It's amazing to think about a year ago I was getting my documents sorted for a year of a lifetime. Now, with many stamps filled up in my passports and memories made, I have been able to see more of the world than  ever imagined. I've visited over 10 different countries and around 20 vibrant cities. Though it's a bit of a shock to be in one place at the moment, I'm finding myself to be more great-full each and every day for the opportunities I've had so far in life (sappy I know). Of course this means that I've also been reminiscing so let's take a trip down memory lane. Here are just a few of my favorite pictures throughout the last year.


Happy viewing!

 What better way to start off my journey back to American than visit New York City for the first time? I'll admit that I didn't know much about the Big Apple before arriving- but what a dream it was to finally visit this city! Pop culture definitely played an impact during my visit. It seemed as if every direction we went, I was walking onto the set of my favorite movie or TV show.

Finally, I was able to live out my Gossip Girl dreams and sit at the top of the Met steps, walk in Central Park like 27 dresses, and eat at Olive Garden in Times Square like Kimmy Schmidt. Everywhere we went there was something going on. A ballet company was creating a photo shoot, weddings bells were ringing left and right, and tourists were snapping away endlessly with their selfiie sticks.


What shocked me the most about my time in New York was my love for New Jersey. Now I know what you're thinking. Jersey, really? I know, but brace yourself. My TLC loving family wouldn't have understood my life choices if I hadn't visited Buddy's bakery in Holboken New Jersey. Little did I know that the city where Frank Sinatra was born would seem like an oasis a ferry ride away from the city.

New York was the city that made me feel as if all of my dreams could come true and has me excited for what the future has in store for me. Here's to dreaming about the city that never sleeps.

I'm back in the States and I've already found myself antsy and wanting to travel more. So what is a gil to do? Make goals

Thanks to the Been app (which I am not sponsoring, just simply fangirling over), I have been able to track all of my past and current travels. Currently, I have seen 19% of the world. This got me thinking about goals. At the age of 23, especially in the last year, I have been fortunate enough to see a lot of the world. Just because I am back in the United States doesn't mean that I should limit myself to not being able to see the world (even if it is only in my backyard for now).

So here's my ambitious goal: I want to see 25% of the world by the time that I am 25 years old.

I'm crossing my fingers that I able to find a way to make this dream become a reality and cant wait to see what crazy plans I'll think of in order to achieve this goal.


Until next time,

 Our stay in Amsterdam, a total of three days, consisted of a lot of walking and cultural immersion into the Danish lifestyle. For example one night we had the chance to see just how rowdy soccer fans can really get. Suddenly- out of no where- crowds of fans would emerge from tiny streets with cannons and bottles of beer in preparation for the nights soccer match. Even though the team had lost against Manchester, it was hard to tell with all the partying and screaming that was going on throughout the streets of Amsterdam till the early morning.

As we walked out of our hostel the next morning the town seemed as if it had faced a zombie apocalypse.  Bits and pieces of trash were left on the ground in every direction showing that human life had indeed passed by.

I wont go into much detail about the red light district or cannabis in Amsterdam (you can look that up for yourself) because I honestly believe that there is more to Amsterdam than just that. Yes, Amsterdam can be a bit of a party town, but during the day it is a town filled with a rich history, wonder, and culture that is brighter and more enticing than any red light window I've ever seen.

Until next time,

Bruges Belgium is a small town located about an hour train ride from Brussels. There are many things to do in Bruges that for some might seem quite perplexing. Several highlights from Bruges (including the fry museum of course) include the chocolate museum, a light museum, the blood of Jesus Christ (which you can generously see if you pay), and the infamous canals. This is a great destination for a weekend or day trip.

It should be noted (as stated above) that food and drink here can be rather expensive.  Meals for lunch range about 20 euros a person and more for dinner. Beer is cheaper than water and your sauces for fries can sometimes cost more than the fries themselves. My favorite meal? A red fruit beer from Delirium with fries and mayo. Just remember that the reason why your fries taste so good compared to other parts of the world is because they fry the potatoes with horse fat.

Until next time!

One of my pet peeves in Paris is taking (and doing) super-touristy stuff, so excuse my lack of pictures in this section and the fact that pretty much everything I did in Paris during this leg of the journey was as toursity as one could get.

Being the Parisian obsessed person that I am, one trip to Paris to say goodbye wasn't enough (I'm boogie I know). My first goodbye to Paris was a couple days before I left for Barcelona. Since I had lived in Paris previously, I had more to say goodbye to , including its suburbs. Throughout the farewell tour in Paris I couldn't help but think about how much I had changed since my return to Paris in September. When I landed last fall there were still so many details that were left unknown. I hadn't received any word from my teachers, I was unaware of where I was going to live, and of course had general nerves about making friends.


There's a part of me that looks back at myself then and cant help but shake my head at how naive I was to come into France so blindly. Yet somehow, as if it were fate, I magically survived my year abroad and found myself unharmed and back in the city of lights saying goodbye to the country I love so dearly. Sure France has had its moments (I mean look at the election), but at the end of the day this is the country that has helped me develop and grow both in terms of education and profession.

Thanks to the teaching program in France I can now cross off one of my bucket list dreams: Living and working in France. What better way to commemorate my time here in the land of Liberty, Equality, and Justice than spend an afternoon in Versailles, walk the streets of Paris, and drink wine out of baby bottles.