Travel blog written by a girl who loves to laugh and avoid decision making. Follow along for funny adventures, beautiful photos, and travel tips. Enjoy.
The background
My name is Rease. I’m originally from St. Louis, Missouri. I fell in love with travel on my first trip abroad in 2006. After graduating and working for one year, I moved abroad to Argentina in 2010. Since then, I've focused my life on traveling. Currently based in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. My whole life, I have been crazy about budgeting, planning for the future, and being responsible.
After my 2 years living and working abroad in Argentina, I came back to the US and made possibly the most out-of-character and risky decision of my life: to become a freelance whatever-the-hell-I-want. Choosing Not to Choose
The theme of this blog is “choosing not to choose.” I am passionate about so many things, I don’t see why I should have sacrifice any of them. I do Spanish interpretation and translation, travel often, write, teach Spanish to kids, and whatever else I feel like doing. It kind of scares the s**t out of me. It also makes me really happy. What to expect
I’m really just a girl who loves to travel, write, speak Spanish, and eat ice cream. I write about my travels to wherever I feel like going and the funny things that happen to me along the way. This blog is a collection of travel stories told by a girl with a warped sense of humor and a freakish amount of energy.
Puerto Rican music is powerful! Also, I got a lot of questions about why I was banging on a pan at the end of my parody song (Ricky's the Bad Guy - see previous post or head to my blog to watch). The role of pans (or cacerolas) in protests is explained in this post.
For more than two weeks now, Puerto Ricans have been protesting. The uprising that began as has evolved into after the rallies successfully ousted the island’s governor, Ricardo Rosselló, and turned their focus to Wanda…
*New Video! and blog post!* I've been talking a lot about what's going on in Puerto Rico right now and I've felt sad that I couldn't be there for the protests so I wrote a parody song and accompanying blog that quickly breaks it down for anyone who wants a skimmable version of events.
A summary of the (Ricky Resign) movement in Puerto Rico, along with a Bad Guy parody about the former Puerto Rican governor, Ricky Roselló.
If you've been wondering what's going on in Puerto Rico, here's a good summary in English.
TL;DR: The governor of Puerto Rico participated in a chat full of comments that were hateful towards basically everyone including homosexuals, women, people with disabilities, and even Hurricane Maria victims. There were also admissions to corruption. The island has been protesting for a week demanding his resignation. Last night he said he won't resign, so today Puerto Ricans are shutting down the island in peaceful protest.
!
https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/a3xxda/puerto-ricans-just-shut-down-a-major-highway-because-theyre-not-kidding-about-rickyrenuncia?utm_source=vicenewsfacebook&fbclid=IwAR0nv0uqC9xpI8aRp2lQjouEweeeL9dU6vvk6gB5TiZPFX3c8euRJiINCqc
The protesters stormed Puerto Rico Highway 18, also known as Expreso Las Américas, Monday morning as vehicles were still on the road.
I was sad to miss the beginning of strawberry picking this year, but I still plan to use these strawberry recipes I created last year after I went a little overboard with the amount of strawberries I picked.
Eckert's Farms is a favorite for both tourists and locals, so I was happy to take a day trip during pick your own strawberry season! I went a little overboard with strawberries so I had to come up with some new recipes!
I ❤️ this piece by Voyaging Vagabond!
“At this point, all travel brands, airlines, publications, marketing teams, tourism boards, and fellow writers need to adopt a mindset of travel inclusion. Every dinner at a hostel table looks like a United Nations meeting. Why aren’t we projecting that same beautiful blend in the industry to inspire future travelers? The travel community is filled with travelers of all colors, backgrounds, and sizes. It’s important as professionals that our industry is reflective of that.”
Guest blogger Chantel Loura of Voyaging Vagabond gets real about traveling as a plus sized person.
If you want to travel i the Northeast this summer, this is potentially a good deal! I personally love train travel and wish I could use trains more often.
Wow.
Learn about the indigenous Bribri community while also laughing at Bacon is Magic and I's weird tradition of being unprepared for travel situations, particularly outdoorsy ones.
Visiting the indigenous Bribri tribe of Costa Rica is an adventure for someone who isn't outdoorsy. Laugh at my expense while you learn about this tribe.
Long post coming up about , , and how much people share or don’t share online. 🖤 While in I had the pleasure of staying with friends that became family way back when we both lived in . It’s a long story, but even though we don’t see each other often or even get to talk nearly enough, when I am with them, I feel at home. One of them asked me about how much I share online. She was surprised by how much I share very personal things about my body and health. I explained that it scares me. That it makes me feel vulnerable and uncomfortable. But I do it for a few reasons. 1️⃣ Seeing other people share their own stories has helped me tremendously. I like seeing other women with , , or be honest about all the terrible symptoms. I like seeing other travelers share their travel failures and insecurities. I like seeing a girl with rolls and a double chin smiling proudly in a place she always wanted to visit. I like not feeling alone, so shouldn’t I add to that conversation and help others feel less lonely as well?
2️⃣ As weird as it sounds, there is an aspect of vanity, but not in the way you’d think. My personal issues have caused me to gain a lot of weight and it makes me feel like a failure. Like I don’t eat healthy enough or work out enough. That I don’t deserve to take breaks or just live my life without feeling like someone will see a photo of me from 10 years ago and think “wow she really let herself go.” I post because I want people to know that I have far from let go. I am fighting and clawing my way out of the depths every minute of every day. I am in a constant state of grief for the loss of the body and mind that my conditions have taken from me.
3️⃣ It’s cathartic. Sharing a photo of myself (when I delete 99% of photos taken of me) is hard and writing the caption is too, but I always feel slightly lighter and more empowered after I do. 🖤 So if me sharing stuff this helps you or someone you know, please let me know, even if you do it privately. It’s always nice to know that my writing (even though Instagram captions) resonates with someone.
Tilt your phone (or click and drag) for a pano view of La Sagrada Familia by Gaudí!
Last night in Barcelona I met some Australians who told me about an exchange they had with an American man.
The Australian man was on a train and ordered some wine.
American man: Oh you Aussies can’t go a day without drinking!
Aussie: Oh you Americans can’t send your kids to school without a gun!
As an American, I did find this comeback pretty funny, but it’s also heartbreaking. Americans have always been known for a lot of things and been mocked a bit by other travelers of other countries, but to be known for school shootings is pretty awful.
My last day in Paris was exhausting, I totally overbooked, but I got to see the Catacombs, which is so cool and unique. On to Barcelona for the new few days!
I’m in Paris! This is a crazy short trip, only 3 days, but then I head to Barcelona and London. I’m sharing stories & photos on Instagram (@ IndecisiveTraveler). I will be back for a very short time before I catch my flight back to the US, so if you have recommendations for things to do (or eat) close to CDG airport, let me know.
Some of you may remember that around this time last year, I was in Nicaragua and was forced to flee the country because it became unsafe. (Search Nicaragua on my blog for a full story, or see link in comments)
A year later, the country is still a war zone. Here's a couple of quotes from this article that absolutely break my heart.
“Every day, more young people disappear. They are arrested, beaten and tortured. We are all risking our lives.”
'"I want to express to the world and to people in the United States that Nicaragua is a country in which people are killed and kidnapped every day," Chepe tells NPR. "We have been living for many years under this kind of oppression, and it's not fair."
The private Jesuit university in Managua, Nicaragua, where priest Chepe Idiáquez works is one of a series of Catholic institutions that have been attacked, as the country's yearlong unrest continues.
Beach views from Costa Rica. 😎 I was disappointed by several things in Costa Rica, but I'm always a sucker for a beach on a sunny day.
I'm a total sunshine-lover and I often miss living in Puerto Rico because I was never far from a beach and always able to soak up sunshine. I'm now living in a landlocked state, but I often set up blankets in my backyard and read books in ridiculously hot weather. Sometimes I bring a spray bottle to spritz myself with cool water. My neighbors definitely think it's weird, but I need that sunshine!
I stayed in this crazy cool school bus-turned-hotel in the middle of an ecological reserve in Costa Rica. It’s definitely the most unique lodging I have ever stayed in.
I love street food because it’s often some of the best and cheapest food the city has to offer. As someone who is always hungry, I appreciate spontaneous snack options like the delicious candied nuts available everywhere in Buenos Aires. The sweet and salty smell from these little carts really draws you in.
What’s one of your favorite street snacks?
I just posted a long Instagram Story all about my experience visiting the Bribri indigenous community outside of Yorkín, Costa Rica. It shares pretty views like this one, along with my commentary about how Bacon is Magic and I constantly end up in outdoorsy situations when neither of us like the outdoors and hilarity/awkwardness ensues. Go check it out - IndecisiveTraveler on Instagram!
I don't know how Bacon is Magic and I constantly end up hiking/doing nature walks in flip flops, but it's happened so many times now that it's basically a tradition. Videos and stories to come about our adventures in inappropriate attire in Costa Rica are coming soon, but for now here's an article about the first time we made this mistake.
During our stay at the Villa Del Palmar Loreto (VDPL) resort, the invited media group was taken on several different tours that I really enjoyed. So when Ayngelina and I had the chance to go on another tour with Wild Loreto to Isla Coronado during our extended stay, we were pumped. Especially since....
Ayngelina of Bacon is Magic, a food and travel expert: I have 30 dishes I need to try in Costa Rica and several authentic cocktails.
Me, a travel expert: I must eat sour straws in every country in the world.
I’ve always loved the color of these leaves! Anyone want to guess what plant it is from? Hint: I’m in Costa Rica.
Happy hour from 10-5? Nice move, Banana Azul!
Real talk: I haven’t been comfortable in my body for years. Ever since I started having health problems and the weight piled on as fast as the the labels like PCOS, PMDD, MTHFR, etc rolled in, I have a been in a constant struggle. I hate being in photos now because I am forced to face how much my body has changed in ways that I cannot control. But I never stopped working out. Yes, it frustrates me that healthy eating and working out do not give me the results I know they should, but this is my way of fighting. This is my way of trying to forgive my body for what feels like a betrayal - because maybe it won’t function the way it should, but at least it allows me to battle through difficult workouts and to feel and look strong. 💪🏽 I do not love the way I look in this photo, but I love that it marked the end of a HIIT workout in the sand, which is not an easy thing to do!
Check out my latest on Fodor's Travel! I loved writing this article. Too many people go to Puerto Rico and see Viejo San Juan and not much else. I made sure to include a variety of activities that cover the WHOLE island, not just San Juan!
VERY old post from my first Christmas abroad. My mom has always worked so much and often had to work on Christmas, so celebrating Christmas on the 25th has never been a big deal for me. Cookie Weekend is always what made Christmas for me. This post is about the first time I was unable to get home to make cookies with my mom - and how I ended up mixing over 300 cookies by HAND in a closet-sized kitchen in Argentina summer without air conditioning in order to keep the tradition alive.
Today Cookie Weekend 2019 begins, and I am very happy to be home with my mama this time around, but I'll always treasure the struggle I went through to do my version of this tradition while living in Argentina!
https://indecisivetraveler.com/300-cookies-in-a-closet-sized-kitchen
I love seeing stories like this.
When I was living and working in Argentina, I was so broke, there was no way I could fly home to the US for a visit. Eventually, I found someone who had a ton of miles like this and they agreed to let me work for the miles. They weren't a gift, but the money I would have earned for the work wouldn't have come close to paying for the flight, so the trade felt like a gift to me.
Peter Shankman is standing in for Santa this holiday season and giving away his abundant frequent flyer miles to send strangers home for the holidays.
Today in my inbox: " Hi , I wish to know information and help to grow my dental practice in other countries . Can we have a discussion on how I can do that. I know its not your topic , but you seem quite knowledgable. Thank you"
Maybe I should feel flattered that this person things I would know how to expand his dental practice into other countries?
It’s cold & rainy in New Orleans today, so I won’t be able to make it to the parks and cemetery tours before I leave tomorrow. ☹️ However, I was able to stop by the Pharmacy Museum, which was a cheap & interesting little spot. I shared some of the weirder stuff on my Instagram Stories. I enjoyed the exhibit all about alcohol as medicine. I think I’ll treat my sluggishness with a healthy dose of wine later. 🍷☠️
I’m in New Orleans! I’ve explored the French Quarter (of course), Frenchmen Street, and the Garden District. What am I missing?
I know a lot of people take a break from their workout routine while on the road, but I never do. I love eating local foods, so I have to burn a lot of calories to compensate! However, I rarely stay in hotels and even when I do, hotel gyms are pretty awful. I depend on workouts I can do basically anywhere, paired with a few helpful apps. Here are my favorite apps, along with a workout I designed.
Looking for great fitness apps to stay on top of your workout routine while you travel? Check out these apps and suggested workouts!
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Travel has done so much for me. It's amazing to me that I can interact with someone online for months or even years, and then we when meet up, it's like hanging out with an old friend. While digging through some old photos and videos, I found this snapchat of Backpack With Brock when he met up with me in Puerto Rico. We sent this to Dani of Globetrottergirls, who at the time was traveling somewhere cold and rainy. I love my travel friends, and I can't wait to meet up with Brock & Dani again sometime in the future! Maybe next time we'll all be in the same place!
There is currently an ISLAND WIDE power outage in Puerto Rico. I am documenting the madness (and using precious cell phone battery) on Snapchat for your entertainment. Follow me there - 👻indecisiverease
For those of you who, sadly, do not have snapchat, I will share my favorite snap from my Copa America Semifinals roundup: Lavezzi (Argentina) falling in the most hilarious way possible. (For those of you who have snapchat - go watch the rest. 👻indecisiverease)
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