The Early Years
I have possessed the love of traveling since I’ve been a child. When I was a kid, my family and I would do many road trips around the country. My favorite part of traveling is that it forces you into new surroundings. You see new places, meet new people and learn new ideas.
Studying Abroad in College
In college, I was able to study abroad in Spain and that experience changed my life forever.
Prior to studying abroad, I had never really been outside of the country. My destination was Spain and I would be living in a foreign country for a semester – 5 months. I lived with a host family which included my host parents, 4 Spanish college roommates and 1 American roommate. I absorbed Spanish customs, foods and the language pretty quickly.
One of the privileges of living in Spain, was it was a perfect hub for me to travel around Europe. During the course of the time studied abroad, I visited 8 countries.
Why did I take my world trip in 2017?
Needless to say, I was “bit” by the “travel bug” traveling overseas in Europe. After graduating from college and getting into the work world, I saw pictures of my then college classmates who were studying abroad. I developed a serious case of wanderlust. In 2013, I decided that I was going to do a “World Trip” where I would see the countries I haven’t previously visited.
I had considered waiting until retirement, however with life unfortunately there are no guarantees. Many people die before retirement. Many people don’t have money during retirement. Many people get sick before or during retirement. I am not going to wait until retirement to chase my dream of seeing the world.
That my friends, is what brings me to today. I’m taking a moment of my life where I’m young, healthy and able to fully enjoy all the benefits of what this experience offers.
2022 Update
Now being 5 years since my initial world trip, my extended travels in 2022 have a fair significance as well. Traveling to SE Asia for nearly 6 months, I feel I will come back yet another changed man for the better.