TRAVEL

I’ve always believed travelling is the best way to gain perspective and grow as a person. Witnessing how other people around the world live their lives and honor their culture is an invaluable experience that helps us as humans stay interconnected. I find when I travel, although there may be great differences, there are also many commonalities. Travelling opens your eyes to the world around you and gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture while you’re there. My first day in a new city I always enjoy spending a day just walking through my new neighborhood and getting a feel for my new surroundings. I watch the locals, stop for a drink at a local bar or cafe and just soak it all in.

“It seems that the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realize the world to be. The more I become aware of, the more I realize how relatively little I know of it, how many places I have still to go, how much more there is to learn.” -Anthony Bourdain

I was fortunate to have my first experience abroad at the age of 12. I have a very special connection with my grandparents and after they retired they loved travelling. Luckily for me, they wanted to take me and my siblings along! My first time ever on an airplane was with them as we traveled over the Atlantic to our first stop: London. We were only in the airport for a short layover before heading to our destination: Zurich, Switzerland. It can be quite daunting to have your first experience in an airplane be a nine hour flight to Europe. I remember being so excited I didn’t sleep a wink the whole fight. Not a lot has changed for me in that department… I still have yet to ever successfully sleep on an airplane. I will always be grateful to my grandparents for giving the gift of travel. We traveled through Switzerland, Austria, Germany and even parts of Italy together. If you’ve never seen the Swiss Alps, put it on your bucket list. It will take your breath away. At 15, my grandparents were up for another adventure with us (so I guess we didn’t annoy them too much on our first voyage lol) and they decided on a cruise to Alaska which was amazing! My grandparents have been all over the world and always told us from a young age the importance of seeing the world. I blame them for the travel bug that ensued after our first trip together…

As I grew older, travelling became extremely important to me. That being said, it’s much more stressful once your’e the one footing the bill. I had to be very specific with my planning and save to make some of my trips work. I’ve been to Mexico, Spain, Portugal, England, Norway, and countless cities in the U.S. like Chicago, Colorado Springs, New York City, and Washington D.C. Travelling is a privilege that I never take for granted. The experiences I have had while travelling have helped mold me into the woman I am today. I believe my travels have helped me become a well-rounded individual who can appreciate and celebrate the differences of others as well as embrace new experiences rather than straying away from them.

So my advice to y’all is this: TRAVEL! Anywhere and everywhere! Don’t make excuses for why you can’t or not having the time. If you can’t afford to fly, jump in your car and drive across the country. Some of my favorite family memories are from our spontaneous road trips. We are all only here for a short while, so use your time wisely and get out there! You won’t regret it.

xoxo- Kristen Jean