Wanderlust State of Mind

So, I found some inspiration from a Reddit post I saw a short while ago.  This couple from the UK was planning on traveling to the US, specifically San Francisco, Yosemite, and Los Angles, not to mention going to multiple places such as Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge on a budget of 1500 pounds! They want to travel and do a lot of things while on the West coast and were looking for advice on planning and asked if their budget was enough. So, they took to a forum for answers and for the most part received very helpful feedback and advice on their planning and research. Quite frankly, only having a budget of 1500 pounds for roundtrip airfare for two, plus multiple destinations and excursions, is a vast underestimate of the total cost they'd actually need for the whole trip! It got me thinking about how for some people who are brand new to traveling they may not know where to start. Or how to budget for a trip with multiple destinations and excursions. So, I decided to take to...

If there's anything I've learned in all my time in college, and even now as a graduate student, I learned that you HAVE TO DO YOUR RESEARCH! However, this doesn't only apply to college students, it applies to everyone and in every aspect of their daily lives. Why Do I Have To Do Research? Whether you are writing a paper in college, looking for a good daycare for your child, or planning on traveling, it is important that you put in the work it takes to find the best quality information on what you're looking for. Especially if you're traveling, whether you're staying within your city, state, or country, you need to do research so you're not only prepared financially or on what activities you'll do (although those are also very important and need to be researched), but so you're more aware and knowledgable on the climate, ethics, culture, and safety concerns that accompany your travel destination. This was something that is going to vary based on...

Why the Tattoo? Not only am I a traveler but I'm also an avid tattoo collector. I love getting tattoos and collecting a variety of different styles. I'm slowly working on building that collection. But I digress. So, why did I get this tattoo? For a number of reasons actually. I know, I know, as an avid tattoo collector I got a very Pinterest type of tattoo. Although I'm proud to admit I took this idea from Pinterest, and I apologize to the original person who got it and everyone else out there who hates the typical Pinterest tattoo, but this tattoo has a lot of meaning to me. It Reduces my Anxiety I love traveling, I love being on a plane, however I have so much anxiety when I'm in a plane!!! I'm always afraid something is going to happen on the plane, or something doesn't go according to the schedule, or we hit severe turbulence or "bad air". It gets so bad that it brings tears to my eyes and I start to low key cry in my seat before...

So, you want to travel? That's great! You already took the first step in the process, and that was deciding whether you wanted to take that leap of faith and travel. It is such a lovely feeling when you've decided that you want to travel, and I hope you remember this feeling every time you want to travel or you encounter an obstacle. I remember when I first wanted to travel to London. I remember how amazing it felt knowing that I had this ambition within me to travel beyond the borders of the USA! It took many years, but I finally learned how to set goals for myself and I gave myself time to achieve those goals. It was a process learning how to set goals and just understanding why I needed to set goals for myself. Why It's Important To Set Goals What are goals exactly? Dictionary.com states that a goal is "the result or achievement toward which effort is directed". In other words, a goal is something that you have to put effort into and work towards in o...

Kensington Park, London The idea of traveling is a thrilling, breath taking experience. The experiences you'll earn, the memories you'll create, and the people you'll meet are enticing for anyone! I know for my family when I was younger, it was always about the financial means to pay for the trips such as my study abroad program, or going to Jamaica to see my family, or even just going to another state. Traveling isn't always cheap and that prevented us from going to a lot of places when I was younger. Learning what's stopping you from traveling is the first step in trying to overcome those obstacles. Without knowing, how can you work on what needs to be changed? How can you learn, grow, and travel if you're still facing the same challenges that haven't been changed? Identifying setbacks in your life will only lead to better goal setting and planning! London So What's Stopping You? In reality, there are so many factors that go into ta...

You've seen movies, tv shows, even documentaries which feature different locations around the world. You've seen all the pictures on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms showcasing those beautiful, scenic locations from city streets to mountain tops. But how do you choose where to go? The choices are endless, and believe it, it's not easy to choose one when you have a plethora of options to pick from. However, some people know from the start where they want to go. It's not so easy for others. 10 Things To Consider When Choosing A Destination 1. What do you like to do in your spare time? 2. Do you want to explore your own location? Or heritage seeking? 3. Why are you traveling? 4. Are you traveling alone or with others such as your significant other, family, friends? 5. Do you like warm or cold weather? Weather that constantly changes? 6. Do you like to explore off the beaten path or stick to guided exploration? 7. Are you see...

I debated long and hard about when I wanted to do the study abroad program Did I want to do it my sophomore year? Did I want to wait until my junior year? Or even my senior year? After thinking it over, I decided it would be best to wait until I was a senior to do the program. Why? Because it would give me a chance to save money for the costs, to complete most of the required courses for my majors so I wouldn't be eligible for graduation, and to really determine the right study abroad program for me. Fun fact: Protest at Big Ben 2015 Choosing a program was tough. Not only did I have to see which program would fit my financial circumstances, but whether I had a high enough GPA, whether the university and courses offered in London were the equivalent to the courses I'd take here, and if the program was centered around a certain area of study or if it was general. There was so much to think about, and I spent the next 2 years of college doing my research, talking to my profe...

These are unprecedented and stressful times we're living in. There's so much going on with the world that we've all had to take a step back to process things and figure out where we go from here. In that sense, the travel industry has been badly effected by COVID-19 and travel to other countries, and even within country borders, is limited as quarantines and stay at home orders are in effect. I know I, and I'm sure many of you as well, have felt the shockwaves of the virus and have had a hard time coping and adjusting to the new "normal". One of the things that's still very hard for me to cope with is not being able to travel. I absolutely love traveling and I know I'll be doing a lot of traveling once this pandemic is over! But for now, I am following state and federal orders to help curb the virus so we can get out once more. Although I can't physically travel right now, that isn't stopping me from planning my next travel destinations! ...

Months later, even after I graduated high school, I was still very torn about not being about to go to school in London. My mentality at the time was like "whatever". I packed up my bags, drove two and a half hours to Pennsylvania, and I finally reached my college. I was surrounded by hundreds of incoming freshman who were stoked about the beginning of their college days. However, I was not among them. This literally went on for months and I became so depressed that I almost transferred to another school. Months later, I stumbled across a table in the campus center that was advertising study abroad programs. The director of the experiential learning center was at the table, talking to other students about the plethora of study abroad programs and the benefits of studying abroad. It caught my eye, peaked my interest, so I went over to listen to what she had to say. After being at the table for about an hour, I walked away with papers, pamphlets, and brochures of the diff...

I mentioned in my last post that I've always wanted to travel to London when I was younger. I remember watching so many British kid shows like Kipper the dog, Thomas and Friends, and Bob the Builder (although I didn't know these were British shows until I was an adult) and fell in love with their accents and any scenery of London I saw. Flash forward to my high school years, I was just as obsessed with London as I had been when I was younger. This time, I was determined to make it over there! Though the name of the program has escaped my memory, I remember when I was a sophomore, there was a program through my high school where the theatre department would take students to London to study theatre. Although I wasn't in the theatre department, and didn't have an interest in such a field, I was interested in traveling to London. However, this would be the first of many failed attempts in high school to go across the pond. When I brought the idea to my parents, they wer...

A lot of people seem to think that because they want to travel or visit a place that is far from them that it is completely unattainable. That it's something out of reach, and that it's something they will never accomplish in their lifetime. "Well, I'd love to visit Japan, but girl...it's on the other side of the world and I don't have that kind of money or patience to spend all day in an airplane." "I mean, I'd love to go to Italy. But I just don't know how I can do that?" Sound familiar? It happens to the best of us, and everyone has their doubts about reaching that dream destination. Hell, I've had those doubts myself. Been there, done that, and I'm here to tell you a little secret... All it takes is a little positive thinking, some planning ahead, and PATIENCE. I can't stress this enough!!! Just because it doesn't look like it's going to happen within 6 months, or 6 years, doesn't mean its never going t...