TWO Years

It's official...I have been living/working in Singapore for 2 years. Time has passed by SO quickly and this is much more time than I ever thought I would ever stay here!

As much as I hated living here at first, I am now realizing how truly lucky I am to have spent my first 2 years out of college in Singapore. I look at the people I know from home, who have not had the amazing travel opportunities I have had and will probably never in their lives see anything like Nikoi and the people at home who don't get to work in the field they've always wanted to or those who have no idea what their dream jobs would even be yet, and I feel incredibly blessed!

I just read this article/blog: Are America's Best Days Behind It?

And it made me quite sad...if you read the readers' comments many people believe this to be true. And this makes me feel even more lucky that I have had work experience in Asia while I am young! At least I can bring this experience back home with me.

I look back to two years ago, and I see that living here has given me more confidence and independence I would never have developed living at home. I have made some AMAZING friends and seriously lived the life of luxury here.So in short...as much as you annoy me...I really have to thank you Singapore for taking me in and offering me the experience/opportunities of a lifetime! Until next time, xxoo!

NIKOI Island

OMG you need to go to Nikoi Island some time in your lifetimes lovelies! It is just so magical and unlike anywhere else I have ever traveled to! Basic facts first, Nikoi Island is a private island off the coast of Bintan, Indonesia, which is a one hour boat ride away from Singapore. It is an eco-friendly retreat, with just 15 bungalows. There is no air conditioning (which freaked me out at first) and the bungalows are made of driftwood and almost all the water activities are included in the price! It is not cheap lovelies...but its just out of this world and SERIOUSLY worth it!

J was supposed to come with P and I, but ended up not being able to make it because of work, which was such a shame! P and I had a BIT of a rocky start getting to Nikoi...and when I say rocky start I really mean everything that could go wrong...went wrong like P's work visa expiring and her not knowing...her having to pay a fee to leave singapore...P's passport running out of full pages for them to adhere the indonesain visa to...and most importantly the boat from bintan to nikoi breaking down in the MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN at night in the dark! So that was not fun...but once we got to Nikoi the whole vibe of the trip turned around! I mean how can you not love something so beautiful. And somehow...for the 2 of us we got a huge 2 bedroom villa...strange but we weren't complaining...

the downstairs of our private bungalow...its HUGE!

outside view of the second bedroom which we didn't use!

this WHOLE thing was ours!

P on our chairs right in front of the bungalows on the beach!

I couldn't get a good shot of the room...it was really big and surprisingly without AC it was really nice and breezy...

beautiful lush walkways surround Nikoi

reading by the pool with an AMAZING view

the breakfast spread they set up in front of us on our table every morning!! 

bonfire set up at the beach

Now that you have hopefully fallen in love with the pictures...let me tell you a little more about our stay. So there are no real restaurants that have like menu options...every day the menu is posted up on a chalkboard..so since I am a vegetarian that basically meant I got served some version of tofu or soy bean something for every meal. The food was pretty delicious...we got one lemon tart dessert for lunch which was delicious! 

You can rent kayaks, snorkel gear, and windsurfing stuff for free. P and I went kayaking...then we got someone to take us out on a small catamaran for sailing! It was SOO much fun...we went so fast it as there was good wind (or something) and it was like jet skiing! But after a while my arms hurt from using so much energy to hold on!

The pool was amazing and never really that crowded...we spent an entire day there. Massages are really cheap on the island as well...and you get them right on the little hut in front of your bungalow! This place is like a little slice of heaven! It is like getting back in touch with nature, but in a really luxurious fashion!

Our bedroom was HUGE...there is not ac, but you don't really need it...there is one wall that is all glass which you can fold completely open...and two huge windows on either side which fold open...so you can make it so that the room is almost completely open of walls. There is really good mosquito net over the bed, and a ceiling fan inside the mosquito net...so its really comfy and safe from bugs in the bed. You fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves...its so relaxing.

I absolutely fell in love with Nikoi Island and hope that one day you all get to experience the awesomeness that is Nikoi....until, next time XXOO!

The Philippines

So basically this whole month, I have been super busy on the weekends...which are my times to blog..so sorry for the lack of posts! I actually went on two amazing trips this month! I am so lucky to live in a country the size of a city...so basically leaving the country/city is SUPER easy and there are some amazing places really close!

My friend A, is from the philippines, and was planning to go visit for a few weeks. On a whim, I decided to meet her there for a weekend and it was pretty AMAZING! I don't have most of the pictures, since I got lazy and let A take all the pics on her camera...so here is just a little snippet of  the trip!

So basically, a family friend ( I feel like that is the easiest way to describe it) owns a chunk of beach in Cebu...and I have never and will probably never experience anything like this again! Being on a private beach, in some cute bungalows....it was pure relaxation. Here is the view: 

bungalow over the water

the beach is right across the water...this is the view from our little bungalow

the beach where we were staying from the boat we took out...see the little specks on the right..they are the bungalows!

So basically we just relaxed at this beach retreat for a day and a half. We also went on some traditional boat around the neighboring islands and snorkeled. I got stabbed by some sea urchin look a like which REALLY hurt...it stung sooo bad...and actually a little chunk was stuck in my foot until yesterday when I got a pedicure.

view of a near by island from our boat

Then A and I spent a day in Manilla which really reminds me of like downtown Los Angeles...well Los Angeles in general...traffic...nice malls..not so nice areas...and more traffic. We stayed at the Peninsula which had the MOST intense security! There were 2 drug sniffing dogs, a metal detector, a bag search and these metal barricade thing for cars...really insane. But it was a gorgeous hotel!

And take a look at the gorgeous sunset I saw out of the plane on the way back to Singapore...Life could not get any better right now, I am such a lucky girl...until next time, xxoo!

Obsessed

So you may not know this, but I love braids! I always make my mom braid my hair when I am home. But for basically my whole life, I have never been able to french braid. So one day, I really wanted to learn the waterfall braid...and i looked up the braid on youtube, and found  the most amazing hair tutorials! When I think of youtube, I have always just thought of music videos and watching funny videos....but who knew the wealth of information out there! So basically for the past few weeks I have been OBSESSED with watching videos on youtube....it kind of blows my mind how some young girls can make a name for themselves so young from youtube!

Anyways here are 2 videos that have basically changed my life!

This is the video that taught me the french braid...and dutch braid..and fishtail...and all of her guides have made me an awesome braider



This video really is amazing...it teaches you how to curl your hair with just a headband...and let me tell you the curls look really awesome and its really comfortable to sleep in!



I can't stop watching youtube videos...well mostly hair guides! I think i might just do that now...until next time, xxoo!