What I Learned in Costa Rica

Stop taking yourself so seriously.

College is hard, Ok? If anyone ever told you it was easy, they lied to you. Not only are you working towards a degree, but also when you graduate most of the jobs you want require at least a year if not two years of experience! So what do you do? The impossible. As a full-time student you take on two unpaid internships, join the executive board of two different on-campus organizations, and fight the endless battle between sleeping and having a social life. But they say that nothing worth having is ever easy, right? Ugh.

It will all be worth it in the long run. I know it. And it could be worse! I am so lucky to have the opportunities that I do. But sometimes I find that I take myself way too seriously. I’m supposed to be having fun- doing the college thing- but also making money/working towards a career that not only will keep me secure when I’m older, but also something I’m passionate about.

I all too often find myself so worried about the future that I forget about my life right now. When I spent time in Costa Rica with my best friends (s/o to Dani and fam), they taught me the local saying, “Pura Vida” which literally translated means, “the pure life.”  Everyone interprets this saying in their own way. For me it means I shouldn’t be living with such a constant dark cloud of worry over my head. Every now and then it feels so good to let loose and live without a care in the world! It’s good for the soul and good for my health. Each time I’ve left Costa Rica, I feel replenished and recharged. I think that is a true testament to the fact that I need to take time to slow down and take care of me every once in a while. And you should too! STOP TAKING YOURSELF SO SERIOUSLY.

Whatever it is that’s bothering you- school, work, friends, exes, money- let it go, if only for a little bit and Viva la Pura Vida! Go get that drink with an old friend, drive four hours just to go to the beach, leave people behind that are holding you back and move on with your life because we can’t spend our entire lives worrying about things that are ultimately out of our control.

I’m just over a month from heading back to Costa Rica. The light at the end of the tunnel gets bigger and bigger each day! I’ve found mi Pura Vida- now it’s time for you to go find yours in this new year!

TCB, Sav

 

January 1, 2017 by Moments by Sav Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

What I Learned in Thailand

I have been home for a month now and the post-Thai blues are for real. Time to share some blurbs from the highlights of my trip.

This past July, me Madie and Emily packed our things and headed to Thailand. However, no amount of packing and research would prepare us for what was ahead… As soon as we landed in Bangkok it became very apparent that we had no idea how to communicate with these people. I knew only one Thai word going into this trip, “Thank you.” This made getting around the cities a bit difficult, but Thai people are very kind and helpful so we did just fine. We explored temples, walked through ancient ruins, rode elephants up a mountain, and got massages on the beach.

In Chiang Mai, we had the chance to sit and speak with a Buddhist monk! He actually spoke pretty decent English which was a relief. We had studied a little bit of Buddhism in our high school Theology class, but it had been a while since I had even thought about the religion. The monk actually told us that Buddhism is not a religion at all! It is a way of life and a philosophy. We discussed the beliefs and practices of Buddhists, including how suffering plays into our lives. One of the things that has stuck with me since we left is when the monk told us that, “If we hold onto our anger, we are the only ones who suffer.” For instance, if we are mad at someone, our anger does not actually have any effect on them, while we are the ones suffering internally.

That was some serious food for thought. My mother tells every one that I am the holder of all grudges, and I am. But since I left Thailand I feel like that has become less true. Now when I get upset, I find myself thinking about the monk and what he said. I feel that this is another proof of mine that traveling changes people for the better.

I wanderlust has grown even stronger since I’ve gotten back to the states. I can’t wait to see where my next adventure will be and what I will learn! Thanks for reading, TCB, Sav

August 21, 2016 by Moments by Sav Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

Why Being Different is the Best Compliment You Could Ever Receive

 

I will never forget the time that someone asked me “Why can’t you be like everyone else?” My feelings were hurt, sure, but then I was furious, ENRAGED even. I was 14 and it was during lunch when I walked up to the lunch table with my new Oxfords on and all the other girls were wearing Sperry Topsiders… (DISCLAIMER: I went to a private catholic school where uniforms were required and only certain shoes could be worn.) Now I won’t hate on Sperry’s! They’re comfy and practical. But I was hell-bent on being cutting edge. I didn’t think it was fair to be criticized for wanting to be different, especially in a school where we all looked the same in our khaki skirts and navy polo’s. And I’ll tell you what: I wore the hell out of those Oxfords. I wore them until the day my pinky toes stuck out the holes in the sides of them!

Not much about me has changed in that aspect. I absolutely REFUSE to be generalized. I get all kinds of peeved when people say things like, “All girls do is watch reality TV,” “Everyone from the South is a racist homophobe,” “Every sorority girl is just sitting on daddy’s money…” NEWSFLASH PEOPLE: I am NOT all girls! Yes I indulge in a lil Bachelorette every now and then, but that’s because I am a hopeless romantic (sigh). I am from the South but I am NOT a racist OR a homophobe! I am a sorority girl and I DON’T sit on my daddy’s money! In fact, anyone who knows me knows that I work like a dog and I eat what I kill (figure of speech- I don’t kill animals). Every day I fight these generalizations because I am DIFFERENT and I don’t want to be like everyone else! I want to be ME and I want to be admired for it!

Ok, rant over.

The point I want to make is that being different is GOOD. Whether it’s counter-acting stereotypes or starting a new trend, you SHOULD be different. When has being just like everyone else done you any good? Here’s a guess: NEVER. So go on that trip everyone says is stupid, get that tattoo you’ve always wanted, wear those new shoes to school or work, and stand up for what you believe in!  Just as my favorite author Dr. Seuss once said, “Why fit in when you were born to STAND OUT?”

TCB, Sav

June 29, 2016June 29, 2016 by Moments by Sav Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

When You’re Suffering from SEVERE Wanderlust and How to Overcome it

Have you been feeling lil funny or restless lately? Not sure what’s wrong? Consider the following symptoms: You want to travel. You want to learn about other cultures. You have this never-ending urge to keep moving. You love the people and the town you live in, but at the same time you have GOT to get out. And your Pinterest account is flooded with pins of foreign destinations and “Places You Must See”… Yep, you’ve got it. It’s a severe case of wanderlust.

The lovely dictionary.com defines wanderlust as, “a strong, innate desire to rove or travel about.” If you’re like me, then you know what it’s like to be stuck, or to be held back by someone or something. I’m here to tell you that your time is coming. I’m a strong believer in, “When one door closes, another one opens.” So you can sit back and you can dream about this amazing trip you want to take, but when will you go? There is no better time than the present. To take a semester off, to forget about the kid who cheated on you, or to get away from that miserable hometown… there will always be a reason to go. But the real reason should be, “Why not?”

There will be people who think you’re crazy. There will be people who will try to convince you that there is no reason to venture out of your comfort zone. There will be people who tell you there is no reason you should leave “the bubble.” Ignore them. In fact, pity them and their close-mindedness. They are so scared of other cultures or what people will think of them that they are satisfied with, and have settled for mediocrity. That is so lame!!

You aren’t going to find yourself by just standing in place. As Mark Twain once said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness… Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

Right now, I want you to sit back for a second and think about what is holding you back… Now thank about what you can do to change that… Now do it.

Go ahead and take advantage of that Pinterest board you made! Plan every detail of your trip! Go solo or find someone to share the trip with you. Focus on one country or visit them all! Do your research and plan the adventure of a lifetime. Do it for all those people who are too scared to do it. But most of all, do it for yourself.

TCB, Sav

September 23, 2015 by Moments by Sav Categories: TravelTags: Blog, charm, chic, future, now, travel, wanderlust 1 Comment

3 Big Reasons You Should Travel

I love to travel. If I could get away with never having a job and just vacay-ing 24/7, I would. I just want to expand my horizons and explore new places. I am the walking definition of wanderlust. So here are three reasons I believe you should feel the same way too:

1) Adventures make great stories- After you travel the globe, you get to go back home and tell your friends and family about all of the amazing things you’ve seen; the mountains, the people, the endless amounts of food (and/or wine). You instantly become that cool friend/ cousin/ sibling that has been somewhere they want to go. Plus, telling the story is the best way to relive it. However, there are places that will take your breath away and you won’t be able to put them into words. Those are the best places.

2) Pictures won’t do it justice- Someone once told me that they’re okay with having never seen mountains because they’ve seen pictures of them or seen them in movies. “UHM excuse me what the hell did you just say???” <– my literal reaction. Sure they’re just big piles of rock but you truly cannot appreciate the beauty that is a mountain until you’ve stood at the foot and/or top of said mountain. When I was in Greece I was brought to tears standing at the top of Delphi (pictured above), home to the temple of Apollo, because I had never seen anything so heart-stoppingly beautiful. Go to those places. Pictures on pinterest aren’t good enough.

3) Staying in the same place forever SUX. – There are very few people in this world that enjoy just staying at home every single day of the year. You get tired of seeing the same people and dealing with the same problems over and over again week after week. You need a vacation, a chance to unwind, relax, and forget about whatever has been bugging you at work/ school. When I was in Costa Rica, my best friend and I sat on the beach and didn’t say a single word to each other for four hours. And it was the most relaxing four hours I’ve ever had.

Take that holiday. See those new worlds. Who do you know that can say they regret a vacation?

TCB, Sav

July 17, 2015 by Moments by Sav Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

The Importance of a Monogram and Why It Shouldn’t be Mocked

A monogram- an initial, insignia, character, design, or identification- has been on almost everything that I’ve ever owned since the day I was born. My diaper cover, diaper bag, bib, pillow, blanket, and towel (just to name a few) were all monogrammed and waiting for me and my parents when I got home from the hosiptal. And since then, I’ve expanded my monogram to necklaces, phone cases, and stickers to put on my binders for school.

Now, to those of you who are not aware, what does dictionary.com say about a monogram?

(noun) 1. a design consisting of two or more alphabetic letters combined or interlaced, commonly one’s initials, often printed on stationery, embroidered on clothing, etc.

Something else you may not know: Monograms are a southern tradition. Having grown up in Louisiana (about as southern as it gets), I’ve always been surrounded by monograms. Not just my own monogram, but all of my friend’s monograms too! I feel that I need to explain this so people don’t think my parents just had some strange fetish with my initials. Being able to monogram things also became incredibly helpful when my parents decided to have four more kids…(yes, I am the oldest of five). With five backpacks and lunchboxes every morning on the way to school, a monogram was essential.

Moving out west for college, I knew I was in for a wild-ride but was never truly prepared for the kind of people I would encounter. It baffled me that so many people were SO blissfully unaware of other people’s cultures. And this applied to many things but one in particular that has stuck with me (yes, you guessed it) is the fact that I was consistantly made fun of by people I hardly knew for mongramming just a few of my possesions (a pillow, my laptop, a canvas over my bed)! It really hurt my feelings! This was something I’d had my entire life, a form of self-expression if you will, and all of a sudden I was being teased for it? 😦

Naturally I came back with a “Screw you, I’ll monogram what ever the hell I want,” but it still hurt! Moral of the story: Don’t make fun of something that you know nothing about. You may unintentionally bash someone’s culture and/or make them sad. This applies to all things but especially a southern girl’s monogram 😉

TCB, Sav

June 26, 2015July 17, 2015 by Moments by Sav Categories: Uncategorized Leave a comment

7things Growing Up in the South Will Teach You

1) Tradition is important- Whether it’s always spending Christmas in your own home or never missing a football game in the fall, these small traditions build the strongest of bonds in families. I really took them for granted and sometimes regretted them growing up. But we had traditions for a reason, and they will continue on when I have my own family.

2) ALWAYS say “please” and “thank you”- When I was little, after everything I’d ask for, my parents would say, “What do you sayyy?” and I’d respond, “Pleeease?” I never really understood why they would stress it so much until after I left home. People can sound so RUDE when they don’t say please and thank you. So no matter who it is (the waitress, your friends’ parents, the help), ALWAYS be polite!

3) Eat the fried stuff- It’s good. And it’s good for the soul. Fried chicken, fried shrimp, fried cheese, fried pickles, fried corn nuggets, fried peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches. At least try it once.

4) Your siblings are your best friends- Even though you would have knock-down-drag-out fights when you were little, you eventually sit back and laugh (and maybe even feel bad) about it all. They are your “people.” They will always tell you what you need to hear, but they will always take your side. Call them and tell them you love them (after you read this article… 😉 …)

5) Mama is ALWAYS right…- No matter how hard you try to convince her that you can do it, can’t do it, or won’t do it, she will always prove you otherwise. My mama always knows when and why I’m sick, where I left that thing I’ve been looking for, and how to make me feel invincible. She is my biggest cheerleader and I will always turn to her for answers.

6) Hard work pays off-  You should constantly surround yourself with people you be like. Being surrounded by people who work their tails off is inspiring. Successful people are not gifted, they just work so hard that they start to succeed on purpose!

7) The South is the best place on Earth- After all, people don’t hardly ever move up north for retirement. God’s Country

June 12, 2015June 12, 2015 by Moments by Sav Categories: HeartTags: babe, Blog, charm, chic, South, southern, traditional Leave a comment

Why Do I Take Pictures?

When I was in the seventh grade, my home caught fire. I won’t go into the terrible, unfortunate details of how that event occurred, but I will tell you that we lost everything we owned, including every pictured we had ever taken. Every baby picture, every first day of school, every kindergarten graduation, every family gathering, every birthday party: gone. Sure we lost our clothes, our shoes, our bedding and everything else in the house, but this was the most devastating blow.

Ever since then, I’ve always wanted to take pictures with my family and friends every time we’re together. “Savannah, do we HAVE to take another picture?” YES WE DO. And they always end up being great pictures that we laugh about! Eating brunch, going to a movie, walking the dog, going to church on Easter, or even just chillin at home. They’re moments that we love to remember.

So now that I have my own big-girl camera (and the iPhone has advanced faster than we can blink), I bring it to every major event. Not just so I can remember the experience, but so everyone else can too! I hope to expand my photography hobby into a business one day so that I can help others do the same.

June 8, 2015June 8, 2015 by Moments by Sav Categories: SnapsTags: future, past, photos, pics, present, snaps Leave a comment

When You’re Home Alone and You Decide to Start a Blog

This evening I got a wild hair and started a blog. I don’t know anything about blogs. So I have no clue what I’m doing. Here goes nothin’.

I don’t travel nearly as often as I want to be traveling. I am a small town girl who moved far away for college but decided to move home for the summer. Sometimes I regret this decision. However, it’s nice to return to a familiar place with familiar people.

I’ve picked up a knack for photography! I’m still learning but I’ve really enjoyed it. Hopefully I can share my pictures with the rest of the world soon!

TCB, Sav

June 8, 2015June 8, 2015 by Moments by Sav Categories: The BeginningTags: basic, beginner, Blog, new, ugh Leave a comment