http://www.pinkpangea.com A community where women travelers can share experiences abroad through travel photos and anecdotes, connect to other women travelers, and get ready to see the world. en-us http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/a-slice-of-reality-getting-pregnant-and-giving-birth-in-a-foreign-country Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:48:18 -0400
by Sarah from Nicaragua

I sliced my finger on the lid of a spaghetti sauce can last night which sent me into a tailspin of panic. Though painful and bloody, the cut was seemingly benign. Nothing that a few stitches and a tetanus shot couldn’t take care of. Yet my reaction was Oscar-worthy, rivaled only by the time I was dumped by my college sweetheart and slipped into a 2-month depression.

Since our move to Nicaragua, I’ve fallen down concrete hills, stepped on stingrays, and boarded down a volcano and survived, all of which resulted in memorable scars of our journey in Nicaragua. So why was this latest notch on my bedpost of injuries invoking such anxiety? The answer – I’m 5 months pregnant.

Justin struggled to understand my hysteria. As he fumbled thru the house in search of Band-aids and Bactine, I sobbed into the blood soaked towel wrapped around my finger and fretted about the possibility of a trip to the local Centro de Salud. Having only been there once before for an anti-parasite prescription, I conjured up visions of rusty needles and disgruntled nurses.

Continue reading A Slice of Reality: Getting Pregnant and Giving Birth in a Foreign Country

Permalink | Comments]]> http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/live-it-up-in-lisbon Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:35:14 -0400
by Carly from Portugal

For winter break 2008, my parents, sister, and I went on a trip through Europe; one stop of particular note was Lisbon. I had been to Spain before, but never its Iberian neighbor, so I was excited, to say the least.

The first thing to note is: wear walking shoes. The roads in Lisbon were slippery from a lot of rain and I fell more than once down its damp cobblestone streets. The roads are also steep, so it takes some effort if you're doing a walking tour or hiking up to see the sights.

Also, you can get by with some Spanish. I found that Portuguese sounds a lot different than Spanish to my ears, but, now and then, I could pick up a word or two. It helps that the Portuguese themselves usually understand Spanish.

The nightlife there is remarkable. For one, there is no drinking age, so you can imbibe as much as you please. Even though I don't drink, it's still a fun atmosphere. Two, there are bars everywhere you look, filled to the brim with friendly people and cute guys.

Continue reading Live It Up in Lisbon

Permalink | Comments]]> http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/contemplating-the-moon Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:19:00 -0400
by Rebecca from Morocco

Mint Tea, chickpeas roasted with Cumin, Berber whiskey on cold desert nights, headscarves and a very special discount for my neighbor from down in South Africa... A few weeks traveling through Morocco and these are a few things that have been imprinted in my mind.

A last minute decision to spend New Year's in the Erg Chigaga dunes of the Sahara in Berber tents in the heart of the desert was some of the best money I spent. It wasn't cheap but going with Sahara services meant that we drove in 4 x 4s, not buses, had an exquisite drive to M'hamid, and spent a night rockin' the Casbah with some fantastic fellow travelers before entering the vast golden desert.

The food was simple but full of flavor. I'd recommend the Berber omelet and a glass of Moroccan beer. The wine was not quite to my South African standards :)

At sunrise we were taught how to tie our headscarves, and we saddled up onto a camel to enter the desert in true style and luxury. (I'll leave out the comfort.

Continue reading Contemplating the Moon

Permalink | Comments]]> http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/searching-for-parisian-style-on-a-budget Sun, 29 Aug 2010 11:39:37 -0400
by Anaelle from France

Honeymooning as a student posed quite the challenge: how could we experience the best of Paris without splurging on everything? Before our trip I did a lot of research for the best shopping secrets of Paris and I found that with the right information, you can find styles on a budget.

For keeping those feet up to date there are 3 stores that I found virtually all over Paris that sell the most current styles for 80€ and under, and 25-40€ if there's a sale: 1. André 2. Minelli 3. Jonak.

It is truly difficult finding even a stylish t-shirt in Paris for under 60€. I was pretty skeptical about going into Monoprix, which is similar to England's Marks & Spencers, where you can find clothing and food in the same location. I thought I'd find the kinds of shabby oversized clothes you'd find in a large supermarket, but I actually found some amazing pieces, like a flouncy 100% silk dress for 20€. You can also find French makeup brands there with prices around 6€ for an eyeliner.

Continue reading Searching for Parisian Style on a Budget

Permalink | Comments]]> http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/peace-on-the-horizon-in-the-himalayas Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:11:41 -0400
by Miss Monika from Nepal

We awoke before the sun's web-like rays had cradled the Kathmandu valley to venture an hour's drive away from the city.

Each minute seemed to take us leagues away from the metropolis. As we climbed higher up the roads, fog's dewey fingers clutched us closer and closer until we were so suffocated by its presence that the driver insisted we walk the remainder of the way.

Our destination was a restaurant that boasted jaw-dropping views. Hardly able to distinguish the front steps in such fog, we took their word for it and shuffled on towards breakfast. When we emerged from the dining hall an hour later, the fog had lifted and like the curtains at a grand opera, revealed the masterpiece that lay beyond: 180 degrees of majestic Himalayan mountains.

I remained paralyzed by their massive stature for several minutes before beginning a five-hour hike back down into Kathmandu Valley.

The wafts of solitude and fresh air made me realize how much stress has been lifted off my shoulders since leaving Colorado.

Continue reading Peace on the Horizon in the Himalayas

Permalink | Comments]]> http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/adventures-down-under Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:57:10 -0400
by Naomi from Australia

I recently spent two weeks in Australia. While it was late July, it was winter in Australia, meaning that flights were reasonably priced. Most of my two weeks were spent in Sydney, where I was lucky enough to have free lodging courtesy of a friend transferred to Sydney for work. In Sydney, winter means temperatures of fifty to sixty degrees and a good amount of rain.

In need of a warm spot, I headed up north to Cairns (pronounced Cannes) and Port Douglas, Queensland. It is a 3-hour flight from Sydney to Cairns. Port Douglas is an hour drive north of Cairns. Since stinger season (think giant jellyfish) in the summer months makes it dangerous to venture into the water, Australian winter is the perfect time to visit. The temperature was perfect - high seventies and low eighties with a nice ocean breeze.

I spent one day snorkeling and scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef. The reef is located about a 2-hour boat ride from the coast. Many companies departing from both Cairns and Port Douglas offer full day boat excursions including meals, snorkeling and scuba gear, and tutorials.

Continue reading Adventures Down Under!

Permalink | Comments]]> http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/discovering-the-dutch Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:58:06 -0400
by Camille from Netherlands

I arrived in Utrecht in the Netherlands two weeks ago, gigantic suitcase in tow. I came to Holland knowing very little about the country. I pictured it as a pastoral landscape rife with tulips, windmills, and wooden shoes. But Dutch identity extends beyond these well-worn stereotypes.

Many people complain about Dutch food, deeming it primitive (most dishes consists of fried batter and cheese). But it tastes delicious, and I'm not complaining. They sell enormous cones of french fries in the street, and many people eat them with globs of mayonnaise. Stroopwafel is another Dutch delicacy. Indonesian food is popular here, as Indonesia was a Dutch colony until World War II.

Utrecht is a really beautiful city with narrow cobblestoned streets and shimmering canals. It's also a very young city. This has been welcome week for many of the universities, and there have been free parties all over the city. The other night, we happened upon an outdoor gathering, and followed the mob of people into the closest club, where we danced until 6 am.

Continue reading Discovering the Dutch

Permalink | Comments]]> http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/ciao-bella Sat, 21 Aug 2010 12:52:21 -0400
by jennie from Italy

This past fall semester I went abroad to Italy. Our first stop on "the boot" was Florence, where we stayed for two weeks. Florence is an incredibly beautiful city filled with Renaissance masterpieces, leather goods, wine, gelati, cigarette smoke, scooters, bridges, tourists and of course, Italian boys.

If you've seen the recent film "Eat Pray Love" you should be familiar with the word used to describe Italy in the movie which is "sex." (If you're planning on going to Italy the book is a must read!) After spending the semester in Italy I have to agree that this word seems to be on at least every male's mind. The girls in Italy are known for being prude and resistant to male attention whereas foreigners, especially American girls are known for being fun, wild, and easy to get in the sack (or at least that is how we're often depicted in movies such as "La Dolce Vita"). Due to this stereotype when traveling to Italy be prepared to get a lot of male attention. The picture above depicts a typical night out on the town.

Continue reading Ciao Bella!!

Permalink | Comments]]> http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/girls-night-out-in-queenstown-new-zealand Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:21:17 -0400
by Gabbi from New Zealand

Here in New Zealand the drinking age is 18 and as an 18 year old I was very excited to go out with my girls and enjoy the nightlife. The night before my friend Kelsey left to go home, (*tear*) my new friend Ginny, a New Zealand-native, gave us the grand tour.

Our first stop was to The World Bar for dinner. The three of us plus three of the boys from our camp enjoyed a long dinner with some live music. The singer was a beautiful New Zealand man who played the guitar and had a fabulous voice. What more could a girl ask for? The bar/restaurant was rather dimly lit with an orange essence. The furnishings were black and red. One wall seemed random and was covered in about 20 different telephones. There were booths and free-standing tables. People stopped in for a beer before their night out or sat around to listen to music. While it did take a while to get our food, when in good company and listening to music, I couldn't complain. I ordered the vegetarian lasagna because I was craving vegetables and it was very good.

Continue reading Girls Night Out in Queenstown, New Zealand

Permalink | Comments]]> http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/riding-through-lesotho Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:03:19 -0400
by Sindy from Lesotho

I had never ridden on a horse before and had no idea how I would make it up, but I got on the saddle and hoped for a nice ride. We hadn't even been riding for 5 minutes when one of the horses broke into a trot and all the other horses followed. Being the amateur rider that I was, I had no idea how I would manage to stay on and got even more nervous when I watched a friend get thrown off her horse, but I finally got my horse to stop. As the hours went by I became more and more comfortable on the saddle and gazed out at the beautiful scenery surrounding Sani Pass.

We were riding horses up Sani Pass and our goal was to reach the highest point in the southern part of Africa, but we didn't quite make it. We rode for four hours and finally stopped at the foot of the hill that was the highest point. By this time we were already 11,000 feet above sea level and my toes were freezing.

The ride back was a lot fun because I felt comfortable enough to allow my horse to gallop and we galloped through the prettiest meadows I have ever seen.

Continue reading Riding through Lesotho

Permalink | Comments]]> http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/returning-to-the-old-country Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:21:02 -0400
by Barbara from Poland

My Bubby (grandmother) died in July of 1965. I was twelve years old. I remember the day of her funeral. It was raining and as we were getting into the car to go to the funeral home my father said, "Just think, we will never have her blintzes again." My Bubby was from Poland and came to the United States in 1904. She was seventeen years old. She came from a town called Nowy Dwor, which is approximately 25 miles north of Warsaw.

She never spoke of the town and I never even thought to ask her about it. As I got older I did wonder about her life in Poland, especially since she did not speak Polish but spoke Yiddish. I decided I wanted to visit the country of her youth and get a glimpse of the town she fled.

When I told my friends I was going to Poland, the question was always "Why?" When thinking of Poland and its history, all I could recall were years of religious persecution and upheaval and once my plane landed, I have to admit that fear did enter my being.

Continue reading Returning to the Old Country

Permalink | Comments]]> http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/painting-red-squarered Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:22:09 -0400
by Jennifer from Russia

I went to Moscow with 20 other extremely nervous, extremely excited students to learn Russian and drink vodka. I decided to go to cold, gray, Soviet Moscow over colorful, Imperial, European St. Petersburg because I thought it'd give me more street cred. Note to reader: going anywhere in Russia will give you street cred. My friend Monica once described being in Russia to me as "living in an amazing amusement park where none of the rides have safety bars." It's sort of exactly like that. You never really know what's going to happen next, but it'll most likely be something you really like, unless it's food poisoning (but that can happen anywhere). That said, I'd say always travel in groups and guard your purse as you would a baby.

Moscow is actually not as gray as Cold War propaganda posters would have you believe. As you can see from my picture, in Moscow, colors abound! This photo of me is from Izmailovsky Park, an amazing market where you can buy all the skimpy outfits you'd ever need to go clubbing in Moscow as well as really incredible souvenirs.

Continue reading Painting Red Square....Red

Permalink | Comments]]> http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/traversing-new-zealand-on-skis Sat, 07 Aug 2010 13:15:05 -0400
by Gabbi from New Zealand

Hello from the Lookout Lodge, the headquarters for Treble Cone Racing Academy!

I am currently in the middle of a 6-week trip in New Zealand for skiing and racing before I head to school again!

This post is going to be all about the 2 ski areas I have been frequenting! Treble Cone is our primary location, located about 40 minutes outside Lake Wanaka (pronounced Wan - i - ka). You can take a shuttle up to the mountain using a service or you can drive yourself. If you want to drive yourself, know that the mountain road can be muddy and if you get carsick easily make sure to sit in the front!

However, once you make the trek, the view is absolutely breathtaking. I've been describing it as pre-historic because of the huge boulder-like mountains and lake that lie in the valley below. New Zealand truly has some of the most random and picturesque geography. An all-day lift pass is $91 NZD (Attention Students: THERE IS A STUDENT DISCOUNT :-D $69 NZD). If you choose, you can also buy multi-day lift passes.

Continue reading Traversing New Zealand on Skis

Permalink | Comments]]> http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/considering-the-options-in-rural-kolkata Thu, 05 Aug 2010 13:07:38 -0400
by Miss Monika from India

The Goddess that is rain ushered us into Kolkata before we traveled another three hours to a series of rural Bengali villages. There, we met with two entrepreneurs who are working to provide solar-powered lights to these yet un-electrified and impoverished communities. This was the experience I had been waiting for.

Atop a wooden crate hitched to a bicycle, the five of us rode into mud hut villages that seemed to grow out of the jungle. Massive tree roots clung to the two-room houses like ivy, leaving no spot untouched by its woody fingers. From every corner leaked throngs of villagers who sprinted behind our bicycle or jumped onto our laps.

Breathtakingly beautiful, the youngsters have hazel eyes juxtaposed by mocha skin and set just inches above mouths that brim with opalescent pearls.

They own no shoes, but quickly located their camera phones to snap pictures of us from a foot away. Their genuine curiosity and excitement to see "THREE AMERICANS!!!" made us want to give them the world.

Continue reading Considering the options in rural Kolkata

Permalink | Comments]]> http://www.pinkpangea.com/post/the-many-faces-of-south-africa Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:39:11 -0400
by Sindy from South Africa

Posters on a wall seldom catch my attention, but this poster was different. It was a picture of South Africa and it said, "live, learn, love". This poster spurred in me the desire to study abroad through my university and go to South Africa. One year later, I was on a 17-hour flight with 53 students I had never met and we were starting our semester abroad. My biggest excitement about the trip was that we were told we would experience the many faces of South Africa over the course of 4 months and we truly did experience them all.

South Africa has small towns that are technologically advanced enough to have malls similar to the malls in the States, but these towns are also close enough to the country and to nature that there are monkeys running around across the streets. One thing to remember is to always keep your windows closed when you are not in your room because the monkeys will come in and they will eat your food, poop on your pillow, and make a complete mess out of your room.

Continue reading The Many Faces of South Africa

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