Traveler Profile: MichelleS

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Screen name:

MichelleS

Age:

Gender:

Female

If you must know:

I'm happily married

Travel status:

Traveling now

Hometown:

Dallas, TX

Currently in:

Houston, TX

Traveling Next:

New Orleans/Virginia/New York City

Favorite places I've been:

Salvador, Brazil, Paris, France, London, England, Dublin, Ireland, Port of Spain, Trinidad, San Francisco, California, Seattle, Washington

Places I want to go to:

Beijing, China, Tokyo, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Italy, Spain, Argentina

About me:

After teaching band in the Dallas area, my husband and I headed to Brazil for a year of teaching English and spending too much time on the beach. We headed to Suwon, South Korea for another year of teaching, and now we're back in the U.S. All compasses point to NYC.

I play the steel drum, a beautiful instrument native to Trinidad and Tobago. I've played with the Desperados steel band in Trinidad and was a member of One Credit Hour, a steel band in the DFW area, for six years. Here in Seoul I'm in a reggae funk band and a jazz combo. I also love writing; I just finished my first science fiction novel, and I'm the new intern editorial assistant for MatadorGoods.com!

Profile URL:

http://matadortravel.com/travel-community/michelles

Read more about MichelleS

I'm fired up on:

Music and writing!

Tunes I rock out to:

I love Brazilian music of any kind! I was fortunate to see several amazing artists while I lived in Salvador, including Olodum, Maria Rita, Ceu, and Daniela Mercury. I also love jazz and anything funky.

Travel style:

My husband and I enjoy really submerging ourselves into the culture- trying to speak the language, finding the little hole in the wall restaurants the locals hang out at, etc.

Favorite books:

Hitchhiker's Guide, His Dark Materials, Harry Potter, anything by Roald Dahl

Languages spoken, other than English:

Portuguese

I felt the most immersed in a foreign culture when:

Listening to their music and eating their food.

Why I travel:

Because the world is a big place!

Ideal place to watch the sunset:

The beach in Salvador, listening to live music and eating acaraje.

Let's collaborate:

I'm a writer interested in freelancing for travel and/or education publications, and I'm interested to hear about the experience of others living overseas!

My links:

http://musictravelwrite.wordpress.com
http://yahighway.blogspot.com

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by Simone Marie | 2009/11/18

Hi Michelle,

Thanks for befriending me! I'm still figuring out how to use this part of the network. Which is sad, because it's been months. I'm obsessed with the general Matador dialogue, love reading the work that's up everyday, and love getting my work up here too, but I'd like to use this part a bit more. Friend requests can be made simply by clicking on "Add to Network," right?

How do you like living and teaching in Korea? My boyfriend and I have been thinking about heading there to teach for a year, as a combined opportunity for travel and paying off seriously hefty student loans. Your lovely piece about your daily life as an expat made me consider the idea more seriously.

by NATEive | 2009/11/16

thanks so much for befriending me! Is your book available for purchase? I'm a bit of a scifi/fantasy fanatic:)
Have you played the Hang at all? Been hearing them so much lately, amazing new instrument!
Lovely to meet ya, all the best:)

by fit oceania | 2009/08/30

hello michelle,

i will posted it... :)

by LJGolden | 2009/08/24

It IS hard to ignore New Orleans, but I can't move back there until I have some better idea of what to do with myself besides sit in French Quarter bars all night (a total exaggeration of my six months there).

Dallas! I lived in Lancaster for 9-10 years. Um... lots of state fair visits on the free tickets they gave us on Fair Day.

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by Travellohr | 2009/08/21

Hi Michelle - thanks for commenting on my road trip festivals piece on Nights!

I saw on your blog you entered the Trazzler contest. I did too. I voted for your entry.

Are you getting ready to go back to Texas?

by NewLifeTravel | 2009/07/21

Birthright is an incredible concept. I'm excited that I get to start my travels in israel with a group of people from my hometown.

by Ted Kern | 2009/07/18

Howdy Neighbor!

Well sort of. You are a LONG way from home right now. I'm new to the whole Matador thing, just found it but so far like it much more than Facebook. Not as many stupid posts. "I was excited my dog sat up today!"

The travel and life experience aspect really is much better here. Still trying to find my way and how to contact people though.

When you and your multi-lingual hubby make it back to town we DEFINATELY need to hook up. We have a great group of people who like to travel and scuba dive, but are just good poeple at heart.

Hope you guys are safe and having a great time!

Ted

by halamen | 2009/06/18

Ooo! Ooo! You wrote a sci-fi book?! Please tell me the title, I wanna pick it up!

by greenapples | 2009/06/14

Hey! Portugal was so beautiful. And I found the people much friendlier then Spain. I visited Porto and Lisbon, but i wish I had stayed longer and explored the coast as well.

Looks like you are getting your fair share of traveling in before you go near Portugal. It all sounds amazing!

by wondershot | 2009/05/27

Sweet! Do you like it in Seoul? This is a new thing for me.

by Sarah Park | 2009/05/23

Yeah, Anthony Bourdan is livin' the dream! You play the drums? My boyfriend is a drummer --he tried to teach me, but apparently I have no rhythm and just like to hit stuff in no discernible pattern. He thinks he can teach me to "reeeeel it in," but I suspect I may prefer it my way. :)

by VagabonderZ | 2009/05/14

Hey...since I appear to be doomed to be a flat-dweller the rest of my days, I'd love one of those Roland V-drum kits! This one for starters:

http://www.rolandcorp.com.au/default.aspx?prd=850

I had a friend teach me how to keep a basic beat and I seemed to pick it up pretty fast. I would actually love to learn everything (I play guitar now).

Do you have any videos or recordings of your music?

by MichelleS | 2009/05/13

I LOVE Daniela! She was my favorite performance at Carnaval last year- I'm so jealous that you were there this time around!

by novoarte | 2009/05/13

ha! Daniela Mercury! I just saw her in this year's Carnaval-- who knew she's over 50? She looked like a teenager!

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My Country Cheated On Me

By MichelleS | Location: United States | 10/19/09 | Pics: 0

That's kind of how it feels, anyway.

I'm back in Texas after living in Korea for a year, and Brazil a year before that. Happy to be back. Ready to enjoy and re-acquaint myself with my home country.

I don't want this to turn into a rant, because it won't solve anything and certainly won't do me any good....

3 comments | Send to Friend |

Leaving Pieces Behind

By MichelleS | Location: South Korea | 09/08/09 | Pics: 0

I know I shouldn't, but when I'm leaving a place, especially someplace where I've spent a significant amount of time, I obsess over the "lasts". Last time at my favorite kimbap restaurant. Last time walking Adi around the lake. Last time on the subway. (Well, I'm not too torn up about that one.)

Despite...

3 comments | Send to Friend |

What I'll Miss Most About Korea

By MichelleS | Location: South Korea | 09/02/09 | Pics: 0

Since I can now officially say "next week, when I'm back in the U.S.", I thought I'd go ahead and list what I'll be pining for about seven days from now.

The obvious is the food; it's hard to imagine not eating kimchi every day. I'll miss the deliciousness, healthiness, and affordability of kimbap...

2 comments | Send to Friend |

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