Travel Bugg: Start your travels here
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On turning 25
I remember reading the Brazilian novel, “The Alchemist,” in high school and being struck by finding depth in simplicity: how fables and children’s stories can still be for adults. Later, when I studied in Costa Rica, I tried to read the book in Spanish and a professor laughed at me and called the book “cheesy.”…
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Regions of Spain: Madrid!!
In honor of Hispanic Day (Día de la Hispanidad) or National Day (Fiesta Nacional de España), my school was given a long weekend with Thursday and Friday off. In Spain, they call these puentes (bridges.) After work on Wednesday, I took a blablacar and drove the 3.5-4 hours to Madrid to see my friend Amanda. Amanda and…
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Lessons from Spain: helping new neighbors
Moving to Spain has been different from when I stayed in Costa Rica or Slovakia. During those visits (which were two to four months), I had a specific program and personnel who helped me understand the rules of how to live in another country. In Spain, I am largely on my own, being helped along…
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Regions of Spain: Valencia
I’m starting off my stay in the Spanish region of Valencia in the province of Alicante, where my cousin Layla and her husband Ian live. Spain has 17 autonomous regions (Comunidades Autónomas) which are further divided into 50 provinces. I will move to the city of Murcia in the Murcia region, which is about an…
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Moving to Spain: logistics
Moving to Spain The logistics of moving to another continent can be tricky. However, with research and patience, living abroad is achievable. I’ve already touched on the process for applying with the Ministry and receiving a visa. Once these are accomplished, it’s time to understand the basic logistics of how to live. Flights First, I…
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Where to hike around Austin, TX
I’ve been asked a few times about the best hiking spots around Austin. This list is not exhaustive but features some of my favorite places. Outside of Austin Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge Located around 40 miles outside the city, Balcones Canyonlands offers three key hiking areas: the Warbler Vista Unit, Doeskin Ranch and the…
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So you want to teach in Spain
I’m in the process of receiving a visa to live and teach in Spain. As with any position I take, I want to help people understand the resources and opportunities available to them to work and travel. I will go through the first stages of the Auxiliares de Conversación Program and direct you to…
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I’m moving to Spain!
When I last wrote, I was in the process of moving the tiny house to Austin. As of now, I will live in the house for the next two months in Corsicana, but my ultimate plans have changed. In September, I will move to Spain. After a series of logistical failures and fortunate events, I…
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Tiny house: start to finish
Photo by Alex Bugg Photo by Alex Bugg Photo by Alex Bugg Thank you to everyone who contributed to this project including my neighbors Tiffany and Tom Eaton, De’Renda Phillips, Nancy Franklin, David Lee and Elena Bugg, Richard Tate, Chuck Braun and many others. Thanks to the friends who helped build: David Eversole and David…
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We must respond to genocide
First, a confession I have been a friend and family member to people from various countries since 2013, when I moved into a new neighborhood in Fort Worth, Texas. When I was an intern in an unfamiliar city, it was Iraqis, Somalians, Sudanese and Nepalis who invited me into their homes for elaborate meals moments…
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Year in Review
So we had a rough year. Crises escalated; more people were forced from their homes. People in Michigan continued to live with contaminated water. People in North Dakota feared their water would be taken away. Others had no access to water at all. We elected someone who didn’t know the meaning of the word “unprecedented.”…
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Why I must be a better citizen
It happened. The thing we all laughed about, but no one took seriously. The thing that was too tinted by a surreal, orange haze to be considered a true threat. We elected a candidate whose rhetoric is openly misogynistic, racist and xenophobic, who is largely unfit to be president. What were we thinking? This…
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