• Menu
  • Menu

Valparaíso

2 articles
𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 ➡𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻⁠ ⁠ Within the span of a few months, my boyfriend and I went from FaceTime dates and occasional trips together to 24/7 bonding time. 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯…⁠ ⁠ 𝗔 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽:⁠ Octavio and I met in Santiago, Chile. He’s from Venezuela. I’m from NY. Shortly after we started dating, he was transferred for work to Panama. Then, to Liechtenstein. Then Madrid. During that time, I moved home from Chile to NY to get started on visa paperwork. Finally, in mid-January, I was able to join him in Spain. Less than two months later, they announced the Coronavirus quarantine.⁠ ⁠ 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲:⁠ ⁠ 📝𝗧𝗼-𝗱𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁. When the quarantine first started, we sat down and wrote a list of things we’d like to do and accomplish together over the next few weeks. The list contains everything from recipes we want to try and games we want to play, to home improvement tasks and relationship-building activities.⁠ ⁠ 🙌𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲. After so much time spent apart, on different continents, we’re both very used to having 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 and value our 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. So, even though it’s tricky, being stuck in our tiny apartment, we’re trying to give each other space when possible. How? Things like working and taking meetings from different rooms, and doing individual workouts on our own schedules.⁠ ⁠ 🧘🏼‍♀️𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. I wouldn’t say that Octavio and I are naturally patient people 😬, but this lockdown has definitely been great practice. This is a scary time, full of uncertainty and one hell of an emotional rollercoaster. We’ve been trying to support each other during both the high and the low moments, and be understanding of each other’s feelings.⁠ ⁠ For more of my lockdown story and more tips for getting through lockdown with a partner, check out my recent interview with @nakedmadrid! 💻
⭐️Quarantine Day 12. Who would have thought that just 12 days spent at home in isolation would be so trying. These past two weeks have been one hell of an emotional rollercoaster. So far I lived through two very distinct "phases" of my home quarantine: 1️⃣ QUARANTINE HONEYMOON PHASE. Last week I was on a high. I was ready to rock my quarantine. 👊 I told myself: 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘯. I wrote a blog post with 100+ ways to keep yourself entertained and sane during these complicated times. I crushed my to-do list, signed up for an online class offered by Yale and even launched my new business. 2️⃣ QUARANTINE CRISIS PHASE. Then the reality of the situation started to settle in. They extended the quarantine here in Spain 15 more days. The police started a checkpoint right outside of my apartment. I had to wait in a long ass line down the street and around the corner outside of the grocery store and I still have no idea when all of this will end. . This week I started on a low. This week the walls of my tiny apartment seem to be closing in and all I want to do is go for a walk outside. This week I have anxiety lodged in my throat and I’ve been finding it hard to muster the energy and motivation to focus on anything. This week, the 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 thing I want to do is "𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦." This week, I just want to wallow. Maybe next week will be better. Maybe next week will bring a whole new set of challenges. 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘺? The point of this post? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝. In fact, you can’t control your feelings, so try not to judge them. Sure, we can do our best to stay positive and keep ourselves motivated, but sometimes we just need to give in and let ourselves feel. . While everyone’s blowing up social media with content about how to "make the most of this quarantine" and spend your "extra time at home productively" (𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘩, 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰), try to keep your own feelings in perspective. There’s nothing wrong with how you feel. . All we can do is take this day by day. ❤️
💡WAYS TO SURVIVE CORONA QUARANTINE 🦠😷 . Instead of simply defaulting to Netflix— 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘵— I'm trying to use this extra time at home wisely. There are so many things I've been wanting to do, but been putting off, and many others that haven't gotten the full attention they deserve. So, instead of sitting in front of your 📺 for the next 15 days, why not join me and: . 📖 READ. I'm finally getting through the 3 books that I "haven't had time" to read yet. . 👥 CONNECT. My boyfriend and I have been using the extra time together to have deeper conversations and learn about each other. . 💪🏼 EXERCISE. A major goal of mine during all this is to continue working up a sweat and staying in shape from the comfort of my home- Youtube is full of videos for all levels, interests and workout styles [sharing some of my favs in my #instastory today!] . 🧠 LEARN. I just signed up for an online class, and I've also been watching free webinars and reading articles about blogging, coaching and entreprenurship! . 🛠 MAKE HOME IMPROVEMENTS. We're finally moving forward with some little tasks around our new apartment that we've been putting off for months 😬 . 🥣 COOK. Since we can't eat out, we've been trying to get creative with our quarantine meals and try some new recipes. Gluten-free banana bread is on the docket for tonight! 😋 . 🍷 DRINK WINE. Oh yeah, there's also been wine. Lots and lots of wine 🙃 How are you entertaining yourself during your corona quarantine?
I had a different post planned for today, but with everything going on, it seemed a bit silly. [Full disclosure, it was about shopping 😬] . As much as I’m trying my best to go on with “business” and “life” as usual, and not join the mass coronavirus hysteria, I can’t help but admit that I’ve got coronavirus on the mind. 𝘐 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘮 𝘐 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵? Here in Spain things are starting to get more intense, with schools closing and many workplaces enforcing work-from-home quarantines. And forget about buying toilet paper or hand sanitizer 🙈😬🤷🏼‍♀️ . Still, I think it’s important that we all try to keep things in perspective, and keep a sense of humor during this stressful situation. So, I’m posting this silly photo of me clowning around on a mountain in Israel [ ➡ ]. . How are you dealing with the current state of the 🌍 and what are things like in your city? ⬇️⬇️
It's been almost 2 months since I packed my bags and hopped on a plane to follow this guy half-way across the globe. 😱When Octavio was offered a landing position in MADRID, I could hardly believe it. It was one of those "pinch-me-is-this-really-happening?!" moments. 😦 ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ It seemed absolutely perfect- my favorite person would be living in my favorite place. My next steps were defined. What more did I need to know? ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ But well, when I actually mapped it all out on paper, the plan wasn't all that easy. How was 𝑰 going to live and work [𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺] in Europe?? ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ It took some planning, making some big changes and a lot of creativity. But I really wanted this, and so I found a way to make it happen. Want to know more? I'm spilling how it all worked out in my Instagram story today. So, check it out 😜⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮: if it feels right, don't fight it, but do fight 𝒇𝒐𝒓 it. Follow that feeling and do whatever you have to do to make whatever it is happen. It might take some creativity, some patience, and making some big changes. It might be scary, and not always be easy. But one thing I can tell you from experience, is that when you follow that "pinch-me-is-this-happening" feeling, it 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 be worth it. ❤
You may or may not have noticed, but I FINALLY changed my profile photo. 👊🏼It's been a long time coming, considering the photo I had was from 5 years ago, and I was told 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘢 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 it no longer even looked like me 😂Oopsie ... 🤷🏼⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ I'm not sure why I put it off for so long, and it may seem kind of silly, but I started off my Instagram with that photo, and it felt like such a big part of my "Lauren on Location" identity and brand. But as I'm in the process of some rebranding and setting some big changes into play, I guess I'll see this small task of changing my photo as step number one. 💪🏼 Exciting news and announcements to come soon, but for today, I'm taking it "poco a poco." ⁠😘 ⁠⠀ Tell me- what’s something (big or small) that you accomplished recently and made you feel good?! ⬇️⬇️
When life hands you the cutest mini pineapples 🍍⁠ ⁠ In Tel Aviv, my friend Sasza and I took an Israeli street food cooking class with @jons_cooking_class ! It started in the Carmel Market (1st photo), to buy all the fresh produce and ingredients, and then ended with an enormous feast. 🤤(➡scroll through to have a look for yourself) ⁠ ⁠ Food tours and cooking classes are something I always try to fit into my travels, because, well— they make my tummy happy! 😜That— AND, it's a great way to get an inside look at the real culture of the place you're visiting. ⁠ ⁠ What activities do you always try to fit in while traveling? Tell me below ⬇⬇⁠ ⁠ .⁠ ⁠ .⁠ 📷: @shotswithsasz 📍: Tel Aviv, Israel
𝑺𝒂𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒂 ✌🏼 . In Israel, "Sababa" is not just a word, but a way of life. It can pretty much mean ANYTHING, from "good" to "cool" to "no worries." If you're having a convo with an Israeli, try throwing in the word "sababa." It's sure to get a laugh and keep the conversation going. 😜 . Finally catching up on some Israel content and will be posting some photos and blog posts over the next few weeks! If you're considering going on @birthrightisrael, don't hesitate. It's truly a gift and an experience you'll never forget ❤
Grey skies in Madrid ☁ . Last week a few of you said you weren't fans of the edited sky- so here ya go! This is what the sky has 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 looked like in Madrid for the past few weeks. No sun in sight - just depressingly dull and grey. . . I know, I know. I sound whiny 😜— but the weather seriously affects my mood and motivation. 🤷🏼‍♀ Not to mention my apartment is an icebox 🥶Does this weather-despression happen to anyone else?? . . 📍 @hotelriuplazaespana 📷 @theculturalstreets