## Introduction

Hi, it's me, Marie, from the Philippines.I'm in my early 30s; most people my age are expected to have or already have their own children, be married to the love of their lives, or be settled in life. Especially when there is a family reunion or gathering, my lolas and titas always ask me, Do you have a boyfriend? When are you getting married? You're getting older. (Woh, can you relate?) All I can say is that I'm far away from this because maybe I consider myself a late bloomer. I'm taking my time to focus on myself and my happiness. Anyway, age is just a number, and I admit I'm still figuring things out right now. ### More about me **Living in the moment** During the pandemic, I realized that there were a lot of things that I had never done before. Maybe I was too scared to take a risk, or maybe I was too reserved. But I believe you are never too old to learn and try new things. I also don't stress myself out anymore about all the negative things that I cannot control. I'm focusing right now on learning more skills and improving my life. More positive thoughts and more blessings are yet to come. There are a lot of beautiful things out there that I need to discover and experience. I will visit more places where I have never been before, so I am excited to explore while surrounding myself with positive people while loving and enjoying life. ![Untitled design (5).png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/itsmemarie/AKKSq8yu4M6exKusmE3zuY6teFHbgu3QaVk1MbT64VzYYFQFfDapDRNPqWgLGpT.png) #### Beach I love going to beaches, though the weird thing is that I don't know how to swim. Maybe someday I'll learn to swim, but I really enjoy the feeling—the sea breeze, the feeling of sand on my feet, the kiss of the sun on my skin. That's why I make sure to visit beaches when I need some time to relax or just to free my mind. I am so excited to share all the beaches I visited and will visit soon. #### Coffee and food ![Untitled design (4).png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/itsmemarie/AKchaHCTK1AQ8W2AzJqtXxTBUWGfEUPp7jzHugXoUtTjcDSRe6NpnKZSaHb7dL3.png) If drinking water can keep us hydrated, for me, drinking a cup of coffee is my cup of joy. It warms me up physically, emotionally, and mentally. When my mind is full of random thoughts or I feel demotivated, I visit coffee shops. I just love the ambiance; it makes me calm. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/itsmemarie/AJpmA1RFmANbAm3sTFcVH8kyRW6RHCjDukt71qZ2sLN3EqDTtWQgrp2yZoXoUkC.png I also love to eat, so when I'm going out, I make sure to visit restaurants that I've never visited before with friends. Good food and good friends are a perfect combination. I also love spending time with my family at home. I cherished those moments when I sometimes helped with cooking, especially when there were special occasions and we ate together. Sinigang, tinola, and paksiw are my favorite home-cooked foods. Kimchi is also one of my favorite comfort foods; I can just mix it in a bowl of rice and add an egg, and it's perfect. Especially if you love watching late at night, kimchi, ramen, and onigiri are my perfect snacks. ##### Dream to travel https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/itsmemarie/23yJJq1ugZuvgD69pRkPXL7Qbf9dw8c7j2NiR65uSbSPYmo8L8KmHJBZsoV413kyE78Ne.jpeg One of my dreams is to travel outside of the country to first visit Japan, maybe because I grew up loving to watch anime, and, you know, watching those beautiful places in Japan online or on television is so surreal. Someday, I'll be there. Right now, I enjoy visiting places where there are beaches, mountains, waterfalls, and trees, which are more peaceful and calm to visit. ![Untitled design (6).png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/itsmemarie/AKp9bBTWNXGyybnU2bVegAFkZstCWG6cqoFxa6jwNnRikp8WP7x57g3FAWCBFxc.png) ###### Hello Hivers! <3 I am here because I would love to be part of a community where I can share my experiences in life that hopefully can also inspire someone (I would love that). Thanks to @lhes and @wittyzell for introducing Hive to me and for the warm welcome. Though blogging is new for me, I would definitely love to write about all the beautiful thoughts in my mind, experiences, and learnings in life on this great platform.