Hey guys!

So after being on a hiatus for more than a year, I’m back to the blogging and vlogging scene!

That’s right, I’m also in the process of editing some travel videos for vlogs. Right now, there are so many back-vlogs! Hahahaha! But just so you know, I just finished editing the part 2 of my Birthday Trip in the US. And as of writing, it’s probably posted already. So next is part 3 of that US birthday tour back in 2018. Don’t judge me. Alam kong sobrang delayed na. Naging sobrang busy lang talaga ako. LOL. And honestly, I don’t how many parts will there be, but we’ll see. I’m excited to share the entire trip to you guys (and all the other travels I had). And I’ll do my best to remember as many details when it comes to expenses and stuff.

So, going back to my comeback (wow! LOL). I don’t know how to start this post so I guess I’ll just try to re-introduce myself to both old and new visitors (wow! LOL). But I’ll give it some twist. Because a lot has happened since my last post, it’s needless to say that a lot of unexpected things also happened that definitely changed my life and made me who and where I am today.

Who am I?

I’m Jalyn. I started blogging since I was in high school. Back then I used Blogspot and Tabulas to publish my blogs. All of my entries were very journal-slash-diary-like, full of embarrassing and mediocre contents. Puro hanash sa buhay, eskwela, at pagibig? LOL. Honestly, I don’t remember most of them anymore. All I know is that I was blogging to put my thoughts in writing, to brain vomit, and maybe eventually to read my mind out loud. Ever since I was a kid, I know I have a knack for writing (fun fact: I won first place for an essay writing contest when I was in grade school). I find writing as a form of therapy. I like listening to my thoughts and turning them into words. On top of that, I also have keen eyes for graphic and web designs. In fact, I design and maintain my own website. I merged these two into one, thus this website. So, yeah, this whole blogging thing really started as a hobby. It still is.

Why the break?

Honestly, there’s no major reason why I had to take a break from blogging. And it’s not as if there are a lot of contents that I already posted here before I took a break. But there was definitely a lineup of topics and articles I’ve written and planning to write before I took a lengthy break from blogging. I guess the only logical reason is me being so busy, thus lack of time in writing. I know it’s cliché because there’s a saying that goes there’s no such thing as being too busy; if you really want something, you’ll make time for it. But as an adult and a single mom, I also had to prioritize. Would I rather spend my time writing (recreationally) when I can use that time to play with my kid? Or to spend it with my special someone? Or to earn money? Let’s be real. If you have bills to pay, a big chunk of your time goes to whatever makes it worth your while to earn a big fat check.

What were the unexpected changes that happened to my life? How would they affect my blog?

Okay, just a quick background. When I first published this blogsite, my tagline was “A Single Mom’s Life Journey Abroad.” I was then a working single mom living abroad (practically an OFW who’s away from my kid) in my late 20s. Traveling is one of the things I love doing so I anchored most of my blog theme within the travel and lifestyle niche. I had soooo much in store for you, my readers. Until the hiatus.

So since then, besides my age (LOL), what else has changed? Let’s make a list:

• MY LAST NAME. Yes, that’s because I am now married. Happened last fall. My husband—my then boyfriend—proposed to me after our road trip from South Dakota. And in the same year, we decided to have a court marriage ceremony. That being said, I’m no longer a single mom (awwww). And that is why, if you noticed, I changed my tagline from “A Single Mom’s Life Journey Abroad” to “Traveling Mom’s Life Journey Abroad.”
• MY TIMEZONE. When I published this blog site, I was living and working in Malaysia. But since the wedding, I had to move here in Pennsylvania, USA. My husband’s from here and we decided we don’t want to be apart anymore so I moved in here with him. We’ve already had enough of that long-distance relationship when we were still boyfriend-girlfriend. Currently, though, I’m still waiting for my residency card as we’re still under pending immigration process. And it’s going to be a long journey. Wish us the best of luck, guys!
• MY CAREER. From being a full-time office worker with part-time freelance jobs on the side, I am now a full-time home-based freelancer. I do graphic and web designs, WordPress, e-Commerce, social media contents, and all those online stuff that can help scale your business. Hey, if you wanna hire me, let’s talk about it. Start here. *winks*
• PLACES VISITED. Since my last blog post which was “Guide to Applying Multiple-Entry US Visa in Malaysia,” I’ve been to a handful of US states courtesy of my husband, of course, who drove me to places. I’ll write separate posts about those places we’ve been to. But for now, you may check out my vlog about my first Hollywood Tour. Part one’s here and part two is in this link. Or you can check out my Vlogs/Videos page within my blog site.

Why am I blogging again?

Short answer: Because I love writing.

As long as I can write, I will always try to find time to write/blog about stuff, my travels, my thoughts, ideas, or anything under the sun that I find relevant and helpful to you all. I hope you continue to join me on this journey. Til my next post. Ciao!

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