Welcome back to the third installment of my feel-good travel stories! If you haven’t already, check out Part 1 and Part 2. I started this series to highlight the unexpected kindness I’ve encountered while traveling, especially in places that might have mixed reputations. Often, we’re advised to be overly cautious in new destinations, but my…
Journal
How I Ended Up on National News During America Day in Moldova
No, you won’t find my face plastered across the front page of any Moldovan newspaper with a wild headline—haha! My brief moment of fame lasted all of five seconds as B-roll footage on Europa Libera‘s coverage of America Day in Chisinau, back in May 2023 (see screenshot for proof). It all started when I was in…
My Global Good Samaritan Encounters That Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity (Part 2)
I started this thread of posts to share feel-good encounters I’ve experienced while traveling (If you haven’t already, check out Part 1). Often, people are overly cautious and on edge when visiting new destinations, especially places with a mixed reputation. However, I’ve been fortunate to meet several amazing strangers during my travels, and I cherish…
My Flight from Cusco to Lima That Didn’t Exist
My first extended solo trip, which was in South America during my senior year of college, began in Peru. I started by spending a week visiting Machu Picchu, exploring Cusco, and taking day trips around the Peruvian Andes. Everything had gone smoothly, and I naively believed the rest of my journey would follow suit. However,…
My Global Good Samaritan Encounters That Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity (Part 1)
As a solo female traveler, I’ve learned to navigate the world with a healthy dose of caution. Yet, time and again, I’ve been humbled by the kindness and generosity of strangers. In a world often overshadowed by negativity, these encounters serve as reminders of the inherent goodness that exists among us. In this post, I…
How I Visited 100+ Countries as a College Student
Anyone who knew me well before college would tell you that I loathed being on planes. I struggled with severe cases of air sickness as a child, but that never deterred me from excitedly mentally preparing myself for the flights for my annual family vacations. These resort-focused trips (think Atlantis Bahamas, Wild Wadi Dubai, Disneyland…
How Family Mart Saved Me from Sleeping on the Streets of Kaohsiung, Taiwan
I must confess, this story is largely the result of my lack of foresight. But in my defense, my arrival in Taiwan coincided with a looming deadline for my master’s program, so cut me some slack. My journey into Kaohsiung from Korea was prompted mainly by the allure of the cheapest flight into Taiwan—duh. Plus,…
Half Awake in the Middle of an Expressway in Gurugram, India at 3 am
Extending my stay in Jaipur, India, meant rearranging my travel plans to catch an early flight to Nepal from the New Delhi airport. With limited affordable options available, I booked a 6 am flight and reserved an 8 pm bus ticket from Jaipur to Delhi, aiming to reach the airport in time for the flight’s…
