I was lucky enough to grow up with beach vacations and all-inclusive getaways sprinkled throughout the Caribbean and the southern U.S., but travel didn’t grab me by the heart until high school. That all changed during a three-month exchange in Belgium—suddenly the world felt less like a map and more like a playground waiting to be explored. By the time my grade 12 graduation trip landed me in Italy, I was officially hooked.
Between first and second year of university, two of my best girlfriends and I backpacked Europe for a month with nothing but hostels, cheap eats, and big dreams. We drank in the culture, the chaos, the connections—on a shoestring budget, we learned that the best parts of travel weren’t the souvenirs, they were the stories. From then on, not having a trip on the horizon started to feel claustrophobic. I didn’t just want to go somewhere — I needed to.
A decade later, that spark became a lifestyle. I’ve wandered through cobblestone European cities and trekked volcanic landscapes across Central and South America—Italy, France, Belgium, the U.K., Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Ecuador, Colombia, the Galápagos, and beyond. Each destination has carved a little piece into who I am. Every trip has been a lesson and a reminder of how big and beautiful the world can be.
Exploring the world isn’t just something I do. It’s how I show up in it. Meeting people who are curious, kind, and a little bit bold has expanded how I see everything—from culture to connection to community. If I can help even one person feel that rush of realizing the world is bigger, kinder, and more accessible than they thought, then I’ve done something that matters.
“Travel doesn’t just take you places—it opens you to the people and possibilities you didn’t know were waiting.”
I genuinely believe travel is the best investment you can make in yourself and in your understanding of the world. The world is far more welcoming than we’re often told.