Decisions

A personal journal entry I wrote before officially deciding to visit North Korea:

  

I've gone back and forth on this idea since before even coming to Korea, nearly two years ago. Something deep in my loins is telling me to go. Just go. But, is it more than just wanting to be able to say, "I'VE BEEN TO NORTH KOREA"? Obviously, that factor definitely plays a role in my desire to go... but that's not all that entices me. It's a mysterious damn place, and at this moment only a handful of people can say that they've been there. I'm really freaking curious to "see" what's going on up there, especially after living in Korea for so long. The secretive North has been a common topic, considering it's not so far away from home. How much has the separation of the peninsula affected the culture? Do they speak with a different accent? Is the food the same? How much has it changed the general demeanor and vibes of the people? Would getting a glimpse into the North create a better understanding of the Korea that I've come to know and love? I always question how many authentic interactions I would have on the other side. I know that the whole trip isn't an elaborate set up. But, how many chances to mingle with locals will I get during a 5 day scheduled "to a T" trip? There will definitely be opportunities to get to know the guides. It's a small piece of the population... but it has to have some effect on opening up the minds of a suppressed population, even if it's just a tiny bit. The country, to some extent, seems to have been progressing it's mindset. I have a chance to keep it open, and maybe widen the view a few people have of the world that exists outside. I can help this motion to continue forward. If the people on the inside become more tuned into what's going on behind their walls, that's a good place for change to start. It's not like I would ignore the fact that there are horrible things happening there at the hands of the government, but does refusing to visit change anything? Wouldn't sharing a fraction of my money with the community, exchange interactions (even as minimal as a smile or bow) and the possibility of conversations make more of an impact in the right direction? I've read several accounts with tourists claiming that they, in fact, did have the chance to have authentic interactions. It's possible.

The biggest thing that kept me teeter-tottering between going and not going was the idea of putting my big ole' wad of money straight into the hands of Kim Jong Un.  After fiddling around countless blogs and researching, I concluded that whatever fraction of my money does go "straight" to the hands of the regime is minimal in comparison to the big picture. It's my understanding that the majority of the money will be used to fund the tourism department, which will in turn create more jobs for the population and thus, more opportunities to open the country up a bit more. I even read somewhere that they have opened up a college for tourism.

I've included links to some of the blogs I read that helped me make my decision. If visiting the DPRK is something you are considering, remember that the choice is ultimately yours. Do some research. Read about other people's experiences and their opinions. Make a pros and cons list. 

Sometimes, when making big decisions, I even like to imagine that I've decided one way or another, and then live a few days as if the decision has really been made. How do you feel about it after a few days? Pretend you've booked your tour, start researching what to pack, and imagine yourself carrying out an itinerary in the country. Or, pretend you have officially decided not to go. If pretending isn't your game, just leave whatever it is you need to figure out alone.  Let it marinate for a few days, or a week, before revisiting the topic. Your subconscious is a powerful thing on its own, and being able to return to something can usually offer up some fresh perspectives.

If you're curious about how it's even possible and what it means to travel to North Korea, this is a good overview.

FAQ

I chose to go with Young Pioneer Tours, and would definitely recommend it. 

*Although not the most popular/highest "rated" company, this package was cheaper for essentially the same thing as other, more expensive tours.

Myths you shouldn't believe

Everywhere Once's stance on traveling - 

And their subsequent post to NOT go to North Korea.

Wandering Earl's opinions on travel and human rights - 

on DPRK: 

**Both mentioned on Everywhere Once's blog

This blog asks opinions from several people. 

Once I've written a blog about my experience in the DPRK, I will add a link here. 

A night in Bologna

Literally the only photo I took in Bologna, Italy

It's funny how things work out. The year leading up to my trip, I planned on spending the vast majority of my time in Italy. Out of my three months traveling around Europe I was there about 3 weeks and only saw Cinque Terre, Florence, Bagni di Lucca, and one night in Bologna (only because I decided to fly out early and go to Portugal).

I didn't see anywhere near as much of Italy as I would of liked, but that's the way it worked out. My wallet got pick pocketed in Florence, so I had no money to get to Rome, and no time to get to Naples or Venice. I guess I'll just have to go back, which I think I can deal with :) I'm happy with the experience I had nonetheless.

I made a last minute decision to spend the 4th of July in Lisbon, Portugal with my friend Mike. My flight departed from Bologna at 6am so it was necessary for me to get there the night before. This is where Couchsurfing saved my life.

Okay, I would have managed without it but it really made my life so much easier. Instead of checking into a hostel just to check out a few hours later felt pointless. I started sending out requests on Facebook and found an angel by the name of Alex to let me crash at his place.

He picked me up from the train station and took me to a cheap bar to eat and then walked me around Bologna. He pointed out everything and told little stories and quick histories. I also took one photo the entire time. I was apparently too busy looking and listening to worry about photos. 

We went to a small outside party, next to a pool with a DJ and loads of people just hanging out in the grass. A group of his friends met up with us, all of them incredibly nice and happy to speak in their best broken English to make me feel included. We bar hopped around for a little while, made jokes about southern American accents and talked about stereotypes of each of our cultures.

IT'S NOT A SILLY QUESTION IF YOU CAN'T ANSWER IT

Make it a point to meet locals, it's easy. Just chat with the people that are servicing you while you are eating or buying souvenirs or asking for directions. Or if you have a question about something - NEVER BE AFRAID TO ASK IT. Questions are usually the quickest way to get you to an answer, you just gotta know what you're looking for :)

Sharing organic interactions like this with people while traveling is one of my absolute FAVORITE experiences. It teaches you so much about perspective, yours as well as other's from around the world. 

I have a new understanding of America, and being American. I especially have a new desire to explore my own country more, one day. It's interesting, the things you learn unexpectedly. You gotta love life's little lessons. 

Anyways. Angel Alex gave me a lift to the airport that morning, taking loads of public transport stress off my shoulders. We still keep in touch and I hope one day we will be able to connect again!

So, a little bit of risk is all it cost me for new friends, a good story, and memories that I'll never forget. Couchsurfing isn't something that should be taken lightly, but at the same time you really just need to go for it. I'll be posting a blog eventually about being smart on Couchsurfing and how not to get hacked up :) stay posted!

Firenze Frenzy

Nicola & I - Florence, Italy

Ah, Florence. How I wish I had more time with you. Two days was nowhere near enough. 

One of my favorite things about Italy (other than the laundry that's always strung like ornaments across peoples homes) is how easily accessible fresh, mouthwatering sandwiches are. There are so many good places to eat scattered throughout the adorable little streets of this place that it's hard to not find something delicious everywhere you go.

We visited the Bardini Gardens instead of going to the more popular, Boboli. The Bardini Gardens have just recently been open to the public, so I thought it would be cool to check it out. Definitely go to both if you have time, I can never get enough of gardens or parks while I am traveling. It was an incredible day, paired with the unreal panoramic view of Florence from the balcony and strolling through the garden itself easily made this a highlight of Florence.

Neptune's Butt - Piazza della Signoria, Florence, Italy

While planning for Florence I had intended on Couchsurfing with a fellow named Niccoló. I ended up traveling with Nicola (hehe), who was working with me in Montefegatesi. He didn't have room for us both, but we still decided to hang out! 

It's a funny thing, waiting to meet someone you don't know in a foreign country when all you've ever seen is an image of them online. From afar I thought I spotted him, simply because there was a guy by himself that seemed to be looking for someone. I goofily tried waving to this man. Thankfully my attempt went unnoticed because not long after the guy's friend (who he was supposedly looking for) showed up and they walked off. 

A few minutes later Niccolò came into view. He took us to his favorite local bar, Eby's. It was obvious he had frequented this place a lot, Eby seemed to know him quite well. We had a few drinks, got hooked up with a few specialty shots and made our way to Niccolò's where he made us a delicious dinner. You can not ever go wrong with home cooked meals in Italy, especially when followed by affogatto (ice cream topped with espresso) - which this particular dinner happened to include.

Niccolò, being the gentleman he is, walked us back to our hotel. I was also slightly intoxicated at this point, so I was thankful that he humored me as I tried to learn Italian by pointing to words and guessing what they meant. Surprisingly I wasn't too bad and Niccolò helped me learn some new vocabulary. 

The next day was a holiday, which we had no idea about until arriving in Florence. It was St. Giovanni's or something, and as we were walking up to visit the Duomo there was a procession leading into the church with music and banners and guys all dressed up. Needless to say, I got excited. I pulled my phone out of my wallet and was simultaneously snapping shots with both my phone and camera. We walked into the church and quickly walked back out, it was very crowded and a ceremony was about to start. I wanted to go to the top of the tower and as I went to grab a few euros I realized my wallet was gone. The only logical explanation is that it got pick pocketed after I pulled my phone out of my purse, because I never zipped it back up.

The picture of the Duomo above was taken moments before my wallet was stolen. No pictures can do this thing justice. To the right is a photo of a mask shop I stumbled into while walking around. I managed to save a postcard like business card, which is the only reason I remember it is called Alice Masks. The man at the desk was diligently working away at masks, all of which had so much character.

REACT HAPPIER

Moral of the story: It CAN happen to you, all those horror stories about having things stolen or lost while traveling abroad. BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A HORROR STORY. There are tips and tricks to avoid this, or at least worsen the blow. I'll write a post about this eventually :)

Luckily, I had Nicola with me and she covered me till we got back home. Luckily, I had absolutely no expenses while workingaway so not having access to my money until by debit card arrived wasn't that big of a deal. I could survive, that's all that mattered. LUCKILY, I was able to maintain a positive attitude and stay calm while sorting my situation out - that's the key to avoiding horror stories. Remember, YOU'RE the one writing the story - it could turn out however you want, really. It's all about your reaction. Things aren't always going to go as planned, especially while traveling. That's why it's important to take it as it comes, and appreciate it for all that it is. 

So next time you get lost or something gets stolen - react a bit happier. It will make a difference.

Simple Exchanges

Montefegatesi, Bagni di Lucca - Italy

When I found out my working opportunity over the summer fell through knew I had to get creative. Nothing would stop me from getting on that plane, especially not having enough money.

Workaway.info is a database of people and families around the world who are willing to exchange work for accommodation. There is something for everyone on workaway... from gardening to teaching English, nannying or helping with a bed and breakfast. 

I spent a good few weeks sending out inquiry emails, all very short notice considering my circumstances. It was hard for me to set something in stone for my first few weeks in Italy, but shortly before I left it all came together. It definitely helps to start planning in advance if this is the type of thing you are interested in. A lot of the ideal hosts book up their workawayers quickly. Most tend to prefer long term stays, at least a few weeks at a time. 

An Italian-English family hosted me in their Tuscan village with a total of 143 permanent residents. Montefegatesi, as the highest village in Bagni do Lucca, is situated at the top of a hill and overlooks magnificent Tuscan mountains. I watched over two kids (six & eight), 5 hours a day 5 days a week. In exchange they set me up in an small apartment they owned in the village and stocked my fridge. It was the exact thing I needed. My own, beautiful space. 

There were two other workawayers being hosted while I was there. A girl from New Zealand and one from Germany. It was fun being able to connect with people all around the world for those few weeks. They definitely made lasting impacts on me.

In the evenings the other workawayers and I would make dinner together, drink wine at the Dante monument at the tippity top of the mountain, and play games and share stories with old locals. I learned so much about the history of the village by talking to people. Hearing personal stories. One of my favorites comes from my soulmate Candido. I'll write him his own separate post soon. He is that special. 

We were able to travel on the days we weren't working and planned a trip to Florence! Also deserving of it's own blog post. 

I loved this experience. It gives me the warmest feeling when I think back to the time that I spent there. I felt so comfortable and at home from the beginning. I was able to really submerge myself into what I was doing, not thinking about things back home. No stress. I loved waking up in the morning to tend the garden in the crisp, mountainous air. 

Above is the view from the top floor or my apartment, which was at the very top of the village. You can see the surrounding villages tucked away into the hills if you look close enough. The other picture is from a community camping even that family took me too. It was quite cold outside, despite it being summer - so we indulged in mulled wine (my first time, ever!) and watched the daring walk across fire. 

DIG DEEPER AND GET DIRTIER

If you have the time to do plan something  like this into your adventure. DO IT. Whether you do it for a week or for six. Don't pull a Tiffany the Tourist. Don't follow your free city map to all the main attractions. Don't eat at that restaurant right on the beach. Dig a little deeper and get a little dirtier. It is much more meaningful and exhilarating to be challenged while outside of your comfort zone, trust me. You'll get more out of your experience.

This extends beyond just traveling. In all aspects of your life, don't settle. Don't graze over the surface effortlessly, letting life pass you by. Life happens in the challenges, when you try a little harder and put more of yourself out there. 

With that being said, sometimes the "leave it all at home" approach to traveling doesn't suit everyone. If you have been dying to visit the Eiffel Tower, you wait in that line for a few hours to get to the top. I was just as happy to sit underneath it and drink a bottle of wine to myself ;) My advice to you touristy types: don't try to do it all. You can't, and you will wear yourself out trying. Prioritize and mix things up! Leave space in your plans to be flexible, it will make your trip a lot more enjoyable.