theTravelingNatural

My favorite natural hair style!

2013-05-14T11:10:00.002-04:00

Hey Guys!

Check out this video of my favorite natural hair style.

It looks great for any occasion AND it's comfortable for traveling :)

Let me know that you think! What is your go to natural hair style?

Twisted Collabo: A natural hair collaboration

2013-05-07T14:14:00.002-04:00

I've teamed up with HonestlyErica (Youtube) for 4 weeks worth of styling videos!

We will be styling mini/loose twists into easy to care for low manipulation styles :)

Check out our intros beow:

www.honestlyerica.com

I hope you guys are inspired to send us your video responses!

Peace Corps, Updates and New series

2013-05-02T10:33:00.002-04:00

Everything Travel!

Just some updates :)

Until next time!

MAY DAY, May Day

2013-04-30T19:55:00.000-04:00

Where does all the time go?

Interestingly enough I listened to a very thought provoking discussion about "time" yesterday on NPR.

April has flown by! But I feel as though I've said this about every month since 2013 started.

I, for one, CAN...NOT...BELIEVE..I've been home from almost 7 months. Well actually 6 since I spent a month in Jamaica.

For the sake of an update of my life these past few weeks, here goes:

I had a meeting with a diplomat in residence a few weeks ago. Purely to discuss her job/life and answering some questions I had about the career path. It was a very good meeting to say the least :)

I've been running (*cough* jogging) like a maniac. Well really 3 times a week. My body stays in a constant state of soreness. Because along with jogging, Jillian Michael's and Cassey Ho are trying to kill me :(

I don't know yet where my next travel destination will be. I've applied to some teaching programs in Spain and to EPIK as a back up. Only time will tell.

I shouldn't really say "only time will tell" since I am at a cross roads in my life. After deciding to change career fields. Everyone I encounter that knows my situation keeps telling me things like, "your time will come", "what's for you won't pass you by", "everything happens for a reason".

REALLY? Its starting to sound like a bunch of baloney!

Peace Corps is going at turtle pace. It would be nice if I could log into the applicant/OMS portal and check for up dates BUT my password isn't working. And I can't change it because my account is frozen ha ha. Oh well.

I secretly know there are no updates and will continue to be patient.

My natural hair is currently in mini-twists. Almost 3 weeks and I am taking them out soon. My twists always get so frizzy its annoying but I love the versatility of mini twists.

Let's see...I'm doing a 5K in July :) #excited

hmmm what else??

I have an awesome YouTube collaboration coming up! It will be great. Stay tuned for more information this week :)

Until then,

TravelingNatural

My favorite products for my natural hair while traveling

2013-04-05T04:30:00.000-04:00

My mane doesn't stress me out as it once did years ago when I was transitioning. Or even when my hair was in that awkward grown out TWA (Tinnie Winnie Afro) phase.

You know...that length where you can make a pony tail but there is only 1/2 an inch of hair sticking out your scrunchie .
*Pure sadness*

However, most of the stress came from testing out products trying to find that right combination of moisturizing goodness that left my twists frizz-free.

Plus I never desired the life of a product junkie. I always thought it was a bit ridiculous to have shelves upon shelves of half used or better yet never used products left to collect dust or expire. Once I find products I try to use them until the bottle or jar is finished unless my hair shows instant signs of dissatisfaction.

And honestly when you aspire to be a globe trekking natural, it's just not beneficial to have a suitcase or backpack full of products that will ultimately take away from your allotted weight requirement.

Using as many natural products that are easily found in the local market is a really great option for any traveling natural. Though it can be fuel for jokes at times, being able to frolic around Santorini, Greece knowing that products like honey or olive oil are readily available in the local market, provides a stress free vacation or time away.
When I lived in South Korea, I purchased my apple cider vinegar (for clarifying) and grape seed oil from my local corner mart.

Let me share with you my current oils a.k.a. sealants and moisturizers of choice:

OK. Pictured you see:

Vatika oil- which is a coconut oil based moisturizer infused with different Ayurvedic herbs like Aml and Neem.
Coconut oil- It works great in my hair and on my skin. I use this as a pre-poo, moisturizer or sealant.
Castor oil- Again another great sealant. I use all my oils on my hair after its been spritzed with water. I also use a truly organic castor oil from Jamaica. I say truly organic because it was cooked in someones house and arrived to me in a recycled Wray and Nephews rum bottle. It wasn't cold pressed or processed so it smells AWFUL! And its really dark in color.
Jojoba oil-My hair loves this stuff. I don't know why I keep buying this tiny bottle because it is so expensive :(
Avocado oil- I eat a ton of avocado and am completely obsessed with this natural fat. It works so well on my hair when its dry and crispy. My skin also loves this stuff. It doesn't really have a scent either.
Almond oil/Sweet almond oil-I tend to mix oil my oils together and use it on my hair and skin. I never really use my almond oil alone just in conjunction with my other oils. This one came from my local Indian store. As does my Vatika Oil (though I order it through Amazon if I am out the country and out of product).
Water/Aloe Juice -I use this in combination and have been for years now. It was Kimmaytube videos who drove home to me the addition of aloe Vera or a citric acid to help with balancing pH in hair products. She changed the game with that one!
Olive oil -not pictured but I use it frequently and it's easily accessible in many parts of the world. I should know...I've looked :)

I like finding new oils too. Like when I was in Thailand Jasmin oil was in abundance there. They even sold it at the local Tesco in Phuket. Yes there is a Tesco in Thailand!

My hair enjoys heavy cream based moisturizers/conditioners too. So I make my own a Shea butter mixture. Currently I am out, so I am taking this opportunity to experiment with ready made products.

Take a look at this picture:

Pictured you see:

Elasta QP- I discovered this when I first when natural 8 years ago. At that time it was just a "mango butter". I purchased this jar in October I think (its empty) and since then they've changed the packaging. I like it but its not really something I would order online if I'm in ...say... the Peace Corps somewhere in Africa or central America...and have run out.

Shea Moisture- Now I've been trying to test out this product for years now. But every time I remember to look for it at Target, the shelves were empty. Actually I remember when Target started carrying naturalista inspired hair products a few years ago. The only product that I recognized and had used at the time was Miss Jessie's products. I didn't even want to try Shea Moisture or any of those other products(product junkie fear)...and look at them now :) After using this product for 2 months now I noticed my hair looks kinda dry the next or a few days later. And I always use it on damp/wet hair. (*shrugs). Everything doesn't work for everyone, remember. But it smells great. I am willing to try other products from their line. But again...the shelves are always empty :(

Oyin Handmade- My friend gave me this promade since she was not using it. Do you remember those candies "Now-n-later" from your childhood which we called "nam-me-lay-tas" ha ha? Well it smells like that! Such a heavenly scent and my hair loves it. Now I don't know if they ship world wide. But the ingredients in this product are really basic. You are really just paying for the scent.

Aubrey Organics Conditioners- My hair loves these conditioners. I prefer the JoJoba & Aloe Vera to the Honey Suckle Rose but I'm out of that one. When I pre-poo I use some coconut oil and some of the GPB/Lavender scented conditioner and leave it overnight(if time permits). Then I co-wash with the 2nd conditioner. When I lived in Korea I ordered them through iHerb.com.

Kinky Curly Knot today- My leave-in of choice. I've been using it for years now and it works well so no need to change. I have experimented with another leave in conditioner called Creations Garden. I will use it mainly for when I travel to really hot climates. I tested it out in Jamaica and my hair stayed moist and hydrated. I discovered it at Marshall's and then checked out their website.

Apple Cider Vinegar/or black soap- These two are my clarifying products of choice. You can find apple cider vinegar in abundance in Asia and Europe. Black soap you can order online or find in Europe or Africa. I never saw it in Korea. But there are African owned shops in Itaewon so its possible.

WOW! I didn't plan on writing so much! But I hope this is helpful to those who read it. It's just what has worked for me when taking care of my hair as a traveling natural.

It may not work for everyone!

What are some of your natural hair care staples?

Peace Corps Timeline

2013-04-01T04:30:00.000-04:00

And so it begins:

January 2013: Started my online application

January 28^th, 2013: Submitted my application online

January 29^th, 2013: Health history form completed

Feb 8^th 2013: Online application status updated from submitted to processed

Feb 14^th, 2013: email from northeast regional office recruiter. The recruiter worked with me during the first phase of application process…wanted clarification regarding a few items in my application.

I responded to the email the same day with requested information

Feb 21^st, 2013: Emailed recruiter to check on status after hearing nothing back

Feb 25^th, 2013: last LOR sent in to P.C.

March 5^th, 2013: Email from regional recruiter about setting up interview and given the name of the next recruiter

March 6^th, 2013: Received voicemail from new recruiter in the evening wanting to schedule interview. Responded same evening via email
the recruiter responded the same day with times
Schedule interview for March 11th

March 11^th, 2013: interviewed via their online conferencing system. The interview was quite successful. It was actually very silimar to my 2008 interview. The interview was pretty standard. I learned a lot about my recruiters previous volunteer assignment and she learned a great deal about meJ

March 15^th, 2013 @ 250pm: received an email from Office for medical services for forms to be uploaded

3:46pm received email about nomination from recruiter !!!

· Ha ha I only added the times because I thought it was hilarious that I heard from OMS first. I did not get a general area or job for places. I reported developing allergies in South Korea during the 2012 “Yellow dust” season. So my thoughts are they want to figure how severe it is (its not a problem now) before giving me more information.

March 15^th, 2013: emailed OMS about APrN status
No response
March 18 tried to upload requested records emailed OMS about difficulty
No response
March 19 emailed OMs using email address vs MAP

March 20 finally a response!

March 22^nd, 2013: Letter from legal with fingerprints card. I have two weeks to return them.

April 2nd, 2013: Mailed off legal kit * I had to email them for an extension

And that's where I am thus far! I will keep updating this page :)

TravelingHaircare: Welcome Jess MahogonyCurls

2013-03-27T10:30:00.000-04:00

Name: Jess aka MahoganyCurls

Where are you from?

Macon, GA

How can people get in touch with you ?

My website, mahoganycurlsonline.com

How long have you been natural?

I have been natural since 2009.

How much has your hair care regimen changed since returning to the states?

It hasn’t changed much. I still condition my hair like crazy and try not to manipulate my hair too much.

Did you do anything differently for your regimen while traveling?

No, I did not.

I personally get the same reaction toward my hair no matter what country I'm in. It's always one of curiosity and awe. But honestly, sometimes I find it very annoying.

Did you ever encounter any gross or unbelievable reactions from people towards your natural hair when you were living abroad?

Oh no! I lived in Germany. My hair intrigued everyone. J

If you were to vacation to any country in the world and could only take one staple product, where would you go and what would you take?

I would go to Jamaica, and I would take my Tresemme’ Naturals conditioner.

I admire the consistency of your hair care regimen and versatility the hair styles that you share with your YouTube viewers, how has your partnership with Alchemy Networks changed that way you deliver videos to your faithful subscribers?

Thank you! Since joining Alchemy I decided to upload my videos weekly. I feel that doing this will allow my subscribers to know when they will be viewing new content from me. Sort of like watching your favorite show on television.

I also love your style and fashion sense, what is one accessory that you can’t live without?

Thank you so much, I love my scarves! They are so simple, yet they can change a plain outfit into a well-put together look!

Traveling with Natural hair series!!

2013-03-26T10:29:00.002-04:00

It's back!!!!

My traveling with natural hair series has been retired for several months now. But after many hours of writing in my "blog topics/ideas" book it was quite apparent to me that it needs to be resurrected.
It is a really great series and I believe readers enjoy learning how some of their favorite YouTube gurus and everyday women care for their mane while traveling.

And Ithoroughly have enjoyed interviewing these ladies and would like to continue!

After each interview I always send a thank you to the interviewee via email, but I wanted to say thank you again here :)

Much appreciation and thanks again to the lovely:

Alexia a.k.a LXGRIS dat bumpy head gal on YouTube

The stylish and fashion forward YouTube Guru Ms. Vaughn

Alisa, my favorite New Yorker and research scientist!

Super mom and the most honest hair product reviewer on YouTube Lou Lou Matou

Miss Travel Bug and hopefully the next "www.mydestination.com" winner CharlyCheer

Natural Hair Guru on YouTube Mrs.Whitney a.k.a. Naptural85

My favorite feminist and Bostonian Teakia

One of the best female empowerment and natural hair channels on YouTube LuBellaCoils

From the Good Hair Blog writer, mom and jewelry designer Alex Elle

The voice and face behind Naturallyhigh facebook and ashababe56 on YouTube Asha!

I hope you all enjoy re-reading some of their stories. Check out their sites, say hello and thank them again for me :)

I will have a new interview up tomorrow with another favorite YouTube guru !

Watch this space ;)

Enjoy.

Peace Corps Application process

2013-03-13T15:36:00.002-04:00

Did I tell you guys about that one time I applied to Peace Corps, made it all the way to the nomination stage, but then decided to defer and attend graduate school first?

Yea...no?

Well it happened again. Not the leaving the application part but the applying.

Yup I applied again(months ago) because I am ready and it's time!

photo credit

I had my interview this week and will post more about it. But I decided to share this experience on my blog as a way to hold my self accountable to finish this process.

No excuses this time. Not that getting a master's degree was a bad idea. However there are times I look at my student loan payments and cringe :(

As I post regarding this process, ask me questions, give me advice, or even leave video requests. This will remind me that I have accountability police ha ha and to stay consistent with these Peace Corps application process posts.

Who knows, it might give me great material for the book I'm writing ^_^

I'll leave you with a little quote from Leo Tolstoy:

“Not in order to justify, but simply in order to explain my lack of consistency, I say: Look at my present life and then at my former life, and you will see that I do attempt to carry them out. It is true that I have not fulfilled one thousandth part of them [Christian precepts], and I am ashamed of this, but I have failed to fulfill them not because I did not wish to, but because I was unable to. Teach me how to escape from the net of temptations that surrounds me, help me and I will fulfill them; even without help I wish and hope to fulfill them..."

Anderson Cooper Live!

2013-03-04T15:39:00.003-05:00

The show had a name change and is now called Anderson Live!

Last Thursday I drove down to Manhattan to attend a taping of Anderson Coopers' live show!

It was so much fun :) I attended the show with one of my good friends Alisa. If you've been reading my musings for a while, you've actually met her before here.

The smiley face is covering someones big head :)

The tickets for the show are super easy to get. Just head over to the website and email them with the date and number of people and BOOM! Tickets in your inbox. I read that the show will end summer 2013 due to poor ratings, so this is probably why tickets were so easy to request.

Our arrival time was 10:45am for the 12:45pm taping. We arrived on time and were met with this crazy long line -_- .

Well at least the weather was really nice that day. Once passing security and inside CBS studios we were lead to a waiting room which was overcrowded and stuffy. There was a variety of people and age groups visiting the show today. The majority of which seemed to be tourist and seniors.

The staff took the opportunity to pass around the wavier forms while we sat packed like sardines for an hour until it was time to line up for seating.


'Sign your life away or go home!"

The guest host was...wait...I don't think I can say yet. And I don't think I can talk about much more until the show airs. Anyway it was fun to see how the show operates behind the scenes. Anderson Coopers looks exactly the same in person as he does on TV. He seemed pretty nice and personable as well.

After almost 2.5 hours of clapping and cheering it was time to go! We stopped at the little tea cafe called Argo. I ordered water and this vegetable brown rice that was infused with mate tea. It was tasty, gluten free , vegan, and only like 300 calories :)

The pictures don't do any justice. I'm sorry, but it was delicious and all the brown rice is hiding under the sauce.

After this quick snack we actually headed over to Queens for dinner with a professor from our undergrad. Oh! I've known Alisa since we were in undergrad. 8 years later and 2 masters degrees between us we still keep in touch!

Once dinner ended we headed to Grand Central station for some Starbucks coffee and the train.
I drove back to Connecticut after leaving my amigo. I love outings in NYC.

It is such a beautiful city especially when you are chilling with family and friends in great weather.

Have any of you ever been to a live show taping? What was it like being in the studio audience?

Tips for blogging!

2013-02-26T19:23:00.004-05:00

My blog has been around for almost 2 years now! Crazy ^_^

Yea it's not that long but considering that I wanted to start blogging way back in 2007 when I worked as a Health Educator volunteer in Belize, I am very proud of myself.

I've been thinking about some new series that I want to start and thought that I could talk about blogging tips.

Many of my readers I am noticing are travelers, want to travel, foodies or natural hair enthusiast. So the information I share will be geared towards all you lovely peeps.

Because you all should start blogs! It serves as a great way to reflect on your life and past experiences.

Three of my favorite sites for blogging tips are the sites below:

Now I must clarify that these sites are not in rank order. They are numbered purely for aesthetics :)

However if they were in order, Lisa's site would be first, then Darren's, and Lindsay's I just discovered but love it already!

Do your research and peruse these sites and let me know what you think.

It's the first step to gaining some really key information for becoming a great blogger.

I am nowhere near there yet but I would like to be one day ^_^

After all it has been a ton of fun for me and a great way to document my travel adventures!

Jamaica part 2

2013-02-21T19:38:00.002-05:00

Finally the last series of pictures from my Jamaica trip last month are here!

Honestly guys it's a mixture of different foods (welcome to my Jamaican food store online) and beautiful scenes.

Enjoy the photo story :)

A visit to Coronation market was necessary to get the last few bits and bobs for Christmas dinner. Unfortunately the "indoor covered" area was closed.
This area of Jamaica (west Kingston) is notorious for being not so tourist friendly :)
I don't advise you venturing around here alone. I was taking pictures and video very discreetly with my ipod (which has a very unassuming case) when a lady exclaimed:

" Yuh cant tek picture a people! Dem wil kill yuh!"

I put my ipod in my bag after that and sat in the car ha ha.

And NO I don't know how to write in patois!

More of the market

Here is the (half) table spread from Christmas dinner :)

Let me introduce you to a few of our national rock stars...of course I mean in terms of FOOD :)

Meet Mr. Oxtail.

He tastes good with butter beans and the right assortment of spices. I can do a recipe on this if anyone would like some details.
*He is also a waist line killer if moderation is not exercised!

Meet cousin Fried Fish.
This was done outside as you can tell, over some wood.

I LOVE fried fish (in moderation of course).

It goes great with bammy (made from Yucca aka Cassava) and festival (made from cornmeal flour).

Meet sister Sorrel.

She is a beautiful and fragrant drink which goes great with lots of ginger.
Sorrel. I think, is from the hibiscus plant.
OK...don't quote me on that. But after visiting Egypt and indulging in what appears to be their national tea, hibiscus tea, I made this correlation that it's the same...plant/tea/drink.
Which can also be found in Senegal---->bissop drink/tea
( I only know this about Senegal because I was planning on moving there 2 years ago).
Anyway if you go to a Jamaican families' house during the holidays and they are not brewing this drink or have a flavorful spiked concoction waiting to be served....LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. Because they are not really Jamaican! Ha ha I kid I kid.
But seriously this drink is a staple during Christmas time.

*In the picture is the used plant pods. They were brewed and drained of their liquid :)

Meet brother Chocolate Tea!
Another staple that can be found in kitchens during Christmas time or any Sunday morning!
It's made from the actual cocoa beans. And spiced to taste. No old nasty store bought packets here.
I will also show you a picture of the cocoa beans in its pod. It is actually really beautiful to view. Well at least I think so :)

Grated coconut.
Added to many dishes especially rice and peas. The coconut is first grated. Then water is added. Then my mom squeezes the pulp until the liquid turns into a cloudy white color (old school #phuckyofoodprocessor).
Then my friends, you have "coconut milk".
The liquid is strained and added to the rice and peas. I bet you didn't know making coconut milk was so easy :)
A true rock star because of the authentic flavor it gives to Jamaican style rice and peas.

Sir Ackee is a breakfast, lunch or dinner staple. It's usually served with salt fish and sauteed veggies.
It is hard for me to describe the taste and texture.
But to the people who say it tastes like eggs--->that is just foolishness.
I think some tourist only have eggs to relate ackee too so that's why you may hear this notion.
You just have to try it to understand it is pure deliciousness :)

Auntie coconut jelly! OK...I am going to share a secret with you.
Coconut water..hmmm...I find is pretty disgusting.
Like sometimes I can stomach it. But most times not.
HOWEVER...the jelly of the young coconut and I are BEST FRIENDS. I'm drooling right now thinking about it.
Now don't get me wrong, I love coconut but unless coconut water is the only option left on earth for re-hydration and replenishing your body...I am NOT drinking it!

The road side icy!
Every kids' favorite drink!
I usually get "fruit punch" which is all the flavors mixed together.
The best part of this drink is watching the road side vendor make it. They use a giant block of ice and shave it super fast.

Now I had the opportunity to visit a family friends fruit farm which was absolutely massive!
The views from the house were gorgeous as well. Here are a few snap shots from that day.

Hi guys! My name is rambutan :)

I don't even remember what these berries are called. But apparently the birds loved them since they practically ate the tree clean. It was a shame :(

Here are two pictures of the cocoa fruit. The beans are nestled in their pods which are covered in a white meaty flesh. You can eat the skin but I did not taste it. I did try the beans though and it taste like bitter and slightly oily chocolate.

There were also some very lovely flowers.

Shot from a different day, but I love the red color of the dirt in Jamaica.
If you visit bring some comfortable walking shoes :)

I hope you enjoyed my pictures but I'll stop here!
I really should open a flicker account because I have hundreds of pictures from my travels.

Well actually my external hard drive committed suicide during my return home from
Viet Nam.
I basically lost all my pictures from Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and some oldies :(

Oh well!

Leave a comment if you have any questions about traveling around Jamaica. I will try my best to answer them ^_^

February already!?!

2013-02-11T11:27:00.002-05:00

There is so much going on in my life right now that I can't even keep up with my bloggity blog :(

I even forgot I have a tumblr...and a wordpress...oh dear :(

Transitions are always hard and especially when you might even be changing careers. Well in my case getting a little bit more focused (AND lost at the same time ha haha).

I was to upload a video AND post part deux of my Jamaica travels and still haven't. This is why I love the schedule feature on blogger. It allows you to take a day and write tons of posts and then put them on a schedule...I use to be really good about doing that :(

I guess this post will serve as an update of sorts. We had a massive snow fall in CT over the weekend. And have literally been snowed in since Friday night. It has been cray cray (I told myself I would never use this pop culture expression but I blame it on my new addiction of "itsjudytime")!

Burned a ton of calories though helping to shovel snow for 2 days. On the second day I gave 2 snow plow guys the death stare as they carelessly backed up everyone's freshly cleaned driveways with MORE snow. One blew his horn at me to move out of the drive way.

Snow plow man me NO LIKE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	credit to Confettiman for the drawing Google him!

Anyway I've been applying to numerous fellowships, Corps organizations and J.O.B.'S and trying to establish two websites sites. My traveling life is on a mini hiatus for a few months at best. I could be in Spain next or Central or South America....who knows! :) only time will tell.

Yes the fitness struggle still prevails. It's not really a struggle though. Your girl is just lazzzzzzzzyyyy! But I see progress and some changes. I would see a lot more if I were consistent. Hmmm...wouldn't it be cool to date a personal trainer. Then I would have no excuses LOL.

***Universe are you listening***

I am doing a 5K in March soooo the joke will be on me if my consistency doesn't change.

That should be my word for 2013...or phase ---->"STAY CONSISTENT"

Tag! You're it! A Travel Tag

2013-01-27T12:12:00.000-05:00

If you have a YouTube channel please do this tag!

If not, answer the questions in a blog post and let me know so that I can link your blog on this post.

I want this to be the longest running tag of travelers on YouTube. Especially travelers of color or underrepresnted minority groups.

In retrospect, I've never been able to find anything like this on YouTube when preparing for a trip. I honestly believe it will be a great resource to students and anyone who wants to travel.

Have fun!

Questions:

Introduce yourself (make sure to link your blog/website info as well)

1. How many countries have you visited?

2. Why do you travel?

3. Favorite city or country?

4. Most memorable experience abroad?

5. Best item purchased abroad?

6. Advice for those who want to trave but think they can't?

*** I said 6 questions in the intro but I am adding 1 more :)***

7. Travel accessory you always pack?

Hope Garden, Hope Zoo, Port Royal Jamaica prt1

2013-01-24T16:48:00.000-05:00

Where do I begin....

My time in Jamaica this month was primarily spent in Kingston. I didn't really

plan my trip this way but then again I didn't really plan per se. The majority of the activities I set out to do just did not happen. One of the joys of staying with family! You are always on someone else's time :)

Regardless I did get a chance to visit the Hope Gardens and Hope Zoo. As well as Port Royal.

Let's talk about the zoo.

The entrance fee is 500 Jamaican dollars. So around $5.37. If you notice the picture above you can see that they are undergoing some renovations. Shouldn't the price be reduced to let's say 250?

There was some warning...at least :)

*Sigh* I wasn't impressed with the zoo. People whom visited it in the past told me it was great then. Now there are hardly any animals. I honestly only took pictures of birds, lizards and snakes.
BUT it's currently being renovated SO I hope that it will be great again in the future.

Singapore zoo is now my comparison for every and any zoo I visit. I know...other zoos don't stand a chance against this beast--->* double sigh*

If you get the opportunity I say visit! It is always a different experience for each individual :)
Here are the few pictures I snapped at the zoo.

I had a hard time believing that this alligator was real. It was just chilling...with its mouth agape...no movement AT ALL! One of the grounds keeper was walking by while I gazed at this ~~monster~~ alligator waiting for it to move. My aunt asked him if it was real and he told us that he can let us in the pond to check for ourselves.
ಠ__ಠ-->Dooofus! (my aunts favorite word ha ha)

The end!..not really :)

Part 2 this weekend.

Back from Jamaica!

2013-01-16T20:39:00.002-05:00

I've never been so happy to return home to my bed! I know I know! You are probably thinking

"But you were in the beautiful paradise of Jamaica"...how can I be happy to return to wet cold and icy Connecticut.

1 word: Mosquitoes

Currently I am in the process of editing pictures to post.

I a few ideas of how I will present them which I will share now.

1. Fruits of Jamaica

2. Fauna & Flora

3. Hope Gardens & Zoo

And I don't know what else yet. But I have a ton of videos to edit too. Check out the YouTube channel this weekend for a new video (or two).

Of course as soon as I returned I picked up a bug. Just a cold though and I'm getting over it. Just been trying to eat right and drink tons of ginger, lemon and honey tea that I made from scratch.

Ok, that's it for now. Oh! Check out some breakfast pictures from yesterday. Experimented with making egg white muffins. Turned out really yummy. And of course some homemade granola. I can post the recipe if anyone is interested.

I hope you guys are doing well! More post coming soon :)

Welcome 2013 ---> The Mayans are laughing somewhere... :)

2013-01-08T10:33:00.002-05:00

My first post of 2013! Yay!

As I am preparing to wind down my Jamaica travels early, I just wanted to say a quick hello and

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Also thank to you to every and anyone that takes the time to read my ramblings. I hope to write more about my travels in this new year.

I didn't do any partying for new year's eve. But I attended church with my aunt and cousins.

If there is anything you are interested in hearing more about please leave a comment below and I'll gladly write about it!

It's January 8th already...oh my how time flies!

Jamaica: sexy waist line killer!

2012-12-30T20:18:00.003-05:00

While I am working on getting extra brown and crispy in Jamaica and finding Usian Bolt ^_^, I've had a chance to do a bit of traveling around the island.

The day after Christmas I snapped this picture (my mom actually) while stopped at a rest stop on the way to Montego Bay.

At a Juici pattie and gas station rest stop headed to Montego Bay

When I reviewed the picture my jaw dropped. I've put on soooo much weight since returning from South Korea. But as you know I've been actively working out and eating well. But all that has been shot to hell while in Jamaica. *Sigh*

I'm not trying to boast or anything but Jamaican food is the best! And because of it my thighs have expanded 2 inches since being here actually :(

Are you familiar with Jamaican fruits and local dishes? Study the picture below and leave a comment if you have tried Jamaican cuisine!

Some of the fruits and meals I've been sampling since here...I'm getting so plump but it is so hot that I am not motivated to exercise :-/

Jamaica: Week #1

2012-12-22T00:45:00.003-05:00

I made a video montage of the first week in Jamaica thus far.

I hope you enjoy it :)

Stay blessed ^_^

Welcome to Jamrock

2012-12-18T19:45:00.001-05:00

Snapped this in the airport on Monday :)

I've landed in Jamaica the land of green, black and gold :)

The weather is great. Hot but with a nice breeze.

I'm finding that it might be a lot harder to stick to my workout routine and clean eating than I anticipated :(

I've also learned that Mr.Bolt is here since my cousin spotted him this week :)

There are so many touristy things that I want to do while here. And I've made sure to let all the fam know ha ha.

Here's a list of some of them:

Visit the famous Rose Hall

Lime Key

Monkey Island

Dunns River Fall (haven't been since I was a child)

Blue Mountain coffee plantation

Appleton Rum estate

Devon house (must indulge in ice cream)

Port Royal (must tour around the museum)

That's it for now. Have any of you traveled to Jamaica? Where are some of your favorite place?

Connecticut shooting, Gun laws, RIP dear children :(

2012-12-14T15:28:00.001-05:00

I have no words for whats going on in Connecticut right now.

But I can't say that I am surprised.

Affluent neighborhood + guns that are easily accessible + emotionally unstable 20-something white male = ...

America we are privileged to have so many freedoms in such a great nation but with those freedoms comes responsibility.

Time to start enacting stricter gun laws.

Basilica in Venice, Italy May 2011

December, Surgery and Jamaica

2012-12-09T11:49:00.001-05:00

Wow it's December 9th already! I've been really trying to keep this blog updated. But I can't believe today is my first post of December.

Well the past few days have been really crazy with prepping to go to Jamaica, getting paperwork in to register for classes, and I had surgery :(

No worries though. It wasn't a big procedure but it was necessary.

Moms turkey meatballs and spinach pasta. I only ate one meatball and some pasta that night.

I leave for Jamaica in 8 days! Yay! Can't wait to blog from the most beautiful island in the world.

My mom is ~~forcing~~ telling me to start and finish nursing school before I go frolicking around the world again. I am finally listening to her advice. That will be a separate post.

Anyway I hope everyone is doing great for this holiday season!

Cornbread with blueberries :)

Loose Twist!

2012-11-30T16:30:00.000-05:00

Every natural has heard of and seen Ciprianas "loose twist" hairstyle.

However another YouTuber "Ashababe56" is the one who inspired me to give it a go!

Our hair textures is quite similar and it looks fabulous on her.

The style took me almost 3 hours to finish on detangled and deep conditioned hair.

Here are my results:

My hair has grown a bit since I left South Korea. This style is great because it showcases your length and allows you to "barbie swing" (yes I made that up) your tresses. I wore them down the first 2 days and have since been wearing my "signature" french braid. I've had them in for almost 2 weeks now. I'll probably keep them in for another 2 weeks and then have Senegalese twist put in in preparation for Jamaica :)

Oh! For deep conditioning I tried something new. I used Tresemme Naturals conditioner with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of Castor oil. It worked quite well.

Have you tried loose twist? If so how do you like them?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2012-11-27T15:55:00.001-05:00

One thing I love about blogging is looking back at my older posts and reflecting.

Last year my Thanksgiving celebration was in my tiny one room apartment in South Korea.

Being able to share what this day means with my Korea friends (and one Brit) was amazing.

This year I was able to spend the day with family and friends in my hometown.

The first stop was at my mothers job where she planned a dinner for all the nurses at her hospital.

She also gave me the task of cooking TWO turkeys.

1 for the house and the 2nd for her dinner.

I was a little nervous but I knew Chef John from Foodwishes had my back...again :)

The second stop was at my sisters' friends house. We were super late for dinner and everyone was finished eating when we arrived. So this puts "C.P./Island time" to rest in my book :)

A picture story follows!

And so it begins with turkey number one!

My weapons of mass destruction lol

Thyme, onions, celery and carrots !

Butter, sage, thyme, rosemary and 1 piece of lemon grass. That was my secret ingredient aside from Chef Johns suggestions. This was brushed on top of the turkey and the herbs were placed in the cavity.

Butter, chopped herbs with salt/pepper/paprika. This is the butter rub that went under the skin on top of the breast.

Turkey number one = experiement. 14 lbs and it cooked for about 4.5-5.5 hours at 350 degrees f.

Dessert, dressings etc

Cranberries, cinnamon stick, orange juice, orange rine, fresh ginger, brown sugar, 1 packet stevia, anise flavoring and a touch of water.

It was so yummy! I wished I had saved some for the house. But I bottled it for the 2 dinners!

Homemade pumkin pie :)

*sigh* a blemish from testing to see if it was finished :(

Pie crust in the making!

Turkey number 2

I think this one came out more moist and tastier than number one. It was 21 lbs and cooked for 6-7 hours.

Yum! It was a lot darker too!

The spread at my moms job!

Jamaican rum cake!

There was so much dessert!

More dessert!

Oh I forgot! I also made stuffing (from the box), turkey gravy
AND 2 trays of Chicken parmesan (above stuffing with the spoon in the tray)

The staff is a melting pot. So there was food from EVERYWHERE! Like those "perogies", and that pie which I dont remember the name of and spanish rice...just to name a few.

My cranberry sauce!

Digging in after the prayer!

"Please not my leg! I already lost my head"..lol

It was a beautiful eveing. I am thankful my mom invited me and my sister.

I don't have pictures from the second dinner but we mainly just talked all night!

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving!

Calling all TravelingNaturals, Nomads, and Global trekkers!

2012-11-21T13:29:00.001-05:00

One of the benefits on being back on Facebook is being able to interact with my fellow travel nomads!

There are numerous groups that you can join to help cure all your wanderlust needs.

My favorite is Nomandness Travel!

Not only can I interact with like-minded travelers but 99% (ok maybe that a gross estimation) of them look like me and appreciate the same travel goals.

For more information about the group and Founder, Evita, keep reading :)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

*PRESS RELEASE*

NOMADNESS TRAVEL TRIBE POSITIONED AS THE HOTTEST URBAN INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT

In less than one year, Nomadness LLC has launched one of the most innovative travel groups, taking Facebook by storm. Boasting over 3,500 members from over two-dozen countries, the invitation-only Nomadness Travel Tribe is the new home for urban nomads, shattering the myth that people of color don’t travel.

NY, New York, November 20, 2012-

Nomadness LLC, launched in April 2012, has positioned itself as the new cool kid in travel business. Specifically, its social media arm, the Nomadness Travel Tribe, has pushed itself into the forefront to create a voice for an underrepresented demographic of world nomads. With stats that include seventy percent female, and ninety percent Black and Latino travelers, the Tribe has become an international family for those that prefer an urban stylistic of international vagabonding.

On the day to day, the Tribe functions as an online resource in which members have real time conversations about advice, anecdotes, photography, video, and the do’s and don’ts of hopping around the globe. It’s not unusual for a member who is stranded in a country to post a thread asking for help searching for lodging/transportation and being bombarded with options within minutes, from members all over the world.

In an effort to take the conversation offline, Tribe members are known for their weekly international Meet Ups, as well as the NomadnessX trips that the business core, High Council Members, organize on behalf of the group. Within the first year of conception, there have been five group trips (Panama, Spain, Germany, Toronto, Dominican Republic). The first of which had eighteen members in Bocas Del Toro, Panama and was recounted in the July 2012 Issue of Ebony Magazine.

“Being a young, Black female who traveled to over ten countries, and lived on three continents by the time I was twenty-five, I never found a travel group that spoke to me. They were boring and didn’t relate to my style or background. The entrepreneur in me said ‘Good, I’m going to create it,’ says Nomadness LLC Founder and Nomadness Travel Tribe creator, Evita Turquoise Robinson. In 2011, Robinson was noted by Clutch Magazine, as one of the ‘Top 11 Black Women Inspiring Us to Travel’. It was her wanderlust, and young energy that became the catalyst to launch into the travel industry, fully occupying this sector unlike anyone before her had done.

The Nomadness Travel Tribe’s 1 Year Anniversary was this past September 30^th, and over one hundred fifty members traveled to New York City, from all over the world to meet face to face, at the Miss Jessie’s™ Hair Care and Hotel BPM™ sponsored event. In addition, Robinson launched the Nomadness College Tour Series, with a focus on presenting to HBCU’s and diversity based clubs on college campuses, to spread the idea of travel after college.

For more information, Nomadness LLC is currently scheduling interviews with Founder, Evita Robinson in print, radio, online, and segmented television media formats. She can be reached via email at evita@nomadnesstv.com, or phone at 845/590-9248.

WEBSITE: http://nomadnesstv.com
NOMADNESS TRAVEL TRIBE PROMO VIDEO (1:16) : http://youtu.be/18ZK7x7p4WQ
EVITA ROBINSON BIO: http://nomadnesstv.com/evie/
TRIBE MEMBER PHOTOS: http://nomadnesstv.com/travel-tribe-photos/