Episode 14: Travel Diaries - Unleash Your Wanderlust

Welcome to The Mirror Project!

Hello, fellow wanderers and adventurers, and welcome to another exhilarating episode of The Mirror Project! Join intrepid hosts Alexandra and Christine, and today, we're whisking you away on a journey through the enchanting world of travel. So, grab your virtual bags as we dive headfirst into another chapter of one of our favorite shared passions!

The Mirror Project’s Three Month Check-in

But before we jet off, let's hit the pause button for a moment. It's our three-month check-in, folks! How's everyone feeling? Are we still riding the podcasting high or feeling like we've hit a mid-season slump? Let's dish out what we've loved - any standout moments or episodes that have us grinning from ear to ear? And hey, if there's something we want to switch up, now's the time to spill the beans! What's on the chopping block or getting a makeover for the next leg of our journey?

Stay Connected

Before we delve into today's topic, be sure to like, subscribe, or follow us on your preferred listening platform. Go ahead, hit that button now; we'll wait!

The Wheres

Where Have We Been? Christine has explored the US, Poland, England, Italy, Bermuda, Aruba, and more, while Alexandra has ventured to the US, Mexico, Canada, France, Spain, and beyond.

Where Do We Want to Go? Christine dreams of Canada, Ireland, Scotland, Iceland, and beyond, while Alexandra's list spans from England to Greece and beyond.

Where Would We Go Again? Christine fondly reminisces about Italy and England, while Alexandra cherishes memories of Canada and France.

Engage with Us on Socials

Want more travel tales and insights? Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube!

Travel Tips

Lessons Learned: Pack strategically, invest in travel-sized products, and always have a backup outfit in your carry-on. Must-Share Tips: From TSA Precheck to travel insurance, leave room for spontaneity, and consider house swapping over hotels. Influencers We Love: Get inspired by the adventures of Maddie Smith (@onthemovewithmad) and the tips from Well+Good Travels (@wellandgoodtravels).

If We Were to Move Abroad

Why haven’t we and where would we go? Christine contemplates England for its language ease, while Alexandra weighs the practicalities of Canada or the allure of France.

Closing Thoughts

As our journey through the world of travel comes to a close, we've shared tales of wanderlust, reminisced about past adventures, and dreamed of destinations yet to be explored. Whether you're navigating cobblestone streets or hiking through wilderness, each journey promises discovery and growth. Thank you for joining us on this expedition. Until next time, keep exploring, stay curious, and let the journey continue.

Support Our Journey

Enjoying the conversation? Consider supporting us through our Buy Us a Coffee page! Every contribution helps us keep the adventure alive.

Join Us Next Time  

Before we bid adieu, don't forget to like, subscribe, or follow us on your preferred platform. Until our next adventure, happy travels!

Hello, Wanderers, Explorers, and fellow adventurers to the MIR Project,

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where reflection meets adventure today.

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We are your hosts, Alexandra,

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Christine: And Christine.

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Alexandra: and we are going to be your

guides through the world of travel.

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Pack your virtual bags as we delve

into another chapter of one of our

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favorite shared passions, traveling.

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But before we begin our travel

log extravaganza, let's hit

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a pause button for a moment.

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It's our three month check in, folks.

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How's everyone feeling?

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Thanks Are we still riding the

podcast high or feeling like

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we've hit a mid season slump?

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Let's dish out what we've loved any

standout moments or episodes that

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have had a screening from ear to ear.

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And Hey, if there's something

we want to switch up, now's

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the time to spill the beans.

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What's on the chopping block or getting a

makeover for the next leg of our journey.

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Christine, what are your thoughts?

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Christine: What are my thoughts?

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I'm So far, loving it.

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I, aside from getting to see you

so often and record these episodes,

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I have been loving the creative

outlet of editing these together.

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I don't think we've addressed it, but I

am our sound editor for this podcast.

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So that's been such a

creative outlet for me.

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I would say.

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There's been some growing pains

figuring out how it's all working.

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This is my first time working on

a podcast, so I'm learning a lot.

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And.

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Sometimes it doesn't come together

as easily as I would have liked it

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to, but I'm still really enjoying it.

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I think my hope is that I continue

to push myself to go deeper and

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become more vulnerable as we go on.

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I feel like we've been building a nice

foundation, introducing ourselves nicely,

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But there's still so much more and I,

I keep trying to remind myself as I sit

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and reflect after we record like, oh,

next time I want to go just a little

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bit deeper or, oh, I want to make a

note of a point that I wish I had made.

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And if we circle back to this

topic, I want to bring it up.

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So that's, that's kind of

how I've been feeling so far.

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What about you, Alexandra?

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Alexandra: Well, it has been a journey and

I know, I think we've briefly mentioned

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how we actually started a lot of this

back in September, really planning out.

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So I'm loving that because while this is

the second podcast I've worked on, this

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is the first and only one that I've done

where we're, Both of us, we do everything.

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So everything you see on Instagram or in

all the business stuff, that's just us.

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So there have definitely been some

growing pains, but I think it's really

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good because we do want this to flourish

and expand and grow and having, I

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think that basis will really help us.

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I can definitely tell we've gotten

much more comfortable talking into

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a mic to each other and including

our audience when recording.

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As we have progressed

through the episodes.

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And I think we're starting and really

finding our flow of how we want to

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kind of guide the conversations and

kind of just the flow of things.

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So I definitely think we've Both

got more comfortable about prompting

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each other when we're like, Oh, hey,

let's, let's keep the pace moving.

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And so I like that we, but still

allowing for flexibility for

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things to spontaneously come up.

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Let's see any standout moments.

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So our listeners probably don't hear much

of this, but I think at some point we will

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have to release a blooper reel because

that will have me grinning ear to ear.

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Like we'll just mess up and we just

keep the words coming out or gibberish

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or we try to say it again and again

and be like, ah, you know what?

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We've lost it.

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Let's just try something else.

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It's been really fun

when we've had guests on.

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So I'm hoping that we can really.

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Start to do that with some more frequency.

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Christine: too.

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I love having another another voice

in the conversation, you know, like

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after a while, I'm like, I hate

hearing my voice over and over again.

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But having, guests on is, is so fun.

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I know we have some coming up, so

that'll be a nice nice bonus for,

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for me and for those listening.

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I think.

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One of my favorite, like some of my

favorite episodes we have done so far is

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taking it back to when we first launched

our episode on sayings and mantras.

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And then also the episode am I confident?

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I thought

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those two were they tie together

nicely actually, and are like, In some

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ways, mirror images of each other.

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I think they, they touch on similar

things and so those are so far some of

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my favorite episodes we've had done,

but I I also love having guests on.

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So I'm very excited for,

for more of that to happen.

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How about you?

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Do you have a favorite?

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Alexandra: A favorite so far.

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Oh, I don't know.

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There's been so many good moments

and favorite moments in each episode.

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I think I enjoyed our book

conversation because I'm just a huge

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bibliophile, so I just love to read

and, and so that was kind of fun.

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And I think as we mentioned in the

episode, it could have gone on for five

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Christine: Yeah.

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I feel like we barely scratched

the surface of that topic.

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Alexandra: So definitely

something we'll come back to.

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And I think that's it, right?

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Like trying to remember that we don't have

to shove everything into one conversation.

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It can be multiple.

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Like earlier you were talking about

how to become more vulnerable and

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maybe think of an image like a

budding flower or rose where it just

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like releases one petal at a time.

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And then over time it comes as beautiful.

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big beautiful open flower.

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And I'm like, okay, we just have

to remember, it's just peeling

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back, opening up the layers.

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I really liked the history lesson of St.

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Patrick's day.

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So I, I know that we have On our schedule

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that are a bit more history based.

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So I'm really excited to kind of delve

into the research of those and plan them.

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Christine: Yeah.

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That was a lot of fun.

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I really enjoyed that.

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Alexandra: trying to think if there's

anything on the chopping block, but

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before we get into that, I do want to

say I would, I want, and I crave to see

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more engagement back from our listeners.

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If I want them to send us ideas

of what, I know we'll have a Q

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and A episode coming up sometime.

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I think this summer we'd planned one, but

I crave that feedback and I want people to

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jump into our conversations, but I have a

feeling it's not It's going to take time.

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And as we've established, I'm somebody

who's like, I want it to all to

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be perfect and amazing right now.

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But Christine, is there anything

you think we're gonna, you know,

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cut back on or adjust for the next,

I don't know, three months or so

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Christine: I think, I don't

know if there's anything I

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want to say, let's cut yet.

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I think I want to workshop some things

and try out some different things.

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I think, you know, I, I love I think

I, I might want to insert more of these

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little segments like we're doing here,

like this little check in where we sort of

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see where In the case of today's episode,

it's how we're feeling three months into

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the podcast, which is crazy for, for me

to even think we're three months in, but

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we are, but, you know, doing that more

often and just before we dive into the,

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the main part of our conversation, just

sort of have these nice check ins and,

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or I don't know, maybe introduce some

segments, come up with some fun Things to

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add, add different elements to an episode.

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So those are things I have

brewing in the back of my head.

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I don't know.

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Alexandra: which we would be taking

recommendations for segments from our

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Christine: Definitely.

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Those are I think a couple of

things That have come to mind.

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I know when we were first coming

up with topics and things, I

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was like, what if we did this?

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What if we did this?

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What if we did this?

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So I want to revisit some of

those ideas and see how we might

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be able to incorporate that.

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But I also want to continue To grow

our content on Instagram and our social

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because right now it's a great place for

us to sort of get the word out about the

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episodes we have coming out and different

topics, but I kind of want to come up

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with content that's specific for our

social media to also encourage engagement.

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You know, that'll, that'll come in time.

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I want to, you know, you know, think

thoughtfully about what sort of

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content we want to put out there.

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So I'm, I'm not going to rush to

do it, but that's, that's on my

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mind and, and something I want to.

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Alexandra: But I would definitely say

that we provide good balance for each

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other because Christine will sometimes be

like, I want to do all this and this, and

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I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

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What can we realistically do with that?

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And then I will go off into a thing,

I'm like, da da da da da da da,

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and she'll be like, whoa, whoa.

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Alexander, rein it back in.

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Okay, let's start here.

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So I think it's it's, it's great,

but we'll, we definitely let each

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other's fancies fly and, and kind

of just totally brainstorm and throw

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out the wild ideas and we go, okay,

we're going to file that away for

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later and bring it up as necessary.

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So I will enjoy that part.

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So, oh, when you were talking about the

check ins, it made me think of our last

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episode where we talked about, oh, we'll

have to check in again about what our,

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how we're doing with the The commitments

we made to bettering ourselves for

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the environment and all that made me

think of all the things we're like, Oh,

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we're gonna have to come back to that.

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Oh, we'll keep each other updated.

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Or so I definitely think that could

be one of the segments of like, Oh,

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hey, a check in, you know, remember

that thing we talked about in

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the, the, am I confident episode?

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How, how are we doing with that?

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Or the, you know, have you, have

we actually reduced plastics in

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our life or have we done something

else environmentally friendly?

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So I definitely liked the idea of that.

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Yeah.

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Christine: I think that's a great idea.

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Alexandra: All right.

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Ready to dive in now?

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Christine: Yeah, I think I'll just,

I'll, I'll put this one less disclaimer,

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and we want to hear from you listening.

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Give us your feedback.

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What are your thoughts so far

on how the episodes are going?

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What, are you liking the topics?

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Do you want, what do you want more of?

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What do you want less of?

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We want to know.

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So Thank you.

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Please engage with us on our

socials or send us an email

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or comment on this episode.

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And we're just so grateful that

you're, you're here listening.

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Alexandra: So after that little sojourn

into the three month check in, let us

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now buckle up because we're about to

embark on a journey filled with tales,

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tips, and maybe a few travel mishaps.

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Let's dive in.

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Christine: Before we dive into today's

topic, like, subscribe, or follow us

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on your preferred listening platform.

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Go ahead, pause, and do

it now before you forget.

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Don't worry, we won't

get started without you!

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Alexandra: Okay.

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So Christine, to kick us off,

let's talk about the where's.

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Where have we been?

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Where do we want to go?

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Where would we go again?

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So, do you want to start us off by

telling us where you have traveled

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Christine: yeah, I'd love to.

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So I'm so excited that

we're doing this episode.

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I love to travel.

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If I could, I would, that, I would

love to make that a job, but who knows,

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maybe one day I will, but let's see,

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Alexandra: I was about to say, is there

anyone from a travel magazine listening?

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Because I think Christine would

want to submit an application.

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Christine: But, oh gosh,

so where have I been?

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Well I currently live and

have grown up in the States.

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So been to a number of States here,

but internationally I've gone to

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Poland, England, Italy, taken some

family vacations down to Bermuda

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and Aruba and more specifically

cities that I I've really loved.

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Visiting has been London, Rome Florence.

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We stayed in the Chianti region of Italy

where Florence is one of the cities.

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I've been to Krakow and Poland, and

that was a really interesting trip.

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It was a two week, essentially, I

consider it a pilgrimage because it

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was not how I've ever traveled before.

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I went with my university for World

Youth Day and, We stayed with host

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families and we stayed in like

a hostile sort of accommodation.

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So it was very different to

the travel I've experienced.

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But it was also so rewarding because I got

to see parts of the world that I'd never

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Like, I am Polish I have Polish heritage,

but I, I never really have thought much

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about visiting the country of Poland.

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So it was, it was a wonderful

opportunity for me to visit.

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Krakow is a very vibrant city.

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I, I really enjoyed my time there.

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But I also got to visit Auschwitz

Birkenau, which was a very moving day for,

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for all of us who were there on the trip.

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You know, you learn about that in

your history book, but actually seeing

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being physically in that place, it

has a different energy you know, it

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was obviously very emotional, but

I am so blessed that I've had that

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experience, because it really put

things into perspective, and Helped

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me think about things that I haven't

necessarily taken the time to before.

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So that's one of the

things I love about travel.

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It opens you up to those new

experiences and different

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cultures and different people.

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So those are some of the places I've been.

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How about you, Alexandra?

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Wherever you've been.

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Hi

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Alexandra: So I've been to a

much fewer places so far than

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Christine, but I definitely have

many plans to go more places.

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Countries that I've been to

have obviously been the States.

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That's where I live and grew up.

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We used to live in Southern

California, so I've been down to

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Mexico because it was so close.

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I've been to Canada, France, and Spain,

and of those cities, I've really only

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been to La Paz in Mexico Toronto, Niagara

Falls, the Canadian side Quebec, Montreal.

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So, I really love Canada.

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It was so beautiful, and there's

so, there's other places I would

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love to go in Canada and go back

to the ones that I have been to.

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In France, I've been to twice on two

separate, like, study abroad excursions.

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One was in high school,

one was in college.

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So I've been through Paris, Toulouse,

Nice, Nîmes, Aix en Provence,

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Carcassonne, and would love to go back.

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I really enjoyed them, as well as Arles.

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And then in Spain, I went

through Madrid and Paris.

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Barcelona, I can't remember

if there were any other stops.

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So the one in high school, we went

to France and Spain and we started

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in Madrid and ended in Paris

and that was kind of beautiful.

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It touched on a lot.

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Got to see a lot of

Gaudi works in Barcelona.

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So I love that because I already had

an interest in art history at the time,

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but I hadn't taken my Art history, AP

art history class in senior year by

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then so it further sparked my curiosity.

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In college, I went on a study abroad for,

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I feel like it was something

about Viking history.

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And so we went through the South of

France and that's when I went to Arles

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and Aix en Provence and Nimes and Nice.

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I'm trying to think of where we landed.

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I might have landed.

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So we, yeah, we saw a lot of like museums

and sites of like the Gallic people

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and Viking ships and I don't know what

else you call long boats that were, it

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was a, it was a really great experience

and it was a beautiful balance of both

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educational, but then I think class time

ended around 6 PM and we're like, all

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right, go free, have fun, just be on

the bus, you know, by the next morning

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and I think that's where I'm trying to

remember which city it was in, but I

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went to a Turkish bath and that was fun.

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And it was just, so I loved my time

there and would definitely go back.

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It was great.

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So, okay.

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We've both hinted at where we'd

want to go, but Christine, what,

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what is on your list at least right

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Christine: Well, I'll start with I'll

start with one that I'm actually going

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to be going to this year, but I've

not been to yet, which is Ireland.

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I'm going to Ireland at the

end of the summer I think

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like the last week of August.

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That has been on my bucket

list for a very long time.

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But other countries, you know,

staying in that region, Scotland,

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Wales I would love to go to Canada.

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I mean, that I feel like is one of

the easiest countries to get to.

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Because it's so close, but Let's see.

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Oh my gosh, my list is so long.

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I'm just gonna rattle them off.

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Here we go.

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I definitely want to go to Iceland, the

Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam.

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I have been in Love with the sound of

music ever since I was a little girl.

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So I have a big desire to go to Austria

and go to Vienna and have my, my

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sound of music moment on the mountains

and And saying the hills are alive,

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you know, have, have that moment.

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And then Greece would love

to have my mama Mia moment.

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The list goes on and on you know, it's

coming back to this side of the world.

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Mexico, Panama, Brazil, Argentina.

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I'd love to explore South America.

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I'd, I'd love to go all the way

down to the far tip of Argentina

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and go to Patagonia and see, see the

beautiful the beautiful scenery there.

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And actually.

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Alexandra and I are hoping to plan

a trip for ourselves ne next year,

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I think I turned 30 this year, so

I was like, I wanna go on a trip.

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Will you be my travel buddy?

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Alexandra: I was like, absolutely.

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Christine: a hundred percent.

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So we're planning a trip to hit Italy

and France with the idea the central

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idea was taking a train from Venice.

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to Paris.

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Once I saw that, I was like sold because

I've always wanted to go to Venice.

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I've been to Italy before, as I just

mentioned, but I've never been to Venice.

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I've had a love affair with Venice

ever since I started learning

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about Italy and the culture and the

language and obviously the food.

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And I've not been to Northern Italy.

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I mostly stayed central.

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So Venice and Paris and France.

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You know, gosh, I feel like

I, my list keeps going.

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You know, I'd, I'd love to experience

Spain and in, in Africa, I've always

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wanted to go to Egypt travel all the

way down to South Africa, like, oh gosh.

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And you know, I, I don't know if

it is achievable, but my like, Long

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shot bucket list item is Singapore.

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I, I want, I would love

to go to Singapore.

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So there's there's many more I have not

mentioned, but I'm gonna let Alexandra

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share her, her, her travel bucket list now

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Alexandra: Well, and also that as

ambitious as that list is I see a

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note on our notes here that you, you

want to also make it to all 50 states

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here.

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So let's not diminish that

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Christine: that's very,

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true.

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I, I, I definitely want to, you

know, travel more of The states.

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I've been pretty much been all

up and down the east coast.

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I've been to California, but I haven't

explored much of the West coast yet.

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And, there's all of all you

know, all of middle America.

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I, I, I'd really love to

experience every state go up, go

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up to Alaska, go out to Hawaii.

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But yeah, I want to see

more of this country.

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I've lived in my whole life.

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Alexandra: as I'm looking at your

list, I kind of feel like an idiot

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because I didn't mention that I've been

to DC and Georgia where I was born.

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I feel like that was a major oversight.

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Christine: We're doing great.

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Alexandra: So anyways, okay.

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So kind of sticking with the U S first.

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I'd love to visit Arizona.

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People keep telling me

that I would enjoy it.

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I'd like to see Colorado,

definitely go back to California.

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I've heard a lot about Portland,

Oregon, and I think that

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would be exciting to visit.

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I'd love to go back to Georgia.

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I was born in Macon, and I've been

to Atlanta for a competition before.

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But I would really like to go to Savannah.

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I've heard wonderful things about

it, so I'd like to see that.

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I really enjoy D.

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C., so I would go back again.

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Trying to think.

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I know Christine would like me to

go up to Newport, Rhode Island.

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So that is definitely on the

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Christine: I love Newport.

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My family loves Newport.

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Alexandra: I wouldn't mind

seeing more of the Adirondacks,

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actually any of the Adirondacks.

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In kind of New York area.

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So definitely some things I'd

like to see in the States.

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I do have, Much less desire to see

the central part of the States.

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I don't know why it's just never been

something I'm like, Oh, I must go

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to Minnesota or I must go to Kansas.

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So maybe that'll change one

day, but right now, not so much.

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Going back to Canada, I'd love to go to.

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The British Columbia side and

see Vancouver trying to think

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of maybe like Newfoundland area.

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So I'd like to explore more in Canada and

obviously go back to the places I have

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been and do even more exploring there.

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I really enjoyed the Quebec province.

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Let's see, trying to get to my list here.

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All right, other countries.

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England I would love to see London,

Glastonbury, the Isle of Man, Manchester,

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Stonehenge the Salisbury Plain.

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I'd also love to go to Scotland,

particularly, mostly because they're

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the ones I know of, but Edinburgh.

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And glasgow and really

kind of explore from there.

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Love to see more of that Ireland,

obviously Dublin, I feel like

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if you don't go, you have to

hit the major cities, right?

400

And correct me if I'm wrong, but the

cliffs of Dover are in Ireland, right?

401

Or is that England?

402

Christine: have to look it up.

403

Hold on.

404

Why don't you keep listing

your, and I'll look it up.

405

Alexandra: I would like to hit Wales.

406

Don't really know much about it.

407

So definitely the whole British

Isles there and kind of moving

408

more onto mainland Europe.

409

I'm thinking I'd love to go back to Spain,

maybe visit some of the Basque region

410

maybe Portugal too going back to France.

411

I'd love to maybe visit Burgundy and

other, other regions that I have not been

412

to, obviously going back to ones that I

have because they were just so beautiful

413

and I'd love to explore more now as well.

414

Like a later twenties, an

adult versus when I was a

415

teenager and then going,

416

Christine: No, yeah, I think you

said the Clus of Dover, right?

417

That is in, that's a region of

the English coastline facing

418

the Strait of Dover and France.

419

Alexandra: Oh, I was on the

wrong side of the Island there.

420

Whoops.

421

But anyways, I'd like

to see more of Ireland.

422

Moving on to mainland, kind of Italy.

423

I'd love to see, I know

Christine's been to Rome.

424

I'd love to see the Vatican.

425

Florence, Sicily, Milan, Pisa.

426

So many places that I studied through

my degrees in art history, or that

427

I would like to see in person.

428

So I think a lot of my travel will be

driven by like, I want to see where

429

this was, and where this was painted,

or you know, where this was carved.

430

And then obviously we talked about it.

431

Venice is on the bucket list there.

432

So that will be checked off in 2025.

433

Greece, I'd love to visit Athens,

Santorini, Olympia, Delphi, Crete.

434

So much art and mythology

was produced there.

435

I'd love to see the

Acropolis and an Acropolis.

436

Necropolis.

437

Sorry, mixing up all my terms here today.

438

I'd like to go visit Prague in

the Czech Republic Amsterdam

439

in the Netherlands Germany.

440

I haven't really, that's a lie.

441

I have been to Frankfurt,

only in the airport.

442

So I would like to actually Go

visit Berlin, Munich, Cologne,

443

maybe, maybe actually see

Frankfurt, not from the airport.

444

That'd be cool.

445

And in Iceland, I'd really like to

go to the, the capital, Reykjavik.

446

And looking at some of Christine's

lists, it brought up some things that

447

I'd, I'd really like to go to Turkey.

448

And I love Turkish food, and I

feel like it'd just be so fun.

449

to, to go see and explore culture.

450

Egypt, I'd love to go.

451

I've always felt a draw towards Egypt,

but you know, with the way the world is

452

right now, not sure that I would go today.

453

Yeah, I feel like I'm a more

like northern kind of person.

454

I feel like once I start to get south of

the equator, I'm like, I gotta have this.

455

thing of like, it's kind of be too hot.

456

Christine: Well, if you go all

the way down, it'll be cold again.

457

Alexandra: Go back to cold.

458

Yeah, unfortunately Antarctica

has not been on my bucket list and

459

I don't know that I will make it.

460

So I'm trying to think if there's

really any other place that I've

461

been dreaming to go from as a child.

462

Christine: I neglected to mention,

but Australia, New Zealand, Thailand.

463

as I mentioned, have been up and down

the east coast, have been, been to a

464

smattering of other states, but I'd love

to Fun fact was born in Florida, but

465

I'd love to go down to the Florida Keys.

466

I would love to go.

467

There's so many beautiful natural

wonders here in the States.

468

I'd love to go to Yosemite and road

trip down from Washington state into

469

Northern California and go see the

redwoods and the grand Canyon and go

470

up to Arcadia national park in Maine.

471

So.

472

There's all these, there's all these

cities I want to go for the culture,

473

for the people, for, you know, the food,

but there's also the, the beautiful

474

nature wonders that I want to experience

not just in the States, also abroad,

475

Alexandra: Okay.

476

So I know that we've both briefly touched

on where we would go again, but top

477

five where you would absolutely travel

478

Christine: okay.

479

Well.

480

My number one will probably be Rome.

481

I absolutely love the city of Rome.

482

I've been two times.

483

I'm hoping to bring Alexandra next year.

484

We, we do a little pit stop in Rome.

485

So definitely would

love to go back to Rome.

486

England.

487

I'd love to go back to London.

488

Let's see.

489

New Orleans.

490

We took a trip to, we've talked

491

about this.

492

We've took a trip down to

New Orleans a few years back.

493

That city is so fun.

494

I'd love to go in October or like the

fall time and experience, experience

495

the, the change of seasons down there.

496

Charleston, South Carolina

is a It's a fun city.

497

It kind of gives Newport vibes.

498

Newport New Orleans vibes.

499

It's like a nice mash of the

two in my, in my mind, at

500

least.

501

Newport always.

502

As I emphatically proclaimed

earlier, my family loves Newport.

503

I, I it's not a year, a year, Doesn't

go by with without us having at

504

least one, one stop in Newport.

505

We love it.

506

Boston.

507

My sister has went to school there

and has been living there ever since.

508

Boston's such a fun city.

509

I feel like there's so much I still

have yet to experience from Boston.

510

DC.

511

I've, I've only been once and it's

been maybe 13 years since I've

512

been so I I'm dying to go back

and experience it as an adult.

513

I went think when I was in seventh

or eighth grade, it was like a

514

people to people ambassador program.

515

I don't know if you've ever

heard of that organization, but

516

they, they do They do trip.

517

They, they do these programs all

over the world, but and you get

518

recommended by your teacher and that

I was recommended for the one down DC.

519

So Nicole, my sister,

Nicole and I did that.

520

So I'd love to go back and

experience DC as an adult.

521

But let me think.

522

You mentioned the Adirondacks.

523

My family has taken some lovely trips

up to Lake George doing whitewater

524

rafting on the upper Hudson river.

525

And it's, it's so beautiful up there.

526

And I'll wrap it up here.

527

Nashville, my sister just moved.

528

Not just, she's almost Almost a year

out there since graduating from college.

529

So I spent some time there last summer.

530

Nashville is such a fun city,

the music, food, the people.

531

It's so fun.

532

And then we last summer took

a little trip out to the outer

533

banks and that was so much fun.

534

Duck is such a beautiful area.

535

Alexandra: I was just thinking of

536

Christine: Yeah, that was probably

one of my favorite stops on

537

the trip was going up to Ducks.

538

So those are just a couple.

539

There's, I'm sure more that I'll kick

myself for not mentioning later, but yeah.

540

Alexandra: So as I've mentioned

definitely a few places I would

541

go back to and I'm probably

probably going to forget some, but.

542

Big ones.

543

I'd love to go back to Huntington beach

where I spent a lot of time growing up in

544

California, San Francisco in California.

545

And then I, New Orleans,

Louisiana, always, will always be

546

some place I want to return to.

547

I felt so rejuvenated there.

548

I love New York City.

549

So that will always be a go to

and I've only been to DC once but

550

I cannot wait to go back again.

551

So definitely to go see all

the museums but to walk around.

552

I really enjoyed the Georgetown area.

553

So I'm excited for that.

554

Trying to think of any other places

in the States before I forget.

555

No, I think I've covered it

of like the must go back to

556

and then moving up to Canada.

557

I would love to go back to

Montreal and then old Quebec.

558

I'd love to see it and

explore more of that.

559

Kind of think of the places obviously

I would probably want to spend more

560

time in Toronto I think I've only

really mostly passed through Toronto.

561

So actually spending time in there

Going back to France Paris, obviously, I

562

feel like I could explore that forever.

563

I only got like two hours in the Louvre

and a good portion of that was going

564

with trying, going with a friend and

we were trying to find the restroom.

565

So unfortunately I did not

spend a whole lot of time in

566

the museum and I would love to.

567

So, and just walking around

the city was so nice.

568

Like down the Champs Elysees and

everything to kind of, I think we really

569

only spent time in a couple of the

demarcations of the city, and I'd love

570

to kind of maybe go to more of the outer

ones because I don't think I've the time

571

I've been there really explored back to

Toulouse and I think it's nicknamed the

572

red and Brick city because there's so

much red brick really good food there.

573

I'd go back to Nice, which is on the south

of France and In Spain, I would definitely

574

go back to Barcelona because I'd love to

see more of Gaudi's work I think when I

575

was there there was not construction But

there was so much scaffolding outside of

576

the Sagrera de Femi the church he designed

because they were cleaning a lot of the

577

sculpture he'd put on the, the outside.

578

So I'd actually like to go see that

without the scaffolding and see it.

579

And it's all, it's beauty.

580

So those are my must go

back to again so far.

581

Christine: Amazing.

582

Well, we just gotta, we just gotta

start booking those trips, right?

583

I was thinking about some such great

advice I was given is set that challenge

584

for yourself where you, you, you try and

book two adventures every year Whether

585

that be a trip abroad or, or staying

local exploring your, your own community

586

and being a tourist in your own town.

587

You know, that's, that's some

ways to fill that desire for,

588

for travel and adventures.

589

So why don't we now jump into

our next topic on travel tips,

590

what lessons we have learned.

591

So Alexandra, why don't you kick us off?

592

What, what sort of things come to mind?

593

Alexandra: okay.

594

So lessons learned.

595

I feel like a lot of it

comes down to packing and.

596

One thing that I have luckily not

personally learned, but have learned from

597

is to always pack an extra, particularly

if you're not just going like an out

598

and back trip or you're going to go

for a few days or going abroad, packing

599

backup outfit, a second outfit, you

in your carry on like your must need

600

toiletries and I would actually pack

a couple extra pairs of underwear and

601

socks because you just never know.

602

I'm thinking if your luggage gets lost

or is delayed and is on another flight

603

so you'd have to go back and get it,

always having kind of an extra pair of

604

something to change into makes me feel

good because I sometimes when I get off

605

a plane, even if I've, you know, showered

and left great beforehand, you get off

606

and you're like, I feel kind of Like

sticky, like I'm just don't feel good.

607

So that is, I think one of the things,

and I know that Christine and I both

608

have a habit of deciding what we want

to pack and kind of making lists.

609

So don't forget things

like chargers or shoes.

610

You know, you don't want to get there

and go, Oh, Hey, I don't have my sneakers

611

because we're doing a lot of walking.

612

And so I, I, Must now walk in heels.

613

That would be so

uncomfortable for a whole day.

614

So I think that's a huge thing.

615

And I know Christine has some thoughts

about travel size stuff and packing cubes.

616

What, what do you recommend the use for

617

Christine: Well my, my advice is today,

especially I feel like if you walk

618

into a Sephora, your favorite brands

have travel size of, of everything.

619

So my tip is.

620

You know, invest in the travel size

option and then going forward, just

621

refill those containers with the products

that you're already using because, you

622

know, I find like it's, sucky when you

are traveling with products that you

623

don't use and, you know, Just because

their travel size and those products,

624

you know, most like your, your go to

products most likely are in a travel size.

625

So, so get yourself the travel

size of your favorite moisturizer

626

or SPF or things like that.

627

Alexandra: Or invest in like

good travel size containers that

628

you can put your own stuff in,

629

Christine: that's true.

630

That's true.

631

And then packing cubes save me every time.

632

I, I try not to over pack, but you know,

sometimes, sometimes it happens, but.

633

But

634

travel, travel, cubes, you know,

help compress and keep everything

635

compartmentalized and the thing I

hate, most about traveling is for my

636

luggage to be unorganized and disheveled

and that there'd be no order because

637

then, you know, that's my mind's

already dealing with the, uncertainty

638

of of what travel can, can do.

639

Alexandra: I have one kind of

in this coming back to the socks

640

and like underwear packing.

641

Those things that are easily washable in a

sink because I'm thinking if you're going

642

on a long trip and maybe you don't have

access to a washer and dryer either in

643

your hotel or a house that you're staying

at and you may not want to go spend the

644

time at a laundromat, that's totally fine.

645

Having something you can

wash in a sink is helpful.

646

So packing maybe like baby

soap that you can clean things

647

and they dry pretty easily.

648

You made me think of that because I

think, Christine, you had sent me a

649

video of, it was like, some girls on

a trip and they were gone for 20 days

650

or something, and how, like, how many

pairs of underwear did you bring?

651

And someone's like, I brought 28,

and someone's like, I brought 19,

652

and someone's like, I brought 7, and

she's like, what were you hoping for?

653

He's like, that's living

a little dangerously.

654

So I think I'm definitely one who

falls into the more packing of

655

the like undergarment essentials.

656

Christine: For sure.

657

And, and to your point about lists, I

am such, I've gotten to be this sort of

658

like anal when it comes to my, I make a

packing list, I write down everything.

659

Every little thing.

660

I swear, I have significantly reduced the

times of me forgetting something because

661

I, I Don't ignore putting things on the

list, because if, if you don't, you'll,

662

you'll most likely forget something.

663

But also planning out my outfits

just so like, I don't have to think

664

about that when I'm traveling.

665

, I've already thought out like, oh,

I'm gonna, and it, it doesn't have

666

to be days of the week, but at least

you have outfits together to know.

667

That you don't have to worry

about that and it's already taken

668

care of because you only have so

much room in your, your suitcase.

669

So, putting, putting the forethought

makes, it all the more ease, easier.

670

How about some travel, travel tips?

671

I know I am so, so glad I, my, my dad

recommended us getting this TSA pre check.

672

If you can.

673

in my mind a lifesaver it's certainly

a time saver but yeah, if you haven't

674

considered it, I, I, I'd say take the

time to, it, there is a little bit of an

675

upfront cost to it but I think, like, once

you do, it pays itself over time, cause

676

I think it's good for three years, maybe,

maybe more than that I can't remember.

677

Alexandra: I haven't had to re up

678

Christine: I just did last year, so

but they do do a background check.

679

They take your, like, you know,

they want to make sure you're

680

not a suspicious character.

681

But yeah, TSA pre

682

Alexandra: Maybe with my new

name, I probably will have to do a

683

Christine: Oh yeah, that's true.

684

Yeah.

685

But Alexandra, do you have any other?

686

Alexandra: Yeah, we have a note

here about travel insurance, which

687

is kind of good if you're thinking

about larger trips, like out of your

688

country or you know, going for a while.

689

It's definitely worth it, I think, to

do that for tickets and for airlines.

690

I don't know that you

can do it for hotels.

691

But if you're gonna do outdoor excursions

and they offer some sort of travel

692

insurance like a rain out refund or

something or Refederal I always think

693

that's kind of valuable because Chrissy

mentioned our trip to the Outer Banks

694

last summer and We were gonna go see a

reenactment or a production of something

695

and it was outside and I cannot for

the life of me remember what it was.

696

But it was starting to rain and

not just rain, but like poor.

697

So that was one of those things where

we had the insurance on the ticket

698

and I think we got a full refund.

699

So that was nice.

700

We definitely recommend that for Longer

things and having an itinerary of what

701

you're going to do, like a copy of your

important papers in, in your carry on.

702

Christine, I know, had mentioned

things like getting the contact info

703

for the local embassy of wherever

you're going and emergency services.

704

Just Not because do you think you'll

need them but in case you do and I

705

feel like it's one of those things

like if You know it if you plan then

706

you'll never need it kind of thing.

707

Christine: Exactly.

708

Alexandra: And I think a big thing is

Leaving room and your itinerary your

709

schedule for wherever you're going for

spontaneity And I think I really learned

710

that lesson when Christine and I went

down to New Orleans because I'm so much

711

I think when we talked about the trip,

I'm somebody who loves to plan, and I

712

love doing all of the, you know, tours

and the museum trips and everything

713

and Christine was like, well, we have

to leave time for some flexibility,

714

so I think we planned for a three day

weekend three or four things that we

715

said we were going to do, and we had

booked times or reservations, and then

716

the rest we kind of just left up to

walking around and seeing what happened,

717

which was I thought it was amazing and

I had a really good time doing that.

718

So it has now taught me to

leave space in my schedule for

719

Christine: Yeah.

720

And another thing I was doing

a little research into all you

721

know, what are the travel tips?

722

What's traveling like in 2024?

723

And you know, leaving room for spontaneity

may in the long run, save your wallet

724

a little bit, because if you do the

upfront costs of all these excursions

725

and things, once you're there and you're,

Taking the time to discover things that

726

you might not otherwise have may save

you some, some money in the long run.

727

So yes, leaving room for spontaneity.

728

I am a big proponent of that.

729

A couple of other things to

consider while you're, while

730

you're looking to travel more.

731

If price is a factor and you

are trying to figure out how

732

you're gonna, Swing traveling.

733

Let ticket prices choose your destination.

734

Don't get locked in on a place.

735

See what your budget is.

736

See what's in that budget and then if

that's a place you've never thought

737

about going, just give it a go and,

and see see, Where that takes you.

738

Also, I, you know, a few, gosh, has

it been a month or two since I came?

739

I forget, when was the

last time I saw you?

740

Alexandra: March,

741

Christine: Okay, so just,

742

so just about a month ago, I went

down to visit Alexandra and her mom,

743

and I, you know, used, My credit

card points to book took the flight.

744

So using, using points and miles to

help save money, but also, you know,

745

feed that desire for travel or, or

some, some of my big, my big tips.

746

And then one I haven't

done yet, but I want to.

747

To do more is doing like a house

exchange or there's there's these

748

sites where depending on like, you can

pick the location you're traveling to

749

and people, cause I feel like this,

this happens a lot in Europe, people.

750

Can travel for weeks at a time, and

they're looking for people to either

751

house sit or watch their, their pets

while they're away and you literally

752

are given free accommodation for for

your time there to, to simply watch

753

someone's home or watch someone's cat.

754

So I think that's a really, really clever

755

Alexandra: and I think there's

an Add a benefit to that, right?

756

Because then you can go shopping

for you know, what I would call

757

grocery shopping here in the states

for food and bring it back to where

758

you're staying and prepare meals.

759

So you might be saving some costs and

exploring the foods that they have there.

760

So that's kind of another benefit.

761

So you're not always having to spend

money on every single meal out or.

762

Even if breakfast is not is or is not

included in your hotel accommodations

763

the other thing that I would say is

764

If you like are someone okay with long

layovers, maybe even extending it longer

765

than you think Sometimes there's an

option that you could do Like leave, if

766

you have enough time, leave the airport,

go explore wherever your layover is

767

and then come back and still check in.

768

I don't think you can grab your

luggage, but if you've checked it,

769

just leave it and then come back.

770

So that's always an option or Hey,

if you don't mind airport, sometimes

771

I actually don't mind airports.

772

Give yourself a little extra time to sit

down, stretch your legs particularly if

773

you're going to have another long leg of

a flight coming up have a, have a meal.

774

Okay.

775

That's not in the air.

776

But yeah and what about you,

Christine, do you have any

777

other last tips before we move

778

Christine: I think the last one, I haven't

figured out how to perfect this, but

779

some, something I've seen a lot on Tik

or these some, this idea of traveling

780

during um, shoulder seasons and maximum

781

and maximizing your PTO.

782

So shoulder seasons, I was researching.

783

It's Transcribed It's not, it's

traveling to an area, not during

784

the high season or off season.

785

There's a, there's a period of time in

between where, you know, you could still

786

get the, maybe if you're traveling to

somewhere nice and it's not, it's not

787

the high season, but it's not quite the

off season where maybe the weather isn't

788

as nice, but traveling during that.

789

that time of shoulder season, but

then also maximizing your PTO.

790

So I've, I've seen this a lot on, on

TikTok and Instagram where choosing

791

when you take your PTO and sort of book

ending, like holidays or, or, You know,

792

around Christmas and New Year's, like

if, if your job's already giving you

793

time off, adding your PTO to around

that time so you are off even longer

794

you know, I haven't figured out how to

perfect that yet, but I feel like that's

795

a really clever way to, to maximize that

time and then also give you time to,

796

to travel to places And actually feel

like you're able to spend time in them.

797

Because I feel like sometimes

traveling abroad for five

798

days feels too short to me.

799

But and then, you know, this last point if

you're able to work remotely, if your job

800

allows, Then you can work from anywhere.

801

You can travel to

802

Spain and, and, and work remotely or

803

Alexandra: I was actually just

talking to my mother and the

804

family friends from California.

805

Their son was younger than I, so he was

going through undergraduate during COVID.

806

And I guess some of him and

some of his friends decided to

807

pack their bags, go to Europe.

808

And since all classes were online,

or you just have to check in, they

809

ended up doing like six months

in Europe, just moving around and

810

spending time in different cities.

811

And they would just, you know, hop

onto class when they needed to.

812

And I was like, Oh my gosh,

why didn't I think of that?

813

Cause I'm guessing it probably was

not Any more expensive than paying

814

for room and board for a term.

815

So anyways, I thought that was

816

cool

817

Christine: pretty, that's pretty epic.

818

Alexandra: and then the other thing I

would say is like if you're have a long

819

leg of like a long flight to somewhere

Maybe using the evening hours to try

820

and get there so you can If you can

sleep on a plane, then you're using

821

that and maybe get a little rest before

and then hit the ground running to

822

what you would like to do when you know

you land and it's hopefully daylight.

823

Christine: Yeah, exactly.

824

That's a good point.

825

Alexandra: So,

826

Christine: That's something I'm,

keeping in mind as we start thinking

827

about our trip for next year.

828

So, we'll have to, maybe we'll

share our, as, as we make plans

829

we'll share our, our, our process.

830

That

831

Alexandra: And that might be fun.

832

Maybe we'll do a podcast abroad,

833

Christine: would be cool.

834

Alexandra: an episode on the road.

835

But since Christine, you definitely have

your finger more on the pulse of social

836

media, who are some, do you have any

travel influencers or accounts that you

837

like to follow because of the advice

that they give or destinations they

838

Christine: Yeah, so the, I'll start

with this one because my friend Tori

839

introduced me to this, this, I'm

not necessarily a cruise person.

840

Honestly, the idea of getting on a

massive cruise ship is probably my

841

nightmare and is not how I want to

travel, but there is, there is one

842

cruise line that I would consider

traveling with and that's Viking Cruises.

843

And I love, if you're looking for

some inspiration, There, whoever runs

844

their social media, they do a good

job because not only is it scenically

845

beautiful, but their accommodations are.

846

What I would want out

of a cruise experience.

847

They're smaller, and because they're

smaller, they're able to get into

848

areas that the those massive cruise

ships aren't able to go into.

849

So I would say check out Viking Cruises

if you're interested in doing a cruise.

850

They do some really clever trips like

through Europe and, and you know,

851

all over the world, but I would say

check out Viking Cruises, and then I

852

recently came across this this girl.

853

Her name's Maddy Smith.

854

Her, her handle is On The Moo

with Mad, and she has this awesome

855

series called Out and Back.

856

She's located she lives in D.

857

C.

858

and she does these, these, these, Mini

trips where she travels to a location

859

for a day, for just one day, whether

that's she takes a plane or she takes

860

a train or she, or she drives and you

basically follow along on day in the

861

life, essentially of her, of her day.

862

For of her traveling to all

these different locations.

863

And I think that's so clever.

864

It's like, if you're able, if

you're able to, to, to travel

865

like that, I'd say, give it a try.

866

It's definitely a way to feed that

desire, that wanderlust and to see

867

parts of where you live that you

might not otherwise get to see.

868

So.

869

Alexandra: I think he sent me one of

her videos and they went down to Florida

870

for a day and I was like, Hey, you know,

I'm just thinking, maybe Christina,

871

you and I should try and do that.

872

Like to go to Savannah or somewhere

else that we, we both want to hit

873

and just go, Hey, let's meet here

874

Christine: Yeah, totally.

875

I, I would definitely, it's, it's

just rethinking how it's a, it's a,

876

it's a different take on travel that I

don't think a lot of people consider.

877

It's like, you can just, you can do a

day trip and it be a travel experience,

878

which I think is so important.

879

Approachable, I think people who

might not be able to, one, commit

880

or maybe afford to do a week long

vacation, like, travel vacation.

881

So, check her out.

882

I, I, I really like her a lot.

883

And then the last one I, I, I found

this group called well and good on

884

Instagram year and a half, two years ago.

885

And they've since grown their their brand.

886

And they also have, they have an

account called well and good travels,

887

which if you're looking for more

inspiration, I would say, check them out.

888

They, they've got some

good recommendations.

889

yeah, so those are just a

couple that have come to mind.

890

There are many out there but I, I would

say, yeah, those are my top three.

891

Alexandra: All right.

892

So if any of our listeners, do you have

any people or accounts that you follow

893

with great advice or cool trip ideas?

894

Definitely give us a shout and

let us know cause we would love

895

to share that information as well.

896

All right.

897

Moving into our last section for today,

Christine, if you or I, or we were

898

to move abroad, why haven't we yet?

899

What's stopping us?

900

Christine: Well, actually, I've

considered this a lot within

901

the last year, I would say.

902

I, when I left my last job, I

definitely was like, Maybe I'll

903

just move abroad and work abroad.

904

So it's definitely not off the table.

905

It's something I, I would love to do.

906

Why haven't I or what's stopping?

907

I would say it's, I don't know if it's

just because we're here in the States.

908

It's not as easy of a process if

I was already living in Europe, or

909

I don't know, what do you think?

910

I, I would love to do it,

911

but it's, it's

912

Alexandra: I was thinking too, like

some of the paperwork that you'd have

913

to get in line to do that and are

finding a job to support you over there.

914

And, you know, that's kind

of the difference, right?

915

Are you going to go and find a job?

916

Are you going to find a

job there and then go?

917

Or do you have a job here that you can

be, you know, basically located in another

918

part of the world at a different office?

919

And I think some of that might be ease

up some of the paperwork process because

920

they, the company might then help you

with your visa application or allow you to

921

apply for a visa to live and work abroad.

922

So I definitely think

that is a bit daunting.

923

I don't think it's impossible.

924

It just right now that thinking about

it causes me a major amount of stress

925

of just like, Oh my gosh, the paperwork.

926

And having just been through a

name change, I'm like, I don't

927

know that I can just, okay, no

more paperwork for a little while.

928

Please, please, no

929

Christine: you do so much already, friend.

930

Alexandra: But like, Christina,

it's not off the table in terms

931

of like, I would love to do it.

932

And I think some of what holds

me back is the, is a little bit

933

of fear and insecurity of like,

what if it doesn't work out?

934

Knowing that I can come back,

you know, and make it work.

935

But like, I'm not somebody who

loves to fail at doing things.

936

So I'm trying not to let

that stop me from trying.

937

But yeah, it's like, what if, what if

I make it there and I don't like it?

938

I'm somebody who is not so great with the

buildup to change, but then once change

939

happens, I'm like, all right, fine.

940

I'm here.

941

Might

942

as well.

943

Christine: you just get dragged

944

Alexandra: it's like,

945

Christine: but once it's there,

946

Alexandra: yeah.

947

yeah.

948

Then I'm like, Oh, fine.

949

Okay.

950

Here.

951

What was all the fuss about?

952

So yeah, I think, I think it's something

I'd also want to do with my person.

953

Not that it wouldn't be cool to live

in a different country on my own, but

954

I would want to go, I think with either

a friend or a romantic partner as we've

955

talked about in this, the show that I

would like to meet him soon, you know,

956

Hey universe, if you would like to

plot me in his path, that'd be great.

957

But to have somebody to also.

958

Build on an experience

with, I think it'd be

959

Christine: Yeah, I agree.

960

I

961

think that's something

that holds me back, too.

962

Not, not, not because I feel like I need

to travel with someone, but that's really

963

putting me out of my comfort zone and

964

plopping me, yeah, plopping me

in a place where I don't know

965

anybody, and I have, you know, I'm

learning a new job or a new culture.

966

Yeah.

967

new language.

968

So I won't say that's holding me back and

will keep me from doing it, but that's

969

definitely a a factor for me that I, I've

970

sort of

971

have to push myself past.

972

Alexandra: hmm.

973

And I think part of it,

too, is the expense, right?

974

The

975

expense of

976

Christine: It's, expensive.

977

The

978

Alexandra: because even to move within,

The same state here, it can be expensive,

979

so the thought of moving not only

abroad but getting your stuff there or

980

having to buy stuff for, to furnish an

apartment or a living space the cost

981

of just traveling there I mean, I think

that can also be very daunting for

982

Christine: Which is why

if you find a job that.

983

Alexandra: might help

984

Christine: Will help re with

relocation or, you know,

985

setting you up in a furnished

apartment, like things like that.

986

That's a really lucky

situation to find yourself in.

987

So I understand that that's not

the, the case for everybody.

988

But you know.

989

It's a beautiful thing to

think about in, in, in theory.

990

So making it a reality

would be wonderful, but

991

Alexandra: Yeah.

992

So, okay.

993

Pick of your places.

994

The world is your oyster.

995

If you could live abroad and

move abroad, where would you go?

996

Mm

997

Christine: So we've talked about this.

998

I desperately wish I was somebody

who could pick up languages easily.

999

So I feel at this point in my

life, I'd have to be in an English

00:53:36,645 --> 00:53:38,575

speaking country just because.

00:53:38,595 --> 00:53:42,565

I wish I could pick up languages

more easily, but if that wasn't a

00:53:42,565 --> 00:53:44,675

factor I probably live in Italy.

00:53:44,825 --> 00:53:46,075

Honestly, I, I'm,

00:53:46,165 --> 00:53:48,575

I'm currently practicing my Italian again.

00:53:48,585 --> 00:53:53,345

You know, I think the key, the key

to, you know, becoming fluent in any

00:53:53,345 --> 00:53:55,555

language is immersing yourself in it.

00:53:55,575 --> 00:53:58,830

And, you know, Having

conversations in, in that language.

00:53:58,913 --> 00:54:00,383

Alexandra: And consistency and use,

00:54:00,433 --> 00:54:01,313

Christine: exactly.

00:54:01,343 --> 00:54:03,333

So I, I would love to live in Italy.

00:54:03,613 --> 00:54:08,695

I would, I would say, any finding

a, the, the, like a post in, in a

00:54:08,695 --> 00:54:13,715

European country, just so that I would

be able to easily travel to different

00:54:13,765 --> 00:54:14,315

countries.

00:54:14,675 --> 00:54:19,325

So whether that's England or I guess

England would probably be the, the

00:54:19,425 --> 00:54:25,105

main one because one I'd be able to

understand the language easily and I could

00:54:25,125 --> 00:54:27,176

easily travel throughout all of Europe.

00:54:27,246 --> 00:54:30,136

But I, I think the dream

would be Italy for me.

00:54:30,246 --> 00:54:30,506

Alexandra: Very

00:54:30,506 --> 00:54:30,826

cool.

00:54:31,526 --> 00:54:33,516

Similar for practicality purposes.

00:54:33,516 --> 00:54:36,875

And I think I would, if going

solely in practicality, I'd probably

00:54:36,875 --> 00:54:38,175

pick an English speaking country.

00:54:38,175 --> 00:54:43,115

So either like England or Scotland or

something kind of in the British Isles.

00:54:43,407 --> 00:54:45,937

Also to the point that you

made, because it would be.

00:54:46,752 --> 00:54:50,982

Much easier to travel to other European

countries, which is where I want to do

00:54:50,982 --> 00:54:55,612

a lot of my traveling So I'm sure in

terms of time and expense it is It's

00:54:55,622 --> 00:54:59,332

much simpler to travel from England

as compared to coming from the States.

00:54:59,932 --> 00:55:05,152

A little bit on the practicality side,

but also because I would want to, Canada.

00:55:05,212 --> 00:55:07,072

I'd love to live in the Quebec region.

00:55:07,372 --> 00:55:10,112

So where they speak more, I think

predominantly French, but there's

00:55:10,112 --> 00:55:11,422

also a lot of English speaking.

00:55:11,702 --> 00:55:14,433

So I could practice French, even

though it'd be more Quebecois

00:55:15,053 --> 00:55:16,453

type French than like Canada.

00:55:16,963 --> 00:55:17,793

Parisian French.

00:55:18,163 --> 00:55:22,423

And so I think they use slightly

different words and slang, just

00:55:22,423 --> 00:55:26,153

how English is different depending

on the country that you're in.

00:55:26,700 --> 00:55:27,950

So I think that would be really fun.

00:55:27,960 --> 00:55:32,390

Plus also easy to come back to the

States and travel where I'd like to here.

00:55:32,440 --> 00:55:34,520

So that's kind of the benefit of that.

00:55:34,530 --> 00:55:39,360

But if I were to push myself and really

to just fully immerse would be somewhere

00:55:39,360 --> 00:55:41,740

in France to kind of get back that.

00:55:42,010 --> 00:55:45,100

Fluency I used to have and, or Germany.

00:55:45,180 --> 00:55:48,480

I would really like to learn German

and to really learn a new language.

00:55:48,840 --> 00:55:51,150

So because I, I, I do.

00:55:51,805 --> 00:55:55,385

enjoy learning languages and I

can pick up things pretty well.

00:55:55,455 --> 00:55:57,635

And right now it's just having the time.

00:55:58,235 --> 00:56:01,655

Sometimes Duolingo shouts at me

going, Hey, don't forget your lesson.

00:56:02,385 --> 00:56:03,195

I'm like, I'm sorry.

00:56:03,195 --> 00:56:03,595

I'm sorry.

00:56:03,595 --> 00:56:04,005

I'm trying.

00:56:04,005 --> 00:56:04,535

I'm getting there.

00:56:05,195 --> 00:56:09,705

But yes, as you can tell, both Christine

00:56:10,165 --> 00:56:14,265

so we will keep you updated on our

progress in both the language and our

00:56:14,410 --> 00:56:17,790

Christine: I, yeah, I will say I am

pleasantly surprised at how, when

00:56:17,790 --> 00:56:22,960

I started practicing Italian again,

how much came back to me from, I

00:56:22,960 --> 00:56:31,730

mean, I, I studied it for six, six to

eight years and picking it up again.

00:56:32,365 --> 00:56:36,195

I, I'm pleasantly surprised and I

feel like, you know, I was always

00:56:36,195 --> 00:56:40,525

very timid with speaking, but you

know, at my current job, I've got,

00:56:40,655 --> 00:56:46,455

I'm surrounded by people who speak

Italian, who speak Spanish and English.

00:56:46,825 --> 00:56:51,315

So, it's really a wonderful

environment to immerse myself in,

00:56:51,365 --> 00:56:53,285

in all three of those languages.

00:56:53,375 --> 00:56:58,710

I will say, like, I don't know if

others Will agree with me on this, but

00:56:58,710 --> 00:57:03,410

I feel like because English is my first

language, it's made learning other

00:57:03,410 --> 00:57:08,544

languages difficult because English

is so different, like there's so many

00:57:08,544 --> 00:57:11,694

exceptions to the rule when it comes to

English and, and well, at least when it

00:57:11,694 --> 00:57:16,164

comes to the romance languages, I feel

like if, if you were a native Spanish

00:57:16,164 --> 00:57:21,947

speaker, maybe picking up Italian

would be simpler, but I could be wrong.

00:57:22,007 --> 00:57:22,417

And.

00:57:22,482 --> 00:57:23,382

Correct me

00:57:23,382 --> 00:57:23,862

if I'm

00:57:24,082 --> 00:57:26,935

Alexandra: I mean, I think what

the Italian the Romance languages

00:57:26,935 --> 00:57:28,685

are French, Italian, Spanish.

00:57:29,085 --> 00:57:32,445

I think Romanian is also

classified as a Romance language.

00:57:32,515 --> 00:57:34,285

And Catalan I think that's it.

00:57:34,745 --> 00:57:37,905

It's the, what they speak in

the Catalonian region of Spain.

00:57:37,905 --> 00:57:41,145

So it's a mix of Spanish and French.

00:57:41,505 --> 00:57:44,225

So I'd love to learn

that, but you're so right.

00:57:44,225 --> 00:57:44,505

I think.

00:57:45,820 --> 00:57:50,370

I think English can be a difficult

language to learn because every rule

00:57:50,370 --> 00:57:53,360

that we have, many others break it.

00:57:54,160 --> 00:57:56,960

You know, it's like, I'm thinking

of like all the silly rules of,

00:57:57,240 --> 00:58:01,930

you know I before E except after C,

except for in a bunch of these words.

00:58:02,535 --> 00:58:05,745

And so there's just a little

inconsistency, but I think that

00:58:05,745 --> 00:58:09,535

really has to do with for lack of

a better term, English is a very

00:58:10,005 --> 00:58:13,545

bastardized language of so many others.

00:58:13,545 --> 00:58:17,275

It's like we chop up parts of German

and parts of Latin and then there's

00:58:17,285 --> 00:58:22,965

French and, you know, so it's, it's

just an amalgamation of different things

00:58:22,965 --> 00:58:25,585

that kind of worked weirdly together.

00:58:25,905 --> 00:58:29,265

And I don't know that it has

totally worked, so, know.

00:58:29,835 --> 00:58:30,855

Christine: Oh, fun fact.

00:58:30,855 --> 00:58:33,285

Before we leave our topic on languages.

00:58:33,525 --> 00:58:38,175

So the other day, this past week

practicing my Italian, I, you know,

00:58:38,175 --> 00:58:41,445

they're slowly introducing different

countries or different cities.

00:58:41,445 --> 00:58:46,850

In Italian, I learned

what German is in Italian.

00:58:47,279 --> 00:58:51,059

Alexandra: Okay, can I say what it is in

French and see if it's anywhere close?

00:58:51,289 --> 00:58:54,479

Okay, so Germany in French is Allemagne.

00:58:55,049 --> 00:58:56,549

Is it any close to Italian?

00:58:57,099 --> 00:58:57,749

No, it's a bit

00:58:57,764 --> 00:58:58,204

Christine: it's different.

00:58:58,224 --> 00:59:02,624

So, So, for example, German

came up, Switzerland's come up

00:59:02,914 --> 00:59:08,454

London has come up, like, okay,

Londra is, is London in Italian,

00:59:08,684 --> 00:59:11,984

Svizzera is Switzerland in Italian,

00:59:12,343 --> 00:59:12,491

Alexandra: I like

00:59:12,856 --> 00:59:14,526

Christine: Tedesco, is German.

00:59:14,776 --> 00:59:15,366

Alexandra: Tedesco.

00:59:15,606 --> 00:59:19,816

I'm sorry, isn't, why do I

feel like Tedesco is a a grocer

00:59:20,611 --> 00:59:21,301

Christine: Tesco.

00:59:21,711 --> 00:59:22,081

Tesco.

00:59:22,796 --> 00:59:23,056

Alexandra: Tesco.

00:59:23,086 --> 00:59:23,206

Okay.

00:59:24,086 --> 00:59:25,976

I was like, that sounds vaguely familiar.

00:59:26,311 --> 00:59:27,371

Christine: And I'm just gonna double

00:59:27,371 --> 00:59:28,381

check that I'm right.

00:59:28,431 --> 00:59:29,821

But I'm pretty sure that's correct.

00:59:30,161 --> 00:59:32,654

German in Italian.

00:59:32,828 --> 00:59:35,196

Alexandra: Yeah, it's kind of

interesting that we don't call

00:59:35,216 --> 00:59:38,646

countries by the name of the country.

00:59:38,996 --> 00:59:41,626

That that country is called

in its native language.

00:59:41,726 --> 00:59:42,186

I find that so

00:59:42,311 --> 00:59:42,921

Christine: Yeah.

00:59:43,841 --> 00:59:44,511

Tedesco.

00:59:44,561 --> 00:59:48,611

T E D E S C O is German in Italian.

00:59:49,571 --> 00:59:50,261

Which I, it's, it's

00:59:50,586 --> 00:59:51,576

Alexandra: You learn something new

00:59:51,601 --> 00:59:54,131

Christine: I was like,

that's so interesting.

00:59:55,931 --> 00:59:58,021

Yeah, because this week's

lessons were around languages,

00:59:58,601 --> 01:00:01,070

so, so Svizzera Tedesco, German

01:00:01,300 --> 01:00:01,820

Alexandra: Oh, the

01:00:02,185 --> 01:00:02,775

Christine: yeah,

01:00:03,185 --> 01:00:04,015

correct, the

01:00:04,015 --> 01:00:05,625

languages, sorry,

01:00:05,765 --> 01:00:06,585

clarifying that.

01:00:06,660 --> 01:00:07,890

Alexandra: what's the country called?

01:00:07,945 --> 01:00:08,705

Christine: the country called?

01:00:08,715 --> 01:00:09,125

Let's see.

01:00:09,455 --> 01:00:14,856

It might be German, Germania,

too Italian, Germania.

01:00:15,613 --> 01:00:16,293

Germania.

01:00:17,149 --> 01:00:17,859

Germania.

01:00:18,159 --> 01:00:21,519

But, but German, the

German language is Tedesco.

01:00:21,874 --> 01:00:22,534

Alexandra: Interesting.

01:00:22,731 --> 01:00:26,008

That would not be intuitively

what I would have gone

01:00:26,078 --> 01:00:27,158

Christine: no, same.

01:00:27,438 --> 01:00:27,778

Anyway.

01:00:27,778 --> 01:00:29,938

Oh, around.

01:00:29,981 --> 01:00:33,171

Alexandra: So now that we've gone on

that fun little rabbit hole of languages

01:00:33,171 --> 01:00:37,241

and what we would learn if we were

to move, move to a different country.

01:00:37,551 --> 01:00:39,891

Do you have any last thoughts

on the topic of moving abroad?

01:00:39,978 --> 01:00:41,376

If we were to do that,

01:00:41,451 --> 01:00:45,089

Christine: I think, you know, when

thinking about how I would support,

01:00:45,099 --> 01:00:48,309

like what sort of job I would take

abroad or how I'd support myself,

01:00:48,339 --> 01:00:53,729

I've had, I've had many interests and

my background is sort of, I I have.

01:00:54,119 --> 01:00:59,419

Education in the sound

production and editing worlds.

01:00:59,419 --> 01:01:04,809

But a lot of my professional experience

since college has been in the events

01:01:04,809 --> 01:01:07,149

world, like large scale events.

01:01:07,519 --> 01:01:12,459

And I have, you know, the, these

interest in like hospitality and.

01:01:12,819 --> 01:01:13,779

Interior design.

01:01:13,779 --> 01:01:19,816

So if I were to think about what sort

of job I would want to have abroad,

01:01:19,816 --> 01:01:22,686

it might be in the hospitality sphere.

01:01:22,946 --> 01:01:23,486

I don't know.

01:01:23,566 --> 01:01:25,466

Have you thought about

that at all, Alexandra Lee?

01:01:25,466 --> 01:01:28,146

What would, what sort of

work would you do abroad?

01:01:29,562 --> 01:01:34,622

Cause I, I think like the idea of living

abroad is appealing, but you know,

01:01:34,622 --> 01:01:39,062

like I've, because I was really

considering like, Oh, if I were going to

01:01:39,362 --> 01:01:41,382

do this, what, how would I support myself?

01:01:41,422 --> 01:01:42,592

What would I do?

01:01:42,622 --> 01:01:44,002

So I was wondering if you thought

01:01:44,417 --> 01:01:44,947

Alexandra: I don't know.

01:01:45,277 --> 01:01:46,817

I find it hard to answer that question.

01:01:47,377 --> 01:01:51,997

A lot of, as you said, professional

experiences in higher education, which I

01:01:51,997 --> 01:01:56,107

don't know that I would want to stay in

if I were to move abroad enjoy business.

01:01:56,207 --> 01:02:00,867

So something within that sphere, maybe

marketing would be kind of interesting.

01:02:01,437 --> 01:02:05,137

But I don't know that we've really

talked about it on this podcast, but I'm

01:02:05,287 --> 01:02:06,967

really trying to pursue my own business.

01:02:07,427 --> 01:02:11,473

So would definitely involve being fluent.

01:02:11,923 --> 01:02:14,713

If not almost like a native

speaker in another language to do

01:02:14,713 --> 01:02:16,843

that kind of work somewhere else.

01:02:17,243 --> 01:02:20,963

So I don't know, potential

for the future, we'll see.

01:02:21,478 --> 01:02:22,608

I'll keep you updated on

01:02:22,678 --> 01:02:22,918

my

01:02:23,018 --> 01:02:23,068

Christine: on that.

01:02:23,328 --> 01:02:23,718

Yeah,

01:02:23,938 --> 01:02:24,338

Alexandra: French.

01:02:25,158 --> 01:02:29,228

Christine: but, but those listening,

have you thought about like moving

01:02:29,228 --> 01:02:30,978

abroad and living and working?

01:02:31,558 --> 01:02:32,728

If so, have you done it?

01:02:33,238 --> 01:02:35,038

Or what's holding you back?

01:02:35,068 --> 01:02:38,808

Or have you thought about how would

you make that happen for yourself?

01:02:38,898 --> 01:02:40,998

Because we'd love some advice.

01:02:41,018 --> 01:02:44,308

Alexandra: And if you haven't

done it, what, what can you share

01:02:44,308 --> 01:02:47,228

with us your experiences so that

others who are interested can

01:02:47,238 --> 01:02:48,828

also learn from what you've done?

01:02:49,188 --> 01:02:53,888

I'd love to see that kind of, again,

creating that community who is supportive

01:02:54,308 --> 01:02:58,598

of each other and helpful in any aspect

from whatever we've talked about.