I love Bosnia & Herzegovina, completely and with the whole of my heart. This country won my affection. My hosts played a big part in those first days, as they walked me all over Sarajevo, imploring me to dig beneath the surface to see the city’s deep charms. I was skeptical—I rarely enjoy capital cities, …
Florence is an amazing city filled with beautiful art and history. The first time I visited Italy, I had missed the chance to visit Florence and always regretted it. This time, it lived up to my expectations once I arrived! My cousin, bestie, and I had planned an adventure-filled few days in Florence, packing in as …
The sun warmed our skin just as it warmed the grapes and olives on the gnarled tree branches we passed as we biked through the Tuscan countryside. Our wine tour was among my favorite experiences on my round the world trip. Priced higher than many activities at Euro 100 for the day, it allowed the chance …
On my first trip through Italy, I somehow missed visiting Florence. What a mistake! Florence is a city that lives up to the hype—it delivers on the promise of stunning days filled with gorgeous architecture, beautiful sculptures, incredible gardens with sweeping city views, and a charming slice of life from the Renaissance era. This time …
After nearly 40 transit hours to travel from Kathmandu, Nepal to Milan, Italy, I was read to see a friendly face. I studied abroad in Northern Italy years back, so arriving in Milan felt like a warm hug from an old friend. I was also en route to an actual warm hug from an old friend. My …
The Nepali New Year dawned bright and early during my third week of living in the small village of Pharping, Nepal. Amrit, the charming man running our guesthouse, invited the volunteers staying at the guesthouse to celebrate the New Year with his family. The plan was to hike a nearby hill for views over the Kathmandu …
Pharping is a large town by Nepali standards. It’s small to be sure, but it’s bigger than the tiny villages that dot the hillside as the bus through the Kathmandu Valley putters through the mountains for an hour before arriving in Pharping, Nepal. Living in this small village gave me my first introduction to Nepali food. …
The monastery where I volunteered in Nepal, probably like any boarding school, runs on a regimented timetable. The boys have classes everyday except Saturdays and throughout the day they have brief breaks. I came to love the daily tea-time ritual every afternoon. Nepali chiya is different than Indian chai but just as enjoyable. Nepal’s version …