And now summer is over. (without too much blogging to show for it, oops!)

I’m back in Budapest, at a new school, starting a new school year, teaching 1st and 2nd graders. The weather in Budapest is still too hot for my taste, but luckily the late summer nights have lost their edge. Our new flat–an amazing 10-minute walk from my new job–has a lovely balcony surrounded by leafy trees.

Even as I buckle down and get ready to adjust to a brand new school, and attempt to find anything in my new neighborhood, I can’t help but look back on the busy, busy summer with happiness and a bit of trailing exhaustion.

E and I are calling it the “Summer of Scenery” because, wow, did we see some of the most beautiful scenery in the world! (And because we like alliteration).

We started in Romania–Transylvania, specifically–and while the towns and cities we visited we totally charming, the mountains were a real highlight of the trip.

After Romania, and a stopover in Copenhagen (and I’ll say it again, but man do I want to live there!!) we headed to Norway. It was absolutely amazing and even though we spent only three days there, I can sufficiently say we enjoyed every second of our time there.

From Norway, we flew to Los Angeles to visit family–not a part of the trip where we were thinking of the scenery. I did find some pretty flowers, though! After we visited some family near Sacramento, we were able to join some of my extended family at Clearlake–and it’s so peaceful and pretty, especially in the morning!

Then, Montana, which is always picture-perfect. My friend got married in a beautiful spot while we were there, and another old childhood friend, who recently got her pilot’s license, took me up her in plane–so I got a whole new view of my hometown! I’ve flown commercially so often that I’m starting to feel ambivalent towards planes–not as thrilled as I used to be, for sure–but it was so much fun to fly in her tiny little plane.

Thanks to our awesome parents, E and I got a free ride between Montana and Washington (where my in-laws live). The trip is long but oh-so-pretty!

My in-laws live in a lovely area of the state (you may remember their yard was where we got married, and for a good reason) and it’s always nice to be back there.

While visiting that area, we hopped down to Oregon to visit my cousin and some friends in Portland, and hit the Oregon coast on our way back to Washington.

And still, after all that breathtaking scenery, we ended with a week in one of the prettiest countries of all time, my dreamland–Ireland!

I’ll be writing more about these places soon. For now…

The summer of scenery, indeed!

Linking up with Wanderlust Wednesday.

The post Summer of Scenery appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

I’m still exhausted from all the “making it count,” but it was so wonderful to see everyone and I miss you all already!

Besides seeing everyone we possibly could, we also squeezed in some amazing travel.

I need to go take a nap now.

SEVEN MONTHS IN BUDAPEST: BY THE NUMBERS

THREE DAYS in Norway.

THIRTY HOURS (or more) in the air. That’s too many, in case you were wondering.

SIX DAYS in California.

^^Be it Budapest or L.A., apparently my name is impossible to spell wherever I go

TWO DAYS at the lake soaking up family time.

ONE WEEK celebrating this couple with showers, parties, brunches, drinks and the wedding itself!

THIRTEEN DAYS in Montana with my parents–and one day visiting my brother in his little Montana town.

ONE HOUR flying above Montana in a tiny plane with the coolest pilot I know.

NOT ENOUGH time with my favorite pups.

THREE HOURS driving along the Oregon coast.

ONE NIGHT in Portland with some of our best friends.

SEVEN DAYS in Washington with my in-laws in their lovely corner of the world.

THIRTY-SIX HOURS with my sister. I’m so glad she made the long drive to spend one day with us before we left!

ONE BIRTHDAY (mine)…stuck in the airport. More on this later, but this summer will be remembered as one of the worst travel summers ever–canceled flights, missed connections, long delays…and ugh, so much more. Happy birthday?

A BELATED BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION…in Ireland! It’s my third time visiting Ireland and I’m still obsessed. Can someone find a way for me to live there? As a late birthday present, perhaps?

So, how was your month/summer? How do you keep track of your life?

Six Months in Budapest // Five Months in Budapest // Four Months in Budapest // Three Months in Budapest // Two Months in Budapest // One Month in Budapest // Three Months On the Road // Twelve Months in Prague

The post Seven Months in Budapest (By the Numbers) appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

I’ve mentioned this a few times on the blog, generally quickly and casually, because it’s an uncomfortable topic for me. I also never know how to bring it up. It doesn’t generally fit into my fun travel posts, or my expat revelations post.

Ultimately, this blog is about my story, and as often as I wish this anxiety and depression wasn’t a part of me, it is.

I’ve struggled on and off with depression and anxiety for a long time. I feel grateful for the fact that, as debilitating as it can be for me, it hasn’t prevented me from living my life.

I tend to feel anxiety about everything–it doesn’t discriminate–but for some reason, travel is often exempt from this category. Sure, I feel anxious about the details and the logistics, so I occasionally over plan (or, um, always over plan), but usually, I am certain that traveling to someplace new is never something I could regret. So, for some reason the anxiety around travel just…disspates. Which can seem completely opposite of what one would expect.

However, now that I am essentially traveling full-time, and after a year of living abroad and traveling as much as possible, my anxiety around travel has increased. Perhaps because travel is not just an escape from my life, but it kind of is my life? Travel is not just a quick vacation any more, but what we are building our life around, so I suppose it makes sense that it brings a whole other suitcase of things to worry about now.

I don’t have a magical solution for my anxiety, but I have noticed some things that help with this. I hope maybe they can help you, too, if you struggle with this or are nervous about traveling in general!

1. Plan, plan, plan. Obviously with travel, it’s important to remember that there is so much that lies out of your control. No matter how perfectly you plan, you are still not in charge of the flight or the hotel or the weather. However, it helps me to research as much as I can about where we are going, especially the best places to stay and the best ways to get around. If we are traveling more free-form, I also like to read as much about the country we are visiting as possible so I know our possibilities. I like the website Rough Guides for the general overview it gives to almost every country in the world–along with pictures!
2. Write a daily grateful journal. This one has been so important for me! I absolutely love journaling, but occasionally, as is common with anxiety, if I have too much freedom, I will end up dwelling in writing on whatever is making me anxious. Not good! My grateful journal gives me a positive direction to write in, helps me catalog specific memories I am grateful for that day, and reminds me of my staggering privilege. Since beginning to write in my journal almost every night several months ago, I’ve noticed an overall decrease in my anxiety and much better sleep at nights.
3. Coloring. This one is a method that has taken off huge recently thanks to the report that coloring is the next best thing to meditation. As a psychology student, I was introduced to this technique as I was working with kids. I discovered that it also works great for me! I have this awesome travel coloring book and it’s a fun way to calm myself down.
4. Focus on the moment. Mindfulness is huge in the psychology world, and for good reason. Since mindfulness is tricky and can take a lot of practice, an easy way to start is to play what I call “the Mindful Game.” I do this basically by turning my natural ability to over analyze and ask questions away from my own brain and onto the world around me. Asking questions like “what do I smell right now? what do I see? do I like what I see? why or why not? what am I sitting on? what do my socks feel like against my feet? am I comfortable? why or why not? do I like any colors or shapes around me? why?” and so on. It’s good to focus on something you like around you and explore why you like it. Like, why do you like that blue car? Is the blue pretty? Why do you think it’s pretty? It is cute? What makes it cute? However, when it’s something you don’t like, it is best not to judge your answer–say you don’t like it and move on, rather than dissecting that, because it could be a trigger.
5. Puzzles. I prefer crossword puzzles, but Sudoku or anything like that works well, especially when you are waiting and you are concerned about waiting or what comes next.
6. Breathing. Simple, but so important! There are so many breathing techniques, but they are all so effective. Sometimes I count to three as I inhale through my nose, count to four as I hold it, count to three as I exhale through my mouth. Sometimes I breathe deeply, again through my nose, as I imagine relaxing every muscle in my face, or even relaxing every muscle in my body, starting at my toes and moving upwards. Make sure to spend extra breaths on the parts of your body that hold more tension–I spend extra time on my knees, stomach, shoulders and forehead! Finally, a great one to do is one that I have often taught kids: the balloon method. Pretend that you have a blue balloon (or whatever color you choose) in your stomach. Breathe in slowly, filling up the balloon as big as it can get without popping. Don’t breathe too fast or it will pop! Then, imagine the air slowly leaving the balloon. You can even watch the balloon get bigger and smaller in your stomach if you want, it can be helpful to see what those breaths are doing. Just make sure to breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.
7. Music. Calming music, or fun music, can go a long way in soothing your anxiety. I have a bunch of music that I call my “nostalgic” music because it reminds me of different periods of my life, good ones!, which means hearing these songs will remind me of the good past, and give me a bit of a break from the stressful present.
8. Reading. If my anxiety level isn’t too high, reading fun, light books is a great way for me to relax. It also gives you something to do during those long hours trapped in an airplane, car, bus or train. I often will read highly suspenseful novels as a way to distract me from a long travel day, but I have to be careful because these can sometimes suck me in too much and increase my stress level, so I start to feel more stressed about my current situation than I had before.
9. Being prepared. Here’s where my extensive years in the Girl Scouts pays off–I always love to be prepared! (Okay, so that’s the Boy Scouts, but still). Along with my number one tip, to plan, being prepared can help alleviate some anxiety. I personally tend to go overboard with medication and extra underwear–and if I over pack in these areas a bit, but it gives me peace of mind, so what? I tend to have way more medications than I need. As long as I can over pack in these areas and still bring everything else along that I need, it’s no problem. In fact, I even have anxiety soothing medication that I have never used, just in case I have a panic attack or my anxiety gets out of control. Again, it gives me peace of mind to know it’s there.
10. Give yourself a break. Remember to validate your feelings. It’s okay to be nervous or anxious. It doesn’t mean that you don’t want to go, that you’re ignoring your instincts, or necessarily anything like that. I find that acknowledging my anxiety–instead of just trying to run away from it–helps calm it a little bit, as if my anxiety is a separate person screaming “PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!! Oh, you’re listening? Oh, okay.”
11. Do it your way. There is no wrong way to deal with your anxiety (although admittedly there are healthier responses than others). Do what works for you! Don’t forget to that usually, all of the traveling is worth the stress and anxiety.

Do you have anxiety while traveling? How do you deal with it? Share below in the comments! 

Linking up with Travel Tuesday. 

The post Anxiety and Traveling appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

I will have to write a long essay about my current emotional state regarding all these changes, and won’t that be fun??, but first, let’s discuss…

THREE MONTHS ON THE ROAD: BY THE NUMBERS 

THREE WEEKS in Costa Rica. I can’t even begin to cover everything we’ve done, really!

EIGHT NIGHTS (total) at one of the best Airbnbs in the world.

ONE MEAL in an airplane…on the ground. This is a common thing here, weirdly!

COUNTLESS headaches as I navigate the murky waters of Apple and getting my computer fixed (yes, it’s still a doorknob).

TWENTY DAYS with a car to explore! Loved our little jungle car. And although Costa Rica’s roads are just as wild as claimed, it was worth it to go wherever we wanted, whenever we wanted. 

AS MANY Pacific sunsets as we could manage!

FOUR VISITS to these hot springs near the Hacienda Guachipelin.

FIVE WATERFALLS. For swimming, for seeing, for visiting, and one even ridden down to via horseback.

SEVEN national parks visited.

SIX DAYS (three longer than planned!) in one of the best stops in Costa Rica: the cloud forest of Monteverde.

THREE DAYS of fighting sickness…hence the reason for our extended stay in Monteverde (that and it’s amazing). Not SO bad to be sick on your honeymoon when you get to snuggle up in a cute little cabin though, right?

ONE NIGHT with a volcano view.

SIX NIGHTS on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.

THREE NIGHTS at the incredible Banana Azul. A home away from home!

ONE Caribbean sunrise.

TEN (at least) hanging bridges crossed.

SEVEN sloth sightings! Including one baby! Which was too far away to get a good picture, but I will certainly remember it for.EVER.

One Month on the Road: By the Numbers
Two Months on the Road: By the Numbers

Now, tell me…how was your month?! Since I missed out on fall, my favorite, share some of your best autumnal moments in the comments! 

The post Three Months on the Road: By the Numbers appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

The noise // While staying in a dirt-cheap hotel near the airport on our first night, chosen solely for its free breakfast and shuttle, E insisted that he heard monkeys outside. I think I was too dead asleep to notice anything but my pillow, so I can’t fully support this claim, but I can tell you that hearing strange noises from the jungle has been our norm since then. There is a constant hum of life coming from the jungle, mostly from the cicadas (which give me serious Sichuan province flashbacks). Apparently there are more than one kind of cicada? We also have heard many birds and monkeys moving through the trees and the famous Howler Monkey, which really should be called the Roaring Monkey if you ask me (with a name like “howler” I figured it would sound something like a wolf–but I think it sounds more like an angry lion). Then, there are the storms. The crazy thunderstorms that wake me up in the middle of the night are exhilarating but also I cannot imagine sleeping through them!

The rules of the road // There are endless warnings about this when you research renting a car in Costa Rica. E and I aren’t generally the type to rent a car when we travel, except for that one awesome time my parents visited Europe and we road tripped around Austria & Germany, and usually I am pleased enough with the cheapest public transportation we can find. However, on our honeymoon, I wanted this piece of luxury, dammit! And so, despite the many warnings (there are plenty of good stories too, though!) we decided to rent a car. It’s gone fairly smoothly–and we got a very decent deal through Budget–but these roads, man. Not just insane traffic and mysterious signs, but, they are ridden with pot holes and some that are really just muddy trails. It’s been an adventure, for sure! Still, I love our cute little SUV.

The weather // Oh yes as usual I did poor research regarding the weather and it shows. I think I was resistant to the fact that I would be leaving autumn, my favorite time of the year, for the tropics. Well I did leave fall behind (don’t remind me, I’m in mourning) and I’m boiling alive. Luckily it’s rainy season (I did in fact know this one!!!) and that helps cool things down. I guess when I pictured us in Costa Rica, I saw us frolicking through the cool and misty jungle, not fighting through a muddy, sweaty rainforest. For such a thorough researcher, t’s funny that weather is always the part I forget to care about.

The food // I thought people were exaggerating when they said it was always “rice and beans or, to mix it up, beans and rice.” They weren’t. But, we’ve also had the most delicious drinks, we’ve tried new fruit and have had the best pineapple, bananas, watermelon ever, and had some amazingly fresh seafood, like tuna. So it’s not ALL beans and rice or rice and beans!

The lies // Okay this one is dramatic and mostly intended in jest. When I went to Latin America for the first time I was warned that the polite thing to do in this culture is to tell someone what they want to hear, even if it’s not strictly true/quite a stretch. Now sometimes I can get behind this, when I ask someone how I look or if they think I’m brilliant, for instance–but when I need directions somewhere? Not so much. It doesn’t help that my Spanish isn’t nearly as good as I think it is. It’s interesting how many people we’ve encountered that seem like experts in what we’re talking about–from the turtle nesting season to the possibility of whale watching to where a certain waterfall is located. I always forgive them for not knowing, though, because nearly everyone has been so sweet and friendly. Specifically, they call it “a la Tica” here, or the Costa Rican way–basically it is the goal of everyone here to  keep the peace as much as possible. I guess in a country that doesn’t have a military you can understand this value.

The diversity // Since we arrived two weeks ago, we’ve seen so many different types of animals, millions of plants and flowers, and a few too many species of insects (like a scorpion and spiders that could eat me–apparently it’s “spider season”, who knew such a horrid thing existed–and a locust the size of a bird). I have to give this country major applause for their commitment to biodiversity and preservation. We’ve criss-crossed the country (already!) and I’m amazed to spot new, different species everywhere–did you know there were two different types of toucans, at least? And cute little birds called toucanettes?! And more than one kind of sloth?! And that sloths might be the most awesome and adorable and hilarious animals, ever?!

Married life // Oh yeah, E and I have been married for almost three weeks now! Do I feel different? Hmmm not too much. But I do like seeing him in his wedding ring. We have been existing in mostly a state of bliss since our amazing wedding.

The prices // Why did I think Costa Rica was “so cheap?” And why do I always think I’m better at being frugal than I actually am? We have found some great deals, don’t get me wrong–gorgeous Airbnbs and lovely little inns and quirky little hostels. It’s the food and activities that get to me–so pricey! Luckily there are always ways, if you know where to look (and I’m learning and when I do I will share it with you!)

The hammocks //  I guess this is the country of hammocks because they are everywhere. I am loving it and I’ve become kind of a hammock connoisseur–I can instantly spot which ones will be afternoon reading/nap spot perfection.

The packing // This must certainly be the BEST I have ever packed for a trip, in terms of weight and organization. Mostly because E raided his father’s travel gear from their recent trip to Europe and he fully engaged his sometimes ridiculous love of little tubs and bags and packing cubes. I admit it has made everything so much easier, but this also means I wasn’t able to indulge my pack-for-any-contigency attitude that has become somewhat famous, er, infamous. (Oh, the sacrifices of a wife). For the most part though, I feel pretty prepared for anything–but I am already sick of the four shirts I brought and we still have a month to go!

Have you been to Costa Rica? Anyplace I need to see? Are you the type who only brings the necessities, or do you overpack?  

The post The Jungle is Loud (and Other Keen Observations from Costa Rica So Far) appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

Remember me? It’s been awhile. I would apologize but…I was busy getting married and starting my honeymoon! And then, my computer broke, so it was pretty clear that the fates wanted me to take a little break from my blog. even though I did want to do a gushy wedding post, at least. Also, just as I was trying to load photos to this post, the power went out and hence, so did my Wifi. What is up, universe?!

Anyway, I wish I could say I was back for good now, but unfortunately between the lack of internet here, a still-broken computer, and the fact that I am supposed to be relaxing and honeymooning, I can’t make any promises.

My half self-imposed half-forced break from blogging, though, has shown me how much this little corner of the internet means to me. I missed all of you! I missed writing! I have so much to share with you! So let’s get started!

TWO MONTHS ON THE ROAD: BY THE NUMBERS 

ONE PERFECT (WEDDING) DAY that somehow came together after six weeks of crazy planning and stress. Even though we were engaged for seven months, most of the work happened after we came back to the States at the end of August. I admit that by the time our wedding rolled around, I was sick of it and ready for it to be over. And then, our wedding day ended up being totally magical. All the problems and issues (mostly) worked themselves out, the sun was shining and there were some changing leaves, almost everyone we love was there, and E and I got married! Can’t forget that detail. E and I were both exhausted and figured we would be the first ones to leave. The day was so incredible, though, that I never wanted it to end, we were some of the last to leave and now I miss it! All the clichés they tell you apparently are true.

THREE HOURS taking engagement photos in Seattle with our wedding photographer, a friend of mine since we were three! E and I both hate getting our picture taken, but it ended up be really fun and she got some good ones!

ONE EVENING with most of my favorite women. Bachelorette in the house! Did we even take any more photos? This is all I got..

TOO MUCH homesickness for Prague. Homesickness is funny, isn’t it? Our wedding was fantastic and now we are on a Costa Rican adventure, so a part of me feels like I have no right to miss Prague. I’m learning that you can miss something and still be grateful for what you have.

TONS of gorgeous flowers. A family friend of E’s gave us this gorgeous bouquet to celebrate our wedding week, from her garden!, and my aunt did an incredible job with the flowers for our wedding.

ONE FLOWER CROWN worn. I don’t have my wedding photos yet so I don’t have many photos to share…but flower crown!!! I was much more excited to wear this than my wedding dress.

EIGHT DAYS in Costa Rica so far!

TWELVE DAYS of having a husband. This is him:

THREE NIGHTS starting our honeymoon at the gorgeous Tortuga Lodge and Gardens in the remote Torteguero National Park. We saw monkeys from off our back porch, saw an endangered Green Turtle lay eggs, took boat trips in the canals, were intrepid jungle explorers, slept, relaxed, and ate!

TWO humpback whales seen, one of which was a baby! Life is grand.

TWO NIGHTS, so far, at this killer Airbnb in the small village of Dominical on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. There’s a sloth that hangs on right off the deck, views of the ocean and jungle, a bathtub you can swim in, red bananas grown on the property, and more space than we could ever need. Feeling so lucky to be able to recharge here for the next week or so!

One Month on the Road: By the Numbers

By the Numbers: Prague

QUESTION:

Have you ever been to Costa Rica? Would you go there for your honeymoon? 

The post Two Months on the Road: By the Numbers appeared first on Amy and the Great World.

ONE MONTH ON THE ROAD: BY THE NUMBERS 

ONE WEEK with 30 kids under the age of 13 in the Czech mountains.

ONE birthday cake, Czech style. Along with “happy birthday” sung by all the kids and my fellow teachers.

FIVE DAYS in London.

TURNING TWENTY-EIGHT in London!

EIGHT HOURS in a spaceship, a.k.a. the Yotel in Gatwick Airport. A really cool hotel idea–and really comfortable–but also so tiny! Perfect for the airport, though, when you just need a place to crash before and early/late flight.

FOUR afternoon teas in London.

THREE HOURS at the Harry Potter Studio Tour! Maybe my best birthday present, ever.

TWO HOURS eating lunch with the lovely Jessi! My favorite part of blogging is the community, and especially getting to meet these people in real life. So far, Jessi and I have met up in Prague, Cologne, and London! How cool is that?

THIRTEEN HOUR flight from London to Seattle, via Frankfurt. It was my first international flight that wasn’t partially at night, and wow. Don’t want to do that again! Also, the airline we flew on did not give us free movies or TV shows…tell me this isn’t a sign of the future?!

ONE wedding dress purchased after weeks of research and trying on at least ten. I’ll be honest and say I never had that “moment” where I knew it was “the one”–but it was fun, it was on sale, and I was running out of the time. So, goal!

FORTY-FIVE minutes of cake tasting, hands-down the best part of this whole wedding planning experience.

TEN DAYS at home in Montana.

TOO MANY days steeped in wedding plans. As I keep saying, it’s rather hilarious that this completely uncrafty girl is throwing a largely DIY wedding. Things are getting finished, though!

ONE DAY sailing on Lake Washington, near Seattle.

TWO WEEKS of reverse culture shock. I guess it’s fading…until I walk into Target, a mall, or something of the like. It’s akin to the same feeling I had whenever I walked into the Czech grocery store: being overwhelmed and slightly panicky, yet also feeling the strange urge to buy everything and try new things/old things I forgot existed (like PopTarts!! Remember PopTarts?!?).

SIX WEEKS booked in Central America! Hard to believe the next “By the Numbers” post will be written from Costa Rica.

source

THREE WEEKS until I get to marry the guy who wrote this:

Previous By the Numbers:

Twelve Months in Prague (By the Numbers)                                                                                                        Eleven Months in Prague (By the Numbers)
Ten Months in Prague (By the Numbers)
Nine Months in Prague (By the Numbers)
Eight Months in Prague (By the Numbers)
Seven Months in Prague (By the Numbers)
Six Months in Prague (By the Numbers)
Five Months in Prague (By the Numbers)
Four Months in Prague (By the Numbers)
Three Months in Prague (By the Numbers)
Two Months in Prague (By the Numbers)
One Month in Prague (By the Numbers)

QUESTION:

How is your September shaping up so far? 

The post One Month on the Road: By the Numbers appeared first on Amy and the Great World.