Two Days in Wroclaw on a Polish Road Trip
Wroclaw, with its historic atmosphere but very local energy, is one of my favorite cities in Poland. Maybe I’m biased because I spent two months there in the summer of 2018, working on my Delta Module 2,…
The Best Cocktail Bars in Saint Petersburg, Russia
Listen, it wasn’t my plan to make it a boozy weekend in Saint Petersburg. I booked my train tickets with two intentions—One, to see Firebird at the Mariinsky Theatre because this girl loves a weird-o ballet. And…
Is It Safe to Travel Dagestan? Or Stupid?
Every time I told a new person that I planned to travel Dagestan during our school holidays, I had to digest their expression and ask myself, again, “What’s the difference between being stupid and being brave?” It…
How to Choose Your Next Expat Home
The snow pants were presenting a problem. As was my Little Red Riding Hood pea coat, my cozy and fluffy sweater shawl, and my snow boots. Leaving Kyiv and moving to Tbilisi in the middle of winter meant…
What It’s Really Like to Hike Svaneti
I’m pacing the three-meter length of the shoebox Northface store in Tbilisi, occasionally bouncing on the balls of my feet to fake like I know what I’m doing. The sales girl smiles at me encouragingly, but it’s…
The Best Bars in Kyiv
When people ask me what I miss about Kyiv, I say my friends – including my bartenders. I think my mom cringes at this, but I promise it’s not a confession of alcoholism. What I love about…
Required Travel Reading: Books About Ukraine
Books are (sometimes) better than travel. Even with over a year and a half in Ukraine, there’s only so much culture and history and cocktails I had time to soak up. Reading books about Ukraine added dimension…
(My) Ultimate Kiev Restaurant Guide
When people ask me why I decided to return to Kiev, I rattle off a list of things. The friendly Ukrainian people, my supportive school, the creative energy. And the food. The Kiev restaurant scene is unbelievable…
On Leaving Ukraine
I knew it was time to leave Ukraine when they knocked down the cigarette stands across the street. It’s not that I smoke cigarettes, but that was my go-to place for late night chocolate. I had established…
My Weird Reverse Culture Shock After Ukraine
It’s been a long time since I’ve chilled out in the US. In the last two years, I’ve only spent about a week back home. So when I packed up my life in Ukraine and prepared for…
