On Strength and Weakness

I set out on my 11 day adventure to Italy hoping that I would learn something about myself, because that just seems like something people do on this kind of trip. In these last few days, I’ve learned about my strengths and weaknesses. First, I discovered that taking what life throws at me and making the…

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Me, Myself and I(taly)

This is the beginning of my 11 day solo journey across Italy. I will travel 7 cities and 7 towns by train; marveling at the works of great Italian painters, exploring the winding streets and canals of each city and indulging in plenty of pasta, pizza and gelato along the way. It will all culminate with Easter…

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Lincoln and the Naked Lady

My best friend, Alex, came all the way from London to visit me this week. She had good timing, as she got to tag along on my class excursion to the Dalí Museum in Figueres, a town about an hour and a half outside of Barcelona and the artist’s birthplace. Side note, excursion is just a…

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Sweet Sixteen

Sixteen. That’s how many flights I have been on in the past two months. I’ve seen Les Misérables live in London, been bathed in Istanbul, met GRiZ in Switzerland, and flew home to Chicago for a party. It’s been a fun ride. But, I’m tired now. All too often people don’t talk about travel in an honest way. You…

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Conversations with Strangers: The Strangest Stranger

About him: Mystery man was very unassuming: a standard tall american white male; quiet and North Face clad. Once we started talking, I quickly realized that I had stumbled upon a truly fascinating man. Mystery man was originally from the States, but had been residing in Dubai for the last ten years. He had lived in Afghanistan working with military…

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Squeaky Clean in Istanbul

Over the weekend, I flew to Istanbul to visit my friend Kristi, otherwise known as KrIstanbul. Clever right? Check her out at kristanbul2015.wordpress.com. We made the tourist rounds all of Friday, marveling at the magnificent Hagia Sophia and Istanbul’s numerous mosques, so Saturday morning we decided to indulge in a Turkish Bath or Hammam. I honestly…

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Turkish Hospitality

I loved Istanbul for many reasons: the rich culture, amazing food, friendly cats and gorgeous mosques. However, what made me fall in love with the city was the Turkish people; I have never felt more welcome in a foreign place than I have this past weekend in Istanbul. I wandered out of their mess of an airport…

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Conservations with Strangers: Juan from Barcelona

How we met: Juan and I met while boarding our flight to Istanbul Thursday night. We ended up sitting in the same row in window seats on opposite sides of the plane and insisted on obnoxiously yelling to each other in Spanish across the aisle for most of the flight. Needless to say, the other…

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A Day in the Life

You’re probably wondering what I do on a daily basis. Or not. You probably weren’t wondering at all. Which is all very valid, considering I do nothing 86% of the time. I have officially mastered the art of doing nothing and everything all at once, and it’s the best thing to ever happen to me.…

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La Vida es Un Carnaval

Last night, I was locked in a tiny, dark bathroom with mayonnaise on my tutu, with my friend kneeling in front of me, helping me button my leotard from underneath, while an Icelandic Pharaoh and a costume-less American waited outside. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Carnaval. Carnaval is the festive season immediately before Lent and typically involves intricate parades,…

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