Happy Fall. Happy October. Happy times of change! It’s been quite a year for me.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I went to Panama! My life goal is to visit one new country a year, and this year’s country was Panama. I went in February with a group of teachers and EF tours. It was a 5-day trip that was jam-packed with everything Panama City and more had to offer and it was lovely. Panama is an incredible country, and I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to visit

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I went to Disney World for the first time in 13 or so years. My best friends and I all flew down to Orlando for my spring break and went to Disney. It was a crazy week, filled with sun up to sun down walking, riding rides, drinking, and eating around the world.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that last semester, I taught a class on… COFFEE. At my school, we have a 3-hour class every other Wednesday that focuses on student interests. With the help of a student, we created a coffee class. We learned about different types of coffee, made coffee, tasted coffee, got to tour the Starbucks roastery and got to tour a smaller roastery. I got to visit some coffee shops in the city that I’d wanted to visit for years, and on my school’s dime! How fun!

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I moved! I moved to the city’s Southside [Pilsen] with my sister. She is still in college but stayed with me over the summer and will stay with me for breaks before moving in with me full-time once she graduates in May. I love my apartment, its sunlight, how I’ve laid it out, and my bedroom!! My whole life, I have always dreamed of living in one of those corner apartments with the cylindrical group of windows that just exude sunlight and ‘princess’ vibes. It gives off a reading nook, and I knew I had to live there when I first saw the apartment. The amount of sun that comes into my apartment completely removes the need for lights until it’s dark out, and the way I’ve designed my apartment makes me feel right at home [apartment tour coming soon 😉 ]

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I turned 26. Not only did I turn 26, but I also got the gift I’ve been wanting for my birthday for the past 13 years: an Edible Arrangement!!! Weird, I know, but it’s something I’ve always wanted.

I got a second dog. In June, I saw a dog resembling Poppy, and I had to have him. Unfortunately, he was taken before I could meet him, but another dog was available. When I sat on the floor next to him, he put his head on my shoulder, and it was love at first touch. He had heartworm, so I knew I was in for a hell of a few months, but having already gone through that with Poppy made me 100% sure I could handle it. On June 24th, my sister, Poppy, and I drove home with our newest addition, Juniper. We’re not sure of his breed, but I think he has pitbull, beagle, and chihuahua in him. I will ask for a DNA kit for Christmas to get him tested because I was also sure about Poppy’s breed and then was 100% wrong. He just finished his heartworm treatment yesterday, so I officially have two healthy dogs. It’s definitely been an exciting ride, but I’m loving every second of it.

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that the walking group I’m a part of is getting major buzz. I’ve been with this group for over a year, and we reached 50K followers on Instagram. Two weeks ago, I led our biggest walk with roughly 400 people!!!! It’s so fun to lead walks, and I love getting the chance to meet new people in this big city.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I’m seeing my favorite band in the world on Sunday. Tomorrow morning, I am driving to Ohio to pick up my younger sister from school, and we are driving back here for The Band Camino’s concert. It’s tradition now, seeing as we went last year as well. I cannot wait to see them again, and I got VIP tickets, which means we get some merch and a 4-song acoustic set before the concert. I’M PUMPED.

I have a few other things I would love to chat about, but just in case I have some gossipers, I need to keep them quiet for the time being. A lot has changed in my life in the past year, and since I haven’t shared ALL of the changes with people in my real life, I will keep SOME of the changes private with the people in my online life. I hope that will change soon, but enjoy some boundaries and a little mystery in your lives for now.

Much much love,

Alicia ❤