Introduction

For 17 years of my life, I hated traveling. I loved going to familiar places where I knew the area and what it offered, but the idea of going to a foreign place, knowing no one, and having to explore really frightened me. I would embrace annual visits to Honolulu to hang out with family friends my grandparents' age, but I hesitated when offered the chance to go to France for two weeks with my peers. I was uneasy about traveling to Costa Rica with a group of strangers to do analysis on ecotourism. If someone mentioned they had gone to Europe or South America, I turned green with envy, yet when I actually had the opportunity to go my stomach got queasy. I realized two years ago that I had a calling to help people, yet I still didn't want to jump in to their situation. It wasn't that I was uncomfortable sleeping on a floor or only eating beans and rice for every meal or not showering for a week, but I was uncomfortable having to present myself in front of others for the first time.

It wasn't until a few months ago that I got smacked in the face with opportunity and welcoming by complete strangers. It suddenly clicked that there was nothing to be afraid of; all those movies like "Hostel" or any fear I had of people or interpretations melted away. It just stopped making sense to be scared of, well, nothing.

Recently, a friend of mine suggested that I record my travels for friends so they know about my adventures abroad. Especially because I will be gone for four months traveling to 13 different countries in the spring, this began to make sense. I hope that in addition to this, somehow my experiences can inspire someone else to take a leap and embrace the world.

This blog will not only include travels to Costa Rica, Thailand, Hawaii, etc., but also to places that have changed me and that I think everyone should visit, such as a nearby restaurant or small park right here in Florida. While destinations that are exotic do have the reputation of being spiritually inspirational, it always amazes me how the smallest miracles can exist right in our own backyard (even mine which is overrun by compost and cats).