Happy Halloween! From what I can tell, Halloween is not exactly huge in Moscow. If it wasn’t for my friends’ Facebook posts over the weekend with their costumes and their kids’ costumes, I probably wouldn’t even know what day it is. That’s what happens after being on the road for two months. This will start […]
Two Months of Travel Read More »
This was one tough list to narrow down. I really loved St Petersburg and I fear that the rest of the country may be a bit of a letdown after spending five weeks in such an amazing city. But since I am forcing myself to stick with my theme of just choosing five favorite things,
Five Favorite Things in St. Petersburg Read More »
Financing a career break or other long term travel is not easy. For me, it required a combination of cutting back on spending and saving more, earning extra money, and dealing with at-home expenses that would remain while I am on the road. I own my condominium and still have student loan debt, but I
How I Financed My Career Break Read More »
It may sound like an exaggeration to say that the Apple Hostel in St. Petersburg saved my trip at this point, but in a way it did. After spending the previous month in a homestay on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, I was feeling a bit socially isolated and my morale was lagging.
My Savior in St. Petersburg: The Apple Hostel Read More »
I will be the first to admit that some of the places I will visit on this trip that I am now calling “My Soviet Sojourn” are somewhat obscure and people may not have a great sense of where exactly I am or where I’m going. For that reason, I have created this handy map
My Soviet Sojourn: The Route Read More »
After spending five weeks in St Petersburg from mid-September to mid-October, I have a hard time imagining a more beautiful place in the autumn. Even on the cloudy days, I was a bit enchanted. So I thought I’d share a few of my favorite pictures from autumn in St Petersburg:
Autumn in St Petersburg Read More »
It is no secret now that I had a rough start to my first month in Russia volunteering through Geovisions. But despite the fact that it was nothing like what I expected, I was able to leave my homestay with some warm memories and some valuable lessons learned. I will fondly remember: The time I
Making the Most of an Unexpected Situation Read More »
I first thought of taking time off from my career to travel back in 2006 – a full five years before I finally made it a reality. When I got serious about planning my current trip, I had never even heard the phrase “career break.” I didn’t know anyone personally who had done anything similar
E-Book Review: How to Take a Career Break to Travel Read More »
While losing your passport on the road is probably a traveler’s worst nightmare, I would guess most would agree a lost ATM card is a close second. I experienced that sinking feeling last week. I nonchalantly inserted my Capital One debit card into a Russian bank’s ATM machine in the center of St.
A Traveler’s Second Worst Nightmare: The Lost ATM Card Read More »
Traveling on a budget, I am always looking for a deal. So when I read that the State Hermitage Museum – probably the most famous attraction in St. Petersburg – offers free admission on the first Thursday of each month, I decided to postpone my visit until the first Thursday in October –
Free Day at the Hermitage Read More »
