My Little Chinatown

I obtained my Registered Nurse license in Hawaii and I took additional classes (MedSurg and OB) required to me by the California Board of Nursing. I explained the costs and I shared some tips as well. 

Time stamps: 

Brief story of my endorsement process:↘ 0:49 

Where did I take my Medsurg and OB: ↘2:18 (Future Tech Institute - Miami, Florida)

The cost: ↘3:31 

Was it worth it? ↘5:50 

Tips on how to be successful in applying for endorsement: ↘7:40 

Few schools I know in California that offer Med Surg and OB classes, Please contact their admission department for details! 

University of San Bernardino 

American University of Health and Sciences

 Loma Linda University 

Dominican College East Los Angeles College 

**For the complete list of accredited schools: https://www.rn.ca.gov/education/rnpro... 

I Passed My NCLEX-RN in 2018 as a Foreign Graduate | How To Prepare For NCLEX RN 

I am currently using Lavendaire’s Artist of Life workbook and I am excited to write down my goals for 2019!

What are your 2019 goals?

CONNECT WITH ME

I am licensed in the state of Hawaii and I am in the process of transferring my license to California.

The first time I applied for licensure in the state of California was in 2013. I got rejected and was asked to repeat the whole program because my NCM 102, 103, and 104 did not match the curriculum of California. It was devastating for me considering that I graduated on time and I fulfilled the requirements of my uni. I requested for my files to be forwarded instead 

In this video, I talked about my application for reciprocity journey and I shared some tips for fellow foreign graduate to make the application easier.

Here is a checklist that you can use for reference.

I will be starting school in August to make up for the deficiencies stated by the analyst of California Board of Nursing.

I will keep you updated!

DOWNLOAD CALIFORNIA APPLICATION FORMS HERE

CONNECT WITH ME

I remember during my first year of living in Los Angeles, I got homesick I wanted to go back to the Philippines. This was when I felt stagnant, broke, and indecisive of what I want to do. Many opportunities opened up to me when I decided to step out of my comfort zone and started exploring this beautiful city.

I met so many amazing, creative and inspiring people. Los Angeles truly has the most ambitious people and every story inspires me to work on my passion as well.

However, living in LA can be expensive.

In today’s video, I shared my experience of living in LA and I left some tips on how to survive in LA.

I hope you find this video helpful!

Which city do you want to live in?

CONNECT WITH ME

This tiny home only cost them $50k, by buying excess materials from builders and taking advantage of discounts using coupons and discount codes.

The interior is stunning. It’s bright, airy, and modern.

 They claim that living in a smaller space and embracing minimalism brought them closer as a family.

The bathroom has a regular toilet compared to other tiny homes which use composting toilet.

The comparison they provided during the tour was one of the reasons I became more interested in learning about living tiny. Lowering the cost up to 70% is a huge saving! To know more about the Mejia family and tiny house living, check out Living Tiny in LA website.

CONNECT WITH ME

Buhawi Meneses is a bassist player for the band Parokya ni Edgar, and Space Diaries, and an advocate for Greenpeace Philippines. Febe Meneses was a part of Startalk’s “Tigbak Authority” in the Philippines.

When I first introduced the idea of doing the challenge to Buwi, he was excited about it. His intention was to share this experience with the family so his boys can learn to be conscious as well.

It’s very usual for parents to shop convenient items especially when they have kids. Being a parent is hard work and being efficient is a priority.

When I toured their home, I found out that most of their trash comes from food packaging and junk mail. The kids enjoy chips and candies which always come in packaging. I am proud of how proactive the Meneses kids are, they were showing off their “zero waste kit” to me and they were asking smart questions!

Thank you Meneses family for trying out living zero waste!

CONNECT WITH THEM

Febe Meneses

Buwi Meneses

CONNECT WITH ME

 I’ve been working as a nurse for four years now and my workplace is the complete opposite of how I live my life.

From syringes to medication cards, oxygen tubes to fluid infusion bags, they all come packaged in plastic. To be honest, plastic is really helpful in the healthcare setting. As healthcare providers, prevention is what we always promote. We need to keep patients healthy to prevent them from exposure to diseases. We prevent contamination by using disposable items.

I want to be transparent with my journey. As I always emphasize, zero waste is a GOAL. It’s not all about who can fit their trash in a jar. I tried collecting it for a year but I realized that balance is a key to keep a healthy mindset and thrive with this lifestyle.

If you want to learn more about the kinds of medical waste I produce on a daily basis, check out this video.

How about you? What is your day job and does it align with your zero waste values?

CONNECT WITH ME

Julie and I talked about her favorite zero waste swaps. Julie owns a pop-up shop called Bring Your Own Long Beach. She sells zero waste items like bamboo toothbrush, reusable produce bags, safety razors, mason jars and so much more. She also sells bulk items and you can buy them in your own container! 

PRODUCTS MENTIONED: Cotton bag↘ https://bit.ly/2Kw2Bxk Stainless steel straw↘ https://bit.ly/2Ior07k Bamboo toothbrush↘ https://bit.ly/2GpYMXV Utensils↘ https://bit.ly/2rMhzHK Swedish dishcloth↘ https://bit.ly/2IncwJ9 Safety Razor↘ https://bit.ly/2KsdDDW

Going zero waste doesn’t mean you have to buy brand new stuff. Simply using up what you already own is better. 

CONNECT WITH HER

We chatted about her usual trash and I learned that she accumulates a lot of packaging waste. As a Youtuber, she gets sent a lot of PR packages, and it’s amusing to see it up close.

Check out our video and let us know what you think!

Also, we did another video about my Zero Waste Kit on her channel, so please check it out!

Aileen Xu is the founder of Lavendaire.

Lavendaire is a blog about personal growth & lifestyle design. She shares weekly knowledge and inspiration on becoming your best self and creating your dream life. 

On this episode, Aileen and I talked about what Zero Waste is, how to transition, and I shared few tips on how to be successful in practicing the lifestyle!

I met Aileen at a studio opening party. I approached her and thanked her for using her platform to spread awareness about Zero Waste! I’ve been watching her videos for a long time. It’s such an honor to be invited on her podcast and I had the chance to talk about something I’m truly passionate about.

We also have video collaborations coming up very soon! I can’t wait to share it with you guys!

I am excited about the Zero Waste movement to flourish. We only have one planet and I’d like the future generations to have access to clean water, clean air, and beautiful surroundings.

LL 073: Starting Your Zero Waste Journey w/ Jamie Kate Adoc

You can also view the episode here:

iTunes - http://apple.co/2rukH9O

SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/lavendaire/starting-your-zero-waste-journey-w-jamie-kate-adoc

Let us know what you think!

As I look back, I am amazed at how much I’ve grown.

I’ve struggled with anxiety when I was young. I didn’t know how to handle my personal issues well. I’ve hurt people along the way, I pushed away those who try to fix me and I guarded myself too hard.

As I mature, I learned to be more vulnerable. I learned to open up and be honest about how I feel. I learned to let go of ill feelings, and forgive those who’ve hurt me. 

The change didn’t come quickly, but I am at peace knowing that I am always striving to be the best version of me every day.

I hope you get to know me and the important people in my life by watching this video.

If you can turn back time, what will you say to your younger self?

Being on the road a lot means relying heavily on packaged and drive-thru meals. Check out how his 5-day zero waste challenge went! I hope you also find this inspirational if you are interested in becoming a news journalist!

CONNECT WITH STEVE:

I get you.

At first, I also thought of the same thing. But since I’ve been living this lifestyle for two years, I now know where to shop and what items I buy on a regular basis.

If you are a Zero Waste Beginner, this video is for you.

I challenged myself to stick to a small budget and come up with meals that will satisfy me for at least three days. 

MY RULES: 

Do not exceed the $15 budget. Since I am preparing for three days worth of meals, $15 should be enough.

 Only buy the ingredients I don’t have at home. I should use up ingredients that I have in my pantry. I always make sure that my staple items are replenished when I’m running low. I have rice, spaghetti pasta, plant-based milk, and spices at all times.

 Try my best to choose recyclable packaging if package-free is not an option. The 99cents store is not a package-free store. To be honest, it is the complete opposite. So if I can’t find ingredients package-free, I will buy items in recyclable or compostable packaging.

     4.  Prepare meals that are satiating. I need to stretch out my budget and be smart with my meal preparation. Eating cheap doesn’t mean the meals are crappy. I need to be creative!

BREAKDOWN OF WASTE:

RECYCLE: Chocolate box, foil lining, pasta carton, pumpkin puree can, tomato sauce can, and glass bottle (sparkling apple juice)

COMPOST: [can be] Pasta carton, veggie scraps

TRASH: Plastic lid & plastic seal (Oatmeal), plastic window (Pasta Box), Plastic produce sticker (Bell peppers) and Plastic wrap (Cauliflower)

FINAL SAY:

When you are starting out, you can opt for items in recyclable material. Although recycling is NOT the solution to our waste because it requires a huge amount of energy, it is a good stepping stone while learning how to transition. Living Zero Waste is a learning process. Our system is still flawed. But what’s important is the effort that you make to learn how to make better choices to produce less waste. 

As I always emphasize, the term ZERO WASTE doesn’t mean there is NO TRASH AT ALL. It is a GOAL. 

I hope you find this video helpful!

Follow my Zero Journey!