Obon and an announcement

I'm going to keep this short and sweet or else it will become another item on my To-Do list.

I'm sorry for the quality of the audio.  I'm not sure if it made that scratchy sounds because of my a/c running, my computer running out of memory, or having the volume up high.  Hopefully you can still enjoy it.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

2 year anniversary

Hi everyone!!  I know this has taken a while for me to get out.  And here I thought it would be easier and faster since I made a video.  I guess I should take into consideration bad internet connection next time.  ::chuckle::  Oh well!

Here it is!  A rather long video of me putting some thoughts out there about the last 2 years of traveling and an update (sort of) on where I'm headed next.  In true Monkey fashion, I ramble a bit but I figured it makes the video all the more endearing....maybe.  ENJOY!!

I also have a small compliation of some videos I've done while traveling if you're interested.  I have many I still need to put up but it's been put in the "to-do" list like so many other things.  

Youtube vlog

Thank you again for everyone's continued support and love.  It really helps keep me going in times when I wonder what the hell I was thinking leaving everything behind.  ::laugh::  Lovelovelovelovelove!!!!!

Onward and upward

I’m sitting in an airport yet again waiting for my first of two flights which will take me back to Australia.  In a small part of my brain, I’m worrying if the flight will be delayed, if my baggage will come quickly, if I’ll make it through security once again in time for my second flight, if I’ll make it through customs with my double passport.

But the majority of my focus is directed towards these past 6 weeks.  Or rather, focusing on not focusing on it.  I can visualize the mass of emotions and memories this ‘US tour’ has both created and brought up.  I know I need to process this experience and yet I feel myself shying away from it.  The desire to put it all in a box to deal with later.

This whole trip has been about moving, catching up, shifting, shedding...

Crap, I’m still not ready to get a piece out about this trip.  I had this grand plan of some sort of post that would be eloquent and fun and thoughtful.  I’m just not ready to deal with all the emotions and memories. I am actually rather looking forward to arriving in Sydney simply so I can sit and not go anywhere. Take the time to decompress and process. I'll try and get something out afterwards.

For now I just want to thank everyone I was able to see. For the new friends I've made, the friendships I've renewed, and those that have strengthened. I'm so incredibly blessed to have each and everyone of you in my life. Thank you for making this trip so special and just what I needed. I love you all!!

Smores and cuddles with my little nephews

**All pictures are property of Kira Zebroski**

Just an update: I've made it safely from WI to LAX and about to board my final flight to Sydney. It was a close call with some passport issues. Like I wasn't allowed on the plane for a bit. But all is well. ::knock on wood:: It's never a dull moment with the Monkey!! ::grin::

A Monkey and Her Backpack: a year in review (Part 2)

KOH PHANGAN

on the ferry to Koh Phangan

I arrived into Koh Phangan the end of September and I honestly didn't think I would be staying very long.  As fate would have it, I absolutely fell in love with the island and the opportunities that arose were ones I'd always wanted to explore: teaching contact improvisation, mediation, spirituality, diving, and so much more.  I felt the desire to immerse myself in this place and really explore the possibilities the island had to offer.  It was 7 months before I decided to leave the island and continue my travels.

In order to stay on the island, I of course needed some kind of income.  I didn't have much and I didn't need much; a roof over my head and food in my belly was sufficient.

who says you can't do CI at dinner??

The thing that inspired me to stay on the island was the ability to teach contact improvisation.  I ended up teaching an impromptu class when I met with Tatiana, the mutual friend of a friend.  The class loved what I'd done and asked if I could do more.  Tatiana was wonderful enough to let me stay in her place while I figured myself out on where I could teach and a job so I could live on the island.  I ended up teaching at two different locations as time allowed.  It's funny though, my first class was a disaster...no one came!!  I was frustrated but not discouraged and just took it as a learning experience.  Word spread and I had some lovely classes and jams while on the island.

my first poster I made as PR

working the bar on St. Patrick's Day

I ended up finding two very different job opportunities through two very different means.  I first found a bartending gig through a conversation Tatianta had with the owner of a resort while standing in line at the immigration office.  The only catch was I wasn't needed until the high season which started in the middle of December.  This was when I found the position of PR staff at a tantra/yoga school.  My job quickly became events manager and I took over bringing in and marketing new workshops and events at the school.  It was a rewarding and yet stressful job in major part because I was living at the school while I worked there.  As many of you know, I tend to take my work home with me as it is, so this was an even more difficult task.  I learned about many new types of meditation and healing and also about the lights and shadows of the spiritual community.  Unfortunately due to personality clashes, I cut my time at the school short and focused on self care and diving, a decision I don't regret.

Working at Seaflower Bungalows at their bar called Heaven (come on, who wouldn't love to say they get to work in Heaven every night?) located right on the beach, it was a relaxing and social job.  I met people from all over the world and perfected my caprinhia cocktail.  ::chuckle::  With beautiful beach sunsets every night and the occasional seafood BBQ, this was a dream job.  Like any bartending gig, the hours were crazy but I met so many people and built so many lasting relationships that staying up till 4am was well worth it.  I love my Seaflower family!!!

my first scooter!!

While on the island, I didn't just learn new things while on the job.  I also learned how to drive a scooter!!!  Cars aren't very popular in Thailand other than to transport goods and this is true even more so on the islands.  So Kira had to get on one of the back of these and eventually learn to drive so I wouldn't have to bum rides.  When I decided to stay on Koh Phangan for a while, I actually bought a scooter and then sold it at face value when I left again.  This is a pretty typical course of action for farangs staying long-term.

jellyfish sting my first day  :-(

motorbike accident and still smiling

Now an adventure wouldn't be an adventure without some physical mishaps on my part.  I tried to keep things on the down low until I'd recovered so as not to freak out the parents.  Shhhhh!!!  But they know I'd tell them if anything major was going on (right Mom and Dad??).  Anyway, true to form I was stung by a jellyfish my first day on Koh Phangan about 10 minutes after getting into the water for the first time.  Of course no one knew had to actually handle stings (including the locals running the front desk of my hostel) so I just waited it out and listened to music to distract from the pain.  NO, people!  I did NOT let anyone pee on me.  ::chuckle::  The air con at the 7/11 became my best friend and I actually went out dancing that night at the jungle party.  The jellyfish stings made for some pretty cool designs as it healed too.

Next was the UTI from hell which you can read in my other post Always an Adventure.  I then got in a motorbike accident a few weeks after buying my bike in late October.  Luckily it was just me involved but it was still a scary situation.  My brakes froze going down a steep hill that had a sharp turn and lots of gravel around a hole where construction had been happening earlier in the month.  Basically all the cards were stacked against me.  I was going down; it was just a question of when.  I had never been so grateful to contact improv with learning to fall correctly as I naturally protected my head and expanded my surface area when the bike finally tipped.  I had a lot more scratches but not nearly as deep if I'd had a small point of impact.  The worst was my side where the gravel shredded my skin.  I have a nice Koh Phangan tattoo now to show off when I wear my bikini.  ::chuckle::

birthday celebration at the Chocolate House

the closest I could get to a turkey on Thanksgiving

New Year's Eve buffet YUM!!!

Being abroad also meant celebrating the holidays island/Thai style.  I think the hardest part was not being around my friends and family during these different moments.  I made some wonderful friends but there is something to be said about family traditions at Christmas and a night on the town with my gals on New Year's Eve.

I also celebrated local festivals such as Loy Krathong, Songkran, the Colormoon Festival, and of course the infamous Full Moon Party.  You can read about my crazy experience in the bodypainting competition at the Colormoon festival HERE.

Many people confused Loy Krathong with the light festival which occurs in Chaing Mai around the same time.  This festival is also known as the floating lights festival, giving thanks to the ocean which provides so many gifts to the island.  We each light lanterns made from wood or coconut shells, decorated with banana leaves, flowers, and incense, and release them into the water.  You are supposed to leave a little of yourself with the lantern as part of the gift (a bit of hair, a fingernail).  With the intention to let go of the past and make a wish for the future, you set out the lantern in the present.  It was a beautiful experience both in having my own lantern and sharing this festival with locals and travelers alike.

Songkran is the Thai New Year and is celebrated with water... a lot of water.  I don't have many pictures from it.  In fact my camera had an unfortunate incident in which my dry bag sprung a leak.  ::sad face::  It still works but I can't use the display anymore.  Anyway, the water is meant to symbolize washing away the past year and starting fresh.  In present day, it has become an opportunity to use water guns, buckets, and hoses to soak those around you.  It doesn't matter if you're on a scooter or just walking down the street; NO ONE is safe!  ::laughs::  Locals will also mix water with a colored corn starch base and swipe on your face as a kind of blessing.  It was a great time even with the rain (the universe's joke on a day of water games).

my lantern for Loy Krathong

3rd Full Moon party

my first Full Moon party

body painting competition at the Colormoon Festival

Diving was something I've wanted to do for many years but despite my many wanderings, I've never lived near large bodies of water.  ::chuckle::  So living on a tropical island and near the top dive site in the Gulf of Thailand, I could finally take the plunge.  ::grin::  I went to Koh Tao for a week to get my Open Water certifcation.  It's known as the island to go if you want to dive and this monkey is always up for an extra adventure.  As recommended by a friend, I trained with French Kiss Divers.  I also want to send out a massive THANK YOU again to all of you who helped make this experience possible.  It was one of the most surreal, soul-inspiring experiences of my life.  To be underwater with a feeling of weightlessness, surrounded by brightly colored fish and coral, and the peaceful silence of only your breath in your ear....it was a practice in meditation I plan on doing as much as possible for as long as my body allows.  The dive shop was excellent and I highly recommend it to anyone looking to learn to dive while on Koh Tao.  Will, Oz, and the rest of the gang made my stay truly special and I was sad to say goodbye, but my new bartending job was calling.

my group with French Kiss Divers

Photo courtesy of Ian Hamilton Photography

Back on Koh Phangan, I started diving with Haad Yao Divers.  I discovered micro diving; nudibranchs and shrimp get me about excited as a giant school of barracuda!!  My fellow divers just sometimes just shake their heads with a grin.   I eventually was also able to get up to my Rescue Diver certificate when money and time allowed.  The more I have been in the water and shared the experience with friends, I've realized I want to do this professionally and slowly (much slower than I'd like!) I am working towards owning all of my own equipment and getting the training I need to work in a dive shop.  Even a bad day of diving is better than a great day in the office.  ::grin::






I had many other adventures during my time on Koh Phangan.  A group of us climb to Khao Ra, the highest point on the island.  A 3 hour hike through a jungle and probably the most interesting aspect was wearing shoes for the first time in 4 months.  I had blisters for weeks!!  I also introduced locals and travelers alike to jello shots (or jelly shots as Europeans call them).  It's rather funny to share these during my travels and see each person's expression.  ::chuckle::

JELLO (JELLY) SHOTS!!!!

Fire show on Sairee Beach, Koh Tao

Khao Ra, the highest point on Koh Phangan

While on Koh Phangan, I also had to do 2 visa runs to Penang and 2 visa extensions on Koh Samui.  You can read about my first adventure to Penang HERE My second time was eventful in a different kind of way.  By a random series of events, I missed getting to the visa office on the first day by 2 minutes and so had to stay almost a week instead of the planned 3 days.  On the bright side, it gave me an opportunity to explore Georgetown a bit more.  I also met some wonderful locals who took me for a few nights on the town.  Let me know if you want more details on those crazy nights.  ::wink::

Trying to figure out where we are.   Penang, Malaysia

Penang, Malaysia

Penang, Malaysia

Unfortunately my time on Koh Phangan drew to a close in April as the high season ended.  I had found a new love of diving and wanted to pursue it further.  I was also ready to move on and experience more of what the world had to offer.  It was a hard decision as I'd made many dear friends on the island.  My final night was a celebration of getting my rescue diver certificate, another diver getting his DM, and my goodbye to the island.  There were a lot of drinks, seafood to put in the belly, and even some slightly drunken tap dancing (I still need to put up the video).  ;-)  And as tradition of the island, I lit my first and last paper lantern.  And in typical Kira-fashion, I also broke tradition by having all the friends around me help to send it off.

my "goodbye lantern"

And so my stay on Koh Phangan ended.  I was off to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to figure out my next move.  The world was once again my oyster and Monkey was hungry!!  Stay tuned for Part 3 to catch up on the remainder of my first year abroad.

**Please Note: All Photos are Property of Kira Zebroski**
unless credited otherwise

Friendships and moving

As I’m getting ready to leave Rochester, it occurred to me suddenly.  How am I going to leave all these people?  I know that when moving, it means leaving things behind but I’ve been so focused on my destination, I've pushed this part of the process aside.  I think it has also been a protective action, denial of what needs to happen.  I've moved around so much, that leaving things, people, and places behind has just always been a part of life.  But this is different.  This time I’m leaving as an adult, with invested time and energy into relationships that I want to last forever.  And I’m terrified.  Terrified I’ll never see them again, that I’ll lose touch, that I’ll miss these important moments in their lives and they in mine.

I've been putting this feeling aside and I didn't even realize it.  In this final week of preparing to leave, I've felt this anxiety and intense overwhelming ENERGY.  And I thought the main reason for it was just the stress of trying to get everything done.  Tying up loose ends.  But as I start to see people for what may be the last time in the foreseeable future, I’m feeling this dam break.  I've built this protective wall around my emotions about leaving my people, my lifeblood, and it’s starting to crumble.  

It’s funny, my friends and I joked that I’m not allowed to really drink during my going away party because I’ll probably end up a blubbering mess.  And I’d laugh and we’d all heartily agree.  But the sobering fact is, I need to deal with this emotion, process and share with those I hold dear.  Tell them,

“I am seriously going to miss you.  You have made this huge impact in my life that even I may not fully comprehend.  There is a part of my heart that I’m leaving with you.  Please take good care of it and help stay in touch so I know it’s well cared for.  And I will try my damnedest to do the same for you.  Know that you are with me, always.  I love you."

And these thoughts aren't just for those I’m leaving in Rochester, but all those who've touched my life and made me better for it.  Whether you’re in Pittsburgh, Florida, NYC, Seattle, Ohio, or already oceans away, I will truly miss you and hope our paths will cross soon and often.