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AMSTERDAM 2016

Posted by Samantha on August 2, 2017June 8, 2019

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Previous article BECOMING DUTCH FOR A FEW WEEKS

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“Since life is short and the world is wide, the sooner you start exploring, the better.” – Simon Raven

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Feb 2015: #Brisbane, The last city on the four #city family #Australian tour. I lived a whole year just an hour outside this city (that was completely accessible by public transport from my apartment) and did not get to #explore it as much as I would’ve liked to. It’s definitely one of Australia’s most is underrated cities. The #arts and culture scene is huge while still maintaining the laid back #beach vibe and beautiful North #Queensland weather. It was once referred to, to me as “the #country city of Australia” and I felt that very much applied.

Jan 2015: The Great Barrier Reef is the worlds largest #coral reef system- it is the only living thing that can be seen from outer space and is stretched across most of North East Australia (starting from approximately #Rockhampton and continuing up the coast of #queensland 2000km/ 1400 miles.) It was awarded #UNESCO world heritage status in 1981 but has taken quite a beating from natural and human factors in the last few years, which is why it’s so important to be aware of what’s going in the #world in terms of your #carbon footprint, so we can continue to enjoy #nature like this for the generations to come. The most popular places to visit the reef from are #Cairns (cans) and the Whitsunday Islands. It is one of my favorite parts about visiting #Australia because as soon as you submerge your head #underwater you are immediately transported to another world! It’s so #peaceful to watch the fish and #coral go about their daily lives as you observe from above. You might even come across a curious #fish who will say hello 🐠

Jan 2015: #Cairns is one of the several places you can visit the #GreatBarrierReef! It has a beautiful #esplanade with a #pool and free fitness classes right next to the #Harbor where the boats take you out to the #reef. It’s great because you can’t #swim in at the beaches due to the Saltwater 🐊 habitats and the weather gets hot in the summertime in Northern #Queensland.

Jan 2015: One thing I absolutely love about visiting a new city is the opportunity to explore the #nature that usually lives just outside. About an hours drive outside #Melbourne you can visit tons of wineries, a beautiful coastal road called the #GreatOceanRoad, and even the homes of #penguins 🐧 on #PhillipsIsland.

Jan 2015: Next stop #Melbourne. Melbourne quickly became one of my favorite cities- there is a ton to do and see just walking around the city, but also lots of nature just 20 minutes outside. It also has much more diverse weather than northern Queensland, including much cooler winter temps ❄️

Jan 2015: While I love the off-the-beaten-paths while traveling sometimes the #touristy things are absolutely worth the hype- to this day one of my favorite things I’ve done was #climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge. I am a huge fan of birds eye view, I could stare out an airplane window all day if I could! This would definitely be a splurge in your travel budget but 100% worth it in my opinion. Not all cities have #bridges you can climb, so my advice would be to find a lookout it tower. Sydney also has one, right in the middle of the city. While I find the best ones to be just outside the city, it’s always cool to see a tiny city below you. The best time to go, in my opinion, is just before sunset (unless they tower has a double entry option where you can go once during the day and once at night) you can see the city at sunset and when the nightlights start to come on!

Jan 2015: My year abroad ended with a 10 day, 4 city trip around #Australia with my family. First stop #Sydney. I didn’t get a chance to visit here during my semester so it was my first time here. It was also my parents first time abroad, which was really fun for me to be able to show them around the country I had been living in for the past year!

February 2014- February 2015: 365 sunsets away from home came complete with hardships, challenges and homesickness but also lots of new friendships, love, laughter and growth. If you’re ever thinking of studying, working, moving or living abroad, it comes highly recommended from me. I completed my year in 2015 and now in 2020 there’s even more online resources to help you make the most of your year abroad! Take full advantage of Facebook groups to reach out to those currently doing and finished with the path you’re about to embark on.

2014: I had the opportunity to visit Darwin during my work holiday year to visit a good friend but also my partner and I were having trouble and my favorite thing to do when life gets rough is book a plane ticket! #Darwin is one of the most northern points of #Australia. Best known for #Kakadu National Park, you’ll find a lot of Saltwater #Crocodiles and wildlife up here as well as a lot of #Aboriginal culture (native australians.) Most recently Darwin is known for #mining, a lot of tradesmen live up north or FIFO (fly in fly out) to work in the mines. The mining industry in #Australia, especially northern Australia is huge. Darwin has beautiful waterfront and beaches but unfortunately because of the #saltwater crocs you can’t swim in. It’s still a beautiful place to visit, often overlooked because it is quite far from other majors cities like #Brisbane, 4 hours by plane- showing how large Australia really is.

2014: Another one of my favorite local nature spots living on the #SunnyCoast was an entire #mountain chain called the #GlasshouseMountains. There are so many mountain hikes on the Sunshine Coast that makes is easy to want to get outside and #exercise.This is the view from the top of #MountNgungun (pronounced Mount gun gun) all the mountains in the Glasshouse Mountain chain are included in an #aboriginal legend where all the mountains are a member of the family. There are 13 in total. #Glasshousemountainsnationalpark

2014: Noosa National Park was one of my favorite stomping grounds while living on the #SunshineCoast. It was a wealthy vacation destination for #Australians but the National Park was free to enjoy. Tons of beautiful #beaches and a #hiking trail throughout the park and even opportunities to see #Koalas in the wild.

2014: Living somewhere for an #extended period of time means you have more time to explore the #local spots, that you would otherwise have to cut out of your #vacation #itinerary. The #SunshineCoast is full of tons of beautiful #nature that I was able to experience during my year living there. One of my favorite things to do was to #hike and #swim in the nearby #waterfalls on a hot day, this one #konalillafalls, was home to a freshwater #eel!

March 2014: 1/3 I loved the view from my #apartment. I got lucky and was able to move back to where I was living during my semester abroad for my work holiday year but finding a place to live when moving #overseas alone and not knowing a soul can be a stressful #task. What neighborhood, roommates, what can I afford it? My advice- take full advantage of the internet! Start with #Facebook groups with other travelers (try to find locals to the area you’re moving) and online sites like Craigslist (it’s different in every country) but always be weary of #scams. Never send money #overseas before you get somewhere and always trust your gut.

March 2014: 2/3 I loved the view from my #apartment. I got lucky and was able to move back to where I was living during my semester abroad for my work holiday year but finding a place to live when moving #overseas alone and not knowing a soul can be a stressful #task. What neighborhood, roommates, what can I afford it? My advice- take full advantage of the internet! Start with #Facebook groups with other travelers (try to find locals to the area you’re moving) and online sites like Craigslist (it’s different in every country) but always be weary of #scams. Never send money #overseas before you get somewhere and always trust your gut.

March 2014: 3/3 I loved the view from my #apartment. I got lucky and was able to move back to where I was living during my semester abroad for my work holiday year but finding a place to live when moving #overseas alone and not knowing a soul can be a stressful #task. What neighborhood, roommates, what can I afford it? My advice- take full advantage of the internet! Start with #Facebook groups with other travelers (try to find locals to the area you’re moving) and online sites like Craigslist (it’s different in every country) but always be weary of #scams. Never send money #overseas before you get somewhere and always trust your gut. #theforeignlocaltraveler

March 2014: Moving abroad will bend, break, mend and help you grow simultaneously. It took me a month of full time searching, applying and interviewing to find a job where I wanted to live. That job would take me through most of my year abroad and teach me some valuable life lessons. And then I lost that job a few months short my my year abroad and had to find a new one.

My first #passport #stamps! It’s been so fun to collect these since my first one in 2013 and while these hold a #special place in my heart being #first and all, I’d say since then #Japan is the coolest one I have. What’s your #favorite #passportstamp ? They actually don’t even stamp your passport anymore in #Australia ! I was super bummed when I went back in 2018 and learned this.

February 2014: I was so much more nervous than I needed to be when packed up all my things for a year and moved back overseas. What if I failed? What if I didn’t make enough money to stay, what if I missed home too much, what if I didn’t make any friends, what if things didn’t work out with my partner. Despite not having a ton of support, I went and I wouldn’t change a thing. I emptied my bank account on top of the money I was earning, I was able to live in a beautiful place for an entire year (living off $50 a week 😅)and make some lifelong memories. I still consider the #SunshineCoast home, so how lucky am I?! I learned so much on my #workholiday year, including how to really adult in a another county: bank accounts, phone bills, working numbers and even taxes.

February 2014: I was fortunate to always have a little layover in Los Angeles before I headed to #Australia and even more fortunate to have my mom join me and even more fortunate to have a friend from college who moved there and always made to time see me (and let me crash on her couch when I was in need of a bed in #LA.) It was so nice to have a break in the long flights and split it up into a 5 hour flight and a 14 hour flight with a good night sleep in between. I conquered the flights but I did not conquer the #luggage limit. 2 suitcases, 50lbs each for an entire year. That was a challenge!

February 2014: I did it! I finished my Bachelors degree and after seven long months I was headed back to #Australia 🇦🇺 with the bare minimum in my bank account, applying for the #WorkHolidayVisa, organizing paperwork, insurance and a place to live, I still had no idea what was instore for me in 2014 but I know I couldn’t have been more ready to take the jump and head back “home”, still to this day is one of the best decisions I ever made. Would I do it over again if I could? Absolutely and probably better the second time around but they only let you Work Holiday once in your lifetime 😂 and only until you turn 30.

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AMSTERDAM 2016

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Virgin Islands (British)

Virgin Islands (U.S.)

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