The Wandering Journalist

29/12/2024

& pt 3 🇨🇷🇨🇷🇨🇷

29/12/2024

Pt 2 🇨🇷

29/12/2024

Finally getting around to uploading camera photos:)

23/12/2024

23/12/2024

End of the year, winter break, Costa Rica trip 🇨🇷:

I’m on my way home from Costa Rica now, and I really wanted to just take this trip for myself. As much as I usually love journaling throughout trips, I’ve felt too mentally exhausted to do so recently. So here’s my recap of the trip & some background:

2024 was a rough one for me; I struggled with funds, felt ever so burnt out from my busy lifestyle, went through the worlds worst heart break, got senioritis so badly, and have been trying my hardest to find a good plan for post graduation. This year has almost felt like being in a small sailboat in the ocean during a storm, with each battle feeling like I’ve hit another giant wave, but we’ve been keeping afloat!

This year was a year of lessons and growth for me; I’ve learned so much about myself and what I want. I’ve really taken the last few months to truly reflect on my life and I’ve taken the time to get to know myself on a deeper level.

With all of that being said, this trip was a healing trip for me. I decided to come to Costa Rica because I have such a love for this country and it always somehow feels like home. This trip made it my third time here:) I went to beach & surf towns, spent my days exploring the coasts, walking for hours, and reflecting more on the year. My first few days in Costa Rica, I spent by myself, taking the time to gather thoughts on how I want next year to go, as well as plans for next year.

I spent the first half of my trip exploring beach/surf towns that I’ve never been to in the Nicoya Peninsula. The last time I was in this area of Costa Rica, was before my first year at Gvsu; when I was 19 & learning how to surf in tamarindo. Since then, I’ve been dying to check out the other towns in this peninsula, so I made sure I did that on this trip!

About a week into traveling, I found myself in a tiny beach town called Montezuma, and I fell in love with it. It had the prettiest beaches, bluest water, and listening to the waves every night while being in bed was so healing. It was in this town that I made a few friends to chat with for hours, play volleyball, and laugh with as we went for nighttime swims in the ocean. I talked to one girl from Canada for nearly 3-4 hours on my last night in Montezuma, we had such good quality conversations.

It was also in this beautiful town that I had another meaningful conversation with a guy from California; he spoke about the beauty in having nothing. He said that when he has a void in certain areas of his life, he thinks about it in terms of having an empty vase. “Oh the beauty in that, endless possibilities. You can fill that vase with anything you desire, and isn’t that lovely.” He had no idea how much I needed to hear that shift in perspective, It was such a good reminder. There’s so much beauty in the unknown.

For the second half of my trip, I made sure to come to my favorite town in Costa Rica; puerto viejo. Whilst on the way, I met a guy from Poland & he talked about how much he hated puerto viejo, but I couldn’t disagree more. It’s rare when I find a town where I weirdly feel so very at home in (it’s only ever happen twice whilst traveling), yet this town has done it again and again.

I spent a whole day (from 6am-9:30pm) traveling to get there since I was coming from the other side of the country, but man, when I woke up to puerto viejos beauty, it made it all worth it. There’s just something about this town that touches my heart. There’s a bohemian charm, it’s on the Caribbean, the greenery is gorgeous, the wildlife is amazing, the small businesses & cafe culture are fun, it’s where the jungle quite literally meets the sea, and the vibe of the town is one giant pura vida.

It’s a simple way of living, where you bike everywhere, open/close businesses on your time, and everyone is so kind. The only main downfall of this town is that it tends to rain year round, mostly in the mornings & evenings- but the trade off is awesome wildlife!

On my first day in puerto viejo, I walked around the town & it all looked so different than I remember it being like 4 years ago. In the evening, I went on a beach walk for sunset and found the spot that I had one of my old profile pictures taken. Seeing that same spot and walking along the forest/beach, made me start to think about the last time I was there. I remember feeling so lost, yet so found that summer in 2021.

Back then was the first time I really questioned who I was, I took that summer to gain a good sense of self. It made me laugh a little because here I am, four years later, asking myself the same questions; “Who Am I? What do I value? Who do I want to be?” If you would’ve told me four years ago that I’d be here asking the same questions I was asking myself back then, I would’ve called you crazy. The good news is, my answers have changed drastically, and for the better. It’s so beautiful how we as humans are always changing (and hopefully evolving) into new people.

My time in puerto viejo consisted of going to my favorite bakery every morning for a Nutella croissant, waiting for the rain to pass before exploring the town + neighboring towns, then making some subpar pasta in the evenings. On one day, I biked 22.5 miles to/from cahuita national park then hiked around the gorgeous nature.

I met some more great souls whilst being there; two guys from California fully convinced me of getting lasik eye surgery in the future, on one of the nights. 😂 And on my last night in puerto viejo, I met the most amazing group of European solo travelers (+ one Canadian), we went out to four different parties to celebrate my last night in Costa Rica, then got breakfast together the next morning. I met another amazing soul on my ride back to San Jose, we talked for hours on the bus and he convinced me to visit Washington DC in the future.

Overall, this trip did exactly what I wanted it to; I got to relax in beautiful places and be alone with my pretty little mind. I got to make connections with people from all around the world, and indulge in the nature. I got to see wildlife, swim in the ocean, and bike along the coasts. I got some more clarity about my needs and desires. I reflected on areas of growth, as well as all of the good that I bring to the table. I was up with the sun for sunrises, and went to the beach for sunsets. This trip was everything I needed it to be.

11/07/2024

Days 55-62: Portugal w/ Em 🇵🇹

My flight from Morocco to Portugal was lovely. For the first time in a while, I kept catching myself taking airplane window photos. 😂 but I loved the views of flying over Morroco and into Lisbon!

Once I made it to Lisbon, I headed out of the airport and towards the bus station so I could meet up with Em to catch our bus to Peniche! Luckily, I made it there with about an hour or so to kill, but Em was running behind. I got us some snacks for our journey as I waited, but soon the time grew closer and closer. With about two minutes until departure, I was about to ask our driver if there were any other busses there for the night, but then appeared Em!

We were both so ecstatic that we actually were able to catch the bus! Once we made it to our little home for the week, we headed out for some late night dinner and had amazinggg nasi gorang!

On our way to dinner, we came across a small hangout place that seemed to have immaculate vibes so we made a pit stop & hung out with the most wholesome people, singing with them, drinking ciders, and checking out all of their crafts that they were selling.

We spent our first full day exploring our little town; Ferrel. That evening, we got the most DELICIOUS dinner. We stopped at a more upscale pizza place and got pizza, sangrias, and this insanely amazing feta cheese appetizer. We didn’t stop talking about that meal for the rest of the trip. 😂

The following day, we went to our neighboring surf town; Baleal. (This was personally my favorite day) we came across an eco market, stopped and looked at each vendor’s unique trinkets, and then walked around some surf shops in the town.

Afterwards, we went to the local beaches nearby and sunbathed. These beaches were so stunning, they kept reminding me of Aus. At one point, we had this small beach completely to ourselves so Em made the joke of going topless. (It’s a European thing) Since it was starting to get warmer out and seemed freeing, we decided to actually do it. 😂 12/10 recommend.

We spent the evening going for a stroll around the town and then we went back to the same bar as before for some dinner.

Every morning, we’d go to a local cafe for breakfast and get a ham, cheese, and egg baguette + coffee (and sometimes a pastry or two to share if we were realllyy hungry) which all came to a total of €8. We noticed that Portugal was roughly half the price as the US when it came to food.

On Sunday, Em & I had a lazy day at our campground since most things were closed, then on Monday we made up for that by doing a long day trip to Ericeira.

We rented a scooter for the day & then headed out for a two hour journey to the surf town of Ericeira. We spent the day exploring the town, going through shops, and snacking.

For our last full day together, we started the morning at the tattoo shop- where I got tattoo #4! Then we headed to Lisbon and spent the day out walking around and taking in the beauty of this lively city. We snacked throughout the day, then Ems lovely parents treated us to a nice Italian dinner since it was out last day together:,) they’re the sweetest.

We spent the evening in, just getting things around for the following morning. Then this morning I headed out to the airport for my journey back to the US:,)

Overall, I really have enjoyed Europe. I can’t say any of the places touched my heart as deeply as some other travels have, but I do enjoy the European lifestyle and the diversity of culture over here. I’ll definitely be back in the future.

Today I am spending the day in Philadelphia on a long layover & I’ll be staying at my first ever US hostel tonight! Wish me luck 😂 But tomorrow I have a flight to Tennessee to stay with my dad for a little while before embarking on my journey back home. 🇺🇸

04/07/2024

Days 53-55: Marrakech, Morocco 🇲🇦

Before coming to Marrakech, I didn’t know what to expect. I met backpacker upon backpacker that told me that they HATED Marrakech, but then every once in a while, I’d run into someone that would have nothing but good things to say about Marrakech. I’d say from the feedback I got, 15% of it would be positive. This definitely intrigued me.

On my way to Agadir, (I had to get a bus from Agadir to Marrakech) I met a group of three Moroccan guys my age that were hitch hiking their way around Morocco. They were the most wholesome dudes and had immaculate vibes. We all chatted for the whole hour there & then once we made it to Agadir, they got a taxi with me to make sure I made it to the right spot for my bus & also to save me money since the taxi drivers were all trying to scam me. These guys were absolute gems.

I got to the bus stop early, so I chilled out & sun bathed until my bus came. After a 3 hour bus journey, I made it to Marrakech! After taking public transport around the city, and getting checked into my hostel, I walked around the city to see what the vibe was.

Right away I loved it here. The best way I can describe this city is, if you were to take Delhi, India & give it more of a spacey vibe with less chaos. Marrakech had a very similar vibe to Western Asia. (At least in my opinion)

I went to the famous square to see live performances, street food vendors, plenty of shops, and even people with exotic animals. (Cobras, monkeys, hawks, etc.) I couldn’t help but to feel a little sad to see how the animals are treated for profit here, it’s disgusting.

I got dinner at a local street food vendor and then walked through the sauks on the way back. (Tiny hole in the wall shops- they’re awesome.)

My favorite thing about Marrakech was the alleyways that you walk through and all of the sauks. It’s like an absolute maze and I loved every second of exploring them.

A downfall of Marrakech is the amount of men that stare, glare, and try to talk to you if you’re alone. The good news is, if you’re with a guy, they leave you alone completely. Even if you’re Beyoncé. 😂 They seem to respect couples and don’t even bother regardless of what the girl looks like. However, being a solo female traveler, this was not in my favor. Nothing too crazy happen, but I did have a worker in a supermarket run out of a store to ask me if I was married. 😂 welcome to Morocco.

I spent the following morning out exploring more of Marrakech, I walked around for 2-3 hours and then once the heat came, I found my way into a cafe with AC and ice coffee. I dwelled in there and talked to Em for a few hours and then headed back to the hostel to chill out until the evening. (It’s super common here to mostly go out in the mornings & evenings due to the heat. Most days it’s 100 degrees here)

I spent my final time in Marrakech going out for dinner, getting a small souvenir, having one last tajine, and running around looking for these small crystal rocks. (But never finding them for a good price 🥲👎🏼)

Overall, I LOVED Marrakech. I feel the same way about this city as I did about Hanoi, Vietnam; it’s chaotic, very cultural, has the COOLEST alleyways to go down, affordable, and has an abundance of character, butttt… it’s perfect for just a few days. I’d never want to live here or stay longer than four days, but for a short visit, this is one of my favorite cities in the world.

Today I am headed out of Morocco & into Portugal to bring an end to my trip! I’ll be there for about 8 days then I’ll be headed home :,) Morocco has been lovely and I’ll definitely be back in the future to properly see this country.

02/07/2024

Days 54-63: Final days in Taghazout, Morocco 🇲🇦

Woo! I’m finally finished with my volunteer experience here and I’m ever so joyed to be going on to the next adventure! My final week here was spent indulging in some food, doing a day trip to imsuane, and going on plenty of walks.

I really have enjoyed this one cafe here; the teapot cafe! It’s super cute & small, and there’s lovely outdoor seating + good food. So since it was my last week here, I treated myself and came every day for brunch. (I was getting sick of my cheap eats 😂) I also checked out some other spots to eat and got some good well-needed food 😋

Like I said, I walked around tons this week, chilled out, planned out every aspect of my life that I could to kill time, and went to the skatepark for sunsets. I have learned that I could never live in a town this slow, I’m going crazy over here. 😂

Due to having too much time on my hands, I have been getting into van life research like crazy lately, as well as planning out all sorts of fun for senior year.

I did get a day off to go to imsuane for the day- a close surf town where you can actually surf right now! & that was soooo needed. It felt so good to get out of the town and actually catch a wave. I was on cloud nine:)

The drive there was absolutely beautiful, but I ended up getting a little sunburnt since I forgot my sunscreen that day. I was strategizing how I could have my body (in the wet suit) in the sun, while covering up my face and feet with shade 😂 it sort of worked but not completely haha.

I came back that day so hungry since I skipped lunch, and devoured a whole small pizza. 😂 twas great.

My final days were mostly spent chilling out and going for a nice walk each day. I treated myself to some cheesecake once I completed my final shift and said thank gawd to new experiences coming my way soon. 😂

In conclusion, taghazout is a lovely town… for a maximum of three days. You can really see the whole town in about an hour so although this was a super laid back work experience, I was going crazy doing the same things on repeat for three weeks. 😂 but I’m trying to take it in because I know soon with work & school, I’ll be begging for this type of break. 😅

Today I am headed out on an absolute adventure, taking public transport to the city of Marrakesh!

23/06/2024

Days 47-53: week two in Morocco! 🇲🇦

I’m not going to lie, this week went by sooo slowly.

I started the week by working the morning shift (which consists of going on a two minute walk and ordering two baguettes from the bread bakery for $0.20, heading to the roof top and tidying it up from the night before, waiting for backpackers to come upstairs and asking them if they want breakfast, serving them breakfast, doing the dishes, making myself breakfast once it’s after 10:30am, waiting for people to check out, then helping clean the rooms/make beds with one of the staff here that doesn’t speak an ounce of English- so it mostly consist of me doing something and her redoing it) 😂 then once it hits 12-1ish, I’m free for the day!

My coworker & I decided to alternate shifts so every other day I’d work the morning shift and then every other day I’d work the afternoon shift (& vise versa)

The afternoon shift consists of chilling on the rooftop, waiting for people to check in, then showing them to their rooms & to the rooftop once they’re here. If we put on a family dinner, then it’s also in the job to set the table & clean up from the dinner. It’s a chiller shift but it takes up more of your day.

I walked around tonssss this week. Hours upon hours, just walking / hiking around. I discovered a beautiful seaside walk and found myself going to do it multiple times a week. This was my main form of an activity this week, just walking along the seaside, journaling, and reading.

I also decided to go to the skate park to rent a board on one of my days here. I taught myself how to surf skate and after about an hour or so of doing that, I traded for a cruiser board and had much more fun doing that. 😂 it was a lot of fun to spend the day skating around the park with other beginners & some very good skaters.

I checked out some new places to eat this week - which were very yummy. I went to the red clay cafe (a well known vegan cafe here) and then ended my week at the teapot cafe indulging on some zoodles, which was amazingggg. I will be back. I also wet to world of waves (a seaside restaurant) for a midday smoothie & I found a little beachside affordable place for breakfast! My more affordable options had been closed this last week due to the holiday. But don’t worry, I’ve been still investing in a weekly jar of Nutella & cookies 😂

Morroco had a famous holiday this last week that consists of killing goats and eating them / then turning their fur into a costume to wear in the evening for a party- so there’s that. 😂

With this holiday, most places were closed- including laundry, so I washed my overdue dirty clothes yesterday by hand and laid them out on the clothing rack to dry.

We got a fun group of backpackers that came through recently, so I played cards with them on the rooftop & they played some live music for us on the hostel guitar. Every night we’ve been eating dinner like a family here, and hearing all of the different languages around the table has been beautiful.

The biggest realization that I had this week was that I need to get out of this town. 😂 I’m going so stir crazy since the waves haven’t been big enough to surf here, and there’s only about 3 things to do in this town. I’ve been finding myself waking up way later than I usually do because, what’s the point in getting up early? For what? So for my final week here, I plan to take several day trips out if I’m given the opportunity and explore more of this region since I’ve seen the ins & outs of taghazout. 😂