Five Myths About Sororities

As you might know, I am a proud sorority woman who spent a year working for my international organization after graduating from college, so of course I was interested when A Greek Concept contacted me to ask about sharing an article on Semi-Charmed Kind of Life. Combating stereotypes is undoubtedly one of the toughest things about being in a sorority, and I definitely identified with the points included in post. Whether you're a sorority woman who has struggled with improving the Greek image or someone who has not experienced Greek life and wants to know more, the following post is definitely worth reading.

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We’ve all done it – stereotyped someone else (or a group of someone elses) because we didn’t know any better. What terrible mistakes we make before we see the whole picture! Greek life is an automatic target for stereotyping. Truth be told, it isn’t right not only because it’s not fair, but also because sororities bring about so much good in the world! Read the follow myths to recognize some really amazing contributions that sororities make.

Nonfic November: A Guest Post

Remember that post I promised you about fiction/nonfiction pairs for the autumn book challenge? Well, the day has come for me to share my ideas! But you'll have to head over to Doing it the Open Way to see the post; I'm guest posting as part of her Non Fic November series today. This post also coincides perfectly with Jessica's Book Chat link-up topic for the week: nonfiction. I love killing two birds with one stone. Check out the full post here.

Have you read any good nonfiction lately? What's your favorite topic to read about?

A Day in Monterey with Any Way the Wind Blows

Today I'm happy to welcome Sarah from Any Way the Wind Blows! She is sharing her itinerary for a fabulous day in the coastal California town of Monterey, so if a trip to the west coast is in your future, be sure to read on after the jump for great activities and eats.
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Hey guys! I'm Sarah, and I blog over at Any Way the Wind Blows.

Fall Reads from Lovee, Seems

Today I'm very lucky to have Seema from lovee, seems guest posting here on Semi-Charmed Kind of Life! She is sharing four of her top literary picks for the fall, and she has something for everyone, from biography to poetry. If you're looking for a good book to pick up with that pumpkin spice latte or hot chocolate on a cool autumn night, be sure to read more after the jump!

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Travel Tuesday Contributor: Angie Eats Peace

Okay, I lied. I only have four guest posts for you while I'm gone, but say hello to Angie from Angie Eats Peace! She is my fourth and final guest blogger during my European extravaganza, and I'm so glad she agreed to share her travels with us! Today she is sharing stories and pictures from China. If all is going according to schedule with me, I am chilling in Granada, Spain, right now! I probably won't be able to get any posts scheduled for the next two weeks, but I'll be returning to the blog at the end of the month when I make it back stateside. :) Read Angie's guest post after the jump....

Travel Tuesday Contributor: A Country Girl's World

Welcome back! My third guest blogger during my European extravaganza is Jenn. She describes herself as a lover of both books and travel, so her experiences definitely belong on Semi-Charmed Kind of Life! Keep reading to learn about her trip to Central America and see some pretty awesome pictures. (By the way, I should be flying from Rome to Seville today if everything is going as planned!)

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Hey Ladies! I am Jenn and I blog over at A Country Girl’s World. I am a 24-year-old student, I studied Anthropology at JMU, and I am now studying Criminal Justice/Crime Science Technology. I live in the middle of nowhere in Maryland and I love to read and travel. Today I am going to be talking about travel. :)

In 2009, I got the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica with JMU as part of the Alternative Spring Break program. If any of you readers are still in college, and your college offers this program, DO IT! It was an incredible experience.

This is our group in Harrisonburg before leaving for Dulles

Travel Tuesday Contributor: Just Another Smith

It's time for another Travel Tuesday guest post! Today Andi is sharing some quick packing tips for a weekend away. If all is going as planned with my trip, I'm on a plane to Athens, Greece, right now. :) Wish me luck!

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Hi there!  I'm Andi and I blog over at Just Another Smith.  Most of my posts are about my everyday style, with some random stories thrown into the mix and maybe a book review now and then.  I'm pretty jealous of Megan's adventures in Europe.  I love to travel, and would go on vacation every week if my budget allowed it.  My most recent trip was a quick weekend to Arizona with two of my best friends.  Here are some tips on what to pack for a four-day weekend adventure:

Travel Tuesday Contributor: Ech & Will

A huge thank you to Ech for being my first guest blogger while I am traveling this summer! She actually lives in Italy, so read on for some insider tips to a great local spot! And be sure to check back every Tuesday for more guest posts about fabulous trips around the world.

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Hi, I'm Ech from Ech & Will. I'm a proud Air Force wife living in Italy with my husband, Will. Our blog is all about our adventures in traveling, marriage, the military, and everything in between. Right now my husband is deployed, so lately I've been blogging a lot about just me. I love making connections with new people so stop by when you get a chance and say hi!

Now that the weather is getting better and better, it’s time to start planning lake and beach trips with our friends. One of our favorite spots is Lake Barcis (pronounced like March with a “B” and “is” like the beginning of Istanbul). We literally drive through the Italian Alps to get to Barcis. The tunnels are so long they have huge industrial fans throughout to keep air flowing. There’s pretty much everything there: hiking, camping, boating, boardwalks to stroll, a playground, big grassy areas to spread out over, picnic tables … everything.

The water is glacier-fed (a.k.a. really, really cold), so there are not a lot of swimmers. But it’s great for a quick, refreshing dip on scorching days. Every once in a while, the town will host speedboat races and concerts. I think last year they held a crash course for people who wanted to try out canoeing.

Usually the vibe is relaxing. Everyone is just lounging around, soaking in the sun. As with most of Europe, the women sometimes go topless. It’s rare, but we’ve seen a few brave women baring it all. Usually the Americans are tossing a football or Frisbee around while the Italians like to circle up and play “Keep It in the Air” with a soft volleyball or mini soccer ball.

Every time we visit, the lake looks different. The first time, it was a greenish color.

Last May it was bright, almost-glowing blue.

And in the fall it was a murky white color from the recent rain.

I like to wander into town for a gelato (see below), so so perfect for hot days … or cold days. If we don’t plan ahead and bring a cooler, there are a few restaurants and shops to grab food or drinks. It’s a really small town, so there’s not a ton of things to do, but it has the essentials. Parking can get a little tricky on the busy weekends, but we’ve never had a problem finding a spot. If you’re in the Aviano area, I highly recommend spending the day up at the lake.

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Thanks again for sharing your photos and experiences, Ech! Follow her on Twitter at @EchandWill.

Guest bloggers needed!

This blog has been pretty quiet this month, and I have a feeling it will remain quiet throughout the summer. (Remember that six-week European backpacking trip I mentioned earlier? Well, it's starting next month, and I don't think I'm packing my laptop. Gasp.) So, I'm looking for guest bloggers! Of course I would love posts that match my blog content (primarily travel and books, but also post-grad life or collegiate life if you are still a student!). Please email me at semicharmedkol[at]gmail[dot]com with your blog information and post idea(s), and I will get back to you as soon as possible!

Note: Guest post submissions are now closed. Thanks to everyone who emailed me!

In case you missed it ...

Happy Wednesday! I have two very quick things for you today:

1) If you missed it yesterday, I blogged about my spring wishlist over at Live Beautifully. Jen had a great idea for a series of guest posts, and I was more than happy to participate!

A little sneak peek of what you can see over at Jen's blog.

2) I'm almost done with Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, and I don't think I've ever highlighted so many passages on my Kindle before. I created a little graphic out of one of my favorite quotes thus far:

Photo of Piran, Slovenia, via Conde Nast Traveler; design by Megan

What have you been up to this week?

A(n Ideal) Day in the Life

You might have noticed I finally decided to jump on the "sponsorship" train this month. I don't sell or buy ad space for my blog, but I have begun swapping buttons with some like-minded bloggers whom I think my readers will enjoy. (See all such buttons under "Blog Love" in the left sidebar.) One of these lovely ladies is Melissa from Press Play. Today, she's guest posting for me about what her ideal day in the life would look like. My creative juices weren't flowing enough for me to describe my ideal day, but I am sharing what a normal day in my life looks like on her blog today. Go check it out after you read about Melissa's perfect day here:

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Hi everyone! Let me introduce myself; my name is Melissa and I blog over at Press Play. I write about many things, but mainly about reading, music, traveling, goals, and the everyday moments in life that inspire me.

Today, the lovely Megan and I decided we’d swap blogs! We have a lot in common-especially our love of books, travel, and accomplishing goals. I decided to combine all of them into my “ideal day”… If I could live one day HOWEVER I wanted, this is what I’d like it to look like: