Woah, it has been a while! Hi, I hope y'all remember me. A lot of things happened in the past 9 ish months. I started this wonderful project called the Refuge Supper Club, ended a relationship, lost a job, traveled a bit (actually A LOT) and moved back into my parent's place! Woohoo for being an adult.
Anyways, I am happy and that is all that matters. I am hopefully starting a new chapter in my life in China - back to the motherland! I received a my TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification and my ESL (English as a Second Language) so I am ready to rock. A lot of things have happened, but I am about to be on my way to teach English in China.
I hope those who have read my Peace Corps blogs understand how lost I was after I was not selected. I didn't know what direction I wanted to take my life. This called to me for a long time, but I thought it would be a " after I am retired " kind of gig.
Well, I am super excited and I hope you guys will follow my video blog on Youtube: Wandering Nhinja
Thanks for reading! I hope to see you all over on my YouTube channel :D
Love,
Michelle
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Friday, March 3, 2017
Adventure
So, no to the Peace Corps. They sent their email on Monday saying I should try to reapply. Which I did. I also send in some application for AmeriCorps. *Sigh* It is always a waiting game.
BUT, I have excited adventures planned for rest of the year! Here are the trips I have lined up:
Ireland & Norway
March 16-28
Ireland - Yup, I will be in Ireland for St. Patty's Day! WOOT. I will be staying with a travel buddy of mine in Dublin and we will road trip most of Ireland after our fun weekend! Our itinerary is extensive:
Connemara National Park
Kylemore Abby
Galway
Cliff of Moher
Limerick
Blarney Stone
Belfast
Gaint's Causeway
Plus everything in Dublin!
Norway - I am going to visit the Iraqi Refugee family that have become like family to me over the past two years. They live pretty north in Norway and I will see them only for a day. They are the family mentioned in the book Lost and Found Cat that my friend Amy co-authored. A lot of our time will be spend on a train to see:
Bergen
Oslo
Steinjker
San Francisco
May 19-23
I'm excited to be in San Fran again after 7 years! It's been forever. I have family there but I am going to visit a high school friend and another high school friend will be joining me. We are going to have so much fun.
Seattle & Canada
August 5 - 21
I have been planning this for about 8 months since I found out last year that all the national parks in Canada will be free in 2017 for their 150th birthday! YAY!! You have to order the discovery pass though through Canada Parks and it takes about 6 weeks to arrive so plan ahead! I just received my pass so I went and booked all my camping reservations online. It's cool cause you can choose different camping options. I will be doing front-country camping at campsites since I am doing this solo. It isn't safe to backpack alone through bear territory. If you are going with a group or another person and are experienced backpacker, I would highly suggest you get the back-country pass as well as the discovery pass (the free one). Please do the West Coast Trail at the Pacific Rim National Preserve! I don't trust myself alone so I'll live through your photos.
I will also take some time to explore Seattle and the surrounding areas too. I will be staying with my friend and he loves the outdoors more than me so it will be amazing!
If you have any suggestions or questions, let me know! I check this from time to time. Keep posted about the details of each trip and what I will be packing. :)
Monday, February 27, 2017
Journey
This has been a week and then some: End of a relationship, Grandfather passing, Older brother in the hospital and starting rehab today and not getting into the Peace Corps. Everything will be okay though! Negativity has never suited me. :)
Since the 1st is Wednesday and I haven't received an email about an interview, it is kind of assumed that I didn't get in. And that is okay. I'm sad though. A little disappointed in myself to be honest. Rejection in all forms is hard to swallow. However, it is one of the best building blocks.
With that being said, AmeriCorps here I come! I applied for 3 positions out of state. Here's to being accepted to at least one of them! I'm excited to see what the next year and a half has in store for me. I have a lot of goals I want to accomplish before I leave.
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Incapable
I was ready for the night of the 14th. Well, I was ready for it 5 or 6 months from now. It happened so instantaneously.
My significant other and I decided to end things. Granted, it was waiting to happen because of what we wanted for our future. I wanted to enjoy the relationship until we part ways but we all know things don't go as planned. The time we had together was wonderful and I was extremely happy. It just sucks when the little voice tells you it will end soon.
Can someone be incapable of love? He mentioned that he maybe is, but I dispute this as quickly as he said it. Everyone can love, it's a choice if they want to. Like really want to.
Love, to me, is a sum of different actions that makes you feel safe, cared for, adored, and appreciated. I rather have someone tell me they really adored the way I laugh or that I make them feel safe and appreciated in our relationship. You can say you love me, but please tell me you care about me and you want me to trust you. That takes courage and understanding. They get that love itself is not enough. Sparks fade, but hard work and commitment doesn't.
Sigh* I know I am too understanding, too emphatic, too nice, too EVERYTHING. I believe in the good in others. I want to fix things. I want to bring out the best in someone. Selfish people gravitate towards the very giving... and the very giving have a hard time seeing when they are blinded by bliss.
Can someone be incapable of love? He mentioned that he maybe is, but I dispute this as quickly as he said it. Everyone can love, it's a choice if they want to. Like really want to.
Love, to me, is a sum of different actions that makes you feel safe, cared for, adored, and appreciated. I rather have someone tell me they really adored the way I laugh or that I make them feel safe and appreciated in our relationship. You can say you love me, but please tell me you care about me and you want me to trust you. That takes courage and understanding. They get that love itself is not enough. Sparks fade, but hard work and commitment doesn't.
Sigh* I know I am too understanding, too emphatic, too nice, too EVERYTHING. I believe in the good in others. I want to fix things. I want to bring out the best in someone. Selfish people gravitate towards the very giving... and the very giving have a hard time seeing when they are blinded by bliss.
Monday, February 13, 2017
Two Weeks Time
We are a little over 2 weeks out until March 1st. I emailed about my application and received a reply that I was still under consideration for Morocco September 2017.
That doesn't make me feel better... I usually always look on the positive sides of the situation, but it is pretty difficult for me at this moment. We only have 15 days left for an interview and then they are to process and let everyone know about an offer 24 hours later? It seems a little grim to me.
BUT! It isn't the end. I technically have until July to figure out my next steps. I have been searching and adding to my list of potential positions in AmeriCorps. Some positions in nonprofits. Planning trips. I still check the Peace Corps website to see about new volunteer positions and the Thailand positions caught my eye.
If I don't receive an offer for Morocco, it won't be the end of the world. Yes, I will feel defeated. I will let myself feel - but it won't bring me down about my future. At the moment, I just feel unwanted. I have those moments of feeling 'not good enough' and 'have I not accomplished anything in my life?' and I know those are normal. Never less, it is hard.
Positive news - Kunkush's children's book is doing amazing. Lost and Found Cat has continued to be a best seller on Amazon. Praise for the book has been nonstop and we couldn't be happier.
That doesn't make me feel better... I usually always look on the positive sides of the situation, but it is pretty difficult for me at this moment. We only have 15 days left for an interview and then they are to process and let everyone know about an offer 24 hours later? It seems a little grim to me.
BUT! It isn't the end. I technically have until July to figure out my next steps. I have been searching and adding to my list of potential positions in AmeriCorps. Some positions in nonprofits. Planning trips. I still check the Peace Corps website to see about new volunteer positions and the Thailand positions caught my eye.
If I don't receive an offer for Morocco, it won't be the end of the world. Yes, I will feel defeated. I will let myself feel - but it won't bring me down about my future. At the moment, I just feel unwanted. I have those moments of feeling 'not good enough' and 'have I not accomplished anything in my life?' and I know those are normal. Never less, it is hard.
Positive news - Kunkush's children's book is doing amazing. Lost and Found Cat has continued to be a best seller on Amazon. Praise for the book has been nonstop and we couldn't be happier.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Kunkush
Today is the book release of Kunkush's wonderful journey. Honestly, I cannot believe it has been around year since we found this cat in Greece, created the Facebook page, and reunited this family. This international event really reignited my flame for public outreach and not for profits. Read more about at the links below.
Lost and Found Cat
Reunite Dias Facebook
In March, I will visit this amazing family that I've grown to love from Oklahoma. They are living in a town in north Norway and I cannot wait to see them. As refugees, they are literally starting life anew in a whole different culture, climate and community. I cannot image doing that. My parents did it though and I forget how hard it would be. Not speaking the language and basically learning to communicate all over again.
Here's to the refugees that wanted a safer place for their families and themselves. Your courage and strength cannot be measured. But, your love can be felt from miles away and seen from the stars.
Thursday, January 19, 2017
Traveler
We are looking at the end of July folks! My letter states I shall be here in the OKC office until the end. It's actually quite nice to know. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my back and I can stand again!
Still nothing from the Peace Corps. I have been looking in Americorps though. I haven't applied for anything but a lot of positions interest me. I am learning to be patient and wait until I hear back before I commit to anything.
In other events, I just return from New Orleans. That city is so unique and magical. It was such a fun getaway - totally needed. I miss travelling so much. We stayed at Madame Isabelle's Hostel close to Frenchmen Street. It was my partner's first time staying at a hostel so it was a treat for me to experience this with him!
The hostel was exactly what I love about hostels - fun people, great amenities, amazing staff, and a perfect location. We both had a wonderful time and met some individuals from all over the world that we hope to keep in touch with.
We rented a vehicle during this trip which is a new for me. I'm a budget solo traveler through and through so this was a huge deal to me. I was against it at first. 'Everything we would want to see is easily accessible by foot or public transportation! You feel more of a local that way instead of a tourist.'
I'm a traveler, not a tourist. I want to experience, not visit.
The rental didn't turn out so bad. We got to drive to the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve and see the swamp lands. Drove out further and got to see the riverside plantations with oak trees that were over 300 years old. Experience culture and history on Martin Luther King day around slave quarters. Things that we could do on our own and not rely on a tourism company. The freedom was new to me. And we saved quite a bit when we looked at the cost of using Uber or those tourist vans.
Also, it was hard for me to have someone with me all the time. There is really only one person I can travel with for an extend period of time, my best friend Julie. But those are usually to festivals and we plan so much in advance.
When I do travel with someone that isn't Julie, it's another solo traveler that wants to tag along but has their own agenda. We split cost and just meet up when we want/can. Traveling with your significant other is a whole other experience. It was fun, it was testing. It was exciting, it was exhausting. I think we both learned from this trip about one another.
All in all, New Orleans is a terrific place for history and culture. If you like to drink, it's great for that too! It was worth it to us to get a rental because we love nature. It was nice to get out of of New Orleans as well - we got to met a lot of folks from the big city visiting the countryside and swamps so we gained new perspectives. We felt like we explored more of the culture when we got away from the city center. To me, that is considered an immersive and fantastic experience.
Still nothing from the Peace Corps. I have been looking in Americorps though. I haven't applied for anything but a lot of positions interest me. I am learning to be patient and wait until I hear back before I commit to anything.
In other events, I just return from New Orleans. That city is so unique and magical. It was such a fun getaway - totally needed. I miss travelling so much. We stayed at Madame Isabelle's Hostel close to Frenchmen Street. It was my partner's first time staying at a hostel so it was a treat for me to experience this with him!
The hostel was exactly what I love about hostels - fun people, great amenities, amazing staff, and a perfect location. We both had a wonderful time and met some individuals from all over the world that we hope to keep in touch with.
We rented a vehicle during this trip which is a new for me. I'm a budget solo traveler through and through so this was a huge deal to me. I was against it at first. 'Everything we would want to see is easily accessible by foot or public transportation! You feel more of a local that way instead of a tourist.'
I'm a traveler, not a tourist. I want to experience, not visit.
The rental didn't turn out so bad. We got to drive to the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve and see the swamp lands. Drove out further and got to see the riverside plantations with oak trees that were over 300 years old. Experience culture and history on Martin Luther King day around slave quarters. Things that we could do on our own and not rely on a tourism company. The freedom was new to me. And we saved quite a bit when we looked at the cost of using Uber or those tourist vans.
Also, it was hard for me to have someone with me all the time. There is really only one person I can travel with for an extend period of time, my best friend Julie. But those are usually to festivals and we plan so much in advance.
When I do travel with someone that isn't Julie, it's another solo traveler that wants to tag along but has their own agenda. We split cost and just meet up when we want/can. Traveling with your significant other is a whole other experience. It was fun, it was testing. It was exciting, it was exhausting. I think we both learned from this trip about one another.
All in all, New Orleans is a terrific place for history and culture. If you like to drink, it's great for that too! It was worth it to us to get a rental because we love nature. It was nice to get out of of New Orleans as well - we got to met a lot of folks from the big city visiting the countryside and swamps so we gained new perspectives. We felt like we explored more of the culture when we got away from the city center. To me, that is considered an immersive and fantastic experience.
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