I never thought a RAYE concert would lead to me falling in love with a city across the coast from where I currently live, but here we are. It’s been roughly a month since my first trip to Seattle, Washington, and I still think about the wonderful forty-eight hours I spent exploring as much of the city as my back and legs would allow.
To save redundancy, I’m not going to repeat everything from the video I just published on YouTube:
I experienced the good of Seattle (the food, the comradery, the ease of the transit system, security almost everywhere). I experienced the bad of Seattle (the infrastructure, the rideshare costs, the cost of gas). I experienced the ugly of Seattle (litter everywhere, the religious hecklers, three cop cars pulling over a man on a bicycle). I experienced the beauty of Seattle (the views of the lake, the different parks, the art everywhere).
However, this writing is dedicated to the lessons I learned and the people I met.
Lesson #1: I went two dollars over budget, and it kind of hurt. I would have stayed under budget if I didn’t buy “concert clothes” from Nordstrom Rack, which really ended up being business casual clothes with a stain. I also probably would’ve saved money if I didn’t buy the Sex Musk roll on perfume by Cyklar from Sephora (something I’ve always wanted) and the salmon blueberry dog treats for Clover (which I am making LAST). Fortunately, I didn’t go over budget until the very end, but since forty-eight hours in Seattle pushed me over the edge, I knew I needed to Doordash for my trip to New York.
Lesson #2: Being on vacation doesn’t mean forcing yourself to eat things that disgust you. Prior to this trip, I hadn’t been eating out a lot in my day-to-day, and the Airbnb didn’t have a proper kitchen, which meant going out for every meal in Seattle. It still doesn’t mean I had to eat a bunch of carbs, to the point where I was literally sick to my stomach and felt like trash about myself. This may be TMI, but I constipated myself with all the bread-y things I ate in Seattle. My dietician and I had a looong conversation about it when I returned. It was my wake up call that I can continue to choose healthier and hydrating options, even while on vacation.
Lesson #3: At some point in my life, I will live in Seattle. It’s the perfect combination of all the things I love about both living in the city and living near nature. This is me speaking it into existence. When God is ready, I’m either going to rent or own a house in Seattle, and the house will have a yard for my dog to run around on.
Lesson #4: Empty your pockets before you throw away your pants. This may seem so unserious, but I almost cried because I accidentally threw away a $5 sticker from the Museum of Pop Culture. It’s been a month since this trip, and I’m still kicking myself.
However, I’m not kicking myself about starting conversations with strangers. The people I met during my short trip to Seattle were just as unforgettable as the realizations I had. In the video, I talk a little bit about the two couples I met while attending the concert, but there were a few more stand outs.
I took a photo with a random woman at The Museum of Pop Culture, and I cannot, for the life of me, remember her name. There’s a sci-fi exhibit, and part of it was operating a spaceship. At first, I was just admiring it, and the woman encouraged her child to do the interactive space mission with her. When the child refused, she turned to me, and because I become a “yes woman” on vacation, I joined her. I’m not going to share the photo here because it doesn’t morally feel right, but there are no regrets with going out of my comfort zone.
Then there’s Nicoli and Diogo from Brazil. While waiting in the chaotic crowd to get on the ferry back to Seattle from Bainbridge Island, we struck up a conversation. It started because two other men asked if they needed to pay for a ticket back, and after saying no, I pointed to the signs posted all over the lobby saying the same thing. Then, I said no again before the two men got the message, and Nicoli and Diogo witnessed the entire exchange. They said I did a good job of answering the men without calling them stupid. From there, we spent roughly thirty minutes talking about our lives and the similarities we were experiencing, such as Diogo completing his master’s degree as well. Truly the sweetest couple, and I am still a little sad I lost them in the crowd while boarding the ferry. Nicoli kept turning back to see if I was behind them, but a large family, walking slowly, messed it all up when they cut me off.
I can’t forget Addy from L.A. She needed to ensure she was getting on the correct train to get to her destination. Since the Seattle train system consists of two lines and is mostly linear, I had a lot of confidence helping her. I can’t say the same for the other people who thought I was a native and asked me for help, but let’s not talk about that. Instead, let’s talk about how I sympathized with Addy while waiting for the train because she had just left a dinner where she was meeting her friend’s boyfriend for the first time and was feeling some type of way about them moving in together. There was a lot more tea spilled, but as she stated, I think it was the wine talking. She also vaped on the transit and did a horrible job of swallowing and hiding it.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the little cutie I met while waiting for my red eye at the airport. I believe his name is Henry, and he can’t be more than a year old. What a flirty little icon.
No matter the good or bad, Seattle has carved a piece out of my heart and firmly planted itself there. This was a trip I truly hope to never forget, and I can’t wait for more adventures.
Since I loved both Northern California and Seattle, maybe Portland is next?
