Travelling YouTubers Who Inspire Wanderlust

If you’ve ever travelled before, you know what wanderlust is. Once you arrive home after your vacation, you yearn for another trip right away. Seeing new people and learning about different cultures is one of my favorite things to do. Luckily, when I am unable to travel, I can turn to YouTube and watch videos of other people who travel. If you can’t travel right now, but still want to feel like you can, here are some of my favorite travelling YouTubers that you should watch.

Samuel & Audrey

What They Do

Samuel and Audrey travel all over the world and share their adventures. Most of their videos are “__ things to do in [city]” or trying local foods, but each video feels distinctly different. They post about 2-3 times per week, and are often in a different country each week.

Why I Like Them

When you watch the couple’s videos, you feel like you’re really there with them. I appreciate that they are just normal people. Their videos don’t come off as pretentious or elitist, and you can tell they genuinely enjoy travelling and sharing their experiences.

EatYourKimchi

What They Do

EatYourKimchi (otherwise known as Simon and Martina) are a Canadian couple that became well-known from sharing their experiences living as English teachers in South Korea. Now, they live in Japan, but they still share the same crazy meals, Insta-worthy experiences, and heartfelt content they always have.

Why I Like Them

Simon and Martina are not afraid to be completely themselves. They have tons of fun on the camera, but have also shared some of the hard times they’ve gone through, such as Martina’s struggle with the chronic condition Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which caused them to move to Japan for more accessibility. Plus, they’re Canadian, so I enjoy when they talk about growing up in my country.

Fun For Louis

What He Does

Louis started out as a gross-out channel, where he ate anything given to him. Now, he posts near-daily vlogs of his crazy adventures, and it seems like he is constantly in the midst of one. You’ll see some of the most unique experiences on his channel. Starting in August, he and his friend JP started circumnavigating the world, and you can see his many videos in this series.

Why I Like Him

Louis is fun-spirited and makes every video interesting. I can watch his videos every day and I don’t get tired of it. Since most of us can’t live the way he does, it is fun to live the adventures through him.

YouTube is one of my favorite websites, and travel channels are some of my favorites to watch. There are many more channels you should watch than what I’ve listed, but if you need somewhere to start, these channels will keep you entertained for days.

Is there a channel I missed? Tweet me @JuliaSotnykova to let me know!

Society6: A Graphic Designer's Heaven

Graphic designers often struggle to sell their own art. Either they don’t have the resources to print their designs, or they have a hard time marketing their works. It’s a problem that has been plaguing graphic designers for years. However, there is a site that has fixed this problem: Society6.

Society6 is a place for graphic designers to sell their work, and fans of fun designs to buy them. It’s fairly easy to begin selling; you simply join, verify your account, and you’re ready to sell! The process for uploading your images is also easy. You click the Sell button, and you are ready to upload.

Some artists are skeptical of Society6 for a few reasons. The first is their rights to their artwork. S6 states that even after uploading your designs, you control the rights to all of your pieces. People also tend to be concerned about the quality of their pieces, but you can easily find the pixel dimensions for a general art print, as well as the dimensions for some specialty objects.

Furthermore, you have the ability to choose which products you sell your designs on. If you only want to sell art prints, that is completely fine. If you want mugs, tapestries, throw pillows, and more with your design, you can also do that. It is completely customizable.

Finally, Society6 allows you to set the prices for your prints. That is the price you will be paid if you make a sale. However, if you want to sell your design on anything other than prints, S6 has a list of how much commission you would make per item. No matter what you sell, you’ll get paid through Paypal at the beginning of every month.

If you are a graphic designer and you don’t have your works on Society6, I strongly encourage you to consider the benefits. College students in particular love this site, and they are willing to spend a good chunk of money to get the high-quality products S6 provides. If you’re thinking about joining the site, check out their Artist Bootcamp article for advice on how to make the most of your business.

Best Cities for Graphic Designers: Beijing

So far in our series, we’ve covered two places in North America where graphic design is prevalent. For our third city, I wanted to branch out to other parts of the world. Today’s great city for a graphic designer is Beijing, China.

Many people think of China as simply a communist state, where everyone works in a factory. However, there is more to the story than that. China has a rich cultural and artistic scene, and Beijing is right at the heart of it. Considered the art capital of the country, Beijing is a great place for a graphic designer.

Let’s look at salary. Graphic designers in Beijing typically make no less than 234,000 Chinese Yen, which roughly translates to 45,500 CAD. A one-bedroom apartment in the center of Beijing costs about 1,139 CAD per month, and the cost of living aside from rent is about 685.00 CAD per month. This means you will have roughly 2,000 CAD left each month to use for entertainment or to save. Considering the cost of living is lower in Beijing than in Toronto, and you will likely have a higher salary, this can be a great place to live if you are looking to pursue your passion and save money for a few years.

There are a few things to note about working and living in China. There are very strict laws that govern the country, from censorship to control of the Internet. You also should be fluent in Mandarin, as it will be easier to get by than it would be if you relied on English. Furthermore, if you are not of East Asian descent, you may stick out in Beijing, and you could be targeted by criminals as an unsuspecting foreigner. However, if you can bypass these pitfalls, Beijing is a great place to make a nice living and save a decent amount of money, all while working in the field you want.

Three Things to Do During a Layover

Sitting in an airport for hours is everyone’s least favorite part of traveling. Sure, you may be able to catch up on some much needed sleep, but there are many other things you can do during a layover. These are just a few of my favorites that I do whenever I travel.

Explore the Airport

If you’re in a local airport there may not be much to see. However, International airports are often full of restaurants, shops, and other fun activities. Even if you plan to save your money for your destination, you can still windowshop. You may even find some ideas for Christmas presents!

Discover the City

Although most layovers are too short to leave the airport, occasionally you can get a great deal on a flight with an extended layover. If you’re interested in your interim destination, take these tickets and spend the time exploring one more city. Sure, you may not be able to visit any landmarks, but you can stray away from the tourists and find hidden gems along the way.

People Watch

As an artist, I get inspiration from everything around me, but nothing compares to people. If you create art, no matter what form, take a few hours and watch the people around you. Take notes on what makes them distinct. If you’re a writer, eavesdrop on conversations. If you’re afraid of being obvious, put in earbuds with no music on. You can find some interesting sources for your next creation.

If you hate the travel part of traveling as much as I do, try some of these tips. They may make your layover a little more enjoyable.

Travel in Your 20's Too Expensive? Think Again.

It’s a dream of many young people to see the world. Travelling in your 20’s is easier than travelling when you’re older, but many people put it off, thinking it is too expensive. Today I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be!

EF College Break is a company that plans vacations for people like you. There are dozens of trips to go on, and the selection changes frequently. Want to see London and Paris? There’s a trip for that. Interested in exploring Peruvian wonders, including Machu Picchu? They’ve got you covered.

“But Julia,” you’re thinking, “how much will this cost me?”

Trips vary widely in price, but even the most expensive trips are just under 7500 CAD. The cheaper trips average around 4000 CAD. Sure, most college students and recent grads don’t have a couple thousand lying around, but the trips can be paid for in monthly installments that make each payment a couple hundred dollars. If you can find ways to cut costs in other areas of your life (or pick up a few overtime hours), you can definitely afford to take an EF College Break trip.

#TeamCamp vs. #TeamGlamp: A Guide to 21st Century Camping, Part Two

And we’re back with “#TeamCamp vs. #TeamGlamp: A Guide to 21st Century Camping!” Let’s dive right in.

3. Finding “Relief”

Camping

Campers will use porta potties or local bathrooms that just have “toilets,” but they are simply a porcelain thrown with a gaping hole in the ground.  Whenever I have used one of these, I think, “I hope a monster doesn’t come out of the depths and eat me!”  For the brave and daring, campers will use the “Camper’s Squat” by using a secluded area of nature to relieve themselves.  Bravo, campers.

Glamping

Glampers want anything but the monsters in the holes in the ground.  They want to use a bathroom that is no different than their ones at home--clean and flushable.

4. Sleeping Arrangements

Camping

Campers will, at most, sleep on a cot in their tent.  Usually, they will use the traditional sleeping bag.  Whether it is a light sleeping bag for hot summer nights or a durable, padded sleeping bag for cold winter nights.

Glamping

Glampers love using traditional sleeping ware, such as beds, blow up beds, or the like.  They want to remain comfortable and not toss and turn all night on the ground like campers.

5. Getting Grub & Staying Safe

Camping

Campers love the open fire.  They love portable grills/stoves.  They love the grills that some campgrounds have already installed for campers.  These are simple metal structures, not electric/gas cookers.  Campers prepare food ahead of time, usually, and warm it up once they are at camp if need be.  Food has to then be packed away in cars; the camp needs to be sweeped for leftover food products that fell on the ground.  This is because there may be unwanted animal life to visit the camp.  No one wants to wake up to Mr. Bear barging into camp and eating all the food and trash!

Glamping

Glampers love stoves, ovens, and electric/gas grills.  They want ease of use, tasty food, refrigeration, and freezers to keep food fresh.  They do not need to worry about wildlife getting into their food or trash, because they can easily lock it away in their cabins, RVs, yurts, etc.

With the rise of glamping, campers are ever challenged to reconsider their ways of camping.  “Do I want to continue to rough it when I camp? What commodities could I use without giving into this new trend?” campers might say.  Those with a propensity towards glamping might be elated at the idea of “camping” now.  They see all the luxuries they can experience, while also diving into beautiful scenery, adrenaline-pumping outdoor activities, and people.  What is your preference? Are you #TeamGlamp or #TeamCamp? Tweet me @juliasotnykova to continue the conversation!

#TeamCamp vs. #TeamGlamp: A Guide to 21st Century Camping, Part One

Camping is one of the world’s greatest pastimes.  People from all over the world camp on a regular basis.  Some even live in camp-like dwellings full-time.  Others prefer the finer things in life and do not want to give up luxuries, while experiencing the great outdoors.  Financial burden around the world was tense in the early 2000’s, and the need for a luxurious holiday was born.  This is where “glamping” comes into play.  Glamping, “is a portmanteau (a word that is a combination of two or more words) and blends glamorous and camping.”  Glamping is also known as, “boutique camping, luxury camping, posh camping or comfy camping.”  There are numerous differences between camping and glamping; so, here are some basic differences, to name a few.

1. Setting Up Shop

Camping

Camping enthusiasts would say that one should set up a tent with minor accommodations inside, such as a sleeping bag, fan, lamp, and a duffle bag of clothing.  This camp should be far away from civilization and surrounded by glorious nature.  One could yell and not be heard.  It disconnects you from reality, technology, and, for the most part, electricity.  This is the beauty of camping.

Glamping

Glamping enthusiasts love the idea of being closer to nature, but they don’t want to let go of their daily commodities, such as technology, easy access to local businesses, beds, a dwelling structure to sleep in (such as RVs, cabins, and yurts), easy access to neighboring glampers/campers, and utilities.

2. Shower Time

Camping

Campers have a variety of different ways they tackle showering, while roughing it.  Some use portable showers, such as the ones below.  Others give up showering altogether, proving they are the burliest of the burly.

Leapair Pop-Up Shower Tent

This 10-second-set-up tent can be used for installing a shower or toilet inside of it.  If a camper wants to change in private, he/she can do so in here, as well.  The tent is more of a shell that you can put various utility items in.


Solar Shower Bag, RISEPRO

Using a solar-powered shower bag is perfect for campers who want to shower but not give in to using electricity or running water.  This one in particular holds 10 gallons of water and can easily be hung from branches or inside the aforementioned shower tent.

Glamping

Showers are just steps away from glampers.  Whether that is in their RV or at their glamping ground.  Running hot or cold water is not something glampers give up easily!

Come back in two weeks for Part Two of “#TeamCamp vs. #TeamGlamp: A Guide to 21st Century Camping!”