| I always keep my eyes open for interesting | | | | harsh. I went from + 30 degrees to -25 |
| people, and Krista Scott just absolutely | | | | degrees. I had also gone through this amazing |
| grabbed my attention. I first met Krista 2 | | | | adventure, while life for my friends had |
| days ago on a whitewater kayaking weekend | | | | pretty much stayed the same. It was difficult |
| where she accompanied our group to do our | | | | to adjust when I came back. But it gave me |
| first kayaking lessons on the Ottawa River. | | | | the idea to take an ESL (Teaching English at |
| In the van she told us that she recently did | | | | a Second Language) program to get myself an |
| a 13 month trip to Australia where she did | | | | international career.3) Please tell us about |
| all sorts of harvest work in different | | | | the ESL program that you took.The brochure |
| locations. She also mentioned that she | | | | for Trent University's ESL program literally |
| completed an ESL program at the university | | | | fell into my lap one day. I decided to take a |
| and is heading off for her first teaching | | | | one-year program at Trent in Peterborough |
| assignment to Vietnam this fall. I knew at | | | | (Ontario). It's a great program, it's 2 |
| that stage that this was a very interesting | | | | semesters long and includes 100 hours of |
| young woman and I decided I would get to know | | | | theory and 20 hours of practical teaching. |
| her a bit better.Krista is a very cute young | | | | The classes were small, there were only 10 of |
| woman, always in a good mood and sporting a | | | | us. Most of my co-students were retirees who |
| great smile. Later that evening, Krista gave | | | | were launching second careeers.4) You have |
| a special performance after sunset at the | | | | plans to go on your first ESL teaching |
| campground of something called "poise", a | | | | assignment to Vietnam. What's in store for |
| former Martial art developed by the Maori | | | | you?In the first year after graduating you |
| people that involves the rhythmic twirling of | | | | don't have a lot of choice with ESL since you |
| two long wires that have a wick at the end | | | | don't have real teaching experience yet. I |
| that is set on fire. One of her co-workers | | | | wanted to go to Vietnam, but I figured I |
| was playing the bongos and the performance | | | | would more easily be able to go to Korea or |
| did have a very aboriginal feel to it. The | | | | Japan where there is a big demand for |
| image that is created in the dark is of | | | | certified ESL teachers. Contrary to China, in |
| circles of fires whirling around the | | | | these 2 countries you definitely need |
| performer in perfect coordination with the | | | | credentials to work in ESL. Through a stroke |
| rhythm.So without further ado, here is Krista | | | | of luck I found out that one of my friend's |
| Scott, a very adventurous, endearing young | | | | parents lives in Vietnam and he will be able |
| woman, as you will discover yourself.1) | | | | to make some local connections for me and I |
| Please tell us about yourself.I am 25 years | | | | am planning to head over there in September. |
| old and I'm originally from Cobourg, Ontario. | | | | I don't know exactly yet where I am going to |
| I have always loved the outdoors and loved to | | | | go, but I am sure I will find my first ESL |
| play outside. When I finished high school I | | | | assignment with his help.5) You learned how |
| wasn't ready for university. I went | | | | to do "poise" (an impressive twirling of 2 |
| travelling to the prairies and started | | | | long wires whose ends have a wick that is set |
| working in a restaurant in Regina. I met a | | | | on fire) in Australia, tell us more about |
| lot of cool people along the way. From there | | | | that.Poise was originally a martial art used |
| I went west to work in Alberta as well as in | | | | by the Maori people and it involves two wires |
| Whistler, B.C. There I worked in a grocery | | | | with a wick at the end that is set on fire. |
| store and at Boston Pizza and spent the rest | | | | Then at night you twirl the wires in |
| of my time snowboarding. I also ran into a | | | | different patterns around your body, usually |
| lot of Aussies there. I knew this was a place | | | | set to music or drums. I met some people in |
| that was going to suck you in with its | | | | Australia who taught me some pretty good |
| addictive lifestyle, so I decided to head | | | | moves and I have been performing occasionally |
| home. Based on my friendships with these | | | | in public or entertaining people on the |
| people from Australia, I decided to get a | | | | campground with it. It's a really fun thing |
| working visa for that country, something that | | | | to do.6) You now work as an intern for this |
| was pretty easy to get for a Canadian | | | | adventure travel company called Equinox. What |
| citizen. I had decided I wanted to go to | | | | do you do there, how did you get the job?The |
| Australia to travel and work there for a | | | | way I landed this job was another one of |
| year.2) Please tell us about your 13 month | | | | these chance encounters. I was actually |
| adventure in Australia.After a couple of | | | | supposed to do a 6-week road trip out to |
| stopovers in Alaska and Hong Kong I landed in | | | | Eastern Canada with a friend of mine. One day |
| Australia. In Alaska I had a chance to see | | | | my brother and I went to a pub and ended up |
| the Aurora Borealis, while Hong Kong struck | | | | chatting to Blair, who is the manager at |
| me as a very busy and smoggy place. But the | | | | Equinox' rafting location on the Ottawa |
| airport is on an island, which was really | | | | River. He had just lost an intern, so he |
| interesting.I landed in Sydney and headed | | | | asked me if I would be interested. It sounded |
| over to New South Wales to link up with a | | | | great so my friend and I decided to postpone |
| girl I had met at Whistler. I bought a 1984 | | | | the road trip and I am working right now as |
| Toyota Tourago camping van which had a flat | | | | an intern for Equinox from mid-May to |
| nose because the engine was right under the | | | | September until I go to Vietnam. Right now I |
| seat. I had a tent and a stove and I lived | | | | am working as a cook and I also help out with |
| out of the van. During this time I realized | | | | the kayaking courses.I love being here, it's |
| for the first time how little you need to | | | | just like being a child. Work doesn't even |
| live. I often slept on the roof of the van, | | | | feel like work, we have so much fun here. |
| looking at the stars.In South Australia I | | | | There is so much freedom here, you don't have |
| stayed in a working hostel that connected me | | | | four walls around you and people are just so |
| to harvest work opportunities. I found these | | | | friendly. I am learning so much. I am |
| places through the Lonely Planet guidebook, | | | | learning about the white water, how to read |
| which was tremendously helpful. My first | | | | the river and I am picking up the basics of |
| harvest work assignment was to sort potatoes | | | | river rafting and kayaking. One day I might |
| in a shed. This was midnight work since the | | | | want to become a river guide. I'd definitely |
| potatoes' skins would crack during the day | | | | like to come back next year after my ESL |
| time. The heat was often stifling at 42 | | | | assignment.7) Tell me about the lifestyle |
| degrees Celsius. After the potato harvest I | | | | here at this outdoor adventure camp.The |
| also harvested grapes and onions. In total I | | | | lifestyle is very basic which is great. We |
| did about 3 months of harvest work there.At | | | | have 12 people here permanently, and just |
| that time the engine in my camper van seized | | | | like some of my colleagues, I actually sleep |
| up and I had to buy a new engine. After it | | | | in a tent. Other colleagues of mine actually |
| was fixed, together with 8 other people we | | | | have built a tree house and live there, and |
| decided to drive to Central Australia and we | | | | another co-worker of mine has created a shack |
| visited Ayer's Rock (Uluru) and various other | | | | out of discarded materials that has a boat |
| little towns in the area. I heard lots of | | | | for a roof. It's a very simple life with |
| outback stories from the locals while we were | | | | basically no conveniences, no TV, no |
| there. We also went to a town called Cooper | | | | Internet. We get by with so little |
| Pedy, a place where everybody lives | | | | here.Hygiene is pretty basic, we brush our |
| underground in caves since the weather is too | | | | teeth, comb our hair. There are no laundry |
| hot. We stayed in a hostel where the bunkbeds | | | | facilities on site, so I just wash my |
| were located in a cave. While I was there I | | | | t-shirts in the shower.My work schedule is |
| also talked to a group of Hell's Angels | | | | from 7 am to 7 pm. We get the rafting or |
| bikers, who seemed to be pretty cool people | | | | kayaking gear ready, go to the river, unload. |
| as long as you didn't upset them.From there I | | | | Or when I am working in the kitchen, I am |
| went to the West Coast which is just a | | | | preparing the meals for the day. There are |
| beautiful area. There you can have all sorts | | | | not a lot of rules here, but everything still |
| of beaches to yourself. I went to a place | | | | seems to work.8) What are your plans for the |
| called Exmouth and from there I explored the | | | | future?Other than going to Vietnam to teach |
| Nigaloo Reef which is unique since the corals | | | | ESL I don't really have any long-term plans. |
| start right at the beach. The scenery is | | | | I am a very spontaneous individual and I |
| breathtaking. While there I did some harvest | | | | generally trust that I'll be in the right |
| work and I ended up picking apples.Next I | | | | place at the right time. I don't know what's |
| explored Northern Australia, including the | | | | in store for me. Friends have often said you |
| cities of Cairns and Darwin. There I got a | | | | are like a missionary, you go to different |
| surfboard and did lots of surfing.I explored | | | | places, help out and don't get paid for it.As |
| places like Margaret River and Esperance. My | | | | far as ESL is concerned, I would be |
| friend from Canada had joined me and we | | | | interested to teach English in places like |
| stayed in hostels, parked by the side of the | | | | Bali or Thailand, in small communities. I |
| road, camped in caravan parks. At that time I | | | | have also thought of going to Africa, to help |
| realized that sometimes a hot shower goes a | | | | build schools. But people have warned me and |
| long way....Queensland was my next stop, it's | | | | said in places like these you need to have |
| a beautiful place with lush rainforest. I got | | | | money to be able to bribe people.I just love |
| myself a job in banana harvesting, started | | | | to help. Somehow I think it'll all come |
| working in the shed, sorting bananas. Then I | | | | together. If I stay the happy person that I |
| asked to work outside, which was very unusual | | | | am somehow I think it will all work out.Thank |
| for a woman. I got to drive a 4x4 and cut | | | | you, Krista, for your time. It's been great |
| down banans with a machete. Harvest work is | | | | meeting such an energetic positive spirit. I |
| done about 80% by backpackers. The local | | | | wish you all the best for your time in |
| harvest workers are a different crowd of | | | | Vietnam and for anything that might happen |
| people and they sport some amazing mullets. | | | | for you afterwards. Stay in touch and let us |
| They are a little reserved at the beginning, | | | | know how your first ESL assignment |
| but if you make an effort they are really | | | | goes!Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a |
| approachable.On the Gold Coast I met up with | | | | website called Travel and Transitions( Travel |
| the same people I had travelled with earlier, | | | | and Transitions deals with unconventional |
| we mostly did surfing and bummed around the | | | | travel and is chock full of advice, tips, |
| area. We also checked out Frazier Island, did | | | | real life travel experiences, interviews with |
| some swimming with the sharks and some | | | | travellers and travel experts, insights and |
| skydiving. I later told my dad that I went | | | | reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests |
| skydiving and he said he would have really | | | | and many other features. You will also find |
| worried about me if he had known. But when I | | | | stories about life and the transitions that |
| was back in Canada, my dad and I decided to | | | | we face as we go through our own personal |
| go skydiving together and he really loved it. | | | | life-long journeys.Submit your own travel |
| That was great.My last stop in Australia was | | | | stories in our first travel story contest( |
| Sydney again from where I came home. The | | | | and have a chance to win an amazing adventure |
| culture shock of coming back to Canada was | | | | cruise on the Amazon River. |