2016. You Were Joyful.

I'm sitting in a Starbucks in Istanbul on this cold day, just a few days before Christmas and under 48 hours from when I get to hug my family tight.

I've been sipping on my Earl Grey tea in a quintessential Red Cup (I actually had to look quintessential up in a dictionary to make sure I was using it right. Score!). I've been reading An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, and trying to stay quiet while I laughed and tears streamed down my face. I've never read a tale about hog hunting that made me tickled quite that much before.

It's nice to have a relaxing day to read and think. And I've been thinking about 2016.

At the start of the year, I made a little 'brochure'-style leaflet for myself. I wrote in it many of the hopes and dreams that I had for this year, and things that I felt that I wanted to accomplish. I made places to record my favorite memories. And I chose my word for this year.

Joy. 

Although I hadn't experienced personally many hardships leading up to January 2016, I had a lot of friends who had. I had met a lot of people who had been forced to flee their homes in Syria, and I knew that life was more about surviving and healing for them than it was about being "happy." Because, sometimes "happy" just isn't possible.

And sometimes, that is okay,

I've found myself in the past always searching for ways to be happy, and trying to plan my life accordingly. Because, let's be honest, my life has been very privileged. I haven't lived among a world crisis, I haven't faced starvation and poverty, and the only thing that has really kept me up at night before has been studying for exams at a university that many people would love to be able to attend.

In all of this privilege, I put "happy" up on a pedestal in my life, something to strive for. "Do what makes you happy," so many people say.

But then I realized that many people in the world don't and will never have that option. They may have tiny moments of happiness, but most of life is going to be filled with grief and fighting to exist. Is that truly life? I can't say to them, "Do what makes you happy." That isn't possible. That isn't a choice for them. Then why is it something I am told to strive for in our privileged society? Why is that the epicenter of existence?

So, at the beginning of 2016, I chose instead to focus on having joy. Because in my reading of the Bible, I found that God didn't tell me that HE was going to give me happiness. Instead, God tells me that HE will give me joy. And that is much greater.

Joy is having a heart full of love, no matter what is going on around you. It isn't circumstantial. It is a state of existing in the Truth. In trusting that the God Who holds the world in HIS hands is also holding you in HIS hands, and HE's not about to let go. That the One Who matters the most loves you with a love that can never be quantified.

Joy is something that anyone can have. It doesn't matter if you don't have access to wealth, education, and extra things like Starbucks and going to Disneyland or traveling the world. Happiness can be bought. Joy can't.

"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while."  1 Peter 1:6

I wrote this verse in my little leaflet, and stuck this reminder of my dreams for 2016 into my planner. I've been looking over it the past few days, checking off the boxes that I did accomplish, and writing down memories for how I did them.

2016 did contain a lot of happy moments. Like walking across the Tower Bridge in London with my family on a chilly June morning. And singing Robert Burns poems together with friends at a late-night party. And playing board games with my roommates after dinner.

But it also contained a lot of sad moments. Like when one of my very close friends, a woman who has been like a grandmother to my family, died this past August. Like when I stood by her hospital bed on the same day that I was flying back to Istanbul, watching her experience pain and knowing that I wasn't going to see her again in this world. And the moments when I experienced conflict with friends, and had to live in that sorrow until we experienced reconciliation through Jesus' grace. Or when I grieved with both my home nation and my resident nation as tragedy and horrors occurred to innocents in our land.

I was reminded that I won't always be happy. And in these moments of experiencing death and strife and tragedy, it wouldn't be right to be happy. Instead, I was reminded that in all of these moments, I do have joy. Joy in Christ. Joy that HE is working in all and through all. Joy that HE loves me more than I will ever know. Joy that HE walks with me through the happy moments and through the dark valleys.

May 2017 be filled with true joy for you. Here's to living in truth and love together.

- Your Faithful Nomad

"Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world usually do." - Steve Jobs

Not that I'm advocating that Steve Jobs is a role model or anything. But I sure do agree with this statement. A lot of times, we forget that our daily choices do matter. Either to one person, to many, or to the whole world.

I know that during this holiday season, you have been bombarded with organizations wanting you to make year-end donations. People who want you to take part in this "season of giving."

But it's not a season. A lot of us are in the situation where we have all that we need, all the time. And it reminds me how the Christians of the early church shared with each other, making sure that no one was in want.

Blessings are given to us so that we can share them.

As you watch the news and see the disasters happening around the world, there are groups of people who have decided that they do want to change the world. And, we can join them. Crazy, huh?

Here are a few. They are great. They are changing the world. And they want us to join them. I'm in, are you?



Refuge Coffee in Clarkston, GA -> Welcoming a diverse community and employing refugees with training and a living wage.

Liberty in North Korea -> Rescuing those who have escaped over the North Korean border and re-settling them into lives of freedom.

*Update on January 4th, 2017 - Liberty in North Korea reached their year-end goal of $100,000 and received a matching gift! That is 66 more refugee rescues funded! Thanks for your continued support and please continue to give in 2017 to help give more people freedom.

As Our Own -> Giving a family to young girls at risk in India.

Even a small donation means that you are choosing to make an impact. We can do it.

Let's be crazy enough to think that we can change the world. And we will. 

Vegan Drinks {Starbucks}

Oh no, can I go to Starbucks anymore?!

Soy milk latte in Turkey. @faithful_nomad

This was one of my first reactions after deciding that I was going to eat a vegan diet. Starbucks is one of those places that is always the same wherever I go - a comfort blanket, if you will. When I need a place to chill or meet friends, I usually pick Starbucks. I know the menu like the back of my hand, I have the rewards card for both the US and Turkey, and I can always rely on some decent internet if I need to do work there. The hum of pleasant music and conversations and that beepy sound the espresso machine makes gives me a sense of normal.

Plus, after visiting Starbucks, I smell like coffee for the rest of the day.
And that is quite perfect with me.

I <3 using my Starbucks mugs at home. This one brightens my morning! @faithful_nomad 

I quickly found with great joy that I can indeed still drink some of my favorites at Starbucks! Here's some of the scoop from my research:

~ One of my favorite coffee drinks is a Caffe Latte. This is a very easy drink to switch to vegan in both the US and Turkey. In the US, just ask your barista to use almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk instead of cow's milk. In Turkey, there is soy milk available. The soy milk is actually a bit vanilla-tasting, and I really like that in my latte.

Surviving Analytical Chemistry with a mocha in hand. @faithful_nomad

~ Now Caffe Mochas are another one of my favorites for days when I need that chocolate kick. To make these vegan, simply ask for a plant-based milk as with the caffe latte, and ask for no whipped cream (sorry honey, can't fix that one unless Starbucks starts offering vegan whipped cream  - see below. Just remember, you are doing it for the planet).


~If you want the Chile Mocha, unfortunately the Chili Mocha Powder contains natural flavors that have milk derivatives. If you ask for a normal caffe mocha with the spiced mocha topping, that's technically the Chile Mocha just without the Chili Mocha Powder.

~ As far as I can tell, subbing the soy milk for cow milk in the Gingerbread Latte will make it vegan. Yeeees!

~ All the teas at Starbucks are great. I especially love the mint, which is one of my go-tos after landing from a long flight in the morning.

~ Hot Chocolate & Peppermint Hot Chocolate can both be vegan if you ask for plant-milk and no whipped cream.

~ Starbucks Refreshers do not contain any obvious animal products, so those are vegan-friendly in my books! Can't wait to enjoy a Berry Hibiscus Refresher this summer. Yum!

Summer days with L.M. Montgomery and Berry Hibiscus Refresher. @faithful_nomad

~ Make sure to ask for no whipped cream. If you want Starbucks to start offering a vegan-friendly whipped cream, write them an email by clicking here or favorite/thumbs-up/comment on my request here. I sent an email to Starbucks about this, and also asked for them to add an indicator to the menu for vegan-friendly products. A wonderful customer service rep named Shannon B. emailed me back within 24 hours and said that her daughter is also vegan! She pointed me to the My Starbucks Idea site, where I posted my request for vegan whipped cream. Evidently, others agree. If Starbucks realizes that there are a lot of customers who would benefit from vegan whipped cream, they should add it to the menu.

What is your favorite vegan Starbucks drink? 

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Vegan Eats {Breakfast}

I love breakfast. You probably know this if you read "If You Give a Blog a Breakfast". Here in Turkey, I've learned to have a new appreciation for this meal, and how lingering over a table for hours with friends can really be an amazing way to build rich friendships.

Now with my vegan diet, I've been passionately trying to find ways to preserve my breakfast favorites, as well as add to my arsenal of easy recipes, all without using animal products. Recently I've been hosting a lot of breakfast gatherings for my friends at my house, and I've been putting these recipes to the test. They have come out on top! Here are the favorites so far, and I'll be adding more as I find them.

{Vegan Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips} (Click for printable file)

My first time making this recipe, and I was experimenting with the chocolate chip addition. It was devoured quite quickly after this photo was taken.

This recipe includes brewed coffee, chocolate chips, and chia seeds! So good and so healthy! I found this recipe on the Sugar and Cinnamon food blog. I did the vegan version of this and also used the ingredients most readily-available to me here in Turkey.

Ingredients:

2 smashed-up bananas (remember, banana bread is a great way to use brown bananas! The bananas in my house never last that long, though...)
1/3 cup brewed black coffee (as in, the liquid, not the coffee grounds!)
3 tablespoons chia seeds mixed with 6 tablespoons of water (this subs the eggs)
1/2 cup olive oil 
1/2 cup brown sugar (or maple syrup if you want)
1 cup of white flour
1 cup of wholewheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
vegan chocolate chips (check the packaging to make sure there are no milk products!) - optional

So, you pre-heat your oven to 350F (180C). Put a large piece of parchment paper in your loaf pan to line it (no messy clean-up or worrying that it stuck!). Beat together your olive oil and sugar, then slowly add in your chia seed-water mixture and mix. Mix in your mashed bananas and coffee really well. 

In a separate bowl, mix or sift your flours and the rest of the dry ingredients (except chocolate chips). Then fold into the liquids bowl and keep folding until well-combined. Pour into the loaf pan and sprinkle chocolate chips on top (if you wish). Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a knife stuck into it comes out clean. The original recipe says it serves 8-12...we had 4 of us at breakfast and we devoured it. As in, only a half-slice left behind. A win in my books.

{Vegan Pancakes}

I found this easy recipe for pancakes from the blog Cookie and Kate. I really like the recipe because it uses things that I already have around my house, and all the ingredients are available in Turkey. I haven't been able to find things like coconut oil and vegan butter here, so I can't use recipes that need those just yet. This recipe is easy and I've made it twice so far for friends. My skillet skills are not that great (every other pancake was quite toasty or a bit under-done), but they were a hit both times anyway! I topped them with {baked apples} - recipe also in this post. 

For vegan pancakes you need - 

1 cup of whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup plant milk (I have used soy milk, almond milk, and a blend of both)
2 tablespoons olive oil or melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup or sugar of choice (I just use regular white sugar)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (make your own with some vodka, a vanilla bean, and a few weeks of waiting!)
A bit of oil if you need to grease your skillet, but I used a no-stick skillet so I just used a tiny touch of sunflower oil on the pan

#1 - Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, mix together the plant milk, olive oil, the sugar/maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
#2 - Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl with the dry mixture and stir until combined (leave only a few lumps, you don't want to over-mix as well). Let batter sit for 5 minutes.
#3 - Heat your pan up until a drop of water sizzles on contact with the surface. Drop on enough batter to make a pancake about the size of your palm. Wait until the 1/2-inch perimeter doesn't look glossy and there are a few small bubbles forming on the surface - this is when you flip. Don't worry if it takes a few times to get this right. My pancakes are always a mix of under-done and over-done. Just remind yourself that there are no eggs in this batter, so no worries about making your guests ill! You can even eat the batter out of the bowl if you want :)
#4 - Enjoy! Top with maple syrup, blueberries, peanut butter, or baked apples.

{Baked Apples} 

These are super easy to make and taste great on top of pancakes and waffles. 

Ingredients:
- Chopped apples
- A few dashes of water
- A good bit of sugar

Throw all ingredients into a small pot and put on the stove, stirring often. I think I usually end up adding 4 TBSP of sugar per 3-4 apples, but you can sweeten to your own taste. Once they are good and soft, serve warm. Delish!

{Warm Oats and Quinoa}

I literally eat this every day. Yes, every day. The boost of protein-rich quinoa and chia seeds, fiber-rich oats, and the warmth of plant milk and cinnamon are a great start to my morning. You might also remember this recipe from "If You Give a Blog a Breakfast." This recipe originally comes from the cookbook The 10 Things You Need to Eat: And More Than 100 Easy and Delicious Ways to Prepare Them. The only difference from the original recipe is that I always use plant milk, and I omit the honey (which doesn't change the flavor at all). 

For a single-serving (I whip it up each morning in a tiny saucepan), you will need:
- about 3/4 cup plant milk (if you want to make your plant milk stretch, use 1/2 cup plant milk + 1/4 cup water)
- a few dashes of ground cinnamon
- 2 large spoons of COOKED quinoa (I cook up a good bit each Sunday and use some each day)
- 1/2 cup of quick oats (Yulaf ezmesi in Turkey)
- a sprinkle of chia seeds
- optional: 1/4 cup of chopped apples (if adding apples, put a tiny bit more milk/water into the pot)

How-to:

- Put your pot on the stove with the plant milk and cinnamon. Let it heat up until it starts to bubble. If making this an apple cinnamon oatmeal, put your apples in and stir - let sit for a minute or so. Then, add the cooked quinoa, oats, and chia seeds. Stir and let it start to bubble. Turn heat onto low and let it sit for a few more minutes. I'm an impatient cook, so as soon as the oats appear soft I take it off the stove and eat it. The longer you let it sit, the thicker it will become. Enjoy this morning boost!

{Vegan Additions to the Breakfast Table} 

Maybe it's the Turk coming out in me, but I like to have the breakfast table covered in a variety of things. Here are some options that I like. 

~ Bowl of walnuts (feed those brains)
~ fruit platter of cut bananas, pears, apples, and berries
~ clementines/mandolinas/"cuties"/oranges and orange juice to boost that vitamin C


{Make sure that milky coffee is vegan too!} 

Almond milk and rice milk both taste delicious in coffee. I don't take my coffee black, and these both have been great to use instead of cow's milk.

Make sure to share this post with your fellow breakfast-lovers! 

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Thanks! 

Here's a cookbook that I'm hoping to get my hands on soon! 

I did it.

I actually did it.

I've been saying for a long time, "Oh, I wish I could be vegan, but...cheese is so good...yogurt goes well with everything...but I love scrambled eggs..."

Sure, I've been vegetarian for over a year now, and that's something that I also said I never thought I could completely do. Pretty much because of bacon.

God seems to have a way of showing me that I can do what I say I can't. 

I read this book called Green Illusions: The Dirty Secrets of Clean Energy and the Future of Environmentalism (Our Sustainable Future) in June 2015 that started my life as a vegetarian. I had never read before that animal agriculture (the raising of animals to eat and to use their products) produces MORE greenhouse gases than the ENTIRE transportation industry.

That's trains, buses, cars, segways, airplanes...combined. Globally.


Click image to check it out!

Green Illusions encouraged eating no or less meat to better the environment.

So I decided to put my mouth where my words were. I'm very passionate about being a good steward of God's beautiful creation. So, I stopped eating meat that day.

And yes, I've had some cheat days, and days where I went to people's houses and they cooked meat without knowing I was a vegetarian, so I ate it. I'm not that legalistic. And I know it tastes good, don't get me wrong.

But with my knowledge now of what it does to the environment, I'm choosing God's creation over my appetite. And...it tastes good.

Fast-forward to November 2016. I decided to watch a documentary instead of a film one Sunday, and turned on Cowspiracy (available on Netflix). That did it. No going back.

I hadn't realized that all dairy cows, and all dairy cow's babies, turn into hamburger. No exceptions.

And that the raising of cows accounts for 1 soccer field-worth of the rainforest being cut down. EVERY SECOND.

That blows my mind. That is 1 whole soccer field-worth of the most diverse organisms that God has created being killed every second. How can I stand by and say that that doesn't matter to me? As a believer in the Bible and what it says about our role as stewards of the Earth, I can't stand by.

"You can't be an environmentalist and eat animal products. Period."

That's what one guy said on Cowspiracy. And it hit me hard.

That did it. I started researching ways to eat vegan. I started sharing with my friends so they would understand my food choices. I started reading labels. Man, the dairy industry has tip-toed their way into absolutely every part of our lives. You don't realize it until you go vegan. So, I started buying plant-based milk (thank you, Alpro, for providing almond, rice, coconut, hazelnut, oat, and soy milk to Turkey!).

@faithful_nomad

I started looking up vegan recipes, and figuring out ways to change some of my favorites to vegan-friendly. And, I've learned that eating vegan is actually really tasty. It's also better for my body, according to another documentary, Forks over Knives (also available on Netflix).


Click image to watch on Amazon.

Yes, it can be hard sometimes. Living in a world that is so consumed by animal agriculture can feel very stifling. It makes me realize how little these companies care about our health, and how much they care about their wallet. But, it is do-able.

I'm going to be posting a series of blog posts with my favorite recipes that I have found.

Vegan Eats {Breakfast} 
Vegan Drinks {Starbucks}
Make Your Veggie Broth, and Eat it Too
The Best Vegan Cookies EVAH!

I'm a really simple cook, I don't like complicated at all. So these recipes I have found are bare-minimum, easy peasy. I hope that you will try them, vegan you or non-vegan you. And that you will realize that by choosing to eat without animal products, you are indeed caring for the Earth and everyone that lives on it.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies. @faithful_nomad

Cheers.

- K

Seeking to Know HIM

Sometimes, I feel as though I have been in a relationship with GOD for so long, that I couldn't possibly learn something brand-new about HIM.

Wrong.

Very, very wrong.

GOD has used this book to open up my eyes about something very deep in our relationship that needs to change.

                                               
                                                  Read on Kindle:

                   


Here's the thing:

I need to be seeking GOD with the goal of getting to know HIM more. Period. 

So many of my prayers in the recent past have started like this:

Dear God, Please open up your Word to me today. Show me how it applies to me. Tell me what I should do in order to glorify YOU with my life. 

Do you notice how many "me"s there are in that prayer? Before, I thought that I was totally on the right track. I want to glorify God with my life, right?

The problem: I've been wanting to read my Bible and learn more about God in order to know what to do in my life.

What I should be doing: Delving deep into learning more about GOD and HIS character simply to know HIM more. That is the greatest thing I can ever do in life: Get to know my GOD better. Spend time with HIM, over coffee or while lying awake at night, while talking to friends or listening to a sermon.

HE created the world. HE created me. HE has created more then I will ever know actually exists.

WHO is HE? I want to know. And HE is so huge, so complex, so amazing, that even if I spend every minute of every day learning about HIM, I will still not know HIM completely.

And that is exciting.

A side-effect of getting to know GOD more is that I will learn more about who I am. I will start to see why HE created me. How much HE loves me. And that is beautiful.

Have you read this book by Grace Thornton? Let me know what you think and how it has impacted your life. I have read her blog for years and have been so excited to see her share about what GOD has taught her with us through her writing.

When You Give a Nomad 3 Days in Copenhagen...

she spends every minute having fun, Scandinavian-style!

My photo that turned out like a postcard pic.

A few weeks ago, I had my first trip to Denmark, and it was definitely a different feel from other European cities I have visited. I was blessed to travel with some awesome friends, and we made many life-long memories.

There were several aspects of our trip that made it a delight, and I would definitely recommend each of these to anyone traveling to Copenhagen.

#1 - Stay at Urban House or a hostel. 
Because there were 3 of us traveling together, it wasn't quite cost-effective for us to get an Airbnb apartment this time around. So, we looked at hostels and settled on Urban House.

Pros: Close to the train station and tons of other sights, like the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek and the National Museum. Has a communal kitchen and dining room, which really cut costs on this trip as we were able to prepare breakfast at the hostel each morning and made dinner several times in the kitchen. Staying at a hostel also helps with finding out about local tours and for meeting other travelers.

Cons: Urban House is right at the Red Light District, so there is a very active night life. Each night it was extremely noisy outside of our window, so a light sleeper may find this a big problem. For only a few nights in the city, it was okay for us, but was a bit annoying.

#2 - Take a free walking tour.
We took the SANDEMANs Free Walking Tour, and our guide was Martin, a local Dane. This tour was 3 hours and loooots of walking, but it was well worth it. Afterwards, we had a much greater understanding and appreciation of Danish history and the many aspects of the city. I feel like I really saw Copenhagen because of this tour.

The house of the Crown Prince and his family. Seen on the SANDEMANs free walking tour.

#3 - Visit the National Museum.
I can now say that I have hidden behind a Rune stone, seen the skeleton of a now-extinct huge cow/moose, and learned that Vikings didn't have horns on their helmets - all because of our visit to the National Museum. There was a free highlights tour that we took, and it was extremely educational and the guide told many great stories.

Me and a Rune Stone! 

#4 - Get out of the city and see Kronborg Castle!
This was definitely the highlight of the trip for me. I am a huge Shakespeare fan, and this castle is the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet. It did not disappoint, with amazing views of the sea and Sweden, beautiful ramparts, a MOAT, and a cute little village near it to boot. We took the free tour of the underground section of the castle, and it was cool to see the statue of Holger Danske that sits sleeping beneath the fortress. Such a great sight. 
Tip: If you are traveling by train from Copenhagen, go ahead and get a 24-hour unlimited ticket for all zones - it is cheaper than buying individual tickets there and back, and we planned our trip so that we could use the unlimited ticket again the next morning to go to the airport. 

Breath-taking view from atop Kronborg Castle!

My first trip to Scandinavia was quite the adventure, and I look forward to wherever I travel next in that beautiful region.

After my trip, it was exciting to get to scratch another country off the map, albeit a very tiny one :)

You open your mailbox...

...and *bam*, you spot something handwritten, something that's not a junk ad from the local fast food joint, or a bill reminding you of how much you spent on gas this month. It's a postcard! Snail mail is one of my favorite ways to stay in touch with friends, and let's just admit it, we all love to get personal notes in the mail. Like, we little-kid-hearing-icecream-truck love it.



So, I want to make your day by sending a postcard your way! I got this idea from The Bro'd Trip, who send postcards to each of their followers (cool guys, right?).  My postcards might be from any city I'm staying in or traveling through, and it is sure to be handwritten and full of some happy encouragement and sunshine. You in?

Here's how:

1. Follow my blog by email right over there on the right side ->
2. Send me a message through the "Contact me!" form with your address in the message section.
3. Check your mailbox each day! It may take a while, but you will get your snail mail, promise :)

No limits on where you live in the world - I will gladly send to any country! Plus, by following my blog by email, you will get more happy articles delivered into your inbox too, making your Faithful Nomad reading even easier.

The Day I Became a Street Musician

It's called "busking." Did you know that? I didn't. That day, I wasn't sure what to call what I was about to go do.

I stood in my room before a mirror, my hat and sunglasses on, sun lotion applied, and my violin case strapped to my back.

I was nervous.

I tried talking myself out of it a thousand times. But what if nobody wants to hear your music? What if you actually get on their nerves? What if you aren't any good? 

But then, my heart would fight back. You've wanted to do this for so long. Why not do it? Everyone will just walk by, if they don't like the song they will just keep walking! It's not like you are making them listen. Besides, people probably won't even remember you. It will be a moment that means way more to you than to anyone else. 

For the past year or so, I had had this crazy dream to stand on a sidewalk and be a street musician, my case propped open and everything. I have played violin since I was 5 years old, and currently I have a violin with me abroad that a friend gave me when she moved. It comes out every once in a while, just for me to play in my room and warm up on a few songs. But lately, the old nudge to get out and play had been creeping back into my mind. It's sad to just sit in my room and play for myself; why wasn't I sharing my music with others? What if I did something more with it?

I've enjoyed my own share of street music. One fond memory I have is from Charleston a few years back with my family. We sat in an open-air restaurant, eating our seafood, and across the street stood a young college guy playing his saxophone. It was the most beautiful thing ever, and it made our meal so much more relaxing and enjoyable as we sat back and listened to him play. After enjoying so much of his music, we walked over after our meal to drop a few bucks in his case. Come to find out, he was a music student who decided that if he needed to spend a few hours practicing each day, he might as well make some money while doing it. The fact was, we got the better end of the deal. When he shared his music with us that day, it was a beautiful gift that I will never forget. 

I almost didn't walk out of my apartment door that day with my violin on my back. My fears almost got the better of me. As I shuffled out of my apartment, I told myself, You know what, you look kind of cool and hipster with the violin on your back. If you don't end up playing, at least you will look chic while walking along the boardwalk. 

I walked to the local sahil and all of a sudden was overcome by the crowds. It was a Sunday afternoon. In April. The sun was shining, and literally every person who had a soul inside of them was out on that boardwalk. My fears started welling up, and I couldn't understand why I was so scared.

So I walked.

And walked.

There were so many people and so many boats, and so many people on the boats, and so many fishermen....I felt like I was trying to get myself to skydive I was so frightened. But I wanted to play so badly. My fingers itched. So I kept walking. Eventually, I walked past the most crowded areas and parks and found a place where there weren't any boats docked, and it was just plain boardwalk.

So I sat down. I stared at the water. I told myself that it would be a good start to slowly unpack my violin. I did, while getting a few strange looks.

And I started playing. I was wearing my hat and sunglasses, which made it easier for me to not even look at the people walking by, but to just focus on my playing. And I got more brave...and more loud...and the music became more beautiful. More full of soul.

My first lira came from a little girl. She was about 5 years old. She walked up to me mid-song, holding out her coin in her hand. I stopped, took it, thanked her, sat it in my lap, and kept on playing. After that first coin, they somehow just kept falling. One lady even put a 10 lira bill in my case.

But money can't compare to how I felt.

I had conquered a fear. I had fulfilled a dream. 

The lies in my head that said people wouldn't like my music, they were so wrong. I had a lady clap. Some people video-taped me. One person stopped and sat nearby, chatting with me later after I finished. My music not only brought sunshine to my heart; it brought sunshine to theirs as well.

Don't let you fears tell you that you can't do something. Don't let anything stop you from fulfilling a dream.

All those roadblocks that you see are only ant hills in reality; step on over them and live. 

A Weekend in Cologne

A few weeks ago, I packed my backpack and jumped on a plane to Cologne, Germany, to visit a few of my friends who have recently moved there.

This was my first trip to Germany, and it was so much fun! Here are a few of my favorite things that we did over the 4-day weekend. Each item is linked to the website for that activity/place.

Have you been to Cologne? Did you also enjoy these things, or did you try other activities/museums? Comment below and let me know :)

#1 - Free Walking Tour in Cologne

Instead of just wandering around on our own in the city, my friends and I joined a "Can You Handle It?" free walking tour, which took us on a 2 hour walk around Cologne. This was one of our best decisions! Our guide showed up exactly on time and led our group on a beautiful walk past churches, Roman ruins, World War II memorials, the famous cathedral, breweries, and more. On free walking tours, you are asked to give a tip to your guide (around $5/5 euro equivalent per person is a good minimum to tip). It was definitely worth it!

One of my favorite parts: Our guide showed us an old building which was covered in statues and engravings of important men. Evidently, the guy heading up the construction wasn't very nice to the workers. They got back at him in an eternal way; if you look above the statue of him, standing nice and pompous, you will see a man pulling down his pants and mooning the viewer. Lesson: Be nice to people immortalizing you in sculpture.  

#2 - The Chocolate Museum

A chocolate model of the cathedral

As I researched what to do in Cologne, the Chocolate Museum popped up and I was so excited! I love chocolate, and I also love learning how things are made and how they work (the scientist in me was overjoyed). This museum, situated right on the Rhine river, is ultra-interactive and walks you through the whole process of chocolate-making, from how the beans are harvested to a mini-factory that was making chocolate bars as we watched. I learned a lot about the ethical issues surrounding chocolate and how different companies are working to create free-trade chocolate. I got to see a large dug-out boat that was used for transporting cacao beans from the small farmers to the processors, as well as watch a video of natives creating one of these boats. We all stopped in our tracks as we watched chocolate being stirred in a machine in the factory - it was so mesmerizing! This museum is the perfect mix of history and science. We even got to taste some chocolate while we were there, and the attached chocolate store has a huge variety to choose from for taking home and enjoying (or eating out on the deck while watching the river boats slip by, as I did). My tastebuds will always remember this trip!

#3 - Observation Deck

One evening, just as the sun was about to start setting, we got in line to go up to the Observation Deck across the river from the Cathedral. For only 2.50 euro (because we talked to the people in line behind us and formed a group *wink wink* for the discount), we went up an elevator about 28 stories and came out on a huge deck. My favorite pictures from my trip to Cologne came from this view! We were laughing our heads off as we crammed in against the glass and took selfie upon selfie with the Cathedral in the background. As the sun set, it was a glorious view.

#4 - Die Wohngemeinschaft Hostel

This was my first time staying in a hostel, and it was one of the best experiences ever! I stayed in the "ballet" room, a 6 girl dorm room, complete with a full-wall mirror, ballet barre, pointe shoes, and light pink walls and curtains. My roommates were amazing, and we were fast friends by the end of the trip. We loved having breakfast together in the hostel living room (the hostel offers a 5 euro breakfast buffet), and we hung out in that same living room until the wee hours of the morning one night, swapping tales of travel and adventure over free coffee/tea that is available 24/7. What an amazing place! None of us wanted to leave - this hostel is almost better than "home away from home."

#5 - Melaten-Friedhof Cemetery

Cemeteries are fascinating places, giving you a glimpse into history. This cemetery was gorgeous, with monuments and wooded walks that reminded me of a certain scene in The Phantom of the Opera. We spent at least an hour walking down countless paths, peering at tombstones and reading about the families that have lived in Cologne over the years. This is right by the park (#6) as well as just a short walk from the hostel (#4).

#6 - Aachener Weiher Park

I love being outside, and I literally walked up to a tree and hugged it in this park because I was so happy! The park is huge, stretching over 3 different blocks, and includes a large pond with ducks, hills and wooded paths, workout equipment as well as balancing exercises (one of which I fell off of and have lovely bruises as a souvenir lol), and lots of trees and flowers. Many people were running, and I wished that I had packed my running clothes on this trip. If you are staying in the hostel, this is so close that you could fit in morning jogs very easily. Would be a lovely place for picnics as well.

#7 - Habibi Cafe

Habibi means something like "sweetie" in Arabic. My friends treated me my first night in Cologne to this wonderful Middle Eastern restaurant. The falafels were amazing and I loved sipping on the free ginger tea! It was completely packed with both Germans and foreigners, which is a very good sign that its a tasty place. This restaurant doesn't just have great food - it also has a great atmosphere. The walls and ceiling are covered in fun, colorful pictures, and laughter fills the air constantly.

#8 - Museum Ludwig

I am an absolutely huge fan of Surrealism - ever since my Art Appreciation teacher taught us about Dali, I have been fascinated with looking at his and Joan Miro's pictures and really seeing the depth and meaning to these works of art. While in Cologne, I looked up museums and saw that the Museum Ludwig was close to the center of things and housed a wide range of modern art. I loved walking through its galleries, looking at Picassos, a huge Dali (pictured above), and a gorgeous Jackson Pollock that made my heart sing. This museum also has a beautiful gallery from which you can do some fun people-watching.


Over the course of 4 days, I was able to spend quality time with my friends while really enjoying this German city. These places and activities really made my trip quite an adventure. So if you make it to Cologne, these 8 things are musts for having a wonderful time. Know of any more? Comment below!

What's Up, Culture? Why Differences DO Matter in Life

"Wow, you really like our traditional desserts." My native friend watched as I ate a piece of baklava before our meeting began. 

"Yep, they are really good." I licked my lips, savoring each bite of yummy syrup and flaky dough.

"I can tell." And he motioned towards my stomach and chuckled.

I felt gut-punched.

What? For clarification, I am not fat. Not a bit. We laughed and walked off to join the meeting, but this comment sat heavily in my stomach a lot longer than the baklava did. I was so offended. 

Why had he been so rude to me? 

Or, had he actually been rude at all? 

Was I being too sensitive?

You live around people from different cultural backgrounds. If you are like me, you may even live completely inside of a culture other than your own (welcome, expat readers!). We hear a lot about cultural differences through the media, but many times we think that they are over-stated and don't really make a huge impact on our day-to-day relations.

Well, that's wrong.

They make a HUGE difference in both relationships, jobs, and every-day interactions.

Take my example. This isn't the first time that someone in this Central Asian/European culture had mentioned my weight. Sometimes, if I see someone after a long absence, the very first comment they make to me is based on a, sometimes imagined, change in weight. Either good or bad. "Wow, you've lost weight" or "You've gotten fatter." Now, when I first started living abroad, this really caught me off-guard. In American culture, weight is very taboo. If a guy tells his girlfriend that she is looking a bit chubbier, he can pretty much write off the whole relationship. We are quite sensitive when it comes to body image. However, that isn't the case in a lot of Central Asian cultures. People talk about weight and a host of other body topics quite freely, without the risk of offending each other. It's considered normal.

There are a heap of other situations where I have realized that culture makes a difference. In Western culture, we are very particular about our space and privacy. We don't like to "intrude" on others or be intruded on. Case in point: If I am going to have a friend sleep-over, we will plan this at least a week in advance. Friends don't normally ask to sleep over because they don't want to impose on hospitality; they will wait until invited. My guest will bring her stuff with her, and I will have made sure that her staying-over fits in with my other plans. HOWEVER, Central Asian culture is completely different! If I go to a friend's house for dinner, she will most likely insist that I spend the night. She will give me a pair of her pajamas to wear, and I'll just wear my other clothes again in the morning. I will most likely sleep on a fold-out couch, which is a must-have in every home here because guests are so frequent. In other situations, if I'm visiting a city in which I have a friend, it is a given that I will stay with her or her family. In this culture, it is completely accepted that I can ask to stay at others' houses without being accused of imposing on them. "Mi casa, tu casa" is a real thing, and it isn't spoken with a hint of bitterness; generosity is currency.

Phone conversations. Wow, can they be different. If I'm talking with a friend in America, I might ask her what she has been up to, because this leaves room for her to choose how much she shares; but I won't call her and say "What are you doing?" - this would seem really intrusive. When people call their friends and family here, they will literally ask "What are you doing?" In addition, they might have called them to ASK JUST THAT. For me, when people first started asking what I was doing, my knee-jerk reaction was to answer, "Why do you need to know?" or "What's it to you?". I felt that they were intruding on my privacy. This was a cultural clash, and one that I had to become aware of and adjust myself to.

So, what do we do in the face of these cultural clashes? We live in a multi-cultural world, and it is imperative that we are able to deal with these situations with consideration to ourselves and our friends.

#1 - We must realize that our culture is not necessarily right and their culture is not necessarily wrong; they are both just different.

#2 - Think about the situation or the exchange of words from their perspective. If you felt offended, do you think that they meant to offend you from their cultural perspective? Analyze how you should take the action or comment from their culture's lenses.

#3 - Take a deep breath and move on. Culture can be a great thing, but it can bring about misunderstandings. We don't want to let these situations cause rifts in our friendships; it's not worth it.

In the case of my "baklava" situation, I realized that from the cultural perspective, the comment made to me was in jest and wasn't meant to offend me at all. Although I personally felt offended, I knew that holding that bitterness would only spoil the friendship. In some cases, I would have felt it appropriate to let the person know that I was offended because of the cultural difference, but I didn't mention it in this situation. I took a deep breath and let it roll off my back.

Just because my culture says one thing doesn't mean that it's essentially right and other cultures are wrong. They are just different, and learning to live with these differences and taking them into consideration is important for building lasting relationships and having good communication.

Have you experienced a "clash" of cultures? How have you dealt with it? Did it help you perceive your friend's culture in a new light? Comment below! I really would love to hear about your experiences as we get better at living in this exciting, multi-cultural world.

Visiting the South of France ~ The Things We Did Best

This past week I made my first ever trip to France along with the company of several great friends. We enjoyed escaping the chilly winter, and France gladly welcomed us with sunny skies, warm beaches, and lots of adventure. 

Here are a few of the best decisions that we made during this trip. 

#1 - Visiting the Cours Saleya every day. The Cours Saleya is a beautiful outdoor flower and food market that is located just a few steps from the Promenade de Anglais. It not only houses many gorgeous fruit and vegetable vendors, but also many stands of pastries, olives, cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, and socca (a local specialty that is made from chickpeas). Each day we picked up a different assortment of food for our lunches: a baguette, goat cheese, dried dates, oranges, sun-dried tomatoes, savory pastries or a few portions of socca. We would bag these away until lunch-time, when we would stop and have a feast wherever we were. On different days, these lunch-spots included the beach, the view outside of Monaco's Cathedral, and inside the Nomade statue in Antibes. 

The view early-morning from our apartment window. The air was so fresh, I would just stick my head out the window and breathe and breathe and breathe!

#2 - Renting an Airbnb apartment in Old Town. With 4 people in our travel group, we decided to look at Airbnb options instead of staying in a hostel, and the price per person ended up being cheaper than the cheapest hostel (a whopping $13.41/person per night, and that includes our late check-in fee!). Our apartment was amazing. We had a view of the sea from our window; we were steps away from the Cours Saleya, the Place Massena, Jean Medecin (where there are lots of shops and restaurants), the Opera House, and the Palais de Justice; we had comfortable sleeping space for 4 people; we had a coffee pot and a fully-working kitchen; and so much more. We were even able to invite 4 other friends over for dinner and cooked our entire meal in our little studio kitchen!  Having such a comfortable and central apartment for this stay really enhanced our experience on this trip. If you want to book an Airbnb apartment on your next adventure, click here for $20 travel credit. 

#3 - Taking the bus to visit Monaco. We paid 3 euro each round-trip to take the 100 bus to Monaco, which was a beautiful, scenic 30 minute ride from the Nice port. We hiked up to the palace right in time for the changing of the guards at 11:55am (our timing was perfect). Then we walked all around the gorgeous view, paid homage to Grace Kelly at her grave in the Cathedral, hiked all over the hilly neighborhoods, and finished our afternoon at the Monaco Starbucks (talk about classy). I <3 micro-countries!

#4 - Spending lots of time on the beach. I literally wanted to bottle the air in Nice and take it with me. It was so salty and clear and refreshing! Before taking our flight back, we spent several hours on the beach with our bags, just reading books and napping in the sunshine. I got a good start on my book of choice: Jane of Lantern Hill by L. M. Montgomery. This time was absolutely refreshing.

#5 - Eating all the pastries in France. On our first morning, we discovered a patisserie/boulangerie across the street from our apartment, and the treat of those who woke up first was going across to this bakery and picking out a few different things for our breakfast. Every day was different (although brioche au chocolat made it on our daily menu from day one). We loved the quiche, the brioche, croissants, beignets, and more things that I can't even pronounce. Each pastry would get cut into 4 parts, and we would get a lovely plate with bites of many different things, from savory to sweet. What a treat!

The South of France was even more than I could have ever imagined. Magical, warm, fairy-tale-ish. It was a wonderful place to be in winter, when the crowds were thinner and the weather delightful. One of my favorite trips so far! Even more perfect - the friends I got to spend it with. So many beautiful and colorful memories.