Courtney

Corkie

Courtney

I am a graduate of Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI USA with a degree in Hospitality Business. I have spent the last 3 years spliting my time between Michigan and New York where I have been working in the private Golf and Country Club Industry. I have a deep passion for travel and am just beginning to venture out into the World. Past trips have included: London, Paris, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, Puerto Rico, Ireland and Tanzania/Zanzibar. I have also been fortunate to visit much of the Continental United States. I enjoy horseback riding, SCUBA diving, golf, hiking, kayaking, sailing, and pretty much anything outdoors and sea-related. I am also a big "foodie" and enjoy trying any new dish or recipie I can get my hands on! I am currently living in Muri, Rarotonga, Cook Islands working on getting my PADI Divemaster Certification. I have started a blog for family and friends to keep in touch with my travels. Thanks!

One Month in Turkey

Middle East » Turkey June 14th 2011

Corkie

Almost a month gone already! I can hardly believe it. Time here just flies, I wake up in the morning and before I know it it is time to go to bed. After some time spent getting the boat in order, we finally set sail just over a week ago and have been moving around non stop since. We took off from Alacati and headed to Kusadasi, Turkey to visit Hakan’s friends. We said goodbye to Gerdine, another friend who had been staying with us for a few days and made the trip to Kusadasi and then welcomed Carissa, who is my reciprocal on Ismail’s boat for the summer. Hakan, Carissa and I set off from Kusadasi hitting the islands of Samos, Agathonissi, Kalymnos, Pserimos and Kos and also stopped by the Turkish town of Bodrum ... read more

The Next Adventure Begins

Middle East » Turkey » Aegean » Izmir May 24th 2011

Corkie

The Adventure Begins Well, I have been in Turkey for a little over four days now and have been going pretty much non stop. I arrived at 4pm Friday the 21st of May where Suna, my boss Hakan’s daughter, picked me up at the airport and drove us to downtown Istanbul. We went to a posh little area called Bebek which is right on the Bosporus canal. Hakan would be embarrassed for me to tell you that the first thing I did upon arriving in Turkey was to go to a Starbucks, but such is life. It had a lovely view and I sat and enjoyed one of the best lattes I have ever had with Suna and her cousin. Later we met up with Hakan and had dinner at a restaurant nearby. After that Hakan ... read more

Here We Go Again.....

North America » United States » Michigan » Lansing May 15th 2011

Corkie

Well sports fans.... here we go again! So I made it safely home from Rarotonga just two weeks ago amid many tears and thoughts of "why am I leaving again?" BUT...... it has been an incredible two weeks at home. I got to see quite a few of my friends as well as some of my in-state family and slowly but surely got everything unpacked and re-packed for the next adventure. Tomorrow morning I take off for a quick stop in New York. I am spending Monday and Tuesday in the City with some friends before heading out to my old Hamptons haunt to visit my buddies out there. I am really looking forward to being back in NY, even for a short time...... there were definite moments (usually when watching a NY based movie) where ... read more

My Last Week

Oceania » Cook Islands » Rarotonga April 27th 2011

Corkie

Well, the time is finally here.... time for me to start saying my goodbyes to paradise and start thinking about heading off to my next adventure. The last few weeks here on Rarotonga have been absolutely amazing. I completed my Divemaster and have been having the time of my life. The people I have met and the memories we have made are absolutely priceless and as I look forward to coming home to see all of those that I have thanked so much for their support, I am a bit apprehensive because my life has changed so much since I left. When I got here I was still a New Yorker at heart, clinging to my Blackberry for dear life and desperately wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into. Now, I abhor the idea ... read more

Week 12

Oceania » Cook Islands » Rarotonga March 20th 2011

Corkie

Well, it is certainly true that life can change in the blink of an eye, and in this case the last three weeks have been a total rollercoaster ride for me. Too many goodbyes but just as many good times. I moved back into the Intern house on Feb 27th and have been here with Amanda and Sara. I really enjoyed staying up at Steve’s while he was gone for the quiet time and to be able to have a real house all to myself, but I missed the girls, so it’s great to be back. Monday the 28th I had one of the worst moments on the island when by way of freak accident my signature pink sunglasses fell into the murky water between the boat an the dock and even though Tom and myself ... read more

Halfway to Where?

Oceania » Cook Islands » Rarotonga March 1st 2011

Corkie

Halfway to Where? Well, yet again I have failed to write for a few weeks. They have been two pretty great weeks as well. I am exactly halfway through my time here on Raro and I feel as though I have been here forever yet am leaving in no time all at once. Reality keeps getting stronger as I continue my search for a job post-Divemaster but I am staying positive and am certain I will land on my feet. Well, that’s what everyone keeps telling me I will do anyway. I am currently broadening my search basis using all of my skills as possible avenues. I am searching for hospitality jobs, dive jobs and even horse related jobs. The last of that list is actually proving to be the most successful so far, but I ... read more

Week 7

Oceania » Cook Islands » Rarotonga February 15th 2011

Corkie

Week 7 With each week I am amazed at how fast the time goes here. Only 11 more and I will be home. Though, I am starting to worry about what exactly I will do when I get back! The job search has begun, though in all honesty it needs a bit more enthusiasm behind it. Anyone out there in the Hospitality Industry that is looking to hire…. Let me know! Highlights of this week are Wednesday night karaoke and Friday night quiz night. Wednesday was a girls night for the most part and since I was off on Thursday, you had better believe I had a good time! Amanda and I hit up the mic with Courtney, Lucile and Sara with guest appearances by Kevin, Sara’s boyfriend. Amanda and I stayed out all night and ... read more

One Third Down....

Oceania » Cook Islands » Rarotonga February 7th 2011

Corkie

As we say here on Raro… The Island always wins, and this week it stole my time from me. I completely failed to post last week, somehow it just kept getting put off. So this week I will hopefully catch everyone up! 24/1 Busy day at the shop. When I got home I decided to go to bed early. I hadn’t been sleeping well so I popped a few Tylenol PMs and looked forward to just crashing. Unfortunately, around 930pm Steve called and told me he was picking me up because Sara had been in a bike accident and I needed to either help watch his kids or go with Sara to the hospital. Obviously I jumped out of bed and we headed over to where she was. I ended up riding in the Ambulance with ... read more

Week 4

Oceania » Cook Islands » Rarotonga January 25th 2011

Corkie

A month has come and gone in the blink of an eye and I can hardly believe it. I don’t think anyone else can either….I am still the “new kid” though I am definitely no longer new. Week 4 treated me well, as its predecessors have done as well. Sundays start off a bit shaky sometimes because I usually call my Mom on Saturday night. (I keep missing my Dad…. He is a tricky man that one.) And though I love our conversations, they tend to make me very homesick. For those of you who aren’t aware, and even for those who are, my Mom is my very best friend. She is my right hand man, my cohort in all my shenanigans (even the ones she isn’t present for), and my first phone call when everything ... read more

Week 3

Oceania » Cook Islands » Rarotonga January 18th 2011

Corkie

Week 3 Its official: I dont wear shoes anymore. I spent all Saturday sandal-less and couldnt be happier. I went to work, went grocery shopping, took a drive around the island and chatted to my neighbors. All without any sort of barrier between flesh and ground. Have I gone native? Am I destined to be a Raro bum for life? I doubt it. BUt I havent had my "Holy Shit!" thoughts in quite some time, and that can only be a good thing. The anti- shoe thing really started out of practicality and pain. First, it is too difficult and annoying to always be putting shoes on and off. Yes, even flip-flops. You never wear them into the house, dont need them on the boat and they are cumbersome and slippery when wet around the shop. ... read more

Joined	May 16th 2008	Trips	1
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