How and When My Journey Started

January 2018, New Year, I decided to start my blog, I've been thinking about it for a long time, but I was just reluctant to do so since I don't really have a talent in writing. I didn't know how to start a blog and I wasn't sure if I will be able to write a good blog about my travel experiences and if people subscribe. Or I might just discontinue my article after my first attempt. However, due to boredom and while waiting for our next adventure I finally decided to give it a shot and begin my very first blog. I made up my mind, why not? It's a New Year anyway! I thought this is the best time to try something new.

Besides, I love posting my photos (past and present) on my Instagram and Facebook accounts, I don't really write a story behind those photos, I just put some quotes below and I'm done. I love looking back on my previous trips and try to relive those memories in my mind. I actually have 3 external hard drives to store all of my photos and I even have online storage as well, I just made sure that I have backups just in case one gets broken or lost.

My Journey Begins

In 2005, I got married to an American man and that's how and when my journey started. In the year 2006, was my first time to travel abroad and that was in the United States of America. Since then, I didn't stop traveling and I'm not planning to stop. I make it a point that I travel at least once or twice a year to the places that I haven't been to and I don't mind re-visiting the places that I've already been to. The first time I was bitten by the travel bug I got addicted to it, a healthy kind of addiction though. I'd love to wander and to go from one place to another without any definite plans. For me, traveling is the coolest thing in the world!

When I was younger traveling was just a fantasy until it became a reality, eventually, and it's now my passion. Traveling became my goal in life. I don't see anything wrong with that, I grew up going out-of-town with my family, constantly, but that was only in our own country. Ever since I was a child my whole family used to travel to different cities and provinces in my native country, my motherland, the Philippines! That's how and where I got my love for travel.

However, I have only been to 3 continents, North America, Australia and Asia. So I still have 4 continents left, good luck with that! But never lose hope, we never know what our future holds. I don't know where my life will take me, I just go with the flow. Now that I'm already infected with the travel bug, all I have to do is to dream, believe and make it happen! Life is too short to just stay in one place and wait for the falling star, so might as well live life to the fullest. Life is beautiful when you travel. Let's take a glimpse and appreciate the beauty of nature...the beauty of God's creation!

2006 - My first time in the United States of America

In August 2006, I landed at the airport in Boston, Massachusetts. I went through a lot of airport security check. I was so nervous for it was my first time to travel alone, but thank God everything went smoothly! Thankfully, I passed my first challenge as an Immigrant, from the processing of my documents, the Immigration interview, the medical exams and up to the airport security. To be honest with you that wasn't easy, the process was really draining, stressful, tiring, mind-blowing, scary and all of the emotions that anyone can feel, not to mention all the sleepless nights that I had. I even completed my novena in Baclaran Church just to go through all of these without having any problem. Even though we applied for a spouse visa, I was still so nervous, you can never tell!

My husband picked me up from the airport, I was relieved, finally!. I was 32 years old then, and that was my first time to go abroad. The very first time I stepped on the soil of the United States of America. I was excited because finally I was able to see my husband once again and I would start to build a new life with him, but at the same time, I knew I would miss my family, because that was also my first time to live away from home, from my parents, from my country, and from my comfort zone.

While my husband was driving me to my new home, I was so amazed, stunned and was so excited. I couldn't believe myself that I'm already in the U.S. I was like, is this for real? Am I just dreaming? All of a sudden I was magically transformed into a little girl who was able to set foot in Disney World for the first time in her life, with the cotton candy in her hands. I was mesmerized by everything I see along the way, by the beauty of America, it's very different from where I came from.

That's how I felt that moment, I was smiling all the way home from the airport, I even wanted to dance like a girl in the music box and to sing a song from the Sound of Music, but of course, I'm just being exaggerated! I was just looking around, mesmerized, excited, happy, but at the same time I was nervous, wondering, worried, afraid...in other words I had mixed feelings about leaving home and about living in another country that I wasn't familiar with.

But that's where my fate brought me to, I wanted that, I chose that kind of life, the life that was totally new to me, that was a life-changing decision indeed. I started to miss my parents, but I tried not to cry, I knew I would have to be strong and to be prepared for whatever life in the U.S. has to offer. Being an only child that was the biggest move I've ever made in my life and it was not easy. But I knew I would get used to it eventually.

2006 - Trip to New Hampshire

After a few days of my arrival my husband and I went to New Hampshire, he introduced me to his friends, we spent 3 days and 2 nights at their lovely and cozy log cabin in the middle of the forest, close to the river, close to nature and overlooking the alluring White Mountains. 

That night was my first time to experience the hot tub as well as my first time to witness the New Hampshire's tradition or perhaps just a family tradition...the young American men running around naked in the middle of the night, having fun, while people were watching and laughing. I was shocked at first, but was also laughing afterward. It was dark outside anyway, so you couldn't really see them if you're a little far away.

The next day we went to the grocery store and bought some fresh meat, fish, vegetables, and refreshments for our preparation for the large cookout. Yes, to be honest with you, everything was the first time for me, that cookout thing we don't normally use that term in my country, maybe a picnic or barbecue party, but in the United States cookout is widely used.

In the afternoon we had this cookout for friends and family, the food was great, the weather was cold because they were close to the mountain and the autumn season was approaching. During the night when everybody was already pigged out on the yummy food that we ate, we all sat down outside, encircling the bonfire that they made because that was a chilly night, some were smoking and drinking beer while chit chatting and laughing.

Everyone around me was American and to tell you the truth that made me feel a little left out, It was awkward and I felt intimidated, not because they didn't talk to me or anything but because I was the only Asian girl in the crowd. Everything is new to me, I didn't know anyone but my husband, I couldn't relate to what they were talking about, I didn't know what to say, I didn't know how to start the conversation and I didn't know how to break the ice, so I had no choice but to keep quiet, I'm actually a quiet person though! I would only listen to their conversation and would talk to my husband.

Some people would ask me a few questions and some would offer me food and drinks. They were so nice to me and I appreciated that gesture, they were awesome! I talked a little, I smiled at them, I also laughed shyly when someone cracked jokes, but I have been just so shy and timid that moment. Being shy and quiet is my real personality, ever since I was a child, so no matter how much I tried to break the ice I just couldn't open my lips. I always feel like if I say something it just won't make any sense. I'm actually more of a listener than a talker.

There was a time that I was looking around and hoping to see someone like me, at least someone who's from the other part of the world, maybe someone from Asia or even from India, Italy, Pakistan, France, etc. as long as I was not the only stranger out there, but unfortunately, I found no one, I had to face the reality that I was the only Asian and the only stranger in the crowd.

Nonetheless, I had fun that evening, I knew I shouldn't have felt that way, I needed to mingle with the people that I just met, it's just that I was still adjusting to my new world, to my new surroundings and to the unfamiliar faces around me. I tried my best to communicate and be friendly. However, the most important thing that night was everybody had fun and had a wonderful night!

2006 - Another Cookout with the newly found friends in Franklin, MA.

I was invited by a newly found friend in Franklin, finally, I found a friend! Her name is Fern and you know what? She's also a Filipina, she's one of my people, we have met online, we would start calling each other, I would call her if I have some questions to ask about American lifestyle, food, etc. because she's been living in the U.S. for quite a while before I did, until we became close friends. Her husband is also American. One day she invited me to join their cookout, with her white friends, my husband was at work that time, so she had to pick me up from my place.

She introduced me to her friends and everyone was nice and friendly. I was happy because finally, I wasn't the only Asian in the crowd that time. I was still shy though, mingling with people you don't know very well isn't easy to do, especially if you're not into small talk, but because they were nice and friendly and most of them were a little younger than me so it became easy for me to make friends with them and they were very easy to get along with, it wasn't that intimidating at all, at first I was observing, but as time went on I got more and more comfortable to the point that I actually enjoyed their company.

Honestly speaking, getting out of your comfort zone challenges your mental skills. Friendships can grow more slowly. You will get along well, eventually, but there isn't that instant spark of intense compatibility. You'll become closer sooner or later. However, these people made me feel comfortable around them, so we really had fun that day! I came to realize that one of the important skills in making friends is cooperation. You have to overcome shyness, have self-confidence and give your 100% effort to be in sync with them.