entry 2: where i've been

Around the world in roughly 520 days.

Since March of 2017 I've been afforded the opportunity to travel to 10 different countries around the world.

I began my journey traveling on a service trip to Managua, Nicaragua with my college to teach English at a local orphanage/school. I had only been out of the country (United States) twice before to Canada and Germany. I had never imagined going to Nicaragua, but I gained valuable experience learning about a new culture, language, and what it means to be part of a community that makes an impact. This trip ignited my passion for travel.

The rest of 2017 was focused on finishing up school, but in 2018 I started off with another service trip, this time to Ethiopia. Africa had always been on my bucket list, so I was so excited to go and do something meaningful. Following that trip, next on the list was Thailand with a friend I made in Nicaragua.

We spent two and a half weeks exploring Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai.

It was hot as hell, but I felt so free and at home there. It was a magical experience. From visiting temples to meeting elephants, Pad Thai to the bathwater warm ocean, I experienced so much love there. More to come on my Thailand trip and why it was so influential in a later blog post.

At the end of the summer, I planned a trip with my friend Hannah to visit our other friend who was studying abroad in Copenhagen. However, why just go to Copenhagen when you could visit all of Europe?

We planned a three week trip traveling to London, Dublin, Venice, Vienna, Berlin, Amsterdam, ending in Copenhagen.

We had only planned up to Venice before we left, and once we arrived there, made our plans for the rest of the trip.

It was exciting just having a backpack, a friend, and limited plans. We had the freedom to go anywhere and everywhere and do whatever we wanted. Obviously, we only had so much money so we had to be smart, but I highly encourage a random trip like that. We were able to do it for under $2000 total, and I'm sure we could have done it for cheaper if we really wanted to.

As a young woman, traveling with another young woman, I was worried about safety to an extent. That being said, we didn't have any issues at all. We didn't bring any valuables, and we used over the shoulder small purses that we could keep our eyes on. Theft wasn't an issue and we stayed very aware when we were out at night to make sure we were safe. We didn't go out drinking a ton mainly because we always got up early to explore and didn't want to be hung over. We also stayed together so that we could look out for each other. The most important thing for our safety was our awareness. We were able to explore a ton of different places and go off the beaten path. So if safety is a concern, just be smart and you'll be okay.

Having the experiences I've had has given me confidence that I will survive and be happy living in a foreign country. I've always been one who appreciates learning new things, and a new country is sure to teach me a lot. I can't wait for my next adventure!