Going Vegan while Living Overseas: The Challenges and Opportunities you Find when You Live Away from Home

Diana June 3, 2019

Are you considering going vegan? What are your major obstacles? In my case, fear was the main obstacle. I didn't want to be left out of social activities nor to have people confront me for my decisions, and quite frankly, I didn’t want to stop eating yummy desserts.

Two and a half years ago I became while living in Nepal. Now in Jordan, I still encounter multiple challenges, but there has not been a day in which I’ve regretted making that decision. It is so exciting, so right and delicious!

Here are 5 challenges and opportunities I have found so far, plus a ton of resources for you to read, watch and try!

A beautiful sheep that I met during my trip to New Zealand.

The Rewards of Being Kind to Animals - 5 Ways Helping Animals Make Us Happier & More Humane

Diana May 21, 2019

Regardless of our lifestyle choices, what we do every day has an impact on animals, even if we don’t own one at all. And although it is wonderful to have a cruelty-free way of living, I know it us not feasible for everybody. The great thing is that we can still be kind no matter how small our efforts are and we’ll be rewarded for it. Here’s why.

Helping animals improves our humanness and boosts our happiness. It also helps us heal from trauma and depression. The following are five ways in which being kind to animals makes us feel better.

This is an amateur photo of mine taken during a memorable trip to Italy back in 2009. The love for photography and solitude has been growing ever since.

The Uplifting Power of Solitude - 5 Ways to Enjoy your Own Company

Diana May 7, 2019

When we learn to be comfortable in our own presence and experience the joy of being alone, we seek more of those moments and value how precious they actually are. However, it doesn’t come easily to many of us and it can actually be quite scary in the beginning.

In this week’s blog we’ll share five tried-and-true ways in which we can embrace the uplifting power of solitude. Hint: one involves food, the other one, travel.

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How to Be an Animal-Friendly Tourist in Jordan - Dos and Don'ts and Other Ways to Help

Diana April 22, 2019

Working animals in Jordan and in other developing countries are usually overworked and undernourished. Their mistreatment is not apparent to most tourists who hire them without taking a closer look at their working and health conditions. In this article you will find humane and animal-friendly alternatives for your next visit to Jordan.

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Losing a Pet While Living Overseas - 5 Lessons Learned with our Adopted Cat's Passing

Diana April 8, 2019

Losing an animal companion is extremely difficult to say the least. As an expat, you rely entirely on friends and local contacts to go through the loss. Being prepared for it, however, is something only you can do.

Having a plan of action in case of an emergency really helped us when we recently lost our precious kitten Najia. This is why, aside from telling her story, I thought it would be helpful to share what we did and how we’re coping.

Preparing and anticipating helped us feel at peace, but when the emergency came, it also made things easier for the other ones involved. These are 5 of the lessons we learned through this process.

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5 Spiritual Principles My Nepalese Street Dog Has Taught Me

Diana January 14, 2019

Have you had a spiritual connection with an animal that you hold dear to this day? Has a sentient being touched your soul in different ways? This is the love story of Buddy, a Nepalese street dog and how he became my spiritual teacher.

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How to Host a Hygge [Vegan] Coffee Morning -3 Easy Ideas to Enjoy in 2019

Diana January 7, 2019

The purpose of small, intimate gatherings, like hosting a coffee morning at home, is to cultivate a sense of belonging, of safety, of trust and friendship. You can create a relaxing atmosphere in which both your home and your attitude are welcoming and warm. So gather your favorite people, light those candles and share some delicious vegan comforting food!

With these tips and simple recipes you will definitely experience that #hygge feeling you want everyone to have on your next vegan coffee morning. Hyg dig!

This photo was taken on a sunny day during one of the many visits I did to Bouddhanath in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Learning to Let Go for a Happier, Peaceful Life: Five Things you Can Do Today

Diana December 31, 2018

When we do not like a situation we are in or when we want to change how we feel, it is easy to be more controlling and demanding with ourselves and with those around us. I know for me, I become bossy and not very pleasant to be around. I forget that I have no control over other people’s decisions or actions or over my own circumstances.

Trusting and letting go are great ways to free ourselves from the burden of trying to control people, places and things. However, they are scary because we’re surrendering. But isn’t that liberating too? Maybe that is exactly what we need in that moment.

Here are five things we can let go of today for a happier, calmer life (or at least, week ;)