Posts

A Journey of Self-Discovery: Sohum

-
Image
Four months ago on December 13th, 2023, I lost my job. Coming back from six months of maternity leave as Etsy's Director of Product Management, Fulfillment Organization, I was blindsided. Within an hour, I found myself locked out of my account, an email announcing my dismissal effective within an hour. My initial reaction? Extreme joy and release. I immediately called my sister, exclaiming that my deepest hope had been answered—I was free from this corporate job that did not make me happy. However, reality soon set in. Our double income lifestyle was no longer sustainable. Fortunately, Mario had recently landed an amazing role at Doordash, providing enough income to sustain us while I dipped into my severance from Etsy. During my first therapy session with Beti post-job loss, I expressed my intention to take a break from the nine-to-five grind. She was elated. “You have worked 12 years straight, and as a mother of two young children, you are burnt out.” Initially, I told her a year...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dancing is my medicine.

-
Image
As a little baby, I giggled while moving my feet to the beat of the music before I could walk. As a little girl, I pirouetted across the floor and lit up the stage. As an energetic and rebellious teenager, I swirled on the football field. As a college student, I picked apples out of the sky and pranced with friends as we created our version of the giving tree to educate students about our environment. As a young and wanderlust adult, I flowed to the waves of the beat surrounded by my ATL tribe. As I fell in love with myself in the mystical mountains of Peru, I moved slowly with familia under the trees next to the malecon. As I fell in love with my future hubby, I tangoed in Buenos Aires late into the morning without a care in the world. As I grew Marito inside my belly, I bobbed to the beat awkwardly in San Fran. And as a mother, I am blossoming, and slowing down to the rhythm; saying yes to an all-natural life. Dancing is my medicine.  Dancing is my drug. Dancing is what gives m...
Read more

Letter to myself “ish”; part 2

-
Image
Letter to me, part 2:  exercise from Stacy’s book to transport to your 80 year old self Wow Ali, what an amazing fulfilling, magical life you have lived.  Now 80 years old you’re both a previvor and survivor if that’s what card life dealt you, but today, you’re super healthy.  You danced through life’s both magical moments and confusing veils with Mario by your side.   You danced through life like an organized free spirit who as wrinkles naturally popped up, learned to let go of the small shit more effortlessly.  Through daily working out, yoga, massage, and meditation, you learned to feel your best healthy self.  You learned to let go of the thinking brain and the ego.  Let go of the parts of you that feel muddy, messy and insecure.   You’re medicine is love.  Unconditional love for yourself and loved ones.  At the ripe, young age of 33, you and Mario bought a beautiful home and created a beautiful community in Walnut Creek of...
Post a Comment
Read more

Farewell: original letter to self written Feb. 2020

-
Farewell letter to self, part 1 Coined by her first mentor, Ali was an "organized" free spirit.  On one hand, she was organized and determined, and on the other hand, she had a passion for adventure and spiritual growth.  Ali’s passions for dancing and yoga were an integral part of her life and a tool she continuously came back to ground her when she needed. What Ali valued most important was being kind and creating authentic relationships with herself and others. She loved doing small gestures like pulling together quotes for her colleague’s work anniversary, chatting with strangers on LinkedIn who reached out for advice, and sending small gifts to her friends on their birthday.  She loved to play and teach yoga and meditation to her son, husband and local community. As Ali grew older, she learned how to combine her expertise in logistics and product management with her passion for the environment.  She built upon her life-long career in logistics by leading a comp...
Read more

Who am I? My reflection on becoming a mother.

-
Image
My name is Alicia Alexandra Yáñez Chin.  Although my dad wanted to call me Josephina or Anastasia, ultimately, by an unanimous vote, Alicia won.  Why? Because it is a name that sounds beautiful in both Spanish and English.  I was born on May 20, 1988 into a family that was seemingly perfect from the outside, but on the inside, there was also pain.  My birth created enough love to fill the deepest holes in space. From the time I was old enough to crawl, I evolved into my own person.  I loved to move in circles on the ground and feel my body sway to the music.  From the time I was in elementary school, I strived to become a better person.  I was put into the lower level math class so I studied all summer to get into the higher level at the start of 7th grade.  Like any child,  I was curious about my sexuality and longed to be accepted by others.  As a teenager, I was a leader and became captain of both the dance and track team.  By ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Te amo por siempre Peru!

-
Image
It’s been 2.2 years since I moved to Lima chasing a childhood dream.  Beyond Uber life, I have had so many experiences that have helped me to feel more comfortable in my skin and discover my self more deeply.   Working through a few injuries has made me realize that I just got to relax and take things step my step.  I've also learned a deeper sense of faith.  Once I stopped doubting myself and started to believe in myself, life continued to reveal new opportunities that challenged me and connected me with new people that made such an impact on my life. The best memories I have had living in Peru have been traveling Latin America.  I have traveled to 8 new countries and met people that showed me gratitude as they helped me realize new things about myself.  After all the travels, I have realized that a simple and meaningful life is all I want.  I grew up always having the latest cell phone and expensive clothes, but I have realized that all of t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Chausito Equipo!

-
Image
I wanted to share with you my experience with Uber Peru over the last 2 years.  In January of 2016, after 6 weeks of interviewing with Uber from Atlanta, Georgia, I finally got the job!  I knew that leaving my life behind in the United States was the right thing to do.  I started working for the team from S.F. in February 2016 and spent my first 3 months responding to driver tickets until 11pm (using Google Translate). I still remember my flight from the U.S. to Peru.  On my 1 hour layover in Panama, I got a Whatsapp from my GM to send her data ASAP.  The job was intense to say the least... When I first got to Lima, my GM brought me to the on-boarding center (a tiny space in Barranco) and asked me if I could urgently get to work to fix key issues.  We had 2 experts attending drivers and wait times were above 2 hours on average.  My first job was to hire experts and buy supplies to attend to the drivers.  I had no idea where to buy tables and...
Post a Comment
Read more