Born to Wander

Cook by trade. College student. Travel. Love. Coffee. Viewing each day as an adventure. Currently in South Carolina. Instagram: @chaiandbri

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First DIY project for the house. From wood planks, to a table, and stained to the color of my choice. And now the perfect sofa table for our living room! Love it! Also yay for custom furniture and a man who is handy!!

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Oh hey, this is my new house and it is gorgeous. I might be in love.

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One Year Later

One year ago I moved to Seoul. I spent the day unloading all my things. The boxes that contained my life. It was a fresh start. A new beginning that I knew was going to teach me and allow me to grow. Then I hopped on the subway and spent my evening out in Suwon. Today I woke up way too early next to someone I love. I kissed him goodbye. Drove to Starbucks in a car that I own. Went grocery shopping. Spent sometime outside. Made dinner. Spent the next night watching a movie. I call the other side of the world home now. It is crazy how different life can be in just one year. How much happens in 365 days. How much growing and changing one person can do in that time. How you can go up and down such a roller coaster. But I am really happy to say that I am on that uphill climb. That life is amazing and good. Still hard at times, but gosh I would change any of this.

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26 June 2015 On this day a piece of history was made.

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28 June 2015 - Lazy Sunday's. Sleeping in. IHOP brunches. Shopping. Walking around this gorgeous lake thing with trees growing in the water. Grocery shopping. Hanging out with his friends. Cooking dinner together. Midnight drives in the truck on the empty streets. Late night talks. Damn I missed this kid.

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OH AND DID I MENTION THAT I GOT MY DRIVERS LICENSE TODAY AND AM POSSIBLY BUYING A CAR???????????

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Best Week Ever

1. Move into new house 

2. Unpack most of things for new house

3. Get drivers license 

4. Buy car 

5. Figure out name for car 

6. Celebrate (hopeful) supreme court ruling on same-sex marriage in Asheville 

7. Wake up early on Saturday and drive to see the boy 

8. Try not to freak out on the drive there from excitement (or apprehension at driving alone) 

9. Go camping with the boy and his gang

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Slow progress is still progress. Even if you don't see it at first. Having pictures like this to look back on is so rewarding. From April to June. I can't wait to put this dress on next June and see the difference then.

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21 June 2015 - Last day in Chattanooga includes breakfast, sitting on the bridge, and art museums. Followed by the drive home. It has been a weekend for the books.

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20 June 2015 - Post reception fun. More bike rides. Flea markets and birthday gifts purchased. Art. Gorgeous views of the city. Amazing gluten free pizza dinner. Famous ice cream milkshake. This weekend has been just what I needed. A nice getaway from North Carolina. A good vacation for both of us. A new city to explore. It is refreshing. And now I am ready to go back and enjoy this next week!

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20 June 2015 - Today was the wedding reception. And we look sharp, if I do say so myself. We rode bikes all the way from the Marriott to the wedding venue on the North Shore. Me in a dress and heels, no less. But that just added to the day.

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19 June 2015 - 

A beautiful drive through North Carolina and Tennessee with this fool. I got to drive 100 miles, all the way into the city and to our hotel. That was really nice. And then a lovely dinner at a fancy restaurant in the city. Had one of the best meals I have had in a good long while. And finished it all by catching up with Megan and her husband. This is going to be a great getaway. 

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19 June 2015 - 

Woke up before 1100 for once. Hiked the entire trail behind the place we have been staying. Took a smudge over an hour. Great hike, nice time to think. I really hope I can make hiking/trail running a part of my routine once I settle in. It is so calming to be out on the trail, no car noises, no people. Just me and the endless spider webs that I kept walking into. Oh and the beetle that flew into me and caused me to have a spaz attack and throw my sunglasses. But mostly it is nice. 

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18 June 2015 - 

This was a roller coaster of a day. Started so high, got pretty low, and then ended on a remarkably good note. Spent the morning getting all my stuff in order for the DMV, waited an hour and a half, got in the car to take my test, and failed. Dang three point turns. I know that one day I will look back on it and laugh, but that day is not yet. 

I am lucky to have a friend like Turner will deal with me while I have a pout fest and remind me that it will be okay. And when I get snarky he tells me. I am also lucky to have parents that do the same, even though they only got the tip of the iceberg on my pout fest. Really, it was pretty bad. And I guess I am lucky to have a boy who at least makes me laugh, even though he will never let me forget that I failed it. Basically I am lucky that I have people who help me see that it is not the end of the world. 

Turner prepared a delicious Iftar dinner to celebrate Eid. It was a great night. Watching him cook. Listening to music. It was a moment of pure happiness. Happy because I was there. Happy because one of the most important people in my life has found his happiness. Happy because at the end of the day, even when other stuff isn’t how I want it, I have so much to look forward to and to live for. 

And it ended on an even better note when we found out that we got our cabin. Today we leave for Chattanooga, and when we get back we will hopefully have a house to live in. So I get to spend the next week setting it up, baking cookies for the neighbors, cleaning up the lawn some, reading, repacking, etc. Thursday I am going to pass my driving test, and then I will hopefully get my car then or on Saturday. And then I am off to see the boy and get settled in there before we head to MS. 

Even when life doesn’t go my way, it is still pretty good. 

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Street art of Penang 

Penang is well known for the street art. Some made by artists that the city hired, others just done by local artists who decided to leave their mark on the city. I spent an entire day wandering around the city looking for these pieces. It is really interesting because several, especially the bottom two, were hidden down these little streets in the middle of nowhere. Not gonna lie though, the search was half the fun. 

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10 Traits that Lead to Success

1. Independence

2. Self-confidence

3. Persistence

4. Creative thinking

5. Being thick skinned

6. Knowing who you are and what you want from life

7. Setting clear goals – and going after them

8. Staying focused

9. Optimism

10. Passion and a zest for life.

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15 June 2015 - North Carolina is known for their hiking. And I am lucky enough to have some beautiful trails ten mins up the road from me. So rather than stay all cooped up I decided to hit the trails. Hiked an hour out, then came back. Those trails were just what I needed. Being out there gave me time to think. About my life right now. What I want for this next year. Who I want in my life. Who I am willing to dedicate time and emotions to. Having that time to think things through is always helpful. I aim to live life intentionally. Building it with people and places and things that make me happy. That make me and allow me to be the best me that I possibly can be. That allows me to work towards my goals and ambitions in life. Sometimes this waiting period sucks. It feels like it drags on and on. But I am really trying to enjoy it. Because I know this next year is going to be crazy. So having a summer of nothing to do but get things set up, spend time with my favorite people, and watch Netflix isn't so bad after all. Also hiking. That is nice too.