2nd Pandemic Birthday + Pressies 2021

 It's June so yeah, a birthday pressies post is coming~

This year my birthday was on Thursday, which is one of my busiest days. Especially now with the end of the school year around the corner. Lots of paperwork... and well, there's still a pandemic out there.

But that didn't stop me from having a happy birthday. Starting with all the sweet messages I woke up to. My mom and sister set the table with breakfast and pressies, and at work, my students showed me their love personally and virtually.

In the afternoon I recieved more pressies from friends and even my boss, including an amazing surprise cake from Chez Moi Reposteria.

Choco-mint cake!

The rest of my day was packed with classes so we had yummy lunch at home including my favs: Pizza, (another) cake and potato wedges (forgot to take pics). After that it was all about work, hehe.

And now, it's time to show you the pressies in no particular order.

The sakura tea cup was filled with kawaii chocolate

Lots of sakura goodies!!! 🌸

What's left of the chocolate...

This year I didn't have one cake... I HAD 3! And yeah, I loved them all.

It was a simple yet happy and meaningful day. ♡

The next day my mom took me out for lunch to continue celebrating. 

Big thanks to everyone who made my birthday a special one, virtually and personally. This last year of my life has been good and full of changes. I'm looking forward to see what the new one will brings!

💕

✏ Teacher Chit Chat #8: My COVID19 Vaccine Story

Not my most glam pic ever but, yeah.

 One of the things most of us have been waiting for this year is the COVID19 vaccine. I know this process has been different depending on the country but over here, they seem to be taking baby steps. Not complaining tho, it's better than doing nothing.  

Last weekend they announced that the vaccination for teachers would start this week and that we all had to register online to get the vaccine. Of course everyone wanted to register and the system wasn't exactly the best one, it was impossible for most of us. 

I do consider myself lucky because my school gave us big support and did their best to get us the vaccine and even tho we had to wait in line for hours, on May 13th, I officially got my vaccine.

Finally getting close!

It it the first time I feel happy, excited and thankful to get a vaccine, ever. It's a big relief. I know how privileged I am and how much we exposed ourselves leaving the house for work for so long. 

The vaccine we got was the Chinese CanSino one, which didn't make me too happy at the beginning because, from what I've read, only has like a 65% rate preventing COVID. They wanted to apply that one because it is only 1 single shot. In the end, it's better than not getting anything at all.

After getting the vaccine, I didn't really feel bad, just weird and with a slight headache. I don't usually get weird reactions with vaccines so I thought it'd be the same with this one. Oh dear, was I wrong...

My headache never went away and around 12:00am I woke up shivering like crazy, I got the worst fever ever and my whole body and skin were aching. I felt like that the whole night so, obviously, I couldn't sleep. Luckily, I didn't have classes the next day so I could recover. I was still feeling really, really bad, and I didn't feel like eating anything. I spent the whole day in bed napping, but I don't think I've felt that bad in a while. A long while.

Funny thing was, I was back to nomal on the next day. No more pain (other than my arm, which is still very sore as I'm typing this) and no more fever.

I know this won't be the same experience for everyone, most of my coworkers didn't have such a hard time with the side effects. But, other than that, I'm very lucky and thankful to say I'm already vaccinated.

So, what's next? I'm not quite sure, all I know is I'll still be very careful and continue with the whole social distance thing, the mask and all that stuff we're so used to now. 

Can't wait for other people I love to get the vaccine too so I can finally give them a big hug.

My 20 everyday essentials 2021

Hi!

I've seen videos with this kind of topic and I thought it'd be nice to try too. It was fun to watch it as a vlog type of video but this way is just easier for me and I can get a little more into detail with some of the things on the list.

I'm sure you've seen some of these before in vlogs or blog posts, I also linked some of the products to their individual posts in case you want to read more about them.

I included a bit of everything here so, some things may be a little random. Ready? Let's get to it!

 1. Coffee

There is a Mon after and before coffee, I am one of those people who can't function without my coffee first thing in the morning. I've tried different kinds and brands of coffee. Lately I've been enjoying the Starbucks House Blend with Toffee Notes by Nescafé Dolce Gusto. It is strong and it smells and tastes delicious. 

2. Marc Anthony leave-in conditioner

My quarantine hair got to the point where I can call myself a ginger Rapunzel. This Leave-on conditioner has been big help when it comes to untangling it as well as keeping it frizz free. I'll make sure to continue using it even after I get a haircut. 

3. St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot scrub

This particular product has been a fave of mine for years now. I remember my grandma used to use it as well as my mom. Even tho it doesn't smell the way I remember it's still as good. I love a good scrub, and this one exfoliates my skin gently without irritatin it or giving me any reaction. Lately St. Ives released a new variety of scrubs for different needs and types of skin. Defo recommend you to try them!

4. A good and gentle face cleanser

I rarely change my face cleansers because most product irritate or give me a reaction. I spent a lot of time using the Miniso Watermelon Bouncy Hydra Facial Cleansing Gel until I ran out of it like a month ago, that's when I bought this Matte Effect Purifying Cleansing Gel from NIVEA. NIVEA is a trustworthy drugstore brand for me, it is gentle to my skin and does the job. This one has small, soft beads that work as a gentle scrub.

5. Grisi Royal Jelly Cream

As I do with my cleansers, it is hard for me to find a cream that works well with my skin. I discovered this one last year thanks to my auntie and then, my mom. I bought it after trying it for a couple of days to make sure it would be good for my face. It is my everyday cream right now, it has anti-age properties and keeps my sking hydrated and soft. It is slightly thick tho, but it absorbs quickly.

6. Revlon Photoready Rose Glow Hydrating Primer

As some of you already know, this primer has been one of my favorites for some time now. I love how it makes my skin glow and it's the perfect base to apply my makeup.

7. Lime Crime Set & Prime Makeup Setting Spray

I always apply this one spraying it on my face after foundation and setting it with a damp beauty blender. It helps to keep my makeup in place, looking good for a longer period of time. It makes my skin look fresh and hydrated. 

8. My favorite rings

This are my favorite, everyday rings.They are all silver, because I rather wear silver than gold. Of course I don't wear the 3 of them on the same hand but I decided to take the pic like that to show you. Bottom pic, left to right: The plain silver mid finger ring is a matching ring my bestie Ceci (aka Jun-chan) and I bought years ago, when we got reaunited after years. The next one was mom's I believe. And the spiral ring(?) was a gift from my dad. I think you can wear it as a normal ring but I like to wear it as a mid finger ring.

9. Cute earrings

I've always been a fan of earrings, but my taste has change through years. I looooved wearing super long ones in the past. Now I like to wear medium to small ones with cute and girly desings. Earrings are defo my favorite accessories. Especially because I always have to wear my hair tied up for work. 

10. My laptop

This baby is not only an essential for work, I also use it for blogging and editing videos . I bought it last year and even tho I wasn't too happy about the color, I love it. I wouldn't know how to get into details here because, I really don't know much about laptops, my bestie's hubs was the one who helped me to chose one that could work for me. All I know is, it is from Lenovo, hehe.

11. Blue light blocking glasses

These are defo an essencial now that we're spending A LOT of time in front of the computer. At the beginning I didn't think they'd really help but, they actually do. My eyes feel less irritated and tired now. tThey have been especially helpful with online classes. They quickly became part of my everyday essestials.

12. Facemask, shield mask and sanitizer 

Not my favorite things to share but, they are defo essentials now. The shield mask kinda blends with the background but yeah, I never leave the house without these items. I find the Cloralex Sanitizer Spray very handy, especially because it has the perfect size to carry around in my purse. 

13. My car

Sarada is a 2003 Dodge Neon and I'm so proud of her because she is my forst official property ever. It is true that once you drive a car, it becomes an essential because of how convenient and comfortable it is to move everywhere. I know it's not a new car but, I wouldn't change her. She's such a good girl, hehe.

14. Snacks and candies

Chips, pop corn, candies, chocolates... I love having something to snack on around me. I even carry some in my bag. You never know when you're gonna get hungry. Haha.

15. Podcasts 

Podcasts are part of my everyday now. They are fun, convenient and you can listen while you do your things without getting too distracted. Here's a post where I shared some of my favorite ones.

16. Face out makeup remover

I bought this product back in October from Salem Makeup and even tho I tried it for a while, I continued using my micellar water until I ran out of it. Now I have been using it everyday and it really is pretty good. Removes my makeup easily and leaves my skin soft. There's a post dedicated to this one, so make sure to click here if you wanna check it out. I'm still in love with the packaging, hehe.

17. Facemasks

I love, love, love facemasks. Especially Korean and Japanese sheet masks. I do see a big difference on my skin after using them frequently. It's also a good way to have some "me time" even when you have busy days.

18. Eye cream

I have to say I started using eye cram a little later than I should but, I realize the importance of it now and I can't go a day without it. This is the one I've been using lately. I'm almost done with it. It's good, not amazing but it mkes a difference even when I apply makeup. I have a separate post on this cream too.  

19. Lipbalm

My lips are forever chapped and dry, that's why I love a good lipbalm. Out of all the ones I've tried (and I mean, I've tried many) These are my hands down faves so far. I keep switching them through the day, and always carry one with me.

20. Sake

Sake is my true love (and probably my addiction, hehe), and even tho it might not be an essential for most people, it is for me, hoho. that makes me sound like a drunk person. But yeah, this is the one I buy more frequently because it's easier to find, it lasts longer because of the size and, I like it. I mostly enjoy drinking it cold, at night after a long day.

There you go, some of my everyday essentials. I didn't include everything because I didn't want to make this a super long post and of course, this list might change.

My experience taking a COVID test

Earlier this month I had to take a COVID test as a requirement before going back to work. I'm sure the case is similar in different places but, cases have been increasing a lot over here lately, especially after the Holidays. 

Even knowing that I've been home as much as possible and didn't meet or got reunited with anyone (aside from work), taking the test was a scary experience. Something I should mention here is that I find everything doctor/dentist related scary.

The appointment was at the school I work in, two doctors were there perfectly covered up and protected (astronaut style! Hehe) to do the tests.

My turn was like the 8th, I was so relieved because I didn't have to go first.

The test I took was the RCP test (idk if it's the name everywhere), and is the one where they use a long nasal swab to take samples from both nostrils. It is also known as the molecular test and it detects the genetic material of the virus that causes COVID-19. I've read that they also do this test through the throat... I'm lucky I didn't have to take that one!! Apparently the results from this text can be very accurate.

The thing is, the swab thing goes deep in the nose which makes it super uncomfortable and, it kinda hurts. Part of it was my fault tho, they ask you to try not to make any expression to avoid the pain, but I just couldn't do it. 

I'm going to be honest here, the test is not nice, but it's not as horrible as I thought it'd be. It is uncomfortable, yes. And it did hurt, and my nose was sore for the rest of the day but, it was not something I couldn't stand.

It only took a couple of minutes and after that, I had to wait for my results. In a way I knew I didn't have much contact with people since my holidays started but, you never know. So yeah, I was nevous (again).

After 15 minutes aprox, I got my results! It was negative! 

The doctors did explain that this results showed that I have probably not been infected with the virus. And I say probably because it doesn't show if you had it before. And this result could change from one day to another if I had contact with other people a couple of weeks before taking the test (around 15 days) and also if I were to meet people the days after it. 

Of course they also told me I should continue taking care, wearing my mask and quarantining as much as possible. As well as paying attention in case I present any symptom.

My school covered more than half of the price for this test and as far as I know I'll have to take it every now and then just to make sure everything is alright. Especially since I do have to go out for work.

I know this is a bit of a different post but some of you were actually interested in reading about my experience. I don't think I covered muc because they mentioned other things that I don't remember and i'm no expert but, this is a bit of what happened. You can take this and other tests in different laboratories and I guess the prices vary depending on where you go.

Stay safe everyone! x

10 Things I Enjoy Now That I Can't Leave Home

 2020 is over and yet, we still can't leave the house! I wish the year could've taken the pandemic with it when it ended but, things don't really seem to get better where I live so, we still have a long way to go before we can go out again.

I mean, I do have to leave the house for work and we escape to buy take out treats every now and then but, I spend all of my time at home if I'm not working. And even tho I miss going and eating out, visiting coffee places and seeing my friends and family; there are things that I enjoy at home too. 

Here are some of them: 

1. Organizing my stuff: Clothes, makeup, computer files, etc. I used to do this whenever I was feeling down, it's like... therapeutic in a way. With work I don't have as much time to do it but I try to do it little by little whenever I get the chance. Even if I'm not sad or upset.

2. Sake: Even tho it's not a new thing, I've been drinking a lot more sake since the pandemic started. It's my love and my fav companion after a long, stressful day. LOL. 

3. Watching Shows: Mom and I have been watching more shows together since the whole lockdown thing started, mostly K-drama. Also, I've been watching some anime and catching up with others I haven't finished yet. For some reason I enjoy watching random reality TV at night. When I don't really want to pay much attention but I end up engaging with the shows. Hohoho.

4. Rewatching Charmed: I randomly decided to rewatch this show and I've been really enjoying it. It was a big thing for me when I was younger and there are so many things I didn't remember! It kinda nostalgic but not in a sad way. I haven't finished it yet tho.

5. Zoom sheshs with friends: It's funny because I didn't use to like video calls. Now it's the only way to see each other and it's so much fun! We can spend hours talking and talking. 

6. Blogging and vlogging: I feel like now, I've had more time to focus on blog posts. Well, at least I did when the pandemic started. Blogging is something I always enjoy doing but, my time at home has given me a little more inspiration and ideas. Plus, it feels like "me time", you know? And well, editing has always been relaxing in a way (except for vlogmas! editing everyday wasn't relaxing...) but watching and making vlogs make me feel closer to people in a way. If that makes any sense. And I think last year I really enjoyed sharing vlogs even if there was nothing interesting to share.    

7. Podcasts: I've been really into podcasts lately! There are just so many to choose from! And what makes it better for me is that you can just listen to them while doing your things without getting distracted. At least that works for me cuz I tend to get distracted easily. Especially if what I'm listening to comes with a video or something. My bestie has been great recommending me some very interesting ones and I found others because many artists I follow started their own podcasts last year. 

8. Grocery Shopping: Yeah, this screams "ajumma" but, it's the only moment I get to leave the house for non-working purposes. And even tho I go into the store and buy as fast as I can, I enjoy it!

9. Not having to do my makeup and hair everyday: I enjoyed it while it lasted, cuz once I went back to work, I started wearing makeup again. I love my makeup, not gonna lie. But it felt good not to care about looking good and I'm sure my hair and skin appreciated it. I'm still makeup free and wearing a super high messy bun on the weekends. There's nowhere to go anyways~~~

10. Comfy clothes: No cute dresses and skirts, I lived in leggings and sweatshirts for most part of 2020 and it felt good! I wore my leggings so much that I have to buy new, decent looking ones now.  Hehe. I'm literally that person who wears pj's bottoms and decent shirt when I have an online class.

Let me know what kind of things you enjoy at home.

xox ♡

💖 June Favorites 2020 | Quarantine edition |

Hi there!

Long time no favorites! With this whole lock down thing I didn't have much to share as favorites for a couple of months because I barely wear makeup these days and my skincare hasn't really changed, I don't go out or try many new things.
But, this month there are a couple of things I do want to share with you guys.

Ready? Here we go!

💗 Yummies

Eating and drinking are things that I can't stop doing since the quarantine started. And as you know, my coffee is one of the things I enjoy the most, that's why we have these 2 Coffee Mate coffee creams here.

The first one is the Pumpkin Spice Coffee Mate. I am pumpkin spice obsessed and I've been dying to try this particular one for a while now but sadly, I can't find it where I live. I was so happy when I finally got the chance to try it. It was defo worth it!

The second one is supposed to be a limited edition choco-latte cream. I first tried it last year. I believe it was around November/December. Not sure. Then I stopped seeing it and it was recently back on stores. I love everything chocolte and this one is worth trying!

💗 TV

Crashlanding on you. I mentioned this kdrama before but now that I'm done with it, I can say I loved it. It really reminds me of a Korean version of FMP. It gave me the feels. Especially because I do believe that people who are meant to be together will find the way to do it, no matter what. It's a short drama with only 16 episodes and the story moves on pretty fast. I highly recommend it. The OST is also really good.

This man is everything! #NewCrush

💗 Beauty

I have a post dedicated to the Essential Burt's Bees Kit and I think the products are defo worth trying but today I want to focus on the one I liked the most. That is the Beewax Lipbalm with Vitamin C and Peppermint. Afer trying it, it became a must have for me and my forever chapped lips. I'm curious to try the tinted ones now. Hehe.

💗 Accessories

At first I didn't think about sharing them but, they are my most worn "accessory" atm. Me being me, I wanted to find some cute masks with nice colors and designs. I've been biuying my maks at JOI, which is a Canadian dollar store. Each package comes with 2 for a very good price. These masks are made of cotton and have 2 layers(?) of fabric. They are more comfortable than others I've tried and it's easy to wash them as soon as I get home, they dry super fast too.
They have a large variety of colors and designs. Some friends and family are using them now too.

💗 Music

I don't listen to many groups in Spanish but I've been following these guys since they started their career when we were all teenagers. Kudai's new album Laberinto has been on replay since it was released back in March. This album has 11 tracks and all of them are really good.

And there you have it, my quarantine favorites, haha. I don't know when I'll do another favorites post but, I do have some things to share next month. Also, let me know if there's something you'd like me to try, share or blog about.

Until next time~ ♡