July 4th... 12 hours early

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Happy July 4th from Russia!!! It’s not technically Independence Day in the states yet, but being 12 hours ahead I’m already well into America’s most distinctive holiday. With everyone going on great vacations and showcasing their family time on social media, I thought it would be perfect today to talk about dealing with homesickness/loneliness as a solo traveler in Siberia. Of course I feel homesick, especially around big holidays like this, but it honestly hasn’t been as bad as I had feared. I came into this trip with a good attitude and I’ve found that time has flown by and loneliness can be subverted if you just stay busy. The pictures I’ve chosen today highlight some stuff I do in my free time to stay positive. 1. This is my amazing handmade personalized journal (the best gift ever courtesy of my good friend Julie). I journal every single day and I keep track of all my moods, my daily thoughts about my thesis, my diet and exercise, and a lot of my regular habits. It really helps to stay in tune with the things that make me the most happy, and it allows me to record memories of every day! 2. Another way I keep busy is by continuing my work into the weekends often. I’m constantly going to museums and visiting historical sights, and I read a ton of books. I honestly don’t mind working every day... when you design the project based on work you’re incredibly passionate about, it is fun! 3. Of course, I spend a lot of time on calls and video chats with my family and friends, especially my boyfriend Nick. It’s fairly easy to catch people in the US, as the 12 hour difference means that night and morning are both available. Here, I’m eating cereal for dinner and he is for breakfast 😋