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Life Update: I’m on the Move!

I don’t often share personal details on the web. In fact, for a while I tried to make my blog less about me and more about what I thought people wanted to read — I tried to replicate what I thought travel blogging was.

Recently I’ve come to the realization that what sets ‘The Pink Backpack’ apart from the billion other travel blogs isn’t going to be my collection of mediocre listicles — its me, the living and breathing person behind these words!

In my efforts to not inundate you with ‘travel diary’ posts, I swung into the opposite direction and muted my personality. I stopped sharing about who I am…my story, my journey, my dreams, my struggles and my successes. Ultimately, isn’t it those authentic pieces that truly connect us to one another?

Moving to Tanzania

So I’m hitting the reset button and reminding myself of why I started this blog in the first place. Exactly two years ago, I simply wanted a creative outlet to share my passion for travel. I wanted a way to stay connected to travel during the times I wasn’t able to leave home. I wanted a way to connect with other like-minded people.

Now I want to retrace my steps back to those roots because ultimately, the beauty of travel blogging is that there is no ‘right or wrong’ way to do things! There is no black-and-white definition of how to travel blog…so here I am, in full techno-colour!

Now that I’ve cleared the air, here are the juicy details!

I’ve never really explained what it is that I do when I’m not traveling. I am an Occupational Therapist by background but I haven’t practiced in a clinical setting since 2015, when I returned to school to pursue my PhD in global health. My university and current home-base is located in my hometown — London, Ontario, Canada. (Yes, there actually is a London outside of the UK!)

My area of study has been the perfect way for me to combine my interests in travel, culture and health, and I have been fortunate to receive many funded opportunities to travel through school. Recently, I have been a little less active on the blog and my social media because school has LITERALLY taken over my life! I’ve been super focused on submitting my research proposal (a 70 page document which outlines the “who/what/where/when/why/how” of my study) and once that is approved, I will switch to ethic review board applications to get the actual ‘thumbs up’ to start.

Basically, my research will explore gender equity as a social determinant of women’s health in Mwanza, Tanzania. It will be a community project in partnership with the Tanzanian NGO I interned for in 2016.

Moving to Tanzania

So that leads to my EXCITING news…(bonus points if you are still with me!)

I’M MOVING TO MWANZA, TANZANIA!!

The plan is to arrive in Cape Town in May for a conference and then backpack up to Mwanza by land, crossing through Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi! I’ve never backpacked through Africa before (aside from Tanzania during my internship in 2016) so I am really excited!!! If you are in the continent around that time, or in Tanzania throughout the next year, definitely reach out and say hi.

While I have lived abroad before and travelled plenty, 3-5 months has always seemed to be where I max out and come home…5 months living in Australia, 5 months in Europe, 3 months in India, 3 months in Tanzania. I’ve never really done the ‘expat’ thing long-term, so this will be totally new for me and certainly filled with (mis)adventures (for your reading pleasure, I will be documenting them all here).

If you haven’t done so already, make sure to subscribe to my blog so you won’t miss a post, and follow along on instagram!

Have you been to Tanzania? Got any travel or expat tips for me?

Let me know in the comments below! 

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moving to Tanzania - The pink backpack blog

Read Next:

Travel Update (July 2018): Expat Life in Tanzania

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thepinkbackpack.com said:
Glad to hear they are helpful :)
July 3, 2019 at 2:42 pm
Omega Edwards said:
Hello. I am an American Doctor and I am the CMO of a private hospital in Dar es Salaam. I am also the team physician for the Tanzania National Basketball Team. One of your blogs will be very helpful as we will be taking the u16 girls to play in an international tournament in Kigali on July 26th, 2019. Thanks for the detailed boarder crossing tips.
July 2, 2019 at 5:20 am
Mrs. Kiwi said:
So exciting! I spent three months living in Nairobi and three months living in Arusha. East Africa is my favorite place to travel. Enjoy!
April 3, 2018 at 11:09 am
Emma said:
I am so so excited for you :D what an exciting and fulfilling adventure for you! xx
March 31, 2018 at 5:49 pm
Tasha said:
Wow, what an incredible experience you have to look forward to! They are all places which I would love to visit that you're backpacking through. How wonderful to have a job which enables you to travel like that :)
March 31, 2018 at 1:55 pm
Louise said:
Oh that's so exciting! We visited Tanzania a few months ago and loved it!! Would be quite the adventure to live there for a year. I am looking forward to reading more about your time there once you get there!
March 31, 2018 at 1:10 pm
Cassie said:
What an awesome adventure you have. I'm more than a little envious. I have lived and worked with ngos across the continent and would love to do it again . Maybe one day. Anyway, have a great time jn tanz
March 31, 2018 at 10:20 am
londonferne said:
Very brave to backpack as a solo traveler through some of those countries. Be careful in Zimbabwe. Looking forward to hearing all about it.
March 31, 2018 at 10:11 am
Annie Soul said:
Hongera dada! Enjoy TZ, Mwanza is a cool town, second largest in TZ and full of lovely things to do. You will have an entertaining time no doubt. Safari njema :)
March 31, 2018 at 9:57 am
Jessica said:
SO COOL!!!
March 30, 2018 at 5:24 pm
Alicia said:
AHH!! That is so freaking exciting!! I can't wait to follow along with your journey through your posts. Way to go! :)
March 28, 2018 at 3:56 pm