I’ve been traveling since before I was born. My parents have lived in several countries throughout their lives before settling in New York City, but never stopped their travels and adventures. My extended family members settled across different continents as well, but we all remained close. Growing up, I was taken across different continents to visit my these family members. This allowed me to get a taste of new foods, experience different cultures, and see beautiful sights as locals did. I was a true third-culture kid, and after staying put in one area too long, I would always begin to itch. I travel extensively now because I feel most at home when I’m not at home, and because I feel comfort in knowing that there will always be something I don’t know.
I feel extremely fortunate to have been able to grow up in a global context and to be able to have so many adventures, and am passionate about sharing this experience with others. The internet has caused the world to shrink and in effect brings people in different geographic locations closer together. We are increasingly becoming more of a global community, where technology and tools like Google maps allows us to see the world through other people’s eyes or get tips/recommendations from other locals without having to physically be in the same location. I strongly believe in learning through experiences, and always encourage others to do the same. This is why I love sharing photos, recommendations, and different lists/maps on Google maps; whether it be a list of my favorite happy hour spots in NYC, to a cafe in Johannesburg, to hike along the Tasmanian sea - the more experiences shared, the better, and the more we get to know about each other and the places we are from, the easier it will be to break down barriers. If someone decides to try something new from reading a review or viewing a cool photo of mine, that is one step closer in achieving this goal!