Category: volunteering

Awake

November 29, 2021 BY CASSANDRA JOHNSON

The attention on my way to the Cuban restaurant on a recent Friday night reminded me of the feeling of casually going out most evenings after volunteering in Cusco, Peru. At the time, the crew was now my three or four closest comrades (being that I had left the scores of volunteer friends in Pisco). We would regularly go the bars and clubs on Cusco’s plaza every night and stay out anywhere between about 3 to 6 am. There were some quieter evenings inside watching a movie, chatting or simply eating out but we most casually spent nights chilling and or dancing to deejays or live music at La Lek, Mama Africa or some other bar/club in the Plaza de Armas (quite different and reminiscent of the other Plaza de Armas – other main squares in L. America). This was easily our stomping ground between volunteering and touring the city.

Only in those cases, (different from this recent November chilly night), imagine replacing the guy on the bus (who had a nice Jamaican accent) with guys from Argentina and Chile who regularly pass through Peru on their “holiday”. Interesting how something unique can become interestingly common. It would be unusual for us not to get approached by a couple of guys from these regions at least a few times an evening or night and the nice thing about traveling to one place is getting even more exposure to other places from visitors outside the current country you’re in and your own. That was Cusco on any night. We had a lot of wandering aspirations in common with our sometimes dance partners or just fellow tourists – and some interesting ideas not so in common.

There was one guy I particularly liked. Now it seems like a lifetime ago. Some moments stick and some people leave quite the impression.

Getting out recently was a reminder of life to come. With my new work arrangement, I am also not on the subway or bus as much – so getting there was more a reminder of the nice convenience more than the necessary part of my life it was to get to my old job. After chatting with another guy (very young), who wanted my number and finally catching up with a friend over good drinks and food, I am ready for the randomness plus camaraderie. After safely getting use to a life a lockdown, it is nice to be back in the midst of people, enjoying good company and diverse cuisines. Dancing is the probably the last thing missing, (at least for now), the familiarity of taking music back from just workouts. Life is promising again, as it always can be with new seasons or just new days. I am reawakening to some potential I had to put on hold.

You Are Here

SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 BY CASSANDRA JOHNSON

Discouragement is part of the territory. Sometimes pain is self-inflicted. Sometimes we consider ourselves not to be reaching enough of our goals fast enough.

There was an incredibly simple song I enjoyed in primary school. Beginning with “little by little”*, there was such a polite nudge and a naturally successful logic to the ending of “little by lot”

I have been known to overwork in some fashions, obsessively moving towards some ends. However, I have become wiser in avoiding so much additional strain. The bruises have their own lessons.

Life’s leaps have not been exactly what I would imagine them to be, but I am fortunate to have the freedom to test my limits.

Work has been my latest attempt but getting to work for myself took considerable courage and I need some more. Nothing is certain.

Imagining exactly what something is like before you try is not expected. Personally, going away to college was one thing. Moving to a city where I did not know anyone was another.

Liberation and fears are included with your steps forward. You get discouraged some days and on other days you see your dreams as plausible.

Experiences up or down can hopefully change us for the better. My stress and pains have prepared me a little more. Discouragement can also have a way of giving us more to consider. Can we get past our believed and true obstacles? Success is the reminder.

Traveling alone to another country was better than I could have ever invented in my head. The trips like the leaps sometimes feel so natural. I have had these nudges to continue going where my goals are shifting and the what-ifs torment me way more than what seems impossible.

Figuring out our own puzzles is reaffirming as well as just giving ourselves the chance to try.

Good Health

AUGUST 25, 2021 BY CASSANDRA JOHNSON

I think I have determined for me and some others, we may crave more variety than we know, hence the empty feeling of falling into a rut. What we may need is challenging work, a type of routine, dependability, spontaneity, vacation, and rest in different amounts depending on what drives us. Too much of one at any time has left us stuck, I am seeing.

Image Credit: Gerd Alrmann

We may crave variety more than we know while we also need stability. The wistful feeling of falling into some monotony while establishing a reliable routine became more apparent to me recently as routines became incredibly routine. I did not mind doing what was needed but I began to see how we all have to really take care of ourselves and have the proper outlets, entertainment, and recuperation.

In the natural flow of life, I found I seek comforts but also want to be challenged. I want to be pleasantly surprised, feeling safe with some place where I can continue to take risks.

Just when there has been enough rest and vacation, I actually find it nice to have the challenge of fulfilling work where I am accomplishing something.

Just when feeling like work is relentless and not wanting to deal with any stress that comes with communicating work politics and meeting proper deadlines, a nice getaway filled with idyllic scenery is a great touch or a staycation is a nice reset.

Within the layers, we can revel in a night out with friends dancing and laughing or a quiet walk outside with just a headset in tow. Working from a different part of my home office or mixing remote work with office work when I was still at my last company, I began to look forward to both and the change in scenery. Inserting some variety helped me appreciate the options. Distinguishing between what I prefer and what I do not like, which could also change, fit my big picture.

A healthy emotional state can be hard to maintain and should not be expected. We remember being “only human” and “there is no such thing as perfection” but those sentiments still seem rejected, striving in ways that sometimes are not perfectly attainable and forgetting some significant wins.

We still have a lot of possibilities for what life may bring and I would like to find my way by mixing it up. Variety, it’s true, is the spice of life*. Even in our interests, we should consider uncovering as much as we can.

A Way Back

JULY 30, 2021 BY CASSANDRA JOHNSON

Waking up in Cusco. Waking up in Guayaquil. Waking up in San Juan. Really, I do not mind waking up in my current home in the US, but there is definitely a pull towards the places I have been and especially resided in for a while.

Photo Pixabay

I have enjoyed DC for the time I have been living here, and I miss my home state and family as well. What I also plan for is living, playing and working between all of the above. I am excited to finally get to travel in the coming month. Let’s hope.

Hopefully we will all be able to move about as safely as possible.

I moved to this new home base about 15 years ago but did not know if I would stay here permanently, Initially my love was more than likely for the idea of moving to another big city apart from the one I lived in during college. I guess I should use the term district rather than city although eventual statehood is the aim.

I knew living here would be another interesting experience for me with a different variety of opportunities. This would be living as that everyday adult who did not have to worry about finals anymore😊

I compared what was to come via my love of reading (and campus life) before I had stocked up on so many of life’s up and downs. I fully looked forward to what was to come but braced myself for some difficulties as well. They did come, but through my efforts, I know I am fortunate to have met and spent time with all the people who have happened across my life. I count myself as lucky that I know people from different parts of this world. When I was a little girl, I imagined traveling but did not know how much a reality this could be for me.

Expecting to continue,  I am a lot less the pessimistic optimist I used to be in which I was full of hope but careful to brace myself. Naturally, we do not want to be vulnerable, and life is far from perfect.  Many times I  was surprised when some goals were completed. Then I realized I was surprised at my surprise because I did not realize I had also been prepping all along for some milestones not to be reached.  I have become better. I am realistic but I am still hopeful and now a little braver about going for what I want.

I will still need to adjust to a lot. I am still just getting acclimated to working for just me and mindset is interesting when you have gotten so used to working for other people. Though I am a fairly disciplined person, the deadlines are what helps the most in my now  location independent workdays. They are needed.

So there is one question I still consider. Since I have only explored this somewhat, I wonder how good I will be at navigating working while traveling, especially with my old habits of working too much. I am inspired by so many of you. Typically, I am wondering what work I should be getting done next.

Then again, perhaps this is more the old me relating to the demands of someone else’s company, their clients or customers and performance reviews. Sure, there were likeable elements, but no denying how non-workdays are looked forward to by many employers and employees for a reason.

Currently, I still have pressure but a notably different push when completing assignments for an individual client or agency as I am doing now.

Well, there is no rush to figure everything out all at once. Just getting back out on my first trip after a long hiatus has me excited. I won’t be working. No hurry to get it right on this first time out. Just in a hurry to see my family again.

Friendship In A Day

JUNE 30, 2021 BY CASSANDRA JOHNSON

A nice spin on getting to spend time with a good friend is getting to do the same in paradise. 2019. Enter Puerto Rico.

I was post volunteering (doing some sightseeing here and there and taking in the suggestions for all the local events which happen to be taking place). A beach being just up the road did not hurt matters nor did Old San Juan being about 10-minutes away by bus or Uber.

My friend and I had talked about how fun it would be if we finally had the chance to travel together. As we usually had a collection of getaway stories to share, we pondered how fun it could be if we had those stories in common.

Planning out our schedule for what was some good timing, we carved out one overlapping day and for this span of the time, we went to the beach, went to some tourist spots, dined on some nice cuisine, and later realized how we may not have even had the time.

We were appreciating how the plan came together despite the time winding down. We could relax, even having the time to shoot the breeze over dinner with other travelers, share music at a local bar, and be a part of the nightlife.

Decadent dessert was also good for my enthusiasm 😊 and this was all in good time before my 2ish am flight. I would see him again back on home turf.

Connecting and hanging out with new people abroad is one highlight. Then there is this other magic of passing the time with local friends on an excursion and fortunately for us, the island gifted us both its excitement and serenity..

Getting to see each other was a nice bonus to each of our itineraries. Remember the company you keep. Leave room for the relaxing escapes and for the very real connections.

Related Posts:
Organize Me
Pleasantly Surprised
Gracias and Viva: Hasta La Próxima

The Company We Keep

JUNE 29, 2021 BY CASSANDRA JOHNSON

Growing up, you one day hear when someone says or implies “life is not easy”. You believe it. The song also says, “no one ever promised you a rose garden”.

Yet, when it’s good, it’s really good. You know this to be true on some big scale perhaps or in simple moments just as a small child starts out being comforted by the time simply spent with him or her. They are in awe at the magic tricks adults seem to perform in their presence with toys or a simple game of peak-a- boo.

Viñales, Cuba

One day you get it. You could be anywhere with a certain person, and you could be having the best time and technically not doing anything. You know the people, including yourself, are making life more interesting. In our way we are causing what is seemingly nothing to mean something. Adversely, a dazzling venue or event can lack so much luster when you are not clicking with anyone in the room.

You know all of this to be true when you could be sitting outside just about anywhere, having a refreshing drink, eating ice cream, or getting caught up in a conversation and maybe even forgetting to eat. Next thing, you and your present company realize the two or more of you have gotten hungry. Next, you end up just about anywhere, in a place that is perhaps too overpriced (no matter) or a unique hole in the wall which you could have never preplanned.

These are the relationships I lean into at home and mirror in my connections abroad.

This especially speaks to my time with other travel volunteers and tourists. One random traveler meets another (that’s me) and there’s the combination of simultaneously experiencing new people and new places in what is sometimes quite the random life. Even the mundane moments play out differently.

I recall leaving Arequipa to get to Cusco. Before starting my second South American volunteer selection, I decided to go to Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. (I would end up sightseeing with other volunteers later as well between enjoying the nightlife and everyday life, but I wouldn’t know that yet.)

The random circle gets a little wider when traveling with a friend. As a collective I’ve also made some interesting connections.

The circle grows and you find yourself having dinner with another person from Europe, North America, South America etc. who was probably just a stranger 3 hours ago and the odds go up exponentially when you more so go the hostel or local homestay route.

There is always something to do but being around your crowd of family or friends or just one other confidante, we know there does not necessarily have to be anything to do at all.

What May Come

MAY 31, 2021 BY CASSANDRA JOHNSON

Soccer reminds me when I was green with inexperience and my efforts to absorb as much as possible, as quickly as possible.

I was a little late to the idea of playing sports in the name of school spirit and soon realized the tryouts were more so a reunion for everyone who had been playing on the local area club teams. Even players who didn’t know each other leaned into the familiarity of their similar past experiences. Their reaction to the others:  Sizing us up (good and/or bad) and keeping a log accordingly. Perhaps this is how a lot of life’s premiere meetings go.

Thank goodness for the maturity we can eventually give each other and ourselves to grown, though knowingly, the room for growth is not always promised. There are some lessons.

Before adding soccer, my interests were elsewhere and varied across the map. My drive towards them was also perhaps somewhat to the point of obsession. (In a lot of respects, I am still this way.)

Soccer was simply not to be my focus yet. Even falling out of the loop in my recent years) I note how once I decided to go out for the junior varsity team at 14…

…well let’s just say (as they say), some things, simply become etched in your heart for the duration.

How did my obsessions (or maybe intense focus is a better description) play out in my formative years? I think certain focus is needed in a time where we’re feeling both accepted and unaccepted, dealing with both the pressures of figuring out who we are and who we want to become while in some cases being lauded and in other cases being hurt. School can that fun challenging place. What makes us become who we are? We soon see.

My focus included losing myself in classical music practice and concerts (which lasted from 5th grade into college), falling in love with the globe very early on and what it would mean to travel and how I adored meeting and learning about the guys and girls who would venture to our high school from abroad.

Going from a smallish city to a massive college (Ohio State) meant I got to befriend and meet countless people from practically everywhere.

Learning to speak Spanish and all the activities this entailed, such as being Spanish club Secretary also called in a lot of my attention. More of my interests did not really seem to match my personality, yet we are all dynamic creatures, even if we too sometimes find it less demanding to fit ourselves into the box.  

I cannot include all the quirks and day to day activities nor all my hobbies in which I found myself drawn but I write all this to share another realization of how capable we are of so much variety in our lives. Our skills complement our efforts, and a good deal of our work can be psychological. The mindset we emulate for early ventures and what we decide we can do from both reinforcement and determination tug us forward or limit our trajectory. I was reminded of the naiveté I had when I first stepped onto the soccer field. Yet I was determined. Being a library nerd (ahem, it is not a bad thing), I checked out books for drills and Pelé’s autobiography. I was determined soccer wise but I would only make it so far. It was a hell of a way so I cannot look back on those moments feeling dejected. Disappointments intermingle themselves around our victories.

Sounds not quite the romantic underdog story but I remember the surprise when I did score on the seasoned players and how I became better despite the late start. The realization I could be a part of something for which I held a passion still leans into the dedication and willingness I can dare to embrace with a little or a lot of fallibility, whatever the case may be.

Thank you for taking the time to share in part of my at times cliché but needed journey. Until next time. 😊

Carry on

May 24, 2021 BY CASSANDRA JOHNSON

Getting the opportunity to help people learn English on Cambly has played a part in reviving my travel volunteer and work goals. I think they had partially been repressed by the necessary hiatus we had to take.Travel adventures seem possible again.

Taking longer walks now, thanks to the Spring and its sun, I am reminded of the comforting exciting walks around places like Bolivia, Peru, and Cuba.

I am psyched how much closer we are getting to recounting memories in the places we have been and yet capturing new moments and people in our circles.

I am excited for the sensory overload and promises in the times we get to create and try new things. What a joy to try reliving everything that makes us laugh and relax the days away.

I am preparing to step up to the issues that don’t seem to go away, knowing I do not have to deal with them without the comforts I now require for my every day.

If you are interested in more information about Cambly, I have included their info on our Community page. It is ideal for the nomadic and/or traveling life or just meeting and helping more people.

Canva images

Boss

March 31, 2021 BY CASSANDRA JOHNSON
Image Credit Nugget Market Recipes #morehealthygoals

My days are predictable and then they are unpredictable. I am able to get my fitness in very regularly and sleep well and then some days, my tasks have to get juggled a little differently. Meet today. Wednesday. What is this sleep and I promised myself dinner would be better than lunch (although ironically lunch involved fruit and dinner was pizza, but you see what I mean 😉).

Chilling and casually ticking tasks off my list or rapidly typing away. In either scenario, I am feeling at ease. I adore my new schedule. My worst complaint and grumbling as a freelancer does not even come close to touching the upside. I now don’t feel pulled in several uneven directions. My multitasking is there but she is tailor-made for me, now that I have left my office job.

Today had me working nonstop (from the night before) until I met my targets and deadlines but on days like this, when I am working particularly hard, I notice I have more peace of mind than the days I was not my boss. Now, of course I do have to answer to deadlines and consequently to some people, but there is such a different aura in being able to rest whenever I am done and not having to answer to any extra work issues.

Since I worked on getting my official certifcation, I have always been glad I started on the path to becoming a freelancer. My previous jobs did enhance the skills I need to progress and handle work so I give credit where credit is due and acknowlege the fun and perks of having an employer.

At the moment, what I am particularly taking away from previous work is how I should be incorporating a much better to-do list for myself. I could be doing what I did for others for myself. 😊 I also miss friends/coworkers but I am much more excited to stay in touch when we can without work-related items pulling at us.

I have not wavered although some days are noticeably downward emotionally and nonwork related. I think that is human and natural. I am excited to do more, so I am working on my own performance review to move me and my business goals a bit further each week.

Therefore I will be working on other projects like writing and as I mentioned, connecting and reconnecting with like-minded and/or supportive people. I see some travel in our future.

For now, as I wait and plan and save, I will be having more fun with my long and short-term investments. Currently, life is about staying in touch with folks, translating, teaching and learning. I like to stay open to see what interesting people and circumstances happen to be next. My main objective is still taking care of my passions and getting to see my friends and family whenever I can.

Reminders Welcome

MARCH 29, 2021 BY CASSANDRA JOHNSON

I had a moment where I realized the need to continue connecting and reconnecting with more like-minded people. I had an acquaintance I had not been in touch with for a number of years who recently and ultimately unconvincingly tried to let me know he would be so excited if we could “get a chance to catch up”.  He made it seem almost urgent.

image credit Canva

I do also want to be mindful of not dismissing him for his behavior. Arguably, I am particularly set in my ways as well so being different from each other is not a mark against either of us. His particular outreach however in trying to get my latest contact info was more about adding me to his financial planning prospect list. I had no problem with the product (well perhaps in the limiting perspective he had about it) but mostly, I had a problem with the pretense of this being a true mutual reconnection.

A little introspection was next. Not necessarily making the right judgments will rapidly take you there. During our conversation, I quickly determined he had not really heard my perspective. At the minimum he was barely acknowledging it. I am glad I did not expend much more energy catching him up on what I have been up to over the past several years. Often it is not all that difficult to tell when someone is invested in what is significant to us. A few moments can give this away.

He definitely seemed more interested in moving to the next thing, which put the focus on his ventures. He briefly asked what I did for freelancing while his next inquiry sounded pretty par for the course for capturing leads at a networking event. Networking is needed and nice but this felt so out of place with how excited he spoke on soley just being able to catch up and chat.

I am glad I instantly recognized the lack of space for me. Now, there is this appreciation of being so aware of those who do support me and who I support. Why not channel my energy there? Sometimes we can get caught up in trying to prove ourselves to others and even to ourselves. I almost went there with him to let him know there are more ways than just his way. Yes, there is a time to choose our battles. Yes, there are times we need to knock over the hurdles and be seen. We figure it out.

Fortunately, my circle now is of like-minded people including those who think differently, but still really get me. It was intriguing how this acquaintance reconnected and reminded me of leaning into limitations. There are so many non-limiting connections and people I still click with from the past so perhaps this was a good reminder of individuals who I simply will not get, who are not meant to get me. I appreciate the people here who share my interests and appreciate the support in general.