This is freaky...slash...I DID IT!

Woah, woah, woah!! 

Like I'm a little bit speechless right now. 

Goosebumps! 

Am I over-reacting? 

Ok, perspective. Yesterday afternoon I was sitting at my desk thinking about this blog and past posts. Sometimes I like to travel down memory lane and I'll pick a tag and read through those posts and reminisce and marvel at the growth and journey I've been on. 

So, while daydreaming, I vaguely remembered writing a post when I started this blog 6 years ago (SIX YEARS AGO!) about my travel goals in the future. And GUYS! I literally wrote THIS a little over five years ago. 

Re-reading it again now, my eyes well up with tears. I feel these emotions because tonight I'm taking flight and literally going on my dream trip for two weeks. Two weeks in Italy! First stop is Venice, then on to Florence, and finishing off in Rome. While in Florence, I'll be taking a day trip to Tuscany and Pisa. I'm sharing this journey of a lifetime with one of my greatest friends as well, Ken. It's a bit surreal, but the excitement I'm feeling is unreal!

At the end of that 2011 blog post, I wrote: "So here I am, declaring to you that in the next 5 years I will live my dreams and travel (through Europe)." Ok. So I'm not traveling ALL OVER Europe. But I am doing what I set out to do and I'm taking that trip of a lifetime. The one I've been dreaming about since I was 13.

Amazing where life leads you. Yeah, I wrote that down in my blog - but a small part of me did it half knowing that I'd probably never follow through with it. You know what I mean? One of those BIG goals you say "I HAVE TO DO THIS!" but is it truly feasible? It's a big world out there and 5 years ago at the time when I wrote that blogpost, little ol' small town me was quite comfortable in my little ol' Fredericton home living my comfortable and familiar life. In fact, I still experience a little anxiety when it comes to traveling and the unknown. That "knots in your stomach" kind of feeling when you think you might get lost, lose a passport, miss a flight, do something wrong and piss off the locals.

But, those feelings haven't stopped me yet! There's too much world out there to see for me!

"I often hear of friends and acquaintances travelling and seeing what the world has to offer. Why can't I be one of those people?" Dear 2011 Melissa: You are! 

Inked in Beijing.

On October 7th, I got a new tattoo.

This is something I've wanted to do now for about a year. I wanted to have a memory of these very important years of my life that I've spent living in China. I knew immediately that I didn't want anything in Chinese writing. Not my style. Too cliché. (Then again, I have a compass on my ankle. Soooo, who am I to judge being cliché!?) So, I started to think about things that reminded me of China, specifically Beijing. A lot of my thoughts, of course, went immediately to food. But, I can't say I was ready to jump at the commitment of tattooing a dumpling on my body. 

My absolute favourite time of the year at home in Canada is fall. No question! The colours, the smells, the feelings, the coziness, the flavours. I. Love. AUTUMN! However, Beijing's autumn isn't quite the same. My favourite season in Beijing is spring. The colours, the smells, the feelings, the coziness, the flavours. I. Love. SPRING (in Beijing)! 

After a lot of thought (like, almost a year of thought) I decided that I wanted to get something connected to my love for spring in Beijing. And I came up with Chinese plum blossoms. These beautiful pink flowers come out in full force around April/May in Beijing. They brighten the place up after a grey, smoggy, and dark winter.

There's also the symbolism that comes with spring: rebirth, new life, and growth. Which is exactly how I see the symbolism of my life (so far) in Beijing. I've discovered a lot about myself over these four years - I've grown as a person, as a teacher, as a traveller, as a global citizen. I've opened my mind to many different lifestyles, cultures, and ways of life. I've seen a lot of things I never imagined I would. I've been reborn as someone who is internationally minded and aware, as opposed to my closed minded, small town self from six years ago.

I asked the tattoo artist to design the image with closed buds at the bottom of the branch, opened flowers in the middle of the branch, and then closed buds again at the top. To me, this represents the transformations I've experienced while living in China. The bottom buds symbolizing the me I was before moving abroad, the flowers representing the change and growth I have experienced, and the buds at the top of the branch symbolizing the growth and transformations I will continue to experience later in my life.

I love my new tattoo and what it represents. I love that it's unique and original. I love that'll always be a constant reminder of how important it is to discover yourself, to grow as a person, and to experience all that life and the world has to offer.

Cookbook • UPDATE

May 18th. The last time I posted on this blog. 5 months ago. I don't feel guilty about it, but I also don't want to quit blogging. I love writing down my thoughts! I love being reflective. And I am in a very reflective mood this week. I need to hit a big ol' red reset button and get back to focusing on ME. And the one thing that never fails to make me happy - COOKING. 

Yes, I am still writing my cookbook. Not as often as I'd like to be. I've never stopped creating. I just haven't been writing down my recipes as promptly and frequently as I would like to be. 

I cooked A LOT this summer. I had so many amazing summer recipes I wanted to try. A lot of them I never got to, but some of them I did. I documented a few, but I also forgot to document a lot of them. But what I am certain of is I had a wonderful summer back home in New Brunswick (blog post coming SOON!) 

So, tonight I am sitting with my good friend Amanda at one of our favourite restaurants, Moka Bros, sipping wine by candlelight, writing recipes and blogposts. Getting back to working on me. Because that's what I need to do right now. For me. 

Stay tuned for recipes of some of my favourite recipes I'm making right now, including my homemade Greek Pasta Salad, Sundried Tomato Stuffed Chicken, and Mango Pineapple Salsa. 

5 Years.

This date always looms over me. And over the last couple of days I've been reflecting, reading old blog posts, and thinking about how I feel. Of course, I feel sad. And I always miss home more than normal today. And, I'm a little breathless and at a loss for words thinking about the reality that it has been 5 years since Grandad passed away.

How does time fly by so quickly? So much has changed in our family, and it makes me sad that he isn't here to see it. I feel like these are the best years of my life recently, and I feel like a completely different person than I was when he died. I've grown immensely, and so has our family. Huge milestones have happened, memories have been made, and journey's have been taken. And I guess I'm in this limbo of feeling sad that he is gone, but also sad that he's not here to be part of our growth. 

And for some people, being "here" doesn't have to be a physical thing. For some people, there is a stage in their mourning where they feel their loved one lost is with them spiritually or in faith. Dealing with Grandad's death has taught me even more that I don't know what I believe. It's very rare, but when I do have a dream about him, I think I feel that his presence in my dream is him being present in my life. "Spiritually." But trying to find happiness and comfort in the idea that Grandad sees what I am doing and he "knows" doesn't work for me. I need him here, in the flesh. I need him here to talk to. I need him here so I can see him. 

Last summer, our family had a little reunion in Saint John. Uncle David came East from Vancouver, and before I fled back to China, we all gathered for fun, food, and family. This. This is when I feel Grandad with us. In the way Uncle Mark smiles and hugs me, the way Brad laughs, the way we dance like fools on the back deck busting a gut laughing, the stories Uncle David tells about their childhood. But most of all, I feel him with us the most when I see how happy my Grandmom is in those moments.  None of this would be our reality if it weren't for her and Grandad. Our successes and growth are reflected in their relationship, their leadership, and their love. 

I love my Grandad so much. I miss him so much. And he continues to be one of the greatest motivators in my life. Always and forever. 

Bali New Year.

Bali is just one of those places you always read about. I feel like it's one of those places Beyonce goes to get away from her hectic life of being a celebrity and escape to a glamorous life of staying at some 5-star resort, getting a massage on her balcony, wining and dining on lush and lavish food and drink. I'd never actually dreamt of going to Bali, but I can recall moments in my life growing up hearing my friends talk about wanting to go to Bali, or reading in magazines and books about how gorgeous and exotic Bali is. Since moving to Beijing, I have had close friends travel to Bali and other areas of Indonesia and rave about how amazing it was. Time for me to go and see what the fuss was all about! 

My goals for this 2-week vacation included (in no particular order): relax on a beach (and by the pool), eat ALL OF THE YUMMY food, explore, hang out with a monkey, and try not to get a sunburn. I accomplished all my goals...minus the sunburn. And before I go any further, let me tell you about sunburn in Indonesia! I never got burnt at anytime extremely bad. I got burnt once on my forehead and once on my shoulders. After a couple of days, when the burn started to peel, it left my skin really discoloured. It happened to some of my friends as well. I don't know if it has to do with the fact that the equator goes directly through Indonesia or not, so the type of sun we were exposed to, our bodies are not used to. Nevertheless, it was gross and it hurt and I hate getting sunburnt! Despite the amount of sunscreen I put on and the shade I sit under, my poor fair-skin just can't handle it. 

We spent the first 3 days in Sanur, located on the eastern side of Bali. Sanur is a quiet area in Bali. The hotel we stayed at, Hotel Segara Agung, had an amazing pool only 15 steps away from out hotel room. It was also a 2-3 minute walk from the beach. And the side streets in Sanur were filled with cute little shops and restaurants. We ate breakfast every morning pool side, which I loved! What better way to wake up then to breakfast, coffee, a pool, blue skies, and warmth! We spent our days by the pool or at the beach relaxing, swimming, and reading. Evenings were spent at restaurants eating and drinking. It was a very peaceful first 3 days of vacation!

What's better than a cold beer on the beach?

The walkway from the street to our hotel was beautiful! The grounds of the hotel were equally as serene. 

We found a gelato shop down the street from the hotel (which was also recommended to us by Amanda!). 2 scoops on a cone for $2. Can't get any better than that! I was a fan of mixing flavours; this one was Nutella and Toffee Almond, I think.

It rained almost every day we were in Bali. I guess that's what you get for traveling there during rainy season. Most times it never rained for more than 15 minutes. One afternoon in Sanur, we got caught in a right out downpour. So, we found a perch at a covered-patio on the beach, ordered some delicious Indonesian food, and drank sangria. No complaints! 

After Sanur we traveled to Ubud, which is in central Bali. No beaches; instead we were immersed in lots of sight-seeing and touring. During our time in Ubud, I felt like I really learned a lot about the Indonesian and Balinese culture. We saw a traditional Balinese dance performance, drank luwak coffee in the jungle, watched the creation of traditional wood carving and oil painting, the Teglalang rice terraces, watched a bathing ritual at the Tirta Empul Temple, and had lunch at Mount Batur, an active volcano in Bali (even if it was a teeny tiny bit foggy and it blocked some of our view). This was probably my favourite touristy day! It poured rain the whole time we visited these locations, but I was extremely gracious and humbled to witness a few pieces of the Balinese culture and it really made me appreciate the place I was visiting.

We also visited the Monkey Forest in Ubud. The hotel we stayed at, Champlung Sari Hotel, was across the street from the entrance to the Monkey Forest. I could have spent all day here! Despite being bitten by one little monkey, it was so much fun watching the monkeys interact with each other and with other visitors of the forest.

This was NOT the little guy who bit me. I just love the way the gentleman beside me is holding on to my leg all protective and such!

We spent about 3-4 hours at the forest. It all came to an end when Alexis was mauled by a monkey. He took a big chomp at her side and hung on by his teeth. There were screams, points, and maybe a little bit of laughter. She's alright, and luckily the monkey didn't break her skin. At that point, we'd had enough and quickly left the forest. Despite the bites, I'd highly recommend anyone to go to the forest. Don't look the monkey's in the eyes, and don't bring any loose items with you. They WILL take them...like my sunglasses.

He eventually did let them go once he was distracted by something else he could grab. But he had chewed them and dragged them everywhere, and they quickly went in to the garbage can. Luckily, they were cheap things I bought on the side of the road, and easily replaceable.

After Ubud, we spent a week in Gili. Gili is three small islands off the east coast of Bali. We stayed at Gili Trawangan. We originally weren't going to go Gili, but after talking to other friends who visited Bali & Indonesia in the past, we were convinced that it was worth the trek over to the islands.

Alexis and I rented bikes one day and biked around the island. It's small! 3km all the way around I think. We stopped a few times for pictures and were back at our hotel in an hour. It was a fun way to see the whole island! (Even if my butt was in A LOT of pain afterwards...that bike seat was hard!)

I tried two nights to see the sunset. The first night it was too cloudy, and the second night I saw most of it. But eventually the clouds covered the actual setting of the sun. It was gorgeous either way.

Gili T is beautiful! The island runs on solar energy, and there are no gas powered vehicles on the islands. You get around by walking, biking, or by horse and buggy. When I read about the horse and buggy system online, I almost didn't believe it. But it's true, folks! You get used to the horse smell after a few minutes of being on the island.

The water was crystal clear. Alexis and I also went snorkelling one day on a mission to find some sea turtles. We saw two BIG turtles on our adventure. We followed them around for a while, until I had to get out of the water because my poor, fair skin can't stay in the direct sunlight for that long. I managed to be a beach bum for a week in Gili and come out of it sunburn free!

I also took a cooking class in Gili! We made 7 different Indonesian dishes. Mie Goreng (noodles and vegetables), Gado Gado (vegetables and peanut sauce), and Tofu Satay (fried tofu and peanut dipping sauce). The chefs at Sweet and Spicy Cooking School we're the most fun! They played music, sang, danced, and told hilarious jokes. They had as flambeing, singing, drinking, and laughing! Even if you don't like cooking, I recommend doing this.

Our final day in Indonesia we headed back to Bali and drove to Uluwatu. This was a last minute visit decision when deciding what to do with our last day. Do we go back to Sanur and relax? Or go somewhere new and see one last piece of Bali? We decided for the second option.

We watched the sunset over Uluwatu Temple while watching a traditional fire dance ceremony. I had read and heard from friends about the beauty of the sunset in Uluwatu. I mean, I am a SUCKER for a sunset! Sunsets all day, every day please! I can't explain it, but I just feel at ease, peaceful, and thankful all at once when I watch the sunset. That I get to be on this planet, seeing the things I'm seeing. I get all reflective and sentimental thinking to myself during a sunset. There are no words.

And with the final sunset in Uluwatu, my Indonesian adventure came to an end. I boarded a plane the next day headed back to Beijing. This trip was amazing! I love Southeast Asia, and I love Bali!

Maybe you'd also like to check out my past adventures to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand (2014 & 2015), and Philippines.

Summer Recap.

This summer was a WHIRLWIND. And that's kind of an understatement. I just don't know any other word that can convey what this summer was. But before I continue, let me back up a bit. 

Last summer (my first summer back in Canada after living in China for year) was also a bit busy. I visited friends and family, went on two trips to PEI, and spent time running the roads of New Brunswick. I remember reflecting on the summer after returning to Beijing and thinking to myself (and also saying out loud) how "Next summer I'm going to spend much more time RELAXING!" HA! HA! HA! But, in my defence, I didn't exactly know 100% that I'd be transferring schools at the end of that school year which drastically changed the length of my summer vacation this year. Transferring from my prior school of two years, BCCSC, to its sister school in the city, CISB, meant that my school calendars changed. My old school wrapped up around the 10th-ish of July and started up again at the beginning of September of each year. My new school wraps up around mid-June and opens it's doors to a new school year mid-August. This means that my summer was cut in half. Instead of having the normal 7-8 weeks off, I was down to 4. I know some people out there probably are thinking "OH, poor Melissa. 4 weeks off from work and boohoo-ing about it!" But teaching is a unique job (and I'll open that can of worms another day) and when you've been living on the other side of the world for a full year, the more time at home the better! So 4 weeks was exciting because I was going home, but also a bit sad because I knew it would go by in a flash and that I wouldn't have time to truly relax and take in the gloriousness that is summer vacation! 

So, there's the back story. 

I had many goals for summer vacation that I wrote up here. Let's recap! 

+seeing my family and us all being together in one place.

This was a success on SO many levels! We gathered to celebrate my Grammy Dickinson's 80th birthday and even had family photos done. My cousin Michelle and I made comment on how we don't remember a time with ALL of us being in one photo together. It was a milestone birthday for Grammy and it was captured in photos which I am so glad we have now! 

My Uncle David also came to visit from Vancouver this summer! I was so excited about this - I love catching up and visiting with this man. The final weekend I spent in NB before departing for China was spent in Saint John. We gathered as a Farwell clan and had such an amazing day/night. We did a scavengar hunt of downtown Saint John then had a Mexican feast for dinner back at my Uncle Mark and Aunt Carolin's. The dancing and laughter that happened induced by some fine tequila was gut-busting funny and a memory I won't soon forget. 

Seeing my family and us all being together in one place = CHECK! 

+ hugs from my parents. They give the most amazing hugs!

The hugs that I got from both my Mom and Dad at the airport when I arrived super late (or super early, depending on how you look at it) were THE BEST! I cried, of course! I just love them so much and feel so grateful to come from such a rock-solid, beautiful family. 

Hugs from my parents = CHECK!

+ sitting on our back deck, sippin' a Dooryard, breathing in the fresh summer air, listening to the sounds of my quiet town.

While I didn't have much down time at home this summer on my back deck, I was able to relax and enjoy a Dooryard or two back there. No photos, so you'll just have to take my word for it! Instead, I'll show you a photo of my view when I was sipping those glorious, citrus-filled, Dooryards.

Sitting on our back deck, sippin' a Dooryard, breathing in the fresh summer air, listening to the sounds of my quiet town = CHECK!

+ bonfires with neighbours and good friends.

One of my all-time favourite summer activities is camp fires. Partly because of the s'mores, but mostly because of the people who are there and the conversations we have around the fire. Every summer, the Johnston's (my second family) and the Dickinson's take a scoot across the border to Maine and go to this absurdly oversized serving "diner-type" restaurant called Grammie's in Linius. We eat ungodly amounts of food and then gorge on ice cream and head back home for a bonfire in our backyard. It's become a summertime tradition that I always look forward to and we always make time for. I've grown up with this family, and (Little) Brad and Nicky are like two more younger brothers to me. Rob and Tracey treat me and (Big) Brad like their own. I love them!

Bonfires with neighbours and good friends = CHECK! 

+ traveling to Fredericton every chance I get to spend time with the best friends in the world.
While I would have liked to get there more often, I did get to Fredericton a couple of times. I got to celebrate my best friends 27th birthday with her and her friends. We even had a couple classic sleepovers! And saw Magic Mike XXL together on the whim (and was pleasantly, AND HAPPILY, surprised by the quality!) I got to take part in another best friends wedding (more on that in a minute). I visited with friends at the market and in downtown Fredericton. Sometimes it was when I passing through from one city back to Florenceville, other times it was to stay a couple of days. I'm just so happy I got the chance to see them! My friends mean the world to me, and I am so thankful that we can be apart for so long and still manage to keep in touch and pick up exactly where we left off! 

Traveling to Fredericton every chance I get to spend time with the best friends in the world = CHECK!

+ Amanda and Tony's wedding!
This was a much anticipated event this summer! Amanda asked me to be one of her bridesmaids in her wedding and I was happy and excited to accept the honour. Kudos to her for planning a wedding from China that would happen in Canada. I spent an evening or two with her planning and helping her to make some phone calls to businesses at home and while sometimes we laughed and broke out in to hysterics, there was also an equal amount of frustrations and annoyances. Regardless of all that, the day of was magical, beautiful, and unique. 

It happened in Fredericton at O'Dell Park. The day of was a bit chilly, but it didn't rain as forecasted so that was a big YAY! It was a very small wedding with family and close friends. It was intimate and special, and I shed quite a few tears when they exchanged their vows. What an honour to watch them say "I Do!" Happiness and love were exuding from both of them. I already knew that they loved each other, but watching them that day I could tell just how deep their love really is. I could tell you so much more about the wedding, but you should read it from the bride's mouth/blog herself (and here, here, and here!) 

PS - the beautiful photos were done by Kandise Brown. Talented woman!

Amanda and Tony's wedding! = CHECK

+ Snooty Fox!

Snooty Fox is one of my favourite places to go in Fredericton. I spent many a Wednesday (and Tuesday, and Saturday) night at Snooty Fox during my university days. I always enjoy going back there when I visit Fredericton. The first time I went this summer was for Amanda and Tony's wedding. I had eaten at their reception and was too full to eat the spinach and artichoke dip I ordered. I had two bites and remember crying to my friends that I wasn't going to be able to finish it. I was able to go back again with Mom, Grandmom, Uncle David, and Sara for lunch and ordered the dip again and finished the whole thing washed down with a Dooryard. Success! 

Snooty Fox = CHECK! (And another photo cred to Kandise Brown!)

+ driving! I can't wait to be behind the wheel again.
The jamming I did by myself and with others road tripping around was epic! I love driving!

Driving! = CHECK!

+ PEI with the family - golfing, eating, and creating new memories.
I love that at 26 for me and 23 for Brad, we still go on family vacations. He and I are both in the beginning years of our careers, I live in China and he travels all over the province, but at some point in the summer we are still able to all get together, just the original four, and get away for a couple of days. This year we headed back to PEI and stayed at the same place in Cavendish that we did last summer. Brad and Dad went deep sea fishing again, Mom and I went and saw "Anne the Musical", we ate Cows Ice Cream, and dined at some "new-to-us" restaurants. We had a round of golf and I ended up laying down on the rough of the 18th hole sulking because I couldn't hit "the god-damn ball!" Mom and I explored Victoria by the Sea and talked about how next summer we want to try kayaking. We found us a lighthouse, and Brad got offered a new job on one of our drives. It was a great vacation away! 

PEI with the family - golfing, eating, and creating new memories = CHECK!

+ seeing my Mom for the first time with her new knee! I can't wait to see her walking around pain free for the first time in many years!
WOW! After Mom had her knee replacement surgery in the spring, I only heard about the progress and had to envision it in my mind. All I could see is how I had left her at the end of Summer 2014 - in pain, stiff, and struggling to get around. When I arrived home and watched her walk around the airport, I had to squint to see the slight limp she had (and she only had it because she'd been standing for quite some time). As the summer went on, I watched her climb stairs, get in and out of cars without any pain, and go for walks around the block! What a difference. I'm so happy for her!

Seeing my Mom for the first time with her new knee! = CHECK!

+ Road trip to Nova Scotia to visit A & C.
I worked with Andrew and Christina during my first year living in Beijing. We became good friends during the second half of the school year. Christina was an amazing friend, but also offered me some great advice when it came to teaching and the job. I was really sad when they decided to move home back to Nova Scotia permanently but super excited for their new chapter. So, this summer Ken and I made plans to spend a couple of days in Dartmouth visiting with them. We made the road trip and helped them move to their new HOUSE! So happy to have helped them, so happy we got to visit, and so happy to call them my friends!

Road trip to Nova Scotia to visit A & C = CHECK!

+ visits from Uncle David.
I was so excited when Grandmom told me that Uncle David was coming to New Brunswick this summer! He planned his trip so he'd be in New Brunswick while I was home too. I was able to spend 5 days in Saint John before going back to China visiting with him and the rest of the family. We got to explore a new part of New Brunswick (St. Martin's) to us, searched tirelessly for a lighthouse and FOUND ONE FINALLY, we had some yummy meals, we had some great conversations, reminisced, and laughed A LOT. From now on when I hear "Benny and the Jets", I will remember him dancing with Brad, Rebecca, Rachel, and I on the deck. What a night! 

Visits from Uncle David = CHECK!

It's hard to believe I jammed all of this in to 4 weeks. I didn't have a single day where I had NOTHING planned. I wish I could have visited with more people, I wish I could have gone to more places, I wish I could have had more spare time to myself and relax. However, you can't have your cake and eat it to (speaking of which, why the hell not!  This cliche, while I understand it (I think), still doesn't make sense to me. I eat cake all the time! That means I have it, right? Ouch! My head...).

I love my home. I love it so much! It's always amazing to go home again. And this year, I'm COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS! Oh, I can't even begin to express how extremely excited I am for this. It's definitely it's own blogpost soon to come! 71 days, people! 71 days!