My Travel Timeline

January 16, 2018 / Cate Spader / 4 Comments

One major flaw of mine is that I compare myself to others – I can’t be happy and reach my full potential if this nasty habit continues…

Loved ones around me are “progressing at faster rates”: moving into new places, getting engaged/married, are more financially stable than me…

Rather than getting bitter, I want to get better!

And let’s face facts here: I wouldn’t be who I am today if I hadn’t traveled and seen the incredible things that I’ve seen! So what if I’m carrying a bit more student loan debt because of study abroad? Who cares that I’m not living with my boyfriend at the moment? I knew that travel would alter my life’s course, and that’s fine. Why do I care what others around me (family, “friends”…) think?!?!

In honor of my choices, that I am VERY proud of, here’s my travel timeline:

Canada (as a baby several times and again in 2011)

*no photo from Canada unfortunately…*

Germany (2012 – one month)

France (2014 – two months)

England (2014 and again in 2016)

Italy (2014 and again in 2016)

The Netherlands (2014)

Iceland (2014 and again in 2016, also visiting again May 2018)

*no saved photos of Iceland unfortunately…more to come this spring!!!*

Denmark (a few times in 2016)

Sweden (2016 – five months)

Czech Republic (2016)

Norway (2016)

Estonia (2016)

Russia (2016)

Finland (2016)

Ireland (2016)

Scotland (2016)

Hungary (2016)

Spain (2016)

Thailand (2017 – one month)

Macau (2017)

I hope this inspires you to live your OWN life!

“Do your thing and don’t care if they like it,” – Tina Fey

Two Years Ago… (In Copenhagen)

January 13, 2018 / Cate Spader / Leave a comment

Two years ago, I was wandering the streets of Copenhagen in the freezing cold waiting for my connecting train to Sweden, wondering if I was making the biggest mistake or greatest decision of my life. My semester abroad was life-changing. Here’s the photo that started it all…✨

My Week in Macau, China

November 28, 2017November 28, 2017 / Cate Spader / 7 Comments

Back in May before I returned home from Thailand, I visited a friend who lives in Macau. Gloria and I met in 2016 while studying in Sweden – although we talked about visiting one another, I never thought I would be in such a unique place!

Macau is like a mixture of China (or at least what I would assume China is like…) and Europe. This is due to Portuguese colonization and influence on this island near Hong Kong.

What a great week I had! It’s evident from the photos below:

California Dreaming

September 27, 2017February 16, 2019 / Cate Spader / Leave a comment

I seriously need to post more!! But it’s better late than never I guess!

Last Thursday – yesterday, I traveled from Detroit, MI to San Jose, CA. I visited two friends who I met while volunteering abroad, and another friend who I met in Sweden last year through study abroad.

To start, my friend Kaila picked me up from the airport with her roommate, Anthony. We got drinks for happy hour on the water, and I ran into the freezing Pacific Ocean (I only had one drink mind you)!

Visiting San Francisco and exploring by myself on Friday afternoon was full of fun, hipster vibes, and amazing Mexican food!

The following day Kaila drove us to Felton, where we hiked in a redwood park, met some hippies, and snuck into a music festival with them! It was an interesting day to say the very least…

I was able to grab dinner with another friend who I met in Thailand, Wendy. We reminisced about our time abroad with some Thai cuisine in Mountain View.

Lastly, I spent the day with my friend who just moved to SF, Ali. She’s originally from Montana, so we had fun wine tasting in Napa for the first time!

I had a wonderful time with friends in Cali, and I can’t wait to go back someday!

An Old City with a New Friend

August 9, 2017 / Cate Spader / Leave a comment

As I grow older, my friend circle dwindles down and becomes more tight-knit. This may sound like a bad thing, and at first I thought it was, but I get it now.

I am blessed to have great, close friends in my life who I would do anything for and vice versa.

One of those friends is someone who I met in Sweden. Bethany and I visited each other in Chicago two months ago – I will always cherish our weekend together, full of exchanging study abroad memories, sore feet from walking everywhere, and acknowledging newfound inside jokes!

It was also special because I have been to Chicago several times (many of my favorite childhood memories are from Chi-town) and Bethany had never been there prior to this summer. I was able to show her my favorite places, as well as experience new bars and clubs together!