Thus is good to know on either side of the border!
Monthly Archives: April 2015
What It’s Really, Truly Like to Be a Travel Writer
http://www.afar.com/magazine/what-its-really-truly-like-to-be-a-travel-writer
I really enjoy blogging which I believe is all about capturing and freeze framing my traveling and snow bird experiences. However, after almost six months during my second winter in SMA because I was working on a guidebook called ‘One Suitcase Snowbird’ my blog production has plummeted or was written ‘on the fly’ to be revisited later. Whenever that was.
As I prepare to return to my NOB home, I’m not all that happy about this. But I certainly DO have a new appreciation for professional writers where there is some type of external pressure or deadline imposed to complete a project.
I WILL deliver my first typed draft to my prospective publisher by the end of May but it is quite likely that I will return to blogging for pleasure not business. My writing process is to compose and edit onscreen but since this was a ‘serious’ longer endeavor I reverted to multiple hand written drafts to promote’flow’ between the 18 sections of the threw part Ready, Set, Go format.
I’m in the middle of my fourth Sharpie written draft right now Stay tuned.
Or not.
I’ll be switching over to my Continuing the Artist Way in Nanaimo blog June First.
The Ultimate List of All the Converters You’ll Ever Need
This site is really useful in this day and age. I had to reluctantly drop out of a MOOC this week because I couldn’t understand out how to submit my TESL lesson plan by converting it into a PDF file and after doing that how to submit the converted template.
Alas…
It’s been while since I was in grad school at the University of Calgary working on a Graduate Diploma in Educational Technology and it shows.
Alas…
Unique Occupations That Can Earn You Money Abroad, Part #2 – CreditWalk.ca
https://www.creditwalk.ca/unique-occupations-can-earn-money-abroad-part-2/
This is Part Two of the previous posting.
Dear Nora: 11 Ways to Earn Money While You Travel
https://www.creditwalk.ca/dear-nora-11-ways-earn-money-travel/
One other blog to revisit in more depth next well when I’m betwixt and between…
Most Common Irregular Spanish Verbs
http://www.linguasorb.com/spanish/irregular-verbs/
Didn’t get to Spanish escuela alas, this winter but this week a free Beginning Spanish class starts on http://www.iversity.org. It’s a MOOC. Right now, I’m working on a TESL MOOC (massive open online course) with the University of Oregon. It’s called ‘Shaping the Way We Teach English’ and I’m starting this five week class on one side of the border but finishing it on the other side!
I think the next ‘ right step’ is to keep working on my TESL credentials, apply to teach English online for USD into my established PayPal account and visualize a short term paid ESL position in possibly Panama City next invierno!
This was the outside of my 2 B English callas at the SMA School of English this winter. I had 12 adults ranging from high school age to middle age domestic, retail and hospitality workers.
People Who Spend Money On Experiences Instead Of Things Are Much Happier
http://elitedaily.com/news/world/people-spend-money-experiences-instead-things-much-happier/983208/
As I get older, I know that this is more true all the time. This is my fourth winter in Mexico but as I’m packing up my six month life I’m seeing really how little I shopped this year but how many fabuloso experiences I had!
Don’t get me wrong, I still love the mercados/ markets of San Miquel de Allende but my buying criteria has been radically altered. For one thing, I presently do not have a permanent address. If there is such a thing, anyway.
Because of the high vacancy rate in my city on Vancouver Island the year I wanted a sublet I was unsuccessful. My landlords were willing but the party who I thought was rock solid wasn’t. The landlords raised the rent after the deal was struck, the sublet was unwilling to pay the increase and the while deal collapsed. I was stick paying rent on both sides of the border!
Since that time, I’ve had my ‘stuff in a rented storage locker when I am a snowbird which is not the ideal solution either but… And it’s a big but.
Last year I rented a room in a house which I really enjoyed which included a rent a poodle, Suki that I could take out for walks and play with. As a loooooong time cat owner this was a new experience, for sure.
This is Suki on top of my quilt that I had packed up as I was stripping the need on my last night! I kind of think she wanted to go to Mexico with me!
This year I have a suite to rent for the five months I’ll be in town. Once again, thus is not a ‘permanent’ solution but one which will work for 2015. I gave up my phone number once again since I didn’t want monthly phone bills North of the Border and have a unlocked telephone makes it easy to get a SIM card in Mexico and have a local number!
Hence, I don’t know what’s in my crystal ball address wise but I do know that I’m heading ‘home’ for a week then hitting the highway for a roadtrip to the Kootenays and the Yasodhara Ashram in particular!
Suki, wonder poodle of Hammond Bay, I’m coming home and you will never guess what’s in my suitcase!
Last year you got a t shirt, poodle sized sombrero and Mexican toys. This year? Wait and see, my pocito pero!
Can Mole Negro Be in Danger of Extinction?
As I have discovered there are many kinds of multi ingredient mole sauce and thus Oaxacan trademark type apparently is in danger of extinction due to the scarcity of one of it’s ingredients.
Who knew?
How to Get Through Airport Security Faster
http://www.afar.com/magazine/how-to-get-through-airport-security-faster
I don’t want to get ahead of myself here but yes, the sands of my time here in San Miquel are running through the hour glass and coming to a close at the end of the month. I’ve got my eticket printed out from the Orbitz site and I’ve hauled out my new lightweight purple suitcase from the downstairs hallway.
These are some good tips to scan if you are leaving or arriving…or both!
Teach in Panama | Teach Away Inc.
https://www.teachaway.com/teach-in-Panama
Excellent site for those considering teaching English in Central and South America! Once your level of Spanish improves the options really open up!
Snowbird Soliloquy 