Detty December in Ghana was nothing short of electric with equal parts of culture, chaos, beauty, and joy. From parties until sunrise to soulful history lessons, my trip to Accra reminded me why travel and exploring cultures feeds my spirit.
The Journey (aka the chaos before the calm)
The trip didn’t begin smoothly. Think delayed and missed flights, lost luggage, and a very questionable last-minute hotel stay in Brooklyn. After being rerouted from New York to New Jersey, I finally landed in Accra a day later than planned, exhausted but excited. The first order of business? A long, grounding shower before stepping into the festivities.
It’s wild how quickly time moves when you’re living it. One year can hold so much, more than we realize while we’re in it. Looking back now, I see how full this past year truly was. Not just busy but lived.
I started the year celebrating my birthday in Tulum, Mexico. Sun-soaked days, sonata freshwater moments, and a quiet reminder to enjoy where I am. I ended the year somewhere entirely different. Accra, Ghana, travel blog loading.
In between, life unfolded in ways both expected and surprising. I rode rollercoasters, danced to live music, partied until sunrise and witnessed beautiful wedding ceremonies filled with love and intention. I shared a family vacation at Disneyland, creating joyful lifelong moments.
This was also a year of transition
I drove across the country, moving back to the South. I started a new job. I rejoined an intramural sports team. I was accepted into a fully funded fellowship.
There were beginnings and endings. Relationships formed, relationships released. I trained for a 10K, learning patience, discipline, and what it means to show up even when motivation fades. This year stretched me. It grounded me. It reminded me that growth doesn’t always announce itself loudly. Sometimes it happens quietly, in the act of choosing and continuing to show up.
As the year came to a close, I felt deeply grateful. Grateful for my loved ones. Grateful for a career that aligns with my values. Grateful for health, curiosity, and the ability to explore both the world and myself. I’m blessed to see another year and as I step into 2026, I do so with gratitude in my heart and openness in my spirit. I am excited not just for what’s ahead, but for who I’m continuing to become.
If I could relive any age in my life, it would be 18.
I was finishing my senior year of high school, living in that rare space where responsibilities hadn’t fully arrived yet, but freedom was just starting to unfold. There’s something magical about being young enough to be naïve to the weight of adulthood, yet old enough to feel your world expanding. My days were simple…school, easy senior-year classes, weekend plans, and working at the local skating rink. I’d stay late after shifts just to spend extra time with my boyfriend or hang out with my bestfriend. My grandparents had finally loosened the reins a bit, so I was going out more, testing the edges of independence.
For a long time, I thought relationships were just about chemistry and compatibility. However, over the years and honestly, through a lot of trial and error I’ve learned that what really makes or breaks a relationship is something deeper: emotional safety.
Emotional safety is what allows people to show up as their true selves, to be vulnerable, and to trust that they won’t be shamed, judged, invalidated or manipulated.
When I feel emotionally safe, I can exhale. I can be myself without overthinking, without bracing for criticism, without worrying that I’ll be punished for being honest. But when I don’t feel safe? I shut down. I hide pieces of myself. I shrink. I withdrawal. I give up.
As I continue my self-healing journey, I’m learning what emotional safety means to me—the ways I’d like to receive it and the ways I hope to provide it to my future life partner.
Here are a few practices one can consider when build emotional safety:
There’s something uniquely empowering about going out alone. Whether it’s grabbing dinner, attending a party, or showing up to a concert solo, it takes a level of confidence and self-assurance that many people don’t often tap into. But once you do, you’ll likely find that solo outings offer a kind of freedom and personal satisfaction that can’t be matched. As someone who’s attended many events alone— whether comedy clubs or local concerts—I’ve discovered that some of my most memorable experiences happened when I wasn’t worried about coordinating with others. Going out alone removes the invisible weight of having to consider someone else’s feelings or timeline. You arrive when you want, you leave when you’re ready, and there’s no need to negotiate plans. That kind of autonomy is rare…and refreshing.
What is your favorite holiday? Why is it your favorite?
My favorite holiday is New Year’s Eve. People are often surprised when I say this, probably because it’s not considered one of the traditional family-centered holidays. It also isn’t a federally recognized holiday in the United States, though it does fall within the holiday season and is even recognized in some states.
I love New Year’s Eve because some of my fondest childhood memories took place at my grandfather’s house during our big family gatherings. The atmosphere was full of laughter, children running around, and aunts and uncles gathered near the grill. Unlike most other holidays, we barbecued, which I absolutely loved. My grandfather’s house sat on a secluded hill surrounded by ice plants, which made it the perfect place for fireworks. And when it came to fireworks, we went all out—sometimes even traveling to Mexico to buy them.
I also enjoy the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions. Some people argue that you shouldn’t wait for the new year to start a goal, but I don’t see it that way. I think people should begin when they feel ready, and for many, the new year brings a natural sense of motivation. To me, it feels like a chance to reinvent yourself. You could have stumbled through the last 360 days, but the start of a new year offers another chance to do better. That sense of renewal is freeing.
Finally, I love the celebratory spirit of New Year’s Eve itself. As someone who enjoys dressing up and making a statement, I appreciate the bold outfits, sparkling decorations, and festive energy. I love the parties, fireworks, noise, and excitement in the air. New Year’s Eve is all about celebration, and I embrace it fully!
Rupi Kaur is an Indian-born Canadian poet who captured much attention with her first book titled “Milk and Honey” which was released November 2014. I remember friends mentioning the book to me, but I sadly did not have much time for leisure reading at the time. Anyway, fast forward three years later and lo and behold while frivolously scrolling through kindle on a beautify fall day I stumble across Rupi’s recent release titled “The Sun and Her Flowers”. The book was featured in the free download section, so I decided to give it a read. The Sun and Here Flowers is about Rupi’s journey and growth in finding love within herself. Her journey is divided into 5 chapters titled: wilting, falling, rooting, rising and blooming.
