Less than 6 weeks to go

Time is flying, it's only less than 6 weeks until take-off.

I must admit I'm getting a bit nervous but I know that I have the team at New Heaven welcoming me and that is a great support, together with the support fram my family, friends and friends I've never met in real life.

I also have my previous experience with volunteering through Kaya, they made this happen. Without them together with New Heaven I wouldn't had the courage to venture on this new chapter in my life.

I also have the best skin products with me, REN skincare, that will make me skin look radiant and beautiful as always.

I have an appointment with Akademikliniken Stureplan for some skincare booked before I leave.
Now I just need to book an appointment to my favorite hairdresser at By Barda, Sofia, so my hair looks like I feel.

My sister!

I see myself has a very lucky person, I don't only have my mom and dad supporting me in my new adventures I also have my baby sister, she is not just a sister she is also my best friend.

She's one of these special ones, the ones you know will always be there for you no matter what.

My Friday and Saturday I spent at her new place, we had a barbecue, "glögg", gingerbread cockies and stilton, and a bit of bubbling Crémant.

An evenings walk around the area with her beautiful dog Terry (also called my boyfriend, apparently according to mom, dad and sis, we have a special bond) and a long Saturday walk, nothing can beat a weekend like this. And for the first time in many months I actually slept without having night terrors.

I will miss my boyfriend very much, he can't come and see me, he's a Nordic dog who don't like heat and humidity, but I am very happy both my dad and my sister will come and visit me.

Today it's only 6 weeks until I leave, and it's really starting to be real what I'm doing.

But I know that I will be with friends on Koh Tao, the New Heaven Dive school team are amazing people.

In my sisters neighborhood there is this amazing house that is tacky and beautiful at the same time :)

New tattoo

Before leaving for my adventure I'm getting some new ink.
My place to go is Lidingö Tattoo, the artist there is great not only is he a good tattoo artist he is also a really pleasant person.

I am also looking forward to Toby Rands new album, can't wait to get my hand on it. Toby Rand and the band London Cries is what I can listen to over and over and over.

Paul Walker

Today is a sad day, one compassionate and loving actors is no longer with us.
He's done a lot for Haiti and the Philippines after the natural disasters that hit them. His organisation Reach out Worldwide had an event, when leaving the event the car he was in crashed and he and his friend were killed. How ironic and unfair is that?
I feel for his daugther and hope she will have the support and help she needs.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2516327/Fast-And-Furious-actor-Vin-Diesel-leads-way-stars-pay-tribute-Paul-Walker.html

Studies

I've found an online course in Marine Biology that I'm going to do before I leave.
I will get an exam certificate from it and I know it probably doesn't have any academic points, I still think that it will show that I am interested and dedicated in learing more about our environment.

Why is over-fishing a problem?

Please check out this video:

http://www.trueactivist.com/gab_gallery/soon-there-will-be-no-fish-left-ending-overfishing/

The disaster in the Philippines

If you want to donate to someone where the majority of you money goes to the actual project, donate through http://www.kayavolunteer.com/Philippines-Appeal.html

If you want to volunteer helping the Philippino-community I suggest you reach out through Kaya, they are serious, dedictated and put most of your donation when volunteering to the projects.
http://www.kayavolunteer.com/projects/Building-Project-in-the--Philippines.html

What makes Kaya stands out compared to other volunteer organisations is that they make sure most of your payment goes to the project you volunteer for but also that they are thinking of you, and a really involved in making sure that you as a volunteer is doing alright.
I know from personel experience, after volunteering through them twice, that they are very dedicated and have you as a volunteer as a top priority.
What makes them even better is that the money you pay actually go to the project you volunteer at.

For helping the people in the Philippines there are also the amazing veterans:
http://teamrubiconusa.org/

Products for your skin...

When you are looking for the perfect solution for your skin, you have many brands to choose from that are really good, but when you also have the environment as an important factor it gets much more difficult. It's not just about finding products that are not tested on animals, it is also a question of finding products that don't have a negative impact on the environment. The impact on the environment can be the way they produce it but also which is just as important how it is (or not is) biodegradeable with no negative environmental impact.

I've been using REN for a long time because my skin loves it. But getting  more educated I needed to know what to use that is good for my skin but also produced by a company that realise the impact beauty products have on the environment.

After e-mailing REN I realised that they are aware and they do produce products that are not only good for your skin but is also environmental ok to use.
What I like with REN is that they take the questions you ask very seriously and really take their time to send you an answer.

They also give you the option to send your empty bottles free of charge back to them for recycling!

Their products are not tested on animals and they are concerned of animal testing.

They also donate a minimum of 2.5% of their profits to campaigns that promote a better environment and a better life for those less fortunate than ourselves. In recent years they have made major donations to Crisis, Children In Need, dEBra and Great Ormond Street Hospital.

I will continue to use REN, and will test their products on my adventure where my skin will be in a new environment.

Today I got my certificate in Advanced Marine Science from TRACC, I am so happy and grateful for all the people supporting and helping me getting this exam. They believed in me when I doubted my ability to pass.
Now my goal is to educate myself more both on Koh Tao with New Heaven Diveschool and also with internet-courses.

November is Coral Reef Awareness month!
Learn more about coral reefs and their habitants here:
http://www.newheavendiveschool.com/conservation-projects/month-coral-reef-awareness/

Our planet, both on land and sea, is so beautiful.

Wont be asking "what if...."

Is this my new life, I don't know.
I just know that I am bored, really bored working in the office environment for a company that needs you so that they can make money.
I have always been a loyal and hard working person but now it's time for me to do something for me.
Luckily I have amazing parents who support me in my new adventure, so if things go the wrong way I will always be welcome home again.

Started working a long long time ago, and has been pretty bored of the 9-5 office work for a lot of years. But it wasn't until August 2011 when I went volunteering on Koh Tao with New Heaven Dive school and Kaya Volunteer that I re-discovered the fun in working.
Had the best 4 weeks for a long time doing land volunteering, it was rewardering, educational and the people were wonderful.
When I got back home I decided I wanted to learn more so in August 2012 I went to Pom Pom Island, Borneo, and took a course in Advanced Marine Science for 3 months with TRACC. I took leave of abscence from my ordinary job to do this.
My 3 months on Pom Pom had their ups and downs, but on the whole that trip was fantastic and I met the most amazing group of people.
Things happened that were out of anyones control, we had to move our camp site and start from scratch with building a camp, a kitchen, getting supplies etc. This took time away from my classes in Marine Science and the volunteer work. I just got there at the wrong time.
I did learn to dive, that was a bit scary in the beginning but thanks to a fantastic instructor I got the confidence I needed to complete with Open Water.
The Advanced OW I did with another instructor, he was also great. Very calm and patient.
Looking at the pictures from the TRACC-camp on Pom Pom now, wow, they have come a long way since I was there, it looks great!
I gained so much knowledge there and also learned a lot about myself.

Getting back home I had to keep on studying so that I could do the Advanced Marine Science exam. Finally in July I took the exam and in August I received an e-mail telling me I passed! In November I finally received my exam certificate!

After Pom Pom I felt even stronger that I didn't want to waste my life away sitting in an office. So I decided to take a leap and leave the safety net here in Sweden!
In January 2014 I am leaving for Koh Tao again this time doing an intership in Marine Conservation for 6 months!
I was prepared to resign from my job but I didn't have to, they gave my leave of abscence for 6 months. So if I realise that the life I will be living on Koh Tao isn't for me, then I have the option to go back to work again.
If it is for me, than I will quit my office job, and look for a job somewhere where the sun is shining, the seas are blue and the sand is warming. I wont be making a lot of money doing it, but that's not what is important. It is much more important having fun and enjoying life.

Now I'm in full swing making all the arrangements for going away for some time.