It's that time of year again! I can't believe the holidays are already almost upon us. It's also been a while since I've been able to attend a premiere as I've been overseas a lot this year. Some of you already know, but I do work in the entertainment industry and as a blogger and former member of the press I still get invited to fun events, including premieres! 
If you're a Marvel fan like I am, you probably know that Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) is getting his own show with Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfield) on Disney Plus, which comes out next week. Clint Barton is my favorite Avenger (with Spidey coming in close second!) so to be able to attend this premiere meant a LOT to me. I remember seeing Hawkeye make his first appearance in Thor back in 2011 in the theaters, and then again in the 2012 Avengers movie and have loved the character ever since. 
The show takes place in Manhattan around Christmastime which is why the series is coming out around the holidays. (I've been to NYC several times, but I'd love to go again during Christmas because it seems truly magical.) Marvel and Disney Studios did such a fantastic job decking out the red carpet with Christmas trees and holiday cheer. The dress code was to come all decked out for the holidays and so many guests had a lot of fun adding on to their cosplays and red carpet attire. They even had fake snow falling at one point and gave us hot chocolate bombs as a fun gift!
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| Look how fun these ornaments are! |
We also got to see the first two episodes of the show and the whole cast attended and watched with us which was so cool! Be sure to tune in to watch Hawkeye on Disney+ November 24th.
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| © Marvel Studios 2021 |
Want to get into freelance writing? Here's a list of resources to check out.
By Lauren - November 13, 2021
Do you love writing? Have you ever been interested in freelance writing opportunities? Then this list is for you! Here's a list of helpful resources and job pages where you can find and easily apply for freelance writing and journalism work.
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| The Met, NYC. |
“How do you afford to travel so much?!" This is a question I get asked all the time.
No, I’m not rich. (Don't I wish!) I don’t go into debt to afford my trips, nor do I have anyone else funding them for me. Read below for how I afford to travel consistently.
1. I prioritize travel. I budget for it and make sacrifices elsewhere in my budget which usually means less eating out, less concerts/event/movie tickets and hardly any impulse shopping. I don’t get my hair and nails done every month. Maybe a few times a year. I don’t shop at the most expensive stores for groceries or clothes. What do I do for fun then? Hiking, volunteer work, reading, urban exploration and taking advantage of free things to do locally. My side hustles also take up a lot of my free time.
2. I hustle. I have 2-3 additional side gigs on top of my 9-5 job. Pet-sitting, web design, sponsored IG posts, freelance social media clients + a small amount of revenue from book sales. All this usually adds up to an extra 1-3k a year or more which goes straight into savings.
3. I take advantage of travel deals in my inbox. Sometimes I don’t have a set destination in mind and I book what’s on sale. I also travel during off-season. Not during holidays or during the summer which is peak travel time and prices for many places.
4. Credit card hacking. I have a good credit score and pay off my cards each month. It took me a few years to research/get into this but it can be lucrative if done correctly and timed right. I jumped on a credit card offer this year, put all my bills on that card for two months and BAM got 9 nights worth of free hotels stays in points. Just for paying my bills I would’ve been paying regardless. Be sure to read the fine print on cards before you apply or open new lines of credit! I'm still researching this a lot and don't open many cards at once because it will affect your score.
5. Lifestyle creep. It’s a thing. I’m not as frugal as I once was when I first started traveling years ago. As my salary increased, I didn’t upgrade my apartment or buy all new furniture etc. and most goes into savings now.
6. I couchsurf or stay at hostels! I don't need to do this as much anymore since I can afford hotels with my salary now but in the past I really wanted to travel and I made it work on a shoestring budget. (much to my parent's dismay about staying with strangers on Couchsurfing, LOL. For my safety tips read here. )
These are just a few of the things I do to be able to afford to travel so much. Do you implement any of these or have any general savings tips of your own? Let me know!
As you probably could already tell from reading my blog, I do a lot of solo traveling and have traveled to many countries by myself. This list is a list of places that not only have I been by myself, but that I have heard other solo travelers have gone to and can vouch on the safety of the following countries. Many of these countries are also places where it's easy to connect with other travelers, are accessible and English is primarily spoken. These are all things to take into consideration when you're traveling by yourself for the first time in a foreign country. I know with my first solo trip I wanted it to be as easy as possible for me to travel around and not super stressful.
1. Iceland
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| Hiking a volcano in Iceland! |
Iceland has made a lot of lists every year in terms of being the safest country in the world. It is a absolutely beautiful country and is one of the safest places I've ever been in my life. One day when I was traveling here I forgot to walk my hotel room door and left all my valuables out (highly do not recommend) and nothing happened. Needless to say this is not obviously a good idea no matter how safe you are or feel and this was an accident and I do not recommend it but Iceland is very safe. The only downside of this country are that it is very expensive and there's a lack of public transportation. If you have the budget though and are the type of traveler that loves adventure and being outdoors, than Iceland is for you.
2. United Arab Emirates
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| Old Dubai Souks |
The United Arab emirates specifically Dubai, is actually ranked number two in the list of safest countries in the world that is compiled each year by many news organizations. Now you might be asking as a woman is it safe to travel here? And the answer to that is absolutely, yes. I felt extremely safe traveling around Dubai as a woman by myself. Public transportation was very easy to figure out, mostly everything is also in English in addition to Arabic and the locals were very friendly and helpful as well. This country is fun if you are looking for a desert adventure or want to lounge at a resort and do some shopping/eating out.
3. Australia
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| Sydney Opera House |
Australia boasts beautiful beaches and some gorgeous national parks. Be sure to bring your sunscreen and bug spray when you venture out.
4. New Zealand
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| Photo: Stuff.co.nz |
New Zealand is another fun country to visit, especially if you love being outdoors!
5. United Kingdom
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| View from the London Eye |
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| Hiking in Edinburgh |
The UK is also extremely safe to travel to and boasts cities such as Edinburgh, London, and Cardiff. England, Wales, and Scotland are all absolutely beautiful countries and the public transit system around the UK is very easy to figure out and safe. I would recommend at least two weeks here if not more to travel around.
6. Canada
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| Niagara Falls, Canada |
Canada is also an easy country to travel to and has many beautiful national parks as well as fun cities like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
7. Ireland
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| Aran Islands in Ireland |
From Dublin to its rocky coasts, Ireland is a stunning country with friendly people and lots to do.
8. Japan
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| Photo: iStock Photos |
Japan is another country that is very very safe for solo travelers. The only downside of this country is that it may be difficult to ask for directions and figure out public transportation as English isn't as widely spoken here.
9. Italy
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| Rome, Italy |
Italy is another country that is great for solo travelers because it has many cities to choose from to visit and is easy to take the bus or train from one city to another. You could easily spend months in this country traveling around and exploring all Italy has to offer.
10. Greece
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| Santorini, Greece |
Greece is another country as well that has many tourist sites, history and beaches. I know that I've included a lot of European countries on this list and the same goes for most of the countries in Europe being incredibly safe to visit. These were just my top choices personally of places that I can vouch for and that I think are amazing to visit by yourself.
"We're all just stories in the end, so make it a good one."
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