10 Day You

1. Sydney, Australia - Hands down, my favorite place on the planet.  Beautiful city, friendly people, yummy food.  I went there once when I was 16, with People to People student ambassador program.  32 students, 4 chaperones.  I went again when I was 20 with my mom and sister.  Both times we started down South and made our way up to East Coast.  Canberra-Sydney-Brisbane-Gold Coast-Cairns, with a camping trip into the Outback on my first trip. 

2.  Paris, France - Lovely, historical, fancy.  Sweet Paris.  My sister and I squeezed so much into our 2 days there and I feel like we could have easily spent 2 weeks.  I definitely want to go back.

3. Charleston, South Carolina - Matt and I went here for a friend's wedding 2 years ago, and I instantly fell in love.  I am absolutely determined to retire here one day.  I love old Southern cities, with all their Southern charm and friendliness, and Charleston does not disappoint.  It is chock-full of the typical Southern beauty - old churches, delicious food, gas lamps, pretty parks. 

4. Hershey, Pennsylvania - Chocolatetown, USA.  Home.  I grew up in Hershey and will always be a Hershey girl at heart.  Matt and I will probably end up back there at some point in our lives.  It is a small town but has big-city appeal - an amusement park (Hershey Park), a major concert venue (Hershey Park Stadium and the Giant Center), an AHL hockey team (Hershey Bears), Broadway-style theater (Hershey Theater)...it's got a lot of opportunities!  Plus, it's 3 hours from New York, DC, and Pittsburgh, 2 from Philly, and 1 from Baltimore.  Have I sold you yet?

5.  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - I went to grad school here, and it's where I really felt my life had started.  I moved there on my own, knowing not a soul there.  I made friends, found a job, got a degree...I built an actual life.  It broke my heart to leave it.  I wish I got back there more often than I do, but every time I set foot in that city, it feels right.  Also?  Go Steelers!

6.  Madrid, Spain - May 2004, I went on a little trip through Europe.  I flew to London and spent time in London and Dublin by myself.  I took the Chunnel Train to Paris, where my sister flew in to meet me.  We spent two weeks traveling around France and Italy, then headed to Barcelona.  I instantly loved Barcelona.  It has such a wonderful, pulsating energy.  And then I got robbed.  I was pickpocketed on the train and lost my credit cards, 300 euro, and my passport.  Gone.  I felt destroyed.  We had planned to go to Madrid, anyway, and we had to to get to the American Embassy.  And Madrid saved me.  Madrid made me feel safe.  Madrid reminded me that I am strong and I can survive.

*all images from my Pinterest