Behind the scenes with #GivingTuesday

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fuelled by the power of social media and collaboration.

I've been following the international #GivingTuesday campaign for a few years now, and I was really excited to be welcome to the Giving Tuesday family last year. It was a nice fit with some of the other work I was doing with local nonprofits, and it felt like a great opportunity to apply a global initiative for social good to our local context. Not only has this been one of the friendliest communities that I've ever been a part of, but the impact of GivingTuesday is incredible and so inspiring. 

The Giving Tuesday Community Manager, Britney, and I sat down (virtually) to chat about a few fun things close to my heart, including why I joined the community and what I learned from our first #BajanGiving events last November. You can read the full interview here.

I'm really looking forward to bigger and better things for our #BajanGiving campaigns in 2018. If you're interested in joining the team, or you have a charity or NGO that could benefit from collaborating on a #BajanGiving campaign in November, please get in touch!

Island Diaries: A little rant about travelling in the Caribbean

Why oh why must Caribbean travel be so difficult?

Though I'm based in Barbados, I don't travel to neighbouring Caribbean countries very often. There are a number of reasons for this, the main ones being that regional travel is often unreasonably complicated and expensive, especially compared to international travel. Here's an example of what we're dealing with:

Island Diaries: Freediving and a Lionfish Hunt

There's no better way to end a busy work week than to go free diving, lionfish hunting and capping it all off with a lime on the beach, so when my friend Hannah invited me to join her on one of her "Freedive Fun Fridays", I had to say yes.

Johanna is a childhood friend who recently moved back to Barbados from Australia and started a free diving school, Trident Freedivers, through which she teaches free diving and also hosts spearfishing tours. You've seen her in some of my underwater photos on here and Hanna herself has a kickass social media following thanks to her incredible underwater shots. It's so awesome having someone like Hannah here, not only because she's an old friend, but because she is a great example of someone who offering sustainable, environmentally concious travel experiences in Barbados. 

Every week or so, Hannah hosts a "Friday Fun Free dive" session with friends, who are invited to join in on a free dive (usually in various locations around the island), which has more recently been coupled with a lionfish hunt, fresh ceviche and cold beers.

Sidenote on lionfish: these pesky buggers are an invasive species in the Caribbean and they reek havoc on our marine ecosystems. In a nutshell, hunting them is one way to keep their populations in check. Because of this, they are listed as one of the most sustainable fish choices in Barbados on the Barbados Sustainable Seafood Guide.

We explored a wreck off of Batts Rock and the 'hunters' in the group managed to shoot a number of lionfish on our way to and from the wreck. Once we were back on shore, Hannah filleted the fish and mixed the meat together with some chopped onions, sweet pepper and lime juice that she had prepared beforehand. Filleting lionfish takes practice, patience and skill, as lionfish have a set of poisonous spikes along their backs and tummy. Although not fatal, the sting of a lionfish is extremely painful.

Unfortunately I didn't get a shot of the ceviche because it was dark by the time it was ready, but believe me when I say it was delicious! The fact that it was sustainable and healthy was a huge plus.

This image was taken by Trident Freedivers

Best Places to Work Remotely in Barbados

While I was researching and putting together my post on the best Coffee and WiFi Spots in Barbados, I stumbled across some great spots in Barbados where you’re welcome to sit and work. From tropical beach settings to corporate co working spaces, this list might just change your remote working experience all together.

With more people remote working, co-working, freelancing and becoming self-employed than ever, I'm highlighting some of the best restaurants, cafes and hotspots in Barbados where the wifi is free and your laptop will always be welcome. 

I don't think many remote workers need reminding, but please make sure to support all of these businesses when using their space, especially the restaurants. Make sure to visit during the quieter periods if you're not buying a meal, and always, always buy at least a drink if you're there for an hour or two. Don't just take up space!

Check out the live Google map at the bottom of this post to see exactly where everything is located and let me know if you get a chance to visit! 

A few favourites | 2

I love discovering new profiles/websites/blogs/books so I'm starting a fun little bi weekly (or randomly, you know how I roll) feature where I share a little shot of inspiration of a few things that I love.

Happy New Year to me

Disclaimer: Very personal and quite sombre post coming up, but I'm just trying to keep it real...

Barbados Independent Film Festival 2018

I can't believe the second annual BIFF is kicking off next week from January 9th -14th!

I've been involved with this incredible event since inception in 2017 and the festival has grown in leaps and bounds in just one year. The team has been working tirelessly to execute a really diverse, multi sensory experience, with something for everyone at a number of beautiful venues across the island.

A few favourites

I love discovering new profiles/websites/blogs/books so I'm starting a fun little bi weekly (or randomly, you know how I roll) feature where I share a little shot of inspiration of a few things that I love.

Some are beautiful, some are inspiring, some are silly, some are thought provoking and they all inspire or excite me in one way or another. 

12 Book Reading Challenge

The amazing Adventurous Kate just shared this fantastic 12-Book Reading Challenge for the New Year.

Barbados Local Gift Guide 2017

Here's my second instalment of my Barbados Local Gift Guide!