elizabethharper

Unfortunately, I do not have a story about actually getting bitten by reality. However, metaphorically... reality bites! I'm in a wee bit of a dilemma at the moment as I'm struggling to find solid employment in Melbourne. I've been at the job search for well over a month now and I have not found anything suitable! It's getting to the point now where if I don't find something soon, I am going to be in some real trouble. Therefore, I have been considering moving to Perth. Now, Melbourne is known as the cultural and arts capital of Australia. It's a beautiful city that has so much to offer, fantastic public transport, and some really friendly people. There is always something going on, a plethora of multicultural cuisines, and some really fantastic coffee spots (otherwise known as ... read more

Hellooooo everyone! Long time no.. blog. Anyway, I thought I'd start this bad boy up again, considering I am once again traveling.. sort of. I'm actually really just living... in a different country. However, this country is surprisingly similar to the States, so don't expect any teeth to get knocked out while trying to ford a mighty river or any life altering revelations at the peak of a Laotian mountain. My highlights thus far have been fairly mundane to the average human being. To me, however, these highlights have been AWESOME! Outstanding moments include: purchasing, moving, and constructing a bed; getting my first casual employment placement; finding a house, moving into said house (see aforementioned construction of bed), and loving my housemates; and meeting lots of fun new people. While these things may seem boring to ... read more

I am a terrible, terrible blogger. Full apologies. Warning: I have seven minutes before this computer charges me another dollar, so that's all the time I'm going to spend writing this blog. Anyway... where did I last leave you? I believe it was prior to our series of epic failures throughout Indonesia. Prior to our 36 hour bus/ferry journey from hell, with multiple Indonesian vomiters, more screaming babies than I have ever experienced at once, stink bugs, and no sleep whatsoever. Prior to booking flights to Australia to visit friends we met in Bali. Prior to meeting an awesome group of people that we named "The Community." Also prior to deciding to say "Screw it" to Kuala Lumpur and checking out the east coast of Australia instead. ...And I believe that brings us up to date. ... read more

Sawasdee everyone! So, firstly... I tried to upload pictures at two different places in Bangkok. Neither place worked. Apologies! Secondly, if I had written this blog two days ago, it would have been very, very different. Thankfully, I took a bit to cool down prior to getting online. However, if you are Buddhist, you may get offended. Just a warning. So... I got to Suan Mokkh on the 30th and the retreat officially started on the 1st, although we were encouraged not to speak and had to turn our valuables in (i.e. music, books, etc.) when we first arrived at registration on the 31st. The accommodation was as expected: a concrete slab with a wooden pillow and a straw mat, complete with an outdoor, public showering.. hole. No big deal. Registration day went really well. I ... read more

Sabaidee everyone!! Alright, so I know it's been a really long time since I've updated this thing. I apologize. It's especially unfortunate because Laos was literally the most amazing country I think I've ever been to... and now I'm going to attempt to fit it all into one blog post. Take a deep breath. This might take a while. VIENTIANE: We (Christina, Becky, Jade, and I) first got into Vientiane on the 1st of July. Our "Death Bus" (notoriously the worst bus in SE Asia from Hanoi to VT) was actually amazing, and we all had a really great night's sleep. There isn't much to do in the capital city of Laos, but we ended up staying here for 3 days. We found an amazing night market - there is one by the riverside which is ... read more