From JuJu with Love

I’ve never been someone who shops for extravagant souvenirs when I travel. You won’t find designer bags or sparkling jewels tucked into my suitcase. Instead, I hunt for tiny treasures — little trinkets that hold big memories. They sit on my shelves and windowsills, tucked into corners of my home, each one whispering a story from somewhere far away.

There’s the delicate glass giraffe I brought home from South Africa — fragile, elegant, and a little bit whimsical, just like the giraffes I watched grazing across the savannah. Every time I see it, I’m transported back to that moment: the warm air, the golden light, and the awe of realizing just how big and beautiful the world really is.

In Morocco, I wandered through the winding alleys of the medina and stopped to watch an artist at work. He used a flame and indigo, saffron, green tea and sugar and he transformed a blank canvas into a vibrant desert scene. I stood there for the longest time, mesmerized. When I bought the painting and carefully carried it home, it wasn’t just art — it was a memory of being present in that moment, soaking in the life of the city.

There’s also a tiny ceramic car from Cuba — playful, bright, and joyful. It still makes me smile.

But my most meaningful souvenirs are tied to my mom.

When my mom died nearly 15 years ago, I discovered that she had quietly been collecting teacups and teapots. Some were dainty and floral, others bold and charming, each with its own character. I’d never realized how much love and intention she poured into this sweet little collection.

Now, everywhere I travel, I look for a teacup or teapot to add to hers — now our collection.

It feels like a conversation across time.

A way of bringing her with me.

Sometimes they’re mismatched. Sometimes they’re chipped. None are fancy. But each one connects my love of travel with my love for her. When I travel the globe and pick a teacup from a shelf in some store, it’s like sharing a quiet moment together — wherever I am in the world.

These souvenirs may be small, but they hold entire chapters of my life. They remind me that the best treasures aren’t valuable because of what they cost — but because of the memories they carry, the people they connect us to, and the journeys that shape who we are.

From giraffes to teacups, trinkets to paintings, my home has become a museum of tiny reminders:

I was there.

I lived that moment.

I carry it still.

And that, to me, is the most beautiful souvenir of all.

From Juju, with love 💙✈️