How to Live in a Beach Town, Part 1

1. Find an easy job. Few hours, or at least with very flexible hours. Make sure you have a good boss. Good location (ie as close to the beach as possible). The goal is to be able to enjoy as much time as possible doing beach town-y things. Hostels are nice.

2. Or don’t. Who needs a job anyways?

3. Buy appropriate clothes. Baggy, light, comfy clothing with variations from ‘bum’ to ‘bohemian’. It’s best to look as though you never had and never will have a ‘real job’.

4. Be vague about your life before this life and what will come afterwards. This helps to create your image of being a long time beach bum.

5. Get tan. If my Casper-white skin can get tan, yours can too.

6. Don’t be afraid to be your true, weird self. This is the perfect opportunity. All of your friends will probably be short term back-packers, so why not? Speak your mind, discuss your nerdy/guilty pleasures**, just let it all out.

7. Eat ice-cream. And lots of it. Just because I said so.

8. Lastly, and most importantly. Slow. Down. Appreciate where you are and how you got there. Your only agenda now is to enjoy the life your leading, so do it. Days spent doing nothing can truly be experienced since all you have to do any given day is, nothing. Drink a beer, read a book, TAKE A NAP and don’t feel guilty about how you spend your time.

**I’ve made a few friends recently by discussing Disney/Musicals which every time results in  sing-a-long sessions and the Song of Ice and Fire book series (Game of Thrones TV show for those that don’t know). I did yoga in the hostel common room. And I am constantly freaking out to guests over the book The Count of Monte Cristo at random times, and probably against their will, because I just think it’s so good.