San Francisco Photo Diary

I flew across the country to visit San Francisco and my lovely friend Denisse this past Easter weekend! 

A quick Google search to learn more about the city before my trip:

Hilly, cold, bad, busy today, dirty, windy, foggy, empty, AND cold in the summer – exactly how a city would want to be described!

From what I’ve seen on the news, San Francisco’s reputation seems to have gone down in flames. However, from my four days there, it is actually not as dire as they say. 

My deep observations: 

San Francisco is a city of contrast

We zoom around in the backseat of a self-driving car listening to Telegraph Avenue (“Oakland”) by Childish Gambino while gazing out at storefronts with cracked glass and penniless homeless people walking on all fours. 

What is the weather like in San Francisco? About 10 degrees cooler than you think it is going to be.

I stuffed my trusty JanSport backpack (the same one I’ve had since high school) with a bunch of dresses, running shorts, and cheerful tank tops, fully embracing my California-is-sunny-and-warm delusion. My most used piece of clothing turned out to be my ex-roommate’s ski jacket. On my first day, I naively set off to explore Haight-Ashbury in running shorts until it randomly became cloudy and chilly (still 65 degrees but somehow felt colder than a March day in NY).

Everywhere is farther away than it looks on Google Maps

I may have severely underestimated how long it takes to get from one neighborhood to another... (or even just down the street within the same neighborhood.) This is partially due to the steep, rolling hills. As someone who thought she was moderately fit, I've been humbled, like everyone on LinkedIn. Additionally, I realized I’ve been absolutely spoiled by New York City’s public transit, where CitiBike stations are prolific and subways and buses appear every two minutes! On my first day here, we were driving on a street with such a vertical incline that I was terrified that my Uber would start rolling backwards. Nevertheless, you get to save on gym membership here and your calves will naturally become ripped. There are also random peaks throughout the city which give you magnificent, panoramic views of the city. Anyways, MUNI is such a cute name for a mass-transit system, and I’m a big fan of the BART! I heard from my genius friend Denisse that they use the sounds of the BART going in the underwater tunnel from downtown SF to Oakland in horror movies. 

Daily Journal (shortened/less TMI'ed version of my notes):

Friday, 4/18/25:  On Good Friday, I woke up late at 6:15AM and bolted out of the door to take the E Subway and AirTrain to JFK. I prefer JFK over Newark though people say that Newark is closer to Hell’s Kitchen. Newark is closer to Hell. I was the absolute last person to board the flight (thank God for TSA Precheck). Got super lucky since I was in the last row of the plane by the window (and the middle seat was empty) so it was spacious and I got to read on the plane! Landed around 1 PM, hopped on the BART into downtown SF, and immediately went to explore the hip Haight Ashbury, where I browsed through vintage clothing stores, cafes, and a music shop. I loved observing all of the pretty pastel Victorian houses, including the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin house!

Amoeba Music where you can get lost in rows and rows of records, CDs, old DVDs, and posters

Later in the afternoon, I rented a bike from Avenue Cyclery and biked through the magical Golden Gate Park, passing by the bison paddock, a roller skating ring, bumpy dirt trails, a rose garden, and vast flower meadows! Eventually, I reached Ocean Beach and biked along the highway by the ocean views and sand dunes. Then I went to a pole class at V3rve (shoutout to Sara for the rec). Finally, I ended the night in Chinatown and at Vesuvio Cafe- the birthplace of the martini. 

Saturday, 4/19/2025: Started the morning by exploring the farmer’s market by the ferry building. It’s the most expansive market I’ve ever been to, with rows and rows of tents stretched out in every direction, bursting with organic colorful cabbages, radishes, kale, and about 37 kinds of leafy greens I couldn't even name. 🌞🍓 My favorite tent was the orange tent since you could sample every type of citrus, from the abnormally giant yet GMO-free pomelo to blood oranges to tangelos to classic navel oranges.I also loved trying out the hummus and admiring all of the baked goods. This place is absolutely a crunchy granola mom’s dream.

 

Additionally, I looked at the creations of all of the local artisans. I bought bok choy earrings and clay daisy earrings in the Ferry Building. Later, we went to a wonderful quartet performance that Denisse’s friends had organized, and then decided to adventure out to Oakland and the vibrant college town of Berkeley. As we wandered around Berkeley’s lush, sun-drenched campus, Denisse turned to me and told me, "I feel so uncomfortable with all the happiness."

And honestly as a depressed ex-UChicago kid SAME!!!!

The atmosphere felt exactly like high schoolers vibing outside in an early 2000s romcom (something about soaking up the sun.. on actual grass! 0_0) 

We had some delicious Burmese food from Burmese Love and watched new moon ✨. I never noticed it when I was younger, but now I noticed that Jacob is actually incredibly manipulative and lowkey putting thoughts into Bella’s mind. Still, team Jacob 4eva. 

Sunday, 4/20/2025:  Woke up early, grabbed a Lime scooter, and zipped around the misty streets of North Beach, seeing Coit Tower. I also went to Café Trieste (an old-school Italian cafe where Coppola famously scribbled out the Godfather screenplay over endless cups of espresso) and City Lights Bookstore. 

 

In the afternoon, I met up with my friend Ashley outside of Soko Hardware in Japantown. Turns out there happened to be a Cherry Blossom Festival that day! We had lunch at Copras, eating a dosa bigger than our wingspan. 

 

We headed to Mission Dolores Park, where everyone in the city decided to congregate that afternoon. It was PACKED and people were vibing and trying to sell weed. 

After asserting our dominance through the crowds for a bit, we wandered the neighborhood, exploring all of the niche shops lining the streets and admiring the beautiful murals. There was a random taxidermy shop! I thought all the animals were fake, but the majority of them were real… very unsettling honestly. 

We also browsed Dog Eared Books and indulged in a nontrovial amount of desserts at Dandelion Chocolate, including an apple pie-esque dessert and elevated smores, and lychee cocao smoothie. 

  

Then, I smoked my way over to Little Italy where we had dinner in a lovely Italian restaurant with Denisse and her SF friends!

Monday, 4/21/2025:

On Monday, we left the city behind and drove an hour north, chasing the mist all the way to Muir Woods. Wowww- it felt like slipping into another world! Walking (and let’s be honest, occasionally hustle jogging and hurdling over the roots) along the trails was pure magic. The trail we took wound through ancient redwoods with THICK trunks that soared impossibly high into the sky. Clovers stretched across the earth like soft green carpets, and fallen logs lay scattered like forgotten ships abandoned in a lush sea of ferns.

 

Afterwards, we had seafood for lunch at Sausalito, a seaside town. I was absolutely wiped, so I curled up for a much-needed nap on Denisse’s couch before catching the 10:30 PM redeye out of SFO, landing back in NYC at 7:30 AM. 

 

This trip was so needed – it felt so refreshing to see old friends again and to explore a new place, and I have returned to NY with a renewed vigor and inspiration for life! For example: the day after I returned, I finally started on my goal of mastering 10 new recipes this year (starting with sundubu, a spicy Korean tofu stew.). Admittedly, I spent half the time reading the recipe aloud commanding my friend Joseph to chop up the green onions. My real culinary contribution was tossing in the gochujang and aromatics.

I secretly just LOVE San Francisco – I kinda wish I grew up here *.* It is such a special place - vibrant, culturally rich, filled with fresh fruits and kale and bubble tea, surrounded by truly beautiful wilderness, and fog/sun/fog again!

Documenting Boston Pole Competition 2024

I competed in pole dance for the first time in November 2024 in Boston!! First of all, I have to say I have so much love for FOXY, pole, and life!!! Competing was an unforgettable opportunity that I was incredibly lucky to experience. 

I’m so grateful for all of the pep talks and support from everyone, especially the FOXY family! One of my favorite things about Foxy is the culture - how detail-oriented and supportive everyone is and how they hold themselves to the highest standards. I’m beyond inspired and proud of everyone! This is no walk in the park, as graceful and effortless as polers are able to make it look!

broken split doesn't break me anymore

2024 more pole more life 
Competing has been a goal of mine. I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and challenge myself to grow as a pole dancer (and 2 inches as a human, why didn’t I drink more whole milk like my mother told me?!) You never know what you are capable of until you try! A pole routine takes effort, commitment, and detailed planning, from choosing music to style to tricks and floorwork. I thought this would be a great way to keep myself accountable and to improve my performance skills. Part of the reason I love pole is that it demands your mind to stay in the present, again and again and again. I don’t need to worry about work or taking out the garbage or countless other random worries racing through my mind. I also love how I can literally roll around the floor or do random jumps without being judged. 

Around September 16, I signed up for the November competition in Boston, which gave me around 2 months to prepare a routine. Initially, it felt very overwhelming, as there was so much to choose and think about, from song to which category you want to compete in to costume and which combos. Luckily, I live only a 15 minute E-bike ride from one of the greatest pole studios in the world and got the opportunity to attend tons of workshops and practice sessions where we worked with a wonderful teacher to refine our routines and combos. I’m so grateful for back-to-back run-throughs, as they were key to building endurance. 

The timing of my training schedule has been primarily freestyle and unstructured – this style works best with my personality as well as my work schedule. I’ve generally struggled with rigid schedules – for example, even for the marathon I was training for, I only managed to stick to the plan for 2 days before doing my own thing. By being flexible, I can better tailor sessions to my energy level that day and focus on different elements based on mood.

Additionally, competing pushed me to become more intentional about recovery, something I’ve neglected in the past. I’ve grown in the sense that I’m no longer obsessed with losing 20 pounds, like I was in college, as embarrassing as it is to admit. Now, I drink mung bean soup as a delicious supplement to my diet instead of making it the sole thing that I eat for dinner on the daily. I’ve been focusing on eating a nutritious diet with high protein. 

A substantial amount of growth also occurs mentally and emotionally - we need to train our minds to fight any emerging demons head-on. We face everything from nervousness, frustration, self-doubt, and insecurity to bruises and aching muscles. During the training period, the following thoughts crossed my mind at LEAST once a day – what’s the point? I’m not going to win and more likely, I’ll probably fall and embarrass myself. Is this even worth the time, money, intense training, and mental space? Why am I voluntarily putting myself in a position where I’m being judged? All of this preparation, and the time on stage will be over in 3.5 minutes? I’m not good enough, I’m not strong or courageous enough, I don’t have difficult enough combos or dance ability, I can’t even relax my face-- ... But when you know that you’re going to attempt it regardless, there’s no point in psyching yourself out. Change the narrative to one that’s constructive for you. I spent a lot of time on visualization and creating self-confidence. It’s important to remember the reasons why you wanted to compete: to grow through the creation process, to discover your own unique style, to learn, and to share your own interpretations of pole. The best way to grow is to expose yourself to risk. I love the quote by Alexi Pappas: “Standing back is hiding. Trying your best is brave.” 

I chose a song that resonated with me in my current stage of life because it covers themes of dreaming bigger and longing for something greater. The song acknowledges the challenges and precarious nature of chasing one’s dreams and the struggles of living paycheck to paycheck, yet the determination of following one’s own path remains strong. Like the subject of the song, I want to live my life as someone who takes risks and goes for what I desire instead of staying in what’s comfortable, even if I have to do it alone and face potential failure.

The competition weekend was a whirlwind of emotions. I took a shuttle to Boston with my Foxy teammates on Friday evening before the competition on Saturday/Sunday. We met up at the studio before and did final run-throughs and, in classic Janet cramming fashion, I tried to learn how to “turn” last minute. On Saturday morning, we woke up at 6:30a.m. to “pole-test” in the big ballroom (basically, competitions are allowed to try out the static and spin pole’s spin speed, height, etc. before performing their competition piece later in the day) Ashley, our esteemed leader and an icon in the pole world, gave an incredible inspirational speech. I went 110% on our 2 minute pole test!!! The team helped me do all my warrior makeup with hella rhinestones and also hair! Backstage, there were dancers chatting, warming up, some listening to their headphones, and others practing a portion of their routine off the floor. Despite all the anxiety I felt backstage, as it was my turn to perform, I felt oddly calm and in the moment as I walked on stage and started my piece. I got to watch others’ performances as well and felt so proud and inspired especially while watching all of my teammates! 

Afterwards, my friend Bradley and I walked Freedom Trail and had clam chowder and chicken pot pie at Quincy market, where I got a message that I had somehow placed 2nd in my category of Championship Level 4! I remember feeling incredibly shocked. Late at night, we took the glass elevator to the spooky 16th floor ballroom. That day was so much exertion that lifesaver Bradley was kind to donate all his leftover food to me at midnight since all the restaurants nearby were closed. 

We had Chinese food as a group after the last performances on Sunday, and I booked a last minute Amtrak to the city (pro-tip, book in advance or you’ll be broke.) Although pole competitions can be an emotional and turbulent journey, competing taught me so many lessons, and my life feels richer because of it. I have so much love and respect for all of the competitors, and of course, my teachers and teammates, who carried me on their backs for this competition (literally at times - especially when my arms gave out during a run-through). Quote from my diary on the train back to the city: “Heart is full, I need to rest and hibernate forever.” 

Recently

 What I’ve been Obsessed About Recently:
My evening schedule tends to be extremely erratic, but there’s nothing I love more than spending my free, precious weeknight hours on books and movies. (And bouldering and confiding my deepest secrets in my journal, of course.) I’m so thankful to be able to escape the real world and get lost in the stories. 
 
A few of my recent obsessions:

I’m glad my mom died:
Wow, I loved this book! It was really special. I listened to the Audio Book version narrated by the author for 7 hours straight last Sunday. It was the perfect book to listen to wandering around aimlessly in the rain. I didn’t expect to like it so much, but Jeannette McCurdy truly spills all of the tea here. I never watched ICarly since I didn’t have cable growing up, but I definitely am familiar with the show and characters through fandoms back in my Tumblr phase. Nevertheless, it was so real hearing about her story growing up, and listening to it felt like having a friend confide in you. She shared so many details that I would have been so uncomfortable sharing publicly. Even though I’m the furthest thing from a star child actor, I could relate to parts of her struggles. The eating disorder and toxic relationship parts were too real. I really felt it when she would keep score on how many calories she had or was strong enough to resist eating until nighttime, when it would all unravel. I feel like eating disorders can feel deceptively empowering because it gives you something that you can have control over, when the rest of your life is going down in flames. When you have no power or voice in any other aspect of your life, at least you have power over your mind and body. It was also really heartbreaking to see her relationship with her mom and how detrimental it was for her health, but how could you ever blame your own parent? Of course you would defend your own mom and justify her decisions, even if she did abuse you. And the sad part is you don’t even know it is abuse until you experience another environment or someone tells you, because it all seems so normal to you.

Cabin at the End of the World: 1/5 stars. This book was a classic cabin invasion story with apocalyptic elements. It possessed an interesting idea; however, it felt extremely contrived. Additionally, the length of the book isn’t justified given the plot and lack of character development - I had to force myself to keep going at parts. I thought the real horror (much moreso than the bizarre violent scenes that involved the insane, masked intruders murdering one of their own) was how “everyday people” could lose their autonomy and sense of social responsibility due to a set of beliefs. The POV shift at the end added to the anxiety and quickened the pace. The book left the ending open ended, leaving the reader to question what happened and to formulate their own ending. 
 
No Hard Feelings: A super enjoyable, predictable, feel-good movie all around, starring Jennifer Lawrence!
 
Mission Impossible DR: Epic! Loved escaping to another world, especially since my dream is becoming a super spy. The action scenes were simply stunning, and it was entertaining the entire 3 hours. Tom Cruise is at least a v10+ climber, judging from his skills from the train scene. Gorgeous actors/actresses.
 
JoyRide: I love this type of movie – hilarious and heartfelt. I loved seeing these characters with wildly different personalities become friends over the course of a raunchy trip to China. I’m also addicted to listening to WAP again – such a gorgeous and hype song, no shame. Deadeye was my favorite character – she is unabashedly herself despite not being traditionally “cool” and seems like a genuine person I wish I was friends with. The movie was hilarious and somehow managed to explore family, identity, and friendship.

Works Well with Others: I thought that Works Well with Others by Ross McCammon did a great job of compiling rules into easily digestible and relatable lessons, from how to write an email to how to give a speech when you're terrified of giving speeches. I enjoyed the overarching memoir of his career and could relate to how he was forced to adapt to an entirely different milieu than what he was used to - Ross transitioned from working at a small suburban Dallas magazine to navigating his dream job at Esquire in New York. My favorite part of the book was how he reminded us to think of important executives as people first. He reminds us that "important" people are just like us and that we are equals to them - they stumble over their words sometimes and get spinach stuck in their teeth - and that conversations with anyone are simply about the human being, stripped of status.

Dopamine Nation: There were a number of concepts that resonated heavily with me in this book. Although many are things that we know or have likely heard of before, it was a good reminder for me to read about and to actually strive to do. 

First, I would like to practice exposure therapy to overcome uncomfortable emotions, like how a patient in the book forced himself to make small talk with his coworkers, because talking to strangers was his biggest fear. Exposing yourself to the very thing you are terrified of is a way to grow, as uncomfortable as it may be. 

Next, I would like to practice radical honesty. Telling the truth draws people in, especially when we’re willing to expose our own vulnerabilities. This is counterintuitive because sometimes we think people may want to distance themselves when they learn about our character flaws and transgressions. Also, there is a line between honest self disclosure and a manipulative story shared to entertain and show off rather than teach and learn. The stories that we narrate about our lives can also shape our behavior. We must fight the victim narrative and take responsibility for our part in bad outcomes. We must be accountable in order to move forward in our lives.

A particularly interesting section was how psychotropic drugs may cause us to lose a part of our humanity. For instance, some patients noticed that while their psychiatric medications offered short-term relief from painful emotions, they also limited their ability to experience the full range of emotions, especially powerful ones like awe and grief. I think the lows are worth it; they are an essential part of the human condition. (But this is coming someone who took Tylenol to try to cope with extreme emotional pain recently.)
 
Stay True is a memoir that explores what it means to be a friend. To be a friend means to be willing to know someone. This was my friend Gillian’s recommendation.
 
That’s it so far. As much as I love discovering new books and shows, I also love watching my favorite shows and movies over and over and over and over again (Legend of the Seeker, Criminal Minds, Arthur, Spirit, Rush Hour…), just as much. Familiar content is wonderfully easy to absorb. Consuming familiar content gives my brain a rest and acts like a time machine, allowing me to escape the present for a short while and to fall back into a simpler time. When I read or watch something new, I try to wait until I’m in a refreshed state or had enough sleep so that I can focus intensely on it. This is relevant for music as well. I tend to listen to tried-and-true playlists when I am working versus listening to something new, which demands heightened attention.

Stuff from this list I would re-watch or read in the near future: Joy Ride, I’m Glad my Mom Died, and Mission Impossible. 
 
Fav Books of the moment:
Brave New World
The Call of the Wild
Fahrenheit 451
The curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

 

Past Lives Recap

Celine Song’s Past Lives is a sentimental, introspective film that entwines beautiful concepts about connection, time, and sense of longing for what could have been. The movie begins with scenes of Na Young and Hae Sung as elementary school sweethearts in Seoul, having play dates outside and walking on hilly roads home together. After twelve years pass, we see that Na Young and Hae Sung have gone their separate ways, working on distinct careers, having their own friends, and going about their day-to-day. Na Young has immigrated to America and lives in a crammed apartment in New York City to chase her dream of becoming an acclaimed writer, while Hae Sung has stayed in meditative, peaceful Korea pursuing engineering studies after military service. The two find each other on Facebook and reconnect via video chats. The connection is intense and palpable as they rekindle the spark they had in their childhood. Nevertheless, they eventually decide to stop talking, recognizing different life ambitions.

 

The Triple Threat Opening Scene at the Times Square AMC

Fast forward another twelve years. Hae Sung travels across the world to visit New York City on vacation (or so he says… he is truly there to see Na Young, who is now married to Arthur, a Jewish man that she met at a writing camp in Montauk.) The special connection between them is clear despite all of the time that has passed. The world seems to dreamily melt around them when they are in each other’s company. Na Young sees Hae Song as someone from her past life in Korea, which makes her wonder about what life would look like if she stayed. To explore fully into her own Korean background is to also explore the possibilities of another life, the life of growing up in or moving back to Korea and even being with Hae Sung. This is painful to dive into, since life can only be lived forward: what’s done is done, and the relentless motion of time is inevitable. At the end of the day, the two confront their past and the present and consider what could have been. In a heartfelt discussion, they examine the concept of inyeon – a Korean word regarding the encounters we share with others over countless lifetimes.

 

They hug each other goodbye. After Hae Sung steps in the taxi to the airport, Na Young finally breaks down and cries. It’s an intense emotional release and a universal experience. It reminds me of seeing an ex for the first time long after ending things. You hug them, and all of the memories come rushing back and the longing that comes with seeing them or hoping to fix things encompassed in the ache. I like how the movie doesn’t romanticize soulmates or fate. Instead, pervasive throughout is a stubborn heartache for something familiar but far away. This is a challenging emotion to contend with. It’s like a subtle headache on a gloomy day. It does not take over your life, but it is noticeable. You might want to chase the longing, but you need to move on with your life. Even though it can never be, you cling on to it. In this way, it can be even more addictive than another part of the relationship because it is a fantasy of what it could have been, rather than the actuality. While the movie is full of poetic dialogue and accompanied by a reflective, graceful soundtrack, it leaves silences and space for us to reminisce about our own experiences on who we are becoming, our own fateful choices, and what could have been. In this way, the movie tackles the life questions of, “what if?” “How do I move forward while also honoring my past?” and explores feelings and experiences that transcend their specific story.

2023 Goals

2023 Goals

1. Build Self Confidence & Self Love

• Reflect and take responsibility for my actions

• Be Bold - take the risk

• Be Genuine

• Focus on what you CAN control → attitude towards life

• NEVER complain - be tough - evolve myself to get what you want

  
  

  Making peace with my emotions

  Emotions provide us with valuable information - they can let us know what’s important to us and also guides us to an aspect that needs to be healed

  • Never feed insecurity.  If I choose to do something, and the core reason is because I’m feeling insecure, I will just feel it and let it pass

2. Read 20 books this year! 

Reading plays a vital role in the way I see myself and the way I view the world. It makes me more empathetic, as it puts me in situations I wouldn’t normally find myself in. By exploring various viewpoints in literature, I can better understand people in real life - their motives, what influences them, why they act like they do. It causes me to question myself and evaluate my decisions. It makes me reflect on my core beliefs and helps me figure out why I live in the first place.

3. Sleep at least 7 hours a night & wake up early 

I’ve discovered that the less sleep I get, the less able I am to concentrate in my activities and the less willing I am to talk to other people. Lack of sleep has literally run me to the ground and destroyed my mental health. Getting sufficient sleep is the first step to sanity and a positive, focused mentality. Morning routine - exercise, study bonds/finance and Chinese, clean.

4. NO Coffee (Bad for Heart) / NO processed foods & sugar / Focus on Nutrition 

--> Food as Fuel

• Cook more 

• Handwrite a cookbook with my own spin on recipes :) 

• Fried Rice, Chinese Broccoli, eggs & tomato, risotto, chili, wonton soup

Quarantine

Yes, being stuck at home and not being able to see my friends really sucks... For UChicago students, this period of time (four weeks of no classes, jobs, and extracurriculars) is extremely tedious. But I realized, after multiple cycles of moping, fighting with my parents, gaining pounds and losing pounds, fighting with my parents, reading my horoscope, and pacing back and forth, quarantine is a blessing in disguise! Apart from slowing the spread of the virus, it slows life down and grants us the gift of time.

through this self-quarantine, I have:

- read Stacy London's The Truth About Style, Perfume, the Alchemy of Scent, Jordan Peterson's 12 Rules for Life
- walked 10,000+ steps a day
- ran a mile in rainboots in the rain
- improved flexibility- back bridges and splits
- binged The Good Place, Grey's Anatomy, Parks and Rec, and New Girl
- watched Yes Man, The Ring, Goodfellas
- ordered a bright blue penny board with pink wheels to zoom down the street
- Jazzercise!
- lost at every game I play of Dominion Online
- listened to Toro y Moi, American Ragtime, and funky new playlists
- admired the good old 1997 monte carlo or Acura Legend
- dabbled in parkour on the outdoor nature playground
- assembled a lookbook of new fashion
- listened to the Quran 
- embodied sylvia plaths poetry

I keep feeling like I'm drinking espresso on an empty stomach: brief clarity leading to perhaps transcendental creativity, but at the same time the bitter come down that reminds you the jitterness is of your own doing. Tough times man. Cya on the other side.

Post Tagg

My Tips for Studying Abroad (& specifically in Morocco!)

1) DO SOMETHING NEW EVERY WEEK!

Take advantage of every day that you are there. You do not have to fill each days with museums or excursions, but don’t waste your time in Morocco. This could be as simple as taking a new route to class every day or trying a different cuisine for lunch. As a personal example, for the first few days after classes, I would head to the Starbucks across the street to get work done. While the Starbucks had incredibly fast and reliable wifi, I decided to local cafes or study spaces instead. For instance, my friend and I would head to a new cafe to study and try a new dessert or food every afternoon. Often after finishing our readings, we would explore the neighborhood that we were in. 

some ideas: 
- explore the city alone! 
- see different neighborhoods 
- practice haggling in the souks 
- visit museums and learn about niche topics 
- listen to local music or dance performances 
- talk to locals 

2) KEEP A JOURNAL

Everything may seem so vibrant to you while you are there, but it can be difficult to remember all the little memories years (or even days, if you are a pro at memory erasure) later that brought you joy or frustration or anything in between. I kept a travel journal in which I made a 7-minute drawing or watercolor painting of a key moment from the day. Journaling is a great way to digest the experiences and situations unfolding around you. 

3) LEARN THE LANGUAGE!

Don’t avoid speaking to people just because you don’t speak Arabic well! Learning the language is something that complemented my study abroad experience extensively. l Honestly, I had no idea that Arabic was read from right to left before classes with Ustad Abdullah (bless him). I’m quite amazed that I’ve learned the entire alphabet, from being able to sound out words to being able to read and write sentences. It was like being in kindergarten again, and it was the most joyful kind of learning! Speaking schwia (a little) Arabic takes you so far in Morocco. When street vendors or random people that I run into find out that I’m learning Arabic, they break out into the hugest smiles and it’s so easy to make friends and to learn about their lives! 

Here are some relevant phrases: 
> Salaam Alykum: the pure classic, it means peace be upon you! 
> Labas?: how are you? 
> Shwia: A little 
> Inshallah: God willing 
> Waaw!: wow  
> Mgdega dega mra mra, Darija: I get tired from time to time 
> Al Hamdullilah: praise be to God 
> Shukran! - Thank you 
> Iyyeh or Naam: Yes 
> ndank ndank: slowly or watch out (alright, you got me, this is actually in Wolof, a language spoken in Senegal. My roommate who studied in Dakar while I was in Morocco taught me this. And I had to throw this in here because it’s also a CLASSIC.) 

4) STAY HEALTHY!
Believe me, it’s no fun being ill while you’re abroad, or in general. It’s important to know your limits and not become overwhelmed with it all. This means getting enough sleep, exercise, and healthy food each day. 

5) TRAVEL AROUND MOROCCO
Each city in Morocco has its own unique atmosphere- Essouira, Fez, Marrakesh, Casablanca, Tangier, etc.

Week 1 of Morocco Diary Entries

Snippets of the day, first week in Morocco

January 4 
Last night a group of us had dinner at a delicious tagine place, dar naji. the guy who poured the mint tea held the pot super high above his head! Afterwards, we walked to the ocean and witnessed a stunning sunset.

We checked out of the hotel we stayed at the first few nights, packed luggage, and had a survival darija language class in which we learned how to hail a taxi. Then, we went on a scavenger hunt all afternoon with three language partners. We walked to the tram, by the museum and parliaments, through the souks, all the way to the ocean, went to the Kasbah of the oudayyas garden which was absolutely beautiful and teeming with cats (msh zweena), walked back to the souks to go to a traditional restaurant where we tried vegetables and chicken tagines with fries, and finally back to orientation. We met our host mother today! I was so excited but also nervous because not sure what to expect. I knew everything was going to be fine from the moment she kissed me on the cheek. We lugged all our suitcases to the taxi and went to L'ocean, where her home was. Our host mother served us mint tea, a keeka (cake), and cookies that they typically eat during Ramadan and we talked until bedtime. 

January 5 -
they call normal black coffee "americanos" in rabat! even at the paris airport, they called out “americano” when they gave out my drink and i thought they gave me the wrong drink.
went to the markets again, looked at all the beautiful paintings, went to the contemporary art museum in rabat - there was this really lovely piece on the seven deadly sins but sadly we weren’t allowed to take pictures - and had some mint tea at the museum cafe- you gotta pour it up high to aerate it. then we went to carrefour to buy shampoo and used my taxi skills from class to get back home, where we ate dinner of salad and chicken. Shreya flooded the bathroom bc the bathroom shower is kind of jank. finally, i started my drawings. 

January 7 -
woke up a bit late today. shreya and I gulped down our breakfast, which was a delicious omelette with cheese and spinach, crepes and a banana mix, and kawhla with milk. Also had some dates! Then, we hailed a cab from the white church. I used my taxi skills from survival darija to help get us to mcdonald’s agdal. Then, I bought a water bottle at the yellow cafe next door and went to civ. We learned a bit about islam today and to remember to contextualize historical sources. We took an hour break before our MSA class. We went to Zumba, a hip juice place where I got a jus oasis. Afterwards, we went to MSA and gave my first presentation! So scared of pronounciation haha but just GOTTA DO IT. Afterwards, I met up with my language partner, who studies math, at the cafe next door with some mint tea. I walked a bit down the street, went to the bank to negotiate my 20 dollar bill back, and took a cab home. I changed and went on a run by the ocean. I stopped by the lighthouse. This dude looking out to the ocean beckoned me and offered to take me up. I thought o shoot hes going to sell me into slavery but yolo. I followed him up the winding staircase to the very top of the lighthouse. it really was beautiful view. waves on one side, the city on the other, an entire graveyard that was enchanting in an odd kinda way. I then walked around in the kasbah of the oudayas for a bit and took photos of the cats. I went into the medina too and ran into Kate and Emma. so funny because we watched a movie at the cinema with Yzza called the LIGHTHOUSE later. very strange, very intense, i loved it though! would recommend. I walked back. it was only 20 min walk and I got to learn and see the area a bit better on foot. There were some outdoor fruit markets right outside our house. Then, I watched tv a bit over a delicious beef balls tagine dinner with bread and this amazing soup. knocked right out after, got up early to memorize BAA!

January 8 -
had an omelette, sweet porridge this morning and a sweet lemon cake that our host mother baked for us. It was delicious! then, shreya and I took a cab to amideast in agdal. Mcdonald’s agdal! Usually, we say a landmark in order to get somewhere in a cab. We learned about the emergence of islam and muhammad today in class. Then, I had the most delicious falafel sandwich at Babel with some people from the program. After, we learned some more arabic script like alif and waw. Then, Ruthie helped me replace my sim card. We went to starbucks and studied for a while. They have very high speed internet. I took a cab home alone and went running. I finished my workout at home and did abs. Then, we have POISSON! the most amazing fish tagine. there was also a lovely salad with tomatoes and bread. I ate a lemon to top it off. I am truly blessed by this lovely host mother. She also makes our bed when we are gone. i feel so spoiled honestly and kind of guilty haha. Then, I finished my readings for the day and worked on arabic and hopefully go to bed soon LMAO.

January 9 -
had an omelette and these lovely pancakes this morning. she also got us chocolate croissants so wase took ours to go because we are always in a rush in the mornings. we learned about the quran in class today. who would’ve known its so interesting! I also told maroune that HAHA looks like leaves. hopefully that’s no offensive LMAO. Kate, Allison, and Jessica and I went to Zumba. I got a papaya juice and a chicken shwarma wrap for only 2.5 us dollars. SO DELICIOUS. Food quality is A1 here honestly. Then, we had our arabic classes with Abdulla, who is such an interactive and great teacher. I’m still soooo shy it’s hard for me to say things but I feel like that is so irrational. Afterwards, I went and filled out my travel forms and worked at starbucks with emma for a little while. Now I’m going to go to the bank to get my 20 US dollars back and also run with Leela by the ocean.

January 10 -
mainly a day of travel. Tram and taxi to Sale airport. then a loooong bus ride through sharp winding roads in literally the mountains thought i we were going to go over the cliff. we stopped to eat sausage and olive pizza at a well-decorated christmas themed place by the side of the road. yummy. house is a hella MANSION- spacious and beautiful. Jacob and Noah jumped into the hella freezing pool.

January 11 -
got up early, tried to see the sunrise but missed it. a german shepherd lives outside our mansion. Ruthie and I are sharing a room. We take the van to Essaoria and go to Tara cafe. It’s a standard Moroccan breakfast with pancakes and jams and mint tea. Then, we walked around the old medina. A woman tried to sell us argan oil. Then, I tried haggling with this man for a snake box. Jacob helped me bring it from 50 to 10 dirhams. We went up and it was so windy by the sea. We went to a history museum that featured traditional outfits, musical instruments, and more parts of culture. After, we got lunch at a pretty rooftop terrace place. Had really delicious tuna and sardine / fish tartine which i mixed and matched with Lara. We walked out to the port and saw the iconic blue boats. Then we walked by the beach and tried found a cafe where the others ate crepes. I drank a huge bottle of water. We chilled by the beach waiting for the sunset. I talked to Lara for a while while Shreya, Jacob, Ruthie, and Gabby practiced tik tok videos. The sunset was so beautiful! palm trees everywhere. some man on a bike came up to me and asked me if I could breakdance because i was doing cartwheels. I did the 5 step then he one-upped me and did a huge incredible dance. AMAZING! we got dinner at sirocco. I had a fish “bowl”. olives were so good, so was the olive cream and bread. There was live music and a dude with a chill voice playing guitar and singing summertime and the living’s easy. hella vibes. We taxi’d to carrefour for breakfast. I lost my postcards about at this time, but thats ok because we rode the neon bumper cars! so much fun. Lara and I didn’t quick figure out how to be functional until after the ride. so much fun.