Why girls who travel alone are the new black?

Hello you peps!

So, I get asked quite often how is it like to travel alone, you know,
"being that I'm a girl" and all of that, how do I see it and why I do it, that sort of thing, therefore I decided to write all about it and give you guys an insight of it...

Well, first and foremost just let me tell you that being a girl who travels is such a BADASS feeling in so many ways, as it should be. I never thought when I started this journey 4 years ago that traveling being a GIRL would be such a strong subject for discussion, but I think that is amazing how it became empowering to women all over the world to follow their own journey.


Maybe it's because I wasn't raised to think that things should be different because I'm a girl, I didn't grow up thinking I couldn't do this or that because I'm not a man, (as matter of fact I think I got more balls than a lot of men out there, just saying) that it's too dangerous to travel alone or any of that, that's narrow thinking right there and let me just tell you right now: Living daily life ANYWHERE can be dangerous, there's evil everywhere for everyone, so we can't let the fact that people like to atribute that to gender or circumstance create fear and stop you from living your life. I believe that we should all be encouraged to travel and discover the world with our own eyes and in our terms, may that be climbing a mountain in Austria or climbing the mountain in your own town.

Not everybody is eager for traveling that's for sure, not everybody thinks that living off that one suitcase months straight is an ideal way of living, and that's fine... Hell, I never thought I could downsize my 3 big suitcases for 1 and be just fine for over a year but you learn that all you need to survive traveling long term  (material stuff) it's really not that much. I promise you that you will do just fine with 2 casual outfits, 2 fancy ones, some extra gear for the winter, a couple of pajamas, and 3 pairs of shoes, that's more than enough if I'm being honest. Yes, I am a girl that loves make up and I got a very high maintenance type of hair so I carry my load of make up and beauty related products but those kind of things you can buy a few anywhere in travel sizes. Some people may think that it's not enough but if you're like me and love traveling then you know the amazing feeling of knowing you only gotta throw those few items in a suitcase an you're ready to go on your next adventure.

Now, like any other changes in life this one also comes with a lot of different feelings and challenges and you will understand why in a second..

Just let me back up a little in time and tell you what it's like to leave home, family, friends, your job, comfort zone: It's terrifying... until you board your plane, after that there's such a peaceful hopeful felling that comes over, it's hard to put it in words, but that's when all your efforts and hard work to get there pays off, you might not know what it's going to be like, you definitely don't know the future, you have no idea what challenges you will face but you made it there, you kicked fear's ass, you said goodbye to your family, those who are the most important people in your life, you quit your job that was your safety net, you had your farewell drinks, laughs and tears with friends, most likely you worked your butt off to pay for this trip (been there done that), you went through nights were you questioned your decision, you prayed to God to light up your way and keep you safe, then you cried and was also scared if that was the right choice, then you finally pack and take that ride to the airport, anxious and nauseated if you are anything like me with the damn motion sickness haha... and then you board on that plane and it all becomes a memory that you cherish because it got you so far already.

I've been through those emotions a few times already and it never gets easier to say goodbye, because you're not just uncertain of your future, you also worry about the ones you leave behind, how they're gonna feel, and God forbid anything happens to any of them when you're half-world away... I will tell you, it tests your heart's capacity sometimes, but I'm incredibly lucky I have support always and even when I doubt my choice there's someone there to shake me up and tell me stop being such a baby haha

I don't mean any of this to ever discourage you, I think there's a lot of wrong information out there that make people confused, but don't you worry because I'm going to slowly walk you through all of it and the things that I have yet to learn and discover we will learn and figure out together along the way ;)

As far as my knowledge goes I will tell you that doesn't matter where you're traveling to, I can guarantee there will always be so many people willing to help you, generally we underestimate the power of kindness, it can get you very far. So if you're ever in this travel life you will make many friends, some of them you will take for life and they will always be on your 'visit list' whenever you're close to their area again, others you will be friends for 15 minutes or an hour during that coffee break, or for 12 hours on that train ride and then you will say goodbye and hold those moments and shared life experiences dearly in your heart.
Thankfully I have had so many encounters in life so far, so many stories, laughs, heart felt conversations with people that I may not see ever again but they changed my life and the way I look at life even a little bit just by being there with me for a few moments.

Now, when you're actually living your life in that travel dream of yours I can't lie and say it's all flowers and rainbows and you're only gonna have great moments and if anybody tells you that they're lying. You are going to get your ass kicked by life like never before, and I mean it... you think you know what missing home feels like? Well, your definitions will be updated.. Do you think you've been broke before? try to be broke away from home, alone, paying for food and living and with temporary jobs. Do you complain that your parents were mean when they grounded you that one time? Well, just wait until you meet a jackass that will make your life as hard as they can just for fun. And the list can go on, but you get the vibe.

One thing is fore sure here: you're gonna get yourself in epic pickle moments, you're going to have moments you just want to throw everything in the air and go home, somedays you're going to cry your eyes out, you're going to travel miles with the music blasting singing your troubles away, you're going to learn to appreciate a night out just drinking with friends to forget about all the stress that goes on sometimes... but it's all so fucking worth it, every part of it, every tear, sweat, hard ass kicking moment. I've had moments that I was terrified, moments that I literally cried cause I wanted to be home with my mom to have one of our great conversations, sleep in my own bed, walk around my house in my underwear if I felt like it and more than anything in the world I wanted to be in my comfort zone, but you know what, EVERYTHING in life is temporary, the good moments and the bad ones, you just gotta push through that one night/day/moment and you will be just fine, pinky promise. <3

On the other hand I met amazing souls, and I mean souls because I love them deeply no matter what skin they're in, I made them friends for life and created bonds that otherwise I wouldn't have.
More often than not I will be just thinking about life and then l just wonder how would I ever be able to live without all those people, how many amazing moments I would've missed out because I was too scared to live on my own terms.

I've also seen beautiful breathtaking places, from the cozy cabin to the immense ocean, I drove miles and miles across states just for the sake of traveling, I had so many fun moments, I had great dates and I had the hilarious fail ones that today still make me laugh, I got drunk during girls night out and we danced like crazy unstable people, I learned to budget, to save money... although I'm still much better at spending it hahaha I had love stories, the kind that makes you just smile all the time and think that it had to be that way and I was meant to live it, doesn't mean I thought they would last forever but they were supposed to be lived in that moment. There's a lot more stories that I want to share with you but that's subject for another post.

If you take under consideration the ups and downs you might not be sold on the idea, so allow me to just tell you that I love every memory of it, I cherish all those moments and would do it all over again in a heart beat. It allowed me to be today here, sitting at a coffee shop with my computer and my delicious coffee, at 3:30pm in a Friday doing what I love with my heart and mind in peace, for me that's happiness.

Now you ask me: Why girls who travel are the new black? Because of all I just said, and also there's nothing more fierce and powerful than a woman who owns her life and doesn't give a fuck for social standards, someone who works hard, someone who knows to be kind and strong, a woman who fights the world with claws to climb her own mountain without having to take anyone down or diminish others to do so. You don't have to have it all together to have it all, you can be happy and successful in your own terms and that's badass right there.

I encourage you, whatever your gender is, whatever situation you're in, doesn't matter how broken or scared you are: Break out of your own mind and live, for God's sake just LIVE! I want you to be 75 years old look back and think: "Oh my God, I had an amazing life, I lived and loved all I wanted too, I made my life incredible." 

With much love,

Carry on girl!

5 tips to have a good night and sleep well

Hello you guys!

I thought I would share with you what I do to have a better night of sleep and also how to go to bed more relaxed, helping your body realize that is time to slow down and go to bed.


1.Take a warm shower/bath. You can use bath salts and oils or you favorite bath bomb, try to use products with a soothing calm smell like lavender.

I like to use in my baths Epsom Salt and a few drops of Lavender Essencial oil, and then whatever bubble soap I have in hand, I also make sure the water is warm and nice, I will grab a book or put some relaxing songs and spend a half hour there just letting my body and mind relax after a long day.

2. Dim the lights or use a Himalayan Salt lamp, just make sure it's a warm-color light, that way your body is triggered to release melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate sleep. 

3. Turn off you cellphone, if you can't turn it off at least make sure that it's on silent and then put it away from your bed. No calls, texting, snapchat, facebook, nothing. 

Having your cellphone with you all the time specially close to the time you go to bed makes you focus on answering messages and checking facebook, instagram, twitter, snapchat and what not, so to resist the urge just put it away and go do something that doesn't envolve your phone, you will be surprised to realize how much you can do, and how much time you actually have but didn't realize till now cause you were buried in your phone. 

The best thing I did was to unplug one night a few months ago. I was tired and my sleep was totally messed up, so I decided to turn off my phone, I told my mom so she wouldn't get worried in case she called, and I did not touch my phone till morning. I had such a good night, I did watch some tv for like half hour then I got bored and started to read, which I always complained I didn't have time for, but in reality I just wasted I lot of time on my phone instead of reading. I also did some catching up on my planner (paper planer), brushed my teeth, meditated in bed, and before 12:00AM I was ready to sleep. 

4. On the same note as turning off your phone is: avoid electronics altogether, because the light on it is so bright that makes your body understand that is not time to sleep therefore it doesn't release melatonin as it should. As I said above you find so many things to do once you disconnect, you might even just go straight to sleep, which your body will thank you. 

5. Make a list of the things you're grateful for, it can be on an actual paper or just mental.

Just take some time to acknowledge all the things you have in life, as simple as your bed, food, life itself, the people that love you, a job, health, it will put you in a greater mood, and the more grateful you are the better life gets because you won't take it for granted. 

Well, those are the things I try to do as often as I can, but I won't lie and say that I do it successfully every night, but I hope you do... and then tell how it works for you :)

Much love, 

Carry on girl 

How to work while traveling

There are many possibilities out there to work and travel at the same time, all of them require that you have discipline while planing and saving for that period but all of them are totally possible and really fun. 
I will try to give you guys some tips on programs for that purpose, and then you can decide for yourself which one works best.

WWOOF - Well, this is one of my favorites because of how they approach the experience, they are a worldwide movement where you volunteer to help on organic farms wherever you would like, it's a non-monetary exchange, which means you don't get paid... but WAIT, your "payment" would be accommodations and food in the farm where you're volunteering, how cool is that?! So while you're traveling, you're learning all about organic products and you're helping people, meeting people, traveling while not having to worry about rent and such, but be advised that you do have to pay for your traveling costs and means to get to and from your destination.

 I haven't got the opportunity to do this myself yet, but it's definitely on my list in the future, I grew up in  a farm till I was 13 years old, so the idea of traveling and learning all about organic farms makes me happy :) 

Au Pair Program - I can't say I know EVERYTHING about it, but I'm pretty close... I was an Au Pair for 2 years in the U.S. in Boston to be more specific. In this program you will work with kids, you take care of them in their house, and you live with the family and they pay you weekly. The program is regulated by the government so the pay is standard and you need an agency to apply for it.
Requirements:

• Intermediate English
• At least 200 hours of experience with kids
•  At least 18 years old
• Valid drivers license. 
• Clean criminal record 

It's one of the cheapest ways I know to live for a extended period of time abroad working and get paid to do so, you can also study, and you live with the family you work for providing childcare, which means you don't have to pay rent or food. 

I won't lie to you and say that is easy and all butterflies and sunshine cause it isn't. It's hard sometimes, you struggle, you will cry cause you miss your family and home, you will get frustrated with the language, you will laugh SO MUCH at yourself with the silly mistakes you make, but, oh Gosh, it's the best experience in the world, because you don't go through that with no purpose, you learn so much, you grow as a person, you get to know yourself, you travel, you make friends, you experience life, you party, you find your limits and boundaries... I know what you might be thinking:  "but I already know that"... Trust me when I say this out of love: YOU DON'T! 

When I got in that plane on September 2013 I was one girl, I had ideas and expectations, I was sure I was so mature and independent for my age, which I was for many reasons but I had no idea I had so much more to grow, learn, fall, and conquer in life.

Today, almost 3 years later I am the person I would be at 28 years old or something like that because I got so much out of those 2 years living in another country, another language, different culture, habits, people... I didn't have my mom one hour away, I had to live with the family I worked for, I had to learn to drive, shop, speak in a totally different environment, and it was worth every second of it.

I'm so proud of myself for taking that step and for all the mistakes I made, because I got to build this strong and truly independent woman that I am today, and although I have so much to learn I know I have a much more clear view of the world to do so. I fell in love with the kids that I took care of, they are my world till this day and they will always be, the families I worked for are my friends and I love them like my own family and those bonds we created are beautiful memories today.

B E S T experience of my life! :) 

P.s. I can make a post talking just about the Au Pair with  more information if you guys would like, just let me know in the comments. 


Working on a Cruise - Surprisingly enough not a lot of people think about it, but working on cruises it's a great opportunity to travel to many places and save money at the same time. 
You need to apply on agencies that contract the crews for the cruises, once you apply they will analyze your curriculum and then make an interview via Skype if they think you might be a good fit and then from there they will ask you to go for training and doctors and stuff like that to be able to work.

The time you can work varies from 6 months to a year it all depends on the destinations and on the contract you make.

Also, the area you work depends on your skills, there are areas where you need specific qualifications like photography, cooking and so on. 
There are also more basic position where they offer training prior to boarding, like housekeeping, cleaning, waitressing, entertainment and many others. 

In this case you will of corse live in the ship while you're traveling, they provide food and accommodations and when you get paid you're basically not spending unless you decide to buy something while in the cities you stop. 

The cost to start working on cruises will depend where you live, but you have to pay for the training that is made usually in some official marine training center, so you learn what to do in case of emergency and stuff like that, and you also have to pay the doctor that will sign you off because there are specific doctors approved to do so. 


There's a few more options that I'm doing more research on to be able to share with you guys, and as soon as I'm done I will tell you all about it.

Much love, 

Carry on girl 

Alternatives to get things done out of the house or the office - Remote working

We all have those days where we need to get things done but we don't have the inspiration, or we are tired from all the other thousand things we do, we have a full house, or we can't stop staring at the same wall for hours without one single new idea... so what do I do when I have those days? 
Let me take you along my alternative work day...

Starbucks Office - Be honest, you've seen all those people sitting at Starbucks with their computer looking very busy and important, and you thought they were all hipsters enjoying the free wi-fi.. well, turns out being one of those "hipsters" it's quite inspiring and relaxing and people do a lot of work there and let me explain why:

First because it's a change on your environment, and there's people around but at the same time they don't bug you and they don't try to talk, because you do look busy, but you are in a social scenario and of corse you can talk to people and meet new people if you feel like it. 

Second, you can be focused just on what you're doing there, may that be work, studying for school, sending emails, even looking for a job or just browsing the internet without interruption, in my case it's where I go to work on the blog and check emails, I never wear earphones because I like the sound of the coffee machine and the noise of all those people talking and the music playing inside, it's my white noise, yes I'm that weird.

Third, there's COFFEE... and for me that's a game changer because I know there's unlimited access to coffee while I'm working, obviously you have to pay for it but it's so worth it.

So if you're feeling like you need to get out of the house or you need to change your surroundings it's worth the shot... and that's coming from a girl sitting on a Starbucks on a gorgeous fall day with a latte and a laptop enjoying the colorful leaves outside the window cause it's straight freezing outside 

Nature inspiration - This one it's pretty simple, I grab a blanket or a towel to sit on the grass, some coffee, water and snacks, and then I find my favorite spot at a park, sometimes I go to the beach, or maybe the backyard depending on where I'm leaving. As long as I have green, nature, and peace of mind to sit down and create I'm good to go. 
*Just remember that if you don't have portable wi - fi you might need find somewhere where you have access to internet or maybe the hot spot on your cellphone. There's cases which you don't need to be online to work. My situation is actually better when I don't have wi fi because that means no distractions or things popping on the screen, I can just open a blank page and write as much as I want, save it, and when I get home I will upload it, simple as that. 


Weekend getaway - This one is one of my favorite options, but I can't do it very often because it does cost a lot more than an afternoon at Starbucks or a park. One of the best things I ever did was to get a bed and breakfast in New Hampshire for the weekend, it was one night only but my check-in was on Saturday morning and check-out on Sunday morning, but I paid an extra $20 to leave at 6pm since the inn wasn't full so they didn't have to clear the room early. 

I love the woods and nature if you can't tell by now, so I got a room facing the lake and the woods and since it was September it wasn't so hot outside anymore but I got a blanket and my computer, hot tea and sat on the little balcony and got so much done, just my thoughts and I. 

I'm not a mom yet, but I worked for a very long time as an au pair, which means I lived at the house where I worked, and although I love the girls to pieces the house was always loud and full and sometimes I needed the peace to clear my mind and be productive by myself, so I know there's a lot of mommas out there, or college students, or maybe you just live in a full house and you might want to consider set aside $100 ( That's counting food too and depending on where you live you can find much cheaper options) and get a solo getaway one of these weekends, trust me, you will be glad you did. 


Housesitting - Well, this one is a win win win... First of all you don't have to pay hotels or anything, you might be doing a friend a favor, or even getting paid to stay in the house. A friend might ask you, or you can you house sitting websites that connect you to people that need someone to watch their house for one day or even week/month whatever the situation is. There's a website called "Trusted House Sitters" that you have to pay to join and have a membership because of corse they have to make sure you're a good person and not a criminal and all of that, but once you start matching with people you can leave a review about your experience, they will leave about you too so you can build a network and then do house sittings when you feel like it. 
Maybe your friend is traveling and you're taking care of the house, or their pets and therefore you have an empty house for yourself to be creative and in peace, I have done house sitting for friends a few times and it's great...see.. win win win! 


So, this are the things I have tried so far that worked for me, and I hope some of it helps you somehow... If I find new ways to get out of the house I will share with you guys.

Much love... and coffee, 
Carry on girl 


Disclaimer: This post isn't in any way sponsored, everything said and done here is my own experience and my true opinion.