THATS A WRAP

It’s been a busy, beautiful, and eventful year so far—and I hope you’re buckled up for some big life updates!

To start: my mom came to visit for my birthday, and we had the most amazing time together. We baked the infamous vegan carrot cake (my absolute favorite!) and shared it with some truly incredible people who’ve been such a big part of my life in Curaçao. One morning, we even woke up at 2 a.m. to watch the lunar eclipse—which was absolutely insane. And of course, we went diving and soaked up every bit of quality time we could.

Now for the major update:
I’ve left Curaçao for an exciting new job opportunity! This move means more experience as a dive instructor, better pay, and the chance to continue my training with the goal of becoming a Staff Instructor by 2026. It’s a big step, and I’m so ready for it.

Oh, and surprise... I’m not doing this alone. Everyone—meet my boyfriend, Alaric :)

I could write a whole novel about him, but for now let’s just say you’ll be seeing a lot more of his wonderful face. Before starting our new contract, we’ve been soaking in some much-needed vacation and family time. His family flew into Curaçao, and we spent a dreamy final week at a villa overlooking the ocean. We ate delicious food, went diving with his dad, and brought the house down one last time at karaoke night.

From there, we flew to Texas, where Alaric got his first taste of authentic Texan BBQ—and I swear, he nearly passed out from the sheer joy of it. It was a heavenly experience (his words, not mine... but also, yes, mine).

We also spent a beautiful day with my mom, celebrating her just for being the amazing human she is. We relaxed in the river at the state park, soaking up the sun and good company. Alaric completely geeked out over the rocks (classic), and my mom was genuinely fascinated by everything he had to say. Honestly? It was kind of adorable.

I also got to introduce him to my best friend, Shelby, and we had such a fun night out Austin—laughing, wrestling (Shelby gets excited sometimes), and making memories that undoubtedly bonded us for life.

We then took off to Chicago, where I got my first taste of the cold crisp breeze off Lake Michigan, snapped the iconic selfie at The Bean, and had the pleasure of meeting Alaric’s friends. In a few days, we’re heading to Wisconsin to spend some time with his parents before we both fly out for our new jobs—starting June 1st!

We’re still working as dive instructors, and we’re beyond ready to be back in the water, teaching, exploring, and doing what we love.

After spending a full year in Curaçao, my heart is full. I’m endlessly grateful for the people I met and for all the weird, awkward, embarrassing, exciting, hilarious, challenging, frustrating, and completely wholesome moments that filled that chapter. I gained priceless dive experience, met some unforgettable humans—and most unexpectedly, met the love of my life.

Curaçao treated me so well. But something tells me this next chapter will be even better.

Please enjoy some random snapshots from the last few months—celebrations, dives, and sweet little moments as I soaked up every last drop of island magic. I of course had my camera on me so go check out the 2025 gallery for some awesome pictures of our adventures :)

Stay tuned for an update on how we settle into our new apartment and jobs!

xxoo