Loving the World

For some reason, travel seems to be something that we, as humans, are each individually compelled to do. And with globalization and social media, the more we see and learn about the world, the more we want to go and experience things for ourselves.

I think this is one of the most beautiful natural impulses we have. Everyone has a different motivation to travel, yet isn't it amazing how so many different things can lead so many people to take the same action, or to at least daydream about it?

A friend of mine posted this beautiful BBC Travel article on Facebook this week, and it really just made me smile. They asked a variety of people who travel for their profession to share a brief experience from the last year that has truly inspired them and reminded them about why they love the world.

"We asked a range of people, from writers and chefs to musicians and photographers, to share one experience from the last year that truly inspired them – something that, in no uncertain terms, reminded them why they love the world. Madly."

Each and every one of the "50 Reasons to #LoveTheWorld" listed in this article, along with the images accompanying them, resonates strongly with me. I might not have had exactly the same experiences as each person on this list, but I have daydreamed about them all! I might not be a travel writer, photographer, or famous person, but the thing about travel is that it transcends those things which set me [and you] apart from them. You don't have to travel for a career to experience these sorts of connections to people, cultures, history, and nature. So thinking about how the desire to travel can rise above all differences and connects each and every person in this world makes me so happy!


P.S. Happy Earth Day!!!

I Choose Travel

At the 2012 Olympics in London with my friend, Jess Kern

Over the past two years, I have traveled an inordinate amount for someone my age, especially as an American. This is a result of a decision I made in my life to make travel a priority. After all, travel is a choice. There are a million and one reasons any individual can find to not travel. It is something that has to be done deliberately and consciously.

In 2012, I decided that I would travel more. I was tired of waiting for other people to make decisions that affected my life, whether that was a decision to get married or for a job offer. I was finishing my master’s degree and recognized that this time in my life was one of the last times that I would have the ability to travel. Traveling can only be done through a careful balance of time and money. Doesn’t it always seem that if you have one, you don’t really have the other? Luckily, I am good at saving my money and I had a little to spare at the end of grad school in addition to having a flexible schedule. And finding the informational resources I have to learn of flight deals, I became great at finding cheap airfare. It was a perfect storm. In fact, I traveled a good portion of the time during the few months I had between graduation and starting my first career job. I had the (phone) interview for that job while I was on the waterfront in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas USVI, and I started that job the day I got back from the last of a string of trips, which included one week in the Virgin Islands, two weeks in Peru and a week in North Carolina. Little did I know that my chosen profession allows for a flexible schedule affording me the opportunity to continue to travel today, albeit in much smaller doses.

Hiking down from Montaña Wayna Picchu with Machu Picchu in the background

Choosing to travel also means making sacrifices. Every trip will not be your dream trip. For me, I never have enough time off of work to spend the time that I want to in each location. However, because I work and I have a decent schedule with regular 3 day weekends, I am able to take trips over my long weekends here and there to take advantage of cheap airfare. One additional positive side to these shorter trips is that I end up spending less money on accommodations and activities, at the very least. It forces me to spend my time more efficiently in each place that I visit, although I am also often content to spend a day roaming and wandering a place with no set schedule.

Having short trips is the sacrifice I make to travel. A lot of people tell me they wouldn’t spend money on a 3 or even 6 day trip to this or that country, or that they wouldn’t want to go unless they could spend three weeks or even a month in a place. I agree that those longer trips are ideal, and I would rather do that, too. Unfortunately, having that kind of time to spend in a place is not realistic if a person actually wants to travel. As an entry-level career employee, I don’t get that much vacation time, so I will tack on a day or two to a long weekend whenever I can. That gives me a little bit of time that is so necessary for the travel I can do with the little bit of money I have after leftover after I pay my bills and set a little aside for savings. But that is my choice. I choose to take shorter trips with the little money I have because in my mind, going somewhere for 3 or 4 days is much better than not going at all.

Kayaking in Pataogonia on a 4 day trip to Chile

No matter where I go, everyone has always told me that if I ever wanted to travel, now is the time to do it, now while I’m still young and single. I have also had so many people tell me that they wish they had done more traveling before getting married and settling down. Since I have not had that opportunity yet, I am not going to sit around and wait for life to happen to me. So starting in 2012, when I was finishing grad school unsatisfied with my decision to attend a school that did not afford me the opportunity to study abroad, I made a conscious decision to prioritize travel (within a reasonable budget) in my life. And you know what? It doesn't have to be as expensive as it seems! It all depends on the destination, but if you can find a good airfare to a cheap location then there is no reason not to go. 

My choice to travel is also a choice I made to fulfill my lifelong dreams and goals. I have always had the travel bug ever since I can remember. I think a huge part of that comes from having island fever growing up on an island in one of the most remote archipelagos on this planet (Hawaii). On top of that, I have always been obsessed with traveling to Europe. As a kid, I loved to read the Encyclopedia (I'm a nerd, I know) specifically searching for entries on European countries and their rulers. But even then, I still dreamed of traveling everywhere else as well. I would always try to get my close friends to commit to a cross-country road trip one day when we would move to the mainland for college, and I was always taking notes of interesting places to see in the future like Jellyfish Lake in Palau, where you can swim with jellyfish that don't sting. I have been fortunate to have had a passport since I was 4 years old when I first visited my relatives in Thailand. Until I was 16, I had only ever traveled to visit family, and I have always wanted to see more of the world. The desire to travel has always been a major part of my life, and my choice to travel is also my choice to act on my lifelong dreams.

Swimming with Jellyfish in Palau

Jellyfish Selfie!

On Easter Abroad

Gleðilega Páska - Happy Easter! 

Isn't it funny how Easter always seems to fall on a different Sunday each year? Wikipedia tells me that Easter occurs on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox (when Spring officially begins). At this time last year, I was just getting back from an epic solo trip to Chile while last Easter I was actually in Iceland. The fact that this Easter reminds me of two amazing trips I have had within the last year really makes me smile (in addition to all the other normal Easter things, of course!).

Easter Sunday last year...

...versus this time last year

 Last year, Easter fell on a Sunday toward the end of April when I had the good fortune to visit Reykjavik with my dear friend, Melissa. We didn't think much about being there on a holiday, but it ended up meaning that a lot of the stores closed early (or entirely) not just on Easter day but also throughout that weekend.

Note to Self (and everyone else): Be sure to do a Google search about the local observations of any sort of holidays or events before taking a trip anywhere. This can really throw a wrench in any travel plans you may have!

We got extremely lucky/blessed that day because we were planning on attending church, which was supposed to start around noon, so we were going to drive around to find a certain cool volcano before coming back to the city for church. However, for some reason we decided to drive to the church first to be sure we knew where it was. This ended up being a brilliant idea because we actually got lost and went to the right address in the wrong part of the city at first. We did have a GPS with the rental car, but the street names and neighborhoods were funky being in Icelandic and all. We eventually found the chapel and it turned out that because of Easter, church was moved up to 10am, so we ended up being perfectly on time!

Melissa and I in the Reykjavik
chapel on Easter Sunday, April 2014

Words cannot express how much I enjoyed being with the people of the Reykjavik Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints last Easter. The lessons and discussions had through all three hours of church were wonderful, and I met some of the most amazing people there! But the most memorable part of that Easter Sunday for me was being invited to have dinner with Elder and Sister Severe at their home near the Hallgrimskirka Church. Since basically every single restaurant would be closed that day - something that Melissa and I didn't think much about - the Severes were extremely gracious and generous in extending that dinner invitation to us. We ended up spending hours at their house with Ásta, one of the branch members, after having dinner with some of the missionaries. We talked about travel and shared our life stories, but most importantly, we had a lot of discussions about Christ. I could not have imagined a more perfect way to spend an Easter Sunday. We had the best company we could have asked for, and it was easy to remember Christ that day. I will never forget the love and compassion shown to us by the Severes and the members of the Reykjavik Branch that Easter. There is no better way to remember Christ than to share His love with those around you, even if they are strangers and clueless tourists from America. I hope that one day I have the opportunity to return the favor to the Severes and to also pay it forward and share that same kindness to my fellow travelers in my home. It's the sharing economy at its best!

With some of the missionaries outside the chapel

Oskar with a Paska Egg, an Icelandic Easter tradition

Melissa and I hanging out with some of the church
members, Freddy and Oskar, after that Easter Sunday