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Where I’ve Been
Hiking across the Western US
In the closing days of my Freshman year of college, a friend of mine asked if I wanted to go on a 40-day camping trip across the Western US over the summer. Although I’d never gone on a trip without my family at that point, I was only months away from leaving the country to study in Spain for a semester, so I figured “why not,” and agreed. One of my wilder decisions, to be sure, but one I’m very fond of.
Granada, Spain
In the fall of 2016, I studied at the University of Granada in Andalusian Spain. It’s hard to find the words to describe it in brief without falling on tired tropes or phrases, but if I had to sum up these months in one word: pivotal. Not only was it my first experience being abroad, not only was it a whirlwind of meeting all kinds of new people, but it was here that I realized that I wanted to pursue the study of International Relations, setting the course for the rest of my college career.
Exploring the old quarter of Granada. Spain. 2016. Taken in the Garden of the Architect in the Alhambra. Granada, Spain. 2016. Inside the Alhambra. Granada, Spain. 2016. Enjoying some tea with friends after lunch. Granada, Spain. 2016. Exploring the markets of Granada. Spain 2016. Taken from the Albaicin. Granada, Spain. 2016. Taken at Cape St. Vincent, the southwestmost point of mainland Europe. Portugal. 2016. On a ski lift at the Sierra Nevada outside of Granada, Spain. 2016. Looking out at the Sierra Nevada, outside of Granada. Spain. 2016.
St. Petersburg, Russia
When I look back at Spain, a multitude of easy memories come to mind. The same isn’t quite true for my time in Russia—perhaps nothing in Russia can really be called easy—but I treasure these difficulties just as much. It’s a strange country, although not for the reasons that people expect, and its idiosyncrasies have burrowed close to my heart. I’m not sure I have a good answer to the oft-asked question, “Why Russia?” but I sure can say a lot in the process of trying to explain.
St. George’s Church. One of the few pre-Mongol buildings surviving in Russia. Staraya Ladoga, Russia. 2018. A rainbow over the St. Nicholas Monastery in Staraya Ladoga, Russia. 2018. Taken along the banks of the Volkhov River. Velikiy Novgorod, Russia. 2018. The church in Vyatskoye, Russia. 2018. A city street at night. Moscow, Russia. 2018. The eternal flame, a memorial to the soldiers and workers of WW2 era Yaroslavl, with a church in the background. “Symbol of Russia, Legend of Yaroslavl.” In old-town Yaroslavl. 2018. Having tea with a Russian teacher. Yaroslavl. 2018. Teaching an English class in Yaroslavl, Russia. 2018. Playing 2000s hits at Mod Club in St. Petersburg, Russia. 2018.
Other Places I’ve Been
Looking at the mainland from Nanaimo, Vancouver Island. Canada. 2017. Half Moon Bay, CA. 2017. Drinking coffee in a cabin in Mi-Wuk village, CA. 2018 Monterey Bay, CA. 2019. Relaxing at North Beach. Point Reyes, CA. 2019. Taken while vacationing in Pacific Grove. 2020. Taken at Big Bear Lake while camping in Trinity County. 2020.