2018, thank u next

As I bid my farewell to 2018 yesterday, I had a lot to think about life. About the meaning and purpose of it, the whole shebang of the will to live and also the will to die, as morbid as that may seem.

It's no secret that I'm someone who just isn't 

But a few horrible things I've learnt about myself in the past year:

1. I self-sabotage

2. I distract myself by keeping busy to escape from my dark thoughts

3. I easily give in

4. I'm always tired

And a few great things I've learnt as well:

1. I don't hate exercising (granted, I have to find exercises I like to do)

2. Making lists help with organizing my cluttered mind

2. ....I can't think of anything else tbh.

And that's the problem isn't it? We always focus on the bad things about ourselves. We never think of what we're grateful for, what we've been doing well on and how far we've come. 

Thank u, next is not only an ode to past boyfriends, it's about taking something bad that's happened, recognizing the impact it's had on you, letting go and then moving on to the better things. While it's never as easy as it sounds, we all have to start somewhere.

So, 2019 I wish to move on - move on from things that I've been clutching on to since years ago, move on from my current setbacks, and move on from worries about the future. I want to be free from all this clutter, mess and burdens weighing me down.

So, here are some of the many things I specifically want to work on in the new year:

1. I'd like to set a fitness goal and try to hit it

2. I want to take better care of my mental health

3. I want to de-clutter

4. I want to save money

Here is to 2019!

#CarmenVentures: Bangkok

My first time in Bangkok, and I loved it! The sights, the sounds; the hustle and bustle - very busy city with great malls. Initially, I went there mostly for the food but quickly realized that the priority of finding good Thai food had to be shared with the priority to SHOP. I'm not a shopping kind of girl, mainly because I can rarely find clothes/shoes with cuts that complemented my size and shape so I gave up on that relentless pursuit earlier on in life. But I could not help but buy some earrings, bags and a few small trinkets. Okay fine, some is an understatement but they were beautiful!

Admittedly, there were some hits and misses but what country doesn't?

9 Places in Bangkok You Should Visit

1. 7-Eleven

Yes, the first and longest one on my list had to be that. I have never been more delighted to shop at a 7-Eleven. I'm sure Japan would be impressive too, if not more impressive. But let's circle back to Thailand.

They had shelves and shelves of food, all waiting to be bought and enjoyed. Our first night there, we arrived close to 12am (thanks to a delayed flight) and as we walked out to the arrival hall to catch our Grab ride, the 7-Eleven sign shone bright like a saviour.

I'm telling you, they've got dumplings, rice boxes, buns, sushi, onigiri, seafood, instant noodles... the list is endless you've got to see it for yourself. For someone who doesn't frequent 7-Eleven (other than the occasional slushie when I was younger), this was pretty good. Also, I was probably hungry.

So we ended up buying a few things to share: instant noodles, rice box with red curry, gyoza/dumplings and rice bun with pork. All delicious. The rice box and gyozas were yummier than expected, and well I don't think pork rice buns could go very wrong anyways. 

An International Student in Brisbane Pt. 3: Exploring Queensland

Feeling a little bored stuck in St. Lucia or Brisbane? Trust me, I get it. It's difficult to travel beyond Brisbane without a car and you can only visit Brisbane CBD so many times before you get bored. Best part is, Queensland has a plethora of picturesque spots, from sunny beaches to breezy mountains. You'd never run out of places to go.

So if you don't have a car, make friends with someone who has one and rent their car or better yet, go together! I was blessed to have housemates who have a car which they rented to us at times, and it was a great way for them to utilize the idle car to earn some extra passive income.



1. Burleigh Heads
A personal favourite and top on my list, especially during dusk as the sunset casts a certain glow around Burleigh Heads. Perfect for picnics and quiet afternoons out.

“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince #carmenventures

A post shared by Carmen C (@carmenchanz) on Jun 29, 2016 at 5:37am PDT

An International Student in Brisbane Pt. 2: Food Glorious Food

You guys.... this is my favourite part of the series (only 2 so far but I already know it's my favourite)

Food glorious food. Brisbane may not be like Sydney and Melbourne where brunch spots are practically everywhere. I personally feel Brisbane needs to up their brunch and dessert game. But that doesn't mean you're out of choices for some good eats.

Here are some of my pick of restaurants to eat in Brisbane (and beyond):


Korean

Dreams of fried chicken#foodblog #foodblogger #brisbanefoodbog #brisbane #brissie #igersbrisbane #hungrykittens #hungrykittensfoodblog #koreanfood #friedchicken

A post shared by Hungry Kittens (@hungrykittens.foodblog) on Jan 7, 2017 at 6:10pm PST

1. Funny Funny (Brisbane CBD)
Address: 85 George St, Brisbane City QLD 4000, Australia
Must order: Great place for Korean fried chicken. 50% off KFC on Wednesdays!