Montreal in the fall season is magical. In the course of one week, I watched as Montreal turned green to golden yellow and orange as the autumn weather hit. My timing couldn’t have been better. Leaves crunched underneath my shoes and the brisk weather chilled my nose. I didn’t...
Some travelers scoff at the thought of spending less than three days at one destination because they want the “full cultural experience.” Yet, most people only have about ten days of vacation annually. It’d be tragic if they spent that entire time in one city, trying to...
As people become more aware of their impact on the environment, consumers want to support green businesses. System engineers help product-based businesses become environmentally-friendly, but who can help create a green online business? I’ll be that person for now. Since launching...
Whenever I thought about “must-see” cities in Europe, Tallinn never came to mind. Due to its close proximity to Saint Petersburg, where I was studying abroad, and only a short ferry from Helsinki, where I had spent the previous day, Tallinn seemed like a natural stop on this...
As my semester in Russia approached its final weeks, our group set off for a long weekend. The first stop was one day in Helsinki, a short train ride from Saint Petersburg. We arrived in the evening and rushed to Vapiano for dinner. I loved introducing my friends to one of my favorite...
In 2013, at only sixteen years old, I moved to Germany. It was my first international trip. Even though I was by myself, I wasn’t alone because I studied abroad with Rotary. They guided and supported me during my year abroad. But most travelers don’t get an...
Kazan is one of the most popular stops on the Trans-Siberian Railway so, although I didn’t have two weeks available to ride the train, I knew I wanted to visit Kazan. I rode in a bumpy sleeper train for 22 hours from Volgograd to the city of Kazan. Along the way, I met a local...
“Is it true,” asked my Russian cabin mate on the 22-hour train ride from Volgograd to Kazan, “that Americans believe they won the war?“ I already knew the sad answer. American schools teach our participation in the war and not much about Russia in WWII...
“Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for the wind to fly a kite. Or waiting around for Friday night or waiting perhaps for their Uncle Jack or a pot to boil or a better break or a string of pearls or pair of pants or a wig with curls or another chance. Everyone is just waiting...
Most zero waste journeys start with a reusable water bottle, but my zero waste journey started with deodorant. After my PCOS diagnosis, I decided to cut plastic from my life, starting with my beauty routine. Deodorant was an easy swap since I can’t forget it (like a reusable water...
