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[bamonikash]

In an effort to try and clear out my post backlog, LOL, I’m finally getting around to posting my baby shower pics even though I’m about 5 weeks postpartum now. My shower was everything I wanted thanks to all my family and friends who had a hand in making it happen. One person in particular who was the mastermind behind it was my good friend Rachel who created an event planning company, Vos Reves Wedding & Event Designs, and planned the ENTIRE thing. This shower for sure would not have been possible without her. She brought my ideas to life and took them even further than I could have thought of myself. Combined with her unmatched professionalism and warm spirit you will be glad that she’s planning your event. Check out some of her work on instagram @vosrevesdesign tell her I sent you.

Keep scrolling for pics.

Love,

B

    Showered with Love In an effort to try and clear out my post backlog, LOL, I'm finally getting around to posting my baby shower pics even though I'm about 5 weeks postpartum now.

[bamonikash]

**Don’t ask why it took me so long to share the rest of my time in Thailand. Fyi, I am back in Korea. I’ll have details in another post– for now keep scrolling for details on my time in Thailand in Sep/Oct.**

Remember when i said going back to solo travels felt like riding a bike after so long… bumpy at first but eventually smooth riding… well I lied. I’m on day 15 of my Thailand trip and I gotta say I’d be having more fun if i was with someone. Solo travels are great and all and I’ve been there done that but nothing beats having a travel buddy with you particularly one who matches your travel style. So I don’t think ill be doing solo travels anymore or at least not for long trips. I don’t want to say that i’d never go on a solo trip again but i’d rather go with someone. A partner or a friend or even family.

So i’m currently in my dope hotel room in Phuket. I underestimated how expensive this place would be in comparison to other parts of Thailand for food and transportation. Even Grab is super expensive. I haven’t really been out and about as much as i thought i would be and a part of that has to do with the weather. It’s been on and off raining. The other reason is that i haven’t been feeling very well physically… More on that later.

I kind of miss having a routine that came when i had a job. I don’t miss my job. I miss my students and I miss having structure in my day to day occurrences. I’ve never been on vacation for this long so sometimes i feel a little stir crazy. I’m trying to live in the moment and enjoy it all because there will be a time in the future when i look back and miss the days when i had absolutely nothing to do but relax and in a beautiful country such as Thailand.

I have no idea where I plan to work when i get back to Canada. I’ve done some light job searches online and i can’t help but feel like i’m going backwards and not forward. I guess the worst thing that could happen is that i find a job and end up hating it and then decide to work somewhere else. But really this actually isn’t even the worst thing. At  least I have options. So i’m staying positive and open about it. Trusting that i will attract the right position for me at the right time.

I don’t have many pictures of Chiang Mai because I really didn’t do any site seeing. The only sites I saw were the inside of many different veg restaurants. Lol! I did a lot of eating. Only took one food pic and a couple others, see below. The food pic is of the best vegan pizza I’ve ever had. Also, got a pic with my childhood best friend’s little sister, Emilie, who has lived in Chiang Mai for a couple years. It was nice to hang out with her and share meals and good conversations. She was much needed companionship.

Hetep~

Bamoni

Chiang Mai + Phuket **Don't ask why it took me so long to share the rest of my time in Thailand.

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I’ll admit when I got to Thailand it took some getting used to because I was alone. My last two trips were with counterparts so this is my first fully solo trip since Bali. Thankfully it’s kind of like riding a bike after so long. At first you are a bit wobbly but then it’s a smooth ride. I’m currently seated on the floor at Suvarnabhumi, in Bangkok, awaiting my flight to Chiang Mai. Before mentioning how excited I am to get to Chiang Mai let me back track and tell you about my time in Bangkok.

So for starters the hotel I booked was underwhelming. It was called Khaosan Art Hotel and I’d say the best thing about it was it’s location and the friendly staff. Other than that the facilities were basic. The room I was first assigned to devastated me when i walked into it. It was the smallest hotel room i’d ever been in. Also, the bathroom was subpar and there were two little stains on the bedding. After contemplating for a good while on my options a that point I decided to go down and just flat out tell them that i wasn’t happy with this room based on the reasons i stated and that i’d like a better room. Mind you, i was prepared to pay the difference for a better room if they weren’t willing to upgrade me for free. Thankfully the man who checked me in was kind and upgraded me to a better room free of charge. I was so grateful and relieved. The second room was a slight improvement from the first one. It was much cleaner, a little larger, and there was somewhere for me to put my bag versus in the first room where i had to keep my bag on the floor. So that was one of the major things that put me off about the first room. Now I know this is totally a first world problem and I fully recognized that as i was sitting in my first room feeling so disturbed. Finally when i got settled into my second room I had to stop and have a moment of gratitude to even be on a trip let alone able to afford accommodations.

So my first full day in Bangkok i spent doing a little site seeing. I saw two temples, the Wat Pho (reclining buddha) and the Wat Benchamabophit. They were both gorgeous in their own right. I am aware that many temples in South East Asia look pretty similar so I didn’t go too crazy with the temples. I chose each of these because they had something unique about them. The Wat Pho has the huge and stunning reclining buddha statue. It was breathtaking and amazing. Then the Wat Benchamabophit is made entirely out of white marble. It was gorgeous.

Another highlight from my day was my hour and a half massage I received at a place called Spaya from a masseuse named Wine. This woman’s hands had healing powers. Her touch put me in such a deep sleep I woke up feeling so rejuvenated. Highly recommend this massage shop. It only cost me about 14 Korean won. Also they are very clean and they have the two option rooms where you can be laying on the floor on a padded mat or the regular massage tables with a hole for you to put your face in. I prefer the tables with the hole because the other ones make my neck hurt after a while of being turned to one side. Oh and heavens how could i forget to mention the food?! So on this day i chose amongst the plethora of veg restaurants. I went to one called May Kaydee. I ordered like 3 different things to get an idea of how good their cuisine was and my favorite dish was a fried rice dish. What i like about this restaurant is that they don’t use MSG and they use local and organically grown ingredients.

The following day was art day. I visited a contemporary art museum and got to check out some local talent as well as an exhibit by local Thai youth and the Asean exhibit. I enjoyed the entire experience. My meals on this day were at a restaurant around the corner from my hotel called Peeps Thai Eatery. I went there twice in one day. That’s how good their food was. I got a dish called 6 o’clock fried rice. So yummy and I loved that they had the option to sub brown rice instead of white rice. Honestly, I think Asia should always have the brown rice option since it consumes so much rice and white rice is literally what’s left of the grain once the nutritious parts of it have been stripped off.

I ended off my day with another hour and a half massage, this time at a spot near my hotel. My lady wasn’t as great as Wine but I was still able to do some meditating during my session which was nice because i still left feeling very good.

Fast forward to now, awaiting to board my flight to Chiang Mai. I’m so excited for the hotel I booked. I def splurged and got one that has an outdoor pool and a nice fitness center. I’ve heard such good things about Chiang Mai for vegans, yoga, meditation, and spirituality. My intentions are to do a lot of introspection and yoga and enjoy nutritious food. I’ll be there for 10 days so it feels nice to settle down somewhere for a bit.

Keep scrolling for pics from my 2 days in Bangkok.

Hetep~

Two Days in Bangkok I'll admit when I got to Thailand it took some getting used to because I was alone.

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I’m finalizing this post at the airport as I sit awaiting my flight to Thailand. Figured it was time to post my pics from Vietnam.

In all honesty I wasn’t planning to share my Vietnam pics because I didn’t see the point. I have moments like this sometimes where I get so turned off by social media. Also, I didn’t take as many pics as I usually do on trips because I wanted to focus more on being present and taking everything in. So I put my phone down for this trip and it felt good to detach from being online.

My trip to Vietnam in June was my first time there. It was a good trip. I started off in Hanoi, then went to Ho Chi Minh, and ended in Da Nang. My favourite places out of all three were Ho Chi Minh and Da Nang. The beach in Da Nang was beautiful I went to My Khe Beach. I stayed in the water and under the hot sun for several hours, didn’t reapply sunblock, and got a very bad sun burn. Still it was a good time.

I got a lot more stares in Vietnam than i’ve experienced in other Asian countries I’ve been to. Maybe it was a combination of me being not just a black woman but also a black woman with locs. I guess they aren’t used to such a site? Nonetheless, it became annoying. I wondered if I have become oblivious to the stares because I live in Korea and am so used to it happening sometimes but in Vietnam it was very constant and extra. Like, if you want to stare at least be discreet about it!

Other than that little nuance everything else was great. The food and things in general are very cheap and Ho Chi Minh, especially, was very veg friendly. One restaurant in particular that captivated me called Hum Vegetarian in District 3. I always gush about this restaurant when I try and tell people about it. Everything about it was just beautiful. From the decor, the vibes/energy, the food-quality and taste, the menu design, the ingredients they used. From the moment you step inside you are taken on an experience and I’d describe it all simply as art. The underlying theme of all their dishes is wellness and I loved how they have explanations for all their ingredients such as the benefits and uses so if you are new to certain dishes or ingredients it’s all laid out plainly for you. Not to mention the staff is very knowledgeable on everything and basically walk you through how you can best enjoy all their dishes.

You know the food was amazing if I didn’t even take a lot of food pics. Lol! My fav dish on the menu was the spring rolls which are big enough to be a meal on their own. I ate at this restaurant twice, once for dinner and the second time was for brunch. If I lived in Ho Chi Minh I’d be a regular, for sure! Did I mention the staff is so warm and friendly. Everyone greets you with a big genuine smile. Check them out if you are ever there– they even have a second location in District 1 that has a different themed decor.

I don’t think any travel pics or blogs will ever do a place justice. Go and see for yourself! In the meantime, keep scrolling for pics.

Hetep~

  Vietnam–Vibrant & Yummy Food I'm finalizing this post at the airport as I sit awaiting my flight to Thailand. Figured it was time to post my pics from Vietnam.

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Let's Catch Up.

Let’s Catch Up.

Where do I even begin? Well I guess right here. I have my chilled glass of red wine next to me. I just finished doing a mild cardio/stretching workout à la Fitness Blender. It’s been a few days since my last workout and they have been a little inconsistent. Today I felt very compelled to workout because I remembered how much better I feel, mentally-physically, when I do some form of exercise and…

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"Adulting", How to Deal, Episode 8, Black and Abroad

“Adulting”, How to Deal, Episode 8, Black and Abroad

I don’t know about you but I sometimes seek a gauge to compare my adult life for reassurance that I’m not effing up. There, i said it! Lol! I can’t help but feel like there is a standard imposed on how my life should look right now or at any given moment.

This feeling sucks and when I’m able to shake it I remind myself that I am the standard for myself. That always gives me a sigh of relief. But…

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How to Train for a 5k, Episode 7, Black and Abroad

How to Train for a 5k, Episode 7, Black and Abroad

I ran a 5k last weekend and reached my goal of finishing under 30 mins. It felt so good because I’ve been preparing for it for a month and a half. After my recent breakup I felt I needed a challenge to focus most of my time and energy. Also, I noticed that I was in an exercise rut where I had gotten bored with my workouts. So when one of my coworkers mentioned a marathon I jumped at the chance.…

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Break ups, How to Deal, Episode 6 Hello beautiful people, I had a little delay getting this last episode recorded. I was unsure about which topic I wanted to cover next and my attempt at another topic felt unnatural so I opted to wait until something else came to me.

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Marriage or Nah?, Episode 5, Black and Abroad

Marriage or Nah?, Episode 5, Black and Abroad

  First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage? Not necessarily! In this episode I build off of my last episode, (checkout episode 4 — Moving in with my boyfriend), and share the societal and even cultural norms that we live under in things like relationships and starting a family. When my parents were my age, back in Congo, getting married young and starting a…

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Cohabitation as a Congolese Woman, Episode 4

Cohabitation as a Congolese Woman, Episode 4

In this next episode I discuss my experience living with my last boyfriend. My Congolese culture does not condone cohabitation before marriage so my family was not in support of this decision. However, I’m glad I did it and I’m sharing advice to others who maybe considering it. I believe we should do the things that resonate with us despite what others may think. Check it out, subscribe, like and…

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How to Teach in Korea, Episode 3

How to Teach in Korea, Episode 3

I’m getting the hang of this vlogging thing! Checkout my latest episode where I share tips on how to teach in Korea. If you like what you see, show a girl some love. Lol! Subscribe, like, and share please. Hetep~

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Living and Teaching in Korea, Episode 2 Checkout my latest vlog on life in Korea so far. I share some of my likes and dislikes.

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Without further ado... Vlogging!

Without further ado… Vlogging!

Hello dear friend, My absence has not been in vain. I promise. Lol! Checkout my new YouTube vlog and subscribe to stay up to date with the latest. I’ll be updating you on my vlog and sharing news so be sure to like and share. Hetep~

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Mood. Uncaged Wallflower - Jennae Cecelia #wednesdaywisdom #thoughts #doyoubooboo #truth (at Seoul, South Korea)

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Pics from our 4 days of camp last week. We learned about Australia and made boomerangs as our craft. Camp days at my new school are MUCH longer than camp days when I taught in a public school 😩 ...so it's been an adjustment 😐 -- but as you can see the kids love it lol ...that makes it worth it 💓 #potd #southkorea #seoul #teacher #blackexpat #goodtimes (at Seoul, South Korea)

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I was reminded today, by my family in South Africa, that it is the anniversary of the day Madiba went to be with the ancestors.These are pictures from my trip early this year, to S.A., where I got to visit his house in Soweto. Before my trip I couldn't say I fully understood but now I overstand. Rest in Power Tata ✊🏽 #madiba #southafrica #soweto #grateful #takemeback #wanderlust #ycfontour (at 8115 Vilakazi Street,Orlando West...Mandelas House...)

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My greatest pleasure comes from experiencing with awe, and gratitude, the bounty of the Flow. 💗 #mondaymotivation #blackexpat #southkorea #seoul (at Seoul, Korea)