#virtualvikki

1. Plans NEVER perfectly fall into place. 

When plans didn’t work out for me, even better/greater things came my way. It came in the form of new human connections, newfound passions and opportunities. Plan for your future but don’t be too hard on yourself if things don’t work out or you don’t hit the goals you’ve set for yourself.  

2. Live a little. No. Live a LOT.

If you’re on a wake up - go to work - count down the hours - go home - sleep - repeat type of cycle, I’m sorry to break it to you but you’re not actually living. Ok. Hear me out. I know how a lot of us are neck deep into our career and life goals or are pressured out of our minds from societal expectations of success but please. Recognize the fact that you only live through your 20s once. Do things that make you feel alive.

3. Grow at your own pace.

As a naturally competitive person, I’m constantly out doing strides towards self-improvement and career growth. It took me a while to just calm tf down and do my own thing. The more people I met and the more conversations I had, the more I came to realize that we all have different backgrounds, different goals, different passions. The fact is, we’re all just figuring life out.

4. Don’t be afraid to try!

May it be a new opportunity coming your way or on days curiosity sneaks up on you - there’s no harm in giving it a shot! As Wayne Gretzky said, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. It gets scary at times especially when it involves big changes like a new job, leaving home, or a difficult skill but trust me when I say, trying is better than living with ‘what ifs’.

5. Impostor Syndrome sucks.

A friend once told me mid convo at work, ‘Why are you putting yourself down? You’ve done great work!’ That was the moment I realized I get Impostor Syndrome and how it has prevented me from being the best I could be. From that moment I became more self-aware and learned to not let self-doubt get to me. But it happens, even to the most accomplished people out there. 

6. Don’t let unnecessary pressure get to you.

Coming from a traditional Asian family, there are certain pressures and expectations that have been ingrained in me growing up. From when to get married to the career path I choose and well, everything else in between! But honestly, moving out after uni, leaving a toxic relationship and deciding to build my own life was the best thing I ever did for myself. Remember, this is your life and nobody else’s. Prioritize your happiness.

7. Invest in yourself.

This spans out to a number of things: self-care, health, mental health, education and more. Go on a trip, buy yourself that online program, or treat yourself to a spa day! We tend to forget about ourselves in the midst of dealing with our quarter life crisis. But really, if anything, this is the time for you to focus on yourself more.

Hi, guys! My name is Vikki. I’m a 20-something world citizen or whatever people who don’t have a long term permanent residence calls it. Having to travel a lot for both work and leisure, I created ‘Virtual Vikki’ as a way to stay connected with my friends and be present even in a virtual way through the utilization of social media. Although I live a very fluid and at times nomadic lifestyle, Japan was my ‘homebase’ from 2016-mid 2019.

Living the gaijin life in Japan land.

My first visit to Japan was back in 2015 when I was still finishing up my degree in uni back in Manila. It was just a spontaneous weekend getaway but that’s all it took to convince me to move to Japan.

After graduating, I got into a uni in Tokyo for further studies. Coming to Japan as a tourist and as a student were totally different experiences. Apart from studying, I explored the city, lived like a local, tried starting a business and created some crazy memories in between.

Accidental Nomad.

After my program in Tokyo, I continued on with pursuing further studies in Kansai where I lived for a few months. After finishing my program in Kyoto, I decided to go backpacking for a bit around Japan and in other countries as well because eat-pray-love is a real thing.

While I was living the nomadic lifestyle of jumping from one city and country to another (basically the moment when I thought my life in Japan was over), I managed to land a job in Tokyo. This transition gave me the chance to come back to the big city. With the type of job I did and working in the tech scene, I was lucky enough to travel a lot for work plus had the flexibility to go on trips because working remotely is normal in our field.

This lifestyle came with new learnings and realizations along the way. I continued gathering thoughts, collecting memories and creating valuable connections. Life has been pretty crazy hectic but - to say it simply - fun!

It wasn’t until an old trip to India in 2015 was brought up during a chat with my family that I remembered that this blog existed. Looking back at my posts, I decided it’s about time I pull this project out of the graveyard and off of the drawing board and bring it to life again.

So why am I back?

I have always wanted a space to share my stories. I always have since I was 14. Just Google me and a bunch of blogs and accounts of past lives of mine will resurface. Now I’m in a whole different chapter and so much has changed. My mindset, the way I see life, my experiences, and everything else in between. So why the hell not? On this blog I will be talking about -

- Travel

I may not be a seasoned traveler or your typical nomad rocking braids in my hair but I know I’m not the only one living this sort of lifestyle. Come here for some tips, tricks and stories of my travel (mis)adventures!

- Tech

No, not like reviewing cameras and telling you which iPhone to buy. I’d like to share my stories about working in tech and what it’s really like to be in this field. Spoiler: I have zero tech background! (For now hehe)

- Life

Keeping it true to its original goal, this blog will continue to be my online equivalent as I share my stories, thoughts and ideas as an attempt to stay connected to you.

I graduated with a degree on International Relations majoring in Japanese Studies, I interned at a Japanese owned publication in Makati, and all the companies who actually called me back after the uni job fair were all Japanese firms. No shit though, right? Those were the obvious answers. But here’s the lowdown, I hated my undergrad. When I graduated, I couldn’t even introduce myself properly in Nihongo. (Fun Fact: my Nihongo sensei back in uni hated me lol) I vowed I’d never open another MNN book nor utter anything Japanese ever again. But alas, here I am. Sitting on my futon in this 5 degree weather typing this instead of working on my happyou (presentation). 

I may have hated my undergrad and everything that came with it but I instantly fell in love with Japan during my first visit back in 2015. I have always planned to study abroad after graduating but I have always been dead-set on taking an MBA like my brother did. After going to MBA events and orientations I realized that I wanted to step out of the fixed path I have set myself. I initially didn’t want to but with a bit of push from my brother, I realized that it felt right to give Japan a shot.  I only applied to the best universities in Tokyo because, honestly, I had nothing to lose. And well, here I am! I honestly couldn’t believe it. From then on, everything happened so fast. Next thing I knew I was flying out to Tokyo without a return ticket in hand. 

So, why Japan? Here are the top five reasons why:  

1. I hated my undergrad but I had to make it work to my advantage. 

2. As brave as I am to be away from home, I am also pretty scared and this is the safest country I know. 

3. Personal circumstances showed me that it was meant to be.

4. I am never going to get this chance again. (I think.)

5. This whole thing gave me a chance to grab life by the balls and charge through it without a single care in the world. 

Plus, sushi and ramen, man. How can I say no to that? 

That’s pretty much why I chose to take my postgrad here. I think I made a pretty good choice considering I decided on a whim and practically said yes to everything that came along the way. Let this be a reminder that you can truly have whatever you want as long as you claim it. Don’t be afraid to take a chance.

1. Hard work pays off.

From finishing my requirements in order to graduate to applying for a job, I realized that working your ass off will always be worth it in the end.

2. Spontaneous decisions make great memories.

A lot of unforgettable and fun memories that I made from the past year were all made possible by spur of the moment decisions. I colored my hair purple, I traveled a lot, and I got into a lot of different things!

3. Take risks and learn from them.

I cannot count the number of times that I was pushed down and rejected in 2015 but not trying at all would be a greater disappointment. Doing a bunch of things like starting Style Market Manila, going into job interviews for positions that I could only dream of, and so on taught me so much.

4. Adulting can be fun.

I whined about figuring out adult life the past year mainly because I felt so lost. After figuring my shit out (kinda), I am now able to enjoy my disposition right now. It’s nowhere near perfect but hey, I survived! 

5. Everyone lies.

I hated facing and accepting this fact but being lied to countless times in my face the past year made it possible. Nothing hurts more than seeing someone tell you their version of the truth when you know it’s a lie.

6. Don’t regret the money you lose on experience.

Probably one of the best things I learned the past year. For the first time, I traveled using my own personal money and I have zero regrets! Every peso was worth it. The memories that I have made, the people that I have met and the fun that I’ve had are irreplaceable.

7. Love yourself.

I suck at this but the past year taught me how to leave a little bit for myself. I learned to prioritize myself, my dreams, my goals and my happiness in 2015. This changed me the most.

8. Tough times don’t last.

I am a very realistic (err... pessimistic, at times) person so I’m not big on happily ever afters and all that rainbows and butterflies kind of stuff but the past year made me appreciate the yang to my yin. When there is bad, there is good. It’s only a matter of perspective.

9. Communication is key.

Simply saying what you truly feel could make a whole lot of difference.

10. Claim it and it shall be yours.

Believing in my capabilities, telling myself that I can, and putting action into it greatly improved my character the past year. If you think that you can, chances are you’ll get whatever it is that you want!

11. A better boss ass bitch.

Stop being a pussy and have the balls to fight for what you want. I became bolder, braver and stronger the past year. With all the BS that life threw my way, I managed to deal with every single one of it without even breaking a nail. I totes owned it.

Thank you 2015 for making this a tough year. I wouldn’t have seen my real potential if you went easy on me. Now I can truly say that I am so ready to take the new year by the horns! 

Happy New Year everyone! May this be our year for claiming success, reaching our goals and living life to the fullest. Bring it on, 2016!

1.BLOG MORE : You must post at least one entry every week. Put this blog to good use, future self! You know you enjoy writing as much as you love talking so use this as an outlet for rants, fashion posts, reviews, and well, pretty much anything that you feel like writing about.

2. SAY YES TO A HEALTHIER YOU! : That means eating healthy, living healthy and loving yourself. You must improve your health physically, mentally, and emotionally. Be active again. Play sports, do Insanity, practice yoga, and more! Do anything that will be good for you. Learn to say no to the bad stuff no matter how sweet or how cheesy it may be. Get your rockin’ bod back, baby girl! Also, learn how to control your emotions and your temper. Try your best not to over-think too much. Nothing is ever in control. It’s all a matter of perspective. 

3. READ 10 BOOKS : I know how much you miss reading books that aren’t filled with Japanese characters. When you’re done with school, grab a novel of your choice and be a hermit! If you read more than 10 books, that’ll be great too!

4. MAKE YOUR PLANS HAPPEN : At least three major plans, please! That business plan that you have been building for years now deserves to be pulled out of your files and placed into action. Don’t be scared to fail. It’s going to be a great experience! And if you feel that it’s too big for tiny you, just think of all the successful people who probably felt the same way but decided not to give up. If they made it, you can definitely make it too!

5. LEARN NEW THINGS : You have to learn at least one new thing every month. Get out of your comfort zone and just go for it. Also, learn more academically, if possible. It would be great if we had more credentials on our resume, future V!

6. TRAVEL, EXPLORE, GO ON ADVENTURES! : It doesn’t have to be something as great as going to the other side of the world (Would be great though!). Just go out and awaken your inner Wanderslut! Go on fun, spontaneous and crazy trips that you will remember forever. (Document everything so you won’t forget! You know how we are.)

7. SAVE UP : You’re not getting any younger, girl. You have to start taking control of your financial life! Stop storing your money in a secret spot in your room and finally commit to saving up for the future. Open a new bank account and save a good amount every month.

8. WORK HARD, PLAY HARD! : Don’t be a stressed out pengu who worries about everything too much. Work your hardest but never ever forget to take a break from time to time. You deserve it! 

9. VOLUNTEER : May it be for a big thing or just something within your community, try to help out and give back as much as you can. May the rest of your year meaningful!

10. RECONNECT AND FIND NEW CONNECTIONS : I know you have been MIA for the last few years of uni and I know how sad you are that you’ve been missing out on a lot. This is the time to rekindle old friendships and make new ones! It’s gonna be great!

So, yeah. That’s pretty much it! 10 goals for the remaining half of my 2015. Hope I get to accomplish all of them. Wish me luck!