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I'm an American originally from New York City. But for almost 10 years, I've been living in Italy. I also gave birth to my daughter here, almost five years ago. My daughter is bilingual and fully immersed in Italian ways of life.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Daniel Glazer . The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Years ago, as my 26th birthday approached, I decided to take myself to Paris. Although I'd initially invited friends, circumstances changed, and I embraced the idea of going solo.

I'm a 42-year-old mother of two, and one of my favorite places to go when I need some time alone is Walt Disney World Resort. I visit the park regularly with my husband and teenagers, but there's something special to me about strolling through EPCOT's World Showcase alone or renting a pool cabana at a Disney hotel and spending the day reading. Even if I'm not inside a Disney theme park, it brings me joy to know I'm hanging out on Mickey's turf.

I often catch myself contemplating the chain of decisions that have led me to this place in my life. The inescapable reality is that none of it would have been possible if it wasn't for my black cat, Willow. 

Halfway through my international journalism program at City, University of London, COVID-19 hit. I was forced to move back in with my parents in rural Wales for three months. I then made the impulsive decision to fly to any airport that would take UK travelers. I found myself on the last flight out to Belgrade, Serbia. 

Before I went to sleepaway camp, my dad said my life was about to change forever. The oldest of five boys, summer camp temporarily granted him only child status and freed him of his bad reputation at Catholic school.

"You're not gay; you just hate men."

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Megan Batoon . The following has been edited for length and clarity.

As a 31-year-old woman, I've been on most dating apps and have been on more dates than I can remember. During the pandemic, I even went on a "first date" with someone where we ordered food for each other and FaceTimed. He cut out paper hearts and taped them to the wall behind him. 

I'm a pretty goal-oriented traveler. I fill my days with as much sightseeing as I can handle. Forget the hotel pool. I'm checking off national landmarks and natural wonders from a carefully researched list.