I'm becoming a Holistic Wellness Coach!

Hello friends!

Today, I'm proud to announce that I'm on my way to become a Holistic Wellness Coach! I'm super excited to be embarking on this journey and found a great program that will enable me to get started on my new venture.

You might be wondering what the heck I'm talking about. Well, let me explain a little bit. A Holistic Wellness Coach is someone that helps people reach a more well-balanced life in order to reach a general state of wellbeing. So think of me as one part counselor, listening to each persons' story and helping sort out and define where there is an imbalance and guide them to find a tailored solution to reach a more balanced life. One part cheerleader, encouraging my clients to reach goals they have set for themselves. Lastly I will be a role-model leading by example and striving to reach a balance in my own life and hopefully inspire others to do so too.

The program I'm getting certified through is called the International Association of Wellness Professionals and one thing I particularly love about it is the fact that they take into account the mental/emotional, spiritual and physical states of wellbeing, so it's very well-rounded. Besides learning about holistic wellness, I will also be learning how to be an effective coach and a successful businesswoman.

Peace and love to you all,

Carissa

Thank you, Acne.

Hello fellow readers,

For those of you that have been following my journey closely, you've probably noticed that there isn't much of a rhyme or reason to my travels other than exploration and adventure. Which, in my humble opinion, is as good a reason as any! But today I want to shift the focus from my travels around the world, to the odyssey of my development. That is to say, the journey of my evolution as a (more conscious) human being.

It all began my senior year of college. I was twenty-two, about to finish my bachelors degree and although this is a stressful time for any college student I was also dealing with a serious case of... ACNE.   Somehow, my (nearly) flawless skin had become a crater and volcano-stricken surface. Not only that, but my mind and body had become so overloaded with work, stress and other types of junk that it was crying for help in so many ways. And I finally decided to stop and listen when no amount of pimple cream, face masks, acne cleansers, and yes even crushed up aspirins could save me from this plague. Although it's not easy to admit, I have my vanity to thank. I decided, about 3 months before my graduation that I'd had enough. There was no way I was going to have acne on graduation day. And I didn't care what measures I had to take in order to achieve my goal. So, I dove deep into researching cures for acne and came across a fellow blogger's site (http://www.epicbeautyguide.com/how-i-keep-my-skin-clear-part-ii-food/) and this honestly changed my life. The change has been gradual but pronounced to those who have known me well pre-acne.

Since my pre-acne days I've adjusted and changed quite a few things. I started with my diet. I cut out, all grains, legumes (beans), dairy, sweets (even fruit) and anything processed. What's left you say? Basically meat, eggs, veggies and sometimes nuts and seeds. The first week was tough because like everyone else I was eating "healthy" cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and pasta or rice with my dinner. But I was so determined to get rid of my acne that I never looked back. And in about 3 months I lost weight, cleared my acne, got my hormones back to normal and felt and looked better than ever. My mood swings leveled out too and I was able to think more clearly and just be happy.

Today, thanks to this shift, I've started to question everything I do and has led me down a path of self-discovery, self-awareness and become conscious about the strong link between mind, body and soul. And to think it all started with acne...so for that, thank you Acne. Also, a huge thank you to Stephanie of EpicBeautyGuide.com for sharing her insightful and informative blog to the world. And thank you for reading!

Wellness and joy to you all!

New adventure coming soon; first stop Portland!

Hello!

It's been forever since my last post and way too long since my last adventure which was Mexico City back in October. I'll have to do a post on that trip later. Currently, I'm looking forward to my next voyage into uncharted territory. To the exotic and faraway land of –drumroll please– "The Midwest". Okay, okay, I know it's not as exciting as Fiji or Bali but to me going just about anywhere new is as exhilarating as swimming with the dolphins or going up on a hot air balloon.

So come along with me as I explore Portland for short stay and then Minneapolis for Labor Day weekend and the rest is yet to be decided. Who knows maybe I will end up in Fiji drinking coconut water on the beach...

Wishing you all health and happiness!

What's your next adventure?

Christmas in France

Today I'm writing from the comforts of a warm cozy home on the outskirts of Strasbourg. A little fun fact: the town, called Krautergersheim, is the capital of sauerkraut.

How I landed here was pure luck. I was discussing with my colleagues about how I was dying to come to the famous Strasbourg Christmas Market when *poof* another colleague pops in and casually says "my daughter leaves for Strasbourg tomorrow" and I jokingly asked "can I go with her!?" And the rest is history. Her daughter and I took off on a long (for her)/short (for me) 4-hour roadtrip from Hirson to Krautergersheim. When we arrived chez grandma Annie we were first greeted by the aroma eminating from the house of our dinner being prepared. Grandma Annie greeted us with big smile and two kisses, as is customary, and welcomed me into her house. And from the moment I arrived I've been getting spoiled by her over the top hospitality and the beautiful scenery I've been enjoying every which way I look.

I've now been the most famous Christmas market in France as well as other smaller yet quaint markets and I couldn't be happier with my visit to Alsace. Thanks for reading and Happy Holidays! Click on the link to see the full album. https://plus.google.com/photos/104446224397767955407/albums/5954770530430313009?authkey=CLOam9ntxJqVLQ

Paris

Hi guys,

I realize I haven't been a good reporter for you guys. Keeping up with my blog from my iPad has been more work that I had thought. It's not the same when you are used to typing at hyperspeed on a real keyboard and then transition to the onscreen keyboard of my iPad... But anyway, here's a brief update on what's been going on in my life.

About a month ago I arrived at Hirson, the small town in the northeast of France where I live and work. After three weeks of work we got a two weeks break (thanks French education system!). So I've been doing what I like to do best, traveling :) 

I started in Paris, the city of ♥. Also known as "La ville lumières", the city of lights. I met my cousin Carolyn and her friend Tanya there. 

*little side note: Robin Thicke happened to be arriving at Charles de Gaulle airport at the same time as I was waiting for my cousin and he casually strolled by me... It caught me so off guard that I didn't have time to react. For those who don't know, Mr. Thicke has become super popular recently. Most notably for his song Blurred Lines which stirred up some controversy by launching a very risqué music video.*

Since it was my second time in Paris I didn't go camera crazy like my cousin but I was able to steal some of her pictures of this beautiful city. 

Our apartment was a five minute walk from the Eiffel Tower.

This was in front of the Castle of Versailles 

We had a little picnic in front the Eiffel Tower complete with cheese, bread, champagne and a few extras.

To Paris

So excited to be a Versailles.

Afterall, it was Marie-Antoinette's official residence.

Eating snails is a lot more difficult for a leftie...

The Arc of Triumph on a sunny October day.

Still at Versailles outside the castle there's a super cute little village.

Tomatina Pictures!!

And finally the moment you've all been waiting for... *drum roll please* The Tomatina pictures!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, so I kind of had to make it a big deal because it cost me (taking deep breaths) 13€. For those who don't know the exchange rate that's $17.62 DOLLARS!

Now, to the photos :)

 We survived! Sam's shirt was white at one point.

These police officers or soldiers were too cool for us. But at least we got one to smile!

Antoinette displaying her pearly whites :D

Taking cover!

Wine and Water Festival and La Tomatina

These have been the shortest three days ever (after the 20+ hours in transit that is). When I finally made it to Valencia I only had a few hours to rest and then we were back in the road again. This time to Requena where the Wine and Water Festival was to take place. My roommate, Sam, and I were very excited to see what this was all about.

Our first stop was the arena where everyone gathers to watch the brave young men prove their courage to their girlfriends by going up against young bulls. There was a cage at the center where they could take cover when the bull came close. I cringed as some of the boys got mauled by the bull, but the locals assured me there wasn't much danger because their horns had been wrapped. It was still pretty startling to watch the bull lower its heads, take aim and scrape its hoves on the ground. I could all but see steam coming out their nostrils like in the cartoons. To calm our nerves we turned to eating and drinking. Everyone brought little snacks and drinks to share. The locals were very welcoming and keen on sharing with us. 

When this all ended, around midnight, we joined the townspeople on a parade around town chanting and drinking wine which was provided by city trucks. Meanwhile, people were throwing buckets of water out their windows and hosing us down from their terraces. On this trip I met three American military guys based in Europe and two Australian girls taking a 2-month long trip around Europe. It didn't take long to feel at ease with them around. By the end of the parade we were feeling so happy it was contagious.

 Here's a small clip

After four hours of sleep, half drunk and half asleep, we were off to La Tomatina. The day was cloudy and gloomy but everyone was too excited to get discouraged by the imminent rain. When we got there, Sam and I were off to find our tall American friends, AKA our shields. But the search, amidst so many people (~20,000), was useless. Thankfully we met up with Antoinette and Gaby, our new Aussie friends, and we clung on to them for dear life.

The rules of the game were easy, squish the tomato before you throw it. Apparently, this wasn't simple enough and in the first 10 seconds of the fight, before I even had time to react, I was pegged in the neck with what felt like a small cannon. So painful, that I was ready to raise a white flag and surrender. But of course this wasn't an option so I retreated to the back lines and used my hands to shield my face. When it seemed safe, I would pick up all the tomatoes in my vicinity and fired away. After nearly an hour every square inch of our bodies were covered with tomato mush. In hindsight, it was a good thing it was pouring rain because otherwise the stench of tomatoes, and wet bodies being cooked up in the summer sun would have been a lot less pleasant. And that's it for now guys! Thanks for reading and if you have instagram add me #isscarissa

Now off to my next adventure!

Soon to come: pictures of the Tomatina from my disposable waterproof camera, pictures of Valencia and Granada. Stay tuned!