I don’t have many complaints about LA. After living in both NYC and Los Angeles, I’d take LA any day (no offense to my fellow east-coasters).

But one complaint I do have about Los Angeles is that coffee shops close far too early.

Of course, this probably stems from the work culture in LA where people actually leave work at 5 PM and have far more work-life balance than their NYC counterparts. But, I’m an east-coaster born and bred, and sometimes after getting home from the office, I want to head to a coffee shop and get some writing done.

Unfortunately, most coffee shops around here seem to close as early as 6 or as “late” as 8 PM—which still doesn’t give me a ton of time.

Thankfully, quickly after moving here I discovered Bohemia Tea Parlour which is one of my favorite neighborhood spots for multiple reasons…

1. They Have Great Vegan Food

When I first started going to Bohemia, they didn’t have food, but they launched it in late August. Depending on your appetite, they may not have enough to satisfy you for dinner, but they definitely have a lot of snacks and tasty treats. Not everything is vegan, but their vegan options include baklava, donuts, apple pie, avocado toast, cashew butter toast, Armenian pizza, plus a bunch of pre-packaged options such as a Caesar salad or kelp noodles.

I’m a pretty hungry girl, and I’ve found myself there in the evenings eating a cashew butter toast and an Armenian pizza and not being super full. I do sort of wish they had heartier meal options for when I want to work through dinner, but maybe they will add that eventually?

2. They Actually Don’t Serve Coffee—Just Lots of Tea (And Hot Chocolate)

So I know I said I was looking for a coffeeshop, but I don’t actually drink coffee, I just drink a ton of tea. So, this spot is actually perfect for me because it has tea on tea on tea, plus kombucha and hot chocolate and fun, very Instagrammable drinks like the rose boba tea I had in these photos.

3. They’re Open Until 11 PM

This is truly key, and part of the reason why I end up here more often than not. The only other place within walking distance of me that’s open this late is Starbucks, and their food options are awful!

4. They Have Outside Seating

They only have two tables outside, and it’s right on Sunset Boulevard which isn’t always super picturesque, but I love being outside so I totally still take advantage of this from time to time.

5. They Are Usually Playing Some Fun Rap Music

This can be a pro and con depending on what you’re working on, but I generally like the music they play at Bohemia (although TBH, sometimes it seems a bit too loud for my liking when I’m trying to write).

6. It’s Aesthetic AF

I mean, I don’t think I have to write about this considering these photos…but if you’re trying to get a cute Instagram pic in between conference calls, this seems like a good spot.

Anyway, I realize this post is probably not relevant for the majority of my readers, but I just wanted to write a quick love letter to this spot and post these adorable pictures by Sam Nahirny. So if you read this far, thank you!

Outfit Details:

Dress: ASTR the Label – BUY IT HERE

T-Shirt: Some random shop in Thailand where the salesman tried to explain to me it was for children…buy similar here

Shoes: I got mine at Buffalo Exchange, you can buy similar here.

Bag: I designed this bag myself via YouBag, you can design your own on their site here.

Photos by Sam Nahirny

I’m only halfway through my two-week trip to Thailand, and I want to go home.

It’s not because I got food poisoning or had a nasty fight with the friend I’m traveling with (although it can definitely be taxing traveling with someone as an introvert). Thailand is absolutely lovely — and much better than DC in February — but I can’t help but feeling anxious and a little down.

The problem is that, although the little voice in the back of my head is saying it wants to go home, the other voice in my head is saying, “you don’t really have a home.”

I started feeling a little tired and burnt out from traveling last month. I couldn’t put my finger on why, but prior to my Thailand trip, I was partially dreading it. I waited until the last day to pack (something that’s normal for most people, but very odd for me). I hardly did any itinerary planning. I could barely find the energy to do anything. I knew that when I returned from Thailand, I needed to put down some roots and chill out on the jet-setting.

And yet, I can’t help but cringe at that last statement. Like, oh my gosh, can you say #firstworldproblems? Did you really just use the term “jet-setting?”

But I’m trying to stop beating myself up for feeling how I’ve been feeling, because generally that only makes things worse. Instead, I’m trying to accept my feelings, discuss them openly, and then address the underlying issues (hence, this blog post, probably).

So, if you’re not rolling your eyes yet, here it goes:

When I left New York in August of 2017, my goal was to do some soul-searching in the form of traveling and to freelance full-time.

It was surprisingly easy to find enough freelance gigs to match (and eventually, exceed) the monthly income I had at my previous full-time gig (although, to be fair, it was only $2000 after taxes). After waiting around to recover from surgery in January of 2018, I started taking some trips.

I felt like I had met my goals with relatively few hiccups, and I felt great and so, so happy. I was seeing new places, meeting new people, and still finding the time to get work done wherever I went. 2018 was probably one of the best years of my life thus far, even with the medical complications I dealt with and the losses of some people I really cared about.

That’s why it was even more confusing (and tbh, annoying) when I started feeling that pang of anxiety and sadness again. While I initially tried blaming outside sources, I realized that a lot of it probably came from within me.

But I don’t really think it’s fair to use the word blame, because I know these feelings are natural and a sign that I’m ready for a transition in my life. Unfortunately, I’m a control freak, and taking the next step when I can’t see exactly what it is (or what it “should” be) scares the shit out of me.

When I left New York, I moved my stuff back into my parents’ place with the hopes I wouldn’t be home much. Once I started traveling, that was exactly the case. Of the past six months, I’ve probably only been home for at least six weeks max. While that’s been great for my passport and my Instagram content, it made my returns “home” not feel like returning home at all. Instead, my room felt like a storage unit, an area where I laid out my suitcase and clothes while preparing for my next trip.

I felt like one of those people who jumps from relationship to relationship, trying to fill the void — but instead of hopping from boyfriend to boyfriend, I was hopping from country to country.

Of course, I have no regrets. And Belize will never break my heart like some dude named Brad could’ve, but my latest fantasy revolves less around exploring new places and more around creating a place of my own. I bought an adorable devil-horned elephant sculpture from a store near my hotel in Chiang Mai, and I can’t wait until I can plan my entire (future) apartment’s décor around it. I’m ready to start investing the time (and money) into creating a place that I am proud to call home — I’m just not totally sure where that will be yet.

The last year has been amazing, and to some, being a full-time digital nomad might be their ultimate dream or goal. I’m not totally ruling it out as mine. Being a more “traditional” nomad and renting apartments in foreign countries for months sounds a lot saner than hopping from place to place for 5-14 days at a time (which is what I’d been doing all year).

Something I finally came to terms with in Thailand is that one of my favorite things to do while traveling is simply finding a cool café and doing work there. Whenever people asked me questions like, “what did you do in Madrid?” I had trouble coming up with an answer, because on most days I just chose which vegan restaurant I wanted to visit, walked the 20-40 minutes to get there, did some more wandering, and eventually found a good coffee shop to get work done in.

As much as I hate to admit it, the truest version of myself craves routine. That’s partially why I loved having work (and school) to ground me while doing all of this traveling within the last year. While I definitely see myself continuing to travel, and continuing to work towards a career that gives me flexibility, I need to take my time and spend longer in one place. I need to stop running towards an unclear destination and more clearly plan a path that feels good to keep drifting down.

After all, having a trip to look forward to can do wonders for my mood, but when I’ve started to look forward to going home instead, that’s when I figure it’s time to reevaluate my priorities.

I don’t know what my next steps are, but I think that sitting down and taking the time to figure out what my new goals are, and then working towards them, will help to alleviate the way I’ve been feeling. I was planning on doing this after my trip anyway, but I’ve realized that there’s no time like the present!

In the meantime, while I really did seriously consider changing my flight and heading home early, the $800 I’d have to pay convinced me to sit with the idea a little longer. I’m going to try my best to be true to myself during this last week in Thailand. Knowing myself, that means more days like today, walking to vegan cafes with my laptop after finding a yoga class to pop in to (Satva Yoga in Chiang Mai was great). I’m sure I’ll miss some tourist attractions and nights out at bars, but I’m happiest when I’m doing the shit I want to do, not the shit that I’m “supposed” to want to do.

I’ve also started using BetterHelp, a platform with a bunch of therapists that you can chat with, schedule phone calls with, or Skype with — and will definitely be writing a review in the future!

If you’re a fellow digital nomad, I hope this post has been relatable. If you’re not, I hope this has made you realize that a life full of traveling isn’t always as glamorous as it seems — although to be fair, it is fun for a good while.

P.S. “El Dorado“ by Death Cab For Cutie came on in the vegan café I’m working out of (ImmAim Cafe) as I was finishing up this post, and I low-key teared up.

P.S.S. I didn’t feel like making the body of the post any longer with this, but of course I’m massively privileged to be able to have had the experiences I’ve had in the past year, and I don’t take that for granted. I really hope this doesn’t come off as #firstworldproblems or that I sound ungrateful, I just wanted to be honest with how I’ve been feeling with the hopes that other people could relate to it. Sometimes feeling unhappy when you have no real “reason” to be can make things even more complicated because you also feel guilty for not appreciating what you have!

Wondering about the most important things to know before going to China? I’m giving you my honest advice based on my trip there this past September. 

Let’s be honest with ourselves — China is probably not at the top of your travel bucket list. It’s probably not even at the top of your Asia bucket list.

But, if you’re into ancient history, love big cities, or maybe are simply looking for another country to hit while backpacking through Asia, perhaps you’re considering going to China.

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that you’re in for a huge culture shock, but that’s something you’ll have to experience for yourself.

What I am here to do is to make sure that you pack everything you need, and that you’re as mentally (and maybe even physically) prepared as possible.

Keep in mind that I spent time in Beijing and Chengdu, which are less Westernized than Shanghai and Hong Kong. Many of the things I’m mentioning may not apply to more “Western” areas of China.

Keep reading for 8 things to know before going to China…

READ: 5 Things to Know Before Going to Morocco HERE

Here are the 8 things to know before going to China…

1. Download a VPN on Your Phone and Laptop

If you don’t know much about China, here’s a newsflash: the majority of your favorite social media sites and websites are illegal. No Facebook, no Instagram, and even no Google.

Do you know how difficult it is to plan your trip when you don’t have access to Google to type in “restaurants near me” or whatever? Very difficult!

Thankfully, you can access all of these sites with a handy-dandy VPN, which is why this is #1 on my list of things to know before going to China (because social media is crucial to how I make money every day).

Even if you’re thinking, “I don’t need Instagram, I want to unplug and immerse myself in the culture,” you should probably still download a VPN.

Hacking and data theft are known to be super prevalent in China, and a VPN will protect outsiders from getting into your laptop and cell phone data.

If you’re wondering if a certain site is blocked in China, you can check this link.

I used a VPN provided by my university, but friends of mine recommended Express VPN. Just make sure you download the VPN on all of your devices before you leave, because you won’t be able to get it once you arrive. I recommend searching “VPN” on the app store, then downloading a few of them with high ratings, just in case.

Recognize this place?

2. Buy Little Tissue Packets To Stuff Into All Your Purses

Another one of the major things to know before going to China? This may be an odd thing to write about in a blog post, but when visiting China you want to make sure you have toilet paper on you at all times. Most public restrooms do not have toilet paper, and even the more “legit” places (think museums and restaurants) can be lacking in the TP department.

Save yourself the discomfort and buy a pack of on-the-go tissues like these, and try to pop one in each bag you’ll be using on the trip. I definitely made the mistake of switching purses and forgetting to transfer my tissues a few times, which was not ideal.

As an added bonus, you may also want to carry a small hand sanitizer, like these. Most bathrooms don’t have soap or paper towels.

3. Get Any Shots (or Pills) From Your Doctor

Of course, as you would when traveling to most developing countries, you want to make sure you’re up to date on all of your shots.

If you’ve gotten all the standard stuff and aren’t staying in China for more than a month, you’ll most likely only have to get something preventative for Typhoid. These can be given in shots, but my doctor instead gave me four pills that I took every other day prior to my trip. Super easy. For more on the CDC recommendations for travelers to China, click here.

If you’re already at the doctor, you may want also to see if they can prescribe you something for “food poisoning.” Most of the food in China is cooked, and as someone with a pretty sensitive stomach, I didn’t get sick. Still, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

Lastly, you might want to buy some water pills from your local pharmacy. Due to Chinese food’s traditionally high sodium content, you may start feeling bloated and puffy and gross while visiting. I bought some and didn’t end up using them, but again, never hurts to be safe!

4. Consider a Crash Course in Chinese

As a native English speaker, I’m very fortunate that wherever I go, there seems to be a decent amount of people who speak the same language as me (or at least have a very basic knowledge of it).

Out of every place I’ve traveled, China was the most challenging in terms of language barrier. Very few people I interacted with spoke English, and even “basic” English words (such as “toilet” or “water”) were unfamiliar to waiters, hotel staff, etc.

To add to the difficulty, it’s not like someone who doesn’t know Chinese can take their best guess at understanding Chinese characters. Unlike in Spain or France, where I could somewhat understand certain signs, menus, etc. were saying, I was shit out of luck in China.

Many times, if I was looking for a restroom or trying to order something specific (or simply attempting to interact with someone), I ended up using Google translate and showing the staff my phone so they could read the characters from there. Thankfully, since I had cell service the entire time, this was available to me, but depending on your plans, it might not be to you!

If you have the time, enjoy using Duolingo, etc., I’m sure learning basic Chinese before your travels would help you immensely.

5. Potentially Start Using a Squatty Potty At Home

This is another odd thing to mention on the blog, but it’s definitely one of the most important things to know before going to China. About 85% of the toilets in China are not regular American toilets (or “pedestal” toilets, as they call them in China).

They’re what I like to refer to as “squatty pottys,” and they look like this:

Yes, you’re looking at it right. There is nowhere to sit down. You basically just squat over the hole and hope for the best.

Needless to say, this leads to the majority of the public restrooms being extremely foul-smelling places.

Anyway, I don’t really have any words of wisdom for exactly how to prepare yourself for these (besides the aforementioned toilet paper) but it’s just something to be ready for. Some spots have one “handicapped” toilet that’s a regular toilet, but the rest are squattys. Definitely take advantage of the regular toilet at your hotel when you can.

For some extra guidance, here’s a handy dandy guide on how to use a “squat toilet.”

The squat toilet in all of its glory

6. Exchange & Withdraw Cash When You Can 

If you’re like me and typically forgo exchanging currency at the airport because your debit card doesn’t charge you for foreign withdrawals — change your strategy before heading to China.

While ATMs in hotels and certain areas may allow you to withdraw Yuan from your card, many ATMs will not accept any American cards. When my friends and I headed to Leshan for an excursion to see the Big Buddha sculpture, we couldn’t find anywhere to get cash out. Even the banks in the area weren’t able to give us cash from our credit cards.

Plus, A LOT of places only accept cash (or simply just don’t take American cards). This includes places like 7-11.

I recommend exchanging a decent amount of cash at the airport, and then taking out a large amount from your hotel’s ATM (assuming you’re staying at a hotel). You don’t want to get stuck somewhere with no money — trust me, I did it at Leshan and it wasn’t fun.

7. Be Willing To Experiment With Your Taste Buds (And Do Extra Prep If You Have Dietary Restrictions)

As I mentioned previously, few people speak English. You’re also likely not going to accurately guess at what most Chinese characters mean. So, naturally, when you’re at a restaurant, things can get difficult.

Some places (particularly spots in the plethora of giant malls in China), have photos on their menus — which is a big help — but many do not. You can try using Google translate to ask your Server what exactly “Mapo Doufu” is, but you might not get very far.

The server told us this was noodles, but after further consideration we realized it was chicken feet.

One night, my friends and I spent a good 20 minutes trying to figure out why our server at the hotpot wouldn’t allow us to order vegetables and meat instead of fish. To be honest, I still don’t exactly understand the reason, but a nice English-speaking passerby explained to us that if we weren’t ordering fish, we couldn’t get the other stuff.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that you have to be willing to try tasting stuff, even if you’re not quite sure what it is. If you’re someone with dietary restrictions (like me), you should probably print out a card that states your dietary restriction in Chinese so that you can alert any servers when dining out.

If you don’t eat dairy, like myself, you shouldn’t have too many issues except for possibly with some desserts (but dessert isn’t very popular in Chinese cuisine anyway). I normally eat mostly vegan at home, but I ate a good amount of fish, chicken, pork, and meat in China and I didn’t feel sick as I sometimes do — just very, very full most of the time.

This was the “menu” we were given at Mei Mansion in Beijing (which I do recommend going to)

8. Prepare to be Stared At 

If you’re from a relatively diverse city, like I am, you might be shocked to discover that there is much less diversity in Beijing and Chengdu. There were several instances where my friends and I were the only white-passing people in the vicinity. When we headed to Tiananmen Square with one of our black friends, random people started coming up to him and asking to take photos. This happened to pretty much every single black person I was traveling with, but it happened to some of my more white-passing friends as well.

Even if you don’t get your photo taken like you’re some type of celebrity, you’ll definitely be stared at.

But, it’s not in the creepy way you get stared at when you take the subway in lingerie as a top. It’s just in a genuine way of fascination.

Speaking of getting stared at creepily on the subway, the men in China are extremely respectful when it comes to catcalling, leering at you, etc. And by respectful, I mean that they don’t do it.

I felt completely safe, no matter what I was wearing, which was a nice change from most places (including America). China is known to be one of the safest places to visit, especially for female travelers. Therefore, none of this came as a surprise, but it was still a stark difference to what I’m used to.

I hope this helped you prepare for your upcoming China trip and gave you all the things to know before going to China. Or maybe it even served as some inspiration to plan a visit! If I missed something or you have any questions, feel free to comment below!