I’ve started this blog, like most bloggers, to have a space for expression. To post and to share the things that make me happy, and perhaps more importantly to note the lessons I learn from inspirational friends, strangers, and every now and then fictional characters. This is me. I was born in Germany and moved to California at the age of 8. High school was the time of my life - or so I thought. Then I experienced life as a beach at the notorious party school, UCSB. I’m willing to admit that practically every stereotype is true and I hold no regrets for the incredible chapter that often leaves me nostalgic for such a fantastical reality. But more importantly, it’s true what they say, the connections and friendships that you build in college are everlasting. And while my travels have removed me multiple times from the people with whom I came to age, our bonds are such that time and distance hardly create a disconnect. This makes me happy!
My journey continued at the University of Amsterdam where I received my post-graduate degree in Political Science, as a “master” of Conflict Resolution and Governance. [Clearly a field that can’t be mastered]. While grappling with all the problems of the world, I honed in on the heart-wrenching conflict that continues to plague the Palestinian-Israeli front. I spent a month in this region, making the most unseemly connections and feeling my worldview expand faster than any global studies class could ever hope to accomplish. This is when I discovered that I love talking to strangers. I was captivated by the personal stories that comprised and coexisted with the overarching conflict. Every narrative it’s own lesson with an emotional revelation.
Back in Amsterdam, my international mix of friends grew. And I must honestly say that I am thankful for facebook for providing a platform to maintain long-distance ties.
Fast-forward. After school I moved back to San Francisco to be close to family and friends. But moving back to this comfort zone created a bit of a void in my life. The itch to discover more and to do something meaningful gave me the courage to move to Washington, DC. I am now 25 years old and work as a congressional aide for a Representative that I greatly admire.
At this point in my life, I could not ask for a better home than the East Coast. I’ve assimilated into the political soap opera, and have continued to meet people that inspire me.
