Slovenia delivered exactly what the itinerary promised: castles, lakes that look illegally pretty, and at least one questionable decision involving alpine cheese. If Iceland made me feel small, Slovenia made me feel hungry - in the best way. Ljubljana was charming, Lake Bled was absurdly picturesque, and the Soča Valley scenery was genuinely amazing. Somewhere between that turquoise river and a plate of something I couldn't pronounce, the country quietly became one of my favorites.

Iceland was graduation therapy disguised as a geography lesson. Black sand, glaciers, waterfalls that made my problems feel hilariously small - we are just specks vibes, fully unlocked. Standing in front of landscapes that looked CGI made me feel like a tourist in my own life, which was exactly what I needed.

New York taught me that ambition has a smell - subway vents, halal cart smoke, and the faint anxiety of everyone trying to be somebody. I walked until my legs filed a complaint, ate $6 rice plates that tasted like victory, and kept thinking the city was a movie set until a rat the size of a shoe confirmed it was very real.