Tag Archives: my experience

HOW I DEAL WITH HOMESICKNESS

Moving to Vancouver nearly 2 years ago was the first time being away from the nest. It honestly still feels like a dream to be living here. Nearly every kids dream is to live alone and feel as independent as possible, or at least mine was. Don’t get me wrong I do get rushes of intense homesickness. Some days I just crave to be home with the comfort of my family, especially when times get tough. The saying is true, “absence makes the heart grow fonder”. Being away from home has made myself so grateful to have grown up there and appreciate all the beautiful moments with family and friends. The feeling of missing someone, something or a memory can feel so overwhelming and even heartbreaking. It can spiral into the trap of overthinking about other things like “will I ever go home, or is this my new home?”.

The confusion of where you truly belong kicks in, but just take a deep breath and realize where you are now and how much you appreciate your home that will forever be there to visit. Home really isn’t only the place you grew up but where you feel most comfortable! For me, it isn’t so much homesickness for Bali but homesickness for my family. It is possible to feel homesick for people rather than the actual place. It definitely gets hard without any family to fall to here, but I’ve managed to create my own sense of family and warmth living here!


Things I do and things you can do:

  • Call, send a message, or video-call! Honestly, I’ve never been closer to my mom since I’ve moved. We talk as if we’re best friends now. Scheduled calls help especially with time difference. Sometimes we all get too busy but in the end calling always cheers me up when I’m feeling low.
  • Keep in contact with your old friends! My childhood best friend who is still my other half to this day, is someone that will be in my life forever. I stay in contact with her as much as I can and even during our busy times of not talking for a month, we catch up and it’s as if we never stopped talking.
  • Keep an active family chat. This keeps everyone in the loop and up to date with the tea.
  • Send pics! Ask for pics! This makes me feel more present as I can actually visualize home. I always ask for pictures of my pets and my family. I even send pictures of my dinner. I can’t even count how many times I’ve sent food pictures to the chat.
  • Plan a future visit to look forward to. When I planned my Bali trip I was at my happiest state as I knew I’d be seeing my mom and sister. Lately it has been hard with the Pandemic but we are all on the same boat and we all need to support each other.
  • Remember your roots! Cooking Indonesian food, my dad’s recipes, and my favourite childhood meals always reminds me of home. I play the music my dad would blast at home to create a familiar atmosphere. 
  • Make your space as cozy as possible. To me, a home must be a space where I can feel myself, safe and fully comfortable. So decorate, rearrange, clean, do whatever it takes to make your home as cozy as possible!
  • Build a new home. Like myself, you may be planning to start new or to be away from home for a while. Start to build your own life and space of happiness. Accept that this is your new adventure and surround yourself with positive people and energy.

FROM SEAS TO HILLS

Short Backstory:

During my gap year I had no clue what my next steps were, especially after my father passed away, I expected to completely take a pause on everything. University was the last thing on my mind. I knew for myself and my father, I had to “get out there” as he always said. So, I stepped out of my comfort zone, finally made a move, and it was the best thing for me. Change usually doesn’t happen when you’re comfortable, so I made it happen with some motivation and support from loved ones. I moved here not knowing anything, no family, not even knowing when classes would start, how to get around, or where the University was. It was trial and error, exploring and learning, and this made it so much more of a lifetime experience.

Why Seas to Hills?

The name Seas to Hills represents my story of moving from the small island life in Bali to the big life in Vancouver. It was probably one of the scariest and boldest steps I’ve taken so far, yet the best step for me. From living a life by the seas in Indonesia to the hills in Canada, I thought I would share some of my creativity, thoughts, opinions, ideas, stories and love with you.

VIRTUAL PHOTOSHOOT

It is so important to keep yourself creative while social distancing. Tash Serena(my sister) and I have been doing photoshoots and being our own creative directors since we were kids. At such difficult times we managed to find some inspiration and had our first virtual shoot.

We gave this trend a go as it is definitely a solution for many photographers, models and others in the creative industry for the time being.

What you’ll need:

  • A device: Any smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer that works with video calls should work just fine. I used my laptop as I personally felt it was much more stable than leaning a smartphone against a pile of books. I found it a lot easier to adjust the screen as well.
  • Videotelephony software: Skype, Facetime, Zoom, Whatsapp, etc. whatever works best for the model and the photographer. We used zoom. Think of a normal video call on the laptop, I just posed while the photographer (my sister) captured the images directly off the screen using her camera.
  • Set time and date: Plan this out as time difference may interfere. There is a crazy time difference between Bali and Vancouver, so we agreed to shoot at my sisters 9AM Bali time and my 6PM Vancouver time.
  • A photoshoot concept: Inspiration pictures are a good reference during the photoshoot. My sister sent me a whole collection of inspo pictures from Pinterest which made it a whole lot easier to understand angles and the vibe we were trying to achieve. This allowed myself to somewhat take part in being a creative director.
  • Props and any accessories/clothing: I recommend having an organized pile of all the useful props and outfits to save time and avoid messiness. We used my standing mirror, a table lamp for lighting and a few outfit changes.
  • Setting and location: We decided on a bedroom setting, using the bed and simple backgrounds to focus on shadow play and natural lighting.

PREVIEW

My take on it: 

It was different and surprisingly super lively. It is convenient in a way as I was able to see myself pose and fix my angles. It was simple and I felt much more involved with inputting ideas as I was in charge of creating the setting, the placement of the laptop and styling myself. However, the only issue would be that the outcome may show the glare from the screen, but with proper editing and lighting this shouldn’t be an issue.

The outcome:

Captured by: Tash Serena
Model: Tara Serena (Myself)

MY INK

The memory of getting a tattoo, the meaning behind one, the placement of it, the design, it represents a person in such a unique way.

THE ARROW

I got my first tattoo when I was 15 years old for my birthday. A little arrow on my left side rib. The arrow is a simple reminder to always aim forward towards my goals in life.

THE LOTUS

This tattoo holds such a memorable moment of my friends and I getting tattoos spontaneously. The lotus and moon on my upper back symbolizes rising from the dark to radiate into the world.

THE WAVE. THE 9.

I got the wave to symbolize where I grew up, the island of Bali. The number 9 is my dads lucky number and my favourite number so I decided to always have it with me.

THE COORDINATES.

This was my first matching sister tattoo. The coordinates of Indonesia and Canada represents where my parents come from, which represents a part of us.

Love and Light.

My dads handwriting, love and light. This is the most meaningful tattoo I have as it is a reminder of him and his words to always do things from love and that light and happiness will always be found.

The Most Binge-Worthy TV Series (on Netflix Canada + more!)

One of my favourite activities (in and out of quarantine) is finding new shows to watch! I’m the type of person who constantly needs to be watching something. I’ve compiled a list of my favourite TV series, and as always, I’m totally open to suggestions for what to watch next. Enjoy 🙂

Gilmore Girls

Maybe my all-time favourite series, Gilmore Girls has been with me since I was a kid. It’s the type of feel-good, laugh out loud show that you put on whenever you need to escape reality. Lorelai and Rory’s adorable mother-daughter relationship will have you hooked by episode one. Gilmore Girls is currently available for streaming on Netflix Canada.

Breaking Bad

If you have yet to watch Breaking Bad, DO IT. It may seem like the show has been over-hyped, but I’m telling you it is worth it. There is drama, suspense, action, and so much amazing character development throughout the series. It’s the type of show that you will want to binge watch everyday. It’s just that good. Breaking Bad is currently available for streaming on Netflix Canada.

Revenge

A totally underrated series, Revenge is everything I want in a show. Families and relationships, secrecy and action, and SO MUCH DRAMA. Emily VanCamp plays Amanda Clarke, who seeks to destroy the Grayson family to avenge her father’s wrongful conviction.

Imposters

Another series that did not get much hype, but is certainly binge-worthy! The two-season series is all about Maddie, a con artist who marries people and then steals their money. The series is very entertaining as it certainly has its comedic moments. Imposters is currently available for streaming on Netflix Canada.

The End of the F***ing World

SO GOOD. All about teenage angst, crime, action, and young love. The End of the F***ing World is a great series to binge during quarantine! You’re sure to fall in love with the quirky characters and get totally invested in the plot. This series is currently available for streaming on Netflix Canada.

Killing Eve

Another great crime-related show, Killing Eve is a dark and twisted story about an assassin, Villanelle, and Eve, the MI5 security officer obsessed with trying to catch her. While I will admit that the storyline started to go in a strange direction after the first series, I would recommend giving it a go!

90210

A classic 2000’s series about teenagers in Beverly Hills and all the drama that they get into. You’re sure to get so wrapped up in the story that you won’t even realize you’re still in quarantine.

Black Mirror

If you want a show that is going to make you question everything about your life, then Black Mirror is for you. Each episode follows a completely different set of characters and storylines, which makes them like miniature movies. For the most part, the episodes revolve around technology and the dark and twisted ways that it can affect humans. Black Mirror is currently available for streaming on Netflix Canada.

You

I’m sure most of you have seen this one, but You is another great crime/love/drama show. Based on the novel by Caroline Kepnes, You is a psychological thriller that follows Joe Goldberg, a stalking, toxic boyfriend whose obsession with his lovers lead him to become violent and criminal. You is currently available for streaming on Netflix Canada.

Queer Eye

Queer Eye is a feel-good reality TV show that follows the Fab Five in their journey to making over the lives of deserving individuals. This show is sure to make you laugh and cry and everything in between. Queer Eye is currently available for streaming on Netflix Canada.

Currently Watching: Scandal

The current show that I am watching on Netflix is Scandal. I’m on season three so far, and it is definitely scandalous! After the first season, I was not too sure about continuing to watch, but I found that the story line really picks up during season two.

On my need-to-watch-next list:

Based on recommendations online and from friends, the shows that I am looking forward to watching next are: Russian Doll, Maniac, and Dark.

Please leave your series recommendations below, and let me know if you watch any of the shows that I suggested!

What I’ve Been Doing in Quarantine…

This has been a crazy year for everyone. I could go on about how devastating this time is and all the unfortunate consequences of COVID-19, but instead I thought I would share some of the positives that have come from my experience in quarantine.

I’ve Been Getting Crafty!

Something that I have really enjoyed doing in quarantine has been crafting! I was always crafty growing up, but as I got older and life got busier, that hobby slipped through the cracks. Some projects that I have enjoyed are doing water colour painting (super easy and fun), reverse tie-dying my clothes with bleach (click here for a tutorial), and knitting (an easy way to pass the time while watching tv)!

I’ve Started Working Out Again!

I have always loved having a workout routine, but when university classes demand a lot of my time, I found it hard to stay on track. Now that I have a lot of time on my hands, I have decided to get into working out again! On sunny days, I like going for hikes around my neighbourhood. Other days, I have been enjoying at-home workouts. I am currently on Day 19 of Chloe Ting’s 26 Day Hourglass Program (highly recommend Chloe’s videos)! Having the schedule that Chloe put together makes it super easy to follow and gives me no excuses to skip working out.

I’ve Been Journaling More!

I started a journal last year but found that I hardly ever wrote in it. During quarantine, I’ve enjoyed documenting my thoughts and doodling. It is a nice break from being online all the time and I’m excited to have it to look back on in the future. The COVID-19 crisis is such a unique time in history that it will definitely be interesting to look back on. Let me know if you guys would like a me to write a “how to start a journal/inspiration” post!

I’ve Been Reading Books!

Another hobby that I enjoy but never seemed to have the time for before quarantine. I tend to get really bad headaches when I spend too much time looking at screens, so it has been essential for me to find some off-line activities to keep me busy during the pandemic. I plan on making a post about book recommendations soon, so look out for that!

I’ve Cleaned/Re-Decorated My Room!

Some of you may be rolling your eyes at this one. Don’t worry, I’m not here to be your mother and tell you to “clean your room!” However, I have personally felt a lot more at ease when I got my bedroom set up to my liking. As you’d expect, I have been spending a lot of time in my room for the past couple months, so it is important to me that I enjoy my space. First, I painted some art pieces for my wall that make me happy when I look at them. I also got some plants that help liven up the space. De-cluttering has also been important for me, so I’ve put a lot of my non-essential items in storage to keep my room looking open and clean.

I’ve Been Trying Out New Hobbies!

This is the perfect time to try learning new things. Today, my boyfriend and I decided to start learning how to code. It has been very fun learning something new and bonding together. And who knows maybe we will be programmers by the time quarantine is over?!

I’m also planning on doing some cooking. Since many of my favourite restaurants are closed right now, I am looking forward to trying to recreate my favourite meals. I made this recipe this week and I would highly recommend for an easy dinner (5-minute Mediterranean Bowl).

I’ve Been Watching Lots of Netflix (obviously)!

Probably the most common quarantine pass time, but I had to include it. I’m working on a Netflix recommendations post, but feel free to let me know if you guys have any suggestions on what to watch!

I’m Taking Things One Day at a Time!

Everyone is coping with this situation differently, and I understand that not everyone is going to be positive during this time. But, I hope I have been able to share some ideas of what can help keep your spirits up while you’re at home.

Let me know in the comments how you guys have been dealing with quarantine!

Disclaimer : the images used in this post are not my own. They are stock images retrieved from pexels.com

A Playlist for the Commuter Student

This week I thought I would try something different.

I have created a playlist that of some songs I’ve been listening to on my commute to school and wanted to share. Just like my taste in music, this playlist is a little all over the place, but I think that’s what keeps things interesting.

I’ve always loved indie music that you don’t hear everywhere, so I hope that I can introduce you to some new songs and artists that you will like as well 🙂

While you can listen to this playlist anywhere you go, I have found these songs to be especially impactful when I’m on the road.

And I have to admit that this playlist is a little melancholic, but play it when you’re on your way to that early morning lecture, looking out the window of the bus as if you’re in one of those teen movies. Trust me.

If you have any song recommendations, I would love to hear from you in the comments below!