New Year, Who Dis?

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”

Benjamin Franklin

Happy 2018!

It seemed like 2017 just flew! I started the New Year fighting a cold and getting over a root canal treatment, so I'm not as jovial. Hooray!

Elizabeth at a casino in Santa Rosa, California.
At a casino in Santa Rosa, California.

In April, this blog will be turning two. Ahh, those terrible twos!  While I have been kicking around the idea of a YouTube channel, I'm still not sure that's where I want to end up. Never say never, right? I guess I want to stay true to ME and to what this blog represents. Even those who follow me on Instagram know that I don't have the traditional travel/language learning/food IG account.  I could take pictures of exotic places drinking cocktails by the beach as my hair is gently caressed by the wind, but frankly, travel isn't always like that. Well at least for me it isn't, and I'm okay with that. Part of solo travel is to enjoy morsels of it at a time, which means leaving the rest of the world out just until I can get back to my laptop and write my anecdotes.  Besides, I don't feel the need to post every two seconds about what I'm doing on the trip since it completely jacks up the flow and it just isn't my style. While this may seem obvious to many of you, there are some who believe the contrary.

Language Learning in 2018

As a language learner and aspiring polyglot, I face similar challenges. For those keeping track, I am currently learning Brazilian Portuguese, German, and Mandarin. Wait, there's also the French and Spanish that I have to practice daily and when German gets me down I switch to Dutch. The point being is that I am learning at my own pace, which is the best for me. Hence the title, aspiring polyglot. I am however, ready to share some techniques that have helped me or hindered me. Therefore, the aspiring polyglot area will get fleshed out to accurately list all the sites, books, blogs, and podcasts that keep my little brain going into a tizzy. If you're just starting, the best advice I could give you off the bat is to be patient with yourself. Let me write that one down and stick on a post-it so I won't forget it either.

Oh one more thing. Are you doing any monthly challenges? Currently, I'm doing the #31DaysofLanguage by Mango Languages for Mandarin and I've also signed up for Chineasy's 31 Days of Chinese newsletter.  Pretty easy to squeeze a half hour during your day. If you're hardcore parkour, try a new language each month this year.

Travel in 2018

Travels? Well, you can count on a birthday trip! I've been thinking about heading to South America, but hey you never know.  I choose my travels on a whim! I also want to travel more within the United States so that I can explore the rest of this country given the current political climate it would be a way to educate myself on how the others see the world. I even thought about making a cross-country trip with a friend only using buses and trains, or crashing a couch or two across the USA to see friends. Anything is possible!

Even so, there are plenty of places within a 500-mile radius that deserve my time.  A friend of mine took the backyard tourist approach which resulted in beautiful photographs and uncovered hidden gems in San Francisco. Another went to the desert giving me a glimpse of the sleeping beauty he's called home for most of his life.  I'm near wine country and rarely take advantage of it. I also have beaches, deserts, and mountains all within driving distance. Okay, now I just sound ridiculous.

Hopefully, these examples have inspired you (and me) to take a look in your hometown or state. There's always plenty to do and see fit for every budget.

Note: If you are trying to access the Travel Portfolio, don't fret. I'm updating it and well it was better to take it offline for a few.

Store and other Goodies

Well, my stars. It's finally happening. The last few weeks, I've been designing scarves, printed totes, and kimonos (duster/long cardigan) inspired by my travels.  One of my closest friends asked me why I hadn't done it sooner given that I love scarves and bags. It's a tedious task as I only want the best! Thankfully, my sketches are done with a tablet, and no trees were harmed. I might add other accessories, but I'll start there. I want to keep the clean look of the site and not bombard you with ads, so I chose this route instead. Ugh, don't you just hate when ads are covering your entire screen? Yes, this is sort of like an ad isn't it? However, I'm only telling you once, now I have told you. The end.

Transparency and communication = the awesome sauce of life.

Well, my lovelies, there is still plenty of writing to be done (and food to eat, and places to photograph!). Sign up for the newsletter, so you don't miss any of it. If you like this so far, share it with someone and if you hated it, just ctrl-alt-delete it from your brain.

xo

Elle B.

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