Describing the countries I travelled to in the least amount of words possible.
When 2022 started, I was just kicking back in Colombia, working and living my best nomadic life. Not having an actual visa, meant doing border runs every 90 days to prevent complications with immigration. I didn’t exactly know what the year had in store, but I was up for whatever and whichever way it pulled me.
Throughout that year, I was able to visit 7 countries. Most were on my bucket-list, but some were spur of the moment travel, yet all were eye opening in their own way.
As a budget, and solo traveller, my goal in each new destination is to become one with the locals. I usually achieve this by staying in airbnb’s, instead of hotels, using public transportation, booking local tour guides, and most importantly, trying many national dishes!
My method of travel is not for everyone, but it really makes for a unique experience, and I love it!
Here are the countries I visited in 2022, and what I took away from each;
COLOMBIA 🇨🇴 (A nomad’s paradise)
Most diversity amongst its people, and easiest to blend in 👋🏾👋🏼👋🏿
Very vast topography (city, beach, jungle, desert) 🏖️🏜️
Cheapest destination, and the best for luxury on a budget 💰
Hospitable people, but with a negative stigma & reputation 🧨
GUATEMALA 🇬🇹 (A place to rejuvenate)
Great views, vegan friendly, and relaxing 🌄🧘🏾♀️
Easiest to navigate 🗺️
Beaches are far and not easy to get to 🏖️ 🚗💨
EL SALVADOR 🇸🇻 (The hidden gem)
Best cuisine, which surprised me 🫓🫔
Most active and adventurous, but need a vehicle to get around 🏞️🏄🏾♀️
Lack of diversity, and lots of racial tension & curiosity 😐🫥
MEXICO 🇲🇽 (Everyone’s favourite)
• Most natural and untouched beauty 🤩💎
• So many tourists friendly cities to choose ✅👍🏾
• Overpriced and overrated in the tourist areas 🥵
NICARAGUA 🇳🇮 (Most underrated)
• Safe to take public transit, and very affordable 💵
• Most humble, caring and patriotic people 🫂
• Unfortunately it’s underdeveloped, bad accessibility and disorganized ⚒️
CUBA 🇨🇺 (Most likely to revisit)
• Safest for solo female travel 🥇🙇🏾♀️
• Super easy to navigate, and cheap access to the most beautiful beaches, and so much to see 🌅🏝️
• Worst food, and most unstable infrastructure & development 🏚️
PANAMA 🇵🇦
• Most urbanized and multicultural (many expats and working foreigners) 🏙️🏳️
• Easiest to communicate with many English speaking people 🗣️
• Capital city was expensive, boring and far away from beautiful beaches 🫣🤦🏾♀️
Before you go, check out a few of my favourite photos from the destinations listed above.
Cartagena, ColombiaAntigua, GuatemalaVaradero, CubaLake Atitlan, Guatemala San Salvador, El SalvadorLake Coatepeque, El Salvador
To see my itineraries, check out my travel vlogs on my Youtube channel, Audaciously Me.
Did I name a country you have also visited before? If so, what was your impression? Let me know if the comments below, using the least amount of words!
* I am not a dietician and cannot give health advice. The recommendations in this blog are coming from research and personal experiences *
If you have been thinking about eating healthier, losing weight and just feeling more energized, then your first step is a detox.
What is a detox?
A detox is basically a method in which toxins and excess waste are eliminated from your body, resulting in a boosted metabolism and leading to weight-loss. So, basically were getting rid of all the junk and making room for our body to absorb the nutrients to come. Usually, this involves a diuretic or a laxatives, but I’m going to show you how to get it done with plant-based & natural ingredients. Can I get a round of applause?
When shouldI start?
With the end of the year approaching, there’s never been a better time to start making better decisions regarding our diets. If you prepare over the weekend, then you can set yourself up nicely, to start on a Monday morning. But, the choice is yours.
Speaking of diets... this is not one! It’s a subtle lifestyle change, where you can still continue to eat your favourite foods, without counting macros or calories, but keeping portion size and timing in consideration. According to the Canadian Food Guide, a well balanced meal should consist of 1/2 plate of vegetables, 1/4 high quality protein, and 1/4 of carbohydrates. Also, your last meal should be at-least 3 hours before you sleep at night. You can easily find more information about this with a simple google search.
How should I do it?
Good question. You’ve got options and should choose whichever makes the most sense for your schedule and your goals. First option, is to only have smoothies for the entire day, for 7 days straight. Second option, is to have a smoothie for breakfast instead of your usual meal, and then continue with your regular eating patterns throughout the day. Third option, is to have smoothies from sun up, to sun down and only have a full meal at dinner time.
What if I don’t have a good blender?
A fancy, expensive blender is absolutely not needed. I was able to make all of these smoothie blends with a $30 Magic Bullet I bought off Craigslist. Even if your blades are dull, you can soften up the really dense vegetables by steaming them ahead of time or chopping them into smaller chunks.
Without further delay, here’s the grocery list:
*Think of a portion as approx 1 cup.*
Keep it simple, no need to buy full bags of fruits and veggies, if you only plan on making one smoothie a day. For example, I bought one large carrot for $0.75 @ Walmart, for one recipe, not a bag.
And finally, the recipes:
You can add small increments of water or yogurt to each recipe, depending on how thick you want it to be. Stay away from adding fruit juices and whole milk.
Inspired by Beyonce’s “Magical go-to drink” used to flush your system after a few days of junk eating.
Day 1: Great way to kick start your system, however too much ginger can irritate your stomach, so be careful not to use more than you are used to.Day 2: Energy booster with vitamin A & vitamin C ! Break day: F-F-F-FIBREEE ! Chia seeds, need about 20 minutes to absorb water. They are also loaded with quality protein and antioxidants.Day 3: Beets can improve digestive health, lower blood sugar, and increase exercise performance. Day 4: High in vitamin C, reduces swelling, and perfect for helping the body recover. Day 5: More rich dietary fibres, but this is more of a delicious treat to prepare for tomorrow!Day 6: Kale promotes bowel movements, while celery rehydrates the body Day 7: Great way to ease sore muscles if you’ve been working out. Boil, and drink while its still warm!
For your information.
This is not a difficult challenge, and it’s also not going to change your life in a week. However, what it will do is get you in the habit of eating healthier and set you up for a successful weight-loss journey. Consider implementing some light cardio, like skipping, walking, jumping jacks, doing the stairs, as it should really help to get you feeling motivating and pumped for the next week.
Things to consider.
A good way to get your mind, and soul in alignment with your newly detoxed body, is by removing toxic energy from your surroundings as well.
This could involve decluttering your space by getting rid of old clothes and bringing in some new ones that compliment your body and make you feel powerful.
Eliminating any page from your social media platforms that make you feel anything less than inspired or empowered, and start following some who do.
On that note, stay tuned for my next blog post “Detoxing your mind & soul”, which will be posted next week !
Good luck on your detoxand please reach out if you have any other questions! 💚
The contents of this blog post are not meant to bash the Canadian government nor to wine about my experience during the pandemic lockdowns. Many people went through a tough time, worst than anything i could imagine, and they pulled through. I was unhappy with my circumstances, and decided to make a change.
Let’s get started!
Quality of life
I cannot forget March 2021, when the Ontario government classified the region I lived in as a Grey Zone. It had been 3 months since my move from Vancouver, where the covid restrictions had loosened up, and there was a huge sense of normalcy is everyday life. This included gym openings, indoor dining and even small gatherings permitted, within your social circle. Yet, here I was, thrown into another lockdown while the rest of the country was moving forward.
Not only did the gyms close, but i was denied fitness equipment, as simple as a skipping rope from Walmart and the Dollar Store. That’s because, in Ontario, purchasing anything that was not considered essential was prohibited. To make things worst, the parks were closed off, and leaving your home for non urgent matters was not recommended. At one year into the pandemic, we could be pulled over and asked to show proof of address for being in a neighbourhood or being with a group of people, or we risked being fined. Meanwhile our neighbours in the USA, were hosting parties and sporting events at full capacity. That was a tough pill to swallow, especially watching it play out on social and digital media.
Cost of living
By May, I was working from home, and paying over $1,100 to rent a room in a shared home, with a shared washroom. I had moved with a group of girls looking for a roommate, which was ideal because the home was walking distance from my new job. Everyone had met on facebook marketplace, which was a challenge in itself, and all had different schedules/ lifestyles. Imagine working from home, while the girl downstairs is enjoying her day off with company and loud music? Everyone was overstressed, depressed, vitamin deprived and in need of more personal space. Along with rent, my gas bills were increasing, my insurance was coming out each month and our utilities bills were climbing.
Every dollar of my pay check seemed to be claimed, before it even hit my account. I became more and more overwhelmed and would wonder what was the purpose of working full time, just to pay bills and be stuck in the house. These thoughts were becoming part of my daily ritual.
Need for change
In August, the job I had relocated across the country for, laid me off due to my vaccination status and that was the final straw for me. I felt so unappreciated. At that moment, I decided that I no longer wanted to feel overworked and unfulfilled. To be honest, I was unsure what my solution would be, but I knew that change was coming.
Before getting let go, I had joined a few travel and expat groups on facebook. I also started to come across YouTube content from solo female travellers that were living their best lives abroad. Talk about market targeting! Anyways, I took it all as signs that I was on the right path, and starting intensively researching places outside of Canada to relocate to, even just temporarily.
In my next post, I will discuss the steps I took to successfully leave the country and stay away for 8 months now, and counting !
Why I chose Colombia
It’s interesting that I chose to move somewhere that I had never gone before, nor had the desire to. I mean it. Colombia was not on my bucket-list! After asking many questions, in those travel groups, reading through blogs and watching travel channels, it was an easy decision.
I wanted to go somewhere with a strong history of African culture. If I was going to leave my home country, it was important to be somewhere that I was less likely to face racial discrimination. What I found, through my research, was that Colombia was not only a place with many Afro – Latina/o, but they accepted and appreciated dark skin.
I wont comment yet, on whether or not this was my true experience.
The next thing I needed was safety, especially as a solo female traveller, with very little Spanish vocabulary. Although, the country had a strong stigma surrounding it’s name, I found that they had evolved greatly in the last 20 years, and were working hard to establish a good reputation. With many different and diverse cities, with many different neighbourhoods and gated communities, people considered it a safe destination for tourists, a popular location for digital nomads/ expats, and veré ideal for retirees.
Also, I needed to know that I could live in comfortable conditions, with access to clean drinking water, hot water for bathing, and a stable method of communication. What I found, regarding development, was way more than I expected, especially in the big city of Medellin. Their light rail transit system runs through most of the city, the bus transportation is timed and reliable, there were more than 3 ride-share and food delivery apps, and more than 3 companies offered high speed internet. Also, the international airport is also accessible, within 1 hour, from the furthest part of the city.
Lastly, I did not need a tropical location, but access to fresh and affordable produce was a huge deal for me. I have a plant based diet, and the ambition to be the most healthy version of myself, so eating and variety of fresh fruits and vegetables is a main priority. I was certain that a Latin American country would provide me with all the produce i wanted and even more tropical fruit that I had yet to be introduced to.
How my life has change
The biggest change has to be the work life balance. Before 2020, a balanced week looked like: working 7 to 9 hours a day, but going to the gym after work. Skipping the gym on Wednesdays, to catch up with my girlfriends and see their kids. Not working on weekends, but spending that free time to restock my fridge and wash my laundry. Visiting family on Sundays, but coming home early to meal prep, lay out my outfits, and mentally prepare myself for the week ahead. Sound familiar?
Now, I’m able to rent an apartment on my own (using airbnb or sublets), going to the gym is not done on a timer, i get to shop at the mall without waiting for payday, buy groceries without price matching or looking for sale items, and use my extra income to save, invest, or pay off debts. Not to mention, this is all done with working less than 40 hours a week.
I have felt so much stress lift off my shoulders, and for the first time in my life, I am able to pamper myself. I can visit the dentist without having to use a credit card, getting a professional massage is now a weekly activity, and taking a mid week flight to a domestic destination, needs no planning nor saving. I feel free.
Of course, there are plenty of other factors that will come into play if I decide to stay here long term, like health care coverage, insurance, visas. But for now, im going to enjoy loving life.
Thank you for reading.
Have you thought or leaving your home country to live in another part of the world? Have you done already?
Please feel free to share your experience.
Also, you can connect with me and follow my journey and share yours, by following my instagram @audaciousdee or visiting my Youtube channel: Audaciously Me
I read a quote that said: “I fell in love doing my own thing, minding my own business and not being accessible like that. I like it here.” It resonated with me so much, that I wondered if I could have subconsciously written it. Regardless, I recognized the words as those of an empath’s.
What is an empath?
According to Nelly Wadia, author of miss malini.com, “an empath is an emotional sponge; they take on the joys and stresses of the world like it’s their own. They are highly sensitive in nature and tend to pick up on subtle cues about what the other person might be experiencing. And they sense these feelings and emotions as if they were experiencing them. The term empath comes from the word empathy, that means one might have the ability to understand someone else’s experiences outside the purview of their own perspective.”
As a self proclaimed emotional empath, and a pisces, the most sensitive of the zodiac signs, I have learned that basking in my own company is how I thrive. Growing up, I would have never considered myself an introvert, but many circumstances have caused me to change my nature. If you are spiritually awakened, then you’ll understand how much of an impact surrounding forces can have on one’s everyday life. Even the weather or the media, becomes so overwhelming, that an extroverted empath, like myself, will retract and isolate from in-person interactions.
How it all started.
I was not always this way. In fact, I spent my elementary and middle school days being the class clown and craving attention from everyone around me. In high school, I was so popular that I had a different circle of friends for every day of the week. But that did not last very long. I can definitely say that things changed in my college years, which is also when I got into my first serious relationship. As I started to get busy with life, I also slowly fell out of touch with most of my “friends.” At first, a heavy course load was my excuse, but soon enough, I found myself finding ways to not meet with anyone, even when I had the free time.
It was almost as though, the more time I spent alone, and away from toxic and needy friendships, the better off I was. There were no more demands and expectations. No more unwarranted remarks or volunteered opinions. I was free from drama and stress. Even being away from family was amazing, and left me feeling euphoric and energized instead of anxious and depressed. Eventually, I moved to the other side of the country, solo, and embarked on a whole other journey. The feeling of being free to make my own decisions, exempt from judgement, was absolutely empowering. At this point, I started to focus on finding my peace by making myself inaccessible, and doing whatever brought me happiness. Every once in a while, I would meet someone that matched my energy, but that was rare, so I spent most of my time vibing alone.
I remember interacting with new people, and usually being judged based on my social media account, which does not always match my reclusive tendencies. It’s a shame that people have such a difficult time separating a person from their creative content. For this reason, most may never get close enough to truly know the real me. Unfortunately, this means having very few friends and doing a lot of things alone … like travelling. So I’ve had to adapt to doing more things alone, than I would have wanted.
How it’s going!
For now, I’ll keep people an arm’s length away, and keep up appearances by liking their Facebook and Instagram posts. Other than that, I refuse to maintain any superficial friendships with acquaintances. I value my personal space so much, that it’s become a bubble and I have to remain mindful of who I allow to permeate it. Staying away from shallow minds, negativity and bad vibes has become my primary form of self care and mental preservation. Being an empath has effected my ability to form new connections with people who do not operate on a higher frequency, and lack an understanding of personal boundaries. Thankfully, my current circle is full of emotionally mature individuals, who are focused of self growth and becoming the best versions of themselves. And for that, I am blessed!
Can you relate ?
Before reading this post, did you consider yourself an empath? How about now? If you answered yes, then do you believed that your social life in lacking in any way? And what changes would make in the near future to improve that?
Leave your responses in the comment section below!
Be forewarned that I am not a licensed dietician or nutritionist,
and all my advice comes from first hand experiences.
At nine years old, I watched a video from a PETA website about tuna fishing and I guess you can say it scarred me for life. It was at that very moment that I knew I would never eat meat again. Despite becoming anemic, almost instantly, I continued to find different ways to substitute meat out of my life. My love for animals was the primary catalyst, but my knowledge of the animal agricultural industry and it’s effects on the planet, is what helps me persevere.
Now, almost 21 years in, Ive overcome anemia, through a healthier diet, and I’m on the road to Vegan-Ville.
Easy transition right? Wrong! This lifestyle has been one of the hardest things to adapt to, but once I looked at the benefits, it made things a lot easier. Whatever your reasons are, I applaud you, and welcome you on this journey.
In order to successfully eliminate animal products out of your diet, without resorting to salads and sandwiches all day, you’ll need a BEGINNERS GUIDELINE to follow. Don’t worry, I’ve put one together that stays away from soy products, but caters to protein, whole foods, vegetables and minimal carbs.
Be careful because a lot of non vegan ingredients are in things like cereal, breads, juices, candy and “vegetarian” alternative foods.
Also, you need to know your body and understand that people who eliminate meat from their diet CAN suffer from iron deficiency. The only way to overcome this, is to make sure you get enough protein and nutrients from WHOLE FOODS, and supplements as needed. I take B12, iron, vitamin d, vitamin c and a bunch of natural herbs, but only to maintain my health. I HIGHLY recommend adding lots of fruits and vegetables to your grocery list. If this is a struggle for you, try juicing! Its a great way to have vegetables disguised by the tastes of fruits.
Juices vital to detox or vitamins
Whenever I slip up and accidentally eat a cookie, a slice of cheese, or a burger bun that contained eggs, I don’t make a big deal of it. I’ll detox, and restart again. Trust the process !
My favourite detox (can be found at Jugo or Booster juice if you don’t have a juicer at home)
Pineapple, ginger, pear, cucumber
Celery, parley, lemon, green apple
Carrot, ginger, pear, turmeric
If you have any questions, please reach out, as I have tons of recipes written out. Also, ill add a few links of great youtube videos to watch, and my vegetarian / vegan instagram page.
I remember the days when I would hear someone say “nice people finish last”, and I would think to myself, “who TF says that? What an absolute asshole”. But today, that statement has never made more sense.
Through experience, I had to learn the hard way just how very true that statement was. Being too nice can really have you spending money you don’t have, wasting time you can never get back and doing deeds that would never be reciprocated.
After a while you start to lose your self worth. There comes a time when you have to stop spreading yourself thin, and start winning. I’ve put together a summary of the subtle, yet affective changes I made that helped me regain my life.
Well, here it is. The madness to how I started winning in 2020, and will continue to conquer in 2021:
I started being selfish with mytime.
It pays to treat everyone kindly and with respect, but when you’re a good person to ungrateful people, you lose in the end. Of course there are a handful of loyal people, whom are considered family, that I would do anything for. But, at this point in life, if I don’t consider you a close friend, then I would never modify plans or go out of my way to spend time with you unless there was something in it for me… like a business deal. My time is expensive, and I’m on a budget, which means I cannot afford to waste it. Sometimes i would tell people that I’m busy, and then spend my day doing absolutely nothing, just because that’s what I felt like doing, and I come first!
I stopped being afraid to let go of old friendships.
I have always felt obligated to stay in touch with people from my old neighbourhood or school, which has led me to drag along outdated friendships. I would excuse bad behaviour and turn a blind eye to betrayal all in the name of my loyalty. Once I came to realize that everyone can have an expiration date, regardless of the history, my life got a whole lot less stressful. After all, you can’t expect your personal growth to get to new levels if you carry around excess baggage. People come and people go !!
Self care days became a real thing… frequently!
Did you know that working out releases endorphins that interact with receptors in your brain that can promote happy thoughts?
I mean, I’m not a doctor or anything, but the information is on google and I’m sort of a walking testimony. Ever since I left my depressing career, I’ve been super dedicated to becoming physically and mentally healthy. This meant not taking on other people’s problems, before I deal with my own. There are no exemptions for family, friends, or coworkers. Whenever I feel stressed out, anxious or overwhelmed, I clock out of reality and head to the gym. Whether it’s cardio, an aerobics class, weight lifting, hot yoga or pole fitness, I have tried it all. Quick secret: I’m constantly using Groupon or introductory sign ups to keep things cheap.
I also make sure to pamper myself every month or so with things like a manicure, pedicure, a professional massage and body detox / cleanse, even if it’s not in the budget… call it self investment. #selflove
Speaking of detox!
It’s so stressful having a phone these days, because you are forced to be in constant contact with people, and then you’ve gotta deal with the pressure of keeping up appearances. Every now and then, I delete Instagram, Facebook and any other messenger apps off my phone. On top of that, every night my phone automatically goes on silent “Do Not Disturb Mode” at 10pm and no notifications will come through until 7am the next morning. I answer messages at my own pace and on my own time, not on anyone else’s. Now I have so much more time to do other things like read, listen to an audiobook or podcast, enjoy the beautiful nature of Vancouver, and enhance my writing skills, hence this blog. At night, I can truly lay in bed with my own thoughts and just be away from society for a while, and it’s extremely exhilarating.
I gave social pressures the middle finger.
This is by far the best part of my life right now. I feel absolutely no pressure to have my hair look a certain way (weaves), to wear makeup (like…ever), get my lashes done, have long nails, maintain a size 7 figure, keep up with fashion trends, or have designer items. I’ve gotten so comfortable with being in my own world that I won’t even turn on the radio because I prefer not allow “popular opinion/ mainstream” dictate what I listen to. I am just living my best life as the minimalist, vegan junkie, solo adventurista, wild child who doesn’t care about follows, likes or other people’s opinions.
There have been times that I’ve resorted back to my old self, and it always ended badly for me. But, the moral of it all, is that once I stopped allowing outside factors to influence my decisions and deter me from my goals, I really started to thrive. Some people may consider this as selfish or obnoxious, and they’re probably right. Yet, I don’t care, because at the end of the day, the only person I need to make happy is myself.
Is 2020 the year that you say f*ck what people think and start living your best life… for yourself?!
Thank you for reading and don’t forget to leave a comment below!
This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.
I remember the days when I would hear someone say, “nice people finish last.” And I would ask myself, “what kind of an asshole would say something like that?” But today, that statement has never made more sense!
Through experience, I had to learn the hard way just how very true that statement was. Being too nice can really have you spending money you don’t have, wasting time you can never get back and doing deeds that would never be reciprocated.
After a while you start to lose your self worth. There comes a time when you have to stop spreading yourself thin, and start winning. I’ve put together a summary of the subtle, yet affective changes I made that helped me regain my life.
Well, here it is. The madness to how I started winning in 2020, and will continue to conquer in 2021:
I started being selfish with mytime.
It pays to treat everyone kindly and with respect, but when you’re a good person to ungrateful people, you lose in the end. Of course there are a handful of loyal people, whom are considered family, that I would do anything for. But, at this point in life, if I don’t consider you a close friend, then I would never modify plans or go out of my way to spend time with you unless there was something in it for me… like a business deal. My time is expensive, and I’m on a budget, which means I cannot afford to waste it. Sometimes i would tell people that I’m busy, and then spend my day doing absolutely nothing, just because that’s what I felt like doing, and I come first!
I stopped being afraid to let go of old friendships.
I have always felt obligated to stay in touch with people from my old neighbourhood or school, which has led me to drag along outdated friendships. I would excuse bad behaviour and turn a blind eye to betrayal all in the name of my loyalty. Once I came to realize that everyone can have an expiration date, regardless of the history, my life got a whole lot less stressful. After all, you can’t expect your personal growth to get to new levels if you carry around excess baggage. People come and people go !!
Self care days became a real thing… frequently!
Did you know that working out releases endorphins that interact with receptors in your brain that can promote happy thoughts?
I mean, I’m not a doctor or anything, but the information is on google and I’m sort of a walking testimony. Ever since I left my depressing career, I’ve been super dedicated to becoming physically and mentally healthy. This meant not taking on other people’s problems, before I deal with my own. There are no exemptions for family, friends, or coworkers. Whenever I feel stressed out, anxious or overwhelmed, I clock out of reality and head to the gym. Whether it’s cardio, an aerobics class, weight lifting, hot yoga or pole fitness, I have tried it all. Quick secret: I’m constantly using Groupon or introductory sign ups to keep things cheap.
I also make sure to pamper myself every month or so with things like a manicure, pedicure, a professional massage and body detox / cleanse, even if it’s not in the budget… call it self investment. #selflove
Speaking of detox!
It’s so stressful having a phone these days, because you are forced to be in constant contact with people, and then you’ve gotta deal with the pressure of keeping up appearances. Every now and then, I delete Instagram, Facebook and any other messenger apps off my phone. On top of that, every night my phone automatically goes on silent “Do Not Disturb Mode” at 10pm and no notifications will come through until 7am the next morning. I answer messages at my own pace and on my own time, not on anyone else’s. Now I have so much more time to do other things like read, listen to an audiobook or podcast, enjoy the beautiful nature of Vancouver, and enhance my writing skills, hence this blog. At night, I can truly lay in bed with my own thoughts and just be away from society for a while, and it’s extremely exhilarating.
I gave social pressures the middle finger.
This is by far the best part of my life right now. I feel absolutely no pressure to have my hair look a certain way (weaves), to wear makeup (like…ever), get my lashes done, have long nails, maintain a size 7 figure, keep up with fashion trends, or have designer items. I’ve gotten so comfortable with being in my own world that I won’t even turn on the radio because I prefer not allow “popular opinion/ mainstream” dictate what I listen to. I am just living my best life as the minimalist, vegan junkie, solo adventurista, wild child who doesn’t care about follows, likes or other people’s opinions.
There have been times that I’ve resorted back to my old self, and it always ended badly for me. But, the moral of it all, is that once I stopped allowing outside factors to influence my decisions and deter me from my goals, I really started to thrive. Some people may consider this as selfish or obnoxious, and they’re probably right. Yet, I don’t care, because at the end of the day, the only person I need to make happy is myself.
Is 2020 the year that you say f*ck what people think and start living your best life… for yourself?!
Thank you for reading and don’t forget to leave a comment below!
Normally I’m not a fan of neither eggplants nor zucchinis, but when the next door neighbour offered us some from her garden, I couldn’t decline.
I won’t lie, it sat in the fridge for a full week before I decided to use it.
Being the only vegan in a Jamaican household, I had to think of a way that everyone could enjoy the dish.
Then it hit me, that I could use jerk seasoning, as a way to incorporate my lifestyle into a traditional / staple in a Jamaican family. What a great fusion!
Ingredients:
One large zucchini 🥒
One clove of garlic 🧄
2 tablespoons of fresh ginger 🤍
One half red or white onion 🧅
1/2 of a bell pepper 🌶
1 tbsp of all spice seasoning or cajun spice 🧂
1 tbsp jerk rub (wet seasoning) 🤎
1 tsp of vegetable oil 💛
3 tbsp of Bbq sauce 🔥
Jerk Seasoning
Instructions
Wash the zucchini and slice it into steaks. Chop the garlic, onion, ginger and bell pepper.
Use a fork to poke holes in the zucchini and then added the jerk rub, some oil, and the veggies/spice.
All the zucchini to marinate for 10-15 minutes. In the meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F.
Put everything in a pan (use lid or aluminum cover) with a tad bit of water, bbq sauce and browning or soya sauce.
Remove the lid, add more bbq sauce and allow it to cook for a bit more. I used the grill/broil option to get rid of some of the remaining liquid. But if you want gravy, then skip this step.
Remove from the oven, and serve with a side of your choice of sides. I went with rice & black eyed peas, and steamed cabbage.
The marinating zucchini After removing the lid
And just like that, your delicious dish is ready, in under 45 minutes.
For more vegan / plant based recipes, pictures and videos, check out my Instagram page @NOTYOURVEGAN
Also, special shoutout to this lovely lady Kezana, who remade my recipe to perfection 😍💚
Maintaining a plant based lifestyle while not pulling in much of an income, has been surprisingly easy. When I was laid off from work in March, due to Covid-19, I had to cut back on my spending habits, including grocery shopping. I turned my focus away from expensive vegan alternatives, and did most of my shopping at Walmart to keep cost as low as possible. I’ll be making an updated list, shopping at other grocery stores and some local grocers, because Walmart will no longer be profiting from me. In the meantime, here are my top 10 cheap veganmeals, ranging from breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
10. Protein Packed Oatmeal Bowl
Stovetop oatmeal sprinkled with cinnamon, overnight chia seed pudding made with coconut milk, banana with flax seeds and frozen berries.
A bag of oats, Great Value $2.47
A hand of Bananas, $2.00
Bag of Frozen Berries, Great Value $3.99
Chia Seeds, Great Value $4.00 ($1.50 Dollarama)
Plant Based Milk, Silk $3.99
Flax Seeds, Great Value $2.97
9. Smoothie Breakfast Bowl
Blended frozen mango and banana with fresh fruit.
Organic Banana, $0.47/lb
Bag of Frozen Mango, Great Value $3.99
Bag of Frozen Berries, Great Value $3.99
Navel Orange, $1.23/lb
Pomegranate, $2.00
8. 3 IngredientPancakes
Vegan pancakes topped with bananas and melted peanut butter.
It all began in September 2018, when I responded to a job posting online. It read something along the lines of, “Would you like to be a part of a Health & Wellness campaign, that travels across Canada, educating youth? If so, tell us why we should choose you”. I applied immediately with a paragraph of why I was perfect for the job and attached a headshot. And I must have sold myself quite well, because a day later I was chosen for a phone interview.
I was so anxious, that I scheduled the phone interview right away. Usually I take a few days to research potential questions, practice my answers and learn a bit about the company, but this time I was going to wing it. I’m somewhat of a pro when it comes to speaking, so it really went well, and I was passed along to the second round. After passing both of those, and a French test, I had a Skype interview with a coordinator. This whole process took two weeks.
Two days after the video call, I was given a tentative offer and asked to submit a driving abstract and do a background check. The job was going to entail a lot of driving, and also working high school students.
My job title was “Information Ambassador”, and i would be representing Health Canada. The job was educating youth in high schools, ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, about the effects Cannabis has on a developing brain… aka under the age of 25.
When I finally got my job offer, it was a Thursday evening, and I just couldn’t believe it was actually happening. I got a flight confirmation, for Monday morning, which meant I only have the weekend to pack up and go!
My heart was pounding from anxiety and excitement, but I was also super nervous and confused with where to start.
I called as many people as I could, but like there was no time, I needed to pack. I was potentially returning in April, so I needed to put all my stuff into storage and park my vehicle. So many friends and family helped me and came by to see me go, I was so thankful.
Monday morning, I get to the airport, where I meet my coworkers (the people I will be living and working with for the next couple of months), that’s where it all begins … off to Vancouver.
From Vancouver, we did a-lot of the training and went over a bit of how the schedule would work and all the expectations. We stayed in a cool airbnb, and got to know the people ill be spending each day with for the next few months. Then it was time to start an 11 hour drive to Edmonton, Alberta, with a sleepover stop in Blue River, BC (Population 400).
October 13th, 2018 – Blue River, BC
In Edmonton, we stayed in a 4 star hotel for three weeks while working. Each day we would go to a different high school, set up in their gymnasium or auditorium, and give a hands on and educational experience. We were off work by 4-5pm each evening and free to explore the city, especially the largest mall in Canada, The West Edmonton Mall. This place had an ice rink in the middle of it, and an amusement park! My contract included a per diem, which is kinda like a weekly allowance, as compensation for being away from home. This was usually used for groceries and checking out local restaurants.
From Edmonton, Alberta, we started the 6 hour drive to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Where we stayed for 5 days. On weekends or our days off, we would explore the city, go shopping, enjoy the hotel, or go for nature hikes. I usually stayed inside and went to the gym. Next, we hit road to Winnipeg, Manitoba. I loved it here! The Polo Park mall, Palamino Nightclub, and Nordik Spa were some of my favourite. Even though it was so cold!
November 10th, 2018 – Winnipeg, MB
After a full work week in Winnipeg, it was 6 hours to Regina, Saskatchewan… flat lands! One night of exploring the casino, relaxing in the hot tub, and resting before a 6 hour drive to Calgary, Alberta.
In Calgary, I got to watch my second favourite CFL team play in their home stadium, which was a cool experience. We did some bar hopping also, and I found out that this city is the home of a popular cocktail, the Caesar.
Next stop was a flight to Yellowknife, NWT, for a week. First night we went aurora borealis chasing, also known as the northern nights. Unfortunately it was too cloudy, but either way it was a surreal experience being out there. We would spent 8 hours at the schools, and then our evenings out enjoying the local restaurants and bars. My coworkers went sledding with snow dogs, but I mainly explored the streets on my time off.
From NWT, it was back to Calgary, at which I spent my weekend in Edmonton for the Grey Cup game. Im a sucker for CFL games, so I had to make it happen, especially since the trip was paid for.
November 27, 2018 – Lake Louise, AB
From Calgary, we hit the road to Penticton, BC, stopping in Lake Louise, Banff for the day. The next two weeks were spent driving to Vancouver, but stopping in Kamloops and Kelowna. The schools there were a bit smaller, so we would set up at the WHL hockey game to maximize our interactions, (Kamloops Blazers played the Kelowna Wings), which gave us a chance to watch the game as well!
As much as I enjoyed travelling across the country, teaching students and youth, and exploring new cities, it wasn’t all glitz and glam! Most week days consisted of 5:00am start times, a 2 hour setup with heavy lifting and unloading from a truck, short lunch breaks, a full work day, and another 1.5 hour or teardown. When you get “home” from work, you are still living with your coworkers, and there’s barely a kitchen, so you’ve gotta order food or go to a restaurant (which means spending money and tipping). Not to mention, you’re constantly in a new city, not knowing the area, living out of a suitcase, and figuring things out as they go. For anyone who is willing to make those sacrifices, then it absolutely pays off in the long run.
At the end of two months, it was time to wrap up for the holidays, and prepare to return once schools are back in classes. Once back in VANCITY, we spent the night celebrating a successful tour, and by the next morning we were on flights back to Toronto. Some people continued on the tour after the new year, and for myself, I parted ways. Always thankful for the experience and ready to do it again, East Coast style!
October 10th, 2018 – Vancouver, BC
My Youtube Video of the adventures !
Please feel free to ask questions, and leave comments !!
Starting Over : Choosing who I want to be. 