To All Those Who Opened Their Doors

*If you're interested in seeing our travels, the map is here: Travel Map*

I'm home! Ah, Colorado, it's nice to see you again.

Where was I? Well there's a story. 

It starts when I was thirteen years old and finally got up the guts to sit with one of my classmates from my freshman year history class at lunch. That day started a friendship with my three best friends. Flash forward to 2013, and I'm starting two years of Peace Corps in El Salvador. Flash forward again to early 2015 and I'm preparing to finish my service in El Salvador, but I'm not ready to go back to the US yet. With one of the aforementioned best friends, we plan out a rough sketch of a three-month trip around Europe to happen in late 2015. It's all ready to go, then I hear back from Peace Corps about a Response position. Not only do they want me to go to Georgia, they want me to go straight from El Salvador. I talk Peace Corps into giving me six days to fly home, buy winter gear, drop everything off, then fly off again. Europe trip...postponed. Flash forward again to September 2016. I'm finishing up in Peace Corps Response. One of my best friends is visiting her sister in London. The other, the one I initially planned the Europe trip with, is finishing up a job in New Mexico with no prospects for work until at least December. The stars have aligned.

We meet in London the second week of September, and three months of travel across Europe ensue...

This trip spanned 13 countries over three months, and was possible mostly thanks to Kara's planning and the largess of many friends and friends of friends. It was a whirlwind of cities, castles, gardens, food and churches. In terms of transport, we did a bit of everything - flights, buses, trains, rideshares - including our own two feet for about eight miles every day, give or take. We stayed in airbnbs, empty beds and couches, hostels, guesthouses. Traveling near election time was interesting, to say the least. Pre-election was pretty hopeful and confused, while post-election was mostly fearful and confused. I have never explained the electoral college system more times in my life than I did in car rides across Europe. I'm thankful we were given the chance to talk with and learn from so many people from so many backgrounds, often not in their home country or ours, but who have made this world their home.  

I wanted to thank all of the wonderful people who opened their homes, kitchens, and lives to us on our travels:

To Adrian, who has been a friend since childhood and let us come back again and again to take over her couches and friends' houses in London, shared meals, and gave us our dog fix with Minda.

To Helen, who took me on my first mountain trip in Georgia that started our friendship, and is now a graduate student in London willing enough to let us take over her too-small space and convince her to get pints of ice cream for dessert.  

To Elisa, my one-time kinda boss in El Salvador, and her housemate Camila, who let us take over their living room for a week and experiment in their kitchen; Elisa who joined me in touring Northern Ireland and making a delicious mess of Salvadoran food that I miss, who took us to work and out to dinner and drinks with friends in Dublin and is everything I miss about Peace Corps in El Salvador. 

To Pauline and Paul and Hazel who made Wales the absolute best part of this trip. For the apples, the quinces, the ducks, the chickens, the turkeys, the bees, the amazing food, the Welsh lessons, the apple picking, gardening, beekeeping, log splitting, flapjack, and more than anything, the wonderful company in a beautiful house in a gorgeous country.   

To Lydia and all of her many housemates who took a chance that we wouldn't be crazy madwomen and let us couchsurf in Liverpool. 

To Sabina, my sister's host mom, who made Viterbo just as lovely and tasty as ever and is working on a really cool gold-embroidered photography project.

To Jill and Len, who are the most lovely friends of friends I've ever had the pleasure to meet. They could not have been more interesting or welcoming if they tried. They made Brussels my favorite city on this trip as they welcomed us into their beautiful, book-filled house and took us to the market, the bakery, around town, and the park. The park in fall with the golden leaves slowly falling is like Lothlorien. They let us take over their kitchen, shared meals, and started the most interesting and informative conversations.

To Helen, her husband and two sons who gave us more delicious Vietnamese food than I thought possible, took a rainy Saturday to show us around Prague, and patiently dealt with all the endless translations between Vietnamese, Czech and English. 

To Molli, who patiently gave many suggestions for food and sights in Vienna, and shared interesting alcohol over tasty dinner.

To Rachel, my Peace Corps buddy in Georgia who knows me well enough that the gelato places in Verona were already scouted. It's always good to catch up, even if it has only been two months.   

To Anna, who introduced us to the wonders of lunch-lady deboned turkey as we made the most excellent first Thanksgiving Friendsgiving in Madrid. We have one of those long-distance, long-term friendships I never thought would become what it has, and for which I am eternally grateful. For the wandering around town, the beautiful gifts, all the super cool people she surrounds herself with, the inspiration, the dreams and even the heartache. And the brunch. The brunch was excellent.  

To Shelby, Kara's college friend, who has good taste in fandoms, kindly lent her space and time, and pulled off a giant Thanksgiving, complete with two turkeys and all the international kids getting to join in on our excellent traditions and feast.   

Thanks to all of you who were so giving and made our three months memorable, tasty and interesting. In a time when life feels increasingly isolated and full of suspicion, it was good to encounter so many people who were open, helpful, curious and thoughtful. You've reiterated my belief that open doors usher in good people.

If you're interested in seeing our travels, the map is here: Travel Map