Hometown Fun
After an excellent time in LATAM, full of amazing foods, lots of Spanish practice, and colorful culture, the Houston part of my trip was upon me. I was really excited to head back to my hometown and see so many familiar faces. Because I knew how much it would mean to me, I went ahead and scheduled a whole month in Houston. And it was absolutely worth it!! I spent the first few days recovering from some bug I picked up on my last day in Mexico. Once recovered, it was on to hanging out with friends, doing all kinds of Houston things, and volunteering at my old workplace. I was lucky that bestie KJ could pick me up, giving us some extra time to chat and catch up before work every day. My volunteer work for those few weeks meant helping out the Bike MS staff with anything they needed - from sorting t-shirts and breaking down boxes, to stuffing rider packets and proofreading documents. I had a blast being in that office, working with my old colleagues, and feeling the vibe of the Texas MS 150. It’s just something so special.
Why I support the Texas MS 150: There are still so many questions about MS, which means funding is still needed! That's why I continue to volunteer and fundraise for this cause - so we can ultimately find a cure!
If you'd like to support as well, you can donate to my fundraiser HERE.
In summary, April in Houston was awesome! Family fun at Easter, the Art Car parade, Tour de Houston, an Astros game, and other fun gatherings. Great, chill hangouts and real talk with Besties. Various hangouts with friends (usually somewhere to enjoy great food), and an absolute blast at the Texas MS 150 on ride weekend.
Seattle
The day after the ride and saying some of the toughest goodbyes, I hopped back on a plane and headed north to Seattle (with WAY more luggage in tow than the previous 8 months - oops!) to visit Michael P. and family. Michael was the Executive Director at BikeHouston when I worked there. My year at BikeHouston was super fun and full of learning experiences. One huge lesson Michael taught me, was how important it is to zoom out and take a look at the big picture. It’s not a strength of mine as I tend to get lost in the details. But I’ve definitely taken it to heart to do my best in attempting to see the broader view.
Anyway, we’ve stayed in touch over the years leading to an awesome meetup in the Netherlands a few years ago, and now a meetup in Seattle. As per any BikeHouston connection hangout, we adventured out on a fun bike tour of Seattle leading through the botanical gardens and the university campus, to the Burke museum of natural history. After an informative visit, good conversation, and a nice lunch, we headed to Gasworks park for a beautiful outlook on the city. Next stop was the fish market where we picked up some tasty fish for dinner before heading back home. It was so much fun! Thank you Jessica and Michael for your hospitality! I hope to come visit again sometime 😊
A Wedding in Vancouver
After a short stay in Seattle it was time to head to my absolute last stop of the journey - Vancouver! And this wasn’t just any old visit, but rather a super special one to celebrate my wonderful cousin Lindsay’s wedding!!
From the Vancouver airport I headed straight to the church where the rehearsal was taking place. Timing couldn’t have been more perfect - my Uber pulled up right as everyone was getting out of their cars and saying hi to each other. Mom gave me the biggest hug, happy that I had made it back in one piece. Dad shook the Uber driver’s hand thanking him for getting me there (we later learned Dad thought the guy driving me was one of Jason’s relatives 🤣). I got to meet Jason, Lindsay’s partner, and squeeze Lindsay before heading in for the rehearsal.
The next day our little Dober clan was invited to the Pani - an Indian celebration to bless the couple as they enter into the new chapter of their lives. None of us Swissies knew what to expect, but we had a blast! First of all, meeting all of Jason’s friends and family was wonderful. And being able to witness another culture’s festivities was absolutely fascinating.
Here’s what happens at a Pani: the groom and groomsmen (traditionally just them, but Jason’s family included Lindsay as well ☺️) sit in a row. A blessing is said and coconut milk is prepared. Then, each of the family members and friends have a turn to wet their finger(s) in the coconut milk and rub it on the heads of those sitting, offering their blessings. It turns into a major mess with people having fun taking scoops of coconut milk and dousing the participants with it, smearing it on their arms and heads - causing all the laughs!
Saturday marked Lindsay & Jason’s wedding day! After getting ready, Mom, Dad and I headed over to Lindsay’s apartment for some mimosas and pictures with her, the bridesmaids, and her parents. It was so wonderful to have a little Dober hangout, admire the bride, and take some fun pictures out in the courtyard. Family time was followed by a limo ride to the church - woohoo! After the gorgeous ceremony we had a quick break before heading to the reception hall, so Mom & Dad decided to show me a cool brewery they had visited a few days before. We had a nice time sitting by the lake and trying some beers before getting back to the wedding day fun! The reception was a blast with great food, good music, and awesome vibes. An absolutely fantastic day celebrating two wonderful souls!
After a few days of rest, post-wedding chores, and hangouts, I got to spend some quality time with the newlyweds. We headed to Granville Island to wander around, explore the cute little shops, and grab a tasty lunch outside by the river. Luckily the local hawk was there to protect us, and our food, from all of the seagulls! (Yes, there is a hawk to keep the seagull away! And yes, as soon as the hawk and his keeper left, we witnessed a flock of stealthy seagulls steal a guy's two huge slices of pizza). After soaking up some sun we hopped on the Aquabus that took us up river to the Olympic Village neighborhood, where we grabbed a super tasty ice cream and strolled around finding cool murals. It was such an enjoyable day that we rounded off with a wedding-leftovers feast (cheers to the best scalloped potatoes ever!). Thank you so much, Lindsay and Jason, for not just inviting us on your special day, but for including us in the intricate details of the festivities! Love y’all!
What now?
Wowed. Amazed. Grateful. Happy. Anxious. Curious. Tired. Calm. It’s hard to pin down all the feelings I’m feeling on my absolute last day of this adventure (I would add “of a lifetime”, however, I firmly believe this is not the last time I do something like this. 🤩).
This chapter really started with my last day of work at MyBluePlanet back in June 2024. July was filled with time with friends, lake swims, and a jam-packed journey through Switzerland, Paris, and Milan with my cousins from Houston. Early August was more friend visits, a gorgeous 3-day bike tour with Mom from St. Moritz to Innsbruck, and a few special birthday celebrations before heading out on my LATAM adventure. All those things seem like forever ago. Because once I got to Houston in August 2024, my pace of life changed. It became slower, guided by intuition and a different kind of decision making. Instead of planning things around a schedule or work, I started to listen to myself. Where did I want to go? What did I want to see? What did I want to do? If at that very moment I wanted to sit in a park and paint - I did. If it was to book a day trip to see a site - I did. I allowed myself to meander through the days, discovering what felt right at the moment. And I LOVED it!
So, what now? I’m not quite sure where the path leads after my grand adventure. I’m curious to see how I shape my life. I’m anxious to see how it feels to be back in Switzerland. I’m excited to see my friends and family. And I’m ready to get creative with all the colorful photos I took. All in all I’m happy and proud of having taken myself on this amazing trip, and equally excited to see where this next chapter will lead.
Hasta pronto :)
P.s. planning on leaving a comment below? Don't forget to add your initials or your name if you want me to know who you are!
That is so exciting, Are you going to write a book?
Hats off to you, my Adventure Queen! I am delighted that you were able to explore, recharge and enlighten. Can't believe I missed you at the MS, but thanks for chipping in. Enjoy being "home". I have thoroughly loved your blog...thanks for taking me along. Hugs.
Annamarie
I have loved every minute of reading about your adventure. I am so happy for you! Keep exploring and honing your expertise as an analytical observer of self and the world.