Monthly Rewind: November

3 Things About My Life This Month

1. The U.S. Presidential Election CRUSHED Me. I was a sobbing mess for days and I felt even more helpless being here, in France, and away from all of my friends and loved ones. I haven't spoken about the election on this platform, yet, because there is so much to say and so many people who are saying far better than I can. It's a travesty but, frankly, we cannot give up; we cannot allow the despair that followed the election results to keep us down and we also cannot allow it to fade into our memories. We have to keep that feeling alive and, what's more, we have to constantly support one another, call out each other's racism and sexism and bigotry, and try to make sense of the fractured country we live in. We have to keep ourselves informed, leave our safe bubbles, and challenge our thinking at every step of the way. If we don't do this, we will not have learned from this election and, at this point, that's the best we can do. 

2. I went to London!! I couldn't sleep the night before my flight to London--I was so damn excited. And I loved London! It's my favorite big city in Europe (that I've visited) and I had such a wonderful time, meeting up with relatives and friends and especially seeing Jasprit from The Reader's Den! The two of us have been friends since we entered the blogging world, around the same time, so it was amazing to spend a wonderful day with her, and, what's more, she's the FIRST blogging friend I've met face-to-face! It was amazing and tysm Jasprit, for coming into London and spending so much time with me!

3. I took my first solo-trip, ever, to Amsterdam! I've been wanting to travel solo for awhile and Amsterdam, where the majority of the population speaks English and the crime rate is very low, seemed like the perfect destination. I had such a wonderful time in this beautiful city and even met up with a cousin and a friend of mine, so combined with all the delicious food, no regrets whatsoever. Plus, I now feel more confident than ever to travel alone, eat alone, and spend a weekend entirely alone. None of it was as hard as I imagined and I highly recommended solo travel for everyone! 

Best Book I Read This Month

I didn't read a lot this month, in the midst of election depression and then my travels, but I adored this last book in this beloved series and, I promise, it delivers on all counts and is well worth the wait.

Most Popular Post This Month

I looooved this book so I'm thrilled that my review got as many views and comments as it did. I hope you all pick this one up this holiday season and LOVE it like I did! :) 

Post I Wish Got a Little More Love

This book (and author) fell under the radar but I really enjoyed this one so much so I hope I can convince a few more of you to pick this up before the year is over!

3 Things I'm Looking Forward to Next Month

1. MOROCCO! So, technically, by the time this post goes up, I would have already spent five amazing days in Morocco, but this is my last trip and one I am so very excited for. I am sure it is going to be remarkable. 

2. I AM FINALLY GOING HOME! Guys, I miss my family so much (and my town, and my mom's cooking, and just MURICA) so I cannot wait to be on a flight back! Less than two weeks and I will be in my own bed, eating my mom's homemade everything, speaking ENGLISH. I am so ready.

3. Christmas! My family doesn't typically do a lot for Christmas but this year my aunt and cousin are coming to visit and I'm really excited to see them! We haven't had a family reunion in a loooong time so it'll be so much fun to see them and spend some time with them in New York. :)

What are you looking forward to in December? Is anyone else already listening to carols and watching Christmas movies? How was November? I'd love to hear in the comments and I promise to be much more active this month!