food for thought

I have been living in Portland for almost two months now… Some days I feel like I just got here, and others it feels like I’ve been living here for a while.   Something I’ve noticed recently is my desire to fill my life with people to nurture/care. In Texas, I was constantly surrounded by…

now

Sometimes, when I start a new phase in my life, I think about what my mother would say if she was still here. I wonder… Would she be proud of me? Would I be the person I am today if I didn’t endure the loss of my mother? I will never know. I will never…

#graduasiatrip – viet nam

Viet Nam was a whirlwind. This was the last leg on my four week trip and the fatigue was starting to get to me. Thankfully, I met up with one of my cousins on my father’s side, Gina, who kickstarted my enthusiasm again. Ha Noi/Ha Long Bay Gina and I met in Ha Noi, and…

#graduasiatrip – cebu, philippines

Cebu was a miss for me. I didn’t love the food or people that I met. I have a few highlights though. 1. Mountain Biking. Apparently, people from all over the globe come to Cebu for its acclaimed mountain biking trails. I am a horrendous biker. The last bike I was on was with a…

#graduasiatrip – taipei, taiwan

I traveled to Taipei solo where I’d hang out on my own for a few days and then meet up with my friends for the second half of time there. Taipei is a dream. I love the architecture, people and cleanliness. AND THE FOOD. Taiwanese street food is every foodie’s dream. I think in the…

#graduasiatrip – thailand

  My sister, Katherine and I are in Thailand for one week and we try to make the most of it by starting north in Chiang Mai, venturing south to Krabi and Koh Lanta and ending in Bangkok. Chiang Mai: The first day we get here was a total fail. We arrive around 2pm and…

miami beach

I’M DONE AND GRADUATED and my besties and I decided Miami was the perfect getaway! American Airlines was having a ridiculous sale that allowed me and my friends to travel to Miami for under $80 round-trip! Day 1: We flew in really early Sunday morning to arrive in Miami at 9am. After checking into our…

sisu

The English language is amazing. There are hundreds of thousands of words, yet some words and phrases in other languages simply cannot be translated. Sisu is Finnish for the extraordinary determination in the face of adversity. Sadly, I found this word through a BuzzFeed article, but really it spoke to me. All of the challenges in…

nguyen’s go west

  Marfa, TX and White Sands, NM My best friend, Jennifer, and I decided for our last undergrad Spring Break we would take a road trip to the road less traveled (aka West Texas). We drove from Austin to Marfa and then Marfa to White Sands. This year alone I’ve been able to visit two…

new orleans, la

After living in Texas my entire life, it took a group of friends on a spontaneous trip to get me to New Orleans. Aka one of my favorite cities in the U.S. The entire atmosphere is inviting and fun. The food is beyond amazing and I’ll definitely be coming back for beignets.   Cafe du…