18 weeks before 26.2 miles

Before turning a quarter of a century old, I decided to make a list of goals; which I’ll get into later in the year. One of them, was running a half (13.1 miles) and full (26.2 miles) marathon. But because of the Covid-19 pandemic, my half marathon was cancelled, then postponed, then made virtual… by then, I gave up on writing about the journey. So here’s my journey towards my full marathon. 

I was (or will be) running the Chicago Marathon with Autism Speaks. 

Some resources that helped me prior to doing something completely out of anything I ever thought I would do, would probably help you too! I decided to make this year my year of adventure. 

And boy have I done it. Thanks to the pandemic, I’ve learned some new talents I never knew could be as interesting and fun, like cooking. It’s made my eating habits better and I eat everything I want; in moderation of course. Diets don’t work for me. The most I’ve done is my modified diet and even then, it was only a few days of real detox because I feel guilty. I just have the biggest sweet tooth ever.

I started writing and contacting people in my social media asking who had run a marathon. If they had any tips, goals, guides… I was at an information overload but I needed it to calm myself a little. No one in my immediate family had ever done anything like this, so I was going in blind. I’m grateful for all the meetings, calls, texts, resources and everything everyone provided me.

I decided to run with a charity. Mostly because I didn’t know all of my options. I chose to even make the marathon a goal because one of my friends at North Central College wanted to run a full marathon before she turned 30. So of course, I jumped on the band wagon and aimed for it too, but before 25 years old. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. Thanks Linh!

There are multiple outlets in which you can run a marathon, but I chose to run with a charity and support Autism Speaks. With it comes perks. You meet people in the same running journey, maybe even in your same pace. You feel more motivated to run for the cause rather than for yourself. I joined the facebook group and it has been a life savor because if you know me at all, I like to ask a bagillion questions to be well prepared. 

A side note though: you have to fundraise a certain amount for whichever charity you choose to run for. Because I signed myself up nearly a year in advance, I started to focus on fundraising before my training. I like to give my all to one aspect before the next goal. I want to educate myself as much as possible and really dedicate the time it deserves. 

“It’s been a wild ride and all worth it!” said no one ever.

The start of training

We were sent an email each week for what training that week should look like. It looked something like: 

• Monday: REST
• Tuesday: # miles
• Wednesday: # miles
• Thursday: # miles
• Friday: REST
• Saturday: long run
• Sunday: cross training

Disclaimer: I’m not going to give you a run down of every day because you probably won’t read it. So I’ll just write about the days that provided more impact on me. 

My FIRST DAY of training was June 8, 2020. Ask me if I ate any type of healthy food? Absolutely not. Just to give you an idea of what I ate: 

• Breakfast: oatmeal
• Lunch: lettuce, tomato, chicken, cheese, black beans with apricots as “dessert”
• Snack: carrots, brie cheese with that good orange-y sauce, a chocolate cookie, handful of white cheeto puffs, two m&m cookies
• Dinner: rice, meatballs, avocado, sweet plantain chips

But at least I drank water for half my body weight. Which is what you’re supposed to drink daily. 

The fact that I knew the next day I had to start my real training, gave me good riddance… if that makes sense?

DAY 2: June 9 @ 4:29PM

• Distance: 2.64 miles
• Time: 29.53 min
• Avg pace: 11’19”
• Weather: 91 degrees
• Location: Miami, FL

It was SO HOT! Major regrets. My biggest goal was to keep a solid pace but also not get into the red zone. I DID IT! It wasn’t easy because I felt like I was dying but it opened my eyes to the type of motivation I want to provide myself. 

I feel very intimated about Saturday’s 8 miles. Where am I going to run? I’m not going to do 3.5 laps around my neighborhood. I’m going to feel dizzy. Where’s the new scenery?!

At least I have some fun socks to keep me going.

DAY 3: June 10 @ 7:13PM

• Distance: 5.01 miles
• Time: 01:02:13 min
• Avg pace: 12’24”
• Weather: 86 degrees
• Location: Miami, FL

I KEPT IT YELLOW THE WHOLE TIME! It felt like I’ve really been practicing, even though the pandemic took two months of unmotivated running from me. It was ROUGH. But I truly feel accomplished that I was able to stay strong the whole way through.

I feel a little excited about Saturday’s run because it’s all a MENTAL thing. My mind plays tricks on me and I have to keep myself motivated the whole time. 

ALSO, I need a running playlist. ASAP.

DAY 7: June 13 @ 6:13AM

• Distance: 8.01 miles
• Time: 1:36:18 min
• Avg pace: 12’01”
• Weather: 82 degrees
• Location: Miami, FL

Coming into this run, I felt SO intimidated. The last time I ran a long run was mid-Feb. But it’s all a mental thing, remember that! 

BUT I DID A RECORD FOR MYSELF!!

I ran with a friend I hadn’t seen IN YEARS! I think we were both nervous but didn’t really talk about it. It just felt natural, I guess? I’m also a huge advocate for running buddies- which is hard to find. Grateful for you, Ashley!

New scenery was also nice. We ran around the 4-mile golf course twice, completing my 8-mile run. She definitely helped keep a solid pace range, which I never thought I could do. I’m not going to lie, my left leg cramped for almost two miles but I stuck with it. Did you know that wearing thick socks for long runs help tremendously. It offers more support for your feet.

My biggest goal in both marathons? Do not walk. 

So a random little fact that also helps me- since I have long, thick hair, I have to use tight ponytails. Which in turn, I usually get headaches from wearing ponytails for too long because my hair weighs a lot. I bet you some relate. I know I’m not alone on this one! So I bought new ponytails to use on my runs. You can also run with braids, but my lil dumb excuse is that ponytails look better in pictures. In a sense, I’m still practicing with my day-of-run look!

Overall, thank you Ashley, for pushing me and my pace range. I iced my left calf when I got home. Had my mom massage my legs and really just relax all day. The pool helps with aerobics too!

I beat my 8-mile goal by like 15-20 minutes. Mission Accomplished!

DAY 27: July 4th

• Distance: 11.00 miles
• Time: 2:29:19 min
• Avg pace: 13’34”
• Weather: MUGGY degrees
• Location: Miami, FL

I have to run 11 miles and have been less motivated to do anything. I’m running on 3 hours on/off sleep and I sike myself out. Which brings in how much I haven’t eaten properly. Sounds like excuses right?

Oh and I would be running by myself. 

I also signed myself up for the 5k for Autism Speaks today. I definitely went a little above and beyond for it, if you know what I mean! Gatorade should sponsor me from all the bottles I drank.

Update: I ran it in the PM! I’m so proud of myself and how I turned my mood upside down. 

And I came up with a running playlist. It’s still a work in progress, but check me out!!

DAY 36: Monday, July 13, 2020 at 2:35PM

We were informed that the Chicago Marathon is going to be cancelled. I’m still waiting on more news and statements from Autism Speaks. I have too many questions, but I’ll remain patient.

I’m still aiming to run the half marathon this Saturday, July 18th. It would have been a double whammy with my marathon training, so I don’t want the run to go to waste.

DAY 41: July 18th

You don’t understand how long I’ve been waiting to finally run my half marathon. It was originally supposed to be in April, but covid-19 got a little more intense than we expected. I was a little intimidated as the date got closer but I knew I really wanted to run this.

It started pouring the night before since 10pm and pouring rain all weekend.

My condition

On Sunday, July 19th, I went to the Emergency Room. Now I definitely couldn’t run the half marathon, because my health comes first. If you’re interested in that story, I spoke a little about it. But if you’re interested in the whole story, feel free to reach out.

Covid-19 hasn’t made this journey easier but I definitely do not regret signing up for the marathons. My 25 goals before 25 years old may be a little ruined, but I’m still looking forward to everything else that lies ahead.

Who’s with me?!

The post Training Before the Chicago Marathon; but first, Covid-19 appeared first on Plane and Cheesy.

Skydiving is something I’ve wanted to do for YEARS. Maybe since I was 15 and fast forward eight years, I finally made my first bucket list item come true.

After graduation, I told my brother it was finally happening. We booked it for the day after Christmas, just in time for the hype of the holidays. I used Groupon because discounts are my favorite and I purchased the video/photo package for the Miami Skydiving Center in Miami, Florida

The anticipation made me feel excited and nervous at the same time. It was eating me up. Once the day came, my feelings were numb because I honestly couldn’t believe it was happening.

*Due to current weather conditions, your jump has been postponed. Call to reschedule or cancel your jump.*

Before finally skydiving the first week of January, we had rescheduled our jump three times. *insert bland smiley face here*

Friday, January 4th

TODAY’S THE DAY! We received the message again in the morning but went to the skydiving center anyways. We were ready to wait all day if we had to.

*Signs waiver* Cheers to signing my life away!

A couple hours of making friends, it was finally our turn! We were paired up with our instructor by height and weight but we were best friends by this point because of how long we had already waited, so you can imagine the experience.

My brother was paired with an instructor from Europe and of course, I had the Cuban. They put our gear on and stepped onto the plane. They strategically placed everyone to basically be a sardine in a can, and each instructor attached themselves to their jumper while the plane was taking off.

I remember my instructor: “Estás lista?” (“Are you ready?”) Before I could glance at the view, we jumped.

In that moment, I felt like I could do anything. Even looking like I had no skin because the wind was pulling it back so hard. Everything was so cool from 12,500+ feet above ground level. I didn’t really think thoroughly in what my facial expression was going to be, but here goes my go-to funny face. Our parachute opened shortly after and we just floated in the air.

Bumpy Ride

The landing was funny because we had to act like we were sitting on the floor in the air– legs up! It was a bumpy ride on the floor since the instructor marked the landing but IT WAS SO FUN!!!

My brother and the girl we met had jumped before me, so they had their gear off by the time I landed. The experience overall was amazing but felt so short, especially after my nervous build up from all the weather texts.

BUT finally crossed this off my bucket list and ready for the next one! Are you?

The post What it’s like to Skydive in Miami appeared first on Plane and Cheesy.

This time around, I visited with some pretty cool people. I was living like a tourist in a place I’ve traveled to for three years in a row! Imagine that? But each time, I set sight on other goals- maybe visiting one of the seven wonders of the world or hanging out in Harry Potter’s world. Adventures are only as fun as you make them and those you choose to travel with… join me in mine!

I’m the type of person to always plan, even if I try to be spontaneous… and ironically, so is my sister. We like to set everything- from our itinerary, flights, outings, how much we’d potentially spend prior and what to save up for before going, everything within a reasonable and affordable time frame.

We started planning for this trip a little less than a year before going and wanted to accommodate to everyone’s Europe desires. It actually worked out perfectly! We chose London, Scotland and Ireland. Sit tight though, it’s about to be a bumpy ride!

Checking out the temperature is always a must, because they fluctuate through different seasons and you never know what can happen. We planned for Miami weather (which is pretty hot, if you ask me) and maybe some jeans and jackets here and there, just in case. I would always take a light rain jacket too, because if you’re anything like me –dislike the rain and ruining my hair since my natural hair is a puff ball– you know you’ll need it. So we all checked a bag and off we went!

Just Dropped Down in London Town

My sister and I have this tradition to make it a point to go to some type of tasting everywhere we travel. In London, we did a gin tour and tasting at Beefeater and wow! I didn’t know gin was that good. With a side of lemon, it adds a pinch of sweetness. I loved it.

Exploring Buckingham Palace

So because it was the week of the Queen’s birthday, we were able to see some Buckingham Palace performances in practice. It was quite unexpected but definitely worth watching. There were hundreds of people, more than usual, watching the changing of the guards and the horses frolicking through the streets.

For All the Harry Potter Fans

But have you been on the Harry Potter tour? It all feels so real! You walk by the Goblet of Fire vase, go into the school cafeteria, walk through the wall with rules and everything just flows from all the movies. I felt like a true Gryffindor. What’s your Harry Potter house? Take your quiz!

Living like a Tourist

Because my sister and I were with new people, we had to compensate with a lot of the touristy attractions we had already been to.

First stop: The London Eye. Let’s play two truths and a lie! I’ll give you three real facts about the London Eye and you have to guess which is a lie. Here we go:

1. This Ferris wheel is the tallest of its kind in Europe and built specifically for the millennium.
2. It has 32 capsules but labeled up to 33, skipping 13.
3. All capsules are the same, holds 25 passengers and spins at 2 revolutions per hour.

Which do you think is the lie? Tough one, right? Well if you guessed number three, you are correct! While they do hold the same amount of passengers and have the same spins per hour, not all capsules are the same. A couple of years ago, to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II, they painted only one capsule red for the coronation and it’s stayed like that ever since.

We walked around some must see attractions to make up for our vacation calories. I always say that having a phone carrier with great signal or even looking into an international plan while you’re overseas is easier than carrying a map everywhere you go. People will know you’re a tourist but a map is a whole other extreme. Just don’t forget to mind the gap wherever you go!

Visiting Newcastle

For a small city, it sure is mighty. With incredible innovations, technology and quickly growing, it has so much potential in prospering. During our tour, we learned so many cool facts!

• Three years ago, Newcastle University was ranked top one percent in the world.
• Mosley Street was the first street to light up in the world.
• The Millennium Bridge below is nicknamed “the blinking eye” because it looks like one.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

A MUST DO! Wicked, the musical, is very well known and wanted to introduce it to the British audience, as well as world-wide. Thanks to London’s Apollo Victoria Theater, it was made possible. It was the first show ever to surpass its ticket sales to more than one million pounds.

Also, in the Miami culture for the arts, we’re so used to always dressing up for these kind of events. So when we saw Wicked in London, it felt like a culture shock. Everyone was dressed so casual, like if they were going to the movies. But we stuck through it! Dress to impress was my motto!

London City Pass

Before the next city we visited, we wanted to touch on some very well known landmarks in London; one’s I’ve never visited before. The Roman Baths and Stonehenge!!! My excitement was through the roof because I was about to witness one of the seven wonders of the world: middle ages edition.

We had purchased a city pass to cover these two famous locations because we knew a bus would be the cheapest route, especially if they were giving us a walking tour.

• In the Roman Baths- they had some people role playing the old ages. It was intriguing how we interacted with them, how much thought the designer put into their costumes and knowing their facts.
• At Stonehenge- we walked around the loop that circled it and even all its angles were beautiful. I was in awe because it was so close.

Overall, London impresses me every time I visit. Some tips I’d take into account:

• My opinion- PRIMARK IS THE BEST DEPARTMENT STORE IN EUROPE. I love restocking my closet every time I visit. And in this trip, I learned that the store originated in Ireland (my dream country to visit for my honeymoon) and its name was Penneys.
• Every time I go to Europe or at least for the last couple of years, I’ve bought the city passes. They’re the most helpful if you want to learn about each city and/or county and they offer so many tours!
• For the underground transportation, the Oyster card is much more effective than constantly putting in money for a ticket. You can even use it for years to come, as long as you put money into it, like I have.

I hope my London experience made you want to explore it a little more or even try something new! When you go to the same place three years in a row, it may get boring but maybe go with different friends or explore other parts, you never know what you’ll find!

*Attempts a British accent* Have a great trip!

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We had communicated through email for years… Never through social media or regular text message because it’s challenging to use wifi and data. In the island, people are very limited in their resources and how much they can make in their profession. But when you have a family like mine, we help them in any way possible.

The Shortest Flight Ever

Our flight was exactly forty-five minutes. We buckled up, took off, the flight attendants passed out water, and we prepared for landing. Quickest flight ever!

My cousin met us at the small airport in Santa Clara, Cuba and we literally had the longest group hug ever. We all introduced ourselves and drove to his house, which just so happened to be my dad’s childhood home. We met my aunt and were super excited to get to know the towns where my family lived.

After an exhausting day, we went to relax and unpack our luggage.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria

The place we stayed at was beautiful. It had all the Cuban foods we grew up with and wow… all homemade. From the mangos to the croquetas (a bread crumbed fried food roll usually made with ham), mojitos, guayaba (a pinkish paste made from guava), rum, and endless pastelitos (Cuban pastries of all sorts). There was so much food!

The water was extremely clear in the beach and it was so relaxing to explore.

We rode the catamarans, swam around to the tiki bars, and just hung out with each other. The only Cuban locals allowed in the area were those who worked there. Families weren’t allowed to bring their people to relax with them.

Also, fun fact: in Cuba, while their currency is the peso, they had different currency for tourists called CUC. Of course, they charged the tourists more because the CUC was like a gold mine for them but Cuba’s prices for locals weren’t the lowest either. I understood then why our support meant a lot to them to live that comfortable lifestyle. Thanks to the American dollar…

House to House

We would drive around visiting family from house to house because everyone lived in other parts of the town. Visiting Sancti Espiritus, where my dad was born was a treat because we truly saw where his school was and how everything looked like for him (obviously with a few more decades taken into account).

The photo on the right was the view from the backyard of my cousin’s house. It was insightful to see how they lived– with minimal air conditioning, access to wash and dry clothes, and transportation. The houses all look very old and broken down. But I love the spirit of their culture there. They take a lot of pride in it!

I really appreciated coming to visit the other half of the family because it feels more real. We truly are very privileged in the States and we sometimes disregard it because we don’t know or have not experienced how others live.

If you ever visit Cuba, I recommend:

• Take medicine! More than you usually would, especially for your tummy, because the water isn’t as filtered as we have it in the States and it can mess you up for the rest of the trip. We probably visited every bathroom we could because some of my family got messed up bad. If this does happen, I encourage you to take toilet paper as well…
• Someone in the group should know how to drive stick shift because a great majority of the rental cars are still stick shift.

It’s a beautiful country and the experience was unforgettable thanks to my family. I absolutely loved getting to know Cuba, playing dominoes and learning more of their day to day life.

XOXO, Mel

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This has been a trip my parents have been wanting to take for TEN years and it’s OFFICIALLY happened!!! 

Some BTS (behind the scenes): Usually my sister and I plan everything to the point of outfits for our trips… but because this trip happened a year earlier than anticipated, we winged the trip entirely! We made it through our anxiety and pushed through to a true spontaneous adventure!

Before I go into the details of the trip, packing is important! I made a goal to just bring a carry on (I know I’m crazy) but it worked out. I brought four sweaters, two pairs of leggings, two pairs of jeans, two pairs of boots, a jean jacket and a coat because my mom wouldn’t let me otherwise. It wasn’t too cold but Miami-ans would probably beg to differ! It was about 25 degrees but the sun was out every day… so a little colder than Miami’s type of winter (if you’ve been). 

Transition Across the States

Our travel agent, which by the way was extremely nice and patient with all our questions, recommended we fly into Seattle a day before and save a day after the cruise to Alaska. She knew others have missed their flight or have been delayed and didn’t want us to risk it! 

I don’t know if your family is the same but mine likes to travel on different flights. Basically all the plane crashes have scared my dad and he’s comfortable this way. So we usually split up, my mom and I on one flight, and my brother, dad and sister on another. (We have to stick one of the girls with the guys because we know the airports better!) 

Made it to Seattle

After flying a whole day, plus a layover, we made it to Seattle. We got on a ‘Ride the Ducks’ land and water tour to see the city before making our pit stops. The Emerald City was beautiful!

First stop: the Space Needle & Chihuly Garden and Glass

The elevator in the Space Needle was sky high! But as one of Seattle’s iconic symbol, it was a must do. We learned it was built in 1962 and recently remodeled. There’s no restaurant anymore, but might be rebuilt in the future!

The Chihuly Garden and Glass is a museum dedicated to the art of glass blowing by Dale Chihuly. But did you know the glass sculptor is an award-winning artist? Now you do! The garden was so cute and they even had a small presentation of someone glass blowing.

Second stop: Pike Place Market

We stopped by the famous Pike Place Market, a farmer’s market that first opened in the early 1900’s. They have a cool tradition to throw the fish before packaging it for their customers. Who knew fish throwing could be normal? I recommend going early to the market because there’s still so much to explore! A MUST-DO is buy a coffee at the FIRST (well second…) Starbucks! I recently found out that it’s the second because the original was shut down and moved locations to Pike Place. So technically, it’s the second Starbucks but first building!

And to top it off, we walked through the original gum wall! The tradition began in the early 1990’s, but didn’t become an attraction until a couple of years later. The wall has been cleaned so many times but people still place their gum! Ew!

Traveling with Norwegian Joy

It was our second time traveling with Norwegian and boy, did we have fun! From the first moment we got on the boat, we were famous. My family has a tradition to go to the top deck every time the boat sails away and there just so happened to be a camera crew from Discovery Channel filming the Mighty Cruise Ships series that came up to my mom, sister and I asking us to interview! What what what!! 

First city: Ketchikan, Alaska

Today’s the day where I spent half my paycheck on this excursion! Zip-lining was the start to our adventures and it was only the siblings. We were paired with two ladies from Texas, and oh man, they were a trip! To zip-line at 65/66 years old is insane but I want to be just like them when I grow up! We went first thing in the morning and then explored the city after. 

Second City: Juneau, Alaska

This is where I cross off “take a tour in a helicopter” and “dog sled in Alaska” from my bucket list! Two in one!!!

We caught a train to the helipad area and were split again (same reason as the flight). I appreciate that the workers were so nice and accommodating. The view was breathtaking…like no pictures could do it justice. There was snow everywhere and glaciers. So beautiful! 

The helicopter flew us to the site specifically for dog sledding. The family that owned the dog sledding site was the first family to own that type of business in Alaska. It’s still flourishing and they were so kind. We got on the dog sleds and woah! It was love at first sight because this excursion just became my second favorite of all time! (First is skydiving, of course). 

The dogs were all so snuggly and cute. We took so many photos and even got our Christmas card from it! (It’s the featured photo). I would recommend dog sledding to everyone as of this point! Must do!!!

After what felt like the best day ever, the captain took us around some glaciers, because who wouldn’t want to see glaciers in Alaska? My dad sure didn’t want to miss it. 

Third city: City of Hoonah, Alaska

What an interesting city… with only about 760 inhabitants, 100 students at a time and 5 graduates, this city is the smallest one I’ve traveled to yet! I think the tourists overpowered and are a huge reason the city thrives. One of the townspeople we visited carves totem poles for a living! Isn’t that cool? It usually takes almost a year to complete just one and by hand! That’s what I call talent. 

Fourth city: Victoria, Canada

First time in Canada!!! We purchased a ticket for the tour bus and guess what? We walked three hours to different stops trying to catch it but it was full EVERY TIME! So we complained and got a refund. The experience was awful and I don’t recommend it. We made up for it by walking and trying to lose the calories we had gained all week. Wishful thinking!

Chinatown was under construction but cute! *If you can find my dad in the photo, then you’re great at Where’s Waldo*. We walked through and had lunch in Beacon Hill Park, where the flowers were so beautiful and soft. 

My sister and I split from my parents and brother because we thought exploring was more important than the shops. (Only by preference, but some people prefer exploring the ‘very affordable’ shops, like my dad). 

I can’t begin to tell you how much we walked and explored. And thank goodness for my sister’s phone carrier because we had google maps everywhere! We visited the Christ Church Cathedral and the Craigdarroch Castle, which was closed half an hour before we got there. So we took photos outside. I’d look at times before visiting, just in case the same happens to you and you want to visit.

Our meeting point was the Fisherman’s Wharf, just before the port. So pretty! It was basically a pier with floating restaurants and homes. A business owner was telling us that everyone in the pier, and mostly in Canada, work only from April to September and have the rest of the time off! Incredible! Guess who’s moving to Canada…this girl!

What a great cruise!!! Here’s another family shot before our last day in Seattle.

Seattle, then Home

Our last day in Seattle was too good to be true. We toured Boeing, and if you know me, you know how much I love planes! I felt like a little kid at the candy shop. We weren’t allowed any electronics or bags or basically anything in the factory, so we took photos after. 

And our last stop before the airport was at Snoqualmie Falls. It was honestly a very unexpected choice of place but very beautiful! The waterfall, landscape and all the greenery definitely made it even more beautiful. 

This was definitely one of the best trips we’ve had in a while!!! I absolutely loved Seattle, everything in Alaska and Victoria, Canada. 

Some tips for the trip:

• Specifically at Norwegian, we had to reserve every time we wanted to go to a show or musical… so I’d recommend either doing it online, as soon as you book the cruise or going to guest services the first day to book everything you want to see for your days in. 
• Bathing suit in the Alaska cruise was a big no… unless 25 degrees is your heat, all power to you!
• If you want to see a town from a bus, I’d only recommend it if you choose to stay on it the whole circle. Tourists wouldn’t get off because their seat after wasn’t guaranteed. Choose wisely!
• Make sure at least one person in your group has amazing signal/bars on their phone because unless you’re old fashioned and carry a map, you’ll need a digital map to get around.
• If you’re traveling with family, I would bring some matching outfits to potentially take your Christmas card photo like we did.

If you ever need any other recommendations, I’d be happy to help! I know I skimmed through the trip, but hopefully it helps you for yours. So thank you if you truly read to the end. I really admire you for it!

XOXO, Mel

P.S. A good chunk of the photos from this trip were taken on a great quality camera, thanks to Giselle Cancio. Thank you for being my lifetime photographer and getting all the best angles!

The post Everything You Need to Know About the Alaska Cruise with Norwegian Joy appeared first on Plane and Cheesy.

6. BUILDING YOUR RESUME

Starting with #6, building your resume is the easy way out, but it definitely separates you from other potential competitors. Studying abroad also allows for one to have independence in their time away from home.

5. DISCOVERING THE INNER-YOU

#5 is discovering the inner-you. What you like to do may be different from others. Some of my friends like to wander around without a map in hand and find their way back. As for me, I know I don’t  have unlimited data, so I have to be careful where I end up.

4. LIVING IN ANOTHER CULTURE

Getting out of your comfort zone and trying new foods is something not many people like to do. But what is better than feeling like a local? Learning traditions of the country you are about to live in for a short time can help you blend in the culture easily. And celebrating the holidays with the locals gives a comfort feel because they can see you’re trying to fit in and love what they love.

3. LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE

Learning the language and mannerisms of the country you’ve decided to reside in shows effort and gives a chance for you to communicate better with the locals! It also helps with personal and professional development, because when you go back home, you’ll be more knowledgeable than when you left!

2. LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS

When traveling abroad, not many people know who they will be rooming with or who they will meet. Going in with an open mind and ready to make friends helps with future networking and connection opportunities. You’ll also be able to visit each other and create that lifelong friendship!

1. THE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

My #1 is definitely the travel experience. I love having the majority planned and later go with the flow in the locations / tours booked. But research is essential prior to flying to your destination because you’ll highlight some of what you want to do and still find the time to get around the country easily.

I hope these tips helped ease your mind on why studying abroad is worth it! It is definitely an experience you’ll never forget and can help create friendships of a lifetime!

Don’t forget to take a ride, grab a bite & discover adventure!

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