04 / places
A personal travel archive for trips, family connections, friends, and places I want to remember with photos later.
New York City is one of those places I associate with movement, noise, and the feeling that something is always happening around you. This trip means a lot to me because I’m going with friends, and I want to remember it less as a checklist of landmarks and more as a collection of small moments: walking around the city, finding places to eat, getting lost in different neighborhoods, and just being able to experience it together.
New Jersey stands out to me because this trip is connected to both Princeton University and visiting friends. Spending a week around Princeton gives the trip a different feeling: part campus visit, part reunion, and part chance to slow down and take in a place I would not normally be around. I want this entry to capture that mix of seeing a new environment while also having familiar people there with me.
Bosnia is one of the most personal places on this list because it connects directly to my family and where my parents are from. Being there made the stories I grew up hearing feel real in a way they never could from far away. Mostar especially stayed with me: the views, the history, the streets, and the feeling of being somewhere tied to my background made the trip feel less like tourism and more like understanding a part of myself better.
Germany was the first stop on a month-long trip through Europe, so I remember it as the beginning of a much bigger experience. I went there to visit a family friend, but it also felt like the point where the whole trip started to open up. It was the first time on that journey where I began adjusting to new places, different routines, and the feeling of being far from home while still being connected through people I knew.
California felt different because so much of the trip was centered around being outside and seeing places that make you stop for a second. Yosemite was the part that stood out the most to me: the size of everything, the mountains, the trails, and the views made the trip feel bigger than a normal vacation. It is one of those places that reminds me how different life feels when you are away from your usual routine and surrounded by nature.
Puerto Rico was one of those trips that felt warm, relaxed, and full of life from the start. It was not just about visiting a new place, but about slowing down, enjoying the culture, being around good food, and taking in everything that made the island feel memorable. I want this entry to remember the feeling of being welcomed by the place itself and enjoying time somewhere that felt different from my usual routine.
Mexico was a family vacation, and that is what makes it memorable to me. The trip reminds me of relaxing, exploring, eating good food, and having time with family away from normal responsibilities. It was not about doing anything complicated; it was about being somewhere different together and having those simple moments that become better memories over time.
Canada stands out to me because it was the first time I tried snowboarding. I remember it as one of those trips where the fun came from learning something new, falling a lot, getting back up, and slowly starting to feel more comfortable on the mountain. Being there with my family made it even better, because the whole trip became a mix of cold weather, trying something outside my comfort zone, and making memories together in a place that felt completely different from home.
