• Coming back home

    Coming back home

    The first stop in our four-country, three-week vacation was the Philippines. We wanted to spend time with family and do some shopping before heading to our next destination. With some recent life changes, I know I might not be able to visit home as often, so I wanted to make the most of this trip. It was raining when we landed. A typhoon had just hit, so the weather was pretty gloomy and wet. That same day, the news was full of stories about a huge rally on the infamous flood control project. It was on the radio, TV, and social media. The whole country was talking about it. Even with all that going on, I noticed how much the Philippines has changed. There were…

  • Right where I once dreamed to be

    Right where I once dreamed to be

    Lately, Iโ€™ve been so caught up with work and this whole transition that my days feel like one long checklist. Head down, moving from one thing to the next, barely pausing to breathe. But today, something different happened. I stepped outside, took a moment, and for once actually looked up. And right there, under the same sky Iโ€™ve walked under for years, it hit me: Iโ€™m standing in the exact place I used to dream about. A few years ago, I remember passing by this building and quietly telling myself, โ€œOne day, I want to work there.โ€ Back then, it felt soโ€ฆ far away. Fast forward to now, here I am. In the middle of the grind, yes. Tired most days, definitely. But alsoโ€ฆ exactly…

  • Iโ€™m not an INFP anymore

    Iโ€™m not an INFP anymore

    When I first took the MBTI years ago, I came out as an INFP โ€” the idealist. And it fit. I was introspective, feelings-driven, and consistently journaling, constantly searching for meaning in everything. I could spend an entire afternoon reflecting on one moment โ€” a random goodbye, a line from a song, a scene from a film. I felt everything, all the time. It was a lot. And honestly? It still is. When my friend Bea left our workplace, I didnโ€™t just get sad โ€” I spiraled. I went into full-blown organize-and-buy-things mode to copeโ€”deep cleaning, impulse purchases, the whole nine yards. My emotions needed somewhere to go, and I gave them a productivity makeover. Then there was the time I watched Natalia Osipova perform…

  • I Didnโ€™t Expect Giselle to Haunt Me โ€” But She Did

    I Didnโ€™t Expect Giselle to Haunt Me โ€” But She Did

    Lately, Iโ€™ve been watching Natalia Osipovaโ€™s performance of Giselle, andโ€ฆ wow. I didnโ€™t expect to feel so much watching it, but I did. I still do. It wasnโ€™t just the dancing (though yes, she moves like sheโ€™s made of moonlight and memory). It was everything โ€” the music, the stillness, the way love and heartbreak and grace can live in one story, one body, one breath. Thereโ€™s something about Giselle that lingers with you โ€” like the echo of a song long after the final note fades. You think you’re just watching a ballet. But then it stays. Quietly. Gently. Like a memory you didnโ€™t know meant something until it started whispering back. Maybe it’s the way she loves โ€” fully, without hesitation. Maybe it’s…

  • Ocho Rios Day 3: Dunn’s River Falls; Montego Bay, and Holland Bamboo

    Ocho Rios Day 3: Dunn’s River Falls; Montego Bay, and Holland Bamboo

    We woke up bright and earlyโ€”againโ€”to pack up for the day. First stop: Dunnโ€™s River Falls in Ocho Rios, then off to Montego Bay! Even though our legs were still recovering from yesterdayโ€™s Mystic Mountain adventure, there was no way we were skipping this iconic Jamaican gem. Dunnโ€™s River Falls is one of Jamaicaโ€™s most famous natural attractionsโ€”think cascading limestone terraces and cool mountain spring water rushing all the way down to the beach. Itโ€™s not just pretty to look at; people actually climb up the falls, making it part adventure, part nature therapy. ๐ŸŒฟ Seeing the falls in person was a bit surprising. Photos online make it look huge, and while itโ€™s definitely not Niagara-level tall, itโ€™s still a breathtaking sight. The sound of…

  • Ocho Rios Day 2: Mystic Mountain

    Ocho Rios Day 2: Mystic Mountain

    We woke up to a stunning view of Ocho Rios beachโ€”clear skies, calm water, the kind of morning that makes you just pause and stare for a minute. We had breakfast at Almond Tree Restaurant, which sits right by the water. Naturally, we had to order ackee and saltfish with dumpling (because when in Jamaica, right?). The food was as good as the view. Quick Tips if Youโ€™re Planning to Visit Mystic Mountain: Originally, I wanted to pack the day with activities, but then I had a moment. Iโ€™m on vacation. Iโ€™m on an island. Why rush? As someone used to time-sensitive work, itโ€™s surprisingly hard to not plan everything by the hour. So instead of rushing, I took a nap at 11 a.m. (lol…