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This month was truly filled with new adventures and activities that I could cross off my bucket list.
Lifestyle: Traveling
Relationships
This month, I got to check off things off my bucket list: Jin's Cafe. I've been seeing this on Tiktok where this girl hosts a little "coffee shop" at her apartment where she brings her friends together for pastries and coffee. I was able to do this at my apartment with a help of my friends (shout out Sophie for baking pastries!) as well as my boyfriend (who pretended to be the cashier lol). This was so much fun and I hope to do something similar again!
I also got to do more summer active activities with my friends such as pickle ball and hiking. This has been so much fun and although I only got to do some of it in the beginning of June before I went on my Asia trip, I hope to continue to do more of these active activities in July.
Korea
Family Time
Whenever I'm in Korea, it means a lot of family time. I got to see my grandparents a lot and it always make me a bit sad when I see their age show more on their faces. Whenever I'm spending time with family, I feel the most relaxed and safe so it's exactly the rest that I've been looking for throughout my chaotic months and days. I also got to go to so many cafes with my mom (maybe literally like 2-3 cafes each day) so my cafe lover heart was truly fulfilled. I also got to see my cousins once again and do a sleepover. I always am thankful for our relationship because we always end up yapping so much and not even realizing how much time passed. Thankful to have cousins that get along so well!
Health
I also went back to Korea to do the check up on the surgery I did for the lump they found on my breast. All in all, my check up went well and the doctor said that I should be good with a yearly check up from now on. Good news on my end!
Thailand
Family Trips
Whenever I'm on family trips, I recognize how different it is compared to trips with friends. I feel like I'm always a little extra on edge and more annoyed during family trips (maybe because how comfortable I am with them). Sometimes it's justified to be that annoyed but sometimes I know I realize I'm overreacting lol. But, I also learned to cherish my family trips more because I know how hard it'll be to do more as we age. I also learned to love package trips or trips with tour guides as they have it all planned and ready to go. However, there were still instances such as when we're at the airport where I had to take the lead and kind of take charge for my family and it can be stressful but I learned to manage it. I was also thankful how well my grandparents were able to keep up despite their age and hoped to be as strong as them one day at their age!
New Experiences
During this trip, I got to check off so many things off my bucket list! I got to try durian for the first time and I was so surprised at how much I loved the flavor -- so buttery and delicious. I was very suprised because I didn't love any of the durian flavored snacks I've tried but the actual fruit itself tasted very different! I also got to check off parasailing and it was honestly such an unforgettable experience -- truly felt like I was flying and probably the closest I'll get to it (unless I go sky diving one day). I also got to ride on an elephant and they were actually so big but so so cute lol.
Work
Concert
This low-key might have happened at the end of May but here I am including here because I just remembered it! My workplace hosted a mini concert featuring Peach Tree Rascals and it was such a fun break in the middle of our work day to go with my co-worker! I didn't know much of their song except for "Mariposa," which went viral on TikTok. It was really cute to hear their mini speech about this song and how much it impacted their lives.
Personal Color Test
My work hosted a pop up at the Grove where they did a free personal color test for everyone! This was something that was also on my bucket list of things I wanted to do so I was excited for this opportunity. I learned that I'm "Light Spring" and I fit best with pastel colors and lighter hair. I avoided my worst fear and they luckily agreed that gold was my metal color for me but I wasn't too lucky as I mentioned half my closet is filled with black clothes but that is one of the worst colors for me. I also learned that lighter hair fit the best for me and maybe it checks out because I went blonder for the summer and I've been getting lots of compliments including my grandma who mentioned this might be THE color for me lol. I probably will not be changing my entire wardrobe because of this, but it was super interesting to learn what suits me the most.
Solo Time Off
This month, I also had a "comp" day where I was able to take off any work day for attending a work event over the weekend. I decided to take it off on a random Wednesday and use it to have a solo date. I realized how much I needed this/ haven't had this in so long as I've been busy prioritizing friendships and relationships. It was so fun just doing solo activities such as going to the beach alone to read (although the weather wasn't great and the beach was slightly creepy with not a lot of people around lol). I also even got to do some walking while listening to music and checking off things I needed to do such as remove my gel x nails so I can have a clean surface for my nails in Korea. All in all, I hope to incorporate more of this even on the weekend when I can!
PTO
This month I took a whole 3 weeks off! There's a lot of reflection about this, which is firstly how grateful I am that I'm able to do this but also how much I enjoy taking time off lol. I really am thankful that I have such a supportive manager and team who lets me take time off without the guilt (the most important part)! I can leave knowing that I am in good hands and I don't have to stress about work while I'm off. But, I also always realize how much I love taking time off and not working. I know some people thrive off of their career and work but I do realize that most of my happiness comes from traveling and spending time with friends and family. I know that it would not be possible without my work so I am super thankful for it itself! But, I just recognize once again that my true happiness comes through adventures and relationships. I also have to point out the guilt lol. I know I said my team does a good job letting me take time off without the guilt, but I can't help feel it myself. I always in the back of my mind feel bad and also worried that somehow this will get to be fired as they'll realize they don't actually need me? I don't know, probably my anxiety speaking (hey anxiety! -- side tangent: anyone else watch Inside Out 2? good movie hehe). But all in all, truly learning to enjoy my vacation days to the fullest.
Lows: Stomach Flu
Whenever I'm busy and decide to push my body to the extreme, I realized I end up paying the consequences. The very last day in Korea, I ended up suffering from a stomach flu and it was not fun at all. I was not able to do the last minute things I wanted to in Korea but it was smarter to give it a rest day because I was able to mostly recover pretty quickly due to it (+ a visit to the doctors). All in all, whenever I'm ill, I realize how extra lucky I am to have a fully functioning body that's able to let me go do the adventures I want to do. It makes me realize that I want to take care of it extra carefully. Especially looking at my grandparents and how they were able to keep up with our tight schedules in Thailand without getting sick even as one is hitting 80 and the other is way past it, it made me realize how much efforts they must have put into having a well functioning body. Honestly, I'm so surprised because they eat so much more than I but have a way better schedule of eating (3 meals a day) and with exercising such as hiking. I hope to be as strong and health as they are at their age one day.
Lessons: Be Adventurous While You Can
During my trip to Thailand, I was able to cross off parasailing off my bucket list. However, someone who was not able to was my grandma. My grandma has always been such an adventurer who also seeks and loves adrenaline filled activities. I have so many memories her being brave such as lying about her age to get on rollercoasters/ water rides in summer time (shh don't tell anyone) and always being down to do things like that! When parasailing opportunity came up during our Thailand trip, she was the first one to volunteer in our family even while I was hesitant to do it myself! She was so excited to go on this parasailing adventure also because she always said that she wanted to be a bird in the next life since she didn't get to travel/ explore as much as she would've loved to and I felt like this was an opportunity for her to feel like flying. However, she was not able to kick off for the parasailing because her legs were not strong enough for the quick strong runs in the beginning. There's a lot that I learned from this experience myself.
I hope to be as brave as her at her age and down to experience these adventures even when I'm older. I hope that I also don't let age let me stop from trying things I want to do.
You should experience things when you can because you never know when the next opportunity will come up. You think you have enough time until you don't.
Appreciate your health and body.
Even though she was not able to check this off her bucket list, I hope that it doesn't stop her to try other things in life. I also hope to remember this as I continue to check things off my bucket list.
Songs on Repeat:
Top Songs -
Rockstar - LISAHow Sweet - New JeansMariposa - Peach Tree Rascals My Pick of the Month: Mangoes
I ate literally at least 2 mangoes a day when I was in Thailand whether it was the actual fruit or mango smoothie. Mangoes in Thailand just hit so different and they were so so so delicious. I'm missing the Thailand mangoes already!
I feel like this month was truly about relaxing and taking a break. I'm not excited to go back to my normal day-to-day with working and such but I'm so thankful to have such amazing memories and adventures checked off my bucket list that I can be nostalgic about.
Talk to you next month,
-- Jin
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