Hiking my way through the Santa Monica Mountains

Hello again!

If you read my latest blog post, you already know that I am back home in California after spending four months studying abroad in Italy. Days before returning to California, my school in Florence held a meeting to discuss Reverse Culture Shock. The goal was to help us acclimate back to normal life as smoothly as possible. For four months, we lived this abstract, nomadic life where we traveled to a new country nearly every weekend, constantly immersing ourselves in new cultures, languages, and foods. We were warned that upon returning home, we may not feel like we fit in anymore. Our families and friends' lives carried on without us. We were warned we may feel displaced and awkward trying to find our way back into the lives of our loved ones. We were told we might get frustrated or bored with the pace of the life we used to know.

Upon consulting with my fellow retired study abroad students, I can concur that all of the above is true in some form or another. But I think I found the perfect remedy: Sunday hikes.

Every Sunday, my friends and I explore a new hiking trail. What began one Sunday as a spontaneous little adventure with new friends, has now become tradition. So, I bring you my first big goal of 2023: hiking my way through the Santa Monica Mountains!

It seems so simple, really. Hiking is just outdoor walking when you really think about it. (That might be the dumbest thing I've ever typed but now that it's in the cyberverse, I am not deleting it). Anyway, it seems like a simple act. And yet, I find that it has stirred up a number of complex emotions and been one of the most healing things I have ever done for myself.

Think about it. What did we love most about studying abroad? Seeing new places every weekend! So, that's exactly what I'm doing. Every Sunday morning, I hop in my car, turn on my GPS, and find myself traversing an unfamiliar piece of California I had no idea was in reach. There is so much to explore in California, and we often take it for granted. We have mountains, desert, and coast all at our fingertips, and yet so many people find themselves trapped in the city. Instead, I dedicate my Sundays to nature. To exploration. To contemplation. Whatever that means for me that week.