Long time waiting...

After so many fantastic responses to my blog, I've decided to try to keep it up. It'll be coffee centered, but knowing me, there will be rambles all over the place. Mostly food related.

Anyway, since I had photos of my trip I thought I'd post how I got scholarship that sent me to Sumatra. Also, I'll be updating how the rest of my trip went with fun little tips on what you should not do. :)

So, for the scholarship I originally wrote up this nice little college-like-application with some pleasant information. No go. The information needed to be more detailed and no one was wowed. How could you not be wowed by an extravagant trip to Indonesia? (hint: a boring black and white typed blah blah blah I want this statement would do it.) After being asked to reapply, I decided to try again, but this time I was not going to fail. So I turned my application into a comic book. Anya-illustrations and sad attempts at photoshopping. Please don't judge the later of the two. I had no idea what I was doing and it was too late to do it any other way. Also, I'm stubborn and no metal box without thumbs was going to beat me!

Enough chit chat though, here it is:

If you are wondering, yes, I am that egotistical to put myself on the front cover.

 Also, this is where the judging stops.  Photoshop is a strange animal...

(blah blah blah)

 This page is by far my favorite because I got to use an image of myself drawn as Sponge Bob Square Pants. WIN. (also, I had to look up what an airplane looks like.... fail.)

And the rest is history... at least my history.... and the internets...

The night before

Facts: 

-Tomorrow morning at 8:35am I leave Detroit for Singapore. 

-My bag is not currently packed. 

-I'm thinking about packing only socks, toiletries, a laptop and a skirt. 

- New hardest choice is which book to bring on the plane.

- My first hotel is apparently in the red light district of Singapore. 

- In an hour I'm going to a local dive bar with some friends for a "I may die in a fiery crash" get together. 

No, seriously. A few friends, Steve the boyfriend and I will be eating burgers and drinking beer tonight. Seems like the best way to spend tonight. Now you may be asking why I wouldn't be going to bed early and hydrating myself. Here's my answer: I'm super nervous right now and I haven't really been sleeping for the past week. (or at least I don't feel like it.) Tomorrow I will be on a lulling plane ALL DAY and therefore sleeping. Also, I'm not really going to be drinking tonight. So, given the option, wouldn't you want to be surrounded by supportive and loving friends instead of pacing your tiny apartment thinking you've forgotten something you've already packed?

Yea. That's what I thought.

Also, yes, I am young and dumb. I know.

Okay, I'm off to finish putting everything in my bag and take my anti-malaria pill.

Seriously, what book do I bring? 

Traveling advice from friends and strangers..

I love it. Really. It's wonderful to receive advice from strangers. Tell them you are traveling to Sumatra and they give you all these little nuggets! (Or they ask you where Sumatra is ["Do you remember those really bad tsunamis a year ago?])

Here's some really good ones:
-adhere you address to your camera
-scan your passport and send it to yourself. (GENIUS)
-when flying, set up your own connecting flights. It can be cheaper.
-also, check out smaller airports, sometimes they can be significantly less expensive. (Flint vs Detroit)
-check if you need vaccinations.

These are super useful and I'm going to be collecting them as I go.

Here are some of my absolutes when traveling:
-ALWAYS bring more socks than you need if you're going to be somewhere even remotely rural.
-pack way too soon in advance. That way you have an opportunity to think about everything your bringing or forgetting
-collapsable bags are a total win if you are a souvenir fiend.
-POWER ADAPTER
-I never bring soap. It's a treat to go buy the necessities in a foreign place. New toothpaste, new soap, new shampoo, and new packaging! (Love love love, packaging)
-If you do have to bring soap, I recommend Dr. Bronners. Mostly for ease of use. It's toothpaste, shampoo, face soap, laundry soap and dish soap in one. Seriously. Check it out. I like the almond scented one. (Best advertising ever.)

-Sleep on the plane. It's so much more pleasant than listening to Mr. Mouthbreather or Unhappy Baby crying.


That's all for now folks. I'm off to be vaccinated from Hep A, Rabies, Tuberculosis, and some other scary sounding thing I can't pronounce.