMullen’s classes to work in the salon, she said. Other complaints submitted to the attorney general’s office about the school describe similar practices, although the Bechers have consistently denied the claims.

Both women eventually resigned because they objected to the way students were being treated. Ms. Shaw left in 2014, saying the company’s owners looked at students “as dollar signs.”

“I feel like the school is predatory,” Ms. Shaw said. “I could no longer be a part of taking people’s money and then treating them like that.”

Stephanie Wood Becher, who is the school’s director of marketing (and Travis Becher’s wife), denied that Cynthia Becher would ever tell employees to put the school’s business needs first.

“Education and betterment of the student is always and has always been the #1 priority for her and L.J.I.C.,” Ms. Wood Becher wrote in an email.

La’ James had to open its books during the attorney general’s lawsuit, revealing annual profits that ranged from $1.2 million to $3.4 million from 2009 through 2012. In Iowa, tuition, fees and supplies for its cosmetology program come to $21,500 per student.

Compared with other institutions, “I think we’re cheap,” Mr. Becher said, noting that the cost includes books and supply kits. “We’re private. We’re not public. We don’t get tax breaks.”

The Becher family also owns more than a dozen limited liability companies, which include a distribution center for its salon products. In 2017, the United States Department of Education reprimanded La’ James for failing to publicly disclose a rape in a dorm in Nebraska. Federal law requires colleges to publish annual security reports and logs about crimes on campus, which La’ James failed to do, “exposing students and staff to potential harm,” according to government reviewers.

Joni Buresh, the school’s compliance officer, said in an email that the security reports were available to students, and that she believed that the law requiring crime logs didn’t apply to campuses like the one in Nebraska. She acknowledged that a rape had been reported to the police but said that school officials “honestly are not confident that this rape incident ever occurred.” Ms. Buresh said they had now filed the paperwork requested by the federal reviewers.

Doing ‘absolutely nothing,’ for credit

In 2016, Glenda Martin wasn’t aware of any trouble brewing between La’ James and the federal government, or that the school had spent the previous two years in a legal dispute with the Iowa attorney general’s office.

All she knew was that cosmetology was in her blood, as she likes to say. Her mother was a cosmetologist, and started teaching her how to style hair when she was a preteen. There was never any doubt about what career Ms. Martin would pursue. The only question was where to enroll.

The way she saw it, she had only for-profit options: PCI Academy, an hour away in Ames, or La’ James International College in Fort Dodge, where she lived. (One community college campus offers a cosmetology degree, but it’s in a sparsely populated corner of the state, three hours from Fort Dodge.) She had heard that PCI students were pressured to push a certain number of products before they could get their own kits.

“I would have enjoyed another choice here in town,” she said. “I would have definitely checked it out.”

Unknown to Ms. Martin, there could have been another option, just a few miles down the road: Iowa Central Community College. In the fall of 2004, the college submitted an application to the state cosmetology board to open a program. But in early 2005, the Iowa Cosmetology School Association and La’ James sued Iowa Central and got a temporary injunction that prevented it from moving forward with the program.

The lawsuit argued that the state code prohibits public entities from competing with private ones. If Iowa Central opened a cheaper program, the suit contended, La’ James would be “irreparably harmed by the loss of employees, members, clients, students, potential employees, potential clients, potential students” and other factors.

Mr. Becher said the company had sued to “protect the students” from a subpar education. Ms. Wood Becher added, “It’s kind of a quality control thing.”

The two sides ultimately compromised; students could earn associate degrees by completing cosmetology certificates at La’ James and taking six business classes at Iowa Central. La’ James lost nothing in the deal, but students lost the option of paying significantly less.

The Iowa Cosmetology School Association said its members’ prices are “consistent with the cost of all postsecondary education today” — particularly considering that they do not receive state subsidies. The average annual in-state cost of attendance at Iowa’s community colleges is $4,697. The University of Iowa, the state’s most expensive public four-year institution, costs $9,492 per year for in-state students.

This year, Iowa Lakes Community College, about three hours northwest of Des Moines, announced plans to offer a cosmetics degree. The college’s president, Valerie Newhouse, said one cosmetology school had already threatened litigation.

In 2016, Ms. Martin went for a short tour of the La’ James campus in Fort Dodge. The school’s storefront was airy and glamorous. Hair products lined the walls under enlarged photographs of well-coiffed women. Makeup displays were fronted by placards advertising the services available in the student-staffed salon. Students dressed in black shirts and pants.

Before her visit was over, Ms. Martin filled out her enrollment and financial aid paperwork. She took out $23,000 in loans.

Ms. Martin liked La’ James at first, she said, but quickly discovered problems. She found the classes boring and repetitive. Some instructors had students read aloud from textbooks and watch instructional videos.

Ms. Martin said that she supported Iowa’s 2,100-hour requirement in theory — as did several of the women we spoke with — but that in practice, many of those hours were wasted, particularly once she got to the salon floor.

Although Fridays and Saturdays would be busy, the rest of the week generally dragged. She’d be itching to practice what she had been learning in class. But some days there were so few customers that she’d sit and wait for hours.

One day, she braved a snowstorm to get to the salon. The school had stayed open, requiring students to come in. Ms. Martin was the only one who did. She left at the end of the day without having seen a single customer — but those hours still counted toward the 2,100.

She would shake her head when she saw other students, sick of the boredom, go home early. “That only works against you,” she said. “You have to stay here and do absolutely nothing or you go home and lose the hours.”

The Iowa Cosmetology School Association said the state’s system “provides the right amount of training time to practice on actual people.” It also said that if some students waste hours sitting around, “it is unfortunate for both the student and the school.”

In interviews, more than 20 former students at schools represented by the association described experiences like Ms. Martin’s. One former La’ James student, Michelle Wipperman, said foot traffic in the salon at the Cedar Rapids school was so low, some students asked administrators if they could advertise more. She recalls being told that it would be too expensive.

“I would say probably 60 percent of our time was sitting around waiting for people,” Ms. Wipperman said. “There were times where I personally had met all my goals that I needed to meet. I was literally just waiting. I had to finish my clock hours.”

Despite these experiences, when Ms. Martin finished her cosmetology certificate, she re-enrolled for further training in esthetics. She thought the extra skills would help her someday in her own salon.

Ms. Martin passed both her exams. But the school will not release her transcripts, so she can get her licenses, until she pays the several hundred dollars it says she owes. She disputes the debt and says she can’t afford to pay.

The fight to reduce hours

In the last five years, legislators in at least 11 states have introduced bills to lower the number of hours required for a cosmetology certificate. These efforts are driven by a mix of antiregulatory libertarians, national salon chains that are having trouble hiring enough qualified stylists and the national association for cosmetologists, which wants its members to be able to carry their licenses across state lines.

While aggressive lobbying by schools has managed to stall or defeat legislation in several states, at least eight have reduced the number of hours in their regulations. In recent years, required hours were lowered to 1,500 in South Dakota and Montana. And Nebraska legislators, after a long battle with the schools, trimmed their mandate to 1,800 hours.

Administrators from schools in those states disagreed with the reductions, but said they were still able to cover the same material as before.

Iowa, with its 2,100-hour standard, remains “an embarrassment,” said Dawn Pettengill, a Republican state representative who will retire next month. Hoping to lower the profession’s barrier to entry, Ms. Pettengill this year introduced legislation that would drop the hours to 1,500. Republicans in the Senate proposed a similar bill.

Schools and their lobbyists mounted a fierce pushback. The schools “were livid,” said State Senator Jason Schultz, a Republican subcommittee chairman. “I didn’t expect the amount of opposition.”

The school association’s political action committee had given more than $20,000 to Iowa candidates since 2014. It also had three lobbyists registered with the state; for the last session, the organization paid the lobbyists’ company $12,500.

While the dollar amounts weren’t huge, a little goes a long way in Des Moines. Hearings weren’t publicized, or even required, giving an advantage to the well-organized group.

The schools argued that maintaining 2,100 hours was crucial to ensuring that students were able to learn everything needed to run salons in rural parts of the state, including nails, esthetics, business and state law, not just hairstyling. Their courses, they said, provide more depth than those in other states.

A review of cosmetology curriculums nationally, however, shows that most states teach subjects beyond hairstyling. More than half explicitly mandate instruction in law or business topics.

The Iowa school association also maintained that important differences in regulations complicated comparisons of schools across state lines. In Massachusetts, for example, a recent graduate must work under supervision for two years.

“We do not feel it is necessary to lower the standards of Iowa’s education just because other states have done so,” the association said. “It doesn’t make sense to us to produce graduates that come out of our programs with less skills, less confidence and who are less likely to succeed.”

At a subcommittee hearing on the Senate bill, only one person testified in favor of fewer hours. Senator Schultz said that he had wanted the bill to move forward, but that since “only one side showed up,” he couldn’t justify it. Both bills died in committee.

It’s not clear how much money the schools would lose if they no longer had students working on salon floors for so many hours. In Nebraska, schools argued at hearings that they would have to raise their tuition to make up for lost revenue if the state reduced the hours. La’ James supported, but did not testify in favor of, Iowa’s legislation, and the Empire Education Group, which owns the nation’s largest chain of cosmetology schools, has backed legislation in Ohio to drop the hour requirement to 1,000.

The increased scrutiny on cosmetology regulations at the state level follows a federal Department of Education effort, starting in 2009, to crack down on for-profit schools that charge high tuitions for credentials that do not lead to well-paying jobs. For each program, the department compiled so-called gainful employment information, which compared student debt with earnings after graduation and issued ratings. The figure for all programs nationally was 24 percent.

Cosmetology programs fared particularly poorly: Nearly 40 percent of them, including 12 in Iowa, either failed or were in a warning “zone,” indicating that their students were not making enough to comfortably pay back their debts.

Cosmetology schools say the numbers do not accurately capture what their graduates earn in an industry with so many tips. And it is true that cosmetologists have the potential to make a good living. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for a cosmetologist is $24,850. Those in the top 10 percent earn more than $50,000, or nearly $25 an hour. The problem is that most of these professionals flounder for years before getting to that point, if they reach it at all.

After more than seven years on the job, Ms. Lozano finally got a raise. But that meant the loan payments she had been able to defer came due.

The money she’ll use to finish paying them most likely won’t come from haircuts. Ms. Lozano plans to go back to school to become a registered nurse. If she’s able to find a position in that line of work, she could more than double her current salary. And it will give her and her daughter, who wants to be a doctor, another thing to bond over.

“I told her she wasn’t allowed to go to school for hair,” Ms. Lozano said. “I don’t want her going through the same thing that I did — the debt, and everything after the fact. I won’t let her do it.”

[junybreeze]

Hi everyone ! Hope you’re doing great !

I know you guys are going on vacation now and if you’re like me with a very well defined beauty routine, I guess then you wondered what you would take with you in your luggage. You don’t want to miss any step of your beauty routine on vacation and I understand a 100%. You might go somewhere by the beach and the sun, the wind, salt and water (plus change of food) might affect the quality of your skin and hair health. So not only should you keep it up with your normal routine, but you also have to be even more picky about your routine guys !

If you know me now, you know that first thing I’ll advice is WATER. Drink water guys ! No matter how much red wine you already had so far … DRINK at least one glass of water. And don’t forget to hydrate every hour moreover if you’re tanning (forget about bloating in your tiny bikini). Your skin will thank you.

Ok. That said let’s move with Skincare and haircare.

Summer Skin/Hair care Essentials

You know that feeling when your so happy as you left the beauty shop because you’ve just refilled your whole skincare routine … and then you realize you’re travelling in 3 days and you can’t take those stuffs with you on the airplane … (#facepalm). So, I had no choice and went back to rebuy my routine in travelling size ! But of course I did not find everything in travelling size … (would be too easy come on!). So I had to rethink and replace some of my skincare / hair products. And here’s what I came out with.

Pai travelling pouch for sensitive skin

I chosed this pouch without really knowing what was Inside. I already tried Pai products but never the ones that were Inside this pouch. I just needed a facecream and a facewash so I Grabbed this ! And here’s what I think about this as I used it during my whole trip in Italy.

The Camelia & Rose cleanser is the softest thing I’ve ever used to wash my skin. It come with small conton towel. Basicaly what you have to do is to take four plumps on yur finger and gently massage on dry skin. Then you warm the towel with warm water and you was off your face with smal cricular movements. Your whole skin feel skin without any feel of dryness. It’s great for extremly sensitiv skins.

The rebalancing day cream, is a basic cream that protects your skin. It’s a classic cream. The smell is classic also. It respects the skin and you barely feel it. It’s all I ask from a day cream (do the work and shut up).

Might rebuy as it’s really good stuff !

Click on picture below to check it !

Glossier Super Pure Serum & Glossier Sunscreen Cream SPF 35

I really enjoyed those two skincare products from glossier this summer. The serum is just perfection as it smoothed my skin and healed any breakout. The sunscreen really protected my skin but melted really really fast. For more info, please check my last article about Glossier.

Shampoo John Masters Oganics & Conditionner Rahua Hydration Conditioner

Of course, I would never travel without my favorite shampoo from John Masters Organics. It’s almost made with only natural products. It’s very gentle as it almost never foam. An it leaves that amazing fresh smell of lavender. I matched it with the Rahua hydration conditionner. It was the first time I tried it and I liked it. It left my hair very very smooth and easy to design.

For the shampoo I will always rebuy.

For the conditionner, wont rebuy (many other conditionners that are as good).

Kiehl’s body gel and body butter

Everybody knows Kiehl’s, and their body gel and body butter are quite classic and with good composition. I like those two together. And the body wash is very hydrating which is great after tanning. I had them as b-day gifts by Kiehl’s in travel size.

Won’t buy as there are many other brands that have better composition to discover.

Girl Smells Deodorant

I had a crush on this super cute and photogenic deodorant at the store. It’s biological, alcohol free and alumnium free and it smells greeeeaaat ! Girl Smells does it in many different perfume (vanilia, grapefruit, orange etc…). It’s super confortable on armpit skin. One bad point, it does not really do the work … It smells great and it’s easy to wear. But it does not stop you from sweating. I know it may sound gross to some of you but I like that. Sweating is an important way for your body to detoxify. The thing we don’t like about sweat is discomfort but most important the smell. Smell is well controlled here ! The texture is extremely watery (most liquid deodorants are a bit creamy but not this one). So I love the smell and packaging but it does not last too long and price is quite expensive as it’s a high end product.

Will rebuy and complete with the rest of the body collection.

Click on picture below to buy it.

Summer Make up Essentials

On vacation, I don’t really like to put on make up. As beeing tanned fills all my beauty goals (I swear…), I just stay to my skincare routine. But when it’s time for dinner in a fancy place I still like to but some make up to match the vibe of my outfit. So here is what I use as beauty enhancers on vacation !

Eye makeup.

I like to keep it really natural when it comes to shade colors while on vacation. So I use small handable pallettes with neutral colors (for brunettes). I use a lid base stick that is one tone darker than my lid skin. This way I eaither use it as a base for eyeshadow or as a shade itself. Mascara of course !

Eyeshadow Palette is from Dior Backstage in shades 001 Warm Neutrals / Eyelid stick from Bobbi Brown in shade Taupe / Mascara Better Than Sex from Too Faced

And I always take a very classy shade for night out to add that extra sofisticated look.

Eyeshadow from Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill in Shade #3 .

I never travel without Laura Mercier‘s make up ! This brand totally changed the way I looked at make up since I was 20 y/o (6years ago). The formula of the foundation and concealer are just perfection for smart coverage with a natural finish. Perfect to not look over baked during this summer. I always take red lipstick. Got to keep close to my classics! what can I say ? And a highlighter, for the glory finish. This summer, I literally LIVE for the glow !.

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Processed with VSCO with a4 preset

From left to right : Red lipstick in shade Maya/ Concealer in shade #2 / Tinted moisturizer spa 20 in shade Bisque / Highlighter in shade Seduction .

Of course, beauty routine would never be complete without the finish touch of perfume and nail polish … So here’s what I picked up for this summer.

Tom Ford’s Eau de Soleil Blanc. It’s the very famous sunny fragrance from Tom Ford that everybody knows. BUT, it’s cheaper than the original version as it’s EAU and not parfum. Guys, if those bottles smell the same but one costs 200€ cheaper ? I don’t care how many times I have to respray this, but it’s already MINE ! Plus, you can find this in duty-free shop at any international airport. Go ahead and DETAX guys !

Nailpolish. I don’t wear nail polish that much during the year as I prefer to keep them natural and free from all the chemicals that are in nail polish. BUT, during summer, I really enjoy fancy nails to hold my ice-cream ! And I don’t know why, but I feel like this nail polish is perfect match with my summer style this year ? First of all I spent the whole summer so far wearing espadrilles actually… so maybe that’s why. But I have a thing with red this summer I don’t know why (like in my previous post in Positano). I feel like nothing is more French than red lips and nails and I want to let my French side blossom this year!

Perfume from Tom Ford Eau de Soleil Blanc / Nailpolish from Chanel in shade Espadrilles

Hope it helped you make up your mind about what you’ll travel with this summer regarding your skincare routine and make up ! Remember are those articles in this post are in travelling size so more affordable than original sizes.

So tell me if you have any other product you love taking in your luggage during summer, I will love to give it a try !

Enjoy your summer !

Abeer

My summer beauty essentials for this summer ! Get some Ideas about what you'll need for face skin care and make up ! Hi everyone ! Hope you're doing great ! I know you guys are going on vacation now and if you're like me with a very well defined beauty routine, I guess then you wondered what you would take with you in your luggage.

[thepinklocket]

It’s been a long and busy year so far with my jewelry business.  You know what all work and no play is? Boring!  I decided to kick summer off with vacation and I was adamant about it being a bucket list trip.  For the past two years my cousin and I talked about a dream trip to Iceland. So when one of my besties sent a group text about her interest in taking a trip there this year I knew that was a sign. Then when I heard that the Icelandic soccer team would be making their debut in the World Cup while we were there, I knew it was definitely a “meant to be trip.”  

Most people don’t really think about a vacation in Iceland, for me all it took was seeing some beautiful pictures of the lush landscapes and I was sold.  Not only are Icelandic people some of the most pleasant people on the planet, but their country is out of this world (literally), just pure beauty from the street art in Reykjavik to the amazing waterfalls to the best tasting vodka to wondrous things their water does to your hair (curly hair girls Iceland would be your BEST FRIEND). Enough about how wonderful this country is, I’m just going to jump right into it and give you the details and tips about travels to this beautiful land.

Hotel

Since we traveled with a group of five of us, we opted for an apartment suite style hotel right in Reykjavik called Reykjavik4you. The hotel had very nice accommodations and was spacious enough for five people with two bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen and living room area. We even had 2 balcony views of the city, which was an added plus.  The cost of the hotel was $2,500 for our five-day stay, so we each shelled out $500 a piece. This hotel was the perfect location and walking distance to everything you’ll need during your stay. Definitely book your hotel first and book it early. Iceland is becoming quite a destination spot and hotel accommodations sell out fast. We actually booked our hotel first then booked our flight later.

Getting Around

You can rent a car, but we opted to walk most of the time since our hotel was in a good location. Plus you get a chance to see the beautiful street art on buildings throughout Reykjavik. Taxicabs and buses are also options as well since they’re no Ubers in Iceland.

Food/Dining

Dining out is very expensive in Iceland. We did pack snacks in our luggage to bring on excursions and to snack in between meals. So if you decide not to bring snacks, you can find the nearest Icelandic supermarket and get snacks, the prices aren’t so bad there. On an average expect to spend about $85-$150/day in dining out while you’re there. On average we spent about $100/day per person.    

Here are some of the highlights of our favorite food spots we ventured to:

Noodle Station

My husband and bff went back to this spot twice while we were there. I must say their noodle soup was flavorful and overall just really good. They also have meat and vegetarian options.  The price wasn’t too bad either.

Braud & Co.

Be prepared from fresh and hands down damn good baked goods.  The smell alone is enough to eat more than just one. Honestly even the graffiti art on the building makes it hard to just walk by and NOT stop in!

El Santo Mexican

I know what you’re thinking why go to Iceland and eat Mexican food. Well, the truth is the variety of types of restaurants is plentiful in Reykjavik. This spot was great for our group since we had a mix of meat eaters, pescatarians, vegetarians, and vegans.

Reykjavik Fish & Chips

Okay, we had some really good fish and chips in Reykjavik.  This spot has a really delicious seafood soup. They even have various dipping sauces for your fish, each sauce is an extra charge.

Bryggjan Brugghus

  We actual watched Iceland’s debut in the World Cup at this popular brunch spot.  If you decide to brunch here, definitely make reservations and tasting their variety of beer is a must.

Kaia Kffihus

What drew us to this spot was, of course, the Marley decor of the building. When we walked in we realized that it was a coffee shop below and rum bar on the upper level.  Still, a very chill spot to grab a drink and relax.

Dillon’s Whiskey Bar

This whiskey bar definitely has a variety of whiskey, plus the locals were really cool.  My husband enjoyed the wings here as well. Live music is also available.

Attractions/Tours

Okay now it’s time to get into the good stuff, you know the whole reason we planned the trip and to explore this beautiful country.  Now as first timers we opted to book tours with tour groups, but you can rent a car and see all of these places as well for free (except for The Blue Lagoon).

The Blue Lagoon

The #1 reason people visit Iceland is to see this beautiful and wondrous man-made lagoon (yes it is man-made). As soon as you embark upon it the sight of lava rocks is enough to “woosah” your mind.  Reservations are a must, so be sure to book your tickets before going. There are 3 types of tickets, we opted for the middle one and included our bus transportation. Now the lagoon is not located in Reykjavik it’s actually closer to the airport, so it might be a good idea to visit the lagoon on day one when you arrive in Iceland.  Here are some tips for first timers:

You will need to take a shower prior to entering the lagoon. Don’t worry the showers are private stalls and have dispensers with soap, shampoo, and conditioner.

If you want to dine at the Lava Restaurant there be sure to purchase the premium ticket.

They have 2 types of mask that you can try while you relax that are included with the ticket price. One is a silica mask and the other is an algae mask.  I did have a little bit of a sensitive reaction to the silica mask, so if you have sensitive skin I would do a sensitivity check on your inner arm prior to applying to your skin.

The water is nice and warm and makes your skin very soft which brings me to the number 5….

DO NOT GET YOUR HAIR WET IN THE LAGOON. I’m so serious, while the water is great for the skin it’s terrible for your hair and will dry it out tremendously.  I tied mine up into a sloppy bun and I was good to go.

The products are amazing but pricey.  You can try out the lotion which is GREAT and the conditioner as well.

South Coast Tour

This tour gives you a tour of glaciers, volcanoes, and waterfalls.  Remember you can rent a car and see the spots for free, but we opted to do a guided tour since we didn’t know what to expect.  Also, be sure to bring some kronos, some of these spots have restrooms, but you will need to pay 200-300 kronos (approximately $2-$3) to use the restroom.

Skogafoss

This 197 ft. tall waterfall was purely amazing.  Climbing 400 steps to the top then standing at the top looking down at that waterfall was just beautiful beyond words.

Reynisfjara

The famous black sand beach is not only known for its beauty but also its dangerous waves.  With caves and basalt columns (trolls), the black pebbles and rocks made wonderful “souvenirs” for my little one.

Solheimajokull

This glacier was probably the most memorable site for me.  Use in a few of Game of Thrones episodes (Beyond The Wall), the road leading to this glacier was actually built and paid for by the Game of Thrones crew. Sitting between two volcanoes this glacier is one of the most rapidly melting ones.  For those interested, there are glacier climbing tours available.

Seljalandsfoss

One of the most popular waterfalls, this stop is probably best to do last on your day of exploring.  Walking behind the waterfall was a bit slippery, but well worth it. Experiencing the water rushing down in front of you gives you such peace.

Golden Circle Tour

This tour allows you to see the beautiful treasures of the island from geysirs to waterfalls to country’s national park.

Thingvellir

Iceland’s historical national park, the geology here really rocks!

Gullfoss

This water from this waterfall is pretty much fed by one of the biggest glaciers.  At 105 feet tall I climbed this waterfall until I damn near kissed it!

Geysir

The famous hot springs in southwest Iceland.  This geothermal area shoots boiling water about 65 feet high ever 4-9 minutes. Just stand and wait for it with your camera handy!

Reykjavik

The city of Reykjavik is just a beauty of its own.  Not only is it super clean, but the street art on the buildings showcases the pure talent of local artisans.  Even the local shops sell products from local entrepreneurs and crafters.

The Halligrimskirkja church building has an amazing structure. I think we stood and just snapped different pictures of it for about 10 minutes.

Shopping

Word of advice, you will see very trendy and cool Icelandic winter gear, so be sure to bring extra money to take away some of these hot fashions.  I fell in love with the winter coats from 66 North.  In addition, the hair care and skin care products are the BEST, hands down and you’ll want to walk away with some to take back home.  The vodka here is some of the best in the world since it’s naturally filtered like their water so it’s very smooth. If you plan on taking any vodka back home wait until you get to the airport on departure day and purchase it duty-free there.  

Things We Didn’t Get To Do:

These are just some things and sites we didn’t get to do that sound pretty cool and interesting.

The Abandoned DC Plane

Game of Thrones Tour

Reykjavik Loves…City Card

Northern Lights (only visible during the winter months, we went in the summer)

Secret Lagoon

On Power Geothermal Exhibition

Lava Center

Random Tips & Advice:

The water is the best straight from the faucet, just bring a water bottle and fill up.  There’s no need to purchase bottle water.

The water is good on your skin and hair. So good that I entered Iceland with straight hair and left with my naturally curly hair.  All I had was water and conditioner and this was the result of Day 2 of my natural hair.

My money tips are if you are using your credit/debit card be sure to swipe and choose the option of completing the transaction in ISK.  Banks do charge a fee for every transaction, so if you have a credit card that doesn’t charge like Capital One or Chase Sapphire.

Liquor is quite expensive in lceland.

Convert to the local currency at the airport.

Hopefully, if you choose to visit Iceland one day that these tips help you. Now I’m off to create some jewelry so that I can enjoy my next travel adventure.

Summer Travels: When in Iceland… It's been a long and busy year so far with my jewelry business.  You know what all work and no play is?

[noplacecalledhome]

10 Best Hotels To Stay In Pearl City Oahu – Top Hotel Reviews

Pearl City Oahu is beautiful and has lots of hotels. Ofcourse we are only looking for the best hotels in Pearl City Oahu. It’s important to compare them because there are so many places to stay in Pearl City Oahu. You’re probably wondering where to stay in Pearl City Oahu. To see which hotel sounds better than the other, we created a top 10 list. The list will make it a lot easier for you to make a great decision. We know you only want the best hotel and preferably something with a reasonable price.

Our list contains 10 hotels of which we think are the best hotels in Pearl City Oahu right now. Still, some of you are more interested in the most popular hotels in Pearl City Oahu with the best reviews, and that’s completely normal! You can check out the link below.

Skip to the most popular hotels in Pearl City Oahu.

10 Best Hotels In Pearl City Oahu:

Airport Honolulu Hotel

Description:

This property is a 7-minute walk from the beach. Showcasing an outdoor pool and fitness center, Airport Honolulu Hotel is located in Honolulu in the region of O’ahu, just 3.4 miles from Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant. Private parking is available on site.Every room at this hotel is air conditioned and is fitted with a flat-screen TV. You will find a coffee machine in the room. Each room is fitted with a private bathroom equipped with a bathtub. Extras include free toiletries and a hairdryer.You will find free shuttle service at the property.Hale Koa Luau is 7 miles from Airport Honolulu Hotel, and Royal Hawaiian Theater Legends in Concert Waikiki is 7 miles from the property. The nearest airport is Honolulu Airport, 0.6 miles from the property.

Reviews:

Close to airport, free shuttle, close to bus stop, on-site shop, good food, friendly staff.

The location to the airport was good, the free shuttle bus, to and from the airport. The breakfast was good

Nice hotel with comfortable rooms and nice pool. Convenient to airport and has shuttle service.

The location was perfect! Right by the airport and near so many business centers and restaurants. Free shuttle service made everything so convenient.

Actually had nice towels. Breakfast at the restaurant was good and large portions. Also walkable restaurants nearby.

For more info click here.

Best Western The Plaza Hotel

Description:

One of our top picks in Honolulu.This property is a 12-minute walk from the beach. Located in Honolulu, 3.7 miles from Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor, Best Western The Plaza Hotel features a restaurant and free WiFi.Every room at this hotel is air conditioned and features a TV with satellite channels. Certain accommodations include a sitting area where you can relax. All rooms include a private bathroom.You will find free shuttle service and gift shop at the property.Hale Koa Luau is 6 miles from The Plaza Airport Hotel, and Royal Hawaiian Theater Legends in Concert Waikiki is 7 miles away. The nearest airport is Honolulu Airport, 0.6 miles from the property.

Reviews:

They allocated me the wonderful room and stayed a wonderful night for the transit.

Convenient location to Pearl Harbor and airport. Restaurant food was very good for a hotel restaurant. Our room was very quiet as it was on the ‘back side’ of the building. It seemed like rooms on the ‘front side’ might experience a lot of road noise. There was no airport noise even though the hotel is close to the airport.

This was a transit stay. It was quiet and I slept like a log on a very comfy bed. I could have spent another few hours in bed no problem!!

Nothing. The room was cold, the blankets were thin.

Thank you for taking dogs it was a huge help to stay here the night before flying to our new home destination. We’ll be back though. Love my Hawaii Nei

For more info click here.

Hampton Inn & Suites Oahu/Kapolei, HI – FREE Breakfast

Description:

One of our top picks in Kapolei.Featuring free WiFi, Hampton Inn & Suites Oahu/Kapolei, HI – FREE Breakfast offers accommodations in Kapolei.Every room is equipped with a flat-screen TV. You will find a coffee machine in the room. Each room includes a private bathroom.There is a 24-hour front desk at the property.The nearest airport is Honolulu Airport, 9 miles from the property.

Reviews:

Room was very spacious. Big and comfortable beds. Located just behind a corner of a shopping mall. Good access to restaurants. You definitely need a car if you choose to stay in this location, accessibility is good though.

Coffee and tea readily availability upon arrival. Spacious lounge area to rest until room was ready. Live music at the mall was a bonus and only a 200 ft. walk as the property was adjacent. Movie theater in the mall as well.

eggs perfect bagels and Danish and fresh fruits.

I like the bed linens. The coverlet was beautiful, very smooth, and comfy. Wish I could purchase pne

The room was very comfortable and clean. Very good facilities.

For more info click here.

Pacific Marina Inn

Description:

Pacific Marina Inn offers accommodations in Honolulu. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant.Each room includes a private bathroom.There is free shuttle service at the property.Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor is 4.4 miles from Pacific Marina Inn, and Hale Koa Luau is 6 miles from the property. The nearest airport is Honolulu Airport, 1.2 miles from Pacific Marina Inn.

Reviews:

Shuttle driver was nice, they let us check out an hour late without making a fuss about it.

Friendly staff and comfortable bed. Close to Airport.We had an excellent time!

Served our purpose. Brief stay while changing planes.

It was close to the airport with 24 hour shuttle. It was clean. Room was small and old, (but clean!) which was okay for sleeping in. Employees were very professional.

close to the airport nice karaoke bar in the hotel very nice pool for a refreshing swim in the morning

For more info click here.

Embassy Suites By Hilton Oahu Kapolei – FREE Breakfast

Description:

One of our top picks in Kapolei.Showcasing a year-round outdoor pool and hot tub, Embassy Suites By Hilton Oahu Kapolei – FREE Breakfast is located in Kapolei in the region of O’ahu, just 14 miles from Honolulu. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant.You will find free shuttle service at the property.Honolulu Airport is 10 miles away.

Reviews:

Staff were exceptional! Helpful in every manner! Even though the hotel is brand new…….Still very clean!

Excellent breakfast and evening reception. Everyone extremely accommodating.

Absolutely fantastic! Probably the cleanest motel we have ever stayed at. Free breakfast was fantastic, as was the location.

Staff friendly and welcoming. Breakfast was great!

THE BREAKFAST WAS DELICIOUS WHEN THERE WAS TIME TO EAT IT….ROOMS WERE COMFORTABLE….FACILITIES VERY NICE!

For more info click here.

Aloha Wahiawa

Description:

Offering a barbecue and terrace, Aloha Wahiawa is located in Wahiawa, 17.4 miles from Honolulu.You will find a shared kitchen at the property.The inn also offers free use of bicycles. The nearest airport is Honolulu Airport, 13.7 miles from Bento House.

Reviews:

Bed was soo comfortable and loved the breakfast options and nice outdoor space to eat

Super close to local military facilities, local grocery store, and eateries. Claudia (owner) was super friendly and helpful. Breakfast was more do-it-yourself with provided ingredients.

I loved the great people that worked & stayed there

Bento house was absolutely awesome. Due to an unforeseeable event, our room at Bento house was not available. But the staff’s reaction was super nice. They even gave us the option between two other rooms – one more north, the other more south in Oahu – and they picked us up from the bus station to bring us to the other place. The location and facilities were great!

Loved the host, Claudia was very nice! Good breakfast every morning and all the facilities are really clean.

For more info click here.

Aston at the Executive Centre Hotel

Description:

Aston at the Executive Centre Hotel is located in the Downtown Honolulu neighborhood in Honolulu, just 2.5 miles from Hale Koa Luau. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant.Some accommodations feature a private bathroom with a spa tub, and others have free toiletries and a hairdryer. Certain accommodations have a sitting area where you can relax. Certain rooms include views of the sea or mountains.You will find a 24-hour front desk at the property.Royal Hawaiian Theater Legends in Concert Waikiki is 2.9 miles from Aston Executive Centre, and Saint Augustine by-the-Sea is 3.4 miles from the property. The nearest airport is Honolulu Airport, 4.3 miles from Aston at the Executive Centre Hotel.

Downtown Honolulu is a great choice for travelers interested in food, shopping and warm weather.

Reviews:

Comfortable bed, great views (especially at night), and the great washer and dryer

View towards the ocean is nice, comfortable beds, nice staff, great restaurant – nice place to grab a beer and snacks.

The view is amazing, bed is super comfortable, great stereo system, nice lighting, kitchenette just right for our needs, the Hawaiian Tropics shampoo/conditioner/lotion are lovely! We booked this place because we went on the Majestic Fireworks/Dinner Cruise, so it was a short, convenient walk! We will definitely come back for another STAYCATION!

Staff were SO accommodating and sweet when we arrived late and jet lagged.

Note that the hotel is in Downtown Honolulu which is about 20 mins drive from most of the attractions.

For more info click here.

Pagoda Hotel

Description:

This property is a 13-minute walk from the beach. Pagoda Hotel offers accommodations in Honolulu. Guests can enjoy the on-site restaurant.Each room at this hotel is air conditioned and features a TV. You will find a coffee machine in the room. The rooms come with a private bathroom. For your comfort, you will find free toiletries and a hairdryer.There is an ATM, a tour desk and a hairdresser’s at the property.Hale Koa Luau is 1.1 miles from Pagoda Hotel, and Royal Hawaiian Theater Legends in Concert Waikiki is 1.3 miles from the property. The nearest airport is Honolulu Airport, 6 miles from the property.

Downtown Honolulu is a great choice for travelers interested in food, shopping and warm weather.

Reviews:

Location! Location! Location! The property is situated a few miles from the Waikiki area, but ideally located for shopping and having meals at family dining places.

The staff were very helpful. We also liked the convience of the restaurant next door.

Building too old if fire exits were locked for security . Never stay there again.

Staffs were very kind and they were flexible with checkout time. The suite is roomy. Parking pass was reasonable ($10)

Location. Food and shopping are all around the hotel. The hotel staffs will try their best to accommodate the customers. Good customer services.

For more info click here.

Ala Moana Hotel

Description:

One of our top picks in Honolulu.Located between the Hawaii Convention Center and Ala Moana Shopping Center, this non-smoking hotel features 3 restaurants and a nightclub. Free Wi-Fi is included in all guest rooms.Offering ocean and city skyline views, each guest room offers a flat-screen cable TV. A small refrigerator is provided for guest convenience.The Plantation Café offers a daily breakfast buffet.A swimming pool and fitness centre are available for guest relaxation. A convenience store is located on site.Waikiki Beach and Neal S. Blaisdell Center are within 5 minutes’ drive from Honolulu Ala Moana Hotel. Ala Moana Beach Park is 10 minutes’ walk away. Honolulu International Airport is 7 miles away.

Downtown Honolulu is a great choice for travelers interested in food, shopping and warm weather.

Reviews:

When we checked into the hotel – the front desk person was not very friendly and I thought “Oh, oh”… but that was the only snafu. I loved the room and the view. Extraordinary, truly. Plantation Café was wonderful!

Good service and location. The massage service, valet parking, were great. The Signature restaurant was superb, excellent food, excellent service, excellent view. The micro wave oven, refrigerator were convenient.

Location and facilities (Starbucks and a minimart in the lobby)

I loved staying beside the big shopping centre and with the convenience of bus, shuttles,taxis and the waterfront close by. My room was quiet, clean and very comfortable. Staff were friendly and accomodating. Easy to catch the bus beside the hotel that takes you to the other side of the island.

I love everything thank you for your services God bless

For more info click here.

Prince Waikiki

Description:

One of our top picks in Honolulu.This property is a 5-minute walk from the beach. Prince Waikiki offers accommodations in Honolulu. The hotel has an outdoor pool and hot tub, and guests can enjoy a meal at the restaurant or a drink at the bar.Every room at this hotel is air conditioned and is equipped with a flat-screen TV. Some rooms feature a sitting area where you can relax. You will find a coffee machine in the room. Each room is fitted with a private bathroom. For your comfort, you will find bathrobes, free toiletries and a hairdryer.There is a gift shop at the property.The hotel also provides bike rental and car rental. Hale Koa Luau is half a mile from Prince Waikiki, and Royal Hawaiian Theater Legends in Concert Waikiki is 0.8 miles away. The nearest airport is Honolulu Airport, 6 miles from Prince Waikiki.

Waikiki is a great choice for travelers interested in surfing, beach walks and shopping.

Reviews:

Parking validation, good food and drink with reasonable price.

Room was on the top floor with a great view overlooking the ocean!

close to a shopping mall, great services and staff

I would definitely go back to this hotel. Our room was large, comfortable and had a view of the marina and ocean. Wonderful staff–with a special shout out to Pammie on the front desk, who was very helpful and positive. Good location on the edge of Waikiki. Fast elevators, nice pool area, excellent coffee bar and good shop in lobby.

BEING ON THE NORTH ENED OF WIKIKI WAS PLEASANT, NO HUSSLE AN BUSSLE.

For more info click here.

Top Hotels In Pearl City Oahu Conclusion:

The above is a top selection of the best hotels to stay in Pearl City Oahu to help you with your search. We know it’s not that easy to find the best hotel because there are just so many places to stay in Pearl City Oahu but we hope that the above-mentioned tips have helped you make a good decision.

We also hope that you enjoyed our top ten list of the best hotels in Pearl City Oahu. And we wish you all the best with your future stay!

Related links:

https://www.noplacecalledhome.com/top-10-best-car-amplifiers-4-channel-top-reviews/ https://www.noplacecalledhome.com/top-10-best-car-amplifiers-class-d-monoblock-top-reviews/

The post 10 Best Hotels To Stay In Pearl City Oahu – Top Hotel Reviews appeared first on The Seversons.

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[cgd-consumption]

Day 1

01.16.18

Water. The first thing that I consumed on the first day of my consumption journal. I woke up this morning and immediately took a shower, where I was under a steady stream of hot water for about ten minutes. Day by day, I don’t really think about the amount of water I use or how much my water usage actually costs. I also never think about how or why I spend as much time in the shower as I do every day. In my shower, I consumed shampoo ($3), conditioner ($3), face wash ($8), and body wash ($6), but why did these products force me to take this much time in the shower and how can I limit my water consumption? How does my individual water consumption affect society and our economy?

I also consumed a number of different beauty products. I used foundation ($10), powder ($8), concealer ($8), blush ($20), lipstick ($7), mascara ($10), eyebrow pencil ($7),  and eyeshadow ($36). To put my makeup on today, it cost me approximately $106. In order for me to feel confident in my appearance, I spent over $100 on beauty products. Why do I feel so uncomfortable without using any of these products each day? And how did our society get to this point as a standard of beauty? The number shown above doesn’t even include the other products in my makeup bag that I don’t use everyday. If I calculated how much makeup or beauty products are currently in my bag, I can only estimate that the cost would be upwards of $200.

Today, I got dressed where I consumed an American Eagle shirt ($29.95), American Eagle Jeans ($49.95), and Adidas shoes ($59.99). I then consumed music through my headphones. My favorite bands to listen to are Walk the Moon and Panic! at the Disco. The genre that I primarily listen to is Modern Rock or Alternative. I consume music primarily when I’m walking to class, when I’m riding the bus, when I’m in my design studios, or when I’m working on an assignment (for background noise). My music consumption costs my family about $7/month. Because my parents pay for a family subscription, I use Spotify as my only source of music. I enjoy how easy it is to use and I enjoy being able to see what my friend’s are listening to (and when they’re listening to it).

In terms of food and liquids, so far today, I have consumed a peanut butter sandwich on two slices of whole-grain bread. The bread loaf cost me $4 and the peanut butter also cost me $4. I’ve also consumed a cup of Lipton peach green tea, which I’m trying to force myself to drink each day because of the health benefits. The box of green tea cost about $3. I have a long schedule this semester with extremely long breaks in between classes, so I’m trying to consume items that will give me as much energy as possible (while still being healthy options). I’ve consumed a variety of social interactions throughout the day. Because of the new semester, I am interacting with my design friends that I haven’t been able to see for a while. These interactions leave me feeling fulfilled and happy. By coming back to school, the interactions with my friends have greatly improved my overall mood.

[chiobrelis]

Cuba. Must know.

Before leaving to Cuba

Coming to Cuba can get a little bit on a nerve for people who like spontaneity. One not only needs a tourist card but also -  travel insurance. I should admit, I travel often, but never bother to get an insurance, unless I plan diving, snowboarding or some more dangerous activities. About obligatory to have a travel insurance I found out only a day before plane from a just bought guide. Oops, what can I say.. But well, it appeared not to be a big problem as a tourist card and insurance can be obtained at the arrival airport from the travel agency just before passport control (such a relieve for residence of the countries which don't have Cuba's consulate/embassy). Otherwise it can be ordered through internet (for example for  UK residents) or offered by some airlines.

Tourist card extension might be a hustle. It might be prolonged only max 5 days before the date of expire, so one should be prepared beforehand. If you plan overstay, just in case make copies of required documents before leaving to Cuba (passport, flight tickets, tourist card, insurance (which need to cover all your travelling days)), pay in a Cuban bank for “visa” extension and keep the “tickets” and receipts for it, have a booking copy for the last days/weeks of stay or at least business card of your home stay or a hotel. Check in advance the working hours (and days) of the immigration office (and actual department for the visa extension as it not necessary located within immigration office). Warning! In a office man can not wear sleeveless t-shirt, so be modest to avoid a kick-out. Don't ever consider the idea of the paying penalty for the overstay instead of the extending travel documents unless you are stupid and long hours in a officer's office, possibility to miss your flight and deportation sounds like a great adventure.  

Another thing to keep in mind before arriving to Cuba – money. Nobody likes to keep a big amount of cash on themselves, however, money melts very quickly in this country and many ATM don't give more than 200-300 dollars at once (or sometime doesn't give you any). Every withdrawn might cost fortune, so it's better to take cash at home country, exchange it on arrival and spread it all over your secret pockets and money belts (so if stolen – not all at once). Prepare to pay around 100$ a day (15-25$ the cheapest home stay, 4-5$ per person - breakfast, 15-30$ dinner for two, the rest of money are being spent on a water as I say: dollar for coffee, dollar for city transport, dollar for every single who asks you and suddenly Cuba is a very expensive country to travel).

One more idea to consider before check-in to your flight – registered luggage. I usually try to travel as light as possible, but here buying a sunscreen can cost same price as your extra 15kg, so better pay those and stuck in there everything you might need: shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, cream, snorkeling equipment, hiking shoes and clothes, which can be exchanged for the souvenirs. I should admit, I didn't expect to see a such shortage of the products in the shops. Even post-soviet deficit I remember in a brighter light than I see shelves of the stores in Cuba. (How funny it sounds but tampons (if founded) are being sold by one sometimes (“9 tampons, por favor!”). Another advantage of the registered luggage is that you can fill it with rum, cigars, coconut or/and coco oils, chocolate and coffee on the way back.

In Cuba

Money. There are two currencies in the country: CUC and CUP. CUC (convertibles) = US dollar, mostly used everywhere where tourists can be found, probably designed for touristy prices too (to avoid inflation, I speculate).

CUP (national currency – pesos) = CUC/25, money used by locals in a places where tourist is a rare find. For example if tourist want to go to the caves and it's ticket office has prices in CUCs and CUPs, expect to pay in CUCs as a foreigner. If it's a horse-carriage taxi or bici-taxi, locals would pay 1 peso for a ride, but as a tourist expect to pay 1CUC per person (or 25x more than local pay). If you decide to travel like a local by truck-buses (rather than “Viazul”), you will be charged by your knowledge. If you have CUP, you will be paying in between 5-20pesos per ride, but if you don't see difference between money it can be accepted in CUCs without change (still cheaper than air-con buses or even collective taxis from 50-ies). Sometime you can find ice-cream cafes with prices like 2,5$ per portion but still full of Cubans customers. No, that won't be a place for big spenders, that's a place for a cheap treat! Yes, that's a place where for a huge portion of ice-cream one is expected to pay 5CUP (or 20 dollar cents).

Sounds complicated? It is. Expect to find this country expensive and only sometime to treat yourself for cost of peanuts. Last, however, requires effort, knowledge, sharp eye and sometime inconvenience. Have two currencies and see a difference. Have an eye for the local places and transport so you can spent CUPs. You can save on every CUC if spending 20CUPs instead. Learn to count as a local: 1CUC=25CUP, 4CUC=100CUP, 125CUP=5CUC and so on.   Check all the change you get or you can find yourself cheated by 10 dollars (instead, let's say, 16CUC change you can receive 1CUC+5CUC+10CUP). Refuse changing money on a street. They can agree exchange CUC into CUP for 1=24 rate (not too bad deal), but when dealer will slowly recounts money (when you notice that 20CUP note is missing), he will return your missing 20CUP, but invisibly will keep few (from so carefully counted pile) notes for himself (Bugger!). You can change your money in all official changing points for the same fixed price, but if you have US dollars, exchange them to Euro or GBP back in your country, otherwise you will be charged 10%. CUC can be exchanged to CUP in the same changing places.

Internet. Well, I decided, we have to have a rest in our relationship. I brought a guide and a book to read instead. Would be perfect if I load more films on my laptop thought. But well, if one is more into the Wi-Fi, “Etecsa” card can be bought with a prepay for internet and can be used in city parks/squares with public Wi-Fi. So, yes - internet exists in this country, but no - don't expect to sit in your room logged into Facebook all day - you need to go out for it! And yeah, don't forget to turn of Wi-Fi when done with internet, otherwise your credit will finish sooner than expected.

Transport. Uh, my favorite. So, one can find horse-carts, bici-taxi and motorbike-taxi (in a bigger cities) for city interiors and price for a foreigner usually 1CUC/p.p. To travel in between towns I would suggest to use “camiones” (buses made out of tracks) or jeep-like “collectivos”. It doesn't have AC but it contains crowded bunch of friendly locals, some feeling of the  adventure and a great save for your wallet. For longer distances and AC comfort (sometimes seen as a freeze) take “Viazul”. “Collectivos” or shared taxis are slightly more expensive but  can save a great amount of time. I don't mention trains as I heard about their existence and even saw some, but non was ever moving.  

Safety. It is safe, but don't expect to make friends with locals (especially met on streets) if you don't sponsor them (sometime cup of coffee will do, but they see foreigners as a rich uncles. Deal with it). Despite of kindness, good nature and sincereness, people will try to make money off you. To deal with tourists for one day can be worth a month teacher's salary. It's a small loss for a tourist, but real misfortune for the country, as all brains shifts into the tourist business or flee the country for the better future abroad, leaving academic and professional platforms abandoned.

Culture. Cuba it's a cocktail of Caribbean mixed with Africa, colonialism - with slavery, communism - with tourism. All in a 19th, mid. 20th., start of 21st. centuries shake. All being cooked together in a broken oven. History moves slowly in here and only speed in highways (when old cars move with a speed of 80km/h, it feels like 180km/h!) reminds that time exists. It settled in the old generation and inpatient in young people's hearts. Time breaths in historical buildings so they fall and kill people, and it dies and resurrects again and again depending on the Wi-Fi signal strength, shared between fifty other curious young people in a park. Communism is present. It is scary for only western spoiled tourists. Otherwise it has some good lessons of equality, our actual needs, importance of collaboration (all works on “I help you, you help me” principle). It of course has a huge downside too. It unfit for the generation which didn't touch the Revolution. Their gazes oriented towards Wild West with non or almost non of criticism towards it, while criticism towards stagnated policy of Cuba cannot be exposed as it accepted as a betrayal. As one very intelligent girl said: “Education is for everyone, unless one opposes  the system”. Situation makes young people feel hopeless. 

Architecture. You can see it better from the middle of the road. Besides it safer. Don't expect to see renovated buildings everywhere. Think of Colonial architecture as of a Roman Empire's – only left overs of it.

Beaches. Varadero is The One. But better come just at the end of a busy season (May), so sun (not a hurricane) can be caught and tourist can be forgotten. Other beaches are sometimes too unspoiled (read: sea weed, not enough powdery sand, afterhuricanial mess or mosquitoes). Great country for the diving thought.

Places to see. All. No seriously, take your time and money and visit it all. Ok, very must see: Havana, Trinidad, Santiago de Cuba, Baracoa, Varadero, Vinales, natural parks and cities like Cardenas, so you know how life with no tourist going on.

Good luck!

[bauschdesign2399-blog]

Day 5

Can you guess where I spent most of my day today doing? You guessed correctly: back at Libertine working. I spend most my weekends working because that’s where the real money is. I woke up around 11:30 where I consumed some coffee with cream, scrambled eggs with cheese and salsa, and about 2 hours of tv time watching Insecure on HBO. Afterwards, I decided to clean the crap out of my kitchen, which was a disaster from all the cooking during the week and lack of cleaning up after ourselves. I spent about 30 minutes on my phone complaining to some of my friends about how much a cleaned, then I showered using my Shimmer Lights silver shampoo and conditioner, and headed to work. Again, I spent 20 mins listening to The Current on the way. 

At work I was in good spirits. I consumed 2 Redbulls to stay hyped during the busy rush. There were too many college bros around for me to not have any Redbull. I decided to order myself a cubano during the shift, which I spent 6$ on (originally 12$ but I get half off). It was a pretty decent day of work, considering I walked out with 200$. 

I got out of work around 1 am and once again, decided to be responsible and go home. I knew I had to work a double in the morning so I decided it be best to just call it a night. Once there, I watched an episode of Portlandia while eating some Dove chocolate before I passed out from my busy day at work.