Monday, June 30, 2014

Our first hotel, Travel insurance pays off.

Arin in front of Hotel One. Catchy name isn't it? I plan to rent an apartment in Oaxaca and stay at least 3 months, but first I need to locate one, so I booked 3 nights in a hotel to give me time to search.

Don't be caught with your pants down when you travel. Always have lodging booked for at least the first night. I learned this lesson in 1973 on a family cross country road trip in the days without cell phones or internet.  In the 1960s it was not uncommon to fly to a car factory in Detroit and drive a new car home. I enjoyed this venture with my grandparents in their new Cadillac. They  didn't have a specific intinery for our return home, but that all changed after one night of driving until 1 a.m. during a Kansas thunderstorm, stopping at evey hotel for 200 miles in search of vacancy.  Being from sunny California I had never experienced a full on mid-west thunderstorm, complete with train crossing arm bouncing off our car. What a wild ride! After that night, we had Travel Lodges booked all the way back to California. In the days without cell phones it just wasn't so easy to wing it. If you didn't want to spend a ton of money making long distance calls from public phone booths, you would stay loyal to one motel chain and let them book the rooms.
OR

We are just not at the point in our lives where we can haul luggage all over town in search of lodging. In my 20s, that's exactly what I did, and maybe you did too.  My sis and I toured Europe in the summer after college in 1983. We moved to a new town every 2 nights and spent at least half the first day searching for lodging using our Go Europe book and public phone booths, all the while hauling luggage. I swore I would never do that again. I may be a budget traveler, but I'm a step above the youth hostel days.

As mentioned in the last post, we had an unexpected overnight in Mexico City. Our connecting flight was cancelled and the airline put us up in a hotel there, hence, I paid for a night at Hotel One that I did not use. I contacted the trip insurance and they actually agreed to reimburse me

The Oaxaca airport consists of two rooms and no gangway. The plane lands right on the tarmac where we're met with one of those ladder trucks like you see in "Arrested Development". As soon as we leave the plane and claim the luggage, everyone is shuffled into the transportation line to purchase a van ride  to our lodgings. I like this. It's stress free and it has a set price. 


As we journeyed in the van toward our lodging, I was becoming increasingly concerned about the neighborhood. All the buildings looked run down and were covered with graffiti. We were in the same type of neighborhood last night in Mexico City where our plane had been delayed and the airline put us up in a hotel. We didn't take advantage of our free day of exploirng Mexico City, because were afraid to walk about the neighborhood. Don't be fooled by the modern look of this inexpensive, beautifully painted hotel that I booked on Hotels.com. Virtually every other building in the neighborhood is old and covered in grafitti.

Tip: Budget travelers don't get to hop into a taxi and tell the driver, "Take me to the nearest hotel." Have at least one night booked before you arrive.

Did you have any challenges relating to landline phones and phone booths?

Day 2 The Oaxaca Learning Center volunteer
This ain't no tourist journey
What guided me to Oaxaca was the opportunity to immediately get involved with the local community.  Like I said, I will not be planning to hop to a new country every 2 days like in my 1983 post college back-packing run through Europe. This journey will consist of staying in each place for 1-6 months and living like a local.  My first indoctrination in the Oaxacan culture is by volunteering at The Oaxaca Learning Center. An American friend introduced me to the owner of this center. We have been emailing and I have an appointment to meet him today. By chance, it is located on the next block so we walk there this morning and introduce ourselves. The center was founded in 2005 by Gary Titus, a retired community organizer from San Francisco, USA and also the tallest man in town. Most of the funding is provided by the bed and breakfast portion of the center. Along with offering homework help, English speakers are paired with Spanish speakers and engage in intercambios which is a language exchange that benefits both English speakers and Spanish speakers. Arin and I were paired with two college girls, Beatriz and Teresa.  We decided to meet every day for 2 hours. Next month I will also teach an English language summer school class to kids who can not afford to pay.

Tip: If you want to be more than just a tourist, volunteer.

Would you like to volunteer in another country?

Day 3 The Lending Library supports the 1500 strong English speaking ex-patriot community as well as facilitating bilingualism through a language exchange benefiting both ex-pats and local residents. Show up on Mondays at 11am for an introduction to Oacaxa facilitated by an American who lives in Oaxaca full time. This is the main reason I recommend Oaxaca for first time travelers. The Lending Library is the hub for I have done my research before traveling to Oaxaca. I found out about the Lending Library from my sister when she came to Oaxaca for a 3 week intensive Spanish course earlier this year. I see all sorts of posters advertising where Bridge lessons are offered on Tuesdays, along with monthly hikes, talks, and various cultural events. Today is Tuesday, which is bridge lesson day. Having no specific plans, Arin and I decide to join in the bridge lessons. Little did we know how prevalient the game of bridge would play into our Oaxacan lives. We each won a hand with our partners and will probably play again.
Day 4 Finding an apartment
HOUSE SEARCH mention graffiti
travel insurance

1ST POST
How can you and I afford to travel?
You can stay in most foreign countries for
Do you realize how expensive your country is compared to most countries in the world?

Think about how much it costs to live where you are now. Housing, food, utilities, medical, taxes and transportation are 10X more expensive in your country than in 90% of the countries throughout the world.  For one month of your current living expenses, you can finance an airline ticket to another country and live anywhere from 3-6 months. I decide to take the leap and do it. Follow my blog and find out how you can do it too.

As I begin my journey, I start close to home in Mexico. One of the Mexican airlines flies out of my city so I use that instead of a higher priced branded airline. I purchase cheap trip insurance too. I don't have money to waste if anything goes wrong. I begin the journey with a nest egg, but if I want to continue traveling for a long time, I will need to produce income along the way. There are plenty of opportunities and I plan to take advantage of them. Follow my blog and see how you can do it too.

Come along with me as I travel through the world on a budget.

If you can't afford an airline ticket, apply for a job teaching English. Lots of countries will pay for your airfare, and housing along with paying you up to $20/ hour USD. They don't care about age, gender or even English ability. They just need English teachers.

POST ON TTPF I am flying to Mexico via Seattle, Washington and am scheduled for a 10 hour, overnight layover. Right now I am at the Seattle airport and the plane is late. I am saddened that my 8 hours of sleep will likely now become 6 hours of sleep, but at least I have a hotel room booked. You may wonder why a low income traveller would work a hotel into the budget instead of just sleeping on the ground, or across some airport chairs. I did that in my 20s when my sister and I traveled to Europe, but at 50 plus, I need a bed and a good night's sleep. Health is more important than money, don't you agree?When I arrive at the Mexico City airport, I discover that the hotel is in the terminal as advertised, but not in the one I am in. Normally, a shuttle runs between terminals, but I arrive after hours and need to pay for a taxi.Mexico City Airport Tip #1: Both terminals contain hotels. Do your research before booking.Mexico City Airport Tip #2: Arrive before the free shuttles stop running.The next morning: Mexico City Airport Tip #2: Check on your flight time before checking out of your room.At the ticket counter, I am informed that my flight is overbooked and I'm going to Oaxaca tomorrow instead of today. Not a problem. I have no schedule to keep in Oaxaca. After all, I am going to be living there for at least 3 months so what's the rush.This is the way to travel folks. No schedule to keep. No frantic rushing about. Plenty of time to see everything. I do have a hotel room booked in Oaxaca, but my travel insurance should cover that loss. Tonight's hotel is free. After enjoying my complimentary breakfast, I take my transfer to shuttle to the hotel. The airline has placed me in a 4 star hotel, but the area is scary. As we make our way through town, all the buildings are tagged with graffiti and I'm afraid to venture off campus. It's too bad I can't take advantage of my free day in Mexico City but at least I have seen most of the tourist areas. I came here in 1992 for a two week Spanish language school. It was a rewarding experience but it was also 8 months after my first son was born. Of course I'd never had a child before so I did not realize how terribly I would miss him! I never did that again. Matter of fact, he's with me now.

Oaxaca is my first experiment in living abroad

It has always been my plan to travel once all 3 of my boys had graduated from high school.  2010, my first son, Arin, graduates and I go on a one week Caribbean cruise. Class of 2012, Dominix graduates and I take another cruise. 2014, my youngest son, Jurdan, graduates and I am off to see the rest of world.

First stop, Oaxaca. Joy of all joy, my oldest son decides to join me. Mexico is to be my first destination because it is close to my home in California. How long will I stay? Who knows? Several months at least. Maybe I will never return to the USA. Maybe I will live the life of an expat? Come on this journey with me and find out!

After an unexpected overnight in Mexico City, we arrive in Oaxaca to a cheering crowd!
The world is in the midst of World Cup Fever. As the plane landed, Mexico had just scored a goal against Holland! Unfortunately, Mexico lost 1:2 and is now out of the race.

It’s a journey to meet local people and stay long enough to experience how they live and hopefully share a bit of my life with them.








The heart of Oaxaca

The apartment is in the perfect location. It’s right by center of town. In Mexican cities this is called the Zocolo. It is a big park surrouded by restaurants and shops. It’s also full of vendors and artists with lots of music.
You know, now that I think about it, it’s actually quite niosy at my apartment considering the zocolo, the bus stop and the midnight barrage of bottle rockets. I don’t mind. It feels vey safe with so many people always around. I like being in the center of things. This is what my travels are all about, living with the locals. But if you want quiet, stay 10 blocks away by Las Mariposas.

Why budget travelers have a more authentic experience

I love staying at Las Mariposas, especially in the mornings, when the English speaking guests gather around outdoor tables and chat. It is very tempting to just stay here with the English speakers. I could hang out with them and with the library people. We could go on our bus tours and go out to restaurants together, you know, be tourists. Luckily, it’s too expensive for me, so I can’t stay. I’m forced into the neighborhoods to live with the locals and experience their cul…. oh yeah, all my reasons for traveling!
Would you stay or would you go?

 Have you seen the worm floating in the bottle of tequilla? Here is the rest of the story

Image result for mezcal with wormImage result for mezcal with worm salt
Since our hotel had absolutely no authentic Mexican feel to it, and my attempts to find an apartment in Spanish have failed, we moved to Las Mariposas Bed and Breakfast. Most of the guests are American and Canadian and very congenial. The hotel provided a special Independence Day breakfast.  Several women milled and cooked home made corn tortillas over a wood fire.  It was very authentic.
For Las Mariposa’s nighttime party.  The owner cooked several dishes for us in the outdoor kitchen and someone’s dad provided mezcal, which I was told is not tequila. You know how margarita glasses are rimmed with salt? It’s the same in Mexico, but this particular salt tasted a little funny. Can you guess the secret ingredient? Have you seen the bottle of tequila with the floating worm? That’s right, the rim salt was mixed with dried worms!
.

4th of July celebration

The library folks were hosting a party in the afternoon. No one was able to give us a ride, so went by taxi.
Here’s the set up for our adventure:
  1. The party was being held in a little village high up in the hills at a charity called Casa Linda.
  2. Casa means house and Linda means pretty, but Linda is also a common female name in English.
  3. The directions went something like this: Take the road up into the hills, turn left at the pink bulding, go past two fields of agave plants, turn right onto the second dirt road, pass the red flag, etc.
  4. The directions are in English. Our driver speaks only Spanish. You know how poor my Spanish is.
I have to hand it to the driver. I have never seen a cab driver work so diligently. When it was obvious we were lost, he inquired of every pedestrian and inside every shop trying to locate Casa Linda.  About 1/2 hour into these interactions I heard him say the word “Gringa”.
If you know the definition of gringa, you know where this leading………
That’s right. After 1 1/2 hours of travel, we finally ended up at the house of an American lady named Linda. Needless to say, she was not running a charity out of her home and she did not feel like having a party just for us.
Since our hotel had absolutely no authentic Mexican feel to it, and my attempts to find an apartment in Spanish have failed, we moved to Las Mariposas Bed and Breakfast. Most of the guests are American and Canadian and very congenial. Today is USA Independance day so our hotel provided a special Independence Day breakfast.  Several women milled and cooked home made



BBBBBBBBB



The apartment is in the perfect location. It’s right by center of town. In Mexican cities this is called the Zocolo. It is a big park surrouded by restaurants and shops. It’s also full of vendors and artists with lots of music.
You know, now that I think about it, it’s actually quite niosy at my apartment considering the zocolo, the bus stop and the midnight barrage of bottle rockets. I don’t mind. It feels vey safe with so many people always around. I like being in the center of things. This is what my travels are all about, living with the locals. But if you want quiet, stay 10 blocks away by Las Mariposas.

Why budget travelers have a more authentic experience

I love staying at Las Mariposas, especially in the mornings, when the English speaking guests gather around outdoor tables and chat. It is very tempting to just stay here with the English speakers. I could hang out with them and with the library people. We could go on our bus tours and go out to restaurants together, you know, be tourists. Luckily, it’s too expensive for me, so I can’t stay. I’m forced into the neighborhoods to live with the locals and experience their cul…. oh yeah, all my reasons for traveling!
Would you stay or would you go?

 Have you seen the worm floating in the bottle of tequilla? Here is the rest of the story

Image result for mezcal with wormImage result for mezcal with worm salt
Since our hotel had absolutely no authentic Mexican feel to it, and my attempts to find an apartment in Spanish have failed, we moved to Las Mariposas Bed and Breakfast. Most of the guests are American and Canadian and very congenial. The hotel provided a special Independence Day breakfast.  Several women milled and cooked home made corn tortillas over a wood fire.  It was very authentic.
For Las Mariposa’s nighttime party.  The owner cooked several dishes for us in the outdoor kitchen and someone’s dad provided mezcal, which I was told is not tequila. You know how margarita glasses are rimmed with salt? It’s the same in Mexico, but this particular salt tasted a little funny. Can you guess the secret ingredient? Have you seen the bottle of tequila with the floating worm? That’s right, the rim salt was mixed with dried worms!
.

4th of July celebration

The library folks were hosting a party in the afternoon. No one was able to give us a ride, so went by taxi.
Here’s the set up for our adventure:
  1. The party was being held in a little village high up in the hills at a charity called Casa Linda.
  2. Casa means house and Linda means pretty, but Linda is also a common female name in English.
  3. The directions went something like this: Take the road up into the hills, turn left at the pink bulding, go past two fields of agave plants, turn right onto the second dirt road, pass the red flag, etc.
  4. The directions are in English. Our driver speaks only Spanish. You know how poor my Spanish is.
I have to hand it to the driver. I have never seen a cab driver work so diligently. When it was obvious we were lost, he inquired of every pedestrian and inside every shop trying to locate Casa Linda.  About 1/2 hour into these interactions I heard him say the word “Gringa”.
If you know the definition of gringa, you know where this leading………
That’s right. After 1 1/2 hours of travel, we finally ended up at the house of an American lady named Linda. Needless to say, she was not running a charity out of her home and she did not feel like having a party just for us.
Since our hotel had absolutely no authentic Mexican feel to it, and my attempts to find an apartment in Spanish have failed, we moved to Las Mariposas Bed and Breakfast. Most of the guests are American and Canadian and very congenial. Today is USA Independance day so our hotel provided a special Independence Day breakfast.  Several women milled and cooked home made corn tortillas over a wood fire.  It was very authentic.


Why places are the key to your experience

You can imagine how much fun I had trying to call these ads.
I would like to live in an area which is a bit cleaner without grafitti but as I explore the town, I find grafitti everywhere. It’s on the shops, homes, public buildings and even on century old churches and landmarks.  I guess the Oaxacans think it looks good?????
The Lending Library keeps a binder of potential housing options, but nothing interested me. No problema! I had a Spanish class 15 years ago, right! I’ll just buy a newspaper and call rental ads.  How do you think that went? Well it didn’t. They couldn’t understand me and I couldn’t understand them.
Okay, plan B.  One ad lists an address nearby. I head out in the hot, hot weather and finally find the street but I walk up and down several times and conclude the address doesn’t exist. What’s going on here?
Tip: Try to line something up before you arrive.
What are your experiences looking for housing?

Oaxaca’s English speaking ex-patriot community

There is an English speaking ex-patriot community here 1500 strong and the hub is the Lending Library. It was founded 40 years ago and has grown into the ex-pat cultural center offering monthly hikes, talks, and various cultural events.  Of all things, the card game of BRIDGE is very popular with this group, so popular that lessons are offered on Tuesdays along with games 2 days a week. I always thought of bridge as an old person’s game because of my grandparent’s bi-weekly bridge clubs, but than I realize, I am grandparent age, so I decide to play.  When I was young I had a board game called Jr. Bridge. All I remember is a picture of a plum and something  about a trump???
I found out about the Lending Library from my sister who lived with a local family in Oaxaca for several weeks while taking an intensive Spanish course. I followed this same path myself in 1992 when I stayed with a family in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico. I was trying to learn Spanish because I thought it would help me in my job. It would have been a wonderful experience if not for the fact that Arin was not yet one year old and I missed him terribly. This time I brought him with me. That’s him in the picture.
Tip: Enrolling in an intensive Spanish class which includes living with a family can actually be less expensive than just staying in a hotel. These courses usually include cultural components.
Would you be interested in an intensive language course?

What guided me to Oaxaca was the opportunity to immediately get involved with the local community.   Like I said, I will not be planning to hop to a new country every 2 days like in my 1983 journey; this journey will be will consist of 1-6 as a regular resident. American college kids arrive here every summer to volunteer at the The Oaxaca Learning Center. By chance, it is located on the next block so we walk there this morning and introduce ourselves. It was founded in 2005 by Gary Titus, a retired community organizer from San Francisco, USA and also the tallest man in town. Most of the funding is provided by the bed and breakfast portion of the center. Along with offering homework help, English speakers are paired with Spanish speakers and engage in intercambios which is a language exchange that benefits both English speakers and Spanish speakers.  Arin and I were paired with two college girls, Beatriz and Teresa.  We decided to meet every day for 2 hours. I have been emailing Gary for a few months before arriving and am sset up to teach an English language summer school class for kids who can’t afford to attend one of the many English Language Schools in town.
Tip: If you want to be more than just a tourist, volunteer.
Would you like to volunteer in another country?

The one time trip insurance paid off


Image result for hotel one oaxaca Don’t be fooled by the picture. This hotel is virtually the only modern building in the entire town of Oaxaca.
Though I plan to find an apartment in Oaxaca and stay at least 3 months, I always book lodging for the first night so I don’t have to search upon arrival. Let’s face it folks, we are just not at the point in our lives where we want to haul luggage all over town in search of lodging. In my 20s, that’s exactly what I did, and maybe you did too.  My sister Carol and I toured Europe in the summer after college in 1983. We moved to a new town every 2 nights and spent at least half the first day searching for lodging using our Frommers Go Europe book and public phone booths, all the while hauling luggage. I swore I would never do that again. I may be a budget traveler, but I’m at least a step above the youth hostel days.
Before arriving in Oaxaca, we had an unexpected overnight in Mexico City. Our connecting flight was cancelled and the airline put us up in a hotel, hence, I paid for a night at Hotel One that I did not use. I contacted the trip insurance and they actually agreed to reimburse me.
Tip:  Stay stress free by having a few nights of lodging booked for your arrival.
Did you take any big trips in the 1980s? Which resources did you use to guide you?

I arrival in Mexico to a cheering crowd

A blue eyed, blond haired girl from California has landed and the crowd goes wild! Thank you, I am happy to meet you too!  But that’s not why they were cheering. They have seen Americans before, lots of them. Since Mexico shares a border with the USA, Americans flock to the country, especially during spring break. During college in the 1980s, my friends and I drove down and camped on the beach in San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico for several Spring Breaks. After college, I upgraded to fancier accomodations at the beach resorts on my “Girls vacation” with my mother and sisters. By now I expected my finances to grow to the point of engaging in luxury around the world tours, but that’s not how things ended up, instead I will be living with the locals and it’s going to be a lot more interesting!
The Oaxacan weren’t cheering for me, but what were they cheering for? The world is in the midst of World Cup Fever and Mexico had just scored a goal against Holland!

Can you afford to travel? Yes! Almost every other country in this world is less expensive then where you live now

Think about how much it costs to live where you are now. Housing, food, utilities, medical, taxes and transportation are 10X more expensive in your country than in 90% of the countries throughout the world.  For one month of your current living expenses, you can finance an airline ticket to another country plus live there for 3-6 months. I decide to take the leap and do it. Follow me and find out how you can do it too.
As I begin my journey, I start close to home in Mexico. One of the Mexican airlines flies out of my city, Sacramento, so I use Volaris instead of a higher priced International airline. I purchase trip insurance too.  It’s cheap and I don’t have money to waste if anything goes wrong. I begin the journey with a nest egg, but if I want to continue traveling for a long time, I will need to produce income along the way. There are plenty of opportunities and I plan to take advantage of them. Follow me and see how you can do it too.
My journey is not about flitting from one hotel to another visiting tourist spots. It’s a journey to meet local people and stay long enough to experience how they live and hopefully share a bit of my life with them.

Why I’m beginning my world tour at age 56


This isn’t my first time out of the country.  I have visited Mexico many times, staying for a week at a time. Also, my sister Carol, and I trekked through Europe for 2 months after college. That was in 1983.  I’ve been planning a return visit ever since. Why the long wait? I had 3 boys to get through high school graduation.  At the beginning of this journey I am a 56 year old California gal deciding which country to visit first.
I am more interested in the newly popular “experiencial travel” rather than just seeing tourist sights so I plan to spend a minimum of one month in each place. You are welcome to join me as I meet native citizens and other travelers from foreign countries while immersing myself into their cultures.
Tip: If you can’t decide where to go first, go to the country nearest to you. You will feel much more secure if you are close to your own border.
Where country will you visit first?


The truth about the American Dream

Washigton D.C., USA
For those of you who are not from the USA let me explain The American Dream. In America, everyone expects to live The American Dream. The motto is: Work hard, study hard.  From a young age,we are taught that anyone can achieve the American Dream. All you have to do is: study hard in school, graduate to a good paying job and work hard for 30 or so years, buy a house with a 30 year mortgage, have 1.5 kids, retire at 55 and live happily and financially secure for the rest of your life. Our generation was the last to get in on it, but many of us missed out. It is basically dead now.
Yes, the American dream has passed me by.
I did everything right, went to college, got a degree, got a job. But I did one thing wrong, and I did it at age 40. I gave up a stable job and moved to a new town forgetting that I was in America, the worshipers of youth. Never again did I get a permanent job. Does this sound familiar? 16 years of part time work, temporary work and numerous failed businesses is not going to discourage me from fulfilling my dream of traveling the world, and don’t let it stop you either. I will just have to do it on a budget. Come along with me and become a TRAVEL THRIFTY PAST FIFTY budget traveler.
With you, I will be sharing my cultural journey of making new foreign friends, giving my insights into their cultures and customs, introducing other 50+ year old people who are finding ways to travel on a budget and some who have become ex-pats making new homes in affordable countries. All the while, I’ll be giving tips on how you can do it all too, on a budget of course!


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