One man’s return to Greece after half a century
Travel

One man’s return to Greece after half a century

In which I recount taking my dad to his alma mater in Greece after 52 years. Open for a chronicle of the best father-daughter trip you’ve ever seen.

A fun fact about my dad is that his Doctor title comes from studying veterinary medicine in Greece. He graduated in 1972 (during the junta) and hasn’t been back since, until this year. For his 75th birthday, I decided to treat him to a trip to Greece, primarily in Thessaloniki (where he went to school) and Lesvos. . Choosing the island Anyone doing research on Greece knows there are many, many options to choose from when visiting the Greek islands. Knowing that my father likes beaches, olive oil, and ouzo, I decided on Lesvos. I got a few weird looks...
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Completing my mission in Casablanca
Travel

Completing my mission in Casablanca

In which I spill the tea on Casablanca. Open for reflections and gratitude on a mediocre trip.

One of few concrete personal goals I have is to visit 30 countries and all seven continents before I turn 30. This May I’m officially 50% of the way there after visiting my 30th country: Morocco, by way of Casablanca. This little gem on the Atlantic coast came to my attention mostly because it was the cheapest flight to Africa from Portugal, and I did not want a European country to be #30 for me. It also seemed to be a low commitment in that I wouldn’t feel cheated if I only did a weekend trip, and I was correct....
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Freezing my very own Easter eggs in Portugal
Finance Health

Freezing my very own Easter eggs in Portugal

In which I talk about my very own internal and more affordable egg hunt. Open for 90% of all the thoughts I’ve ever had about my ovaries.

The only eggs I hunted for Easter this season were in me all along. Nearly 30 years together, but alas all things must end. Cold-take: freezing eggs in the United States is way too expensive. Being an aunt is an absolute delight, but I'm still on the fence about becoming a parent myself. Freezing my eggs was something that I've been mulling over for years, and then once I heard the price in Portugal I figured it was now or never. Plus, I like that I can ignore the tick-tock of my biological clock in the background as I navigate...
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Lessons from the streets: dating in the modern age
Poems

Lessons from the streets: dating in the modern age

In which I poemize my lessons from years of dating. Open for a rhyming reflection on the pursuit of love.

After a recent extended break (and breakup) from online dating, I got to thinking about my extensive dating history. Dates have always been a sort of mini sociological experiment for me. Sure, love is also a pursuit, but she is tough to find and it is so much more fun to observe the ways in which people pursue connection. People watching is great, but the best experiments introduce some variability. As the dependent variable on my dates, the independent variables have been….enlightening. I don't have a slideshow with my Dating Wrapped, but I DID write a poem. Some might say...
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What’s in my bag: travel essentials from a road warrior
Travel

What’s in my bag: travel essentials from a road warrior

In which I breakdown some essentials for my travel—beyond the basics like clothes and soap. Open to take a look inside my ever-moving bag.

As someone who travels like it’s her job, I have packing down to a pseudo-science. My suitcase isn’t packed exactly the same every time, but I definitely have some core necessities. Below you’ll find some of the things in my suitcase, complete with links. . Travel closet After trying and failing for years to like packing cubes, I found a travel solution that works amazingly for me: the travel closet. There are a couple of suitcases that have these built in, but I’m a bigger fan of the portable ones that can be put into my carry-on OR checked bag....
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Dearest right triangle: a poem in two dimensions
Poems

Dearest right triangle: a poem in two dimensions

In which one triangle bids a sad farewell to her once complementary partner. Open for geometric innuendos and a high school throwback.

Once upon a time, a young lady sat in her Honors Geometry class blasting Ke$ha on her iPod and imagined a world in which two congruent right-triangles started dating. Naturally, all things must come to an end. It was presumably this thought that led me to write a break-up poem/letter from one triangle to another at 8AM in class. Now this poem sees the light of the internet, complete with comics I completed this month. Dearest Right Triangle We are a match made in textbooksCongruent in every wayBut that doesn’t change the factI have something to say The way I feel...
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Safari & sites through southern Africa
Travel

Safari & sites through southern Africa

In which I talk about my trip to southern Africa (including Botswana and Zimbabwe.) Open for animals, sights, and exhilarating experiences.

Johannesburg pt. 1 My first day in Joburg came after 26 hours of travel and consisted solely of the Apartheid Museum and meeting my tour group. Ideally, I would've gone to the museum when I was better rested, but since it's closed on Mon/Tues, it was now or never. All of the thoughts the museum evoked were far too lengthy for this post, but can be read here. After fueling my mind and my stomach at the museum, I made my way back to the hotel to meet my trip mates and guides. Staying at the Holiday Inn was an...
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Apartheid Museum perusings and musings
Reflections Travel

Apartheid Museum perusings and musings

In which I reflect on the Apartheid Museum. Open for reflections evoked by Mandela, Tutu, and what put them on the global stage.

The only regret I have about the Apartheid Museum was going after 26 hours of exhausting travel. I wish I was fully alert and rested so I could have read and processed everything more. It would be easy to spend an entire day at the museum, especially since there’s a cafe/restaurant there to refuel if needed. . The enlightenment This was the best museum I’ve ever been to, filled with information that was infuriating, enlightening, and somehow hopeful. I didn’t fully understand the atrocities that occurred during the Apartheid before I entered, and the care with which the museum displayed...
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Falling in love with leaf peeping in the northeast USA
Travel

Falling in love with leaf peeping in the northeast USA

In which I drive up the Northeast USA and discuss how I did it. Open for surprising autumnal delights.

Though I moved to Boston in the dead of winter, everyone I spoke to talked up autumn in the northeast. I grew up with four seasons, so I thought I knew fall—but I was wrong. Fall in the midwest meant the turning of leaves from green to orange and brown, but the northeast had a cornucopia of colors! I saw red leaves en masse for the first time! It was like a fall-colored rainbow, even in mid-October. This trip was a bit spontaneous, but I did some research beforehand. . Planning sights and accommodation A friend who used to live...
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Drops in a Storm [a two-part series]
Poems

Drops in a Storm [a two-part series]

In which I present a pair of poems focused on life’s clouds. Open to storm through some unavoidable experiences.

Journaling this summer brought me to write two poems, two months apart. I suppose I’ve been feeling my judgement is cloudy, because they have the same stormy imagery. I wasn’t sure which should go first, but I think that they can be read in either order. . Storm Far from home and the safety we’ve known In a vast landscape with a different life It’s good to get out of your comfort zone No matter the path, problems will be rife Many patterns exist but are new to us Clouds can just be a wonder to behold Rather than signal...
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Recent Posts

One man’s return to Greece after half a century

Completing my mission in Casablanca

Freezing my very own Easter eggs in Portugal

Lessons from the streets: dating in the modern age

What’s in my bag: travel essentials from a road warrior

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