You know what…I’m low-key tired of making post like this. I literally haven’t posted on my blog since February, and that is horrible. In my defense, I have been doing a lot of things that didn’t allow me to post, but nine months is still a bit of a stretch. Lets start from the beginning.
I moved to the island of Guam in February. If you’ve never heard of Guam, it’s a US Territory in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It’s on the same side of the world as Korea and Japan, but way more remote. Since then, there has been a lot of adjusting. I purchased a new home in April. That process was very stressful, but it’s proving to be well worth it. I love my house. It’s my favorite thing about being here, and I’m thinking of staying here longer because of it.
This year wasn’t the best year for me as far as success and love, I will admit. I did buy a house, but that’s about it. I lost my uncle this year in May and that really hit me hard. I wasn’t expecting that at all. I also, ended a relationship that I was really excited about, so its back to the single life for me. Everything happens for a reason though, so I’m hopeful. This was the first year of my 30s and it has been a whirlwind. I have noticed the new perspective that comes with being 30 though. I do not have time to entertain anything or anyone that isn’t beneficial to me. I am more comfortable with who I am and how I look. Its crazy that this year is almost over already. I will be turning 31 next month, which is wild to me.
I have met some good people since I’ve been here, so that’s a plus. Meeting new people and building those relationships is something that I enjoy doing. You never know how people will impact your life until you give them a chance. The whole “no new friends” never really set well with me. With that being said, bare with me and stay tuned for more adventures of Guam.
OMG, where do I start?! So, Bali has been one of my dream vacations for a couple of years now. Once I found out that I was going to Korea, Bali was definitely a must-see place for me. I visited Bali right after my trip to Thailand. When planning this trip, I put Bali as the second half because it’s the place that I wanted to visit more out of the two locations.
So, why is Bali so amazing? I’m glad that you asked. The energy that was in Bali was different than that of Thailand. The smell of incense and the view of the jungle and rice fields that you pass by just gives you a really zen feeling. While in Bali I stayed in Ubud the entire time. We stayed about 20 mins from the city center in a one-bedroom villa with a pool that was near a rice field. The name of the resort was Kubu Bali Baik Villa & Resort and I booked it through http://www.agoda.com. They had breakfast included as well, but it was not a good as the breakfast as the hotel in Phuket.
While getting around Bali, it is a must that you either get a scooter or hire a driver. We had a driver for the entire time we were there and used a scooter taxi once for the experience. The first night we got in pretty late, so we didn’t do anything. The second day we went to the Garuda Winsu Kencana (GWK) Cultural Park in Uluwatu. It has one of the biggest statues in the world. It was amazing to see. There is a history behind many of the statues and figures at the park, and the landscape was beautiful. Later that day we went watched a Kecak Fire Dance at the Uluwatu Temple which was very interesting and entertaining to watch. Watching that dance gave more insight on their culture in Bali. After the fire dance show, our driver took it upon himself to take us to this amazing seafood restaurant that was on the beach in Jimbaran. We had no idea that place existed, but I’m happy he took us there. The scenery was something that you see on tv.
The third day was one of the best days of my life, hands down! Everything we did was something I wanted to do, so you know it was a good time. First off we got up early and headed off to Aloha Ubud which is one place where they have Bali swings and rice fields. You can also do a taste testing for their local coffee and tea. The swings were so much fun! It was one of my favorite parts of the trip. The tea and coffee were delicious as well. One of the coffees came from an animal called the Luwak that poops out the coffee beans whole and the way it digests it causes a fermentation process. It was pretty cool. After that, we went over to the Mason Elephant Lodge and I got to ride an elephant named Boris. Boris was huge and so nice. He let me feed him afterward too. There was also a five-month-old baby elephant at the lodge. He was super cute. After the elephant lodge, we rode ATVs at a newer company and it was so dope! They fed us lunch before we went on the ATVs, which was cool. I was the better driver, even though it was my first time riding ATVs. After the thrill ride, we went back to the hotel to shower and head to downtown Ubud. We ate at a restaurant called Famous, then started to walk towards one of our favorite bars that we stumbled across the day before. On the walk towards the bar, I spotted out a hookah bar called Shisha Lounge that had the best hookah I have ever tasted! I felt like I was in the clouds after two puffs. We stopped at another bar on the way to the initial bar we were trying to go too and by the time we got there, it was closed.
The fourth day was very peaceful. We started the day by going to a temple where you could get inside the pool of water and cleanse yourself. We weren’t dressed for the occasion, so we passed on that and walked around the temple instead of sightseeing. After leaving the temple we went to a waterfall that you could get some really good shots at. Other than that, I wasn’t amused. I was honestly ready to go and didn’t even want to take pictures, but I got some good shots. After that, we ate at a little restaurant outside of the waterfall and went back to the hotel since we opted out of riding the two hours to the gates of heaven.
The last day we walked around Ubud center for a little bit before our spa day. We ended up running into a cute little brunch spot which I loved. We took a taxi scooter to the Kaveri Spa and experienced the Royal Couples Massage. The massage and green tea body scrub was amazing and the milk bath afterward had my skin feeling nice and smooth. Later that day we went to the Campuhan Ridge Walk and saw some breathtaking views. I wanted to go to the hookah lounge again after that, but we headed to the hotel to pack and chill instead.
Overall, Bali was amazing. The people were nice and had a good sense of humor. Getting around wasn’t hard at all, and there was plenty to do, so we never got bored. I would definitely visit again. This two-week vacay made me realize a lot of tips that you should know before traveling internationally that I will share in another post. I hope you guys enjoyed this post!
I’m so cool, that they had to go through extra measures to make me scream on the swing lol.
I finally made it to Thailand! I have been living in Korea for the past 23 months, and finally got a chance to do what I said I was going to do before I got here. Thailand has been a dream destination of mine for about five years now, and it finally happened. This trip was a “baecation” which was a first for me, and had its challenges, but it was fun nonetheless. I actually traveled to Bali after Phuket, but I will talk about that in another post.
We started our voyage to Phuket from Incheon Airport in Seoul. Side note, having an American Express Platinum Card is AMAZING when you’re traveling abroad. One benefit of the card is a free Priority Pass membership which gives you access to the executive and business lounges in the airport. They usually are equipped with comfortable seating, free food, wi-fi, wine, beer, and TV. They are the best for long layovers, or if you get to the airport early and are just waiting to board. It definitely beats waiting at the gate with hundreds of people. For military members all the fees are waived, which is an extra perk. If you would like to apply for the card here is my referral link.
Anywho, the first day that we arrived was pretty late. We stayed at the Bandara Phuket Beach Resort in Panwa. The area was more quiet than the busy city of Patong, but it was nice and the people were very friendly. The breakfast buffet that we had there was amazing. The pool had a restaurant and bar attached that had really good food and a nice happy hour special for drinks. There is a fitness room there that opens at 8am if you would like to keep up with your fitness while on vacation. We used it twice.
While we were in Phuket we did a lot! We saw Big Buddha, went to Tiger Kingdom, Patong Beach, ate at some really cool restaurants, did a James Bond Island excursion, Phi Phi Island excursion, ate street food at a night market, and even went to a ping pong show (if you know, you know). If I were to tell you about each day, this post would be too long, so I’ll just give you the highlights. My favorite part of the trip was the James Bond Island tour. The tour was a free gift to us because I took advantage of the offer from the Club Wyndham representatives at Tiger Kingdom. They gave us roundtrip transportation from our hotel and included lunch, drinks, and fruit as a snack. We went to a few smaller secluded islands and had the chance to go snorkeling and canoeing through the limestone rocks in the ocean. James Bond Island was a beautiful site and I would highly recommend checking it out if you’re in Phuket. Phi Phi Island was cool too, but the experience wasn’t as good as the James Bond Island tour. The next time I visit that area I will actually stay on Phi Phi Island.
If you would like more information about this vacation, feel free to contact me. Be blessed!
This Labor Day weekend I traveled to Okinawa, Japan to spend time with my beau and get away from Korea. My last trip to Okinawa was in June, and was not that great, so I was a little apprehensive but gave it another try. This time the weather was amazing as opposed to the rain and total downpour that I experienced while visiting in June. I was able to do way more “outdoorsy” activities and enjoyed my time there very much.
Since we decided to relax on Friday night instead of going out to party we were able to wake up early enough on Saturday to go hiking. I had no idea what we were going to get ourselves into, but I decided to be optimistic. As we start heading up the mountain, it’s kind of steep but we figured that it wasn’t going to be like that the entire time, but boy were we wrong. It took about 45 minutes to climb the mountain with a couple picture breaks in between. On the way up the mountain we passed a guy who warned us of how steep it was, but we still were not prepared for the amount of climbing we had to do. Once we got to the top of the mountain it made it all worth it though. I was tired, sweaty, and my legs were shaking once I saw how high we actually were.
Reaching the top of Mt. Katsuu with a person that I love and care about very much was an amazing feeling. There was a family that we ended up passing by on the way up that eventually caught up to us and offered to take our pictures. My beau got some amazing shots of me as well, and of course I made him shout out his love for me once we got to the top of the mountain. Overall, it was a great experience that I probably won’t want to do again. It was cool and all, but I only need to try it once. It was super steep and we were sooo tired afterwards.
Hey y’all! So, recently I have been feeling really happy lately. Like something has definitely shifted in my life. I am receiving love and positive attention from every angle. Things are going great at work, I have people in my life that love and appreciate me. Strangers even take the time out to tell me how special I am. So what really changed? What brought about all this positive energy?
I know what changed. My mindset, my outlook on life. I know it may seem like I have always been this positive person, and that’s true but we all have our own insecurities, and that includes me. Nowadays, I am more secure in myself and my abilities. I don’t stress about how I look, if people will like me, how much money I make, etc. I just know that everything will work out for me in the end. I am vibrating on a frequency of love and happiness because that’s how I truly feel. Since I give that energy out to the world, that is what I am receiving.
As a woman, I automatically possess this divine power, but being a black woman makes it even more special. Being in Korea has made me realize that. To a lot of people, I am this exotic being. I get so many stares and looks that I don’t even notice it anymore until one of my friends points it out. When you live in your own little world of peace and love, you tend to block all of that out, at least I do. I just want to do my best to continue to live a life that others look up to and to inspire the next generation in my own special way.
It’s been a while since I’ve posted on my blog, and I just wanted to catch you up on some things that have been going on with me. If you follow me on social media, you have seen how busy Korea has been keeping me. This PCS was a blessing that I didn’t know I needed. Since I’ve been here my credit has gone up, I’m more confident, I’ve gotten to know myself better, and overall I am just happy with the woman I’m becoming. My last blog post was about me getting fit, and I did just that. I got the best score on my Air Force Fitness Test that I’ve gotten in my entire Korea. I think not having a car in Korea and working out consistently really helped. I was surprised at myself when I heard my scores.
I’ve also made some new friends, explored Korea a lot, and even won an award at work. Things have been really great here for me these past ten months. Most people would be preparing to leave here around this time, but I still have 14 months left. My first international vacation while being in Korea is going to be to the Philippines. I’m excited to visit, although it was never on my list of places to see, but why not? I may actually start vlogging while I’m there, but we shall see. This was just meant to be a quick post since I haven’t written in a while. I have a lot of new ideas for 2019. I just hope that I can keep up with myself because I’m barely making it now with my jam-packed schedule, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Life is great!
I found my new favorite spot in South Korea! Okay so I know I haven’t been giving you guys that many updates about my time in Korea, but it’s coming, I promise. I finally finished studying for my CompTIA Security + Certification, which I passed! I am now CompTIA Security + certified, and the feeling that I had when I passed that exam was pure joy. I was so excited that I did the Lebron once I walked out of the testing room. I had focused and studied for that test shortly after arriving to Osan, so for about two months. This was my third time testing and I was the only person in my work center that was not certified and that is a certification that is needed for my job, so the pressure was definitely there. Any who, I don’t want to get too deep into that. If you want to learn more about the certification just follow the hyperlink…
Today I also took my E-6 promotion test. I have been in the Air Force for eight years now, and I feel like it is time for me to step into that next level of leadership. E-6 is the rank of Technical Sergeant in the Air Force, and in my opinion, it’s when people really start to take you seriously. This was my fourth time testing for promotion, and I’ve watched some of my peers pass me by in rank. Some people would look at that as a failure on my part, but I don’t. I am proud of all of my peers who joined the Air Force the same time or shortly after me that have already made E-6. I know what type of work has to go into achieving that rank. I was focused on other things these last couple of years, and financially I still made the same amount as them, because I wasn’t solely focused on the Air Force being my only source of income. With that being said, I am happy that I tested for this promotion cycle and I don’t have to worry about it again until the results come out in the summer.
The past weekend I explored Suwon with some of my friends, and enjoyed a nice cocktail in the Songtan Entertainment District (SED) after our fun day. The SED is literally about a five minute walk from my home and it has many different restaurants, cafes, bars, and clubs. It is what makes Osan so much fun. The one really cute cafe called Cafe CF had the nicest atmosphere and the prettiest drinks and decor. I fell in love with it and I am happy that I get to enjoy it for the next 21 months! After we left Cafe CF we went to one of our regular spots and I ordered my favorite blue drink there. I think it is definitely important for you to get out of the house and destress. I felt like I’ve been cooped up for the past two months, but this weekend was really fun and I enjoyed myself getting away from the base. Trust me, there is more to come!
Here’s a photo of my “Blue Think” from the Think Lounge in the SED. (Photo taken by iPhone 7 Plus)
So far I have been having a BLAST in South Korea. I am surprised that I actually like this place a lot. I arrived in country on December 8, and it feels like I’ve been here longer than that already. I am meeting a lot of great people and my co-workers seem really cool (for the most part).
Today is Christmas here, and it does not seem like it at all. This isn’t the first Christmas I’ve spent away from my family per se, but it is the first Christmas that I have been alone in another country not around any loved ones. It’s kind of weird. I try to act really tough, but it does suck seeing pictures of people with their families at this time of year. I absolutley adore my family and their craziness, and holidays are extra fun with them.
I will say that I have been taking advantage of this area so far. I have done some short trips to Seoul, South Korea. It’s a huge city, similar to NYC, and it is the capital of South Korea. Yesterday I went to the Trick Eye Museum and the Gyeongbokgung Palace. One thing I will say, is that South Koreans love to enjoy themselves. They definitely know how to have a good time. I attached some pics and videos from the Trick Eye Museum. The Love museum was also attached too, but I didn’t get to check that out that much. Enjoy!
Hey everyone! It’s been awhile, but I have been busy! Between a relationship ending, work, business, and traveling I haven’t been posting much lately. At this point in my life I am more focused than ever. My last relationship made me realize how much of a distraction that they are for me. Don’t get me wrong, I want a long lasting relationship; a husband, kids, the whole nine yards, but just not right now. I still have a lot of growing and work to do on myself before I’m ready for all that. So with that being said, I’m focused on my business and work now in that order.
My business is something that I am passionate about. Traveling is something that I love to do and a lot of people want to do it, but just don’t know how to. That’s where I come in. I love showing people a way that they can enhance their lives. I want to impact people’s lives on so many levels, just like mine was impacted.
I also plan on finishing something that I started long ago, and that’s schooling. I’m halfway to a bachelors degree and I’ve been that way for three years now. I should have my degree by now, but I’ve made a lot of excuses as to why I have not been taking classes. Whether it was studying for promotion or my business, I made an excuse. Some would say that they are valid excuses, but they are excuses nonetheless.
Soooo, I am extremely focused and I plan on finishing out the rest of the year with a bang! I am extremely blessed and I thank God for all that he is doing in my life and is planning to do. I hope that I can continue to encourage and inspire others by living out my purpose. Always remember that your are BeYOUtiful and life is meant to be lived abundantly. Be blessed!
Queen Juliette 