Beste Westen (best wishes in Dutch) to you, Baddies. I hope the holidays were spectacular for you. I just wanted to share my 2017 wrap up because it has been an amazing year. If you haven’t seen my videos, click here for the videos page to see my perspective.
To be honest, 2017 has been a rollercoaster and also the most personal year I’ve had but that’s what made it so amazing. I learned how to be confident in myself, learned to trust my gut, and learned to take in what the world has to offer. I could proudly say that I have traveled to 21 countries (some multiple times) and that my fascination for Europe grew. I was able to stay in my parents’ country and learn about how wonderfully giving people could be whilst having very little. I learned that I love Amatriciana pasta from Rome. I learned that dancing your ass off in Cancun can heal a broken heart. I also learned how to not give up on finding the perfect travel companion (more on that next week).
The first half of the year was difficult for me but I chose to do what I love, travel. So I went to eight new countries (14 different countries in total). And yes…I am pretty broke in the financial department but I was always able to pay my bills. I learned how to travel on a budget while still providing for me and my family.
I can honestly say that I lost myself, doubted my self worth and my confidence. Being betrayed by someone you love can do that to a person and the confusion is normal. But I’m glad I stayed connected to my friends and family because they showed me who I was again. Naturally being a lone wolf, I learned the value of support and putting my pride aside. Once I was able to walk towards those values, I began to walk towards a happier path. So in a nutshell, 2017 showed me an appreciation for family, friends, travel and loving myself.
My New Year’s resolution is to be graceful yet unfiltered, to be candid yet empathetic. To be open to any opportunity headed my way. So my blog is going to be a bit more personal. Whether you want to know or not, that’s completely up to you. I believe you could be a bad ass but still a good person and I choose to live a bad ass life.
With that said, here are some pictures of the places I traveled to in 2017:
January - Hong Kong | Victoria Harbour
February: Havana, Cuba
March: Big Bear, California
April: Milan, Italy | A Vittorio Emanuele II
May: Cancun, Mexico
June: Barcelona, Spain | Sagrada Familia
July: Rodeo Drive, California | Tiffany & Co
August: Mexico City, Mexico | Teotihuacan Pyramids
September: Pampanga, Philippines | Local Market
September: Munich, Germany | Oktoberfest
October: Paris, France
November: Den Haag, Netherlands | Grote Markt
December: Los Angeles, California | Griffith Observatory