I LEFT CANADA! Eventful February Recap

So let’s address the elephant in the room—yes, I officially left Vancouver for good!!! I always knew I wouldn’t stay there forever, but I really didn’t think I’d be packing up this soon.

Now, a wild thing happened… I documented my last 10 days in Canada, and somehow, it went viral! I’m still in shock at how many of you decided to follow along on this journey. I’ve been creating content since 2019, but for years, I struggled to grow an audience. This series? It wasn’t even about chasing views—I made it for me, to capture a huge transition in my life. But then… people started watching, and not just watching—reaching out to tell me my videos inspired them🥺

Reading those heartfelt messages really confirmed something for me—this is my calling. This is why I do what I do. To create, share and connect. Was uploading every single day for 10 days brutal? Oh, absolutely. (I don’t batch my content, so every day was a cycle of filming, scripting, editing—then waking up and doing it all over again. On top of that I was trying to grab dinners with my friends one last time. RIP my sleep schedule) But seeing the impact? 100% worth it.

If you wanna check out the series and see my chaotic and emotional final days in Canada, here’s the link!

Thank you for being here. Seriously. This is just the beginning. 💛

📚WHAT I’VE BEEN READING

Since February is basically the month of love (shoutout to Valentine’s Day), I figured it was the perfect time to dive into Conversations on Love by Natasha Lunn.

In this book, journalist Natasha Lunn sets out to understand how relationships evolve over a lifetime. She interviews authors and experts, exploring those three big, universal questions:

How do we find love?
How do we sustain it?
And how do we survive when we lose it?

here are some of my favorite quotes from the book

• You can be seen by various people in different ways, and no one person, not even your parents, can really see the whole of who you are.

• The other part was a more gradual understanding that nothing is consistent, and no one is perfect. Everyone is going to disappoint you, even your parents.

• Acceptance understanding that there are many ways to love and be loved outside of a relationship.

• If being loved is your goal, you will fail to achieve it.

• Nobody is right for anyone. Actually, what makes somebody right is commitment. Then when you’re committed to each other and you have true dialogue, that means you allow the other to impact upon you and they allow you to impact on them. You’re not rigid and unchanging; you are moved by each other. It’s like two stones rubbing together until suddenly they fit.

• I think that the search for love, as I understand a lot of my life and my work to be, is also the search to see that I already have it.

One thing that really stuck with me? Even though I don’t have romantic love in my life right now, I’m surrounded by love. This book low-key rewired my hopeless romantic brain and made me realize that platonic love deserves just as much appreciation. For the longest time, I thought I needed a partner who knew me inside out, but maybe… the key is knowing myself inside out first. And as long as I have someone who supports me wholeheartedly, that’s what really matters.

So, that’s where I’m at—romanticizing all kinds of love and appreciating the incredible people already in my life.

🚛 SHIPPING MY LIFE AWAY (LITERALLY)

Huge shoutout to Crazybuy, the real MVP of my moving process! They helped me ship my entire life back to Taiwan, so I could show up in LA like a minimalist queen—with just a carry-on. Blessed!

They’ve been in the business for years, helping people ship packages and luggage from Canada and the U.S. to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China. I opted for their shipping service, but they also offer air transportation if you need things faster! A friend highly recommended them to me, and now I see why.

Their customer service was super responsive. I got a response within 1-2 hours every time. Their website was clear and easy to follow. My favorite part is that they actually ship 28-inch checked in luggage, which not many companies do.

🌆 DESTINATION SPOTLIGHT: LOS ANGELES, CA

Currently soaking up the sun in LA for a 14-day detour before heading home

🏠Accommodation
Thankfully, I’m couch surfing—because let’s be real, I definitely couldn’t afford another 14 days of LA rent. My host pays $2300 for a one-bedroom apartment. But free accommodation comes with responsibilities, so I’m helping out with cleaning, taking out the trash and cooking dinner sometimes.

Oh, and in exchange, I may or may not have transformed my host into a total baddie for a video. Stay tuned for that masterpiece 🤣

🚎 Transportation
This trip made me realize… I really need to graduate from being a Passenger Princess. My fear of driving is costing me big time—I’ve already spent $350 on Uber in just two weeks. I love LA, but seriously, why is public transportation so ass?!

🌮 Food
Tacos Los Cholos is my absolute favorite taco spot is in Anaheim. Make sure to get the premium tacos. The meat is juicy, they do not skimp on portions, and every bite is perfection. Just a heads-up, though—it’s always packed. Last time, we waited 30 minutes just for takeout.

📚 Storytime
GUYS, YOU WON’T BELIEVE THIS… I MET EMMA WATSON!!!! So I was at the Huntington Library with my host, taking in the scenery, completely oblivious to the world. Meanwhile, my host suddenly freezes and whispers, "I think that’s Emma Watson." She walked right past us, but she had sunglasses on, so we weren’t 100% sure. For a solid 5 minutes, we just stood there debating—Is it really her? Should we go up to her? We were this close to chickening out, but then—we heard the British accent.

Finally, we decided to shoot our shot and go say hi… and guess what? IT WAS HER.

That’s a wrap on my little LA adventure—next time you hear from me, I’ll be back in Taiwan! In the meantime, come hang out with me on Instagram for more fun updates.

Sending love,

Sammie