Adventures of Awkward Amy

05/06/2024

pov: you’re scrolling through my long-lost photos from my trips to china last year 🤪

📍pudong, shanghai circa fall 2023

01/12/2023

life lately in hawaii 🤙🏻🌈🏝...
the perfect swimsuit for my first-ever SUP yoga class! 🧘🏻‍♀️

🩱 Jackson 4 Swim Onesie in Lavender
🏄🏻‍♀️ SUP yoga with

10/11/2023

🗻 mt fuji views

I'm SO happy that I made the trek out to see Mt. Fuji because the day that I took the Shinkansen down to Kyoto, it was pouring rain, so I didn't see Mt. Fuji at all!

🎥 the full vlog is live on YT!

🇯🇵 don’t forget to follow for more Japan travel and fun!

01/11/2023

Tokyo was...overwhelming to say the least. BUT I get why animes look the way they do now because Tokyo is frickin' picturesque as heck! 😻

📍 Sensō-ji
📍 Yokohama Chinatown
📍 Tokyo Station
📍 Shibuya Sky

31/07/2023

There are 5 wonders of Alishan ⛰️ sunrise, sea of clouds, forest, sunset, and railway. Unfortunately, it was a bit rainy and cloudy when I visited so I wasn’t able to see any sunsets out of the two nights I spent there. LUCKILY, I was able to catch the coveted sunrise though.

📍Alishan National Forest Recreation Area
💲300NT park entrance fee (you can find discounted tickets on though 😉)
🚂 You can take car, bus (no. 7322 from Chiayi TRA train station or no. 7329 from the Chiayi THSR station) , or train to Alishan. For train, your journey will start at the Chiayi TRA train station. Currently the forest railway only goes to the Fenqihu train station, so you’ll need to switch to bus 7322 or private shuttle here.

✨PRO TIP
✔️ 2 days and 1 night is plenty sufficient to explore the park and gives you a chance to catch the sunrise
✔️ If you like tea, stop by Shizhuo on the way up or down from Alishan. This is where all of the AlisnMountain tea farms are actually located
✔️ If you tend to fall asleep on vehicles like me, skip the train ride and just take the bus - it’s faster and cheaper, too!
✔️ Bring warm clothes as it gets colder up the mountains
✔️ Book your accommodation in advance because they sell out quick! Especially if it’s during cherry blossom season 🌸 The blossoms bloom later due to the weather so it’s like mid March-first week of April.

📌 Save this for your next trip to Taiwan! 🇹🇼

#台灣景點 #台灣旅遊 #阿里山景點 #阿里山

17/07/2023

sun moon lake photo dump 📸

1) did you know that the stacked frogs are used to gauge the water levels of the lake? 🐸 usually you can only see the top three or four so we went when it was particularly dry
2) temple views just hit different 🐉
3) my favorite snack - roasted rice cake on a stick drizzled with condensed milk and oolong tea flakes
4) views from the gondola 🚡
5) view on the gondola 🤪
6) that time we hitchhiked just to see a temple👍🏻
7) the funnest travel companion to get into shenanigans with

🎥 full vlog with more shenanigans is now live on youtube! 🔗 link in bio

#日月潭 #日月潭景點 #台中旅遊 #南投景點

20/06/2023

🤫 read on for my best kept secret for meeting new people and making friends abroad…

If you want to travel slow or on a budget, definitely look into this underrated way of traveling - WORK EXCHANGES!

The reason why Keelung has a special place in my heart is because of these lovely folks that I got to meet along the way 💕 and I would have never met them if not for a work exchange I did while there. Heck, I probably wouldn’t have even visited Keelung!

🔎 what is work exchange?
These are opportunities for you, as a traveler, to provide some sort of labor and/or value in return for free room and board! Depending on the host, the work can vary from helping with light cleaning and maintenance of a hostel, pitching in on a permaculture farm, to helping others with practicing a language. The work is kind of like a part time job, consisting of 4-5 hours/day for 5 days/week. Most hosts prefer at least a week or two minimum stay. But again, the specific time commitment is usually up to the discretion of the host.

📝 benefits of work exchanges
✅ you can meet people and make friends through the hosts and other helpers
✅ the hosts are usually keen to show you around and suggest interesting, more local spots of the place you are visiting
✅ experience a place through more than just sightseeing and create unforgettable memories and connections along the way!

💻 how to find these work exchange opportunities?
There are a lot of sites dedicated to posting these kinds of work exchange opportunities, ie Workaway, Helpx, Worldpackers, Facebook groups (… and probably more!)

⚠️ Some of these sites do require an annual subscription to reach out to the hosts via the platform.

➡️ send this to someone who would love to do a work exchange!

07/06/2023

this small, but mighty harbor city holds a special place in my heart 💜

#台灣 #基隆 #台灣旅遊 #日常の風景

24/04/2023

📸 photo dump (grand view resort edition)
1) free breakfast that was basically my lunch that day 🤤
2-4) some nommy highlights from dinner 🍽️ (scallop, lobster, and mullet roe fried rice)
5) free tea from the room that i most definitely took and gifted to my dad 😂
6) grand view during the day ☀️
7) grand view at night 🌙
8) i am a robe gal now 🧖‍♀️
9) hot spring eerday - outtake thumbnail for my previous reels

not me posting a photo dump from my first weeks in taiwan during my last week here 🙊

#台灣旅遊 #北投溫泉 #台北住宿

22/03/2023

a quick recap of some of my fave foods from the first weeks in taiwan 🇹🇼

1) ALL THE FRUITS!
2) special shoutout to my all-time favorite fruit - sweet sop or 釋迦shijia
3) medicinal herb pork rib soup from raohe night market. this may be the best soup i have ever had in my life. bold words for a soup-lover
4) boiled mochi from ningxia market 🤤
5) black tea ice cream from maokong 🍦🫖
6) beef noodle soup set from . Empty bowl shot cuz THAT’S HOW GOOD IT WAS 🍜
7) the most aesthetic desserts from
8) the most expensive continental breakfast meal from
9) the happiest amy 😊

➡️ Follow along my ig stories for more food and adventures

15/03/2023

📸 tokyo layover photo dump

1) danygom is the best travel companion 💜
2) sunsets from the plane are another level of ~*ViBeS*~
3) send noods, 🚫 nudes, thnx
4) when there’s a mirror, there’s a mirror selfie somewhere
5) tokyo tower at night 🗼
6) tokyo tower at dusk 🌅
7) vending machine finds *note to self, must try these soups
8) this was one of the BEST airline meals i have ever had 🤤

07/02/2023

Busan is more than just the safe zone from zombies! Check out what there is to see and do in this beautiful city in the south

top 20 things to see, do (and eat!) in busan 🇰🇷 korea travel guide ☆ check out the SeoulBox snack subscription box service ...

24/01/2023

I’m back woth more Korea travel tips! Today we’re talking about what Korean you ACTUALLY will be using on a daily basis when traveling. Don’t forget to follow for more travel videos to come :)

top korean phrases to know for tourists (what I actually used everyday!!) Are you worried about traveling...

21/12/2022

📸 maui photo dump 🏝️🌈🤙🏻

1) sunset palms at its finest
2) barely missed my first sunset in maui trying to look for parking
3) am i a food vlogger now???!
4) no worries, be happy 🤙🏻
5) the endless lava rocks path to a beach
6) first time i willingly went to see the daybreak
7) no words 🤩
8) head above the (floofy) clouds ☁️
9) obligatory ‘hi im in hawaii at yet another beach’ pic
10) hope you had fun following along my maui adventures :)

finally time to start wrapping up my maui trip content, just in time as we gear up to wrap up the year

06/12/2022

One of my biggest points of stress is when I finish a product and am forced to try something new while traveling. This is what happened with my moisturizer. Thank goodness the newest addition to my skincare routine did not disappoint.

🔹 Calming Rich Cream Redness Relief*
🛍️ Retails for $24 USD / 1.7fl oz

✔️ Lightweight, but sufficiently hydrating
✔️ Packed with barrier boosting ingredients and antioxidants to repair and restore your skin barrier
✔️ Suitable for sensitive skin and preventing irritation
⚠️ The bottle is taller than the rest of the line which messed with my ocd, but at least you get more product 😅

I was expecting this to be a rich and thick cream, what with the avocado and all, but in actuality, it was a pretty normal consistency. It blends in really easily and is lightweight. I usually prefer a heavier and denser moisturizer, but this has been quite nice in the humid Hawaii weather. I will probably save this as a summer moisturizer when I get home though since I don't think it will be enough to combat the cold, dry California winter.

Only a few days left in paradise, but no worries! That just means I'll finally be on top of posting again and show you more Maui/Hawaii content. 🥑 Avo great day!

*product gifted by brand with no obligation to post

17/11/2022

Does anyone else get super low energy by like 3 or 4PM? My energy is so easily drained when I'm out and about that I always make sure that I have a snack or two in my bag these days. That's why I was quite excited to try these new snacks!

🔹 Ssaridang Rice Snack Chips Balls

Unfortunately, these were not quite what I had imagined this to be. I thought it would be like a true rice cracker. But instead, it's like a malt rice puff that melts in your mouth almost instantly. It's not bad per se, just very unexpected. I think I would enjoy it more if there was more chew to the snack. It melts so fast that it makes me feel like I'm just eating pure sugar as if it were cotton candy. Plus side, there is no added sugar, so it's all just natural sweetness shining through.

💭Have you tried anything like this before?

13/11/2022

I’m back with part two of my Korea travel guide series! Check it out for more suggestions on what you can do in Seoul and even explore other cities within Korea! Make sure to subscribe to my channel for more Korea travel tips :)

I am back with more things for you to do in South Korea! This is the perfect list to consult if you are looking for things to do on your second or third trip...

13/11/2022

A little belated, but there were some real goodies in my empties this past month -

🔹 Micro Drizzle Hydro Toner
Perfect, no-fuss hydrating toner. I loved using this when my skin is acting up or being extra sensitive

🔹 .global Multi-Vitamin Refresh Toner
This opened up a whole new perspective on milky toners for me. I always thought milky toners were sticky for some reason, but this softened and hydrated my skin without leaving any weird residue and I absolutely LOVE it 😍

🔹 7% Mandelic Acid Gel Serum
Do I really need to talk about this serum again? 🤪 This has quickly become a ride-or-die in my routines. I legit feel like my skin is missing something if I go too long without using this.

🔹 Cicamanu Gel Cream
I was pleasantly surprised by this gel cream. It provided much longer lasting moisture than any other gel cream I’ve tried - while still feeling lightweight! Amazing!! It was the perfect balance for the fall transition 🍂

💭 What’s your empties count this past month?

10/11/2022

back to posting seattle travel content… here’s a photo dump (hot tub boat edition 🔥🪵🚤)

1) and my audition for a boba ad (dm/email for collabs)
2) channeling my inner influencer
3) embracing my awkward amy-ness
4) don’t mind me.. i’m just a girl and her boba
5) the back of yo head is ridikulus - but also that city view 😍
6) frandsfolyfe 👯‍♀️

28/10/2022

this is what my to-do list has been feeling like...EDIT. DO LAUNDRY. PACK. REPEAT 😵‍💫

I'm excited for all of my travel adventures though and I hope you're excited for more travel vlogs and posts 🙃

➡️ don’t forget to follow to see the latest and greatest 😉

24/10/2022

this is how i feel about mondays 😒
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I took this last week off from posting on Instagram and it was honestly SO liberating. I had time to just enjoy the process of editing and creating content without being on a constant rollercoaster ride dictated by reach and engagement rates. Now, I’m back with a bank full of content to post 😈 MWAHAHAHA
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
…but I still dread mondays and getting back on this rollercoaster ride 😔

21/10/2022

Are you planning on visiting Korea? Especially now that all restrictions are lifted, there’s no reason not to! I break down some of the most commonly suggested things to do in Seoul in this new video and also offer some bonus tips for the fall season 😉

Don’t forget to like and subscribe to my channel if you would like more travel guide videos like this!

Ever wondered what to do in Seoul for your first time visiting? I have compiled a list of 20+ things that you MUST do when you visit South Korea for the firs...

14/10/2022

𝚃𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚋𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎’𝚜 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚞𝚍.
-𝙼𝚊𝚢𝚊 𝙰𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚞

💭 Did you know that today is National I Love You Day? Make sure to tell your friends, family, any beloved one that you appreciate them 💕

04/10/2022

𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎.
- 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚜 𝙰. 𝙴𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚗
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

02/10/2022

Serving up some first impressions today for a brand that I have been real curious about for a while!

🔹 Travel Skincare Package
The brand is known for its unique Jeju Botanical Complex which consists of eight plants that are native and organically produced in Jeju Island, Korea: Lotus Leaf, Aloe Vera Leaf, Green Tea, Rice, Tangerine Peel, Rosemary, Lotus Root, and Cactus Fruit.

⚠️ The brand does use quite a bit of essential oils in its formulations so the products are also quite fragranced. The scent is not overly strong, but very distinct. I’m a little sad about it since the scent is more perfume-y than I prefer.

▪️Jeju Botanical Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA++++
This 100% chemical sunscreen has a thick, creamy texture that blends beautifully into the skin. It's actually my favorite type of finish - leaves my skin feeling moisturized without looking too dewy or anything other than like my ACTUAL skin. This product was the reason why I wanted to try the brand so badly and it did not disappoint 👍🏻

▪️Jeju Lotus Leaf & Camelia Mist
The mist nozzle on this is SO FINE! Like wow I’m impressed. But it’s also very wide spread, so don’t expect a high concentration of it to actually hit your face 🙈

▪️Amenity Set (comes with cleanser, essence, and cream)
I love the packaging on this travel set. It's not bulky and not prone to spillage in toiletry bags. The only thing is the essence is a bit more watery, so I have to be careful when squeezing the product out. All three products are really nice - the cleanser was not stripping, the essence is lightweight, and the cream sinks into the skin nicely and is quite moisturizing. I am excited to bring this on my next trip!

💭 Which product of the set would you want to try out?

➡️ Follow for more skincare reviews

28/09/2022

the 8Greens Daily Powder Sticks in the cucumber & watermelon flavor and now I can finally have all the nutrients that I need in my daily life. Could I just actually eat vegetables? Maybe. But I am lazy 😬
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Ok but jokes aside, this would actually be great for those who are traveling because it’s always hard to make sure you have a balanced diet when you’re always eating out.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Did you know that one powder stick contains as much-
🥦 Vitamin B5 as 15 cups of broccoli
🍊 Vitamin C as 6 oranges
🥬 Vitamin B6 as 6 cups of spinach
🥛 Vitamin B12 as 7 cups of milk
🫒 (

27/09/2022

Ever want to eat street food like they do in K-dramas? Learn what a classic traditional Korean bunsik meal is made up of and how to eat it like a pro! Bonus clips on drinking tips and how to eat bossam too 😉

Lets talk traditional korean street food, specifically bunsik dishes, like tteokbokki, kimbap, soondae, eomuk, and twigim!These iconic street food dishes are...

14/09/2022

✨ｒｅｖｉｅｗ✨
Did you know that the skin around our eyes are naturally thinner and is lacking in oil glands?? So not only is it more vulnerable to showing signs of aging more quickly, but it lacks the necessary means to keep this skin moist too!

🔹 Caffeine Eye Cream
🛍 Retails for $9.99USD / 15ml

✔️ Lightweight and hydrated
✔️ Not scented
⚠️ Kind of cheap packaging, the printing has smudged over time (swipe ➡️ to the end to see what i mean)

Although this eye cream contains caffeine, which is meant to help relieve water retention and reduce puffiness under the eyes, I'm not sure if it did much of that for me. I do think that it has helped with reducing the smile lines that I've started to develop around my eyes and nose. If anything, this packs an extra punch of hydration for the skin, which is always greatly appreciated. The pricing of this also makes for a really great beginner's eye cream. If you’re looking for real results though, I would suggest looking elsewhere.

💭 When did you start using eye creams? I remember I bought my first eye cream when I turned 26. But to this day, I still have to remind myself to use it consistently 🙊

*product gifted by brand with no obligation to post, all thoughts are my own

12/09/2022

𝚃𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚋𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎'𝚜 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚞𝚍.
- 𝙼𝚊𝚢𝚊 𝙰𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚞

Happy National Day of Encouragement 💕