Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Just For Today

Just for Today I will try to live through this day only, and not tackle all my problems at once. I can do something for twelve hours that would appall me if I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime.

Just for Today I will be happy. This assumes to be true what Abraham Lincoln said, "Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."

Just for Today I will adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires, I will take my "luck" as it comes, and fit myself to it.

Just for Today I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.

Just for Today I will exercise my soul in three ways: I will do somebody a good turn, and not get found out; if anybody knows of it, it will not count. I will do at least two things I don't want to do --just for exercise. I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt; they may be hurt but today I will not show it.

Just for Today I will have a program. I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it. I will save myself from two pests : hurry and indecision.

Just for Today I will have a quiet half hour all by myself, and relax. During this half hour, sometime, I will try to get a better perspective of my life.

Just for Today I will be unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful, and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Where I've Been & Where I'm Going


As I plan out the next adventure in my life, I've decided to re-count all the places I've been and all the places I hope to go. It is absurd how big the world is, and everyday is one day closer to my next big goal : Asia.

*Where I've Been:
  • Cuidad Juarez - Mexico
  • Sintra, Lisbon, & Setubal - Portugal
  • Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada, Cadiz, Ronda, Nerja, Jerez - Spain
  • Paris - France
  • Florence - Italy
  • Koln, Marburg, Frankfurt, Ingoldstadt, Munich - Germany
  • Zurich - Switzerland
  • Luxembourg City - Luxembourg
  • Bangkok - Thailand
  • The Bahamas
*Where I'm going (in Asia):

  • Seoul - South Korea
  • Hong Kong, Beijing - China
  • Tokyo - Japan
  • Philippines
  • Indonesia
  • India
I have been to most of the southern parts of Europe, but am hoping to get to so so so much more. I am absolutely in love with Europe. And I can't wait to go everywhere up North, and then over to the UK. (I'm dying to go to Scotland!). But as I plan all this traveling, I have to keep a little perspective going, and bring myself back down to reality too sometimes. I'm hoping to accomplish Asia in the next year. And from Asia it seems only plausible (and EXTREMELY exciting) to hit up Australia and New Zealand too.

So....South Korea is next and I'm working hard to get there. I can't even begin to think about Africa or South America, I want to go everywhere! In the next year I believe I can accomplish Asia and that's just what I'm planning on doing.

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” – Robert Louis Stevenson


Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Nachos Anyone?


So. Since the last time I posted (still trying to get used to keeping up with the actual writing of the blog), I have been brain-storming like crazy. A world tour?! By myself?! It's going to take a lot of preparation and planning on my part. BUT, I do have a solution and a first destination.

Korea.

Yep. If you know me you're probably wondering..."Kate, YOU are going to ASIA?" Yeah yeah yeah, we all know I lived on Oahu for quite some time and was a little..."confused" you could say with the Asian culture at times.

But Korea seems like the perfect place to start to see the world, not to mention a great place to earn a living as a foreigner to save up for the rest of my journey. I owe a lot of this spark of excitement to my good friend Nacho. Don't ask about the name, just accept it. Love it. Roll with it.

I will have to elaborate on this Mission Korea plan a lot in the next few postings. But for now I am so overwhelmed with the amount of paper work and documents I need to collect in order to obtain a Visa to even be allowed in Korea. I apparently need my college diploma (am I sure I graduated?!)...well I can't be too sure because I can't seem to find my actual diploma. You know, the real one. Not the fake piece of paper they give you while you walk across the stage. SO, if I can't find my real one I have to order a replacement. Which could take up to 10-14 weeks the girl told me at UH. And if I know Hawaiian Time....it just ain't gonna be anywhere near 10-14 weeks. So I'm a little worried about that.

My time frame is February and/or March of next year to actually be in Korea working. So yes, that does give me about 3-4 months. However, with the ordering of the diploma and the criminal background check that takes weeks as well, I just hope I can get it all done. And done right. If it's anything like the Visa I had to obtain to study in Spain...whew....I'm in for the long hall of frustrating phone calls, angry emails, and dis functional faxes.

Nacho and I went to high school together back in Eureka. He's been living in Korea now for over a year, and loves it. It's kind of cheating because he's half Korean, but hey, gotta take advantage of those roots. But he has successfully sold a great allusion to life in Korea. Count me in!

I have a plan. I have a first destination. I have a time frame. And I have Nacho. That's all I need to get this kick ass World Adventure started.

Thoughts?

Monday, October 26, 2009

~Constructive Thinking~


So I woke up this morning feeling really confused, angry, and....old. Yep. Old. I know what you're thinking. I am only 24, coming up fairly soon on 25 haha. But I'm old. Bottom line. I tried to lay in bed for awhile before getting up for coffee to figure out why it is I feel this way. The answer to feeling confused and angry are easy actually, and that in some way is comforting. I'm confused about why in the last month what I thought my life was going to be just suddenly came crashing down because of one person. And I'm angry because how dare I let all my dreams and hopes rely on one person who can so easily bring them down?

But the answer to feeling old took me a little while longer to figure out. Here is how I figure it, and hopefully how I propose to fix it (cross your fingers). I went to high school, and a few months later attended college. Although I did transfer colleges a few times, I graduated with a degree I was rather interested in. I travelled as much as I could in college, and even studied abroad. So I did everything right....right? In life it seems everything is laid out for us in some sort of a time-line. High school, college, career, marriage, kids...maybe. But what if, I don't want a career? What if this whole time I've been thinking I'll just float along in life, dreaming of new things, and hope that someday something (or someone) will just up and grab me and that'll be my answer? Well I think it's safe to say that whatever life I thought I had floated onto, has just informed me that I will no longer be continuing on that path....and will have to create a new one.

Me?! Create my OWN life...ewwww. That sounds really friggin' hard if you ask me. But I've been brainstorming, and even though I feel really old this morning, I gather I'll be feeling even older if I don't start makin' moves so to say. So I'm just going to say it. Hopefully saying it will lead to actually trying to do it.

I am going to travel the world! Really...I am. That's going to be my career. Yes I am aware it is expensive, dangerous, and a lot of work. But what if I do make traveling my career? Initially I figure I'll have to save a big chunk of change to get me started. But once I'm off, flying to another country, I hope to travel my way as long as I can. Either until my money runs out, or until I find whatever it is I'm looking for. I can elaborate on my plan later, but wanted to actually get it out on paper so I can come to the realization that this is something I'm working towards.

When I was living on Oahu, I lived right on the beach on the 18th floor of a building called the Trade Winds. My roommate and I used to stand by our balcony and watch the people below, or the sunrise or set. It used to be a running joke we had, but whenever I would come up to the balcony I would scream, " Hello World!" at the top of my lungs. Well now I think I'll take that quite literally.

Hello World. Goodbye desolation.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Please Don't Take These Memories From Me

During my last backpacking trip through Europe, I had an amazing time. I was happy in many of the moments I spent in Europe, until the end....So before I cover up my moments with anger, regret, resentment, or despair, I want to write down the memories that weren't these things. I will write the place, and a sentence to trigger the most memorable moments. But nothing more or nothing less, because at this time it's all I can do without breaking down.

1. Paris - The best dinner with the best company.
2. Madrid - Finding my way back around the city, proving to you I am a Spanish speaker.
3. Malaga - Absolute perfection. Meeting the Swedish King, Falafal City, Running to the Castle, each other.
4. Sevilla - The Longest Bike Ride Ever.
5. Ronda - Botz (Crazy Englishmen) The coolest hostel I've ever stayed at.
6. Switzerland - Non-existent.
7. Ingolsdat- Home for you, comfort for me. New friends, exciting endeavors.
8. Munich - Losing you.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Either way the end of the day will find me....


....and I can't quite figure out what is worse, the end of the day or the beginning. However in this rare moment of clarity, as I'm sure it will pass, I will be calm just for a minute. Maybe tomorrow I will be calm for a minute longer, an hour, maybe for today.

And just for today I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress becomingly, keep my voice low, be courteous, criticize not one bit. I won't find fault with anything, nor try to improve or regulate anybody but myself. But just for today.


Thursday, October 8, 2009

Day One- of the rest of my life

So, I'm fairly new to all this blogging hoopla, but I'm hoping by jumping on the band wagon of blogging will help me rediscover how amazing the world is. I have moved back home for a little while to "find myself" if you will. The life I thought I was going to have, the person I thought it was going to be with....is no longer. Everyone has experienced this kind of bump in the road, this kind of complete and utter heart break, this kind of devastating loss. But my question is, how do we go on from this? How do we keep going when it seems there is nothing on the horizon?

It is easy to say, 'find yourself', 'find a passion', now it is time to find what makes you happy. But what if the answer to that question is I DON'T HAVE A CLUE! Is the rest of my life going to be a series of these wonderful moments that eventually come to an extreme halt, and have to rebuild time and time again? Is it worth it?

So I've decided today will be the first day of the rest of my life. I hope that with this blog I can revisit this time in my life where I thought that I could not go on. A month, 6 months, a year from now I can look back at where I was and appreciate where I'm going. I hope and dream that I can make it out of this hole, that my life can be recounted with the people I encounter on here, and the personal progress I've made by inviting the world to share our dreams.

The one thing I love about life is how there always seems to be a perfect song to represent exactly what you're going through. As raw and bitter as this song is, no matter how sad or hopeless it is, it's how I feel. And I will embrace it. I will accept it.

'Love Will Tear Us Apart'/Susanna and The Magical Orchestra

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHhVydgvuAc