8k words of advice from a former tourist and now Parisian resident This is your cheatsheet for solo travel to Paris, including a solo Paris itinerary and a list of the best things to do alone in Paris. Oh, Paris. One of the most romantic cities in the world. Who says it’s just for lovers? Whether you’ve already booked yourself a solo trip to Paris or you’re daydreaming of a future séjour in France’s capital, don’t despair about visiting the sights solo. (After all, remember that there’s...
11 days ago • 2 min read
celebrating being selfish—the good kind of selfish This month is about celebrating being selfish—the good kind of selfish. (No, this is not an ode to self care and the many bath bombs, baubles, and over-manufactured, over-priced trinkets that inevitably clutter your shelves, each sold to you in an artificially empowering package of “treat yourself,” “glow up,” or the inimitable and indefatigable: “Because you’re worth it.” This is the kind of selfish where you maybe admit to yourself that...
18 days ago • 5 min read
Staying focus-driven sometimes means staying misunderstood. From being the only person on her high school’s math olympics team to moving from Argentina to the U.S. during college to taking a months-long international solo trip in her early twenties, Giuliana Mendoza has always done things her way. And with an independent streak that sometimes takes you off the beaten path, comes the doubters, the naysayers, and the judges. In a conversation with A Merry Loner, Giuliana shares how she sets...
23 days ago • 1 min read
without a travel partner, I forced myself to shake off my inhibitions, allowing myself to be vulnerable “Can I just sit anywhere?” I asked the waiter. He stared at me for a beat. “Can I just sit anywhere?” I repeated, suddenly wondering if I had violated an obscure Colombian cultural norm by asking. Maybe, in Colombia, you were supposed to just boldly sit down anywhere, even if you didn’t have a reservation. Maybe this was another negative aftereffect of Spanish colonialism that I didn’t yet...
28 days ago • 1 min read
working on yourself is the most important work of your life My toxic trait is that I can be quite oblivious to my surroundings. Until recently, I had no idea that that friend of a friend had a crush on me. Yesterday I walked right by a friend who was waving to me in the street—not because I’m a stuck-up snob with my nose in the air, but because I genuinely didn’t notice her. Sometimes, I childishly don’t realize what I’m feeling about a specific situation until I’ve had the time and distance...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Solitude is a funny thing. When you have too much of it (the wrong kind), you get loneliness, depression, and a big old case of “Is everyone having fun without me?” But not enough solitude (i.e., that cherished “me time” and enough peace, quiet, and serenity to “fill your cup” as they say, and you get cranky, aloof, restless, or bored. (No, just me?) Apparently, not just me. This month on A Merry Loner, we shared stories about losing friends, finding friends, losing friends again, and...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
inspirational delights for sometimes-weary travelers in our often-weary world What makes us want to collect (dare I say hoard) quotes? Words of wisdom plucked from a writer, artist, or some other sage figure that struck some magical, harmonic chord within us. “Yes, that’s how I’ve always felt.” “No one’s put it that way to me before.” “I didn’t know how to express what I was feeling—but finally, there it is.” I highlight quotes I like in books. Dog-ear the pages. Circle entire paragraphs. If...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
When Sarah Silvia booked a one-way ticket to Spain to become an au pair just a few months after graduating college early, she had next to no travel experience under her belt and wasn’t sure what to expect. But something clicked. What started as a leap of faith ended up becoming her new way of life. Now, solo travel isn’t just something Sarah enjoys—it’s something she actively seeks out to reset, explore, and learn more about herself. In a conversation with A Merry Loner, this former barista,...
2 months ago • 4 min read
a true story of searching for fulfillment in new places, only to realize that home and contentment were always within. *cue the movie montage à la 2000s romantic comedy* Moving to a new city in your 20s is the stuff films are made of. Sparkling friendships. Spacious, beautiful apartments you can somehow afford even on a crappy, entry-level salary. Many trendy parties to attend and other of-the-moment places where you can show off the high heels that no one seems to wear in real life anymore....
3 months ago • 3 min read