Tag Archives: warsaw

The Evolution of Schtuff

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I traveled internationally for 4 months wearing a 45 liter pack on my back and a smaller backpack in the front through 15 countries. I had to be prepared for all climates – the nauseating heat of summer in Australia, the bitter cold of dead winter in Poland and Germany and the downpours of spring in Italy. I sent my ex-boyfriend back from Italy with a few extra items in his luggage and shipped a small package from Madrid a month before returning. I had posted a list of what I carried when I departed in January so I figured it was only appropriate to show what I returned with. Items in red were lost, broken or sent back to the states. Items in green were purchased along the way.

in 45 liter pack:
-1 pair of stylish boots – these got tossed in late April into a trash can in Leiden, Holland after quite literally being worn until disintegration
-1 pair of sneakers
-1 pair of black sandals purchased in a size too small (apparently they don’t have big footed women in Western Europe) in Lisbon to wear to the Moulin Rouge
-1 pair of black flip flops – these were tossed in the beginning of my trip in Australia to save space knowing I was headed into the winter months of Germany and Poland
-2 dresses (1 casual & 1 fancy) – I ended up with a different formal dress purchased in Lisbon for the Moulin Rouge after sending my ‘fancy’ dress back with Jon
-1 thin, stylish hoodie
-1 nice, outerwear jacket – this jacket ended up not being warm enough nor as waterproof as I thought and was replaced with a purple Northface in Rome
-1 cute cardigan sweater
-1 fashion scarf
-1 pair of jeans – these jeans grew too big and were sent back with Jon – I bought a new pair of denim and a grey pair of pants in Florence – a pair bought in Berlin was shipped back from Madrid
-1 pair of jeggings – sent back with Jon
-1 pair of shorts – sent back with Jon
-1 pair of capri pants – shipped back from Madrid
-1 pair of pajama pants purchased in Berlin
-1 Paddington Bear pajama set purchased in London
-1 fancy tank top – ruined during a laundry incident in Prague
-2 tanks tops / under shirts – shipped back from Madrid – replaced with 2 tank top bras from Lisbon
-1 long sleeve shirt – ruined in Prague – new one purchased in Lisbon
-2 blouses
-3 cotton blouses – 2 shirts ruined in Prague – replaced in Lisbon
-2 cotton t-shirts – 1 shirt ruined in Prague
-1 workout tank top
-1 sports bra
-1 tan bra
-1 bathing suit
-1 camping towel – sent back with Jon
-21 pairs of underwear – ended with 16 pairs of underwear
-14 pairs of socks
-1 reusable shopping bag for dirty laundry
-1 toiletry bag containing: deodorant, a razor with extra blades, shampoo, facewash, lotion, toothpaste, toothbrush, floss, QTips, tampons, nail file, prescribed anti-anxiety medication, comb, extra hair elastics, a headband, bobby pins, makeup and some jewelry
-1 blue hat haggled for in Rome – sent back with Jon
-2 pairs of earrings purchased in Seville
-1 bracelet gifted by a co-worker in Paris
-1 ring purchased in Florence
-1 trinket bracelet gifted to me in Galway
-1 new claddaugh ring purchased in Cork at Blarney Castle

in backpack:
-purse (containing ID, passport, hand sanitizer, sunglasses + wallet) – purse was destroyed – new one purchased in Seville – new sunglasses were also purchase in Florence and then again in London to replace lost pairs + 1 leather sunglass case purchased in Florence
-computer + charger for work
-iPad for work-phone + charger
-mobile phone charger purchased in Australia
-wall outlet adapter
-headphones
-sweet leather fanny pack – sent back with Jon
-leather journal – shipped back from Madrid
-hello / goodbye book for memories + notes from people I meet along my journey
-blank watercolor postcard – shipped back from Madrid
-watercolor travel kit – shipped back from Madrid
-1 reusable plastic water bottle – broke in Germany
-travel pillow purchased during layover in London on the way to Australia
-2 books from Amsterdam, 1 was purchased and 1 was gifted
-1 beautiful hand crocheted ping gifted to me in Germany – lost in Prague
– 1 book gifted to me in Poland  – sent back with Jon
-1 book gifted to me in Augsburg – re-gifted to a friend in Frankfurt
-1 small Astronomical table clock gifted to me in Prague – sent back with Jon
-artwork purchased on the streets of Prague and Venice – sent back with Jon
-stainless steel Italian espresso maker purchased in Venice – sent back with Jon
-personalized wax seal kit with gold wax given to me in Venice – sent back with Jon
-small trinkets and presents purchased through traveling (some stayed with me) – most sent back with Jon or shipped from Madrid
-4 chocolate bars purchased in Belgium
-37 pins purchased from each city visited in Australia and Europe
-1 of each coin in the 7 currencies I paid with
-1 CD purchased from a band playing in a park in Barcelona
-1 spoon – stolen in Germany – used to take selfies throughout Europe

Before
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After
packing after trip
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The unplanned journey, in review

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When I purchased my tickets in October, I had no idea where the journey would take me. I started with a road trip to SoCal before returning to pack up my life in San Francisco. I spent 7 weeks visiting friends and family in the U.S. before flying to Australia to spend 2 1/2 weeks with a friend. I then did the most frightening thing I’ve ever done, I flew to Germany to begin 3 months of solo traveling in Europe where I had no plans. I worked a full time job in the evening to keep up with West Coast business hours hours, exploring each city in the day while planning my next move.

I traveled between 7 states and 15 countries on 3 continents. I made 5 stops in the U.S., 3 in Australia and 30 in Europe. I took 7 NewEurope Free Walking Tours, 6 paid tours, rented a bike in Holland and a car in Ireland (I drove on the other side of the road in the other side of the car!). I visited more museums and churches than I endeavor to count.

I spent money in 7 currencies., including the $4469.64 spent on 23 flights, 14 train rides and 4 buses over 154 days of traveling. I stayed with friends and friends of friends, couch-surfed in 4 cities and spent $934 on AirBnb room rentals (less than what I paid for 1 month’s rent in San Francisco). Including travel and accomodations, my monthly expenses were $289 less than they were in San Francisco!

It was a challenge for me to be without plans, it threw me completely out of my comfort zone but I’d say it was better than I ever could have organized. I went to some places I didn’t even have on my radar before I left for my trip.
10/19 – 11/2 SoCal (Ventura, LA and San Diego)
12/7 – 12/17 Washington, DC
12/17 – 12/28 Port Saint Lucie, Florida
12/28 – 1/4 Detroit, Michigan
1/4 – 1/29 Connecticut (plus a day trip to Rhode Island)
1/4 – 2/15 Australia (Sydney, Bondi & Melbourne)
2/15 – 3/5 Germany (Augsburg, Frankfurt & Berlin)
3/5 – 3/9 Poland (Warsaw, Krakow & Auschwitz)
3/9 – 3/13 Czech Republic (Prague & Kutna Hora)
3/13 – 3/28 Italy (Rome, Cinque Terre, Venice, Florence & Pisa)
3/28 – 4/11 Spain (Madrid, Seville & Barcelona)
4/11 – 4/16 Portugal (Lisbon, Cascais & Sintra)
4/16 – 4/19 France (Paris)
4/19 – 4/20 Belgium (Brussels)
4/20 – 4/24 The Netherlands (Leiden & Amsterdam)
4/24 – 4/26 Denmark (Copenhagen)
4/26 – 4/27 Scotland (Edinburgh)
4/27 – 5/3 Ireland (Cork, Dublin, Galway & Cliffs of Moher)
5/3 – 5/7 England (London)

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True colors shining through

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“The peacock is a symbol of integrity and the beauty we can achieve when we endeavor to show our true colors.”

When I was walking through a park in Warsaw a little over a month ago, a peacock crossed my path. He opened his feathers and stood in front of me, gently swaying in half circles to the right… to the left.. back and forth for about 10 minutes. There was no female around to impress, so it was rare that he did this… It felt like he just needed to present himself in this moment. It was as if he was saying, ‘here I am, world… I’m beautiful, aren’t I?’. I have never used the world majestic to describe anything before, but it seems to be the only one fitting this experience.

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I made an active decision to be happy 6 years ago, to not let ugliness and sadness consume me anymore. I worked hard to be the person I am today. And in the last two years, I channeled that energy to create the life I want to lead… I was promoted, bought a car, scored (and subsequently gave up for this trip) an awesome apartment in SF, fell in (and lost) love for the first time in 9 years, completely changed my lifestyle (losing 29% of my body weight), finished three Tough Mudders, paid off 50% of my student loans, paid off all of my credit card debt, had more adventures than I can list and traveled a good chunk of the globe (alone).

I know what it is to empower myself through decision and action… to feel pride in myself. Above all, my greatest accomplishment is that I have been able to remain open, vulnerable and loving despite deep loss and disappointment. Remaining this way allows me to experience the best parts of humanity, friendship and myself. I think the struggles allow me to embrace life with great fervor… As if knowing the dark depths allows me to appreciate the light above more. In a way, I’m grateful for the shit times… for the wisdom and strength I possess in overcoming it all.

I chose to get a tattoo to remember this time and feeling in my life… a peacock feather. I was lucky in finding a wonderful artist in Barcelona (the first time I’ve trusted a stranger to tattoo me). I want to remember this journey that began years ago with one seemingly simple choice… and to remember the beauty and power in vulnerability… as a symbol of my warrior spirit and brave heart.

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I am now at the point in my life where I too am saying ‘here I am, world… I’m beautiful, aren’t I?’

“The peacocks feathers are meaningful to those with this power animal, for they also have an association with resurrection, rising out of the ashes. They can help us shed the old feathers of the past and to take back the true beauty of our individuality.”
– Ina Woolcott

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One Night in Warsaw

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I only spent 37 hours in Warsaw, but every moment was filled with such love and delight. There was something about this place that was instantly so familiar to me. I am on the train to Krakow now.. part of me wishing that I’d had more time in Warsaw but the other part of me knowing that it was perfect just as it was. 

I had my second couchsurfing experience with a woman named Gośka, a 23 year old medical student. I cannot explain her energy, her pure love for meeting new people and for existing in the moment. I fell in love with her instantly. She picked me up from the bus station at 6am and after a few hours of napping, we had what I can only describe as a whirlwind of powerful conversation, love and gratitude in its most genuine form. 
 
I initially decided to come to Poland solely to see a project my best friend, Savana, spent three summers working on – the recreation of a wooden synagogue’s structure and the murals that adorned the inside which was burned down in WWII. What I did not anticipate was that there were bigger plans for me than just a trip to the Museum of the History of Polish Jews to see this project. I was meant to meet Gośka, to have this beautiful soul in my life.
 
Gośka and I walked around for hours, talking and laughing. It felt as if we’d always known each other. That evening, we had a delicious meal and met up with her friends for drinks. The people I meet keeping asking me what I notice is different about their country compared to America. But truthfully, I don’t see many differences. Maybe it’s because I am not looking for them? Or is it because I am instead searching for what makes us similar? For the common threads of humanity that connect us?
 
On the way home, at 4am, I stopped Gośka to take a deep breath and to remember the moment we were in. I asked her if she’d ever had that feeling of ‘I am exactly where I am meant to be’ or ‘I am exactly who I am meant to be’… I said, “these are the moments in life we have to hold on to because they mean that everything up until this point… all the good things, the adventures, the tragedies, the heartbreaks… have led us here”. We stood with our feet on either side of a man hole to commemorate the moment (it seemed appropriate at the time – perhaps due to the 17 shots of vodka we consumed?). I said, “remember this very second and when things are difficult, remember that life is only preparing us for more moments like this… to appreciate how beautiful life really is“.
 
The more I am grateful for these moments, the happier I become and the happier I become, the more moments like this I seem to have. It’s a blessed circle. With the strong women I am meeting and the statues on display of these warrior women I see everywhere in Europe, I feel like I am on a tour of female empowerment. I am a woman, traveling ‘alone’ but making communities in each place I visit – embracing the people and the culture in each destination. Choosing to create the life I want to lead – knowing that happiness is a conscious effort and choice. 
 
As my train was departing, Goska gave me a book entitled ‘Led by Destiny‘ which is the story of two American backpackers. I cannot wait to read it and to see when in life I will see my Polish sister again. The title of the book could not be more appropriate as… deep breath… I am right where and who I am meant to be… in this very moment. Without the previous moments in my life that were painful and lonely, I would not appreciate this journey so deeply. Sometimes, the only way to change your life is to change your outlook on it… this will transform everything.
 
Moments in Warsaw:
-Goska made homemade hummus and fresh orange juice for my first lunch.
–Royal Lazienki Park: We walked around to see this beautiful park on a crisp day. We saw amazing sculptures and ‘the palace on the water’ but the highlight was certainly the animals. Poland has THE CUTEST squirrels I have seen. They are smaller than American squirrels and red with tufted hair on their ears. They are so friendly and adorable, I wish I could have one as a pet. Also in this park, it is common for peacocks to wander freely. We came across one who was proudly strutting his feathers, turning almost as if he were showing how handsome he was. It was one of the most majestic and wonderful moments in my life.
-Walking through Old Town with a coffee in hand, discussing life and love with Goska.
-Going from one small, cramped bar to another to take shots of flavored vodka in each. I am impressed I was alive this morning. Two of Goska’s friends joined us and we talked so freely about many topics. I’ve learned that people do not hate Americans the way we think they do but that actually it’s very common to feel like other places have bad ideas of your country. 
-Goska and I making a toast to our mothers: “to the women we swore we’d be nothing like as girls but are now proud to be like as women.”
–Museum of the History of Polish Jews: I met Savana’s friend, Olga, who worked on the mural with her and two Americans visting from Paris where they study law (and I hope to see them again!). The museum just opened last year and everything about it was awe-inspring… the architecture, the exhibits, the history. There was a Purim celebration and I got prune hamentashen to celebrate. It made me happy because I love them so much as they remind me of my close friend and second mother (she makes large batches every year).
–Wilanow Royal Palace: We went to see the gardens and the palace but with luck on our side, there was an amazing light display! They used 3D projectors on the building itself, using the building’s features as a guide to tell a moving story – there is just no way to describe what we saw! It was by far one of the coolest installations I’ve ever seen. We danced and giggled through the gardens. There was an Alice in Wonderland maze and a Cinderella horse and carriage – all made of lights. It had that special feeling that happens around Christmas. Goska and Paulina had no idea there was such an event when we planned to go – it was just one of those amazing ‘you couldn’t plan this if you tried‘ moments to happen upon.
 

Language highlights:
–smacznego: said at the beginning of a meal
–nostrovia: cheers!
–curva: bitch
–dziekuje: thank you (pronounced jen-koo-ya)

Food highlights:
–zurek: polish sour cream soup with white sausage and boiled egg
-spinach pierogis in a blue cheese sauce
-beetroot soup
-strudel crepe baked with cheese
 
AIRPORTS: 12
FLIGHTS: 14
TRAINS: 1
BUSES: 2
STATES: 7
COUNTRIES: 4
CONTINENTS: 3
DAYS TRAVELING: 91
CURRENCIES: 4 – I feel VERY rich in Zloty 😉

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