When I was in high school, I had the chance to visit Germany, Austria, and Switzerland with my German class. That trip changed everything for me. I worked three jobs that summer just to make it happen, and it was worth every single moment. I might have had my first real beer in Germany at 18 (don’t tell my parents), and we definitely picked the worst spot not to get caught—the only café on the way down from Neuschwanstein Castle. Oops. But that first taste of Europe left me absolutely sure of one thing: the world is too big not to explore.
In college, my love of travel grew even more. Of course, I studied International Politics—what else? I was certain I’d never live in the U.S. again. My years at American University opened up the world to me in ways I hadn’t imagined. I learned about cross-cultural communication, listened to perspectives that challenged my own, and broadened my understanding of the world. During my junior year, I spent a semester studying the EU during its expansion in 2004. We visited all the countries set to join, and I lived with a German/Dutch family. Let’s just say…it was a cultural experience I’ll never forget.
After college, my pace of travel slowed down a bit. I moved to NYC, where I found the world condensed into one amazing city. It was there that I started my first blog (thankfully lost to the depths of the internet), but hey, it was the early 2000s, and we were all just figuring things out! While my international adventures paused, my longing to see the world only grew. I constantly searched for ways to move to Europe—still a work in progress, by the way.
As my twenties came to an end, I got married. To my surprise, my husband didn’t even have a passport. That changed quickly! For our honeymoon, we took a dreamy cruise from Venice to Rome, spending 17 days soaking in the beauty of Europe. It was the perfect mix of new adventures and the start of a list of places I knew I’d want to revisit someday.
Not long after, we took a cross-country road trip from Massachusetts to California. We stopped at all the quirky roadside attractions you’re “supposed to,” and it gave me a whole new appreciation for how unique and stunning America is. After so many trips to Europe, this was a reminder of how much beauty we have right here at home. California brought plenty of adventures, including the biggest one of all—growing our family.
Travel didn’t stop when we had kids. If anything, it became even more important to me. COVID slowed us down for a while, but by the time my oldest was eight, he’d already been to eleven countries. Watching my kids discover the world has been the greatest joy of all. Seeing them make friends in new places, try new foods, and realize that while we may have different cultures, we’re all more alike than we think—that’s the magic of travel.
This is why I travel, and it’s why I help others travel. The world is too big to stay in one place. There are so many friends you haven’t met yet, so many experiences waiting to show you the beauty of our differences and the joy of our similarities. Travel opens your eyes and your heart. It’s a gift that keeps giving, long after you’ve come home.
So, tell me—why do you travel?
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