Lauren Christine

Travel information

I am currently

Activities i am interested in:

Currently teaching English in rural Northern Thailand until Dec 7th! I'm a full-time photographer who also loves doing social media, social hosting, and teaching at any and every opportunity I have.

Description

Hi! I’m Lauren.

I just finished a workaway on December 7th, 2023, teaching children ages Kindergarden to Grade 9 English, in rural Northern Thailand. I'm now currently with another workaway (started Dec 9th), photographing a coworking hostel in Weligama, Sri Lanka!


ABOUT ME:

Sometimes describing your own self can be hard, SO I asked my 10 closest friends to describe me in 3 words - with these words being the most said:
Social, energetic, authentic, and empathetic.

I love exploring and hanging out outside (with extra love for longboard surfing, hiking, and beach volleyball), I love alllll animals (especially those stray street dogs that most people ignore!), I love snuggling my little nieces and nephews (6 of them, all ages 2-7), and I loveeee working with people (especially because I'm my own boss the rest of the year and sometimes it gets lonely lol!).

I prefer small towns over big cities any day of the week (despite "living" in Toronto, Canada) in my high season during the summer months. I usually find myself cozying up in little surf towns or spots slightly “off the map" from most people or travellers. With obviously a hint of the touristy stuff too (because sometimes the touristy places are touristy for a big reason you can't avoid - you know?!)

I’m lucky enough to be my own boss 365 days of the year. 

I’ve created the ultimate work-life balance for me — 8 months traveling and living abroad, and the other 4 months working my little butt off.

In those 4 months where I’m working, my life is pure insanity and non-stop. Weekends are reserved for photographing weddings and other shoots, weekdays are reserved for my private swim teaching business, and weeknights are reserved for editing photo galleries and tutoring online. And if I ever have a moment to myself, I spend it with my friends or family (who I both don’t get to see throughout the year, for obvious reasons).

CHAOS, RIGHT?! But it’s all worth it in the end.

@laurenpark15
www.laurenpark.ca

Interests

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Beginner
Portuguese: Beginner

More details about my language interests
I love to help other travellers with their English, I've always thrived when I teach in general, and I've love to help anyone learn English or transition from Beginner to Intermediate to Fluent!

Find a language buddy

Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

Some knowledge of:  

Hospitality/Tourism

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Able to teach about:  

Languages

Teaching

Art Projects

More details about your skills

Being an entrepreneur and one-person show for the last 17 years of my life has given me the skills to be a “jack of all trades” type of person — more than just a photographer, a social media guru, and a teacher. I understand the business side of things for 3 different (ongoing to this day) small businesses, along with literally EVERYTHING ELSE that comes along with it.

It means I’m also the social media manager, the marketing and advertising queen, the website designer, the accountant, the e-commerce wiz, obviously the head of customer service, and literally whatever else you can think of! And if it weren't for all these things, then I wouldn't have had the success that I've had with my businesses.



My Top Skills & a the things that jazz me up the most:

- FULL-TIME PHOTOGRAPHER (Obviously!)
I have 6+ years of experience in photography and creative content production. In my creative photography practice, I specialize in still-life, raw, and documentary work — from weddings, to portraits, to my travel photography. Having been an entrepreneur for almost two decades, I also hold additional skills in direction, business management, social media managing, marketing, website design, accountanting, e-commerce, and obviously, customer service.

— TEACHING. It'll forever be a passion of mine.
I've tutored and privately taught for the past 15 years, and I've taught private swimming lessons Monday-Friday in the Toronto summertimes for the past 16 years.

— SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING. My own businesses, as well as past experience: I used to work for lululemon as their Toronto Canada Social Media Specialist! Being a photographer definitely helps with this, and just simply understanding the ins and outs of social media in general, and knowing what I want to see as a consumer or client.

— LEADING AND INVOLVEMENT for activities for hostels/communities, and just connecting with humans in general (likeminded or not). I'm the type of hostel guest that even if I'm not working or volunteering with the hostel, I'm always chatting with everyone, getting group dinners going, and pumping up the events just as much as the social host (if not more lol!) because my personality can't NOT. And also - if everyone's there and having fun, then that means I'M also having more fun too. You know?! 1+1=2!

Age

32

What else ...

I've definitely become a secret chess fan this past year. And I would have never know how many people play it!!! I had no clue. You can literally play a game anywhere, and by the end of it, there's at least 2-3 people standing around you offering to play you next. It's awesome. Nerdy, but awesome! And it's a game that anyone can play - no matter what language you speak - which is by far the coolest part.

Some more information

• 

  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

• 

  Allergies
  no

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  Special dietary requirements
  I'm not very good with spice (I'm ashamed), but that's it! I'm super easy otherwise.