In January 2016, Mary Grace embarked on one of her most memorable, eye-opening, heartwarming trips to date: an extensive 10-day trip to Russia, in the cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow, where the friends she met, the things she saw and the biggest lessons she realized about people on the other side of American TV news set her young travel bug energy in motion for the next decade to come.

(00:00) Intro & overview

(02:20) Decision to go to Russia & what I did for it

(03:50) Russia bound & third party scam scare

(06:30) Arriving in St. Petersburg + 1st night experiences

(11:06) When my mom found out I went to Russia

(13:20) Russian tipping, culture, sights

(19:00) Eye-opening evening in a Russian home

(23:24) Sights on Sapsan train ride to Moscow

(24:24) Moscow surprises

(28:01) Arriving in another Russian home + next etiquette lesson

(29:14) Overview of Moscow, Soviet soda machines, what to do in Moscow

(31:53) Saying goodbye + lessons not taught by the news

(34:32) Review of all key takeaways

(36:45) Last remarks

Official unofficial New Year's episode on the whim!

In this episode, Mary Grace pieces together and touches upon four main categories of lessons and unspilled tea - time management and priorities, friendships, travel, and proclaiming self-worth - along with her own "aha moment" of burnout that she experienced in 2024, all with recommendations on how to best approach and capitalize on them to kick off 2025 with a bang.

(00:00) Intro & Talk About Burnout

(03:59) Balancing Our Time Plates & Priorities

(08:21) Seeing Through Friendship Dedications

(12:33) Realizing Travel Values & Shifts

(15:15) Realizing Self Worth & Value of Time

(17:39) Plans for Once Upon a Trip

(19:26) 2025 Travel Plans

(20:32) Last Remarks & Outro

A Christmas and New Year's fusion episode! Six years ago, on Christmas Eve 2018 in Wroclaw, Poland, Mary Grace said goodbye to a short-lived long distance relationship with Mario, a Romanian native from Bucharest, after he had constantly ghosted her and showed that he was never going to change. Mary Grace then spontaneously changed her New Year’s plans with Mario and went solo to Kyiv, Ukraine for some bigger and better surprises. This short episode is a sneak peak into a young, naive, one-sided relationship built on superficial excuses and ignored red flags.

(00:00) Intro & Overview

(01:33) Background & The One Recurring Thing

(03:08) 1st Time in Romania & Next Red Flags

(04:23) “Yeehaw” Moment & Deathly Rum Chocolates

(05:49) The Attempted Christmas Planning

(08:49) Christmas Eve Moment of Truth

(10:52) No Regrets on Going Solo to Ukraine

(11:50) You’re in Control Over Change

(12:50) Last Remarks & Wishes