Update from Mexico City

Even though last week's Consume & Update received a lovely compliment, the production and content schedule here in Mexico is too daunting to also include a thorough perusal of the internet's best in travel and blogging. Instead, I'll make this Sunday Update all about the job with ProjectExplorer, on location in Mexico City.

Update on Nomadderwhere

The job is stellar. After landing on Tuesday, we've been hitting up the awe-inspiring sites of Mexico City. Day one of filming involved some awesome team work next to the Diego Rivera murals at El Palacio Nacional. I settled into my role of photographer happily, because for some reason, seeing things for the first time involves my eyes, my walking legs, my inquisitive hands, and the necessary appendage of my camera. Is that weird that I just called my hands inquisitive?

Day two was our most hectic production day, with a schedule packed with everything archaeological (thanks to the lovely INAH for that one). I banked on getting a mad Stairmaster-style workout on the Pyramid of the Sun, but then I heard some rumblies in the tumblies. Uh oh.

Yeah, coincidentally enough this child with incredibly distant Spanish ancestry felt the strike of Montezuma's Revenge upon reaching his once-powerful kingdom. I felt, well, not so good. And as the day progressed, my stomach pains became more extreme. Eventually I zonked out in the van while the crew captured the amazing Museum of Anthropology - our driver, Hector, watching over me like a suave and silent man of might.

Let's just say things passed. I recovered quickly, thanks be to Tums, Gravol, and the power of sleep (and showers). And how lucky was it that my bout of food poisoning only lasted a day, when the next evening involved a five-star dining experience under the very eye and hand of celebrity chef Enrique Olvera. Enjoying a life-changing meal at Pujol, paired with the colorful descriptions of Vijaya and the brilliant additions by Ruth Alegria, my stomach was able to forgive me for the poorly stored cheese from the previous dinner.

I think the following three days spent at Xochimilco and Coyoacan deserve their own time in the limelight.

Note to Regular Nomadderwhere Readers: My posting schedule will be changing while on location as to reflect the content of the trip, the reflections I have of the experience, and the time I can commit to my own site. If you'd like to stay on top of the ProjectExplorer on-site experience, check out the videos I'm cranking out, along with the crazy crew, at ProjectExplorer's Youtube channel. Also, keep an eye on my Flickr account for the most recent photos of production.

Photos © ProjectExplorer.org, 2010

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Interview two travelers: the 2010 World Traveling Interns

They braved months of an extensive application process. They beat out thousands of fellow travelers and competitors to hold the coveted title of World Traveler Intern. They've never met. Let's check them out.

It's no mystery why I'm intrigued by these two travelers. And especially since they'll be taking off tomorrow, all the more perfect is our timing in getting to know them! Once again, this series of Interview a Traveler is about people worth mentioning because of their amazing character and ambition that spans continents for the purpose of learning and doing something they can stand behind. And be sure to check out the video portion of this feature!

His Bio: Once accused of being a spy in Bern, Switzerland, Casey Hudetz is not afraid of adventure. This DePaul graduate and Chicago native has traveled around the world, including a summer backpacking around Europe and a stint with the Peace Corps. Leveraging his experience teaching technology at the Francis W. Parker School in Chicago and this internship, Hudetz plans to pursue a career in documentary filmmaking.

*Note to fellow SASers: Casey is also a Semester at Sea alum.

Her Bio: From leading groups of fellow students on a service trip to South Africa or as the current director of Freshman Leadership at the University of Georgia in Athens, where she earned her degree, Natalie Webb is a natural born leader. Counting kayaking in Portugal as one of her favorite experiences, Webb plans to use the World Traveler Internship to pursue a career in writing, producing or starring in her own travel-themed television show.

Bios courtesy of the STA Travel Pressroom

Are you nervous to travel with a complete stranger? What has been your philosophy with travel partners thus far?

NW: I think the extrovert in me gets an adrenaline rush from meeting new people, so I am beyond excited to travel with a complete stranger! I am a lot more laidback than I may appear on camera, and I love adapting to almost all kinds of situations. Unless Casey keeps jumping and knocking me over.. then we could have some problems.

CH: At first I was a little apprehensive. "What if we don't get along? What if my jokes don't go over? What if....? What if....?" But since we've spoken, I am very excited to travel with Natalie. For me, I travel best with people that like to travel (and know how to be present). When I'm in a new place, I move as quick as possible to see as much as possible. "How often am I in _______?" I ask myself as I sprint to catch a bus. If I have to explain this sentiment to the person I'm with, it can get difficult.

Casey studying his guidebooks

What's the most thrilling aspect of this experience to you:

1. The free travel part to # countries

2. Having a wide audience with the potential to impact the student travel community

3. This potentially being a step toward a career in the same industry

4. Other...

NW: I would say for me that it is "4: The fact that I get to be a part of 1, 2, and 3." I mean who doesn't love traveling for free right? So 1 is a given. With 2, I really enjoy communicating in various capacities to students (mainly because that has been my job for the past two years!), so I am thrilled to get this opportunity to live out my passion. In regards to 3, I have dreamed of being in the travel production industry since age 10, so I am honored and excited to get to work on building my portfolio with our projects throughout the summer.

CH: 2. Having a wide audience with the potential to impact the student travel community

What do you anticipate being the hardest aspect of this internship?

CH: The ending. And getting enough sleep!

NW: Having enough room in my bag to pack all the costumes I want to bring for the summer!! I think it may get tough bouncing around from country to country having very little stability and time to rest and focus on our production content. I hope both Casey and I find the balance of putting forth solid material and enjoying the continents in the process!

Have you two discussed your plan yet for the unscripted European portion? Dare to give us a clue?

CH: We've got our plans. You'll know when the time comes!

NW: Yes...Oh how we have discussed this delightful finale to our trip! Although it is still a work in progress, we are attempting to make it to Italy to witness the epic event of Palio di Siena...kind of the Italian version of the Kentucky Derby. We may enjoy the Swiss Alps region and end our trip in Paris...eating crepes, my favorite food!

*I love that I got two differing answers for that question.

Natalie on the Today Show

If the WTI was like Project Runway and the Tim Gunn of STA Travel told you at the last minute, "Plan an additional side trip from your trip route to any country neighboring those on your itinerary...to happen at any point in the schedule," where would that side trip fit in, what would be the destination, and what would you two do?

NW: I would choose to hop on over to the south island of New Zealand. I have a family friend there who owns a sheep farm and he could teach Casey and I the art of sheep herding and wool weaving. And then. We of course must go on the Lord of the Rings tour!

CH: After speaking with friends and seeing your footage, Lindsay, I think Fiji would be a real treat. Also, I'd love to go back to Paraguay to see friends I made years ago.

What on Earth are you going to do when you get home?

NW: 1) Sleep. 2) Unpack my life. 3) Probably a little laundry. 4) Start looking for other awesome ways to travel the world.

CH: Luckily, I work at a great school and I plan on resuming right where I left off. And after that? Who knows.

The 2010 Itinerary

Casey and Natalie will be heading off tomorrow to STA Travel Headquarters in Lewisville, Texas. Soon after, they're flying to Peru to volunteer near Machu Picchu, traveling through Brazil and Argentina, Australia, Tasmania, Japan, Thailand, Turkey, Egypt, and a self-propelled Euro-trip through Western Europe before heading back home to complete the loop. To see their trip in a little more detail, check out the full itinerary.

Follow the Internship

They meet tomorrow (May 26th), so be sure to keep up with the entire experience by:

• Watching for their blogs

• Following their tweets

• Check out their videos

• and checking out their personal sites...

Natalie's TwitterNatalie's Youtube Channel

Casey's BlogCasey's Youtube ChannelCasey's Twitter

Congratulations, Casey and Natalie! You're about to have one wild experience. Pack your melatonin, stay healthy, create constantly, and, above all, enjoy the nature of the job. For me, that was the most thrilling part.

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Video of the Week: The World Traveler Intern-view

Along with my congratulations, I sent the fresh new World Traveler Interns a request for an interview before they took off around the world this summer. I wasn't sure what angle I wanted to take it in, nor what kind of humor it would exhibit, but what came out was simply hilarious.

I sent questions to be answered in written form and others as a video interview, and though I believe Casey and Natalie talked a little bit about their angles, I can't imagine they collaborated enough to say some of these spot-on responses.

Check out my video interview with the two new STA interns, and see what you're in store for, if you're smart enough to follow their adventure!

The questions are as follows:

• You don't have much longer before you meet your travel mate. What have you gotten to know about your fellow intern so far?

• The World Traveler Internship seems to blossom and improve every year. How do you plan on using your skills to make this year's trip even more exciting and dynamic in the eyes of the viewer?

• What was your viewpoint on the application process? Was there anything you didn't anticipate before going into it?

• Tell me about an experience (travel or otherwise) you've had that taught you a skill or a trait that will come in handy during the internship (I love the responses I got for this one).

• Do you have any fears, and if so, are you going to push yourself to conquer one or more of them on the internship?

• If you were to challenge your fellow intern to something on the trip, what would that be? State your challenge right now! (...also hilarious)

Do you have any questions for the 2010 interns? Comment below, and I'll see if we can squeeze out an answer from these busy bees. And check out their written interview as well!

Follow the Internship

They meet in two days (May 26th), so be sure to keep up with the entire experience by:

• Watching for their blogs

• Following their tweets

• Checking out their videos

• and checking out their personal sites...

Natalie's TwitterNatalie's Youtube Channel

Casey's BlogCasey's Youtube ChannelCasey's Twitter

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Q&A: Grooming for the World Traveler Internship

Q&A is a new series on Nomadderwhere that uses questions posed by readers and commentators to address topics of travel, alternative lifestyle design, blogging, and other interests. You can expect this series one or two Saturdays a month right here on Nomadderwhere.com. To send in your questions, contact me or send me a link to your video question on Youtube!

The videos and fun blogs posted by you and Chris this summer were wildly entertaining and made me smile as I watched each clip. Your spunkiness and energy definitely reflects on the viewers as you took us along the adventure!

To give you an idea of my foundation, I do use twitter and take travel photos everywhere I go. Since January, I have been capturing video on my digital camera for memories of being silly with friends, monologues of what is going on and practice STA Travel footage! I keep a journal on my side at all times, just in case I want to jot down specifics of something interesting that happened.

I have yet to upload videos on youtube (have videos on websites, professional interviews, promotional video used at my university, etc.), written on an online blog, or utilized flickr to post some of my favorite photographs.

Lindsay, I am willing to do anything and plan to fully prepare and engage myself in creating video montagues of all my experiences in New York, Los Angeles, everywhere I go and travel from here on out! I can send you anything your way if you would like. What should be my next step? -K

I'll start off with the obligatory disclaimer.

I am not a part of the selection process for the World Traveler Internship, nor do I know for sure what they look for each year. Instead, all I can provide is my honest opinion of what qualities help an individual prepare for and seem more suitable for the job.

On that note, let's look at the job in basic terms.

The World Traveler Interns are meant to:

- Experience a number of travel adventures and showcase their experiences daily with videos, pictures and blogs. - Describe everything they do with the ultimate goal of inspiring other students and young people to become world travelers.

Now, let's think about the job in the less obvious way.

What's a more accurate understanding of the internship?

- The interns help sell the products STA offers; therefore, this is a marketing job for a strong, global company. - The interns will be constantly changing time zones, producing a lot of work, dealing with cultural, technological, physical, mental barriers constantly, and experiencing more in 2.5 months than most do in years, if not lifetimes. This is a hard job. - And the obvious one....this is a job.

Now, let's do a mental exercise.

Imagine you are one of the judges, one of the marketing department employees at STA, looking at the hundreds of eager applicants and trying to decipher via online property who you can count on to do the best job possible. It's not about granting a prize that doesn't affect you; the interns have big shoes to fill.

You would probably want interns who:

- Know this isn't a free trip and can prove they have the work ethic to get things done well. - Can create videos, photos, and blogs that engage the STA clientele to the point of convincing the sale...not to mention have social media savvy to work the venues of the content - Exhibit the skills of an ambassador: charisma, eloquence, diplomacy, and a personable nature.

Take these points and roll with them. This is what I worked off of when preparing my application in 2009.

Planning for Next Year

If you want to hold the coveted internship for 2011 (or beyond), don't wait until the application pool opens up. Start now proving STA you're the ideal candidate. Here's how to begin:

Start a Blog

Brainstorm a title, and steer clear of something generic like Trisha's Travel Blog. Begin compiling your travel stories (or any topic pertaining to young people and living adventurously), whether you open up old e-mails to your mom while on the road, rewrite stories from your personal journal, or just start thinking back to your times abroad or stateside. You'll want to have a lot of stories in the bank to prove your commitment to documentation.

Warning: If this doesn't feel fulfilling, if it feels forced and uninspired, write about what you truly care about...and if it still feels wrong, maybe you're not meant to blog. Not everyone is a mental exhibitionist.

Tools: Start a free blog at Wordpress.com, and if you are set on a name, buy your domain through Wordpress as well for about $15.

Publish Your Photos

You're going to need visuals for your blog and proof you can click a mean shutter. Pick your best 100 shots and publish them online, linking to them on your posts about the same topic. Photos of yourself on the go are also good proof you like being active.

Tools: Start a free account at Flickr, and you can always upgrade to the premium account later (which allows you to download an unlimited amount of work). I don't direct people to my account actively. It's like a workspace or storage unit you can pull from.

Self-Promotion

Whether you already tweet or not, you'll inevitably feel weird using Twitter to self-promote and network. It will work in your advantage to have a lot of followers that are interested in your travels and personality. Fill out your profile fully, choose a good photo, befriend and follow people that do what you love in the travel field, start talking to them and RTing their good tweets. Start linking to your Flickr photos and online work, being sure to use catchy wording to inspire clicks.

Don't see Twitter and Facebook as places where you plea for people to look at your stuff and love you. See them as tools for free marketing. Think like a marketing professional.

Twitter Self-Promotion

Tools: Twitter through the web works fine, but TweetDeck is my favorite platform for organizing all my favorite tweeters and easily performing all tasks (RTing, replying, linking, etc.). Also, install the Twitter application on your Facebook page to automatically update your Facebook status when you change your Twitter status.

Showcase Your Videos

Start making them! Use Windows Movie Maker, iMovie, Final Cut - whatever you have - and start taking your raw footage and assembling great little snippits of life. In short, the creation of these videos is about trial and error. Start off making something, then take a step back and wonder:

Would I watch this whole thing over and over?

Would I watch this or like this if I wasn't my friend?

Does this video have me on the edge of my seat?

Would an 8 year-old with ADD sit through this whole thing?"

My first videos were pitiful slideshows. I've learned from my own mistakes over a long period of time.

Get started there, and let's see how you evolve into the ideal candidate!

httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL5yh0wO3mw

Was this Question and Answer post helpful to you? Would you like me to expand on any points above? Any other questions about anything? Comment below or contact me by either writing a message or sending a link to your video question!

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Arrivederci, Pipi: Day 21

Four hours after a late, post-clubbing bedtime, poor Garrett and Alexis were summoned to rise for Cinque Terre with my parents. A gorgeous four more hours later, Caro and I awoke, sparkling, to a room filled with golden light and wandered down to the pool. A hectic day of sunning and lounging was to begin. We floated, read, enjoyed Italian coffee, lunched for hours on the patio, and slept on our pool chairs, covered in towels, feeling the occasional trickle of rain on an exposed toe. Every activity was blanched with the warmth of satisfaction. The Burgassi family came during the afternoon to prepare the exterior of the villa for the next tenants. I took this opportunity to accept their offer for housing in July. I made an effort to delay my affirmation prior to this, thinking I was being responsible to think of all sides of the spectrum. They must have thought I was crazy not to consider this option as divine intervention. Caro and I spent the rest of our lazy afternoon inside, drinking wine and playing gin until the entire Burgassi family (Otto included) stuck their heads in the door "Brady Bunch-style" to say they were so excited I was coming to live with them. It was a moment for the scrapbook.

Around 9pm, I heard the four Cinque Terre goers approaching from outside, and immediately we became cooking machines for dinner. Oven on, pop in the rolls, chop every vegetable and meat product sitting around, open loads of beans and, well, what do we make with beans and chicken and cheese and veggies? Chicken surprise and garlic fritattas! And be sure to drink up the wine, so it all tastes somewhat edible! Genius ideas went hand in hand with dancing around the kitchen to Earth, Wind and Fire, loud enough to hear from the next hilltop town. It was a memorable last supper.

The next morning we squeezed five large pieces of luggage and five travelers into the car, all bound for Milano; the end resulting feeling being a universal one of stress and sleeping keisters. The city of Milan didn't meet my expectations coming in, as its ugly webbing of streets seemed to lack history, tradition, or that Italian charm. However, with only a few hours to spend in the fashion industry capital, our time was spent wonderfully with Alexis' childhood friend, Katie, who had been studying there for the past semester. She showed us a good time with cheap pizza, castles and parks, the Milan metro, the majestic Duomo and Galleria, our last gelatos, and revealed to us the perspective of an American in Milano. We returned to a hotel room with two sleeping parents and camped on the floor.

The next morning was quiet. Showers, packing, sitting, reading...we waited for time to arrive at 10:40am, when we left to board our train to Interlaken. The moment of embarkation was reminiscent of February 4th, 2007, the departure date for SAS S'07 - blubbering. 178 days until I reconnect with my family in Hawai'i. Until then, I think the Dead would agree: it's gonna be a long, strange trip.

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A 'Cha-ching' Opportunity: Day 07

After a morning of reading the lyrical prose of the Tuscan countryside by Frances Mayes, I felt like my magic would come from cooking the best and freshest Italian meals of the season. But I experienced a moment of pure divine magic later on that made this expectation of good home cooking so miniscule in comparison. I feel somewhat compelled to explain the whole day in perfect detail, but I doubt I will really care in the long run about these pure moments that now fall completely into the background - like saving drowning moths during my first chilly swim or our big lunch of garlic frittatas and basil tortellini, surrounded by thunderstorms in the distance. No, I would rather focus my written attention to the wonderful coincidence of the day: the new job opportunity.

The patron's baby gets bored. I pick him up to bounce on my knee and prepare him for his midday meal. I get a job offer to be a live-in nanny for nine months. Sounds like a dream, no? The couple, that not only would house and feed me in exchange for child care but also encourage the start of my art career in Florence, also understands the need for travel and experience as a young adult. Is there a downside in sight? Millions of miles away among the dimmest stars? Even those distant gas balls are cheering for my Florentine nanny idea. Such a rare possibility in my mind before and now my most promising post-travel plan. The benefits of free room and board, possible local travel, beautiful surroundings in the best part of Florence, my favorite city on Earth, an awesome baby and equally great parents, free time for tutoring, learning, or just living - all amazing perks.

And to make it even more appealing for both sides, I can use July as a trial period to live this life with them and see if it works for all of us. How to make this decision...what a tough dilem--done!

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