The Importance Of …
This summer vacation the value of un-plugging, from phones, email, blogs, facebook and all other forums of technology has inspired me. A grand vacation for me holds a balance between adventure, exploring, seeing, doing, touching, tasting and then resting, reading, reflecting, a little, and in general kind of percolating, like coffee. I like to allow time to let ideas, goals, thoughts and feelings bubble up.
I love technology, gizmos and gadgets galore, but regular periods of un-plugging, from all things that ring, beep or buzz, lets me live in the moment. When really living in the moment I am not planning the next moment, reliving past moments, recording this moment or reading about other people’s moments. I am just being and that is beautiful. ( Looking for more ways to just be. Check out Zen Habits)
Please don’t get me wrong I believe there is a time and a place to be connected with technology but there is also a need find time to connect with your own “personal computer.”
A teacher gave her class an assignment to list what they thought were the Seven Wonders of the World. There was some disparity, but among the most commonly listed were: the Pyramids of Giza, the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon, the Panama Canal, the Empire State Building, St Peter’s Basilica and the Great Wall of China.
One young girl seemed to be struggling with her list and the teacher asked if she needed some help. The student was appreciative of the offer for help because she said, “I couldn’t quite make up my mind because there were so many.”
When asked what she had listed thus far, the girl hesitated because her list was markedly different from the others. With some reticence she read, “I think that the Seven Wonders of the World are to see, to hear, to touch, to taste, to feel, to laugh, to love.”
From the Article, ” The Real Seven Wonders of the World”
By Nadene Grieve Deslippe-“The only normal people are the ones you don’t know very well yet.”
Joe Ancis
A Moment At The Airport!
Technology has changed the way we live and most certainly changed the way we travel. Plane tickets can be booked or switched on-line, no more waiting on hold to try and get a “real person” to talk to. Your flight status is sent directly to your mobile phone, so you can rest at the hotel’s indoor pool instead of facing a Canadian snow storm. No need to wait for hours in stuffy airport lounge if you don’t have too!
Sure the argument can, and has been made, that over use or miss use of technology has “made us a little bit lonelier than we were before the age of connectivity.” Yes, if you aren’t carefully with how and when you texted you become a comedians punch line or made fun of in a beer commercial however technology when used correctly can also make you feel connected to those that are far away. I live in Kuwait yet somedays with all the facebook, skype and text messages it can feel like my friends and family from around the world are just in fact around the corner.
The modern wonders of communication have also recently brought me into many “airport moments.” An airport is a special place. It is a tangible symbol of coming and going. A place that often marks both the beginning and end of something. A place where people are looking forward to returning home or excited for the trip of a lifetime. People find themselves at the airport often filled with mixed emotions. Sometimes happy to be leaving a place, sad to be leaving the people or just plain tired.
I’ve had many airport moments that were made better by a cell phone call, a funny or sweet text message. Sometimes the quietness of an airport brings you peace and sometimes the loneliness of an airport makes you long for connection. Recently I Skyped with someone who was about to head off on the trip of a lifetime. His airport moment was filled with joy and anticipation. The waiting moments in airports, when you are transferring planes, stuck between here and there, those are the moments when getting lost in a good book or enjoying the musings of a good friend over instant chatting are most appreciated.
Moments in airports can be magical or painful, pure or pathetic but somehow being able to be connected with technology makes the moments, no matter what they are, seem brighter.
Enjoy your day!
Some days…
Some days it is just nice to sit back and watch the world fly by your window or in this case you computer screen!
Enjoy! The link to three minutes and six seconds of beauty click here!
Take A Trip to …
There is the theory that some people travel for therapy. That the modern vacation has become more then just a chance to see new things, eat in an exotic restaurants and shop for local souvenirs. That we have allowed our lives to become filled with so much daily stress and pressure that people look at vacation as a medical escape to return to a normal state of sanity. That vacation has some sort of healing power. Looking for a way to recover from stress at work, a bad break-up or to escape a problem people don’t call a friend, don’t call a doctor but instead call a travel agent.
“Take two trips and call me in the morning!”
-Karen Schaler-
The issue with travel therapy is that the problem you went on vacation to escape will still exist when you return but perhaps you will have gained a new magical vacation perspective. When I booked this trip to Abu Dhabi I might have been looking for a little escape, a little travel therapy, however just knowing that soon I was going be on the plane to a new adventure I started to wonder what did I need to change before I left so I wouldn’t want to travel to heal but instead travel to celebrate a great year!
The idea of theme travel trips appeals to me. From the weekend farewell celebration, to a girls adventure at the cottage travel to celebrate each other travel to celebrate is much more joyful and perhaps just as transformative.
A Thoughtful Read!!!
Brave New Traveler, launched in October 2006, is a daily travel magazine on the web.
We publish thoughtful and entertaining articles exploring travel in the 21st century.
Incorporating original content and previously published articles from guest authors, BNT avoids “destination-specific” narratives and instead focuses on topics like philosophy, health, politics and culture.
In my RSS feeds sits a variety of interesting websites but Brave New Traveler has been there the longest! As a website it artfully mixes mind and matter with the world of travel. My favorite article’s include:
5 (Legal) Ways To Get High While Traveling
Finding Happiness In Bizarre Theme Parks Around The World
Meditations On Bliss: Wish You Were Here
Hope you find something you like there too!
Rob Corpuz Launches New Website!
His photos have always been inspired. Happy to share that Mr. Rob Corpuz, world traveller, cruise ship cast-off and sun kissed Hawaiian , living in Russia, has launched his new website! Looking for some beautiful photos to remind you of what an amazing world we live in and how vacation is good for the soul. Check it out at http://corpuz.smugmug.com/
Why We Travel?
We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again—to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.
-By Pico Iyer-
The postcards made it back to Canada way before I did and suddenly I hear the open road and the airline website calling my name. My travel feet start to itch and the desire to get lost in another land has return. Although I don’t really think the desire to explore was ever really gone. I had just for a while managed to stop listening to it. I put on my pink fuzzy slippers and managed to convince myself small adventures around Kuwait would be just fine. I am now feeling that five new countries this year just might not be enough.
Perhaps there is time for one more glorious weekend trip before I too go home to Canada? It would be nice to hand deliver new postcards.
Hi, my name is Christine and I am a travel addict 
Abroad is the place where we stay up late, follow impulse and find ourselves as wide open as when we are in love. We live without a past or future, for a moment at least, and are ourselves up for grabs and open to interpretation. We even may become mysterious—to others, at first, and sometimes to ourselves—and, as no less a dignitary than Oliver Cromwell once noted, “A man never goes so far as when he doesn’t know where he is going.”
There are, of course, great dangers to this, as to every kind of freedom, but the great promise of it is that, traveling, we are born again, and able to return at moments to a younger and a more open kind of self. Traveling is a way to reverse time, to a small extent, and make a day last a year—or at least 45 hours—and traveling is an easy way of surrounding ourselves, as in childhood, with what we cannot understand.
-By Pico Iyer-
Magnets with Memories
I bought another fridge magnet today. It is a fridge magnet of a camel and a palm tree. It came from the amazing souq in Muscat. Now I haven’t seen any camels in Muscat yet but the palm tree will help to remind me of all the glorious green I am seeing in Muscat, Oman.
The day before I left to come to Kuwait I took out of one of my five suitcases the three bags I had filled with my collection of fridge magnets from around the world. They weighed a lot but now I wish I had brought them with me. They are great reminders of so many interesting travel stories.
The flying nun magnet I got on a whirl wind afternoon to Rome. Jose, a shipboard waiter, and I had 6 hours off. That seemed like just enough time to take a train and tour Rome. We made wishes in the Trevi Fountain and he desperately wanted to mail a postcard from the Vatican to his grandmother. He kept saying, ” I want her to know I am thinking of her. I want her to know I was here. I want her to know I love her.” After a tour of the Coliseum we hoped on a train and made it back to the ship just in time for work. Jose’s Grandmother passed away a month later. He went home for her funeral and never came back to sea or to Rome. His Grandmother knew he loved her.
I’ve realized that I need to start putting dates, names and places on the backs of my fridge magnets. The tall buildings or Dubai skyline magnet that I bought last week will read, “Dubai 2009, 6 ladies, lots of laughter, friendship and red wine. I turned 33 in this fantastic city.” I do hope all that fits on one fridge magnet. I look forward to trying to remember the dates and stories behind the rest of my fridge magnet collection. I also am excited to add new memories and new magnets.
Today we are leaving Muscat and heading for Nizwa, then Sur and hopefully we find Bahla somewhere in between!
No dust on my passport!
I am addicted to traveling. I’ve never asked myself ‘why?’, the urge has just always been there. I know I’m not alone in this. There are thousands out there are just as addicted as I am for various reasons. There are the usual ones … new experiences, meeting new people, becoming bored with routine, etc. But what really makes us yearn for new places, sights, sounds and experiences? Deep down, why does travel always keep us coming back for more?
-Article “Why is Travel So Addictive-
I must say that as I type this I am in the midst of what I can only explain as a crazy week of travel. I wish I could bottle up this feeling and keep it for the days when I feel my passport is collecting dust. We returned from Dubai, United Arab Emirates late Saturday night. My suitcase is barely un-packed and the photos are still being sorted as we make plans to leave this Friday for Muscat, Oman for seven nights and eight days.
This series of trips just sort of ended up happening so close to each other because of timing and dates. A birthday weekend in Dubai was a logical thing to do and when you have ten days off for spring break you need to take full advantage of that.
I am not the type of person to go somewhere just to say I have been there. I travel because I like new experiences. I travel because I like surprises, (like chocolate raspberry coffee care packages) and new adventures. I enjoy different cultures but if I had to pick the one reason I travel it is because the unknown amazes me. Not knowing what is around the corner, over the next hill or in the next building makes life interesting. I love not knowing who is going to walk in the door.
So if it doesn’t matter where I have been then why do I write about the adventures? I find writing has forced me to think about what I learned on the road. Writing lets me share my love of travel with others who love travel. Writing lets me share with those I love, even when they are far away. With so many travel memories, moments, experiences and lessons get lost if they don’t get put somewhere special.
So with an half un-packed suit case and laundry to be done there is only 4 days till Muscat Oman! I am excited.
Amazement
This year I will travel to five new countries; Kuwait, Egypt; Bahrain, Dubai and Oman. The power, beauty and the fact that I am privileged enough to have that statement be my reality never fails to amaze me!
A Map For Saturday
On a trip around the world, every day feels like Saturday. A MAP FOR SATURDAY reveals a world of long-term, solo travel through the stories of trekkers on four continents.
The documentary finds backpackers helping neglected Thai tsunami victims. It explains why Nepal’s guesthouses are empty and Brazil’s stoplights are ignored.
But at its core, SATURDAY tracks the emotional arc of extreme long-term travelers; teenagers and senior citizens who wondered, “What would it be like to travel the world?” Then did it.
A brilliant documentary about adventures. In this film the section on goodbyes is poetic and so true. As you watch you are reminded by the places you have been, the places you long to go. The people you met on your adventures and the stories you have in common with so many travelers around the world. With quotes like, ” Have you ever travelled as a Canadian?” to ” The last time I could see my breath I was hiking the Himalaya Mountains.” it is a movie that takes you on a journey. If you are a traveller at heart is a journey you long to be a part of.
Recommended to me by an explorer I hope you to get the chance to see A Map For Saturday or even better I hope you get to live your own series of never ending Saturdays.
There are pictures and then there are photos!
”There are two kinds of photographers: those who compose pictures and those who take them.
The former work in studios. For the latter, the studio is the world…
For them, the ordinary doesn’t exist:
every thing in life is a source of nourishment.”- Ernst Haas -
So when I travel I try to take pictures of just more than me waving in front of the newest building or disney ride. I look for ways to capture the moment in time. Some way to help me remember the feeling of the place I have travelled to. However I recently come to realize that should I want to switch from taking random travel snapshots to photos I am going to need a new camera.
When you see the breath taking photos of Shawn Reed or Rob Corpuz it makes you want to take better pictures. Their photos are truly art that captures moments in time. They use their lens to somehow uncover the hidden details. When you look at their pictures you can help but be moved. You could have seen the exact same place, things and people and somehow the image they have painted is more impressive than you remember seeing. It is nice to be inspired. I still need a new camera.
One of the most attractive elements of photography is that the camera becomes your license to explore the world.
Where has your license taken you recently?
-Jim M. Goldstein-
Travel Resolutions
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.-Mark Twain-
Recent research shows that the new years resolution starts the day of new years (January 1st) and ends the first day of the next year. While 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals. Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting, a system where small measurable goals are used. While women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.
This New Year’s Day I am not making travel resolutions. Many people do. There are countless buck lists out there and plenty of life long travel lists all over the internet. Take the seven wonders of the world and bam you have an instant list!
The 7 Wonders of the World
1.Great Wall of China
2.Christ the Redeemer Statue — Brazil
3.Petra — Jordan
4.Machu Picchu — Peru
5.Chichen Itza — Mexico
6.Taj Mahal –India
7.Colosseum — Rome (Experienced 2005 and 2006)
8.The Great Pyramid — Egypt (Experienced Winter 2008)
But travel has become such a part of my everyday living. Traveling is a part of my spirit that there are no need for travel resolutions as I live a travel lifestyle.
All travel starts with an idea, a dream or a goal. Perhaps it is a friend’s fantastic story, a specific mountain you want to climb or a postcard that motivated you to travel to a specific location. My grandmother who always brought me back dolls from all these wonderful places she would travel too nurtured my travel spirit. I do think you reach a certain stage in your travel development where you no longer satisfied with a trip a year. You consider being on the road, living, breathing and immersing yourself in another culture is how you live each day. You are present in whatever world you find yourself in. It makes the ordinary become a little more extraordinary.
A dreams a dream.
And all this livings so much harder than it seems
But girl don’t let your dreams be dreams.
You know this livings not so hard as it seems.
Don’t let your dreams dreams .
Your dreams your dreams be dreams-Jack Johnson-
Voyage Avec Oastler
Bonjour!
So the wonders of the internet have somehow translated Travel with Oastler into french! Check out Voyage Avec Oastler.
All me but all French!
The Return From Vacation
Return from vacation!
Good, bad, fantastic, horrible, wonderful or rotten all vacations at some point come to an end. I am after all only a teacher on vacation. I have not figured out a way yet to reach permanent vagabond status, although I feel that might be a noble goal.
Anyways after 21 days of exploring the wonders of Egypt it was time to head home.
When I booked my flights I was so thrilled to be getting a cheap price that I didn’t really think about what flying at these times would actually be like. That maybe an important point to consider the next time I travel!
So I began by journey home blurred eyed as crawled out of the Dahab Plaza Hotel after one last evening of laughter in Dahab. My car to the airport arrived at 2:30 a.m. It was cold outside but by no means Canadian cold but too cold for my beloved flip flops. I slept from Dahab to the Sharm el-Sheikh airport, which might be the nicest airport in the Middle East. I slept the entire plane ride to Cairo and then was jolted into the harsh reality of the Cairo airport!
Like the city of Cairo the airport is just as busy. A mass mess of people pushing, shoving and hustling about. After some helpful, looking for a tip, airport man guided me from the domestic to international terminal I found myself in the line for the flight back to Kuwait. Upon seeing my white skin and blond hair the ticket agent began to shout at me, “ Kuwait, Kuwait, Kuwait. This is the flight for K-U-W-A-I-T!” Now I don’t know why he thought if he spoke louder it would make me understand him but each time he repeated the word Kuwait he raised his voice. I eventually smiled, held up my ticket and said, “ Yes, yes I really do want to go home to Kuwait.” He gasped, the lady beside me laughed and he eventually handed me my ticket.
At each ticket check point the agent either gave me a funny look or said, “ This is the gate for Kuwait. Are you looking for the gate to London?” By the time I got to the finally gate a small part of me wanted to ask if this was the plane for London. Just to see what would happen!
The plane ride home to Kuwait was smooth, customs was quick and painless and my luggage was in a cab driving back to the “Dunes” before you could say Habibi.
Habibi (حَبيبي) is an Arabic word that literally means my beloved (of a male; the female form is habibati, or colloquially habibti), from the adjective habib (beloved). It is commonly also used for friend, darling, and similar endearments.
The Stages of Travel
The Stages of Travel
The Idea or Dream to Travel
Pre-Planning
Booking Tickets Followed by the Euphoric High of My Goodness We Are Going!
Packing (Which often includes laundry)
Pure Anticipation
Airport Dread
Airport
Plane with drink in hand
Arrival
Customs
Luggage Found
Joy
Bliss
Adventure
Shopping
More Adventure
Laughter
Locals
Still More Adventure
Departure Sadness
Airport
Plane With Two Drinks in Hand (especially if you are returning to a dry country)
Customs
Making Your Way Home
Un-Packing
Sharing Stories
Getting Photos Printed
Real Life
The Idea or Dream to Travel
And the stages start all over again!
Right now I am in packing and an pure anticipation.
My Mom and Aunt are already on the plane with drink in hand!
One day till Egypt!
The Great Race For …
The Great Race For ….
Clifton Fadiman once said,” When you travel remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you feel comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.” As I have traveled I have often found myself in the position of having to find a specific something in a country. It is at these points that I have fully realized the validity of this quote.
When I was working on the Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas as Crew Activities Manager I found myself searching the island of Belize for glow sticks and New Year’s decorations. It was a little bit like the Amazing Race. The clock was ticking, the ship would be leaving the port and the New Year’s Eve party was the next day at sea. When I finally arrived at the warehouse in the back roads of now where I remember thinking, “Who the heck would come all the way past the chickens, the cows and down the dirt road to find this huge oasis of Christmas and New Year’s decorations?” For the people of that country it wasn’t a long trip at all. This was their local back country Wall-Mart in the village.
I can recall searching for a Santa costume when I was working on the Brilliance of the Seas. The ship was in Aruba, the next day we were going to Curaçao, to give gifts to children in an orphanage, and somehow the Santa costume hadn’t arrived in Miami the day before. The port agent in Aruba had drawn me a map to find the one store that would have a Santa suit. Alas that store was closed but the guy outside the store had a clue. Well okay not a clue like the Amazing Race but he knew of another store in Aruba that might have a Santa suit. This is how the journey around Aruba for a Santa suit began. By listening to the locals I learned where they got things in the country. When I had the Santa suit in hand and knew the children of Curaçao, would see Santa the next day I too was comfortable.
I do believe without a doubt that the most Amazing Race adventure to find something that I will ever have will always be looking for un-painted Matryoshka dolls in Russia. Given what I now considered to be the worst directions ever I was told, “ Go to the The Church of Our Savior on the Spilled Blood. By that church there is a market. Find the girl named Natasha sells Matryoshka dolls. She will be able to provide you with un-painted dolls as well.” First of all by the market by the church Spilled Blood is rather large. Second of all everyone at that market sells painted Matryoshka dolls and finally there are a lot of women in St. Petersburg, Russia named Natasha! The Amazing Race for things isn’t about the struggle to find the thing it is really about the victory of finding the thing at the end. Of feeling like you now know something the locals know. So I happy to write that after hours of chatting with people in that market I found the right Natasha! Taking 150 un-painted Matryoshka dolls through customs is a whole other story. Let’s just say that when the Russian custom official wanted me to open all 6 pieces of all 150 dolls, I opened 5 dolls and then I found a new appreciation and willingness for bribery in Russia.
So I am now in the desert of Kuwait. I have found an oasis of water in the gulf and suddenly I find myself looking for great flippers, a snorkel and a mask. I have come to the land of camels. I am slowly becoming local and found the comfort of water. I even went Kayaking yesterday but now I need to search for the comfort of water sport equipment. Oh yes and a set of non puffy fabric makers too. I will keep you posted on how this race turns out!
A Travel Quote!
Like all great travelers, I have seen more than I remember,
and remember more than I have seen.”
Benjamin Disraeli
Who is in your five?
As the adventures continue in Kuwait I have heard some rather insightful comments about why people come to the Middle East. One wise man said, “ People come to international teaching for two reasons; to run away or run to something.” Last night as I sat in an open air Shisha Bar, looking at a perfect full moon, drinking mint tea and listening to the waves roll in from the Persian Gulf I couldn’t think of a better place to run to for adventure.
I have started to feel more and more like I really do live here and might stay awhile. With each passing I am adjusting and developing my Kuwait lifestyle. I think the first three weeks here I partly felt like a vacationing guest. Although two days ago when I ran out of coffee the morning before attending a pre-school professional development in-service I suddenly felt like I lived here and I needed to get more coffee after work.
With so many slightly nomadic people living in the same space the topic of the development of friendship and friends from other parts of the world often comes up. The pop culture T-Mobile reference, “who is in your five?” has come up several times. It was interesting to stop and think about who is in your five? Or more specifically that lifetime list of people who regardless of geography of lifestyle will always be with you. The people who will make you laugh and cry at your wedding. The people that will help you move or paint anything! The people who won’t care when you call them at 3:00 a.m. because you forget the time difference, the people in your five will just be glad to hear your voice.
That conversation also developed into a more geographical specific question of who is in your Kuwait Five. With any drop you in the middle of a new job, new life, new housing you quickly realize who you connect with and who you don’t. I am blessed to be able to say that my Kuwaity five is fantastic and I one day do believe that perhaps when I leave this country some will move into the lifetime list.
So today as you have an adventure or two of your own I hope you have a chance to think about the people in your five!
If it doesn't fit in a suitcase….
When I first bought the beautiful red couch and matching love seat I will admit I had a little panic attack. I now owned something that didn’t, couldn’t and wouldn’t ever fit in a suitcase. I now owned furniture!
In getting ready for Kuwait I sold the lovely red love seat! There is something very freeing about detaching oneself from material possessions. Selling and letting go of the old to bring forth the new! As I sort through old pictures, past files and lots of stuff I never use, I remember back to my days living on a cruise ship. Days when everything I could possible need fit into two suitcases. Days where life seemed simpler. Days where choices were made based on finding the best beach and wondering what my next shore excursion would be. It is time to return to those days.
On the Gone Simple blog it is written:
What means the most to me is to have life be so focused to only have one thing at a time to do, and not 50. Right now my life consists of a lot, some days more than I can think about, but that suitcase is reminding me, to take what today holds, and let go of everything else. Tomorrow has enough worry of its own.
Personally I see how living out of a suitcase can change one’s goals, wants and desires so quickly. The clutter of one’s life falls into the background out of sight and out of mind, and what is true, stands out.
De-cluttering brings me joy and has helped me to again realize the things that are truly important.
What Would Anderson Copper Do?
What Would Anderson Copper Do?
When I was in my 20’s I was fearless. I went swimming with sharks, jumped out of planes over Florida and traveled the world working on cruise ships. I was meeting people from around the world and dancing till dawn as I sailed the seven seas.
In my 30’s I left the world of luxury travel and took a full time teaching job in my hometown. As I bought furniture, dishes and a car I started to feel settled but I also began to second guess a few of my choices. Perhaps all the time I spent in search of action and adventure would have been better spent on putting down roots in one community? As the year passed I began to feel an increasing sense of anxiety. Friends around me were getting married, having children and buying houses. None of that felt like the right path for me but like trying to smash a square peg in a round hole I tried to make it work.
For part of this year I forgot how to see myself as a citizen of the world. I had put my passport in my closet instead of in my pocket. As I struggled to figure out why living in a small town wasn’t working for me I happened to be watching CNN. Looking out to the world I wanted to be exploring, I found a man who was “keeping them honest” and he helped me stay true and honest to myself.
I dug my way out of my confusion by asking one simple question. What would Anderson Cooper do? I mean think about it, here is a guy who on a nightly basis casually mentions how he is deep in the midst of an Afghanistan training camp or knee deep in contaminated water trying to help rescue stranded victims of Hurricane Katrina. Not only does he report the news his fearless zest for life is news!
Now I know Anderson Cooper said, in Outside magazine, “My sense of what’s dangerous is completely warped. People have stopped asking me for advice, because I encourage people to go anywhere,” but his fearlessness helped me to remember that all who wander are not lost and that perhaps living in the same place for so long is an abnormal way of life.
As I began thinking about what I could do next or what I should do next I realized I had way more options then Anderson Cooper did when he started out. When Anderson was finding it hard to get started with reporting he made a fake press pass, entered Burma illegally, started to film students fighting with the Burmese government. He had the passion and the creative belief in his talents to try and sell his clips to news agencies. Me, I have a teaching degree and experience. I only had to start sending out resumes, prepare for interviews and look for warm countries I wanted to live in.
When I got my job in teaching in Kuwait people I knew and respected had a wide variety of reactions. Some people were positive and supportive. Other people said nothing and some people flat out called me crazy. At this point I didn’t even have to ask,” What would Anderson Cooper do?” I knew this decision was right for me!
Sometimes in trying to explain to people who haven’t traveled extensively, or who were afraid of the things they saw on CNN I got frustrated. Couldn’t these people just be happy about my next adventure? For me staying in one place and not exploring, even the more challenging parts of the world, is a crazy thought. So as I started to pack, get visas and prepare for my adventure to the Middle East I was getting lots of unsolicited questions, comments and advice. So I turned back to the well-traveled Anderson Cooper and his words helped put things in perspective. I read that Anderson said, “ you have to admit what you don’t know, and talk about what you do know, and talk about what you don’t know as long as you say you don’t know it.” This helped me enjoy the sharing and learning about the new culture that I will soon be experiencing. I am embracing the adventure that is forth coming!
So in September when I am shopping in one of Kuwait’s traditional souks or enjoying my first camel ride I will happily think thank goodness Anderson Cooper helped me figure out what to do!
Thanks Anderson!
Kuwait City, KUWAIT
Christine Oastler is a freelance travel writer, teacher and artist, currently living in Mahboula, Kuwait. Born and raised in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, Christine obtained her Bachelor of Arts at Trent University and her Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University. Currently traveling around the Middle East she finds herself riding the odd camel and embracing a new culture!