Bowen Island by The Pampered Baby

Let’s dive right into this week’s speedlink. As stellar as international travel might be, you really don’t have to venture far from home to have a great time. Take Katherine Petrunia. She recently enjoyed a two-night getaway on Bowen Island with some of her favorite girlfriends. A short 15-minute ferry ride away from Vancouver, Bowen Island offers an exceptional escape from the big city with boundless opportunities to enjoy the beautifully natural west coast. Do you have a favorite “staycation” destination where you live?

If you do plan on trotting around the globe, you may be interested in a recent blog post by Kendrick Uy. You don’t need to rack up expensive roaming bills in order to stay connected while visiting foreign lands. Instead, you might consider getting a phone plan with Fongo. In effect, it’s VoIP for your mobile phone, allowing you to make and receive phone calls to any Canadian or US number for free. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s a heck of a lot cheaper.

For mothers (and fathers) who are fortunate enough to take time off after the birth of a child, going back to work can be tough. But what if you go beyond your parental leave and no longer have a job waiting for you on the other side? Jen Hubley Luckwaldt offers some sound advice for stay-at-home parents who want to rejoin the workforce. A friend of mine is in exactly this situation and she’s had to explain the multi-year “gap” with every job application.

Many people think that more money and a more prestigious title are what make a great job. As Chris Egan points out, that’s hardly the case. Instead, you should get a job with freedom built into it. We’re all told to pursue our passions, but your passion doesn’t necessarily need to be your day job. Your day job just has to allow you the flexibility to do what you love on the side, all while still being able to pay the bills.

History books can oftentimes neglect the influence and impact of powerful women. A great example recently highlighted by KeriLynn Engel is Chinese-American actress Anna May Wong. She was the first Asian-American actress to gain international fame in the early part of the 20th century. Born Liu Tsong, she had to battle the systemic racism of Hollywood to ascend the competitive film industry. Taking on the stage name of Anna May Wong was part of that.