A Spoon Full of…Advice: Regards from Auntie Kara

 

Okay, do not worry; my younger sister is not married nor pregnant. But, we have bets that she will be the first one down the aisle, so really I decided to adopt the name “Auntie Kara” a few years early.

I do not have so many updates for this post. It’s more of an advice session, considering I am only 25, Auntie makes me sound older and wiser. Just go with it.

As many of you who read my blog or perhaps have just scanned through the photos, I have heard multiple times, “I am living vicariously through your experiences!” This is an honor for me and I always like hearing it. I just hope you know, I live “vicariously” through your moments of eating Ben and Jerry’s ice cream or sinking your teeth into a nicely toasted-cheesy pizza (ahhhhh moment for pizza). Even though I do appreciate all the vicarious living comments, it also makes me want to have your own travel experiences.

To my knowledge, the majority of those receiving these updates or reading the post have traveled before. Maybe you have a passport with one stamp or one painted with colors and visas covering the pages. Either way, I hope in some ways the experiences I write here give you a knowledge of somewhere different than home. I also hope to inspire each of you to have travel experiences of your own.

(Advantage of traveling: Eating new things: Starfruit is in season here!)

Whether you’re 69 or 21, even younger or older, the world is waiting for you. 

There is no other better time than now. Tough job market? Go teach abroad for six months to a year, gain experience most of your friends do not have. Can’t afford it? Put aside a small amount of money every month to add up for a few months or a year from now to plan a trip for the future. You can book the ticket then when volunteer where you are going to travel cheaply depending on where you go. Check Volunteer Vacations, a book a friend gave me awhile ago about places you can visit and volunteer, they have places to stay for your service. 

(Also get to hang in hammock and play with small children)

This being said, I would like to promote two AWESOME opportunities for your future travel plans if you are unsure where to jet set first. One is Semester at Sea. Many of you know I sailed in 2009, but this year is their 50^th Anniversary and the itineraries look pretty fantastic. They have short voyages as well as long ones you can still sign up for summer 2013 or in the fall. Before Peace Corps, it was by far the best life experience for me. It’s beyond incredible and is not just for students, but adults and seniors go and travel (plus you don’t have to go to class either, but you can sit in on any lecture you want depending on what you want to learn that day). For more information, visit www.semesteratsea.org, or ask me!

Okay, the second option is my favorite. COME TO EL SALVADOR. You can have all the tortillas you could ever ask for and you will receive a friendly and FREE translator on arrival (hint: she has curly hair) and I would love more visitors. Needless to say I have vacation days that need to be spent (before June). Please come…or consider shipping off one of your children perhaps? Anyone of all ages is welcome.

< My friends Lily and Norma, on a waterfall hike!

Now that being said, you've heard my speech; I do have no too many updates in site. I honestly have been taking it easy, visiting waterfalls and hanging out with my friends and picking mandarins with my host family. Did some tie dye and Lily (my best friend in site) braided my hair. It has been very relaxing and nice. School starts on Monday again which I am excited for things to start moving again but also slightly sad the break is over. Hopefully it will bring a jump-start to a year of more lessons to be learned, activities to be lead, and moments to be surprised upon.