What the Canuck?! 5 Reasons being called Canadian abroad is a compliment

The old Neighbor to the North. Its easy to make fun of Canadians, as friendly as they may be they do pose quite an easy target. As the late great Robin Williams once said:

"Canada is like a loft apartment over a really great party."

But when you look past their laughable Canadian tuxedos, their affinity for ice sports, and how they all say "Eh?" all the time, they're actually quite awesome as people. So when I started constantly being confused for Canadian as a traveler I was a little, perplexed to say the least. I grew up in Chicago, but I've always been told if anything I have a lack of an accent. I definitely don't mind the cold, but this is Australia, it never really gets that cold, maybe there's something about me that just says, "Hockey for Life!" possibly the long hair and man bun, I couldn't figure it out. Finally after almost a year traveling I've come to the conclusion that being assumed Canadian, is actually quite the compliment. It means you sound like one of those Western Folks, but not the bad ones that wanna blow up all the brown people. We Americans unfortunately have a hard earned reputation in the international community, so until we change that, which isn't likely anytime soon, I present "5 reasons it's a compliment to be called Canadian."

5. It's Code For "You Don't Seem Like a Dick".

Like I said, us Americans have a quite infamous reputation around the world, and frankly you can't really blame them. Most of the modernized world looks to Americans for the latest fashion, film, and social trends, and when you look at the amount of garbage publicity we give ourselves, you can't really blame people for assuming we're all kind of self absorbed, mindless, socialites **Cough** Kim Kardashian **Cough**. You add that on top of our affinity for being extremely patriotic (because if you don't like 'Merica... You can GET OUT!), and our habit of starting long and drawn out military conflicts, and we aren't exactly painting a great first impression of ourselves. Now I love my country and I know it's filled with plenty of people who chose not to fall into the paradigm, but as a "whole" you simply can't argue with a lot of these impressions. 

The other problem rises when people from other places in the world are exposed to these stereotypes in person. If you take the cast of the Jersey Shore and send them, well, send them quite frankly anywhere, the locals probably aren't going to be to crazy about Americans in town. The truth however, is that most Americans who travel full-time or aren't simply going somewhere for a quick vacation, are very low-key, and unassuming, which means most people don't know they're American. And since the world expects us to all be loud, flag-waving, gun enthusiasts, when we are not, they assume the only other possible alternative... Canadian. We look the same, we talk relatively the same (assuming you live in the mid-west), minus the "eh?" but Canadians as a whole seem to the rest of the world like Americans, who aren't very "American-y". Canadians, at least all the ones I've met, also tend to be extremely friendly and hospitable (again similar to my mid-western friends), which means when foreigners see those qualities in you, they once again assume, Canadian. 

At fiirst, I was a little confused, and I must admit a little upset. Again I love Canadiens, and we have a fun, friendly rivalry with our northern neighbors, but no real red-blooded American really wants to be confused with those moose hunting, syrup slurping, maple leaf lovers, right? Well at first, yes, I'm a proud American and I would always respond somewhat defensively at first, "Actually no, I'm an AMERICAN!" But it kept happening, and happening, and happening, to the point that if you lined up the thousand plus people I've talked to bartending in this country, at least 950 of them would have guessed Canadian. Finally, after about a month or so, I realized after continuing the conversation with a few patrons that they assumed I was Canadian, simply because I was so friendly and as one customer put it, "You just don't seem like a dick, most Americans I've met are kind of a dick." And just like that, I realized that when people assumed I was Canadian, what they were actually were saying was, "There's no way you're AMERICAN, right?!"

So basically what I learned from all this is not simply that being assumed Canadian is a good thing, but if you do find yourself overseas and this happens too you, take it in stride. Obviously correct the person and let them know you like real football, not that weird Canadian mutation, but then leave a positive impression on them that will spread way beyond your encounter. Actively be a poster-child for the "cool, fun, not gun crazy" American, and see if we can work together to change those stereotypes. Also, keep an eye out for any Canadians, who get accused of being American, because they will lose their shit... and it's hilarious!

4. Canadians are super friendly eh?!

If you don't have any Canadian friends, do yourself a favor and get on it. Aside from being apparently full of beautiful, and friendly (and many time easy eh?!) women, the Canadian guys I've met aren't too bad either. Canadians are basically our first cousin in world relations (the cool one, not the creepy pedophile one... that's the Brits) and they can be a breath of fresh air when you're feeling a little overwhelmed in a new place. They also love to travel, so anywhere your adventure takes you, you are bound to run into some awesome Canucks. 

I'm currently coming to the end of my time in Australia and spending my last few months in Perth. My first month here I had a Canadian girl come into my bar, backpack in tow, and order a couple of pints off of me. Eventually, we got to chatting (after I agreed to charge her phone for her) and she told me her sister, and her sisters two friends were coming to visit, and she was waiting for them here. What she didn't know (because it was day time) was that the bar I work at is an LGBT venue, and as fate would have it, her sister, and her sisters two friends were all lesbians. And since there are only two openly gay friendly venues in all of Perth, it was pretty likely I would be seeing them again. We exchanged numbers after her sister and her friends showed up and the very next night, they were back. Not only did they have a blast at my bar, but they were also, not surprisingly, super friendly! They invited me out to the house they were renting for the month, and over the course of that time I probably spent four or five days out there. They bought me drinks, cooked me dinner, sang me rap songs on a ukelele, and mostly just made me feel welcome. That's still probably the best experience I've had since I've been in Western Australia, and I can't wait to visit them in Canadia, where I've already been assured I have a place to sleep. Also, did I mention two of them were strippers, road trip anyone?

3. Canadians are super chill

We all have that one friend who never seems to get phased by anything, it's almost like they're constanly high, because of how mellow they always seem to be. Now imagine an entire country of super friendly, super mellow people, that love to booze and have a good time, without all the dramas that can sometimes entail. Now I can't blanket statement and say every Canadian is chill, all the time, but the vast majority I've met are just that. Even the women seem to be slightly less crazy and melodramatic than their female counterparts around the world (key word... slightly).

I don't know if it has to do with being a relatively non-waring nation, but when was the last time you heard about Canada's military doing, well... anything. Whatever it is, this seems to carry over into their day-to-day lives and demeanor. This is not to say that Canadians are pussies or will back down when faced with confrontation, it's just they seem to avoid it, and for the most part they take a mostly pacifistic role. Think the opposite of how (and I hate to keep referencing Jersey Shore) Snooki or the "Situation" would act during any kind of slight confrontation or misunderstanding. Instead of throwing a drink in someones face, or taking off their shirt for no reason, your typical Canadian would most likely respond with something along the lines of "No biggie eh?"

I don't know about you, but this is extremely refreshing for someone like me. I spent most of my high school years in Nashville, and my family still resides there. As much Southern Hospitality as there is in the south, there are still plenty of douchebags out looking for any reason to cause trouble. However, as a pretty pacifistic guy myself I can't really imagine a misunderstanding in a Honkey-tonk, resembling anything that might happen in a similar Canadian establishment (Do Canadians line dance?). Most likely something that might get your front tooth knocked out in the states, like say spilling a drink, would only result in a good hearted "whoopsies eh?" in Canada, and you having to pay to buy someone a new Molson.

2. Canadians Love to Party

Along  with their ever-friendly demeanor and overall fun outlook on life, Canadians like to get weird, and they know how to party. Now, as we all know from the film Beerfest, Americans are the undisputed drinking champions of the world, but Canadians may be a close second. This is not to say that other nations don't get on the booze and get on it hard, but in my experience most other countries can't quite hang. Australians in particular love to "get on the piss" as they say out here, but the style and way they drink is quite a bit different. Australians for instance are a very aggresive drinking culture, the entire country seems to run on a perpetual state of proving ones' masculinity. You combine that with about a dozen or so pints, and its seems at least half the men in the country are constantly looking to "glass some cunts" (break a bottle over someones head). 

Now Americans are known for our brash and crass reputation, but I know plenty of people, and most of the Americans I've met while traveling, are simply looking for a good time. Drinking is a way to meet new people and be social, and Canadians seem to share this philosophy. You are much more likely to have a Canadian tell you they "Love you eh?!" while out on the town, than you are to see them get aggressive. Canadians also seem to embrace the American concept of "It's five-o-clock somewhere. This doesn't mean they booze recklessly or with disregard, but when free time is available, it usually is associated with a pint... or ten. Most importantly booze isn't needed to fuel a good time with Canadians, but it certainly helps to grease the wheels. So if your out drinking or partying and someone asks if your Canadian, that just means you look like your having a great time, with no drama involved. 

1. Canadians are just good people

They may look ridiculous standing there in their ear warmers and board shorts, and we may not understand their obsession with Gretsky, but at the end of the day the Canucks as a whole are a pretty awesome group of people. This means as American travelers, not only should you not be offended when you get confused for those dog sledding, Tim Horton's loving, mountain folk, you should feel quite complimented. Yes, there's a bit of a rivalry between America and Canada, but it's nothing real, it's more like a friendly family rivalry. But sometimes you realize your little brother is actually a better person that you, you're still cooler in the eyes of everyone else, but maybe he's not so bad afterall. 

Canada is filled with beautiful landscapes, and 30 million people who all claim to be somewhere from Europe, but obviously are not because their families have been there for five generations. So while they may not have the same sense of national pride us Americans have, what they do have is an unspoken comradery with one another. Canadians are one of the few groups as a whole that seem to really care about other people with no discrimination based on race or ethnicity. While they may for instance "hate" those 'damn leafs fans' when the game is over they will happily share a pint with their nemesis. You hear all the time about people getting into giant brawls after soccer games all over Europe, but I don't know if I've ever heard of a fight breaking out after Leafs and Canadiens game. Maybe it's the fact that they get all their anger out on the ice, or maybe that it's too damn cold there to stay angry for long. Whatever it is, the Canadians are doing something right.

I'm proud to be an American, but I now know that while it's great to be an American, it's even better in the eyes of the world to be an American who seems like a Canadian, but in reality has no idea what Tim Horton's is. So drink your Molson, keep making your delicious syrup, and keep yelling at "icing" calls (whatever that means) but whatever you do keep being you Canada! 

Caitlyn Jenner... The Best Kardashian

There's something wrong in our society. A lot of it has to do with technology and the way our culture seems completely interwoven with social media. Long forgotten are the great unanimous heroes of popular culture, the unquestioned good guys we as a society unanimously voted as awesome. There are no more Joe Dimaggio's or Hank Aaron's, and the closest we've come in the last two decades was Michael Jordan. However, if you've read any biographies on Jordan, you know that he was part basketball demi-god, part strategically crafted and well protected salesman. Jordan was on the cusp of social media, and had he started playing maybe five years later, he would've most likely been the victim of some TMZ shaming himself. 

So what does that mean for society, what does it say about our culture that there are no more unshakeable pillars of societal heroism for us to look up to. Partly, it shows that for all intents and purposes social media has leveled the playing field. There are no more heroes, because if we're being honest there never were in the first place, they were simply men who seemed unblemished, because there was no capacity to cast a shadow upon them. This is no longer the case, and now it seems every week we are seeing just how utterly human and fallible our favorite stars really are. Which has lead to a revolution of sorts, now we have icons, and societal figures who are famous and admired, simply because they're famous and admired. Popular culture has turned into a weird Draconian Loop that rewards famous people, simply for being famous, and there is no better example of this in our society than Kim Kardashian. 

Now to be perfectly honest, I don't like the Kardashians, so it's easy for me to place a lot of the blame for societies' downfall on these big booty Persians, but I don't hate them for the reasons you might think. Personally, as people, I think they seem nice enough. What else can you expect when your "life" is completely scripted and you walk around in a reality not knowing at any given time what's real and what's fake. From a marketing perspective you also can't argue the ingenuity and pure business flair the family as a whole seems to have, specifically Kim. Say what you will, but Kim Kardashian turned having sex on camera with an R&B singer, into a multi-million dollar empire, and personally has made herself, arguably, the most well known female on the planet. There's something to be said for that kind of business savvy, and that's something nobody, especially myself, can take away from her. What upsets me about the Kardashians, specifically Kim, is what they represent, and the residual impact they are knowingly or unknowingly spreading across my generation and all subsequent generations. Essentially they are willfully engaging in the "dumbing down" of society, and spreading a negative message to future generations, specifically young women. Kim Kardashian has been accused of a lot of things, but being "Thought Provoking" is never something I've heard mentioned in the same sentence discussing her. 

This little bit of back story brings us to the precipice of what this article is about, what good has come from the Kardashian's, if any? And the only thing that comes to mind, save wrangling in some of Kanye's crazy, is Caitlyn Jenner. When I first heard the stories about Bruce Jenner a few months ago, I thought this was just another example of senseless tabloid shaming. My first thought was "leave the poor guy alone, he's not even married to Kris anymore!" Obviously, with the culmination in Bruce officially becoming Caitlyn, and this week accepting the "Aurthor Ashe Award for Courage" it made it clear that this was no joke. Now I will admit I was shocked to hear the news, and honestly blown away by not only how brave Bruce was for going through this publicly, but how beautiful she came out as Caitlyn on the other side. It seemed to me that writing this article was almost meant to be, it had culminated with a few ideas I'd been having and some personal experiences I've had over the last few months. 

About three months ago I started working at a LGBT friendly venue in Western Australia, and it completely opened my eyes to this community. Now I've never had any ill-will towards the LGBT community, and I firmly believe everyone in our country should have equal rights (why you would want to get married in the first place is the real question... but I digress). But  working at this venue allowed me a first hand view at some of the struggles and hardships people go through when facing this world as someone who is "different". It also showed me that even through these hardships, our LGBT brothers and sisters are some of the most well rounded decent humanbeings walking this earth. Which brings us back to Caitlyn. I wanted to write an article about how societies shift from atypical heroes to social media heroes is the beginning of the end, and then Caitlyn happened. You see Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner represents both ends of the hero spectrum. 

Bruce Jenner was one of those heroes I was talking about earlier, when he reached the heights of Olympic greatness in 1976 he was one of those unanimous "American Heroes". Not only was he considered one of the greatest athletes of his generation, he won his gold medal in a time of huge socio-diplomatic turmoil between the US and the former Soviet Union. He was the Michael Phelps of his time, and rightfully so, and in a time before social media, he was viewed as a true American icon. He was the epitome of male masculinity, someone every man wanted to be, and every woman wanted to be with, yet none of us knew this whole time, he was hiding a secret. 

Now cut almost 40 years later, and Bruce Jenner, before he became Caitlyn was an active member of "Keeping up with the Kardashians". He had crossed over from being an American hero to being a reality TV star, and the sad part is he was the least famous person on that show, when he should've been the most. I've seen maybe a dozen episodes of KUWTK over the years, and in the bit I've seen it always seemed like Bruce was the butt of the jokes. In a family full of crazy women he was constantly trying to be a voice of reason and instead was consistently laughed off as "silly old Bruce." And to think all this time, all these years, he was hiding this secret, forced to act as the bumbling step father to this entourage of vapid, self-absorbed reality queens. 

So what makes Caitlyn different? 

After finally divorcing Kris, following some 23 years of marriage it seemed Bruce went off the deep end a bit. Now I don't closely follow reality TV, but I remember glancing at magazines in the grocery store, or flipping past TMZ, and there always seemed to be some new story about Bruce. 

"Did Bruce Jenner get more plastic surgery?"

"Was Bruce Jenner caught wearing women's clothes?"

"Did Bruce Jenner have his adam's apple removed?"

All these things kept popping up, but they still never registered, it just seemed like something invented to sell copies. Until finally one day I saw the Diane Sawyer interview pop up on my news feed, and that was the first time I knew there was actually validity to all this. Then next thing I know, Caitlyn happened. Now there have been certain media outlets that have claimed we've wasted too much time discussing this issue, when there's so many other things in the world being glazed over, to an extent this is true. But there's also a part of me that thinks maybe this story is worth examing a little deeper. Because the way I see it, Caitlyn Jenner is the first reality TV star I can remember to make a difference, to have a deeper message than improving their branding. Bruce Jenner didn't become Caitlyn Jenner to get more likes on Facebook, this was never a marketing ploy. The reality is there never was a Bruce, there was only a Caitlyn trying to find a way out. I can berate reality TV all I want, but the truth is, KUWTK made Bruce Jenner relevant again, it gave him a platform. And now that Bruce is Caitlyn, it has served as an inspiration and message to millions of people around the world who may be struggling with similar issues. 

I said before, that it seems there are no real heroes in this country anymore. Obviously I'm talking about public figures, not the countless troops, police, firemen, etc. that make this country the greatest on earth. But in the sense of folk heroes, people we can all look up to together, it seems we are in short supply. The irony is not lost on me that the family I consider somewhat responsible for the moral degredation of America's youth is also partly responsible for creating one of its noblest examples of hope. Kim Kardashian has a book, a hard-cover "book" that sells for $40 and features no written words, it's simply about 50-pages of selfies. This to me is the epitome of not using your platform to improve society. Caitlyn Jenner is a former Olympic Gold-Medalist, and at the age of 65 has become a beacon of hope for the LGBT community. Maybe she can also serve as a reminder to other people who have come to achieve great success in popular culture, that sometimes there's social responsibilty that comes along with being famous. That when you do hold the power to influence so many people, sometimes you need to be aware of the greater good. So kudos to you Bruce, and you can be sure I will happily and respectfully "Call you Caitlyn" from now on. 

 

Generation-'Why' Buy Anything... Why Gen-Y doesn't have the same values of ownership as our parents

When I was growing up the model of the American lifestyle was 4-Bedroom house in the suburbs, white picket fence, and 2.5 kids, this is no longer the case. Currently I own a car (well, I'm paying one off) and that's it, the entirety of my personal empire is a 2013 Kia Soul. Now, as sweet of a ride as this may be, I'm not the only one, and there seems to be a surprising trend among those of my generation, that don't care nearly as much about material possesions. The majority of my time and money is spent on things that cannot be accounted for in monetary value, I travel full-time, I pursue my hobbies and interests, and I could care less about my 401k. Maybe it's reckless and maybe I'll regret it when I'm 65, but material possesions and the collection of them seem to be something that held so many of our parents down in the past. Every time we partake in another large expense we sign ourselves up for a timeline of debt, 30 years for a mortgage, 5 for a car, and 18 for each of our kids. Yet, I'm not the only one that seems to be going off the grid, it seems more and more like millenials and 80's and 90's babies are valuing the non-material things in life, and it's pretty refreshing.

Don't get me wrong, I would like to own a house someday, and I love my car, but it's the types of things we are pursuing and the matter in which we are doing it that differentiates us from previous generations. For instance, I want to own a house someday, but not one that causes me crippling debt and the promise of a 30-year mortgage. Coming from a suburban middle-class family I've seen how the quest for material things can rip families and lives apart. Suburban utopia, is usually the complete opposite. In my neighborhood growing up there were countless families living WAY above their means in an effort to live these lives that society deemed would make them appear successful. This was never an issue for my family, my father is extremely smart and shrewd when it comes to making financial decisions, so he made sure we were comfortable, without ever hedging his future on creating appearances, but for many Americans this is not the case. So when I say yes, I would like to own a house one day, I mean something more along the lines of a 300-400 square foot "tiny house." Something I could realistically pay off in five years, not 30, and is not consumed with fitting social norms, but rather reducing my environmental footprint, and living, smarter not larger. 

I think it has a lot to do with the reality of the world we live in today, it's a very different reality than we were raised to believe it would be. We all went out there and got our degrees and were funneled into the system, until many of us realized the system was complete bullshit. There's a reason the Global Financial Crisis happened, and it wasn't just due to the banks giving out crazy subprime loans. The reason all this happened is because we're are lead to believe from a very young age that there are certain things we need to accomplish in order to be viewed as a success. A lifestyle "checklist" that isn't complete until we get a tick in all the boxes. Then and only then can we be viewed as a success. But what many of us have come to realize, myself included is that most of these people who have checked all these boxes are completely fucking miserable, they just try to appear like they aren't. 

This country is filled with husbands and wives living together in McMansions with two kids, Caleb and Autumn who seem to have the perfect life. The truth is they are in debt up to their eyeballs and one missed payment away from having their whole lives repossed, yet they continue to consume! The father always regrets never starting up that band, and the mother always wanted to be a novelist, but they made sacrifices and settled for what they thought they were "supposed" to do. Trust me, growing up in the suburbs in the Mid-west I would say approximately 75% of "happily" married people had quite a few things they wish they had done differently. That's why the stereotype of the mid-life crisis exists, men go out and buy a sports car, and women get fake tits and bang the pool boy. These stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason, because they happen... a lot. And me, us, my generation, we've seen this pursuit of possesions of the "perfect life" crash over, and over, and at some point we all decided that's not gonna be me. That's why I'd rather rent then own, that's why I'd rather lease then buy, because at 27 I know how much I've changed in the last 5 years, and I can't imagine how much I will change in the next 5. What I do know is that whatever I thought I wanted and was convinced I needed today, probably isn't gonna mean squat to me down the road, so why lock myself in. Security is great to a point, and it's got to be nice to know you've got something locked in, but the reality is, nothing is guaranteed. You could lose your job tomorrow, your significant other could decide they don't love you anymore, any number of things could derail your pre-planned life, so why have anything locked in?

When I wrote an article about why not quitting your job to travel is a waste of your life, I was hit with a barrage of negative comments from people who said not everyone is like me, some people love what they do. This is very true, I have friends who are completely happy persuing the "American Dream" career, relationship, car, house, kids... check, check, check, check... and check! And that article was not meant for them, the same way this is not meant for everyone. What I'm trying to articulate is there seems to be a growing segment of young people who are ok with not living this normal dream. It's finally become socially acceptable to want something more out of life, then what your parents had, this is something new in our society. In the 1950's if you grew up in the suburbs and you told your parents you wanted to travel the world and be a writer, they would've looked at you as if you said you wanted to change your name from Bruce to Caitlyn. But now in 2015, even if they don't get it, they still understand the times, they are a changing. 

So for any of you who are like me, who get uncomfortable thinking about paying a mortgage, and shopping at Crate & Barrell for matching duvets and drapes, just know, you are not alone. In fact, there's a lot of us, and that number is growing every day. We may not know what we want to do, but we know that we don't want to do what society tells us is the norm, because for us, it's not. So be proud of your journey, tell your parents sorry, but the grandkids are gonna have to wait, enjoy having your own space, and walking around naked because you don't have roommates. Find your passion, chase your dreams, make silly mistakes while your the only one who has to deal with the repercussions, and in the mean time enjoy all the weddings you get to go to this summer. Notice the small twinge of jealousy in your friends' eyes as you knock back free drinks from the open bar. No you can't join the conversation about 'refinancing homeloans' but you definitely know more about GOT than anyone there, and if you get drunk and make a fool of yourself, the only person you have to answer to... is you.  

In Demand... 20 and Traveling, Hospitality is King

The world is in turmoil. Since the Global Financial Crisis, we've slowly started to recover as a global economy, but there's still a way to go. Jobs are finally being created, but for many people in my age bracket (The Millennials), it still seems to be a daunting task to join the work force. For many of us, we did what our parents and our teachers told us and got our degrees, only to find out post-graduation, we were either shit out of luck, or had to do something completely unrelated to our field.

That's where I was four years ago after receiving my B.S. degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Central Florida. Upon graduation I actually had quite a few opportunities to begin a career in my field, but my problem was, broadcast news no longer interested me. Unfortunatley it took me 5 years, and a bit of student loan debt to figure that out, but ultimately I realized I had to find something else that was right for me, I had officially become an "inbetweener". In the mean time I was working full-time at a booming bar, and within the next two years I had moved up to a management role. Like so many of my friends who were struggling to figure out their next step in life, I depended on hospitality to keep me afloat while I figure out exactly what it was I wanted to do with my life. It  wasn't until I finally quit that job, fearful that hospitality would become my career, and I started to travel that I realized something. While hospitality may not be what I, or many of my Millenial peers want to do with the rest of our lives, it does offer us a unique opportunity while we do figure that out. 

I can get a job anywhere in the world, ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. That's not an overstatement. In a world with countless doctors, lawyers, accountants etc. out of work, I have the ability to move to any country in the world and get work, quickly. Now bartending may not be the most glamorous work in the world, but it pays the bills, and at some points can be quite lucrative for a 20-something finding their way. What I quickly realized after moving abroad was, one, my skills are always in demand, because people always want to eat and drink, and two, I should've done this years ago! It's because of what I've learned that I wanted to spread the word and share some helpful tips with those who may be in a similar position to where I was last year. If you're just biding your time at a bar or restaurant, why not do it overseas? Do the same thing you'd be doing anyways, but do it somewhere exotic, and while you figure out what you want to do with your life, experience some of what life has to offer. 

It's with that in mind that I present to you four reasons you should move overseas if you're a hospitality inbetweener.

4. While we may lack "real job" skills, we have something that's always in demand.

When you start to travel you meet a lot of amazing people and hear a lot of amazing stories that brought people to a particular point in their life. I've met countless people while traveling who have awesome stories about quitting a six-figure income to travel the world and find themselves. But what many of these people find is it's pretty hard for them to find work when traveling. Unless you apply for overseas jobs in advance and gain a multi-year visa ahead of time, most companies in your professional field won't give you the time of day. It doesn't matter how qualified you are, if you only have 6-months left on your visa and you plan on traveling after it's up, it's gonna be pretty hard to find a job at an accounting firm. The vast majority of work for travelers is hospitality based, because those of us with experience take minimal training, and westerners are known for their superior hospitality work ethic (mostly because we work for tips). That means if you've spent a couple of years in hospitality, even at the most basic level, you have an advantage over probably 70% of the rest of the travelers you meet, who are either teenagers (with no skills), or people with professional skills, but no hospitality experience. It's not often you can go into an interview with a brain surgeon as your main competition and walk out on the winning end of an interview. Yes, Dr. Oz can remove a brain tumor, but I can make ten cocktails in five minutes, I know the difference between, Whiskey, Bourbon, and Scotch, and I can tell you how much 4 Jaeger boms, 3 Coronas and a Mojito cost, faster than the POS can.  

3. Even if you've only worked for a few months, you're still "over-qualified"

 

Hospitality overseas is a joke. In any place I've gone to eat or drink the only time you get decent service (while most of the time), is when you're being served by a Westerner. It's not totally the fault of the foreign countries it's just a difference in culture. In Italy it's perfectly common to have a dinner that last four hours, but in the U.S. we expect five drinks and three courses in 59 minutes or less. It's because of this that Westerner's pay so much more attention to detail, and have a sense of urgency when they work that many parts of the world simply don't. This is also why so many places are desperate to hire Americans, or Canadiens, or Brits, or basically anyone who knows what it means to work for tips. Tourists, as we know from waiting tables back home, are impatient and fussy, and it takes a certain level of experience dealing with customer bullshit to make an establishment successful. Obviously, the more experience you have, the more qualified you are, but in foreign English speaking countries, if English is your first language, you already are more qualified than 90% of applicants. I worked in an extremely busy restaurant/bar in Melbourne, basically a 1,500 square foot bar and patio that on the weekend was doing well over $100,000 in business, straight pumping. It was amazing all the applicants we would turn away who were extremely qualified, but spoke broken english, in favor of people with little to no experience, whom English was their primary language. It simply makes business sense in a busy environment to have people who can actually understand and convey orders. 

2. If you're good at what you do, you'll never be out of work

Now if you meet the prerequisites of being English speaking and having at least minimal hospitality experience, you should have no problem getting a job. However, during the summer months in places like Australia, it's still EXTREMELY competitive. This is why if you are exceptional at what you do, and your spinning your wheels back home you might as well bring your talents overseas. I'm an incredible bartender, probably the best I know (at least in my own mind), and I can tell you in an industry that requires you to be cocky to survive, those of us who know we have the skills need not want for anything. Excluding the time I have taken off for traveling and holidays, while traveling Australia, I have been unemployed for a total of ZERO DAYS. That's not entirely true, I was unemployed for about 20 hours when I arrived in Perth at 9 pm on a Wednesday night. I had a job by 5 pm the following day though, so no need to panic. The reason for this, is bars overseas (at least in Australia) are very different than their Western counterparts. In the states if you get a job (even at a shitty chain restaurant) you have to go through a series of training steps before you even step foot on the floor. This includes but is not limited to, menu tests, cocktail and drink tests, instructional videos, mounds of paperwork and the like. In Australia, this couldn't be farther from how things work. Here, if you come in and pass the resume and eyeball test from management you will be giving your first shift, a, "trial shift" on the next busiest day available (usually a friday or saturday night). There is no intro to the menu, no cockatil ingredients quiz, and in my experience no familiarization with the POS system until the day of said shift. They simply throw you in, let you get your ass kicked, and see if you sink or swim, it's as simple as that. If you are good at what you do, specifically as a bartender, this is the ideal situation to prove what your made of. You're allowed to ask silly questions, because they know you don't know anything, but what matters is seeing how much you can retain and how you deal with the pressure. If you've got what it takes, all you need is that trial shift to know you've secured a job, if not, keep on looking. 

1. You're doing it anyways, you might as well let it fund an adventure

I have so many friends in hospitality back home who have told me they're jealous that I was able to leave. The truth is we all have the ability and means to do it, it's just a matter of what you're willing to sacrifice to make it happen. Hospitality is a cash business, filled with young people who love to drink and party, and have the cash to do it. We are not known as being the most financially "stable" group, and for good reason. Anyone who's been in hospitality long enough has had more than a few mornings where you wake up and cringe when you see your bank statement and empty wallet. I bought everyone shots, the whole bar?! What the fuck Logan not again!

But what we also have, almost without fail in the whole industry, is a group of extremely optimistic, fun loving people, who don't exactly know what they want in life. If you're in your 20's, trying to find yourself, and working in hospitality, you are wasting your time if you are not doing so overseas. This isn't aimed at people who are bartending to pay for night school, or got laid off and are supporting a family. This is for a very specific, but very large group of individuals who are basically biding their time. We know we want more out of life, but the money is good, the booze is cheap, and when I go out on my one Friday a month off, I'm the king of the city. But at the end of the day, us, those people, that group, we all have the same fear. That one day we'll wake up, and be 35, and still working at Bennigan's (wearing fucking 10 pieces of flair), because while we were doing this part time, we got complacent. We've all seen it, and as someone who's been in hospitality for the better part of a decade I can tell you it's still a very real fear. But I saved up and secluded myself from the parties, and the late night drinking (while most of the time), for the better part of six months. I bought a ticket, packed my bags and came overseas. The thing I was most nervous about was, "can I make money, can I support myself", and I'm here to tell you the answer is emphatically, yes, yes you can, and yes you will. 

The best part of this whole thing, is now I have figured out what I want to do. It took me five years of college and four years in a corporate bar, with a huge ceiling to realize what I've actually wanted to do all along, this. I've decided I want to be a writer (another dead end career choice I know), but in traveling and using my hospitality background to see the world, I've discovered what makes me happy. The truth is that never would've happened back home, and the same probably goes for you. So I implore you, rather than spin your wheels and live in your parents basement (no shame I did it for six months), save up some money, buy a ticket, and go figure out what you want to do with your life. In the meantime, sling some drinks, meet some amazing people, have some awesome adventures, and most importantly, get the hell out of dodge. 

Do You Even Yoga Bro? Bros doing yoga!

As I draw closer to finishing my year abroad in Australia, I grow sad about leaving this beautiful country, but also excited about the next step in my adventrue. In August I will be spending a month in Thailand getting my 200-hour yoga certification that will allow me to start teaching all over the world. It's been a long and interesting journey for me, as I've developed myself and my practice, and during that time I've come to discover one main thing, Yoga, is not just for women, in fact it may prove more beneficial to overall health to men. So before I embark on the next part of my journey I wanted to share with anyone interested some of the things I have learned. There are a lot of stereotypes that are attached to throwing down a lulu lemon, and getting your down dog on, and a lot of them are just plain wrong!

1. YOGA DOESN'T BUILD MUSCLE... IT JUST TONES

This is one of the major beliefs that keep men who are trying to get bigger through working out from hopping on a mat in the first place. The same reason many guys avoid cardio, or anything else they nievely think takes away from gaining. The truth is the best way to create an efficient workout regimine is through variation, and that can take a number of forms. What's not true however is the thought that doing yoga doesn't build muscle. Yoga, when done the right way is some of the heaviest, most stress inducing, muscle building workouts, you will ever encounter, they just aren't always done the right way. The stigma also is that yoga even if it does build muscle, only builds long, lean muscles... while this is true for many women who practice, the reason for that is because you take out what you put in, and it's true, most woman don't want to bulk up. Because yoga is primarily a women's fitness (at least according to popular census), classes and studios are tailored to this belief. But as with any fitness modality, you can tailor a program to fit anyones fitness goals, and when you start to understand the basics and principals of yoga, you can create your own system, that can not only assist is getting bigger, but actively assist you in achieving those goals. 

2. YOGA ISN'T CHALLENGING ENOUGH

With the way fitness is now it seems every new "next best thing" is about bigger, better results, as fast as possible. Whether it was P90x in 90 days, or Insanity in 60 days or Super Insanity, or whatever they create next in just a week! The truth is for any realistic goals for the majority of people it takes time, and we are a culture of instant gratification that doesn't take kindly to "hard work pays off". Because of this many men seem to turn away from yoga. The reason, it takes time. Yes the basics are very simple but to continue to track and see your progress and see great results can take a lot longer than that new infomercial on TV. Many people may confuse this thinking that it's because yoga isn't hard enough, when the truth is, it takes time for you to even be "good enough" to get to the hard part. But with time and committment I can assure you, that the hardest yoga class you ever take will be on par or even harder than the hardest 10 minute cross-fit workout you've ever done, except with yoga you'll be doing it for 90 minutes in a 105 degree room. 

3. BENEFITS FOR MEN OUTSIDE FITNESS

Men in America are a target, with high stress lives, high fat foods, and an overall health that pales in comparisson to American women. It's no wonder the average life expectancy of American women is almost ten years high than that of American men (according to businessinsider.com). We're targets for heart disease, high cholesterol, high stress, and obesity, but there's something we can do about it. Aside from being a great way to achieve a level of phsyical fitness, for centuries yoga has been praised for what it can provide for participants off the mat. Certain poses, specifically in Birkhram have shown direct links to reducing things like prostate and liver cancer, and also stomach ulcers and heart disease. Though there is no definitive scientific evidence to support these claims, you can see the results in the way people act and feel after they've made yoga a regular part of their life. Aside from the long term holistic benefits of a regular yoga practice there are real world applications from yoga that can be used in everyday life. Many of us, specifically those in high pressure jobs, feel the weight of stress on us throughout our daily lives, but with no real outlet to help curb these feelings as they are happening. But by learning to control our breathing when we face these challenges (an integral part of yoga practice referred to as Pranayama, or an extension of breath) we can learn to curb our stress levels in moments of importance. By learning and practicing Pranayama, you can practically and realitstically make a huge improvement in your day-to-day stress levels. When the feelings of stress start to overwhelm you, using the techniques practiced in yoga, you can reduce your heart rate, cholesterol and blood pressure, on the spot. There by allowing you to think more clearly and achieve whatever the task may be in front of you. 

4. REAL MEN LIFT WEIGHTS!

 While it's true that a good weight lifting regimine is important to any workout routine, the belief that only by lifting weights can you achieve great fitness gains has become somewhat archaic. Elite sports trainers and most importantly, Elite Athletes, have discovered over the last few decades that the key to creating the perfect all-around workout regimine is variation. In the last ten years we've seen the meteoric rise of fitness modalities like cross-fit come to the forefront of fitness. By using non-traditional workout techniques, combined with Olympic lifting, cardio, and a variety of other things, guys like Rich Froning have become the new demi-gods of fitness. But what many top-tier level athletes are starting to realize is that Yoga is not only great for adding variety to your workout routine, it's imperative. The flexibility and muscle gained from a regular yoga practice has penetrated the sports ranks at all the main levels. For instance the World Champion Seattle Seahawks, have an in house yoga teacher and have made yoga practice and meditation mandatory for all their players, with the results obviously paying off. A few other notable yogis include, Two-time NBA Champions Lebron James, and Kevin Garnett, as well as Lebron's new double-double machine teammate Kevin Love. What these athletes have realized is that peak training alone can put a terrible amount of wear and tear on your body. By incorporating a regular yoga practice these athletes have been able to maintain an incredibly high level of play, and have achieved the durability to handle the punishment that comes with being a professional athlete in any sport. And anyone who participates in a rigorous training regimine can reap these benefits just the same as these top-tier athletes. 

5. FLEXIBILITY CAN BE COUNTER PRODUCTIVE

This criticism usually applies to men who participate in high weight training. Whether it be Crossfit or Olympic lifting, there seems to be a stigma attached to being "too" flexible. While it's important for your body to be able to function within the range of a particular exercise, there is a risk involved when your joints have too much mobility and your lifting enormous amounts of weight. Anatomically speaking this is true. When you put a massive stress load on your joints, (for example doing the snatch) it's important to have a certain level of restrictiveness in your shoulders, so that the weight doesn't overload on the back end of joints and you risk a tear. The truth however is that by doing yoga, you are not simply increasing the elasticity of muscles, you are also increasing the load baring capabilities of those muscles when stressed past normal limits. To put this into simplier terms lets say you have two guys of similar build, one has natural shoulder flexibilty beyond the typical male. The other has normal to below average flexibility, but has been practicing yoga and improving the range of shoulder flexibility as well as the strength within that range. Out of these two athletes, the one who is naturally more flexibile will be at risk of sustaining an injury when increasing a work load on their shoulder joints. If the weight should get away from this person while doing a snatch, and go beyond the typical range of motion for that exercise, it could have serious consequences on their joints. However, our athlete who has worked on their flexibility with yoga will likely be much more susceptible to adjust to going outside of their normal zone. This is because the second athlete has not just improved flexibility but also what you could call "flexible strength". This is why yoga can be so important to weight training routine, those smaller flexible muscles are not usually taxed, and it helps to have them in shape should the moment arise. 

6. YOGA IS SUPER EXPENSIVE

This one unfortunately can be very true, however, there are always exceptions to every rule. If starting a yoga practice is something you are really interested in, there are many great options to get you up and running. Firstly, most studios offer a beginners rate, when I first started I found a great hot yoga studio in town that offered a deal that was $10 for a month of unlimited yoga on Groupon. After that I decided I loved the studio so much I shelled out the $90 a month, but the most important thing is getting started. If you try a studio for a month and decide you want to keep going there's many other options you have as well. Most people (well most men) forget that their gyms offer group fitness classes. We see the old ladies doing Zumba, or the young chicks taking pilates and think that would be something we pay for in our monthly fees but will never partake in. If your gyms offers "group fitness", then they are almost guaranteed to offer yoga classes throughout the week. Find a time that works for you and pop in for a few classes. There are many great teachers who work at multiple studios and multiple gyms, to help fund their love of teaching, and some of the best classes I've ever taken have been in my gym. If you can't find an option like this that works to you, HAVE NO FEAR! There are hundreds of yoga apps, and thousands of yoga videos available to you, for a super low cost or nothing at all. After you've learned the basics you can decide how you will progress in your practice. Maybe you decide to join a private studio, maybe you simply make it something you do at home, but whatever you decide, just start! The only thing holding you back from your next great adventure in yoga, is you!

The bottom line is if your trying to get massive gains, yoga alone will not help you succeed where other programs have not. However, if what your after is a compliment to your current workout regimine or a new program you've been planning to try, then yoga can act as the catalyst to push you past your previous boundaries. As a long time gym fiend I truly believe in the healing power both mentally and physically of the gym. But where pumping iron is a great stress reliever, yoga is the ultimate "life" reliever. For 30, 60, or even 90 minutes, its simply you, your breath, your poses, and your mat. And the value you will gain from concentration, breathing techniques, and relaxation techniques will benefit you in every aspect of your life outside the studio. So I'll ask again... Do you even Yoga Bro?!

Do You Take It In The Can? You Should... Join the Craft Beer Canning Revolution

The stigma has long been, "Can beer is cheap, bottled beer is classy". In 2002 a little brew pub out in Colorado (Oskar Blues) challenged this notion and created the first micro-brewed beer in cans. 13 years later the industry is finally catching up to this idea. Now hundereds of craft breweries are starting to can beers and even more are finally putting plans in place to do the same. What  people are finally starting to realize is that cans are the future, and the future is delicious.

There are three main super villians that pose a potential threat to our favorite malted beverages, they are oxygen, temperature, and light, (specifically UV rays). Cans act as the indestructible Superman like solution to all of these problems. Let's see how the two methods stack up against each other in each category in the ultimate challenge of freshness.

Botttles vs. Oxygen:

Though bottling methods have obviously gotten more advanced and capable over the last few decades theres always a chance during the manufacturing, handling, and shipping of product that certain bottles will either not be securely fastened enough or even that minor amounts of oxygen can seep through tiny air patches in certain bottled beer. Oxygen, though important to us, is a killer for delicious brews, and though bottles are pretty well protected against this threat, kegs are more at risk than our glassy friends.

Cans vs. Oxygen:

With current brewing technology brewers are now able to get beer from the brewing stage, to the bottling or canning stage with little to no oxidation. However, cans are now perfectly sealed and form an impenetrable wall against pesky air. The only way oxygen is getting into your can beer is the moment you pop the top on your delicious suds. 

Next up on our list of beer killing super villians is temperature, now this can involve a few different aspects, all of which we will discuss.

Bottles vs. Temperature:

The only thing worse than a warm beer, is a warm beer out of a hot glass bottle, though you could argue drinking out of a warm can isnt much better. But what it really comes down to is insulation, bottles have none. When beer in a bottle is exposed to hotter temperature the bottle acts like a test tube heating up by a bunson burner. And while most higher quality beers can handle a pretty wide range of temperature fluctuation, your lighter beers, we now typically associate with glass bottles are far more at risk. High temperatures kill carbonation, mess with yeast, and mostly just make your beer taste like shit. From a purely enjoyable perspective, glass is also on the losing end. The one advantage glass has is its not an amazing conductor, but that's also one of its main disadvantages. Glass takes time to heat up and cool down, which means that warm six-pack you bought is gonna need some time to chill before you can fully enjoy it. 

Cans vs. Temperature:

Now some might think that if glass is a bad conductor but can still harm your beer, then aluminum cans must be MUCH worse; wrong again! Yes, aluminum as a metal is definitely more of a conductor that glass, however canning technology has progressed, that's why good craft beer never tastes metalic out of can. Alll cans now that you would be drinking craft beer out of come with a thin micro liner within the can, that protects them from tasting like metal and also creates a small barrier from rapid temperature fluctuations. Now regardless, if you leave a bottle or a can out in the sun all day they're both going to taste gross, but cans have an advantage when it comes to cooling down. Being they are made out of a more conductive casing they do heat up faster, but they also cool down much faster than bottles. That means create a nice ice bath for your room temp brews, and you'll be drinking them in half the time of your bottled friends. Conduction also helps cans stay cold longer, so your beer doesn't start to get warm while you drink it. 

Both these first two issues are usually not a problem as long as your favorite brewery is practicing smart packaging and distributing techniques, however our last villain is all around us. Light is the main culprit when it comes to destroying our favorite beverage, and in the battle for supremacy this is where cans take the cake. 

Bottles vs. Light:

Aside from a few beers that come in ceramic bottles or use artwork to block out harmful UV rays (Rogue Voodoo Doughnut comes to mind) all bottled beers let in a certain amount of light. Clear bottles obviously filter out no light, since they are after all, clear. Green bottles do a little better, but still pretty subpar as far keeping light out goes. Brown bottle have long beer the bottle of choice before canning took over supremacy, but they still allow in light and over long periods of exposure, still put our precious beers at risk. But what exactly is it about light that's so dangerous for beer? When UV rays come in contact with the hops used in beers, it creates a chemical reaction similar to that of the chemicals released by a skunk when it sprays a predator. So when your beer gets "skunked" it's not just an expression, it actually contains a new chemical almost identical to a skunk farting in your beer. And bottled beer is exposed ALL THE TIME! Even when beer makes it safely into a cooler to be put on display and consumed it is still exposed to UV rays from the actual lights in the cooler doors. This is why when you have a large bottle stock its extremely important to rotate your product when restocking to make sure the older beers get used first, rather than risk their demise. Brewers have tried numerous ways to reduce this exposure but all these attempts have been in vain. Until...

Cans vs. Light:

Hallelujah! A savior! What breweries have started to discover is that cans are the perfect solution to our pesky, bright, friend in the sky. They leave our brews completely covered and protected from the sun light until we pour them into a glass. By eliminating exposure to UV rays all together we also can ensure longer lasting freshness from our beer, as there's no sun light to wear down the hops. Canned beers make every IPA taste as if it's been wet hopped; hops seem to explode out of the can. If you want to prove this to yourself do an easy experiment and buy two six-packs of your favorite IPA, one in the bottle one in the can, do a blind taste test and I guarantee you will start opting for a can over a bottle every time. It's not just a dream for hop-heads either. Cans make everything taste better, because they lock in the freshness, and make it seem as if you're drinking the beer straight off the assembly line. 

The revolution is no longer coming it's here and it's time for everyone to get on board. All the major craft breweries are introducing, or have already introduced can beers from their full product line up and even more have canning lines planned for the future. Aside from all the benefits and protection you get from cans they also have a few other awesome upsides worth mentioning. First and foremost, you can take cans pretty much everywhere, whether it's the beach or the park or just out on the boat for the day. Secondly, cans are unquestionably better for the environment. They're easier and cheaper than glass to recycle and more over, you dont have to worry about drunk people smashing them. Take a minute and imagine a world where we can take our favorite beers anywhere, where we don't have to worry about drinking on the beach or stepping on shattered glass. That's the future my friends so get on board and support the next generation of craft beer. The future is here, and it's delicious.  

8 Ways to Travel Fit

So you've made it! You finally took the chance and the leap of faith and made it overseas, to see the world! But after a few months you've started to notice something, whether or not you were super fit before you left, you seem a little, "softer" than before. It seems during all your adventures and galavanting around you forgot to make a little time to "pick things up and put them down". 

The truth is it's hard to stay fit while you're traveling abroad; hard, but not impossible. Now you probably won't come back shredded and ready for the next Crossfit Games, but you can most definitely avoid coming back with a little extra baggage around your mid-section. The key with staying fit while your traveling is not to focus on gaining, but maintaining. Now if you are going to be in one place for an extended period it's certainly realistic to become a regular gym-goer and keep up a regular routine. However, if your plans are to be ever-changing and never in the same place twice, then I've compiled a simple list of tips and tricks to help keep you body on point, while you let your spirit wander. So here are "8 Ways to Travel Fit":

8. Cook Your Own Meals:

This is a no-brainer for anyone who has every done a proper training program before. Eating out is expensive, and depending on where you're traveling (in Australia for instance, it's almost impossible to find a decent meal for under $20), and its usually loaded with other flavor-adding extras that are packed with calories and overloaded with fat content. When you're traveling the important thing is to eat a healthy and balanced diet, not necessarily an exciting one. I'm a TERRIBLE cook, but thank god for the internet there's millions of article loaded with easy cheap meals anyone can make. It's great to sample local cuisine and get a taste of local culture through food, but when traveling in expensive countries, eating out will tear a hole through your budget and your belt faster than anything else. 

7. Cardio:

When I was in highschool I used to run 6-10 miles a day, every damn day... it's been a LONG time since then and I hate running now, it's probably one of my least favorite activities. But, it's effective, it's free, you can do it anywhere, and it's a great way to take some time for personal introspection. When you're on the road constantly moving it's nearly impossible to gain size or mass (well... good size or mass). Since the key while traveling is simply to maintain, cardio is one of your best weapons against building a gut from all the other fun that you're having. I still hate running but I make a point to do it at least 3 days a week, and when I'm not running, I walk, everywhere! Public transport is a great option and many places around the world have a much better system than we do in the U.S. but there's no better way to get acclimated to a new city then walking. Of course if you're traveling out into the country side or coming home late, public transit is probably your best option, but for simply getting around town, walking is a great way to get in your cardio without even trying. 

6. Outdoor Park Gyms:

Certain cool, hip cities in the U.S. have started to incorporate outdoor park gyms, but  in OZ they're everywhere. They're also super easy to find thaks again to the old Google. If you've never been to a park gym it's pretty much a variety of body weight resistence training exercises available for free to the public. Some are extremely basic and just consist of adult "monkey bars", but every once in a while you find one that offers a vast array of equipment you can use, that uses your own body weight as the counter balance (think Chuck Norris in the Total Gym). Now you can't get massive pumps here but you can do great high volume circuit training, perfect for cutting out pesky fat and keeping you nice and lean for your adventure. 

5. Day Hiking, and other Outdoor activities:

Any place worth going in this world (at least in my humble opinion) has a few areas of selected land they've decide to protect and turn into a national park. Think Yosemite, but with all kinds of crazy plant life you've never seen or explored. The best thing about these parks and camping in general, is that you get to experience the beautiful outdoors and nature, but it's also a great way to get a free workout. Hiking is free anywhere you go, and by simply checking park websites you can find great trails and free activities in most National Parks. If you've got a little extra coin on you, you can also look into booking some paid activities, things like kayaking, canoeing, and white water rafting, a blast to do and a great workout at the same time. 

4. Sports Parks:

Whether it's pickup basketball or pickup crickett (which I still don't understand), in most major metropolitan cities there's always free sports parks to play at. Outdoor, recreational sports are fun, free, and also a great opportunity to meet new people and make some new friends. It might be a little out of your comfort zone to just walk up to a group of people and ask if you can join, but in reality sports unites all of us. In my experience nothing is a better conversation starter than giving sports fans an open invitation to tell you all about their favorite sport. Whether you actually walk away with a grasp for the game is not really the point, the point is Rugby involves a lot of running, a lot of comradery, and playing sports is a fun, easy way to stay fit. If you have a sport you're already more passionate about, look online and see if there are any free (or cheap) rec leagues available in your area. Making sports a regular part of your routine on the road will keep you active, meeting new friends, and in tip top condition. 

3. Calisthenics:

Every person on earth has their own personal gym built into their bodies. No matter where you are, you can always have enough space to do pushups and situps, and occasionally even find a make shift pull-up bar. If you make it part of your daily routine to incorporate a few hundred push-ups and situps throughout the day (50 here, 50 there), you'll create a habit that will hugely benefit you when you don't have time for a "proper" workout. There's a story I love about Legendary Running back Hershel Walker in college. When he first came to the University of Georgia, he would never participate in the teams group fitness training, because he had his own regimine. The coaches said either he had to come in or he couldn't play. Legend has it he came in for one training session, and shattered every weight lifting record in the school's football program. After that coaches agreed to let him continue on his own. Well, his training regimine included no weight lifting whatsoever, Hershel did over 1500 push-ups and 2000 situps every day, that was it, all calisthenics, and the dude was a beast. 

2. Develop a Yoga Practice:

Yoga is not for everyone, but it's done wonders for me in my own life. I've always played sports, and lifted weights growing up, so for years I put a lot of stress on my joints and muscles without giving much love back. Since I began a regular yoga practice over a year ago I've seen a tremendous difference in both my physical and mental wellness. I still can barely touch my toes, and my balancing is "iffy" at best, but no gym session can compete with the feeling of overall health and well being I get after a 90 minute yoga practice. The problem with yoga studios, is they tend to be very expensive, but there's a solution. Almost all yoga studios offer an introductory rate for either a week, ten days, or sometimes even a month. If you're thinking about adding yoga to your fitness regimine, I implore you to take advantage of one of these offers. Go in and learn the basics from a certified teacher, see if it's something that speaks to you, then simply start a practice of your own. There's thousands of free videos online you can watch, and I even use a yoga app, right on my ipad for a private class anywhere in the world. While your out there seeing the world it's important to take some time to reflect on all these new positive experiences, yoga allows you to do that while also being a great way to stay toned and fit. 

1. Be committed:

At the end of the day, fitness is all about the effort you put in. Remember you're not out here seeing the world and intending to come back with a chisled six-pack, but you also don't have to come back a fat slob. Use this list as a starting point, something to get you pointed in the right direction when you're on the road. Find something that works for you and that you're passionate about and stick with it. If that means you run every day, make the investment and spring for some new shoes. If you decide yoga is more your thing, look online for a cheap deal on a mat and take it with you wherever you go. The point is if you committ to something and make it a habit, then after a while it won't seem like work anymore, it will simply just be some "you do". So go out there, see the world, and just do it!