And there I was… Searching for a while, for myself, for something like this. I was drawn to places that made me feel alive, that opened up my eyes, moved me, and stirred emotions within. Even some places I found myself in just didn’t seem to feel right at all. But I learned. I was touched in a deeper sense as I sought after that sensation of belonging until I was awakened.

From the shy, nervous, and once wounded, I kept reaching, singing, dancing, finding my way. I traveled and it was my therapy. I wrote and wrote and it healed me. Until I discovered myself. I was becoming, the person that little girl always wanted to become. Traveling has taught me, allowed space for reflection, appreciation, enjoyment and eventually I was liberated. In search of myself, I became 𝓕𝓻𝓮𝓮.

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I was blessed enough to open my eyes this morning and wake up to this life full of beauty and bliss. I have a mind full of duties and tasks to keep me happily productive and a heart filled of love to keep me going. Although I am far from my home of Unalaska, I sometimes imagine myself close to the sparkling silvery blue sea listening to the soft whisper of the shores.

That is where this concept of Island Diaries came from — the inspiration I found when at home. While the world and other duties have called me away from Unalaska, ever since the day I left…that place has and will always remain a part of me. So I created this diary, inspired by the essence of that lovely town. Now here I am, a few twirls around the world later and I have this creation to share with you all.

I have been ready for a while to share this with the world since I discovered it. Eagerness has overflown within my soul ever since. But slowly and at my own pace, I have come to this day.

They say, “𝑵𝒐 [𝒘𝒐]𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒔𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒕𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇; 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 [𝒘𝒐]𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏…”

With that, I would like to give a huge thank you to everyone who made this project possible. Especially, I would like to shout out to some of the key individuals and organizations who have been apart of my journey and are a piece of this diary. Tim Hanley for photographs over the years, the gardens I have visited, the islands I have experienced, my family, and my husband who is always ready for an adventure with me wherever life has led us.


My sweetheart helped me pick this day that I decided to launch Island Diaries: 7-20-20. He said it would be perfect because 720 degrees is two 360 rotations, and it could resemble my rotations around this earth. I asked myself, how did he know that it would be exactly the concept of this diary? What a great idea!

I put my words, my heart, and soul into each moment experienced in this diary and am grateful to share it with you.