My Favorite Places

Place 1: Kiev, Ukraine

I spent about a month in Ukraine after I graduated high school in 2010. I worked with a group of people at an orphanage, actually about 8 hours out of Kiev called Kremenets. Going to Ukraine helped me decide what I wanted to pursue in college. For the past five years I have been studying Russian language and will be going to St Petersburg, Russia for 5 months beginning in January! Depending on the political situation, I hope to be able to visit Ukraine again sometime soon. I love the Ukrainian history that is evident everywhere you look. It is interesting to see how Ukraine has developed as its own culture, especially after separating from the Soviet Union. (As a side note, Ukrainian Independence day was yesterday, Aug. 24! Happy 24th Birthday!)

Downtown Kiev - My favorite statue of the archangel Michael.

This is everyone who worked at the Orphanage during the summer. I am the blonde on the very right in the bottom row.

St. Andrew's Church - Built around 1750!

Place 2: Pecos Wilderness, Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico 
One of my biggest hobbies is camping and hiking. If possible, I am almost always outside doing something. I just returned from my second trip to the Pecos Wilderness and I absolutely love it there. My husband and I like to pretend that we're actually walking through middle earth because of the beauty and the diversity of the landscape. If I could, I would build a cabin here and never leave.

End of the Trail - My husband posing in front of Lake Katherine - Elevation 11,000 feet.

Fording the stream on the Windsor Trail. 25 mile round trip.