January 2023
My Wild Fall 2022 Adventure!

Dear Journal,

Fall of 2022 was INSANELY busy and nothing short of chaotic! From dating, making moves about my living situation, taking swimming lessons with my nephew, dealing with the holidays, handling business things, and planning for my long trip to Colombia, there was no shortage of excitement. Among all these, my living situation was probably the most draining.

Work and the Wedding Season

First, let me clear something up—yes, I do work! During the summer and fall, I was working in banquets during the Connecticut wedding season. I’ve been in the hospitality industry since I was 14 and absolutely love it. The great thing about this industry is the availability of seasonal and year-round jobs. Although the new venue I worked at was smaller, which meant longer hours for the same pay, the management team was one of the best I’ve worked with. A good management team makes all the difference, not just in terms of management but also in their relationships and interactions with employees. Technically, I am still employed by them, so when I go home in March, I’m good to go.

The Apartment Dilemma

I love my apartment in downtown New London, Connecticut. For its size, central location, and the current housing market, it’s cheap. I’m just a short walk from downtown and minutes from the water. But, it’s time to reevaluate where I am at. Originally, I thought about giving up my apartment and traveling for a while. With no partner, kids, or mortgage, what I pay in rent here, I could pay somewhere else, right? But then the questions start—am I just running away? Do I use traveling to block myself from finding love or finishing major projects?

I talked it out with my friend Shawna and she said, “You haven’t found love yet sitting in Connecticut, you can find love anywhere, anytime.” Shawna and I became friends in Aruba. One day, while working out with Sporty Lifestyle Aruba, she introduced me to her intern, Shawna, who had just moved from Romania. We quickly clicked and I invited her to a cookout at my Airbnb that weekend. One year later, we’re traveling through Colombia together! I also spoke with my therapist who pretty much said the same thing.

However, my mom posed a different perspective, asking, “What if you end up only wanting to travel for a month or two and want to come home after? No way will you find an apartment with this much space, this much yard, in such a good location, for so cheap again.” Ugh, back to the drawing board! What should I do? I can’t sublet, and I don’t want to pay rent in two places. A possible roommate seemed like the next best option.

Roommate DRAMAAA

I spoke with Michael Jessen, another cast member from 90 Day Fiance, who was also going through a moving transition. We considered being roommates until he found a home he loved in Connecticut. However, my landlord was a hard no on pets, and after a few trials to find a solution, it just wasn’t going to work out. 

I continued my hunt for a roommate by posting on Facebook to find a local person who would want to room with me. Despite the initial interest, nobody followed up. Plus, my landlord took issue with my Facebook ad, claiming I didn’t inform her I was renting a room. To avoid further headaches, I decided to save my energy, pack everything up, and move out. Everything I own is now in storage, and I have plans to be in Colombia for over two months.

Not much drama right? We’ll check out this YouTube to see the drama some people in the 90 Day Fiance universe tried to stir haha

My Nephew’s Swimming Lessons

As if I didn’t have enough going on, in the fall, I signed up my nephew, Tobias, for six weeks of swimming lessons. I’m not a good swimmer and didn’t want him to be a scaredy-cat like me, so swimming lessons it was! Every Sunday, I would wake up, drive an hour and a half to pick up my nephew, and take us to swim lessons in Groton, Connecticut. I highly recommend checking out your local park and rec for affordable activities for adults and kids. Initially, Tobias would cling to me as soon as the water got deep, but now he doesn’t even want me touching him! He still uses floaties, but the lessons have made him much more comfortable in the water. 

The Move and Plans

After moving everything out of my apartment with the help of CT Moving Helpers, LLC, and Genie Cleaning Services, LLC, I’m now in Colombia with Shawna! My initial plan was to travel to Colombia, then probably back to Aruba with Shawna for a month, and afterward head to Europe to visit her homeland of Romania for a couple of weeks. However, since I am dating someone, my Eve, maybe if we’re still talking and things are going well, I’ll come home in mid-March and continue to see where things go with her! For privacy, I refer to her as Eve “the first woman,” borrowed from the Bible. You can watch more about her on my Youtube

As you can see, fall 2022 was packed with activity and excitement. Next time, I will open up more about my new boo and how we spent the holidays. Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube for all my dating and Colombia adventures. Follow me on social media for more updates!