Top 10 Things to Do and See in Sarasota

Hey, folks!

Having lived in Sarasota, Florida for the past 4 years, I believe it is time to share my favorite things to do and see in this beautiful part of the state.  

1. Siesta Key Beach - Voted the best beach in America in 2011 and 2017 on the annual Dr. Beach list, you will be greeted by sparkling, turquoise waters that are as warm as a bathtub in the Summer, and a blanket of powder-white sand made of quartz.  If you compare Siesta Key sand to talcum powder, it is difficult to tell the difference!  Reflecting the sun, this powdery sand stays cool under your feet all year long.  The area has recently been updated with a huge concession stand, numerous grills ("BBQ's"), and a playground for the kiddos.  While spending time on this beautiful beach, prepare to witness some of the most dramatic sunsets you have ever seen!

Siesta Key Beach - Captured by Maree's Mum

2. Turtle Beach - This lesser-known beach is directly south of Siesta Key.  It boasts peace and quiet away from the crowds, particularly if you walk a couple of miles north from the main entrance.  The sands are coarse and grey, and the waves are a little bigger than nearby beaches - well, as big as waves can get in the calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. 😉  The turtle nesting season stretches from as early as May, to as late as October.  There are usually hundreds of protected turtle nests dotted along this beach - a gentle reminder of just how magical our ocean life and animal kingdom is!  

3. Myakka State Park - Sarasota does not only offer some of the best beaches in America, but is also the home to state parks and wetlands.  These places are excellent for biking and hiking, and you are almost guaranteed to spot alligators at Myakka.  Gators are beautifully intimidating creatures.  Keep your distance!  Insider tip: bring your camera with a zoom-lens for some epic photos. 😊  There is a boardwalk over the lake, and a canopy walkway with a vertical stairway that takes you above the treeline for incredible views.  The airboat is a fun way to cruise around the lake to spot some birds and gators.  From our experience, some of the more remote hiking trails are poorly signed, with just a few inconspicuous paint marks on trees every few hundred meters.  Thus, if you attempt one of these, it's critical that you keep track of landmarks to avoid getting lost.

Myakka State Park - Captured by Maree Richardson

4. Kayaking around Lido Key and the Mangroves at South Lido County Park - Rent a kayak and paddle through the shallow mangrove tunnels.  You will see crabs scuttling, fish swimming, and a variety of birds.  Insider tip: bring your bug repellent ("mozzie spray")!  Also, bring your lunch, a cold beer, a fishing pole, and life is goooooood!

5. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens - This is the place for plant lovers.  It features thousands of orchards and bromeliads, an abundance of tropical plants, a butterfly garden, and a koi fish pond.  Bring a picnic blanket, a good book, and bask under a shady tree with views overlooking Sarasota Bay.

6. St. Armands Circle, Ringling Causeway Bridge and Lido Key - This major bridge crosses over Sarasota Bay, connecting you from Downtown Sarasota to St. Armands Circle, Lido Key and beyond.  There is a walking/running path on either side of the bridge which offers some spectacular views of the area.  St. Armands Circle boasts world-class restaurants and high-end shopping (a.k.a. "window shopping" for me!).  Just a short walk and you'll find yourself at the beautiful Lido Key Beach, which offers powdery-white sand and clear waters.

7. Downtown Historic District - We don't often make it downtown, although always thank ourselves for making the effort when we do.  Each corner is alive with art, culture, and passion.  You can't help but stroll around with a smile on your face as you consume all of the colors, positive vibes, and quaint store fronts.  Additionally, the cinema with the cheapest tickets in town is located here, so this is the place to go to catch that new flick you've been dying to see.     

8. Sarasota Jungle Gardens - Are you an animal-lover?  If so, than this is the place for you!  You can hand-feed flamingos that elegantly stroll around the gardens.  Unexpectedly, they don't sound as pretty as they look - they honk like pigs!  Feeling bold?  You might have the opportunity to hold a snake, lizard, baby alligator, or a bird.  Some of the most colorful parrots and macaws I have ever seen reside here.  The entry fee can add up if you have a large family or group of people, so utilize their great teacher and student discounts!

Sarasota Jungle Gardens - Captured by Maree's Mum

9. Sarasota Bayfront and Bayfront Park - If you are heading downtown, to Lido Key, or to the Jungle Gardens, you must stop by this stunning location.  We love to take a break and hang out here.  Take a walk around the park, sit on a wooden swing and listen to the water peacefully lapping on the rocks, have a drink at O'Leary's Tiki Bar & Grill, and take a picture with your sweetheart in front of the "Unconditional Surrender" statue, also known as the "Kissing Statue". 😘

   

10. Ringling Museum of Art, Ringling Circus Museum, and the Ca'd'Zan - The Ringling Museum of the American Circus was the first to document the history of this form of entertainment.  Sarasota was where the circus members stayed during the Winter months.  Learn about the history of the Circus and explore the endless costumes and memorabilia.  Nearby sits the grand Ca'd'Zan mansion.  Take a tour of the inside, or simply wander around the outside to admire the intricate designs and size of this place.  Insider secret: Greg proposed to me at this place!  

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Did I say 10? Whoops! Here is a bonus:

11. Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium - Struck a rainy day? Not to fear, the aquarium is here!  Mote Marine is a not-for-profit, marine research organization that helps to protect our oceans and conducts ongoing wildlife conservation and research programs.  Meet the vast array of marine life, including huge sea turtles and manatees! 

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A Sarasota Sunset - Image Captured by Maree Richardson

So, there you have it.  The "inside scoop" to Sarasota.  Whether you're here for one day, one week, or one year, I hope you enjoy your time exploring this inspirational place.


Have a great week!


Maree

Trick #2: Smart Phone Rewards

G'day folks,

You know that little device you hold in your hand/pocket that does just about nearly everything?  Not only can your smart phone take quality photos, message/call anybody around the world at any time, and allow you to spend way to much time on social media, it can also make you money! 💲

In a previous post I shared my top 10 "tricks" for pursuing a work and travel life. Today, I am going to explore another one of those "tricks" in more detail: Smart Phone Rewards.

Greg (hubby) has a Samsung Note 5, and we use Samsung Pay at any check-out that will accept it. 

Tip: if a cashier says "our machines don't accept that", always try it! From our experience, many cashiers don't realize their credit card machines accept Samsung Pay and are pleasantly surprised when they see that it works. 😏   

It may seem like a humbug to research and learn about how to pay with your phone, but you will reap solid rewards.

To put it into perspective, for using Samsung Pay (which is free to use!) over a short period of time, we received a $50 reward to use towards anything we want, anywhere we want.  It paid for one weeks' worth of groceries and a bottle of Whiskey. Win! 

Another example: last weekend we received a $5 voucher thanks to Samsung Pay, and used it at the hairdressers to pay for half of Greg's haircut.  Hey, every bit counts, right?! 😉


Who else uses their smart phone to pay for items?  If so, which country do you use it in?


Have a great week!


Maree

Trick #1: Rent your Spare Room

Hi folks,

Do you love to travel but don't have the money? Do you have a spare room in your house? If your answer is yes, then read on!

In a previous post I shared my top 10 "tricks" for pursuing a work and travel life. Today, I am going to explore one of those "tricks" in more detail: Rent Your Spare Room.

One of our New Years resolutions was to become Airbnb hosts. My husband and I pondered this thought for months, unsure whether it was the "right thing" for us. However, here we are, 6 months of hosting later, and loving it! 

There are many people like you who are thinking about becoming Airbnb hosts, however are unsure when to/if you should "take the plunge". From our experience, here is what you need to know:

How?

It's as easy as 1, 2, 3!  

1. Clean your spare room. Keep the big things (e.g., furniture, etc); relocate/discard the small things (e.g., knick-knacks, personal items, etc). 

2. Update your spare room. Think about what vibe, what atmosphere, you want your guests to experience. Be inspired from where you live. For example, we live 10 minutes from the beach, so our guest room is decked out with yellow/blue/white hues, seashells, beach towels, and ocean artwork.

3. List away! Yes, you are ready to create your listing! Go to the Airbnb website. Click on the Become a Host tab and then click on Host a Home from the drop-down menu. Click the red box Get Started and follow the prompts.

• Quick Tip! As well as supplying nice bed linen and bath towels/washers, it is polite to supply toiletries for your guest to use such as shampoo and soap. Your weary travelers will thank you! We also supply tea/coffee (and sometimes baked goods) for breakfast, and leave a jar of chocolates in the guest room as a sweet treat. First impressions last, right?! 😉 

Hanging out with some of our lovely Airbnb guests.

Benefits:      

• Meet interesting people from all over the world! Many of our guests have been fellow-minded travelers, visitors, vacationers, and professionals. We have hosted guests from Argentina, Jamaica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Italy, France, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, and New Zealand, not to mention many guests from different states within the U.S.A. 
• Try new foods! With some long-term guests, we have shared stories over a home-made meal or two, made by us or our guests who have wanted to share a piece of their home state/country. 
• Learn new languages! After hosting multiple international guests, we have learned some new words and phrases. We now know how to say "thank you" in Russian!
• Earn extra cash to fuel your passions! The money you receive enables you to save money for that dream trip, to put towards home maintenance projects, or whatever your passion may be. 
• Play with pets! We allow pets, and have loved getting to meet some furry friends that our guests have brought with them.   
• Bonding experience! Clean the guest room/space with your spouse or friend.

Challenges:

• Presenting with a friendly, flexible, and approachable demeanor. This comes naturally for us, however for others it may not.   
• Being comfortable with unfamiliar people in your home. To be honest, we genuinely miss having some of our long-term guests in our home. They felt like family! 

Still unsure? 

• Work full-time? Don't have time? Not a problem! You can choose how often you want guests. We both work other full-time jobs, and I have a long commute to work each day, so we chose to have a day/night in between guests which allows us plenty of time to clean and prepare. We actually enjoy the "break" away from our professional jobs.
• What if a guest damages my property? Fortunately, you are covered for up to $1,000,000 with the Airbnb Host Guarantee to protect your home and belongings. 
• What if a guest hurts themselves on my property? Airbnb has Host Protection Insurance to protect you from liability. 
• I don't want sketchy people! Guest and host information is verified, including government photo I.D., phone numbers, and email. 
• What if a guest is disrespectful and disobeys my house rules? Both guest and host write a review at the end of their stay, so it is in everyone's best interest to be mutually respectful and obey the rules.
• I don't want guests in my house during the week I am away. You can block out dates on your calendar when you don't want guests.  

"Welcome to [our] house" ~ Flo Rida 

Further questions? Don't hesitate to ask! 

I would love to hear from you all about your Airbnb experiences, as guest or host.

Cheers!

Maree

How to Plan a Trip to "The Smokies"

Hey folks,

When planning a trip away, I usually like to explore new places that I have never been to before. However, when hubby suggested returning to "The Smokies", I did not think twice!

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee is the only place we have returned to for vacation. We are forever grateful to the Tennessee State legislature for the free entrance to the park. Yes, you heard me, FREE! Here are my tips for planning a trip to "The Smokies".

Sunrise at The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Look how stunning she is...and the view isn't too bad either!
 Image captured by Maree Richardson.

Accommodation:

We have stayed in Kear's mountain cabins near Gatlinburg for both of our trips. After extensive searches on many accommodation websites (AirBnb.com; HomeAway.com; Hotels.com, etc.) we came to the conclusion that these are the best "bang for your buck". For a little over $100 per night, you can stay in your own private log cabin with spectacular views of Mt. Leconte, perhaps the best views in the area. Many of these cabins also have a hot tub on the balcony to soak in after a long day hiking. Most amenities are included such as a washer, dryer, and full kitchen so you can save $ by cooking at home and enjoying dinner with world class mountain views.

Kear's Mountain Cabins. All images captured by Maree Richardson.

Hiking:

There are a tremendous amount of hikes available in "The Smokies". So many, that it is impossible to accomplish them all in one trip. It is best to hike in the early morning or late afternoon when there is less foot traffic. Here is a list of the hikes we have completed so far in order of preference:

1) Porter's Creek Trail - follows a beautiful flowing stream with large boulders and small waterfalls; spectacular creek views and sounds; lots of wildflowers and butterflies; lesser known = minimal people on the trail (quiet); moderate hike due to long distance and unpaved trail; ~ 4 miles round trip.

Porter's Creek Trail. Footage taken by Maree Richardson. 
Press "play" and turn your sound on!  

2) Grotto Falls - the only waterfall in the park that you can walk behind; popular = lots of people on the trail; easy-moderate hike due to short distance and unpaved trail; ~ 2.6 miles round trip.

Grotto Falls. Image captured by Gregory Richardson.

3) Abrams Falls - waterfall with large volume of water; less people than Grotto Falls but more people than Porter's Creek Trail = not many people on the trail; moderate hike due to long distance and unpaved trail; ~ 5.2 miles round trip.

Abrams Falls. Image captured by Maree Richardson.

4) Laurel Falls - 80-foot waterfall; paved footpath; very popular hike = lots of people on the trail; easy hike due to short distance and paved trail; ~ 2.3 miles round trip.

Laurel Falls.   

5) Noah "Bud" Ogle Nature Trail - view a historic farm house and barn, and learn about how people lived in this area in the 1800's; easy hike due to short distance; ~ 1.0 mile round trip.

Noah "Bud" Ogle Farm. Image captured by Maree Richardson.

Other Attractions Worth Seeing:

A) Clingman's Dome: This is the highest point in "The Smokies" and the highest point in Tennessee. From the parking lot, it is a short 0.5 mile, although very steep, hike to the top. If weather permits, the views are mesmerizing! If not, you cannot see past 100 meters or so. The picture below shows our view in August 2015 versus June 2017, the difference being pure luck with the weather.

Clingman's Dome August 2015.

Clingman's Dome June 2017.
Both images captured by Maree Richardson.

B) Moonshine Tasting: In Downtown Gatlinburg your will find Sugarland's Distilling Company. You can sample different flavors of moonshine and purchase your favorite/s to take home.  

Sugarland Moonshine. Image captured by Maree Richardson.

If you are planning a trip to "The Smokies", I hope you found some of the above information helpful. There is no guessing why it is America's most visited national park.

Sometimes all you need is to adjust your altitude. 😊


Happy Hiking,


Maree

The Traveling Career Woman

Hi folks,

Some of us want to be career women. Some of us want to be traveling women. But, what about those who want to work AND travel. Can we be both?

Today's post is inspired by an Instagram post from Ladies Gone Global. I cannot praise their post enough! Ladies Gone Global also has a website, if you want to check them out.

I admit that I have been victim to scrolling through my Instagram feed and have been "sucked in" to the idealistic fantasy that to be "free", you must give up everything (your house, your car, your work) and live a nomadic lifestyle, forever hopping from one place to the next. Lucky for me, my idealistic mind is complemented by my husband's realistic mind.

What does "freedom" mean to you? For me, being "free" is to be able to do what is best for YOU. To work, live, and travel how YOU want to. You can be inspired and influenced by others, but don't let yourself be controlled or pushed by them.

I have a home-base and work full-time, and travel during my work holidays and/or take the Paid Time Off I have earned to do so. Not sure how this would work for you? Here are my "tricks" for being able to pursue a work and travel life:

1. Take advantage of your work holidays/annual leave/paid vacation/PTO. I love planning trips away that coincide with my work holidays. Fortunately, my work follows the local School District calendar meaning I get time off for public holidays and portions of the school holidays.

Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA. August 2015. We visited the Smoky Mountains on my 5 day break in between my works' Summer Program ending and the new School Year beginning.  

2. Rent your spare room. This past month, my husband and I decided to rent our spare bedroom on AirBnB. Wow! If you have been considering doing this, you should do it. We have met some really interesting people and have been able to share stories with fellow-minded travelers who have stayed with us from all over the world. The money we made last month covered our mortgage, taxes, and electricity, meaning we can save more $$ from our regular 9-5 day jobs to put towards retirement and our "travel fund" for future adventures!

3. Take advantage of your smart phone's rewards. My husband has a Samsung Note5 smart phone, and uses Samsung Pay to pay for our groceries and other items. Just for using Samsung Pay (which is free) we received a $50 reward to use towards anything. So, we bought groceries and a bottle of Whiskey for FREE. Winning!

4. Sell stuff you don't need. We have sold a bunch of stuff that we don't need. I sell gently used clothes that I haven't worn in a while on Poshmark (a free App you can download on your smart phone). My husband sold a bunch of his University textbooks on Amazon. Other sites we have used in the past include Craigslist (USA), Gumtree (Australia), and eBay (USA and Australia).

5. Be mindful of your spending habits. I'm sure you've all heard this plenty of times before. But I urge you to really think about it. Do you really need that pretty dress in the shop window? Or, would you rather put that money towards a plane trip to The Bahamas, or towards your entry fee and hiking gear for The Grand Canyon?

6. Pack your lunch to work. Another phrase you've probably all heard before. But seriously, you save a lot in the long term. My husband and I usually cook a big dinner and then take the leftovers with us to work the next day. Super easy and the food usually tastes better the next day as the flavors have had time to soak in. Yum! Plus, home cooking is healthier for you than take out. Win win!

7. Don't forget to explore close to home! Traveling doesn't always mean buying an expensive plane ticket for a long flight to the other side of the world. It can simply mean getting in the car and driving to the town next door. When my husband and I feel burnt out at work, it's usually not that we're burnt out, but that we need to GET OUT. You can Google "hiking trails", "state parks", or "beaches" close to you and find new places to explore right outside your back door! Sometimes a quick weekend getaway is all you need to find inspiration to get through another week of work.

One Saturday in February 2017 we drove 1hr north to explore Ybor City, Fort De Soto Park, and fish off of the Skyway Bridge. Florida, U.S.A.

8. Travel Therapy. If you work in the allied health industry then you are in luck. In the USA, there are many agencies that offer travel therapy contracts all around the States. Assignments can be anywhere from 3 months to 12 months long. I have not yet been directly involved in this, however, work colleagues and online acquaintances have spoken about how they loved being able to explore different parts of the States and earn money at the same time.

What I do have direct experience with is the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) that enables the credentials of Speech Language Pathologist's trained in Australia, USA, Canada, Ireland, England, and New Zealand to be recognized and work in each other's respective countries. For more information about this, read my post titled Transferring SLP Credentials Internationally.

9. Moments and memories. When traveling, be present and in the moment. Take pictures. When we travel, we hardly ever buy things aside from transportation and accommodation (the necessities). We choose specific nights to eat out at restaurants, and then cook food where we are staying the remainder of the time. Our photos and memories are usually our most prized possessions from trips. Plus, you can make cool artwork out of your photos, such as canvas prints to display around your home, or coffee table books filled with photos and captions of your favorite places you have visited.

10. Use credit cards with frequent flyer rewards. There are many credit card companies that offer rewards that are geared towards the frequent traveler. Two cards that we use and have benefited greatly from are the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the United MileagePlus Explorer credit cards (both have a USD $95 year fee that is waved the first year). As a signup incentive, both cards offer a bonus mileage of 40-60 thousand miles/points, depending on the promotion they are running at the time.

The MileagePlus Explorer earns miles that can primarily be redeemed for award tickets on United flights while the Sapphire Preferred earns points that can be redeemed for statement credits or transferred to a number of travel partners, including United. In both cases, we are able to use the points and miles to purchase discounted airfares and travel accommodations.

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA. August 2016. We hiked around Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks in Utah during my 5 day work holiday break. Perhaps my favorite trip we have taken to date! 

We love to explore and experience new things, both near and far. We also love our careers and the work we do. So, we combine the two the best we can. We work so we have money to travel. We travel so we have inspiration for work.

The bottom line is, do what's best for you. 😊

Cheers,

Maree

Winter Themed Speech

Hi folks,

I would like to share what I have been using in my therapy sessions to adapt my session objectives/goals to my kiddo's needs and make therapy FUN! 😄

Books:

1. Written by Maureen Wright. Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin.

2. Written and illustrated by Scott E. Franson.

1. Sneezy the Snowman has a great rhyming pattern, which after reading a couple of times, encouraged my kids to fill in the words. This book easily allows you to target predictions and asking different question types. It also targets a variety of language concepts, including hot/cold/melting, prepositions/location concepts, clothing items, counting/colors, and more.


2. Un-Brella - Firstly, bathing/swim suits in Winter? Only in Florida! Secondly, this is a wordless picture book that prompted so many language opportunities for my little ones. When reading books with words, my kiddo's would expect me to talk. However, when there were no words, they seemed to "take the lead" and talk about what was happening in the pictures. I would expand phrase/sentence length and ask questions as needed. There are many language concepts to target in this book: predictions; hypothetical questions; seasons; hot/cold.

Craft:

I always like to pair a book with a craft/play activity to generalize language to other contexts. The pictures below show how to make a snowman using glue, cotton balls, and colored paper. If working on articulation, the child can glue a snowball on their snowman for each production of the target sound. Language concepts addressed may include size concepts (e.g., big/bigger/biggest), time concepts (e.g., talk about what you did first, next, and last), and a range of adjectives and verbs. Venture outside to find some sticks to use as arms, and you're set!

Perhaps you want to make a "snowball toss". Draw snowman faces on Styrofoam cups and throw cotton balls into the cups for each target sound/word/language concept produced.

Or, you could make "fake snow" with baking soda and clear hair conditioner: a great sensory activity! The end result is light and fluffy, and is even cold to touch! You could hide target words/objects in the snow and play a game of hide-and-seek. You could address receptive language and following directions. The options are endless!

Hope you all have a creative week!

Maree

The Shy Shoe Shopper

Hi folks,

Here's a shout-out to teacher's and therapist's who are on their feet all day, every day!

The content of this post has a different "vibe" to my other posts - shopping for shoes. Some of you may squeal with delight when you hear this phrase. Others may dread the thought. I'm in the latter group. Ever since I was a little girl, I have always had long, skinny feet that have trouble fitting in shoes. My shoes would be filled with insoles, heel pads and slip guards. In addition, my feet "rolled in" badly so I had to find shoes that would fit my orthotics. My feet would often be in pain and blisters were frequent. I guess you could say I developed an aversion to shoes over time. If I could get away with wearing sneakers/joggers/runners all day, every day, I would. However, that is not realistic as sneakers are perceived to be too casual for some work environments, and of course, too casual for formal occasions like weddings. 😉

The other caveat is that I love wearing cute clothes! I find it fun to choose a different outfit each day for work that is cute yet comfortable. My outfits are on point, until it comes to adding shoes...

After 2 years working full-time in a preschool/outpatient facility, my poor feet are feeling the burden of walking, running, jumping, and playing hide-and-seek with toddlers and young children, all day, every day. I used to buy cheap $10 - $20 flats which soon wore out and became smelly. I did not want to be known as the "stinky Speechie". My mother believed in purchasing good quality running shoes when I was younger, as I was the "sporty type" all throughout school and wore running shoes almost daily. It has only just dawned on me that the shoes I wear to work everyday should be treated like those running shoes. For work. For travel. Even Dr. Seuss believed that feet are important:

"You have BRAINS in your HEAD.

You have FEET in your SHOES.

You can STEER yourself in 

any direction you CHOOSE."

~ Dr. Seuss

So, today, here I am at my computer Googling "comfortable shoes for work" and "recommended shoes for teachers". I am coming across many brand names I have never heard of before, but am slowly getting used to some of the lingo. So far, the best online site that someone told me about is 6pm.com, which I'm sure many of you have heard of. It looks like they stock a huge variety of brands that are selling at discounted prices, and shipping is FREE (yay!).

In the meantime, I am making a resolution to look after my feet and invest in a good quality pair of shoes for work and travel. I currently have a bunch of items in my cart, and am trying to narrow it down to two. Teacher's and therapist's, what shoes do you recommend? Are there any brands that you swear by?

Have a great week!

Maree

Meeting Dr. Temple Grandin

Hey, folks!

In December 2016 I was honored to meet Dr. Temple Grandin, an expert in Autism and Animal Science.  I attended a conference held by Future Horizons, Inc., in Tampa, Florida. Speakers included Dr. Temple Grandin who talked about Autism and her sensory-based world, Eustacia Cutler (Temple's mother) who talked about what it was like raising Temple, and Dr. Jed Baker who entertainingly talked about managing frustration and anxiety.

Meeting Dr. Temple Grandin

I have so much admiration and respect for Temple, not only for sharing her insights into Autism, but also for her research and design advancements in the livestock industry. I grew up on a cropping, sheep and cattle farm (a.k.a. "ranch" for my American readers) in Australia, and I know of a farming family who are successfully using Temple's cattle handling system on their farm in central N.S.W. Australia.

If you are a parent/guardian of a child with Autism, or a professional working with children who have Autism, I would highly recommended attending a Temple Grandin conference or reading one of her books. I am currently reading "The Autistic Brain" by Temple Grandin and Richard Panek (my signed copy!). Another book I would recommend to those who care for a non-verbal child on the Spectrum is "How Can I Talk if My Lips Don't Move?" by Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay.

Overall, the conference and these books are highly informative and resourceful, and I am looking forward to carrying over some of the pertinent skills and information learnt to improve my treatment approaches and therapy outcomes.

Have a great week!

Maree




 

Update and Happy New Year!

Hey, folks!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! It has been quite some time since I last wrote a blog post, and what a better day to start writing than New Years Day, right?!  I thought I would update you on where life and work has taken me over the past two years.

At the beginning of 2015, I was awarded my national and state licensure to work as a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) in Florida, U.S.A. Here are the links to read about how to transfer degrees/licenses internationally and obtaining state licensure in America.

For the past two years I have been working in a preschool/outpatient facility, providing therapy for the communication and feeding needs of children with a range of complex communication needs. This role has been both challenging yet rewarding, and the experiences I have obtained have been immeasurable on both a professional and personal level.

My Permanent Residency status is now unconditional, and I am ready to apply for my U.S. Citizenship in March of 2017 so that I can become a Dual Citizen of Australia and America. As anyone who has moved internationally would know, the road to Citizenship is a long and grueling process, but I am hopeful the results will be all worth it! Here is the link to read about the different types of U.S. Visa's you need for work and travel.

My husband and I have been blessed to have had the opportunities/time to travel, both locally and internationally, over the past two years. Destinations have included China, South Korea, Australia, The Smoky Mountains (Tennessee), Key West (Florida), Zion National Park (Utah), Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah), and our most recent camping trip along the Southeast coast through the states of South Carolina and Georgia.  Despite back injuries, we have really taken a liking to hiking and exploring The Great Outdoors, which I hope we continue to do throughout the New Year.  

Please feel free to reach out to me with any comments or questions regarding working internationally, transferring degrees/licenses internationally, or just to say "hi". I would LOVE to connect with more friendly faces who are travelling along this weirdly enjoyable journey called "life".  In the meantime, as I reflect back on the year that was, here is my favorite photo from 2016:

Zion National Park, Utah, U.S.A. 

Sending peace, love, and happiness to you all in 2017,

Maree