I grew up in a rural town in central Michigan, a place where everybody knew everybody, and your plans on Friday night might as well have just been public information given that your parents usually knew where you were and what you did before you even returned home.

I lived in the same house my whole life, only moving for a short while into my grandmother's house as my dad built the current house we live in. My family only traveled to a few places outside of my rural hometown, and we only left the state twice to go to Tennessee when I was in first grade, and Disney World when I was a sophomore in high school. I was lucky enough to go to Washington D.C. twice in middle school with a church group, yet the trip was so structured that I never really experienced the city. I had gone to Orlando and Indianapolis for Business Professionals of America (BPA) my junior and senior years of high school, yet given it was the national competition, I still did not get a chance to truly explore the cities.

Needless to say, by the time I was eighteen and was about to leave my hometown for college, my roots were grounded pretty deep. I did not really know the world outside of my small town other than what I saw on the news, and even then I knew there was more to the world than what the media showed us. I wanted to see it all, and dreamed of travelling to the places I would see in travel magazines, Facebook pages, and Google Images, yet I had no idea what to even expect because I had never known another town other than my home.

Then I moved to the city for college, and it was a complete culture shock. I was no longer surrounded by fields and farmers, but instead busy highways, an immense level of diversity, and so much more. Yet, oddly enough, I loved it. I loved the sense of adventure that the city brought, the lights that lit up the streets at night, and all of the places I could explore.

It was as if I were a bird that had been set free from its cage for the first time. I began to explore every part of the city, expanding my exploration into the surrounding areas of West Michigan. I met friends that loved exploring little drive-through towns and seeing the restaurants and shops these hidden gems had to offer, and loved sharing the stories of these trips with my family and friends back home.

My exploration took me past the state of Michigan to places throughout the nation, and even abroad. I have seen places from the Windy City to the City of Lights, the swamps of Florida to the cliffs of Ireland, the backwoods of South Carolina to the beaches of Barcelona. The memories I have gained from these experiences far surpass any amount I have ever spent on a trip, and I learned that I would much rather have pages full of passport stamps than a bank account full of money. I found my true passion.

Moving was the beginning of my love affair with travel and places I had not even seen other than photos on my computer screen. As much as I love my hometown and being a homebody, I am so thankful that I left. Had I not left, I certainly would not have been on all of the adventures I have been on, and would not have found my true passion within travelling and exploring new people, places, and cultures. My love affair is only beginning, and I cannot wait to see where it takes me next.