Tag: Lifestyle

Explore: Panama City, Panama

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My most recent international trip was to Panama City, Panama, last February. It was technically a work trip, but we explored so much of Panama in just five days. I was even able to get a glimpse of Carnaval, which has always been a dream of mine. If you’re headed to Panama City, here are my top 5 must-dos.

  • Try Geisha coffee – It’s the most expensive coffee in the world, and for good reason. It’s the best coffee I’ve ever had in my life. It can be found at a ton of different coffee shops in major parts of the city. Give any [or multiple] of them a try.
    • Portobelo – What is thought to have been named by Columbus because of the deep blue color of the sea, now hosts the ruins of a Spanish castle, beautiful beaches, mangroves, and the most stunning coral reefs I’ve ever seen. I had never been scuba diving before, but THIS WAS INCREDIBLE.  After spending the morning exploring the castle ruins, the town of Portobelo, etc., you can make your way over to Portobelo Beach to snorkel. Seeing the coral reefs and the many different tropical fish was truly a sight to see.
    • The Panama Canal – This is probably the biggest tourist area in the entire country, and for good reason. The Panama Canal was one of the highlights of my trip and one of the coolest things I have ever seen. Over 100 years ago, the Panama Canal was created, and to this day, it lets hundreds of boats and ships pass from one side of the country to the other. I stayed and watched the boats passing for over an hour before watching the Panama Canal movie that they show daily. The mechanisms by which the boats transport ships across the channels are insane, and I’m truly mind-blown that something of its kind exists.
      • Lago Gatún – Want to see pelicans, bats, monkeys, ships, cranes [metal, not aviary], and sloths? Lago Gatún is THE place to be. To get there, pass by ships coming or going from the Panama Canal, and get your binoculars ready to see some incredible flora and fauna. While I personally did not see a sloth [just one more reason to return], so many people do get the opportunity to see one, and honestly, the chance alone is worth the trip.
        • Plaza Herrera – This is what was described to me as the main plaza of “Downtown.” From Plaza Herrera, you can find numerous hotels, rooftop bars, coffee shops, handicraft stores, and much more. Every street you turn down is full of color, culture, and joy. I loved weaving my way in and out of stores, occasionally stopping to buy something in USD.

        Have you ever been to Panama? If not, interested in doing any of this?

        Alicia ❤

        If we were having coffee

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        Happy Fall. Happy October. Happy times of change! It’s been quite a year for me.

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I went to Panama! My life goal is to visit one new country a year, and this year’s country was Panama. I went in February with a group of teachers and EF tours. It was a 5-day trip that was jam-packed with everything Panama City and more had to offer and it was lovely. Panama is an incredible country, and I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to visit

        My friend Claire and I at the Panama Canal

        If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I went to Disney World for the first time in 13 or so years. My best friends and I all flew down to Orlando for my spring break and went to Disney. It was a crazy week, filled with sun up to sun down walking, riding rides, drinking, and eating around the world.

        My friends Grace, Jess, and I after a long day enjoying some milkshakes

        If we were having coffee, I would tell you that last semester, I taught a class on… COFFEE. At my school, we have a 3-hour class every other Wednesday that focuses on student interests. With the help of a student, we created a coffee class. We learned about different types of coffee, made coffee, tasted coffee, got to tour the Starbucks roastery and got to tour a smaller roastery. I got to visit some coffee shops in the city that I’d wanted to visit for years, and on my school’s dime! How fun!

        Inside the Starbucks Roastery of Chicago

        If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I moved! I moved to the city’s Southside [Pilsen] with my sister. She is still in college but stayed with me over the summer and will stay with me for breaks before moving in with me full-time once she graduates in May. I love my apartment, its sunlight, how I’ve laid it out, and my bedroom!! My whole life, I have always dreamed of living in one of those corner apartments with the cylindrical group of windows that just exude sunlight and ‘princess’ vibes. It gives off a reading nook, and I knew I had to live there when I first saw the apartment. The amount of sun that comes into my apartment completely removes the need for lights until it’s dark out, and the way I’ve designed my apartment makes me feel right at home [apartment tour coming soon 😉 ]

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I turned 26. Not only did I turn 26, but I also got the gift I’ve been wanting for my birthday for the past 13 years: an Edible Arrangement!!! Weird, I know, but it’s something I’ve always wanted.

        In all her glory :’)

        I got a second dog. In June, I saw a dog resembling Poppy, and I had to have him. Unfortunately, he was taken before I could meet him, but another dog was available. When I sat on the floor next to him, he put his head on my shoulder, and it was love at first touch. He had heartworm, so I knew I was in for a hell of a few months, but having already gone through that with Poppy made me 100% sure I could handle it. On June 24th, my sister, Poppy, and I drove home with our newest addition, Juniper. We’re not sure of his breed, but I think he has pitbull, beagle, and chihuahua in him. I will ask for a DNA kit for Christmas to get him tested because I was also sure about Poppy’s breed and then was 100% wrong. He just finished his heartworm treatment yesterday, so I officially have two healthy dogs. It’s definitely been an exciting ride, but I’m loving every second of it.

        Juniper on the left and Poppy on the right

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that the walking group I’m a part of is getting major buzz. I’ve been with this group for over a year, and we reached 50K followers on Instagram. Two weeks ago, I led our biggest walk with roughly 400 people!!!! It’s so fun to lead walks, and I love getting the chance to meet new people in this big city.

        If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I’m seeing my favorite band in the world on Sunday. Tomorrow morning, I am driving to Ohio to pick up my younger sister from school, and we are driving back here for The Band Camino’s concert. It’s tradition now, seeing as we went last year as well. I cannot wait to see them again, and I got VIP tickets, which means we get some merch and a 4-song acoustic set before the concert. I’M PUMPED.

        I have a few other things I would love to chat about, but just in case I have some gossipers, I need to keep them quiet for the time being. A lot has changed in my life in the past year, and since I haven’t shared ALL of the changes with people in my real life, I will keep SOME of the changes private with the people in my online life. I hope that will change soon, but enjoy some boundaries and a little mystery in your lives for now.

        Much much love,

        Alicia ❤

        If we were having coffee [and hadn’t chatted in a few years]

        Published on by Alicia3 Comments

        I got an email confirmation from WordPress a few weeks back saying that my URL was being renewed for another year. I couldn’t help but find it silly that 20 or so dollars came out of my account, and I hadn’t posted since I last got that email in November of 2021. My last post was in July 2021, and it was a catch-up post about my life. I had just moved into my first-ever apartment [which I still live in] and that was that. Nothing since. I’ve logged in a few times but every time I try to put finger to the keyboard, I’m overcome with anxiety that I should be doing something else: work, cleaning, sleeping, working out, walking my dog, etc.  Why can’t I just do something [like read or write] because I want to? Why must there be a higher purpose? If I want to sit on my couch, watch Dance Moms, and write a little blog post for a few hundred people to read, then why can’t I??? My goal in 2023 is to take care of myself: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Blogging does a lot for my mental health, and it makes me feel like I have a bit of a purpose. So, here’s to writing at least one post a month. If I write more, fab, but 1 post a month is my goal in 2023 and that’s that. So, for the first time in over a year, grab a coffee, and let’s chat.

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m actually no longer drinking coffee. I kind of stopped drinking coffee in October? I drink it rarely but not daily like I was before.  I really only drink tea now and I’m feeling good about this decision. I love Chai now!

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I was diagnosed with PCOS last January. It’s been awful and I have so many more questions, but I love the online support community that surrounds PCOS. I’m learning so much about my body through it which is good, but it truly sucks that my body doesn’t function like others do.  I would love to start posting about it here 🙂

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m reconsidering my profession. I think I’ve fallen out of love with teaching. It’s heartbreaking and I’m not sure if it’s my school or teaching, but I think a career change is in my future [that and my master’s degree for sure]. I’m having preemptive guilt because I love my coworkers and my students and the Spanish language and culture, but I come home every day exhausted [not to be mistaken for the lack of caffeine I’m drinking haha] and depressed. I don’t want to lead a life like that :/ I’m not sure what’s in store for me next year but I really need to reevaluate my life and what’s important to me and see if teaching gets better for me.

        If we were having coffee, I’d let it slide that I’m no longer vegan. WHAT?! Here’s the deal. I went vegan in 2015 when I was in the grips of an eating disorder. I used veganism as another method of starvation and ate protein bars, smoothies, and bananas, and called it a day. I maintained this veganism for 6 or so years, hating myself when I slipped up and ate something with milk in it. I made the decision for myself that right now, veganism is too restrictive for me. I am still vegetarian and will realistically never eat meat again. Once I work out all of my problems with food and body image and eating in general, maybe I’ll make my way back to being vegan, but right now, I need to not be as restrictive so I’m a happy little vegetarian at the moment and have been now for well over a year.

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’m ready to leave Chicago. When I was little, I always dreamed of moving to LA or NYC. That dream is long over. I want a backyard and grass for my dog to play in. I want to be within 30 minutes of an airport but without the hustle and bustle of Chicago. I want to be able to find parking dammit! I want things to cost a little less money. I love Chicago and always will, but Chicago isn’t [and never was] permanent for me. I never pictured myself here post-grad and I’d love to be in a city that feels like home. I’m not sure when I’ll move but I do know that I’m not staying in my tiny little apartment forever [which is bittersweet].

        I’m sure there is so much more but that’s what I have today. I miss writing dearly, and every time I do open a blank document, it feels right, like this is what I’m supposed to be doing.

        Chit-chat soon,

        Alicia ❤

        21 in 2021

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        As part of my Happiness Project [more to come on that soon], part of the first task was to make a list of 21 things to do in the year 2021. I’ve done these before but normally they were huge goals. This year, I’m making a list of 21 things that I would like to accomplish [big or small]. I’ll check back on this list at the end of 2021 or earlier if I happen to finish them before then. Here goes my 21 things to accomplish in 2021.

        Physical Health

        1. Complete a workout program [any length, any kind, just complete it. Start to finish]
        2. Figure out what is wrong with my stomach and get It fixed [remove a food, try a new diet, etc.]
        3. Find a Workout class I enjoy
        4. Cook one new recipe a month
        5. Get the COVID vaccine
        6. Eat less ‘added’ sugar
        7. Stay sober
        8. Complete Yoga with Adriene’s 30 day Breathe Yoga Journey

        Mental Health

        1. Read 20 books
        2. Practice self-care daily [workout, reading, face mask, cooking, etc.]
        3. Keep my social media hiatus until June [or longer]

        Spiritual Health

        1. Meditate or do yoga for one hour per week

        Work

        1. Figure out my next move- Grad school, Peace Corps, teaching in America, teaching abroad – who knows?
        2. If I choose working… Get a job for the 2021-2022 school year.
        3. Blog 50 times
        4. Write 20,000 words in my novel

        Play

        1. Take a week-long vacation with my sister
        2. Visit one new country [COVID pending]
        3. Learn something new – Calligraphy, Crochet, How to Play piano – who knows?

        Other

        1. Pick my one-word theme for the year
        2. Replace an item with something that makes more ‘sense’ at the time

        I like the last one the most. My goals might change over the year and that’s okay!!! So, if that happens, I get a freebie change to use however I see most fit. I’m also hoping to blog about each of these as they are completed and I will add a new tab on my blog called “Happiness Project” soon for all posts related to my happiness project.

        ❤ Alicia

        2020 year in review

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        Hi all. While 2020 wasn’t anything like we’d expected [myself the least I think], I do think 2020 overall was a good year. While a lot of crap happened this year, a lot of good things happened as well. Of course, most of these from the comfort of my 8ft x 10ft bedroom, but good things, nonetheless.

        I started off the year with a few of my best friends from high school, my first-time celebrating NYE at a bar… oh how I took that evening for granted. I also went on my first ever real date [sorry for ghosting you Adam but you only ever communicated over snapchat… big red flag for me] just before heading off to another country for another semester.

        I spent my last semester of college completing my student teaching in Greece. Visiting other countries like Bulgaria, The Netherlands, and Belgium. I met some amazing people, Greek, American, Spanish, etc. while I was there. It was one of the best [and most eye-opening] experiences of my life. That of course got cut to an abrupt stop on a Thursday in March and I was then shipped back home after sobbing in the Thessaloniki airport when I thought there were no more flights back to America.  Nonetheless, I made it back home, in one piece, and subsequently, I spent the next 9 months quarantining…

        March, April, and May were spent by moping around, walking my dog, beating every video game I own, cleaning my room, graduating college [oh ou, oh yeah I forgot about this], and spending far too many hours scrolling through tik tok.

        June and July were the first time I’ve seen real people since March [outside of my immediate family]. I celebrated my 23rd birthday with my parents and my sister at my favorite restaurant [thank god for it being on a corner and having outdoor seating] and then in July I visited some friends in Ohio and spent a week in Wisconsin at my cousin’s new home. July is also the last time I’ve had alcohol [and hopefully ever will].

        August and September were a whirlwind of shipping my sister off to college, waiting for my visa for Spain to get approved, it finally getting approved, packing my life into a suitcase, duffle bag and my backpack until I finally left for Spain.

        As we all know, October left me returning home from Spain for a multitude of personal reasons, which as much as I hate to admit, it was the best decision I could have made. October also consisted of me starting therapy and getting my first ever big girl job [Spanish Teacher at a K-12 school in Chicago]. I also deleted my social media which I still don’t use [and TikTok got the boot too].

        November and December have been about getting into a routine of a 40 hour a week job while still taking time for myself and my growth. And now, here I am, sitting on my bed during my first vacation as a working adult, writing my first blog post in months.

        2020 has been a year of personal growth, setting boundaries [for myself and others], and enjoying all of the little things.

        I am hoping that 2021 is full of life, love, happiness, and goal achieving, no matter how big or small any of these are for me and for you.

        See you all in 2021.

        ❤ Alicia

        Orgain Protein Review

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        Disclosure: some of  the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no  additional cost to you, 
I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

        Over the past few months, I’ve been trying to treat my body as best as I can because I’m trying to love myself and part of loving yourself comes from treating your body right. I’ve been trying to eat a balanced amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats. However, as a vegan, it can be a little harder to get in all of my protein daily, so, I usually have a protein shake or smoothie after my workout each day. I’m also trying to eat less processed foods which, unfortunately, a lot of vegan meats are high in chemicals and words I don’t know so, I was stuck in a rut with my diet for quite a bit.

        I’ve used quite a few vegan proteins in my day however, there were none that I ever loved [either the price or the flavor] until this summer. While scrolling through vegan protein recommendations on a blog I was reading in April, I discovered Orgain Protein. Orgain protein is very plant-heavy and doesn’t have the chemicals that other proteins I’ve had have.

        I’ve been using this protein for about five months and have loved every product I’ve tried. From their protein shakes, powders, and bars, everything is good!

        My biggest thing when it comes to protein is taste. A lot of proteins don’t taste good and it can still be tasted when added to food. I’ve put the powders in smoothies and oatmeal and to my surprise, it tastes good!!! Depending on what flavor I use [PB or chocolate fudge are the powders I’ve tried and keep coming back to] it adds to the food I put it in and you can taste the chocolate or peanut butter in the food I’m eating. I also enjoy drinking their protein shakes plain or in a fruit smoothie with granola after a workout.

        My favorite thing about Orgain protein is that there are tons of flavors and options for products. I love their creamy chocolate protein shake and their peanut butter chocolate vegan protein powder. The biggest thing I love about these is that they are soy-free [my stomach does not tolerate soy which is why I’m opting to eat less soy in my diet].

        Overall, if you’re looking for a protein, in whatever form, I would recommend Orgain.

        I loved them enough to become an ambassador. If you decide to give Orgain a shot, you can use my code: LIVINGOFFLEESH30 for 30% off your first order [they even had nonvegan protein and collagen]

        Much love,
        Alicia

        Why mental and spiritual health are just as important as physical health

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        I’ve become an absolute podcast fiend. I love having background noise in my life when doing mundane tasks like the dishes, cleaning, walking my dog, etc. and normally I would just play the TV. However, before I went to Spain, I started listening to podcasts regularly. I’ve learned so much from every episode and they’re so fun to listen to because it literally feels like you’re having a chat with the people on the podcast.

        I’m a huge fan of The Health Code [Sarah’s Day and Kurt Tilse], A Whole Lotta BS [Brittney Saunders] and Let’s Do Life [Autumn Calabrese]. I also listened to part of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone [read aloud by some of the cast including Tom Felton and Daniel Radcliffe!] but that’s not what this post is about.

        In one of the podcast episodes [I can’t remember which because this was a BS-before Spain- podcast I listened to] they discussed that people often focus too much on physical health, or too much on spiritual health or emotional health and neglect the other two. You can’t have one without the others. This is why people who go really hard in the gym but have terrible mental health [me] aren’t quite content with the results they get. However, when you focus equal time and energy to all three, they all work together and you yourself come together in a more wholesome form than when you just focused on one. I have always advocated for all three [to my friends not to myself] and I realized that I mostly only focus on one, which always differs depending on what season of life I’m in.

        My goal for the rest of the year is to pour an equal amount of time, effort, and energy into my physical, mental, and emotional health so that I can be more whole.

        • In terms of physical health: filling my body with whole foods that make my body feel good [which unfortunately might mean cutting out soy partially because it doesn’t agree with my stomach], taking vitamins, and moving my body every day.
        • As for mental health: my social media detox, therapy, reading, writing, and getting a job [to have something occupying my time] top this list.
        • Finally, my spiritual health. I will be meditating, doing yoga, and journaling [manifesting]. I will also be more active in learning about my spiritual health. I recently have discovered that I’m more of a spiritual person. I always knew I wasn’t religious, but I think the universe plays a big role in everyone’s lives and I want to learn how to work with the universe not against it [something I’ve been doing for a while I think].

        Please send me any and all podcast recommendations! I have a long way to go with the TBB podcast [there are over 200 episodes with each being roughly one hour long] but once I finish, I’m looking for some! I like more health and wellness focused podcasts but would be down for lifestyle, vegan, etc. As long as I learn at least one fun thing per episode that’s all I’m asking for.

        Much love,

        Alicia ❤

        Making oat milk

        Published on by Alicia3 Comments

        Happy Monday, as most of you know, I’ve been very much into sustainable living and all that jazz. One of the things that can help you be more sustainable is by making household products yourself. I’ve made soap, shampoo, conditioner, etc. but I wanted to take a more foody approach this time so I made oat milk! You can make milk from anything these days but one of the most sustainable kinds of milk to drink is oat milk [it uses the least amount of water to make] and I had yet to find a brand or type I’ve enjoyed, so instead, I made my own. I scoured the internet for recipes and didn’t find one I particularly liked so in true Alicia fashion, I wung It and made my own recipe.

        I wanted to share that this experience was far from the many photos I see on Instagram of people holding one of those antique milk jugs filled with oat milk and sipping away.

        First and foremost, I would like to say that I would not recommend using a food processor. You HAVE to use a blender. I swear by my food processor and use it to make ice cream, smoothies, protein bars, etc. However, when it comes to blending liquid, do NOT use the food processor. I turned that bad boy on and there was oaty water all over the place. While my food processor is bigger than my blender, I should have just made multiple small batches in the blender rather than one big batch in my food processor because I wasted over half of it as it spewed all around my kitchen [and onto me].

        Nevertheless, it did taste good and I’d make it again just in my blender because then hopefully the oats would grind up and mix in with the water a bit more than they did as well to make thicker and creamier oat milk [I want to put it in my coffee] which is what I was going for.

        Ingredients

        • 1 cup of oats [use more if you want it thick and creamy]
        • 4 cups of water
        • 2-3 pitted dates [depending on desired sweetness]
        • ¼ teaspoon salt
        • ½ teaspoon vanilla [I prefer my dairy-free milk to be vanilla flavored. If you don’t, you can omit this or add another flavor]
        • Shirt or cheesecloth [I used a both in my process and found an old -but clean- shirt can be much more useful because no oats get through the shirt whereas when I used the cheesecloth, a little did get through]
        • Jar [I used a quart ball jar]

        Directions:

        1. Place all food ingredients in the blender and blend until white.
        2. Add more oats or more water until you reach your desired consistency
        3. Place shirt or cheesecloth over the jar and slowly add milk onto the cheesecloth/shirt until there is no more liquid in your blender.
        4. Enjoy!

        It’s quite simple [when you know what you’re doing] so I went through the troubles of being an idiot so you all don’t have to!

        Have you ever made dairy-free milk? How did it go?
        ❤ Alicia

        Why I’m taking a social media break

        Published on by Alicia6 Comments

        I’m officially back in America and readjusting to everything I just left. I’m unpacking, spending much needed time with my dog [I always forget how much of a de-stressor she is until I am so stressed out that I’m in tears] and I’m slowly getting into a routine.

        Something that I think is so toxic to me at this point in my life is social media. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again and I’m a very black and white person so I’m either on social media for 1912912 hours a day or none at all. While I do enjoy Instagram for keeping up with my friends’ lives and Twitter is great for the news and a good laugh, I really can’t take it right now. I spend hours upon hours scrolling through social media and I really can’t stand it because it’s the biggest waste of time [I’m looking at you TikTok].

        I’ve decided to take a bit of a social media hiatus [I’m keeping Snapchat for the time being because I don’t look at stories, I just send a picture or two to the same seven people every day and get on with my life but that might change… who knows? I’ll also keep TikTok because to me that’s not social media and I just watch Draco Malfoy, Harry Styles, and Robert Pattinson compilations so how bad is that? Both of these apps will be getting a screen time limit and the password will be chosen by my sister because it is far too easy to enter that screen time password and keep watching TikToks for hours upon hours not that I’m speaking from personal knowledge 😉 ]

        Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter will be gone for a while. I did it almost four years ago for a whole summer and I think it was beneficial for my mental health. I also read and wrote a lot more, worked out more, was present, etc. I don’t think social media is the worst thing in the world by any means BUT I do think a hiatus can be an amazing thing every so often.

        And of course, I’ll still be blogging as much as I can. I’m hoping therapy can spark a bit more motivation in me than what I’ve had.

        Have you ever done a social media detox/hiatus? How’d it go?
        ❤ Alicia

        Beginnings and Endings

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        Hi all. If you remember me talking about my BIG move to Spain to teach at a university here, well… it happened. I’m currently sitting in my Airbnb in Ciudad Real, Spain as I type this. I’ve been here for one week, and I’ve fallen in love with this city.

        I’m not typing this post as means of a WOOHOO I’m in Spain… quite the latter. Unfortunately, I will be heading home. I don’t really want to get into why because I’ve been stressing for the past few days about it. I’m heading home and my life in Spain will have gone just as quickly as it came.

        Although I’m very disheartened that this journey of mine is coming to a rather abrupt halt, I’m seeing the good in this whole situation and there are actually a lot of upsides to this situation I’ve found out.

        • I get to see my dog on WEDNESDAY. She is going to be so confused as to why I cried about leaving her for over an hour [I spent almost every waking minute with her since I started quarantining on March 18th… give me a break] and now I’m home so quick.
        • I get to see my aunt’s dog on Wednesday as well. My aunt got surgery and is going to be in rehab for about a month so until then, TWO dogs.
        • I get to make more money than I would have while in Spain. No matter what I do, I’ll be making more money in America per paycheck than per month in Spain [not that I cared about that, I wanted this experience more than any amount of money].
        • ~Hopefully~, I get to take a trip to Europe with my sister next summer. She’s always wanted to go to Paris, and I have a hankering to go to London and all of the UK, so hopefully, we’ll be able to head over there for a few weeks. We can take the HARRY POTTER tour, go to Harry Styles’ bakery, and see the Louvre. Also, she’s my personal photographer so the Instagram content from that trip would be AMAZING.
        • I get to VOTE. I left for Spain before early voting started in my county and I was unsure if my mail-in ballot would make it to Spain and back to America in time once I got my address. However, when I get home, I’ll head straight to the early voting polls and get to ~hopefully~ vote out 45.
        • I am going to be able to focus on me. I probably won’t be able to get a full-time teaching job [since the semester is halfway over] nor do I want one in the condition America is in right now as to not risk getting COVID in a room with 25 germ spreaders. I’ll probably find something part-time [retail, babysitting /e-learning help, substitute teaching, etc.] and I will have plenty of time to take care of myself. I will be going to therapy [probably twice per week to start], exercising, eating right, reading, writing, and doing everything that I love.
        • I might write a novel! I have always wanted to participate in NaNoWriMo and because COVID will most likely still be terrorizing America next month, I should have enough time to do it. I also have a great idea [or at least I think I do] so once I create some characters, figure out the rest of the plot, etc. NaNoWriMo here I come.


        Finally, while talking to my sister last night [amidst my mental breakdown from this hectic week I’ve had] and she said I looked sad and emotionally drained. Honestly, I am. I don’t think it’s just from this week but from everything built up that I’m finally starting to recognize. It’s very easy to put your mental health off in college because it’s “cute and quirky” to be depressed and to be anxious and to be so stressed you cry. When you’ve graduated… girl, go to therapy. Also, this past week I’ve been alone most of the time. COVID is preventing me from going out and meeting people and every ‘tourist’ activity I want to do is also closed so I’ve been spending a lot of time in my hotel room, pent up with just my thoughts. And let me tell you, my brain needs a lot of help at the moment. I love traveling but my sister told me that I use traveling to put off getting mental help. It’s true [I hate it when little siblings are correct]. I live off that travel high long after I return and when I get back into my head aging, away I go on a new trip. So, while I wish I could have been living in Spain and working on me, I think for myself [present and future] I’m going to benefit the most from being home for the foreseeable future.

        I think I’m meant to live in Spain for an extended period… I do. However, this year just isn’t it. I will return one day to Spain but it might not be this year or even next year. Whether I return to Spain as a tourist or to teach again, I know I’ll be back one day. J

        España, te quiero mucho y regresaré un día.
        ❤ Alicia

        My flight essentials

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        Happy Tuesday. Now I know most of us aren’t doing much [if any] travel these days, so keep this bad boy saved for when you’re flying next. I, however, will be making another trip to Spain in the coming weeks. I was originally supposed to leave in six days, however, my visa has still yet to be approved so I’ll be heading there before the end of the month if plan B goes smoothly.

        Something I’ve become quite good at is flying. I’ve loved flying ever since I was little, however, when I first started solo traveling [flying to and from San Diego when this blog was just a baby] I had no idea what the hell I was doing. I would bring so much stuff in my carry on “just in case” that I never ended up using // needing. After 20 or more [ I have no idea if I’m being honest] solo flights around the US, South America, and Europe, I’ve come to know what things are essential for your flight and what can stay at home or in your checked baggage. Here are my top 5 carry on flight essentials.

        1. Snacks – This will forever and always be my #1 flight essential. I’m going to count gum in this category too because I cannot and will not fly without a pack of gum for take-off and landing. For super long overseas flights or for flights with layovers, bringing snacks from home is always the better and cheaper option. Food and drinks in airports are EXPENSIVE and depending on the country’s exchange rate, just not even worth it. Because of this, I always bring an empty water bottle [to fill up after security] and a few snacks [some sweet, some savory] such as dried fruit, nuts, crackers, etc. anything to fill me up and get me to where I’m going. I find that when you have dietary restrictions such as myself, it’s even more important that you bring these on flight snacks. Just because they offer a vegan or gluten free or whatever meal option, does, BY NO MEANS, mean it will be a good one.
        2. Chargers – My favorite thing about longer flights is that they normally have a charging port on the seat back in front of you. My flight to Greece was 11 hours and I’m stupid and forgot to check in 24 hours in advance which meant a middle seat for me. It was miserable and I couldn’t get comfortable enough to take a nap. Therefore, I spent the 11 hours watching 6 movies, playing games on my phone, listening to music etc. When I switched my time to watching movies, I plugged in my phone so that it wouldn’t die during my layover or before I got to my new apartment.
        3. A book // E-reader – Not everyone loves reading on airplanes, but I personally do. I try to grab my computer and write on flights normally but not all planes have enough room to have a laptop out and elbows jabbing when you’re typing. I always carry a book in my bag for those tight spaces on airplanes and when you can’t get Wi-Fi at your layover airport [or if you have a 4-hour layover and only are allowed 1 hour of Wi-Fi … thanks Istanbul]
        4. Headphones – A lot of longer flights will gives you headphones to watch movies, listen to music, etc. They almost always suck. I always bring two pairs of headphones [my AirPods for my phone and a pair that works for the traditional headphone jack] so that I can enjoy movies on the plane and have headphones that I can actually hear out of both sides.
        5. A ‘just in case’ bag – this is 100% the most important in my opinion. The last thing you want to happen is for your luggage to get lost and you’re without a toothbrush, underwear, or deodorant. In my carry on, I always carry a bag of miscellaneous items I might need on the flight or after if my luggage is lost. This usually consists of: a hairbrush, bobby pins, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, travel shampoo + conditioner, tissues, soap, lotion, hair ties, hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, etc. I then have an extra outfit [usually just bra, underwear, socks, t shirt and leggings] in case something happens to the clothes I’m wearing, or my luggage gets misplaced.

        Obviously, each person’s carry on will depend on you and your interests, but I have to think that these items are pretty much universal, and anyone can and will need one or all of these at some point while travelling.

        ❤ Alicia

        If we were having coffee

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        Long time no write – my favorite phrase. It’s been about two and a half months since I’ve sat at my computer and written. My laptop crapped out on me in February amidst my hardest assignment I’ve ever had to complete in order to graduate college and get my teaching license. The keyboard stopped working [I realized right after purchasing my new one that I needed a new battery] and I had to connect a mouse and keyboard to get the computer to work so basically it was just a desktop computer. Nothing wrong with a desktop, however, my favorite blogging spot is at the corner of the couch with a cup of coffee on the table next to me and a movie on the TV for background noise. That was difficult with my previous set up. Now, I’ve got my brand new computer and I’m ready to get back into writing. So, grab your cup of coffee and let’s chat about my summer.

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you about how I’m still [hopefully] headed to Spain. I’ve submitted everything necessary for my visa application and now it’s just a waiting game. As long as everything goes as planned and my visa gets approved, I’ll be heading to Ciudad Real, Spain on September 14th to teach !!!!

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you how my sister went away to college! We moved her in about two and a half weeks ago at Southern Illinois University and then I got to visit her this past Friday! She’s doing so well there and college was just what she needed.

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’ve still been quarantining for the most part. I’ve seen a few friends but I’m keeping my circle small and not risking a thing because I know [and no one else seems to] that there is still a pandemic going on.

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I visited my friends in Ohio for my friend Grace’s 21st birthday. We went back to my college town and kept to ourselves, spending much of our time in our hotel rooms, playing cards, and just enjoying everyone’s company. It was great to see them all but that drive wasn’t fun.

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that my family and I spent a week in northern Wisconsin at my cousin’s home. Every year we used to go to Kentucky for a week of fishing, swimming, card playing, sun burning, and just to spend time with each other. Because of COVID, we had to adjust and spent the week at my cousin’s home. We got to celebrate the graduation of my sister from high school, me and my cousin from college, and my cousin’s husband from his surgical residency! It was tons of fun to get some sun, read, check out a new little town, and get in some much-needed baby and dog time!

        If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that I’ve been consistently working out and eating right pretty much all summer. I’m feeling really great and this little bit of consistency in my life has made these uncertainties of quarantine and COVID a little easier. I also recently downloaded Nike Run Club and I’m going to try and get into running! If any of you runners have any tips for beginners, please let me know!

        What has happened during your summer?

        Much love

        ❤ Alicia

        My Fitness Pal and other diet apps ruined a whole generation

        Published on by Alicia3 Comments

        I’ve recently rediscovered my love for health and fitness and have been working out pretty consistently for the past month or so. I’m eating good food, treating my body right, and I haven’t felt this good about my body for a long time ever.

        Before I had this blog, I had a fitness blog in my sophomore and junior years of high school [if I remember correctly] where I basically just blogged about the current workout I was doing [30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels was my fave], what I was eating, and how school and life were going.

        When I was in high school, Tumblr was super popular and I had a few thousand followers where I posted the same things like my blog as well as reblogged gifs and photos of workouts, tips, and the ‘ideal’ body that every girl lusted after.

        I had an addiction to MyFitnessPal [MFP]. Now, MFP has a minimum daily calorie intake of 1200 calories. Back when I used it, there was no minimum. If you went below 1000, they showed a little message that that wasn’t necessarily healthy and that you should be eating more, however, you could still eat as low as you wanted. I deprived my body of the food it so desperately needed for years because an app said if I kept at it I’d lose weight in no time.

        Everyone I knew had [or still has] My Fitness Pal. A lot of my college friends have told me they used MFP in middle school and high school as well. My Fitness Pal not only destroyed me, my relationship with food, my relationship with my body, and my ability to love myself, but it also did the same to a whole generation of boys and girls.

        The internet tells you to hate the way you look from day one based on ads, skinny teas, weight loss programs, etc. but apps like My Fitness Pal, Livestrong, LoseIt! and more give you the tools to go to any means necessary to get you to ‘love yourself’ and get that ideal body. What 12 or 13-year-old won’t jump on the ‘opportunity of a lifetime?’

        For those of you lucky enough to not know what My Fitness Pal is, it’s a diet app where you input your food, water, and exercise throughout the day. At the end of every day, you submit your net calories for the day. The app then tells you “if you eat like this every day you should weigh ____ pounds in 5 weeks.”  I can be 10 [or more] pounds closer to the ‘ideal’ body in FIVE weeks???? Sign me UP. On my blog, I bragged about eating 1000 or fewer calories a day and to this day I know the calories of the foods I ate most often for when I was away from my phone or after I deleted the app.

        My teenage years were full of weight loss and weight gain and using My Fitness Pal and Livestrong [as part of a class grade on multiple occasions !!] and having calorie journals. My teenage years were also full of eating 300 calories during the day and binging on hundreds and thousands of calories late at night alone. My teenage years were full of torturing my body by over-exercising and undereating but thinking I was doing great things for it because I was getting compliments on my body and I was getting closer to the societal ideal body type.

        There are thousands of people in their teens and twenties who don’t have good relationships with food and their bodies and who are going to spend years unlearning what we learned on diet apps like My Fitness Pal and I’m one of them.

        I no longer use the app, however, as I mentioned before, I know most of the calories of the foods I eat daily. I sit and tally up my calories for the day after each meal mindlessly. I’m more of a numbers person in general which is why it’s been so hard to unlearn all of the numbers, grams, calories, etc. It’s something I have to actively think about, not counting calories and not reading food labels [other than to make sure something is vegan] and to just focus on putting good foods in my body. It’s a slow process, of course, but I’m confident that one day all of the people affected by diet apps will be able to take back their relationships with food and their bodies by storm.

        To all the young people: Never ever download a diet app and don’t base your worth off of how your body looks.

        To everyone: Never comment on someone’s weight even if you think it’s a compliment because you NEVER know what they’re dealing with.

        All bodies are good bodies.

        Much love,

        Alicia ❤

        Why understanding personality types is so important

        Published on by Alicia1 Comment

        Myer Briggs, Enneagram, Love languages… you name it, these personality indicators have boomed all over social media. Recently, I’ve taken a closer look into my enneagram type, my Myer Briggs personality type, as well as what my love languages are and I’ve really found out a lot about myself.  I’ve also learned so much about my friends. By knowing their types, I can learn more about what kinds of friends they are and how to be a better friend based on their personality. Even just dipping a toe into the world of personality tests can make a world of change not only in your life but the lives of those around you as well.

        Myer Briggs

        The most popular of the personality tests, the Myer Briggs test has been around for years. I took it for the first time in high school for a class that required a lot of group work. We were paired together with people with compatible personality types. There are 16 different personality types. Once you take a test to find out what your type is, you’ll be shown pages of information about your type such as strengths, weaknesses, how they are in relationships [romantic and platonic], how they’ll be as parents, what careers they’d be good in, celebrities that have the same personality type as you, and more! Personally, I am an INTJ-T. A career that would be fitting for me is a writer [fitting] and Michelle Obama is also an INTJ. The Myer Briggs test is so beneficial for groups because there is a lot of information you can learn about others’ personalities which is always useful when working with new people.

        Love Language

        To me, a person’s love language is SO important. What is a love language you may be wondering? It’s how people like to be shown love, whether platonically or romantically. There are 5 types: Physical Touch, Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Quality Time, and Receiving Gifts. By heading to the Love Languages website and taking a quick quiz you can find out what your love language is [or are if you have multiple]. My love languages are Words of Affirmation and Acts of Service. To me, there is nothing like getting told “I’m proud of you, you’re doing great” or having someone do a chore I didn’t want to do. Do either of these things and you’ll have my heart forever. I scored the lowest in physical touch, so please, please never give me a pat on the back. Consensual hugs are the only thing I’ll do haha. By knowing your love language as well as the love language of your friends // significant others you can really show how much you love them by loving them through their love language whether that be by spending an afternoon with them, buying them a coffee, etc. It’s always nice to feel loved.

        Enneagram

        The enneagram has become quite popular as of late and artists all over Instagram [my two faves are Cathartic Word and Chalk and Leaves] are using the nine different enneagrams as inspiration for graphic art which tons of people [me and ALL my friends included] are loving. There are nine different Enneagram types, as I mentioned, and while you have to pay for the ~official~ quiz, there are tons of other quizzes online that you can do for free with just a simple “enneagram test free” google search. I did quite a few of them and ended up finding out I’m a type 3 enneagram. Threes are known for being charming, ambitious, driven, but can also be concerned about the image they portray to others. This is me to a T. Within your Enneagram type, you can also have ‘wings.’ Wings are defined as an Enneagram on either side of your type [since my type is a three, my wings could be either a two or a four] that you lean towards more. I happen to be a 3w4; an Enneagram type three with a four-wing. I’ve noticed a lot of my friends are type 2s, aka the helper. I’ve learned so much about myself based off of my enneagram from why I feel so defeated after trying something once and not being great at it to how I can help cope with stress and anxiety in ways that will be good for MY personality type, not just for the general public. This is also a great one to learn about with a partner or with colleagues because you can learn how each type works, deals with stress, things they love, etc. And honestly, I LOVE just learning about Type Threes. Who knew a website knew more about me than I knew about me?

        What is your favorite personality quiz?

        ❤ Alicia

        Mahalo Purse Review

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        Alicia here with another review of something quarantine + Instagram made me buy!

        Ever since my purse got stolen last summer in Spain [RIP to the Goodwill crossbody bag… you were a real one] I have been on the lookout for a purse as good as that one. It was big enough to fit a large water bottle for long days of walking as well as everything else I needed and I haven’t’ been able to find anything quite like it. While I still haven’t been able to find the perfect purse, I’ve come across a few bags in the past year that I’ve added to my collection that get the job done as they should. I have a couple larger bags [my teacher bag that can fit my whole life into it, a pretty big brown shoulder bag, a smaller grey cross body bag, etc.] but I have never had a small purse before. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized there are some times when you really just need a small bag. Going out with friends, grocery shopping, etc. all really don’t require a large bag but that’s really all I have.

        While scrolling through my Instagram saves [one titled ‘Things to Buy] folders and eliminating ones I don’t need anymore, I came across an ad I had saved for Mahalo cases… Mahalo Casessell phone cases and wallet duos. Ok, a matching wallet and phone case… who cares? The phone cases are magnetic and attach on the inside of the wallet. You can’t lose your phone when it’s literally attached to the purse you’re wearing. The best part about it? The chain from the purse can be removed and replaced with a wristlet strap for when you don’t want to carry a whole purse. Or, if you want it to double as your wallet in your super big purse which I’ll definitely be doing whilst teaching.

        I bought the RFID blocking quilted crossbody wallet phone case in black. It’s the perfect size for a purse or as a large wallet. There are two sides both with ample card slots as well as a spot for change and cash not to forget the spot in the back of the case where the phone attaches. The wallet itself is very well made and I can fit almost everything I need in there even though it is quite small. I’m very glad about the purchase and think the whole idea is genius because I’ll have the perfect spot for my phone in my purse and won’t lose it.

        As far as the phone case goes, it’s a pretty basic black phone case. I definitely don’t think it’s the cutest case however if I only use it when I use the wallet I don’t have a problem with it. I love the wallet design because I don’t like big patterned accessories, however, when I get a new phone I’ll probs get a new phone case that’s prettier than this one. I would love it if you could mix and match purses and cases!!

        IMG_9082

        Overall, I can’t wait to actually get to using the purse and wallet duo when the country opens back up. Until then, I’ll keep walking around my room with it. J

        Much love,

        Alicia