November ‘24

Helloooooo! Happy November — or should I say December?

This month has been incredibly busy for me as I've been traveling nonstop from New York to Taiwan, then to Vietnam, and back to Taiwan again. Unlike my usual end-of-month reflections from Brooklyn, I’m writing this from Taiwan, where I’m spending quality time with my parents and family and feeling extra grateful.

Because of this, my end-of-month reflection for November will be a bit different — focused less on New York and more on my experiences in Taiwan and Vietnam. I'm really excited to share some updates with you this November! — full of travel stories, self-care lessons, and a peek at what’s coming next.

༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･

travel adventures

Vietnam Highlights

Since last October, Gabe and I have been planning our trip to Vietnam after returning from Taiwan, and we finally made it happen!

We spent two days in Da Nang, two days in Saigon, and a day and a half in Con Dao (about which I later learned from a local friend that the island is haunted!). We returned to Saigon for an additional three days to spend time with my friend Cat.

• Da Nang was a beachy spot, which I loved, but it was also quite touristy.

• Con Dao felt like a hidden gem, but I learned that it was going to be booming soon; while Gabe and I were riding a moped around the island, we noticed many resorts currently being built. I’m sure that in a couple of years, this island will be a very popular destination. This is the island that Cat's friend, a local in Saigon, mentioned is haunted — which I later found out was true!

• Saigon was like finding the perfect balance between the calm and the chaos! The traffic felt like a sea of fish, flowing in perfect (yet insane) harmony. And reconnecting with my girl Cat there was a dream come true.

Taiwan Highlights

From the dreamy old streets of Jiufen to the relaxing vibes of Taichung and rainy typhoon adventures in Kaohsiung, Taiwan was a wonderful experience this month.

• Jiufen is well-known among Hayao Miyazaki fans for inspiring the iconic A-Mei Teahouse structure in "Spirited Away." However, I must share the disappointing news that Hayao Miyazaki has stated that Jiufen was not the inspiration for the film. Nevertheless, Jiufen is still a stunning place to visit, filled with delicious street food and great shopping!

• Taichung was a great time to relax and spend with my family. We revisited old favorites like CREAMY DAILY CAFE, tried out the iconic Chicha San Chen flagship store, and introduced Gabe to the Tempur theater experience at Wenxin Showtime since he missed it last year.

• Kaohsiung was pouring. Unfortunately, due to the tail end of typhoon season, we encountered heavy rain. Despite the weather, we met up with one of Gabe’s friends for dinner. The next day, we visited Pier 2 and a cool coffee shop called ORACLE, which I can’t wait to share with you!

I’ll be writing more in-depth posts about each special place that stood out to me on this trip, so be sure to keep an eye out for those!

༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･

self-care during travels

It’s hard to prioritize self-care, especially when traveling, so I have a few tips to help maintain balance. It can be challenging to stick to a routine away from home. Here’s what I learned:

• LET GO OF CONTROL
  A tarot reading I did before the trip reminded me to loosen my grip on plans and just be. I realized that my tendency to control everything often leads to anxiety.
  During this trip, I decided to embrace whatever fate had in store for me and not to worry too much about the future. By staying present, I focused less on what I had to do next. If something doesn’t work out, it’s okay!

• IN-FLIGHT READING
  Another way I reset my self-care routine was during airplane rides. I brought my iPad and a book, "True to You" by Dr. Kathleen Smith, which I thought was perfect for anyone struggling to find themselves and feel comfortable around others (myself included!).
  Although it’s a quick read, it includes journaling exercises that encourage reflection on your behavior and how it differs from your true self.
  I felt that using airplane time for self-care made sense since once you land, you’ll be busy with activities.
  Why not take a moment for yourself?

• WELLNESS MOMENTS
  Yoga at TIA Wellness in Da Nang and those heavenly massages were such a gift to my body and mind.

The biggest lesson? Self-care isn’t a set routine — it’s finding small ways to recharge wherever you are.

༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･

November lessons

I’m not sure about you, but every time I travel, I always learn something new. It doesn’t matter where I go, when I go, or how familiar I am with a place like Taiwan or any new country; I always keep an open mind and ask a lot of questions if I don’t understand something.

CURIOSITY IS KEY

For example, I learned about the history of Vietnam and why there are Chinese characters inside the caves of Marble Mountain. I later found out that Chinese people have settled in Vietnam for thousands of years!

Another example is why Vietnamese is written in English characters instead of traditional Asian characters like those used in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, or Thai. The reason is that when the French colonized Vietnam, they changed the alphabet to English characters. Before that, it was written in Chinese characters, similar to how the Japanese borrowed from the Chinese characters to create Kanji. It’s fascinating!

KINDNESS ALWAYS WINS

One important life lesson I learned this month is to speak kindly to people when you’re upset to encourage them to change their behavior.

A great example of this was when Gabriel and I were watching "Gladiator 2" at the Tempur Theater in Wenxin Showtime, Taichung. A couple next to us kept talking throughout the whole movie and were even browsing on their phones, which lit up and bothered me! I got really frustrated.

Instead of yelling or cursing at them, I took some time to think about how to talk to them without being dismissive and actually convince them not to behave that way again. I remembered the principles from the book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie.

When I spoke to them sincerely and humbly — politely asking, "Excuse me, do you mind not talking during the movie next time? It’s very disruptive." They both apologized, to my surprise! I was a bit shocked because they initially looked offended when I stared at them, but they ended up feeling embarrassed about their actions. That was the outcome I wanted!

So, next time you want to encourage people to do the right thing, remember to be nice, and they’ll likely respond in kind!

༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･

As always, thank you for being part of this journey. This reflection wouldn’t be complete without expressing gratitude for you!

How was your November? Did you celebrate Thanksgiving? I’d love to hear how the month treated you.

Thanks for reading, and see you next month!

༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･

check out my Taiwan vlog!

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