Another year has flown by! Can somebody tell time to slow down pleeease. I am grateful to have been able to do a lot this year which we’ll go over in this 2024 year in review.
Quite a few things got checked off my vision board and I couldn’t be happier about it. Let’s get into the recap!
January
The year started off at my college bestie’s place in Queens, NY. For the last few years this has been our tradition. She’s the mom of my goddaughter so I get to ring in the new year with her.
My mom’s birthday is December 30th, but she was a bit sick that day so we celebrated late. She wanted to go to the infamous Sojo Spa Club that overlooks the NYC skyline so that’s what we did! It was an amazing experience to have with her and my sister.
After a few more days in NJ, I headed back to Portugal. My birthday is January 11th so Bebino came to spend it with me in Lisbon. During that visit we went to see apartments in Lisbon as after 8 months in Evora, it was time to move!
Within a week I got accepted into my current apartment so it was time to start packing to start bringing everything over. Now that after 8 months in Evora my time was coming to and, I started
He came with me to look at apartments in Lisbon and we explored more of Évora since I would be leaving soon.
February
After 8 months of living in Evora, I was officially moving to Lisbon! This had been my original plan when I decided to move to Portugal.
Bebino came to help me move my things and I realized I did not move with too much. All I had originally brought with me was a large suitcase, a carry on and a backpack. I bought some things and brought more when I went back to the US for Christmas.
I only had a couple weeks to enjoy my new home before I went off to Mexico! As a coordinator and speaker at the Women’s Travel Fest I had to be present. This year it was the first ever international location in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
The trip from Portugal is long so I chose to stay past the conference to explore more of the Yucatan Peninsula. Along with my sister and a friend we spent a week going from beach towns to cities to archaeological sites. It was an amazing experience and I wrote a whole 9 day travel guide to help you plan your trip!
This year was a leap year and I had been saying for weeks that I wanted to do something on that day. I was supposed to be back in Lisbon and had planned to do a day trip somewhere new.
Life had other plans for me and instead my return flight to Lisbon was canceled. Usually with cancellations they have you staying at the hotel airport and get you on the next possible flight out. They took us to an all inclusive resort on the water and I got to stay for 2 days! On February 29, 2024 I woke up on a top floor room overlooking the ocean with only relaxation on the agenda.
March
By March 1st I was back home in Lisbon. One of the conditions of my visa is to remain in Portugal for 8 months of the year. To make sure I reach that time I planned to be in the country for the month of March.
I focused more on building community in Lisbon and did some fun events like clay pottery on International Women’s Day, meeting up with Instagram friends, and past group trip ones! This was my first chance to explore the city like a local so I visited lots of cafes to work and put together my faves just for you!
April
Another month in Portugal, but with more day trips! It’s not too far, but I finally made it to Setubal, a city along the water about an hour south of Lisbon. This city is known for its choco frito (kinda like large calamari).
My sister came to visit! It was her first time here so of course we did all the things in Lisbon and then headed north to visit Aveiro and Porto. Once Bebino got back from Morocco we all went to Sintra together and visited the famous Pena Palace.
The 25th of April is the end of the dictatorship which has now been over for 50 years. In Praca de Comercio there were huge fireworks with music and celebrations all night long. It’s a holiday here that people enjoy.
May
May started off in Lisbon with events like the Sporting Soccer Club having a huge celebration at the Marques de Pombal Square. Bebino and I had heard car honking from our apartment and had to go out to find out what was going on. Everything was green that night with balloons, fireworks, and even an air dancer! There was music, food, drinks, and lots of people there to celebrate.
I officially started dance classes: salsa and bachata. Although I’ve been dancing these for years I’ve never taken classes and I wanted to improve.
On May 19th it was time to leave Portugal for a month for some adventures! First stop was NJ for a night to see my family and get ready to head to Costa Rica.
That’s where my co-host, Yenelsa, and I held our first WOC Wellness Era Retreat! We brought 6 ladies from around the US to have an experience that focused on self-love, self-care, and wellness all while on a quartz valley in beautifully green Costa Rica. For 6 days we focused only on ourselves and left refreshed and rejuvenated.
After the retreat it was back to NJ for the Latino Travel Fest. This was the second annual in person event where I also spoke for the 4th time! It was held in my hometown of Elizabeth, NJ where we got to explore around and experience what the city has to offer. We left the area over 20 years ago so it was nice to be back.
June
The summer months started with a visit to NYC. When I was about 8 I visited the Statue of Liberty but I don’t remember much. On this visit I went back and it was nice to see such a highly visited spot that I usually only see from a distance.
Before heading to Peru for our annual/biannual family trip, I got to enjoy a few days of summer at the Jersey Shore. My parent’s house has a pool and is just a couple blocks from the beach so I got to relax and enjoy!
Now we are off to Peru. Growing up I spent my summers in Lima, but due to the opposite hemispheres it was always winter. This time we didn’t stay in Lima the whole time and instead went off to the rainforest. For over a week we were on a boat and traveled up and down the river seeing a variety of animals along the way. It’s a trip I won’t be forgetting any time soon.
After a month of aventuras, it was time to head back home to Lisbon. Summer had officially started and it was time for the beach and summer fun. It’s also the month of my friend’s birthday so we headed to Porto for a weekend escape.
July
July was one of the most exciting months I had this year because so much happened! The Euro Cup was still going on and down by the river in Lisbon there was a Euro village set up to watch the games. We watched Portugal play France hoping for a win, which ended in a loss due to penalties. Still a great game.
I am a Karol G fan so when I saw she was coming to Lisbon, I bought tickets to go see her. It was such a vibe to sing along with her to her songs!
By mid July I launched my Brazil Group and it SOLD OUT IN 4 DAYS. Like what?! I expected it to take maybe a couple weeks but not less than one. I’m so grateful to have a community that supports me in this way.
Towards the end of the month I went to one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Budapest. I got to call this city home from January to June of 2023. This visit was to see Bebino and to take a trip to Slovenia, country #38! I got to explore multiple cities and share all the details with you here.
August
I started August still in Slovenia on beaches that have rocks instead of sand. That surprised me because how can that be comfortable?! People made it work though and laid on the rocks, benches or concrete sidewalks.
During this trip I also made a pit stop in Trieste, Italy for some pizza, pasta, and sights. Before heading back to Lisbon, I spent a couple more days in Budapest with Bebino.
Lisbon day trips have become a norm in my new life abroad. This time around it was to Oeiras, a beautiful seaside town with a beach and magnificent mansions and gardens.
Before the summer came to end, I met up with Bebino in Switzerland to accompany him to a conference where he was speaking. Aside from Geneva and Lausanne, we spent a day going to little towns along the river including Saint Perez, Morges, and Nyon.
September
After a few months off from taking Portuguese classes, it was time to start back up. I take the government classes that once I finish A2 and pass the test, I’ll be able to apply for citizenship once my 5 years of residency have passed.
On a whim I decided I would be visiting Uzbekistan. I saw an ad for an all girl’s group for a week and decided if not now then when. So I jumped on it. As an American I have to apply for an e-visa to be able to visit. I started the process and in a few days got an acceptance! I shared the whole process on this blog and this video.
October
My parents finally came to visit me after 5 years of living abroad. We rented a car and drove down to the Algarve and then up through Alentejo. We visited so many beautiful cities and spots in my new home country. My mom and I even did a zip line that went from Spain to Portugal. I have loved exploring more of it.
A week after they leave it’s finally time to head to country #39, Uzbekistan! I was so excited to be visiting after seeing so many photos of the beautiful blue Mosque tops. It’s a country that is definitely worth visiting!
Once back in Lisbon, it was Halloween and one of my friends threw a Halloween party. It was nice to celebrate in a group.
November
The first couple weeks were spent in Lisbon while I prepared for my Morocco Group Trip happening this month. For 10 days, I took a group of 13 girls around the country to see the best that Morocco has to offer. The girls loved the trip and left with positive memories and thoughts of Morocco.
Once I was back in Lisbon, Christmas lights and markets were up for the season. I went around with Bebino to see all the festive things going on.
December
Started the final month of 2024 at home in Lisbon. I’m a Christmas lover and this year Lisbon has gone all out with decorations, lights, and displays. I ventured to a few different spots which really felt like the Christmas spirit. Check out all the Christmas in Lisbon activities. I’ll be updating it once there’s info for 2025 and future years.
By the 20th I was on my way to the airport to head back to the States for Christmas and New Years. It’s always nice spending time with my family during the holidays. I’m actually sitting at my college bestie’s home as I write this since we have now just entered into 2025.
Can’t wait for my upcoming 2025 travels which I hope to eventually see you somewhere around the world!
Have a great start to your New Year!
Related Posts
- 2023 Year in Review
- 2022 Year in Review
- 2021 Year in Review
- Portugal
- Peru
- Hungary
- Morocco
- Uzbekistan
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Viaja more y live más,
