Let me start by saying: I should be in the shower. It’s 11:14 on a Tuesday, I just had a late breakfast and an iced coffee and I’m still in my pyjamas. To be fair, I had a 10-hour shift at work yesterday and I am very tired. September will be brutal and diving into research for my term paper will get that started, so I’m prolonging the before just a little bit by being nostalgic about the time Ryan visited me in Mainz, Germany.
My friend Liz took this picture of us; we went to the airport together to pick Ryan up and then Liz left on a flight to Vietnam.
Ryan and I met at Drag Bingo, which is kind of the best possible way to meet someone. We were both doing a semester abroad in Glasgow, Scotland, and met during Freshers Week. It was love at first sight (at least for me), which meant that, for the entirety of our time in Scotland, we were inseparable. Cooking together, long walks, museum tours, The Hunger Games-Marathons, hours long conversations over brunch, sharing tangerines at the library. I got up at 4 am to drop her off at the bus stop with her luggage when she left Glasgow to go back to the United States, and we both cried. And here we are, over three years later. Last year, I attended her wedding in Sweden (where she now lives) and in April/May of this year, she came to visit me and we got to hang out nonstop for an entire week. Long distance friendships are hard; you’re always missing someone, you’re always thinking things like “Oh, I wish we could just go grocery shopping together”. But they are also so special, so dedicated, so worth it. Here’s a digital scrapbook of our time together.
Ryan brought me some of her favourite snacks as a gift.
Going on a walk by the Rhine river first thing. The heart on the right says "You are sweet" in German.
Festivities along the river. A band was playing in the middle of the carousel while this man pushed the whole thing by hand.
Viet food, of course.
Old town, Mainz.
I borrowed my friend Liz’s bike for Ryan, so she could experience the city “El-Style” (I always cycle everywhere).
Stained glass windows by French artist Marc Chagall at the St. Stephan's Church. When the sun is out, the inside of this church is completely blue. All of the windows are so gorgeous.
Statue inside the Mainz Cathedral.
More details.
Ryan at the Neustadt book shop / Ryan on my friend Julian's balcony (being effortlessly cool)
St. Peter’s Church.
Taking Ryan to get “Käsespätzle” (a traditional egg pasta dish with grated cheese and fried onions).
Weekly Farmers Market in the market square.
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The most divine dinner of rye sourdough, various fresh tomatoes, burrata and mountain cheese, olives and left over “Käsespätzle” for Ryan. We sat on my rooftop during sunset eating all this and it felt like a religious experience.
We went to see an exhibition at the "Kunsthalle" and got to drink tea and be crafty there, too.
Ryan joined me at my weekly Pilates class, which consists almost exclusively of women in their 50s/60s/70s. I love it so much.
Some witchy activities: I did a tarot card reading for Ryan that was scarily accurate and we did a Beltane ritual of burning things we wanted to let go.
Ryan in my tree at the park, captured on my analogue camera.
Ryan bought our Mainz mascots, the “Mainzelmännchen”, as a souvenir.
Antique shop browsing and Nelly the dog.
❤️❤️❤️
Night out at the cocktail bar.
Baby’s first 2am Döner.
Labour Day Demonstration.
Movie Night at Julian’s.
Taking Ryan on a tour of my uni campus and the Botanical Garden.
SO much good food! Pictured on the left: one of my favourite Syrian restaurants, pictured on the right: one of my favourite restaurants in general, a little Lebanese place.
One of my favourite libraries in Mainz: the scientific library by the river.
Reading, playing games, talking, and leftover baklava by the river.
This week Ryan and I spent together in late spring/early summer was so restorative for both of us. I cannot wait to see her again. In the meantime, we have hours long phone calls (now in the same time zone!), picture dumps, voice notes, and regular declarations of love. Now, go text your long distance bestie you’re thinking of them.
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thank you my darling <3
I love this so much