My first trip abroad was in 2004 to Cancun, Mexico, igniting a passion. I spent the 2010s, traveling and working abroad. I was fortunate to have educational and professional experiences that took me elsewhere, starting in high school. I began in Europe, went to Russia, and ended up in Central Asia. My focus shifted too. I started the 2010s, thinking I would study the Middle East. Then, in high school and college, my attention turned to Europe and Russia. Now, I am a budding Central Asianist, studying the language, culture, and history of the region and have already spent seventeen months there. Here are my favorite trips in the 2010s.
Vienna
My first city in Europe in 2013 was gorgeous, historical, and thrilling. I went to places where Marie Antionette, Maria Theresa, and Empress Elisabeth lived (all these characters were protagonists in my favorite series growing up, the Royal Diaries). I still dream of the cobblestone streets around St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the mighty Danube flowing through the center., I developed my love of European palaces, walking around the grounds of Schloss Schonbrunn. Standing on the bank on the Danube, I fell in love with Europe and international love.
Venice
Fascinated by Venice since I was a girl, I loved running and floating around the group of Italian islands in Venice lagoon. While Florence had Michelangelo, gelato, and Raphael, Venice was the city I always wanted to visit. Standing in St. Michael’s Square in July 2013, I recalled seeing it in books as a child. What made Venice amazing for me was the outlying islands such as Murano and Lido. Lidio provided relaxation while Murano provided a look into the glass making industry.
Moscow
Standing in Red Square, I accomplished my life goal in November 2016. Covered with black ice, I slide my first time in Red Square. St. Petersburg is gorgeous with its palaces and canals, but Moscow is why one comes to Russia. While I was there, I went to every significant site imaginable. I walked so long in the snow that I collapsed the second I came back to my hostel.
Yekaterinburg
My colleagues and I decided to go to the Asian part of Russia. After settling on Yekaterinburg, the fourth largest city in Russia, we took a two-day long train ride in November 2016. We hiked in the snow at Deer Streams National Park in the Ural Mountains. We went to the border of Asia and Europe, adding another continent to my list. The next day, we saw the place where Grand Duchess Anastasia and her family were murdered by the Bolsheviks. That night, we went to a lovely ballet.
Bukhara
A part of Uzbekistan’s Big Three cities along with Samarkand and Khiva, Bukhara is an oasis within a desert where Islamic learning once flourished. I went there twice in 2019 and wander around its old town, taking in all the madrassas, bazaars, and palaces. I lived there from December 2019 to March 2020, teaching English with the Fulbright Program. Unlike Samarkand, Bukhara’s old city has not changed over time, transporting you to Bukhara’s heyday as when it was as grand as Baghdad or Damascus. Each historic building is significant and an architectural marvel.
Termez
When I was in ninth grade, I came home after a humanities class where we watched a movie about the war in Afghanistan and declared that I wanted to go there. My mom was mortified and suggested maybe that I look into going to France. Going Termiz sort of accomplished this goal, eight years later in 2019. Besides seeing the Afghan border, Termiz is home to archeological masterpieces and the crossroads of the world. There are holy sites to Buddhism and Islam, along with a Christian cathedral. For the first time, I traveled to a Buddhist temple and an ancient Greek city.
The Pamirs
Nicknamed “the Rooftop of the World,” the most mountainous region in Tajikistan, is breathtaking. The best way to see it is its highway, which runs along the Panj River until it goes away from the Afghan border towards Kyrgyzstan. I went there for work in 2019, testing and interviewing students from Darvoz, Khorog, and Murghab. The lack of WIFI and the highway’s condition often made the trip stressful, but the spectacular scenery made it worth it.
Transylvania
The home of vampires, Transylvania, is lined with fortresses, castles, and churches. I went to Transylvania on two occasions in 2019. First off, I traveled to Cluj Napoca and explored historic churches and a Christmas market. My second trip was to Brasov, Bran, and Sinaia. This trip involved two magnificent castles and several historical cities. Traveling alone gave me a chance to improve my scheduling and problem-solving skills.
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