Osmond Wu

choosing 9 pics felt impossible

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Usually, I capture the essence of my trips right after they happen, scribbling away on the plane ride back to Copenhagen. While I jotted down fleeting thoughts during our island-hopping downtimes, I couldn’t fully commit my feelings to paper when the trip ended. I just didn’t know where to start. It was too daunting trying to recount a trip when every moment felt so special. Part of me didn't want to admit that our magical journey was over. I needed time to let it all settle. This wasn’t just any beach vacation—it was a gathering of souls, each of us drawn together by some serendipitous pull that all began in Brig.

This trip felt like a time vessel. We operated not only on island time but literally outside of time itself. No matter if it’s diving into musical rabbit holes until 3 am; bruising our arms from trying to get 50, 60, 70, 100 rallies in beach volleyball; planking on the Naxian beach to “Kill This Love” by Black Pink; or endlessly chatting about our ideal “type” in the Athens airport. Time ceased to exist at almost every moment of our trip.

I genuinely have never laughed so damn hard for 10 days straight in my life. I felt like a kid again. I’d say I’ve become quite good at feeling present with nature, but this presence was entirely different—it was a feeling of my spirit being freed. No thought passed my mind other than just wanting to be engrossed with the people I was with. Everything felt strikingly real—the delicious Greek foods felt real, our conversations felt real, even our questionable wines felt somewhat real… I felt real.

Our dynamic was something special. We died over brain-rotting 2010 youtube references spearheaded by George and Kirsten and then seamlessly 180’ed to philosophical seminars thanks to Nolan’s socratic questioning. I’ve never really been able to express both my humor and introspection simultaneously—one always gave way to the other. But here, it felt perfectly balanced, like something unlocked inside me. I had every right to think and act as my real self. We all had the duality of the goofy and the inquisitive that allowed us to effortlessly express and understand each other. This free-spirted feeling…I must find a way to keep this feeling fresh. How do we zip lock it? 🙊

The 10 days we spent together were perfect for getting a true glimpse of each other. We saw how each of us operated 24 hours from waking to sleeping. We began the trip not as best friends who already understood each other, but it was this very dynamic that left room for curiosity and the opportunity to connect deeply. Somehow, everything felt like it fell into place at the right time. Our lives crossed paths at this precise moment when we were most ready to meet each other during our semester abroad. This serendipitous concoction felt like it was orchestrated by some unspoken understanding, each of us playing our part naturally. When the twins needed to recharge, conversations would naturally taper off and George and I would relocate to yap about some hong kong shit while Nolan would sit cross-legged in the metro grinding his Ushr interview. Our dynamic felt as fluid and natural as the oceans in front of us.

Humor was our greatest asset; we always found ways to inject life into everything we touched. Whenever someone cracked a joke, it lightened any tension immediately. Despite Poseidon messing with the sea and forcing us to cancel our ferry to Paros twice (ffs), we never really felt stressed—except for Kirsten's panicked realization that she “never saw the popup 😳” It almost felt like whatever we did didn’t even matter—as long as we were all together, we would have the best time. Our superpower was our ability to bring the feeling of home to the foreign seas. Don’t believe? We played Don’t fuck your brother in the Mediterranean Sea…🍾🤪

Greece was the perfect place for our friendships to cultivate. The islands provided gorgeous scenery and unmatched tranquility. The Greek islands were the theatre for our group to perform. We didn’t feel pressured to visit every landmark; instead, we found our own landmarks on the relaxed beaches, where we played volleyball for 6 hours straight and day drank to our hearts' content. Our spirits could roam free because of this very calming and beautiful nature. This same sense of freedom carried over to Copenhagen, where we wandered the city without a specific purpose, other than to drown ourselves in coffee and pastries. The city became our playground, and we danced through it with a free spirit.

Throughout this trip, new friendships were formed, and old friendships were strengthened. My bond with George has truly crystallized. We spent more time than we’ve ever combined, vulnerability came naturally and I got to take the time to pick his brain without him even knowing. Despite only meeting during study abroad, George and I have gotten to deeply know each other and our demons… Nolan—this trip made me realize how much I actually care about this mongrel. I genuinely wanted his hard work to pay off and was so happy and proud to see him make progress with his interview. I respect his tenacity, ability, and discipline to juggle between a serious career opportunity while also having unserious fun with his mates. Nolan’s Socratic questioning never ceases to amaze how great of a listener he is. Kirsten—I thought I knew Kirsten decently before this trip but I was so wrong. She is peculiarly thoughtful, an agent of chaos. 2 things impressed me about Kirsten. 1) her effortlessly breaking down the past decade of musical trends and forming her own prediction on what’s about to come 2) her wanting her enemy to be 1 of the 3 people she can only ever speak to again 😭. Aubrey—I didn’t know Aubrey very well before this trip, but I realized how similar we are. She is authentic, a professional people watcher, a terrible wine opener, and a deep thinker. I love how she knows what she wants in life but is honest about admitting the unknown. Her laughs are contagious and I was genuinely so impressed when I saw her handcrafted diary—a unique way of recounting her memories. The twins rocked my wardrobe so well that it made me existentially realize that my closet wore me…(sorry George, you looked good too…dictator 😗).

As im writing this though, im afraid i’ll forget… i don’t want to. i wanna look back and savor every single moment of this beautiful trip. so heres my attempt to hold onto some of my favorite memories ❤️

Movie-like reveal 😱 Hopping on a motorboat sleep-deprived after spending the night in the Athens airport, George (our skipper) guided us around the coast of Milos as we marveled at the beautiful coves and crystal clear water. A crazy moment was when we dove into the refreshing waters with a hint of coldness sending a rush of adrenaline throughout our bodies. We swam and swam. As our heads escaped the water, we saw literal a cinematic reveal of the beautiful, mighty, coastal cove. We were surrounded by the most beautiful towering cliffs accompanied by some disturbing mossy-ass grandma-feeling rocks tickling our feet. We all looked at each other in awe and laughter echoed through the chamber, a moment of childlike madness and excitement. This was the very moment where we silently knew this trip was going to be something special.
Moon rocks 🌚 The Sarakiniko Beach was extraterrestrial. A similar moment to the coastal cove reveal, we hiked up the top of the mountain cliff and marveled at the insane view of the ocean. The herculean winds made the ocean feel alive and breathing. This was the most beautiful snapshot of nature I’ve ever seen. Everyone got their SZA moment as we sat over the ledge of the towering cliffs and felt one with Mother Nature.
Infinite wine 🍷 After eating seafood for 4 consecutive days, we we’re all quite done tbh…but amid our fatigue, Aubrey suggests the most MVP idea of all time. Why don’t we just fill the restaurant pitcher with our own wine we brought from the groceries?! Absolutely genius, and so we did, and just like that life was sparked back into our dinner. Another testament to us bringing banter and joy wherever we go.
Majestic views 🏞️ Driving up the narrow roads filled with white houses, we arrived at OKTA, a beautiful restaurant with a majestic view of Milos from the hills. We were the restaurant’s first customers of the season! We lounged, soaked in the sun, and just shot the shit hours on end over the beautiful backdrop of Milos with some semi-cheesed house rosé (nice one Kirs).
Tanning at our roof. This was a memorable one for me. I realized that I was the only only-child. Aub and Kirs were twins, Nolan has a twin, and George has an older bro. It was here that I profoundly realized how my upbringing affected the way I saw friendships. At that very moment, I envied the thought of having someone unconditionally by my side.

Copenhagen mems (sorry Nolan):

The Danish dog 🌭: Kirsten was shook when she first saw the Danish 711 hotdog LOL
Life changing eggs: Per Emiel’s recommendation, we ordered the classic and chili spicy eggs at Seks. Although the eggs cost like 15 dollars per plate, they were life-changingly buttery and smooth. Their eggs became my roman empire.
Free-riding a game of Catan. We straight up just sat at a board game cafe, bought no drinks and played a 2 hour game of Catan. It was so interesting to see the competitive juices sparked again. But this time it was a free-for-all, nothing like our team-spirited volleyball rallies #roadto100 #wediditfornolan.
Gin and tonic… 🤢 holy shit. trying to down that moldy-ass looking Gin and tonic with the blacked mint leaves before going into musty-ass Château Motel for like 15 minutes before leaving to go home. Not what I imagined our Saturday night out to be like in CPH… I can still taste the lingering scent of that disgusting potion.
Biking in serenity 🌙 🚲. Night biking in the empty streets of Copenhagen while listening to Moon River is a sacred experience. Being able to share this beautiful ritual to this special group brought tears to my eyes. As we neared the end of the bike ride, I was reminded that we also neared the end of our trip… I slowed my bike down and moved to the end of the pack so I could keep a mental snapshot of our free-spirited souls roaming—once last time—in the very city I’d fallen in love with.

As I reflect on this beautiful journey, I realize that Brig was the appetizer, setting up Greece as the main course that left all of us craving for just a little more. Will there be a dessert that can satiate this craving? What could possibly come next? This trip, these amazing people, unlocked my spirit for the first time in 21 years. I can literally close my eyes and still smell the pure joy and reign of my free spirit. But now, I’m hooked, forever chasing that same sense of complete freedom.

Part of me wonders what was the cost of indulging in this beautiful journey. Now that we know how it feels, I am scared—what if I can’t get this feeling back? What if things change amongst this group? What if all of it was just a product of being in the right place at the right time? The post-trip blues hit so hard because it feels like a part of my soul got left behind, locked in those perfect, golden Greek moments.

started in Naxos, Greece, and finished in Copenhagen, Denmark

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Greek Freaks