It only felt right to write a book and publish it on the one year anniversary of my brain surgery. It felt write to understand my brain tumor and brain surgery my way. As it is my brain and my story after all! July 6, 2024, I’ll be publishing my memoir, Chasing a Feeling: Charting …
Why We’re Leaving Mammoth Lakes
Published September 2022 Exactly one year ago, I got on a plane (and then into a car) to Mammoth Lakes, California to begin my new life. I went with my little green backpack, yet again, to a place where I didn’t know a soul, to start over and embark on a new adventure. The first …
How to Make Friends in a New City
Move to a place I’ve never seen before? Yup. Travel by myself? Oh yeah. Head to Ecuador at 16 years old without knowing anyone? That’s me! But making friends in a new city? That’s another story. And as it turns out, I am not the only one thinking about how to make friends in a …
The Misadventures Of Moving To A New Place
Moving to a new place, we’ve all done it. It’s so relatable to pinpoint an experience where something or somewhere isn’t what it seems. Half of the fun of travel is the aspect of not knowing. As mentioned in one of my previous posts, I recently got on another plane to another new place to …
Returning Home from Abroad: The Surprise of Culture Shock
I have been based in New Zealand for two years. Now I am transitioning back to the US. I thought I would share some of my funniest culture shock moments. Culture shock. I know things are different abroad and people become accustomed to a certain way of life when living somewhere. I would like to …
Returning Home From Abroad: Tears and a Big Reunion
“Returning Home from Abroad: Tears and a Big Reunion” is part of a month-long series I am doing on my readjustment into the US after living in New Zealand for 2 years during Covid-19. I had a pretty big weekend. I moved continents and countries. I left New Zealand and went long-distance with my boyfriend …
How We Afforded To Live and Travel in New Zealand for 2 Years
In August 2019, Nick and I left for our Working Holiday Visas in New Zealand. We read and read and read, but it was hard to know what to expect. Here are some insights into how we afforded to live and travel in New Zealand for 2 years. Save Before You Travel Have Enough Saved …
Confessing My Love For the Most Generic Hotel in Boston
This article is part of my new series, Travel Misadventures, which features anecdotes about when travel doesn’t go as planned. The Brick House by the Freeway When I arrived in Boston for my romantic weekend, the neighborhood around my hostel was not a tourist area to say the least. Okay that’s alright, just have an …
What it’s Actually Like to Live in New Zealand as a Foreigner During Covid-19
A tale of international love, life abroad, mental health, and adventure in its purest form. The Complexities of Living Abroad When I post photos of myself smiling in breathtaking landscapes and share exciting travel anecdotes on social media and my blog, that’s only a tiny snippet into my world here in Queenstown. And that’s only …
A Comedy of Errors on the Wild West Coast
I woke up in a rainstorm, in my sweaty car, with sandflies buzzing inside my ears wondering how the queens of #vanlife Instagram pages sell the image and the lifestyle. The #vanlife babes and bros are a free-spirited ideology. On one hand, the hippy campers seem like a distant dream. On the other, they’re quite …