A broken-hearted artist with OCD, anxiety, and a Rapunzel complex is moving to Romania to follow a dream rooted in Vlad the Impaler, Gothic history, and a man named Samuel. This is her diary.
When a Thirteen-Year-Old Fell in Love with Vlad the Impaler
When I was thirteen years old, my history teacher handed us five countries to explore. The class chose Romania — mostly out of fascination with Dracula.
But not me.
My teacher, an unsung hero in my story, taught us the truth. Vlad Țepeș. Vlad the Impaler. Vlad Drăculea — the real-life ruler of Wallachia. The terrifying protector of his land and people. A man written in blood and immortalized by fear.
That lesson cracked something in me open. I needed more. I needed him — and not the vampire. The real man. The legend.
I ran to the library and devoured everything I could find on Romania. Its medieval history. Its haunted landscapes. Its resilience. Its stories.
And for the next twenty-five years, I carried Romania in my black heart like a fairy tale I wasn’t allowed to live.
Because you see — I was Rapunzel.
Only instead of a wicked sorceress, my tower was built from OCD, agoraphobia, cardiophobia, paranoia, silence, and a cocktail of things yet to be named.
The outside world felt like a monster.
I stayed locked away.
But now the tower’s starting to crack.
Why I’m Moving to Târgoviște, Romania in September
The Dream Is Becoming Real
After decades of feeling trapped, I’ve made a terrifying, exhilarating decision:
I’m moving to Romania this September. To the historic city of Târgoviște — a place that once served as the capital of Wallachia.
I’m bringing my emotional support dog. I’m selling everything I own. I’m learning Romanian (word by word — 500 minimum, 1,000 if I can). I’m documenting the entire journey through a Gothic Fairy Tale Diary on WordPress, SubStack, Kickstarter, Patreon, and social media.
Because this is no ordinary move.
This is my “Once Upon A Time.”
This is my “Happily Ever After.”
This is my escape from the tower.
Gothic Bite Magazine Will Evolve in Romania
As the founder of Gothic Bite Magazine, I know this journey is more than personal. It’s professional. It’s transformative.
Romania is the perfect home for a platform that celebrates gothic folklore, monsters, legends, medical oddities, and all things darkly magical. Living there means:
I’ll be closer to the heart of stories like the Hoia Baciu Forest, Poenari Castle, Corvin Castle, and the Carpathian Mountains.
I’ll be able to document real folklore, haunted locations, and gothic history firsthand.
GBM will evolve into something more immersive, visual, and hauntingly beautiful.
A Fairy Tale Romance with Samuel
But what’s a fairy tale without a prince? Here comes someone special to me…Samuel.
He’s Romanian. He’s kind. He’s strong. And he’s part of this journey. Not just as a friend or travel companion, but as a figure that reminds me maybe fairy tales aren’t lies.
Maybe they’re just stories we haven’t finished writing yet.
This diary will feature him, too—in real moments, not fantasies. In train rides, miscommunications, shared silences, Gothic landscapes, and heartbeats I haven’t felt in years.
A prince doesn’t have to slay dragons. Sometimes he just waits outside the tower, patiently, until you’re brave enough to climb down.
Escaping the Tower: Mental Health and Travel
This Is Not a Perfect Story
I am not following an influencer.
You’re following a woman who is flawed, overwhelmed, haunted, creative, impulsive, and often scared.
I have severe social anxiety. I have OCD and a little psychosis. I have fears I can’t always name.
But I also have hope — and bravery — and stories burning inside me.
This isn’t just travel.
It’s rebirth.
It’s gothic and raw and cinematic and sometimes messy.
It’s also 100% real.
How You Can Join the Journey
Starting this week, you’ll be able to support the journey in three ways:
💀 [Kickstarter Campaign – Launching mid-June] to help fund the move and document everything from castles to forests to folklore.
🖤 [Patreon] for exclusive fairy tale entries, behind-the-scenes videos, and updates from Romania.
🩸 [SubStack & Medium] to follow my Gothic Fairy Tale Diary every week — a mix of raw truth, romanticism, and eerie beauty.
If you’ve ever felt like the broken princess in the wrong story…If you’ve ever wanted to disappear into the fog and find yourself on the other side…
Countdown to the Gothic Rebirth
Then come with me. Let’s walk into the woods together. Because the countdown has begun: 19 weeks until I leave.
The Tower Cracks.
Romania awaits.
Gothic Bite Magazine 
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