Pre-2023 Travels

10 December 2022 - 2 January 2023: Botswana-Zimbabwe-Zambia-Namibia Road Trip

This road trip has been on my bucket list since before the pandemic. It was originally planned as the baecation to top all baecations, but when the sunset on that journey I thought this trip would never see the light of day. Until my friend from college AM hit me up for travel recommendations in Southern Africa, and somehow we ended up buying flights and the rest was history. I could write a book about this trip but it was one of the best adventures of my life. From painfully long layovers spent on cold airport floors, to breathtaking nature, and all the potholes in between, it was one for the books. There is always something about being witnessed in your most authentic light that satiates my soul. To show a friend "my village" and introduce them to my people: family and friends! There is so much I could write, but all I will say is I was glad I took this road trip with AM and only AM. In retrospect, the stressful logistics of a 4 country road trip would not have made the best baecation. But it was a perfect friends vacation.

21 - 23 October 2022: San Francisco Bay Area, California

I promise I have really moved from the Bay. I had to return to the Bay to deliver a keynote address at the annual Harambe fundraising dinner for the African Library Project. The event was held in San Francisco and NM was generous enough with her time to accompany me as my plus one. One of the best friends I have in this lifetime. The dinner was lovely but the downside of being the keynote speaker is you have to wait a long time to enjoy the plentiful alcohol. Literacy is something close to my heart and to be able to inspire donors and book drive organizers who make it possible for people from under-resourced communities like myself to have access to quality education was an honor. Also on this trip I got get brunch with my old high school classmate from UWC Costa Rica MW, who is now getting her MBA at my alma mater. I also got to turn up with NM, and my boy RN. Any night that ends with the boys at a trashy American diner is a solid one!

30 September - 3 October 2022: San Francisco Bay Area, California

Long before I knew fate would take me southwards to Los Angeles, I received a super exclusive invite to a music night hosted by one of my all time favorites EK. I could not miss this one. I flew up to the bay and used this as an opportunity to also see my other friends. On one of the days I went on my treasured walk around the Stanford Dish with SG. The second day I got to attend the Continental Dinner hosted by the one and only NM. Of all things I have been involved in, I am glad to know the continental dinners have continued in the Bay after my departure. The main part of the trip, the music show was special. EK is such a great host, with amazingly talented friends, and her event was beyond expectations. Even I got to perform a piece or two--building on the momentum of a recent performance I gave in Inglewood. This was a weekend for the books!

24 - 26 September 2022: Phoenix Area, Arizona

AMM is one of my favorite college friends. After not seeing each other for over 3 years--thanks in part to the pandemic and living on opposite ends of the country for most of that time--I finally took her up on her invitation to visit. I have been blessed with the kinds of friendships where no matter how much time pass and how differently we grow, we are always able to continue as though not a moment had passed. We went on a little field trip around Scottsdale, went walking, and dining. We also got to enjoy a shared passion of ours, which brought us into one another's lives: singing and music. I finally went to church after a long time and got to meet her friends. With the fatigue from my early morning flight and the Arizona heat blazing, I also got to enjoy some of my finest naps. The final evening, we went on a night time hike followed by a karaoke bar. All in all a superb weekend. I will return to Arizona.

4 September 2022: Oakland, California

There are people you meet briefly and know they are destined to be treasured in your life. I met PN at the tail end of both of our times in the Bay Area. Shortly after we met, life took me and her to LA and Houston, respectively. Even with boxes still in my apartment, I could not afford to miss her birthday and farewell party back in the Bay. So I endured the heat wave we were experiencing, made a brief appearance at another social engagement I had committed to attending, and flew out of Burbank towards OAK using my flight points on Southwest. Even with the delay on my outbound leg, I still made it there on time. It was a great evening, where I also got to reconnect with a number of my Bay Area favorites, including NM. We had some drinks, met a few of her friends, and kicked it for a while before my flight out of SFO to LAX on United--also using my frequent flyer points. I was in and out in a matter of hours because I wanted to stay gone from the Bay.

2-4 July 2022: Carmel & Santa Cruz, California

If I had known at the end of this trip a beautiful journey would end, I would have savored it more. I would have made sure each song on the road trip was sung at the top of my lungs, each stroll along the coast line taken slowly, and every glance into my then lady's face lingering just a tad bit longer. Taking it all in. If I had known our journey would end at the end of this trip, I would not have wished to change anything. Someone wise once told me that people are not meant to be possessed, they are meant to be experienced. Although imperfect, our journey was the best adventure yet. Even this trip exemplified the things that made it so. From the salt water float to the fine dining, the beautiful walks in Carmel to playing pickle ball with the senior citizens of Santa Cruz. I will miss experiencing this one human. As we each make our separate ways through life, may we both find the desires of our hearts. May we experience and be experienced in all of our fullness. Adieu dear friend!

20-24 April 2022: Maui, Hawaii

After a busy start of the year at work, this was a welcome break. As soon as we touched down, we went searching for food. From that first freshly made juice and the best Hawaiian BBQ from a food truck, we had a great culinary experience. We had pancakes with macadamia nuts, tasty Portuguese sausage, loads of sea food including―to my surprise―the best grilled white fish I have ever had, and a buffet with loads of meat options. The best flavor to hit my tongue was the Dole whip―I guess I love pineapple. I enjoyed early morning strolls on the beach, some playtime in the water, time in nature, and a luau. My favorite activities were snorkeling around the Molokini crater and the drive from Lahaina to Hana. As an earth sign―the stubborn bull Taurus―you can imagine how out of my comfort zone being in the deep ocean is. But with the encouragement and support of my co-traveller, I was able to see the hidden beauty of the marine life by the coral reef. On the Hana drive, I most enjoyed the drive back on the back road that a local had cautioned us against. Parts of the road were unpaved but the scenery was gorgeous. As always, it was not long enough. It felt good to go to the end of the world―after all we did stop in the Garden of Eden.

18-20 March 2022: New York, New York

Fresh off the jet when I landed, I showered and made breakfast before my boy and I hit the city. We met his boy and our homegirl for an eventful day. Our first excursion was finding a coffee shop or something to grab a light bite. Who knew finding food could be so difficult? In the end we settled for tasty food from a Middle Eastern food truck. Away from the corrective eye of the madam, I feasted on wings of course! We went up the Empire State building for some panoramic views of the big apple. Then we rode around on those costly bicycles to Times Square via the Rock, blasting southern African tunes as we went. Times Square was so magical both during the day and when we returned later in the night. We took the ferry to go see the Statue of Liberty and take a stroll around Staten Island. Our main meal of the evening was at the delightful Eataly--the wine was as lovely as the food. I struggled to stay awake on the subway back home, despite being in the city that never sleeps. Sunday was chiller. We went to Korean church, where they delicious food. Then we went sight seeing where I saw inspiring houses around Jamaica Estates in Queens. The icing on the cake was briefly meeting up with an old friend from my village right before flying back to San Francisco with a full heart.

04-06 March 2022: Salt Lake City, Utah

After nearly missing my flight, I made it to Salt Lake City in the dead of night. Two of my college friends had waited to receive me at the airbnb we had rented for the weekend--a warm welcome in a freezing place. Not being much of skiier, I stuck to the bunny slopes for most of the Saturday. I fell quite a number of times but I kept trying over and over again. After all, I am in the phase of my life where I am challenging myself to try more things that are outside of my comfort zone. I only stopped after a nasty fall that injured my spine. The drive back from the mountains was treacherous as hail, thunder, and lightning enveloped us. That night it snowed in the city and so we were able to build a snow man the following morning before going sledding at a nearby park. Sledding was my thing. In between all of these, we dined, we caught up, and had a lit time. When my flight took off on Sunday evening, I was glad to have gone for this reunion trip. It is good to see everyone growing into their adult selves.

19 February 2022: Napa,California

I am reminded of the sweetness of life when three of my favorite things come together: community, wine, and a road trip. We left San Francisco in the late morning on this ambitious one day trip to the wine country. I had rented a Zipcar and was driving our group: my friend NM, her sister, and their friend. Being the long weekend, there was quite some traffic on the way there and back--but there were still some spots where the brother was able to cruise over 80mph. The first winery we visited was Trinitas. Drinking wine at noon without a care in the world is what I hope paradise will be like. For my flight, I had an okay Sauvignon blanc, a rich Mysteriama (a blend made from Zinfandel, Shiraz, and similar grapes), and two refreshing dessert wines. While waiting for the alcohol to dissipate before driving us to the next spot, we all went for a stroll in the vineyard. I could see why people might find vineyard weddings charming. The next wine tasting was at a gallery in downtown but we settled for just a bottle of champagne. We had just had dinner and I did not want to go hard before the drive back to San Francisco at night. In all, I was grateful to have crashed this girls birthday trip. May I have more road trips in my life. I returned with a bottle of the Mysteriama to enjoy later.

17-22 December 2021: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada via Seattle, Washington

Delayed Covid-19 test results and canceled flights tried to take the fun out of this trip, but there was no expense to be spared to ensure we ended the year in style. We flew to Seattle and then took a bus into Canada. This was first international trip. We had a cozy and cute Airbnb that I was conflicted between staying in and being outdoors enjoying the city. The weather was on our - at least my - side, with the sun being out most of the time and the cold waiting until after we left. We ate out, walked around, went ice skating, and chilled indoors. We had a movie date and a dinner date. The coolest place in my opinion was happy hour at the Revolving Restaurant at the top of Vancouver. In Seattle we checked out the sea food market and endured the public transit system with our luggage to find some soul food.

14-27 November 2021: Gaborone / Kanye / Lorwana - Gathwane / Lokgwabe / Ghanzi, Botswana

After being trapped in the US for over a year and a half due to Covid-19 related travel restrictions and embassy closures, I was finally able to visit family and friends in Botswana. No matter where in the world I live, at least once a year, my feet must trample the dirt on my compound, my lungs must breathe the air, and my skin must tan under the "African" sun. What a joy to the soul to reunite with loved after so long!! Being apart from loved ones is one of the sacrifices of this life I have chosen. The highlight of the trip was a "surprise" graduation party my family, friends, and educators threw for me. I am loved and it feels so good. I have not always had an easy life and so each time I experience love it makes my life all the more meaningful. I also got to drive to Lokgwabe and Ghanzi to be in community with my sister's in-laws, who are like my own family. I had interesting realizations about the concept of home while visiting the final resting places of loved ones who are now departed. I am at peace with the path I have chosen in life.

15-17 October 2021: Reno, Nevada

For our first trip by air together, we hopped over to Reno. It is true what they say, (air) travel with your significant will reveal new dimensions of one to the other. This was a surprise destination trip and I would have liked for her to find out the destination when we landed. Missing our flight did not help, but we still made it to Reno that night and I can undoubtedly say I like her a lot still. I chose Reno because I thought it was a less popular Las Vegas and therefore chiller - I knew I was wrong when the line to check into our hotel took close to an hour for us to get helped. Reno was a lovely time. We ate out, splurged at the casino all of $45 combined, diversified some day party, and got some massages. We also managed to squeeze in a dinner date in there. Going on dates while on vacation is a lot of fun. The universe has been too kind to me.

2 - 3 October 2021: Sacramento, California

One of my priorities in life is to enjoy it to the max and have as much fun as I can because what then is the point of all this toil? When we learned of this music concert we knew we were going! Our squad comprised of myself, DT, ZM, and DM. Our base of operations was a swell AirBnB in the suburbs of Sacramento. The first day of the music festival was chaotic. The lines for food were extremely long and we could not have the food we wanted because they ran out - imagine waiting in line for over an hour and a half, missing the concert, only for the food to finish when you are close to the front. Don't get me started on day light robbery that was their $5 water! Then to end the first night there was a stampede during Wizkid's set in which a few people, including people we were with, got injured. The second day was a much better experience. In part because we started the day with some soul food and then managed to find our way to the VIP section with our GA passes. The performances were fire!!! My favorite was Sho Madjozi - and yes I accept that I am biased. This was one of the best weekends of 2021!

18-20 September 2021: Boston, Massachusetts / Providence, Rhode Island

Summer 2021 promised a return to some semblance of normal. Having missed seeing many of my friends for the better part of the pandemic, I was on an east bound flight as soon as I was sure the pandemic had subsided. I went to visit my friends in Boston: primarily PS and CB. I was sad WS and I could not find a mutually convenient time to meet and catch up. Time with PS and the busy CB is always priceless. We had brunch with some old friends from UWC Costa Rica CAS and SS. Can you believe we are at that age where people are getting married? I attended a litty time in Providence with PS and some of her friends. We played some house games before turning up at a local club. I also got to make some madombi, supu ya ditapole, and chicken for a friends dinner at PS' place. It was lovely to meet some of the important people in the lives of my friends. I had a lot of fun on this trip, but also had some important realizations about my struggles with concepts of home and belonging.

30 April - 2 May 2021: Marin County, California

For this baecation, we went to Marin County. We stayed in San Rafael at an Airbnb with breathtaking views. The first night we went to downtown San Rafael for dinner at Sol Food and encountered a street party. I live for unscripted moments like that, even though the entire trip was planned to the last detail in a shared note. The street party allowed us to see more places for dinner the following night. The next morning we hiked up Mount Tam and then had brunch in Mill Valley. For dinner that evening we had some appetizers and drinks at Los Moles before having the main course at Caribbean Spices. Los Moles was spot on and Caribbean Spices left something to be desired. At least we had the restaurant to ourselves so I could pretend like I hired the whole place just for my love and I. We finished the trip with a visit to the Marin Farmer's Market the next morning and an impromptu picnic by a nice lake. It was perfect.

13-15 November 2020: Napa Valley, California

The one thing better than travel is travel with loved ones. Although not our first baecation, it was our first planned one. The one prior had been spontaneous and shorter in duration. We left for Napa around sunset and it was a fun drive. We jammed to music and she put her foot on the gas. I witnessed through our experience how much fun a road trip is. I resolved that I was going to get my driving license before my next birthday. We were staying at a delightful hotel. On the first night, we had Dominos for dinner. Then the next morning we went to Black Bear Diner for brunch. We were surprised to see people opting to dine indoors but were glad the outdoors was free for us to enjoy. It was clear we were not in Kansas anymore. We spent part of the morning sight seeing around Napa before our wine tasting in Santa Rosa in the late afternoon. I have always known that I was made for the finer things in life. We wrapped our lovely day with dinner at the Italian restaurant Pasta Prego. The next morning, I had my first kayaking ever and successfully managed to not drown. So we celebrated with more music on the road trip back home. It was a lovely outing.

28 October - 1 November 2020: Detroit, Michigan

On my first trip since the pandemic forced us into lockdown, I flew to Detroit via Chicago. There is not a single thing that could have prevented me from attending JC's wedding ceremony. She is one of my favorite humans in the whole wide world. As always, Detroit was too cold for my liking but the warmth of my Gambian fam's hospitality was sufficient. I was able to continue working remotely on my visit, get a badly needed haircut from a barber's house, and eat plenty of great food. Gambian food is dope. I was honored to help set up the tent, which brought nostalgia at preparing for weddings back home. As I reclaim my masculinity, I realize there is a lot of joy from doing these activities that require physical strength that are often reserved for men back home. Especially when the women call you into the house to take a break and eat. Yep! The wedding itself was amazing. Folks were dressed up, the food was delicious, although the cold was unbearable. We also could not dance much since we started later than planned. But we made up for it with a games night the day after. My life is richer to have been a part of this celebration.

13-16 March 2020: Los Angeles, California

Before you judge me for traveling during the then height of the coronavirus scare - and barely 2 weeks after returning from an overseas trip - you have to know that I had already postponed this trip before. I like to be a man of my word, especially where my loved ones are concerned. It was a delight to visit my brothers, 9 months after our college graduation. It ended being just EK and I because JR had to work on the coronavirus response for the congresswoman. What a full weekend that saw us happy hour in Malibu and shake these bones in Inglewood. We spent time in Hollywood, Calabasas, Santa Monica, and Downtown LA. We dined in Little Ethiopia and got extorted of $40 in Crenshaw at a sketchy looking Reggae joint. One could have sworn we were chasing that 'rona! But how could we not cover so much ground, when the 'rona scare had cleared traffic for us. Even the spots we checked out were just as I like them: uncrowded. Grateful to the hospitality of EK (and his roommate) for a great weekend. If I die from the 'rona from this weekend, it would have been worth it.

28 February - 2 March 2020: Arusha, Tanzania - UWC Africa Regional Meeting

I am crazy! I volunteered to go and represent the National Committee of Botswana at a weekend meeting in Arusha, Tanzania in the middle of school. I had to take two days traveling to and then 2 coming back. All this when there is a deadly virus out there. The first two days I was a bit under the weather. I am unsure if it was from flying with United and Ethiopian Airlines instead of Emirates or if it was from traveling at a time when diseases are spreading. But I bounced back and was fine in no time. I got to meet new friends and reconnect with old acquaintances. There was too much free wine I had to suspend my Lent. I walked away from the meeting feeling empowered and inspired for all the ways that we can inject life into our National Committee to ensure we select a diverse pool of qualified candidates. It is an exciting new era. I also got to see Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro. As an ATR practitioner, I was amazed to see the work of the Creator. It was an amazing trip. I lived a million lifetimes in one on this one weekend.

23 - 26 November 2019: Detroit, Michigan

Michigan! I am grateful to my friend BC for the generosity of her invitation and the warmth of her hospitality. My first visit to Michigan was as restful as I needed, and less cold than I expected. I was introduced to many amazing members of the Gambian community in Detroit. I now have enough data points to proclaim that Gambians are very warm people. The highlight of the trip was attending an open mic night where I got to share some of my work with the people. My accent was liked by the women. I guess I should move to a place with a lot of black women, and perform more. I enjoyed eating Gambian (or Gambian inspired) food, playing games against competitive opponents, and conversations that ranged from African languages to Mathematics. I also was introduced to La Casa De Papel, and my life has never been the same since. Thankful for a restful time.

10-12 October 2019: Glorieta, New Mexico - UWC USA CEC Retreat

My second time at the retreat was a lot more fun. Perhaps because a group of us the young mentors bonded and hung out. There were 3 friends from UWC USA and 3 UWC Costa Rica folks who overlapped. So it was not too hard. It was also great to reconnect with AC. He picked me up from the airport and we went to an Indian restaurant in an attempt to relive our Sri Lankan days. It was good food, so good we walked out forgetting to pay. The guy had to chase us to the parking lot. It was also a delight to see the students I mentored in the first year, some of whom were shy, now leading the retreat. It is little things like this that inspire me to continue giving back to the UWC movement. This is because we are investing in the development of potential in exceptional youth who shall contribute significantly towards making our world a better place. I count myself blessed for the privilege to be involved in this program.

31 August - 2 September 2019: Monterey Area, California

One of the things I loved about OA when we were friends was her adventurous spirit. It was her idea that we should spend the Labor Day weekend in the Monterrey Area. It was a lit road trip. We jammed to everything from Sho Madjozi to City Girls. It is a beautiful world out there. On the first day, we went on a drive along the 17 mile scenic drive along the coast. At least once we had managed to retrace our steps after getting lost in between the really pricey homes in that area. I am going to buy one of them one day. Even the following day as we explored one of the national parks in the area, we were impressed. We also reserved time to tan on the beach. Having friends as pretty as OA is fun because everywhere we went people always made the assumption that we were a couple, and told me how lucky I was to have such a gorgeous woman by my side. Our Airbnb was in garlic-smelling Gilroy, where I successfully managed to spill red wine on white bedding. I suppose I enjoy bringing excitement to dull situations. In what used to be our usual tradition, we went to a club to shake the old bones. For some reason I had no closed-toe shoes and almost got turned away, but it all worked out...

22-25 August 2019: Lake Tahoe, California - Reversing the Arrow Conference

When my mentor and friend TW invited me to an academic conference on entrepreneurship, I could not imagine what to expect. My previous experiences with academic conferences were limited to conferences in which I had something to present - and therefore something to contribute. In this one I was going to observe and to assist with the technology since it was a laid back conference in a location that is not exactly a conference venue. I had previously been to Lake Tahoe but in the winter and with a bunch of college students. This time, I drove there with a respected professor from UC Berkeley who was generous to give me a ride on her Tesla. It was, in fact, my first long-distance Tesla journey. It was a weekend full of learning, and full of fun. In the future when I run my own company, our conferences are going to be in fun venues. I made some friends, and my favorite conversation from the conference was with CM on Mental Health Issues in the Black Community as we walked back from a boat ride on the lake. We were well fed on this trip. I am grateful to TW for all the ways that he enriches my life.

19-21 August 2019: Boston, Massachusetts

My next stop was Boston, where I was to see NS, CB, and WS. The more people I know, the smaller the world gets. Somehow NS and CB had become friends independent of me, and WS was dating CB. I got to meet a lot of people on this trip through both set of friends. In fact on my first day I ended up getting drinks in the afternoon with a woman I had just met because all my 3 friends were busy with one thing or another. Overall, I had pleasant experiences with all the people I met. The only exceptions were NS's friends on the last day, who accused me of being rude by 1) Hurrying everyone on our tour of MIT, and 2) By asking questions about them without volunteering information about myself. I hurried myself - and by extension everyone - because I had a flight to catch that I had no desire to miss. I am naturally a curious person, so when I meet new people I ask them questions because I want to know things about them. If they want to know things about me, they have to ask me questions. My website is the only place I volunteer unsolicited information about myself. I love talking about myself, they just gotta ask. All in all, it was a great trip full of food and various traditions with my friends: fresh hair cuts with CB, conversing with WS in our different mother tongues, and going on an adventure with NS. I also got to grab ice cream with my UWC co-year KM.

17-19 August 2019: Minneapolis, Minnesota

This life we have chosen means we do not always get to meet all the people who matter to the people who matter to us. So when my best friend told me that her parents were coming to the US to visit her and her sister, I could not pass the opportunity to fly to Minnesota and meet them. It was a quick 2 day visit, involving a red-eye flight from SFO to MSP on Friday night and then flying on to Boston early on Monday morning. We went on our customary walk in nature, and having recently bought a camera I used the opportunity to photograph both nature and this human who is one of the sources of joy in my life. I am a traditional man, meaning I love rituals in all my relationships. The rituals change from relationship to relationship, but the ability to share something with another human is priceless. Spending time with her family felt so natural, almost as though I have always known them my whole life. I am grateful for their generosity in welcoming me into their home and family. I was especially well fed on that trip because her mother could not stand the sight of my plate empty. Because she is an excellent cook, I was happy. I also got to meet my friend's special friend at the time. A wholesome trip!

9-11 August 2019: Los Angeles, California

Summer is a time to travel and enjoy one's youth. I joined my new friends JS and HA on a trip to LA. JS was smart and flew there. HA and I were looking for more adventure, so we took the Greyhound down to and up from LA. Let us just say that I have become spoilt over the past few years. As my economic situation was changing as I entered graduate school and my MasterCard Foundation Scholarship from undergrad was ending, I was planning to bus between Gaborone and Johannesburg on future trips to home. But no, this bus ride demonstrated to me that I have become too bougie to be on the bus for that long. I suppose I will have to redistribute my limited financial resources to ensure I can afford to fly between those cities. We rented a boat AirBnb near Venice beach. Talk about living the bougie life! It was fun trip - even including the accidental homelessness two thirds of us experienced on the first night due to a silenced phone ringer. I can now say I have spent a night on a beach. Besides enjoying the beach, we went to a farmer's market, ate out, and walked around parts of the city. I should do more vacation trips!

31 July - 4 August 2019: Kigali, Rwanda - MasterCard Scholars Summit 2019

My third and final MCF Scholars Summit was not as magical as the other two times. Perhaps because the venue was one we had been at before. It was supposed to be in Nairobi, Kenya but was postponed last minute due to security concerns. Following some incidents at our last meeting in Toronto, there were a lot more restrictions imposed on us regarding leaving the hotel. Although we ended up disregarding them. More importantly, on this visit, I made sure not to sleep when my peers went clubbing. It was a great time. I got to reconnect with SK from Malawi, who I used to debate alongside in our days of our first youth in Botswana. I also befriended MM from Botswana. It was a delight to reconnect with some friends from the Summit in 2016 in Ghana, others from the Summit in Rwanda in 2018, and make new friendships. Meetings such as these always inspire me and restores my optimism for a thriving African future.

28-31 July 2019: Gathwane/Gaborone, Botswana

This has to be the shortest visit home on record. I grabbed dinner with my friend VW in Dubai on my way home as usual. We finally went to a Nandos. She is always taking me to fancy restaurants. My family had made me a special dinner to congratulate me on recently graduating from Stanford University with BS Degree. Sometimes I forget how loved I am. I am loved. My twin KRO had also taken me to lunch with her then partner. I got to collect my deed to my piece of land on this trip. I have begun life as an adult now. Next will be to put a structure on that land, get a wife, and fill that house with babies. In any case, I also got to hang out with my usual squad: BJL, LBK, KFM, and KKN. I also got to spoil my old friend GEN in honor of her 25th birthday on the 28th. For a short trip, I achieved a lot and saw a lot of people.

25-26 May 2019: Orange County, California - Dorm Field Trip to Disneyland

After hearing how terrible the bus trip down to LA was, a lot of our residents dropped out. This meant it was suddenly more economical to fly there and sleep overnight in a hotel than to bus. We flew there but I had to fly back the same day because I had promised some friends I would join them in the evening for one of Stanford's parties of the year. So I forfeited my return flight with the group and bought myself a ticket back. Sometimes I am crazy, but my word is my bond. Especially in friendship. I had a better experience in Disney on this trip than the previous one. I should keep drama out of my life. It makes a difference who you go with. It is not that the first time the people were not good, but just that there were suboptimal dynamics.

23 - 31 March 2019: Minneapolis, Minnesota and Waverly, Iowa

ICC was kind enough to extend me an invitation to spend my Spring Break visiting her back in Iowa. I needed a break in the middle of nowhere and Waverly fit the bill. But before then I visited LUR in Minneapolis. It is always fun hanging out with LUR and our little sister who is not so little LR. One of our shared love languages is food. Iowa was as chill as I had hoped for it to be. In addition to hanging out with ICC, I spent considerable time with my cousin. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that KC from Costa Rica was also living here. It was a lovely trip. I got to meet a bunch of Africans from UWC. I love meeting Africans in the US, especially from underrepresented African countries.

5-7 January 2019: New York City, New York - GRE Exam

Being me, I chose to take my GRE exam in New York just because I could. It was cold. So I paid $75 to fly out in the morning instead of at night the day after my exam. I remember eating a lot of Chinese takeout while I studied. I did not particularly like the hotel I stayed in. But it was a cheap one. One day is one day!

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