canada

The Rv has sold, and the adventure continues

| jamiefeinberg

Hello, friend! How are you? How is life in your neck of the woods? Are you safe, and healthy, and happy most of the time? We sure hope so.

Since our last update, so much has happened. Read on for updates on where we are, what we’ve been up to, and what’s next in the life of Ross and Jamie.

We moved to Canada! To be honest, it happened six or so days later than planned, because in our rush to get everything complete, we managed to initially take the wrong COVID test! It then took multiple tries taking the PCR test in northern Maine to get our results back in enough time (within 72 hours) to cross over the border, but the pluses were that we got to enjoy some vacation time in Bangor (a much more fun, progressive, and affordable city than we’d realized) and got a tiny taste of Moncton, NB too, where we spent our first successful night in Canada. Once (hopefully) COVID is behind us, Moncton will be close enough to us for a day trip or easy overnight stay, so we were excited to get a little preview of it.

Though we’ve had a ton to do since we arrived, from coordinating the sale of our RV (thank you to everyone who assisted with that!) to purchasing some furniture, from learning where to buy groceries to setting up a bank account (still working on that one this week), to learning how to see doctors and mental health professionals here (there’s a big wait list for primary care physicians here, but having access to free mental health clinics a truly beautiful thing).

At the same time, Ross has gotten started at the university and has already played a few concerts on acoustic guitar (while simultaneously continuing his ukulele teaching and podcast editing), and I’ve started singing again (apparently I’m a soprano 1?) and will be the director of Island A Cappella, a barbershop singing group affiliated with Harmony, Inc., beginning in January of 2022. I also sang at a church this summer, so it’s been fun to get back into the arts, and the extra income doesn’t hurt either.

Thanks to school and the music ensembles respectively, we are each making friends and dipping our toes into having a social life and community here on the island. After five years of travel, it’s exciting to set down roots and really invest our time, energy, and money in a community.

Of course we both have supportive friends and family back in the US, and we’re thankful for Zoom and cell phones to keep us connected with them. Social media helps too, and we’ve been scheduling time to connect virtually with loved ones.

We’ve both had our struggles in adjusting to things, but we still wake up every day thankful to be here and eager to keep doing the work to grow and thrive here. We know how privileged we are, and we don’t take it for granted.

After a much-needed social media and blog pause, I’m looking forward to growing my coaching business and our music business in 2022. If you’d like support in creating the life of your dreams too, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d love to offer you a free session to help you get clarity on your priorities and find your path forward.

Thanks for reading, and have a beautiful day!

______________________________

Supporting Our Blog

We are so thankful for your support of our blog and our careers! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Purchase one of Ross’ albums! 
  • Take Ross’ online ukulele course!
  • Become a patron of our work!
  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using our affiliate links. Signing up with Dosh is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support us, and we also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money.
  • Subscribe to our blog, as well as perhaps InSearchOfAScoop.com, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from us, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com. 

This Is Getting Me Through Right Now

| jamiefeinberg

It’s been quite a month! We found an apartment on Prince Edward Island (remotely of course, with an on-the-ground generous friend touring for us), applied for our visas, have (almost) finished mapping out our travel plans back to NH and booking a few campgrounds, and of course we’ve continued coaching, teaching, and supporting clients.

I’ve been thrilled to see clients making progress in their lives. And I’ve been thrilled to see my own progress! But it’s been very, very easy to get overwhelmed.

The way I’m getting through that overwhelm feeling each day is to ask myself “What’s the one thing I could do today to move the needle? What’s the one thing I could do in the next hour to help us get to Canada?” Usually, the answer is obvious. And if it isn’t, considering that helps me to keep sight of what is NOT as important right now.

My main priorities?

Get to Canada.This is the one I pray about and focus on each day and throughout the day. We are getting to Canada in August.

Keep food on the table, aka support my existing clients.

Make time for my own daily self-care. It’s easy to let this slide, but I am absolutely firm on it, and I think it’s the number one reason I’m feeling happy every day (even on the tough days, there is happiness in the mix).

Spend time (usually virtually) talking to family and friends.

Check in occasionally in my Facebook groups, on social media, and via email so people know I’m alive.

You may not be about to move to another country. You may just be trying to get through the work day or through the night, or trying to stay safe or get healthy.

Take this as your sign that you aren’t alone. And focus on the one thing you can do to support yourself and your goals best.

Thanks for reading! And if you’re ready for some one on one support in reaching your goals, please reach out to me today.

______________________________

Supporting Our Blog

We are so thankful for your support of our blog and our careers! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Purchase one of Ross’ albums! 
  • Take Ross’ online ukulele course!
  • Become a patron of our work!
  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using our affiliate links. Signing up with Dosh is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support us, and we also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money.
  • Subscribe to our blog, as well as perhaps InSearchOfAScoop.com, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from us, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com. 

Making Time For Your Hobbies

Ice cream dish
| jamiefeinberg

Hello! I may be a bit more quiet than usual right now, as Canada prep is INTENSE, to say the least. But I am continuing to make time for work, for fun, and for my hobbies.

If you don’t know this about me, I am obsessed with ice cream. I’ve actually had an ice cream travel blog since 2014 called In Search of a Scoop.

Making time to eat ice cream and to appreciate it, and share that appreciation, is a part of what lights me up.

What are your hobbies? Are you finding time for what lights you up right now?

If you aren’t, here are three suggestions for this week:

  1. Carve out time for your hobby. Maybe it’s 15 minutes. Maybe it’s two hours. But put it on your calendar.
  2. Make sure you’re making time for your absolute favorite hobby.
  3. Make a plan to invest in your hobby in some way, even if it’s way in the future. (Investing time and energy is valid, but investing money is a great way to treat yourself!)

I recently shared a guest blog with The Virtual Campground about the top five ice cream spots across the U.S. Collaborating with other people is a great way to spread the word about your work or passion, and it was my response to one of their weekly posts that led them to ask me to blog.

Check it out if you’d like some ice cream spots for your bucket list, and leave a comment with a) your favorite flavor of ice cream or b) the hobby or hobbies that you love.

Have a great week, and take care.

______________________________

Supporting Our Blog

We are so thankful for your support of our blog and our careers! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Purchase one of Ross’ albums! 
  • Take Ross’ online ukulele course!
  • Become a patron of our work!
  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using our affiliate links. Signing up with Dosh is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support us, and we also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money.
  • Subscribe to our blog, as well as perhaps InSearchOfAScoop.com, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from us, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com. 

Prepping For A Major Life Change

Jamie and Ross snuggle on the couch
| jamiefeinberg
How are you?! I’m feeling excited, but honestly, I’m also feeling very nervous right now. It’s because I’m prepping for a major life change. 

How major? Well, I’ve been a full-time RVer since the summer of 2016, and my husband and I have been traveling for nearly five years. This August, we’re giving up RVing for an apartment – but not just any apartment. We’re moving to CANADA! (If you want the full story of why and how, check out our recent blog.)

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a good adventure (after all, it’s what I’ve built my coaching business around!), but the truth is that every time I begin a new adventure, I feel a lot of fear come up. What if I made the wrong decision? What if I can’t figure out how to get _____ done? What if we get stuck in the middle of nowhere, broke and naked? Okay, maybe that’s a little extreme, but honestly, if you can think of it, it’s probably a fear I’ve had at some point. 

Thankfully, though, I have a really clear vision of what I want for my life and my future, and it includes a very clear vision of the two of us living on Prince Edward Island by August.

It’s that vision, that dream, and that determination that are MORE important to me than the fear. It’s that clarity that will keep me going while I’m applying for a visa and finding loans and scholarship information. It’s that clarity that will keep me motivated to find a vaccine as a traveler and sell our vehicles and keep showing up in my coaching business and promoting my new course, Crafting Your Life Adventure. 

The truth is, life is hard. It’s FULL of major challenges, and sometimes it feels like just when you start to get a hold of things, you lose your grounding as something else throws you off. 

Thankfully, through many years of study, I’ve found the mindset and tools to keep me grounded, focused, and able to achieve my goals and live the life of my dreams. And that’s what I’m teaching in my new course.

If you’ve been considering joining Crafting Your Life Adventure, I’d be honored to have you join us. 

There are scholarships available, and there’s currently an EARLYBIRD rate this week that you’ll definitely want to take advantage of. If you’ve got dreams but are fearing they won’t ever be within reach, I’d love to support you. Reply to this email with any questions, and check out the course to learn more.

I’m also leading a live training on Instagram and Facebook this week, called The Three Things Keeping You From Your Dream Life (And What You Can Do About It). Join my free Facebook group and join me at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday, or follow me on Instagram and join me there at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday. This is an in-depth training to help you further your goals, and it’s free!

Thanks for reading, and I’ll talk to you soon. 

P.S. I’m running a free challenge this week to celebrate my new course. It’s called Five Days to Clarity and I’d love for you to join us and enter the contest! Connect with me on Instagram or Facebook to learn more.

Big News About Where We Are Headed Next

| jamiefeinberg

This week has had lots of excitement. My new group coaching program, Crafting Your Life Adventure, is launching soon, so I’ve been sharing lots of tips and information on Instagram and in my Facebook group.

We also got word that as of April 5th, Florida residents can get the vaccine, so we are seriously considering a trip to Florida in the coming weeks (perhaps to spend a month or so there, depending on which vaccine we get).

But our biggest news, which I am THRILLED to finally be able to announce, is that we are moving to Canada this fall!

Ross has been teaching music for more than fifteen years, and he has an associate’s degree in audio production that he frequently draws upon as a composer and as an audio/podcast and video editor. But what most people don’t realize is that he has never completed a bachelor’s degree or a degree in music.

As we debated where we wanted to go next, we were reminded of how much we LOVED our honeymoon on Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. In fact, after spending time in Charlottetown, we had multiple conversations where we kept saying “how do we live here? How do we get back here?”.

Moving to Canada isn’t easy, but it was a dream that we kept in the back of our minds all of this time. With the uncertainty of health care in the US, our desire for better options kept resurfacing.

Last fall, we decided our next step should be to attempt to go to Canada. Since Ross hasn’t had the opportunity to get a bachelor’s degree yet, that seemed like our best course of action. I’m thrilled to report that Ross got into his top choice school, the University of Prince Edward Island, and he even received a $3,000 merit scholarship from the music department!

He’ll be studying music education, composition, and classical guitar, and he’ll be getting his bachelor of music degree. I am SO proud of him – keep in mind, he just bought a classical guitar for this audition, and he’s only been playing it since December!

If you’ve never been to Prince Edward Island, it’s astonishingly gorgeous. Like, take your breath away. Though we are going to miss New Mexican cuisine, warm winters, and being able to visit our favorite spots in the U.S. via RV (gosh we will miss our RV!), we are looking forward to unlimited hot showers in an apartment in an awesome city (Charlottetown) and plan to purchase a van large enough to camp out of when the weather is nice.

School begins in September, so we will head to Canada in August, provided visas and all of the other details come together as planned.

Can you believe it? We are thrilled!

If you’d like to support our adventures, consider purchasing a Harvest Hosts membership or one of these other products using our link. You can also share our blogs and social media posts with your friends and family.

And two other incredible ways to support us would be these:

1 – Buy Ross’ play the ukulele course – perfect for beginner and early intermediate students

2 – Buy Jamie’s Crafting Your Life Adventure course – perfect for aspiring adventurers, whether you dream of starting a business, traveling the country, or creating a schedule full of joy and freedom (or all of the above!)

Thank you so, so much for supporting us and this amazing life adventure. It’s been almost five years of RV life, and we are so blessed. We can’t wait for what’s next!

______________________________

Supporting Our Blog

We are so thankful for your support of our blog and our careers! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Purchase one of Ross’ albums! 
  • Take Ross’ online ukulele course!
  • Become a patron of our work!
  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using our affiliate links. Signing up with Dosh is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support us, and we also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money.
  • Subscribe to our blog, as well as perhaps InSearchOfAScoop.com, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from us, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com.