Hey i'm Melissa! I'll be steeming my migration to my ultimate destination - the Philippine Islands. I'm ex-Navy, was stationed in Subic Bay in the 1980's and I never forgot the beautiful islands and welcoming culture. 30 years later, and exploring different options for retirement, I started following numerous Philippine expats on YouTube. A year later (January 2017) I made my first trip back, flying into and staying in Manila for 10 days. As soon as I exited the airport and was out on the street, I knew I had made the right decision for me. I made another trip in May 2017 (I just got back a week ago and still suffering jet lag haha) and was able to solidify my resolve to make the move.
I still have a few years to go. So far, i've downsized physically quite a bit. I've sold my home while the market was hot (didn't want to get caught in a recession) and went from a 3 bedroom to a 1 bedroom apartment. Got rid of unnecessary clothing, household items and furniture. Kinda doing the minimalist thing. Trying to live on a budget, which is hard. I'm used to buying what I want when I want, and making the transition to living on a financial "schedule" is not easy.
Feel free to follow. I just got here (to Steemit) so i'll be posting pretty regularly. I have a YT account (M'Liss A) where i've uploaded a few of my adventures while traveling, but i'd like to try this new concept to see how I like it. Safe travels everyone and thanks for reading.