Dear Sarajevo, We were truly strangers before we met. I didn’t know much about your reputation beyond what happened here one day in 1914. I had no expectations of you, and sometimes that’s the best way to start. From the moment I arrived, you stole my heart. I won’t say it wasn’t a rocky beginning–one…
Dear Budapest, I was so excited about you. From my friends who’ve studied abroad to people I’ve met in hostels, it seemed like everyone had positive things to say about you. “You’ll love it!” they said. “I’m so jealous!” they said. “Budapest is my favorite city!” they said. Unfortunately, I felt differently. You mean well, Budapest, but…
Dear Kraków, I didn’t think I believed at first sight, and then I met you. From the moment I arrived, sleep deprived from my overnight bus ride and frustrated by the Uber driver who ripped me off, somehow you just felt right. I quickly learned how to pronounce your Polish street names and which of…
Dear Paris, We’ve met before, but this time was different. Last time was all museums and bouef bourguignon and museums and crêpes (but not Nutella–at 13, I hadn’t acquired a taste for it yet) and churches and baguettes and museums. This time I didn’t have the pressure to visit all the attractions, to learn the…
Victim to Charm 