What’s happening in Ukraine sucks! When bad stuff happens in the world that feels out of our control, we often go looking for ways we can help.
I especially wanted to help because part of the family is from a small town just outside of Kyiv, Ukraine. I knew I found the right way to support when my friend shared with me a really unique option. It would make a small difference in the life of a Ukrainian right now.
So I booked an Airbnb stay with a local in Kyiv last weekend! But of course I didn’t go. I simply told the host to keep the money, but that I wasn’t coming. I believe that with enough people joining in, this small gesture can collectively have a lasting impact for many. As a traveler, I love this idea! And so, in this post, I share all the details in the hopes that others might book a stay in Ukraine right now, too!
I made it! My quarantine trip from Miami to upstate New York was a success! I drove up the Saturday before Thanksgiving and managed to keep my 14-day quarantine in tact.
It was tough but everything went smooth and it was so worth the trip. I’ve now been spending time with my family for the last week. I’ve been eating way too much food, having a ton of laughs, and appreciating the quaint beauty of rural New York in late Fall.
This post is a quick overview of my trip and what I’ve been up to since my arrival.
It's Christmas! And I'm in New York! I'm home spending the holidays with my family in upstate New York. I thought I'd share a few of our family traditions in addition to my own tradition of seeing the holiday sights around The City.
In between upstate shenanigans, I was in New York City a couple of times over the last few weeks. I got to check out Rockefeller Center, view the decorated Macy's windows, and watch people fall on their faces ice skating in Bryant Park (my favorite!). But now I'm home, baking up a cookie storm with Mom and preparing for our family tradition of opening presents on Christmas Eve.
I took a while to post this time because this may very well be the most personal one I’ve written yet! The more personal, the more careful a writer I am—so that's a good thing! Although this post is personal, I do hope others will find the history described here interesting or even relevant to their own lives. People travel for all sorts of reasons. Tracing a family history is just one reason, and it only applies to why I chose Germany as one of the stops during my year of deviation. I hope this post resonates with those of you who maybe have traveled for this reason before or perhaps you are aspiring to do so one day as well!
Lots of people have grandparents in their lives for a large chunk of their childhood and sometimes even into adulthood. Some are less fortunate to ever have any in their lives at all. I was fortunate enough to have two grandparents on my father’s side, Arthur and Shirley, and my grandmother on my mother’s side, Josephine, for at least part of my childhood. They all died by the time I was 12.
While staying with family in the southeast part of Germany, I had the opportunity to visit local attractions and gain a bit of insight into Bavarian history. Aunt Wally, my grandfather’s sister who lives now in upstate New York, was responsible for contacting my family members in Germany and telling them to take me to these places around Bavaria, making these day trips extra special for me. Here are some of my favorites.
On a grey morning, my cousin Uli and I drove south toward the border of Austria. As we sped down the autobahn, the Alps grew from a faded outline to massive growths stretching blue against the horizon. We made it to Chiemsee, a huge lake with two islands. King Ludwig II’s infamous palace, the Herrenchiemsee, is located on one of these islands. The ferry boat, ironically named Josef (my grandfather’s name), took us on a short ride from the docks to the island called Herreninsel.
