But WHY??!!

Alright Mother Nature, we need to talk.  I appreciate you wanting me to feel welcomed back to Wisconsin, but this really wasn't necessary.  No, really.  This is one thing I seriously didn't miss.  And you went all out, didn't you?  Two snow falls in 3 days.  And it's only the end of October.  ::sigh::

  Welcome back!!

Tuesday's snowfall

Thursday's snowfall

Oh, and

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

**Please Note: All photos are property of Kira Zebroski**

Not for re-use without prior consent and approval

Mainland bound

Sitting in another airport, getting ready to board for my next adventure.  I've spent the last 3 months in Hawaii (about 10 days on Oahu and just over 2 months on Maui).  On Oahu, I saw family I haven't seen in nearly 15 years, learning more about where I come from.  On Maui, I did a work-exchange (check out workaway.org) with a family mostly involving house and animal sitting as well a separate Respite gig with a lovely nonagenarian.

It's been good to relax, just slow down my daily life.  I explored, but also found times where just reading a book or relaxing on a beach was considered a good day.  There's still a lot for me to see.  Who knows?  Maybe I'll be back!  ::chuckle::

My next destination is Seattle.  Lucky me, I arrive on my little cousin's birthday.  Shhh!  I've got a gorgeous mu'umu'u for her.  ::fingers crossed:: that she likes it.  Seattle is a pit stop before heading to Reno for....Burning Man!!!  Super excited to be back on the Playa for the whole burn.  Last year was overwhelming for a lot of different reasons and add on that I arrived late and left early...a bit hard to fully relax into the space.

Lots of people are asking when I'll make it out to them.  Wish I had an answer but just taking it a few weeks at a time.  I've got it planned as far as my next stop after Reno, but that's it thus far.  And all this flying isn't cheap!!  ::crying::  Finally getting my online teaching sorted so that should help give me some stability as well as flexibility.

Just wanted to give a quick update.  Love to everyone and see many of you soon!!!!!  Lovelovelovelovelove!!!!

Sunset on Maui

**Please Note: All photos are property of Kira Zebroski**

Not for re-use without prior consent and approval

New Glasses!!

Long time, no post...I know!  But hopefully you've been checking out my vlog on Youtube.  ::fingers crossed::

Today I'm going to share a video I posted a week or so ago with some new glasses I purchased from zennioptical.com.  Side note: No, I'm not getting paid to advertise this company.  Heck, they have no idea I made the video and this post.  ::chuckle::  I just really like this site!!

Anywho, I've been purchasing from them since about 2013 and fricken LOVE their frames (and their prices!  ::grin::)  I found out about them through a friend (Cecelia, was it you?) and have never gone back.  It was really helpful when I lived in the States because as my health insurance typically covered only contacts OR glasses, this let me still have both.  And went I traveled abroad, I also discovered they ship internationally!  Even to small islands in Thailand!!  Whoot whoot!

Here's a video of me receiving my most recent pairs of glasses.  My last ones finally had enough.  I'd had them for over 4 years and they'd put up with a lot so....well done.  ::applauding::  I went with one familiar pair, but decided to try something different with my second pair.  Funny story, I've ordered the same two pairs of glasses with varying designs every time purely by accident.  Apparently I just really like them!

And here are some random photos of my past pairs including the goggles I talked about in the video.  You can even seen the lens inserts.  I cropped photos as I didn't get prior permission to post of some of my friends/family. 

You can't see the side, but they have the same swirly design as my green ones.
Photo courtesy of Shawn Fe

               

In my video, I showed how my most recent pair was picked because it has swirls.  This is one of the symbols for my camp Habitat for Insanity.  I also got an inscription that has our placement this year.  Here's the thing though, our placement has changed.....to 4:30 B plaza.  Sooooo, I guess I'll have to see if I can turn that "F" into a "B".  ::laugh::  Wish me luck!!

Showing my campmates my new glasses (right after I'd found out our placement had changed).

**Please Note: All photos are property of Kira Zebroski**

Not for re-use without prior consent and approval

Don't forget to check out my Youtube channel and vlog at Monkeywithabackpack! 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAD533613901BA720

And here's the link to Zenni if you're interested!
https://www.zennioptical.com/

A Nod to Easter

So apparently it is Easter Sunday today.  I say "apparently" because if it wasn't for social media (and my father calling me the evening before to wish me a happy Easter), I would have continued this day as regularly scheduled.  Now that it has been duly noted, I feel the desire to make a nod to the day by sharing a video I took a while back.  It wasn't on Easter, but I guess you could say it has Easter-tones of the "Peeps" variety.  I'll let you all make the final call.  ::chuckle:: 

Enjoy!!

As always, please feel free to explore my other writings on this blog as well as my vlog on YouTube which can be reached HERE!  I will be posting more videos soon so keep an eye out!

A time of anniversaries

You know that feature on Facebook that shows you memories of posts and events that happened in past years on this day?  I sometimes get a kick out of seeing what was going on, especially from college when Facebook was so different then.  Heck, I was so different!

Today had some sweet reminders.  A friend's wedding pictures, a message written in the sand, and a creepy recipe just in time for Halloween.  One post however, was unexpected.  A reminder that 7 years ago, my world was rocked and the results set me firmly on a path that led me to where I am today.  

Just over 7 years ago, I was working a steady job I could picture staying with for the rest of my life.  I was looking at buying a house and finding permanency in a town I adored.  Then I got sick.  I don't even know if sick is the right word.  That makes me think of viruses and antibodies and take enough medicine so you'll be better.  This was nothing like that.  This was a waiting game and the unanswerable question of "Why?"

With it came a shift in priorities.  A feeling of restlessness.  A realization that you can be a healthy 24 year old who can still have a brush with mortality.  That life is too short to put off dreams you'd do "someday."  And so I stopped looking at houses.  Eventually I started looking at jobs that would allow me to travel.  And one day I sat down with a friend who asked me what my ultimate dream would be to do with my life.  Who then called me out on my excuses for why I wasn't pursuing that dream.  

Just over 4 years ago, I fulfilled that dream.  I left the US with just a backpack (okay, maybe a big backpack and smaller one) and started to travel the world.  I've lived in 5 different countries, become a certified PADI Dive Master, learned to ride a scooter, discovered that oreos are a universal treat, hugged a koala, been to visit the States twice, and so many other memories and events too numerous to count.

But traveling isn't just about the crazy stories and epic adventures.  There are the lessons learned.  About other countries, other people, other beliefs, other things outside of my own little bubble.  Expanding that bubble and in the process learning more about myself.  The power of silence.  Learning to be in the moment with my body, mind, and spirit.  Finding the balance of planning and going with the flow.  Realizing that my overall well-being is more important than a paycheck.  That always on the go is fun, but some constancy also has its place.  Having the ability to say yes and the choice to say no is a freedom like no other...And the lessons continue (and re-teach if I didn't learn it the first time).  ::grin::

So as I write from the comfort of my trailer in Kanagawa and get ready for bed to prepare for a new week of teaching English at my Japanese international kindergarten, I can't help but feel awe for how an event 7 years ago changed my life in more ways than I could have imagined.  As Corrie Ten Boom's sister said, "Thank you for the fleas."

Photo Roulette 1

Hello everyone!  I'm trying something new as a way to share some of my stories and photos.  I'm going to pick a random jump drive (because I have so many) and pick a file to talk about for a few minutes.  I'll then share the photo on here along with the video I made.  I thought this would be a quick and easy way for me to go through my probably thousands of photos at this point.  It's been daunting to know even where to start.

So here is my first attempt!



And here's the actual video I was talking about...

If you're curious, you can take a look at their website HERE.

You can also check out other videos on my vlog HERE!

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!!!!