Our world is an unbelievably fascinating place. To think on the utterly vast variety of life, landscapes, cultures, languages, colors, architecture, foods, perspectives and beliefs infinitely fascinates and excites me.
Encountering these differences isn't always easy, but it is always worth it.
I am constantly encouraging those I come in contact with to take any and every opportunity to travel beyond their known world. My experiences traveling to and living in countries and cities beyond my home state of Louisiana have grown me in ways that are hard to define.
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With each new country I visit, each new culture I experience, and each new person I meet, I become more of who I'm meant to be.
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To date, I have had the wonderful joy of visiting 24 countries on 5 continents (South America, I'm coming for you next!) and have lived on 3 (Louisiana/Texas/Tennessee, USA, North America; Wellington, New Zealand & Sydney, Australia, Oceania; Kampala, Uganda, Africa). My husband Kevin and I took a year off for our Lingberries vs. the World round-the-world trip in 2013 that exceeded any expectations we could have placed on it. As our family has grown and been living in the US, we've enjoyed extended time in Australia (Kevin's home country), Bali, and Switzerland (home to some of our dearest friends). There's truly nothing like exploring the vastness of our planet and the beautiful diversity of people, animals, food, landscape and language within.
I share this with you to encourage you to GET OUT THERE, explore and MAKE FRIENDS (the best part). To help you to get started, here are a few sites that may serve as resources for you:
Outsite – coliving/coworking spaces around the world for digital nomads, or people like me that love taking a week away every so often!
The Bucket List Family – I've loosely followed the adventures of this incredible family of world travelers for many, many years... and now I'm realizing that their website is sweet and I should get more inspiration here, ha.
Under 30 Experiences' Ultimate Guide to Planning Your First International Trip – I just came across this, but it looks pretty thorough, so couldn't hurt to give it a read if you've yet to travel outside of your home country!
And, of course, if you would like my direct feedback on any ideas, give me a shout! I'm always happy to share what knowledge I've acquired in all my years of international travel to help you out. Remember: it's worth it.