When I first moved into my apartment it was unfurnished. In Turkey that means a complete blank slate: no appliances, curtains, not even light fixtures. I felt excitement at being able to fill up my space thoughtfully, surrounding myself only with carefully-selected things I loved. But at the same time, furnishing a whole 2-bedroom apartment…
I felt a chill, sitting in my little box of a room – tiny, with oddly-placed windows that allow nearly no natural light to shine through. Wrapped up in a pile of heavy blankets and my newly purchased yak wool scarf, trying my best to stay insulated from both the physical cold and the social…
As the New Year approaches, have you thought about starting a letter-writing ritual to reflect on the past and dream about the future? Since 2008, I’ve been writing a New Year’s Letter as part of a cherished tradition my friends and I began together. Even on years when I can’t celebrate with them, I continue…
When I began this journey, I had a very rough itinerary in mind. In fact, my preferred way to travel is to leave things a bit open ended, to slow down and to allow myself to test the waters in a place before I commit to more than a few days there. There is so…
