Markus & the Lonely Duck | Lake District, England 2012

The other day I was going through my photo folders and I found a plethora of unedited UK photos. It was kind of amazing because Markus and I won't be able to go on an international trip this year. It really stinks considering we've traveled somewhere every year for the past nine years. I really shouldn't complain, we've been to some amazing places. I'm really thankful for all the places we've been and hopeful for the places we'll go! So finding these pictures was great because it's like going on a trip to the UK all over again.

As I was editing the photos, I realized something awesome. I had Markus do all sorts of poses and I realized that there was a lone duck in every photo. I couldn't help myself and had to share. Plus, I couldn't resist posting more gorgeous photos of the Lake District. My golly, this place was really like heaven on earth.

Instagrammin' | August 2012

Sometimes, I don't have a chance to whip out the DSLR and take a photo. Thank goodness my iPod is always easily accessible. I have quite a collection of photos on Instagram and thought that it would be nice to share some of the highlights from each month. I didn't want to start with the beginning of this year, that would be ridiculous. So, I decided August would be the best place to start, especially since it was the month that we went to the UK.

1. Markus and I on our way to England. That day we took seven different modes of transportation and recapped all seven in a series of photos. This was the second photo and when we still looked refreshed and excited.
2. Our first meal in England with James and Ari was oatcakes. They were freaking delicious, a cross between a pancake and a crepe. We stuffed them full of bangers and bacon. 
3. Homemade syrup sponge pudding and custard and a beautiful English garden. It doesn't get more British than this. 
4. Markus probably reading Game of Thrones on his Kindle in the English garden. 

5. I found Anthropolgie in Edinburgh! I haven't been in one for an entire year. Of course, I wanted to buy everything but bought nothing. 
6. The beautiful streets of Edinburgh. I could have walked those streets forever. 
7. The Lake District was like being in a painting. It was unreal. 
8. Being a true Muggle and hanging out at the Ministry of Magic at the Harry Potter Studio Tour. 

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Derwentwater │ Lake District, England

It's always been my dream to see the English countryside. I've seen the rolling hills, pristine lakes and green fields in so many movies and television shows. I've read about it in my favorite books, but what I've always imagined and pictured in my mind was nothing like actually seeing it. It was like stepping into a painting.

Our friends suggested that we go to The Lakes because it is known for its natural beauty and being one of the most picturesque places in England. The mountains of The Lakes were unlike any mountains I'd seen before. From afar they marbled the horizon with greens, purples, browns and blues. The weather couldn't have been better. The sun shone brightly and big white fluffy clouds filled the blue sky. It was cool and breezy, an absolutely idyllic day.

After spending time at The Lakes, I understand why it inspired many writers and poets,  such as William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter. I'll leave you with Wordsworth description of the mountains. He describes the mountains of The Lakes much better than I ever could.

"in the combinations which they make, towering above each other, or lifting themselves in ridges like the waves of a tumultuous sea, and in the beauty and variety of their surfaces and colours, they are surpassed by none" - William Wordsworth

It's never too late

Lake District, England: August 2012

After living in South Korea for one year, there is one thing that I learned that rang true throughout the year and continues to be true. "It's never too late."

Before we moved to Korea, Markus and I were settled. We had our lives in order. We followed all the rules. We both graduated from college. We dated for X amount of years and then married. We owned a home. We had job security, we could've stayed at these jobs for a long time. All that was left was kids. If we did what we were supposed to do, then why were Markus and I always feeling like something was missing?

I think that we have this predisposed idea of what "normal" is. We are told from a young age that if you do A,B,C and D, you'll be happy. If you don't do these things, then maybe you won't be so happy. As I've gotten older, I've started to really think about what "normal" is. Is "normal" what everyone is telling me it is, or is it something else? Either way, I don't think that everyone is meant to follow the same course in their lives. There is no road map for a perfect and happy life. We are all meant for something specific. We were all created for a specific purpose and reason, and it is up to us to find out what that is

When Markus and I were still living in South Florida, we found ourselves in a bit of a bubble. We worked with our closest friends. We went to the same events, ate at the same restaurants and did the same thing every weekend. Nothing really changed, we were in this endless cycle. Markus and I spent six years doing this and only taking two weeks every year to go on adventures. We found ourselves persevering through the other 50 weeks of the year in anticipation for those two weeks. The only two weeks out of the year where we really felt alive. 

I don't know why we didn't think of moving to South Korea sooner, but I am a firm believer in "things are meant to happen when they happen". I know it sounds cliche, but in my case, this is how everything in my life has worked out.

I write all this to say, "it's never too late." I thought that my life was set, and that my chance to live abroad had passed because I was settled. I thought that if I did something crazy like move to another country at this stage of my life, my friends and family would think there was something wrong with me. I remember thinking one night, "I will never be happy unless I do this. I'll always regret not trying." However, the lure of being safe and never taking chances was just as strong.

We all tend to do what's safe, what we know, because venturing outside the norm is scary. Failure is always present in our minds. No one wants to fail. The worst feeling is making huge sacrifices to do something, and then failing at it in the end. On the other hand, when you succeed the feeling is indescribable!


This past year in South Korea has been a massive success. I have learned so much about myself, about Markus and our marriage. This experience was what was missing in my life. I've never felt more alive and free. To be honest, I still don't know what my purpose in life is, but I'm having an amazing time trying to find it.