Monthly Archive for November, 2008

Indiana Jones Went There, So Why Shouldn’t I?

Published on November 29, 2008 in Travel. 9 Comments Tags: Life List, Travel.

I caught the tail end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade on late night television the other night, and it got me to thinking. The final temple location that they shot has always struck me as an amazing site, and ever since I first saw it I’ve wanted to visit. With a bit of help from Wikipedia, I found out about Petra.

200811291340 Indiana Jones Went There, So Why Shouldnt I?

Going from there I decided it’d be fun to put together 50 things I’d love to do in my travel lifetime. A sort of “bucket list,” if you will. Only I hope to do all these things before I’m on the verge of death. With that said, here’s what I came up with for my travel life list:

Hike the Inca Trail, trekking under a full moon to arrive at the Sun Gate at sunrise.
Set foot on every continent.
Ride the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
Ride a motorcycle across China.
Go sky diving.
Go base jumping.
Organize another long-term biking trip.
Have an article published in a major travel publication.
Participate in Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain.
Go to a full moon rave in Thailand.
Go to Carnival in Rio, Brazil.
Learn how to surf.
Scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Take a trip on a round-the-world ticket.
Become fluent in Spanish.
Become fluent in another language besides Spanish.
Ride a motorcycle from Alaska to Chile on the Pan-American Highway.
Visit the Blue Grotto in Capri, Italy.
Dive the Blue Hole in Belize.
Get my Divemaster certification.
Visit the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
See the Aurora Borealis.
Go heli-snowboarding.
Go on an extended sailing trip.
Attend Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.
Attend the Burning Man festival in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada.
Take an extended backpacking trip through Southeast Asia.
See Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
Live long-term in another foreign country besides Argentina.
Attend a World Cup final.
Spend at least two weeks in the Amazon Rainforest.
Snowboard in the Swiss Alps.
Try hang-gliding.
Keep a photographic journal of all my travels.
Fill up my entire travel dollar.
Visit the ancient temple of Petra in Jordan (Indiana Jones!)
See the Abu Simbel temples in Egypt.
See the temple of Karnak in Egypt.
Visit the Itsukushima Shrine in Japan.
Catch a Liverpool home game.
See a live volcano erupt.
Build a successful travel blog.
Completely fill my passport with places.
Find a beach to lounge on that has less than 5 people on it the whole day.
Go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Attend a Euro Cup final.
Take a long-term backpacking trip through Eastern Europe.
Drink a Hemingway daiquiri in Cuba.
Visit Easter Island.
Visit the Cave of Crystals in Naica, Mexico.

I’m sure other people reading this blog have their own places that they want to see, so feel free to offer suggestions. I want to see everything!

Deck The Halls With… International Travel?

Published on November 26, 2008 in Buenos Aires. 4 Comments Tags: Chile, Thanksgiving, Travel.

This is the first year that I’m not going to be home for Christmas with my family, and I’m going to miss it. I wish I could see all of them, and I’d especially like to see my sister again now that she can walk, but it just isn’t in the cards. I know she reads this, so I want to say that I’m incredibly glad you’ll be back at UNC next semester, you’ve had an amazing attitude throughout this whole mess, and I love you. For those of you not in the know, my sister was involved in a drunken driving incident (she was an innocent bystander walking home) that gave her some serious injuries. It’s amazing what you take for granted until it’s almost taken away from you. So in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’m thankful that my sister is alive and doing well, that the rest of my family is healthy, and that I’ve been given the incredible opportunity to live in Buenos Aires!

My roommate is going back home for Christmas, and I definitely don’t want to spend it alone in my apartment, so I’ve decided to do a bit of traveling over the holidays. I’ve got a couple options right now, but Chile with my friends Jo and Kelsey currently holds the top spot. We’d hit up a couple of beaches in southern Chile and just relax. A white Christmas, even if it’s white sand. We’ve even lucked out on one of the reciprocity fees down here, since Chile only charges the fee if you fly in. Buses it is!

With luck, I’ll even score free accomodation through MiniHostels. If anyone has tips for things to do around Valparaíso, I’d love to hear them! I’ll add some more updates on the itinerary as soon as it’s fleshed out.

Money… That’s What I Want!!

Published on November 22, 2008 in Buenos Aires and Expat Advice. 3 Comments Tags: Buenos Aires, Economy.

Interesting happenings are afoot here in Argentina. With the nationalization of all the private pension funds here, quite a few locals are understandably pissed. This isn’t chump change either, we’re talking in the neighborhood of $30 billion in private holdings. Being that I’m a philosophy major, I’ll point you guys to a much better analysis here.

The corruption in the government has come to be accepted, even on this scale. And after being duped at the bank during my first few weeks here, I can believe it. If we keep heading in this direction, I’m not going to be able to stay here. I have some savings in US dollars, but down here as an expat I’m earning in pesos and with the devaluation expected to eventually hit 3.5 pesos to the dollar, I’ll be in trouble. Inflation is galloping along quite nicely as well.

Buenos Aires certainly is kind to those earning in pounds, euros, or dollars, but if you’re a wet behind the ears college graduate like myself, the illusion of teaching English to get by is officially over. On the flip side, it has definitely lit a fire under my rear end to make freelancing work. Talk about incentive!

Oh, and one last PSA: don’t talk on the phone while cooking on a stove. Multitasking in the kitchen is a dangerous game. Blogging with burnt fingers is no fun.

Carnies. Circus folk. Nomads, you know. Smell like cabbage. Small hands.

Published on November 17, 2008 in Buenos Aires. 3 Comments Tags: Blog Carnival, Blogging.

As I’ve gotten more involved with the expat community in Buenos Aires, I’ve come across a whole gaggle of talented bloggers. It’s fun to read their sites when I can, but I decided it would be nice to create a community where every blogger could participate. So to facilitate that I decided that a Buenos Aires Bloggers carnival was in order. If you’ve never heard of a blog carnival, you can see what all the fuss is about here. It’s a link exchange on a grand scale.

I’m hoping some of my readers are bloggers from around here, and will submit some articles. The first edition focuses on the question of why people decided to live in Buenos Aires, and what initially attracted them to the city. I’ll be hosting it here on my blog on December 1st. Here’s hoping it’s a success!

While I think it’ll make for a great community builder, I’m also hoping (a bit selfishly) that it’ll allow me to network with other writers and bloggers who know a thing or two about the freelancing profession. Hey, I told you I’d be exploring the business side of blogging a bit more didn’t I?

Freelancing

Published on November 14, 2008 in Buenos Aires and Expat Advice. 2 Comments Tags: Blogging, Freelancing, Writing.

I mentioned in this post that I was looking into freelancing, and after doing some research it seems that a lot of expats have had the same idea. There are plenty of resources out there for someone looking to get started on their telecommute, and these are some of the ones I’ve come across that I think are very well written:

Freelance Writing Jobs

These guys put out daily links on job openings for bloggers and writers, listed by type and location. They’re a great way to generate leads when first starting out, and I’ve begun to apply for the ones that fit my particular skill set. Subscribe and you can get them sent to you every day!

Freelance Switch

Very nice blog that offering all sorts of hints and tips about how to live and work as a freelancer be it writing, design, etc. They also have published an amazing e-book that covers every single aspect of freelancing. Anything you can think of they’ve covered, no joke. Oh, and they have a free podcast. Can you tell I like this site?

Write to Done

Another site for writers, offers daily tips on how to improve your writing and such. Not necessarily aimed at freelancer, it’s more in the vein of general writing. I’ve been using this one for a while on how to improve this blog. Good stuff.

Hopefully these sites will play an integral role in getting me my first gigs, and help other Buenos Aires expats find something a bit more fulfilling than the usual English teaching tap dance.

Sarkis

Published on November 10, 2008 in Buenos Aires and Restaurants. 0 Comments Tags: Restaurant, Sarkis.

I haven’t done any restaurant reviews in a while, so I figured I’d throw up one of my favorite Buenos Aires spots: Sarkis! If you’re ever in the mood for Middle-Eastern / Mediterranean fusion food then Sarkis has you covered. I’ve eaten their probably more than any other local restaurant, since it strikes the perfect balance of cheap, close, and filling.

Sarkis has an entire page of starters you can go with, though I’m a particularly big fan of the falafel. They use a really interesting sauce that gives it a slightly sour / sweet taste, definitely haven’t had anything like it at other falafel joints. Be careful with those starters though, because portions here are big, and you shouldn’t miss out on the main courses. Behold, my favorite:

The kebabs are wonderful, this guy here comes with chicken. You’ve got your grilled onions, grilled tomatoes, huge chicken cubes, and enough yogurt sauce to drown a small child. Oh, and what you see here is just a half portion. They don’t mess around!

You can find Sarkis on Thames, only a block off of Avenida Cordoba. If you want to do dinner try to get there around 8pm because the place fills up quick, especially on weekends. And if you need a dining partner let me know, this is one expat that won’t pass up any opportunity for Sarkis! Enjoy!

My Top 5 Travel Resources

Published on November 8, 2008 in Travel Advice. 1 Comment Tags: Buenos Aires, Travel, Websites, Writing.

Since I do a lot of research by nature, I’m always on the hunt for great resources — especially with travel now that I’m a staff writer for MiniHostels. Here are five of my favorites:

1) Wikitravel

Pure awesome. Think of it as Wikipedia for the traveler. The entire site is built upon the real-time submissions of people, which means it’s constantly updated and never outdated. It’s also policed just like Wikipedia, so bogus information either isn’t there or doesn’t stay up for long. You can find information about any place you want to go here, along with suggested links to other resources. I use it any time I’m looking for information about a travel destination.

2) Thorntree

Easily the best travel forum on the web. Thorntree is Lonely Planet’s massive travel community, populated by knowledgeable and extremely helpful posters for wherever you want to go. There are threads for every country on Earth. If you have a specific question about somewhere, chances are you can find your answer on Thorntree.

3) World Hum

A great site for travel inspiration. It’s a depository of high-quality travel writing, and the amazing stories definitely inspire wanderlust in even the most hearty homebody. You can find blogs based out of anywhere. Very cool site if you’re looking for a personal twist on travel information. Also, Rolf Potts writes a column here, and he’s my hero. So it has that going for it too.

4) CouchSurfing

A worldwide community of people sharing their homes for budget travelers, CouchSurfing also offers a great way to meet people wherever you’re staying. Members host events all over the world, so you’re never far from a beer with some cool people. I’ve been to some of the Buenos Aires events, and they’ve all been fun. Someone who is willing to share their home with strangers is by nature very open and will probably have interesting stories to tell.

5) National Geographic Glimpse

Glimpse is a project that got off the ground only recently, but has exploded in popularity. Glimpse is written by young adults living and traveling abroad, and takes story submissions from anyone willing to write them. They also have a correspondents program that involves paid writing, which I’ve applied to. An interesting site for reading the perspectives of other young expats all over the world.

These are just my five favorites, but what other sites have I missed? Where do you go for all your travel information needs? I’d love to hear about other spots to get my fix!

Mulleted… No More

Published on November 4, 2008 in Buenos Aires. 1 Comment Tags: Bald, Heat, Mullet.

Sadly, I was forced to cut off the mullet earlier this week. The culprit, you ask? Deadly heat ray humidity. I have no idea how these people keep long hair in the Spring, let alone the Summer. Maybe it’s just an expat thing, but I’ll be pouring sweat just walking down the street, while older generations stay cozily bundled up and cool as a cucumber. It boggles my mind.

I taught an English class last week where my student commented on the sheen of perspiration resting on my forehead. How can my students take me seriously as a teacher when I can’t even stay cool? As bad as that was, teaching English is child’s play compared to riding the subte in the morning. The places where I teach are only three stops away — about a ten minute ride — but I come shooting out of the subte doors at my stop because I become very aerodynamic after being drenched in my own sweat. I have no idea how these people don’t melt! I have a light polo on and they’re wearing full suits, yet I’m the one perspiring?

And so, in the interest of my own health, beard and general shagginess have been shorn. I’m back to my usual extremely short hair. I will not allow Buenos Aires to set me alight once the real heat hits. Sorry to all those that were looking forward to the full mulletude.

3003417347 f4495ed918 Mulleted... No More

As penance, I’ve posted the most embarrassing photo I have after shaving my head.

Freelancing, Blogging, and Entrepreneurship

Published on November 2, 2008 in Buenos Aires and Expat Advice. 5 Comments Tags: Blogging, Entrepreneurship, Expat, Freelancing.

After teaching TEFL English for the last month and a half or so, I’ve come to one conclusion about living down here: if you want to do well for yourself, you need to either start your own business or secure a stable secondary income. Expats don’t have many job options to begin with, and those that are offered pay meager salaries. With that in mind, I’ve got a couple of ideas that have been bouncing around inside my head.

Freelancing

I’m working on this right now. As soon as some of my content is published on MiniHostels, I’m going to start shopping my services around. There are plenty of magazines and websites that I have in mind. The key here is to have some kind of written content to show them, and my articles that I’m writing right now can provide that. My immediate supervisor at work has a lot of experience with freelancing, and she’s going to help me in starting out. I’ll be sure to keep you guys updated.

Blogging

This blog originally began as a personal site I wrote for fun, but as more and more people have commented or emailed me saying they enjoy my writing, I’ve decided to really build the blog as a personal brand. There are lots of expat sites for people coming to Buenos Aires, but not many that speak to those coming fresh out of college. I think I can address that niche. I’ve already started putting together an informative e-book that I’ll be selling on here. It’ll be directed towards young expats and offer insight and how-to methodology for a lot of the problems they’ll need to solve before and after arriving. So stay tuned on the blog front, there’ll be more informative posts, but I’m not going to lose my quirky writing style any time soon.

Entrepreneurship

Over the last few weeks I’ve met a couple of young business owners down here, and it’s definitely the way to go if you’re the enterprising type. I’ve had a couple of ideas, but I think the one that would offer the best fit for my lifestyle and talents would be owning a youth hostel. I’m going to be interviewing local hostel owners for work anyways, so I’ll be sure to pick their brains once that gets going. I’ve checked out a lot of how-to sites and forums that offer advice on how to start and run a hostel, and I’m going to keep fleshing out a business plan over the next couple of months. I think it’s something that I would really enjoy and could potentially do very well at.

Wrap-Up

What about some of you other Buenos Aires expats that have been reading my site? Any advice or insight about these ideas? I know at least some of you have started your own businesses down here!