Welcome to My Journey

Hi and thanks for being here! I leave in a couple of hours for my seven week solo backpacking trip abroad. I aim to update this blog after each city I visit to document my travels, and to keep those who care in the loop of my whereabouts and experiences.

A little bit about me: I graduated a few weeks ago from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, where I earned a BS in nutrition in the Didactic Program in Dietetics. My choice to pursue science was rooted in my curiosity about how the world works, and my internal calling to improve people's lives. Turns out, completing a degree in nutrition required me to spend more time staring blankly at the periodic table of elements than studying health and wellbeing. Academics aside, I learned indefinable amounts about myself throughout the past four years. My values and interests have shifted and I have evolved into a person I am proud of. Also, I met some amazing people who I love dearly! My current passions and hobbies include connecting with others, hiking, writing, listening to and discovering music, taking pictures/videos, watching movies, cooking, practicing mindfulness, and dancing.

You may be wondering why I am going on this trip alone. Solo traveling is appealing to me for multiple reasons, some of them being:

1. I get to be the planner (when traveling with other people, I often fill the "You can chose what we do, I don't care" role)

2. I value the reflection and growth that happens in solitude

3. I get to meet other solo travelers!

4. There is more room for flexibility and spontaneity

5. Doing this is outside of my comfort zone

That is all for now. I'll be back with an update when I land on the other side of the Atlantic!