I’ve had quite the journey as a traveler (see what I did there?).

It all began with growing up pouring over travel magazines and taping pictures of destinations on my wall. When it was time to go to university, I made sure to choose a place with a good study abroad program. And so, it began.

During the spring of my junior year of college, I had the time of my life studying abroad in Madrid, Spain. Over a period of six months, I visited eleven countries. I traveled almost every weekend between school weeks, learning how to function with minimal sleep in the meantime (which meant lots of afternoon naps in the library). With so much to see in so little time I couldn’t even think of sleeping! I was living my dream, traveling more than I thought I ever would.

This was when my travel bug really morphed into being. I realized that travel wasn’t just about traveling, but growing. I went from being someone who was afraid to go on an outing alone and couldn’t read maps, to someone who increasingly chose to explore on her own, even deciding to book a solo trip to Budapest.

Read about my study abroad experience to learn about how late Europeans really stay out, what foods to eat, the best hostels, my favorite destinations, and the silly encounters in between.

Spain ~ Portugal ~ France ~ Morocco ~ Czech Republic ~ Ireland ~ England ~ Germany ~ Holland ~ Greece ~ Hungary

Now, ever heard of Wwoofing? I hadn’t until one of my college roommates told me about it. Apparently you could volunteer on an organic farm or garden in return for room and board. Sounded like a pretty good deal if you wanted to experience a foreign country without the extra expense of food and living quarters.

My friend said, why don’t we go Wwoofing in Bali the summer after graduation? I was all over it. I paid the small membership fee to be a Wwoofer and started looking for a place to volunteer in Bali. That’s when I found Jiwa Damai.

Volunteering at Jiwa Damai became a turning point in my life as a young adult, leaving the familiar world of college and diving into the big, scary real world. I found a new sense of spirituality and a new sense of meaning in this chaotic world where I didn’t know where the hell I was going. What was initially intimidating and unfamiliar to me in this mini world of Jiwa Damai, turned into a haven for me. It gave me the opportunity to take a step back and see the world for what it really was.

While volunteering at Jiwa Damai, I wrote in my journal every day. Read about some of these accounts and the beautiful things I learned about the Balinese people, gardening, and life here.

Coming home from my mind-altering escapade in Bali, I was back to ground zero. I was a recent college grad living with my parents, not sure what to do next.

I had graduated with a Bachelor in English and Certificate in Journalism. I started looking into writing at home but I couldn’t find inspiration or a desire to pursue a job in the U.S. Becoming a travel writer had always been my number one dream. But how could I support myself while writing? That’s when I encountered TEFL – Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

Within a few weeks I was signed up for a month-long course in Costa Rica to become TEFL certified. And I was scared. I was diving into this, having no idea if this was the right path for me. What if I was a horrible teacher? What if I failed the course? But I had to give it a try. If it worked out, I could support my travels as a teacher while maintaining my travel blog.

So I packed my bag and My Traveling Hammock was born.

There’s something to be learned from Travel.

Travel challenges you.

The world has become my teacher. I’ve grown as a person and become braver in my decision-making. Instead of shying away at challenges, I’ve dove head-first. Travel breaks down barriers built from fear. I’ve learned how to live simply, open my eyes and ears to different ways of thinking, and see how incredibly fortunate I am to know what this world is about.

Ever since taking the leap into this world, I’ve walked 500 miles across Spain, taught second grade in Colombia, slept in my hammock on a boat on the Amazon River, trekked Patagonia in winter, taught English in Vietnam, motorbiked through the chaos of Hanoi, become a yoga teacher in India, and trekked alone in the Annapurna mountains of Nepal.

When travel beckons you, just think – why not?