about

if you’re reading this…

you already know about me, so there’s no need for this page. what are you doing here?

just joking! i also love reading what people say about themselves.

first of all, let me give you a warm welcome to my blog! without your viewership, it would just be me talking to myself, and that wouldn’t be nearly as exciting. you all give me the encouragement to keep going (especially with how long these entries take me). ♥

i began writing here in 2018 to keep track of (and update family and friends on) my adventures while studying abroad in bilbao, spain. it was the first time i really shared my writing with the world, and what a freeing experience it was.

i can’t believe i’m saying this, but that was now five years ago. in the space between, i fulfilled my dream of living in new york city (long story short, that summer made me realize that nyc is no longer “the dream”), graduated from college (in the midst of a global pandemic), lived in and loved washington dc (using my creative license to say that alexandria, va, is indeed a part of our nation’s capital)…

…and at last, the moment has arrived for me to take the greatest leap of my adult life so far – moving to germany for grad school! uh, move over emily in paris, annika in frankfurt is on.☺️

many, many thanks to my family and friends who have supported me through this arduous journey. funny to think about all the times you put up with me crying because i had no idea what i wanted to do with my life, and now, i’m here doing the thing i want to do the most! to be able to do so while i’m still young – something so exciting, so life-changing – it is something i know will change things forever.

(did i just paraphrase my motivational essay? yes.)

my hope is that this blog will 1) continue to be amazing bathroom reading (has been a sincere goal of mine from the get-go) 2) make it feel like i’m not so faraway (imagine getting a really long text message from me – that’s an entry on here) and 3) document some wonderful memories (a psychic told me i am going to make some across the pond, so obviously, it’s true).

enjoy!