Essential Personal Care Items for Eco-Minded Travelers

by:  eternitysojourner

 

 

I have to admit it…I’m a roots gal!  Whole, organic, and natural describe my diet and aesthetic.  As a vegan, environmentalist, and traveler- what I put in my luggage has to suit my health, my pocket, and our planet.  Eco-friendly personal care products will enable you to buy less, carry less, and waste less- a winning trio for fellow nomads.  If you’re also an earth-conscious traveler, here are a few allies worth adding to your backpack.  They may not offset the carbon emissions from your air travel but they may lower your environmental impact once you touch ground!  ;)

 

Castile Soap

This potent, veggie-based, bio-degradable soap is popular amongst backpackers.  It can be used to wash your hair, your body, your clothes, and your dishes!  Available as a bar or liquid, both are effective and can be used sparingly.  Some find it harsh on their hair or skin, so dilute as necessary.

 

Bath Brush

Instead of washing and rewashing washcloths, a bath brush will exfoliate your skin, stimulate your lymph system, and scrub you till you shine!  Investing in a durable, natural bristle bath brush is worth the cost and it will help you feel “pampered” even if a spa visit is not in the travel budget.

Pumice Stone

FYI for new travelers:  there may be towns or regions where pedicures are unheard of.  Especially in rural regions where manual labor, long walking commutes, and poor shoes are common, you may have to take your foot care into your own hands.  To keep rough foot bottoms at bay, rubbing your soles with a pumice stone at the end of the shower will help to keep them smooth and callous-free.  A generous rubbing of shea butter before bed and wearing cotton socks (if you really need some TLC) will keep your feet from being…um…abrasive.  ;)

 

Recyclable Razors

With the exception of a French or feminist minority, most women shave.  I’ve seen disposable razors for sale in nearly every country I’ve visited but I haven’t always found replaceable razor cartridges.  By investing in a durable recycled razor handle, you can pack disposable razor cartridges for use, which produces less waste than throwing out an entire razor with the handle included.  If that option is not green enough for you, you can invest in a razor sharpener to extend the life of each razor head, try a DIY razor sharpening method, or go “old school” with a straight razor and a leather strap.

 

Reusable Toothbrush

Similar to the abovementioned razors, there are recycled toothbrush handles that have replaceable toothbrush heads.  Instead of changing an entire toothbrush, the head is replaced every three months or so.  Also similar to the razors, the replaceable toothbrush heads are not found everywhere, so it’s one of those products you’d have to stock up on before your travels.

 

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has become my new multi-use product of choice.  It makes for a great leave-in hair conditioner, face and body moisturizer, and--with a little baking soda--an effective, homemade toothpaste.  Using coconut oil will put you in compliance with the naturalista’s code of honor:  “If you won’t put it in your body, don’t put it on your body”.  Your skin, being the largest organ of your body, absorbs everything that enters the pore straight through to the bloodstream, so choose your moisturizer wisely!  Solid when cold and liquid at room temperature, virgin coconut oil should be stored securely.  Make sure your container is properly sealed and placed in a secure Ziploc bag in the event of leaks.

 

Shea Butter

Pure, raw shea butter is the best moisturizer I’ve found for dry skin.  Even if your skin is not generally dry, relocating to a location with particularly hard water or harsh weather conditions can be a dermal assault.  Shea butter is my product of choice for skin softening, repair, and protection.  A little goes along way, so it will earn its share of luggage weight.

 

Thai Crystal Deodorant

Finding your deodorant of choice on the road is not always easy.  Instead of discovering a new foreign brand that suits your liking, you can get to the root of the problem by preventing body odor.  Made from crystallized natural mineral salts, these “rock” deodorants don’t allow odor-causing bacteria to flourish.  The deodorant will last as long as its intact, which could be years (if you’re not clumsy like me!).  If you need odor protection back-up, a dab of tea tree oil after application should keep you “funk-free” until you reach your next shower.  Please note:  This deodorant is not an anti-perspirant, so you will sweat as freely as usual (which is normal, healthy, and okay!).

 

Menstrual Cups and Reusable Pads

Yes, I said the “M” word.  Regarding your monthly friend, your Aunt Flo, or whatever your moniker of choice, we have to address our menses.  While most women are eager to flush away, throw away or wish away our womanly experience, we have to consider the disposable pads and tampons that are piling up in landfills, alongside other sources of avoidable waste.  Even if we don’t want to think about what happens once we throw away our sanitary products, our planet is absorbing the cost of our disposable culture.  And if you think that suppressing your cycle is the answer, the widespread use of birth control pills and other hormone-influencing medications has been altering the reproductive habits of aquatic life for the last few decades.  The majority of any medication that we ingest is excreted through our urine, so all those synthetic hormones end up in our waterways.

As an alternative, products like the Keeper or the Diva Cup are reusable menstrual cups that produce no unnecessary waste.  Made from rubber or silicone, you empty and rinse them during your cycle and when it’s over, they are washed, dried, and stored until next time around.  The same product can be used for up to ten years, so no need to make mad dashes to pharmacies- you can be prepared at all times.  Reusable pads are made from cloth, so it will take more effort to soak, wash, and dry them after use, but still worth the effort considering the long-term costs of monthly sanitary products.  Sorry if that was too much information but I had to put it out there! 

What are some of your favorite eco-friendly, travel essentials?

“I Wish Things Were Like This At Home…”

By:  Brittany S

While I was sitting there looking at her that’s when it hit me; things are different because of me.  How could I have been so naïve to that fact?

I just moved to a new city three weeks ago and I have a new “best friend”.  Now of course we aren’t true best friends—the type that go in each other’s fridges, know each other’s parents’ phone numbers, been each other’s wingman then shoulder to cry on after the breakup.  We’re not even the besties that use the bathroom and talk to each other while the other is in the shower (Too far?).

"You and me must ne-vah part...ma-tee-da-da."

But, if anyone knows what is going on with me and/or where I am, she does.

But how is this possible in such a short time?  Two words:  FOREIGNER FRIENDLY.  These words mean more to me than just that that locals welcome/embrace foreigners or that there is an English translation available.  It means when foreigner meets foreigner, we (generally) become really friendly!  Initially knowing our only commonalities to be English speaker and non-Korean, we are more willing to do a lot of things within the first 24-48 hours of “knowing” each other:

·         Exchange phone numbers

·         Add each other on social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc)

·         Tell each other where we work and live (and sometimes even give each other the key codes to get into each other’s apartment buildings/rooms) as well as how/why we are in Korea and where we are from

·         Go to each other’s apartments

·         Go to dinners, bowling parties, etc and not know a single person in attendance

·         Hug or have some other form of familial physical contact

·         Ask for and/or offer career advice

·         Give or loan goods and services

I don't even know them.  I invited them to sing w/us & they were HILARIOUS.  I don't think I would be so "friendly" in the middle of the night if we were stateside.

All of this is possible without even knowing each other’s last name!  It may seem as though these newly-formed relationships are superficial (and in some cases, they are), but we sincerely develop somewhat intimate relationships with each other in an astoundingly short time.  It’s human nature to seek out those who are similar to us.  Whether our similarities be along the lines of race, gender, sexuality, class, beliefs, etc, we feel most comfortable among our own.  Do you remember where you sat in the high school cafeteria?  The need to belong and be accepted is great among the human race and we thrive off of some kind of interaction with others.

Yea, I think it is a little like "Mean Girls"...even where you SIT determines sooo much about you smh.

In a country where English is not the native tongue, I’ve come to realize how important verbal communication is and isn’t at the same time.  It amazes me how my eyes would light up when I saw another foreigner walking the streets, as something as basic as being able to talk to them excited me.  If we ever had the chance to formally meet, we would have started to see a place in each other’s lives.  And yet, there are moments where all we share is a laugh and that's enough of a language to know what the other person wants to say.  But why can’t things be like this at home (in America)?

How many people in this picture do you think speak English?  I'll give you a hint, only the ones that look like me do.  We communicate with more than just vocabulary.

While I was sitting there looking at her that’s when it hit me; things are different because of me.

At the risk of making us sound like participants in a salivating dog experiment, we are conditioned to think and behave in a certain way from birth.  The socialization in America is phenomenal.  I’m sure we can all think of people who vote Republican because their father does and that’s just “the way things are.”  Or the girl who won’t tell anyone she likes Winnie the Pooh because her friends said liking cartoon characters is for babies.  There is a suppressed personality inside of all of us; putting yourself in unfamiliar surroundings allows for it to come out.

When you get off the plane, you are filled with a spectrum of emotions and questions.  As time goes on, you start to balance out, but your personality and character exponentially develops.  Just in my brief stint abroad, I have seen/done/learned so much. (Click here to see a little more of my travel story!)  Some things are forever changed in me.

·         I love to travel.  Someone once said the adult sticker book is a passport.  I wholeheartedly agree.  Every time I get a new stamp I feel the same exhilaration as getting a new Lisa Frank sticker book (remember those?).

·         KARAOKE. ANYTIME. ANYPLACE. WITH ANYONE. YES. YES. YES!!!

Can you believe we are at a BOWLING ALLEY?! Yea, we got hard in the paint for some karaoke!

·         I am unique.  That is a stronger, more positive word than “different.”  I embrace it.  If people don’t understand my fashion choices for instance, it is because the pants I wear are Thai pants and my jewelry is from Jamaica and Malaysia.  I can’t expect them to be accepting, or even understanding of me.  They haven’t been unplugged as I have.  It’s ok.  They don’t know any better. ;-)

·         Food is delicious almost EVERYWHERE.  You just have to be willing to try it (and at times, get over the presentation or ingredients of it)!

This food looked a little like vomit haha but as you can see, we devoured it.

·         Most importantly, I’ve learned that it is ok to be yourself.  It is almost required.  Oscar Wilde once said “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.”  No matter whom you choose to be, make sure that is who you really are.  Even when we say someone dances to the beat of their own drummer, that still means it is them and the drummer!  Don’t hide who you are in fear of isolation.  If we are our true selves, we will attract the correct circle around us.

I pretty much met them all the same night.  We ended up having dinner & spending HOURS thinking we are Whitney/Mariah/Toni/Janet haha.  Now we hang out regularly & I've even had a sleepover with one of them!

Traveling has allowed me to come to my own resolutions about these and many other things at warp speed.  I think this is perhaps why things are so different here than back home, especially in terms of relationships.  All the highs and lows we would experience with people back home is fast-forwarded here.  In our familial surroundings, we listen to family, friends, media, politics, religion, etc.  When you move to a place where no one knows your face, name, or even language, an enormous socialization burden is lifted.  A lot of societal voices are silenced.  When our own voice is the most clear, so is our sense of direction and purpose; so are we.

Thanks Abbie! (My new hair stylist haha you like?)

As bizarre as it may sound, I came to all these conclusions one day when I was out with my new bestie and chuckling at how we already have inside jokes and each other’s back stories.  My guard is completely down with her and many others I encounter here.  I pray I never feel the need to throw up a wall again when I move on from this place.  So here’s to Abbie, who unknowingly helped me to realize that it isn’t necessarily Korea specifically that changed my behavior, but my own maturity when I allowed my voice to be the only one to speak for me.  Silence is more than golden; it's eye-opening.

**If you can’t afford to travel internationally, I highly recommend domestic travel to place totally unfamiliar to you.  The silence is there for everyone, you just have to find it.

When East Meets West: Hosting an International Visitor

By: Brittany S

As an American citizen from the Midwest living in Korea, I have found some things about Korean (and Eastern culture in general) culture to be very similar to my own.  However, there is a lot that is very distinct of our respective regions and at times, they clash.

For anyone who has done any research on Koreans’ perspectives on foreigners in Korea, you know that Koreans are generally accepting of us being here, but they have their preferences (the closer you are to the Eurocentric standard of beauty—particularly blond hair, blue eyes, the better), as well as their restrictions (they really dislike when foreigners date their women).  Because of this open, but close-minded mentality, oftentimes, Koreans struggle to understand the African American population.  People of all ages (from my elementary school students to the random old lady on the bus stop) always TELL me that I am African, particularly S. African (as that is the only African country that can hold an English teaching position here).  Also, given that a Eurocentric standard of beauty of being thin as a rail, pale as a ghost, and having long, straight, silky hair doesn’t exactly match an Afrocentric one of “my Black is beautiful” and being curvy is actually being a GOOD thing and curly hair that grows towards the sky, there have been plenty of times that I’ve caught people taking pics of me or rubbing my skin as if I’m some freak of nature. All of this simply because they just don’t understand how I came to be.

They were once afraid to be near me, now they hug me daily.

            So here I am, the only little chocolate chip in the cookie, being the spokesperson of not only my country, but of my ethnic heritage (I’ll let you figure out which voice is louder).  Any opportunity I get I make sure to stress that America has more than “Susans” and “Toms,” but people like Jamal, Keisha, Miguel, Muhammad, Fangbai, EunHwa, Pierre, Natalia, and others make up our “melting pot” as well.**  It’s particularly important to me that they understand that Black people are a HUGE part of American society, and that White people do in fact live in S. Africa.  When I teach, I make sure to encourage my students to love their Asian selves and stop trying to look White.  I also try to open their eyes to other countries beyond Japan & China, or Britain & Australia.  I want them to see value in other people and places, and not just think of them as “other.”  I recently had the pleasure of hosting one of my former students in America.  She was so open and curious about me and (my version of) American life that I just gave her as much of it as I could in our short time together.

            My former student (who is now a sophomore in college and my friend) came to stay with me for the 9 days that I was in America and enjoyed every minute of it.  Although her English speaking is not the greatest, her comprehension and willingness to try are stellar.  It was funny watching 95% of my family BUTCHER her name, even though I said it slowly several times.  They all decided to give her a nickname (her whole name is the length of my first name, yet they gave her a nickname) to avoid any further slaughter.  They embraced her as a part of our family, and made her feel right at home with love-filled hugs.  Here are the things we did:

 

Visited most of my relatives (all grandparents, parents, and most of my aunts and cousins):  here she was fed everything from a hot link and vinegar chips to spinach artichoke dip and lasagna; all of these foods are not common in Korea and definitely go against her Korean diet.  I warned her about weight gain!

With my Granny. No visit is complete without a grandmother's cooking!  They are almost the same height and color!  We aren't so different after all...

Went to “Sweetie Pie’s”: I figured this was the quickest way to get her to a soul food spread.  I had her to try the cabbage (since Koreans eat kimchi=fermented cabbage), she didn’t like it but she devoured everything else.

Hey Mikey! I think she likes it! :-)

Went to the St. Louis City Museum and Dave & Buster’s:  There’s a big kid in all of us and no matter what language you speak, we all like large playgrounds and arcades :-)

My sister got stuck!

 

Went SHOPPING: Oh c’mon, who DOESN’T go shopping in another country?!  Also, Koreans are REALLY into fashion.  She felt proud that she will go home with exclusive “American style” clothing.

I would soooo love to see someone wear these...

 

Visited my university:  she had never seen a university so big (mine has its own zip code) and my home from my school and her’s from her’s are equidistant (2hrs), yet she makes that commute daily for classes and we consider that distance “away from home.”

With my mommy :-)

Went to a Step Show:  Stepping is popular among African Americans and is one of our ancestral ties to the Motherland.  I thought it would be interesting to show her that although we incorporate Africa in our culture, that we are in fact different.  Her eyes lit up.  She recorded videos and everything.

Went  to a Korean restaurant & noraebang (singing room):  It was nice to give her the taste of home she was missing while exposing my family to my new culture.

(L) I missed the family-size portions in Korea :-(  (R) I don't think she was ready for how passionate we get with a mic.

Went to a club/party?:  NOPE. Poor baby was so tired from all our running around that she slept in.

Lucky! I had to DRIVE everywhere!

Taught her how to play “Bones” (dominoes) and do “The Wobble” and others:  I was proud of her!  We need to work on her trash talking haha but she was timidly calling her points.  And here’s a little secret—Koreans love line dancing, too!  Go to a Korean club and see!  So now she knows how to do OUR line dances.

 

Went to Steak n Shake, Jack in the Box, Sonic’s, Wendy’s, & IHOP:  I had to let her know that America has more favorites than McDonald’s, Burger King, Baskin Robbins, and Dunkin Donuts (all found all around Korea).  Each time she ordered a lot of food and finished it all!  In Korea, the most I’ve ever seen her eat was an order of samgyupsal (Korean BBQ that looks like thick bacon)!

When I asked her what she thought about everything and how she was doing, her eyes always seemed enthusiastic, and although she couldn’t say more than “GOOD!” I knew she was loving her time in my world and that when she returns to Korea, she will be one more voice for Black people, Black Americans, and Americans in general.  All it takes is an open mind and heart and the rest will follow.  If you have the opportunity to enlighten someone about something very important to you, I encourage you to do it.  Each one, reach/teach one.  She’s my “one” in Korea.  But I’ll be here another year.  Who’s coming home with me next?

**This is in no way meant to stereotype people, rather, to speak to the popularity of these particular names among certain races in America.

Life in Oman: Is it the Right Choice for You?

by:  eternitysojourner

Mutrah Port in Muscat, Oman

Two years ago this week, marks the anniversary of my arrival to Oman.  I vividly remember exiting the airport, being smothered by Muscat’s humidity, and winding through curious and imposing mountains along the highway.  With time, what seemed strange and intriguing, then, has become comforting and familiar.  I’ve given birth here, explored various landscapes, and made lasting connections with both citizens and expatriates.  For me, Oman was the right choice but what about you? Our Sistas in Oman shed some light on life in the Sultanate but here are a few prerequisite questions to ask yourself before accepting an offer and making your move.

 

How do I feel about living amongst Muslims and Arabs?
Oman is a gentle introduction to the Muslim world.  There is no real political strife or unrest.  Yes, there were occasional protests in northern Oman at the tail end of the Arab Spring but nothing the likes of instability or revolution.  Additionally, Omanis tend to be very non-confrontational in their expression of faith; so more times than not, you won’t find yourself in aggressive or heated debates about religion, unless you disrespect their faith.

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat, Oman

 

How conservative can I be?
Feel free to pack your tube skirts and tank tops, but keep in mind that they’re best worn in the privacy of your own home.  Generally, visitors and residents are advised to avoid sleeveless or low cut shirts, as well as skirts, pants, or shorts above the knee.  Even men are asked to skip the Speedos when out swimming.  More conservative attire would be warranted when visiting mosques or rural regions, but I don’t know of any legal penalty for dressing otherwise.

Muscat, Oman’s capital city, would be the hub for “nightlife”.  If you like to party or drink, there are selective places like hotels, clubs, etc. where both are allowed.  Outside of designated establishments, many expats choose to apply for a liquor license and drink in private gatherings.

During Ramadan, while Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, drinking or eating in public is discouraged and considered inconsiderate.  More practically, due to altered business hours, you may find that you’ve also adopted a “Ramadan schedule” for your outings and eating.

For the lovebirds amongst us, public displays of affection are uncommon, beyond holding hands or loving glares.  Who you choose to love is your business and, in Oman, where you choose to love them should also be your personal business.

 

How do I cope with heat?
Oman has a good deal of heat for you to enjoy.  Between May and September, temperatures are regularly above 100^oF (38^oC), so midday outings are discouraged.  Fortunately, just about every indoor environment is air conditioned and electricity supply is consistently delivered throughout most parts of Oman.  If that kind of heat is unfathomable to you, look for work in Salalah- a region in the far south of Oman that enjoys moderate weather year-round with a summer monsoon season.

 

Can I live in the desert?
Be of good cheer, friends!  Oman is not just one big desert!  There are beaches, mountains, waterfalls, and wadis (ravines) to discover throughout.  The greenest of times is from June to September, in the far south of Oman during the khareef or monsoon season.   You’ll be amazed to see rolling green hills and misty mornings that remind you of Ireland.

 

Misty Morning in Salalah, Oman

 

What will I eat?
Oman has a great variety of all types of food.  Delicious local and foreign produce, a variety of fresh meats and fish, veggie-friendly offerings, and imported comfort foods are all at your fingertips in the major cities and towns.  In the capital city, you can satisfy your craving for everything from Thai to Moroccan food.  Even major American fast food chains and restaurants have migrated to this part of Arabia!

Swahili food in Sohar, Oman

 

What will I do?
Other than work, there are all kinds of organizations to be involved with.  You can pick up a new language, take in a movie, enjoy the opera, ride a horse, scuba dive, and do your fair share of “tree hugging” here.  If all of what Oman has to offer still ranks low on your adventure-meter, you are perfectly situated for great travel options to the Middle East, East Africa, South Asia and Europe. 

Hiking in Sur, Oman

 

How will I get around?
Unless you want to rely on taxis and the occasional long distance bus, having your own ride is the way to go.  Car rentals are very easy with a foreign driver’s license but purchasing a car will require an Omani driver’s license.  Possessing a current foreign driver’s license from most countries for at least a year allows you to obtain an Omani driver’s license without a road or written examination.  Some jobs provide shuttle transportation, so you may not have to worry about commuting to work.

 

Can I save?
There are plenty of middle-aged professionals from the West that are living well and saving for retirement here.  Many find it easy to save without a penny-pinching budget.  If you live outside of Muscat, you may find more attractive salaries and packages that include housing, annual round-trip airfare for you and your family, and health insurance.  Add those perks to a lower cost of living, and you can make bank here!  As with most Gulf countries, the vision for the future is to reduce dependence on foreign workers and phase out expatriate employees.  Until then…come get your slice of the Omani pie while the pickings are good!

 

How will I communicate?
Oman is functionally bilingual: websites, road signs, official documents, shop names, etc. will almost always be in both English and Arabic.  Sometimes the English displayed on road signs may be inconsistent, but the government is working on it.  Outside of major cities and towns, you may find that many people are not fluent in English but you can usually get by with little to no Arabic.

 

Where should I live?
If you want to maximize your social life, try to stay in or near Muscat.  If you can stand the summer humidity, Muscat, Sohar, Sur, and Salalah are all coastal cities.  If you prefer a drier climate (both literally and figuratively!), consider Nizwa or Ibri.

 

Can I make an impact?
Oman is a wonderful nation that has progressed rapidly in the last few decades.  Previous generations left Oman in pursuit of quality education, health care, and a higher standard of living, but many have since returned.  Oman is catching up to the world, so to speak.  College enrollment is on the rise and you may have the opportunity to teach first generation university students--the majority of which are women.  Unlike other regions of the Gulf, not all citizens of Oman are wealthy and even if they lack the maturity of third or fourth generation academics, many are learning to appreciate the virtue of higher education and gaining greater access to the wider world as a result.

 

It can’t be all good in Oman, can it?
Every rose has its thorn and Omani roses are no different.  There are social problems that may not readily come to light, high incidences of traffic-related deaths, and biases that favor citizens over expats.  There is a general lack of environmental concern, outdated approaches to early education, and lacking accommodations for students with special needs, BUT Oman’s growth is in progress- steady but not stagnant.  Even if you decide that life in Oman is not right for you, you should at least consider a visit when you’re in the neighborhood.  J

Feel free to ask questions or add your experience of life in Oman in the comments.