Well hello friends, and Merry Christmas! I hope you're enjoying the chaotic, joyous, holiday-filled weeks as we move on toward 2016 as I am! Derik and I been galavanting around in the good ol' US of A this holiday season, and have enjoyed reuniting with family and friends along the way. I don't know if you're like me, but I make a New Year's resolution every year to be good at buying gifts early…and it never happens. So here I sit, two weeks from Christmas, with a whole list of people to shop for. I actually enjoy getting creative gifts for others, so that's not my problem…If I'm honest with myself, I'm just a gigantic procrastinator. You know that girl in college who didn't have the 10-page paper started the night before it was ... Read More
Finding a Place to Live in New Zealand
So you've been approved for a visa, and you're headed over to New Zealand (aka paradise on Earth)! We've already talked about finding work, so the next logical step would be finding a [temporary] home! As much as I would love to tell you the opposite, hobbit holes are not readily available to rent in New Zealand. A girl can dream though right? Looking for a place to live outside Hobbiton (am I taking this Middle Earth narrative too far?) can be quite daunting , especially when you don't know the lay of the land or have no idea about how things are properly orchestrated over here when it comes to housing. Looking back at our 'housing journey' I would have loved finding material to read before we began the task of house-hunting. I will ... Read More
What 1,095 Days of Travel Has Taught Me
On February 16, 2012 we hopped aboard a plane bound for South Korea with two carry on bags, two personal items, and four checked bags. Little did we know our short year in Korea would turn out to be three years abroad, but here we are. We've since downgraded all we own from those four checked bags to two due to international regulations and hard core fees (problems with living outside the US), but it's been for the better I think. Our expat anniversary also aligns with the blogiversary of LIAL. I started this blog back in February of 2012 as a way for my family to keep in touch with us. Look at it now?! I would have never dreamed I would be sitting here, writing for thousands of loving followers. From the bottom of my heart, thank you ... Read More
2014-Our Year in Travels.
2014 was a great year. Although we weren't as concentrated in the globetrotting spectrum as we were in 2013, a lot of changes came our way, and we were very thankful for them. The year started off with a bang as we spent two months traveling through Hawaii, the Philippines, and then into Thailand. It was so nice catching up with our families for the first time in 2.5 years in Hawaii, and then Derik and I enjoyed alone time as we traveled through Asia. I have never been on so many flights in my life [combined] as we did on this trip. So thankful everything worked out without a single delay! We then headed back to Korea to enjoy a gorgeous spring. Little did we know that it was the last spring we would be living in Korea. By the ... Read More
Things All Expats Do But Won’t Admit To
First of all, I'm currently working on getting those survey results to you, and I'm so thrilled that 250 of you participated! Love seeing what you had to say and what you're interested in with LIAL. It's quite the feat to get that post up showing you all the stats, but I'm bound and determined to have it up before the week's over. Now, let's talk a little bit about expats. As you know (or maybe you don't), Derik and I have been living overseas since February of 2012. We began our expat journey on a little industrial island in South Korea, and then decided to move over here to New Zealand after 2.5 years. We're not 'professional expats' by any means, as there are some folks out there that have lived abroad for more than a decade! I'd like ... Read More
Why You Should Travel in 2015
The truth of the matter is, this year went by too fast as years normally do. Now that we're heading into the last month of 2014, we're left wondering where all the time went, what exactly we did with ourselves, and did we actually do anything about the past year's resolutions? I'll be writing a 'looking back on 2014' post at the end of December, but I'd have to say I loved this year. It's been on of my favorites! I also have high hopes for 2015, and look forward to seeing what kind of opportunities come our way. The older I get the more I realize how short life is, and that makes me want to make sure I'm living it the best that I can. “I beg young people to travel. If you don’t have a passport, get one. Take a summer, get a backpack ... Read More
What Travel Means To Me
It means... ...I get to discover different ways people do life. ...I no longer have control over my environment. ...I end up accidentally acting like a fool multiple times a week. ...happiness is not by acquiring things, but by making memories. ...being outside my comfort zone 24/7. ...I treasure the familiar so much more than I used to. ...the world is bigger than I could ever possibly imagine. ...I have the opportunity to make friends from all corners of the world. ...I will constantly be learning and growing. ...wanderlust will always be a part of my life. ... Read More
Real Life Friends
I feel kind of silly using 'real life friends' as my post title, as it's kind of a new term within our generation. We are so connected through social media and the internet, strangers we've never met can become our 'cyber friends.' However, we all know you can't live on 'cyber friends' alone, and real human interaction and friendship is needed to live a normal life. Everyone wants friends right? The first problem is this: When you live a life of travel, those 'real life friends' you've had your whole life get further and further away as you leave for destinations you only dreamed of. Sure you can call, iMessage, and FaceTime your friends, but it's not long before that 'real life friend' relationship fades into a 'cyber friend' ... Read More
Living Expenses in Korea
Now that Derik and I have lived here two and a half years, I feel we have a pretty good grasp on how to budget things financially, and aren't usually surprised by unforeseen living expenses in Korea To those considering moving to this fine country, those curious about certain info, or those already here, maybe this will be somewhat of a help to you! If these three types of people don't apply to you, then maybe you'll just want to read this just to know the info and surprise your friends someday. :) Believe it or not, Korea is actually a pretty expensive place to live. That is if you're paying for your own rent, utilities, food, transportation, technology and beyond. Some jobs provide housing, transportation, and phone services, ... Read More