The Booze Souk

If you were to ask what the hardest part about living in a foreign country is, you might hear a various list of things: the language barrier, the culture shock, the time difference, etc. Some might even mention the fact that living in the middle east especially hard because in some places, you cannot have a nice glass of wine after a long day at work. But not in Qatar! Qatar is not entirely dry; if you are not Muslim, you are able to (with the consent of your sponsor), obtain a license to purchase alcohol. 

So, I introduce to you the Qatar Distribution Company, or more fondly known as The Booze Souk. Read More...

Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea

After meeting up with Wael after Petra, he began to tell us stories and historical facts about our next destination: Wadi Rum! 

I promptly fell asleep. 

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A Weekend in Jordan

What did you do last weekend? 

On a normal weekend, if I am lucky, I will go out to breakfast (my favorite meal) and then lay on my couch the rest of the time. Sometimes I will go out to get drinks or see other people, but I am 100% content with reading my book all weekend. After spending the week with a bunch of five year olds, I want to spend as much time by myself with no questions. 

Miss, what we do? 

Miss, when lunch? 

Miss, I go bathroom?

Although I have hit most of the places on the top of my "places to visit" list, I could not possibly go to every place in my two years of living in Qatar (This list pretty much includes every country in the world). So, instead of spending a whole week in some places, a quick weekend trip was going to have to be sufficient. So, once again, I packed up my backpack and headed to the airport after work on Thursday. This weekend's destination? Jordan! Read More...

Land of Elephants and Water

I have been to a lot of places, but Southeast Asia was not one of them. It is a popular destination, especially from the west coast, and I know people that spend months wandering through the countries and that there is a plethora of things to see and do. But when I think of this region, I think of one thing- elephants! Read More...

Bangkok

When I found out my younger cousin, Michael, would be studying abroad in Thailand this year, I knew that a trip would be necessary. So very early on, I told him there was a week in April that I would be coming, and he had no choice in the matter. He was going to study in Bangkok, so we arranged to meet there and then decide where else to visit. Luckily my other cousin, his sister, was able to meet up as well. So for one week in April, three Kridl grandchildren explored their way through Thailand. Read More...

Kuwait-ing For The End

Another weekend- another country! I know that Kuwait doesn't exactly scream luxurious weekend trip, but when in Rome (or the Middle East)... Read More...

Happy Belated Women's Day

Obviously I have procrastinated enough to miss both International Women's Day and the entirety of Women's History Month- whoops! Although these days are reserved to talk about a variety of topics- from the contributions of women in a multitude of fields to the suffering of women across the globe. HUGELY important topics.
But let's talk for a minute about something else I feel very strongly about- Female Friendship.
Best Friends.

Squad Goals.

Girl Crush.

You name it, it's important to me. 

It's not a new phenomenon but I think we can agree that it's being talked about now a lot more than before. Female friendships as empowering and uplifting instead of being used to bring each other down. 

As funny as Mean Girls was, no one actually wants to be in the Plastics. You want to surround yourself with friends that support you and listen to you when you are down.

And I feel I am lucky enough to have those. Read More...

Zanzibar

Almost 9 years ago, I spent the summer romping around the South Pacific. Included in this was an Open Water Padi course on a Fijian island. I spent a few days exploring the underwater world, but when I got back home, I never took out my card again. I kept thinking I would run into the opportunity again, but somehow it never presented itself until my recent trip to Africa. Read More...

The Lion and Some Other Animals

I really couldn't title this post any other way. On this day, I may or may not have spent close to an hour taking hundreds of pictures of a single lion. A very hot and fly infested lion. Read More...

Serengeti

We passed straight from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the world famous Serengeti National Park. 

Jambo! Read More...

Ngorongoro Crater

Christmas (Winter) Break is a pretty big thing in the teaching community. You get two weeks to be away from 20 needy (or more) children and time to catch up on your sleep. In the international community it's an even bigger deal because two weeks is enough time to jump on a plane and see your family that lives 18 hours away. Or (much to my mother's dismay) you could jump on a plane heading south and go on your second safari in two years and not go home. Read More...

Banana Island

Doha can get pretty fancy. Living in the wealthiest country in the world has its perks. 

All along the corniche are strange signs pointing towards an elusive "Banana Island." It took me quite a while to figure out exactly what they were referring to and where they were actually pointing. After being reassured by my students that it was not, in fact, made of bananas, it became a part of my bucket list to visit this banana island. Read More...

Hop, Skip, and a Jump

It's official... I'm coming home!!

In June, I will be saying goodbye to Doha and hello to California!

So my new goal is to rack up as many stamps in my passport as possible. 

Ready, set, go! Read More...

Making a Conscious Impact in Nepal

I am an incredibly privileged human being. I fully recognize the inherent privilege I have just because I was born in the right place in the right time. I have two incredibly supportive parents and grew up in a wonderful neighborhood where everyone actually checks in with each other and borrows cupfuls of sugar. I went to amazing schools and graduated from a great university. I know that my family would always support me but I also know that not everyone is as privileged as I am. 

I have always known how lucky I am to be living the life I am, but sometimes it is easy to forget about the other part of the world that does not have those luxuries. With the amount of travel I have been on this past year (another privilege I have been granted) it becomes harder to forget these people. 

These people are the vast majority of the world. 

While searching for somewhere to travel on my September break from school, up popped a post on my Facebook newsfeed. Read More...

Hong Kong Layover

Hello to my very small following on the interwebs...

I am back in Doha for my second year!
As I embark on my last (possibly?) year in the sandbox, I am feeling more comfortable and more self aware. Read More...

Nepal 2015- A Call for Donations

Hello y'all!
As some of you may have heard, I live in Qatar. 
OK, unless this is your first time here, you already knew that.


Qatar has awarded me some incredible opportunities. I have a great job, great friends, a great savings, and great travel opportunities.
After whisking myself off to multiple countries and multiple continents for the first time, (on my own dime- thanks Mom and Dad!)this year, I feel like it's time to give that back.
Qatar is an excellent opportunity for me but it may not be for every one. In April, Nepal was hit by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that left most of the country in ruins. As I am incredibly close and am lucky to get time off of work, I will be spending my break in Nepal to help with rebuilding sustainable long term homes (using my questionable manual labor abilities). There are many Nepalese people living in Qatar and it is believed that many were not able to return home to their families or homes after the earthquake. I cannot bring people back to their families but I can do something- donate my money and my time.

I will be traveling to Nepal with Conscious Impact. Conscious Impact "inspires, mobilizes and trains volunteers to compassionately and selflessly serve those in need through international, cross-cultural collaborations. Our programs are designed to maximize impact through sustainable and community-led solutions."

Although I am donating my own money, I am also putting it out there for my friends and family. I am hoping to raise money for the building supplies as well as for food and shelter for the week.

Follow this link --> EMPOWERED.ORG/LEANNEK
scroll down and click the orange button that says "Donate Now." 
Hint: You are not a robot.

Everything helps- 5 bucks, 20 bucks, words of encouragement- anything you can spare. I thank every single one of you for staying long enough to read this (who actually reads these things?) and a special thanks to those that donate! I will keep you all updated regardless :)



Although voluntourism is something to educate yourself about, I truly believe that through Conscious Impact, I will be doing something good.

A European Summer

Growing up, I didn't hear a whole lot about Poland, but I knew that it is where my grandfather grew up. Being what I would call a European mutt, I identified with being Polish more than anything else.
My mother's family is multiple generation Californian while my paternal grandmother is also quite American. When I did hear about my paternal grandfather's life in Poland before moving to the states, it was always a great thrill. After my grandfather passed away in January of 2013, I made it my goal to make it back to Poland. Read More...

Copenhagen

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Munich

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Berlin

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