Saturday Smiles {27.09.2014}

It’s the first weekend of autumn! If the weather is as nice where you are as it is here, go and take a walk! But should you find yourself with some time on your hands, here’s my favorites for the week:

Someone’s birthday coming up? Here’s a recipe for the best cake I’ve made yet.

Need some encouragement? This football player has got your back 🙂

Music doesn’t have an age limit. This old man performs a beautiful rendition of “Say Something.”

Returned from a trip and all you want to do is go back? Here are 7 ways to cope with post-travel blues.

The art of being a woman. If you’ve never heard of Darling Magazine, you should definitely go say hello to them.

This little girl’s masterpieces are breathtaking.

The best photos from the Smithsonian’s Wilderness Forever Contest.

Pentatonix released a new album 🙂

Have a delightful weekend~~

Through My Eyes…Returning to the USA (Part Two)

This is a continuation from yesterday’s post on my thoughts upon returning to the States. I don’t intend for these observations (both yesterday’s and today’s) to, in any way, be derogatory or insulting. They are simply my thoughts, and I sincerely hope that they may provide others either with a common voice or with a factual account of differences between cultures. So here goes 🙂

1. Grass
I walked across the grass today. And it was wonderful. Not only was the fact that I was allowed to, and even encouraged to walk across the grass different from the mentality in most countries, the simple existence of lush patches of green grass is pretty unique to the USA. Yes, they probably use a lot of water on the upkeep of that grass, especially in the summer, but I really enjoy it. Sometimes, it’s the little things in life that make the biggest difference.

2. Dryers
After a summer of hanging my clothes out to dry, a clothes dryer is a welcome treat. You know how people say that you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone? This would probably be one of those things. Not only do your clothes dry a whole lot more quickly, you don’t have to worry about them blowing away or getting covered by dust while they’re drying!

3. AC (or air co as my European friends say)
My apartment in the Caucasus over the summer had AC, but I usually kept the temperature at about 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The past few days, I’ve taken to bringing a jacket to my meetings, because, I kid you not, the rooms feel like they are around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s summer for goodness’ sake, we don’t need to freeze now!

4. Water
Tap water is safe to drink! No filtering, boiling, disinfecting required. Also, no need to buy bottles of drinking water, unless you really want to. Also, you don’t have to worry at all about running water, because it’s a given. After 3 weeks without city water, and using a finicky water pump, having pretty much an unlimited supply of hot and cold water is such a blessing.

That’s it for today! What are some things you’ve noticed since coming back to the States, if you’ve traveled recently?

Through My Eyes…Returning to the USA (Part One)

Happy Monday everyone! As I’m writing this I’m back in the States, battling a pretty severe case of jetlag. But as I’ve been outside of the States for 3 months, coming back has been a transition. Here’s some of my thoughts, and if you’ve had a similar experience, maybe they’ll help you~~

1. Customs/Immigration
I’ve had to go through immigration/customs, I think 11 times this summer. And let me tell you, that has never been one of my favorite parts of travelling. I have had countless visa problems over the years, that I always get nervous when I step up to that counter. Thankfully this summer I didn’t have any visa problems. I did have some weird looks and long lines overseas, but I was really shocked that one of the officers in the States was the rudest to me. I understand that they have a lot of people coming through the terminals and that they need to keep order, but that doesn’t justify barking at someone just because they don’t know where to go. I imagine that my nerves were a little worn by the time I did get to the States, as I had travelled 27 hours, but still. If an American feels more comfortable and welcomed in a country other than her own, I think that’s a problem. (But the encounter with the officer did teach me more things, probably to be discussed in another post).

2. Lines
If you’ve been anywhere in Asia (and probably other places as well), you’ve most likely experienced the jostling that comes with standing in lines. Not only do the lines quickly become a huge mass of people, but if you don’t fit for your position, you quickly end up at the back of the line. This summer, I brushed up on my staying-in-line techniques and used them a lot 🙂 but once I came back to the States, the amount of personal space that you get in lines as well as the non-competitiveness was really nice.

3. Sound…or the lack thereof
While large cities have noise all the time, in America, if you live in a town or outside of the city limits, it actually gets quiet at night! There’s no dogs barking, no calls to prayer, no buses driving full speed down your dirt road.

Since I’m really tired, thanks to the lovely jetlag, that’s all for tonight, but more thoughts on transition will probably be coming soon!

Travel Tips for Packing Clothes

So…I am so excited to tell you guys, that I’ve just started blogging for Student Universe! Student Universe is a travel website/agency targeted specifically towards college students. They offer discounts on travel, travel guides, and they also maintain a student blog, where students can tell of their travels or give advice to others. My first blog post was just published, and it’s one I think everyone can benefit from!

Check out the Top 5 Travel Tips for Packing Clothes, and share it with your friends!

It really does help me on that blog if you comment or share the post, so I would be so grateful if you did. Thank you all so much 🙂

Muffins for Breakfast

My brother asked if I would make muffins for breakfast today. So we had these.

(mini raspberry muffins)

 

(mini raspberry and chocolate chip muffins)

 

(chocolate chip muffins with and without streusel topping)

 

(fresh muffins out of the oven)

 

(more muffins)

 

     (muffins galore)

They were really good, if you were wondering. This muffin recipe is really great, because you can add whatever ingredients to the muffins to flavor it to your preference. And it’s a really versatile recipe, as muffins can be served in many occasions. Plus, they’re super easy and don’t take long to bake. (In other words, it’s a great recipe to keep on hand)

If you’d like the recipe, you can find it here.

In other news, within the last 24 hours, I’ve driven for the first time in a country outside of the USA, I’ve gotten my hair cut, and my retainer has finally been removed (I’ve had it for 7+ years). All in a summer’s day 🙂

Travelogue: Issyk Kul Day 3 and Bishkek Eats (Sierra Coffee)

If you’ve been reading my blog, you’ll know that I’ve been in Kyrgyzstan recently. It was partially a vacation but partially a trip to get a visa for my brother. Issyk Kul is a mountain lake in Kyrgyzstan that is a popular summer vacation spot for those living in Central Asia. There are countless resorts and hotels along the water that you can choose from. This was our second trip to Issyk Kul as a family, and we tried a new resort this time. We had a little cottage on the complex and all of the meals were included. We had a wonderful time there. The weather was absolutely perfect, though the water was a bit chilly. I think all of us were sad when we had to leave.

We had to pick my brother’s visa up in Bishkek after we were at Issyk Kul, but we were a little early. Wanting to pass the time, but also hungry, we drove around for a while looking for a decent place to eat. Finally deciding on one that looked okay, we parked the car and planned to walk up the hill to that cafe. To our surprise though, a few steps from where we parked our car was a sign in English! It advertised a summer menu for Sierra Coffee and it listed a variety of  soups, salads, sandwiches and more. We quickly changed our minds and decided to check this little cafe out, and boy, am I glad that we did.

Upon entering the cafe, we heard English music playing, and the full menu was written in both English and Russian. The waitresses also spoke both languages, and the decor reminded me of a lot of casual coffeeshops in the States. We ended up ordering an assortment of soups, paninis, a salad, iced teas, and one chocolate milkshake. The food did not disappoint; it was delicious, and even my brother (who is quite a picky eater) finished his entire chicken panini. I would have to say that Sierra Coffee is one of my favorite coffeeshops in all of Central Asia, and if I’m ever back in Bishkek, I’ll definitely be going again!

I know Kyrgyzstan isn’t exactly the most popular tourist destination, but if you’re ever in the area, check Sierra Coffe out!

You can find their website here and they also have an Instagram account, if you’re someone who likes to look at pictures of delicious food~~
(and just in case you were wondering, no, this is not a sponsored post in any way. It’s just my opinions about a place that we stopped by)

Travelogue: Mountains of Central Asia

Still at the lake today, but here are some pictures of the mountains that we drove through. Enjoy 🙂

 

Travelogue: On a Lake (Issyk-Kul)

Just a short post today, as the internet isn’t great here. I’ll write more about it once I’m back home. Here are some pictures though. Enjoy 🙂

(on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul)

 (view of Lake Issyk-Kul)

 

(the water is quite clear!)

 

(pretty colors of Lake Issyk-Kul)

Taking Time to Rest

Sorry for the sporadic posts recently…I’ve been on the move yet again. And I guess that I’m writing about what I’ve learned (or been reminded of) in this time.

 

Today’s post is about taking time to rest. Especially in today’s world, there is a lot of pressure to always be busy, always be on the go, always be available, and always be doing things. It’s important to remember to take some time to relax. Unplug from all the electronics and the things that keep you occupied for an afternoon and do something that you love, simply for the pleasure of enjoying life. Do something for someone else. You’ll be surprised how fulfilling that can be. Take a minute to sit quietly and be alone. Read a book from cover to cover in one sitting. Or do something crazy, like bungee jumping 🙂 But take time to rest. You aren’t a human doing, you are a human being.

 

So take time to just be.

Through My Eyes…Women Overseas

Traveling and seeing new places has always been appealing to me. I love the opportunities that I get to try authentic versions of foods that, until that point, I had only know the “Americanized” versions of. I love seeing a new city, hearing new languages, and seeing another facet of this wonderful world. I used to do most of my traveling with my family, but now as a college student, more of my traveling is on my own. And while my love of travel hasn’t lessened at all, I’ve had to adjust to and learn a few things as a solo female.

1. Mastering the indifferent I-don’t-see-you face
That may sound like a funny thing if you haven’t traveled a whole lot, but your expressions are a very important thing to keep in check when your traveling on your own, especially where I’ve been recently. Smiles and even eye contact can be seen as encouragement to men, so keeping a stoic face that is a mix of boredom and disinterest goes a long way. Also, if you have a pair of sunglasses, that solves the problem of trying to avoid eye contact on the street and in public transportation.

2. Keeping that face on when you’re in public
That face that I mentioned above? It might not be too difficult to compose your features into that mask, but it’s hard to keep it there when guys start catcalling and yelling “Hello” across the street. If you can pretend you don’t hear any of that, you’ve mastered the second step. Yes, it’s unsettling, but hold it together until you’re far away from them.

3. Having a background story ready to pull out of your back pocket
I have talked to a lot of women, especially if they are single, who have had similar experiences to mine. If you are in a situation where you are for some reason alone with a guy (maybe you’re in a taxi or something), it’s really helpful to have a fake story prepared. If you’ve ever wanted to be a spy, here’s your chance to pretend you’re someone else. Make up an imaginary name, a family (husband and maybe children), an occupation, etc. Some of my friends even have fake rings 🙂 Not everyone is creepy, but it’s good to be prepared, just in case.

4. Being aware of your surroundings
This is a good rule to remember no matter where you are and who you are. Often it’s easy to get caught up in your own thoughts and forget where you are. Staying alert will go a long way in making sure that nothing bad happens. Also, general safety rules apply the same as they do when you’re home. Don’t walk in dark, sketchy places late at night by yourself, etc.

5. Don’t let the fear of what hasn’t happened keep you from enjoying your time
Yes, it’s smart to be safe, be alert, and be prepared, but don’t be so afraid of what could happen, that you let your fear keep you from experiencing travel to it’s fullest. There is so much to see in this world, and you’ll miss it if you let a few catcalls and such keep you away.