In this blog I reflect on working through COVID-19, nearby war, and other challenges of living in Eastern Finland from summer 2021 to spring 2022.

I waited until I was six months into my Fulbright Finland research grant to write about culture shock as I am experiencing it. I hope this newest entry to my travel blog is entertaining and encourages you to reflect on your own or others' experiences with this phenomenon as well.

As I navigate the new (to me) culture of Eastern Finland, I notice parallels between this region and my home-region in the USA: Appalachia. This blog explores my professional and personal choice in selecting this location to complete my Fulbright research grant and whether I would select it again if I had known then what I know now.

This entry is a reflection on how my spouse and I have so-far experienced and coped with staying together with an ocean between us.

I get a lot of questions about what it's like to travel alone or to travel (and live) outside of my hometown, state, and country. So, I wrote a blog about it to share my perspective.

As an aside, I'd love to hear about your experiences, too; you don't have to identify as a woman to have authentic experiences that challenge your comfort zone and foster internal growth. Either way, I hope you enjoy!

Navigating Finland: Arrival and Orientation Processes provides an overview of the logistics I experienced in navigating the journey from the USA to Finland during a global pandemic.