Pranay's Seattle Departures

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Rising From The Ashes: The Seattle Phoenix?

Wow, it has been a busy three months for the Seahawks. In my last post, I called for a top-down cleaning of the entire Seahawks organization, claiming that things had gone stale. Lo and behold, Jody Allen has made the difficult decision to let go of the most powerful person in the Seahawks organization. Pete Carroll has essentially been fired as the Seahawks Head Coach. Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs, Will Dissly, and Nick Bellore have all been released to save cap room. The team then decided to let Jordyn Brooks and Colby Parkinson leave in free agency. Many of the big names from the late Pete Carroll era in Seattle have been let go. Before we break down the people coming in to replace them, I think it’s important to honor and respect the man who brought the Hawks their first Super Bowl in team history.

While I obviously thought that this move was long overdue due to Pete’s poor personnel decisions, outdated schemes, nepotism hires, and outdated football philosophies, Pete Carroll was one special Head Coach. I can remember when I was first learning football, watching the Seahawks destroy the Broncos 43-8. Kam Chancellor, one of my favorite players of all time, picked off Peyton Manning in probably my earliest football memory. The next year, Wilson’s touchdown pass to Kearse to win the NFC and Kearse’s insane bobbling catch in the game following it. However, after that fateful interception, I truly became a fan of the team, spending my time watching every game the Seahawks have played in my life since then. Some of my favorite memories regarding the team were the Blair Walsh missed field goal, the absolute shootout that was the Seahawks vs Texans game in 2017, the Lockett Toe Tap catch against the Rams in 2019, Baldwin’s improvisational play against the Cardinals, Sherman’s hit on Goff in his rookie year, Cam Newton being stuffed at the goal line, and many more. These are some of my all-time best moments as a sports fan. That 2019 win over the 49ers was a special one that I will always remember, Seattle went on the road against a bitter rival who was undefeated at the time and stole an overtime victory away from the 49ers. A truly breathtaking game. The Seahawks under Carroll felt like no matter the score, no matter the opponent, no matter the circumstance, this was a team that could win. There was this special, magical, wild luck that the Seahawks seemed to have, and while it almost gave me a heart attack every Sunday, it sure was entertaining. Pete Carroll was truly responsible for some of the most crazy and insane moments of my life. A salute to the legend is well deserved, and a statue should be built in his honor outside Lumen Field.

Ryan Grubb in his opening press conference.

As Seattle moved on from one era to another, they were tasked with finding the man to replace the legend that was Pete Carroll. John Schneider, the new head of the organization, had a big decision to make after being granted full control over personnel and the coaching staff. While many people, including myself, wanted Ben Johnson to be the man leading the team. However, with Johnson making the weird decision to stay, Schneider masterfully waited out the process and landed Mike Macdonald. Macdonald is the youngest head coach in the league and has risen quickly to the top ranks. His experience with coaching has largely come from working with the Harbaugh brothers at Michigan and the Ravens. His defense was one of the best in the league last year and made average veterans like Jadeveon Clowney, Kyle Van Noy, Patrick Queen, and Geno Stone into key contributors to his elite defense. His resume is incredibly impressive and speaks for itself. Coach Mac can hopefully maximize the talents of the likes of Boye Mafe, Derrick Hall, Dre’Mont Jones, Tre Brown, Julian Love, and others into forming an elite defense for the first time since the Legion of Boom. This was a great hire by Schneider and it deserves applause. He even has ties to my high school’s football coach, who also worked on the Ravens with him. They even texted right before the AFC Championship game according to my friend on the team! The rest of the staff was also filled out well. Ryan Grubb can hopefully bring the innovative, vertical passing game that made UW relevant in college football for the first time in a while to Seattle, allowing the Hawks to maximize the elite weaponry surrounding the future quarterback. Aden Durde is a young and innovative leader of men who can be groomed into the play caller Macdonald hopes to have. For the first time in years, it feels like Seattle will have a coaching staff capable of getting the best out of the players they have, a very welcome sign.

Speaking of the players, as I stated in my previous issue, Seattle got rid of basically every single bad contract on the team. I have talked about the ridiculousness of paying Adams and Diggs so much money and investing that much in bad safeties. Dissly was a gross overpay for a blocking tight end, who they replaced with Pharaoh Brown for much less money. Nick Bellore was always a confusing price tag to pay for a mediocre full-back and good special teamer who always seemed like he was there more for the culture than his football contributions. Seattle then re-signed Leonard Williams, a massive positive given that they traded a second-round pick for him and how well he played at such a big position of need for the team. It was great to see the team finally invest money in the trenches like we have asked them to do. They then brought back Noah Fant, a talented tight end who still has not hit his ceiling and has a chance to be much better without Parkinson and Dissly taking snaps away. Nick Harris was a sneaky good former Husky who never got a chance to show his talent given how much we needed a center. Bringing back George Fant as tackle depth and Abraham Lucas insurance for his chronic knee issue was a smart move as well. Rayshawn Jenkins can provide solid to good safety play and valuable leadership on a team that has lost much leadership. Sam Howell is an interesting potential quarterback for the future and is in the worst case a cheap backup quarterback. Finally, Tyrel Dodson is an exciting, young, cover linebacker that the team definitely needs. The moves that have been made seem aligned with a broader, cohesive, long-term vision for the team for the first time in a while.

There is still, however, work to be done. With the Sam Howell and Leonard Williams trades, Seattle is low on picks at 16 and likely will trade back to accumulate more picks. Additionally, neither Howell nor Geno is a convincing answer for a quarterback of the future, and Seattle may look to draft one in a very interesting quarterback class. Additionally, the interior offensive line still needs help, and Seattle at least needs to add someone at left guard to play football. Finally, linebacker options seem to be next to none, and with a weak class coming up, Seattle needs at least one more hedge for the draft with the departure of Brooks, Wagner, and Bush. All in all, these issues are small compared to the franchise-altering questions from earlier, and it feels great to finally be excited about the team next year. No one knows what it could look like, and that is the best part. Until we learn more, all we can do is sit back and prepare for the rollercoaster ride of a season that is coming up. Until next time, Go Hawks!

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Bird Down: The Stranded Seahawks

Pain.

That was the caption for the Instagram story after the recent Seahawks vs 49ers game. Seattle was outmatched, outcoached, and outplayed by the 49ers. I would say it is hard to remember such a beatdown, except a similar thing happened against the Ravens mere weeks ago. Yet, this seemed to mark a turning point for the Seahawks. Maybe it was because I was there at the game this time, or maybe it was because it was against the hated 49ers, but this loss feels important. A common criticism of the Pete Carroll-coached Seahawks over the years was playing down to competition. Yet, the team also managed to stay competitive and sometimes win games it had no business being in. Yet, with the departure of Russel Wilson, it seems like this trait has left, and a serious conversation needs to be had about this team yet again. From the players, the coaching staff, the personnel decisions, and even the ownership of the team, real conversations need to be had.

Seahawks Instant Reaction: Seattle Sports on 21-13 loss to 49ers - Seattle Sports — Smith being sacked in a 31 – 13 defeat to the 49ers on Thanksgiving.

The Geno Smith story was fun while it lasted. For the first half of last season, Smith was playing at a borderline MVP level. This 2nd round pick turned career backup had somehow found a way to revitalize his career. It was an awe-inspiring story that had everyone rooting for the eventual comeback player of the year. Yet, in the last half of 2023 and throughout this season, Smith has been average. The special wow of his arm talent and decision-making were gone. Smith has started holding onto the ball too long, is inefficient in the red zone, putrid on 3rd down, and is top 10 in turnover-worthy plays AGAIN this year. Smith is also 20th in QBR, behind Russel Wilson and barely above the likes of Sam Howell and Justin Fields. His Passer Rating is 18th, near Jordan Love and Sam Howell. It was a fun story while it lasted, yet it is clear Geno Smith is not the man for next year. Especially given the fact that he is due over 30 million dollars next year. Super Bowls are not won by overpaying for mediocre quarterbacks. Simply ask the Raiders with Derek Carr, the Vikings with Kirk Cousins, and to some extent the Cowboys with Dak Prescott. The best-case scenario for Smith at this point is he can be an adequate bridge, setting up the future for a new, younger quarterback to eventually take over the reins.

NFL Thanksgiving 2023: Seahawks vs 49ers 2nd Quarter game thread - Field Gulls — Seattle’s yearly quota of 10+ missed tackles on Deebo Samuel being hit again

It’s not just Smith who hasn’t played well, DK Metcalf can’t seem to stop beating up on defensive backs downfield. Top 20 pick Jaxon Smith-Njgba has not had the Day 1 Impact that so many believed he would. Lockett is underutilized along with the various tight ends used. Back-to-back second-round picks have been used on Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonent and yet Smith is asked to drop back 40 times a game. The offensive lines which seemed like it was finally going to be a spot for optimism are routinely burned and pushed back. Defensively it feels like Devon Witherspoon, Boye Mafe, and nothing else. Bobby Wagner looks like he is moving at 0.5 speed and the heavy investment in Dre Jones and Leonard WIlliams has returned minimal results. Riq Woolen has been average this year while the 48 million dollars poured into Jamal Adams’s (69.6 PFF) and Quandre Diggs’s (55.2) PFF grade seems like it could have been better used on Lightning McQueen sketchers. A ton of investment has been poured into the defense and yet middling to below-average results remain.

Another blowout loss has Pete Carroll asking tough questions of himself, Seahawks — Carroll after a frustrating loss

Speaking of resource management, Seattle has a little over 6 million in effective cap space to attempt to retain or replace the likes of Leonard Williams, Bobby Wagner, Jordyn Brooks, Noah Fant, Damien Lewis, Phil Haynes, and more. Additionally, after 2 drafts with extra ammunition, Seattle lacks a 2nd round [pick in a short-sighted attempt to “compete” this year through the Leonard Williams trade. Meanwhile, the likes of Smith, Adams, and Diggs make up over 85 million dollars in cap space next season. How have Pete and John squandered their resource management again? They have overseen 2 iterations of the Seahawks since the old days of the Legion of Boom in 2017 and before. The first was carried by Wilson’s prime years while the latter have seen the Hawks go 15-14 without him. They have squandered 2 years of good drafting with awful contract management, a short-sighted approach to roster building, and inadequate coaching. Seattle’s offense seems to struggle to generate a yard, as seen by the 3rd and 1 and 4th and 1 attempts seen on Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, outside of beating up on a horrible Giants team and the Cardinals and Panthers, Seattle’s defense still faces the same issues. It’s too easy for good offenses to move the ball on this unit and Clint Hurtt has done nothing with the gobs of resources spent on this unit, as has Shane Waldron. The team feels like an organizational failure, and it does seem to be so to the very top.

A distant memory of the late Paul Allen hoisting the Lombardi.

Ever since the late Paul Allen died, his sister Jody Allen and his estate have owned the Seahawks, to sell them to donate money to Allen’s non-profits in his will. Yet, the team remains unsold 5 years after his passing. Allen famously kept Pete and John accountable for the offensive line woes the Seahawks faced. Yet, Jody Allen seems uninterested in the team, simply drifting along with no plans to sell the team shortly. It leaves us fans waiting and drifting along as well, wondering when change will come. We want an owner who cares about the team. We want a young offensive-minded innovative head coach, a shrewd and skilled general manager, a young exciting signal caller, and a team we can be excited to watch. The Seahawks seem lifeless, stuck in the water with no hopes of a championship without serious change. Yet this serious change feels forever off, leaving us stranded. Carroll deserves a statue built of him outside the stadium, celebrating the man who brought a Super Bowl to the City as he retires gracefully from the game. Instead, we must simply watch on as an old Pete Carroll attempts to win a championship with unchecked power in a game that has passed him by, leaving the team stranded and lost in his wake.

The sun setting on Lumen Field, seemingly setting on the Hawks as well

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State of the Seattle Seahawks: 2023 Season

Welcome to the return of my Seahawks rants and the start of a yearly series where I preview the upcoming season with the current team. Sure, this is a travel blog, and talking about sports contradicts the theme. However, it is also my blog and I wanted to share my thoughts on where the team stands heading into the 2023-2024 season.

Going back to my last post, I heavily criticized the organization for many of its moves at the time and believed that it was time for a change up top, predicting that either Russel Wilson or Pete Carroll would leave. Lo and behold, despite what many Seahawks fans seemed to believe, I turned out to be right as Wilson was traded to the Broncos on March 8th, 2022. However, I was off in my opinion that keeping Wilson was the right move, as Wilson floundered in Denver, leading them to a 5-12 record. Meanwhile, unlikely hero Geno Smith led the Seahawks back into the playoffs while earning his first Pro Bowl nod. Sure, things could change. Smith could turn back into a pumpkin and Wilson could rediscover his old form with new Head Coach Sean Payton. However, for now, it seems like upper management and Jody Allen made the right decision to stick with Pete and John, a decision I disagreed with.

PHOTOS: Meet The 2023 Seattle Seahawks Draft Class

Speaking of Pete Carroll and John Schneider, a large reason for their success and the renewed trust is due to their recent success in drafting. Seattle’s 2022 NFL Draft is arguably the best one Pete and John have ever had and certainly the best class of that year (Come at me Jets fans). Charles Cross, Abraham Lucas, Kenneth Walker, and Tariq Woolen all headline the class with key contributors found through it all. This was an all-time class and it was great to see Pete and John rediscover their old form. Poor drafting was the chief reason behind Seattle’s lack of true success in Wilson’s prime years and this draft helped restore faith in the franchise. This restored faith was rewarded by the new 2023 Draft Class. Once again, every pick seemed sound and logical and Seattle got value down the board, with exciting new additions such as Devon Witherspoon, Jaxon Smith Njigba, Derrick Hall, and Zach Charbonnet sure to be key contributors. Overall, between significantly better drafting and better free agency moves, Pete and John have turned the team around quickly from the 7-10 team that lost its Franchise Quarterback.

In terms of the coaching staff, I still have my reservations. Coach Carroll recognized the fading relevance of his Seattle 3 scheme which won him the Super Bowl. It was simply too easy for the plethora of Shanahan offenses to attack the middle of the field and he needed to evolve. Therefore, he logically let go of Ken Norton Jr, brought in Sean Desai (who has now left), and promoted Clint Hurtt. All this was seemingly done for a few reasons, shifting the defense to a 3-4/multiple scheme, running more of the Fangio Cover 4 scheme that had taken over the league, and helping Jamal Adams find a home in a more creative defense. However, like many teams which began implementing this scheme, problems arose. Seattle played soft defense, giving receivers too much free space because of the off-coverage nature of the scheme. Additionally, Seattle was horrible against the run, as highlighted by Josh Jacobs’s 300+ yard performance against the team. However, they were overall better against the pass and got significantly more pressure on the quarterback, going from 34 sacks to 45 sacks. Hurtt also deserves credit for turning a 4th round pick in Coby Bryant into a capable slot corner and Tariq Woolen into a star. However, the team still sucked at defense with a defensive-minded head coach, and questions need to be asked of Carroll on how they are so bad year after year. Additionally, the weird mix between Seattle’s Cover 3 scheme and the Fangio Cover 4 led to a bad defense, and it’s fair to wonder how much of the defense is Hurts and how much is still Carroll. Seattle ran Cover 6 25% of the time last year, tied 6th in the league. This was due to a few factors. Cover 6 allows for Pete’s press zone coverage influence to be combined with the Fangio Cover 4 system while allowing Tariq Woolen to do what he does best. However, this scheme was predictable and it often left the corner opposite Woolen, Michael Jackson, in a difficult spot given his limited athleticism (which should be fixed with Devon Witherspoon). Overall, the defensive coaching staff has a lot to prove and it remains to be seen how it will be used and Jamal Adam’s role on it (that trade was still a disaster). One idea a friend of mine suggested moving Adams to linebacker alongside Jordyn Brooks in obvious passing situations, putting Julian Love back at safety, Coby Bryant in the slot, and Devon Witherspoon on the outside opposite Tariq Woolen. This would allow Adams to do what he does best, cover the intermediate part of the field and tight ends. Additionally, it would help disguise blitz packages much better with Adams closer to the line. It would be easy to imagine Adams crashing down from linebacker while Uchenna Nwosu drops back to cover a zone. Hopefully, the coaching staff can find creativity like this within them.

Regarding the defense outside Adams and the coaching staff, the secondary looks to be the second coming of the legion of boom, headlined by top 5 pick Devon Witherspoon, Pro Bowler Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams, and runner-up rookie of the year Tariq Woolen. Woolen can cover the big, fast, X (AJ Brown) receivers while Witherspoon covers the shiftier receivers in the NFL such as Braydon Aiyuk, regardless of where they line up. However, the nickel back spot remains a question, with free agent signing Julian Love, unlikely starter Michael Jackson, second-year Coby Bryant, and third-year Tre Brown all vying for reps. Even Witherspoon has the versatility to play in the slot. The competition should be exciting and the secondary certainly is something to get excited about. I hope Coby Bryant wins the job despite the coaching staff talking up Michael Jackson because of Jackson’s limited athleticism which hurt the team last year.

The linebacker core on paper looks good. However, questions are there. Bobby Wagner is aging and had a poor season in 2021 with Seattle. Was his bounce back with the Rams due to extra revenge motivation or is he still that player? Devin Bush has never quite been the player he was supposed to be as a top-10 pick and struggles in run defense. Finally, Jordyn Brooks is recovering from an ACL injury and is overrated in coverage. This unit won’t hold the team back, but it won’t win them any games either.

The edge group, while lacking superstars, is encouraging and full of promise. Uchenna Nwosu burst onto the scene last year with 9.5 sacks, even if most of those came early in the year and the effects of playing too many snaps began to affect his play. Boye Mafe surprisingly got little playing time but held up well against the run when he did, something that is very much needed for this team. Somehow, Darrell Taylor lucked his way into 9.5 sacks despite playing poorly. Adding second-round pick Derrick Hall into the mix should give Seattle the options they need to play well.

By far the biggest area of concern for the team is the interior defensive line. Dre’mont Jones was a massive free-agent addition and should be a good player for the Hawks. However, beyond him are question marks galore. How will an aging Jarran Reed do in a 3-4 system? What roles do Mario Edwards and rookie Mike Morris have on the team? WHO ON THE TEAM IS PLAYING NOSE TACKLE? Relying on 4th-round rookie Cameron Young to put on weight and play seems like a bad idea. Sure, Seattle added bodies on the interior defensive line. However, it remains to be seen if this fixes both the pass rush and run defense issues.

On offense, this team looks explosive. Offensive Coordinator Shane Waldron left no real impact in his first year as offensive coordinator due to the constraints and benefits of Russel Wilson as quarterback. With Smith, the offense relied much more on the short pass game and outside zone runs, and Waldron’s Shanahan and McVay influences showed. The middle of the field continued to be underutilized (which should be fixed with Jaxon Smith-Njigba coming in), while deep shots continued to be make-or-break for the Hawks offense. Smith’s 47.1% deep completion percentage was ridiculously good and often what was what made up for the offense. While the team wasn’t as do or die on the deep ball as with Wilson, it still relied on it heavily due to Smith’s high accuracy and the skillsets of Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. Inside runs became significantly less frequent due to Kenneth Walker and Waldron’s preference for the outside run game. However, more balance should be restored to the run game with the addition of bruiser Zach Charbonnet. 7th-round pick Kenny McIntosh completes the room by adding the receiving threat the team desperately needed out of the backfield. Tight end continues to look loaded with Noah Fant, Will Dissly, and Colby Parkinson all serving unique roles, with Dissly being the blocking specialist. Overall, the skill positions all seem to be loaded and complimentary which should lead to a more balanced offense. The only real areas of concern are with the interior offensive line. Evan Brown and Phil Haynes do not scare anyone while Anthony Bradford and Olusegun Oluwatimi are young. Additionally, Smith was highly lucky with turnovers last year and did hit a slight slump to end the year. However, the offense still looks nasty and should be good.

Overall, the team feels like it’s making progress for the first time since 2012. John Schneider and Pete Carroll have crushed the last 2 drafts and the last free agency. Some concerns remain on the trenches and the coaching, as well as the questions around Geno Smith. However, the team feels inspired. Pete seems to be in his element coaching young players. John is in his element building a roster from the ground up. The players seem to be having fun and competing. The last few years with Wilson felt like we were watching the same Russel Wilson vs the World movie on repeat. Now, for the first time since 2014, the team feels fun and exciting to watch. Something special is being built in Seattle, and one can finally see the foundations of a championship team form. While this is likely an 8-12 win team this year, (my prediction is 10 wins) next year we could “win the whole dang thing”, and what a sight that would be.

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Tuscany, Italy

Welcome to another blog post that is posted months after it should have been. Today I am going to talk about one of the most naturally beautiful places in the world, Italy. Specifically, our recent trip to Tuscany in April. While this was not my first trip to the country, it was certainly one of the most memorable ones.

Florence might be my favorite European City. Certainly, my favorite that I have been to in a while. Florence feels like it hopped out of the pages of a fairy tale. Between the cobbled streets, impressive churches, and breathtaking Arno River, Florence had everything one could imagine. However, what sets Florence apart from many European cities is the modern feel that it has as well. Florence is one of the centers of high fashion, and it shows. My dad and I joked that it seemed like everyone was about to walk down a runaway. It almost seemed like everyone only had leather jackets in their closets ;). Additionally, the contrast between the impressive Renaissance-era architecture and the modern swankiness of the fashion industry is a reminder of the interconnected nature of human existence. The past and present have merged to create a beautiful city in Florence as we all look toward the future. As we watched the sun set on our day in Florence, listening to the wonderful live music, the world seemed to stand still. The natural beauty of the Arno River and the sun’s shimmering light combined with the manmade beauty of the beautiful bridges and cobbled streets is a sight I will never forget.

As someone who has been born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, hiking has been everywhere in my life. Yet nothing in my 17 years as a resident of the hiking capital of the United States prepared me for our hike to Cinque Terre. That day, my parents decided that the hike would be more beautiful than simply watching it from the train, which was a fair point (side note: public transport in Europe is so much better than in the United States). Therefore, we decided to hike the trail. However, my mom had misread both the elevation change and the total distance of the hike. We went into it thinking it would be a short 1.2-mile hike that would take very little time. However, the actual distance was over 3 miles long with significant elevation changes. It almost felt like doing the push-up test in high school with every elevation change. “Down, Up 1”. What made it worse was the fact that I had to wait for my parents. I do love them very much, but they aren’t exactly the spring chickens they used to be. My sister and I frequently went ahead and ended up having to wait for them to catch up. The wait was almost more tiring than the actual hike. However, the views were spectacular and were worth the arduous hike. Even if the sun did not aid in making the hike easier, I do still love watching it make the water shimmer and turn the sky orange during sunset.

Tuscany is arguably one of the most naturally beautiful places in the world. The rolling hills seem to sparkle in the sun. Looking out at them I could imagine the various rom-coms that must have been filmed here. My dad jokes that the Italian people must be bored of the beautiful rolling hills and want to view the flat cornfields of Indiana. I, on the other hand, did not find that joke funny. What I did find spectacular were the various little towns that dotted the countryside, forts from a bygone era that were now tourist attractions. Each looked like a real-life castle from a Disney movie, bringing life to this landscape. It was easy to imagine some Shakespearean comedy unfolding before your very eyes in this landscape. The beautiful churches are the scenes for a wedding while the walled cities provide defense against outsiders. The whole experience felt surreal and unforgettable.

My trip to Italy helped me decompress. The stress of college decisions washed away as I was able to truly enjoy spending time with my family. Sure, I will miss the various friends I have when I depart for college. Yet, it is my family that I will miss the most, and getting to spend that quality time with them was important to me. However, I know that they have their full support when I do go and leave and I couldn’t have asked for a better family. Here is to hoping for more fun trips with the people we love the most. See you next time at Pranay’s Seattle Departures.

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Hawaii

Today, I am going to take a bit of a break from the international travel stories and talk about my most recent trip to Hawaii, where I revisited one of my favorite islands: the Big Island. While I have been to Hawaii multiple times, I am only going to talk about my most recent trip. I don’t want to make this too long. Hawaii is always a fun place to visit. It’s a great chance to relax, slow down, swim, and, most importantly, spend time with family.

Swimming has always been a favorite part of my trips to Hawaii. This last trip to the island was no different. The sense of calm that washes over me as I float in the sea is unparalleled. The laughs we have as a big wave comes and my sister gets smacked back by it are etched into my mind. Sometimes, I can laugh a little too hard. Before I can stop, I can taste the saltwater from my sister splashing me. Even now, I can hear my mom chasing us for fooling around in the big, powerful ocean or swimming too far out as we go out exploring marine life. The thrill of swimming right next to a turtle or watching a school of fish swimming right by your ear is unmatched and something I will never forget.

Swimming, tropical weather, and beautiful ocean views are all part and parcel of visiting Hawaii. Yet, what makes the Big Island unique and honestly one of my favorite islands is the diversity of landscapes found within its borders. The Big Island consists of 8 of the 13 different climate zones in the world, and it shows. Simply driving down from Mauna Kea to the coast provides you with a snapshot of all this planet has to offer. Between the volcanic tunnels that stretch out all over Mauna Kea, the rolling hills, the tropical rainforests, and the new rocky lava deserts near the coast, Big Island has a lot to offer. It is a strong reminder of the power of Mother Nature and the effort the native people of Hawaii have put into preserving this space.

One of the most iconic landscapes on the Big Island is the various black sand beaches. On this trip, we went to a black sand beach that did not exist the last time we went (2017). The sand was very fine and seemed to come straight out of a Bollywood movie. I swear if you squint hard enough you could see Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol dancing to Gerua, (hence my Instagram reel that day). Yet, as soon as I posted a reel with the black sand and Gerua playing in the background, I instantly regretted it. For those of you that keep up with my other Instagram, you will notice the recurring Shah Rukh Khan references from my friends, with one even saying that I am a “walmart goodwill landfill srk dupe”, so this Instagram reel only added fuel to the fire. Yet, despite the jokes aside, the beach was breathtaking and an experience I will never forget.

Ultimately, my favorite moment from this trip came on our last day. After we went to the sandy beach we had repeatedly visited on this trip and swam around for an hour—racing each other, splashing water onto each other, and competing to find the most sea creatures—we all began to tread water. As we all floated in the water, a sense of tranquility washed over us as the sky was lit ablaze during golden hour. As the sun began to set on our trip in multiple ways, we could do nothing but appreciate the beauty in front of us and treasure it as a memory for years to come.

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Budapest, Hungary

Today, I am going to talk about the final country I traveled to on my trip to Poland and the Czech Republic, which coincidentally was the first one I visited on that trip and the last one to be posted about. Today, we are going to talk about my trip to Budapest, Hungary’s capital. Budapest was an exciting trip full of rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant culture, and I got to experience it all with my grandparents too!

One of the most memorable experiences of not only that trip but my life was the boat ride I took on the Danube River. It was one of our first days of vacation, and it was unforgettable. The Danube River was majestic, its power splitting the city into 2 parts, Buda, and Pest. As I lay back in my seat, next to the people I love most, I was fascinated by the might of the city around me. As the voice of the tour guide came on, the dichotomy between the Soviet era’s past and the modern future became clearer to me. My ears were told of the horrors of Soviet control while my eyes saw the beautiful city in front of me. The indomitable human spirit was ever-present that day, the ability to fight through oppression and horror was amazing to witness in person. One thing that stuck with me from that boat ride was how my parents spoke about it. Growing up, they never thought they would be able to explore countries like Hungary due to the Iron Curtain that had fallen over Eastern Europe and how expensive travel was. Yet now, here they were, with their parents and their children, exploring the world! What was even more interesting was my Nana’s (my grandfather’s) perspective on it all. As a high-ranking officer in the Indian military, he is one of the few people who traveled to Soviet Russia. His insights into the history of the Cold War were especially interesting. His knowledge of history and unique experiences are limitless, and he is so special to me.

The Hungarian Parliament was something to marvel at. The rich history of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the age of Soviet Control, and the modern rebuilding and urbanization were all woven together to form a masterpiece of a building. As my dad read our Rick Steves guidebook, I stood in awe of everything around me. It wasn’t just the main attractions that were stunning, such as the Hungarian Holy Crown, The Chamber of Peers, The Dome Hall, or The Grand Staircase, everything was. Everything seemed to invoke a sense of power, prestige, and awe. At every corner was something magnificent, whether it be stained glass ceilings, beautiful paintings, grand chandeliers, or vaulted ceilings, everything seemed to be straight from a movie. It felt like every single corner was flushed with magic, a reminder of the great history Hungary has and the power of it all, right before my eyes, with the people I love most.

Part of what made this trip so special to me was the fact that it was the first trip I had taken with my grandparents in a long time. I got to spend a lot of quality time with them on this trip, something that I value, especially after the pandemic. During our trip, my grandparents often got tired and returned to the hotel room for an afternoon siesta. During these times, while my Nana (my grandfather) would sleep, my Nani (my grandmother), my sister, and I would watch the ICC Cricket World Cup. I I loved watching it with my Nani and being able to connect with her on sports is one of my favorite things. It brought me back to when I traveled to India during the Olympics, and we would get up at 2 AM together to watch the swimming events in the Olympics. Being able to connect on sports with my nani is one of my favorite things, and I am sure that I got my fanatical fandom from her. I learned so much about cricket during this time and simply got to live in the moment with her, so while the end result may have not gone India’s way (England won sadly), I will always cherish the memories of watching it with her and my sister, debating on the best path forward for the team. Frequently on my blog posts, I talk about the places I go to, but oftentimes, the people make a trip memorable, and my grandparents certainly did.

The one downside about traveling is the lack of home food. No matter how good the food of a place is, nothing beats home food. Every time I return home, I always make sure to eat a good plate of simple rice and dal, enjoying the comfort. Luckily, this issue was non-existent in Hungary. My mom, through a blogger friend she has, found a highly rated Indian restaurant overlooking the Danube. The food was spectacular and the view was stunning. It really captivated me and the food, the place, and the people made me feel grateful to just exist and be in the moment. Life can be so wonderful and sometimes it’s the small moments that stick with us. That trip to Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic was full of those small, beautiful moments and many educational opportunities. Hopefully, I get a chance to revisit them soon with the people I love! I hope we can all learn to slow down, and enjoy the small moments in life, because you never know when certain moments will become the memories you cherish.

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Prague

Prague is one of the most unique places in the world. Living in the suburbs of Seattle, I always end up seeing the same boring, suburban homes everywhere I look. While I love my home, in Prague, I got to see great architecture like I had never seen before. Traveling to Prague was an eye-opening experience for me.

While I was in Prague, I noticed that Prague was different from other European cities. In places like London, Paris, Milan, and Venice, there is always the main tourist area where almost all of the main attractions are. Think Buckingham Palace in London or the Grand Canal in Venice. These are these big tourist sites which are incredible to see. However, Prague is beautiful everywhere, not just in the main touristy places like some other cities. Even outside the main tourist destinations like the Charles Bridge, there was a lot to see. I fondly remember walking around Prague, stumbling across many little stores and backstreets, surrounded by some beautiful architecture while eating my gelato ice cream :).

On one of these side streets, I even saw a Lamborghini Aventador. That was one of the craziest things that has ever happened to me. While I have seen Lamborghinis and Ferraris driving around on the road, they were never parked for me to take pictures with them. I was ecstatic at the chance to take a picture with a supercar. After taking millions of photos with it, I made my mom promise me that I would get a picture of me with my dream car in my room!

My time on the St. Charles Bridge was something I will never forget. Again, being the car nerd that I am, I remembered the Prague racetrack in Forza Motorsport 7. In the game, the developers took the famous streets and walkways of Prague and created a circuit. While the Charles Bridge is not part of an actual race track, it is part of the Forza Motorsport 7 circuit. However, the real thing looked way more beautiful than what I saw in the game. Looking around at the bridge, I enjoyed seeing the vast Vltava river. It is easy to see why countless movies have been shot at this bridge once you are standing on it. The bridge looked like it was straight out of a fairy tale. The statues were magnificent and were very detailed. Contributing to the fairy book vibe were the street performers. These performers played their hearts out on the bridge and the music was splendid. I made it a game to try and guess the song they were playing and, surprisingly, I got many of them right :). While I was standing on the bridge, my dad read out to us the bridge’s history from his beloved Rick Steves guidebook. The information was interesting at first. However, I eventually got bored as he tends to get a bit too detailed 😝.

I realized how fortunate I was to travel around the world so freely after speaking to my grandparents who had traveled with us to Prague. When they were young, they had thought it was impossible to go to places like Hungary and the Czech Republic because these places were behind the Iron Curtain. We have come a long way since then. My entire family, all three generations of it, stood together to admire the view. I sure felt lucky and in awe of the history of the place where I was standing.

What was even more remarkable about the beauty of Prague is how recently it was under the Soviet Bloc. As a satellite state, Czechoslovakia was economically and politically dependent on the Soviet Union. Additionally, Czechoslovakia could only import Soviet goods. They also were only allowed to export to the Soviet Union. These factors led to a weak Czechoslovakian economy. Alexander Dubeck, a reformist, tried to increase freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the freedom to travel. He also tried to help the economy by introducing a few capitalist practices. This period of reform in 1968, known as the Prague Spring, was crushed by the Soviets as they feared these reforms would lead to independence.

After the fall of the Soviet Union, rebuilding efforts began. We now have the glorious city of Prague to see in all its grandeur. This city shows how human perseverance can shine through. Despite Czechoslovakia losing territory in World War 2 to the Germans and then being a Soviet Satellite State, it came back stronger than ever and rebuilt itself. Thanks for reading about my trip to Prague. Catch you next time on Pranay’s Seattle Departures!

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Bosnia and Herzegovina

“Pranay, wake up,” said my dad. “We are going to Mostar.”

“What monster,” I said while rubbing my eyes. I don’t see any monsters.”

“Not monsters,” my dad said exasperatingly. “Mostar. It’s in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

“But that wasn’t in our plans,” I said begrudgingly.

“It is an intriguing place,” he said. You will not regret going there.”

“Fine,” I said, rolling my eyes. After my family and I got ready, we set off for Mostar from Dubrovnik. “This better be as good as they say it is,” I thought. However, once I got there, I was astonished by the beauty of the place and its history.

After we arrived, we headed to the bazaar. While we were walking there, I thought these markets were unique. In the U.S. people usually only shop at big, name-brand stores. Yet, here in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one strolls down forgotten alleyways and finds marvelous things. My mom always says, “Part of the fun of traveling is getting lost.” I never used to understand that saying when I was younger. However, I see what she means now 🙂

Another significant difference between life in the States and Bosnia and Herzegovina was the noticeably slower pace of life. No one was in a hustle to get anywhere. Locals were chatting with the shop owners, not worrying about getting somewhere as fast as possible. They savored each moment instead of always rushing to the next one. I admired that about the locals. The coronavirus pandemic, despite its many terrible effects, has had one silver lining. We have had an opportunity to slow down and enjoy time with our families. Walking down the alleys of Mostar taught me to live in the now and enjoy the present. Here is a picture of the bazaar.

After we had finished strolling through the bazaar, we went to the famous Old Bridge (Stari Most). It was super cool seeing the bridge. My parents told me that the bridge used to divide the Muslim side from the Christian side of Mostar. The Old Bridge was destroyed in 1993 during the Bosnian war. The Croatian forces shelled the bridge. After the war, reconstruction of the bridge began in 2002. The new bridge still looks as beautiful as the old one. I felt bad for the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, I was happy that they managed to pull out of those dark times and rose back up, just like the Stari Most.

After learning all about the history of the bridge, I saw something I had never seen before. People were diving off the bridge for money. It was quite a sight to behold. It was fascinating watching these people plunge into the Nervata River 25 meters below. I quickly looked it up and learned that there were actual bridge-jumping competitions in Mostar. I found that very cool.

After we watched people dive off the bridge, we headed back into the bazaar and walked to the Karađoz Bey Mosque. My dad told me that the top of this mosque had the most picturesque views of the Old Bridge. I became very excited about the mosque. Once we got to the mosque, my dad told me about the Muslim traditions. He told me that in a mosque one is not allowed to wear shoes. I also learned that Muslims put their heads against the floor to show respect for their God. I love to learn more about other cultures so this was quite interesting. This is why I love traveling so much 🙂 Then, we started to climb the stairs. After climbing up the tower for what seemed like days, we finally arrived. I was beginning to regret climbing all those stairs. However, once I saw the view, I realized all my hard work and toil was worth it. My dad was not kidding when he said the views were amazing from the top. I cannot describe it in words because it was so beautiful. Here is a picture.

After we had taken pictures of the mosque, we started walking back when I saw something unexpected. I spied bullet holes in the buildings next to us. After seeing that, I asked my parents why there were bullet holes in those buildings. They said it was due to the conflict. After looking it up I became sad. I learned that Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1992. Fighting between the Yugoslavian (JNA) forces and the Croatian and Bosnia and Herzegovina forces broke out and ravaged Bosnia and Herzegovina. Later, war between ethnic Croats and ethnic Bosnians broke out. The fighting added even more destruction to an already war-torn country. The war caused the bullet holes in those buildings. It also caused the Old Bridge to fall. The unthinkable suffering of this country made me sad. However, Bosnia and Herzegovina managed to bounce back. The rebuilding of the war-torn country began in 2002. I hope Bosnia and Herzegovina can continue to grow peacefully after suffering for so long.

Overall, I had a fun time in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I saw some cool and unique things. However, I also saw so much tragedy. My experiences there helped me grow as a person. I learned to try and understand other people before jumping to stereotypical conclusions about others. I hope we can all rebuild ourselves in a better way and rise back up. Like Bosnia and Herzegovina did in 2002. I strongly recommend that each of you should go to Mostar and Bosnia and Herzegovina and see what I am talking about for yourselves. I hope you all enjoyed my article. See you next time for more adventures from the traveling teen 🙂

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About Me

Hi guys! Welcome to the first post on my blog. I hope you like it.

About Me:

My name is Pranay and I am currently in high school. I created this blog because of my love for travel. After all, I have been to 18 countries despite only being 14! I have to admit, however, that I was not always a travel enthusiast. When I was younger, I would feel as if my parents were dragging me away from my friends to take me to unknown places. I thought they were doing this to make sure that I did not have fun :(. However, the COVID-19 outbreak has made me realize how much I love traveling. I miss traveling a lot right now. I hope we can go on vacation soon. Quarantine has made me realize that the expression “You never know what you have until it’s gone” is so true. However, some good has come out of this quarantine. I’m starting a travel blog now :). I hope that I can show other kids the beauty of traveling through this blog. Trust me, guys, there is more to life than school and Xbox 😜.

Traveling, to me, is learning about different cultures. I find it fascinating to experience how other people live in this big world. Additionally, seeing all these beautiful monuments in different places is truly special. The intricate details put into these historical monuments are amazing. It is hard to imagine the effort people put into building these monuments. Thoughts like this put into perspective how lucky we are to live in this day and age even though it may not seem like it right now.

Travelling is also about spending time with my family. Usually, my family and I are always busy with work and school. Traveling is a way for us to spend more time together. Going on vacations together has given me so many memories that I will treasure always. It is another part of why I love traveling so much.

My family is the greatest. My dad loves to crack jokes and is funny. My mom is super nice and loves to look out for me. Oh man, I just realized they are going to be reading this!! One of their favorite things to do is to plan trips. Don’t get me wrong I love to learn a little bit about the places we are going to before going there. However, it can get annoying at times. Especially when my dad cracks out his guidebook while we are viewing these cool places. He tells me way too much about the monuments we are going to see. Information overload, I say😜

My younger sister is just the worst sibling ever :). I’m just kidding. She is a great sister who can be annoying at times. She’s sweet and kind and a great person in general. While it is true I find her bothersome at times (particularly when she argues with me), I love her. Overall, my family makes for super travel companions.

That was my first ever post. I hope you enjoyed it. Come back later for more adventures and misadventures of “The traveling teen”! Bye for now! See you next time as we head to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Seahawks finally learned to fly again

One of my earliest memories in my Seahawks fandom was on January 10th, 2016. The Seahawks, coming off a Super Bowl loss to the Patriots in heartbreaking fashion, had an up-and-down regular season. Ultimately, they were unable to repeat as NFC West Division winners and went to Minnesota on the road in the first round of the playoffs. Up 10–9 with 26 seconds left in the game, it had plenty of memorable moments. Doug Baldwin had a one-handed snag over the middle of the field on a dart from Russell Wilson, and a botched snap led to an improbable completion to Tyler Lockett down the field. Ultimately, the game would not be remembered for these moments nine years later. With 26 seconds left and a wind chill of -25 degrees, the Vikings elected to kick a 27-yarder to win the game. However, as most of you know, Walsh missed the kick and sent the Seahawks to the divisional round, where Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers put up 31 points in the first half—enough to handle the Seahawks’ 24-point comeback effort.

Listen: Seahawks & Vikings Radio Calls of Minnesota Kicker Blair Walsh's Missed Field Goal — Blair Walsh misses a kick to send Seattle to Carolina.

As I stated before, this is one of my earliest memories of Seahawks football. I have no memory of Sherman’s tipped pass to win the 2013 NFC Championship Game over the 49ers or the 43–8 beating the Legion of Boom imposed on the best offense of all time. The miraculous comeback against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in the 2014 NFC Championship Game and the heartbreaking loss to the Patriots are all moments that are ingrained in Seattle sports folklore, yet I have no memory of them. I was much more interested in video games at the time (Kinect Adventures, anyone?) than sports.

NFC: Seahawks return to Super Bowl, top Packers in OT — Jermaine Kearse sends Seattle to the Super Bowl!

The Seahawks have been stuck in the same story for the past 10 years. An exhilarating and improbable win followed by a loss to a true championship contender. For my entire fan life, the Seahawks have been a mediocre football team. Most seasons, they would go a little over .500 and end up losing in the playoffs to a real contending team. Pete Carroll’s teams were up and down under Russell Wilson and Geno Smith, as both the QB play and the defense declined year over year starting in 2021. As I had written about countless times at the end of Pete Carroll’s tenure, something had to change. Every year felt like a repeat of the past. The team had no real direction, aimlessly wandering in the void of mediocrity. The Seahawks were the Steelers of the NFC, inching into the wild-card round and, in all likelihood, losing that game. Since 2017, the Seahawks had one playoff win. Eighteen teams have more playoff wins than the Seahawks over that same time span. Every single divisional opponent has made an NFC Championship Game since the Seahawks last made it, and the Rams have won a Super Bowl. This was a team going nowhere fast.

Seahawks watch best chance at NFC West title disappear in 42-7 dismantling at home by Rams | The Seattle Times — Todd Gurley breaks free from the Seahawks defense during a 42-7 blowout game at CenturyLink Field.

This left John Schneider, Seahawks GM, with a massive decision in front of him. He could continue down the same path, hoping desperately that somehow, somehow, things would change, or make the bold call to shake up what had been a solid team for a while. This started back in 2022, when Schneider finally got more control over personnel decisions regarding the roster. An inspired trade of franchise legend Russell Wilson, followed by a stellar draft consisting of Abraham Lucas, Coby Bryant, Charles Cross, Tariq Woolen, Boye Mafe, and Kenneth Walker. Since then, Seattle has continued to reshape the roster. Only specialists Michael Dickson and Jason Myers remain from that 2021 team. The 2022 team also only retains Seattle’s 2022 draft class, both specialists, and Uchenna Nwosu into 2025. The age of Russell Wilson carrying the team had passed, and a new way forward was needed.

Seattle is drafting objectively good players': Here's what the national media thinks of Seahawks' 2022 draft class | The Seattle Times — Charles Cross is drafted 9th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Eventually, it was clear that the Pete Carroll and Geno Smith experience needed change as well. Simply turning on the TV to watch the Raiders is more than enough proof of this. Middling seasons from the Seahawks forced John Schneider to again make the same tough decision: continue on in mediocrity or risk it all for a chance at something greater. Once again, Schneider made the right choices. He brought in Mike Macdonald, a defensive mastermind handpicked to counteract the innovative minds of Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay. He moved on from Russell Wilson, Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs, Bobby Wagner, and so many more franchise legends in the last few years. While these were all legends of the team and many are future Ring of Honor members, it was time to go and bring in fresh new players. Experienced veterans like DeMarcus Lawrence, Leonard Williams, Ernest Jones, and Julian Love on defense were brought in to restore the tough, physical identity of Seahawks defenses of the past. Players like Byron Murphy, Derrick Hall, and Devon Witherspoon were brought in as high-character, aggressive, and intelligent prospects who have turned into great players. Offensively, Klint Kubiak has come in and brought a clear vision and plan. Carroll always talked about running the ball to complete the circle on offense, yet Kubiak has actually realized the vision, bringing a productive outside-zone run game with an explosive play-action attack off it. Sam Darnold, JSN, Cooper Kupp, Rashid Shaheed, and Gray Zabel have transformed the offense into a great complement to a terrifying defense. The much maligned offensive line, the butt of many jokes, now is a top half unit. Even on special teams, Jay Harbaugh has turned what was a mediocre unit into one of the best in the league.

Sam Darnold Joins Seahawks Seeing 'An Opportunity To Do Something Special Here' — Sam Darnold, Mike MacDonald, and Klint Kubiak come in to remake the team

Seattle now sits at 15–3. They lost all three games by a combined nine points. They have the number one team per DVOA, earned the number one seed in the NFC, and are now hosting an NFC Championship Game. If they win, they face either an upstart but young Patriots team or a Broncos team with a backup quarterback. They have reached their first NFC Championship Game since 2014, won their first home playoff game since 2016, and recorded their first playoff win since 2019. Finally, this team is actually competing at a high level, and it’s a great feeling.

Rost: Seattle Seahawks dramatically flip script to beat Rams — AJ Barner celebrating with fans after a crazy OT game against the Rams

I remember growing up watching many games that would come down to the end. Random weekend games on rainy October afternoons that, in the end, didn’t really mean much in terms of progressing toward something more. There are countless videos of me pacing up and down my living room in Seattle in the last two minutes of a game—either watching Russell Wilson with the ball, trying to make magic happen and carry the team, or a porous defense playing bend-don’t-break football. Regular-season games against the Eagles in 2017, Chiefs in 2018, 49ers in 2019, and Rams in 2020 were the highlights of the year. Yet deep down, I always knew this was not a team that could realistically compete with the great teams. Even in 2019 and 2020, two of their best years, the hope was to maybe make a great run off a Wilson playoff heater. However, that was never the case. The team was never ready to compete with the best. They preached being a tough, physical, and complete team, yet were a finesse team reliant on their quarterback and receivers while paying money to safeties and linebackers. They were reliant on fluky heroics and kept games close even against bad teams. Mike Macdonald has gotten this team to play well in big games and beat teams they should. Instead of pacing the room hoping the Seahawks could stop the ghost of Cam Newton with LJ Collier in 2020 Week 2, I am now jumping up and down watching Shaheed score enough points to win a playoff game against the 49ers.

49ers-Seahawks: San Francisco stops Seattle to win in a wild finish - The Washington Post — Jacob Hollister stopped short of the end zone as the 49ers claim the number 1 seed in 2019

As I sit here today reflecting back on it all, I remember how I used to feel at the end of previous seasons. I was defeated, wondering if these teams would ever go anywhere, stuck in a rut. Yet the Seahawks have shown me that while change in life is scary and difficult, it’s necessary. A lot has changed in my life in the last year, and while not all of it seems great at first, it is all necessary. Growth is impossible without change—whether it be Seattle finally reaching an NFC Championship Game or any of us in our personal lives. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Change has led to the success we as sports fans so desperately crave, and now it is here.

Everybody Was Ballin'” As Seahawks Defense Shines In Week 6 Win Over Cardinals — The “M.O.B” defense celebrating after a turnover against the Cardinals

Oftentimes, my family and friends make fun of my obsession with this sport and this team. Yet I recently went to India to visit my grandparents and was reminded of where my love of sports came from—my Nani. She was an incredibly talented badminton player growing up, which is where her love of sports began. She may even be as much of a fanatic as me. Whether it be tennis Grand Slams, World Cup matches, or the Summer Olympics, she will watch everything. I still distinctly remember waking up at 2 a.m. to watch Katie Ledecky and Michael Phelps swim or eating dinner while watching PV Sindhu play badminton. Texting my Nani about the France–Argentina final or the Roger Federer–Andy Murray Wimbledon final—these are core memories I have from growing up and spending time with her. Learning to understand the tactical and mental sides of these games while marveling at the athletic talent on display is a unique feeling. Nobody knows how these events will end, and it is an incredible shared experience watching them live.

Mbappe v Messi: The FIFA World Cup 2022 Final — Messi and Mbappe pictured in the 2022 World Cup Final

Whether it be with my family at home or with 68,000 fans in Seattle registering seismic activity during “Speed Quake,” community is the best part of sports, and I hope all of you enjoy your communities as well. Win or lose tomorrow, I am proud of this Seahawks team for making the changes necessary to compete, and I will gladly sit and watch in anticipation with millions of fans waiting for that final whistle—hoping for a miracle run to continue just as it did on that cold day in Minnesota all those years ago.

Seahawks TE Eric Saubert traveled long way to become overtime hero | The Seattle Times — Eric Saubert scoring the game winning 2 point conversion

Until next time, Go Hawks!

Seahawks defense's fourth-down stops critical vs. 49ers | Four Downs | The Seattle Times — The “Dark Side” Defense turning the lights off on the 49ers season.

A Surprising Sophomore Year

What is the best time to post an end-of-year recap? Regardless of whatever your answer is, I guarantee you it is not as bad as doing so at the start of the next school year. Yet, here we are. This time, I am late for a few reasons. Outside of just being quite busy this summer, I wanted to take my time and really sit with the ideas on this post. As some of you may know, it’s been an interesting year for me so far. I decided to take some time and commit to doing what I always do on this blog, be genuine and positive on this blog. The internet especially is so full of negativity so today I hope to provide you all with a small break from that.

As all my friends from back home love to remind me, Purdue is located in the middle of nowhere. One does not often hear about people dying to visit West Lafayette, Indiana. Yet, there is something magical about having a home tucked away from the rest of the world. I recently watched the Bollywood movie Saiyaara. In the movie, the lead actress explains that saiyaara means shooting star in English, telling the lead actor to follow his dreams. At Purdue, I was blessed with the privilege of seeing the night sky light up with all the colors of the rainbow, much like how the main characters saw the night light up with a shooting star. Anxiously waiting in my friend’s car, we tried to find a place to pull over. After ironically pulling over next to a corn field, we got outside of the car. When I tell you that everything you have ever heard about the northern lights pale in comparison to the real thing, believe me. Each time I moved my phone, I saw a new color. Reds, greens, purples, yellows and everything in between made the night sky their canvas. It was truly spectacular and the pictures can not begin to describe the feelings we felt. I’ll never forget our initial excitement upon peering into the night, the fun pictures we took, and the laughs we shared under something truly unbelievable.

Readers of the blog know that I am a big fan of sports. My endless rants about the Seahawks cap allocation and draft strategy never fails to knock my parents and sister off to bed and a lot of my previous blog posts have talked about soccer players in the World Cup. Additionally, I have loved to play basketball with my friends ever since I was in 5th grade, even though I am not very good. Yet, despite this love of sports, I have never really been a big basketball fan. The first time I sat through a full length basketball game was when Purdue made the Final 4. However, when I saw that the Pacers were playing for quite cheap in Indianapolis and Purdue was offering a free shuttle to its Indy campus, I jumped at the chance to do so. It was nice to go on an outing with my friends that was not just on campus, as we were able to explore Indianapolis. City Hall was surprisingly stunning and there was a nice river walk next to campus. The midwest gave us a nice surprise with its colonial architecture and it was a cool side benefit. While the game ended up not being anything special as the Pacers were down by double digits late, it was still a cool experience. I can still remember the stupid jokes we made as we walked towards the stadium, lamenting the fact that West Lafayette is quite far from civilization. Plus, in hindsight, it was cool to see the team that became one of the most enjoyable and fun teams to watch in the postseason with clutch game winners from Haliburton throughout the playoffs. Who knows, if his achilles had not popped, maybe I could be here today bragging about seeing an NBA Champion Live! I am sure the state of Indiana would have erupted if that was the case, a sight I would like to see.

While fall semester was full of fun movie nights, impromptu karaoke sessions, dancing sky lights, and exciting basketball games, winter was a lot of work. Taking both an algorithms course and a systems programming course at the same time had me locked into my friend’s dorm lobby where we all spent many hours working hard on understanding these difficult concepts. Plus, having my algorithms class at 7:30 AM in the winter mornings with average temperatures at -20 degrees Fahrenheit did not help. Yet, as I have said many times before, life is not all about the big moments. To me, enjoying the small moments has always been important. Whether it be a small laugh about an inside joke about potatoes in the midst of doing NP-Complete Reductions or slowly losing our minds pulling an all-nighter for a hackathon, there are countless small moments with my friends that have made college exciting and fun. Watching my friend’s despair as he watched Jameson Williams throw an interception in a playoff game is still one of the funniest things I have seen. I hope that during tough times, all of you have a support network as strong as I have. I am very fortunate to have amazing friends in college, a loving family who will let me bother them at any and all hours of the day, and a group of friends from all over the country who I can talk to as if no time has passed since our last conversation. Despite my love of travel, I wanted to stay home for college. Yet, going out of state for college has been such a great experience for me and reminds me of why I started this blog. Trying new things, meeting new people, and visiting new places is important. I hope you all take risks and live life to the fullest because it is the only one we got. Boiler Up!

Munich

So my 2024 New Year resolution was to post more frequently on the blog. It is now 2025, and I want to talk about a trip from the summer of 2024! As you all can see, much progress has been made on these goals. However, as I sit in my apartment in the depths of hell (winter at Purdue), I would like to reminisce about a much more fun (and warm) time.

As I have said, one of my favorite things about Europe is the town squares in major cities. Upon arrival in Munich, we immediately headed to St. Michaelshof, a local market with many fresh ingredients, beautiful local wood cuttings, pretty baskets, and more. There was even a traditional German Biergarten in the middle, serving excellent food. As the growing teenager I am (for only a bit longer), I was quite ravenous. German bratwurst is 10000% the best in the world, and I was quite hungry after my flight, so devouring it took me no time. These little markets so common in Europe feel so few and far between in the states, and the vibes in them are immaculate. It feels like an old Disney movie where the main character picks up their ingredients to make the most delicious meal you have seen of all time. In Seattle, my mom goes to a market in Redmond, but there is nothing quite like the European markets with the cobbled roads beneath one’s feet, fresh food, and unique cultural souvenirs surrounding you. We eventually reached the main square of Munich, the Marienplatz. As my mom and dad were quite tired due to the warm temperatures, my sister and I explored the square, seeing fantastical fountains and cool shops all around. However, the highlight is certainly the clock tower located at the edge of the square. The clock is not only grand and an architectural marvel, but it also acts as a storytelling device too. With 2 different sections, the clock displays 2 stories 2 times a day for all to enjoy. The first, through the use of a rotating platform, tells the story of Duke Wilhelm V and Renata of Lorraine’s marriage in 1568 and the festivities that followed with knights parading flags around. The second portrays the story of overcoming a deep plague as citizens danced hearing of its end and eventually starting a traditional performance of the dance every 7 years. These stories of joy and triumph add so much character to this unique clock. Its design is covered in gold and medieval architecture despite being built recently in the 20th century. Overall, the square was such a highlight of our journey there.

As we continued to walk around, I was quite enthralled with the architecture of the place. There were so many bright colors and impressive buildings all around that even a simple stroll through the city was a mesmerizing experience. We even came up to a park at one point with music playing. Curious, my sister and I decided to check it out and found many old couples waltzing. It was such a beautiful moment, and after trying (and failing) to get my parents to join in on the fun, we all simply watched as they danced around. Many of them were quite old, above retirement age for sure, and were out enjoying their lives. They were all laughing and talking to each other in such a jovial tone, and it was just satisfying to see. My mom often complains about how the states do not have entertainment options for people her age and older, as many things are geared toward my age group of people. While she may just be having a mid-life crisis, I think there is some truth to it. As I watched people simply dancing and enjoying themselves, I wished that I would be a fun person at that age too. My sister, however, was quick to remind me that I could not even dance now, crushing my dreams. Still, I hope to be as cool as those people in my old age. Just being able to slow down, relax, and celebrate life is something I always love about traveling, and something I hope to do as I age.

As I have talked about before, I am a fan of both types of football. Turns out, the euros were going during our trip to Europe, and there was a Germany-Spain game that unfolded. As my dad had somehow managed to find an Indian restaurant immediately, we sat at this place close to our hotel. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food, as oftentimes Indian food from outside feels subpar compared to my mom’s abilities with a pot and pan. Yet, this was a really good meal, and I was quite thankful for it. However, what I really enjoyed was the game. As we saw in the game, many of the German fans began to lose hope in the team until Florian Wirtz scored an equalizing goal. The tension melted off their faces around us and was replaced by so much joy. Unfortunately, Mikel Merino put the Germans away at the death of the game, causing much anguish around us. Once again, something that struck me as interesting was the fact that the bar had not just men in it, but entire families gathered around watching the game with very little of the typical rage expected of sports fans (myself included). It felt super wholesome, and it was nice to see sports fans in this way, something I hope to be like myself. (Please, John Schneider, fix the OL. I will be at peace then).

It’s not just soccer that got my attention. One of my other favorite interests in the world is cars. While I am not as into cars as some car guys, my mind was captivated after seeing a red NASCAR glide across my screen when I was a child. Ever since then, I have loved cars. Eventually, I started playing the Forza games and learning more about them. The quality and class of German cars need no introduction. BMW, Porsche, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen all have roots in Germany. Turns out that BMW has a museum in Germany, and a childhood friend of mine told me to check it out once he heard that I was going to Germany. As car-obsessed as I was, I begged my parents to let us go, and they agreed quite easily. Unfortunately for them, they had no idea how long I could stay inside a museum of cars. From top-of-the-line track monsters like the BMW M4 GT3, rally demons like the 1987 BMW M3, sleek sedans like the M5, and cute little BMW Isettas, I was thrilled. Learning about the history of the BMW brand throughout the years was so exciting. Starting as an aerospace engine manufacturer, BMW quickly transitioned to motorcycles and eventually cars. The rich history of BMW in the racing business was exciting. The various videos of the old championship celebrations, the pictures of old race suits, and more brought out the kid in me. I swear I read every single slide that was there. It didn’t matter if it was racing clips, engine physics, clay modeling, pop culture facts, or anything else; I was entranced. Seeing the work BMW is doing on both electric and hybrid cars was also quite interesting, as I had never heard of hydrogen cars before this and was interested in how they work after this. Hopefully, the technology will become feasible in the future, as it seems like a great solution to the energy crisis. One of the highlights was sitting on top of their motorcycles. I could almost imagine the wind blowing as I ripped past the competition around a difficult track. Alas, I was definitely not given the reaction time necessary to be a racecar driver and had to hop off. One of the highlights outside of seeing all these cars I had used in Forza before was seeing Elvis Presley’s BMW, which was only recently fully restored and kept in the museum after years of being tracked down. The King of Rock and Roll certainly knew how to drive in style, and it was a surreal experience seeing his car there. I could talk about that museum for years, but to not bore all of you, I will move on.

As we prepared to leave Munich for Austria, we took a tour of the German countryside. Last year, I said nothing in the world could match the Tuscan countryside’s rolling hills. However, the German countryside certainly did come close. Even as someone from Seattle, the amount of greenery surrounding me was quite something. Everywhere was a new shade of green, dotted with stunning churches and flowing rivers across the land. It seemed like it was straight out of a movie. In fact, we came upon a church that reminded me of the one shown in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge where SRK prays for Kajol. As has become tradition, I took a photo hitting the iconic Shah Rukh Khan pose near it, feeling as if I was him in the movie. Unfortunately, I am not a world-famous movie star, but I did get to continue seeing the rest of the countryside. The Ramsauer Ache, the church, and the overcast sky combined to give quite a moody yet graceful shot. My mom was excited and was reminded of The Sound of Music, even playing songs from the movie as we drove through while Tujhe Dekha To played in my head. It was simply wonderful.

Overall, Munich is one of my favorite places. From the stunning scenery, the exciting football, the fast cars, and the beautiful architecture, it had everything I could ever want in a place. 2024 was a rough year for many members of my family, and I was glad we were able to get away from all that with this trip. Oftentimes I talk about how traveling allows me to not just connect with the people in my life but also be away from screens, work, and the daily routines where it feels impossible to think of time in months and years, simply as Monday to Friday. In fact, that is part of what motivated me to write today. This blog is a place for me to take a step back and reflect. As I write about my journeys to faraway places and the wanderlust that overcomes me, I also get to reflect on the small moments: playing chopsticks with my sister as we wait in a hotel lobby, the excitement my mom feels when she sees a pretty flower on the side of the road, the curiosity my dad displays about the history of the most minute details, the funny jokes about a picture I sent to my Purdue friends from across the planet, and so much more. This place on the internet allows me to reflect on the people in my life, the history, and the culture of people different from me, the joy of discovering new things, and I appreciate it a lot. I hope the few of you who do read this find that same place for yourselves where moments of reflection take priority over instant gratification. Germany was a place of almost ethereal beauty, and I am so glad I got to see it. Until next time on Pranay’s Seattle Departures!

Fresh Off Freshman Year

After what had felt like a two-week stretch that had taken years off my life, I was finally where I had wanted to be this entire time. The sun was shining and the clouds were seemingly parting just for this very moment. The sounds of people loading their suitcases into the bottom of the bus with the bus driver yelling at people to be faster filled my ears. As I hopped around on my one leg up the stairs at the bus, I felt the stress wash away. It had been an incredibly stressful finals week. Lots of yelling had happened about different problems and many hours were spent staring at my computer hoping this YouTube video would be the last one I watched about counting and probability. To add to all of that, my reputation for being the clumsiest person alive was proven to be correct. I had hit my foot at an awkward angle on the curb of the road and sprained it the day before my flight, leading to a 2 AM trip to the urgent care and a late night for me and two of my friends. A lot had happened and I was excited to go back home to see the friends and family I loved.

Yet, those feelings were gone at that moment. As I looked down from the steps of the bus, I saw the people who had made this year so special. It’s funny how much can change in a year. 2 of them had stayed with me all night at the urgent care, entertaining me with stories as I was in pain and quite a bore to be around. I had gone from simply attempting to begin a project with 3 of them for a club called Google Student Developers to friends who had stuck by me for an entire year. 2 of them were the only ones that could rival my Boba obsession, although I may be more addicted to it at this point. 1 of them was actively carrying my backpack up the bus with me due to my injury, refusing to let me even wear it and go up white on my crutches. These people, and so many more, were most importantly, my friends. They had been there for me when I needed them. They had made this place where I used to be overjoyed to fly away from home. Much like it’s the people that make a house a home, it’s the friends made in university that make it a college. From playing pool in the basement (which I am still somehow horrible at), to movie nights in the lounges, to making ramen at 2 AM in the kitchen, I have had a lot of these small moments with these people that mean so much to me. Sure, big events like going ice skating and seeing a zoo were cool, but true friends are made in the mundane moments, the everyday walks to lunch, the complaining about the squirrel lecture our C professor showed us, or the time spent in the line together at Qdoba, these are the moments which make college special, and I am lucky I was able to share it with these people from across the world. Whether it was playing basketball with my friends from my first CS class after our math final or watching Jamal Murray hit a game-winner over Anthony Davis as we desperately tried to understand linear transformations, every moment was special.

While it is nice making new friends, I have to thank my old friends as well. Many late nights were spent talking about just absolute nonsense (but it was still highly entertaining). The frequent boba runs during high-pressure weeks were always a joy as were the random walks at night to find new buildings to explore. You all reminded me of home while I searched for a new home there.

Just as the clouds were parting that day, I was parting from my friends too. As I waved bye to my friends from Redmond, Carmel, Pittsburgh, Edison, Cupertino, Dallas, London, and Sri Lanka, I couldn’t help but smile at how far I had come. I came to Purdue as a boy away from home for the first time and was nervous about what lay ahead. I left my freshman year a man, thankful for his time here. Boiler Up!

Dublin

New year, new me. Hopefully, my posts will be a little more frequent this year and not as rare as seeing the sun in Seattle. However, there was certainly no lack of sunshine on my trip to Italy last year. Yet, after my time in Tuscany, my family and I went to Ireland for a few days before heading back home. What was supposed to be a quick stop before heading home turned into one of my favorite places on the entire planet. Dublin, Ireland was truly very special.

Landing in the airport, I was not expecting much given that this was a small detour essentially on the way home from arguably my favorite place to travel to, Italy. However, I was immediately surprised by just how modern and clean the airport and the surrounding area were. Everything seemed out of a futuristic movie. Large glass walls, sleek white floors, tall ceilings, and much more. My first thought seeing all of this was just “Wow. This is probably the most impressive airport I have seen in a long time”. My second thought was “Ugh this looks a little too much like school”, which I did not want to go back to. The beauty of the postmodern Irish architecture extended beyond the airport. The malls around us, the average store, the restaurants, and more were all sleek and very modern. This is partly because many businesses are moving to or being created in Ireland due to low corporate taxes, spurring the economy forward. Yet, it wasn’t just the man-made beauty that captivated my eyes. The natural beauty of Ireland was also something I was not expecting. The grass, the trees, and the overall greenery were something else. While certainly not as breathtaking as the Tuscan scenery, Ireland felt much more homey (probably because I live in the Evergreen State) and was certainly spectacular in its own right.

Walking around Dublin, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine the kings of old strutting around on their horses among the cobbled streets beneath your very feet with the peasantry crowding up the very same sidewalk where a mother is now attempting to get her baby off of Cocomelon. The cobbled streets, the old architecture, loud Irish music, and all make the place feel timeless, almost out of a movie. Yet, these streets are about as old as the first Top Gun movie. This is because of the years of British colonization destroying the beautiful history and architecture of the place. The Great Irish famine is infamous but there were obvious other factors in British colonization that raised the beautiful city to the ground. Even after colonization ended, a civil war broke out in 1969, preventing Ireland from developing economically and losing some of the historic monuments of its time. However, the city, like the Irish often do, manages to find light in this. One pub said it was founded in the year of our lord 2002, an obvious joke about the rebuilding of the area. Ireland has turned what was once a place of tragedy and colonization into arguably the most bustling place in Europe with lively music, pub atmosphere, cobbled streets, and tourists such as myself filling it all up.

Another one of my favorite places in Ireland is the Malahide castle. While I had seen such castles before, the greenery surrounding it was what truly made this one in particular special. It felt like it was right out of Downton Abbey. Once again, the Irish had done it up very well. There was a train that would take you around the park it was located in, adding some fun excitement for the little ones. The park’s greenery was very well maintained and it truly felt like the perfect combination of man-made and natural beauty complimenting each other. I even managed to see a peacock not far off from the castle! Ya, a real peacock! It was amazing, to say the least. Certainly helped make the wait for my VERY SLOW parents a lot more exciting. 🙂

Lastly, my true favorite place in all of Ireland is Trinity College. Specifically, the tour of the Book of Kells. While I am usually not an art/museum person, I was quite fascinated by the way that such a book was created (go figure I want to be an engineer). For those of you who don’t know, it is one of the most magnificent and extravagant Latin manuscripts ever produced. It contains 4 Gospels of the New Testament in a very intricate and beautiful manner. It is remarkable in its attention to detail for every single page, with even the tiniest image having some sort of biblical meaning. It truly is a work of art and it is incredibly impressive, especially for something made in 800 AD.

Outside of the tour of the book, the college was very impressive as well, with the library seemingly straight out of Harry Potter with the wooden architecture, the historical display cases, and the busts of seemingly every prominent historical scientist ever. I half expected to see a portrait move and talk to me or have a giant man come and yell “You’re a wizard Pranay”. Sadly, none of this happened and I remained a Muggle 😞. However, the very impressive library made up for this fact and it was incredible to see all this knowledge in one room.

While I had certainly not expected Ireland to be one of my favorite places, it ended up being one. There was a bit of everything in the city. Big modern buildings with a massively growing economy simultaneously fit into the cobbled European streets and rivers filled with loud Irish music and bars. Dublin is truly a unique city and one I will never forget and I hope that I can visit it again someday. Maybe I can study abroad there at University College Dublin, even! Either way, I’ll catch you next time on Pranay’s Seattle (or Purdue) Departures! Boiler Up!

Purdue

If you had told me 2 years ago that I would be in West Lafayette, Indiana, I would have called you crazy. Yet, here I am today, sitting in my dorm after the first week of classes, writing a blog post about it all. Even though it has only been 2 weeks of living on campus, a lot has happened that I am excited to share with you all!

Last summer, I went to Chicago to attend the Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference (which I wrote about here!). On this trip, I visited Purdue. I found the surrounding location to be less than optimal, to say the least. Yet, I ended up liking the campus overall. It is an old campus, but there is a certain charm to it all. The greenery on campus reminded me of home. Little did I know that just a year later I would call this place home.

My orientation group before the fountain run

When we landed this time, I had very few expectations. Endless cornfield jokes from my friends, the fear of living on my own, the fear of losing connections with the people I cared about, and more. Change is scary, and I was afraid. This fear had paralyzed me, and I was afraid to accept this place as my future. I was stuck living in the past, not prepared for the future.

However, I have begun to find my footing here. The campus is beautiful and the greenery reminds me of home. The old buildings from the Civil War era are intertwined and mixed with innovative modern buildings that paint a beautiful canvas. As a Seattlite who once asked my mom what the sun was as a baby, the constant sun is a welcome sight for sure (although the heat is excessive at times). It’s a beautiful place and while it isn’t quite home yet, it is wonderful.

As I recently became an adult, figuring out things has been a little challenging. On my first day of class, I almost missed my Physics class while on my second day, I got off at the wrong bus stop. I even called my dad right before he was boarding the plane to ask him about laundry (even though I had done laundry before). I have skipped a meal or two. It feels like I am caught in a hurricane of things happening to me right now and am simply struggling to hold on, whether it’s exciting or not is up to how well I adjust.

What has made this experience for me so far is the friends I have made already on campus. My orientation group has managed to stick together while most others fell apart, and it has done wonders for my transition into life on campus. I have met people from all across the United States and the world of varying different backgrounds whom I never would have met if I hadn’t come specifically to this school. As an Indian American from Seattle majoring in Computer Science, most of my friends have been people exactly like me throughout my life. For the first time since I started middle school, I have had to make new friends, and am so thankful that I have. These wonderful people have helped make the transition to school better and have helped me acclimate to Purdue.

Now, as I sit in my room looking at a wall of pictures of the most important people in my life, I no longer view it as a painful reminder of home. I view it as a way to keep me connected to my home as I carry them with me in my life. As I begin my journey into adulthood, I hope to live life to the fullest. It’s truly a miracle that any of us are alive and it is up to us to make the most of it for those that aren’t here. At Purdue with my fellow Boilermakers, I will achieve this goal. Boiler Up and Hammer Down!

The iconic Shah Rukh Khan pose in front of the famous Purdue sign

Seattle

As most of you can tell by not only my blog name (Pranay’s Seattle Departures), and my various posts on the Seattle Seahawks, Seattle is my home. For essentially my entire life, I have lived in the same house in Seattle. Now I enter into the world of adulthood, leaving not only my home but my childhood behind as I look forward to attending Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. As I live in this transition phase of my life, I find it only appropriate to write a blog post about my favorite place, home.

Being a resident of the Pacific Northwest comes with all sorts of stereotypes. Yes, I do complain about the gray weather and rain every day while still making fun of those who purchase the travesty that is an umbrella. Yes, I do wear a hoodie, jeans, and sneakers at all times, prepared for the unexpected hike I may embark on. Yes, I do lose all common sense whenever Mt. Rainier is visible on a sunny day. Finally, yes, I do love to hike.

Speaking of hiking, it became our family’s favorite pastime during the COVID-19 pandemic. It felt like every day we got up to go to someplace to see the elusive Mt. Rainier. I am pretty sure my mom has more pictures of Rainier than of my sister and me ;). Hiking was our way to escape during the pandemic. It allowed us to physically escape the confines of our homes but also escape the mental prison COVID seemed to have put us all in. Either way, while I did often complain about the early mornings when we did go, I certainly did not complain about the views. Seattle is full of natural beauty. The hikes we went on were full of greenery, the trees and plants a reminder of the beauty of mother nature. Sure, while some people may fake fun of the hiking frenzy that is ingrained into PNW culture, I find it to be a way to respect nature, a reminder of the way things used to be. I will certainly miss the natural wonder the PNW gives me.

It’s not just the place that is special to me, it’s the people too. From going with my friends to downtown Seattle late at night, to goofing off with them in class, my school friends have been integral to my life. Playing Kahoot in my CS and Spanish classes was one of my favorite memories. From watching the world cup in my English class to playing card games during lectures in my US History, to blasting Bollywood Music during my Biology class, I certainly goofed off a fair bit. I especially loved making fun of the Giants to my AP World History Teacher, (except when the Seahawks lost to them that year). However, by far, my favorite memories in school all occurred during lunch. Laughing with (and sometimes at) my friends was a highlight of my day. Every dumb joke always seemed significantly funnier when made in front of friends sitting around the lunch table. The amount of dumb videos recorded never ceases to amaze me. Sure, I always complained about going to school every day. Yet, looking back, I will never forget the friends I made along the way. A significant portion of my friends are attending the University of Washington, and I wish them all the best of luck. I will miss all of them.

I certainly do care about all my friends. However, I have 4 friends who are essentially my family. I practically grew up with them. Ever since my family moved to Seattle when I was 6 months old, I have known these people. I could not have asked for a better set of people in my life. From the dumb variations of lava monsters we played in the park, the sleepovers where we annoyed the aunties a little too much, the screaming matches over Monopoly and Settlers of Catan, the name games played during meals, and the keep-up balloon league which was our version of the Super Bowl and so many more memories that will last me a lifetime. Truly, they are like my family, and leaving them behind is maybe the hardest part of leaving for Purdue. I hope to not only take the memories of the past with me but hope to make new ones in the future with these great people.

Finally, a tribute to the people that matter most in my life, my actual family. My dad came to this country and worked incredibly hard to get where he is today. The opportunity to attend a college like Purdue would not have been possible without him. He has worked so hard to give me this opportunity and I hope to make him proud. His sense of humor, love for sports, and work ethic are all things that I love him for and I will dearly miss him in Purdue. My mom is special to me. She gave up an amazing career to raise me. Her kindness and love are second to none. Her self-confidence and assertiveness inspire me to be a better person. The entire reason I have this travel blog is because of her. Her blogging and encouragement inspired me to start this website, and I love her so much for it. She truly is the best mom in the world. While I am sure she will never fail to bother me from Seattle while I am in Purdue, I will miss her as well. Last but not least, my sister. During my graduation party, she gave a rather demeaning speech about me to my friends. However, because I am a bigger person (literally and figuratively), I will not do the same here. My sister is a little bundle of energy in my life, Her smile brightens up the house. Her creativity and artistic talent are inspiring. While she can be a nuisance sometimes, I do love her and will miss her bugging me. I have been given the best family one could ask for, and I love them all dearly.

I am going to miss home. The places that I know and love, the friends I have made along the way, and the loving family I have are going to be dearly missed. Yet, change is necessary. I have traveled the world and never lived anywhere else but home. Purdue will allow me to grow, to learn, to become an adult. Sure, leaving the people behind will hurt. However, I need to leave the bubble of home and childhood and grow into a true adult. It’s time for Pranay’s Seattle Departures to depart for the cornfields of Purdue University! I’ll see you all from West Lafayette, India. Boiler Up!