#54 - Sometimes You've Just Gotta Say Phuket

Dear Dubrovnik,

It's been quite a while since I last wrote. The last big trip I had the opportunity to take was to India for the New Year of 2017...! 2019 is just around the corner now, though I'm not sure I'm the only person who would say 2018 was the fastest year yet. Hard to believe that the whole Tide Pods fiasco happened this year...!

Anyway, I'm happy to say the year or so since my last big adventure has not gone without excitement. I made many small trips all around New England and got to explore new states and meet many lovely people and families who welcomed me with open arms. Mingled with these moments, I've had many times where I found myself a bit lost as though I was an observer in my own life. Doing work to have time to relax, but always seeing the work-week approaching faster after each brief break, sometimes it's hard to find your rhythm when you're always looking for the next moment of respite. 

It goes without saying this short vacation feels long overdue. However given the approaching holiday, I'd like to take a moment to thank my friends for being incredible support networks in my life, and my family for accepting me how I am, even if that means I'm missing out on turkey day with them this year...!

I'm very thankful for the opportunity and encouragement I got a couple years back to pursue an education in Emergency Medicine because it came at a time when I really needed to strengthen my network of not just friends, but people who could challenge me, and support me as well. It's not to say this came without a challenge. Friendships dissolve with time if they're not attended to, but if I've learned one truth that has helped me persevere through challenging times it would be relationships are two-way streets. It's okay to give your best, but it's

also

okay to decide you've tried adequately and can instead invest your time and efforts in people who will always pick up that call, or meet-up for a random vent-session when you really need a listening ear.

This choice has helped me find a wonderfully goofy, slightly impulsive group of friends who always say "Hum, I've never tried that before... but let's go for it!" As for times when life feels overwhelming and perhaps has got a tinge of imposter phenomena, it's nice to have friends who are proud of you and can see through the clouds when it gets tough. And in my opinion, it's even better to have friends who like to share their passions and interests and let me see the world through their eyes, and help when they go through rough patches as nothing feels more genuine than people being fully present and open.

All that catching up aside, here are a few photos from this past Summer to lead up to the greatly anticipated departure!