Category: Travel

Blog, Travel

The Night That Started It All

Sophie Crossley

This is the night that started everything – my journey to becoming a freediving instructor, living in Thailand, and learning to take a leap of faith while trusting my gut.

As you may have read by now (if not, more here!), my original ‘plan’ was to hit the typical backpacker route along Southeast Asia, adventuring through countries like Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. Okay, so it definitely wasn’t the most original post-graduation trip of all time, but it was my first attempt at doing a big-time solo trip around the globe. 

Well, it was supposed to be. Clearly, the rest of the trip never happened, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

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Blog, Travel

Update: I’m Leaving Koh Tao

Sophie Crossley

I always thought ‘island time’ was just a phrase made up for the purpose of looking good on a fridge magnet. With six months of living abroad already in the rear-view mirror, I can confirm that yes, island time is real, and yes, the time slips away very quickly. The countdown to my departure has officially begun and I don’t want to come to terms with it.

Continue reading “Update: I’m Leaving Koh Tao” →
world map with iTalki logo
Blog, Travel

Why iTalki is the Best Way to Earn Money From Home

Sophie Crossley

Do you want to get paid just for having a conversation with someone in your native language? Do you enjoy learning about different cultures from around the world? Are you interested in meeting new people? With iTalki, all of this is possible! It’s perfect to earn some extra cash, or to sustain your lifestyle while living abroad.

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Travel

My Island Lock Down in Thailand

Sophie Crossley

Part of what lured me to Koh Tao in the first place was the fact that it’s a small island that seems to exist in an undisturbed parallel to the outside world. As the island lock down begins, these same qualities could come back to either haunt me or save me.

Starting April 1, and continuing for two weeks, the island will be closed to visitors – that means tourists and foreigners. Night ferries will bring in food and supplies every evening, and people are welcome to leave, but foreigners will no longer be permitted to enter.

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graphic of man working on his laptop with a map in the background
Travel

How I Afford to Live Abroad in Thailand

Sophie Crossley

Money’s always a bit of a sensitive topic. We’re nervous to bring it up and then when the discussion finally happens, it turns into a ballet dance on a withering sheet of ice so as to avoid insult or offence.

I’ve had a few people ask me, not without uncomfortable pause before, about how exactly I’m paying for all of my travels and life abroad – what with being a broke Millenial crushed by college loans. 

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Lifestyle, Travel

What I Learned While Watching the Sun Set in Koh Tao

Sophie Crossley

There are a lot of things I’ve wanted to write about recently: freediving, Thailand, living abroad, food, making a living. I’ve also been trying to find my viewpoint on all of these things, too. It’s one thing to have a thought or an idea, but another one entirely to be able to share it with others.

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banner with a plane, globe, and backpack on it
Blog, Travel

40L Osprey Fairview Review

Sophie Crossley

When traveling, your backpack can easily become a black hole. Just like the drying machine, it will gobble one of your socks, just one, away into the stomach of the universe, never to be seen again, leaving you with a singular, lonely sock. Or maybe a shirt become lost in the mess that was supposed to be your perfectly packed and clean bag. With the Osprey Fairview backpack, this will never happen.

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girl standing in airport looking at plane
Blog, Lifestyle, Travel

The Reality of Moving Abroad for the First Time

Sophie Crossley

On the spur of a big night out, I decided to turn off my morning alarms. I missed my flight to Northern Thailand so that I could stay longer in Koh Tao. Little did I know that this would only be the beginning of my procrastination of returning back home to New Jersey.

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Blog, Travel

Home Life After 5 Months Abroad

Sophie Crossley

I’m currently sitting in the stillness that a house only knows in the early hours of the morning, with the moon just setting and the rooms still quiet. The time change from Thailand to New Jersey has left me wired and ready to take on the day while the rest of the coast is cozy in bed, yet to meet the chill of this December morning.

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