I am honestly the most excited about going away on vacation with my best friend. Unfortunately, my other BFF can no longer make it, but I am still very excited to get back to being myself. I have not seen her since 2019, and if it’s one thing we will do, it is vacation together. I have what I like to consider three vacation road dogs, and she is ultimately number 1 since we have traveled together dang near every year. Plus, I get to see a childhood friend who I haven’t seen in probably over 10yrs in person, my sensual dance instructor I haven’t been to since the lockdown, and a newer friend I’ve known virtually for almost a year! This is clearly the birthday of reuniting and unification, and I am so here for it! 💁🏿‍♀️💁🏿‍♀️

I am also excited about my upcoming trip; I have not gone anywhere since my birthday in 2019 to Puerto Rico. Relaxing, going out to eat, museum hopping, getting dressed up, and just being free of being at home and in school. Now I won’t lie to y’all… I am currently unemployed, and this birthday is costing me most of my tiny little bit of savings left, BUT I am hoping to come into some money soon to at least pay half of it off! And honestly, money will come to me, and even if it doesn’t… it will take lmao; I will confidently say that no matter what, I am willing to do whatever it takes to live and be free. This December will be great vibes, great company, great adventures, great travels, and a consistently great self! 

The best advice I’ve ever received came from a television show or an actor or maybe even a TED Talk; honestly, I can’t remember. It doesn’t matter because it changed my life, and I try to live by it every single day: “The only person who you have to lay down with every night and be happy with their actions is yourself.” Whenever I make a decision, I think to myself is this what I want, or is it what I did to please. If it’s something I did to please, I make sure never to compromise and do it again.

Obviously, everything is contextual, and what’s minor to me might be significant to you, but nonetheless, I am very well set in the mind frame of, I did it, and I’m happy with it. Growth is inevitable, and in the future, if I feel like, oh no, I made a mistake back then, I forgive myself for not knowing better and not doing better. I also give myself the grace to be wrong, not just with myself but with others and their perception of me based on how I treated them or others around them.

When I go to bed at night, I no longer judge my actions harshly. I say my prayers, go to bed and wake up knowing that I am living my life for me and me only in this day and age. IF I make others happy along the way, then so be it, but regardless of anyone’s feelings on how I should mold to society, I go to bed happy, slightly hungry, and whole every night.

My life mission is to wake up knowing that I actively made an effort to be mindful of myself at all times.

The reason this is my life mission is simply that I am too hard on myself. I have lived a life full of experiences, and I have accomplished almost every single thing I have set out to do. And yet here I am, worried and panicked over when it will be my turn while also actively self-sabotaging my life with procrastination. At the same time, I recognize that my issue isn’t even self-sabotage but not knowing how to rest and be still. I have always had to work just like most poor children and adults. I attached my self-worth to my employment and schooling ( I still do, unfortunately), yet I have a moment to truly rest and know peace, and I am not handling it well.

I am being mindful that as a young, black, depressed, poverty-raised, trauma-induced, autistic woman, I deserve rest and peace. Not because of any of those attributes but because I am human. Having rested for the past two years didn’t even feel like rest because, after a few months, I instantly jumped into a 3rd degree that is very intense. On the other side of that, this is the first time in my life that I did not have to work multiple jobs or make money in some way for my family, and that has significantly shown in my grades, health, and relationships with myself and others. I started a business, and I battled my depression for most of it. This is now a wake-up call to myself. TO get help, to be helped, to be helpful, and to know it’s okay to “fail” as long as I get up and do something that makes me whole and happy. Honestly, this journey to greatness and mindfulness has been wild, adventurous, and peaceful.

And I know I said a whole lot up there that doesn’t sound too happy and positive. I can honestly say for the first time in my life; I am truly and genuinely happy.

Welcome back, everyone!

FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS TODAY!

 

 

THE PODCAST IS OUT AND IT’S ON ANCHOR!

THE LINK IS IN THE PODCAST SECTION.

I will update you all when it is on other platforms as well!

 

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This is part 3 of the Curacao trip and also the last post in this travel series for Curacao! Worry not because I will be posting more pics of the trip on IG and I will be back soon with more travel tells 🙂

Days 5 and 6:

Day 5 was a very chill day. I ended up buying makeup the night before because I tanned so much my summer shade became too light on my face. Once again, the great thing is most people on the Island are black so I was able to find foundation in my correct shade and it made me sooo happy!

Anyways! lol, we went to the SPAAAAA and I got a 90-minute massage and Liz got a facial. The pricing was weird because it said one thing but they didn’t include the service fee and it was $20 extra when using card plus we still tipped (the service was added after the tip). The spa itself, however, was extremely nice and professional and I really needed it. They had a nice little shower room inside of the spa where I could wipe off the excess oils. It smelled so good like honey and lavender and it had huge showers! We also drove down to this cute little beach that had no sign of its name up, but it was about 3 minutes from our Airbnb. We didn’t get in the water beside our feet but it had a little grill area and tons of space for a picnic.

-Pictures of the spa (it's not much I know! they didn't want us taking pictures), The little beach by our Airbnb!

We drove all around that day in Salina, Ortrobondo, and Willemstad. We wanted to absorb as much as the area as possible. We then headed over to the casino located at Rif Fort. Neither of us had ever been to a casino or even gambled. I spent about $20 on slot machines and I won about three free drinks and left with $2.10 left. It was a lot of fun and we spent about 1.5hrs making sure I had a freaking blast lol We walked down to were all the giant ships and cruise ships docked and just watched the water and looked out over at the lighthouse and took a bunch of pictures. There was a cute family taking birthday pictures of their two-year-old and it was Disney themed so we watched them for a bit as well. It was all about relaxation and the fact that I had three drinks back to back right before helped lol

We tried to visit more museums but THEY ARE CLOSED ON FRIDAYS!!!!!!! Almost every single museum we went to was closed, which was wild to us since it was the weekend and tons of cruise ships were coming in. I also tried to take a Chichi Doll painting class but the times listed didn’t work with our plane schedule 😦 You guys can head over to the IG page @drinksdessertsblog to find out the history of the Chichi Dolls.

-The casino! At the loading dock forcing Liz to take pictures of me in the sunset lol, Myself with a Chichi Statue (head over to IG @drinksdessertsblog to read about them), The beautiful sunset at the loading dock

We walked over to watch a gospel performance that was in Spanish because that is the language of the people on the island—besides English and Dutch—and we stayed until the sun started to set.  The moment we started to leave some woman trapped Liz and pressed her whole body on her hand. We were sitting on bleachers and Liz was on the outside and got trapped. She was trying to recruit Liz to go to church and she even grabbed her arm and blocked her in. Liz being Liz listened to her but I had to basically shoo the woman away because we were tired and hungry and ready to eat. She questioned Liz about God and Jesus for about 5 minutes. As soon as, Liz said she was Roman Catholic, she backed away from her.  When I mentioned I was a Baptist, she literally had a look of shock and horror on her face. It was pretty easy to shoo her away at that point lol

We ate dinner at the tourist spot I tried looking up the restaurant but there was four back-to-back and none of the menus or names looked the same so I believe that it’s gone now. Liz had a traditional Curacao dish called Keshi Yena, which I love and I had regular ol’ fish and chips because it was cheap lol After Dinner we walked over to Rif Fort because I heard loud music playing and saw groups of people walking that way all dressed up. Once at Rif Fort, we happened upon a Salsa Dance Party where I danced a bit by myself. 

-The prayer dancers, the salsa party at Rif Fort, Liz's Breakfast, Me at the Airport, Liz's Keshi Yena, Entering the Salsa Party at Rif Fort, The gospel band and choir.

We then proceeded to go back to the Airbnb and go to bed since we had to be up to clean and go to the airport—in which we ALMOST missed our flight due to Sixt being slow once again and to me being tripled check by security because my passport refused to scan.

On our way to the airport, we had to put gas in the car. I didn’t give them enough money and had to flag someone down because I was thoroughly confused. Luckily, the person we flagged down worked at the gas station and came over to help us. When I told him I gave the man $20ANG he laughed at me and straight up said: “No honey you’re way too short.” We gave him more money and he pumped our gas (this was the first time in the 6 days of being there that we put gas in the car) and chatted us up a bit, about our stay. We tipped him with the leftover money we had and headed to the airport to go home! BUT! On our way to the airport, our gas door wasn’t shut and some older back women pulled up next to us and told me. Apparently, in order to close the gas door, I had to push a button INSIDE of the vehicle because it did not close manually, it only opened manually. I drive a very old car lol These new aged cars are something else!

 

WELL, THAT’S ALL FOR THIS TRIP!!! THANKS FOR STICKING WITH ME ON THIS JOURNEY AND I WILL SEE YOU ALL NEXT TIME FOR TRAVEL TAILS!

 

-Me sitting on the huge Dushi sign near the Curacao sign. Dushi means good, happy, comfortable, soft, etc. depending on how you use it. I was told the sign is basically saying have a great time here in Curacao. Also, Bon Bini is a huge thing in Curacao. It mean Hi, Welcome and Goodbye and almost everywhere you go there are signs and people saying it :)

 

THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!!!!

STAY TUNED FOR THE NEW POST COMING SOON 🙂