No matter where I am now, I will always be longing for the life I once had. It’s hard to believe that I took this photo THREE YEARS AGO. I’m feeling incredibly thankful today…
friendship
“The Times we had” in Tallinn, Estonia (March, 2016)
I remember having zero expectations of Tallinn; I simply thought this was a “break” from the rest of our cruise rather than a city I would love. All of my friends and classmates LOVED Tallinn and had the greatest time! We went on a pub crawl to a few very unique places, including a science lab-themed bar (one even had shots that you snorted and one had the coolest pool table area)! The last photo below proves how much fun I had… Even walking in the streets late at night with my friends are memories I’ll never forget. I will always cherish “The Times we had” in Tallinn!
It’s Always Happy in Hamburg (March, 2016)
I have visited a dear friend in Hamburg, Germany twice now: once in 2012 and once in 2016. I love this city very much and have nothing but good things to say about it. In fact, Hamburg was my first city visited outside of North America and has been a gateway for my many adventures abroad! The late night dancing, scenery, food, streets, harbor and good company keep me easily entertained and happy whenever I spend time with Saskia and her parents!
Longing for Lapland (March, 2016)
The cold, windy air hitting my nose and cheeks in Michigan reminds me of Swedish Lapland. We visited Abisko and Kiruna, and even crossed the border into Norway for an afternoon. From visiting the ice hotel I saw in Nat Geo as a third grader to sledding in the town after bar hopping, riding on the back of a dog sled, feeding the reindeer and seeing the Northern Lights (three times!), Lapland was probably the happiest week of my life…
Smiling in Stockholm (March, 2016)
It has been nearly three years since I wandered the streets of this amazing city. Our class trip, a cruise around Sweden, Russia, Estonia and Finland, commenced here and we couldn’t get enough!
Photo Highlights of 2018
2018…what a year! So many incredible things happened, which has led to lifelong memories that I’ll always cherish.
I was able to spend lots of quality time with my Little Sister of four years, Aniya!
I had a travel marathon from March – July (Chicago, Boston, Iceland, Myrtle Beach, Peru and Portland)! I was able to spend time with old friends, have a once-in-a-lifetime adventure with my mom, hang out with my brother on the west coast and get engaged during this short period of time!
I was able to spend more time with my pup Linley than ever. We even went to a baseball game with grams in Detroit!
My dad and I were able to hang out a lot more than usual, now that we’re in the same department at work. My dad is also in Big Brothers Big Sisters, and seeing his Little Brother grow up is amazing (and scary…)!
My best friend (who I call my twin) and I share the same birthday!!! We were able to celebrate our 25th year on this earth together 🙂
My fiance and pup cheered me up on Halloween as they dressed as a minion and a bee!
And the most eventful day was Friday, November 16, the day I married my best friend 🙂
I have no idea what could be better than repeating 2018, but I’m very excited for what 2019 has in store for all of us 🙂 Happy New Year!
Study Abroad Reunion: Chicago (March 9-11)
In 2016, I made the best decision of my life: to study abroad in Kalmar, Sweden.
I made THE BEST friends I could’ve asked for! We all decided to have a reunion in Chicago because Alice (to my right in the above photo) was student teaching in Illinois for one month. Mitch and Bethany (to my left) are from Colorado, and Taylor (far right) is from Texas. We HAD to take a selfie at the iconic bean, obviously 🙂
During our first afternoon/evening, we were catching up at dinner, the hotel bar, and even played Uno for awhile in our room. I hadn’t seen Taylor or Alice since I left Sweden in June, 2016, so seeing them meant the world to me. Bethany and I, thankfully, have been able to see each other twice since we returned home (once in Chicago in June, exactly!) and will be going to one of my favorite places, Iceland, this May! Spending time with Mitch is always great, and seeing him meant the world to me as well!
On our only full day together, we went to the Sears Tower (I STILL need to call it that…) and we took some obligatory Sky Deck photos! It was worth it, but the crowds and heat were too much for all of us. Thankfully, Giordano’s was right around the corner 🙂
All of us (except for Taylor – he needed a major nap after the deep dish!) spent time near the Water Tower place, specifically at Nike and Ghiradelli! Mitch and I were OBSESSED with the store. I have probably been in there at least 10 times and it never gets old! Mitch, Alice, and I all got ice cream after, which also put us into a food coma, much like our dear friend!
You can’t go to Chicago without going to a comedy show, am I right? I am in love with Second City and Zanies; I have been to both three times I believe. Bethany and I went to Zanies in June, and I’ve also been there with another friend from studying abroad in France. I decided on Zanies this time because 1) the tickets were cheaper, 2) stand-up is hilarious and is rarely ever bad (in my opinion), and 3) it’s located on N. Wells Street, where all the best bars are!
Of course, we picked the best night to go! It was Zanies’ 40th anniversary so we were able to have some mystery shots, more stand-up comedians, and many more laughs! I would tell you some of the jokes; however, they were NOT appropriate for this blog 🙂 Take my word for it: Zanies is the funniest club in Chicago!
Bethany and I are always thuggin’ it on Wells St…
Our coats got switched at Benchmark…oops!
Fun fact: Bethany and I took a similar photo here back in June. Once we found the same bar, we obviously had to recreate our masterpiece 🙂
This goes without saying, but this was probably the best weekend I’ve had in a long time. Seeing old friends felt so rewarding and I haven’t laughed that hard in SO long (both from the comedians AND my best friends)! I can’t wait until our next reunion together.
I can’t wait for Taylor to have a Guinness at every bar he passes, for Alice to be as stereo-typically French as possible, for Bethany and I to laugh over nothing at all, and for Mitch and I to have the best conversations again 🙂
Some Favorites from 2017
2017 was a great year, but cheers to 2018 and more adventures to come!
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! 🙂
California Dreaming
I seriously need to post more!! But it’s better late than never I guess!
Last Thursday – yesterday, I traveled from Detroit, MI to San Jose, CA. I visited two friends who I met while volunteering abroad, and another friend who I met in Sweden last year through study abroad.
To start, my friend Kaila picked me up from the airport with her roommate, Anthony. We got drinks for happy hour on the water, and I ran into the freezing Pacific Ocean (I only had one drink mind you)!
Visiting San Francisco and exploring by myself on Friday afternoon was full of fun, hipster vibes, and amazing Mexican food!
The following day Kaila drove us to Felton, where we hiked in a redwood park, met some hippies, and snuck into a music festival with them! It was an interesting day to say the very least…
I was able to grab dinner with another friend who I met in Thailand, Wendy. We reminisced about our time abroad with some Thai cuisine in Mountain View.
Lastly, I spent the day with my friend who just moved to SF, Ali. She’s originally from Montana, so we had fun wine tasting in Napa for the first time!
I had a wonderful time with friends in Cali, and I can’t wait to go back someday!
An Old City with a New Friend
As I grow older, my friend circle dwindles down and becomes more tight-knit. This may sound like a bad thing, and at first I thought it was, but I get it now.
I am blessed to have great, close friends in my life who I would do anything for and vice versa.
One of those friends is someone who I met in Sweden. Bethany and I visited each other in Chicago two months ago – I will always cherish our weekend together, full of exchanging study abroad memories, sore feet from walking everywhere, and acknowledging newfound inside jokes!
It was also special because I have been to Chicago several times (many of my favorite childhood memories are from Chi-town) and Bethany had never been there prior to this summer. I was able to show her my favorite places, as well as experience new bars and clubs together!
Bethany, I’m not sure if you’ll see this anytime soon, but thanks for being a gem of a friend! I’m beyond thankful to have met you in Sweden!
Cheers to more adventures together!
A Quick Visit to D.C.
When I studied in France two years ago, I knew many great things would come from that experience. I knew I would improve my French-speaking abilities, learn about a new culture, and grow as an individual. Never did I expect to have a long-lasting friendship with my roommate, Carolyn!
We have been in touch and have visited each other in the U.S. twice now! Carolyn just moved to Washington D.C. and I spent the weekend with her, catching up and sharing old stories about our time abroad.
Visiting with Carolyn is always a good time! I’m looking forward to where our next reunion will take place!
Adventures in Edinburgh, Scotland
Once Johanna and I parted ways with our friend Taylor in Dublin, we ventured off to Edinburgh!
The above photo is our view from the hostel we stayed at! Who else could say that they slept across the street from something as beautiful as this?!
Johanna and I are both of Scottish heritage, so being in an area of such rich history and culture meant the world to us.
Being able to casually and conveniently stroll within the castle walls was one of my favorite parts of the trip; this is something that is extra special as an American! Our country is so new that castles are alien to us, thus why it is on many of our bucket lists to visit them in Europe. The Edinburgh Castle is one of my personal favorites not only because of its size, but because of its deep-rooted history with England and so on.
Mary Queen of Scots is one of my ancestors; being in the location where she and her family lived years ago is something I will never take for granted. I am truly proud of my Scottish and French heritage on my mom’s side!
The following day, the two of us went on a free walking tour recommended by our hostel staff. I wasn’t surprised to see two stereotypical things about Scotland on our tour: whisky and scotch signs, as well as cashmere scarves! I had to try some and buy some…
Although I saw what I imagined in Edinburgh, it was refreshing to see things that I didn’t anticipate, such as colorful, bright buildings.
Our tour guide was so knowledgeable (Sheldon Cooper status) and was extremely passionate about J.K. Rowling’s influence on Edinburgh, and vice versa. He showed our group the places in which Rowling received her inspiration(s) while creating her infamous Harry Potter characters; she took character names from this here cemetery!
Of course we had to visit where Rowling sent her sons to school (aka: Hogwarts’ inspiration)!
This little puppy statue is lucky, only if you rub his nose though!
The above photo was taken as Johanna and I had tea in the cafe in which Rowling penned her ideas for Harry Potter: Elephant and Castle. The bathroom was filled with what I’ll call “Potter Postings” from fans; her brother-in-law who owns the cafe tried covering them up at first, but fans are “too” passionate for Potter!
The two of us also climbed (part of, a VERY small part of) Arthur’s Seat. We were ratchet and didn’t feel like climbing the entire thing; all the rich and sweet food we ate must have had us out of shape! From what we did see, it was as incredible as expected!
Simply wandering around Edinburgh was enough to make Johanna and me happy; the contrast between the day and night in the city is parallel to Edinburgh’s light and dark sides (of history, culture, etc.).
And obviously, the food was solid in Scotland. If only this macaron place was in my hometown…
Traveling with the Traceys 