How I Went From Stranger to Regular in One Valencia Neighborhood

It starts feeling like home when you begin recognizing people on your street

Sep 11 • Maria Vargas

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August 2026

Ride Your Own Ride

Accidentally rode 70 miles with pro cyclists + went to a reading rave with 100 strangers in a park.

Aug 31 • Maria Vargas

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July 2026

Change Is Like New Shoes

On leaving a life you love for one you don't yet have.

Jul 3 • Maria Vargas

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May 2026

Booked the Wrong Hostel in Florence. Turned Into A Great Mistake.

Lost in Florence with no phone, no map, and no plan. Yet somehow it was perfect.

May 28 • Maria Vargas

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Field Notes | No. 1

Grab a pen and paper. Something new is coming to this newsletter.

May 9 • Maria Vargas

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April 2026

$2 Plastic Sandals vs. $150 Running Shoes

What the trekking guides of Sapa taught me about having enough.

Apr 20 • Maria Vargas

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Travel is An Exchange

People, chaos, history, beauty, and politics. A Q+A from Vietnam..

Apr 10 • Maria Vargas

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When the Curtain Calls

A trip to Vietnam and why travel doesn't help us escape life, it teaches us how to change it

Apr 1 • Maria Vargas

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February 2026

Befriended a Stranger on a Plane & Now We’re Running a Half Marathon

Sometimes the interaction we try to avoid ends up being exactly what we need.

Feb 12 • Maria Vargas

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January 2026

Lessons from 9th Year Camping at Big Bend

What the 9th year camping at Big Bend taught me about change, rest, and presence

Jan 19 • Maria Vargas

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December 2025

Who Moved Your Cheese?

Learning how to detect change and adapt when it strikes.

Dec 17, 2025 • Maria Vargas

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Third Culture Kids: What is Home?

Finding belonging across cultures, cities, and the communities we create.

Dec 8, 2025 • Maria Vargas

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