Chaela Sophia

Est.1992

[withlovechaelasophia]

[withlovechaelasophia]

Gosh, It’s been a while!

I've been tripping over my feet and forgot to invite you guys to see. #itsteatime

This year has been a whirlwind. There have been times where I felt so free and blessed I could barely contain my excitement and times where I desperately wished to fade into the background. Nonetheless, It has been a tremendous journey and I am ready to share it all with you.

Watch this space - next stop: Memoirs of Thailand.

[withlovechaelasophia]

I'm like a bird, I wanna fly away...

[dk-la]

[withlovechaelasophia]

love this...note to self : ) 

[withlovechaelasophia]

These boots are made for walking & That's just what They' ll do

It's that time of year again! ...Adventures in the outback : )

North Wales is stunningly beautiful and I had the pleasure of climbing all the way to the top of Moel Siabod this weekend... (couldn't think of a better way to end my university chapter than to sit on-top of a mountain contemplating my future!)

[withlovechaelasophia]

**Its Official** Working Holiday New Zealand 2014 & Backpacking South East Asia

So I’m graduating from University this year and the big question for me is… WHAT NEXT?  A lot of my class mates seem to be pursuing the LPC (solicitor), BPTC (barrister) or Masters route. For me, that isn’t my path just yet. I feel like I need to explore a little, I’ve been in education for a long time now and I just want to take a step back and look at the overall picture.

I`ve always wanted to be a lawyer but achieving that dream takes a lot of persistence, dedication, and money. The LPC can cost in excess of £8,000 and if you aren’t one of the lucky ones who finds a training contract within 10 years then that’s it, back to the drawing board! If it doesn’t work out by then it probably never will!

It’s this type of thinking which has led me to the decision to travel.  I’m looking forward to discovering the world around me, broadening my horizons, and hopefully learning more about myself in the process. When I get back, if I haven’t been swayed by the wonders of the world, then and only then, will I be sure that the legal profession is for me!

So, why New Zealand? … If I’m being honest, it was not my first choice. I was thinking more along the lines of Canada but the visa process was not an easy task: it is operated as a first come first served basis, and despite attempting to submit my online form as soon as applications opened, within 15 minutes the cohort was full. I then considered Australia but wasn’t too keen on the employment restrictions (Maximum of 6 months with one employer on the working holiday visa)…I’ll probably just stop over on the way back instead.

New Zealand, on the other hand, allows me to work for the same employer for up to 24 months. That suits me much better! Plus, I`ll be surrounded by the most beautiful landscapes and I’ll be able to indulge in extreme sports…always up for a challenge.   

In terms of the visa application, it was pretty affordable and simple (submitted online and received a response 2-3 days later).

Flights have all been booked (I depart in October) and so far my itinerary includes: Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and of course NZ. Although I’m normally quite organised I’ve decided to refrain from planning a strict travel schedule and go with the flow… (Knowing me I’ll probably draw up at least a rough guide before heading out).

[withlovechaelasophia]

Work America: the good, the bad & everything in between...

This may well be the longest post I ever write, grab yourself a cuppa & keep reading! 

Without a doubt summer 2013 was the best EVER! I spent a total of 3.5 months working and travelling in the USA. 

My J-1 sponsor was BUNAC (a.k.a. GeoVisions).  They’re probably not the cheapest company around but because it was my first time travelling so far away, without family or friends I decided to opt for a well-established and reputable company. Applying for the visa was quite a lengthy and costly process (online forms, embassy appointments, verifications etc.) A good thing about BUNAC is that they provide a step-by-step guide covering exactly what you need to do: what forms need to be filled in, deadlines to be met, info on arriving in the USA, finding a job and so on.

However, my experience with the company was not completely hassle-free. For what seemed like an administration error on their part, I was booked the wrong embassy appointment in London. My slot was quite early in the morning and the only way to arrive in good time was to travel to London the night before.  In short, I spent a load of money on travel and accommodation, only to be turned away with a re-scheduled appointment. To say the least I was not impressed.

Fast forward a few weeks (granted my visa, booked flights, etc. etc. etc.), I was onto the next task of finding a job. Although BUNAC provides a job search facility, in my opinion and experience, there was a limited choice of jobs available and it seemed like the system wasn’t updated very often. (Maybe my eyes were deceiving me, but hey, I am just being honest). Though disappointed, this was not a major issue because BUNAC suggested many other job sites which I utilised and was happy with.

In the end, I didn’t find a job before I left the UK. This was primarily due to difficulty in balancing volunteering, Uni assignments, exams, work and other commitments. No biggie, because that’s another good thing about BUNAC - you don’t have to find a job before leaving the UK (though it’s strongly recommended).

In the USA, GeoVisions assisted with my search for employment. I spoke to one guy in particular and WOW…I have never been more IMPRESSED with customer service in my life. He was attentive, responsive, helpful…I could go on…but you get the point.

In terms of employment, I got a job and was happy…considering the length of this post, confidentiality, legal stuff and all of those implications I shan’t go into detail.

Overall, my experience in the USA was a 9.5 out of 10….. LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT!

Everything in between (Random observations/ advice):

If you are not in a city expect to drive a lengthy stretch (literally) to get to a supermarket/mall – Believe it or not online grocery shopping/delivery is not as readily available as in the UK

If like me, ‘spray’ deodorant is an essential you might want to travel well stocked or consult duty free (roll on dominates the shelves there)

Public restrooms appear to have wider than necessary gaps between doors (potentially a weird person could watch you pee)

Camping in the wild? In Bear country, bear spray & the ability to use it is essential 

There are charges for incoming calls/texts in addition to the normal outgoing rates (UNPLANNED EXPENSE ALERT)

You pay to withdraw cash almost everywhere not just the odd machine in a private shop, unless the machine belongs to your bank (UNPLANNED EXPENSE ALERT)

On that note, I’d recommend signing up to a well-connected bank opposed to a local bank if possible (I.e. Wells Fargo have branches all over the US- so if you come across any problems whilst road tripping you can always pop into a branch –I did this many times) 

One thing I loved about banking there is that I could take pictures of a pay cheque with my phone (via bank app) and within a few days the cheque would be deposited in my account…there’s been talk of this technology coming to the UK...and I'm quite looking forward to it

If you come back from your travels and you have not experienced the joys of a (S’more) or drank from a red plastic cup…you have failed in your American journey!

Whilst over there (in no particular order)I travelled to : 

South Dakota: Keystone-Mount Rushmore, Rapid City Montana: West Yellowstone (wildlife haven & breathtaking scenery), Big Sky, Bozeman Wyoming: Grand Targhee Resort Massachusetts: Boston, Westport, Plymouth( spotted a whale or two), Cape Cod, Middleborough Rhode Island: Providence Washington DC New York City NY State: Catskills, Woodstock (coolest place ever!), Buffalo (Niagara Falls) New Jersey: Atlantic/ Ocean City Maryland: Annapolis( seafood central, amazing crab dishes), Chesapeake Bay Bridge Kentucky: Lexington Pennsylvania: Amish country (Lancaster), Pittsburgh Indiana, Louisville West Virginia: New River Gorge (recommended rafting destination) Illinois: St. Charles, Chicago

Feel free to drop me a line if you`re headed to any of those places, I might be able to offer some advice (generic stuff, I`m no professional) or point you in the direction of people who can :)